High Point 81, Pfeiffer 50Russian state news agencies say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad is in Moscow and given asylumAs the story of Mrs. Lee's act of kindness continued to spread, it served as a reminder to everyone that a little compassion and generosity can go a long way in brightening someone's day and restoring their faith in humanity. It was a shining example of the goodness that exists in the world and a call to action for others to pay it forward and spread kindness wherever they go.
The decision to transfer ownership of the three subsidiaries for such a nominal amount has left many wondering about the motivations behind the move. Some speculate that the company may be looking to streamline its operations, refocus on core business areas, or even offload non-strategic assets in an effort to improve its financial performance.The world of enterprise tech is built on sturdy foundations. For decades, systems of record—the databases, customer relationship management (CRM), and enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms we’re all intimately familiar with—have served as reliable pillars underpinning every major business. Vendors selling them have become household names and the technology is a core component of how enterprises operate, scale, and report. They’ve embedded themselves, seemingly immovably, into how the world does business. But here’s the thing about immovable objects: Sometimes they meet unstoppable forces. Today, the unstoppable forces of AI and automation are shaking the foundations of tech stacks built around systems of record. Yes, these systems can capture every transaction, record every interaction, and keep your enterprise humming along—but at their core, they’re passive. They exist to document what’s already happened. If a business focuses too heavily on them, it becomes passive as well, bound to tools that deliver what they’ve always delivered. Good enough is not good enough anymore For many business leaders, this kind of inertia is reliable, comforting, and easy. It’s good enough to make it to the next quarter, good enough to offer customers the same thing they’ve always offered, good enough to rely on what’s worked in the past. But in the age of AI and automation, good enough doesn’t cut it anymore. In fact, this mentality not only leaves you vulnerable to disruption, it also means you’ll quickly be eclipsed by businesses that understand it’s time to pivot from building around systems of record to building around a new paradigm: systems of action. Systems of action are set to supplant systems of record because they aren’t just about storing or communicating data—they’re about taking action on that data. They’re powered by AI agents that act autonomously to retrieve data from multiple sources, process information, and even make decisions. Put another way, these AI agents offer us a new foundation on which to build the enterprise, one where a bias for action is embedded into everything we do. This isn’t just hype. In fact, established enterprises are already experimenting with systems of action in ways that promise to change everything. Signet Jewelers, for example, is testing ways to combine conversational data with generative AI —or in other words, turn selling signals into action. It works as follows: The AI model looks at customer conversations, identifies which customers are ready to buy, and delivers that information to help agents create revenue opportunities. As the largest diamond retailer in the world, Signet is an incredible example of the impact systems of action will make in the years to come. Ready for action Thousands of tasks across enterprises are primed for this level of automation, from customer-facing actions like personalized messaging and proactive issue resolution, to back-end actions like lead qualification and inventory management. This means pivoting from systems of record to systems of action is much more than a minor upgrade or incremental step for the enterprise. It’s a total rethinking of the tech stack that finally bridges the gap between data and outcomes. The end goal is not to tinker around the edges of systems of record with good enough automation use cases. That’s like putting Christmas lights on a fixer-upper—and expecting buyers to overlook the rotting foundation. This good enough mentality holds us back, keeping us dependent on outdated or only incrementally improvable systems. It prevents us from pushing the boundaries we as leaders need to push. The future will not be built on systems of record and maintaining what’s worked in the past. It will be built on systems of action that drive outcomes for our stakeholders and our customers. Those who embrace this shift will lead the next chapter of enterprise success—not as passive record-keepers, but as unstoppable forces themselves. John Sabino is CEO of LivePerson .
As Mrs. Smith wandered aimlessly through the crowded streets and bustling alleys, her initial sense of adventure soon turned into panic and confusion. With each passing step, the distance between her and her home seemed to stretch further and further, leading her deeper into unknown territory. Despite her advanced age, Mrs. Smith continued to walk, driven by a mix of determination and desperation to find her way back.The buzz surrounding Sora began to build in the weeks leading up to its official launch, with rumors and speculation circulating about its capabilities and potential impact. As the countdown to the big reveal began, anticipation reached a fever pitch, with tech blogs, AI forums, and social media platforms abuzz with excitement and curiosity.
Badminton star PV Sindhu’s wedding preparations begin in UdaipurThe James Webb Space Telescope ( JWST ) has just solved a 20-year-old mystery about how ancient stars could host massive planets. In the early 2000s, the Hubble Space Telescope observed the oldest planet ever , an object 2.5 times as large as Jupiter that formed in the Milky Way 13 billion years ago, less than a billion years after the universe was born. The discovery of other old planets soon followed. This puzzled scientists, as stars in the early universe should have consisted mostly of light elements like hydrogen and helium, with almost none of the heavy elements — things like carbon and iron — that make up planets. Astronomers believed that the disks of dust and gas surrounding these light-element stars should have been blown away by the star's own radiation, dispersing the disk within a couple of million years and leaving nothing behind to make a planet. The heavy elements needed to build a long-lasting planetary disk around a star weren't available until later supernova explosions created them , scientists thought. Related: James Webb telescope uncovers massive 'grand design' spiral galaxy in the early universe — and scientists can't explain how it got so big, so fast Now, though, the JWST has taken a close look at a modern-day proxy for these old stars and found that the Hubble was not mistaken. In new research published Dec. 16 in The Astrophysical Journal , researchers found that when there are few heavy, metallic elements, planetary disks can last much longer than previously believed. "We see that these stars are indeed surrounded by disks and are still in the process of gobbling material, even at the relatively old age of 20 [million] or 30 million years," study lead author Guido De Marchi , an astronomer at the European Space Research and Technology Centre in Noordwijk, Netherlands, said in a statement . "This also implies that planets have more time to form and grow around these stars than in nearby star-forming regions in our own galaxy." James Webb's observations The JWST observed the spectra (a measurement of different wavelengths of light) of the stars in the star-forming cluster named NGC 346. Conditions in this cluster are similar to those in the early universe, with lots of light elements like hydrogen and helium and a relative dearth of metallic and other heavier elements. The cluster is in the Small Magellanic Cloud , a galaxy 199,000 light-years from Earth. Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. The light and electromagnetic waves coming off these stars and their surroundings revealed that they host long-lasting planetary disks. There are two ways this could work, according to Marchi and his colleagues. — Surprise discovery in alien planet's atmosphere could upend decades of planet formation theory — Bizarre 'runaway' planets discovered by James Webb telescope may be failed stars in disguise — Why is Pluto not considered a planet? The first is that stars made up of light elements do not host a lot of elements undergoing radioactive decay — those radioactive elements are all heavier. This lack of radiation means that the star has less power to push away the planetary disk, so it might last far longer than a disk around a star with more heavy elements. Another possibility is that a star formed from only light elements must form from a very, very large cloud of dust and gas. This extra-large dust cloud would also leave behind a huge disk around the newborn star, and that huge disk might take a very long time to blow away, even if light-element stars give off just as much radiation as heavier-element stars. "This has implications for how you form a planet, and the type of system architecture that you can have in these different environments," study co-author Elena Sabbi , chief scientist for the Gemini Observatory at the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab in Tucson, said in the statement. "This is so exciting."Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) has been an excellent growth stock for long-term investors. The shares have soared more than 500% over the past decade, as earnings and revenue climbed into the billions of dollars. All this is due to Alphabet's dominance in something that most of us use every day -- internet search. Alphabet's Google has steadily held about 90% of that market over time, and this position, along with ongoing improvement in its capabilities and brand strength, make it a very difficult-to-unseat leader. Start Your Mornings Smarter! Wake up with Breakfast news in your inbox every market day. Sign Up For Free » All of this has helped the company build a booming advertising business. Advertisers, trying to reach us where they know they'll find us, rush to Google to promote their products and services. And today, advertising makes up the lion's share of Alpabet's revenue. For example, it represented about 75% in the most recent quarter. So the strength of Google Search is a reason to take a closer look at Alphabet. However, if you're an investor focused on growth, here's why you'll really want to buy this top stock now. Using artificial intelligence (AI) to make Google Search better First, before delving into this exciting source of growth, let's take a closer look at the Alphabet story so far. As mentioned, the company is known for its dominance in search, and the great news is this strength is likely to continue. Alphabet has been heavily investing in artificial intelligence (AI), something it is applying to its search platform to help users generate better results faster. For example, AI Overviews offers users a preview of a topic, including links to find out more, and Alphabet recently rolled it out in 100 new countries. The company's focus on AI also is helping advertisers in many ways. Alphabet's AI, powered by large language model Gemini, helps deliver ads to the most relevant audiences and is helping advertisers create better and potentially more successful campaigns. All of this suggests growth from the search business could not only continue, but even see a big boost as a better-than-ever Google Search attracts more and more users -- and prompts advertisers to spend more to reach them. For the moment, though, Google's advertising business has averaged about 11% revenue growth over the past three quarters. Of course, it's important to keep in mind that Alphabet's search business does face a risk. U.S. regulators recently presented closing arguments in an antitrust case against the tech giant. They're asking a federal judge to break up Google, which could include the sale of the Chrome web browser. It's impossible to predict with 100% certainty how this will turn out, but Alphabet clearly would appeal a potentially unfavorable decision -- a move that would push a new decision farther into the future. Beyond the possibility of a delay, another positive point for Alphabet investors is the idea that major tech breakup orders haven't happened easily in the past. For example, about 25 years ago, a federal appeals court overturned a breakup ruling concerning Microsoft . All of this makes me more optimistic than pessimistic about Alphabet's long-term prospects. A new phase of growth from this established player Now let's consider another Alphabet business -- one that has roared ahead when it comes to revenue power. And this is the business that will make you want to get in on this established company's new phase of growth. I'm talking about Google Cloud, Alphabet's cloud computing unit. The business generated a 35% increase in revenue in the recent quarter after already reporting a 29% revenue increase in the previous quarter. Google Cloud also is outpacing cloud rivals, such as the world's biggest cloud provider, Amazon Web Services (AWS), when it comes to growth. Amazon reported a 19% increase in AWS revenue in the recent quarter, and Microsoft 's Azure and other cloud services revenue gained 33%. Google Cloud's revenue topped $11 billion in the third quarter after revenue and operating income reached the major milestones of more than $10 billion and $1 billion, respectively, in the second quarter. And Google Cloud is showing strong profitability on sales, with an operating margin of 17%. There's reason to be optimistic about Google Cloud keeping up this momentum, as Alphabet's investments in AI have resulted in more and more AI products and services offered through the business. Alphabet says customers are using Google Cloud's AI in several different ways, such as harnessing AI infrastructure, like chips, or using the enterprise software platform to customize AI models. In the recent earnings report, Alphabet said this has helped Google Cloud win new customers and bigger deals and drive a 30% increase in product adoption among current customers. The AI market is forecast to grow from about $200 billion today to $1 trillion by the end of the decade, and Google Cloud is well positioned to benefit. On top of this, Alphabet shares trade for a bargain price, at about 21x forward earnings estimates . All of this means right now is a great time to invest in this top technology company -- for the new wave of growth that's getting started in the cloud business. Should you invest $1,000 in Alphabet right now? Before you buy stock in Alphabet, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now... and Alphabet wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $829,378 !* Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of November 25, 2024 Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Adria Cimino has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet and Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy . Advertising Revenue Powers Alphabet's Earnings, but Here's Why You'll Really Want to Buy the Stock Now was originally published by The Motley FoolSun Yingsha, the rising star of Chinese table tennis, has once again graced the cover of a prestigious magazine, ELLE. Just three months after her last cover feature, she has achieved the remarkable feat of landing her second major magazine cover. This achievement not only highlights her growing influence in the sports and fashion industries but also solidifies her status as a style icon.
Sora, the brainchild of OpenAI's top researchers and engineers, is hailed as a revolutionary advancement in the field of artificial intelligence. Built upon the foundation of OpenAI's existing technologies, Sora represents a leap forward in terms of capabilities, performance, and potential applications. With its state-of-the-art algorithms, advanced neural network architecture, and cutting-edge deep learning techniques, Sora promises to push the boundaries of what AI can achieve.Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim hailed Arsenal as one of the best set-piece teams he has ever faced following the 2-0 defeat at Arsenal. The Gunners took two points out of Liverpool’s lead at the summit of the Premier League after Jurrien Timber and William Saliba struck in the second half – both from corners – to condemn Amorim to his first defeat as United boss. The hosts’ second-half strikes took their goals-from-corners tally to 22 since the start of last season – a statistic that is unmatched by any other team in the division. Asked if Arsenal are one of the best teams he has come up against on corners, Amorim replied: “If you follow the Premier League for a long time you can see that. “They are also big players and you see every occasion when (Gabriel) Martinelli and (Bukayo) Saka have one-on-ones, a lot of times they go outside and they cross, and they know that if the cross goes well, they can score, and if it is a corner they can score, too, so we have to be better on that. “You have seen in all Arsenal games that every team have had problems with that (corners). And the difference today was the set-pieces. “You see a goal and then the momentum changed, and it is really hard for us to take the full control of the game after that.” Timber leaned into Rasmus Hojlund at the front post before diverting Declan Rice’s set-piece into the back of Andre Onana’s net after 54 minutes to send Arsenal into the lead. Thomas Partey’s header from Saka’s corner then deflected in off Saliba’s shoulder with 17 minutes left. Arteta and the club’s set-piece guru Nicolas Jover embraced on the touchline as Amorim was left with his head in his hands. The Arsenal supporters cheered raucously every time they won a corner – landing 13 in all without reply. However, Arteta moved to play down the significance of Arsenal’s set-piece threat. “We need that, but we want to be very dangerous and very effective from every angle and every phase of play,” said Arteta. “Today we could have scored from open play like we did against West Ham and Sporting. Last year we scored the most goals in the history of this football club. Arsenal have won four consecutive Premier League matches against Man Utd for the first time ever! 💫 pic.twitter.com/biv1kvsJEP — Premier League (@premierleague) December 4, 2024 “Not because of only set-pieces, but because of a lot of things that we have. We want to create individual and magic moments, too.” Arsenal’s win against United – the first time they have recorded four victories in a row against the Red Devils in the league – was their fourth in succession since the international break. They will head to Fulham on Sunday bidding to keep the momentum going. Arteta continued: “The will to win is there. We try our best to do that. We won four in a row, but it doesn’t matter. We have to go to Fulham now, try to be better than them and try win the game. “It’s every three days that we play. It’s a crazy schedule. We’re going to need everybody and to mentally be very strong.”
India Can Never Permit Others to Have a Veto on its Choices: Jaishankar
India’s path to net zero: IGBC leads sustainable building revolution
NoneAs we look towards the future, the synergy between banks and the automotive industry is poised to create a dynamic ecosystem that fosters innovation and prosperity. By providing accessible and competitive financing solutions, banking institutions are fuelling the growth of the automotive sector and catalyzing economic development. This collaborative effort showcases the power of strategic partnerships in driving positive outcomes for both businesses and consumers.
Furthermore, the strong performance of Chinese companies in the technology and consumer sectors has also contributed to the bullish sentiment in the A-share market. The impressive earnings reports and robust growth prospects of leading Chinese firms have attracted both domestic and foreign investors, driving up stock prices and lifting market indices to new heights. The resilience and competitiveness of Chinese companies in the face of a challenging global economic environment have bolstered investor confidence in the long-term growth potential of the A-share market.In the fast-paced world of technology and innovation, Huawei has emerged as a global leader in the telecommunications industry under the visionary leadership of Huang Renxun. As the CEO of the world's most valuable company, Huang Renxun has implemented a flat organizational structure that fosters innovation and drives the company's success to new heights.