No. 4 Penn State tries to keep playoff picture out of focus in prep for tough trip to Minnesota
Cricketer Nitish Kumar Reddy celebrates century in Tollywood styleThe branded hotels sector will end fiscal 2025 with a double-digit revenue growth of 13–14%, according to a Crisil Ratings report. And, in the next financial year, the sector will witness 11–12% growth, it added. The study also stated that in the previous fiscal, the segment had registered 17% growth. The ratings agency pointed to domestic leisure and business travel as the primary drivers. According to the report, increased activity in the MICE—meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions—segment, coupled with a pickup in foreign tourist arrivals, will add some boost. “The domestic leisure segment will continue to drive growth on the back of rising travel aspirations and better regional connectivity. Further, a positive economic outlook and the government's ‘Meet in India’ initiative to promote corporate events will support the business and MICE segments. Foreign tourist arrivals are also expected to surpass the pre-pandemic levels this fiscal,” Crisil Ratings’ Senior Director Mohit Makhija said. These factors, he said, will drive up the average room rates of branded hotels by 6-7% this fiscal. However Makhija added, that “growth in ARRs is expected to moderate to 3–4% next fiscal as significant room capacities come up. These factors will boost the revenue growth by 13–14% this fiscal and 11–12% in the next”. According to the report, the adoption of asset-light management contract route will help pick up the pace of room additions further from last fiscal. As a result, supply will increase by 20% over this fiscal and the next. "As 60-65% of room additions, over this fiscal and the next, are being done through an asset light route, it eliminates the need for large upfront investment and helps navigate business cyclicality better," the ratings agency’s Associate Director Pallavi Singh said. While Crisil expects the hotel industry’s operating margin to improve by 100–150 basis points this fiscal, it added that they should sustain at similar levels in the next year too. Crisil further said strong cash flows, asset-light expansion and sizeable equity raising will keep debt levels under check, hence, strengthening credit profiles. The report expects the number of branded hotel rooms to rise 8–9% this fiscal and 11–12% in the next. And, leisure and non-metro destinations will account for 65% additions. Of these additions, 25% will be in the top seven metros that offer scope for leisure and business activities. The upcoming spiritual tourism destinations will contribute towards the balance. “The hotel industry is expanding more into non-metros and emerging leisure destinations as travellers seek more choices, and infrastructure in these regions improve,” Singh added. Despite these significant room additions, occupancy levels are expected to remain strong at 74–75% next fiscal, declining by a modest 50 basis points after increasing 100–150 bps this fiscal. The report noted that hotels will benefit from operating leverage, which in addition to effective cost management, could result in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation margin expansiong of 100–150 bps to 33–34% this fiscal and the next. Cost management initiatives could include higher adoption of technology and manpower rationalisation to move to a leaner fixed cost structure. However, it warned that a surge in airfares could affect leisure travel, while an economic downturn could result in a decline in business travel. With PTI inputsSANTA CLARA — Brandon Allen prepared as if he was the 49ers’ starting quarterback all week, but the reality didn’t hit home until Friday, when Brock Purdy again missed practice. “I know he had a plan for his shoulder all week, rest it a little bit on Wednesday and we’d split reps,” Allen said of Purdy. “I think the plan Thursday was to come out and practice. I guess in warmups it just wasn’t feeling right. I found out (Friday).” Allen, a 32-year-old veteran in his ninth season, will start Sunday when the 49ers (5-5) visit the Green Bay Packers (7-3) at Lambeau Field. Purdy was ruled out with a shoulder injury sustained in a 20-17 loss to Seattle , the first time he has missed a start because of injury after 31 regular-season and six postseason starts. Here are five things to know about Allen: 1. Arkansas roots The Fayetteville, Arkansas native’s father Bobby spent more than 20 years as an Arkansas assistant coach. After a redshirt season in 2011, Allen played in 42 games with 38 starts for the Razorbacks. As a senior, Allen completed 57.4 percent of his passes for 3,440 yards, 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions as Arkansas went 8-5. His brother Austin took over as the Arkansas quarterback. In his ninth season, only Joe Ferguson (11 seasons) of the Buffalo Bills has more time in the NFL among Arkansas quarterbacks. 2. Professional route Drafted in the sixth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Allen spent his rookie season behind Blake Bortles and Chad Henne as a third-string quarterback and did not play. He was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017 and played behind Jared Goff and Sean Mannion before being signed by the Denver Broncos in 2019. Allen won his first start against Cleveland 24-19 in Week 9 of that season, passing for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Allen signed with Cincinnati in 2020, spent time on the practice squad and was promoted to the active roster in November. Subbing for Joe Burrow, Allen had his career-best game, passing for 371 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-31 win. Allen is 2-7 as an NFL starter with 1,611 yards passing, 10 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 78.0 passer rating. 3. Signing with the 49ers Allen became a 49er on May 8, 2023, signing as a free agent. The 49ers, who up to that point seldom kept a third quarterback on the 53-man roster, kept Allen as a No. 3 all season behind Purdy and Sam Darnold after the previous year’s injuries to Trey Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo, and finally Purdy in the NFC Championship Game. Allen did not take a snap. 4. Installed as No. 2 QB Allen signed another one-year contract with the 49ers for one year and $1.21 million (which is more than the $985,000 that Purdy makes on his rookie deal). The 49ers also signed Joshua Dobbs to a one-year, guaranteed $2.35 million contract. Allen and Dobbs competed throughout training camp, with Allen earning the nod from coach Kyle Shanahan. “You’ve got to make a decision. Usually I don’t want to have to make it,” Shanahan said. “I want it to be that obvious, let it play out. Brandon had the head start just being here. I thought he did some better things in practice.” 5. Familiarity with the system While in Denver, Allen’s offensive coordinator was Rich Scangarello, who was the quarterbacks coach under Shanahan in 2017-18. In Los Angeles, the head coach was Sean McVay and the offensive coordinator was Matt LaFleur, both of whom run variations of the Shanahan offense. In 2018, Zac Taylor was his quarterbacks coach with the Rams. Taylor, upon being hired as head coach in Cincinnati, signed Allen to back up Burrow.
Jordan Roberts scores 19 to lead Texas A&M-Corpus Christi over Schreiner 103-44
Musk solidifies his position as richest person in the world | It comes on heels of surging stock prices for Tesla and growing valuations of his other ventures PTC Web Desk: Elon Musk, the visionary CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, has reached a historic financial milestone. With his net worth climbing to an all-time high of $334.3 billion, Musk solidifies his position as the richest person in the world. This achievement comes on the heels of surging stock prices for Tesla and the growing valuations of his other ventures, according to Forbes. A significant factor behind Elon Musk’s rising fortune is the recent performance of Tesla’s stock, which gained 3.8% on Friday to close at $352.56 per share, a 3.5-year high. This jump added $7 billion to his wealth, bringing his net worth to $321.7 billion by the market’s close. Investors are optimistic about Tesla’s future, particularly its advancements in self-driving vehicles, which could see favourable regulatory conditions under a potential Donald Trump presidency. Since the US election results, Tesla shares have soared by 40%, boosting Musk’s wealth by approximately $70 billion. His 13% stake in Tesla is currently valued at $145 billion, with an additional 9% equity award pending in a Delaware court. Forbes, however, has discounted this pending equity by 50% when calculating Musk’s fortune. Musk’s latest venture, xAI, a generative artificial intelligence company, is another key contributor to his financial growth. The company, now valued at $50 billion, has added $13 billion to his net worth. Musk owns a 60% stake in xAI, further bolstering his financial dominance in cutting-edge industries. Musk’s wealth is also heavily tied to SpaceX, the aerospace and satellite communications giant. SpaceX was valued at $210 billion during a June tender offer, making Musk's 42% stake worth $88 billion. A new tender offer expected next month could push SpaceX’s valuation beyond $250 billion. If this occurs, Musk's net worth could see an additional boost of $18 billion. Musk’s portfolio extends beyond Tesla, xAI, and SpaceX. He also holds stakes in Neuralink, a company pioneering brain implants, and X.com (formerly Twitter). While these ventures contribute to his innovative leadership, their financial impact is relatively minor compared to his major assets. With a net worth of $334.3 billion, Elon Musk leads the global billionaire race by a wide margin. He is $80 billion richer than Larry Ellison, the Oracle chairman, who holds the second spot with $235 billion. - With inputs from agenciesSouth Korean authorities seek warrant to detain impeached president
Barclays PLC Sells 861,811 Shares of Redwood Trust, Inc. (NYSE:RWT)Jet crash disaster in South Korea marks another setback for Boeing WASHINGTON (AP) — A machinists strike. Another safety problem involving its troubled top-selling airliner. A plunging stock price. 2024 was already a dispiriting year for Boeing, the American aviation giant. But when one of the company’s jets crash-landed in South Korea on Sunday, killing all but two of the 181 people on board, it brought to a close an especially unfortunate year for Boeing. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and aviation experts were quick to distinguish Sunday’s incident from the company’s earlier safety problems. Alan Price, an airline consultant, said it would be inappropriate to link the incident Sunday to two fatal crashes involving Boeing’s troubled 737 Max jetliner in 2018 and 2019. 'Sonic 3' and 'Mufasa' battle for No. 1 at the holiday box office Two family films are dominating the holiday box office, with “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” winning the three-day weekend over “Mufasa” by a blue hair. According to studio estimates Sunday, the Sonic movie earned $38 million, while “Mufasa” brought in $37.1 million from theaters in the U.S. and Canada. The R-rated horror “Nosferatu” placed third with an unexpectedly strong $21.2 million. Thanksgiving release holdovers “Wicked” and “Moana 2” rounded out the top five. Christmas Day had several big film openings, including the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” the Nicole Kidman erotic drama “Babygirl” and the boxing drama “The Fire Inside.” Big Lots reaches deal to keep hundreds of US stores open The discount chain Big Lots has reached a deal that will keep hundreds of its stores open. Big Lots said it will be sold to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, which specializes in distressed companies. Gordon Brothers will then transfer Big Lots’ stores to other retailers. Variety Wholesalers, which owns more than 400 U.S. discount stores, plans to acquire between 200 and 400 Big Lots stores and operate them under the Big Lots brand. Big Lots filed for bankruptcy protection in September, saying inflation and high interest rates had cut back on consumer demand for its furniture and other products. Charles Dolan, HBO and Cablevision founder, dies at 98 Charles F. Dolan, who founded some of the most prominent U.S. media companies including Home Box Office Inc. and Cablevision Systems Corp., has died at age 98. Newsday reports that a statement issued Saturday by his family says Dolan died of natural causes. Dolan’s legacy in cable broadcasting includes founding HBO in 1972, Cablevision in 1973 and the American Movie Classics television station in 1984. He also launched News 12 in New York City, the first U.S. 24-hour cable channel for local news. Dolan also held controlling stakes in companies that owned Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers. Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. Trump's request Friday came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court. Oral arguments are scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The brief said Trump opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.” Stock market today: Wall Street slips as the 'Magnificent 7' weighs down the market NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing lower as Wall Street ends a holiday-shortened week on a down note. The S&P 500 fell 1.1% Friday and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 333 points, or 0.8%. The Nasdaq composite dropped 1.5%. The “Magnificent 7” stocks weighed on the market, led by declines in Nvidia, Tesla and Microsoft. Even with the loss, the S&P 500 had a modest gain for the week and is still headed for its second consecutive annual gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.62%. 10 tips from experts to help you change your relationship with money in 2025 NEW YORK (AP) — As the calendar changes to 2025, you might be thinking about how to approach your relationship with money in the new year. Whether you’re saving to move out of your parents’ house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated. If you’re planning to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024. Then, set specific goals and make sure they’re attainable for your lifestyle. Janet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-January WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling, as early as January 14th, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. The department has taken such action in the past. But once those measures run out the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, a deputy national security adviser, said Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks.
NoneHere’s what to know about the new funding deal that countries agreed to at UN climate talks
Lampkin, Freeman power Syracuse past Bucknell, 75-63 in final nonconference tune-up
The death of U.S. industrial policy and the tragedy of Joe Biden
Nick Kyrgios has described Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek’s positive doping tests as “disgusting” ahead of his return to tennis. The controversial Australian has played only one match in more than two years because of injury but that has not stopped him being an outspoken presence on social media during a difficult few months for the sport. First it was announced in August that Sinner had failed two doping tests in March but was cleared of fault, while in November Swiatek was handed a one-month ban for a failed test caused by contaminated medication. Feels good getting these consecutive days training in the bank man.... Wrist re construction and back out here... blessed..................Without failing any drug tests 🙂↕️🙏🏽 be proud kygs doing it the right way 😩😂 pic.twitter.com/J8l21lnTdI — Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) December 5, 2024 Kyrgios has been particularly vociferous in his criticism of Sinner, who could yet face a ban after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed the finding of no fault or negligence in his case. At a press conference ahead of the Brisbane International, Kyrgios told reporters: “I have to be outspoken about it because I don’t think there’s enough people that are speaking about it. I think people are trying to sweep it under the rug. “I just think that it’s been handled horrifically in our sport. Two world number ones both getting done for doping is disgusting for our sport. It’s a horrible look. “The tennis integrity right now – and everyone knows it, but no one wants to speak about it – it’s awful. It’s actually awful. And it’s not OK.” Kyrgios initially underwent knee surgery in January 2023, returning to action in June of that year, but he played only one match before pulling out of Wimbledon due to a torn ligament in his right wrist. He has not played a competitive match since, and it appeared doubtful that he would be able to return, but the 29-year-old will make his comeback in Brisbane this week. Kyrgios will take on France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in singles, while he will also team up with Novak Djokovic in a blockbuster doubles pairing. “It’s good to be back,” said Kyrgios. “I honestly never thought I’d be back playing at this level. Even entering an event like this, preparing, doing all the right things. A post shared by Nick Kyrgios (@k1ngkyrg1os) “I’m really excited to just go out there and play, just play tennis. I saw Novak in the gym, playing doubles with him, a lot to be excited about that I’m able to get out there and compete again.” Asked whether he could get back to the same level that saw him reach the Wimbledon final in 2022, Kyrgios said: “I still believe I can, whether or not that’s factual or not. There was another player who was like, ‘You have to be realistic’. That’s not how I am. I always back my ability.” The new tennis season is already under way, with the United Cup team event beginning on Friday. Great Britain, who are weakened by the absence of Jack Draper through injury, begin their campaign against Argentina in Sydney on Monday before facing hosts Australia on Wednesday. That could pit Katie Boulter against fiance Alex De Minaur, with the pair having announced their engagement last week. A post shared by Katie Boulter (@katiecboulter) “Obviously some incredible news from our side, but I think we kind of wanted it to die down a little bit before matches started,” said Boulter of the timing. “My private life is out in the public a little bit at the moment. But, in terms of the stuff that I’m doing on the court, I’ll be doing the best I can every single day to stay in my own little bubble.” Billy Harris has taken Draper’s place, with the British number one facing a race against time to be fit for the Australian Open because of a hip problem. Emma Raducanu is the sixth seed at the ASB Classic in Auckland and will begin her season with a match against Robin Montgomery, while Cameron Norrie takes on another American, Learner Tien, at the Hong Kong Open.Hearts 1 Celtic 4: Second half blitz sees Celts open up gap at the top
Conor McGregor's online rant as he vows to appeal court decision