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AI-Driven Rally Pushes Tech Stocks To Records, Broadcom Enters Trillion-Dollar Club, Inflation Data Flashes Warning Signal: This Week In The MarketsThere are some sectors where large players have an edge. Here, the nature of the business is such that there are phases where the ability to stay in the game – and maintain cash on the balance sheet – matter most. Thus, when the tide turns in favor of that sector, these large companies are able to make the most of it. A sector that has gone through a phase of realignment of business and readjustment of valuations for many years – and is now
Cubs land Astros' Tucker for Paredes, WesneskiSYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Kyle McCord threw for a career-high 470 yards with two touchdowns to lead Syracuse to a 31-24 win over UConn on Saturday. The win gives the Orange (8-3) their first eight-win regular season since 2018, and third since 2000. “We knew they would play all the way through the fourth quarter, and we thought it’d be a fourth-quarter game,” Syracuse coach Fran Brown said. “So, it’s just what we talked about the entire week and we didn’t take it lightly.” McCord completed 37-of-47 passes for his first 400-yard game this season. He opened the game with a 77-yard touchdown drive, spanning two plays in 50 seconds. The touchdown came on a 22-yard pass to Oronde Gadsden. McCord broke Syracuse’s all-time record for single-season passing yards with 4:12 remaining in the first half. He needed 273 yards to pass Nassib, and finished the game against the Huskies with 3,946 passing yards. The former quarterback set his record in 2012, recording 3,749 passing yards during his senior year. McCord also tied Nassib’s record for single-season touchdown passes with 26, with his second touchdown pass on the same play as the yardage record. “I got a standard of what the quarterback needs to look like being here,” Brown said. "Not necessarily statistically and all those things, because that’s hard, but just in reference to how you prepare.” The Orange missed two field goals and had two touchdowns called back that allowed the Huskies offense a chance to tie the game in the fourth quarter. After a 2-yard passing touchdown by quarterback Joe Fagnano left UConn trailing back one score, Syracuse recovered the Huskies’ onside kick attempt to end the game. UConn (7-4) will finish its season without a Power Four win after staying within two touchdowns of the Orange for all 60 minutes. The Huskies have ended each of their four Power Four games within one score of their opponent. “They’re disappointed as hell, and they should be,” UConn coach Jim Mora said. “But we have to get over that, and we have to figure out what we can do better and apply those lessons going forward and prepare to get a win next week.” Cam Edwards led UConn on the ground with 87 rushing yards, including a 71-yard touchdown dash in the first quarter. Fagnano finished the game with 228 passing yards and two touchdowns. UConn: Linebacker Jayden McDonald recorded a second-best 12 tackles, including a sack and tackle-for-loss. McDonald was the one of three Huskies to reach McCord for a sack. Syracuse: Eight receivers caught passes, with three recording over 100 yards each. Wide receivers Darrell Gill Jr. (177 yards) and Jackson Meeks (110) and tight end Oronde Gadsden (103 and a touchdown) combined for 390 receiving yards. Syracuse had 540 total yards to UConn’s 352. UConn’s offense was 5-of-15 on third down conversions against the Orange defense. The Huskies didn’t get their first third down conversion until the second quarter, after the Orange had already taken a 14-7 lead. McCord faces off against Miami’s Cameron Ward for Syracuse’s final game of the regular season. They are the two leading passers in FBS and sit atop the ACC in total offense. UConn: Visits Massachusetts on Saturday Syracuse: Hosts No. 11 Miami on Saturday — Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
SAU livestock forum stresses need for research to boost indigenous breeds National and international veterinary experts, along with progressive farmers, have underscored the need for establishing a livestock breeders forum and initiate research to protect the country's indigenous animal breeds. They highlighted the importance of adopting sustainable artificial insemination techniques and modern technologies to genetically improve animal breeds, thereby boosting milk and meat production and forming alliances to enhance exports. Addressing the closing session of the two-day Livestock Breeders Forum organised by the Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tando Jam in collaboration with the Sindh Higher Education Commission, Sindh Minister for Education Syed Sardar Ali Shah stated that there remains significant potential for government support in the livestock sector. He suggested exploring partnerships with neighbouring countries to acquire superior animal breeds and recommended that grants for improving livestock quality be provided directly to farmers. Opposing agricultural taxation without sufficient facilities, the minister called such policies inappropriate. He also praised Sindh Agriculture University for its proactive efforts. Secretary of Universities and Boards Muhammad Abbas Baloch emphasised the importance of initiatives for addressing critical livestock issues and urged institutions to facilitate direct market connections for farmers. SAU Vice Chancellor Dr Fateh Marri highlighted the economic potential of agriculture and livestock, asserting that these sectors could outperform industries in driving economic growth. He stated that a 6 per cent annual increase in productivity in agriculture and livestock could reduce poverty by 50 per cent over the next decade. He called for a shift in research focus toward improving quality and productivity rather than just increasing the number of animals. Sindh Higher Education Commission Secretary Moeenuddin Siddiqui recommended fostering superior breeds through research and exploring livestock export opportunities, particularly to countries such as Saudi Arabia. Speaking virtually from the United States, Professor Emeritus Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Memon highlighted reliance on modern technology in global livestock advancements and urged veterinary professionals and young experts to seize numerous opportunities available in the field. Progressive farmer Nazoo Dharejo proposed extending such programmes to rural areas to maximise their benefits for small-scale farmers. Sindh Minister for Social Welfare Mir Tariq Ali Talpur, addressing the second session, recognised the significant role of livestock in addressing economic challenges in underprivileged areas. He encouraged universities, the livestock sector and progressive farmers to provide guidance to locals, especially women, in this regard. The forum included technical discussions led by prominent experts such as D. Syed Ghiyasuddin Shah Rashdi, farmer leader Ghulam Akbar Dars, Syed Zarar Haider Shah, and Dr Parshotam Khatri. Contributions from leading researchers, including Dr Jan Muhammad Mari, Dr Chandra Kumar, Dr Aqeel Ahmed Memon, Dr Ghulam Bilal, Dr Mubarak Jatoi, Dr Seema Baloch, Dr Saeed Ahmed Soomro, and others enriched the sessions with valuable insights and findings. Key recommendations arising from the forum included adopting advanced genetic technologies and artificial reproduction programs to enhance local breeds, improve disease resistance, and increase productivity. Measures to prevent the premature slaughter of buffalo calves through collaboration with district administrations, departments, and educational institutions were also proposed. The experts also recommended promoting the local production of soybean to meet livestock protein needs and called for strengthening embryo transfer laboratories and genomic facilities to develop high-quality breeds. Subsidies for sex-selected semen and embryo transfer technologies were suggested to ensure wider adoption of these advancements.
Economy witnessing turnaround due to difficult decisions: planning minister
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Last week was one of the wildest in recent memory for the Nebraska football program. With the overlap of high school recruiting, transfer portal entries, coaching changes and bowl game decisions meant there were highs and lows for Nebraska fans to go through — but the program’s leader wasn’t bothered by the departures and changes that hit the Huskers. “If we have good players and we have good coaches, then people are gonna come try to get them,” Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said on Wednesday. “If no one’s trying to take our players, it means we’re in trouble.” With news to break down in each of those areas, let’s drop into coverage: 1. Coaching changes Nebraska’s defensive coaching staff will look much different in 2025, but Rhule is hopeful that the defense itself won’t change much. People are also reading... Paige Hubl, former Nebraska volleyball player and Lincoln Southeast coach, dies at age 34 'It could be very special': Why signs point to strong match between Nebraska, Pinstripe Bowl Scott Frost signs five-year contract to become UCF's head coach for second time Lincoln Southwest vs. East boys basketball game briefly suspended due to 'unsafe environment' Man found dead in north Lincoln, police say 'Straight up theft': Lincoln craft fair organizer under fire after canceling event Andi's Ascent: She didn't want to play volleyball. Now Andi Jackson is the sport's next best thing Wisconsin officer grabbing Donovan Raiola's arm a 'misunderstanding,' UW police say 140 layoffs hit Lincoln immigration services center; more likely Taco restaurant started by brothers in Grand Island expands to Lincoln All-state volleyball: The Journal Star's postseason honors for 2024 season Lincoln Public Schools chief Gausman announces plans to retire Nebraska volleyball aces first test, sweeps Florida A&M in first round of NCAA Tournament 'Not what we want to do': Nebraska's Matt Rhule talks pregame handshake snub with Iowa Nebraska volleyball sweeps Miami to advance to Sweet 16 Defensive coordinator Tony White is off to Florida State and has taken defensive line coach Terrance Knighton with him , a major blow to a Nebraska defense that ranked inside the top 20 nationally each of the last two seasons. Knighton was one of Rhule’s best hires for his initial Nebraska coaching staff. The defensive line, presumed to be a question mark in 2023, instead became a strength. Players like Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher reached new heights under Knighton’s coaching, while several young Huskers also made an impact up front. There’s plenty of returning talent in the defensive line room even after some roster turnover, but NU’s next defensive line coach will have big expectations to continue Knighton’s good work at the position. As for White, he implemented his 3-3-5 scheme to great success a year ago, but Nebraska lined up slightly differently this fall with a four-man rush utilized far more often than in 2023. He’ll be a good fit at Florida State, while Nebraska has turned to John Butler in the interim to lead its defense. There’s no doubting Butler’s pedigree as a former NFL defensive mind, and his influence showed up in the way the Nebraska defense operated this season. Whether it’s Butler or an external hire who leads the Nebraska defense next season, continuity on that side of the ball is the expectation. “The defense isn’t going to change, but the offense is going to be better,” Rhule said. That optimism is underscored by the return of Dana Holgorsen as Nebraska’s offensive coordinator. Having brought in his own wide receivers coach, Daikiel Shorts Jr., Holgorsen will begin transforming the Nebraska offense this spring after the team’s bowl game. 2. Most impactful 2025 commits Nebraska signed a 20-player recruiting class on Wednesday that is loaded with talent across the board. While recruits can still sign with teams in February, expect Nebraska to be finished along the recruiting trail — and that means it’s time to take stock of the players in its 2025 recruiting class. Here are five of those signees who should impact the long-term future of the Husker football team. First up is linebacker Dawson Merritt. The highest-ranked signee in NU’s 2025 class was an Alabama commit for a reason, and it’s because the pass-rushing potential he shows. Set to be an off-ball linebacker and hybrid edge rusher at Nebraska, Merritt is the type of player who can make an impact early in his collegiate career. If he reaches his long-term potential, Merritt should be an NFL prospect when he leaves Nebraska. Nebraska also landed a top playmaking prospect in wide receiver Cortez Mills. Another wide receiver recruit, Isaiah Mozee, will provide an impact — but Mills is the all-around prospect who could dominate targets in a year or two’s time. The fast, athletic pass-catcher knows how to run himself open against coverage and excels at winning in one-on-one situations. Quarterback Dylan Raiola will like playing with Mills. In the secondary, cornerback Bryson Webber should be a starter down the road. His status as a former wide receiver gives him the ball skills Nebraska is after the spot, and Webber’s long, athletic frame will help him against opposing wide receivers. He may not be a day-one starter at cornerback, but Webber will make the position his own in the years which follow. Another explosive playmaker on offense is running back Jamarion Parker. Having signed alongside Bishop Neumann’s Conor Booth, Parker could be the lightning to Booth’s thunder as a one-two running back punch in the years which follow. A big-play threat and tough runner, Parker is an all-around talent who Nebraska and Holgorsen will find a way to utilize. The final pick is linebacker Christian Jones. Hard-nosed, athletic inside linebackers are hard to come by, but Jones is one of the rare few who could have a future at the position. He’s a top athlete who could push for playing time early in his career. For those interested, here are the five players I identified from NU’s 2024 class one year ago: Dylan Raiola, Carter Nelson, Willis McGahee IV, Mario Buford and Grant Brix. While Jacory Barney Jr. is a notable miss from that list, all but Brix played in at least 10 games and had an impact as freshmen. 3. Transfers in, transfers out Nebraska’s transfer portal entrants have begun trickling out, and there will be many more which follow as a result of the 105-player roster limit teams must abide with next season. Many of the toughest departures to stomach have come on defense, where a veteran-heavy group will look much different in terms of its personnel next season. Defensive lineman Jimari Butler, a two-year starter at the position, has decided to move on. So have linebackers Mikai Gbayor and Stefon Thompson — who might’ve been starters next season — and rising young defenders Princewill Umanmielen, James Williams and Kai Wallin. Williams, Wallin and Umanmielen were all impactful defenders for Nebraska this fall, but their status as pass-rushing specialists still left room for improvement as all-around defenders. Butler and Gbayor, however, would’ve been pegged as no-doubt veteran starters, so their choice to move on will impact NU’s defensive strength. No entry was more surprising than that of running back Emmett Johnson, a player who emerged as NU’s top rusher late in the 2024 season. The up-and-down nature of Johnson’s Nebraska career — he showed flashes down the stretch in 2023 and was hardly utilized this fall prior to Holgorsen taking over — may have impacted his decision to seek out a new opportunity. Johnson announced his intention to return to NU in a recent social media post. Nebraska’s transfer portal targets will become clearer in the coming days, but one player has already stated his interest in the Huskers. Fresno State linebacker Phoenix Jackson, a multi-year starter at the position, announced on social media that Auburn, Indiana, Nebraska and SMU are the four teams he’s considering transferring to. 4. Bowl game practices Prior to learning its bowl opponent, Nebraska had a light week of practice before things get intense later this month. The Huskers practiced on Tuesday and Thursday last week with its veterans sitting out as younger players got reps in front of their coaches instead. Rhule said he expects Nebraska to practice from Tuesday to Thursday this week, with another day on Saturday during which the Huskers could bring transfer portal visitors to campus. “Being in bowl practice right now is exactly what this team needs, exactly what we need moving forward,” Rhule said. “I saw guys practice (Tuesday) and look like I haven’t seen them look all year.” 5. Scott Frost to UCF After his firing at Nebraska, former head coach Scott Frost didn’t need to rush into his next coaching job, instead waiting for a situation and school that made sense for him. While it didn’t work out in Lincoln, there’s no denying the success Frost had at UCF. The in-state talent around the school and Frost’s offense made for a great fit, even if he only had two seasons to show it. The Knights are no longer in the AAC, though, instead having moved to a new-look Big 12 which has the makings of a difficult conference. It’s a good fit for Frost, but there’ll still be an element of pressure for him to deliver results and show that he can rebuild the program once again.
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court voted Friday to hear a potentially far-reaching claim of religious freedom and decide whether church-sponsored charities, programs and businesses may refuse to pay state unemployment taxes for their employees. All states exempt churches and church programs from the taxes if they "operate primarily for religious purposes." But they usually require affiliated schools, colleges, hospitals and other businesses to pay unemployment taxes if they are open to all and do not offer worship services or religious training. In a case from Wisconsin, the justices will reconsider that approach and decide whether instead to require the states to defer to religious authorities. The appeal that will be heard argues the government may not "second-guess the religious decisions" of church authorities who seek an exemption. The dispute began with Black River Industries, Barron County Developmental Services and two other small nonprofit corporations that are funded by state or federal grants to provide services for people with developmental disabilities. They are now controlled by Catholic Charities that sued to seek an exemption from the unemployment taxes. Their lawyers argued those charitable programs are motivated by "sincerely held religious beliefs and to carry out the religious mission" of the church. Therefore, they said, it violates the Constitution to require Catholic Charities to pay unemployment taxes, noting the church has its own program of unemployment coverage. The Wisconsin Supreme Court disagreed in a 4-3 ruling and upheld the state taxes. It said the four programs were "charitable" and "educational," but not primarily religious. Lawyers for Becket Fund for Religious Liberty appealed and urged the court to overturn the Wisconsin ruling. The case comes before a high court that has repeatedly ruled in favor of religious claims over the last decade. In one line of cases, the justices said churches and religious claimants are entitled to equal state benefits, including grants to pay for playgrounds at a church school or tuition grants for parents to send children to religious schools. In another line of cases, they ruled religious organizations are freed from government regulation of their employees. Four years ago, for example, they ruled that two Catholic school teachers in Los Angeles who were fired could not sue alleging they were victims of discrimination. A year later, the court ruled that as a matter of religious freedom, Catholic Social Services had a right to participate in a city-sponsored foster care program in Philadelphia and receive payments for doing so, even though it refused to work with same-sex couples as required by the city. The court also ruled that private businesses such as the Hobby Lobby stores and church-sponsored entities had a religious liberty right to refuse to provide contraceptive coverage for their employees as required by federal law. In the Wisconsin case, a group of religious liberty scholars urged the court to rule the government must "defer" to church authorities in matters involving their organizations. "This case involves severe governmental interference with religious liberty that strikes at the heart of the 1st Amendment's most basic guarantees," they wrote in a friend-of-the-court brief . They said "courts must defer to how the religious group defines its message." The Catholic Conference of Illinois was among the church groups that urged the court to hear the case. Its brief noted that its bishops speak for 949 parishes, 46 Catholic hospitals, 21 health care centers, 11 colleges and universities, 424 schools and 527 Catholic cemeteries. The court is likely to schedule arguments in the Wisconsin case in March or April and issue a ruling by the end of June. "Wisconsin is trying to make sure no good deed goes unpunished," said Eric Rassbach, vice president and senior counsel at Becket. "Penalizing Catholic Charities for serving Catholics and non-Catholics alike is ridiculous and wrong. We are confident the Supreme Court will reject the Wisconsin Supreme Court's absurd ruling." ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) recorded a significant drop of 45.93 points, or 1.67%, on Tuesday, closing at 2,689 points by the end of trading. The Sensitive Index, which tracks the performance of class 'A' stocks, also decreased by 1.50%, while the Float Index, reflecting actively traded shares, fell by 1.65%. The daily market turnover reached Rs. 7.46 billion, with 17,392,244 shares traded across 321 scrips in 81,404 transactions. All sectoral indices ended in the red, with the life insurance sector experiencing the steepest decline at 3.07%, followed by the trading sector, which fell by 2.13%. The hydropower sector dropped by 1.98%, while the finance and hotels & tourism sectors both declined by 1.84%. The microfinance sector decreased by 1.50%, the investment sector by 1.33%, and the development bank sector by 1.04%. Investor sentiment remained overwhelmingly negative, with only 27 stocks advancing, 214 stocks declining, and three remaining unchanged. Manushi Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (MLBS), Life Insurance Corporation (Nepal) Limited (LICN), and Joshi Hydropower Development Company Ltd (JOSHI) recorded the sharpest losses, each shedding 10% of their share values. At the close of trading, NEPSE's total market capitalization stood at Rs. 4.460 trillion.
Canadian precious metal stocks are experiencing a powerful bull market phase thanks to an equally strong bullish trend in gold prices. However, the trend hasn’t remained limited to gold stocks; many are riding the momentum as well. A few other metal stocks, even though they are unrelated to this market, have also experienced a powerful upward surge. Collectively, there are three metal stocks that you should consider looking into, considering their powerful bullish momentum. They may help you achieve decent gains, even if you work with a modest amount of capital. A gold stock Let’s start with the gold stocks since gold prices are still surging. While many giants in this segment have seen serious gains, smaller players like ( ) are surging even more robustly. With a market capitalization of just $533 million, this little stock has risen about 197% in 2024 alone. It can easily double its capital in the next six months if it manages to sustain this pace. This Toronto-based company operates primarily in Guyana and has two different projects in the country. The projects are still in exploratory stages, but the results look quite promising. It recently secured exploration rights on a 30,000-acre parcel from a local entity. Both of the company’s projects are on very promising parcels of land, and the prospects of high-grade gold discovery are one of the factors fueling the stock’s surge. A silver stock ( ) is headquartered in Vancouver. The company focuses on the extraction of high-grade silver from relatively stable regions. Its current production-grade mine, the Cerro Los Gatos Mine, is in Mexico. The company is both operating and exploring in the heart of the country’s silver belt. Silver prices are also experiencing an upward surge, and the trend stretches back to 2023, though it’s not very linear. As a result, the stock has also been bullish for over a year and has grown by about 183% in 2024 alone. It experienced a minor slump recently but has really picked up the pace in the last two weeks. The stock is overvalued right now, but that’s not too big a price to pay for the kind of growth it’s offering. However, it would be wise to keep an eye on silver prices to identify when the stock’s bullish trend might end. An antimony stock Antimony is not a precious metal, but its demand is rising because of its use in electronics and potential use in solar panels and new battery technologies. This has brought companies like ( ) into the limelight. This Idaho-based company is working to revive an old Stibnite Gold Project because once it is up and running, it may be able to meet about 35% of the U.S.’s antimony demand (in the first six years). The nature of this project (revival instead of new mining operations) and the fact that it’s directly tied to renewable power make it an interesting buy from an perspective. More importantly, it’s a rapidly growing stock that has risen over 315% this year alone, and this kind of momentum can help you double your capital in less than four months (if it’s sustained). Foolish takeaway The three metal stocks are worth considering, regardless of the amount of capital you are working with. All three companies can double your capital in less than a year if they sustain their current growth pace. And if they manage to keep it up for more than a year, the returns can be reasonably enormous.