(BPT) - This article was sponsored and developed by Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting movement and posture that begins in early childhood development. It is the most common cause of motor disability in children, affecting about one in 345 children in the United States. 1-2 It may happen as a result of lack of oxygen during or around birth, stroke, infection, a problem with metabolism or other problems that cause injury or affect the development of parts of the brain involved in movement control in the first few years of life. 3 CP is a permanent condition, affecting a person for their entire life. People living with CP typically have motor problems, which may include spasticity (abnormal muscle tightness), dyskinesia (uncontrolled movements) or ataxia (poor muscle control), and many people have a mix of these motor disorders. 4 Dyskinesia due to CP (DCP) is one of the most disabling forms of CP and impacts approximately 10% to 20% of people living with CP. 5-6 According to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation (CPF), the combination of irregular and unpredictable movements (chorea) and twisting and repeating movements (dystonia) often disrupt activities and cause significant functional impairment, including the ability to maintain balance, walk or fine motor control. 7 Heather Riordan, M.D., Neurologist and Movement Disorders Specialist, Director of the Phelps Center for Cerebral Palsy at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, discusses the symptoms of chorea and impact on patients in a video shared on the CPF website here . About 30% of people with DCP are affected mostly by these involuntary and irregular movements (chorea), while dystonia is the predominant motor finding in the remaining 70%. 8 However, it is common for both chorea and dystonia movements to be present together. 6 For people living with DCP, these movements can occur in any region of the body, including the arms and legs, torso and face and may vary in severity. They are often triggered or made worse by stimulation or stress. Because dyskinesia can occur at rest and/or when actively using the body, the problems with movement are very burdensome in day-to-day living, with discomfort and pain affecting the quality of life for people and their caregivers. 9 Jen Lyman, mom to a son with DCP, highlights how dyskinesia makes communicating more difficult. "The most difficult thing about dyskinesia is watching my son struggle to do things that he wants to do, but the extra movements get in the way...special things, such as using a touch screen to video chat with his grandmother, are nearly impossible despite his best efforts to use his hands and fingers. Something so simple, yet so special for him should be effortless." DCP has a wide-ranging impact on the individual, including lifelong challenges with movement, a higher risk of other medical issues, a higher rate of mental health challenges and difficulties with communication. 10-12 "Those of us who have the privilege to serve patients with dyskinetic, hyperkinetic or mixed cerebral palsy see the functional impact of this very challenging type of tone every day," said Susan Biffl, M.D., Rehabilitation Medicine Specialist at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego and Assistant Professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "Patients face challenges with self-care, independence, mobility, communication, fine motor skills that affect occupational and recreational activities, swallowing, social interactions and even sleep. As this tone is variable, it is much more challenging to treat than more consistent tone issues, such as spasticity." Treatment Options There are currently no Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for DCP. Dystonia and chorea are often managed separately as they respond differently to various treatments, which can make treatment challenging. 3 Most drugs being investigated for DCP have focused on dystonia, and more research is needed to determine potential treatments for chorea. New treatment options are needed to help manage these movement disorders and improve daily function and quality of life for those affected. "After 20 years of caring for individuals with cerebral palsy, I continue to find those with dyskinetic cerebral palsy among the most challenging to treat, largely due to the limited effectiveness of available pharmacologic options," said Joyce Oleszek, M.D., Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado School of Medicine. "There is an urgent need for more robust evidence to support pharmacologic treatments for this condition, given its profound impact on function, comfort and quality of life." Ongoing Research Clinical studies are important in the development of treatment options, allowing researchers to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of new medicines. The data from clinical studies are used to determine if an investigational treatment can be approved for use to treat certain disorders. There are ongoing clinical studies evaluating potential treatments for DCP, including one for chorea. Neurocrine Biosciences is conducting the KINECT ® -DCP clinical study, a Phase 3, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study investigating the study drug, valbenazine, for the treatment of DCP. The clinical study is currently enrolling children, adolescents and adults six to 70 years of age who have been diagnosed with DCP. "The Cerebral Palsy Foundation is excited to partner with Neurocrine Biosciences on this study," said Rachel Byrne, Executive Director of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. "We are proud to support strong research that can potentially bring meaningful change to the lives of those living with cerebral palsy." If you or someone you know may be eligible for this research study, please visit the study website for additional information here: FindADCPStudy.com . REFERENCES © 2024 Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. All Rights Reserved. CAP-NBI-US-0115 12/2024 NBI-98854-DCP3018_11DecMatRelease_v1.0_25November2024Atlanta activist sentenced for aiding Russian propaganda efforts in the U.S.
Sometimes "Beautiful Things" come from social media. On Tuesday, Dec. 11, posted a video on his featuring giving him a rubdown before one of their shows on the In the clip, , the "Sugar Sweet" musician, 22, appears shirtless in a pair of white pants with his arms spread like wings. Teddy Swims applies moisturizer to Benson Boone in new video. — Pop Crave (@PopCrave) Related: While he's standing there, the "Lose Control" singer, 32, can be seen rubbing his abs down with moisturizer in a black muscle tee and jeans. "There's no better moisturizer than @teddyswims," Boone captioned the visual. The "Slow It Down" performer and the "Devil in a Dress" artist have both been performing at the 2024 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour, the radio network's annual holiday celebration of pop music. This month, the tour has been making stops in Dallas, Chicago, Detroit, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Miami — with lineups varying at each date. This year's Jingle Ball lineup features artists including , , and more, which Getty(2) "Nearly 30 years ago, iHeartRadio New York's Z100 introduced Jingle Ball, the first ever NYC holiday concert with the biggest artists of the year performing their #1 hits," said iHeartMedia's chief programming officer Tom Poleman and president of entertainment enterprises John Sykes in a joint statement. Added Poleman and Sykes: "The show quickly became a holiday tradition and has now grown into a nationwide multi-city sold out tour that we bring back to fans every year." Related: Boone released his debut studio album in April 2024. Its lead single "Beautiful Things" reached the No. 2 spot on the Hot 100. Since the album's release, he's even gotten to perform his smash hit with at Hangout Fest in Alabama, per “It was the craziest thing ever,” he told the outlet, adding: “I had so much fun.” Swims is set to release the second part of his debut album, , on Jan. 24, 2025. He initially released the first part of the record, , in 2023. Read the original article on
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PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HP (NYSE: HPQ) Notes to table Information about HP Inc.'s use of non-GAAP financial information is provided under "Use of non-GAAP financial information" below. Net revenue and EPS results HP Inc. and its subsidiaries ("HP”) announced fiscal 2024 net revenue of $53.6 billion, down 0.3% (down 0.2% in constant currency) from the prior-year period. Fiscal 2024 GAAP diluted net EPS was $2.81, down from $3.26 in the prior-year and above the previously provided outlook of $2.62 to $2.72. Fiscal 2024 non-GAAP diluted net EPS was $3.38, up from $3.28 in the prior-year period and within the previously provided outlook of $3.35 to $3.45. Fiscal 2024 non-GAAP net earnings and non-GAAP diluted net EPS exclude after-tax adjustments of $564 million, or $0.57 per diluted share, related to restructuring and other charges, acquisition and divestiture charges, amortization of intangible assets, debt extinguishment costs, non-operating retirement-related credits, tax adjustments, and the related tax impact on these items. Fourth quarter net revenue was $14.1 billion, up 1.7% (up 2.3% in constant currency) from the prior-year period. Fourth quarter GAAP diluted net EPS was $0.93, down from $0.97 in the prior-year period and above the previously provided outlook of $0.74 to $0.84. Fourth quarter non-GAAP diluted net EPS was $0.93, up from $0.90 in the prior-year period and within the previously provided outlook of $0.89 to $0.99. Fourth quarter non-GAAP net earnings and non-GAAP diluted net EPS excludes after-tax adjustments of $6 million, or nil per diluted share, related to restructuring and other charges, acquisition and divestiture charges, amortization of intangible assets, debt extinguishment costs, non-operating retirement-related credits, tax adjustments, and the related tax impact on these items. "We are pleased with our Q4 performance where we saw revenue growth for the second consecutive quarter, driven by steady progress in Personal Systems and Print,” said Enrique Lores, HP President and CEO. "With momentum heading into FY25, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the commercial opportunity and lead the future of work.” "In FY24 we drove non-GAAP EPS and free cash flow growth which allowed us to return approximately $3.2 billion to shareholders,” said Karen Parkhill, HP CFO. "As we look ahead, we are well positioned to deliver solid growth across revenue, non-GAAP net earnings, EPS and free cash flow in FY25. And given our confidence in the future, we are raising our annual dividend by 5 percent.” Asset management HP generated $3.7 billion in net cash provided by operating activities and $3.3 billion of free cash flow in fiscal 2024. Free cash flow includes net cash provided by operating activities of $3.7 billion adjusted for net investments in leases from integrated financing of $165 million and net investments in property, plant and equipment of $592 million. HP utilized $2.1 billion of cash during fiscal 2024 to repurchase approximately 62.7 million shares of common stock in the open market. When combined with the $1.1 billion of cash used to pay dividends, HP returned 96% of its free cash flow to shareholders in fiscal 2024. HP's net cash provided by operating activities in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024 was $1.6 billion. Accounts receivable ended the quarter at $5.1 billion, up 2 days quarter over quarter at 33 days. Inventory ended the quarter at $7.7 billion, down 4 days quarter over quarter to 63 days. Accounts payable ended the quarter at $16.9 billion, up 7 days quarter over quarter to 138 days. HP generated $1.5 billion of free cash flow in the fourth quarter. Free cash flow includes net cash provided by operating activities of $1.6 billion adjusted for net investments in leases from integrated financing of $42 million and net investments in property, plant and equipment of $153 million. HP's dividend payment of $0.2756 per share in the fourth quarter resulted in cash usage of $263 million. HP also utilized $900 million of cash during the quarter to repurchase approximately 25.4 million shares of common stock in the open market. HP exited the quarter with $3.3 billion in gross cash, which includes cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and short-term investments of $3 million included in other current assets. Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash includes $15 million of restricted cash related to amounts collected and held on behalf of a third party for trade receivables previously sold. The HP board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.2894 per share on the company's common stock, payable on January 2, 2025 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 11, 2024. This is the first dividend of HP's 2025 fiscal year and represents an increase of 5% from the prior dividend. Fiscal 2024 fourth quarter segment results For the fiscal 2025 first quarter, HP estimates GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $0.57 to $0.63 and non-GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $0.70 to $0.76. Fiscal 2025 first quarter non-GAAP diluted net EPS estimates exclude $0.13 per diluted share, primarily related to restructuring and other charges, acquisition and divestiture charges, amortization of intangible assets, non-operating retirement-related credits, tax adjustments, and the related tax impact on these items. For fiscal 2025, HP estimates GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $3.06 to $3.36 and non-GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $3.45 to $3.75. Fiscal 2025 non-GAAP diluted net EPS estimates exclude $0.39 per diluted share, primarily related to restructuring and other charges, acquisition and divestiture charges, amortization of intangible assets, non-operating retirement-related credits, tax adjustments, and the related tax impact on these items. For fiscal 2025, HP anticipates generating free cash flow in the range of $3.2 to $3.6 billion. More information on HP's earnings, including additional financial analysis and an earnings overview presentation, is available on HP's Investor Relations website at investor.hp.com . HP's FY24 Q4 earnings conference call is accessible via audio webcast at www.hp.com/investor/2024Q4Webcast . About HP Inc. HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) is a global technology leader and creator of solutions that enable people to bring their ideas to life and connect to the things that matter most. Operating in more than 170 countries, HP delivers a wide range of innovative and sustainable devices, services and subscriptions for personal computing, printing, 3D printing, hybrid work, gaming, and more. For more information, please visit http://www.hp.com . Use of non-GAAP financial information To supplement HP's consolidated condensed financial statements presented on a generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP”) basis, HP provides net revenue on a constant currency basis, non-GAAP total operating expense, non-GAAP operating profit, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP other income and expenses, non-GAAP tax rate, non-GAAP net earnings, non-GAAP diluted net EPS, free cash flow, gross cash and net cash (debt) financial measures. HP also provides forecasts of non-GAAP diluted net EPS and free cash flow. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are included in the tables below or elsewhere in the materials accompanying this news release. In addition, an explanation of the ways in which HP's management uses these non-GAAP measures to evaluate its business, the substance behind HP's decision to use these non-GAAP measures, the material limitations associated with the use of these non-GAAP measures, the manner in which HP's management compensates for those limitations, and the substantive reasons why HP's management believes that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors is included under "Use of non-GAAP financial measures” after the tables below. This additional non-GAAP financial information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net revenue, operating expense, operating profit, operating margin, other income and expenses, tax rate, net earnings, diluted net EPS, cash provided by operating activities or cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash prepared in accordance with GAAP. Forward-looking statements This document contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. If the risks or uncertainties ever materialize or the assumptions prove incorrect, they could affect the business and results of operations of HP Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries which may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, projections of net revenue, margins, expenses, effective tax rates, net earnings, net earnings per share, cash flows, benefit plan funding, deferred taxes, share repurchases, foreign currency exchange rates or other financial items; any projections of the amount, timing or impact of cost savings or restructuring and other charges, planned structural cost reductions and productivity initiatives; any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations, including, but not limited to, our business model and transformation, our sustainability goals, our go-to-market strategy, the execution of restructuring plans and any resulting cost savings (including the fiscal 2023 plan), net revenue or profitability improvements or other financial impacts; any statements concerning the expected development, demand, performance, market share or competitive performance relating to products or services; any statements concerning potential supply constraints, component shortages, manufacturing disruptions or logistics challenges; any statements regarding current or future macroeconomic trends or events and the impact of those trends and events on HP and its financial performance; any statements regarding pending investigations, claims, disputes or other litigation matters; any statements of expectation or belief as to the timing and expected benefits of acquisitions and other business combination and investment transactions; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Forward-looking statements can also generally be identified by words such as "future,” "anticipates,” "believes,” "estimates,” "expects,” "intends,” "plans,” "predicts,” "projects,” "will,” "would,” "could,” "can,” "may,” and similar terms. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could affect our business and results of operations include factors relating to HP's ability to execute on its strategic plans, including the previously announced initiatives, business model changes and transformation; the development and transition of new products and services and the enhancement of existing products and services to meet evolving customer needs and respond to emerging technological trends, including artificial intelligence; the use of artificial intelligence; the impact of macroeconomic and geopolitical trends, changes and events, including the ongoing military conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East or tensions in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea and the regional and global ramifications of these events; volatility in global capital markets and foreign currency, increases in benchmark interest rates, the effects of inflation and instability of financial institutions; risks associated with HP's international operations and the effects of business disruption events, including those resulting from climate change; the need to manage (and reliance on) third-party suppliers, including with respect to supply constraints and component shortages, and the need to manage HP's global, multi-tier distribution network and potential misuse of pricing programs by HP's channel partners, adapt to new or changing marketplaces and effectively deliver HP's services; the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its suppliers, customers, clients and partners, including logistical challenges with respect to such execution and performance; the competitive pressures faced by HP's businesses; the impact of third-party claims of IP infringement; successfully innovating, developing and executing HP's go-to-market strategy, including online, omnichannel and contractual sales, in an evolving distribution, reseller and customer landscape; successfully competing and maintaining the value proposition of HP's products, including supplies and services; challenges to HP's ability to accurately forecast inventories, demand and pricing, which may be due to HP's multi-tiered channel, sales of HP's products to unauthorized resellers or unauthorized resale of HP's products or our uneven sales cycle; the hiring and retention of key employees; the results of our restructuring plans (including the fiscal 2023 plan), including estimates and assumptions related to the cost (including any possible disruption of HP's business) and the anticipated benefits of our restructuring plans; the protection of HP's intellectual property assets, including intellectual property licensed from third parties; disruptions in operations from system security risks, data protection breaches, or cyberattacks; HP's ability to maintain its credit rating, satisfy its debt obligations and complete any contemplated share repurchases, other capital return programs or other strategic transactions; changes in estimates and assumptions HP makes in connection with the preparation of its financial statements; the impact of changes to federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations, including environmental regulations and tax laws; integration and other risks associated with business combination and investment transactions; our aspirations related to environmental, social and governance matters; potential impacts, liabilities and costs from pending or potential investigations, claims and disputes; the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting; and other risks that are described in HP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023 and HP's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). HP's fiscal 2023 plan includes HP's efforts to take advantage of future growth opportunities, including but not limited to, investments to drive growth, investments in our people, improving product mix, driving structural cost savings and other productivity measures. Structural cost savings represent gross reductions in costs driven by operational efficiency, digital transformation, and portfolio optimization. These initiatives include but are not limited to workforce reductions, platform simplification, programs consolidation and productivity measures undertaken by HP, which HP expects to be sustainable in the longer-term. These structural cost savings are net of any new recurring costs resulting from these initiatives and exclude one-time investments to generate such savings. HP's expectations on the longer-term sustainability of such structural cost savings are based on its current business operations and market dynamics and could be significantly impacted by various factors, including but not limited to HP's evolving business models, future investment decisions, market environment and technology landscape. As in prior periods, the financial information set forth in this document, including any tax-related items, reflects estimates based on information available at this time. While HP believes these estimates to be reasonable, these amounts could differ materially from reported amounts in HP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal years ending October 31, 2024 and October 31, 2025, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ending January 31, 2025, and HP's other filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements in this document are made as of the date of this document and HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements. HP's Investor Relations website at investor.hp.com contains a significant amount of information about HP, including financial and other information for investors. HP encourages investors to visit its website from time to time, as information is updated, and new information is posted. The content of HP's website is not incorporated by reference into this document or in any other report or document HP files with the SEC, and any references to HP's website are intended to be inactive textual references only. Editorial contacts HP Inc. Media Relations [email protected] HP Inc. Investor Relations [email protected] CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS (Unaudited) (In millions, except per share amounts)With Thanksgiving now in the rearview mirror, we now are all set to be treated to an early holiday gift in the form of high school basketball season in the Pioneer Athletic Conference. A couple of local squads kicked things off over Thanksgiving weekend, while the rest of the bunch will join the party this week. Before the Mercury gets out on the game trail, let’s take a closer, team-by-team look at how the dozen PAC schools are shaping up entering the 2024-25 season: LIBERTY DIVISION Boyertown Head coach: Travis Miller, fourth season Last year’s record: 7-14 overall, 2-11 PAC, 1-9 Liberty Key contributors: Trey Kern, Sr.; Keeshawn Copeland, Sr.; Cooper Rath, Jr.; Joey Schreiner, Jr. Outlook: Last season, Boyertown started hot out of the gate, winning four of its first five games including the team’s conference opener against OJR. An eight-game losing skid knocked the Bears a bit off their axis; now, in 2024-25, the team is hoping some early growing pains leads to more consistency as the season progresses into 2025. Boyertown loses three senior starters in Jack Greaves, Braedyn Johnson and Brant Rath, all of whom averaged between 9-10 PPG, but does return senior all-league selection and leading scorer Trey Kern (12.1 PPG). Fellow senior Keeshawn Copeland is another strong guard who can dictate tempo in the backcourt, while juniors Cooper Rath and Joey Schreiner are light on varsity experience but heavy on potential. And while the Bears don’t return many varsity minutes, early returns on team chemistry have been promising. “One thing (head) Coach (Travis) Miller has been preaching all offseason has been ‘strength in numbers,’” said assistant coach Dan Hoff. “There are guys we’re not sure about yet because they don’t have a ton of varsity experience, but we’re still hoping they can step up and help out. We’re going to play some young guys and hope for the best. “This is one of the closest teams I’ve ever been around. The way they pick each other up and have each other’s backs is enjoyable to be around. In some ways it’s kind of an ‘ignorance is bliss thing’ and they can just go out and play. It’s no secret we want to push for a spot in the league and district playoffs as a measuring stick on whether or not it was a successful season.” The Bears dropped their first game of the season 57-26 to Conrad Weiser. Methacton Head coach: Pat Lockard, fifth season Last year’s record: 19-9 overall, 10-3 PAC, 8-2 Liberty; finished fifth in District 1-6A playoffs, lost to Archbishop Wood in first round of PIAA playoffs Key contributors: Sal Iemmelo, Sr. PG; Mason Conrad, Jr. G; Wes Robinson, Jr. wing; Jahmir Carter, Jr. F; Jack Lineen, So. G Outlook: All Pat Lockard has done in his four years as Methacton’s head coach is win, doing so at a 70 percent clip with a district playoff win in each season and two PIAA berths to show for it. The expectations will be similar this season, though the Warriors will need to figure out how to replace multiple key contributors. Leading scorer Christian Matos (17.2 PPG) transferred to Archbishop Carroll, and other program stalwarts such as all-league selection Alex Hermann (12.0 PPG; now playing at Arcadia), proven leader Anthony Daddazio (7.9 PPG) and sharpshooter Manny Rodriguez all graduated from last year’s 19-win squad. Methacton returns two starters in senior point guard Sal Iemmelo (11.1 PPG) and junior guard Mason Conrad, as well as junior wing Wes Robinson. Sophomore guard Jack Lineen and 6-3 junior football player Jahmir Carter are also expected to play quality minutes in the rotation. “We have some key pieces to replace but are confident in the guys we have to replace them,” Lockard said. “An area of strength is our variety of ballhandlers – guys who can attack the basket and break down defenders. We should be balanced at guard/wing, but on the flip side we don’t have a lot of size. “Our guys are itching to win a PAC championship. Last year we felt that we left something on the table. Otherwise, we’re gunning for a top 10 spot in the district, which is something that is achievable but certainly not easy. We need to execute the little things and buy in.” Norristown Head coach: Chris Podsobinski, second season Last year’s record: 12-11 overall, 7-6 PAC, 4-6 Liberty; lost to Pottstown in PAC playoffs Key contributors: Tyson Tuggle, Sr.; Wade Scott, Sr.; Pete Van Duyne, So. Outlook: After accepting the Norristown head coaching job late in the summer of 2023, Chris Podsobinski is most excited with the continuity year two will bring — even if it’s with a majority of new faces. The Eagles were senior-heavy in 2023-24 and graduated their entire starting lineup: Myon Kirlew (17.2 PPG), Jayden Byrd (16.9), Rashon Giddens (9.4), Kevin Bonds (9.2) and Miles Daniels (7.0). Senior Tyson Tuggle, a consistent shooter who was the team’s sixth man last season, ascends to the top chair this year and will be charged with leading a youthful Eagles squad on and off the court. Senior Wade Scott was Norristown’s JV MVP a season ago, and fellow JV stalwart Pete Van Duyne turned heads as a freshman. After that, it’s a lot of unknowns, which is just fine for Podsobinski. “I wish we had another month, because we were *this* close (to figuring it out),” Podsobinski said. “Last year we had two guys who scored 17 per game, whereas now no one’s ‘the guy.’ If these young guys can grow quickly, I think we can do some things. If it’s more of a learning curve, then next year we’ll be primed to do some things. We’re excited to re-mold stuff. “It’s not a one or two-man show. They’re still learning and feeling each other out right now, but the way we play together as a group has been encouraging. These guys are unselfish.” Norristown, which won its season-opener over Collegium Charter, went 0-6 against Spring-Ford, Methacton and Perkiomen Valley last season. If the Eagles can flip some of those results to wins, then Podsobinski believes his team will be in the hunt for both league and district playoffs. Perkiomen Valley Head coach: Mike Poysden, 13th season Last year’s record: 20-7 overall, 10-3 PAC, 7-3 Liberty; lost to CB East in District 1-6A second round Key contributors: Jakob Harken, Sr. G; Anthony Rodriguez, Sr. G; Colin Hollingsworth, Sr. F; Jon Boyd, Jr. G; Ty Hoppenwasser, So. F Outlook: This will be a very different-looking Perk Valley team that ended the 2023-24 season, with Julian Sadler, Josh Tagert, Kyle Shawaluk, Ryan Murphy and Sean Wagoner all graduating. Sadler, in particular, will be a tough loss to overcome as his 1,450 career points are third-most in program history and his 22.7 points per game average last season ranked second in the PAC. Harken, a 6-4 Rochester Institute of Technology commit, brings the most varsity experience and worked tirelessly this offseason to become the top guy in the team’s hierarchy. Anthony Rodriguez, Colin Hollingsworth and Jon Boyd all bring toughness to the table as PV football players, with the latter in his first year at Perk Valley after transferring from Malvern Prep. There is a lot of new, yes, but that doesn’t mean the normally high expectations within the program have fallen by the wayside. “I’m excited about the effort and intensity we are bringing into our improvement,” Poysden said. “With a lot of new contributors to the varsity level, it is an enjoyable process to play through and coach them through their new roles and expectations. We believe we can compete with anyone on our schedule and look forward to challenging ourselves throughout the year. “Our goal each year is to try to earn the right to play extra basketball. If we commit to constant improvement and playing for our teammates, we expect to find success.” The Vikings split their first two contests of this season, knocking off CB South and falling to CB West. Pope John Paul II Head coach: Earl Wise, second season Last year’s record: 12-11 overall, 6-7 PAC, 6-4 Frontier (PJP is moving to the Liberty Division in 24-25); won District 1-4A championship, lost to Overbrook in OT in PIAA first round Key contributors: Jake Robinson, Sr. F; Ayden Wise, Jr. PG; Jason Green, Jr. G; Bradey Bass, Sr.; Zahaid Edwards-Boone, Jr.; Jack Kessler, Jr.; CJ Hestick, Jr. Outlook: Pope John Paul II is entering the 2024-25 season with a David versus Goliath mentality. After winning a District 1-4A championship and losing in overtime in the opening round of the state playoffs, the Golden Panthers have earned the right to play with the big boys as they get set to join the Liberty Division. Second-year head coach Earl Wise is excited for the opportunity, even if his son, junior Ayden (6.7 PPG), is one of just two returning starters. Gone is leading scorer Dom DeMito, as are Caleb Zavertnik and Braden Reed. That said, Earl Wise still has plenty of returning talent to work with — senior Jason Green (8.2 PPG) made 42 3-pointers last season, which was tied for sixth in the PAC. Elsewhere, senior forward Jake Robinson is an inside-outside threat who Wise referred to as PJP’s “glue guy.” Others with experience include senior forward Denny Owens, the other returning starter, and juniors CJ Hestick and Jack Kessler. Transfers Zahaid Edwards-Boone (Upper Merion) and Damian Savior (Renaissance Academy) should also factor into the rotation. While PJP is a smaller school than Methacton, Spring-Ford or Perk Valley, the team’s speed, defensive effort and shooting prowess will make it dangerous against any opponent. “The guys have been meshing in the offseason,” Earl Wise said. “We look at moving divisions as a great opportunity to go into environments where it’s hard to play and improve. Our league play will be like a postseason game every night, which is good. On any given night in high school basketball, any one team can beat another, and you’re not going to be able to duplicate in practice the pace we play at. “One of our strengths will be physical toughness. Our bodies are prepared. We’re going to shoot the ball really well at all three levels. We missed the PAC playoffs last year, so a successful season for us would be getting into the dance. Once you get in, anything can happen.” PJP is off to a 2-0 start, knocking off both CB West (64-41) and CB South (68-63). Spring-Ford Head coach: Joe Dempsey, fourth season Last year’s record: 23-8 overall, 12-1 PAC, 9-1 Liberty; PAC runner-up, finished ninth in District 1-6A playoffs, lost to Archbishop Wood in PIAA quarterfinals Key contributors: Jacob Nguyen, Sr. G/F; Tommy Kelly, Sr. F/C; Jordan Marsilio, Sr. G; Luke Pufko, Sr. G; Blake Turner, Jr. G/F; Syaire Barnes, Jr. G Outlook: Spring-Ford has won 51 games over the past two seasons, playing for a district title in 2023 and making deep state runs in both 2023 (semifinals) and 2024 (quarterfinals). While the Rams certainly lost a lot of talent from last year’s group, they also have two experienced seniors who can score and fourth-year head coach Joe Dempsey said his staff believes this Spring-Ford team is the deepest iteration they’ve had. Gone is EJ Campbell, last year’s Mercury Boys Basketball Player of the Year who developed into a two-way star while averaging almost 15 points per game. Key reserve Jake Dellangelo also graduated, senior Matt Zollers broke his ankle playing football in the fall, and Oben Mokonchu and Lymir Green transferred to Friends’ Central and Cardinal O’Hara, respectively. Luckily for Dempsey, he does return senior G/F Jacob Nguyen, the team’s leading scorer at 15.0 per game who made a league-best 64 triples last season. Nguyen has added to his game every season at Spring-Ford, and he enters his final run as perhaps the PAC’s best player. Joining him is fellow senior Tommy Kelly, a 6-5 do-it-all player who averaged 10 PPG in 23-24. Senior Jordan Marsilio was a spark plug off the bench a season ago, while senior Luke Pufko and junior Blake Turner both played varsity minutes off the bench. Junior guard Syaire Barnes has drawn rave reviews since the summer and Dempsey believes he can fill some of the scoring void. “The challenge is getting guys to remember the hard work, intensity, energy, process and practice habits we put in,” Dempsey said. “Nothing happens by accident, and they seem to be coachable thus far. I’m confident the leadership and culture we have will help continue to make some noise in our league. If we focus on our league, the rest will take care of itself. “My biggest question is what are we going to be defensively? We’ve been really good defensively the last couple of years, and we have to get guys to realize they have to play both ends of the court all the time on every possession. We’ve got to figure out who’s willing to commit to and embrace that.” FRONTIER DIVISION Owen J. Roberts Head coach: Ben Condello, fourth season Last year’s record: 8-14 overall, 2-11 PAC, 1-9 Liberty (OJR is moving to the Frontier Division in 24-25) Key contributors: Elijah Cline, Sr.; Danny Walker, Jr.; Ryan Holmburg, Sr.; Dazh’mair Rose, Jr.; Ryan Simpson, Fr. Outlook: The Wildcats’ eight wins last season were the most for the program since the 2017-18 season, and fourth-year head coach Ben Condello seeks to keep the good vibes rolling as OJR flips divisions to the Frontier. The team will have to figure out how to replace three starters, most importantly Luke Fryer, a first team all-league and all-area player who was the PAC’s leading scorer at 23.2 PPG. Fryer is the third-leading scorer in program history and one of six Wildcats to reach 1,000 career points. OJR also graduated Colin King and his 9.0 PPG but returns its second (Cline, 10.1 PPG) and fourth-leading (Walker, 7.0 PPG) scorers. Cline can throw it down at the rim, while Walker converted 35 3-pointers in 2023-24. Condello is also excited about the development of Holmburg, Rose and Simpson, with the latter proving early on to be a freshman who plays with a poise beyond his years. “The guys we have back are hungry for the opportunity,” Condello said. “They want to be one of the top 24 teams in District 1-6A and crack double-digit wins. We lost four games where we were tied or led in the fourth quarter; if we win two of those, we’re in the playoffs for just the second time in 15 years. The big thing we talk about is our culture and making sure we’re working together and doing things the right way. “If we come in every day with purpose, focus and effort, then the results will take care of themselves. We’ll continue to improve and think we have a great chance at districts.” OJR is off to a 1-1 start to its season, defeating MaST Charter and losing to Upper Moreland over Thanksgiving weekend. Phoenixville Head coach: Eric Burnett, 11th season Last year’s record: 20-8 overall, 10-3 PAC, 9-1 Frontier; won PAC championship, finished third in District 1-5A, lost to Whitehall in PIAA first round Key contributors: Deacon Baratta, Sr. F; Brady O’Donnell, Sr. G; Jehoash Leo, Sr; Stephen Yurich, Jr.; Jacoby Smith, So.; Keron Booth Jr., So. Outlook: Last year was a banner season for the Phoenixville program. The Phantoms won their first PAC title since 2007, defeating Spring-Ford in a last-second thriller, before proceeding to finish third in District 1-5A and cracking the state playoffs, where they lost to Whitehall in round one. Last year’s team lost a lot of talent, namely forward and leading scorer and rebounder Max Lebisky (16.7 PPG), now playing at the University of Scranton. Second team all-league selection Christian Cervino (10.8 PPG) also graduated, while emerging star and second-leading scorer Dawson Brown (12.7 PPG) decided to transfer to Episcopal Academy. Luckily for 11th-year head coach Eric Burnett, the Phantoms do bring back first team all-league forward Deacon Baratta, a 6-7 inside-outside threat who made 38 3-pointers last season. Baratta added muscle in the offseason to replace some of the rebounding and blocked shots down low left by Lebisky while also challenging himself to be a more vocal leader. Senior guard Brady O’Donnell is the other top returning vet who came off the bench as a junior and registered the game-winning assist in the PAC title game on Lebisky’s game-winning layup. Sophomore Keron Booth Jr. played a good amount of minutes as a freshman and will be Phoenixville’s primary ballhandler. Other raw but talented players who should factor into the rotation include senior Jehoash Leo, junior Stephen Yurick and sophomore Jacoby Smith. “Last year’s group was really unique,” Burnett said. “I think our mentality has to continue to hunt for our own legacy and have that hunter’s mentality instead of just trying to defend a championship. Every team wants to win the PAC and make districts and states, but we have to stay hungry and we have a group of guys who can do that. “We’re very deep, which is a good problem to have. Last year we had size across the board, and now it’s kind of the opposite: we have one 6-7 guy in Deacon and a bunch of scrappy guards and skilled playmakers. We want to play fast, up-tempo basketball that’s also under control. Situational basketball has to be sharp, and this team has a lot of really good kids who love the game. I couldn’t be more excited for these new and familiar faces to step into the spotlight.” Pottsgrove Head coach: Scott Palladino, fourth season Last year’s record: 11-11 overall, 4-9 PAC, 3-7 Frontier Key contributors: Kamal Curry, Sr. F/C; Julius Marshall, Sr. G/F; Deymein Doctor, Jr. G/F; Bryce Phillips, Jr. F; Greg Rosenberger, Jr. G Outlook: Pottsgrove has improved incrementally in each of head coach Scott Palladino’s first three seasons, going from six wins to seven to 11 last year. Now, with three multi-year starters back in the fold, the Falcons have their sights set on PAC and district playoff berths, the latter of which they missed by one game last season. Leading scorer Gabe Rinda (10.5 PPG) graduated, but three-year starters Deymein Doctor (9.2 PPG) and Julius Marshall (7.1 PPG) and two-year starter Kamal Curry (6.9 PPG) all return, while Bryce Phillips and Greg Rosenberger are a pair of juniors who have been in the program since they were freshmen. “We’ve had a lot of success in our non-league games and have struggled in the league for different reasons,” Palladino said. “There’s no excuses this year. Hopefully we’ve learned from our mistakes and are ready to hit the ground running. Our goal is to get into the PAC final six, and we feel if we come to play every night then we can obtain that. As a whole, the team has grown a lot. “We’ll be at our best getting up and down the floor, pressuring teams on defense and getting out and running in transition. We have some shooters who can also slow you down in the halfcourt offense. The buy-in is there, and they want to play in the postseason. They had a taste of winning and now want to keep building on what they attained last year. I think we can surprise some people this year.” The Falcons won their season opener, a 59-55 decision over Antietam. Pottstown Head coach: Ken Ivory, fourth season Last year’s record: 19-9 overall, 10-3 PAC, 8-2 Frontier; finished sixth in District 1-5A, lost to Imhotep Charter in PIAA first round Key contributors: Syncere Whitehurst, Jr. G; Elias Butler, Jr. F; Jahmir Jackson, Sr.; Kam Robinson Outlook: Last year went about as well as possible for Pottstown. The Trojans won 19 games, won a game in the PAC playoffs, finished sixth in District 1-5A and made it back to the state tournament for the first time since 2007. This year, meanwhile, will be more about figuring out how to maintain the expectation of being a playoff team without the services of all five starters from last season. Twin brothers Abdul Jackson (18.2 PPG) and Sadeeq Jackson (16.8 PPG) were pure scorers, while Jurrell Young (14.9 PPG, 48 3-pointers), Dillon Mayes (6.7 PPG) and Nahzier Booker (now playing football at Bloomsburg) all brought something to the table. Jahmir Jackson, the younger brother of Abdul and Sadeeq, averaged 8.1 PPG in eight games a season ago, while Syncere Whitehurst, Elias Butler and Kam Robinson are additional holdovers who saw some time on the court. Head coach Ken Ivory said there are four or five players from the Pottstown football team who all possess different skill sets set to join the program as well. Nearly everything will be new; all, that is, except the renewed culture of success that Ivory has reinstalled after many down seasons. “It’s important for us to have another successful season for Pottstown basketball,” Ivory said. “I know last year was awesome, but how we follow that up is also important to our program leading down the road. We have 9-10 guys who can play, and it’s a good challenge for us as coaches to see where they fit in and how they can impact the game. “Right now our strength is guarding the ball and being active defensively. We won’t be a lights out shooting team as we have the past two seasons, but our defense can lead to offense. If we’re making shots on the outside, we’ll be really hard to beat. Now, it’s all about these guys finding their own way. It’s going to take a group effort, and I’m anxious to see how it unfolds. We have so much basketball talent in our town, it’s just a matter finding and unlocking it.” Upper Merion Head coach: Matt Rafferty, first season Last year’s record: 8-12 overall, 5-8 PAC, 4-6 Frontier Key contributors: David Peck, Sr.; Danny Hill, Sr.; Chase O’Donnell, Sr.; Isaiah Robinson, Jr.; Kylee Hill, Jr.; Eric Green, So. Outlook: Like many of its other PAC Frontier rivals, Upper Merion graduated a glut of seniors from last year’s team, including its top three leading scorers in Allen Cole, Nick Smiley and Josh Nguyen. First-year head coach Matt Rafferty says he expects the senior trio of David Peck, Danny Hill and Chase O’Donnell to lead a very young group low on varsity experience. Peck has the most varsity experience, while Danny Hill is a lightning-quick point guard who plays strong defense and O’Donnell is the team’s “Mr. Everything” in terms of doing all of the dirty, physical work. Players lighter on experience who Rafferty sees potential in include juniors Isaiah Robinson and Kylee Hill and sophomore Eric Green, all of whom bring enviable athleticism and raw talent to the table. Rafferty said this team will sink or swim based on its defensive effort and will not try to be something it’s not, i.e. a team that beats you by scoring in the 70s and 80s. “We understand this season may come with ups and downs, but as long as they buy in then we’ll be in every game,” Rafferty said. “If we buy in early then we can be a pretty decent defensive team. We want to slow down the pace, run when we can and play a style of hard-nosed defense. We have a good opportunity to turn some heads, but it’s going to take hard work.” Upper Perkiomen Head coach: John Brittain, first season Last year’s record: 2-20 overall, 0-13 PAC, 0-10 Frontier Key contributors: Darius Reid, So.; Vincent Gallasi, Sr.; Connor Gehman, Sr.; Robert Rice, Sr.; Tucker Ruch, Jr.; Jordin Dice, Jr.; Grayson Sabo, So.; Jack Rieg, So. Outlook: For first-year head coach John Brittain, the only way to go is up this season for Upper Perkiomen. The Indians graduated eight seniors from last year’s squad, so the 2024-25 campaign represents a fresh start for almost everybody involved. Brittain, also the school’s boys golf coach, has an early focus on fixing the basketball program’s processes and building from the community’s feeder systems on up. “I am excited and humbled to lead our basketball program at Upper Perkiomen,” Brittain said. “Wins have been few and far between over the past five seasons. My staff and I will tackle this challenge with an abundance of energy and enthusiasm. We are fortunate to have a great group of kids who work hard, play together and are committed to being the foundation of great things to come in the future.”
US stocks take a breather, Asian bourses rise in post-Christmas tradeVivek Ramaswamy , one of the leaders of the Trump administration ’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, blamed a series of 1990s TV sitcoms for what he saw as a decline in U.S. dynamism in science and technology, leading tech companies to hire more qualified foreign-born and first-generation workers over their mentally lazy American counterparts. “A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers,” he wrote in a post on X pock-marked with misspellings. “A culture that venerates Cory from Boy Meets World or Zach & Slater over Screech in Saved by the Bell, or ‘Stefan’ over Steve Urkel in Family Matters will not produce the best engineers,” he noted. Ramaswamy, who himself is the child of immigrants to the U.S. , argued that the nation needs a new “Sputnik moment” to spur domestic advancement in science and technology. “We’ve awaken from slumber before & we can do it again,” Ramaswamy added. “Trump’s election hopefully marks the beginning of a new golden era in America, but only if our culture fully wakes up.” his comments are part of wider tensions that have been exposed in recent days within the Trump coalition, which includes both far-right anti-immigration views, and an increasing embrace of the tech industry, whose workforce is highly diverse and made up of many immigrants and first-generation Americans. During the campaign, Trump doubled down on his long history of “America First” nativism and racism, calling for “ bloody ” mass deportations, the end of birthright citizenship , and claiming immigrants were “ poisoning the blood of the country .” Those stances have contrasted with the reality of the tech world of Trump’s key ally Elon Musk in which foreign-born workers in the U.S. in 2021 made up nearly 20 percent of the overall STEM workforce and nearly 60 percent of doctorate-level computer scientists, mathematicians, and engineers across fields, according to the National Science Foundation . Musk has recently lamented the state of U.S. engineering talent, triggering outrage from the Trump base. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent,” Musk wrote on Wednesday on X. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” The “number of people who are super talented engineers AND super motivated in the USA is far too low,” he later added . “Think of this like a pro sports team: if you want your TEAM to win the championship, you need to recruit top talent wherever they may be. That enables the whole TEAM to win.” That tirggered pushback on social media. “Nobody should come from another country taking American citizens’ jobs,” responded one user with the display name Constitutionalist America First, who said they worked in the internet technology field and had witnessed American workers lose status. “This needs more vetting as a policy prior to going ahead with it as it is not America Citizens First.” “There has been a permanent opposition in the heartland (and most of the country, frankly) to helping out talented kids from poorer or rural areas,” another user, whose profile picture showed a red MAGA hat, added. “Americans have been locked out for decades in a sick game that puts our interests last.” The Trump base’s hostility to immigrants also prompted criticism from social media users of the president-elect’s choice of adviser on artificial intelligence for his administration, Indian-American venture capitalist Sriram Krishnan. The attacks prompted the pro-Trump Shaun Maguire, a fellow venture capitalist, to defend Krishnan. “Sriram has a huge heart and is very talented — I’m sad he’s the one who stepped on this landmine,” Maguire wrote on X on Wednesday, while claiming new immigrants needed to be “skilled” and “assimilate to American culture,” lest the U.S. become the “3rd world.” “America is lucky to have him and so many other immigrants — our ancestors were all immigrants,” he added. Trump’s own, lesser known history with migrant workers adds further complications to these debates. Despite attaching much of his political rise to opposing immigration, Trump’s companies have also regularly employed undocumented people .Moment World Darts Championship clash is stopped as fan downs whole jug of beer – but then gets kicked out of Ally Pally
6,000 inmates escape from prison during unrest in MozambiqueNoneis a man of many talents on the basketball court, but he proved in a New York City park he's also trying to be talented on the chessboard too. On Saturday morning, hours after the star had 19 points, seven rebounds and six blocks in , Wembanyama asking if anyone wanted to meet him at the popular southwest corner Washington Square Park in Manhattan to play chess. Well sure enough, the 7-foot-3-inch big man showed up − even in the rain. People on social media took photos of Wembanyama playing chess with people, and it wasn't hard to spot him considering his height. A small crowd gathered to watch him play against some local competition. POV: You’re playing chess with on a Saturday morning in Washington Square Park ♟️🗽 — NBA (@NBA) A good day for chess ♟️ — San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) Victor Wembanyama is playing Chess in NY! — PJ Hoops (@RealPjHoops) Wemby pulled up to NYC to play chess ♟️ — Chess.com (@chesscom) x.com Wembanyama later with the people that came out to play with and watch him. "Thanks for everyone who pulled up in the rain," he said. Thanks for everyone who pulled up in the rain 😂🔥 — Wemby (@wemby) Clearly the Spurs had some free time to spend in New York City after Friday night's win. San Antonio is currently on a four-game road trip that concludes on Sunday at the Minnesota Timberwolves.
SINGER Dua Lipa is going into 2025 as a bride-to-be after boyfriend Callum Turner proposed. Pals told The Sun the pair quietly got engaged and are planning to celebrate with their friends and family on New Year’s Eve . 4 Stunning singer Dua Lipa is going into 2025 as a bride-to-be Credit: Getty 4 Dua and Callum Turner quietly got engaged and are planning to celebrate on New Year's Eve Credit: Getty 4 The singer posted a snap on Instagram of her wearing a ring on her engagement finger It caps off a great 2024 for Dua, 29, and actor Callum, 34, who have been dating since the start of the year. A source said: “ Dua and Callum are so in love and know this is forever. “They are engaged and couldn’t be happier. “Dua has had one of the best years of her career professionally and this is the cherry on the cake. READ MORE ON DUA LIPA DUA YEAR'S EVE Dua Lipa to host New Year's Eve bash with star guests including Harry Styles training season Dua Lipa sizzles as she strips off to stockings and fur coat “Callum is such a solid support for Dua and they make a wonderful couple. Their family and friends are so happy. It’s been an amazing Christmas for them.” Dua, whose hits include New Rules, Physical and Houdini, posted a snap on Instagram of her wearing a ring on her engagement finger. She has just finished the first leg of her stadium tour and returned to the UK from Asia to spend Christmas with family and Callum. Last week The Sun revealed Dua and Callum were planning a big New Year’s Eve bash in London. It will now be a chance for them to celebrate their engagement. Most read in Celebrity ST MIRREN 2 RANGERS 1 Boyd-Munce stuns Gers with winner deep into added time in Paisley CHRISTMAS CHAOS 'Car crash' leaves dozens of households without power on Christmas Day FAN FEAR Celtic vs Motherwell clash suspended after medical emergency in stands SORE YIN Hearts v Hibs delayed after linesman is struck in face as fans say 'I felt that!' An insider added: “Dua and Callum have gone all out with this party. “It’s in a top-secret location with all their famous pals invited, along with their families. “It will be a New Year’s Eve party no one will ever forget, especially for Callum and Dua .” Dua Lipa becomes unlikely poster girl for naturism after recommending nudist beach in Cornwall They were first seen together in January at an after-party for the premiere of his Apple TV miniseries Masters of the Air. They danced in Beverly Hills before they were photographed together for the first time days later — having dinner with friends in Los Angeles. Callum joined Dua’s family this summer as she headlined at Glastonbury, and was also at several recent gigs, including one at the Royal Albert Hall. 4 Dua and Callum's NYE bash in London will now be a chance for them to celebrate their engagement Credit: splash newsDALLAS (AP) — More than 60 years after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated , conspiracy theories still swirl and any new glimpse into the fateful day of Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas continues to fascinate . President-elect Donald Trump promised during his reelection campaign that he would declassify all of the remaining government records surrounding the assassination if he returned to office. He made a similar pledge during his first term, but ultimately bended to appeals from the CIA and FBI to keep some documents withheld. At this point, only a few thousand of the millions of governmental records related to the assassination have yet to be fully released, and those who have studied the records released so far say that even if the remaining files are declassified, the public shouldn't anticipate any earth-shattering revelations. “Anybody waiting for a smoking gun that’s going to turn this case upside down will be sorely disappointed,” said Gerald Posner, author of “Case Closed,” which concludes that assassin Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. Friday's 61st anniversary is expected to be marked with a moment of silence at 12:30 p.m. in Dealey Plaza, where Kennedy's motorcade was passing through when he was fatally shot. And throughout this week there have been events marking the anniversary. When Air Force One carrying Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy touched down in Dallas , they were greeted by a clear sky and enthusiastic crowds. With a reelection campaign on the horizon the next year, they had gone to Texas on political fence-mending trip. But as the motorcade was finishing its parade route downtown, shots rang out from the Texas School Book Depository building. Police arrested 24-year-old Oswald and, two days later, nightclub owner Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer. A year after the assassination, the Warren Commission, which President Lyndon B. Johnson established to investigate the assassination, concluded that Oswald acted alone and there was no evidence of a conspiracy. But that hasn't quelled a web of alternative theories over the decades. In the early 1990s, the federal government mandated that all assassination-related documents be housed in a single collection in the National Archives and Records Administration. The collection of over 5 million records was required to be opened by 2017, barring any exemptions designated by the president. Trump, who took office for his first term in 2017, had boasted that he'd allow the release of all of the remaining records but ended up holding some back because of what he called the potential harm to national security. And while files have continued to be released during President Joe Biden's administration, some still remain unseen. The documents released over the last few years offer details on the way intelligence services operated at the time, and include CIA cables and memos discussing visits by Oswald to the Soviet and Cuban embassies during a trip to Mexico City just weeks before the assassination. The former Marine had previously defected to the Soviet Union before returning home to Texas. Mark S. Zaid, a national security attorney in Washington, said what's been released so far has contributed to the understanding of the time period, giving “a great picture” of what was happening during the Cold War and the activities of the CIA. Posner estimates that there are still about 3,000 to 4,000 documents in the collection that haven’t yet been fully released. Of those documents, some are still completely redacted while others just have small redactions, like someone's Social Security number. There are about 500 documents where all the information is redacted, Posner said, and those include Oswald's and Ruby’s tax returns. “If you have been following it, as I have and others have, you sort of are zeroed in on the pages you think might provide some additional information for history,” Posner said. Trump's transition team hasn’t responded to questions this week about his plans when he takes office. From the start, there were those who believed there had to be more to the story than just Oswald acting alone, said Stephen Fagin, curator of the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, which tells the story of the assassination from the building where Oswald made his sniper's perch. “People want to make sense of this and they want to find the solution that fits the crime," said Fagin, who said that while there are lingering questions, law enforcement made “a pretty compelling case” against Oswald. Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said his interest in the assassination dates back to the event itself, when he was a child. “It just seemed so fantastical that one very disturbed individual could end up pulling off the crime of the century," Sabato said. “But the more I studied it, the more I realized that is a very possible, maybe even probable in my view, hypothesis.”SAN DIEGO, Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robbins LLP reminds investors that a class action was filed on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired PACS Group, Inc. PACS (a) common stock in connection with the Company's April 11, 2024 initial public offering ("IPO"), or (b) securities between April 11, 2024 and November 5, 2024. PACS Group, through its subsidiaries, operates senior care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted living facilities in the United States. 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 PACS Group, Inc. (PACS) Misled Investors Regarding its Reimbursement and Referral Practices According to the complaint, during the class period, defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) that the Company engaged in a "scheme" to submit false Medicare claims which "drove more than 100% of PACS' operating and net income from 2020 – 2023"; (2) that the Company engaged in a "scheme" to "bill thousands of unnecessary respiratory and sensory integration therapies to Medicare"; and (3) that the Company engaged in a scheme to falsify documentation related to licensure and staffing. Plaintiff alleges that on November 4, 2024, Hindenburg Research published a report containing allegations to support these contentions. On this news, the Company's share price fell $11.93, or over 27%, to close at $31.01 per share on November 4, 2024. Plaintiff further alleges that on November 6, 2024, the Company announced that it would postpone its fiscal third quarter 2024 earnings release. The Company further disclosed it had "received civil investigative demands from the federal government regarding the Company's reimbursement and referral practices that may or may not be related to this week's third-party report." On this news, the Company's share price fell $11.45 or 38.76%, to close at $18.09 per share on November 6, 2024. By the commencement of this action, PACS Group stock has traded as low as $18.09 per share, a more than 13.9% decline from the $21 per share IPO price. What Now : You may be eligible to participate in the class action against PACS Group, Inc. Shareholders who want to serve as lead plaintiff for the class must submit their application to the court by January 13, 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 PACS Group, 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. Contact: Aaron Dumas, Jr. Robbins LLP 5060 Shoreham Pl., Ste. 300 San Diego, CA 92122 adumas@robbinsllp.com (800) 350-6003 www.robbinsllp.com https://www.facebook.com/RobbinsLLP/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/robbins-llp A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/df72c5de-b967-4398-a6fc-4ae81407137a © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Blue day for retail following ransomware attack
Article content For many politicians and political parties, 2024 was a horrible, awful, nasty, no-good year. Incumbent politicians and political parties, that is. The year 2024 was the worst year ever – ever – for incumbents, the political scientists tell us. Either they all lost ground, or they plain old lost. It was nasty, brutish and (sometimes) short-sighted. The reasons are myriad and multiple, as they always are. But topping the list are the surging cost of living, and the surging numbers of migrants. Both issues made voters cranky, everywhere. (Elites, too. Voters got really mad at the elites.) All of this was very good news for politicians or a political parties challenging incumbents. All they needed to do is maintain a pulse, most of the time, and they’d win. That’s the big caveat attached to this year’s “winners” list. They may be political winners, but – in many cases – they didn’t actually earn it. They just had to show up and be the anti-incumbent. 1. Pierre Poilievre: Poll after poll show the Conservative Party dramatically ahead of Justin Trudeau’s Liberals. Interestingly, poll after poll also showed more voter enthusiasm for the Conservative Party than for the Conservative Party’s leader. That may be because voters don’t really know Poilievre, yet. Or, maybe they do, and they find the Mr. Angry stuff wearying. But it doesn’t really matter. At this point, Poilievre is going to win the biggest majority in event Canadian history, which makes him a big winner. 2. Donald Trump: This writer deeply detests Donald Trump, and so do many of the 75 million Americans who voted against him. But he won, decisively – despite two impeachments, one criminal conviction, and one civil finding that he sexually assaulted a woman. To win despite (and perhaps because) of those things also makes Trump a very big winner, indeed. Until the midterms (when the Democrats come roaring back) or until J.D. Vance wins the Oval (when he dislodges Trump using the 25th Amendment, perhaps), Trump remains an undisputed winner. 3. Doug Ford: Justin Trudeau and most of the Premiers have dropped the ball on the aforementioned Trump’s insane tariff threats. Pierre Poilievre has done very well. But Ontario’s Premier? He’s been transformed into Captain Canada by the issue – appearing on American TV shows to defend us, leading Team Canada, getting up in Trump’s grill. Aided and abetted by smart staffers (hello, Patrick, Ivana and Travis), Ford has been terrific, and accordingly looks to be a shoe-in for re-election in 2025. 4. Chrystia Freeland: The former Finance Minister may have been complicit in Justin Trudeau’s serial scandals and missteps but this month, all of that changed. Firing off a rocket disguised as a letter, Freeland blew a hole in Trudeau’s fiscal record, his professed feminism and his legacy. She also made it impossible for former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney to be shoehorned into cabinet. It was mean, it was nasty, and it was politically brilliant. A winning move. 5. Israel – not Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who still faces three separate corruption prosecutions. No, the undisputed international winners are Israel’s military and intelligence forces, who have effectively reduced Hamas to a rump, eviscerated Hezbollah with exploding pagers, and dramatically reduced Iran’s influence in the region. Other potential threats loom ahead for the Jewish state in 2025 – such as an al-Qaeda offshoot taking control of Syria – but 2024 saw Israel responding to the horrors of Oct. 7, 2023 with ferocity and justification. It was overdue and needed. There you go: 2024’s big winners. They are all likely to keep on winning in the new year. Next up: the losers of 2024!
Last week, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot to death on a New York City sidewalk in what was clearly a thoroughly planned-out attack. Over the next few days, as authorities hunted for the killer, online progressives did not try hard to hide their delight that a millionaire health insurance executive like Thompson was killed. Social media was flooded with posts and videos—with different ranges of subtlety—suggesting that Thompson, at the very least, did not deserve to be mourned because of all the health care his company has denied to poor and working people. Progressives framed the shooting as an act of self-defense on behalf of the working class. Before the alleged killer was caught Monday, they promised not to snitch if they saw the shooter themselves and fantasized about a working-class jury nullifying all charges, leading to other CEOs getting gunned down with impunity if they oversaw price increases. The narrative that these online progressives clearly subscribe to and perpetuate is one where, in the United States, healthcare is a totally unfettered, unregulated industry; where—because of a total lack of government involvement—wealthy CEOs charge whatever prices they want and then refuse to provide customers what they already paid for without facing any bad consequences. The characterization of healthcare and health insurance companies charging absurdly high prices while treating their customers terribly without the risk of losing them is spot on. But the idea that what caused this was a lack of government involvement in the healthcare system is completely delusional. And this delusion conveniently removes all the responsibility progressives bear for the nightmare that is the US healthcare system. Today, healthcare is one of the most heavily government-regulated industries in the economy—right up there with the finance and energy sectors. Government agencies are involved in all parts of the process, from the research and production of drugs, the training and licensing of medical professionals, and the building of hospitals to the availability of health insurance, the makeup of insurance plans, and the complicated payment processes. And that is nothing new. The US government has been intervening heavily in the healthcare industry for over a century. And no group has done more to bring this about than the progressives. It really began, after all, during the Progressive Era, when the American Medical Association maneuvered its way into setting the official accreditation standards for the nation’s “unregulated” medical schools. The AMA wrote standards that excluded the medical approaches of their competitors, which forced half of the nation’s medical schools to close. The new shortage of trained doctors drove up the price of medical services—to the delight of the AMA and other government-recognized doctor’s groups—setting the familiar healthcare affordability crisis in motion. Around the same time, progressives successfully pushed for strict restrictions on the production of drugs and, shortly afterward, to grant drug producers monopoly privileges. After WWII, as healthcare grew more expensive, the government used the tax code to warp how Americans paid for healthcare. Under President Truman, the IRS made employer-provided health insurance tax deductible while continuing to tax other means of payment. It didn’t take long for employer plans to become the dominant arrangement and for health insurance to morph away from actual insurance into a general third-party payment system. These government interventions restricting the supply of medical care and privileging insurance over other payment methods created a real affordability problem for many Americans. But the crisis didn’t really start until the 1960s when Congress passed two of the progressive’s favorite government programs—Medicare and Medicaid. Initially, industry groups like the AMA opposed Medicare and Medicaid because they believed the government subsidies would deteriorate the quality of care. They were right about that, but what they clearly didn’t anticipate was how rich the programs would make them. Anyone who’s taken even a single introductory economics class could tell you that prices will rise if supply decreases or demand increases. The government was already keeping the supply of medical services artificially low—leading to artificially high prices. Medicare and Medicaid left those shortages in place and poured a ton of tax dollars into the healthcare sector—significantly increasing demand. The result was an easily predictable explosion in the cost of healthcare. Fewer and fewer people could afford healthcare at these rising prices, meaning more people required government assistance, which meant more demand, causing prices to grow faster and faster. Meanwhile, private health “insurance” providers were also benefiting from the mounting crisis. In a free market, insurance serves as a means to trade risk. Insurance works well for accidents and calamities that are hard to predict individually but relatively easy to predict in bulk, like car accidents, house fires, and unexpected family deaths. Health insurance providers were already being subsidized by all the taxes on competing means of payment, which allowed their plans to grow beyond the typical bounds of insurance and begin to cover easily-predictable occurrences like annual physicals. And, as the price of all of these services continued to shoot up, the costs of these routine procedures were becoming high enough to resemble the costs of emergencies—making consumers even more reliant on insurance. With progressives cheering on, the political class used government intervention to create a healthcare system that behaves as if its sole purpose is to move as much money as possible into the pockets of healthcare providers, drug companies, hospitals, health-related federal agencies, and insurance providers. But the party could not last forever. As the price of healthcare rose, the price of health insurance rose, too. Eventually, when insurance premiums grew too high, fewer employers or individual buyers were willing to buy insurance, and the flow of money into the healthcare system started to falter. The data suggests that that tipping point was reached in the early 2000s. For the first time since the cycle began back in the 1960s, the number of people with health insurance began to fall each year. Healthcare providers—who had seemingly assumed that the flow of money would never stop increasing—began to panic. Then came Barack Obama. Obama’s seminal legislative accomplishment—the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare—can best be understood as a ploy by healthcare providers and the government to keep the party going. Obamacare required all fifty million uninsured Americans to obtain insurance, and it greatly expanded what these “insurance” companies covered. Demand for healthcare shot back up, and the vicious cycle started back up again—which is why the bill enjoyed so much support from big corporations all across the healthcare industry. Before it was passed, economists were practically screaming that the Affordable Care Act would make care less affordable by raising premiums and healthcare prices while making shortages worse. Progressives dismissed such concerns as Reagan-era “free market fundamentalist” propaganda. But that is exactly what happened . Now, the affordability crisis is worse than ever as prices reach historic levels. And, because Obamacare brought American healthcare much closer to a single-payer system, the demand for healthcare far exceeds the supply of healthcare—leading to deadly shortages. There are literally not enough resources or available medical professionals to treat everyone who can pay for care. Also, the tax code and warped “insurance” market protect these providers from competition—making it almost impossible for people to switch to a different provider after their claims are unfairly denied. If it were simply greed, denying customers who already paid would be a feature in all industries. But it’s not. It requires the kind of policy protections progressives helped implement. And on top of all that, despite paying all this money, Americans are quickly becoming one of the sickest populations on Earth. This is one of the most pressing problems facing the country. A problem that requires immediate, radical change to solve. But it also requires an accurate and precise diagnosis—something that, this week, progressives demonstrated they are incapable of making. Related Articles Commentary | John Stossel: Your tax dollars not at work Commentary | After so many years of failure, time’s up for California Democrats Commentary | Vince Fong: We don’t need Newsom to lecture us. We need him to listen to us. Commentary | Deregulation rather than fossil fuel controls needed to fix California insurance market Commentary | The FBI has been political from the start The American progressive movement is responsible for providing the political class the intellectual cover they needed to break the healthcare market and transform the entire system into a means to transfer wealth to people like Brian Thompson. Now, they want to sit back, pretend like they’ve never gotten their way, that the government has never done anything with the healthcare market, and that these healthcare executives just popped up and started doing this all on their own—all so they can celebrate him being gunned down in the street. It’s disgusting. Brian Thompson acted exactly like every economically literate person over the last fifty years has said health insurance CEOs would act if progressives got their way. If we’re ever going to see the end of this century-long nightmare, we need to start listening to the people who have gotten it right, not those who pretend they are blameless as they fantasize online about others starting a violent revolution. Connor O’Keeffe ( @ConnorMOKeeffe ) produces media and content at the Mises Institute. This commentary is republished with permission from the Mises Institute.PATRIOTIC Nathan Aspinall set up an England versus Germany clash with Ricardo Pietreczko on Monday. But his third-round clash with Andrew Gilding was briefly interrupted by a punter who downed a JUG of booze! Two-time semi-finalist, 33, reached the Last 16 of the PDC World Darts Championship for the first time in five years with a 4-0 stuffing of Goldfinger that saw him nail 60 per cent of his doubles. The Stockport thrower – who is taking his family on a trip to Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland on Sunday – said: “I’m in the Last 16 and it’s England v Germany. “It will be great. The German fans love the darts – it will be a nice little divide. “There will be lots of football vibes. I love all that atmosphere and cannot wait. Hopefully we can put in a great show.” Both players stopped throwing during the final leg because the whole crowd were cheering loudly as one bloke drank his alcoholic beverage in one swift go. The Asp joked: “He was chugging a jug. Normally you chug a pint. But this guy had a four-pint jug. “I was just intrigued to see if he could finish it – he did and then he got kicked out. So fair play. “Unbelievable. And then I missed the board, going for the 18.” BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER S Reacting on social media to the beer-chugging stoppage, one fan said: "Aspinall knows how to entertain, even during intense moments..." A second said: "The Asp the people’s champion." A third added: "Greatest sport on earth." Another said: "No other sport like it!" Berlin-born Pietreczko knocked out Lincolnshire’s Scott Williams 4-1 – a year after the Englishman’s careless comments about winning “two World Wars and one World Cup” in relation to German fans. Pikachu, 30, said: “There are so many fans with tickets from Germany here and it makes for a great atmosphere. “It was probably about 50-50 and it was very enjoyable to play against Scott with this crowd. “I was very close to beating Luke Humphries last year but I am in the Last 16 now and I look forward to meeting him again in the semi-finals!” Unseeded Ryan Joyce flew the flag for the North East by beating Ryan Searle – who averaged 100.97 – 4-3 in round three. READ MORE on all the build-up to the Ally Pally extravaganza... All the info: News, features and interviews:
UConn coach Dan Hurley told reporters Tuesday that star forward Alex Karaban is out for Wednesday's top-25 matchup against visiting Baylor. Karaban was transported to a hospital in Hawaii last Wednesday after sustaining a head injury during an 85-67 loss to Dayton on the final day of the Maui Invitational. Karaban hit the floor after being fouled on a contested layup with approximately 2 1/2 minutes left in the second half. He was later cleared to fly home with the rest of the team on Thursday. The junior sat out Saturday's 99-45 win over Maryland Eastern Shore, but now he will miss a more important game that pits the No. 25 Huskies (5-3) against the No. 15 Bears (5-2) in the Big 12-Big East Battle. Karaban has been UConn's leading scorer (15.9 ppg), adding 4.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. A starter for each of the Huskies' last two national championship-winning seasons, Karaban owns career averages of 11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Jaylin Stewart drew into the starting lineup in Karaban's place against UMES. --Field Level MediaDENVER (AP) — So you're the most valuable player of that annual Thanksgiving Day backyard flag football game. Or played tackle football on any level. Or ran track. Or dabbled in basketball. Or toyed with any sport, really. Well, this may be just for you: USA Football is holding talent identification camps all over the country to find that next flag football star. It's “America’s Got Talent” meets “American Idol,” with the stage being the field and the grand prize a chance to compete for a spot on a national team. Because it’s never too early to start planning for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where flag football will make its Summer Games debut. Know this, though — it's not an easy team to make. The men's and women's national team rosters are at “Dream Team” status given the men’s side has captured six of the last seven world championships and the women three in a row. To remain on top, the sport's national governing body is scouring every football field, park, track, basketball court and gym to find hidden talent to cultivate. USA Football has organized camps and tryouts from coast to coast for anyone ages 11 to 23. There are more than a dozen sites set up so far, ranging from Dallas (Sunday) to Chicago (Dec. 14) to Tampa (March 29) to Los Angeles (TBD) and the Boston area (April 27), where it will be held at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The organization has already partnered with the NFL on flag football initiatives and programs. The numbers have been through the roof, with engagement on social media platforms increasing by 86% since flag football was announced as an Olympic invitational sport in October 2023 . The participation of boys and girls ages 6 to 17 in flag football last year peaked at more than 1.6 million, according to USA Football research. “We pride ourselves on elevating the gold standard across the sport,” said Eric Mayes, the managing director of the high performance and national teams for USA Football. “We want to be the best in the world — and stay the best in the world.” Flag football was one of five new sports added to the LA28 program. The already soaring profile of American football only figures to be enhanced by an Olympic appearance. Imagine, say, a few familiar faces take the field, too. Perhaps even NFL stars such as Tyreek Hill or Patrick Mahomes, maybe even past pro football greats donning a flag belt for a country to which they may have ties. Soon after flag football's inclusion, there was chatter of NFL players possibly joining in on the fun. Of course, there are logistical issues to tackle before their inclusion at the LA Olympics, which open July 14, 2028. Among them, training camp, because the Olympics will be right in the middle of it. The big question is this: Will owners permit high-priced players to duck out for a gold-medal pursuit? No decisions have yet been made on the status of NFL players for the Olympics. For now, it's simply about growing the game. There are currently 13 states that sanction girls flag football as a high school varsity sport. Just recently, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles helped pave the way to get it adopted in Pennsylvania. Around the world, it's catching on, too. The women's team from Japan took third at the recent word championships, while one of the best players on the planet is Mexico quarterback Diana Flores . “Could flag football globally become the new soccer? That’s something to aspire to," said Stephanie Kwok , the NFL's vice president of flag football. This type of flag football though, isn't your Thanksgiving Day game with family and friends. There's a learning curve. And given the small roster sizes, versatility is essential. Most national team members need to be a version of Colorado’s two-way standout and Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter. Forget bump-and-run coverage, too, because there's no contact. None. That took some adjusting for Mike Daniels, a defensive back out of West Virginia who earned a rookie minicamp invitation with the Cleveland Browns in 2017. “If a receiver is running around, I’m thinking, ‘OK, I can kind of bump him here and there and nudge him,’” Daniels explained. “They’re like, ‘No, you can’t.’ I’m just like, ‘So I’m supposed to let this guy just run?!’ I really rebelled at the idea at first. But you learn.” The competition for an Olympic roster spot is going to be fierce because only 10 players are expected to make a squad. The best 10 will earn it, too, as credentials such as college All-American or NFL All-Pro take a backseat. “I would actually love" seeing NFL players try out, said Daniels, who's also a personal trainer in Miami. “I’m not going to let you just waltz in here, thinking, ‘I played NFL football for five years. I’m popular. I have a huge name.’ I’m still better than you and I'm going to prove it — until you prove otherwise.” Around the house, Bruce Mapp constantly swivels his hips when turning a hallway corner or if his daughter tries to reach for a hug. It’s his way of working on avoiding a “defender” trying to snare the flag. That approach has earned the receiver out of Coastal Carolina four gold medals with USA Football. The 31-year-old fully plans on going for more gold in Los Angeles. “You grow up watching Usain Bolt (win gold) and the ‘Redeem Team’ led by Kobe Bryant win a gold medal, you're always thinking, ‘That's insane.' Obviously, you couldn't do it in your sport, because I played football," said Mapp, who owns a food truck in the Dallas area. "With the Olympics approaching, that (gold medal) is what my mind is set on." It's a common thought, which is why everything — including talent camps — starts now. “Everybody thinks, ‘Yeah, the U.S. just wins,’” Daniels said. “But we work hard all the time. We don’t just walk in. We don’t just get off the bus thinking, ‘We’re going to beat people.’” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Manmohan Singh, the architect of India's economic reforms and former prime minister, expressed deep concerns over India's heavily regulated economy in a 2019 interview. He highlighted government overreach and identified regulators as having turned into controllers, predicting a potential economic slowdown. Singh served two terms from 2004 to 2014 and was known for his candor. He criticized the Narendra Modi administration's approach to economic policy, citing 'disruptive' decisions such as demonetisation, which he once described as 'organised loot and legalised plunder.' As news breaks of his death at 92, Singh leaves behind a legacy of reform and political candor, consistently advocating for scrutiny and transparency while warning of unaccountable governance. (With inputs from agencies.)