fortune rabbit mega ganho
Iran: end of the line?
Champions League round-up: Mbappe scores but picks up injury as Real Madrid return to winning waysThe Saints are making contingency plans to play without QB Derek Carr as they try to stay alive
NoneKansas City 30, Carolina 27
Campus notes: November 24, 2024Jaguars Make Four Roster MovesRiversgold hits more high-grade gold including 8 metres at 4.86 g/t at Northern Zone
MIAMI — Miami-Dade Commissioners are set to vote on a resolution to eliminate single-use plastics and Styrofoam at county-owned venues like Miami International Airport, PortMiami, parks and office buildings — and instead sell aluminum bottles or cans or serve food on washable ceramic or compostable plates. The resolution marks the latest chapter in a longstanding battle between the state and local governments over attempts to ban single-use plastics, with some hoping that successful implementation would inspire private businesses to voluntarily follow the county’s lead in reducing plastics proven harmful to the health of humans and the environment. “I don’t want to go into any county-owned facility and see single-use plastics when there is a viable, cost-effective alternative,” said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins, who championed the proposal. The resolution, which could face a vote as early as Wednesday, would make exceptions for grab-and-go snacks or candy bars. Despite their light weight, the plastic products that industries produce in the U.S. each year weigh 35.7 million tons. In the U.S., only 5 percent of all plastics are recycled, according to the Department of Energy, and recycling rates have dropped over the years. The rest ends up in incinerators or landfills, pollutes storm drains, rivers and oceans, and breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces that have been found in breast milk, human brains, lungs and testicles. Better options While the county’s waste management master plan considers a new and controversial incinerator necessary – the amount of waste produced is expected to grow from roughly 2.5 million tons this year to 2.9 million tons by 2028 – experts and activists say that burning trash isn’t the only option. “The trick is reducing and diverting waste,” said Dave Doebler, co-founder of VolunteerCleanup, which has helped remove 800,000 pounds of trash from beaches and parks in South Florida since 2013. Simply put, Doebler said, “the less volume we have to deal with, the less we need to incinerate or throw in a landfill.” And the less that can end up in Biscayne Bay or as toxins in our own bodies. Microplastics have been linked to cancer and infertility and might even play a role in obesity, recent studies show, though their impact is most apparent on Florida’s coast, which not only draws millions of tourists, but sees plastics from across the world washed up. As petrochemicals derived from oil or gas, plastics account for 3.4 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers project that plastic waste in the ocean could amount to about 600 million tons within the next six years – about 150 times the weight of the planet’s total blue whale population combined. Dozens of volunteers gather regularly around Miami-Dade to try to make a difference by combing beaches and parks for plastic bottles and bags. Most of them are designed for just a few minutes of usage and can’t be recycled even if they were thrown in a recycling bin. “People are not aware of how it could affect not just us individuals, but the animals that live here,” said Gabriella Wright, a 16-year-old who has passed up sleepovers and hangouts with friends since she was six to instead gather trash. Though Wright has inspired her friends and family to be more mindful and reduce the amount of plastic they use — for example, by getting reusable water bottles — policies that support such waste-reduction efforts are urgently needed, activists say. State pushback on bans While 12 states, including Maine, Delaware and California, have already imposed some form of plastic bag ban, Florida’s state legislators took a different route in 2008 when they passed a preemption that restricts the right of local governments to regulate plastics, including “containers, wrappings, or disposable bags.” Several local governments, from Surfside to Palm Beach, nevertheless passed plastic bans, citing the will of its residents, but quickly repealed or rescinded these regulations after the Florida Retail Federation (FRF), a lobbying group representing influential retail giants like Publix and Walmart, threatened them with lawsuits. Coral Gables lost a lengthy legal battle to FRF when the state’s Supreme Court declined to hear its appeal over a Styrofoam food container ban in 2020. Miami Beach and Broward County have passed similar resolutions as the one Miami-Dade will be voting on. Earlier this year, the Florida Legislature considered further protecting plastics, which are derived from fossil fuels like oil and gas, with a bill that would have stopped local governments from passing measures restricting its use under public contracts. That bill, however, quickly died after environmental groups’ protests, paving the way for Miami-Dade’s measure. More than 17,000 people have so far emailed the commission in support of the resolution. Statewide, 93 percent of people surveyed by the Department of Environmental protection in 2021 favored regulation of single-use plastics. A total of 82 percent said they’d support it even if it meant an additional fee. Industry warns commission Opposition is again coming from FRF, which sent a letter to the commission that warns of “a significant financial hit” and “unintended consequences that may arise, particularly in terms of negatively impacting small businesses that rely on sales of items packaged in, or utilize, plastic or polystyrene.” FRF did not respond to the Herald’s request to specify how their members would be hurt. Efforts should be focused on improving recycling of plastics, the letter says. But the plastic industry itself has failed to create workable recycling for decades, and has internally expressed doubts that it would ever be possible to do so in an “economically viable” way since at least the mid-70s. In September, California’s state attorney filed a lawsuit accusing ExxonMobil of deceiving the public over the alleged recyclability of plastics for decades. Publix, by far the single-biggest contributor to FRF’s political committee and a major powerhouse in Tallahassee, said it has reduced plastic bag usage by 9.7 billion since 2007 by coaching staff on “proper bagging techniques” and installing bins designated for recycling single-use plastics. Publix declined several requests for an interview and did not reply to a request to elaborate on the data. The Miami-Dade resolution doesn’t limit product types, quantities or their prices, and is limited to future contracts only. “We’re not trying to tell you how to run your household. But we are saying, ‘This is how we want to run our household and our business’,” Higgins said. She believes that Miami Dade, the largest county in Florida, should lead by example. “We can, through our contracting, inspire companies to change the product portfolio, to make more in aluminum and less in plastic,” she said. Who profits? Businesses across the county, including Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins, have already shown that reducing plastics can work. William Elgar, the director of Zoo Miami, said that his team also decided to tackle its own plastics issue during the pandemic, around the time the zoo opened its Sea Turtle Hospital that has so far removed plastics from some 30 sea turtles. Across the premises, vending machines are now stacked with aluminum water bottles and cans with electrolyte drinks, which helped the zoo cut 340,000 bottles of plastic just last year. “If you think about it, that’s 340,000 bottles and cups less that could get into our oceans, that could get into our water works, our streams, and cause microfilaments and plastic to get everywhere,” Elgar said. The switch hasn’t hurt revenues, Elgar said, in part because the aluminum trash is bought by companies that can recycle it indefinitely. Activists, however, say that recycling isn’t in the best interest of the companies producing plastics, nor in the oil companies’, which are banking on the increase of plastic production as the use of fossil fuels for transportation or heating decline. “If we’re truly going to address or slow down climate change or avert the worst impacts of climate change, we also are going to have to address the emissions that are coming from plastics and petrochemicals, which are expected to rise,” said Renee Sharp, a policy expert at the National Resource Defense Council. Along with other petrochemicals like fertilizer and synthetic fabrics, the International Energy Agency projects that plastics will account for roughly half of the growth in oil demand by 2050. Activists have called plastics the oil industry’s “Plan B.” The only entity that would ultimately be hurt by a ban is the oil and plastics industries, said the Sierra Club’s Ken Russell, a former Miami city commissioner. “It does not hurt the end user, the retail tenant, or, of course, the customer,” Russell said, “and so the real pushback comes from the industry that creates, in this case, the plastics and the Styrofoam.”
Sherrod Brown says workers have moved away from Democratic party
Here's what we're seeing Russia's warships and aircraft doing in new satellite images of Syria amid regime changeJohn Stankey to Update Shareholders at UBS Global Media & Communications Conference on December 10DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza City (AP) — For Gaza’s women, the hardships of life in the territory’s sprawling tent camps are compounded by the daily humiliation of never having privacy. Women struggle to dress modestly while crowded into tents with extended family members, including men, and with strangers only steps away in neighboring tents. Access to menstrual products is limited, so they cut up sheets or old clothes to use as pads. Makeshift toilets usually consist of only a hole in the sand surrounded by sheets dangling from a line, and these must be shared with dozens of other people. Alaa Hamami has dealt with the modesty issue by constantly wearing her prayer shawl, a black cloth that covers her head and upper body. “Our whole lives have become prayer clothes, even to the market we wear it,” said the young mother of three. “Dignity is gone.” Normally, she would wear the shawl only when performing her daily Muslim prayers. But with so many men around, she keeps it on all the time, even when sleeping — just in case an Israeli strike hits nearby in the night and she has to flee quickly, she said. Israel’s 14-month-old campaign in Gaza has driven more than 90% of its 2.3 million Palestinians from their homes. Hundreds of thousands of them are now living in squalid camps of tents packed close together over large areas. Sewage runs into the streets , and food and water are hard to obtain. Winter is setting in. Families often wear the same clothes for weeks because they left clothing and many other belongings behind as they fled. Everyone in the camps searches daily for food, clean water and firewood. Women feel constantly exposed. Gaza has always been a conservative society. Most women wear the hijab, or head scarf, in the presence of men who are not immediate family. Matters of women’s health — pregnancy, menstruation and contraception — tend not to be discussed publicly. “Before we had a roof. Here it does not exist,” said Hamami, whose prayer shawl is torn and smudged with ash from cooking fires. “Here our entire lives have become exposed to the public. There is no privacy for women.” Wafaa Nasrallah, a displaced mother of two, says life in the camps makes even the simplest needs difficult, like getting period pads, which she cannot afford. She tried using pieces of cloth and even diapers, which have also increased in price. For a bathroom, she has a hole in the ground, surrounded by blankets propped up by sticks. The U.N. says more than 690,000 women and girls in Gaza require menstrual hygiene products, as well as clean water and toilets. Aid workers have been unable to meet demand, with supplies piling up at crossings from Israel. Stocks of hygiene kits have run out, and prices are exorbitant. Many women have to choose between buying pads and buying food and water. Doaa Hellis, a mother of three living in a camp, said she has torn up her old clothes to use for menstrual pads. “Wherever we find fabric, we tear it up and use it.” A packet of pads costs 45 shekels ($12), “and there is not even five shekels in the whole tent,” she said. Anera, a rights group active in Gaza, says some women use birth control pills to halt their periods. Others have experienced disruptions in their cycles because of the stress and trauma of repeated displacement. The terrible conditions pose real risks to women’s health, said Amal Seyam, the director of the Women’s Affairs Center in Gaza, which provides supplies for women and surveys them about their experiences. She said some women have not changed clothes for 40 days. That and improvised cloth pads “will certainly create” skin diseases, diseases related to reproductive health and psychological conditions, she said. “Imagine what a woman in Gaza feels like, if she’s unable to control conditions related to hygiene and menstrual cycles,” Seyam said. Hellis remembered a time not so long ago, when being a woman felt more like a joy and less like a burden. “Women are now deprived of everything, no clothes, no bathroom. Their psychology is completely destroyed,” she said. Seyam said the center has tracked cases where girls have been married younger, before the age of 18, to escape the suffocating environment of their family’s tents. The war will “continue to cause a humanitarian disaster in every sense of the word. And women always pay the biggest price,” she said. Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, over half of them women and children, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. Its count does not differentiate between combatants and civilians. Israel launched its assault in retaliation for the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on southern Israel, in which militants killed some 1,200 people and abducted around 250 others. With large swaths of Gaza’s cities and towns leveled, women wrestle with reduced lives in their tents. Hamami can walk the length of her small tent in a few strides. She shares it with 13 other people from her extended family. During the war, she gave birth to a son, Ahmed, who is now 8 months old. Between caring for him and her two other children, washing her family’s laundry, cooking and waiting in line for water, she says there’s no time to care for herself. She has a few objects that remind her of what her life once was, including a powder compact she brought with her when she fled her home in the Shati camp of Gaza City. The makeup is now caked and crumbling. She managed to keep hold of a small mirror through four different displacements over the past year. It’s broken into two shards that she holds together every so often to catch a glimpse of her reflection. “Previously, I had a wardrobe that contained everything I could wish for,” she said. “We used to go out for a walk every day, go to wedding parties, go to parks, to malls, to buy everything we wanted." Women “lost their being and everything in this war," she said. "Women used to take care of themselves before the war. Now everything is destroyed.” Associated Press writer Fatma Khaled in Cairo contributed to this report.
Stocks Rise On Trump Move; Nvidia Falls To Critical Level But Several Stocks Break OutGeorgia QB Carson Beck's status for Sugar Bowl uncertain as he considers treatment options on elbow( ) shares started the week with a bang on Monday. But don't worry if you missed out on those strong gains, because one leading broker believes there's plenty more to come for this ASX All Ords stock. Broker tips ASX All Ords stock to rocket According to a note out of Bell Potter, it believes the defence and space systems company's shares are undervalued at present. Particularly following the of the sale of its Naval Satellite Communications subsidiary, EM Solutions, to Cohort plc last week. The two parties agreed on an enterprise value of $144 million, subject to customary adjustments. FIRB approval has already been obtained by Cohort. This means that completion is expected within six months. Commenting on the deal, the broker said: Whilst EM Solutions is a well performing business for EOS, it is ultimately non-core to the central business and its sale significantly strengthens the company's financial position. Completion of the transaction triggers the repayment of EOS's outstanding debt to WHSP ($64.4m) so post transaction we anticipate the company will have a cash balance >$100m, with no debt, and will be well placed to support future growth of the core business. Big returns In response to the update, the broker has reaffirmed its buy rating and $2.20 price target on the ASX All Ords stock. Based on its current share price of $1.34, this implies potential upside of approximately 64% for investors over the next 12 months. To put that into context, a $2,000 investment would turn into almost $3,300 by this time next year. That's if Bell Potter is accurate with its recommendation. As mentioned at the top, Bell Potter believes the market is undervaluing the stock at present. It concludes: We await further details regarding the subsequent impact on earnings and timing of transaction completion before updating our forecasts and valuation. However, we view this as a positive development for EOS, which highlights the potential upside to its current valuation. Based on its current market cap, EOS would have an EV of
None$1 million per homer? $27,000 a point? $229 per second? Sports is loaded with money oddities If Juan Soto replicates his 2024 performance throughout his $765 million, 15-year deal with the Mets, he'll make roughly $1.2 million for every home run he hits. He's hardly the only superstar athlete earning outrageous sums for each of his accomplishments. Some NFL quarterbacks make more than $3 million per game. Stephen Curry could make roughly $161,000 per 3-pointer. This past regular season, Lionel Messi earned $229 for every second he was on the field with Inter Miami. Is the College Football Playoff bracket fair? Here are some tweaks that would have changed things The committee that chose the 12 contenders for college football’s national title was only worried about ranking the teams. Where those teams landed in the bracket was based on a formula created by conference commissioners. That jumbled up the pairings and made a strong case for tinkering in the future. Some possible tweaks, like reseeding after the first round or not giving conference champions automatic byes, would have resulted in a vastly different tournament this year, Belichick says he's had 'good conversations' with UNC chancellor amid Tar Heels' coaching search Former New England Patriots coach and six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick says he had “a couple of good conversations” with North Carolina Chancellor Lee Roberts amid his discussions about the Tar Heels’ head-coaching job. Belichick appeared on ESPN's “The Pat McAfee Show" on Monday. He said he had spent the 11 months since his departure from the Patriots taking a “longer look” at the college level. He said he had learned a lot and had “a couple of good conversations" with Roberts. UNC fired the program's all-time winningest coach in Mack Brown last month. Cowboys set to host Bengals under open roof after falling debris thwarted that plan against Texans ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The roof at the home of the Dallas Cowboys has opened without incident and will stay that way for a Monday night meeting with the Cincinnati Bengals. It will be the first game with the roof open at AT&T Stadium since Oct. 30, 2022. The roof was supposed to be open three weeks ago for Houston’s 34-10 victory on another Monday night. A large piece of metal and other debris fell roughly 300 feet to the field as the retractable roof was opening. The roof was then closed for that game. Tennessee grabs No. 1 in AP Top 25 after shakeup; No. 3 Iowa State has highest ranking since 1950s Tennessee is the new No. 1 in men's college basketball after a massive shakeup in the AP Top 25. The Vols are No. 1 for the first time since the 2018-19 season. Auburn remained No. 2 and No. 3 Iowa State has its highest ranking since 1956-57. Kentucky rounds out the top five. Tennessee is off to its best start since opening the 2000-01 season 9-0. Georgia QB Carson Beck's status for Sugar Bowl uncertain as he considers treatment options on elbow ATLANTA (AP) — Quarterback Carson Beck’s status for No. 2 Georgia’s Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal is uncertain after he suffered an elbow injury in Saturday’s Southeastern Conference championship game win over Texas. Georgia announced Monday there is no timetable on Beck’s return as he and his family explore treatment options. Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Sunday the team was awaiting results of tests. The school did not announce details of the injury. Punter Brett Thorson will need season-ending surgery after injuring his non-kicking leg. Backup Gunner Stockton likely would start in the Sugar Bowl if Beck is unable to play. Another final-second victory puts the Chiefs in prime spot to secure AFC's No. 1 seed: Analysis A thunderous doink helped the Kansas City Chiefs gain some breathing room in the race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC after the Buffalo Bills fell short despite Josh Allen’s spectacular performance. The fight for the top spot in the NFC stayed close as the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles kept pace with the Detroit Lions. Four weeks remain in the NFL regular season to determine the playoff picture. There’s a clear leader in the fight for the AFC’s bye. The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs are 12-1 and in excellent position to secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs after a 19-17 win with a last-second field goal over the Los Angeles Chargers. No. 19 Tennessee back in women's AP Top 25 after year out of poll; UCLA, UConn remain 1-2 Tennessee is back in the AP Top 25 at No. 19, ending the school’s longest drought in the 48-year history of the women’s basketball poll. The Lady Vols (7-0) had not been ranked since Nov. 27, 2023, a span of 22 polls. Since the rankings began in 1976, Tennessee has been in the Top 25 in 779 of 870 total weeks. UCLA, UConn and South Carolina remain the top three teams and Oklahoma has cracked the top 10. Georgia Tech and N.C. State entered the rankings while Illinois, Louisville and Alabama fell out. College football transfer portal opens as Oklahoma's Arnold, other top players look for a move The college football transfer portal has opened a day after the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff field was released. The portal period closes on Dec. 28. Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold, Texas State running back Ismail Mahdi, Miami (Ohio) wide receiver Reggie Virgil and Ohio State QB Devin Brown were among the first players who entered the portal. The sophomore Arnold passed for 1,984 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions and ran for 560 yards and four scores at Oklahoma. Mahdi led the nation with 2,169 all-purpose yards last season. Brown entered the transfer portal after three years as a backup. Saquon Barkley is chasing Eric Dickerson's NFL season rushing record. Can he do it? PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is closing in on the NFL season rushing record. Barkley set the Eagles' franchise record when he rushed for 124 yards and pushed his season total to 1,623 yards in a win against Carolina. Barkley also maintained his pace to break Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984 with the Los Angeles Rams. Barkley is averaging 124.8 yards per game. At that pace and with one more game to play than Dickerson had, Barkley would become the top single-season rusher in NFL history. He needs 483 yards over the final four games to top Dickerson’s 40-year-old record. Barkley is on pace for 2,122 yards, just 17 yards beyond Dickerson’s 2,105 total.
Stephenson puts up 21 as CSU Bakersfield knocks off Northeastern 68-60Everyone in US politics has an opinion on why the Democrats lost the election, and finger-pointing within the party is rife. As the debate rages, will be speaking to various experts about what the party got wrong – and how it can bounce back. This week, he meets , the veteran political strategist who helped get Bill Clinton elected twiceMbappe, Vinicius and Bellingham all on target in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Atalanta Real Madrid’s big stars turned on the style to revive the Spanish giant’s faltering Champions League title defense. Galacticos Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham all scored in a 3-2 win at Italian league leader Atalanta. It was only 15-time champion Madrid’s third win in the competition’s revamped league phase and leaves it in the unseeded playoff positions in 18th place. In contrast, Liverpool leads the way after maintaining its perfect record in Europe this season after a 1-0 win against Girona. MLB investigated to ensure no early Sasaki deal in place, pitcher likely to pick team mid-January DALLAS (AP) — Major League Baseball investigated to ensure no team had an advance deal in place for Roki Sasaki, and the agent for the Japanese pitcher says picking a club will be “like the draft in reverse.” On the first day of Sasaki’s 45-day window to sign with an MLB team, agent Joel Wolfe says the 23-year-old right-hander likely will sign shortly after the 2025 international signing pool window opens on Jan. 15 and wouldn’t wait until the Jan. 23 deadline. Sasaki helped Japan win the 2023 World Baseball Classic and has a fastball clocked at 102.5 mph. Cubs Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg says cancer has returned, spread CHICAGO (AP) — Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg says the prostate cancer he thought had been eliminated by radiation has returned and spread. The Chicago Cubs great made the announcement on Instagram on Tuesday. Sandberg announced in January that he had metastatic prostate cancer and in August said he was cancer-free after chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Sandberg was the National League MVP in 1984 and a 10-time All-Star during 15 seasons for the Cubs from 1982 to 1997, with 282 home runs and 344 stolen bases. After his playing career, he served as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies from 2013 to 2015, going 119-159. Nolan Arenado open to switch from third base to first and leaving Cardinals for a team he approves DALLAS (AP) — Nolan Arenado is open to a trade from the St. Louis Cardinals, at age 33 wanting to be on a World Series contender. Agent Joel Wolfe says “it’s like his biological clock is ticking and if the team’s not winning it’s driving him crazy every day.” An eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove third baseman, Arenado is open to a switch to first base. He hit .272 with 16 homers and 71 RBIs this year, his poorest season in a decade. St. Louis acquired Arenado from Colorado ahead of the 2021 season. Athletes in $2.8 billion college lawsuit tell judge they want to create a players' association The athletes whose lawsuit against the NCAA is primed to pave the way for schools to pay them directly also want a players’ association to represent them in the complex contract negotiations that have overtaken the industry. Grant House, Sedona Prince and Nya Harrison wrote to the judge overseeing what’s known as the House Settlement, saying that although they are generally happy with the terms of the proposed settlement “there still remains a critical need for structural changes to protect athletes and prevent the failures of the past.” Analysis: The Cavs, Magic and Rockets are off to surprise starts. Maybe that shouldn't be surprising For the first time in 36 seasons, the Cleveland Cavaliers are atop the NBA at the 25-game mark. They’re 21-4, even after having come back to earth a bit following a 15-0 start. The Cavs are just one of the surprise stories that have emerged as the season nears the one-third-done mark. Orlando is off to its best start in 16 years at 17-9 and having done most of that without All-Star forward Paolo Banchero. And Houston is 16-8, behind only the Cavs, Boston, Oklahoma City and Memphis so far in the race for the league’s best record. AJ Dybantsa commits to BYU, becomes school's first 5-star recruit in US PROVO, Utah (AP) — AJ Dybantsa has announced his commitment to BYU. The projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft made the announcement Tuesday on ESPN’s “First Take." He chose the Cougars over Alabama, North Carolina and Kansas. He is BYU’s first five-star high school recruit from the United States. The chance to play for first-year BYU coach Kevin Young sold Dybantsa on joining the Cougars. He pointed to the extensive NBA experience of Young and his staff and Young’s role in coaching NBA stars like Kevin Durant and Devin Booker as key factors influencing his decision. Golf shots from every club in the bag paint the picture of a big year: Analysis Every shot tells a story and there were plenty of them this year in golf. Bryson DeChambeau drove the 13th green at Pinehurst No. 2 at just the right time in the U.S. Open. Scottie Scheffler began to pull away in the Masters with a lob wedge that nearly went in the cup. Not every shot was great. Nelly Korda hit 6-iron too far in the U.S. Women's Open and made 10 on the third hole of the tournament. Brooks Koepka anticipates Ryder Cup vibe in LIV vs. PGA Tour match in Las Vegas Brooks Koepka is expecting Ryder Cup vibes when LIV Golf gets to square off against PGA Tour stars in Las Vegas next week. Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau take on world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy on Dec. 17. LIV and PGA Tour stars only get to face each other four times a year at the majors. Koepka says everyone wants to see a Ryder Cup-styled match. It's a competition between two tours with bragging rights at stake. Koepka says LIV stars would have put up a strong fight against Scheffler. But he says Scheffler still would have had a big year. SHR closure leads to a seat shakeup in NASCAR. A look at who is driving where in 2025 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — There won’t be a Stewart-Haas Racing in NASCAR next season now that Hall of Famer Tony Stewart has left the series and the four-car organization he co-owned with Formula 1 team owner Gene Haas. The SHR change put four drivers on the free-agent market and the future of three of its vaunted charters in limbo. The existing SHR drivers have taken seats all across the grid as Chase Briscoe, Josh Berry, Noah Gragson and Ryan Preece needed to find new jobs. Michael McDowell is on the move in 2025, as is AJ Allmendinger, and Shane Van Gisbergen will be a full-time Cup driver.
Mutual of America Capital Management LLC trimmed its holdings in CenterPoint Energy, Inc. ( NYSE:CNP – Free Report ) by 0.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 80,239 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 434 shares during the period. Mutual of America Capital Management LLC’s holdings in CenterPoint Energy were worth $2,361,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of CNP. Rothschild Investment LLC bought a new stake in CenterPoint Energy during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Olistico Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of CenterPoint Energy during the second quarter worth $33,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new stake in shares of CenterPoint Energy during the second quarter worth $36,000. Kimelman & Baird LLC bought a new stake in CenterPoint Energy in the 2nd quarter valued at $43,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. boosted its stake in CenterPoint Energy by 459.0% in the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,554 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $44,000 after purchasing an additional 1,276 shares during the period. 91.77% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several analysts have issued reports on CNP shares. BMO Capital Markets restated a “market perform” rating and issued a $28.00 price target on shares of CenterPoint Energy in a report on Monday, August 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded CenterPoint Energy from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $32.00 to $29.00 in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of CenterPoint Energy from $28.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. Scotiabank increased their target price on shares of CenterPoint Energy from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 29th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of CenterPoint Energy from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $30.00. CenterPoint Energy Stock Up 0.6 % CenterPoint Energy stock opened at $31.93 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.87, a current ratio of 1.11 and a quick ratio of 0.92. The company’s 50-day moving average is $29.71 and its 200-day moving average is $29.17. The firm has a market capitalization of $20.81 billion, a PE ratio of 21.15, a P/E/G ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 0.92. CenterPoint Energy, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $25.41 and a fifty-two week high of $32.34. CenterPoint Energy ( NYSE:CNP – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, October 28th. The utilities provider reported $0.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.31. CenterPoint Energy had a return on equity of 9.73% and a net margin of 11.25%. The firm had revenue of $1.86 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.88 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.40 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that CenterPoint Energy, Inc. will post 1.62 earnings per share for the current year. CenterPoint Energy Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 12th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 21st will be given a dividend of $0.21 per share. This represents a $0.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.63%. This is a boost from CenterPoint Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 21st. CenterPoint Energy’s payout ratio is 55.63%. About CenterPoint Energy ( Free Report ) CenterPoint Energy, Inc operates as a public utility holding company in the United States. The company operates through two segments, Electric and Natural Gas. The Electric segment includes electric transmission and distribution services to electric customers and electric generation assets, as well as optimizes assets in the wholesale power market. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CNP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for CenterPoint Energy, Inc. ( NYSE:CNP – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for CenterPoint Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CenterPoint Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .This was a rough summer and fall for all who grew up loving their summer nights spent at Wonderland Pier in Ocean City. The pier was sold to Eustace Mita, CEO and developer of ICONA Resorts. Once summer 2024 came to an end, everyone grew worried about the future of Wonderland Pier and what it would look like going forward. People fear that their cherished memories, along with the sights and sounds of the park, will be gone for forever, never to return. The Ferris Wheel and the Carousel, I would say, are at the center of this heartbreak. These rides aren't just pieces of equipment. They represent decades of Ocean City history, offering breathtaking views of the beach and the bay. Residents are desperately trying to preserve them. There have been efforts to get these rides recognized as historic landmarks, and many hope they'll be saved in some form, even though most now accept the fact that Wonderland Pier itself will likely disappear. The new owner of the property, Eustace Mita, has made some promises about keeping the Ferris Wheel and Carousel, but many people are skeptical. Mita plans to build a new hotel on the site, and while he has said the rides would remain, there's growing concern that he may not actually follow through. Things got even more suspicious when a price sheet appeared online , listing the Ferris Wheel and Carousel for sale along with several other rides from Wonderland. If that price sheet is real, it would suggest that Mita is planning to sell off the rides, which would mean the end of two of the park's most iconic attractions. It's suspicious, though, because it lists certain rides I don't recall from the pier. Moby Dick, for example, is a ride that I know for a fact is on Morey's Piers in Wildwood. I don't recall there being one on Wonderland in Ocean City, but I could be wrong. My memory might be doing me a disservice, at the moment. Now, tensions are rising. Locals are furious, and social media is buzzing with debate over whether the price sheet is authentic or just a rumor. If it turns out to be true, Mita could face serious resistance in his efforts to tear down the park and build a hotel. The Ocean City community is united in its love for Wonderland Pier, and they aren't going to let go of it easily. If Mita does want to move forward with his plans, he will need to get the area re-zoned for a hotel, which could be a huge challenge if residents continue to push back. The fight to save the Ferris Wheel and Carousel is more than just about rides. It's about protecting the heart of a community and ensuring that the history and joy of Wonderland Pier live on for future generations. Take a look at the price sheet shared by the folks who run the "Save Wonderland" Facebook group . Comments suggest they reached out to Rides4U.com, the site reportedly listing the rides for sale, and confirmed the price sheet's legitimacy. We will neither confirm nor deny that legitimacy until we hear from them ourselves. We will be reaching out to them as well to see what we can uncover. We'll keep you updated! In the meantime, do you think this price sheet is real or fake? Sad look inside Wonderland Pier in Ocean City, NJ, the day after it closed Gallery Credit: Chris Coleman Foxes Play For The Camera In Ocean City, NJ A local NJ-based photographer captured the beauty of Jersey's beaches perfectly when she got the chance to shoot foxes frolicking on the beach in Ocean City. Gallery Credit: Jahna Michal
As Hambantota International Port (HIP) gears up to enhance its container operations with the introduction of advanced crane technology in early February 2025, Wilson Qu, CEO of Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG), emphasized the port’s commitment to exploring untapped markets to expand its portfolio. This strategic initiative aims to significantly boost container volumes and solidify Sri Lanka’s position as a competitive force in global maritime trade. To achieve this, the port is implementing a comprehensive seaside and landside strategy designed to position HIP’s container division strategically for future growth. The port’s landside strategy is progressing actively to attract investors to its industrial zone. Recently, an agreement was signed to establish a sponge-mattress factory within the zone. This business, targeting export markets in the USA, Europe, and Canada, marks a significant milestone as the first agreement finalised since the port launched container operations. Currently, the port is handling an increasing number of inquiries and anticipates finalising several additional agreements in 2025. The industrial zone is poised to create substantial employment opportunities while fostering a collaborative environment where Sri Lankan entrepreneurs can either partner with international companies or invest independently to meet rising international demand. HIPG’s industrial zone will also generate more gateway cargo, drawing liners to the port and significantly enhancing connectivity. This initiative provides a considerable logistical advantage for cargo originating in the region, further solidifying the port’s role as a strategic hub in global trade. “Hambantota Port’s strategic location on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, combined with the island’s central position along key maritime routes, offers a unique opportunity to attract customers who may not have previously considered Sri Lanka a viable option,” the CEO explained, emphasising that HIPG’s strategy goes beyond geopolitical influences and traditional market segmentation. “Instead, our focus is on delivering competitive commercial rates and exceptional service with investment in infrastructure and superstructure, because we are well aware that the port cannot rely solely on its location.” As part of its seaside strategy, the port is entering the relay cargo market, representing a new opportunity for the country, which has a set goal to handle 10 million TEUs between 2025 and 2026. HIPG is also targeting the region’s container market, particularly transshipment. Currently, more than 70% of containerised cargo from the BIMSTEC countries bypasses Sri Lankan ports, presenting a substantial opportunity for HIP to capture a significant portion of this untapped market. Through aggressive and strategic marketing to this segment, HIP aims to position itself as a key hub and unlock untapped potential in the region. Relay cargo refers to the transfer of cargo between two ships at an intermediate port, which involves vessels from the same carrier. It is a strategic move aimed at improving operational efficiency and connecting services across different regions. By utilising an intermediate port, shipping lines can optimise their routes, streamline operations, and reduce overall transit times. In contrast, transshipment involves the movement of cargo between ships — often from different carriers, at an intermediate hub port when there is no direct route between the origin and the destination. By leveraging Sri Lanka’s strategic location and offering tailored landside and seaside solutions for container operations, the Hambantota International Port is poised to redefine regional shipping dynamics and establish itself as a major player in the global logistics sector.No. 18 Michigan State meets Western Michigan, aims to extend win streak
Ken Martin joins The Lead
There was a lower turnout than expected, with 142 million voters compared to 158 million in 2020. This approximate 10 percent drop signified that neither candidate—former President Republican Donald Trump nor Vice President Democrat Kamala Harris—was appealing to a significant portion of the electorate. The election for the United States president, some Senate seats, and the House of Representatives took place on 5 November 2024. Turn-out There was a lower turnout than expected, with 142 million voters compared to 158 million in 2020. This approximate 10 percent drop signified that neither candidate—former President Republican Donald Trump nor Vice President Democrat Kamala Harris—was appealing to a significant portion of the electorate. The sentiment that politicians did not care about the concerns of working-class people was also a factor. This adversely affected Harris, who was hoping for a strong turnout, especially from minorities and women, but that did not materialise. President Joe Biden’s approval rating was in the low 40s going into the election, and Harris found herself tethered to him. Republican dissidents, even if opposed to Trump on issues like the peaceful transfer of power and the attack on Congress on 6 January 2021, were not going to vote for Harris. On the other hand, Harris’ supporters were more anti-Trump than enthusiastic about her. She clearly defined her position on abortion but failed to define herself on most other issues. There were also indications that many voters switched sides from known loyalties, with at least 50 percent of defections going to Trump, mainly from the same demographics as in 2016. The mainstream media, which was heavily inclined to liberalism, misjudged the situation, while platforms like X and podcasts provided more accurate insights. Economy The key issues for voters were the economy, immigration, democracy, the rejection of elites, and the unpopularity of outgoing President Biden. These were identifiable concerns, along with a desire for change. Lower middle-class and working-class families, especially those with children, felt threatened by rising household costs. This led to major political realignments, resulting in the biggest Republican sweep since the 1980s and 1990s. The Republican Party was seen as the party of progress, working-class interests, strong borders, and technical innovation. Incumbency, therefore, proved to be a negative factor for Harris. The widely held belief was that the GDP growth over the last two quarters before the election would be a decisive factor, but this proved to be wrong. The anxiety felt by the middle and lower classes was not assuaged by the GDP index. Democracy Harris stressed the threat to democracy posed by Trump, a message that resonated with some voters. However, Trump also engaged with the issue. The problem lay in the different ways both sides defined democracy. For Democrats, the threat was Trump’s attack on civil liberties and electoral fraud. For Republicans, it was related to crime on the streets, with democracy seen as an abstract concept primarily for the wealthy. The disconnect between democracy and daily life made the theoretical questions about democracy irrelevant for much of the public. Democracy and equality for all people were seen as a threat by many white voters who were concerned about immigration and demographic changes. They were willing to sacrifice democracy in favour of self-interest, which allowed Trump to neutralise his weaknesses on the question of democracy. Harris compounded the problem by ill-advisedly labelling Trump as a “fascist,” a term that alienated voters. She should have instead explained what Trump had done in 2020 and 2021 in refusing to accept the election result. The prosecution of Trump supporters after the Capitol invasion and the cases brought against Trump himself were seen as politicising the courts and persecuting political opponents. This allowed Trump to deflect the intensity of the arguments against him. Demographics There appears to be a larger race gap than a gender gap in US politics. It seems unlikely that women were necessarily inclined to Harris and the Democrats. White women, in particular, voted for Trump in similar numbers to 2016. Female education also played a role, with white women holding college degrees tending to vote for Trump, even though their share in the overall electorate has declined. Trump also appealed to young voters aged 18-25, a group that voted in large numbers, surprising many analysts. Latinos and African Americans swung towards Trump, though not as markedly as during Barack Obama’s campaigns. In fact, Trump gained across all demographics, which made the outcome clear by midnight on election day, despite the US’s three-time zones. The new trans-racial working-class coalition is likely to influence Republican policy moving forward. Culling the Bureaucracy Both parties have long wished to scale down the civil service and install their own loyalists in key government positions. However, this issue has been complex and has defied a clear solution. The current system is seen as untenable, with too many civil servants being non-experts and many working from home, leaving office buildings in Washington DC virtually empty yet still funded by the federal government. Trump, like his predecessors, wants to reduce the size and cost of the bureaucracy. He proposes to trim the career government service, though many bureaucrats are legally protected from dismissal. Polarization The United States remains a deeply polarized country, in desperate need of healing leadership to achieve its goal of providing unified global leadership. This has been made more difficult by Biden, who failed to unify the country, and by the emergence of a new, different multi-racial working-class coalition. Trump, as a disruptor, is unlikely to offer the compassion and compromise needed. His abrasive rhetoric, which has made him well-known, is far from the tone required to mollify the public and drive any major issues. Bi-partisan coalitions are unlikely, and working amicably with state governors is not a hallmark of Trump’s leadership style. Policies With control of the White House, Senate, the House of Representatives (though barely), and the Supreme Court, the Republicans now have a mandate to implement policies related to the economy, immigration, and focus on programmes for the working class, which could lead to realignments within the Republican Party. Trump is expected to govern with a strong hand, emphasising his presidential prerogatives. However, it remains to be seen how the party will address issues like tariffs and the national debt, which currently stands at $35 trillion. Divisions may also emerge on matters like Social Security and Medicare, though tax cuts and deficits are unlikely to be problematic, as they were during Trump’s first term. Deporting undocumented immigrants, which could number around 13 million, is expected to be an expensive, divisive, and inhumane initiative, but it remains a major Trump objective. Foreign Affairs Foreign policy is expected to take a more introspective turn under Trump. While Biden had pushed financial, military, and other resources towards Ukraine, this will likely be severely restrained under the new administration. A free hand will be given to Israel, but a drawn-out campaign against Palestinians and Lebanon is not expected. Regarding US participation in international organisations like the Paris Climate Change Accord, NATO, and the G-7, some Republicans are internationalists at heart, and there may be resistance to any US withdrawal. Trump’s Team Trump’s early choices for his administration appear to prioritise loyalty over expertise. With a majority in the Senate, the confirmation process will be smoother, but, as with Trump’s first term, many of these appointments may be dropped or resigned within the first year. Click for more latest World news . Also get top headlines and latest news from India and around the world at News9. The author is a former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh and has served as a foreign secretary in the Government of India.India will host the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) for the first time in February 2024, marking a significant milestone in the country's entertainment sector. The summit, set to be held from February 5 to 9, will bring together media and entertainment leaders, as well as creative minds from across the globe, to discuss collaboration, innovation, and India’s growing influence in global content creation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared the exciting news during his monthly radio address, Mann Ki Baat, on Sunday, describing the summit as a pivotal step in positioning India as a global hub for creative and content industries. PM Modi Highlights India’s Growing Creative Economy PM Modi emphasized the importance of the WAVES Summit in India's broader economic context, noting that it aligns with the country’s ambition to become a five trillion dollar economy. “This Summit is an important step towards making India a hub of global content creation,” he said. The Prime Minister acknowledged the role of India’s youth in shaping the future of creative industries. He encouraged young creators and professionals from all areas of the media and entertainment sector—whether in Bollywood, regional cinema, animation, gaming, or entertainment technology—to participate in the summit and share their ideas and innovations with the world. "Whether you are a young creator or an established artist, associated with Bollywood or regional cinema, a professional from the TV industry, an expert in animation, gaming, or an innovator in entertainment technology, I encourage you to be a part of the WAVES Summit," PM Modi remarked. A Platform for Collaboration and Global Engagement The WAVES Summit will serve as a global platform to foster collaborations, showcase India’s creative talents, and highlight advancements in animation, gaming, entertainment technology, and cinema. PM Modi stated, “The WAVES Summit is poised to serve as a global platform for India’s creative talents, fostering collaborations and showcasing the country’s potential as a hub for world-class content creation.” The summit is expected to attract global attention, drawing leaders and influencers from the media and entertainment industries to discuss trends, challenges, and opportunities in the creative sector. Also Read: Kangana Ranaut seeks desire of meeting PM Narendra Modi: “I don’t get an audience with the Prime Minister, I have requested for one...” BOLLYWOOD NEWS - LIVE UPDATES Catch us for latest Bollywood News , New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection , New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi , Entertainment News , Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2024 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.