panalo999 free 100
Syrian government services come to ‘complete halt’ as workers stay at home
But alongside his stark warning of the threats facing Britain and its allies, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said there would be only a “remote chance” Russia would directly attack or invade the UK if the two countries were at war. The Chief of the Defence Staff laid out the landscape of British defence in a wide-ranging speech, after a minister warned the Army would be wiped out in as little as six months if forced to fight a war on the scale of the Ukraine conflict. The admiral cast doubt on the possibility as he gave a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) defence think tank in London. He told the audience Britain needed to be “clear-eyed in our assessment” of the threats it faces, adding: “That includes recognising that there is only a remote chance of a significant direct attack or invasion by Russia on the United Kingdom, and that’s the same for the whole of Nato.” Moscow “knows the response will be overwhelming”, he added, but warned the nuclear deterrent needed to be “kept strong and strengthened”. Sir Tony added: “We are at the dawn of a third nuclear age, which is altogether more complex. It is defined by multiple and concurrent dilemmas, proliferating nuclear and disruptive technologies and the almost total absence of the security architectures that went before.” He listed the “wild threats of tactical nuclear use” by Russia, China building up its weapon stocks, Iran’s failure to co-operate with a nuclear deal, and North Korea’s “erratic behaviour” among the threats faced by the West. But Sir Tony said the UK’s nuclear arsenal is “the one part of our inventory of which Russia is most aware and has more impact on (President Vladimir) Putin than anything else”. Successive British governments had invested “substantial sums of money” in renewing nuclear submarines and warheads because of this, he added. The admiral described the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers on Ukraine’s border alongside Russian forces as the year’s “most extraordinary development”. He also signalled further deployments were possible, speaking of “tens of thousands more to follow as part of a new security pact with Russia”. Defence minister Alistair Carns earlier said a rate of casualties similar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would lead to the army being “expended” within six to 12 months. He said it illustrated the need to “generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis”. In comments reported by Sky News, Mr Carns, a former Royal Marines colonel, said Russia was suffering losses of around 1,500 soldiers killed or injured a day. “In a war of scale – not a limited intervention, but one similar to Ukraine – our Army for example, on the current casualty rates, would be expended – as part of a broader multinational coalition – in six months to a year,” Mr Carns said in a speech at Rusi. He added: “That doesn’t mean we need a bigger Army, but it does mean you need to generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis.” Official figures show the Army had 109,245 personnel on October 1, including 25,814 volunteer reservists. Mr Carns, the minister for veterans and people, said the UK needed to “catch up with Nato allies” to place greater emphasis on the reserves. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Defence Secretary John Healey had previously spoken about “the state of the armed forces that were inherited from the previous government”. The spokesman said: “It’s why the Budget invested billions of pounds into defence, it’s why we’re undertaking a strategic defence review to ensure that we have the capabilities and the investment needed to defend this country.”
Miami Hurricanes star quarterback Cam Ward capped his stellar regular season with the ACC’s top individual award. In his one season with Miami, Ward earned ACC Player of the Year and offensive player of the year honors. The announcement comes a day after Ward and 16 other Miami players earned All-ACC honors . Ward is the first Hurricane to be named the ACC Player of the Year. Miami joined the conference in 2004. The star quarterback led UM to a 10-2 record — their best regular season since 2017. Miami was on the bubble for the 12-team College Football Playoff but will likely miss out after losing to Syracuse in its regular-season finale . Ward set Miami records in passing yards and passing touchdowns this season. He ended the regular season with 4,123 passing yards and 36 touchdowns with seven interceptions. His ESPN quarterback rating was 88, which led the nation’s passers. Pro Football Focus gave him a 92.5 offensive grade, which is the highest among quarterbacks with 300 or more snaps. He has the third-best passing grade (91.4), trailing Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke and Mississippi’s Jaxon Dart. Ward likely improved his draft stock in his one season at Miami. He is projected to be one of the top quarterbacks taken in the 2025 NFL draft.
Kirk Cousins ready for some familiar feelings and unfamiliar feelings in his return to Minnesota - NBC Sports
ATLANTA , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- KORE Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: KORE) ("KORE" or the "Company"), the global pure-play Internet of Things ("IoT") hyperscaler and provider of IoT Connectivity, Solutions, and Analytics, today announced it has received notification (the "Acceptance Letter") from the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") that the NYSE has accepted the Company's previously-submitted plan (the "Plan") to regain compliance with the NYSE's continued listing standards set forth in Section 802.01B of the NYSE Listed Company Manual relating to minimum market capitalization and stockholders' equity. In the Acceptance Letter, the NYSE granted the Company an 18-month period from September 12, 2024 (the "Plan Period") to regain compliance with the continued listing standards. As part of the Plan, the Company is required to provide the NYSE quarterly updates regarding its progress towards the goals and initiatives in the Plan. In the Plan, Kore included details regarding previously reported operational restructuring activities, as well as an outlook on the Company's business. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.WASHINGTON, D.C. — Elon Musk, bouncing between meetings on Capitol Hill with his young son on his shoulders, and Vivek Ramaswamy spoke with large groups of lawmakers on Thursday about a significant effort to slash government spending once President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. “It’s a new thing and this is a new day in Washington, a new day in America,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said of the incoming Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, before entering a meeting with Musk, Ramaswamy and top Republican congressional leaders. Johnson said the “brainstorming session” was “the beginning of a journey” and wouldn’t produce detailed plans this week. Musk declined to answer reporters’ questions as he smiled and walked quickly ahead of the speaker with his 4-year-old son. But the pair of wealthy business leaders who Trump named to run the new unofficial agency have offered some public hints about where they might target their efforts — particularly in firing or pressuring government workers to quit, reversing regulations and eliminating areas of funding. What does DOGE mean for Maryland? Their plans could have an outsized impact in Maryland . With about 160,000 civilian federal jobs, the state is home to the headquarters of the Social Security Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Census Bureau and more. It also relies heavily on federal funding that pads about a third of the state budget — which is already strapped for cash in the coming years — and provides aid to local organizations. A DOGE social media account on X, which Musk owns, has specifically singled out funding at the National Institutes of Health. Headquartered in Bethesda, the national medical research agency makes major investments in health research across the state, with Maryland as one of its major beneficiaries. A post from DOGE last week claimed NIH spent $1.8 billion “studying racism” in 2024 through grants with names like “examining anti-racist healing in nature.” A Baltimore Sun review of the data referenced in the post indicates the $1.8 billion were actually funds from the 1992 through 2025 fiscal years. Maryland institutions have received the fifth-most amount of those funds, primarily because of research conducted at Johns Hopkins University, which was also the fifth-largest individual recipient of funds in the country. The Johns Hopkins grants, at least for the category referenced by DOGE, have focused on researching health disparities, including in areas like cancer, suicide, pediatrics and reproductive health. U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat and member of the Appropriations Committee that would have more authority to determine government spending than the unofficial DOGE, said he would defend the kind of funding that’s been identified so far. “Everyone agrees government should work more efficiently. But by targeting science, MAGA Republicans are ultimately going after efforts to develop life-saving cures for diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s and threatening public health,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “Our nation’s research should remain grounded in science, not driven by politics, which is why I will always fight to protect the integrity of our public health agencies as well as the people who drive them forward.” A Johns Hopkins spokesperson did not return a request for comment Thursday. U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, a Democrat whose Baltimore-based district includes the campus, also did not immediately return a request for comment. Who’s joining the DOGE caucus? Maryland’s mostly Democratic federal delegation has not joined or publicly supported DOGE as a few other congressional Democrats have. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, has been named the chair of a new DOGE subcommittee on the House Oversight Committee when the next session begins in January. U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, of Florida, became the first Democrat to join the caucus. In a hearing Thursday about the assassination attempts against Trump this year, Moskowitz said he joined because he wants to reform the Department of Homeland Security, including removing from its control the U.S. Secret Service that came under fire after Trump was shot in July. Those kinds of changes will be easier said than done, he noted. “Everyone wants to protect their sacred cow,” Moskowitz said during the hearing. ‘A lot of change’ coming to Washington, speaker says While Johnson claimed there was “an enormous amount of waste, fraud and abuse in the government,” efforts to identify and eliminate federal spending is far from new, and spending has ultimately increased under both Republican and Democratic administrations. Musk has said he plans to reduce the $6.8 trillion budget by $2 trillion, a figure that would require drastic cuts. And though entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security are major cost-drivers, Greene told reporters after one of the meetings Thursday that “no one wants to hurt Americans in that category.” The closed-door meetings included both small and large groups of House members and senators. Republicans will control both chambers once the next session of Congress begins Jan. 3 and before Trump takes office Jan. 20. “You’re going to see a lot of change around here in Washington and the way things are run,” Johnson said. ©2024 Baltimore Sun. Visit baltimoresun.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Murdoch loses 'Succession' battle for son's control of media empire: report
Mary and Kerry spend their free time who are caught up on the wrong side of the law live better lives. or signup to continue reading The pair (who wished only to use their first names) volunteer for South Australia's and say they find their roles meaningful. "Without being sanctimonious, knowing that our service may help get through their a little more easily [and] that someone still sees their humanity [makes me feel fulfilled]," Mary said. Kerry said volunteering gives him purpose, a chance to meet lots of interesting people, get training on a mix of topics to help him work with people better, and share some social activities. Both dispelled similar myths about working in such settings. "It is not dangerous. You are safer in there than in the wider world," Mary said. "I have never been threatened or felt at risk while doing my volunteer role," Kerry said. Mary helps catalogue, cover, repair, and reshelve thousands of books in the library at Yatala Labour Prison in Adelaide. "I've always loved books and reading... The fact that somebody in there wanted access to them ... triggered... my impulse to go and do that," she said. Interaction with prisoners is short and respectful. She fields questions about different subjects or titles that might be available, such as sports biographies or any of "the classics", plus shares a little banter. Mary, who has previous experience in disability support and volunteering at a school library, finds they're taken aback when they find out she's a volunteer. "Sometimes you get the sense that they think... 'They're doing this for me for free. That's kind of [them]'," she said." Kerry has a varied role where he supports people who have received a court-ordered sanction of some kind, like a prison sentence, or a bail or community-based order. You'll find him helping with accessing a bank, getting a phone, helping them maintain accommodation, go to medical appointments, help them learn how to use public transport, and be a listening ear. "When they realise that I am a volunteer, the majority become quite chatty and are happy to talk about most subjects," he said. "It is not common for them to talk about their lives and experience inside prison or why they ended up inside, so I don't ask. It can be quite overwhelming for some, so I try not to elevate any anxiety and just guide them through each interaction they have." He said he can become quite friendly with some of the longer-term people he helps. "They treat me with respect and are happy to have someone to help them and have a chat and a coffee [with]," he said. "This is rewarding for me when I think they are trying to move on with their lives." Kerry was able to use the skills he'd learned from working in civil construction for several decades plus with the education department. The SA Department for Correctional Services is looking for volunteers to help support people who are going back into the community, as well as those in prison. Roles include transporting people between locations for appointments or after release from prison, education such as numeracy and literacy, creative writing and art classes, library services, driver education, and helping people reintegrate into the community with tasks like shopping and learning how to use public transport. For more information visit or visit corrections.sa.gov.au DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement AdvertisementA young man has triggered backlash on social media after advising men to invest in their girlfriends rather than their mothers In a controversial video on TikTok, he stated that the only thing that a mother will offer to her struggling child is emotions Social media users who came across his video on the platform stormed the comments section to share their opinions Don't miss out! Join Legit.ng's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now! A Nigerian man sparked sparked outrage online after suggesting that men should prioritise investing in their romantic partners over their mothers. The advice ignited a firestorm of criticism, with many users taking to the comments section to express their strong disagreement. Man advises men to prioritise girlfriends The man, identified as @ o_powersolution3 on TikTok , claimed that mothers could only offer emotional support to their struggling children, implying that this was insufficient. PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app! He further asserted that the root cause of poverty in many families lay with the decisions made by the father. Read also Video of old Nigerian couple fighting at home trends online, people react His remarks were met with fierce opposition, with many accusing him of disrespecting the selfless love and sacrifices that mothers often make for their children. The young man attempted to clarify his stance, stating that his comments were not intended to convey a lack of love for his own mother. In his words: "Investing on your girlfriend is better than spending for your mother. Your father is the reason why your family is poor. "The best thing your mother can offer you in time of struggles is emotions. Asides that, nothing else again. The reason some families are suffering is because of the kind of decisions their father made. If you follow that mentality, you as the child will still raise a family of poverty. "You will think because I am talking like this, I don't love my mother. I love my mother but I still love my wife and my girlfriend than my mother. Simply because she's just my mother. My father is her husband, I'm not. Read also After building his house, Igbo man erects another costly duplex beside it for wife, video trends "You have to be able to differentiate these things. You understand. The best help you will receive in your life will come from strangers or friends not even your family. Not even your mother can even give you the ability to success. Think am well." Reactions trail man's controversial advice TikTok users shared their opinions in the comments section. @David Walker said: "This issue is really sensitive. Few days ago my father was regretting that he couldn't lay a good foundation to free us financially. Sometimes too it's d system we find ourselves. Africa is broken." @Potential Pee commented: "Guy this is your perspective, don't impose it on us Nigerian. So all those ones wen dey stand for road still follow join? Abi those people no get boyfriend?" @Tailoredbybuike reacted: "You’re making sense shaa but e be like say girl never betray you before and still asked “what have you done for me?” Read also Man cries out as dove flies and stays on his newborn baby in video, wonders what it means @Sir.skillful said: "Mama wey dey send me foodstuff when I broke, she come carry me when I sick while struggling, arindin nie." @Amco commented: "Everything we you talk now I no see any prove of what you re preaching cos how sales girl relate to investing in your wife or girlfriend. So all the sacrifices of your mum na waste." @Special man added: "Which one be invest in girlfriend, she go give me return on investment??" Watch the video below: Lady chooses man over her mum Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a Nigerian lady moved out of her home to stay with her then-20-year-old boyfriend and is now reaping the benefits of that risk. Years down the line, she shared how they moved from grass to grace and how things turned around for them when she got pregnant for him. PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy! Source: Legit.ng
Missing dog returned to family home and rang the doorbell WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Athena, a 4-year-old German Shepherd and Husky mix, escaped her home in Green Cove Springs, Florida, on Dec. 15, prompting a search among the community and nearby towns for her. Yet on Christmas Eve, Athena appeared at the family's front door ringing on their doorbell — ending a search after more than a week. Her owner, Brooke Comer, said Athena's escape brought multiple communities in her town and neighboring towns to search for her dog, and that Athena's escape was about a 20-mile roundtrip near the train tracks. Sinkhole in New Jersey keeps I-80 closed after a section collapses into an abandoned mine WHARTON, N.J. (AP) — Road crews are repairing Interstate 80 in northern New Jersey after a sinkhole from an abandoned mine shut down the eastbound lanes. The state’s transportation department says it remains unknown when those lanes will reopen. The hole opened up along the highway’s right shoulder Thursday morning, and the guardrail was still hanging suspended across the gaping 40-foot-wide hole on Friday. Drivers are currently having to detour near Wharton, about 40 miles west of New York City. The New Jersey Department of Transportation said crews will work around the clock to the repair the roadway. Customs agents seize 22,000 fake Pennsylvania vehicle inspection stickers shipped from Israel HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency says it seized more than 20,000 counterfeit Pennsylvania vehicle inspection stickers that were shipped from Israel to an address in Philadelphia. The agency said that customs officers found the stickers in two different shipments that arrived on different days, Nov. 26 and Dec. 9. The agency didn't say in a Thursday statement who sent the stickers, who was to receive them and what purpose the stickers were going to serve. The agency said it made no arrests. Pennsylvania requires that motor vehicles be inspected annually to ensure they meet minimum mechanical, safety and emissions standards. One owl rescued by a Minnesota woman is euthanized; efforts to save the other continue ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — One of the two owls rescued by a Minnesota woman in a story that went viral this week has died, but the other is still getting medical care. Wildwoods Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Duluth said in a Facebook post Thursday that the snowy owl rescued by Annabell Whelan had internal injuries, a broken wing and a broken leg, and had to be euthanized. The great gray owl also rescued by Whelan suffered broken bones and large soft tissue wounds. Wildwoods says the injuries are severe and veterinarians are doing everything they can to “give the bird a chance at recovery.” Whelan happened to find both injured owls at different places Monday. 2 Florida tourist spots halt drones in shows following a separate accident that injured a boy ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A theme park resort and a huge hotel in central Florida either have stopped using drones or canceled their drone-based shows after several drones collided and fell from the sky during a separate holiday celebration in downtown Orlando. The accident last weekend injured a boy who required surgery. Universal Orlando said this week that it was pausing the drone component of its “CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular” show, while Orlando World Center Marriott posted that it was canceling its scheduled drone shows during the holiday week. The halt in using drones follows last Saturday’s accident at a holiday show at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando. NASA's Parker Solar Probe survives close brush with the sun's scorching surface NEW YORK (AP) — NASA has confirmed that a spacecraft has made the closest approach to the sun. Earlier this week, the Parker Solar Probe passed within a mere 3.8 million miles of the sun. Space agency officials received an all-clear message Thursday night confirming Parker survived the journey. The spacecraft was launched in 2018 to get a close-up look at the sun. It'll continue circling the sun at this distance until at least September. Scientists hope to better understand what drives the solar wind and why the sun's outer atmosphere iis so much hotter than its surface. 'Morrison Hotel' made famous by The Doors goes up in flames in LA The former Morrison Hotel, which was famously on the cover of a 1970 album by The Doors, has been significantly damaged by a fire in downtown Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Fire Department says the four-story building burned for nearly two hours Thursday. More than 100 firefighters helped bring the fire under control. The building had been vacant for more than a decade but several people who were inside at the time escaped without injuries. The Morrison Hotel was featured on the album’s cover that showed legendary frontman Jim Morrison in the middle. That album was viewed as a comeback for The Doors. Another jackpot surpasses $1 billion. Is this the new normal? Remember this moment because it probably won’t last: A U.S. lottery jackpot is projected to soar above $1 billion, and that's still a big deal. Friday’s Mega Millions drawing is worth an estimated $1.15 billion. The prize has evoked headlines across the country, despite the nation's top 10 jackpots already having boasted billion-dollar payouts. Jonathan Cohen is the author of the book “For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America.” He says he expects jackpots to continue to grow in size. Larger payouts attract more media attention, increase ticket sales and bring in new players. Suzuki Motor former boss Osamu Suzuki, who turned the minicar maker into a global player, dies at 94 TOKYO (AP) — Osamu Suzuki, the charismatic former boss of Japanese mini-vehicle maker Suzuki Motor Corp., has died. He was 94. Suzuki was known for his candid remarks and friendliness, calling himself an "old guy from a small to mid-size company.” He became CEO of Suzuki in 1978 and helped turn the company into a global brand name. It was the first Japanese automaker to start local production in India and has had tie-ups with industry leaders like General Motors and Volkswagen. It is working with Toyota on developing self-driving vehicles. The company said Suzuki died Wednesday of malignant lymphoma. Cowboys shutting down CeeDee Lamb with 2 games to go over receiver's shoulder issue FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys are shutting down CeeDee Lamb with two games remaining after their 2023 All-Pro receiver spent the second half of the season dealing with a sprained right shoulder. The team says additional exams revealed enough damage to keep Lamb off the field Sunday at Philadelphia and in the final game at home against Washington. The team says surgery isn't expected to be required. Dallas was eliminated from playoff contention a few hours before last weekend’s 26-24 victory over Tampa Bay.Mickey, Minnie, Goffy and Wemby
Clarke Reed, who helped Gerald Ford win the 1976 Republican nomination, has died at 96
5 top tech gifts for the holidaysChina probes Nvidia for 'violating' anti-monopoly lawBut alongside his stark warning of the threats facing Britain and its allies, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said there would be only a “remote chance” Russia would directly attack or invade the UK if the two countries were at war. The Chief of the Defence Staff laid out the landscape of British defence in a wide-ranging speech, after a minister warned the Army would be wiped out in as little as six months if forced to fight a war on the scale of the Ukraine conflict. The admiral cast doubt on the possibility as he gave a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) defence think tank in London. He told the audience Britain needed to be “clear-eyed in our assessment” of the threats it faces, adding: “That includes recognising that there is only a remote chance of a significant direct attack or invasion by Russia on the United Kingdom, and that’s the same for the whole of Nato.” Moscow “knows the response will be overwhelming”, he added, but warned the nuclear deterrent needed to be “kept strong and strengthened”. Sir Tony added: “We are at the dawn of a third nuclear age, which is altogether more complex. It is defined by multiple and concurrent dilemmas, proliferating nuclear and disruptive technologies and the almost total absence of the security architectures that went before.” He listed the “wild threats of tactical nuclear use” by Russia, China building up its weapon stocks, Iran’s failure to co-operate with a nuclear deal, and North Korea’s “erratic behaviour” among the threats faced by the West. But Sir Tony said the UK’s nuclear arsenal is “the one part of our inventory of which Russia is most aware and has more impact on (President Vladimir) Putin than anything else”. Successive British governments had invested “substantial sums of money” in renewing nuclear submarines and warheads because of this, he added. The admiral described the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers on Ukraine’s border alongside Russian forces as the year’s “most extraordinary development”. He also signalled further deployments were possible, speaking of “tens of thousands more to follow as part of a new security pact with Russia”. Defence minister Alistair Carns earlier said a rate of casualties similar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would lead to the army being “expended” within six to 12 months. He said it illustrated the need to “generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis”. In comments reported by Sky News, Mr Carns, a former Royal Marines colonel, said Russia was suffering losses of around 1,500 soldiers killed or injured a day. “In a war of scale – not a limited intervention, but one similar to Ukraine – our Army for example, on the current casualty rates, would be expended – as part of a broader multinational coalition – in six months to a year,” Mr Carns said in a speech at Rusi. He added: “That doesn’t mean we need a bigger Army, but it does mean you need to generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis.” Official figures show the Army had 109,245 personnel on October 1, including 25,814 volunteer reservists. Mr Carns, the minister for veterans and people, said the UK needed to “catch up with Nato allies” to place greater emphasis on the reserves. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Defence Secretary John Healey had previously spoken about “the state of the armed forces that were inherited from the previous government”. The spokesman said: “It’s why the Budget invested billions of pounds into defence, it’s why we’re undertaking a strategic defence review to ensure that we have the capabilities and the investment needed to defend this country.”
Murdoch loses 'Succession' battle for son's control of media empire: reportInvesting in the stock market requires a thorough understanding of each company’s financial health, performance history, and future prospects. But where do you start? Today, we’re looking at the best of the best with an in-depth look at five prominent TSX stocks that are currently strong buys. 1. Shopify ( ), headquartered in Ottawa, has solidified its position as a leading e-commerce platform. Enabling businesses worldwide to establish and manage online stores. In the third quarter of 2024, Shopify stock reported a 26% year-over-year revenue increase, reaching $2.16 billion, surpassing analysts’ expectations. This growth is attributed to the TSX stock’s innovative tools, including the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered assistant Sidekick, which assists merchants with sales reports and customer data analysis. Shopify’s strategic focus on attracting larger enterprises aims to secure more stable revenue streams and long-term growth. With the continuous rise of e-commerce and Shopify’s commitment to technological advancement, the TSX stock is well-positioned for sustained expansion. 2. Royal Bank of Canada As Canada’s largest , ( ) has demonstrated resilience and adaptability. In the fourth quarter of 2024, RBC reported a 17.7% increase in adjusted net income, totalling $4.44 billion. Driven by the acquisition of HSBC’s Canadian operations and strong performance in its wealth management division. The $10 billion acquisition added approximately 780,000 clients, enhancing RBC’s retail and commercial business. The wealth management division saw a significant rise in net income, reaching $969 million, aided by higher fees and recovery from previous impaired losses. RBC’s strong capital position, with a common equity tier-one (CET1) ratio of 14.9%, and a history of consistent dividend payments make it an attractive option, especially for investors seeking both growth and income. 3. Enbridge ( ) is a leading energy TSX stock in North America, operating an extensive network of pipelines and renewable energy projects. In the third quarter of 2024, Enbridge’s profit more than doubled from the previous year, reaching $1.29 billion, driven by contributions from U.S. gas acquisitions and improved organic growth opportunities. The TSX stock has forecasted higher core profits for 2025, anticipating adjusted core earnings between $19.4 billion and $20 billion, up from 2024. Enbridge’s commitment to transitioning towards greener energy solutions is evident in its investments in renewable energy assets. With a strong dividend yield and a strategic focus on energy, Enbridge offers investors a blend of income and long-term growth potential. 4. TD stock ( ) is one of Canada’s major financial institutions, offering a wide range of banking services. However, in the fourth quarter of 2024, TD reported a decline in profit. Primarily due to challenges in its U.S. operations linked to anti-money-laundering issues, resulting in a $3 billion penalty and an asset cap imposed by U.S. regulators. Despite these setbacks, TD’s diversified business model, encompassing retail banking, wealth management, and wholesale banking, provides a solid foundation. The TSX stock’s strategic expansion into the U.S. market has enhanced its growth prospects. And its commitment to digital innovation positions it well for future opportunities. 5. Bank of Nova Scotia Commonly known as Scotiabank, ( ) has a significant international presence, particularly in Latin America. In the fourth quarter of 2024, Scotiabank reported higher profits, attributed to lower provisions for potential loan losses and higher interest income. The TSX stock’s international operations offer unique growth opportunities, and its focus on digital transformation aims to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency. With a solid dividend history, Scotiabank provides a balanced mix of growth and income for investors. Bottom line Shopify, Royal Bank of Canada, Enbridge, Toronto-Dominion Bank, and Bank of Nova Scotia each present compelling investment opportunities based on their recent performance, strategic initiatives, and financial health. As always, it’s essential to conduct thorough research and consider your investment objectives before making any decisions.