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Nigeria Cinema Had 120% Surge In Revenue At Box Office In 2024 –NFVCB BossNew AD Eric Roedl comes home, seeking to build ‘championship culture’ at Villanova
'Ringing alarms': Wall Street said to be making 'risky loans' that could hurt economyKABUL (TOLONews): Bilal Karimi, the Islamic Emirate’s ambassador to China, met with Uzbekistan’s ambassador in Beijing to discuss expanding political, economic, and trade relations. During the meeting, the Uzbekistan ambassador expressed interest in investing in Afghanistan’s cement, electricity, and other sectors. The Afghan ambassador described the establishment of a joint market in Surkhandarya, Uzbekistan, as a significant advancement and called for further progress and cooperation in transit and trade sectors. Qutbuddin Yaqubi, an economic expert, stated: “Uzbekistan, as Afghanistan’s neighbor, holds a strategic geographical position and can play a significant role in investment, particularly in developing and strengthening Afghanistan’s infrastructure.” Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy highlighted the benefits of foreign investments for Afghanistan’s economic growth. The ministry’s spokesperson said that countries such as Qatar, Iran, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and China are actively investing in various sectors in Afghanistan. Abdul Rahman Habib, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Economy, said: “Foreign investments enhance economic cooperation between countries. Apart from China, countries like Qatar, Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, and some companies with extensive international experience are interested in investing and have already initiated projects in some sectors.” Meanwhile, several traders emphasized the need for greater facilitation in various areas, including transportation, with regional countries. Omid Haidari, a trader, said: “The only remaining issue is with Kazakhstan. We urge the Kazakh leadership to allow transit permits for our transport vehicles so we can access Moscow via Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, and from Moscow to other destinations.” Earlier, the Uzbekistan ambassador, during a meeting with Abdul Salam Hanafi, the administrative deputy prime minister, also stressed strengthening relations in various fields, including establishing healthcare centers, importing medicine, setting up cement factories, and purchasing and trading coal from Afghanistan.
PDUFA goal date is July 27, 2025 COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascendis Pharma A/S (Nasdaq: ASND) today announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review its supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) in adult growth hormone deficiency (GHD) for TransCon hGH (lonapegsomatropin-tcgd; marketed as SKYTROFA ® for pediatric GHD). The FDA set a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date of July 27, 2025. "This marks another step towards achieving our objective to expand SKYTROFA's label beyond pediatric GHD and expand its reach to address new groups of patients,” said Jan Mikkelsen, Ascendis Pharma's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Adult GHD is an undertreated condition associated with significant comorbidities and higher annual healthcare costs compared to the 5-10% of patients who receive treatment, indicative of the high unmet need.” The sBLA submission is based on results from foresiGHt, a Phase 3 randomized, parallel-arm, placebo-controlled (double-blind) and active-controlled (open-label) trial that compared the efficacy and safety of weekly TransCon hGH with weekly placebo and daily human growth hormone (hGH) in adults with GHD. The trial evaluated 259 adults with GHD aged 23 to 80 years old, randomized 1:1:1, titrated to receive a target fixed dose of TransCon hGH, placebo, or daily hGH based on age and oral estrogen intake with approximately equivalent hGH mg/week for TransCon hGH and daily hGH. TransCon hGH demonstrated superiority on its primary efficacy and key secondary efficacy endpoints at Week 38, with TransCon hGH-treated participants showing a statistically significant reduction from baseline in trunk fat and increase in total body lean mass at Week 38 compared to placebo. In the trial, TransCon hGH was generally safe and well tolerated, with no discontinuations related to study drug and with comparable safety and tolerability to daily hGH treatment. About Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency Growth hormone plays an essential role in the health of children and adults, promoting normal growth in children and maintenance of normal body composition and cardiometabolic health throughout adulthood. In adults, growth hormone boosts protein production, promotes fat utilization, enhances muscle mass, and helps regulate blood sugar levels. Adult GHD is a condition in which an individual's body does not produce enough growth hormone. Symptoms and morbidity can include central obesity, metabolic syndrome, decreased bone density, alterations in lipid profile and markers of cardiovascular risk, fatigue, general weakness, lack of muscle tone, and psychological symptoms such as cognitive impairment, social isolation, lack of motivation, and depression. 1 About Ascendis Pharma A/S Ascendis Pharma is applying its innovative TransCon technology platform to build a leading, fully integrated biopharma company focused on making a meaningful difference in patients' lives. Guided by its core values of Patients, Science, and Passion, Ascendis uses its TransCon technologies to create new and potentially best-in-class therapies. Ascendis is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark and has additional facilities in Europe and the United States. Please visit ascendispharma.com to learn more. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding Ascendis' future operations, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to (i) the PDUFA goal date for SKYTROFA, (ii) Ascendis' objective to expand SKYTROFA's label and reach to address new groups of patients, (iii) Ascendis' ability to apply its TransCon technology platform to build a leading, fully integrated biopharma company, and (iv) Ascendis' use of its TransCon technologies to create new and potentially best-in-class therapies. Ascendis may not actually achieve the plans, carry out the intentions or meet the expectations or projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions, expectations, and projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that Ascendis makes, including the following: dependence on third party manufacturers, distributors and service providers for Ascendis' products and product candidates; unforeseen safety or efficacy results in Ascendis' development programs or on-market products; unforeseen expenses related to commercialization of any approved Ascendis products; unforeseen expenses related to Ascendis' development programs; unforeseen selling, general and administrative expenses, other research and development expenses and Ascendis' business generally; delays in the development of its programs related to manufacturing, regulatory requirements, speed of patient recruitment or other unforeseen delays; Ascendis' ability to obtain additional funding, if needed, to support its business activities; the impact of international economic, political, legal, compliance, social and business factors. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to Ascendis' business in general, see Ascendis' prospectus supplement filed on September 20, 2024 and Ascendis' current and future reports filed with, or submitted to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including its Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on February 7, 2024. Forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future licensing, collaborations, acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, or investments that Ascendis may enter into or make. Ascendis does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Ascendis, Ascendis Pharma, the Ascendis Pharma logo, the company logo, TransCon, and SKYTROFA ® , are trademarks owned by the Ascendis Pharma group. © December 2024 Ascendis Pharma A/S.With many stocks running up since the election, some have stalled or retreated from base breakouts. And a handful of names, including ( ), ( ) — also known as TSMC stock — and ( ), have pulled back into buy zones or below. All three charts are in different base stages, according to . Investor's Business Daily's research shows stocks in stage than third- or fourth-stage patterns. And their action is similar to the Nasdaq composite, with all three reaching record highs before losing momentum in December. Tradeweb Markets broke out of a newly formed stage-two with a 136.13 on Nov. 20, but failed to climb and has wavered mostly below that entry. Shares got a quick boost on Dec. 5, after the company reported its . Shares spiked to an all-time high, but the enthusiasm faded and the stock retraced and undercut its the following day. Shares have hugged the line and formed a below the flat base buy point. One reason for weakness: The company missed and sales estimates on Oct. 30, leaving investors disappointed. Analyst profit estimates call for slowing growth around 17% over the next three quarters. Tradeweb stock formed five bases and climbed around 67% since it broke out of a with 79.98 buy point in July 2023. Shares are in need of a fresh catalyst to rejuvenate it. TSMC Stock Gets Stuck Taiwan Semi reached a record high following its third-quarter earnings report on Oct. 17, then faded the following day. The reversal began forming the stage four with a 205.63 buy point. TSMC stock sank 3.6% on Dec. 10., after the ( ) chipmaker reported a vs. the prior year, but . The stock is back above its 10-week line after three tests in December. Shares broke out the week ended Dec. 27, but retreated below the entry and are trading around the 200 level. But some still have conviction in the stock, including hedge fund Third Point, as it named for impactful artificial intelligence. MakeMyTrip Revisits Buy Zone MakeMyTrip is back in the up to 116.01 of a stage-three irregular base with a 110.49 buy point. The India-based online travel booking firm's stock broke out of the base Nov. 6, then undercut its 10-week line the following week. It climbed to a new high Dec. 10, before fading into the buy range. Buyers may be scarce as the stock has gained around 140% so far this year and has tripled since its August 2023 base breakout with a 34.68 buy point. Other IBD 50 stocks with similar chart action include ( ), ( ) and ( ).
'Consumption to go up after inflation eases'Several social media users, most identifying as Make America Great Again (MAGA) supporters, have expressed discontent with President Joe Biden 's decision to grant clemency to a Chinese national who pleaded guilty to possession of thousands of child pornography images in 2022. Although the social media users appear to be reacting to the news now, Washington and Beijing engaged in a prisoner swap two weeks ago in which the individual, Jin Shanlin, was exchanged. According to the Justice Department's executive grant of clemency, it was granted by Biden to Jin on November 22. At least three Americans who had been detained in China were released and sent back home. "We are pleased to announce the release of Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung from detention in the People's Republic of China," a National Security Council spokesperson told several news outlets in a statement in late November. Jin was a doctoral student at Southern Methodist University when he was arrested in 2021 and later sentenced to 97 months (or just over eight years) in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography before a U.S. magistrate judge in July 2022, according to court documents. His sentencing also required him to pay $30,500 in restitution and $100 in assessment. Newsweek reached out via email to the White House for comment on Thursday. Jin has family connections to China's Communist Party, according to reports. Biden's clemency grant for Jin says he must leave and "remain outside the limits of the United States." Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene reshared a post on X (formerly Twitter ) with information about Jin, along with a segment from a 60 Minutes interview Leslie Stahl did with her in April 2023. She captioned the post: " Democrats really are the party of pedophiles." In the video segment, Greene reiterated her claims, stating that Democrats "support grooming children" and "sexualizing children." She cited transgender surgeries as an example, arguing that "sexualizing children is what pedophiles do to children." Also on X, user @MJTruthUltra, who is followed by President-elect Donald Trump 's account that reshares his Truth Social posts, called the clemency "just sick," echoing rhetoric similar to Greene's, writing, "The party of pedophiles protecting pedophiles." X user Alexandria Brown questioned the president's reasoning for granting Jin clemency, writing, "I find it difficult to comprehend what grounds there are for clemency." Unrelated to the China-U.S. swap, Biden commuted on Thursday the sentences of 1,499 people who were released from prison to home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the largest single-day clemency action in the country's modern history. Biden also pardoned 39 people convicted of nonviolent crimes in an effort to promote second chances and to address problems with the nation's criminal justice system. Though Biden had long promised not to use his clemency power, which is outlined in Article II Section 2 of the Constitution, for his family members, he recently reversed course with his son Hunter, arguing that the prosecution was politically motivated. President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office in a little over a month, on January 20. He said he will immediately pardon people convicted of participating in the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.No. 14 ASU, No. 17 Iowa State front-runners for possibly wild Big 12 finish
RADNOR — Having landed his dream job once, Eric Roedl wasn’t sure at first what to make of the chance to do it again. It would’ve taken a lot to get the Deputy Athletic Director at the University of Oregon to leave Eugene, where he’s spent 13 years. The chance to lead not just any athletic department but that of his alma mater was sufficient to bring him back to the Main Line. Roedl was introduced Tuesday as Villanova’s Vice President and Director of Athletics. He replaces Mark Jackson, who was hired in the fall to become the AD at Northwestern. The move brings Roedl home. He played tennis at Villanova, graduating in 1997. His wife Nicole is a 1998 graduate of Villanova. Roedl spent eight years in athletic administration at Temple, then a stint at William & Mary before venturing west to a power conference behemoth in Oregon. While Villanova President Rev. Peter M. Donohue joked at Tuesday’s press conference that he hoped Roedl could bring a slice of the Ducks’ massive budget East with him, Roedl will carry some tangible aspects managing such a big organization to the mission-driven challenge at Villanova. “My big takeaways from Oregon are a commitment to building a championship culture in everything we do, very high standards, full-fledged commitment to holistic student-athlete development, always trying to be out in front when it comes to NCAA deregulation and the things that we can do to provide support for our student-athletes, and just creating a great environment for our student-athletes and our staff,” Roedl said. “People talk about resources and they talk about money, but to me, what really is the difference maker in building successful programs – and I know you know this here at Villanova – it’s about the people and how you operate in the culture.” Both Donohue and Roedl acknowledged several times the changing landscape of college athletics. Athletes are able to earn money for their name, image and likeness, and the House settlement requires colleges to share revenue with athletes. The pressure of those changes will exert much different responses at Roedl’s former employer, a public land-grant institution backed by the deep pockets of Nike’s founder, than at a small, private, Augustinian university. Roedl highlighted those differences in asserting how his approach would meet those challenges. “We have an exciting and compelling vision for the future,” Roedl said in prepared remarks. “Villanova has a deep belief in the role and value of college athletics as a part of this community. Nothing brings people together like sports, and I think Nova Nation is a true testament to that. ... Our priorities will be focused on what’s in the best interest of this university and alignment with our Augustinian values, and certainly what is in the best interest of the health, well-being and success of our student-athletes.” Roedl talked around a question about the basketball program’s recent struggles, beyond a pledge to “continue to innovate and strategically invest” in the men’s and women’s programs. The Wildcats, who won national titles in 2016 and 2018 under Jay Wright, have failed to make the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons under Kyle Neptune. Roedl won’t formally take over until January, but he’ll be monitoring how the basketball season progresses, with on-court performance as one of several factors in determining Neptune’s fate. Roedl is transitioning from a program that enjoys a revenue-generating football program to a Football Championship Subdivision squad that is a much different economic model. But he extolled the virtues of that competitive format for Villanova, which begins the FCS playoffs on Saturday. “I think the FCS football model is terrific,” Roedl said. “I love the fact that you’re competing throughout the year, and you’re competing to get into the playoffs, and you can play your way through. The CFP finally came around to that type of a model. It took a while, but the financial model is different, and football means different things to different schools. “There’s a lot of benefit to having an FCS football program and all the things that it brings to your campus. The team represents this university really well. We bring in tremendous, talented student-athletes from all over the country to come in here and compete for Villanova, and that’s a program that I really look forward to supporting and being a part of.” Roedl played a sport in college that, like many Olympic sports, feels economically endangered at the collegiate level. He calls his student-athlete experience “transformational,” in both his career and his life. He used the term “broad-based excellence” on several occasions to illustrate a goal of elevating all of Villanova’s 24 varsity programs, in terms of on-field success and off-field sustainability. In lamenting that “college athletics has become a little bit more transactional,” Roedl is endeavoring to lead Villanova through a middle path. If recruiting talent becomes a bidding war against bigger and better resourced schools, they don’t necessarily have the capital to compete directly. So the name of the game is to provide something more than just what happens on the field, whether that’s academically or via the community. “To me, one of the things that’s most special about college athletics is all the opportunity that it provides to young people to dream and be a part of a university athletic program, and that’s something that we’re going to be fully committed to here at Villanova,” he said. “We’re going to work our tails off to go out and find the resources. It’s a new time, and there’s going to be more pressure on each of our programs to find ways to be sustainable, to continue to be able to provide those opportunities. There’s a lot of pressure on resources right now post-House settlement and we look forward to engaging in the communities around all of our sports to continue to have them be thriving and successful.”NGen Leads Assessment of Skills Requirements of the Canadian Manufacturing WorkforceMAPUTO, Mozambique. (AP) — At least 6,000 inmates escaped from a high-security prison in Mozambique's capital on Christmas Day after a rebellion, the country's police chief said, as widespread post-election riots and violence are roiling the country. Police chief Bernardino Rafael said 33 prisoners died and 15 others were injured during a confrontation with the security forces. The prisoners fled during violent protests that have seen police cars, stations and infrastructure destroyed after the country's Constitutional Council confirmed the ruling Frelimo party as the winner of the October 9 elections. The escape from the Maputo Central Prison, located 14 kilometres (9 miles) southwest of the capital, started around midday on Wednesday after “agitation” by a “group of subversive protesters” nearby, Rafael said. Some of the prisoners at the facility snatched weapons from the guards and started freeing other detainees. “A curious fact is that in that prison we had 29 convicted terrorists, who they released. We are worried, as a country, as Mozambicans, as members of the defence and security forces,” said Rafael. “They (protesters) were making noise, demanding that they be able to remove the prisoners who are there serving their sentences”, said Rafael, adding that the protests led to the collapse of a wall, allowing the prisoners to flee. He called on the escaped prisoners to surrender to authorities and for the population to be informed about the fugitives. Videos circulating on social media show the moment inmates left the prison, while other recordings reveal captures made by military personnel and prison guards. Many prisoners tried to hide in homes, but some were unsuccessful and ended up being detained again. In one video, a prisoner still with handcuffs on his right wrist says he was held n the disciplinary section of the prison and was released by other inmates. Violence has engulfed Mozambique since the country's highest court confirmed ruling Frelimo party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of disputed October 9 elections on Monday. Mozambique's Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told a news conference in Maputo late Tuesday that the violence was led by mostly youthful supporters of losing candidate Venancio Mondlane, who received 24% of the vote, second to Chapo, who got 65%. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is concerned at the violence and urges all political leaders and relevant parties “to defuse tensions including through meaningful dialogue (and) legal redress,” UN associate spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay said Thursday. The UN chief also calls for a halt to the violence and redoubled efforts “to seek a peaceful resolution to the ongoing crisis,” she said. 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Trump offers support for dockworkers union