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Photo: The Canadian Press Activists participate in a demonstration for climate finance at the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. In the wee hours Sunday at the United Nations climate talks, countries from around the world reached an agreement on how rich countries can cough up the funds to support poor countries in the face of climate change. It's a far-from-perfect arrangement, with many parties still deeply unsatisfied but some hopeful that the deal will be a step in the right direction. World Resources Institute president and CEO Ani Dasgupta called it “an important down payment toward a safer, more equitable future,” but added that the poorest and most vulnerable nations are “rightfully disappointed that wealthier countries didn’t put more money on the table when billions of people’s lives are at stake.” The summit was supposed to end on Friday evening but negotiations spiraled on through early Sunday. With countries on opposite ends of a massive chasm, tensions ran high as delegations tried to close the gap in expectations. Here's how they got there: What was the finance deal agreed at climate talks? Rich countries have agreed to pool together at least $300 billion a year by 2035. It’s not near the full amount of $1.3 trillion that developing countries were asking for, and that experts said was needed. But delegations more optimistic about the agreement said this deal is headed in the right direction, with hopes that more money flows in the future. The text included a call for all parties to work together using “all public and private sources” to get closer to the $1.3 trillion per year goal by 2035. That means also pushing for international mega-banks, funded by taxpayer dollars, to help foot the bill. And it means, hopefully, that companies and private investors will follow suit on channeling cash toward climate action. The agreement is also a critical step toward helping countries on the receiving end create more ambitious targets to limit or cut emissions of heat-trapping gases that are due early next year. It’s part of the plan to keep cutting pollution with new targets every five years, which the world agreed to at the U.N. talks in Paris in 2015. The Paris agreement set the system of regular ratcheting up climate fighting ambition as away to keep warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. The world is already at 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Fahrenheit) and carbon emissions keep rising. What will the money be spent on? The deal decided in Baku replaces a previous agreement from 15 years ago that charged rich nations $100 billion a year to help the developing world with climate finance. The new number has similar aims: it will go toward the developing world's long laundry list of to-dos to prepare for a warming world and keep it from getting hotter. That includes paying for the transition to clean energy and away from fossil fuels. Countries need funds to build up the infrastructure needed to deploy technologies like wind and solar power on a large scale. Communities hard-hit by extreme weather also want money to adapt and prepare for events like floods, typhoons and fires. Funds could go toward improving farming practices to make them more resilient to weather extremes, to building houses differently with storms in mind, to helping people move from the hardest-hit areas and to help leaders improve emergency plans and aid in the wake of disasters. The Philippines, for example, has been hammered by six major storms in less than a month , bringing to millions of people howling wind, massive storm surges and catastrophic damage to residences, infrastructure and farmland. “Family farmers need to be financed," said Esther Penunia of the Asian Farmers Association. She described how many have already had to deal with millions of dollars of storm damage, some of which includes trees that won't again bear fruit for months or years, or animals that die, wiping out a main source of income. “If you think of a rice farmer who depends on his or her one hectare farm, rice land, ducks, chickens, vegetables, and it was inundated, there was nothing to harvest,” she said. Why was it so hard to get a deal? Election results around the world that herald a change in climate leadership, a few key players with motive to stall the talks and a disorganized host country all led to a final crunch that left few happy with a flawed compromise. The ending of COP29 is "reflective of the harder geopolitical terrain the world finds itself in,” said Li Shuo of the Asia Society. He cited Trump's recent victory in the US — with his promises to pull the country out of the Paris Agreement — as one reason why the relationship between China and the EU will be more consequential for global climate politics moving forward. Developing nations also faced some difficulties agreeing in the final hours, with one Latin American delegation member saying that their group didn't feel properly consulted when small island states had last-minute meetings to try to break through to a deal. Negotiators from across the developing world took different tacks on the deal until they finally agreed to compromise. Meanwhile, activists ramped up the pressure: many urged negotiators to stay strong and asserted that no deal would be better than a bad deal. But ultimately the desire for a deal won out. Some also pointed to the host country as a reason for the struggle. Mohamed Adow, director of climate and energy think tank Power Shift Africa, said Friday that “this COP presidency is one of the worst in recent memory,” calling it “one of the most poorly led and chaotic COP meetings ever.” The presidency said in a statement, “Every hour of the day, we have pulled people together. Every inch of the way, we have pushed for the highest common denominator. We have faced geopolitical headwinds and made every effort to be an honest broker for all sides.” Shuo retains hope that the opportunities offered by a green economy “make inaction self-defeating” for countries around the world, regardless of their stance on the decision. But it remains to be seen whether the UN talks can deliver more ambition next year. In the meantime, “this COP process needs to recover from Baku,” Shuo said.
All Blacks legend TJ Perenara has come clean on his decision to use his final haka for New Zealand to make a big statement on the nation’s controversial Treaty Principles Bill. The 89-cap player, who represented New Zealand for the final time in the match after signing a three-year deal with Japanese rugby team Black Rams Tokyo, led the haka for the 64th time before the All Blacks’ 29-11 win over Italy on the weekend. Watch selected NRL, AFL, SSN games plus every F1 qualifying session and race live in 4K on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. Perenara launched into an impassioned haka, stating: “toitū te mana o te whenua, toitū te mana motuhake, toitū te tiriti o Waitangi.” That translates to “forever the strength of the land, forever the strength of independence, forever the Treaty of Waitangi.” The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 and brought peace between the Maori and European settlers and established New Zealand as a colony. February 6, the anniversary of the signing, is known as Waitangi Day and is New Zealand’s national day. But the right-libertarian ACT Party, who are part of a coalition with the National Party and New Zealand First to form government, have tabled the Treaty Principles Bill, which aims to redefine the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. The bill aims to offer New Zealanders a binding referendum seeking to more narrowly define the treaty’s principles in legal documents, with ACT leader David Seymour telling parliament it would address a situation where Maori are “afforded different rights than other New Zealanders”. Critics say the real aim is to unravel education and other programs for Maori citizens. Mr Seymour said the bill was a good thing and would be a “democratisation of the Treaty”. Maori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi previously accused the government of “waging war on our existence as Maori and on the fabric of this nation” and compared ACT Party to the KKK. The bill has been controversial to say the least with an estimated 42,000 demonstrators marching on the nation’s capital of Wellington to protest the bill. The bill is expected to fail, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon allowing the bill to come to parliament as part of the parties’ coalition deal, but his party is believed to be unlikely to vote for its passage. Mr Luxon recently called the bill “divisive” and there was “no need for it”, while the opposition Labour Party called it “a waste of money” with “no support from any other party in parliament”. Speaking after the match against Italy, Perenara said the first line he had spoken had meant “this haka is for everyone in Aotearoa”, revealing his intent was to unite the country back home. “We’ve been away from home and seen the unity and the unification of our people back home, all people of Aotearoa and paying homage to us as people, and showing unification together as one,” Perenara said. “And like we, countries go through tough times. People go through tough times, families go through tough times. “And for us to pay homage to the unification of all of us is something that wanted to do and that we wanted to do, which was important.” However, questions were also asked after the Waitangi chant was kept off the All Blacks social media accounts. See in the video player above. The Aoteroa Liberation League tweeted: “All Blacks are erasing the beginning of this haka where TJ says “toitū te mana o te whenua, toitū te mana motuhake, toitū Te Tiriti o Waitangi” – a great example of how corporations are happy to commercialise te ao Māori while erasing Māori political aspirations.” Perenara said he didn’t intend the haka to be political or divisive. “Stand and pay respect to our whenua (country), which is our whenua, mana motuhake, which is our sovereignty, everyone’s sovereignty,” Perenara explained. “Te Tiriti o Waitangi, stand tall, stand proud and stand on Te Tiriti o Waitangi. So uniting us all as people. “I know some people might see or try and make it political or divisive, but for us, unity and being together is important, especially as Maori.” All Blacks skipper Scott Barrett said the team were aware and supportive of Perenara’s plan. “As the leader, they get the opportunity to say something,” Barrett explained. “He said he was going to lead, and say a wee mihi. It was a message of unity, and that’s what he said.” All Blacks coach Scott Robertson said Perenara had discussed his haka plan before the match. “TJ when he got the right to call (the haka), there’s a part of it at the start he gets in his own words to call it,” Robertson told reporters. “And he’s decided to say that and he has done it with the aspect of unity. It’s his right to say that.” “He said it’s sign of unity. Everyone is across it. He gets his chance to call that and the rest of the team gets to do the haka.” But the move has been criticised as well with Mr Seymour questioning why Perenara was against the bill. “I congratulate TJ on his long All Blacks career and wish him well in Japan,” Mr Seymour said. “I hope he reads the bill at treaty.nz. It says that we all have nga tikanga katoa rite tahi – the same rights and duties. And all New Zealanders have tino rangatiratanga, the right to self-determine, not only Māori. “The challenge for people who oppose this bill is to explain why they are so opposed to those basic principles of equal rights.”Doug Ford awards $7 million in funding for Oakville housingPep Guardiola: It’s my responsibility to solve Manchester City’s poor run
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Donald Trump is not racist, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith says as he insists 'brothers found him to be cool' READ MORE: Jake Paul's savage response to fellow Donald Trump supporters READ MORE: My message to athletes doing the Trump dance - TIM HOWARD Follow DailyMail.com's politics live blog for all the latest news and updates By ALEX RASKIN and ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: 21:56 GMT, 25 November 2024 | Updated: 22:02 GMT, 25 November 2024 e-mail 5 View comments Donald Trump is not a racist, or at least not in the eyes of black men, says ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. Speaking with comedian Bill Maher on his show, Club Random , the increasingly political Smith dismissed the accusations of racism Trump has faced since the early 1970s. 'If we're being totally honest, all the brothers found him to be cool,' said Smith, who has been very critical of Democrats since their election defeat. 'They found him to be very cool. So, let's be clear. Because he knew his sports, all right? He would say what he feels, he bucked the establishment, which we love, and we gravitated to that.' Maher agreed. 'I don't think his motivation is ''I don't like black people,''' Maher said. 'I think his motivation is: ''Everybody must love me.'' Donald Trump is not a racist, or at least not in the eyes of black men, says Stephen A. Smith Smith leapt to Trump's defense following his victory in the presidential election this month Read More Trump at UFC footage Claiming he knew Trump from before his days as a politician, Smith then denied ever calling the 78-year-old racist. 'I have never spoken about him that way,' Smith said. 'Ever. Not one time. Not one time. Because I knew him beforehand.' Trump was able to make slight inroads with black voters nationally, who made up about 1 in 10 voters across the country. Nationally, about 8 in 10 black voters supported Harris. But that was down from about 9 in 10 in the last presidential election who went for Joe Biden. Trump about doubled his share of young black men – which helped him among key Democratic voting group. About 3 in 10 Black men under the age of 45 went for Trump, roughly double the number he got in 2020. Allegations of racism against Trump did not originate with his first foray into politics eight years ago. In 1973, for example, the Justice Department sued the real estate tycoon and his father for their alleged refusal to rent apartments in predominantly white buildings to black tenants. Testimony showed that applications filed by black apartment seekers were marked with a 'C' for 'colored.' The lawsuit ended in a settlement in which the Trumps acknowledged they 'failed and neglected' to comply with the Fair Housing Act, though they were never required to explicitly acknowledge discrimination had occurred. Stephen A. Smith and Bill Maher disputed the notion that Trump is a "terrible racist." Smith: "If we’re being totally honest, all the brothers found him to be cool. They found him to be very cool. So, let’s be clear. Because he knew his sports, all right? He would say what he... pic.twitter.com/AWT9NbmQt7 — Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) November 25, 2024 Trump, seen alongside billionaire donor Elon Musk, has faced racism accusations since the 70s In 1989, Trump infamously took out full page newspaper ads calling for New York state to reinstate the death penalty as five black and Latino teenagers were set to stand trial for beating and raping a white woman in Central Park. Black clergy leaders responded with their own full-page ad denouncing Trump's as a 'thinly veiled racist polemic' meant to divide the city. The Rev. Al Sharpton also organized a demonstration outside Trump Tower. The five men were eventually exonerated in 2002 after another man admitted to the crime and it was determined their confessions were coerced. In the 1990s, the Atlantic City casino mogul frequently cast doubt about the legitimacy of tribes seeking to build casinos in the New York area, citing their dark skin as evidence they were faking their ancestry. 'They don't look like Indians to me, and they don't look like Indians to Indians, and a lot of people are laughing at it,' Trump said of the Mashantucket Pequots who operate Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut during testimony before Congress in 1993. Tribe leaders at the time called out the remarks as racist. The National Indian Gaming Association filed a Federal Communications Commission complaint after Trump made similar remarks on Don Imus' talk radio show. The group described his on-air comments as 'obscene, indecent and profane racial slurs against Native Americans and African Americans.' The FCC declined to take action, though it called the remarks 'deplorable' and 'offensive.' Trump picked one prominent African-American candidate for his second term in ex-NFL player Scott Turner (right), who will head Housing and Urban Development The Republican businessman also famously used the 'birther' conspiracy to propel himself into national politics in the late 2000s. During the Obama administration, he baselessly claimed the nation's first black president wasn't qualified to hold the office because he was born in Kenya, not the U.S., as is required under the Constitution. He recanted the statements, however, during his winning 2016 campaign. Trump's cabinets have been largely without of any African Americans with the notable exception of his Housing and Urban Development nominees: Ben Carson, from 2017 through 2020, and his current pick, former NFL player Scott Turner. Donald Trump Share or comment on this article: Donald Trump is not racist, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith says as he insists 'brothers found him to be cool' e-mail Add comment
Lexus showcases electrified luxury in Cebu with exclusive events and test drivesLucknow, Dec 23 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that at a time when many countries are at war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is binding the world in the thread of peace, harmony and unity through the message of Lord Buddha. Welcoming a delegation led by Governor of Japan's Yamanashi Province Kotaro Nagasaki at his official residence here, Adityanath described UP as a state of "Unlimited Potential". An MoU was signed between the Uttar Pradesh government and Yamanashi Prefecture (Japan) for industrial cooperation, tourism and vocational education in the presence. "The roots of strategic, cultural and global cooperation have been connected between the two countries for more than a millennium. Today, when many countries of the world are at war, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is binding the world in the thread of peace, harmony and unity through the message of Lord Buddha," Adityanath said. "The strong relations between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister of Japan, late Shinzo Abe, have also taken the political, economic and business relations of India-Japan to new heights," he said. "The state government is keen to cooperate with Japanese companies. Japan also provided great support as a partner country for the Global Investors Summit-2023," Adityanath said. On behalf of the state government, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and Director General of the Governor's Policy Planning Bureau of Yamanashi Province Junichi Ishidera exchanged the MoU, the UP government said in a statement. Adityanath said the MoU is a result of the prime minister's commitment to work together with the Quad countries for humanity on the basis of shared democratic values. Currently, more than 1,400 Japanese companies are operating in India, including seven major firms -- Mitsui Technologies, Honda Motors, Yamaha Motors, Denso, Toyodrunk, Nissin ABC Logistics, Sekisui DLJM Molding -- operating in Uttar Pradesh. Economic co-operation between India and Japan is very rich, he said, and added that bilateral trade between the two countries has been USD 22.854 billion in the financial year 2023-24. During this period, USD 17.69 billion was exported from Japan to India and USD 5.15 billion was imported. Adityanath told the Japanese delegation that Uttar Pradesh is getting a new identity as an 'expressway state'. After the construction of the Ganga Expressway, Uttar Pradesh will have 55 per cent share in the total expressways of the country. At present, five expressways of a total length of 1,130 km are operational, he said. The UP CM said that in the electronics and IT/ITES sector, Uttar Pradesh has the distinction of contributing about 45 per cent of India's total mobile manufacturing. About 55 per cent of India's mobile components are manufactured here. About 26 per cent of India's mobile manufacturers are active in Uttar Pradesh and more than 200 ESDM companies are located in the state. The state government is developing clusters for semi-conductor manufacturing and fab-units. Apart from this, Uttar Pradesh is rapidly emerging as the main hub of data centers in India, he said. On this occasion, Governor Yamanashi Prefecture of Japan, Kotaro Nagasaki said there have been spiritual and historical relations between Yamanashi Prefecture and Uttar Pradesh. Expressing happiness over the MoU, he said that Japan will provide mutual cooperation in labour skilled development, renewable energy, hydro power, exchange of knowledge and technology. He told the chief minister that "Japan is your second home", the statement said, adding Adityanath also spoke a few lines in Japanese. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
Kendrick Lamar is rolling full steam ahead with his spotlight-hogging "GNX" album ... on Monday, his long-anticipated "Squabble Up" single dropped in HD!!! Reuniting with celebrated director Calmatic , the two L.A. natives turn a simple living room into the full-blown California experience they grew up with ... colorful gang life, girlies acting bad and boujee, Latinos livin' up the party and more!!! In the vein of the Pop-Out Concert, Kendrick also invites the homies from all around the way ... G Perico , RJMrLA , Big Floyd and Johnny El MerroJonkero get it crackin' in the background!!! If you remember, K. Dot had everyone going crazy when he teased the track at the height of the summer and the final result happened on his impromptu "GNX" album last week. Kendrick Lamar just announced Compton Christmas Parade on his new music video 'squabble up"🎄 pic.twitter.com/SXVaMpOWnP The video also closes with an Easter egg in the holiday stocking -- the Compton Christmas Parade is on the horizon and there's little doubt Dot will be the Grandmaster. Who said Santa Claus wasn't Black???
Daily Post Nigeria Tinubu didn’t seek NASS approval for N150m presidential jet — Abaribe Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport News Tinubu didn’t seek NASS approval for N150m presidential jet — Abaribe Published on November 25, 2024 By Seun Opejobi Abia South senator, Enyinnaya Abaribe, on Monday said President Bola Tinubu never sought the approval of the National Assembly before purchasing a new presidential jet. Abaribe said he never saw any document from the presidency seeking the National Assembly’s approval for a new presidential jet. In August, President Tinubu acquired a new presidential jet and this was confirmed by his senior aide, Bayo Onanuga. The Airbus A330 procured at the rate of N150 billion replaced the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 acquired under former President Olusegun Obasanjo. However, featuring on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Abaribe said: ”Nobody brought anything to the National Assembly to say ‘Please, approve this for purchase of a new plane’. I say it was done without my knowledge. I never saw any document.” Related Topics: abaribe NASS Tinubu Don't Miss Demsa Traditional Council hosts Adamawa Quranic recitation competition You may like ‘Releasing Nnamdi Kanu will make you hero’ – Ohanaeze chieftain writes Tinubu Improved funding for National Space Programme fundamental to economic wellbeing – Tinubu to NASS Umahi explains why President Tinubu prioritises legacy projects Tinubu: Northern youths give ACF 7 days to lift suspension on chairman, Osuman Why I met with Plateau NASS members – Gov Mutfwang Tinubu a reformer, not accidental president – Presidency replies Bishop Kukah Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media LtdFall Protection Market to Expand by USD 5.05 Billion (2024-2028), Driven by Growth in Onsite Training, Market Evolution Powered by AI - Technavio
Pep Guardiola: It’s my responsibility to solve Manchester City’s poor runIIFCL Urges Govt to Include Space Sector in Infrastructure ListLucknow, Dec 23 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that at a time when many countries are at war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is binding the world in the thread of peace, harmony and unity through the message of Lord Buddha. Welcoming a delegation led by Governor of Japan's Yamanashi Province Kotaro Nagasaki at his official residence here, Adityanath described UP as a state of "Unlimited Potential". An MoU was signed between the Uttar Pradesh government and Yamanashi Prefecture (Japan) for industrial cooperation, tourism and vocational education in the presence. "The roots of strategic, cultural and global cooperation have been connected between the two countries for more than a millennium. Today, when many countries of the world are at war, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is binding the world in the thread of peace, harmony and unity through the message of Lord Buddha," Adityanath said. "The strong relations between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister of Japan, late Shinzo Abe, have also taken the political, economic and business relations of India-Japan to new heights," he said. "The state government is keen to cooperate with Japanese companies. Japan also provided great support as a partner country for the Global Investors Summit-2023," Adityanath said. On behalf of the state government, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and Director General of the Governor's Policy Planning Bureau of Yamanashi Province Junichi Ishidera exchanged the MoU, the UP government said in a statement. Adityanath said the MoU is a result of the prime minister's commitment to work together with the Quad countries for humanity on the basis of shared democratic values. Currently, more than 1,400 Japanese companies are operating in India, including seven major firms -- Mitsui Technologies, Honda Motors, Yamaha Motors, Denso, Toyodrunk, Nissin ABC Logistics, Sekisui DLJM Molding -- operating in Uttar Pradesh. Economic co-operation between India and Japan is very rich, he said, and added that bilateral trade between the two countries has been USD 22.854 billion in the financial year 2023-24. During this period, USD 17.69 billion was exported from Japan to India and USD 5.15 billion was imported. Adityanath told the Japanese delegation that Uttar Pradesh is getting a new identity as an 'expressway state'. After the construction of the Ganga Expressway, Uttar Pradesh will have 55 per cent share in the total expressways of the country. At present, five expressways of a total length of 1,130 km are operational, he said. The UP CM said that in the electronics and IT/ITES sector, Uttar Pradesh has the distinction of contributing about 45 per cent of India's total mobile manufacturing. About 55 per cent of India's mobile components are manufactured here. About 26 per cent of India's mobile manufacturers are active in Uttar Pradesh and more than 200 ESDM companies are located in the state. The state government is developing clusters for semi-conductor manufacturing and fab-units. Apart from this, Uttar Pradesh is rapidly emerging as the main hub of data centers in India, he said. On this occasion, Governor Yamanashi Prefecture of Japan, Kotaro Nagasaki said there have been spiritual and historical relations between Yamanashi Prefecture and Uttar Pradesh. Expressing happiness over the MoU, he said that Japan will provide mutual cooperation in labour skilled development, renewable energy, hydro power, exchange of knowledge and technology. He told the chief minister that "Japan is your second home", the statement said, adding Adityanath also spoke a few lines in Japanese. Later, in a post on X, Adityanath said, "Had a productive meeting and fruitful discussion with Mr. Kotaro Nagasaki, Hon. Governor of Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, and his delegation at my official residence in Lucknow today." "An MoU was signed between Uttar Pradesh and Yamanashi to promote collaboration in industrial cooperation, tourism, and the vocational education sector. Looking forward to exploring new opportunities for economic and cultural exchange together," he said. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
Meta Platforms ( META -0.70% ) is without doubt a leader in the technology and internet industries. It has been a monster success story and a business that has done a great job rewarding its longtime shareholders, something that holds true in more recent times. As of this writing, this social media stock has soared almost 400% in the past two years. This means that a $10,000 investment made 24 months ago would be worth nearly $50,000 today. That gain is hard to beat. But should you buy Meta shares right now? Getting back on solid ground Meta stock took a hit in 2022 as did the rest of the market. That year, the company posted a surprise 1% year-over-year revenue drop, which occurred after years of tremendous double-digit sales gains. As the Federal Reserve started to aggressively hike interest rates to combat soaring inflation, advertisers pulled back their spending, negatively impacting Meta. That same year, the company's operating margin came in at 25%. This was down from 40% in 2021. Meta's costs had soared 23% as it focused on restructuring efforts. Shareholders clearly weren't pleased at the time, as shares fell 64% in 2022. But nowadays, the business is on a much better footing. Revenue jumped 16% before rising 22% through the first nine months of this year. Additionally, profitability has improved, with Meta reporting a stellar 43% operating margin in the third quarter of 2024. The management team feels so optimistic about the position the business is in that they finally authorized dividend payments in May of this year. Meta had its first-ever quarterly payout of $0.50 per share in June. Given that the company generated $15.5 billion in free cash flow in the latest three-month period, there is plenty of capital for dividends as well as sizable share buybacks. Meta's AI push There hasn't been a hotter topic in the corporate and investing worlds than that of artificial intelligence (AI). In the past couple of years, we've seen executives shift their strategies -- sometimes radically -- to focus more on AI initiatives. What's more, investors have gravitated to stocks that have exposure to this technological trend. As a massive company with a $1.4 trillion market cap and nearly 3.3 billion daily active users among its various social media platforms, it makes sense that Meta is already a top player in the AI boom. The business's Meta AI assistant already has 500 million monthly active users. And with AI-powered recommendations, users are spending more time on Facebook and Instagram. This makes things more attractive to advertisers looking to target a captive audience. "More than a million advertisers used our GenAI tools to create more than 15 million ads in the last month," said CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the Q3 2024 earnings call. Meta plans to invest $38 billion to $40 billion on capital expenditures this year to bolster its network infrastructure. And that figure is set to grow meaningfully in 2025. Look at the stock's valuation Exactly two years ago, shares of Meta traded at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 10.6. With the benefit of hindsight, that valuation made buying the stock look like an absolute no-brainer opportunity. Of course, that happened to be true given just how much the share price has climbed since then. Investors looking to buy this dominant enterprise right now should be comfortable paying a steeper valuation. The stock trades at a P/E multiple of 26.2. The S&P 500 trades for a P/E ratio of 25.7, so Meta is in the same ballpark as the average stock. However, anyone could easily argue that this is a superior business that deserves at least that type of valuation. To be clear, shares aren't as cheap as they were a couple of years ago. But for investors who want to add a dominant internet company to their portfolios, perhaps it's smart to pay up to own Meta.
My brutal husband tried to murder me and then take my four kids off me from behind bars By GAVIN MADELEY FOR THE SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL Published: 23:57, 8 December 2024 | Updated: 23:59, 8 December 2024 e-mail View comments The wife of Skye shotgun killer Finlay MacDonald claims he is tormenting her from prison by blocking access to the family home and trying to have their children taken away from her. MacDonald was last month jailed for a minimum term of 28 years for murdering his brother-in-law and attempting to murder his wife Rowena and two other people. But Mrs MacDonald, who suffered life-threatening stab injuries at her husband’s hands, has told how he has continued to make her life a misery from behind bars after he was arrested over the gun and knife rampage in August 2022. The mother-of-four told The Scottish Sun on Sunday that MacDonald has refused to allow her access to the family croft they shared in Tarskavaig, on Skye’s Sleat peninsula, in order to retrieve her and her children’s belongings. Mrs MacDonald, 34, said her estranged husband, whom she is planning to divorce, has attempted to claim that anything she now owns should belong to him. She said: ‘He tried to take my car and claim on my new house too. He got a solicitor to say the property was half his as we are still married. He did warn me that if I were ever to leave him he would make sure I had nothing.’ She said MacDonald contacted social services to claim his wife wasn’t fit to take care of their children. She said: ‘He attempted to get the kids taken off me. ‘He reported me to social services. Their only concern was that I kept him away from them. Rowena MacDonald, the wife of shotgun killer Finlay MacDonald claims he is threatening her from prison and trying to have her children taken from her MacDonald has refused to allow Mrs MacDonald access to the family croft they shared in Tarskavaig, in order to retrieve her and her children's belongings ‘I’ve gone to Women’s Aid and the police for help but it’s all legal what he’s doing. It’s just unfair. I hoped there would be a way he was forced to stop but I knew he’d make it as hard as he could.’ Mrs MacDonald, who was stabbed nine times by her marine engineer husband, said: ‘He has no limits. He is awful. ‘He has left his own kids destitute and is doing everything he can to make things harder. ‘If I can get away with it I will never talk to or see him again. What he’s done will affect me, the kids and so many others for the rest of our lives.’ afMacDonald, 41, carried out the attacks on August 10, 2022. The High Court in Edinburgh heard he stabbed his wife after accusing her of having an affair, something she denies, before driving to nearby Teangue, where he fatally shot his brother-in-law John MacKinnon, 47. Tailed by police, he travelled to the mainland and shot his former osteopath John MacKenzie – whom he blamed for making a back injury worse – and his wife Fay, both 65, at their home in Dornie, Wester Ross. Last month, a jury found MacDonald guilty of one count of murder, three counts of attempted murder, and one count of possession of a shotgun ‘with intent to endanger life’. At the High Court in Edinburgh Lady Drummond told MacDonald there is no guarantee he will ever be released. MacDonald has since lodged appeals against his conviction and life sentence. MacDonald stabbed his wife nine times after accusing her of having an affair, something she denies Forensics officers at the MacDonalds' home in Teangue on the Isle of Skye Mrs MacDonald said she had been considering leaving her husband for some time before the attacks: ‘I fell out of love years and years ago,’ she said. ‘There’s only so much abuse you can take and still love someone.’ Told about MacDonald’s trail of destruction while recovering from surgery in hospital, she said: ‘Nothing surprised me by that point. He was so calm and deliberate when he attacked me and then collected his things and left. ‘I was just so shaken that John had lost his life and that Finlay had actually tried to kill John and Fay – all for no good reason.’ Mrs MacDonald is seeking to finalise her divorce, saying: ‘I want all our freedoms back.’ Edinburgh Share or comment on this article: My brutal husband tried to murder me and then take my four kids off me from behind bars e-mail Add comment
The Anambra government said it has secured investment funding and strategic partnership of over $500 million from the various agreements signed at the end of the second edition of its investment summit held on November 14. Managing Director of Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA), Mr Mark Okoye, who gave the post-summit summary on Sunday in Awka said the State was poised to become a leading economic hub in Nigeria. The summit had the theme “Changing Gears: Accelerating Anambra’s Economic Transformation” with development partners, financial institutions, captains of industries, and government officials in attendance to discuss investment opportunities in the State. Related Stories Anambra State Government announces N100 million ‘Battle4Solutions’ competiton for Nigerian startups Top 10 most expensive states to live in Nigeria in September 2024 Okoye said investment commitments were made in healthcare, tourism/hospitality, natural gas networks, and urban development. According to him, Anambra holds 30 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, representing approximately 15% of Nigeria’s total reserves. He said the State plans to develop backbone gas pipelines with partnerships to maximise gas distribution efficiency. “We have agreements to build a specialized cancer treatment facility, the management of Awka International Convention Centre, revitalization of Agulu Lake Hotel, and the development of a statewide gas distribution system. “With over $500 million in funding commitments and strategic partnerships, Anambra is poised to become a leading economic hub in Nigeria, we invite investors, and development partners to join this transformative journey,” he said. Okoye said in 2023, Anambra also secured $250 million from Afreximbank to finance infrastructures for its major projects including the Anambra Mixed-Use Industrial City (AMIC) master plan, and Anambra Intra-City Rail among others. “AMIC is positioned to catalyse industrialization in the region, with a strong focus on import substitution, exports, and innovation-driven development ”, he said. He said the AMIC master plan was already completed and awaiting groundbreaking while the route selected had been completed for the intra-city rail project and the Awka shopping mall was on track for completion in the second quarter of 2025. Okoye said Anambra was partnering with UNDP to establish maker’s space, a hub for technology and entrepreneurship while agreements were reached with Genesis Energy and VFD Energy to develop Independent Power Plants. “The African Development Bank is supporting critical infrastructures, including major roads, fencing, and signature gates for the Special Agro-Processing Zone within AMIC. “Solar Energy is being deployed in underserved areas of Anambra and public-private-community collaboration is in progress for potable water projects. “We are expanding the automotive industry with an assembly plant for dual fuel vehicles at Umunya while NKO Farms is establishing;agro-processing facilities for export-focused production. “Effort is underway to operationalise the Onitsha River Port and facilitate trade as well as develop the Onitsha New City project,” he said. Okoye said Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s administration was dedicated to transforming Anambra into a livable and prosperous smart megacity, creating an investor-friendly climate that would foster industrial growth, and promote sustainable development. He said the measures included ease of doing business reforms, diversification of the economy across agriculture, healthcare, energy, and tourism as well as encouraging public-private partnerships for long-term sustainability. On the issue of energy challenge, Okoye said a firm was establishing a N200 billion infrastructure fund to support pipelines and IPPs to ensure reliable electricity for industrial zones, major markets, and gated residential areas.