jhon 777
Forum: Lift incident a chance to reflect on having a kinder society
NoneCHENNAI: The principal opposition party in Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK, is in discussions with the VCK, a prominent Dalit political party, and the PMK, the political arm of the influential Vanniyar community, to expand its coalition ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The DMK, led by Chief Minister MK Stalin has already announced its goal of winning 200 out of the 234 Assembly seats in the 2026 elections. CM Stalin has urged party cadres to work towards achieving this ambitious target. It may be recalled that the AIADMK failed to win a single seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and has to build a formidable alliance to challenge the ruling DMK. The VCK holds significant influence among Dalit voters in Tamil Nadu, while the PMK commands a strong vote bank in the northern part of the state among the Vanniyar community. Currently, VCK is part of the DMK-led alliance, with four MLAs and two MPs. However, tensions have emerged within the coalition. Recently, VCK Deputy General Secretary Aadhav Arjuna remarked that the party’s leader and MP, Thol Thirumavalavan, has the right to become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He also criticised the DMK for not offering ministerial positions to its alliance partners. This statement drew sharp reactions from the DMK, prompting VCK General Secretary and MP D. Ravikumar to clarify that it was a personal opinion of Aadhav Arjuna, not the party’s official stance. The PMK, currently aligned with the BJP in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), is another key player in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the 2021 Assembly polls, PMK, BJP, and AIADMK were part of the NDA coalition. However, with IPS officer-turned-politician K. Annamalai taking over as the BJP’s Tamil Nadu president, relations between the AIADMK and BJP have soured, leading to a breakup of the alliance. While some BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu have called for a reunion with the AIADMK, the Dravidian party has categorically ruled out such a possibility. Meanwhile, Tamil superstar Vijay, who recently entered politics after forming a new party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has refrained from attacking the AIADMK. In his inaugural public address in Vikkaravandi, Villupuram district, on October 27, Vijay criticised both the DMK and BJP but did not attack the AIADMK. He even invoked the legacy of AIADMK founder and iconic Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran (MGR). Vijay’s entry has further opened up the political arena in Tamil Nadu. Political analyst M.R. Subramanian, based in Coimbatore, remarked, “AIADMK’s effort to forge new alliances is commendable. Aligning with VCK, a Dalit party, and PMK, a Vanniyar political party, could create a robust social engineering model, strengthening AIADMK’s position against the DMK in the 2026 Assembly polls.” However, he added that it remains to be seen whether VCK will leave the DMK-led alliance to join hands with the AIADMK.
Federal officials announced Tuesday that they are permanently increasing the amount of time immigrants and asylum seekers have to renew their work permits by granting longer extension periods in an effort to increase stability for businesses and employees. A new rule from the Department of Homeland Security makes permanent a temporary rule that was first put in place in 2022 in response to processing delays. The rule increases the automatic extension period for work permits from up to 180 days to 540 days for eligible noncitizens who file timely renewal requests. “Since January 2021, the American economy has created more than 16 million jobs, and the Department of Homeland Security is committed to helping businesses fill them,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas in a written statement . “Increasing the automatic extension period for certain employment authorization documents will help eliminate red tape that burdens employers, ensure hundreds of thousands of individuals eligible for employment can continue to contribute to our communities, and further strengthen our nation’s robust economy.” The department said the new rule came in response to feedback from businesses that were seeking greater certainty for the employers and their employees. It also comes after Sen. Angus King, Rep. Chellie Pingree and Gov. Janet Mills wrote to the department last week asking for the 540-day extension period to be made permanent. In a joint written statement Tuesday, King, Pingree and Mills thanked the department and the Biden administration for making the change. “This is great news – not only for new Mainers and their families, but also for the many businesses that rely on this skilled workforce and for the communities they help enrich,” they said. Members of Maine’s congressional delegation and the governor have in recent years emphasized the need to reform the work permit process in response to an influx of asylum seekers who have often relied on the state and local communities for help with housing and basic needs while they are unable to legally work. And they said Tuesday there is still more work to do. “We remain committed to working with the administration and our colleagues in Congress to advance comprehensive immigration reforms that reflect our values, strengthen our economy, and meet the needs of Maine’s communities,” King, Pingree and Mills said. Current regulations require asylum seekers to wait 150 days after filing an asylum application before applying for work authorization, which can be granted no sooner than 180 days after filing the asylum claim, though the process can often take much longer. Work permits need to be renewed every five years. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, an agency of the department, has been working for years to reduce work permit processing times. From 2022 to 2023, USCIS reduced its backlog for work permits from 6.8 months worth of pending cases to 4.6, though it was still short of its goal of processing work permits on a three-month cycle, according to data from the agency . The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, a New York-based nonprofit, cheered the new rule Tuesday, saying it will help hundreds of thousands of immigrants – asylum seekers, refugees, green card applicants and others – who were at risk of falling out of the workforce because of processing delays. “With this final rule, DHS has ensured that (our) members and other immigrants will not fall out of the workforce because of work permit processing backlogs,” said Conchita Cruz, co-executive director for the project, in a written statement. Comments are not available on this story. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous
Stanford knocks off Cal in both teams' ACC openerNone
Lisa Simpson once said during an episode of “The Simpsons:” What could be more exciting than the savage ballet that is pro football? On Monday night, the entire Simpsons universe gets to experience it in a way not many could have imagined. The prime-time matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys will also take place at Springfield’s Atoms Stadium as part of “The Simpsons Funday Football” alternate broadcast. The altcast will be streamed on ESPN+, Disney+, and NFL+ (on mobile devices). ESPN and ABC have the main broadcast, while ESPN2 will carry the final “ManningCast” of the regular season. The replay will be available on Disney+ for 30 days. Globally, more than 145 countries will have access to either live or on replay. “We’re such huge football fans, and the Simpsons audience and the football audience, I feel, are like the same audience of just American families and football. And the Simpsons are so much a part of the DNA of the American family and culture that for us to, like, mush them together in this crazy video game, it’s so fun,” said Matt Selman, executive producer of “The Simpsons.” While the game is the focal point, the alternate broadcast, in some ways, will resemble a three-hour episode of “The Simpsons.” It starts with Homer eating too many hot dogs and having a dream while watching football. Homer joins the Cowboys in the dream while Bart teams up with the Bengals. Lisa and Marge will be sideline reporters. “That’s the beginning of the story, and the story continues through the entire game until Homer wakes up from his dream at the end of the game. It is like a complete story, and the NFL game will happen in between. It’s just going to be an amazing presentation with tons of surprises,” said Michael “Spike” Szykowny, ESPN’s VP of edit and animation. This is the second year ESPN has done an alternate broadcast for an NFL game. It used the characters from “Toy Story” for last year’s Sunday morning game from London between the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars. “The Simpsons” has featured many sports-themed episodes during its 35 seasons. Even though “Homer at the Bat” remains the consensus favorite sports episode for many Simpsons fans, there have been football ones such as “Bart Star” and “Lisa The Greek.” There also was a Super Bowl-themed one after Fox’s broadcast of Super Bowl 33 between Denver and Atlanta in 1999. Even though “The Simpsons” remains a staple on Fox’s prime-time schedule, it is part of the Disney family after their acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019. All 35 seasons are on Disney+. The show’s creators have worked with ESPN and the NFL to make sure the look and sound is definitely Simpsonsesque. The theme song is a mash-up of “The Simpsons” opening and “Monday Night Football’s” iconic “Heavy Action.” There have also been pre-recorded skits and bits to use during the broadcast featuring Simpson’s legendary voices Hank Azaria, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, and Yeardley Smith. The telecast will be entirely animated, with the players’ movements in sync with what is happening in real-time on the field. That is done through player-tracking data enabled by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats system and Sony’s Beyond Sports Technology. While Next Gen Stats tracks where players are on the field with a tracking chip in the shoulder pads, there is skeletal data tracking and limb tracking data — which uses 29 points per player — to get closer to the player’s movements. The other data tracking will allow Beyond Sports and Disney to add special characters to the game. For example, there might be a play where Lisa catches the ball and goes 30 yards instead of Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins. “Lisa is much smaller than the rest of the players. So, in real life, the ball would go over her head, but now, with data processing, we can take the ball and make it go exactly into her hands. So for the viewer, it still looks believable, and it all makes sense,” said Beyond Sports co-founder Nicolaas Westerhof. The other major challenge is making “The Simpsons” two-dimensional cartoon characters into 3-D simulations. Szykowny and his team worked to make that a reality over the past couple of months. “That’s a big leap of faith for them to say, hey, we trust you to make our characters 3-D and work with it. Our ESPN creative studio team has done a wonderful job,” Szykowny said. Lisa, Krusty, Nelson, Milhouse and Ralph will be with Bart and the Bengals; while Carl, Barney, Lenny and Moe join up with with Homer and the Cowboys. The broadcast will also feature ESPN personalities Stephen A. Smith, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. ESPN’s Drew Carter, Mina Kimes and Dan Orlovsky will call the game from Bristol, Connecticut, and also be animated. They will wear Meta Quest Pro headsets to experience the game from Springfield using VR technology. For Kimes, being part of the broadcast and being an animated Simpsons character is a dream come true. She is a massive fan of the show and has a framed photo of Lisa Simpson — who she said is a personal hero and icon — as part of her backdrop when she makes appearances on ESPN NFL shows from her home in Los Angeles. “I didn’t have any input, and I didn’t see anything beforehand, so I wasn’t sure if it would look like me, but it kind of does, which is very funny,” said Kimes, who drew Simpsons characters when she was a kid. “To see the actual staff turn me into one was a dream.” Even though the Bengals (4-8) and Cowboys (5-7) have struggled this season, Selman thinks both teams have personalities that appeal to “The Simpsons” universe. “We were just so lucky also that the Cowboys are sort of like a Homer Simpson-type team, American team, and Mike McCarthy might be a Homer-type guy, one might imagine,” he said. ”And then you have Joe Burrow on the other side who is a cool young, spiky-haired, blonde bad boy -- he’s like Bart. And that fits our character archetypes so perfectly. “If Homer is mad at Bart and has a hot dog dream while watching ’Monday Night Football’, and then it’s basically McCarthy versus Burrow, Homer versus Bart, and that’s the simple father versus son strangling — Homer strangling Bart dynamic that has been part of the show for 35 years. I don’t know if that would have worked as well if it was like Titans versus Jacksonville. We would have found something. We would have made it work.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
In this article SBUX Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Customers wait in a long line at a Starbucks cafe in a terminal at Miami International Airport, in Miami, Dec. 12, 2022. Jeff Greenberg | Universal Images Group | Getty Images Air travelers face a host of headaches on their journeys: slow security lines, long waits for plush lounges , the threat of delays or cancellations — and the airport Starbucks . Many travelers, flight crews and even airport employees have at some point encountered long wait times for their Starbucks cappuccinos, cold brews and egg bites. "They need to have a better system," said Coresa Barrino, a Starbucks patron at New York's LaGuardia Airport Terminal B earlier this month who said she had been waiting 10 minutes and counting for her coffee. The nursing assistant, who was taking a flight back to Charlotte, North Carolina, said the wait when she buys her coffee at a Starbucks in Charlotte is about two minutes. The long waits have caught the attention of the coffee chain's new CEO, Brian Niccol , who joined Starbucks from Chipotle in September, pledging to win back customers and reverse the company's sales slump. Niccol told investors he thinks that licensed locations, such as those inside Target stores or airports, are interested in following the company's strategy of "getting back to Starbucks." "When I think about the airports and such, there's such a huge opportunity for us to simplify some of the execution there so that we get people the great throughput that they want so they can get on their way," Niccol said on the company's quarterly conference call Oct. 30. Starbucks' airport location staff — and company technology — will be put to the test this week during some of the busiest travel days of the year. The Transportation Security Administration forecast a record number of travelers during Thanksgiving week and said Sunday, Dec. 1, could be the busiest day of the year, with more than 3 million people screened at U.S. airports. The surge in air travel, especially during peak times such as Thanksgiving, has led to congestion in airport security lines, in lounges and at gates — problems that airlines and the federal government are trying to fix . For the aviation industry, bottlenecks at airport Starbucks are just another sign of soaring demand and overcrowded airports. A record 1.05 billion people boarded airplanes going either to, from or between U.S. airports in 2023, narrowly topping the total in 2019, before the pandemic, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Struggles and fresh approaches Starbucks has recently struggled. Its sales fell for the third straight quarter in the period ended Sept. 30, as consumers pushed back against higher prices and ignored initiatives such as discounts and energy drinks aimed at bringing customers back. Same-store sales in the U.S. declined by 6% from a year earlier. In late October, Niccol unveiled plans aimed at improving customers' experiences and reviving the company's sales, from bringing back condiment bars, to eliminating surcharges for dairy alternatives and cutting down the menu. Cutting wait time is a key goal: He wants to trim service times down to four minutes, which would shrink long lines and improve the customer experience. And while Starbucks started rolling out mobile order and pay to its airport locations in 2022, the change can sometimes add to the confusion and chaos at the cafe counter instead of resolving it. Plus, some travelers might not be regular Starbucks customers who already have the app downloaded. Improving the coffee chain's airport outposts could boost both sales and the brand's reputation during a time when it needs it most. Even the customers Starbucks has lost might visit an airport location while they're traveling. With travelers returning in droves after the pandemic, it gives Starbucks and other restaurant chains a chance to boost sales. Concessions contribute about 4% of U.S. airport revenue annually, according to the latest available Federal Aviation Administration data, but they're an important feature to many passengers, who have limited time — and, often, energy — to fuel up before a flight. At Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, revenue from food and beverage outlets is growing faster than passenger numbers, said Jennifer Simkins, the airport's assistant vice president of concessions. The airport has become the world's third-busiest for passengers, up from 10th place in 2019, according to Airports Council International. Airlines are also packing more seats on their aircraft and in some cases are flying larger jets . More passengers per plane means restaurants can become crowded during peak times with more customers waiting to be served and space limited, said Ursula Cassinerio, an assistant vice president at Moody's Ratings who covers airports. She noted that many airports have been undergoing major renovations, if not building new terminals. That means "more opportunities for revenue if you have more square footage for retail and restaurants," she said. The 25 busiest airports in the U.S. have an average of 80 food and beverage brands as options for travelers, according to data from market research firm Technomic. Licensing model A challenge for Starbucks is that licensees — not Starbucks itself – operate its airport locations. Starbucks opened its first airport location with licensee HMSHost in 1991 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which serves Starbucks' hometown. For nearly three decades, HMSHost operated the chain's airport locations through an exclusive deal with Starbucks and gradually grew its airport footprint to roughly 400 outposts. But in 2020, HMSHost ended the deal, giving the operator flexibility to offer more coffee options to airports. While HMSHost still operates the overwhelming majority of Starbucks' airport cafes, more operators, such as Paradies Lagardere and OTG, have since taken a swing at it. HMSHost, Paradies Lagardere and OTG did not respond to requests for comment for this story. "Airport locations are tricky because they can make good money, but operationally, at times, they can be very challenging," said Mark Kalinowski, restaurant analyst and CEO of Kalinowski Equity Research. Customers wait in line at a Starbucks cafe in a terminal at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, Nov. 11, 2024. Leslie Josephs/CNBC Licensing its stores saves Starbucks the hassles of operating inside an airport, such as staffing problems, high rents and security checkpoints. And though the coffee chain is used to handling a surge of undercaffeinated customers in the mornings, the swell in demand at an airport can be even more erratic. "A plane lands, and all of a sudden there's a hundred people when there were zero people there before," said Kevin Schimpf, director of industry research for Technomic. The trade-off is that Starbucks makes less money from those licensed restaurants. The company has more than 16,300 locations in the U.S. as of Sept. 24. But it only runs about 60% of those cafes itself; licensees operate the rest. That number includes its cafes in 47 of the 50 busiest airports in the U.S., according to Starbucks. The company did not disclose its current airport store count to CNBC. In fiscal 2024, licensed locations accounted for 12% of Starbucks' revenue, or $4.51 billion. From those stores, Starbucks collects only licensing fees, a percentage of monthly sales through royalties, and payments for supplying its coffee, tea and food to licensees, according to company filings. For every dollar spent in a licensed store, Starbucks generates about 7 cents of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, according to estimates from Bank of America analyst Sara Senatore. Company-owned stores make about 23 cents per dollar spent, Senatore wrote in a research note in September. watch now VIDEO 3:46 03:46 Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol: We're evaluating strategic ways to grow in China Squawk Box If its business partners and third-party providers slack off, Starbucks' brand could be damaged, the company noted in the risk factors section of its latest annual filing. "The vast majority of customers, they don't know whether that is a company-owned Starbucks or a licensed Starbucks," Kalinowski said. "They just want their Starbucks. They want it made properly. They want it quickly. And they're in a situation of heightened stress because they're trying to get to their gate." Airports themselves have been adopting more technology in their restaurants to help move lines along. Labor challenges have led to more kiosks and tablets inside airport restaurants, for example. "It's harder and harder to staff a lot of these restaurants, so any front-of-house savings that you can make by having consumers order on kiosks or tablets or whatever, that really, really helps," Schimpf said. Laurie Noyes, vice president of concessions and commercial parking at Tampa International Airport, said that "sometimes the airports are a little bit behind the street." But she said the airport has made strides in offering more digital options and now, travelers can order food ahead of time via Uber Eats, and pick it up at airport restaurants. Dallas Fort Worth offers DFWOrderNow, a website and platform available at digital kiosks so travelers can order food ahead. Simkins said the airport's platform will reroute Starbucks customers to Starbucks' own platform. Starbucks offers more than 170,000 possible drink orders, according to the chain's website. "We just found the value in keeping the familiarity for their customers," Simkins said. Simkins said the airport is developing robotic technology for delivery to speed up service. It's also experimenting with offering meal and retail bundles from airport restaurants and shops, she said, so passengers "no longer have to plan their route for multiple stops" in an airport. A local coffee company, Fort Worth, Texas-based Ampersand, plans to open a robotic barista at DFW's Terminal C, Simkins said. It will be available 24/7, to accommodate flight crews arriving at off-hours. Simkins said popular chains still draw a crowd. "There are some brands that people will line up for," she said. For Barrino, who was waiting for her coffee at LaGuardia, Starbucks is one of those companies. "I just really love the brand," she said.Luigi Mangione left a glowing Goodreads review for Ted Kaczynski 's 'Unabomber Manifesto' -- and the possibility it inspired Mangione's alleged murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is heartbreaking, says the late criminal’s brother. David Kaczynski tells TMZ he was told yesterday by a friend that Mangione had read the Manifesto ... and it breaks his heart knowing his brother might be seen as a model for acceptable violent behavior. "It breaks my heart to know in some way – human motivation is very complex -- but in some way, my brother might be seen as a model for acceptable, violent behavior. And in my opinion, there is no such thing" he says. He explains to us people shouldn’t blur the lines between his brother Ted’s ideas in the Manifesto -- which he believes doesn't necessarily lead to violence -- and his "despicable, hurtful actions," which he says can lead to copycats. David reminds us acts of violence can be contagious, adding -- if we spread love and kindness, it can do wonders. But if we hurt others, it has the opposite effect -- a very negative one. There was a Goodreads account under Mangione's name that praised the Unabomber's manifesto as "political revolutionary," giving it a 4-star rating back in January. Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania on Monday ... and denied bail Tuesday.
The Presidio Group Advises STELLATM Automotive AI on $11M in Convertible Loan Financing
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley wanted to be a student in team history before he had a chance to make some with the Eagles. The running back who had just signed with Philadelphia for $26 million guaranteed took a deep dive on some of the franchise’s greats out of the backfield. He learned about Wilbert Montgomery. Brushed up on LeSean McCoy. Barkley then put them in his sights — and this week against Carolina, he could become the top single-season rusher in Eagles history. Get past those two Eagles Hall of Famers and the target narrows: McCoy has a chance to break Eric Dickerson's NFL single-season rushing mark of 2,105 yards, set in 1984. “That's your goal,” Barkley said. “You want to come in here, you want to leave a legacy on a place, on a franchise.” Here's where things stand with Barkley in his pursuit of records: — Barkley has an NFL-best 1,499 yards rushing through 12 games, an average of 124.9 yards per game. At that pace and with one more game to play than Dickerson, he would surpass the NFL mark that's stood for 40 years. — Barkley needs to run for 108 yards against the Panthers to break McCoy's Eagles record of 1,607 yards set in 2013. Montgomery ran for 1,512 yards in 1978. “I'm aware of the things I can accomplish,” Barkley said. “The way I accomplish that is sticking to the script.” The Eagles (10-2) have won eight straight to take control of the NFC East and remain in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the conference. Barkley — with a little help from Jalen Hurts — has largely led the way and moved into MVP consideration. The former New York Giant also ranks third in the league with 11 rushing touchdowns. It's reasonable to expect Barkley to pile on the yards against Carolina (3-9). The Panthers are 32nd in the league against the run and just allowed Tampa Bay's Bucky Irving to run for a career-high 152 yards last week (he had never broken 100). “It’s incredible what he is doing. The record has stood up for a while. I mean 17 games or 14 games, it’s ridiculous,” Panthers defensive lineman Shy Tuttle said. “It’s a record that has been held for a long time and whoever breaks it, Saquon or someone else, it’s an incredible achievement.” Barkley leads the NFL with four rushing touchdowns of 25-plus yards this season and tied Montgomery for the most 100-yards games in an Eagles season with eight. “You get to see the player on Sundays. We get to see the person every other day during the week,” offensive coordinator Kellen Moore said. “He’s special. At the end of the day, he’s a special teammate, special person. The way he connects with everyone, rallies everyone together. He’s one of the best.” Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard is eager to get back on the field and put last week behind him. Carolina’s leading rusher had a costly fumble in overtime last Sunday against Tampa Bay as the Panthers were driving for a potential game-winning field goal, resulting in a 26-23 loss to division rival Tampa Bay. A dejected Hubbard remained on the bench for several minutes after the loss. “You definitely use it as motivation,” Hubbard said. “I have come a long way and I know what it’s like to play great football. That was a big mistake on my end, but I don’t just lose all of the work I have put in because of that one mistake.” Bryce Young is beginning to show he can be a factor with his legs, scoring on a 10-yard run last week against the Buccaneers. However, Young still receives plenty of good-natured ribbing from his teammates when it comes to his sliding ability, which the QB has previously admitted is limited because he wasn’t much of a baseball player. “He definitely has to work on his slide,” Hubbard said. “He has been making people miss so he hasn’t had to slide like that a lot. I mean I’m not trying to hate on my dog’s slide but it’s just a work in progress. He will be all right.” Panthers guard Robert Hunt said it’s always interesting playing in Philadelphia because of the team’s passionate fan base. Last year, while Hunt was playing for the Dolphins, he said an Eagles fan attempted to board the Miami team bus. “They have some characters there — some people who don’t really give a damn,” Hunt said. “He was trying to trash-talk us. But he was confident and that is what makes them them.” Hunt said the fan never made it on the bus. “Aw hell no, we would have stomped that boy,” Hunt said with a laugh. “He tried. He was talking his noise. Good for him. I don’t want to say you want a fan base like that, but you want a fan base that cares about the team.” AP Sports Writer Steve Reed in Charlotte, North Carolina, contributed to this report. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFLMichael Gray Jr., Byron Ireland rally Nicholls to 76-75 victory over LouisianaLA Galaxy strike early, hold off New York Red Bulls 2-1 to win their record 6th MLS Cup championshipNo. 4 South Carolina women rout Purdue 99-51
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN ) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a $2.38 per share dividend for the first quarter of 2025. The dividend will be paid on March 7, 2025 , to all stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 14, 2025 . About Amgen Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative medicines to help millions of patients in their fight against some of the world's toughest diseases. More than 40 years ago, Amgen helped to establish the biotechnology industry and remains on the cutting-edge of innovation, using technology and human genetic data to push beyond what's known today. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline that builds on its existing portfolio of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and rare diseases. In 2024, Amgen was named one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies" by Fast Company and one of "America's Best Large Employers" by Forbes, among other external recognitions . Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average ® , and it is also part of the Nasdaq-100 Index ® , which includes the largest and most innovative non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization. For more information, visit Amgen.com and follow Amgen on X , LinkedIn , Instagram , TikTok , YouTube and Threads . Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the current expectations and beliefs of Amgen. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including any statements on the outcome, benefits and synergies of collaborations, or potential collaborations, with any other company (including BeiGene, Ltd. or Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.), the performance of Otezla® (apremilast) (including anticipated Otezla sales growth and the timing of non-GAAP EPS accretion), our acquisitions of Teneobio, Inc., ChemoCentryx, Inc., or Horizon Therapeutics plc (including the prospective performance and outlook of Horizon's business, performance and opportunities, any potential strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities expected as a result of such acquisition, and any projected impacts from the Horizon acquisition on our acquisition-related expenses going forward), as well as estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial metrics, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, reimbursement activities and outcomes, effects of pandemics or other widespread health problems on our business, outcomes, progress, and other such estimates and results. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and more fully described in the Securities and Exchange Commission reports filed by Amgen, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this information as of the date of this news release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those we project. Our results may be affected by our ability to successfully market both new and existing products domestically and internationally, clinical and regulatory developments involving current and future products, sales growth of recently launched products, competition from other products including biosimilars, difficulties or delays in manufacturing our products and global economic conditions. In addition, sales of our products are affected by pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny and reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers, including governments, private insurance plans and managed care providers and may be affected by regulatory, clinical and guideline developments and domestic and international trends toward managed care and healthcare cost containment. Furthermore, our research, testing, pricing, marketing and other operations are subject to extensive regulation by domestic and foreign government regulatory authorities. We or others could identify safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with our products, including our devices, after they are on the market. Our business may be impacted by government investigations, litigation and product liability claims. In addition, our business may be impacted by the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities. If we fail to meet the compliance obligations in the corporate integrity agreement between us and the U.S. government, we could become subject to significant sanctions. Further, while we routinely obtain patents for our products and technology, the protection offered by our patents and patent applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by our competitors, or we may fail to prevail in present and future intellectual property litigation. We perform a substantial amount of our commercial manufacturing activities at a few key facilities, including in Puerto Rico , and also depend on third parties for a portion of our manufacturing activities, and limits on supply may constrain sales of certain of our current products and product candidate development. An outbreak of disease or similar public health threat, such as COVID-19, and the public and governmental effort to mitigate against the spread of such disease, could have a significant adverse effect on the supply of materials for our manufacturing activities, the distribution of our products, the commercialization of our product candidates, and our clinical trial operations, and any such events may have a material adverse effect on our product development, product sales, business and results of operations. We rely on collaborations with third parties for the development of some of our product candidates and for the commercialization and sales of some of our commercial products. In addition, we compete with other companies with respect to many of our marketed products as well as for the discovery and development of new products. Discovery or identification of new product candidates or development of new indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a new indication for an existing product will be successful and become a commercial product. Further, some raw materials, medical devices and component parts for our products are supplied by sole third-party suppliers. Certain of our distributors, customers and payers have substantial purchasing leverage in their dealings with us. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of our products that implicate an entire class of products could have a material adverse effect on sales of the affected products and on our business and results of operations. Our efforts to collaborate with or acquire other companies, products or technology, and to integrate the operations of companies or to support the products or technology we have acquired, may not be successful. There can be no guarantee that we will be able to realize any of the strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities arising from the Horizon acquisition, and such benefits, synergies or opportunities may take longer to realize than expected. We may not be able to successfully integrate Horizon, and such integration may take longer, be more difficult or cost more than expected. A breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach of our information technology systems could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our systems and our data. Our stock price is volatile and may be affected by a number of events. Our business and operations may be negatively affected by the failure, or perceived failure, of achieving our environmental, social and governance objectives. The effects of global climate change and related natural disasters could negatively affect our business and operations. Global economic conditions may magnify certain risks that affect our business. Our business performance could affect or limit the ability of our Board of Directors to declare a dividend or our ability to pay a dividend or repurchase our common stock. We may not be able to access the capital and credit markets on terms that are favorable to us, or at all. CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks Elissa Snook , 609-251-1407 (media) Justin Claeys , 805-313-9775 (investors) SOURCE AmgenWhat happens when 'The Simpsons' join 'Monday Night Football'? Find out during Bengals-Cowboys
With Trump vowing tariffs, it might make sense to shop for new appliances now
Snowdan pointed out that KMKKs need to travel, attend meetings, and engage with government agencies, which means they have to forgo activities such as working on their farm. – Photo by Chimon Upon KUCHING (Dec 8): The current rise in living costs calls for a timely revision of allowances or salaries of community leaders and village heads (KMKK) in Sarawak, said Balai Ringin assemblyman Datuk Snowdan Lawan. “As Sarawak moves aggressively to achieve a developed state status by 2030, these KMKKs are the focal points for the government to disseminate policies and implementation of government projects,” he said in a statement yesterday. He was commenting on the news reports about the Sarawak government being in the final stages of a comprehensive study to revise the salaries and allowances of KMKKs. Snowdan pointed out that KMKKs need to travel, attend meetings, and engage with government agencies, which means they have to forgo activities such as working on their farm. “Moreover, the responsibilities and burdens carried by these community leaders are more challenging now. “They are held in high esteem throughout the state because of their roles in uniting the community,” said the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts. He added that the people in Sarawak are increasingly more informed and critical in their thinking, due to internet access and the influence of social media, which brings new schools of thoughts. As such, KMKKs must also move forward in tandem with time and developments, he said. Snowdan also stated that the quantum as well as the amount of revision of allowances and salaries for KMKKs must be delved meticulously. “We must make sure that the sum merits the responsibilities, and at the same time, avoids too many people from aspiring to be KMKKs, since this might cause split and division within the community. “From the government’s perspective, this involves long-term fiscal and financial consideration, taking into account that we currently have 7,592 KMKKs, 6,921 village security and development committee (JKKK) secretaries, all under the government payroll – and the number grows every year,” he said. He also pointed out that it is common for KMKKs to be appointed from among experienced government retirees, some of whom may hold a diploma or degree. “Are we going to implement fixed allowances or have a scale and grade system for them? “This newer generation of KMKK is gradually replacing the diminishing older generation to uphold their community values, customs, traditions, and more importantly, their ability to bring the closely-knitted community under their jurisdiction together,” he said. It had been reported that the last salary adjustment for KMKKs was in 2018, which included a salary increase and an additional RM100 monthly allowance. Their current monthly salaries and allowances are: RM1,600 with an annual increment of RM40 for 41 Temenggong; RM1,300 with a RM30 annual increment for 88 Pemanca; RM1,100 with a RM20 increment for 542 Penghulu; and RM900 for 6,921 Ketua Kaum (including Tuai Rumah and Kapitan).Commerce Bank decreased its position in shares of Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. ( NYSE:ZBH – Free Report ) by 3.1% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 22,169 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock after selling 700 shares during the period. Commerce Bank’s holdings in Zimmer Biomet were worth $2,393,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Zimmer Biomet in the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. Bangor Savings Bank acquired a new stake in Zimmer Biomet in the third quarter worth about $31,000. Family Firm Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Zimmer Biomet during the second quarter worth about $33,000. Loring Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors LLP MA acquired a new position in shares of Zimmer Biomet during the second quarter valued at about $43,000. Finally, Ridgewood Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of Zimmer Biomet in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $43,000. 88.89% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have weighed in on ZBH. BTIG Research dropped their target price on shares of Zimmer Biomet from $134.00 to $126.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 3rd. UBS Group dropped their price objective on shares of Zimmer Biomet from $112.00 to $107.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on Zimmer Biomet from $120.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Evercore ISI dropped their price target on Zimmer Biomet from $113.00 to $110.00 and set an “in-line” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, October 1st. Finally, Raymond James reduced their price objective on Zimmer Biomet from $128.00 to $123.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, October 14th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Zimmer Biomet has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $123.22. Zimmer Biomet Price Performance Shares of Zimmer Biomet stock opened at $110.22 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $21.94 billion, a PE ratio of 20.95, a P/E/G ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 1.02. Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. has a twelve month low of $101.47 and a twelve month high of $133.90. The company has a quick ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 1.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $106.79 and a 200 day moving average price of $109.69. Zimmer Biomet ( NYSE:ZBH – Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The medical equipment provider reported $1.74 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $1.74. Zimmer Biomet had a return on equity of 12.95% and a net margin of 14.27%. The business had revenue of $1.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.80 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.65 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 4.1% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts predict that Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. will post 7.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Zimmer Biomet Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 30th were paid a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 30th. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.87%. Zimmer Biomet’s dividend payout ratio is currently 18.25%. Zimmer Biomet Profile ( Free Report ) Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a medical technology company worldwide. The company designs, manufactures, and markets orthopedic reconstructive products, such as knee and hip products; S.E.T. products, including sports medicine, biologics, foot and ankle, extremities, and trauma products; craniomaxillofacial and thoracic products comprising face and skull reconstruction products, as well as products that fixate and stabilize the bones of the chest to facilitate healing or reconstruction after open heart surgery, trauma, or for deformities of the chest. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Zimmer Biomet Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Zimmer Biomet and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .