Dope things under $25 for your home that'll impress the hell out of peopleParty City to close its stores as company files for bankruptcy LOS ANGELES (AP) — Party City announced that it's going to “wind down” its retail and wholesale operations as it prepares to shutter nearly 700 stores nationwide. The company said Saturday it has also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection "to maximize value for the benefit of the company’s stakeholders.” The New Jersey-based retailer said it will keep more than 95% of its 12,000 employees to help with the process of closing down. Customers have flocked to Party City for Halloween costumes, favors for children’s birthday parties and decorations for New Year’s Eve celebrations for nearly 40 years. It has faced growing competition from Walmart and Target and from occasion-based pop-up stores such as Spirit Halloween. A million taxpayers will soon receive up to $1,400 from the IRS. Who are they and why now? Approximately 1 million taxpayers will automatically receive special payments of up to $1,400 from the IRS in the coming weeks. The money will be directly deposited into eligible people’s bank accounts or sent in the mail by a paper check. Most people shouldn't get their hopes up about receiving the cash. The IRS says it’s distributing about $2.4 billion to taxpayers who failed to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns after missing one of the COVID stimulus payments or receiving less than the full amount. The IRS says most taxpayers eligible for the federal stimulus payments received them. Bluesky finds with growth comes growing pains — and bots Bluesky has seen its user base soar since the U.S. presidential election, boosted by people seeking refuge from Elon Musk’s X, or wanting an alternative to Meta’s Threads and its algorithms. The platform grew out of the company then known as Twitter and was eventually intended to replace it. While this is still very much a pie in the sky, Bluesky’s growth trajectory could make it a serious competitor to other social platforms. With growth, though, comes growing pains. It’s not just human users who’ve been flocking to Bluesky but also bots, including those designed to create partisan division or direct users to junk websites. 'Sonic 3' bests 'Mufasa: The Lion King' at the box office NEW YORK (AP) — In the holiday season battle of big-budget family movies, Paramount Pictures’ “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” sped past the Walt Disney Co.’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” to take the top spot at the box office. The results came just ahead of the lucrative Christmas corridor in theaters. According to studio estimates, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” debuted with $62 million in ticket sales over the weekend. “Mufasa,” however, was humbled in its opening weekend, coming in notably shy of expectations. It returned just $35 million in domestic ticket sales. Amazon and Starbucks workers are on strike. Trump might have something to do with it Amazon delivery drivers and Starbucks baristas are on strike in a handful of U.S. cities as they seek to exert pressure on the two major companies to recognize them as unionized employees or to meet demands for an inaugural labor contract. Strikes during busy periods like the holidays can help unions exercise leverage during negotiations or garner support from sympathetic consumers. One expert says he thinks workers at both companies are “desperate” to make progress before President-elect Donald Trump can appoint a Republican majority to the National Labor Relations Board. Workers at Starbucks, Amazon and some other prominent consumer brands are fighting for their first contracts after several locations voted to unionize. Farmers are still reeling months after Hurricane Helene ravaged crops across the South LYONS, Ga. (AP) — Farmers in Georgia are still reeling more than two months after Hurricane Helene blew away cotton, destroyed ripened squash and cucumbers and uprooted pecan trees and timber. Agribusinesses in other Southern states saw costly damage as well. The University of Georgia estimates the September storm inflicted $5.5 billion in direct losses and indirect costs in Georgia alone. In rural Toombs County, Chris Hopkins just finished harvesting his ravaged cotton crop and figures he lost half of it, costing him about $430,000. Poultry grower Jeffrey Pridgen in Georgia's Coffee County had four of his 12 chicken houses destroyed and others badly damaged. Farmers say more government disaster assistance is needed. Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI’s strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products. But he grew disillusioned with the company and told The Associated Press this fall he would “try to testify” in copyright infringement cases against it. Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge shows price pressures eased last month WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge that is closely watched by the Federal Reserve barely rose last month in a sign that price pressures cooled after two months of sharp gains. Prices rose just 0.1% from October to November. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, prices also ticked up just 0.1%, after two months of outsize 0.3% gains. The milder inflation figures arrived two days after Federal Reserve officials, led by Chair Jerome Powell, rocked financial markets by revealing that they now expect to cut their key interest rate just two times in 2025, down from four in their previous estimate. Albania to close TikTok for a year blaming it for promoting violence among children TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania’s prime minister says the government will shut down video service TikTok for one year, blaming it for inciting violence and bullying, especially among children. Albanian authorities held 1,300 meetings with teachers and parents following the stabbing death of a teenager in mid-November by another teenager following a quarrel that started on TikTok. Prime Minister Edi Rama, speaking at a meeting with teachers and parents, said TikTok “would be fully closed for all. ... There will be no TikTok in the Republic of Albania.” Rama says the ban will begin sometime next year. Albanian children comprise the largest group of TikTok users in the country, according to domestic researchers. Stock market today: Wall Street rises to turn a dismal week into just a bad one NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to turn what would have been one of the market’s worst weeks of the year into just a pretty bad one. The S&P 500 rallied 1.1% Friday to shave its loss for the week down to 2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped nearly 500 points, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1%. A report said a measure of inflation the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower last month than expected. It’s an encouraging signal after the Fed shocked markets Wednesday by saying worries about inflation could keep it from cutting interest rates in 2025 as much as earlier thought.
JAISALMER: Cigarettes could be among the first products to be brought under the "track and trace mechanism" that was cleared by the GST Council on Saturday, with pan masala also being a likely candidate for inclusion. The Council led by FM Nirmala Sitharaman has cleared amendments to the Central GST Act to empower govt to enforce the mechanism for specified evasion prone commodities. "The system shall be based on a Unique Identification Marking which shall be affixed on the said goods or the packages thereof. This will provide a legal framework for developing such a system and will help in implementation of mechanism for tracing specified commodities throughout the supply chain," an official statement issued after the meeting had said. While several products ranging from steel and other real estate inputs and tyres see high levels of evasion, cigarettes are seen to be easier to focus on, at least initially, given that tobacco industry is seen to be prone to leakages. Besides, the Central Board of Excise & Customs has itself seen large consignments of cigarettes being stopped from being smuggled into the country, with officials and domestic industry claiming that illegal entry is rampant. Last year, seizure of over nine crore units of illicit cigarettes was estimated at around Rs 180 crore. Tobacco Institute of India has estimated that govt loses Rs 21,000 crore per year due to illegal cigarette trade. WHO is seen to be a driver of the plan under the Convention on Tobacco Control and Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. Over the last few years, govt had been toying with the idea of using the track and trace mechanism through the excise route but could not do so and found GST to be a better route to introduce the tool, which is widely used in several parts of the world, including the European Union, the UK and Turkey, officials explained. It potentially opens up opportunities for players such as Honeywell and Dentsu that have developed mechanisms in other countries. In India, govt has GSTN, which can develop in-house solutions. Under the regulations in the UK and EU, all manufacturers and importers, as well as those who store, sell or transport tobacco products are mandated to register and seek unique IDs. Goods are scanned from the point of arrival for imports and dispatch in case of domestic production and from each entity that is part of the supply chain up to the retail stage. The data is transmitted electronically and can be tracked. Ready to Master Stock Valuation? ET’s Workshop is just around the corner!NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player Award and first in the National League, and Aaron Judge earned his second American League honor on Thursday. Ohtani was a unanimous MVP for the third time, receiving all 30 first-place votes and 420 points in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was second with 263 points and Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte third with 229. Judge was a unanimous pick for the first time. Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. got all 30 second-place votes for 270 points, and Yankees outfielder Juan Soto was third with 21 third-place votes and 229 points. Ohtani was unanimously voted the AL MVP in 2021 and 2023 as a two-way star for the Los Angeles Angels and finished second to Judge in 2022 voting . He didn’t pitch in 2024 following elbow surgery and signed a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. Ohtani joined Frank Robinson for Cincinnati in 1961 and Baltimore in 1966 as the only players to win the MVP award in both leagues. He was the first player to twice become an unanimous MVP. He had combined with Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2023 for the first year both MVPs were unanimous. Ohtani hit .310, stole 59 bases and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs exclusively as a designated hitter, becoming the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. He helped the Dodgers to the World Series title , playing the final three games with a torn labrum in his left shoulder . “The ultimate goal from the beginning was to win a World Series, which we are able to accomplish,” he said through a translator. “The next goal is for me to do it again and so right now I’m in the middle of rehab and working out and getting stronger.” When Ohtani returns to the mound, could he win MVP and the Cy Young Award in the same year? “That would obviously be great, but right now my focus is just to get to get back healthy, come back stronger, get back on the mound and show everybody what I can do,” Ohtani said. Ohtani became the first primary DH to win an MVP in a season that started with the revelation his longtime interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara, had stolen nearly $17 million from the star to fund gambling. Ohtani is the 12th player with three or more MVPs, joining Barry Bonds (seven) and Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Mike Trout (three each). Balloting was conducted before the postseason. Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Witt topped the big leagues with a .332 average, hitting 32 homers with 31 stolen bases and 109 RBIs. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs. When Judge won his first MVP award in 2022, he received 28 first-place votes while Ohtani got the other two. Judge had discussed the MVP award with Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper, the NL winner in 2015 and ’21. “I was telling him, `Man, I’m going to try to catch up to you with these MVPs here, man,’” Judge recalled. “He’d say, hopefully, he could stay a couple ahead of me, which I think he’ll do.” When Judge won his first MVP award in 2022, he received 28 first-place votes while Ohtani got the other two. He is the Yankees' 22nd MVP winner, four more than any other team. Judge was hitting .207 with six homers and 18 RBIs through April, then batted .352 with 52 homers and 126 RBIs in 127 games. “March and April were not my friend this year.” Judge said. “Just keep putting in the work and things are going to change. You can’t mope. You can’t feel sorry for yourself. Especially in New York, nobody’s going to feel sorry for you. So you just got to go out there and put up the numbers?” AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLBNone
NoneLincoln Tech, Johnson Controls Celebrate First Graduating Class from JCI Academy at Denver CampusMarket Shifts as UnitedHealth and Tech Stocks Decline
Parsons Selected as Lead Designer for Newark AirTrain Replacement Program
Discover Innovation, Investment, and Development at Suzhou High-tech Zone 11-25-2024 09:16 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: Stones_PR On November 20, the Suzhou National High-tech Industrial Development Zone, widely known as the Suzhou High-tech Zone, hosted a prestigious investment promotion event in Beijing. During this event, agreements were signed for 30 groundbreaking projects focused on carbon neutrality certifications, urban development, and technological innovation. The Suzhou High-tech Zone extends a welcoming invitation to the global community: "Join us for innovation, investment, and development." Image: https://www.getnews.info/uploads/6155520b96fbdf6df6ff21f0980bb83d.jpg Situated in Jiangsu Province, East China, the Suzhou High-tech Zone is one of the nation's inaugural national high-tech areas. It is strategically located between the historic and culturally rich 2,500-year-old Suzhou Old Town to the east and the expansive, misty Taihu Lake to the west, intersected by the historic Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. This remarkable setting has earned it the epithet, "a picturesque place encircled by extraordinary views, a new paradise for technology and culture." Currently, the zone is dedicated to establishing itself as a premier site for industrial innovation and a significant pole for high-quality productive forces. Image: https://www.getnews.info/uploads/abcf07ad91d21f6a8014142a453b50a0.jpg As of today, the Suzhou High-tech Zone hosts 1,960 foreign-funded enterprises and 61 ventures backed by Fortune 500 companies, in addition to 1,631 national high-tech enterprises, 78 nationally recognized Specialized and Sophisticated SMEs-often referred to as "Little Giants"-and 36 publicly listed companies. Its key industries-new-generation IT and high-end equipment manufacturing-generate an annual output exceeding 100 billion yuan. Meanwhile, emerging sectors such as new energy and green low-carbon technologies, photonics and integrated circuits, as well as medical devices and healthcare are experiencing annual growth rates approaching 30%. The high-tech enterprises within the zone contribute to 60% of the total industrial output value. Image: https://www.getnews.info/uploads/995b7a1f3fb42e2f62988cda75cf4ea3.jpg Staying true to the principle of "projects first," the Suzhou High-tech Zone continuously attracts and develops substantial projects, thereby enhancing high-quality growth. This year, the zone has welcomed several key initiatives, including the Siemens Advanta China Headquarters, BioMerieux Asia Pacific Base, Canadian Solar Energy Storage Headquarters, and Hoya Surgical Optics IOL Headquarters. Moreover, it leads the city with all eight major provincial projects having commenced within its boundaries. At the conference, Li Jinghong, an academician from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, director of the Analysis Center and head of the Institute of Analytical Chemistry at Tsinghua University, praised the zone's excellent ecological environment, robust industrial base, compelling investment incentives, and superb business climate, calling it an "ideal destination for entrepreneurs and innovators." Zhu Xiao, Executive Vice President of Siemens Ltd. (China) and President of Siemens China Institute, expressed strong confidence in Siemens' growth prospects within the Suzhou High-tech Zone. "With Siemens' global technological and industrial ecosystem strengths, we are positioned to advance regional industrial upgrades, attract talent, and drive innovation-led development," he stated. Over recent years, Siemens has established two regional headquarters and an R&D and innovation center in the zone, creating a comprehensive localized value chain and industrial cluster. Additionally, Zhu Jiayun, Sales Director for Greater China at the British Standards Institution (BSI), emphasized the zone's critical role in BSI's expansion in China. "BSI China established a branch here in 2013 to provide comprehensive management system certifications and training to local enterprises. Through partnerships in the Suzhou High-tech Zone, we aim to foster mutual success by expanding BSI China's carbon neutrality efforts while enabling local enterprises to achieve global reach," he remarked. During the event, targeted promotional activities highlighted emerging industries such as new energy, the low-altitude economy, integrated circuits, photonics, AI, and medical devices and healthcare, aiming to attract high-quality projects and tech enterprises to invest in and innovate within the Suzhou High-tech Zone. Media Contact Company Name: Globalnewsonline Contact Person: Luayy Alkilani Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=discover-innovation-investment-and-development-at-suzhou-hightech-zone ] Country: United States Website: http://www.globalnewsonline.info/ This release was published on openPR.