BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — Tommy Mellott threw for 300 yards and four touchdowns and top-seeded Montana State tied a school record with its 13th straight win, dominating Tennessee-Martin 49-17 on Saturday in the second round of the FCS playoffs. Scottre Humphrey ran for 102 yards and a touchdown, one of three rushing touchdowns for the Bobcats (13-0), who are home next weekend against the winner of Saturday's late game between Lehigh and eighth-seeded Idaho. MSU, which has scored at least 30 points in every game this season, won 13 games in 1975-76. Mellott threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns in the first half and the Bobcats rolled to a 28-10 lead. Mellott had touchdown passes of 24 yards to Hunter Provience and 12 yards to Taco Dowler in the first quarter and 39 yards to Ty McCullouch in the second. McCullouch also had a 6-yard touchdown run. The pass to McCullouch ended a six-play, 73-yard drive that took just 53 seconds, and came immediately after Trevonte Rucker took a pass from Kinkead Dent 78 yards to the end zone that made it 21-10. The Bobcats only allowed only 10 total points in the first half of home games in the regular season. Humphrey had a 36-yard TD run and Mellott hit Dowler for a 29-yard score in the third quarter Adam Jones contributed a 30-yard scoring run in the fourth. Mellott finished 22-of-25 passing and the Bobcats had 501 total yards. Dent threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns, both to Rucker, who had six receptions for 107 yards. The Skyhawks (9-6) finished with 264 yards. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25Valley shelter reopens to families in need of housing
Enzo Maresca ‘thankful’ for connection at Leicester ahead of return with Chelsea
Hidalgo leads No. 6 Notre Dame over JuJu Watkins and third-ranked USC 74-61 in big matchup out West
The part of India you probably haven’t heard of, but must visitSHILLONG: A social media influencer , Akash Sagar, has been booked for trespassing inside a church and shouting "Jai Shri Ram" at its altar in Meghalaya 's East Khasi Hills district. The episode has sparked outrage in the Christian-majority state, with CM Conrad Sangma vowing action after Sagar posted videos of his act on Instagram. The intrusion occurred Thursday when Sagar, who is in his twenties and reportedly visiting Meghalaya as a tourist, trooped into Church of Epiphany in Mawlynnong village . Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , Location Guesser and Mini Crossword .
Delhi L-G Orders Probe Against AAP After Congress' Complaints; Kejriwal Decries 'Conspiracy' By BJP | NewsHour
By JIM VERTUNO | Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued the NCAA to block the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports, arguing that it tricks and misleads fans. The lawsuit filed in state district court in Lubbock and announced Sunday, argues the NCAA violates the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act by promoting women’s sports that may include a transgender athlete. The law is designed to protect consumers from being misled or tricked into buying products or services that are not as advertised, the lawsuit said. The Texas lawsuit is the latest attempt by conservative politicians to target transgender athletes and push the NCAA into banning them from competition. President-elect Donald Trump has said he wants to stop trans athletes from competing . The lawsuit seeks an injunction to stop the NCAA from allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports in Texas, or in sports that involve Texas programs. Or it wants the court to require the NCAA to stop marketing events as “women’s” sports if transgender athletes are allowed. In a statement, Paxton appeared to reference the recent controversy involving San Jose State women’s volleyball , where several opponents forfeited matches this season on grounds the Spartans had a transgender player. A federal court last month refused to block the school from playing in the Mountain West Conference championship. “When people watch a women’s volleyball game, for example, they expect to see women playing against other women, not biological males pretending to be something they are not,” Paxton said. “Radical ‘gender theory’ has no place in college sports.” The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity and through school officials has declined an interview request. Paxton accused the NCAA of “intentionally and knowingly jeopardizing the safety and wellbeing of women” and turning women’s sports into “co-ed competitions.” The NCAA does not track data on transgender athletes among the 544,000 currently competing on 19,000 teams at various levels across the country. NCAA President Charlie Baker testified in Congress earlier this month that he was aware of fewer than 10 active NCAA athletes who identified as transgender. “College sports are the premier stage for women’s sports in America, and while the NCAA does not comment on pending litigation, the Association and its members will continue to promote Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women’s sports and ensure fair competition in all NCAA championships,” the NCAA said in a statement Monday. Brooke Slusser, the San Jose State volleyball co-captain who was among the group of players who sued the Mountain West Conference over her teammate’s participation, praised the Texas lawsuit on social media. “Hey NCAA, just in case you haven’t realized yet this fight will just keep getting harder for you until you make a change!,” Slusser posted on X . The NCAA established a policy in 2010 that requires trans athletes who were assigned male at birth to complete at least one year of testosterone suppression therapy before being eligible to compete on a women’s team. Trans athletes who were assigned female at birth and transitioned to male can compete on a men’s team but if they have received testosterone treatment are ineligible to compete on a women’s team. The athletes are required to meet their chosen sport’s standard for documented testosterone levels at various points during a season. In 2022, the NCAA revised the policy in what the organization called an attempt to be aligned with national sports governing bodies. If a governing body does not have a trans athlete policy, then it scales up to the international federation that oversees the sport. If there is no international federation policy, previously established Olympic policy criteria would be followed.Academically and professionally qualified B/G US citizen parents seeking well mannered and professionally accomplished son for their daughter. She is a Medical Doctor working in the US, beautiful, kind, slim, and caring, born in 1981, 5’6”. Please reply with family details and horoscope to myprop9988@gmail.com B226705 Academically and professionally qualified, caring , and well mannered son sought by Buddhist parents living in North America for their professionally qualified daughter born in April, 1994 and currently working. For further information please send family details and horoscope to sproposal38@gmail.com B224240 Academically qualified partner for daughter B/G, Colombo suburbs, 1981/8, fair, young looking, 5’5”, BSc / MSc, well-employed. Owns House & assets. Divorced innocent party (short marriage). No kids. redlotus927@gmail.com B226574 Academically, professionally qualified caring son sought by B/G parents for their pretty daughter Australian citizen, Digital Manager in reputed organization in Australia, 1987, 5’3”, BSc (IT) Masters with professional qualifications, legally divorced after short marriage with no encumbrances. ausproposal887@gmail.com B226679 Academically, professionally qualified well mannered loving son from a respectable family is sought by B/G professional parents for their well accomplished doctor daughter, MBBS & MRCP, British citizen. She is fair, pretty, 1986 born 5’9”. She has substantial assets in UK and Sri Lanka. Please respond with family details and a copy of the horoscope. Email : proposaluk23@gmail.com B226641 Australian resident retired Government servant parents are seeking an academically and professionally qualified match for their only daughter. She is a 5’ tall, born in April 1990, working as a Nurse in an ICU at a public hospital in Melbourne. She was graduated from Victoria University, is an Australian citizen, and owns her own home. Australian residents preferred. Please reply with family background and horoscope to. Marriageproposal49@gmail.com B226702 Bodu Govi parents from Colombo seek suitable well mannered son for their beautiful daughter educated in a leading school in Colombo and graduated from a prestigious Government University. Currently working at a reputed private company, born in 1997, 5’3”. Kindly reply with family details and horoscope. proposal1788@gmail.com B226744 Bodu Govi parents from Kandy, seeking a suitable partner for their fair and good looking daughter, 5’7”, born in 1997, studied at a leading girls’ school in Kandy. MBBS graduate from a state University in Sri Lanka, awaiting internship, Inherits valuable assets father was a Senior Lecturer at a prestigious state university. A well mannered partner, above 5’8”, a doctor / engineer / graduate with higher educational background is preferred. Please respond with family details and contact details to : mproposalsr25@gmail.com B226650 Buddhist parents seek a partner (in Sinhala or foreign Sri Lankan), for fair pretty daughter born in 1989, 5’ tall. She obtained BSc (foreign), MSc & MBA degrees. She works as an Assistant Manager in a private University in Colombo. She owns our two storeyed new house caste immaterial. Reply with family details and horoscope. Email : sgsproposal@gmail.com B226611 Buddhist parents seek a suitable partner from Sri Lanka or overseas for their fair pretty daughter 1996 (5’6”). Degree holder in Civil Engineering and is employed as an Engineer at Colombo. Reply with horoscope and family details, email : senarathne1234567@gmail.com B226742 Buddhist Sinhalese parents seek a suitable partner from a similar background for their daughter, working in Australia. Attractive & personable, born Feb. 1997, 5’5”, a Degree Holder in Health Science, well employed & accredited. Must be of excellent character, professionally employed, 29 yrs. or less in age, 5’7” or taller, a non-smoker, fit & healthy and at most a social drinker. Australian residents or those willing to settle down in Australia after marriage only please. Reply via email please to : sw97rep@yahoo.com with full family details. B225653 Buddhist Vishwakula parents, residing closer to Colombo seeking a professionally and academically qualified son from a respectable family for 30 year daughter, 5’0”, attached to Legal profession. Please send full family details with horoscope. proposal67890@gmail.com B226618 B/G dual citizen Kandyan parents living in Perth Australia seek a kind-hearted caring handsome, intelligent, MBBS Doctor or a Medical student son below 30 years and brought up with Buddhist values and preferably teetotaller non-smoker for their pretty fair 24 year old, Australian born 5’4” tall daughter who is Doctor in Optometry, kind, well mannered, religious. Son who would be willing to live in Perth Australia. Parents and family intend to arrive in Sri Lanka mid January for a short holiday. We hope that this would start as a friendship, with the prospect of marriage. Please reply with family details, contact No. & copy of horoscope. Email : nayanarj@hotmail.com B226652 B/G parents residing in Colombo seek a suitable partner for their daughter born in 1990, 5’7” tall, slim and fair caring & family oriented, studied in a leading girls’ school in Colombo with higher education. Currently employed as a Manager in a multinational company, Sri Lanka office. Respond with horoscope. marriagepartner2023@gmail.com B226707 B/G respectable parents seek a professionally qualified son preferably living in the UK for their caring pretty daughter, only child. She is 32 years old, 5’4” tall, slim, fair, religious and studied at a leading girls’ school in Colombo. She holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Colombo and Master’s degree from a high ranked and well reputed University in London. She worked as a Scientist for a couple of years in a well established Technology Company in the UK and currently working as an executive at a leading University in London. Please reply with family details and horoscope to: propmp85@gmail.com B226709 B/G 1990 beautiful attractive daughter, holding a Masters Degree living in Australia. Parents seek a kind partner preferably a Medical Doctor with PR in Australia. Please reply to mp2025dec@gmail.com B226715 Canada resident, IT Engineer attached to a leading institute in Canada. She is pretty and kind hearted. If need arises may consider to settle in any suitable country. BEng (Electronics) and Masters/IT qualified. Educated at a leading Buddhist Girls’ School. 1989/3, B/G, 5’3”, only sister and parents hold high positions. Inherits valuable assets. 0112849850, 0776641210. hgama2015@gmail.com B226698 Colombo Buddhist Govi/Deva December 1998 fair pretty, height 5’1” MBBS qualified daughter parents seek a well mannered professionally qualified partner, caste immaterial. Dowry worth over 200 Mn. with a modern 3 storied house and a luxury car. She is a Visakhian. Email : viswalawoffice@gmail.com 0112939373, Tel/WhatsApp 0714176988. B226730 Colombo B/G 1991, 5’4” educated in a leading school in Colombo, working as an IT Consultant / Lecturer (IT). Parents seeking a suitable partner. marproposal1991@yahoo.com 0112518183. B226693 Colombo suburb Sinhalese Buddhist parents look for a professionally / academically qualified son for 1989 July born daughter, Canadian University graduate. Migration is needed. No divorcees please. Reply with family details & copy of horoscope. Reply rajitha_karu@yahoo.ca B226669 Colombo, residing at Battaramulla, Govi / Sinhala / Buddhist, retired Executive Grade employed father and presently Government Health Sector employed mother seek suitable partner for elder daughter, age 25 years. She had studied at a leading Colombo Girls’ School, passed G.C.E. (A/Level) Examination in Commerce stream, Graduate, presently following MBA Degree, employed at a leading Financial Institution in Colombo, owns house close to Colombo and dowry in cash. We expect the prospective son to be in the Banks, Medical, Engineering, Accounting fields and even those employed overseas considered. sayumirathnayaka10@gmail.com B226638 Govi Buddhist professional family in Canada seeks qualified, well mannered son with height above 5’7” for lovely youngest daughter for a decent relationship leading to future marriage. She is pretty fair well behaved Law student born 2001. Expatriate son below 26 preferred. Write with horoscope. proposalcanadian@gmail.com B225522 Govi Catholic parents seek a suitable partner for their divorced daughter as the plaintiff, within a very brief marriage, born in 1989 October, height 5’6” postgraduated, executive officer in reputed foreign institute in Colombo, no kids, pleasant, good cultured with valuable assets. Divorcees without kids too considered. Mob. No. 0774926623, 0112614629, Email: suppe@sltnet.lk B226571 Moor parents from Dehiwala seek a moderately religious and practicing professionally qualified groom from Australia or looking to relocate to Australia for their daughter 1993 born 5’2” fair Software Engineer dress code casual modest completed IT Masters from Victoria University Melbourne. proposal6505@gmail.com B226604 Parents are seeking an academically and professionally qualified son for their fair, pretty, well-disciplined and kind-hearted Tamil daughter who was born in 1989, 5’2” in height, financially independent and currently pursuing her PhD. in Biomedicine in Australia, set to complete in February 2025. She is divorced after a brief marriage as the innocent party and has no encumbrances. Ethnicity and religion are immaterial. Please reply with details and horoscope to : sivakumaran774@gmail.com B226713 RC Govi parents from the Western Province seek an academically and professionally qualified son for their loving fair and pretty daughter born in 1998, she holds a BBA (Hons) degree from a reputed Government University and is currently working at a private bank. The family welcomes proposals for an early marriage, including those from overseas. Email: wedproposal011@gmail.com B226684 RC/G mother from Rathmalana seeks a suitable partner for her daughter, Feb. 1993, 5’3”, slim, educated at a leading Catholic convent in Colombo, possess, a BSc. Degree in Administration and Postgraduate Diploma in Management. Currently working in a BPO company as an Executive. Please reply to proposalan@yahoo.com B226645 SBG parents from Kandy, Sri Lanka and Australia dual citizens, living in Melbourne, Australia seek a professionally qualified son with good qualities, for their attractive Science graduate daughter working in private sector 28+, 5’1”, slim built, Australian citizen / permanent resident or living / willing to settle in Australia below 33 years and below 5’8” height, preferred and should be non smoking / Alcoholic. Inherit Australian properties and its income. Reply with family details and copy of horoscope to +61401054468. Email – veritan24@yahoo.com B226736 Sinhala Buddhist Doctor parents living in Colombo suburbs seek a partner for daughter born in 1995, currently doing postgraduate studies in USA. Owns substantial assets. B226746 Sinhala Buddhist Karawa respectable parents in Galle seek an academically and professionally qualified well-mannered caring son for their Dental Surgeon daughter born in 1989, fair complexion, 5 feet 3 inches in height. She is currently employed at a Government Hospital and inherits substantial assets. Please reply with full family details and horoscope copy to : mproposal432@gmail.com B226720 Sinhala, Buddhist parents living in Gampaha seek an educated son for their daughter born in ‘89 June, 4’9” in height. She is living and studying in Australia. We are looking for a son who is currently living in Australia. Please reply with details, Rahu 1, Kethu 7. propjk@yahoo.com B226739 Southern Bodu Vishwa parents seek a suitable partner to be proposed for their age 25 height 5’4”, fair, good looking 4th year medical student daughter. proposalg24@gmail.com B226589 S/B/G professional parents resident in the UK, seek a well-educated, caring and family-oriented son for their fair, pretty Lawyer daughter, 1994, petite in stature. Preferably living in the UK or willing to migrate. Reply to : lg71xwa@gmail.com B226725 UK born 24 years old professionally qualified daughter, who’s currently working as a trainee solicitor in London. Height 5’6”. Parents are seeking a Catholic / Buddhist partner who’s qualified for our daughter. Please email with family details to: harshani1221@yahoo.co.uk Thank You. B226667 1988/10, 5’4.5”, Govi Buddhist, youngest in the family, studied at Sirimavo Col-7, graduated BSc Project Mgt (sp) & MBA holding a respectable position. She is a kind-hearted, generous individual with a pleasant personality and strong values. Enjoys traveling, photography, swimming, and badminton during leisure and respects Sri Lankan culture while embracing a balanced perspective with Western values. Seeking a bonded life partner who is academically and professionally accomplished, well-mannered, open-minded, and caring someone who will become a cherished member of the family. Reply with details and horoscope. cal88srcproposal@gmail.com B226576 55, 5’5”, fair, slim, lady writer seeks her soulmate. Lets talk stargates, multiverse, quantum jumping, endurance, endemic fauna, elephants, conservation, manifestation, Indigenous healing, spirituality, history and literature. Love dancing, cooking, bikes, cats, safaris and travel and trying to go vegetarian. Expect extended bouts of noble, companionable silence, and long meditation retreats. dancer.latin@gmail.com B226683
Dylan Hernández: MLS deal with Apple TV could be hurting league's efforts to grow its fan base
Hidalgo leads No. 6 Notre Dame over JuJu Watkins and third-ranked USC 74-61 in big matchup out WestMARKET REPORT: Raspberry Pi in festive mood as shares soar By JON HOPKINS Updated: 14:45, 28 December 2024 e-mail View comments The traditional Santa Rally may not have arrived, but DIY computer maker Raspberry Pi most certainly has had a fantastic time, rising to more than £1bn in value. The FTSE 250 stock was on the march again yesterday and is up 74pc this month. Much of that has come since December 18, when it was revealed that America's SW Investment Management had amassed a 3.59pc holding in the UK firm, which only listed in London six months ago. Raspberry Pi made a strong debut on June 11 after its public offering at 280p a share, jumping to 385p at the close of trade that day. Since then, the stock - of which more than half is owned by just two holders - had been steadily rising before this month's boost. Raspberry Pi rose another 7pc, or 42p, to 640p, easing back after hitting a new intra-day peak of 721.5p, proving to investors that tech floats can work in London, albeit thanks to US influences. Overall, the post-Christmas mood was mixed, though based on thin volumes. The FTSE 100 index closed 0.16pc, or 12.79 points, up at 8149.78, but the FTSE 250 ended down 0.4pc, or 82.86 points, at 20,488.65. Among the minority of FTSE 100 gainers, Centrica was up 2.2pc, or 2.85p, at 131.85p as the British Gas-owner started buying back £300m of shares, which will take the total repurchase to £1.5bn since November 2022. Energy firms were also up, with BP rising 1.1pc, or 4.2p, to 385.45p and Shell ahead 0.47pc, or 11.5p, at 2440.5p as oil prices held firm, supported by fresh economic stimulus measures from China. But Anglo American fell 1.66pc, or 39.5p, to 2342p as Chile's environmental regulator filed four charges against the Los Bronces copper mine. Builder Taylor Wimpey was down 0.74pc, or 0.9p, at 120.6p with the sector troubled by mortgage rate concerns. But fellow builder Vistry rallied modestly, adding 2.83pc, or 15.5p, to close at 563p, having plunged 16pc on Christmas Eve after delivering an unseasonal profit warning - its third of the year. Though the market was forgiving after the festive break, analysts were less so, with those at Irish broker Davy cutting their recommendation for Vistry to 'neutral' from 'outperform'. Also on the FTSE 250, Syncona rose 0.58pc, or 0.6p, to 103.2p as it revealed one of its investments, Achilles Therapeutics, had sold its technology assets to AstraZeneca for £9.5m. Syncona said its holding value in Achilles was £8.5m as of September 30, representing 0.7pc of its net asset value. Among the small caps, Zenith Energy leapt 35.3pc, or 1.2p, to 4.6p encouraged by the latest ruling of the arbitral tribunal of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes in the company's case against Tunisia. The energy group is suing the Tunisian state for £500m claiming breach of trade agreements with the UK relating to the Sidi El Kilani and Ezzaouia concessions. But Walker Crips lost 5.56pc, or 1p, closing at 17p as the London stockbroker and asset manager swung to a first half loss of £1.5m despite sales increasing by 2.3pc. DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS AJ Bell AJ Bell Easy investing and ready-made portfolios Learn More Learn More Hargreaves Lansdown Hargreaves Lansdown Free fund dealing and investment ideas Learn More Learn More interactive investor interactive investor Flat-fee investing from £4.99 per month Learn More Learn More Saxo Saxo Get £200 back in trading fees Learn More Learn More Trading 212 Trading 212 Free dealing and no account fee Learn More Learn More Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence. Compare the best investing account for you Share or comment on this article: MARKET REPORT: Raspberry Pi in festive mood as shares soar e-mail Add comment Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.In a significant political move, the BJP administration in Rajasthan has dismantled nine districts created under the previous Congress rule, labeling them as impractical and not in public interest. The reshuffle was confirmed during a state cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, resulting in Rajasthan retaining seven divisions and 41 districts. The opposition Congress party, quick to criticize the decision, argued it was fueled by political vendetta and hinted at possible legal battles to counter the government's actions. (With inputs from agencies.)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Marquel Sutton scored 23 points as Omaha beat Sacramento State 70-60 on Saturday night. Sutton added eight rebounds for the Mavericks (4-7). Tony Osburn scored 15 points and added five rebounds and three steals. JJ White had nine points and went 4 of 5 from the field. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a weekBy Wealth Trust Securities The Secondary Bond market kickstarted the week on a positive note following news that Fitch Ratings had issued credit rating upgrades on Sri Lanka’s Foreign Currency and Local Currency Debt Issuances. The Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) was raised to ‘CCC+’ from ‘RD’ (Restricted Default), while the Local-Currency IDR was promoted to ‘CCC+’ from ‘CCC-’. This coincided with the stock market continuing to rally and hitting new all-time highs. Initially, yields were seen declining sharply on the back of aggressive buying interest. Trading activity and transaction volumes were seen at healthy levels earlier in the day but subsequently moderated to a virtual standstill during the latter part of the day. As activity slowed down, the momentum shifted, and yields were seen moving back up as profit taking pressure led to a reversal. As a result, two-way quotes actually closed the day broadly steady. The 15.09.27 maturity initially hit an intraday low of 9.68% subsequent to hitting an intraday high of 9.75%. The bulk of the trading was centred on 2028 durations. The 15.02.28 and 15.03.28 maturities were initially seen hitting intraday lows of 10.00% prior to trading back up to intraday highs of 10.10%. The other 2028 tenors followed a similar V-shaped trading pattern. The 01.05.28 and 01.07.28 maturities were seen hitting intraday lows of 10.07% and 10.20% prior to moving back up to trade at intraday highs of 10.30% each respectively. The 15.09.29 maturity traded up from an intraday low of 10.65% to a high of 10.70%. The 15.05.30 maturity was seen changing hands at the rates of 11.00%-11.05%. The 01.07.32 maturity was seen trading within the narrow band of 11.47%-11.48%. Furthermore, it was reported yesterday that Moody’s had also upgraded Sri Lanka’s long-term foreign currency issuer rating to Caa1 from Ca with a stable outlook. This comes ahead of the Treasury bill auction due today, which will have a total amount of Rs. 120.00 billion on offer, a decrease of Rs. 65.00 billion over the previous week. This will consist of Rs. 30.00 billion on the 91-day maturity and Rs. 40.00 billion on the 182-day and Rs. 50.00 billion on the 364-day maturity. For reference, at the weekly Treasury Bill auction conducted last Wednesday (18 December), weighted average rates declined across all three maturities for the second consecutive week. The 91-day rate fell by 3 basis points to 8.66%, the 182-day by 7 basis points to 8.81%, and the 364-day by 1 basis point to 9.02%. Total bids exceeded the offered amount by 2.22 times, raising Rs. 185 billion in the 1st phase. An additional Rs. 18.50 billion (being the maximum offered) was raised in the 2nd phase, which saw strong oversubscription of Rs. 111.4 billion. On the inflation front, the National Consumer Price Index - NCPI (Base: 2021=100) or National inflation for the month of November 2024 was recorded at -1.70% on its point to point as against -0.70% recorded in October 2024, while the annual average inflation was recorded at 2.20%. This marked the third consecutive month that the NCPI has recorded deflation. The total secondary market Treasury bond/bill transacted volume for 20 December was Rs. 8.80 billion. In money markets, the weighted average rates on overnight call money and Repo stood at 8.00% and 8.09% respectively yesterday. The net liquidity surplus stood at Rs. 197.51 billion yesterday. Rs 1.29 billion was withdrawn from Central Bank’s SLFR (Standing Lending Facility Rate) of 8.50%, while an amount of Rs. 198.80 billion was deposited at Central Bank’s SDFR (Standard Deposit Facility Rate) of 7.50%. In the Forex market, the USD/LKR rate on spot contracts closed the day depreciating Rs.296.25/296.75, subsequent to trading at a low of 297.00 and a high of 294.00, against its previous day’s closing level of Rs. 293.50/294.00. The total USD/LKR traded volume for 20 December was $ 89.00 million. (References: Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Bloomberg E-Bond trading platform, Money broking companies)
Meta Platforms, Inc META , the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, aims to advance wearable technology by integrating displays into its Ray-Ban smart glasses by 2025, the Financial Times reports. The $300 sunglasses, developed with eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica ESLOF ESLOY , could feature small screens to display notifications and responses from Meta’s virtual assistant, the Financial Times cites familiar sources. This development aims to position Meta as a frontrunner in augmented reality (AR) and wearable computing, which has the potential to replace smartphones as key computing devices. Also Read: Meta Cuts Jobs in WhatsApp, Instagram, and Reality Labs In Latest Reorganization According to the report, the next iteration of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, expected in late 2025, will introduce display technology, marking a step toward CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s vision of lightweight AR headsets. The move aligns with Meta’s broader strategy to integrate advanced technologies into everyday wearables, competing with companies like Apple Inc AAPL . Meta is also fast-tracking the development of its prototype AR glasses, Orion, after receiving positive feedback from early testers. The glasses feature advanced silicon carbide lenses for brighter and larger imagery. Last week, Meta launched three new features for its Ray-Ban smart glasses, including live AI, live translations, and Shazam . Meta’s smart glasses have emerged as a blockbuster product in 60% of Ray-Ban stores in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa . Despite lacking AI features in Europe, the glasses outperformed conventional Ray-Ban models. In mid-December, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth flagged 2025 as the most significant year in the history of the Reality Labs unit behind the company’s glasses and headsets. According to reports, the current model features sensitive in-ear speakers, cameras, and microphones. Wall Street firms, including JMP Securities, Wedbush, Oppenheimer, and Guggenheim, hailed Meta’s launch of a VR headset and AI updates after the Connect event in September. They expect Meta’s AI and VR innovations to be pivotal in helping it reach valuations like Apple’s. Meta stock surged 71% year-to-date. Investors can gain exposure to the stock through Vanguard Large-Cap ETF VV and Vanguard Communication Services ETF VOX . Price Action: META stock is up 2.28% at $598.53 at last check Monday. Also Read: Meta’s Reels Monetization and AI Innovations Drive Top AI Pick: Analyst Photo via Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Hidalgo leads No. 6 Notre Dame over JuJu Watkins and third-ranked USC 74-61 in big matchup out West