$2.7 billion would be pumped into Michigan roads under Republican planKarnataka plans to develop SWIFT City (Startups, Workspaces, Innovation, Finance, and Technology) in Sarjapura, Bengaluru, to foster integrated industrial development in the State. This will be Karnataka’s third major planned industrial hub after Electronic City and ITPL. The project involves reserving over 1,000 acres of land in the Sarjapura Industrial Area for this purpose. “Despite the presence of thousands of companies in Bengaluru, many stakeholders have expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of well-planned workspaces. To address this, we will provide 150-ft-wide connecting roads in Sarjapura and ensure world-class facilities, including residential clusters and schools,” said Karnataka’s Large and Medium Industries Minister MB Patil. Sarjapura has been identified for its strategic location, being close to National Highways 44 and 48, as well as its proximity to Bengaluru’s thriving IT hub. The envisioned city aims to become a start-up hotspot, featuring 8-10 Plug-and-Play infrastructure facilities, each spanning 20-25 acres. SWIFT City will offer offices, residential spaces, and co-working environments to support start-ups, creating a structured industrial network that fosters collaboration. Small and medium-sized start-ups will benefit from spaces ranging from 5,000 to 20,000 sq ft, available through lease, sale, or investment-sharing models. The city is hoped to become a leading hub for innovation in AI, data analytics, and fintech, the minister emphasises. Additionally, the government aims to transform Karnataka into a ‘Silicon State.’ Bengaluru is already recognised as the Silicon City, the objective is to extend this recognition across the entire State. To achieve this, plans are underway to develop five Mini KWIN Cities, including ones in Vijayapura and Hubballi-Dharwad, in collaboration with the IT/BT department. More details on these initiatives will be revealed at the Invest Karnataka conclave scheduled for February. “Innovative concepts are essential to attract investors. If we don’t take proactive steps, neighbouring States could gain an edge in securing investment opportunities. Our government is committed to staying ahead by ensuring investment inflows, employment generation, and economic growth,” he added. Comments
‘Let’s not panic’: Canada picks up the pieces after ugly Latvia loss at world juniorsSVN Capital was founded in 2018 by Shreekkanth “Shree” Viswanathan and is based on a global value equity strategy. The fund employs a concentrated portfolio approach aiming to achieve capital appreciation with minimum risk exposure. Table of Contents Investment Process What Makes SVN Capital Different Favorite Geographies Love for Family Owned Heico Investment Thesis Revisiting the Investment Four Years Later While the focus is on US equities, they also pay significant attention to opportunities in markets with corporate laws comparable to the US. Regarding the investment horizon, Shree prefers a “buy and hold” approach since frequent trades tend to disrupt the compounding gains. Hedge Fund Alpha Interview Shree for the Q4 2020 edition of Hidden Value Stocks and discuss SVN Capital's investment process. Also, Shree revealed one of the fund's investments made in the midst of a COVID crisis, Heico Corp (NYSE:HEI). On top of all we decided to revisit it four years later and how it handled that time frame. Investment Process SVN Capital keeps positions in sectors that can be assessed at least 10 years down the road, including consumer staples, financial services, and technology. These also fall in the fund's circle of competence, which is also an important factor when choosing investment targets. Quality of the business is the second piece of the puzzle required to make a decision to move with the investment. Target companies must have a sustainable long-term competitive advantage. Due to the fact that most companies battle with reversion to mean, SVN Capital is putting all their efforts into finding a small bracket of companies that do not have frequent issues with it. Important characteristics that a company must have are the generation of a high return on capital and the potential to reinvest it. Only through that process can the intrinsic value of the company grow. At the top of the priorities is also the quality of the management team. From his point of view and experience, the quality of the capital deployment decisions is higher in cases where managers have higher ownership stakes. And finally the business must be available at a reasonable price. To analyze the price, he uses several different metrics, because relying on only one cannot catch the whole picture. What Makes SVN Capital Different Viswanathan points out that SVN Capital has an investment platform that is not under the downturn influence of the three Ts of investing—turnover, transaction cost, and taxes. Through his career he also observed how funds operate, and one of the goals was to nullify the weaknesses he pinpointed. The most obvious one he has seen so many times is the lack of interest from hedge fund managers. Out of 15,000 mutual funds in existence at the moment, about 50% of them do not have any capital invested from the side of portfolio managers. This factor can have a significant impact on the fund's performance. On the other hand, he invested over 90% of his liquid capital into SVN Capital. Another factor is the time horizon that funds employ. While in the 1950s it was eight years on average, today it is just eight months, and one of the causes is the emergence of high-frequency trading. From SVN Capital comes a reassuring voice that the power of compounding is one that can generate meaningful gains but is currently disregarded by many. If we were to try to identify the reason why trades have become so frequent and holding periods shortened, the sheer amount of information would be on the top. But, in investing, dealing with more information usually results in lower returns. Richard Thaler, a prominent economist, gave a great example of this theory: if you analyze two groups of investors, in which one owns only equities (more volatility) and the other only bonds (less volatility), and you allow the first group to restructure the portfolio every five years, while the other can do it on a monthly basis, the first group delivers twice as good as the second group. From that, execs from SVN Capital came to the great conclusion: “Don’t do something. Just sit there!” What comes as complementary to the issues above is the over-diversification that hedge funds heavily rely on. Today, a fund on average has about 100 equity positions. While there is no formula or a right figure of positions to hold, SVN Capital follows a voice of reason coming from an industry heavyweight, Joel Greenblatt. According to Greenblatt, a portfolio with eight positions gets 81% of the benefits of diversification, while the maximum 96% comes from sixteen positions. Above that starts reducing this figure. While a more diverse portfolio may sound like an intelligent approach, in reality it becomes difficult to follow so many companies. SVN Capital prefers to keep a relatively concentrated portfolio of ten to fifteen names that are thoroughly researched. SVN Capital also made an unorthodox decision in regards to fee structure. In reality it has been a rule that hedge fund managers earn both management and performance fees. In SVN, managers only earn if the investment delivers gains, thus eliminating often significant management fees. Favorite Geographies SVN Capital has a wide global mandate when identifying investment opportunities, but they have a couple of rules they follow. The most important one is that the accounting language is English and that they follow GAAP or IFRS reporting standards. Since there are over 140 that follow one of these standards, they had to come out with specific boundaries. An important rule is the understanding of local governance and intellectual property laws. These should show that they will protect a minority investor and that the risk will not over time move from low to high. When taking these into account, SVN Capital spends most of the time analyzing markets in North America, Western and Eastern Europe, and specific advanced Asian countries. Japan, with its language barrier, is one of the countries that they avoid. Love for Family Owned Family-owned is the core value SVN Capital looks for, and the prime reason behind it is a good management team that stands behind these companies. The primary goal of every company's management is the efficient allocation of capital. Viswanathan follows on the thought of Warren Buffett when he said that a lot of CEOs have issues with allocating capital because they progressed to that position from different sectors, like marketing, institutional policies, or administration. On the other hand, family-operated businesses tend to have a better approach to capital allocation. Cash flow and per-share metrics are usually better handled and combined with a healthier ownership culture. The majority of holdings of SVN Capital are family-owned businesses, and they found it to be better suited for their investment approach. Heico Investment Thesis Heico Corp. (HEI) is a diversified supplier of aerospace and defense components. The company is divided into two sectors: Flight Support Group (FSG) manufactures, distributes, and repairs aftermarket aircraft parts through Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA), through which the FAA certifies non-OEM parts. Electronic Technologies Group (ETG) - sells components for defense applications. These two sectors have a similar input to the company's revenue. The company came onto SVN Capital's radar during the search of the aircraft leasing sector. Since PMA-approved parts are sold for 40% to 60% of the OEM part price, aircraft manufacturers didn’t like this new competition. Leasing companies became the main market for these parts, and at that time SVN Capital traced its potential. At the time of the interview, the PMA market was assessed at $50 billion, which encompassed about 400 thousand manufactured parts. Heico is a big player in the market, holding the license for over 11,000 parts. The sheer scale of production is a big upside for the company and, at the same time, a boundary for new manufacturers who rarely can compete with larger players. The parts share the same quality and characteristics as OEM counterparts, just at a lower cost. About a third of the company’s revenue comes from cooperation with the defense. Products for it include parts for aircraft, missiles, and launch vehicles. In some cases, it is the primary supplier for a specific program. Acquisitions also play an important role in the development and growth of the company. Since 1990, HEI has acquired more than 80 companies, buying less than 100% of the ownership and leaving the rest with the management team. HEI allows these acquisitions to operate autonomously, aiming for a decentralized structure. In the last 10 years, incremental ROIC reached 18%. Despite HEI using debt to make acquisitions, their practice is to repay them in an 18-month period. As a result, debt/EBITDA was always below 1.0x in the past decade. During COVID, the FSG segment that is dependent on commercial air travel was badly hit, while demand for ETG products remained healthy. It managed to even rise by about 4% during the crisis. Another upside to the HEI story is that the management has its skin in the game and owns about 19% of the outstanding stocks (valued at about $3.3 billion). The structure of the team is well-designed, and the primary task of the executives is to allocate capital. The COVID pandemic caused the stock to plummet from $130 to $60, but it slowly picked up the pace and got its valuation up. SVN Capital invested when the stock was at mid $60 with a free cash flow yield of 4.2%. Revisiting the Investment Four Years Later Since the initial investment, HEI stock has seen nothing but rise. While it was slow but steady during 2022, in 2023 it picked up the pace, moving the price from $150 to $180. In 2024 the trend continued, and the stock reached its peak in November with $280. The company is currently undergoing a slight downturn caused by unfulfilled market revenue expectations. However, the sales did increase on the YoY levels by 8.2%, so this should be viewed just as a hiccup in a well-oiled machine. When looking at their latest 2023 annual report, the company did generate a solid increase in net sales ($2,968 billion to $2,208 billion in 2022). Operating income also grew significantly from $496 million to $625 million. All these metrics show a healthy business that has a lot more to offer.
TikTok is challenging the federal government’s order to shut down its operations in Canada. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! TikTok is challenging the federal government’s order to shut down its operations in Canada. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? TikTok is challenging the federal government’s order to shut down its operations in Canada. The company filed in documents in Federal Court in Vancouver on Thursday. The government ordered the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business in November after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform. That means TikTok must “wind down” its operations in Canada, though the app will continue to be available to Canadians. TikTok wants the court to overturn the government’s order and to place a pause on the order while the court hears the case. It is claiming the minister’s decision was “unreasonable” and “driven by improper purposes.” The review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to harm national security. Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said in a statement at the time the government was taking action to address “specific national security risks,” though it didn’t specify what those risks were. TikTok’s filing says Champagne “failed to engage with TikTok Canada on the purported substance of the concerns that led to the (order.)” The company argues the government ordered “measures that bear no rational connection to the national security risks it identifies.” It says the reasons for the order “are unintelligible, fail to reveal a rational chain of analysis and are rife with logical fallacies.” The company’s law firm, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, declined to comment, while Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the order would “eliminate the jobs and livelihoods of our hundreds of dedicated local employees — who support the community of more than 14 million monthly Canadian users on TikTok, including businesses, advertisers, creators and initiatives developed especially for Canada.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2024. AdvertisementIran unveils homegrown high power radio frequency generator
NEW DELHI: The Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) has asked banks to integrate their internal compliance monitoring systems with its advanced supervisory platform Daksh, two executives aware of this development told ET. ET Year-end Special Reads Corporate Kalesh: Top family disputes of India Inc in 2024 The world of business lost these eminent people in 2024 Fast, faster, fastest: How 2024 put more speed into your shopping Some foreign banks operating in India are resisting the move, saying their internal compliance systems are very advanced and that any integration would require major recalibration, even as public sector lenders are working on the required changes, the executives said. The regulator has asked banks to implement the integration through straight-through processing (STP), and to facilitate this, the deadline for regulated entities to streamline their compliance functions has been extended to April 2025. "Lenders had requested the RBI to extend the deadline for review and implementation of new internal compliance tracking and monitoring processes, which has been accepted, but now the regulator wants such systems to be integrated with Daksh," a senior bank executive said. Launched last year, Daksh is a web-based end-to-end workflow application through which the RBI monitors compliance requirements in a more focused manner with the objective of further improving the compliance culture in supervised entities (SEs) like banks and non-banking finance companies ( NBFCs ). An email sent to the RBI did not receive any response till press time Thursday. Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program The second banker said the issue was discussed in an internal meeting of banks earlier this month, and some foreign lenders had raised their concerns about proposed integration with Daksh. "We will further discuss the issue with all concerned stakeholders, including technology vendors, and then approach the RBI for more clarification," he said. In January, the regulator had come out with a notification, 'Streamlining of internal compliance monitoring function-leveraging use of technology', and asked regulated entities to implement comprehensive, integrated, enterprise-wide, and workflow-based solutions and tools to enhance the effectiveness of the compliance monitoring process. The deadline to implement it was set for June 30. "Banks had then decided to form a common format for such compliance monitoring, which the RBI has approved," said the second bank executive quoted above. In its January circular, the RBI had noted that after an assessment in select supervised entities of the prevailing system in place for internal monitoring of compliance with regulatory instructions, it was observed that SEs have adopted varying levels of automation to support this function, ranging from the use of macro-enabled spreadsheets to workflow-based software solutions. "There is, thus, a need to implement comprehensive, integrated, enterprise-wide, and workflow-based solutions/tools to enhance the effectiveness of this function," it had stated, adding that this initiative aims to enhance the monitoring framework, enabling real-time data access for improved communication and collaboration among stakeholders. Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is December 31, 2024. Click here to submit your entry for any one or more of the 22 categories and stand a chance to win a prestigious award. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 26, 2024-- The iconic fitness brand and website, Men’s Fitness , has relaunched under The Arena Group . Originally published in 1987 as the ‘magazine for active men,’ the brand’s mission is to be the definitive source for men who want to live stronger, healthier lives. The new site contains health and fitness news, training routines, nutrition expertise, gear reviews and more. The site is led by Matt Allyn, former Editor-in Chief of Men’s Journal . Allyn also previously wrote for Runner’s World , Bicycling and Men’s Health . This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241226468398/en/ Beloved Fitness Brand, Men’s Fitness, Returns under The Arena Group just in time for New Year's resolutions. (Photo: Business Wire) The staff is comprised of seasoned health and fitness writers and experts. The team also has an Advisory Board made up of doctors, certified trainers and dieticians who are regular contributors to the site, providing guidance and context on the latest research or trending fitness content. One goal of the new site is to connect readers directly to these experts. “We’re at a point where there is more interest than ever in fitness and health,” said Allyn. “But it’s also harder than ever for readers to know who to trust. There is a lot of noise in this space. So, one of our main goals is to identify and showcase experts in this field, to help readers navigate their fitness journey with trusted sources.” New Year’s Resolutions Beginning earlier this month, and continuing through January, Men’s Fitness will produce a series of feature stories on men who went through health transformations – and will showcase the steps they took throughout the process. The goal is to inspire others to live their healthiest life. “Everyone’s health needs are different,” said Allyn. “We’re excited to kick off the new year by illuminating these stories to aid and inspire men on their health and fitness journey.” Men’s Fitness – which had been a sub brand of Men’s Journal since 2017 – is focused solely on health, fitness and nutrition. It has a robust social following on Facebook and X and the team plans to focus on growing its social content and audience in 2025. About The Arena Group The Arena Group (NYSE American: AREN) is an innovative technology platform and media company with a proven, cutting-edge playbook that transforms media brands. Arena’s unified technology platform empowers creators and publishers with tools to publish and monetize their content, while also leveraging quality journalism of anchor brands like TheStreet, Parade , Men’s Journal and Athlon Sports to build their businesses. The company aggregates content across a diverse portfolio of brands, reaching over 100 million users monthly. Visit us at thearenagroup.net and discover how we are revolutionizing the world of digital media. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241226468398/en/ CONTACT: Steve Janisse c-sjanisse@thearenagroup.net 404-574-9206 KEYWORD: NEW YORK UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: OTHER COMMUNICATIONS PUBLISHING FITNESS & NUTRITION MEN COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA LIFESTYLE HEALTH CONSUMER SOURCE: The Arena Group Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/26/2024 11:38 AM/DISC: 12/26/2024 11:37 AM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241226468398/enWhat growing up Mexican-Canadian taught me about familyDecember Is Merry and Bright for Broadcom Stock
STEPHEN DAISLEY: How to lose friends... and influence nobody. If Flynn is their rising star, the SNP is in for some very dark nightsThe White House, FBI, and DHS officials have clarified that many of the recent drone sightings reported in New Jersey and nearby states have been linked to manned aircraft. A national security risk has not been identified. During a press briefing, an FBI official stated that of over 5,000 drone reports, fewer than 100 warranted further investigation. Notably, all major fixed-wing sightings involved manned aircraft. Collaborative efforts using advanced tech and intelligence have found no evidence of significant unmanned aerial activities within national borders. Despite no concrete threats, investigations continue into unresolved cases. The surge in sightings, beginning mid-November in New Jersey, has extended to several Northeast states. Subsequently, a Facebook group formed to solve the mystery has rapidly grown. As authorities ramp up their responses, some officials are calling for stronger federal action against unauthorized drone activities. (With inputs from agencies.)Dr. Singh was a bright student from his school days, despite lacking basic amenities like electricity and a nearby school. He had to walk miles to attend school. There was an interesting fact about Dr. Manmohan Singh. He was not able to read Hindi, but when he was given a topic in Urdu, he practiced extensively before reading it in public. Published: December 27, 2024 12:47 AM IST By Edited by For breaking news and live news updates, like us on or follow us on and . Read more on Latest on . TopicsEgypt, China issue joint statement at conclusion of 4th round of strategic dialogue
Islamabad, Nov 22 (PTI) Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi said her husband's troubles began following a trip to Saudi Arabia, triggering a row on Friday for apparently criticising a friendly country. Khan, 72, who is incarcerated in the Adiala Jail since August last year, has, however, defended his wife and said Bibi "did not mention Saudi Arabia at all". Khan's statement on X comes after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa flayed Bushra Bibi over her video clip posted on X. In a video statement on Thursday, Bibi said Khan's problems began when he visited Medina and was seen coming out of his plane without shoes. She claimed then army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa received calls after the incident. “Soon after Khan's return, Bajwa started getting calls ‘Ye tum kya utha key laa aaye ho (whom have you brought)? We are ending the Sharia system in this country and you have brought promoters of Sharia',” she said referring to Khan's September 2018 visit. The video was meant to motivate supporters of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to join the protest on Sunday in Islamabad but instead kicked up controversy due to the indirect reference towards Saudi Arabia’s alleged role in his ouster from power. Saudi Arabia and China have been two of Pakistan's biggest supporters helping it tide over the economic crisis. However, in the 9:27-minute video, which is also available on PTI's official X handle, Bushra Biwi did not name any country. Khan, 72, has been implicated in dozens of cases since his government was dismissed through a no-confidence motion in 2022. Khan in a statement on X clarified that Bibi “didn’t mention Saudi Arabia at all” and insisted that Saudi Arabia had been a steadfast ally. He recalled that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reached out to him after he was wounded in an assassination attempt last November. Khan reiterated that his wife was not involved in politics and her message to the nation merely echoed his words in anticipation of the November 24 protest. He described the event as a day to “break free from slavery”, framing it as a pivotal moment for Pakistanis to choose between "the yoke of submission” or “the crown of freedom”. Khan also asserted that his government’s downfall was orchestrated by former army chief General Qamar Bajwa and accused him of preventing investigations into the alleged conspiracy. Sharif, however, said the recent statements against Saudi Arabia were deeply antagonistic and detrimental to Pakistan. Addressing a ceremony, Sharif warned the propaganda targeting Saudi Arabia was against the national interest. “I will, unfortunately, have to mention some events here because ... a statement has come out yesterday, which I think there can be no greater enmity against Pakistan than this that you spew venom against the country that has never demanded anything in return and always opened its doors for Pakistan,” he said in an apparent reference to Bibi's remarks. The premier said no one would be allowed to play with the country’s interests when it came to brotherly allies such as Saudi Arabia and urged the nation to counter it. General Bajwa swiftly refuted Bibi's statement. Talking to Express News TV, Bajwa termed Bibi's statement as a “pack of lies,” asking how a friendly country could interfere in Pakistan's internal affairs. He pointed out that the OIC Summit (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) was held in Islamabad in March 2022 and questioned if there had been any tension in the ties between both countries, would Saudi Arabia have allowed the summit to take place in Pakistan? Detailing Khan's visit to the Kingdom, Bajwa said Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman himself came to receive the former premier in Jeddah. “Shah Mehmood Qureshi and I were present at the dinner during the visit,” said Bajwa. Defence minister Asif Khawaja, addressing a press conference, condemned Bushra Biwi's statement and said that Pakistan enjoys close ties with the Kingdom. “Saudi Arabia has played a critical role in helping Pakistan in the current economic crisis,” he said. Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar remarked in response to media queries that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are “close friends and brothers. This relationship is based on mutual respect.” “We have great admiration for Saudi Arabia's journey of development and prosperity. The Pakistani nation is proud of its close relationship with Saudi Arabia, which has always stood by Pakistan through thick and thin,” he added. He said implicating Saudi Arabia for petty political point-scoring is “regrettable” and indicative of a desperate mindset, and added: “We urge all political forces to desist from compromising Pakistan's foreign policy in pursuance of their political objectives.” Also, Information Minister Atta Tarar said Saudi Arabia has always provided support to Pakistan at difficult times, adding it is condemnable to make irresponsible statements regarding friendly countries. He termed “false and unwarranted statements” for political gain a condemnable act. The information minister said the PTI had earlier levelled allegations against the US for hatching conspiracy and reminded it is against the national interest to negatively politicise Pakistan's friendly countries. Newspaper Dawn reported that the claims made by the former first lady about an alleged foreign conspiracy in the ouster of her husband’s government have taken even the PTI leaders by surprise, some of whom are questioning the “controversial statement” issued just days before the protest in Islamabad. Talking to Dawn, PTI leaders said the party’s top leadership was “committing mistakes” at crucial moments and taking the party’s months-long momentum back “to square one.” A senior party leader said Khan might have got bail in the remaining May 9 cases, but his wife’s controversial remarks might alter that scenario. A member of the PTI lawyers’ wing called the claims a “bombshell.” The advocate lamented that the party had become “leaderless and directionless” and mistakes were being committed at crucial times. None of the leaders had the courage and heart to lead the party, he said, adding that Khan and the PTI are toeing one line, while the mid-tier leadership has been rudderless. In a post on X, PTI activist and singer Salman Ahmad called Bushra Bibi “corrupt and greedy” who, along with her family and friends, was a “constant source of embarrassment” for Khan. He said it was “disgusting” to say that the former prime minister was removed because he walked barefoot in Medina. Just last week, Pakistan assured the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it remained hopeful of receiving oil from Saudi Arabia on deferred payments, apart from some help from China, to fill the USD 5 billion external funding gap. The PTI gave a call last week for a long march to Islamabad to press for three demands: the release of the incarcerated party founder, against the alleged “stolen mandate” during the February 8 elections and restoration of the judiciary by revoking the recent 26th amendment to the Constitution that granted legislators more power in appointing top judges. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)ATLANTA (AP) — Ahmad Robinson scored 21 points as Mercer beat Georgia State 71-68 on Saturday. Robinson had nine rebounds, 10 assists, and three steals for the Bears (7-6). Tyler Johnson went 7 of 15 from the field (3 for 10 from 3-point range) to add 19 points. Cam Bryant shot 4 for 7, including 3 for 6 from beyond the arc to finish with 11 points. The Bears outscored the Panthers 10-4 over the final 4 1/2 minutes. The Panthers (4-9) were led in scoring by Cesare Edwards, who finished with 20 points and two steals. Georgia State also got 14 points from Malachi Brown. Zarigue Nutter also put up 14 points and four assists. The Panthers prolonged their losing streak to six straight. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
During her years as a therapist, Jessica Blehm has counseled senior citizens as they navigate the winding road of life’s transitions. At this time of year, she said that since understanding older people’s concerns may be especially important, she wanted to share some tips to help families during the holiday season. Blehm, who also is a licensed specialist clinical social worker, sees clients at The Center for Counseling & Consultation, 5815 Broadway. “For many older people, the holidays are not necessarily filled with comfort and joy,” Blehm said. “Instead, they are isolated and feel as though they have lost their role of being the hub of the wheel. “In addition, their circle of family and friends is getting smaller; they miss the people who were once a big part of their lives. And sometimes it is a lack of mobility or other physical concerns.” Cognition problems can play a role because “some older folks aren’t capable of being in the present moment,” she added. “In a room full of people talking about so-and-so, grandma doesn’t remember who so-and-so is.” The older generation also misses long-time family traditions of gathering at a certain place on a certain day, eating the same menu and unwrapping presents in a particular way. “In this day and age, many families are more spread out than they used to be and some traditions are no longer possible,” Blehm said. “But there are ways we can soften the blow. “First, we need to acknowledge that change is difficult and scary for older people. They may be cranky, stuck in their old ways or just plain sad. We can comfort them when we say ‘we are aware of how you feel and want to create some new traditions with you.’” For example, ask older relatives to outline the steps to making their Christmas cookies. Or suggest they help compile the menu for Christmas dinner. Or suggest a new system for the gift exchange. Or all of the above. “We also need to be aware that the older generation isn’t always comfortable with technology,” Blehm commented. “This is when you can set up a Face Time call with family members who couldn’t be there. Grandma and Grandpa could actually watch the kids open their presents.” On the physical side of things, older relatives probably aren’t comfortable sitting in the same chair all day, Blehm noted. “We can recognize this and the older person can decide whether to stay or simply call it a day. “The mind-body connection is so tied into all this,” she continued. “If I hurt emotionally and/or physically, I might be irritable. We simply need to engage the older generation in activities, while making time to hear their stories – even if you have heard them many times.” The Center for Counseling & Consultation, a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, 5815 Broadway in Great Bend, serves Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties. Professionally trained personnel offer: individual and group therapy; marriage and family counseling; community-support services; community-based services; psychosocial rehabilitation; peer support; and medication management. The confidential 24/7 crisis hotline number is 800-875-2544.Asian African Consortium Assures Investors of Sustainable Rice Production and Food Security
SANTA CLARA — Jake Moody missed another goal attempt in Week 17, setting social media and talk radio ablaze. Time for the 49ers to get a new kicker, or at the very least some competition during training camp in 2025. Not necessarily, even if Shanahan threw his tablet on the sidelines in frustration after missing a 41-yard attempt in a 29-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins. “I believe we’ve got the right guy,” Shanahan said Thursday as the 49ers (6-9) began preparations to host the Detroit Lions (13-2). He’s showed that at times. I thought he showed that at times in his rookie year.I thought he showed that in being 12 of 13 to start the year and I think he’ll show that in the future.” But rest assured that Moody will be watched closely to see how he performs in the final two weeks of the season, beginning with a spotlight game on Monday night in a rematch of last year’s NFC Championship Game won 34-31 by the 49ers. Since the game is at Levi’s Stadium, Moody should enter with some confidence. He’s 23-for-30 on field goal attempts a 76.7 rate that’s unacceptable in today’s NFL, let alone for a kicker who was selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. But all seven of his misses have been on the road — one in Miami, two in Buffalo in the snow, three in Tampa Bay in the sunshine and one in Los Angeles. Which apparently came as news to Moody. “I actually didn’t know that,” Moody said. “That’s pretty interesting. I don’t think that necessarily has anything to do with it, being home or away. It’s just the misses, I’ve got to hit better kicks. It’s not any specific reason why I miss. I’ve just got to make sure I’m dialed in on my form.” Moody is 15-for-15 in field goal attempts at home, starting off 6-for-6 in the opener against the New York Jets. But Moody sustained a high ankle sprain on his right kicking foot in Week 5 against Arizona, missing three games as the 49ers cycled through Matthew Wright (also injured on a kick return) and Anders Carlson. “Since he’s come back, he hasn’t been as consistent, obviously,” Shanahan said. “I think a lot of it probably has to do with (the injury), just common-sense wise. Hopefully he can get to this offseason, heal up and find a stroke again.” Having a midseason injury was a “learning experience,” according to Moody. “Whether or not that was an issue, I don’t know. I’m still doing the best I can trying to keep everything that it was prior to the injury,” Moody said. “It’s not like you can really blame something.” Whether or not that was an issue, I don’t know. I’m still doing the best I can trying to keep everything that it was prior to the injury. It’s not like you can really blame something. While tempted to alter his approach and preparation, Moody thought better of it. He considers kicking similar to golf, and said it can take years for golfers to master a swing change. “In this business you don’t have that much time to try and dial something in and do big changes like that,” Moody said.”You’ve got to be consistent and not be changing too many things or you’ll be overwhelmed by everything.” While the 49ers may bring another kicker into camp just for an extra leg, Shanahan didn’t sound as if he was looking to set up a competition for No. 1. “I think you’ve got the wrong guy if you have to,” Shanahan said. “You do that when you don’t think you’re going to have a guy, but when those guys miss too much you go get a new one usually. And that’s what’s tough about the kicker position.” GREENLAW DONE FOR THE YEAR Shanahan hinted strongly Monday that linebacker Dre Greenlaw wouldn’t play in the last two games, saying he’d wait until talking to him before making it official. “He’s not going to play in these two games,” Shanahan said. “He understood.” Left tackle Spencer Burford (calf) did not practice and Shanahan thought there was a chance he’d be ready to face Detroit with Trent Williams and Jaylon Moore both on injured reserve. Left guard Aaron Banks (knee), who hasn’t yet been placed on I.R., did not practice and neither did edge rusher Robert Beal Jr. Those who were limited were safety Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle), running back Isaac Guerendo (foot/ankle). Nick Bosa (hip/oblique) was off the injury list. Veteran offensive lineman Matt Hennessey was added to the roster with Williams going on injured reserve, with Sebastian Gutierrez joining the practice squad. Shanahan will try to piecemeal an offensive line heading into Detroit, with newcomer Charlie Heck also in the mix. “We’ve got to mix and match a number of guys,” Shanahan said. The 49ers activated the practice clock on rookie linebacker Tatum Bethune, who has been out with a knee injury in hopes of getting him back before the end of the regular season. LIONS EXPECT 49ERS BEST SHOT Detroit Dan Campbell thinks last year’s loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game helped prepare them for taking another run at this season. “I think we’re really more mature,” Campbell told the Detroit media. “Every year you learn something about winning and losing. And when you take an `L’ like we did last year you learn from that . . . I think we’re much more prepared than at that time. You feel like you’re (prepared) but you get into that with a heavyweight that’s been there numerous times, you don’t always know. I think that as an experience has served us well moving into this year.” The Lions have also taken notice of what happened to the 49ers in 2022 when Brock Purdy tore the UCL in his throwing elbow in the NFC title game against Philadelphia and didn’t have a viable quarterback. Veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was signed to the roster, giving the Lions three quarterbacks along with starter Jared Goff and backup Hendon Hooker. STAT WATCH — Tight end George Kittle (68 receptions, 967 yards) needs 33 yards receiving to reach 1,000 for the fourth time in his career and second in succession. With eight touchdown receptions, he his three shy of his career high of 11 in 2022. — Wide receiver Jauan Jennings (63 receptions, 856 yards) needs 144 yards in his last two games to reach 1,000 for the first time in his career. HIs six touchdown receptions are a career high. — Defensive end Nick Bosa has has seven sacks and needs three over the last two games for his fourth consecutive season in double figures. Bosa had 15 1/2 in 2021, 18 1/2 in 2022 (winning NFC Defensive Player of the Year) and 10 1/2 last season. First, Bosa is thinking about his eighth sack. “Just trying to get to the next one,” Bosa said. “But it would be cool.” — Defensive end Leonard Floyd has 8 1/2 sacks and needs 1 1/2 over the last two games to reach double figures for the second consecutive season and for the fourth time in his career. — Middle linebacker Fred Warner (117 tackles) needs 21 in his last two games to exceed his career high of 137 in 2021. Warner has exceeded 100 tackles in each of his seven seasons. — Quarterback Brock Purdy has 31 rushing first downs, three more than Colin Kaepernick had in 2013 and 2014.Erling Haaland’s failure from the penalty spot and Bruno Fernandes' latest red card compounded the woes of Manchester City and Manchester United on another tough day for the two Premier League giants. There were no such problems Thursday for Liverpool, which rallied to a 3-1 win over Leicester and moved seven points clear atop the standings approaching the halfway point of the campaign. City dropped more points in its improbably poor run of form by drawing 1-1 at home to Everton, with Haaland having a spot kick saved by England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the 53rd minute. The four-time defending champions have only won one of their last 13 games in all competitions and manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged he needs to spend in the January transfer window to reverse City's slide. “The transfer window in the winter is not easy, but even the players know that we have to add some new players,” said Guardiola, who has had to cope without a host of key players, including Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, through injury this season. While City is languishing in seventh place, United is even further adrift in 14th place after a 2-0 loss at lowly Wolverhampton. United played almost the entire second half with 10 men after Fernandes collected his second yellow card in the 47th minute. It was the United captain's third sending-off of the season, though one was rescinded. After seeing second-place Chelsea also drop points after conceding in the fifth minute of stoppage time to lose 2-1 at home to Fulham, Liverpool recovered from conceding in the sixth minute against Leicester to extend its lead. Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah scored Liverpool's goals. Nottingham Forest won 1-0 against Tottenham and is a big surprise in third place. City pain City secured only its fifth point in the league since the end of October but that will be scant consolation to Guardiola, whose beleaguered team squandered a winning position after going ahead through Bernardo Silva’s deflected shot in the 14th. Iliman Ndiaye equalized in the 36th. Haaland’s penalty failure means the Norway international has only scored once in his last seven games. He headed in from the rebound after his spot kick, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Haaland, who last week admitted his form had not been good enough during a run that has seen City’s season unravel, held his head in his hands after his failure to score from the spot. He still has 18 goals in 25 appearances this season, but has not scored in a win for his club since the 1-0 victory against Southampton on Oct. 26. “We shoot a lot in the 18-yard box, but unfortunately we could not get the results that we wanted,” Guardiola said. City’s damaging run has seen it slip down the standings in the league and crash out of the English League Cup. Guardiola's team is also in danger of missing out on qualifying in the Champions League — sitting just one point above the cut-off point with two games left. Goal from a corner Wolves' first goal against United came direct from a corner, with Brazil striker Matheus Cunha seeing his kick curl over the head of goalkeeper Andre Onana and into the far corner in the 58th minute. “I was shooting — we train to shoot,” Cunha said. Such goals are rare, though United also conceded from a corner in its 4-3 loss to Tottenham in the English League Cup this month. Son Heung-min scored on that occasion. Wolves added a second through Hwang Hee-chan in the ninth minute of stoppage time and have won two straight games since Vitor Pereira replaced Gary O'Neil as manager. Cunha has 10 goals this season. Salah scores again Salah moved three goals clear of second-place Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot, his 16th of the campaign completing Liverpool's recovery after Gakpo curled in the equalizer in first-half stoppage time and Jones made it 2-1 in the 49th. Salah has scored at least one goal in nine of his last 10 league matches, and has 19 goals in all competitions this season. Liverpool is unbeaten in its last 20 matches in all competitions, the only defeat all season under new manager Arne Slot coming at home to Forest in the league in September. Chelsea slump Chelsea has dropped points in successive games, after drawing 0-0 at Everton last week. The Blues gave up a lead earned by Cole Palmer in the 16th as Harry Wilson equalized in the 82nd and Rodrigo Muniz grabbed a late winner for Fulham, which won at Stamford Bridge for the first time in 45 years. Arsenal can now jump from fourth to second with a win against Ipswich on Friday. Forest wins again Forest's remarkable season shows little sign of slowing after Anthony Elanga's winner against Tottenham at the City Ground. Forest is a point behind Chelsea. Aston Villa was already a goal down to Newcastle after Anthony Gordon's strike in the second minute when Jhon Duran was sent off in the 32nd. Alexander Isak and Joelinton added goals for the hosts in a 3-0 win. West Ham had to cope with first-half injuries to defender Max Kilman and goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski , but still won 1-0 at Southampton. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerSP fails to gain from ally Cong’s absence in bypolls
AP Business SummaryBrief at 1:04 p.m. ESTAP Sports SummaryBrief at 2:14 p.m. EST