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NoneNEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell in morning trading Friday as Wall Street closes out a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 fell 1.4%, with more than 80% of stocks in the benchmark index losing ground. Still, the index is managing to hold onto a modest gain for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 402 points, or 0.9%, to 42,945 as of 10:41 a.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite fell 2%. Both the Dow and the Nasdaq are also holding on to weekly gains. Technology stocks were the biggest drag on the market Friday. Semiconductor giant Nvidia slumped 3.2%. Its enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes. Other Big Tech stocks losing ground included Microsoft, with a 2.2% decline. A wide range of retailers also fell. Amazon fell 2.2% and Best Buy slipped 1.9%. The sector is being closely watched for clues on how it performed during the holiday shopping season. Energy was the only sector within the S&P 500 rising. It gained 0.5% as crude oil prices rose 0.8%. Investors don't have much in the way of corporate or economic updates to review as the market moves closer to another standout annual finish. The S&P 500 is on track for a gain of around 25% in 2024. That would mark a second consecutive yearly gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The gains have been driven partly by upbeat economic data showing that consumers continued spending and the labor market remained strong. Inflation, while still high, has also been steadily easing. A report on Friday showed that sales and inventory estimates for the wholesales trade industry fell 0.2% in November, following a slight gain in October. That weaker-than-expected report follows an update on the labor market Thursday that showed unemployment benefits held steady last week. In Asia, Japan’s benchmark index surged as the yen remained weak against the dollar. Stocks in South Korea fell after the main opposition party voted to impeach the country’s acting leader. Markets in Europe gained ground. Bond yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury remained at 4.59% from late Thursday. The yield on the two-year Treasury slipped to 4.32% from 4.33% late Thursday. Wall Street will have more economic updates to look forward to next week, including reports on pending home sales and home prices. There will also be reports on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity.
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Wall Street stocks surged to fresh records Wednesday on hopes about easing US monetary policy, shrugging off political upheaval in South Korea and France. All three major US indices scored records, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average finishing above 45,000 for the first time. "The market at this point is looking for excuses to go up, and there's not really anything that might work against that narrative," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers. "Over the last couple of days, it's managed to ignore all sorts of inconvenient things and decided that the situation in France doesn't matter for them," Sosnick said of the stock market. "The situation in Korea doesn't matter." South Korea's stock market fell less than feared and the won rebounded from earlier losses after President Yoon Suk Yeol swiftly reversed a decision to impose martial law. In Europe, Paris stocks managed to advance as France's government faced looming no-confidence votes. Late Wednesday in Paris, French lawmakers voted to oust the government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier after just three months in office, pushing the country further into political uncertainty. For the first time in over sixty years, the National Assembly lower house toppled the incumbent government, approving a no-confidence motion that had been proposed by the hard left but which crucially was backed by the far-right headed by Marine Le Pen. "Political turmoil in both France and South Korea provide a uncertain backdrop for global markets, with the likely removal of both Barnier and Yoon bringing the potential for both countries to find a fresh direction," said Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at Scope Markets. Thomas Mathews, head of Asia-Pacific markets at Capital Economics, said the losses in Seoul could have been "much worse" had the president not aborted his plan. "Rarely does a combined sell-off in a country's stocks, bonds and currency feel like a relief rally," he said. Oil prices turned lower after surging around 2.5 percent Tuesday, mainly after the United States sanctioned 35 companies and ships it accused of involvement with Iran's "shadow fleet" illicitly selling Iranian oil to foreign markets. Major producers at the OPEC+ grouping led by Saudi Arabia and Russia were set to meet Thursday to discuss extending output limits. Back in New York, major indices were led by the Nasdaq, which piled on 1.3 percent to finish at a third straight record. Wednesday's gains came after payroll firm ADP said US private-sector hiring in November came in at a lower-than-expected 146,000 jobs, while a survey from the Institute for Supply Management showed weaker sentiment than expected in the services sector. But the lackluster data boosts expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates later this month. At a New York conference, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell refrained from tipping his hand, but he "didn't say anything that would scare the market," said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare. O'Hare noted that Wednesday's gains were led by large tech names such as Nvidia and Microsoft, which are major AI players. The boost followed strong results from Salesforce, which was the biggest gainer in the Dow with an 11 percent jump. New York - Dow: UP 0.7 percent at 45,014.04 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.6 percent at 6,086.49 (close) New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 1.3 percent at 19,735.12 (close) London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 percent at 8,335.81 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.7 percent at 7,303.28 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: UP 1.1 percent at 20,232.14 (close) Seoul - Kospi Index: DOWN 1.4 percent at 2,464.00 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.1 percent at 39,276.39 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: FLAT at 19,742.46 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,364.65 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0510 from $1.0509 on Tuesday Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2702 from $1.2673 Dollar/yen: UP at 150.56 yen from 149.60 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 82.71 from 82.92 pence Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 1.8 percent at $72.31 per barrel West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 2.0 percent at $68.54 per barrel burs-jmb/jgcGazans have little faith in ICC warrants
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MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota: In Hong Kong, the topic of subdivided flats - or “ shoebox homes ” - always raises heated discussion. In his latest policy address , Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced new regulations aimed at phasing out subdivided flats from the city. Subdivided flats are a major source of housing for low-income households. The flats are usually rented out to unrelated individuals , who may be crammed into spaces that barely fit one bed . Many subdivided flats are in core residential areas in Hong Kong, featuring convenient access to wet markets, train stations, schools and business areas. According to a survey by Hong Kong’s Census Department in 2021, there are around 108,000 subdivided units accommodating over 200,000 persons. The median floor area of each unit is 11 sq m , while the median per capita floor area is 6 sq m . For the first time, the government will impose minimum living standards on subdivided units, including the provision of windows, an individual toilet, and a floor area of no less than 8 sq m - the size of two king-sized beds. Landlords will be given a grace period to comply with new rules, and subdivided units will henceforth be redesignated as Basic Housing Units. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun said that 70 per cent of existing subdivided units already meet the requirements, while the rest would require minor fixes. In Mr Wong’s estimation, subdivided units will gradually phase out with the provision of public rental housing. LONG WAITING LIST FOR PUBLIC RENTAL HOUSING In his policy address, Mr Lee said that 30,000 new public housing units will be completed by 2028. Hong Kong’s public rental housing system has an income ceiling for applicants, depending on their household size and type. The waiting list for public rental housing is still long. There are a total of 123,100 applications from families and the elderly, and 91,500 applications from non-elderly singles. For family applications, the current waiting time is 5.5 years. Mr Lee said that this would be shortened to 4.5 years by 2027 when more public housing units are available. Not all those who live in subdivided units are eligible for public rental housing. Michael Wong estimates that 60 per cent of tenants are eligible, but he did not comment on the remaining 40 per cent. Without the affordable option of renting public housing or subdivided flats, these tenants must seek more expensive accommodation in the private home rental market. Moreover, the Census Department’s 2021 survey indicates that 21.2 per cent of households have at least one member residing in Hong Kong for less than seven years, which disqualifies them from most of Hong Kong’s social benefits. Such households who fall in the low-income category may find themselves in a precarious situation when tighter regulations for subdivided units kick in. AFFORDABLE HOUSING REMAINS AN ISSUE Tenants living in non-compliant subdivided units may have to pay more to continue living in a Basic Housing Unit. Landlords would have to reduce the number of subdivided units within a property, which will drive rental prices up . It is unclear whether the government can provide transitional and affordable housing for those who are forced to leave. Those who are neither eligible for public housing nor able to find an affordable home might have to resort to the illegal rental market. Advocacy groups expressed concern over finding new accommodation for tenants. ComHome Social Realty is a social real estate agency aimed at matching low-income households with affordable housing. Since the group’s founding in 2023, among some 300 participants, only 17 managed to find their match. This low success rate is a result of the sheer discrepancy between participants’ financial ability and home rental prices. In July, the median rent for subdivided units in Hong Kong Island was HK$7,000 (US$900) per month, while that in Kowloon reached HK$5,300 per month. Statistics in 2021 indicate that the median monthly household income of tenants of subdivided units is HK$15,310. Assuming their incomes rose alongside average wage growth from 2021 to 2024, this figure is currently HK$16,160. That means that a sizeable one-third to half of their income goes into the rent for a subdivided unit. The 2024 policy address shows the government’s resolution to solve Hong Kong’s housing issues. The introduction of the Basic Housing Units is a fresh start, and Hong Kong is on its way to build more houses. But with the extreme imbalance between the demand for housing in central areas and the chronic shortage of affordable options , housing for Hong Kong’s most vulnerable individuals will continue to be an issue in the foreseeable future. John Hanzhang Ye is a PhD candidate in the History of Science, Technology and Medicine programme at the University of Minnesota.Ireland ran out 22-19 winners in Dublin but the Wallabies have restored pride on their European tour, after a dismal World Cup campaign last year. Australia had chances to win and looked a thoroughly different side to the one that was thumped 40-6 by Wales in September last year. Coach Joe Schmidt has shown the Wallabies have enough firepower to challenge the British and Irish Lions next year when at one stage it looked like the upcoming series would be a completely one-sided affair. How Australia’s players fared against Ireland 1) James Slipper - 6.5 Gave his all for 50 minutes but was penalised for collapsing a scrum just before half-time that led to an Ireland three-pointer. In Dublin in 2022, Slipper made the bold call that he wanted to play against the Lions and at 36 next year, looks set to do so. 2) Brandon Paenga-Amosa - 7 Australia didn’t lose a lineout all night, with Paenga-Amosa having a pleasing end to the tour. It was a major improvement from last week against Scotland. Jake Gordon sprints away for the Wallabies. Credit: AP 3) Taniela Tupou - 7.5 Picked off an intercept and streaked down the field but threw a loose pass to ruin the good work. His scrum work was good but certainly not dominant like we know he can be. Came off after 45 minutes in a more polished performance than some this year. 4) Nick Frost - 6.5 Second on the tackle count for Australia (17). Won five lineouts, the same as Ireland’s James Ryan and Tadhg Beirne. Was excellent in Dublin two years ago and backed that up here. Involved in a nice breakaway link play with Harry Wilson that once again highlighted Frost’s athleticism. 5) Jeremy Williams - 6.5 A solid 59-minute shift from someone who was not in the Wallabies frame last year. Did his job at the lineout and will feature next year against the Lions after a good spring tour. 6) Rob Valetini - 8 Valetini’s bad games are few and far between. Made 14 carries - four more than any other Australian player - to go with 10 tackles. Was almost yellow-carded for a forearm while carrying the ball into his former Brumbies teammate Mack Hansen. Pictured next to Hansen after the match, with the latter enjoying a Guinness. 7) Fraser McReight - 8.5 One of his best games in a gold jersey. Pulled off three turnovers at critical moments that gave the men in gold a major energy lift. Only blemish was an inaccurate, rushed pass to Tom Wright that was put down with four minutes to go with the Wallabies searching for a match-winning try. Tim Horan described McReight’s timing at breakdowns “amazing”. Topped the tackle count with 21. 8) Harry Wilson - 7.5 The sight of red headgear in space is becoming more common as Wilson and Frost combined with Ireland on the back foot. 13 tackles and 10 carries rounded out a productive day for the skipper. After not featuring for the Wallabies at last year’s World Cup, it has been some turnaround. 9) Jake Gordon- 7 A reasonable 61-minute shift with no major issues. Kicked high in midfield for Suaalii, a play which we could see more of during the Lions series. Service was solid as always and gets to rucks quickly. 10) Noah Lolesio - 7 Nailed all his kicks at goal, including a 48-metre penalty in the final quarter of the match. His wrap-around and service out the back in the lead-up to Jorgensen’s try was outstanding and shows what he’s capable of at this level. The Wallabies have lost their final game of 2024 to Ireland. Credit: AP 11) Max Jorgensen - 7 Finished off a nice team try in the 18th minute to put Australia up 8-0 but barely got his hands on the ball after that. Eight tackles across his 80 minutes. 12) Len Ikitau - 7 Tried to get into the game but didn’t have as big an impact as other games on the tour. Is No.12 his best position? Jury is out. How the Wallabies backline shapes for the Lions will be fascinating. Made more tackles than any Wallabies back (13). 13) Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii - 6 Certainly not as spectacular as he was on debut. Put a huge shot on Keenan early. Not as effective winning balls back from restarts. Five carries for 15 metres. Threw the ball away with three minutes to go and the Wallabies searching for a five-pointer. Got found out a few times defensively in the notoriously difficult No.13 channel. 14) Andrew Kellaway - 7 Ever reliable. Won a turnover and made nine carries for 25 metres. Great try-saving tackle that knocked the ball clean out of an Ireland player’s hand. 15) Tom Wright - 6.5 Standard showing without any major highlights. Ran the ball for more metres (42) than any Wallaby. Threw the final pass for Jorgensen’s try. 16) Billy Pollard - 5: No dramas with any throws after coming on with 23 minutes to go. 17) Isaac Kailea - 5.5: A late replacement with Angus Bell ruled out ill. Footwork into contact a highlight. Made eight tackles in his 30-minute stint on the park. 18) Allan Alaalatoa - 6: Did his job and the stuff no one looks closely at. Gave Ireland prop Cian Healy a hard time. 19) Lukhan Salakaia-Loto - 5: Came on with 21 minutes to go. No real highlights. Seven tackles. 20) Langi Gleeson - 5: Same boat as Salakaia-Loto, coming on with six minutes to go. 21) Tate McDermott - 6: Ireland kept a close eye on McDermott in a period where the home side had a lot of the ball. Loading 22) Tane Edmed - n/a: Beaming with pride at becoming Wallaby No.709, Edmed’s debut only lasted three minutes as he came off for a Head Injury Assessment. He looked shattered. “Are you serious?” Edmed said as he walked off. 23) Harry Potter - n/a: Came on with 95 seconds to go. Not enough time for any wizardry. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Wallabies Australian rugby Ireland rugby Tom Decent is a journalist with The Sydney Morning Herald. Connect via Twitter or email . Most Viewed in Sport Loading
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Authorities in Romania have revealed details of what appears to be a major attempt to interfere in the country’s presidential elections using the social media platform TikTok, and with a series of cyber-attacks. Romania's domestic intelligence service says there are signs the effort was "co-ordinated by a state-sponsored actor". Calin Georgescu, a far-right Nato-sceptic who has previously praised Vladimir Putin, was almost unknown in Romania until he won the first round of voting in the presidential elections two weeks ago. Now Romanian intelligence says his sudden and surprise surge in popularity is down to a "highly organised" and "guerrilla" campaign on social media, sharing identical messaging and using influencers. They say it was conducted from "external locations" to bypass controls. A separate intelligence assessment says that Romania has been identified as an "enemy state" by Moscow and a priority target for what it calls "aggressive hybrid actions". The politically explosive information – which has landed just days before the second round of voting - comes from declassified documents published this evening by the outgoing president, Klaus Iohannis. They reveal how paid content supporting Georgescu was promoted on TikTok, without being marked as election campaigning – in violation of the platform’s own rules and of Romanian electoral law. Other candidates’ content was subject to closer controls. Georgescu has always said he spent "zero" on election promotion, denying he was even campaigning. But the intelligence documents identify one TikTok account which they say made payments of $381,000 (£299,819; €361,872) in just one month from 24 October – to users who were promoting Georgescu. Georgescu claims the release of the documents is a coordinated attempt to block his candidacy. “I think it’s the first time in the history of the world when a state is organising an action against a candidate to stop him from running,” he said in a TV interview on Wednesday. He also denied knowing any of the influencers or funders mentioned in the reports. The documents released in this highly unusual move were all papers drawn up for a meeting of the security council following the first round of the presidential election. They also reveal that access data for electoral websites was stolen from legitimate users and published online “on cyber-crime platforms originating from Russia”. Separately, the intelligence agencies report some 85,000 attempted hacks in an attempt to access electoral data and change content – including on election day. The report says the cyber-attackers used advanced methods to remain anonymous, working in a way and on a scale "typical of state-sponsored actors". An investigation is ongoing to discover who was responsible and whether there was any impact on the election. Russia has denied any interference in Romania's election process. Far-right frontrunner Georgescu is due to face reformist candidate Elena Lasconi in a second round vote on Sunday. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu – who came 3rd in the presidential race – has now announced he will "fully endorse" Elena Lasconi. But that’s assuming the vote goes ahead. The prosecutor’s office is now examining the new documents. "I hope that, based on the evidence published today, the state authorities will take appropriate action, and all those responsible will be held accountable," Ciolacu said. He added that people's votes have shown they want the "continuation of Romania's European development path". A pro-EU protest has been called for Thursday evening. Commenting on the protest, Georgescu warned against possible unrest, citing the "Maidan" in Ukraine - the revolution of 2014 that ousted a pro-Russian president. "Please stay at home with your family. We need social tranquillity. God will not let Romania down,” Georgescu said.
Trump taps Charles Kushner, father of his son-in-law, as envoy to FranceDaily Post Nigeria Gov Sani sacks Kaduna’s Internal Security Minister Samuel Aruwan Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport News Gov Sani sacks Kaduna’s Internal Security Minister Samuel Aruwan Published on November 30, 2024 By Matthew Atungwu Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, in a major cabinet reshuffle, has sacked the pioneer Commissioner for Internal Security, Samuel Aruwan. This was contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ibrahim Musa, on Saturday in Kaduna. DAILY POST reports that the immediate past governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai, appointed Aruwan in 2019 as the first Commissioner for Internal Security when the ministry was created. Before his deployment to the security ministry, Aruwan was the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on media from 2015 to 2019. Earlier in October, the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, asked the state government to suspend Aruwan and three others for alleged breach of trust. According to PR Nigeria, on November 8, Mr. Aruwan’s trial involved six charges centred on alleged false asset declaration involving omission and refusal to declare his accounts with certain Nigerian banks prior to his deployment to the security ministry. In his place was appointed James Atung Kanyip as the new Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs. Other commissioners appointed by the governor are Ibrahim Mohammed as the new Commissioner for Finance; Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed as Commissioner for Finance; Barde Yunana Markus as Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs; Farida Abubakar Ahmed as Executive Director (Radio), Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC); and Vitus Azuka Ewuzie as Senior Special Assistant, Legal Matters. Others are Francis Damina as Senior Special Assistant, Research and Documentation; Victor Mathew Bobai as Senior Special Assistant, Public Affairs; Abdulmutallib Isah as Senior Special Assistant, Special Duties; and Abdulhaleem Ishaq Ringim as Special Assistant, Economic Matters. Related Topics: kaduna Samuel Aruwan sani Don't Miss Israeli air strike kills 5 in Gaza You may like Kaduna: Arewa group lauds Gov Sani for granting amnesty to bandits Kaduna: Gov Sani appoints new commissioners, others Kaduna Govt denies paying bandits to surrender NSCDC confirms 4 officers dead in Kaduna Gov Sani receives repentant bandits, re-opens cattle market in Birnin Gwari Kaduna: Kidnappers demand N300m ransom for abducted toddler, siblings Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media Ltd'Must be held to high standards': Why Resorts World Sentosa's tourism performance was deemed unsatisfactoryLiverpool boss Arne Slot hailed “special” Mohamed Salah after seeing him fire the Premier League leaders to the brink of victory at Newcastle. The Reds ultimately left St James’ Park with only a point after Fabian Schar snatched a 3-3 draw at the end of a pulsating encounter, but Salah’s double – his 14th and 15th goals of the season – transformed a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead before the Switzerland defender’s late intervention. The 32-year-old Egypt international’s future at Anfield remains a topic of debate with his current contract running down. Asked about Salah’s future, Slot said: “It’s difficult for me to predict the long-term future, but the only thing I can expect or predict is that he is in a very good place at the moment. Two goals and an assist for Mo tonight 👏 pic.twitter.com/tMXidgeA0P — Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 4, 2024 “He plays in a very good team that provides him with good opportunities and then he is able to do special things. “And what makes him for me even more special is that in the first hour or before we scored to make it 1-1, you thought, ‘He’s not playing his best game today’, and to then come up with a half-hour or 45 minutes – I don’t know how long it was – afterwards with an assist, two goals, having a shot on the bar, being a constant threat, that is something not many players can do if they’ve played the first hour like he did. “That is also what makes him special. If you just look at the goals, his finish is so clinical. He’s a special player, but that’s what we all know.” Salah did indeed endure a quiet opening 45 minutes by his standards and it was the Magpies who went in at the break a goal to the good after Alexander Isak’s stunning 35th-minute finish. Slot said: “The shot from Isak, I don’t even know if Caoimh (keeper Caoimhin Kelleher) saw that ball, as hard as it was.” Salah set up Curtis Jones to level five minutes into the second half and after Anthony Gordon has restored the hosts’ lead, levelled himself from substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold’s 68th-minute cross. He looked to have won it with a fine turn and finish – his ninth goal in seven league games – seven minutes from time, only for Schar to pounce from a tight angle in the 90th minute. Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was delighted with the way his team took the game to the Reds four days after their disappointing 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace. Howe, who admitted his surprise that VAR official Stuart Attwell had not taken a dimmer view of a Virgil van Dijk shoulder barge on Gordon, said: “It’s mixed emotions. “Part of me feels we should have won it – a big part of me – but part of me is pleased we didn’t lose either because it was such a late goal for us. “Generally, I’m just pleased with the performance. There was much more attacking output, a much better feel about the team. “There was much better energy, and it was a really good performance against, for me, the best team we’ve played so far this season in the Premier League, so it was a big jump forward for us.”