SAN DIEGO, Dec. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robbins LLP reminds investors that a class action was filed on behalf of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Symbotic Inc. (NASDAQ: SYM) securities between February 8, 2024 and November 26, 2024. Symbotic is an automation technology company that engages in the production of a robotics and automation-based product movement technology platform. For more information, submit a form , email attorney Aaron Dumas, Jr., or give us a call at (800) 350-6003. The Allegations: Robbins LLP is Investigating Allegations that Symbotic Inc. (SYM) Failed to Disclose Material Weaknesses in its Internal Control Over Financial Reporting According to the complaint, on November 27, 2024, the Company filed with the SEC a Form 8-K/A, in which the Company revealed it had "identified errors in its revenue recognition related to cost overruns on certain deployments that will not be billable, which additionally impacted system revenue, income (loss) before income tax, net income (loss) and gross margin recognized in the second, third, and fourth quarters of fiscal year 2024." Further, the Company indicated that its previously issued financial statements for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2024 and the Company’s supplemental presentation, should no longer be relied upon. On this news, the price of Symbotic stock fell over 35%, to close at $24 per share on November 27, 2024. What Now: You may be eligible to participate in the class action against Symbotic Inc. Shareholders who want to serve as lead plaintiff for the class must submit their application to the court by February 3, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. You do not have to participate in the case to be eligible for a recovery. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. For more information, click here . All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses. About Robbins LLP: Some law firms issuing releases about this matter do not actually litigate securities class actions; Robbins LLP does. A recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation, the attorneys and staff of Robbins LLP have been dedicated to helping shareholders recover losses, improve corporate governance structures, and hold company executives accountable for their wrongdoing since 2002. Since our inception, we have obtained over $1 billion for shareholders. To be notified if a class action against Symbotic Inc. settles or to receive free alerts when corporate executives engage in wrongdoing, sign up for Stock Watch today. Attorney Advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3edbf291-c5a4-45f0-a769-259266b2c15bInterview: ONE OR EIGHT talks about their new music, working with Big Sean, and the digital age
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FIFA confirms 2034 World Cup coming to Saudi ArabiaWASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday named Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, to be U.S. attorney general just hours after his other choice, Matt Gaetz , withdrew his name from consideration. Bondi is a longtime Trump ally and was one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial, when he was accused — but not convicted — of abusing his power as he tried to condition U.S. military assistance to Ukraine on that country investigating then-former Vice President Joe Biden. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. She's been a chair at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers. “For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans - Not anymore,” Trump said in a social media post. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again.” Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. told Fox Business on Sunday that the transition team had backups in mind for his controversial nominees should they fail to get confirmed. The swift selection of Bondi came about six hours after Gaetz withdrew. Gaetz stepped aside amid continued fallout over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation's chief federal law enforcement officer. That announcement capped a turbulent eight-day period in which Trump sought to capitalize on his decisive election win to force Senate Republicans to accept provocative selections like Gaetz, who had been investigated by the Justice Department before being tapped last week to lead it. The decision could heighten scrutiny on other controversial Trump nominees, including Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth , who faces sexual assault allegations that he denies. “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz, a Florida Republican who one day earlier met with senators in an effort to win their support, said in a statement. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1," he added. Hours later, Gaetz posted on social media that he looks “forward to continuing the fight to save our country,” adding, “Just maybe from a different post.” Trump, in a social media post, said: “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!” Last week, Trump named personal lawyers Todd Blanche, Emil Bove and D. John Sauer to senior roles in the department. Another possible attorney general contender, Matt Whitaker, was announced Wednesday as the U.S. ambassador to NATO. Bondi, too, is a longtime loyalist. She has been a vocal critic of the criminal cases against Trump as well as Jack Smith, the special counsel who charged Trump in two federal cases. In one radio appearance, she blasted Smith and other prosecutors who have charged Trump as “horrible” people she said were trying to make names for themselves by “going after Donald Trump and weaponizing our legal system.” If confirmed by the Republican-led Senate, Bondi would instantly become one of the most closely watched members of Trump’s Cabinet given the Republican’s threat to pursue retribution against perceived adversaries and concern among Democrats that he will look to bend the Justice Department to his will. A recent Supreme Court opinion not only conferred broad immunity on former presidents but also affirmed a president’s exclusive authority over the Justice Department’s investigative functions. Bondi would inherit a Justice Department expected to pivot sharply on civil rights, corporate enforcement and the prosecutions of hundreds of Trump supporters charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol — defendants whom Trump has pledged to pardon . It’s unlikely that Bondi would be confirmed in time to overlap with Smith, who brought two federal indictments against Trump that are both expected to wind down before the incoming president takes office. Special counsels are expected to produce reports on their work that historically are made public, but it remains unclear when such a document might be released. In 2013, while serving as Florida attorney general, Bondi publicly apologized for asking that the execution of a man convicted of murder be delayed because it conflicted with a campaign fundraiser. Bondi said she was wrong and sorry for requesting then-Gov. Rick Scott push back the execution of Marshall Lee Gore by three weeks. Before she ran for state attorney general in 2010, Bondi worked for the Hillsborough County state attorney. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Michelle L. Price, Lisa Mascaro, Mary Clare Jalonick and Adriana Gomez Licon contributed to this report.
Seasoned Executive with Specialty Vehicle, Technology and Industrial Background Will Complement Executive Team NORTHVILLE, Mich., Nov. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gentherm (NASDAQ:THRM), the global market leader of innovative thermal management and pneumatic comfort technologies for the automotive industry and a leader in medical patient temperature management systems, today announced that Jonathan ("Jon”) Douyard will join the Company's leadership team as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, effective January 1, 2025. Douyard will lead all of Gentherm's finance, treasury, investor relations, and IT operations on a global basis, reporting to Gentherm's next President and CEO, Bill Presley. Douyard succeeds Matteo Anversa, who served as CFO until September 2024 when he left the position to accept the role of CFO for Logitech International. "Jon's experience includes deep technical knowledge and financial acumen with 25 years of global finance experience. We believe he will be a strong addition to the Gentherm leadership team,” said Phil Eyler, Gentherm's President and CEO. "The Board of Directors, Gentherm's next CEO Bill Presley, and I worked together to identify the strongest CFO candidate, and Jon was our unanimous choice. He has a proven track record of delivering profitable growth through business cycles, and his appointment underscores Gentherm's commitment to driving shareholder value.” "I am excited to join such an innovative company with strong momentum, a clear mission and vision for the future,” said Douyard. "Gentherm is well positioned for growth, and I look forward to partnering with Bill and the global Gentherm team to continue to drive financial excellence, operational efficiency, and a sustainable next generation of growth.” Douyard joins Gentherm from The Shyft Group (NASDAQ: SHYF), the North American leader in specialty vehicle manufacturing, assembly, and upfit for the commercial, retail, and service specialty vehicle markets, where he was CFO since March 2020. At Shyft, he played a key role in driving financial performance, generating cash flow, managing merger and acquisition activities, strengthening corporate controls and processes, and developing the finance organization. Prior to Shyft, Douyard spent four years as CFO for Fluke Corporation, a leading global industrial technology company within Danaher / Fortive, where he led the Finance and IT functions. Prior to Fluke, he spent 15 years in key financial leadership positions at United Technologies and General Electric. He joined Sikorsky Aircraft, a leader in the design, manufacture, and service of military and commercial helicopters, in 2012 where he served as the CFO, Commercial Systems and Services at United Technologies' Sikorsky Aircraft division. Douyard began his career with GE in 2001, where he served in multiple divisional CFO and financial planning roles and was also a graduate of the Financial Management Program and Corporate Audit Staff. Douyard holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Bentley University and has earned Six Sigma Black Belt and Green Belt certifications. Investor Contact Gregory Blanchette [email protected] 248.308.1702 Media Contact Melissa Fischer [email protected] 248.289.9702 About Gentherm Gentherm (NASDAQ: THRM) is the global market leader of innovative thermal management and pneumatic comfort technologies for the automotive industry and a leader in medical patient temperature management systems. Automotive products include variable temperature Climate Control Seats, heated automotive interior systems (including heated seats, steering wheels, armrests and other components), battery performance solutions, cable systems, lumbar and massage comfort solutions, valve system technologies, and other electronic devices. Medical products include patient temperature management systems. The Company is also developing a number of new technologies and products that will help enable improvements to existing products and to create new product applications for existing and new markets. Gentherm has more than 14,000 employees in facilities in the United States, Germany, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, Japan, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, North Macedonia, South Korea, United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Vietnam. For more information, go to www.gentherm.com . Forward-Looking Statements Except for historical information contained herein, statements in this release are forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements represent Gentherm Incorporated's goals, beliefs, plans and expectations about its prospects for the future and other future events. The forward-looking statements included in this release are made as of the date hereof or as of the date specified herein and are based on management's reasonable expectations and beliefs. In making these statements we rely on assumptions and analysis based on our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors we consider appropriate under the circumstances. Such statements are subject to a number of important assumptions, significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) and other factors that may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from that described in or indicated by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: Except as required by law, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.Banque Cantonale Vaudoise raised its holdings in Bath & Body Works, Inc. ( NYSE:BBWI – Free Report ) by 46.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 9,108 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 2,902 shares during the quarter. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise’s holdings in Bath & Body Works were worth $291,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BBWI. Lone Pine Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Bath & Body Works by 15.8% during the 2nd quarter. Lone Pine Capital LLC now owns 11,315,515 shares of the company’s stock worth $441,871,000 after buying an additional 1,547,399 shares during the period. Anomaly Capital Management LP bought a new stake in shares of Bath & Body Works in the 2nd quarter worth about $113,995,000. Sound Shore Management Inc. CT lifted its holdings in Bath & Body Works by 10.0% during the 2nd quarter. Sound Shore Management Inc. CT now owns 2,088,703 shares of the company’s stock valued at $81,564,000 after purchasing an additional 189,889 shares during the last quarter. KBC Group NV boosted its position in Bath & Body Works by 9,023.5% in the third quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 1,701,813 shares of the company’s stock valued at $54,322,000 after buying an additional 1,683,160 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of Bath & Body Works by 7.1% during the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,303,487 shares of the company’s stock worth $50,901,000 after buying an additional 86,204 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.14% of the company’s stock. Bath & Body Works Stock Performance BBWI opened at $30.71 on Friday. Bath & Body Works, Inc. has a twelve month low of $26.20 and a twelve month high of $52.99. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $30.55 and its two-hundred day moving average is $35.99. The firm has a market cap of $6.73 billion, a PE ratio of 7.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 1.79. Bath & Body Works Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 6th. Investors of record on Friday, November 22nd will be given a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.61%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 22nd. Bath & Body Works’s dividend payout ratio is presently 19.37%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several brokerages have issued reports on BBWI. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $42.00 price objective on shares of Bath & Body Works in a research report on Monday, November 18th. BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $50.00 price objective (down previously from $52.00) on shares of Bath & Body Works in a report on Thursday, August 29th. UBS Group dropped their target price on shares of Bath & Body Works from $52.00 to $38.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 29th. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of Bath & Body Works from $48.00 to $35.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, August 20th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of Bath & Body Works from $51.00 to $48.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $42.25. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Bath & Body Works Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, CEO Gina Boswell bought 6,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 9th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $29.64 per share, with a total value of $177,840.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer now owns 242,987 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,202,134.68. This represents a 2.53 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link . Insiders own 0.27% of the company’s stock. Bath & Body Works Company Profile ( Free Report ) Bath & Body Works, Inc operates a specialty retailer of home fragrance, body care, and soaps and sanitizer products. It sells its products under the Bath & Body Works, White Barn, and other brand names through retail stores and e-commerce sites located in the United States and Canada, as well as through international stores operated by partners under franchise, license, and wholesale arrangements. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BBWI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bath & Body Works, Inc. ( NYSE:BBWI – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Bath & Body Works Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bath & Body Works and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
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SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday's game against the Packers with a sore throwing shoulder.Spotify Removes Sexually Explicit Material From Search Results Following User Complaints About Porn Videos
By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court should overturn Mississippi’s Jim Crow-era practice of removing voting rights from people convicted of certain felonies, including nonviolent crimes such as forgery and timber theft, attorneys say in new court papers. Most of the people affected are disenfranchised for life because the state provides few options for restoring ballot access. “Mississippi’s harsh and unforgiving felony disenfranchisement scheme is a national outlier,” attorneys representing some who lost voting rights said in an appeal filed Wednesday. They wrote that states “have consistently moved away from lifetime felony disenfranchisement over the past few decades.” This case is the second in recent years — and the third since the late 19th century — that asks the Supreme Court to overturn Mississippi’s disenfranchisement for some felonies. The cases use different legal arguments, and the court rejected the most recent attempt in 2023. The new appeal asks justices to reverse a July ruling from the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which said Mississippi legislators, not the courts, must decide whether to change the laws. Stripping away voting rights for some crimes is unconstitutional because it is cruel and unusual punishment, the appeal argues. A majority of justices rejected arguments over cruel and unusual punishment in June when they cleared the way for cities to enforce bans on homeless people sleeping outside in public places. Attorneys who sued Mississippi over voting rights say the authors of the state’s 1890 constitution based disenfranchisement on a list of crimes they thought Black people were more likely to commit. A majority of the appeals judges wrote that the Supreme Court in 1974 reaffirmed constitutional law allowing states to disenfranchise felons. About 38% of Mississippi residents are Black. Nearly 50,000 people were disenfranchised under the state’s felony voting ban between 1994 and 2017. More than 29,000 of them have completed their sentences, and about 58% of that group are Black, according to an expert who analyzed data for plaintiffs challenging the voting ban. Related Articles National Politics | Trump convinced Republicans to overlook his misconduct. But can he do the same for his nominees? National Politics | Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad National Politics | Trump gave Interior nominee one directive for a half-billion acres of US land: ‘Drill.’ National Politics | Trump’s team is delaying transition agreements. What does it mean for security checks and governing? National Politics | Judge delays Trump hush money sentencing in order to decide where case should go now To regain voting rights in Mississippi, a person convicted of a disenfranchising crime must receive a governor’s pardon or win permission from two-thirds of the state House and Senate. In recent years, legislators have restored voting rights for only a few people. The other recent case that went to the Supreme Court argued that authors of Mississippi’s constitution showed racist intent when they chose which felonies would cause people to lose the right to vote. In that ruling, justices declined to reconsider a 2022 appeals court decision that said Mississippi remedied the discriminatory intent of the original provisions in the state constitution by later altering the list of disenfranchising crimes. In 1950, Mississippi dropped burglary from the list. Murder and rape were added in 1968. The Mississippi attorney general issued an opinion in 2009 that expanded the list to 22 crimes, including timber larceny, carjacking, felony-level shoplifting and felony-level writing bad checks. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote in a 2023 dissent that Mississippi’s list of disenfranchising crimes was “adopted for an illicit discriminatory purpose.”Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100 ATLANTA (AP) — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent roughly 22 months in hospice care. The Georgia peanut farmer served one turbulent term in the White House before building a reputation as a global humanitarian and champion of democracy. He defeated President Gerald Ford in 1976 promising to restore trust in government but lost to Ronald Reagan four years later amid soaring inflation, gas station lines and the Iran hostage crisis. He and his wife Rosalynn then formed The Carter Center, and he earned a Nobel Peace Prize while making himself the most internationally engaged of former presidents. The Carter Center said he died peacefully Sunday afternoon in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’ PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — The 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, James Earl Carter Jr., died Sunday at the age of 100. His life ended where it began, in Plains, Georgia. He left and returned to the tiny town many times as he climbed to the nation’s highest office and lost it after four tumultuous years. Carter spent the next 40 years setting new standards for what a former president can do. Carter wrote nearly a decade ago that he found all the phases of his life challenging but also successful and enjoyable. The Democrat's principled but pragmatic approach defied American political labels, especially the idea that one-term presidents are failures. What we know about the deadly passenger jet crash in South Korea SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean officials are investigating the crash landing of a passenger jet that's one of the deadliest disasters in that nation's aviation history. Transport Ministry officials said the airport control tower issued a bird strike warning to the plane shortly before it intended to land and gave its pilot permission to land in a different area on Sunday. The Boeing 737-800 skidded off the runway, crashed into a barrier and burst into flames. All but two of the 181 people on board died. The Jeju Air passenger plane was flying from Bangkok to the town of Muan, about 180 miles south of Seoul, when the crash happened. South Korean authorities seek warrant to detain impeached President Yoon in martial law probe SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean law enforcement officials have requested a court warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol as they investigate whether his short-lived martial law decree this month amounted to rebellion. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military authorities into the power grab that lasted only a few hours, confirmed it requested the warrant on Monday. Investigators plan to question Yoon on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion. In Gaza's crowded tent camps, women wrestle with a life stripped of privacy DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza City (AP) — For Gaza’s women, the hardships of life in the territory’s sprawling tent camps are compounded by the daily humiliation of never having privacy. Women struggle with how to dress modestly while crowded into a tent with extended family and in-laws, including men, and with strangers only steps away in neighboring tents. Access to period products is limited, so women and girls cut up sheets or old clothes to use as pads. They have to navigate sharing makeshift toilets, usually only a hole in the sand surrounded by sheets dangling from a line, with dozens of other people. Syria's de facto leader says it could take up to 4 years to hold elections BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s de facto leader has said it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans on dissolving his Islamist group that led the country’s insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria, made the remarks in an interview Sunday. That's according to the Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya. It comes almost a month after a lightning insurgency led by HTS overthrew President Bashar Assad’s decades-long rule, ending the country’s uprising-turned civil war that started back in 2011. Tornadoes in Texas and Mississippi kill 2 and injure 6 as severe weather system moves east HOUSTON (AP) — A strong storm system is threatening to whip up tornadoes in parts of the U.S. Southeast, a day after severe weather claimed at least two lives as twisters touched down in Texas and Mississippi. Strong storms moving eastward Sunday are expected to continue producing gusty, damaging winds, hail and tornadoes through Sunday. That is according to National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira. So far, the line of severe weather has led to about 40 tornado reports from southeastern Texas to Alabama, Pereira said, but those reports remain unconfirmed until surveys of damage are completed. Azerbaijan's president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev says the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally. Aliyev told Azerbaijani state television on Sunday that the aircraft was hit by fire from the ground over Russia and rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare. He accused Russia of trying to “hush up” the issue for several days. The crash on Wednesday killed 38 of 67 people on board. Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Aliyev on Saturday for what he called a “tragic incident” but stopped short of acknowledging Moscow’s responsibility. Brace for turbulence: Lessons from a bumpy 'super year' of global elections LONDON (AP) — Some 70 countries that are home to half the world’s population held elections in 2024, and voters' message was often: “You’re fired.” From India and the United States to Japan, France and Britain, voters tired of economic disruption and global instability rejected sitting governments. Adding to a year of democratic turmoil were mass protests in Mozambique and Georgia, an election annulled in Romania and an attempt to impose martial law in South Korea. Cas Mudde, a professor of international affairs at the University of Georgia, summed up 2024 as “a great year for the far right, a terrible year for incumbents and a troublesome year for democracy around the world.”On April 1, four years ago, piqued by the incessant jokes in the village at his expense, Bandu Barve decided he’d had enough. It was time for him to turn ‘smart’. His dead granny’s voice rang in his ears — “Read the papers, Bandya, they tell you all.” So, off went Bandu to the stash of newspapers on his father’s desk. As luck would have it, the first paper Bandu got his hands on was The Hindu businessline . The stock recos, in particular, had him in thrall. Soon, Bandu metamorphosed into an ace investor and trader. These days, Bandu picks five stocks each Sunday, which he believes will be blockbusters over the next week. Here’s your chance to match step with Bandu. Guess the stock that will give the best return by next Friday (BSE prices). By this Wednesday noon, mail us your pick and its expected price rise to bandublockbuster@gmail.com with your name, mobile number and address. One lucky winner will get a prize of ₹2,000. To know the winner selection process, please click: https://tinyurl.com/Bandu-selection Bandu’s picks One 97 Communications NALCO Phoenix Mills NLC India V.I.P. Industries Last week’s winner: Ajay V Menon Last week’s winning stock: Indian Hotels Closing price (Nov 14): ₹1,831.05 Closing price (Nov 22): ₹1,864 Return: 7.85 per cent Comments