As the wheels of varsity vehicle hummed along the winding road, nostalgia painted my mind with images of the countryside I once knew. The journey to this place was not just a physical traverse but a soul-stirring effort to reconnect with a world I had cherished, a world where life danced harmoniously with nature. But as I approached, my heart sank with the realization that time had etched irreversible changes onto this landscape. Once, the countryside was a myriad panorama of beauty, where lush green paddy fields stretched endlessly, meeting the heavens in a seamless clasp at the horizon. I remember those fields glistening in the golden light of dawn, where dewdrops sparkled like bright green pearls on blades of rice. The setting sun descending gracefully behind imposing mountains that stood like sentinels of eternity. However now, it seems, the vision is ruptured. The vast green carpets have been reduced to scattered patches of fields, isolated islands in pits of tarmac and concrete. Highways and bridges, ripping through the middle of the once-lush forests, tree cover and fertile lands. It felt as though humanity has wielded its tools of growth like a sword, cutting through the veins of the earth without a second thought. The air, once invigorating, carries a strange heaviness, its purity clouded by smog. The view that once seemed infinite is now blurred. Not just by pollutants but by the burden of unchecked ambition. The symphony of rustling leaves and chirping birds that used to greet visitors is drowned out by the relentless cacophony of honking horns and roaring engines. Noise pollution has become an unsolicited ally, a tart token of wrecked connect with nature. Roadside markets and makeshift shops line the edges of the highways, their haphazard arrangements reflecting a struggle to adapt to the rapid intrusion of urbanisation. Unorganised concrete structures sprout like weeds, their presence grating against the natural aesthetics that once defined the place. The symphonic coexistence of man and nature appears like a vague memory, replaced by a blatant imbalance that imperils the soul of the countryside. As we drove further, I could feel the countryside is no longer a refuge of simplicity and serenity; it had become a frontline where nature is fighting a degenerative crusade against remaking. The rivers that once meandered gracefully now seem crushed by pollutants; their stunning clearness replaced by a murky hue. The forests, once a thriving sanctuary for countless species, reduced to fragmented clusters struggling to survive amid the chaos. Perhaps, it isn’t just the environment that suffered; it is us, too. In our hurry to surmount and build, we severed our link with the very earth that nurtured us. The countryside, which once offered grounding, now shows the restlessness of the urban sprawl. Returning towards the city, the countryside still circled my mind. The journey had been more than a visit to a place—it was a confrontation with the consequences of our choices. It felt as though the place is bearing the brunt of a thoughtless race: one that fails to recognize the long-term consequences of recklessness with no scientific models to guide any transformation. And then, I recalled that nature is not confined to the domain of geography alone. Tim Marshall’s award-winning Prisoners of Geography reveals how natural features like mountains, rivers and oceans shape political decisions and national destinies. It looks as if the countryside’s story is not just its own; it’s ours. It displays our priorities and our legacy. And before the horizon fades entirely, we need to ensure that future generations can look out and see the world as it once was—a place where nature’s beauty was not a relic of the past but a lively part of the present.Businesses have voiced concerns about the state of law and order in industrial areas, which has not improved to the level they had anticipated, even though the interim government has been in office for three and a half months. At the same time, the energy and power crises are making things extremely difficult for businesses, impeding production. They made the comments at a business conference on "Private sector outlook: expectations and priorities" organised by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka today. "Instability in industries is not desirable in any way, so there should be a roadmap with a specific time frame for improving the law-and-order situation," Abdul Muktadir, chairman and managing director of Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd, said while addressing the event. Although Bangladesh has recently faced challenging times, some positive initiatives have been undertaken during this period, which are expected to yield good results, he said. High import duties have affected the businesses and small traders are also bearing the brunt, Muktadir said. Businesses will benefit if the law-and-order situation in the country improves, said Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, chairman and CEO of Pran-RFL Group. Chowdhury claimed that he could not open letters of credit to import raw materials, which would disrupt employment and production in his factories. He proposed leveraging new technologies to boost agricultural production and issuing partial bonds to facilitate the import of raw materials. The Pran chairman also stressed the need to reduce loan interest rates.
Alex Ovechkin has a broken left fibula and is expected to be out four to six weeks, an injury that pauses the Washington Capitals superstar captain’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record. The Capitals updated Ovechkin’s status Thursday after he was evaluated by team doctors upon returning from a three-game trip. The 39-year-old broke the leg in a shin-on-shin collision Monday night with Utah's Jack McBain, and some of his closest teammates knew it was not good news even before Ovechkin was listed as week to week and placed on injured reserve. “Everyone’s bummed out,” said winger Tom Wilson, who has played with Ovechkin since 2013. “We were sitting there saying: ‘This is weird. Like, it’s unbelievable that he’s actually hurt.’ It’s one of those things where like, he’s going to miss games? I’ve been around a long time, and it’s new to me.” Ovechkin in his first 19 seasons missed 59 games — and just 35 because of injury. Durability even while throwing his body around with his physical style is a big reason he is on track to pass Gretzky’s mark of 894 goals that once looked unapproachable. “He doesn’t go out there and just coast around,” Wilson said. “He’s played 20 years every shift running over guys and skating. He’s a power forward, the best goal-scorer ever maybe, and he’s a power forward that plays the game really hard.” Ovechkin surged to the top of the league with 15 goals in his first 18 games this season. He was on pace to break the record and score No. 895 sometime in February. “You know when goal-scorers start scoring, it’s dangerous,” said defenseman John Carlson, who has been teammates with Ovechkin since 2009-10. “There was a bit of that in the downs that everyone was feeling about it too, of course. We see him coming to the rink every day, we know what’s at stake. You never want anyone to get injured, but there’s a lot to it and certainly he was playing his best hockey in years.” AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Water Ways Reports Share ConsolidationNORMAL, Ill. (AP) — Wenkers Wright ran for 118 yards and two touchdowns and No. 13 Illinois State knocked off North Dakota for the first time, 35-13 in the regular season finale for both teams Saturday. The Redbirds are 9-2 (6-2 Missouri Valley Conference) and are looking to reach the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2019 and sixth time in Brock Spack’s 16 seasons as head coach. Illinois State opened the game with some trickery. Eddie Kasper pulled up on a fleaflicker and launched a 30-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Loyd to cap a seven-play, 70-yard opening drive. Simon Romfo tied it on North Dakota’s only touchdown of the day, throwing 20 yards to Nate DeMontagnac. Wright scored from the 10 to make it 14-7 after a quarter, and after C.J. Elrichs kicked a 20-yard field goal midway through the second to make it 14-10 at intermission, Wright powered in from the 18 and Mitch Bartol caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Rittenhouse to make it 28-10 after three. Seth Glatz added a 13-yard touchdown run to make it 35-10 before Elrichs added a 37-yard field goal to get the Fighting Hawks on the board to set the final margin. RELATED COVERAGE Auburn wins 43-41, four-OT thriller over playoff hopeful No. 15 Texas A&M Arnold, Robinson run for more than 100 yards as Oklahoma stuns No. 7 Alabama 24-3 No. 22 Iowa State keeps Big 12 title, CFP hopes alive with 31-28 win over Utah Rittenhouse finished 21 of 33 passing for 187 yards for Illinois State. Loyd caught eight passes for 121 yards. Romfo completed 11 of 26 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown with an interception for North Dakota (5-7, 2-6). Illinois State faced North Dakota for just the fourth time and third time as Missouri Valley Conference opponents. The Redbirds lost the previous three meetings. __ 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
Furthermore, the exemption of the land value tax on ordinary residential properties will make homeownership more affordable for many individuals and families in Henan. With the cost of buying a home being one of the biggest financial challenges for many people, this initiative could significantly ease the burden on prospective home buyers and make the dream of owning a home a reality for more residents in the province.
Italian village offers houses for less than £1 to attract would-be expatsAdditionally, the demand for housing in Qingdao has been steadily increasing over the past few months. This surge in demand has put upward pressure on property prices, prompting lenders to adjust their rates to reflect the changing market dynamics. As a result, borrowers in Qingdao can expect to see higher interest rates on their mortgage loans as they navigate the competitive housing market.
In addition to sporadic clashes, Damascus has also been plagued by acts of terrorism and violence targeting civilians. Suicide bombings, car explosions, and other forms of attacks have become a grim reality for residents, who live in constant fear of such incidents. The once vibrant and bustling city has been gripped by a sense of fear and uncertainty, as the threat of violence remains a constant presence in daily life.Hornets' Grant Williams injures right knee late in 4th quarter in loss at MilwaukeeWhere do Democrats go from here?
Reddit, known for its vast array of user-generated content spanning various topics and communities, has long been a go-to destination for those seeking information, advice, and discussion on a wide range of subjects. However, one of the platform's historical limitations has been its search functionality, which many users have found to be lacking in terms of accuracy and relevance.The decision by the Syrian Embassy in Russia to raise opposition flags is a reflection of the complexities and challenges facing Syria and its people. It highlights the deep-seated divisions and animosities that have torn the country apart, as well as the enduring spirit of resistance and resilience among those who continue to fight for change and justice.Cerity Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Cardinal Health, Inc. ( NYSE:CAH – Free Report ) by 35.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 32,964 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 8,707 shares during the quarter. Cerity Partners LLC’s holdings in Cardinal Health were worth $3,643,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Point72 Asset Management L.P. purchased a new position in Cardinal Health in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $90,440,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of Cardinal Health by 9.9% during the second quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 4,099,082 shares of the company’s stock worth $403,022,000 after purchasing an additional 370,181 shares in the last quarter. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC purchased a new position in shares of Cardinal Health in the third quarter valued at $30,820,000. American Century Companies Inc. grew its holdings in Cardinal Health by 17.7% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,610,968 shares of the company’s stock valued at $158,390,000 after purchasing an additional 242,608 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Squarepoint Ops LLC increased its stake in Cardinal Health by 63.2% during the 2nd quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC now owns 485,238 shares of the company’s stock worth $47,709,000 after buying an additional 187,955 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.17% of the company’s stock. Cardinal Health Stock Performance NYSE CAH opened at $122.24 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $29.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.78, a P/E/G ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.60. The business’s fifty day moving average is $114.75 and its two-hundred day moving average is $106.52. Cardinal Health, Inc. has a 1 year low of $93.17 and a 1 year high of $126.14. Cardinal Health Cuts Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 2nd will be issued a dividend of $0.5056 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 2nd. This represents a $2.02 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.65%. Cardinal Health’s dividend payout ratio is currently 39.30%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades CAH has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Cardinal Health from $95.00 to $101.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Cardinal Health from $119.00 to $127.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, November 4th. Barclays raised their target price on Cardinal Health from $117.00 to $133.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, November 4th. Mizuho increased their price target on Cardinal Health from $110.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of Cardinal Health from $119.00 to $124.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, November 4th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Cardinal Health has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $123.00. Get Our Latest Stock Report on CAH Cardinal Health Company Profile ( Free Report ) Cardinal Health, Inc operates as a healthcare services and products company in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It provides customized solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems, pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories, physician offices, and patients in the home. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Cardinal Health Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cardinal Health and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .