Making a $1B investment in the US? Trump pledges expedited permits — but there are hurdles
ISoftStone has more than doubled its PC shipment in Q3 2024 I had never heard of the company till its name appeared in Canalys's latest report ISoftStone provides Digital Innovation Service and is a pure B2B player China’s PC market is set for 6% growth in 2025, according to recent analysis from Canalys, with strong public sector spending a key factor. In a new report , the analyst firm said it expects the country's PC market recovery to be “sustained” over the next 12 months, with desktops and notebooks in particular growing by 9% and 4% respectively. But nestled amongst the details of Canalys’ recent research, insights on a little-known regional vendor, ISoftStone, stood out. Who is ISoftStone? Admittedly, prior to the publication of Canalys’ report I’d never heard of ISoftStone, but the PC vendor secured second place in the shipment rankings in Q3 2024, which speaks volumes given the fierce competition it faces from major industry players. ISoftStone provides technology products and services spanning both the enterprise and consumer domains. Canalys’ report noted the company recorded strong performance in both the public sector and education market during Q3 2024, and its numbers in gaming PCs also raised eyebrows. Over the last two fiscal years, the company has experienced rapid growth, Canalys found. In Q3 2023, for example, the firm boasted just a 4% share of the regional PC market, shipping around half a million desktop and notebook units. Fast forward to Q3 2024, and the numbers are impressive, with ISoftStone holding a 10% market share and shipping more than 1.1 million units - that’s a 123% growth rate, according to Canalys. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! All told, this meteoric rise places it on par with Huawei in terms of market share and gave the company a lead on both HP and ASUS . It’s still some way behind Lenovo, but the growth rates recorded this year suggest the firm shows no signs of slowing down. ISoftStone: What’s behind the meteoric rise? A key factor in this impressive growth is the state of flux witnessed across the regional PC market, according to Canalys. Since 2023, the space has experienced “significant shifts” - and the “growing presence” of domestic vendors has been a key talking point. The government’s promotion of “Xinchuang”, or indigenous innovation, has “created a favorable environment for domestic vendors to thrive,” Canalys said. Strong growth in the gaming PC segments could also be a leading factor here, with this particular area recording 24% growth in Q3 2024. “Higher-value PCs with AI or gaming capabilities have been resilient despite broader market downturns, driven by heightened expectations for strong user experiences,” said Emma Xu, Analyst at Canalys. What else has ISoftStone been up to? On the international front, ISoftStone has been active of late, with reports in November 2024 highlighting the firm’s involvement in the Kingdee Data Center in Singapore. China's Kingdee International Software Group unveiled the launch of a new data center and office space in Singapore, which Datacenter Dynamics reported will act as a “bridgehead and international business center”. While Kingdee will provide cloud computing services as part of its expansion, iSoftStone will be working closely with the firm to provide global customers with digital solutions and services. These are the best business laptops around today And the best Lenovo ThinkPads on offer right now PC sales are stalling as worries over costs and upgrade hassle hit hard
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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.Awards season has arrived in the form of the Golden Globes nominations. The awards, which honor both movies and television programs, is often viewed as a preview of the upcoming Oscars. In this week's episode, co-hosts Bruce Miller and Terry Lipshetz go over the list, focusing largely on the movies, which tend to shine brightest at the ceremony. But they also take time to review a few of the TV shows, including the great, but rarely funny "The Bear," which is again in the comedy or musical category. We also have an interview with "Nickel Boys" director RaMell Ross, who spoke with Miller prior to the film receiving a nomination for best drama. Miller also talked with Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, who starred in the film. “Wicked”; “Anora”; “Emilia Perez”; “Challengers”; “A Real Pain”; “The Substance” “The Brutalist”; “A Complete Unknown,”; “Conclave”; “Dune: Part Two”; “Nickel Boys;” “September 5” Jesse Eisenberg, “A Real Pain”; Hugh Grant, “Heretic”; Gabriel LaBelle, “Saturday Night; Jesse Plemons, “Kinds of Kindness”’ Glen Powell, “Hitman”; Sebastian Stan, “A Different Man” Amy Adams, “Nightbitch”; Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked”; Karla Sofia Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”; Mikey Madison “Anora”; Demi Moore, “The Substance”; Zendaya, “Challengers” Pamela Anderson, “The Last Showgirl′′; Angelina Jolie, ”Maria”; Nicole Kidman, “Babygirl”; Tilda Swinton, “The Room Next Door”; Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here”; Kate Winslet, “Lee” Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist”; Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown’; Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing”; Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave”; Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice’’ “Alien: Romulus”; Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”; Deadpool & Wolverine”; “Gladiator II”; “Inside Out 2”; “Twisters”; “Wicked”; “The Wild Robot” “All We Imagine As Light′′; ”Emilia Pérez”; “The Girl With the Needle”; “I’m Still Here”; “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”; “Vermiglio” “Flow”; “Inside Out 2”; “Memoir of a Snail”; “Moana 2”; “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”; “The Wild Robot” Selena Gomez, ”Emilia Pérez”; Ariana Grande, “Wicked”; Felicity Jones, “The Brutalist”; Margaret Qualley, “The Substance”; Isabella Rossellini, “Conclave”; Zoe Saldaña, ”Emilia Pérez” Yura Borisov, “Anora”; Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain”; Edward Norton, “A Complete Unknown”; Guy Pearce, “The Brutalist”; Jeremy Strong, ”The Apprentice”; Denzel Washington, “Gladiator II” Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez”; Sean Baker, ”Anora”; Edward Berger, “Conclave”; Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist”; Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”; Payal Kapadia, “All We Imagine As Light” Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez”; Sean Baker, ”Anora”; Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold, “The Brutalist”; Jesse Eisenberg, “A Real Pain”; Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”; Peter Straughan, “Conclave” Volker Bertelmann, “Conclave”; Daniel Blumberg, “The Brutalist”; Kris Bowers, “The Wild Robot”; Clement Ducol, Camille “Emilia Pérez”; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, “Challengers”; Hans Zimmer, “Dune: Part Two” “Beautiful That Way” from “The Last Showgirl” (music/lyrics by Andrew Wyatt, Miley Cyrus, Lykke Zachrisson); “Compress/Repress” from “Challengers’ (music/lyrics by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Luca Guadagnino; “El Mal” from EL MAL” from “Emilia Pérez” (music/lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille, Jacques Audiard; “Forbidden Road” from ”Better Man′′ (music/lyrics by Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler, Sacha Skarbek); “Kiss the Sky” from “The Wild Robot′′ (music/lyrics by Delacey, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali Tamposi); ”Mi Camino′′ from “Emilia Pérez” (music/lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille) “Shogun”; “The Diplomat”; “Slow Horses”; “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”; “The Day of the Jackal”; “Squid Game” “Abbott Elementary”; “The Bear; “Hacks”; “Nobody Wants This”; “Only Murders in the Building”; “The Gentlemen” Donald Glover, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”; Jake Gyllenhaal, “Presumed Innocent”; Gary Oldman, “Slow Horses”; Eddie Redmayne, “The Day of the Jackal”; Hiroyuki Sanada, “Shogun”; Billy Bob Thornton, “Landman” Kathy Bates, “Matlock”; Emma D’Arcy, “House of the Dragon”; Maya Erskine, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”; Keira Knightley, “Black Doves”; Keri Russell, “The Diplomat”; Anna Sawai, “Shogun” Kristen Bell, “Nobody Wants This”; Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”; Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear”; Selena Gomez, “Only Murders in the Building”; Kathryn Hahn, “Agatha All Along”; Jean Smart, “Hacks” Adam Brody, “Nobody Wants This”; Ted Danson, “A Man on the Inside”; Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building”; Jason Segel, “Shrinking”; Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building”; Jeremy All White, “The Bear” “Baby Reindeer”; Disclaimer"; “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”; “The Penguin”; “Ripley”; “True Detective: Night Country” Cate Blanchett, “Disclaimer''; Jodie Foster, ”True Detective: Night Country"; Cristin Milioti, “The Penguin''; Sofia Vergara, ”Griselda"; Naomi Watts, “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans”; Kate Winslet, “The Regime” Colin Farrell, “The Penguin”; Richard Gadd, “Baby Reindeer”; Kevin Kline, “Disclaimer”; Cooper Koch, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”; Ewan McGregor, “A Gentleman in Moscow”; Andrew Scott, “Ripley” Liza Colón-Zayas, “The Bear”; Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”; Dakota Fanning, “Ripley”; Jessica Gunning, “Baby Reindeer”; Allison Janney, “The Diplomat”; Kali Reis, “True Detective: Night Country” Tadanobu Asano, “Shogun''; Javier Bardem, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”; Harrison Ford, “Shrinking”; Jack Lowden “Slow Horses”; Diego Luna, “La Maquina”; Ebon Moss-Bachrach, “The Bear” Jamie Foxx, “Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was”; Nikki Glaser, “Nikki Glaser: Someday You'll Die”; Seth Meyers, “Seth Meyers: Dad Man Walking”; Adam Sandler, "Adam Sandler: Love You"; Ali Wong, “Ali Wong: Single Lady”; Ramy Youssef, “Ramy Youssef: More Feelings” —List compiled by The Associated Press Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — Violence that engulfed Mozambique after the country's highest court confirmed ruling Frelimo party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of disputed Oct. 9 elections killed at least 21 people, including two police officers, authorities said Tuesday. Mozambique Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told a news conference in Maputo late Tuesday that a wave of violence and looting was sparked by the court's announcement a day earlier. He said it was led by mostly youthful supporters of losing candidate Venancio Mondlane, who received 24% of the vote, second to Chapo, who got 65%. “From the preliminary survey, in the last 24 hours, 236 acts of violence were recorded throughout the national territory that resulted in 21 deaths, of which two members of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique also died," Ronda said. He said 13 civilians and 12 police were injured. Ronda said 25 vehicles were set on fire, including two police vehicles. He added that 11 police subunits and a penitentiary were attacked and vandalized and 86 inmates were freed. Tensions were high in the country ahead of the The Constitutional Council ruling on Monday and violent protests started immediately after the announcement was made. Footage circulating on various social media platforms showed protesters burning and looting shops in the capital Maputo and the city of Beira, where some city officials were reported to have fled the city. Mondlane has called for a “shutdown” starting Friday but violence in the country has already escalated and the situation remained tense in the capital on Tuesday night following a day of violence and looting by protesters. The country of 34 million people has been on edge since the Oct. 9 general elections . Mondlane’s supporters, mostly hundreds of thousands of young people, have since taken to the streets, and have been met by gunfire from security forces. This brings to more than 150 the number of people who have died from post-election violence since the initial results were announced by the country's electoral body.Who are the favorites to win Golden Globes? | Streamed & Screened podcast
B.C. man charged over tractor crash with police during 2023 anti-SOGI protestShohei Ohtani wins 3rd AP Male Athlete of the Year award, tying Michael Jordan for 1 shy of record LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani has been named The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third time. That ties the two-way superstar with Michael Jordan, an athlete Ohtani followed while growing up in Japan. He trails only Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James, who each won the award four times. Ohtani received 48 votes in balloting by 74 sports journalists from the AP and its members. He earned his third National League Most Valuable Player award after helping the Dodgers win their eighth World Series title. Ohtani hit 54 home runs and stole 59 bases as the first player with a 50-50 season. His dog, Decoy, became a celebrity, too, helping Ohtani deliver a ceremonial first pitch at a game. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.
Ivanka Trump is having a family moment this holiday season. The former first daughter is sharing her love and appreciation this year, revealing that she feels very "grateful" this year while spending Christmas Eve with her husband, Jared Kushner, and their kids, Arabella, Joseph, and Theodore. Ivanka Trump celebrates Secret Santa with her closest friends Ivanka Trump and her daughter Arabella looked elegant at the Miami City Ballet: 'My favorite girl' Ivanka Trump's stylish outfits in New York City while showing support for dad Donald Trump The businesswoman decided to show a glimpse of her holiday celebration, sharing photos of her tropical vacation with her family and showcasing her looks for the trip. Ivanka was all smiles in the photos, posing next to her husband in a multicolored mini dress paired with matching drop earrings. She also posed in a figure-hugging white linen dress paired with matching white sandals. Ivanka accessorized with drop earrings and styled her hair straight. "Feeling an abundance of gratitude this Christmas Eve," she wrote on Instagram. Ivanka enjoyed a moment at the beach with her husband, posing in front of the ocean in a two-piece ensemble, including a bikini top and a matching mini skirt. "A very beautiful family," one person wrote, while others wished "Merry Christmas!" to the former first daughter. The proud mom also showed photos of their kids, who seemed to be happy to be celebrating the holidays in a tropical destination. Just last week Ivanka had a girl's night and exchanged gifts with her friends in Miami, including her close friend Isabela Grutman. "Last night's Secret Santa with the girls!" Ivanka wrote over an image, adding a Santa Claus emoji and sharing the moment on Instagram Stories. "Thanks for hosting, Isa." She also volunteered with her family at Miami Kosher Food Bank earlier that week. "My family and I hosted a holiday food box giveaway at the Kosher Food Bank, a place close to our hearts where we often volunteer together," she wrote on social media. "We packed fresh, locally sourced produce from @theplanetharvest, along with recipes for beloved Hanukkah favorites." "Spending the day with family, friends, and community—spreading warmth and ensuring others have access to nutritious meals— was a truly meaningful way to celebrate the holiday. Wishing everyone a Hanukkah filled with blessings and joy!" she added.
CFP games top 10M average, but NFL wins head-to-head
Northern Ireland’s newest five-star hotel, Dunluce Lodge, enlisted Belfast design agency Brill Design to ensure its impeccable interiors champion the region’s talent and natural products
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Persistent high surf and flooding threats along California’s coast had residents on high alert a day after a major storm was blamed for one man’s death and the partial collapse of a pier , which propelled three people into the Pacific Ocean. The National Weather Service on Christmas Eve warned of dangerous, large-breaking waves of up to 35 feet. Its latest high surf warning was to be in effect until 6 p.m. Tuesday. “Large waves can sweep across the beach without warning, pulling people into the sea from rocks, jetties and beaches,” the weather service said in a Christmas Eve bulletin. In Santa Cruz, where a municipal wharf under construction partially collapsed on Monday, most beaches were cordoned off as they were inundated with high surf and debris. Residents received an alert on their phones Tuesday morning notifying them to “avoid all beaches including coastal overlook areas such as rocks, jetties or cliffs.” It warned powerful waves could sweep entire beaches unexpectedly. Local officials said there could be further damage to the wharf, but no more pieces broke off overnight. The wharf collapsed and fell into the ocean midday Monday, taking three people with it. Two people were rescued by lifeguards and a third swam to safety. No one was seriously injured. “We are anticipating that what is coming toward us is more serious than what was there this morning,” Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley said Monday. The structure was in the middle of a $4 million renovation following destructive storms last winter about 70 miles south of San Francisco. “It’s a catastrophe for those down at the end of the wharf,” said David Johnston, who was allowed onto the pier on Monday to check on his business, Venture Quest Kayaking. Tony Elliot, the head of the Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation Department, estimated that about 150 feet of the end of the wharf fell into the water. It was immediately evacuated and will remain closed indefinitely. Some of the wharf’s pilings are still in the ocean and remain “serious, serious hazards” to boats, the mayor said. Each piling weighs hundreds of pounds and is being pushed by powerful waves. “You are risking your life, and those of the people that would need to try and save you by getting in or too close to the water,” the National Weather Service’s Bay Area office said on the social platform X. Building inspectors were looking at the rest of the pier’s structural integrity. Some California cities ordered beachfront homes and hotels to evacuate early Monday afternoon as forecasters warned that storm swells would continue to increase throughout the day. In Watsonville along the Monterey Bay, first responders were called to Sunset State Beach, a state park, around 11:30 a.m. Monday for a report of a man trapped under debris. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office believes a large wave pinned him there. The man was pronounced dead at a hospital. The storm’s high surf also likely pulled another man into the Pacific Ocean around noon Monday at Marina State Beach, nearly 13 miles south of Watsonville, authorities said. Strong currents and high waves forced searchers to abandon their efforts roughly two hours later as conditions worsened. The man remained missing Monday evening. In a post on X, the National Weather Service office in Portland, Ore., said, “It will likely go down as some of the highest surf this winter.”
Rates of infection for respiratory viruses are currently low in the U.S. but are starting to rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Flu, COVID-19 and RSV spread more in fall and winter, especially during gatherings, travel and time spent indoors. Dr. Robert Jacobson, medical director of Mayo Clinic's Primary Care Immunization Program, says there are tools to help reduce the risk of becoming severely ill from these respiratory infections. "We're all at risk for getting the flu, and we can actually get (it) more than once a year. Every year, about 10% to 20% of us get the flu," Jacobson says. Along with the flu, COVID-19 and RSV are among the most common respiratory illnesses. These viruses share similar symptoms, risks and prevention strategies. Jacobson's No. 1 tip: Get vaccinated. "This is specific protection your body can make to protect you and your loved ones," he says. Experts recommend washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds several times a day. Adobe Stock Along with vaccination, Jacobson stresses the importance of hand-washing. Wash your hands with soap and water to help prevent the spread of germs. "Especially before you eat, when you come home from work, when you come home from bringing your child from day care — both of you should go to the sink — wash your hands with soap and water after using a bathroom, before serving other people food, after being with a group of people, shaking hands with people, wash your hands," he says. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Wash your hands well and often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water aren't available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Make sure friends and family whom you're around regularly, especially kids, know the importance of hand-washing. Tactics to avoid respiratory infections: 1. Avoid touching your face: Keeping your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth helps keep germs away from those places. 2. Cover your coughs and sneezes: Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow. Then wash your hands. 3. Clean surfaces: Regularly clean often-touched surfaces to prevent the spread of infection from touching a surface with the virus on it and then your face. 4. Avoid crowds: The flu spreads easily wherever people gather — in child care centers, schools, office buildings, auditoriums and on public transportation. By avoiding crowds during peak flu season, you lower your chances of infection. And if you get sick, stay home to avoid spreading infection to others.JJ Redick highlights Lakers' thin margin for error
AP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:47 p.m. ESTMoment drunk rioter is hit in head and groin by flying bricks after sinking 10 pints and taunting cops as he’s jailed
British ska great brings the English Beat back to Berkeley