Ceri Breeze/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Costco Wholesale Corporation ( NASDAQ: COST ) represents one of the most beloved stocks on Seeking Alpha, with many loyal customers and shareholders. And yet, as the stock soars to its ATHs and challenges the $1,000 price level, Costco receives a 2.84 rating from SA analysts and Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of COST either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire to end nearly 14 months of fighting JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has approved a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes meanwhile carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah before the ceasefire is set to take hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. What to know about ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah A ceasefire deal that could end more than a year of cross-border fighting between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group won backing from Israeli leaders. The truce that is set to take effect early Wednesday raised hopes and renewed difficult questions in a region gripped by conflict. Hezbollah leaders also signaled tentative backing for the U.S.-brokered deal, which offers both sides an off-ramp from hostilities But the deal does little directly to resolve the much deadlier war that has raged in Gaza since Hamas militants attacked southern Israel last October. Trump vows tariffs over immigration. What the numbers say about border crossings, drugs and crime. WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is threatening tariffs on Mexico and Canada as he seeks to portray them as responsible for illegal immigration and drug smuggling. Over its tenure, the Biden administration has struggled with growing numbers of migrants arriving at the southern border. But this year, the number of people crossing the border without documents has actually been falling. That's due in part to stricter enforcement by Mexican authorities as well as asylum restrictions announced earlier this year by the Biden administration. When it comes to fentanyl smuggling, much of the deadly supply comes from Mexico though statistics show more than 86% of those sentenced for fentanyl trafficking crimes in the 12 months ending September 2023 were U.S. citizens. AP finds that a Pentagon-funded study on extremism in the military relied on old data Early this year, Pete Hegseth told a Fox News audience a new, Pentagon-funded study proved that the number of military service members and veterans involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection did not indicate a wider problem in the armed forces. Hegseth, Donald Trump's pick to head the Department of Defense, wasn’t alone. The Wall Street Journal’s opinion page highlighted the same report as evidence that extremists in military communities were “phantoms” created by a “false media narrative.” The X account for Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee posted that the study showed the focus on extremism in the military was a “witch hunt.” But The Associated Press has found that the study relied on old data, misleading analyses and ignored evidence that pointed to the opposite conclusion. How Trump's bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Jack Smith move to abandon two federal cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats Trump was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump's political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Walmart's DEI rollback signals a profound shift in the wake of Trump's election victory NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Brazil’s Bolsonaro planned and participated in a 2022 coup plot, unsealed police report says SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was fully aware of and actively participated in a coup plot to remain in office after his defeat in the 2022 election, according to a Federal Police report that has been unsealed. Brazil’s Federal Police last Thursday formally accused Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup. They sent their 884-page report to the Supreme Court, which lifted the seal. Bolsonaro called a meeting in December 2022, during which he presented a draft decree to the commanders of the three divisions of the armed forces, that would have declared the vote fraudulent, to justify a possible military intervention. Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Biden proposes Medicare and Medicaid cover costly weight-loss drugs for millions of obese Americans WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of obese Americans would be eligible to have popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound covered by Medicare or Medicaid under a new rule the Biden administration proposed Tuesday morning. The proposal, which would not be finalized until after President-elect Donald Trump takes office, could cost taxpayers as much as $35 billion over the next decade. It would give millions of people access to weekly injectables that have helped people shed pounds so quickly that some people have labeled them miracle drugs. New rule allows HIV-positive organ transplants People with HIV who need a kidney or liver transplant will be able to receive an organ from a donor with HIV. That's according to a new rule announced Tuesday by U.S. health officials. Previously, such transplants could be done only as part of research studies. The new rule takes effect Wednesday. It's expected to shorten the wait for organs for all, regardless of HIV status, by increasing the pool of available organs. The practice is supported by a decade of research, during which 500 transplants of kidneys and livers from HIV-positive donors have been done in the U.S. Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump's promised crackdown on immigration President-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency’s supervision.
Mindanao developers clinch top prizes at DOST’s 1st esports game challenge
News of the Assad regime's fall in Syria brought Winnipeggers to tears and reignited their hopes for the country. Tens of thousands of Syrians are celebrating the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, after rebels said they entered the city and toppled the longtime ruler. The rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and allied factions launched a lightning offensive on Nov. 27. "We want the world to know it's finally the time to see a free Syria, and to say we are willing to open our hearts, our minds, everything to all neighbours, to the world to build a new country. It's so exciting," Maysoun Darweesh said. "It's beyond happiness. It's beyond excitement. Every time I talk about it I feel like I want to cry. It's so amazing." Darweesh, who is the executive director of the Kurdish Initiative for Refugees in Winnipeg, grew up in Latakia, a city on Syria's west coast that lies along the Mediterranean Sea. She fled her home country in 2008 and spent a few years in China before arriving in Canada in December 2012. She still has family in Latakia, including a brother, aunts and uncles. Darweesh, 46, says she knows more about the political change in Syria than they do. "When I contact them it's a mix of fear, excitement.... They know for sure it's a new era but they are waiting," she said. Maysoun Darweesh, originally from Syria, is the executive director of Kurdish Initiative for refugees. (Jeff Stapleton/CBC) After enduring 13 years of civil war, Syrians stormed the presidential palace in Damascus, tearing up portraits of the toppled president on Sunday. Assad has fled to Moscow, according to Russian state media. Darweesh understands change will not happen overnight, and it might take several years. She wants to remind people of the importance of her homeland, and hopes the Canadian government — and governments of other nations — will provide support to Syria and invest in rebuilding it for the future. "The whole world should really invest in Syria. We cannot deny the importance of Syria as a country geographically, politically. Syria is an important geopolitical country," she said. THE LATEST Syrians celebrate Bashar al-Assad's fall to rebel factions amid calls for orderly transition World leaders, Trudeau hail 'fall of Assad's dictatorship' after rebels topple Syrian government She would like to see a government that represents all Syrians, one that will form a new constitution that secures justice and equality for all of its citizens. "We don't want to see a dictatorship again. We don't want to see atrocities again," Darweesh said. 'Many times we lost that hope' Like Darweesh, Shler Ali fled Syria more than a decade ago. The co-owner of Daanook, a restaurant in the Exchange District that serves Syrian-inspired cuisine, grew up in the northeastern city of Qamishli, which borders neighbouring Turkey, but spent the last 11 years of her time in Syria in Damascus. Shler Ali is from the northeast region of Syria. She is thrilled by the news that the Assad regime has been toppled. (Submitted by Shler Ali) Ali left her home in June 2012 and was out of the country the following month, eventually arriving in Canada in June 2016. She never thought she'd have the chance to return to Syria. "Sometimes we had hope. Many times also we lost that hope. I never felt that I can go back to Damascus and walk there. I was so worried that this dream won't happen, but now it will happen, and for sure I will be able to back and walk. "I know it won't be perfect and heaven from the first moment. We all know that but we're all going to work to build our communities to re-integrate people," Ali said. Fighters celebrate in Damascus' Omeyyad mosque on Sunday after Islamist-led rebels declared that they have taken the Syrian capital in a lightning offensive, sending President Bashar al-Assad fleeing. (Ramil al Sayed/AFP/Getty Images) She has been in contact with several friends throughout Syria, and says some of them also have a difficult time believing that the Assad regime is over. "I called people after Assad was gone and they couldn't believe it. They were scared that I was telling them over the phone. I said, 'wake up, he's gone, we're free. You can say it,'" Ali said. She too knows that change is not imminent and that the rebuilding of Syrian society will require joint contributions over time from inside and outside the country. But Ali wants her Syrian friends to soak in this moment of an Assad-free country. "There are a lot of reforms that are needed. There should be a lot of things to be done in Syria. We will need lots of help, but also we give ourselves permission to just be happy for a few days," she said. "I think we're all happy. I don't think there is any Syrian who is not happy with what is going on now." A celebratory gathering is being held on the steps of the provincial legislature on Sunday afternoon. WATCH | Syrian militant group overthrows the Assad regime: Syrian rebel forces led by Islamist militant group Hayat Tahir al-Sham 1 hour ago Duration 3:04 The largest insurgent group in Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, has its origins in al-Qaeda and it’s considered a terrorist organization by Canada. Its leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani spoke to a crowd at Ummayad Mosque in Damascus, after Syrian rebels announced that they had ousted President Bashar al-Assad.Taoiseach Simon Harris has insisted he is not aware that any member of his team tried to get RTE to take down a viral social media clip of a much-criticised encounter with a disability care worker. The Fine Gael leader was asked about the controversy in the first question posed during the second and final TV leaders’ debate of Ireland’s General Election campaign. Mr Harris apologised over the weekend for his handling of the discussion with Charlotte Fallon while canvassing in Kanturk in Co Cork on Friday evening. The Taoiseach was accused of dismissing concerns that Ms Fallon raised about Government support for the disability sector during the exchange filmed by RTE in a supermarket. Mr Harris rang Ms Fallon on Saturday and said he unreservedly apologised for the way he treated her, however focus has since shifted to Fine Gael’s interactions with the national broadcaster about the social media video. At the outset of Tuesday’s TV debate, co-host Miriam O’Callaghan directly asked the Fine Gael leader whether a member of his party contacted RTE to ask for the clip to be taken down. “I have no knowledge of that whatsoever, because this clip was entirely appropriate,” said Mr Harris. “It was a very important moment on the campaign. “And RTE and indeed many media outlets have been with me throughout the campaign, covering many interactions that I’ve had with many, many people right across this country.” The Taoiseach said the approach by his team member was part of the “normal contact that happens between party politics and broadcasters on a daily basis”. Mr Harris’s partner-in-government in the last coalition, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin , said he was not aware of the approach to RTE by Fine Gael. “I didn’t realise this had happened,” he said. “I think Simon has given his explanation to it. I’m not sure it’s as normal or as usual. I just get on with it every day. But, again, I think, you know, I’m not au fait with the details behind all of this, or the background to it. “The video didn’t come down, and it was seen by many, many people. “And I think it illustrates that out there, there are a lot of people suffering in our society. “Notwithstanding the progress we’ve made as a country, a lot of people are facing a lot of individual challenges, and our job as public representatives and as leaders in travelling the country is to listen to people, hear their cases, to understand the challenges that they are going through in their lives. “And when we go about in election campaigns, we have to open up ourselves to criticism and to people calling us to account.” Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald had earlier in the day described reports of the Fine Gael approach to RTE as “chilling”. However, at the start of the debate, she was asked about a media-focused issue related to her own party, namely the controversial manifesto proposal for an independent expert review of RTE’s objectivity in its coverage of the war in Gaza and other international conflicts. Mr Harris previously branded the proposal a “dog whistle to conspiracy theorists” while Mr Martin said it was a “dangerous departure”. Ms McDonald defended the idea during the RTE Prime Time debate on Tuesday. “Politics and politicians should not try to influence editorial decisions or try and have clips taken down because they are inconvenient to them,” she said. “There has to be distance, there has to be objectivity. But I would say I am struck by the very defensive reaction from some to this (the review proposal). “The BBC, for example, a peer review looked at their coverage on migration. Politicians didn’t put their hands on it, and rightly so. “I think in a world where we have to rely on quality information, especially from the national broadcaster, which is in receipt of very substantial public funding, that has to be the gold standard of reliability. I think peer reviews like that are healthy.”
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