3. Luxury and Performance Cars
Barrage Paradise 2.0 Game Festival Highlights: Must-Play MasterpiecesPORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Honey, they shrunk the catalogs. While retailers hope to go big this holiday season , customers may notice that the printed gift guides arriving in their mailboxes are smaller. Many of the millions of catalogs getting sent to U.S. homes were indeed scaled down to save on postage and paper, resulting in pint-sized editions. Lands’ End, Duluth Trading Company and Hammacher Schlemmer are among gift purveyors using smaller editions. Some retailers are saving even more money with postcards. Lisa Ayoob, a tech-savvy, online shopper in Portland, Maine, was surprised by the size of a recent catalog she received from outdoor apparel company Carbon2Cobalt. “It almost felt like it was a pamphlet compared to a catalog,” she said. Catalogs have undergone a steady recalibration over the years in response to technological changes and consumer behavior. The thick, heavy Sears and J.C. Penney catalogs that brought store displays to American living rooms slimmed down and gave way to targeted mailings once websites could do the same thing. Recent postal rate increases accelerated the latest shift to compact formats. The number of catalogs mailed each year dropped about 40% between 2006 to 2018, when an estimated 11.5 billion were mailed to homes, according to the trade group formerly known as the American Catalog Mailers Association. In a sign of the times, the group based in Washington rebranded itself in May as the American Commerce Marketing Association, reflecting a broadened focus. But don't expect catalogs to go the way of dinosaurs yet. Defying predictions of doom, they have managed to remain relevant in the e-commerce era. Retail companies found that could treat catalogs with fewer pages as a marketing tool and include QR and promo codes to entice customers to browse online and complete a purchase. Despite no longer carrying an extended inventory of goods, catalogs are costly to produce and ship. But they hold their own in value because of growing digital advertising costs, helping retailers cut through the noise for consumers barraged by multi-format advertisements, industry officials say. In an unlikely twist, notable e-commerce companies like Amazon and home goods supplier Wayfair started distributing catalogs in recent years. Amazon began mailing a toy catalog in 2018. That was the same year Sears, which produced an annual Christmas Wish Book Wish starting in 1933, filed for bankruptc y. Fans of printed information may rejoice to hear that apparel retailer J.Crew relaunched its glossy catalog this year. Research shows that the hands-on experience of thumbing through a catalog leaves a greater impression on consumers, said Jonathan Zhang, a professor of marketing at Colorado State University. “The reason why these paper formats are so effective is that our human brains haven’t evolved as fast as technology and computers over the past 10 to 20 years. We retain more information when we read something on paper. That's why paper books remain relevant," Zhang said. “The psychology shows that three-dimensional, tactile experiences are more memorable.” Pint-sized presentations still can work, though, because the purpose of catalogs these days is simply to get customers’ attention, Zhang said. Conserving paper also works better with younger consumers who are worried about the holiday shopping season's impact on the planet, he said. Postal increases are hastening changes. The latest round of postage hikes in July included the category with the 8.5-by-11-inch size that used to be ubiquitous for the catalog industry. Many retailers responded by reducing the size of catalogs, putting them in a lower-cost letter category, said Paul Miller, executive vice president and managing director of the American Commerce Marketing Association. One size, called a “slim jim,” measures 10.5 by 5.5 inches. But there other sizes. Some retailers have further reduced costs by mailing large postcards to consumers. Lands' End, for one, is testing new compact formats to supplement its traditional catalogs. This year, that included folded glossy brochures and postcards, along with other formats, Chief Transformation Officer Angie Rieger said. Maine resident Ayoob said she understands why retailers still use catalogs even though she no longer is a fan of the format. These days, she prefers to browse for products on the internet, not by flipping through paper pages. “Everybody wants eyeballs. There’s so much out there -- so many websites, so many brands,” said Ayoob, who spent 35 years working in department stores and in the wholesale industry. Targeting customers at home is not a new concept. L.L. Bean was a pioneer of the mail-order catalog after its founder promoted his famous “Maine Hunting Shoe” to hunting license holders from out-of-state in 1912. The outdoor clothing and equipment company based in Freeport, Maine, is sticking to mailing out regular-sized catalogs for now. “By showcasing our icons, the catalog became an icon itself,” L.L. Bean spokesperson Amanda Hannah said. "Even as we invest more in our digital and brand marketing channels, the catalog retains a strong association with our brand, and is therefore an important part of our omni-channel strategy, especially for our loyal customers.”
A group of 38 scientists working in nine countries has sounded an alarm about the potential creation of mirror bacteria — synthetic organisms in which the molecular structure found in nature is reversed and could put humans, animals and plants at risk of exposure to dangerous pathogens. While the science and technology necessary to create mirror bacteria in a laboratory is a decade or more away, the scientists argued that the possibly lethal risks posed by this new field of research are “unprecedented” and “overlooked.” “Driven by curiosity and plausible applications, some researchers had begun work toward creating lifeforms composed entirely of mirror-image biological molecules,” the researchers wrote in a report published in the December 12 edition of the journal Science . “Such mirror organisms would constitute a radical departure from known life, and their creation warrants careful consideration.” A fundamental feature of all known life is a uniform chirality, or handedness. For example, DNA and RNA are made from “right-handed” nucleotides, and proteins are made from “left-handed” amino acids. Just as a right-handed glove cannot fit a left hand, interactions between molecules often depend on chirality. While the authors, who included experts in immunology, plant pathology, ecology, evolutionary biology, biosecurity and planetary sciences, had initially been skeptical that mirror bacteria could pose major risks, the experts said they had now become “deeply concerned.” “It’s a genie you don’t want to let out of the bottle,” said report coauthor Jonathan Jones, a group leader at The Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich, United Kingdom. “The risk of something bad happening is low, but the consequences of something bad happening are really awful,” he added. Unless compelling evidence were to emerge that mirror life would not pose extraordinary dangers, research with the goal of creating mirror bacteria should not be permitted, and funders should make clear that they will not support such work, the scientists recommended. Risks of mirror bacteria The authors based the Science paper on a 300-page technical report that detailed the feasibility and risks of mirror bacteria. The report said that creating mirror life was a longer-term aspiration of multiple laboratories and major funders of research as part of efforts to better understand life and potentially aid in the development of drugs and other therapeutics. Many synthetic biologists seek to understand how cells could be created from their constituent molecules with the aim of shedding light on how life first arose and understanding what other kinds of life might be possible. The report said that if a cell with natural chirality can be created from lifeless molecules, then, in theory, a mirror-image cell could be created from mirror-image molecules using the same methods. No imminent threat exists, the report stressed, and there are currently sizable technical hurdles to creating mirror bacteria. Doing so within a decade would require substantial, coordinated efforts similar in scale and budget to the Human Genome Project , which mapped 92% of the human genome over the span of 12-and-a-half years. Organisms vulnerable to infection Immune systems rely on recognizing specific molecular shapes found in invading bacteria. If these shapes were reflected — as they would be in mirror bacteria — recognition would be impaired and immune defenses could fail, potentially leaving organisms vulnerable to infection. “We cannot rule out a scenario in which a mirror bacterium acts as an invasive species across many ecosystems, causing pervasive lethal infections in a substantial fraction of plant and animal species, including humans,” the scientists argued in the Science report. “Even a mirror bacterium with a narrower host range and the ability to invade only a limited set of ecosystems could still cause unprecedented and irreversible harm.” Transmission via animals and humans could enable the spread of such bacteria into different ecosystems. Jones, an expert in plant immune systems, said that mirror bacteria would be extremely difficult to detect in plants. “Even if it didn’t grow very well initially, mutations would kick in and there’d be selection for something that grew better. That’s the way evolution works,” Jones explained. Tom Ellis, a professor of synthetic genome engineering at Imperial College’s Centre for Synthetic Biology and department of bioengineering, said that mirror life was still very much science fiction rather than science fact. “Broadly I agree with the concerns, although they are very speculative considering research is currently at a very early stage and a long way from being any threat,” said Ellis, who wasn’t involved in the research. Scientists had been trying to create synthetic life using non-mirror molecules for more than a decade, Ellis said, but they were still a “long way” from having self-sustaining cells that can divide, replicate and evolve. “This ‘synthetic cell’ work is challenging enough already when (scientists) use normal molecules, enzymes and chemicals. When they have to do all that but only with mirror molecules, that all need to be made and invented, then it makes it ... 1000 times harder,” he said via email.By Kara Scannell , CNN Sean 'Diddy' Combs will remain in jail after a judge rejected his latest attempt for release while the rapper and music producer awaits trial on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy . Judge Arun Subramanian denied Combs' team's motion for release on Wednesday. His decision followed a two-hour court hearing on Friday where he appeared to explore potential options and questioned prosecutors' allegation that Combs continued to obstruct the ongoing investigation. "The Court finds that the government has shown by clear and convincing evidence that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community," the judge wrote in a five-page order. CNN has reached out to representatives for Combs for comment. Federal prosecutors argued that Combs could not be trusted on bail because he flouted the rules of the jail and judge. They said he posed a danger to women and was tampering with witnesses - even while in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center. Prosecutors allege Combs tried to evade law enforcement monitoring by using several techniques, including three-way calling, to contact witnesses. They also accused him of violating the judge's own order limiting communications and ignored his lawyers' guidance in part by orchestrating a social media campaign around his birthday to try to influence the potential jury pool. The judge pointed to evidence that Combs was not following the jail rules - including the continued use of a messaging service - in his decision. "Underscoring the Court's concern, despite defense counsel's assurances to the Court at the November 22, 2024 hearing (with Combs in attendance) that Combs stopped using ContactMeASAP as of November 16, 2024, ... the government indicates that Combs has continued to use this service as recently as this past Sunday, November 24, 2024." His attorneys have relentlessly pursued his release from federal custody, arguing that private security would provide more restrictions on Combs than federal jail. They said Combs needed to be free to help prepare his defense against the criminal charges and roughly 30 civil lawsuit alleging sexual abuse. His attorneys identified a three-bedroom apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side where they argued he would be surrounded by security 24/7 to monitor visits and phone calls. Under their proposed bail package, Combs would also post a $50 million bond. During Friday's hearing the judge scoffed at the suggestion that Combs could stay at his home in Miami with a boat dock, saying that's "not going to work." The hip-hop mogul was arrested in September and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and prostitution-related charges . He has pleaded not guilty and will go to trial on May 5. Combs was previously denied bail by two other federal judges who found there were no conditions that would assure them that he wouldn't try to obstruct the investigation or be a threat to the community. Combs initially appealed one of those rulings and then asked the appeals court to put that on hold while tried again with Judge Subramanian, who was transferred the case. - CNN
Santa Fe, N.M., Publishes Crash Reports for Speedy Access2. Autonomous Driving TechnologyJapanese Digital Television Project: An informed choice?WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's administration is urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of those as young as 18. A senior Biden administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private consultations, said Wednesday that the outgoing Democratic administration wants Ukraine to lower the mobilization age to 18 from the current age of 25 to expand the pool of fighting-age men available to help a badly outnumbered Ukraine in its nearly three-year-old war with Russia. The official said “the pure math” of Ukraine's situation now is that it needs more troops in the fight. Currently Ukraine is not mobilizing or training enough soldiers to replace its battlefield losses while keeping pace with Russia's growing military, the official added. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia's February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more to Kyiv before Biden leaves office in less than months. But with time running out, the Biden White House is also sharpening its viewpoint that Ukraine has the weaponry it needs and now must dramatically increase its troop levels if it's going to stay in the fight with Russia. White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett in a statement said the administration will continue sending Ukraine weaponry but believes “manpower is the most vital need" Ukraine has at the moment. “So, we’re also ready to ramp up our training capacity if they take appropriate steps to fill out their ranks,” Savett said. The Ukrainians have said they need about 160,000 additional troops to keep up with its battlefield needs, but the U.S. administration believes they probably will need more than that. More than 1 million Ukrainians are now in uniform, including the National Guard and other units. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been hearing concerns from allies in other Western capitals as well that Ukraine has a troop level problem and not an arms problem, according to European officials who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive diplomatic conversations. The European allies have stressed that the lack of depth means that it may soon become untenable for Ukraine to continue to operate in Russia’s Kursk border region . The situation in Kursk has become further complicated by the arrival of thousands of North Korean troops , who have come to help Moscow try to claw back the land seized in a Ukrainian incursion this year. The stepped-up push on Ukraine to strengthen its fighting ranks comes as Ukraine braces for President-elect Donald Trump to take office on Jan. 20. The Republican said he would bring about a swift end to the war and has raised uncertainty about whether his administration would continue the vital U.S. military support for Ukraine. “There are no easy answers to Ukraine’s serious manpower shortage, but lowering the draft age would help,” said Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "These are obviously difficult decisions for a government and society that has already endured so much due to Russia’s invasion.” Ukraine has taken steps to broaden the pool of draft-eligible men, but the efforts have only scratched the surface against a much larger Russian military. In April, Ukraine’s parliament passed a series of laws, including one lowering its draft-eligible age for men from 27 to 25, aimed at broadening the universe of men who could be called on to join the grinding war. Those laws also did away with some draft exemptions and created an online registry for recruits. They were expected to add about 50,000 troops, far short of what Zelenskyy said at the time was needed. Zelenskyy has consistently stated that he has no plans to lower the mobilization age. A senior Ukrainian official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Ukraine does not have enough equipment to match the scale of its ongoing mobilization efforts. The official said Ukrainian officials see the push to the lower the draft age as part of an effort by some Western partners to deflect attention from their own delays in providing equipment or belated decisions. The official cited as an example the delay in giving Ukraine permission to use longer-range weapons to strike deeper into Russian territory. The Ukrainians do not see lowering the draft age to recruit more soldiers as a substitute for countering Russia’s advantage in equipment and weaponry, the official said. Conscription has been a sensitive matter in Ukraine throughout the war. Russia’s own problems with adequate troop levels and planning early in the war prevented Moscow from taking full advantage of its edge. But the tide has shifted and the U.S. says the Ukrainian shortage can no longer be overlooked. Some Ukrainians have expressed worry that further lowering the minimum conscription age and taking more young adults out of the workforce could backfire by further harming the war-ravaged economy. The senior Biden administration official added that the administration believes that Ukraine can also optimize its current force by more aggressively dealing with soldiers who desert or go absent without leave. AP White House correspondent Zeke Miller and AP writer Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv contributed to this report.
After months of anticipation, the official version of the Pureblood Hongmeng WeChat App is set to be launched next year. As a sneak peek, the exclusive Taste Test Zone has already been made available with a testing version. This announcement has sparked excitement among tech enthusiasts and users alike, as they eagerly await the full release of this highly anticipated app.Will crime in Delhi decrease by stopping me?: Arvind Kejriwal trains guns on Amit Shah after attack
Convergence Financial LLC grew its stake in Amazon.com, Inc. ( NASDAQ:AMZN ) by 3.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 29,209 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock after buying an additional 1,063 shares during the period. Amazon.com accounts for about 1.2% of Convergence Financial LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 21st biggest holding. Convergence Financial LLC’s holdings in Amazon.com were worth $5,443,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in AMZN. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Amazon.com by 1.9% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 785,811,114 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $141,744,609,000 after purchasing an additional 14,724,687 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors grew its stake in Amazon.com by 8.5% during the first quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 86,982,857 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $15,689,968,000 after purchasing an additional 6,810,145 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc boosted its holdings in Amazon.com by 1.5% in the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 69,686,374 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $13,466,933,000 after acquiring an additional 1,042,177 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its holdings in Amazon.com by 0.4% in the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 67,745,972 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $13,091,909,000 after acquiring an additional 289,532 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital International Investors boosted its holdings in Amazon.com by 7.4% in the first quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 42,370,172 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $7,642,732,000 after acquiring an additional 2,932,192 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.20% of the company’s stock. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Amazon.com news, insider Jeffrey P. Bezos sold 2,996,362 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $208.85, for a total value of $625,790,203.70. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 917,416,976 shares in the company, valued at approximately $191,602,535,437.60. This trade represents a 0.33 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website . Also, CEO Douglas J. Herrington sold 5,502 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $205.81, for a total value of $1,132,366.62. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 518,911 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $106,797,072.91. This represents a 1.05 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last 90 days, insiders sold 6,026,683 shares of company stock worth $1,252,148,795. 10.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth View Our Latest Stock Report on Amazon.com Amazon.com Trading Up 1.0 % Shares of AMZN stock opened at $207.89 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.19 trillion, a PE ratio of 44.52, a P/E/G ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 1.14. Amazon.com, Inc. has a 1-year low of $142.81 and a 1-year high of $215.90. The business has a 50-day moving average of $194.78 and a 200 day moving average of $186.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 1.09 and a quick ratio of 0.87. Amazon.com ( NASDAQ:AMZN – Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, October 31st. The e-commerce giant reported $1.43 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.14 by $0.29. The company had revenue of $158.88 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $157.28 billion. Amazon.com had a return on equity of 22.41% and a net margin of 8.04%. Amazon.com’s quarterly revenue was up 11.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.85 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Amazon.com, Inc. will post 5.29 earnings per share for the current year. Amazon.com Profile ( Free Report ) Amazon.com, Inc engages in the retail sale of consumer products, advertising, and subscriptions service through online and physical stores in North America and internationally. The company operates through three segments: North America, International, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). It also manufactures and sells electronic devices, including Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TVs, Echo, Ring, Blink, and eero; and develops and produces media content. Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Amazon.com Basic Materials Stocks Investing The Latest 13F Filings Are In: See Where Big Money Is Flowing Insider Trades May Not Tell You What You Think 3 Penny Stocks Ready to Break Out in 2025 Comparing and Trading High PE Ratio Stocks FMC, Mosaic, Nutrien: Top Agricultural Stocks With Big Potential Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AMZN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Amazon.com, Inc. 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Audi unveils new logo with major change days after Jaguar slammed over ‘woke’ EV rebrand... and fans are divided againThe strike began in response to disagreements over pay, benefits, and working conditions for Boeing's unionized workers. Negotiations between Boeing and the union had stalled for weeks, leading to the decision to halt production in order to put pressure on both sides to come to an agreement.
LEARNING SESSION In this August 2023 photo, Grade 1 teacher Ivy Catungal engages her pupils in a learning session during the first day of classes at San Diego Elementary School in Batasan Hills, Quezon City. Several groups have lamented the reduction in the 2025 budget of the Department of Education, saying this will affect the agency’s programs. —Grig C. Montegranda MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos on Monday committed to restore the P10 billion that was slashed from the proposed funding of the Department of Education (DepEd), but clarified that it will not be through a line-item veto of the questioned provision in the P6.352-trillion 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB). In an interview, the President said he was hopeful that he and the lawmakers could still work out a tweak before he signs the GAB, adding that the proposal to cut P10 billion from the DepEd’s computerization program was “contrary to the policy direction” of his administration on education. “We are still talking about it and we are trying to find a way and I think we’ll still be able to do something. We are working on that item because it is very necessary,” the President noted. READ: Angara: Marcos to remedy huge DepEd budget cut “The original request of ... P12 billion is only sufficient to maintain what they [in DepEd] are already doing, when in fact, they have to do more. So we have to figure that out. We’re working on it to make sure that we will restore it,” Mr. Marcos added. According to the President, the proposed reduction in the DepEd budget contradicted the government’s thrust of ensuring a continuing development of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in the education sector. The President made the statement amid mounting public uproar over the final version of the 2025 GAB, which included massive cuts on the proposed funding of major agencies such as DepEd, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Department of Health. But a looming correction on the enrolled version of the budget should not come in the form of a line-item veto by the executive branch, the President said. “I do not want to line-item veto anything because that just gets in the way,” he said without elaborating. He pointed out that the discussion on a possible veto might be premature as the “process is still ongoing,” including a review of “worrisome” items. “We’re still finalizing because what came out of the [bicameral conference committee] were just the total, so the details were still unclear. So we’re returning to those and all those elements that are worrisome are something we’re trying to make sure they are not put at a disadvantage,” he said. “Let’s leave it to them (members of Congress). We’ll have that discussion with the bicam essentially and the leaders of both Houses,” the President added. Lawmakers defended the P10-billion budget cut for the computerization program by noting DepEd’s supposed low utilization rate from last year under Vice President Sara Duterte. The Vice President resigned as education secretary in July. Education Secretary Sonny Angara, who said he was elated by the pronouncement of the President, on Monday clarified that the utilization rate of its computerization program was much higher compared to what lawmakers had claimed in defending the budget cut. He added that he was already instructed to coordinate with other members of the Cabinet for the possible restoration, specifically with Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman. Angara also disclosed that Mr. Marcos himself called him up and was apparently frustrated over the bicam committee’s decision to reduce the DepEd’s budget for its computerization program. “He called me the other day and said he could not sleep over the budget cut because... this was contrary to what he wanted to modernize our education,” Angara said. Makabayan bloc lawmakers on Monday also called on the bicam panel to reconvene and restore funds for social services that were slashed from the different agencies. ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas and Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel claimed that the approved bicameral report was a “blatant replay of fiscal management and political patronage.” “The public was kept in the dark about the specific amendments, their justifications, and their impacts on urgent social services,” they claimed. The lawmakers lamented why budget cuts were usually seemingly made in the health and education sectors while discretionary funds, including confidential and intelligence funds, were retained or even increased. However, Assistant Majority Leader Jefferson Khonghun said that the budget for the education sector should be taken in totality, along with funds allocated to other educational agencies and construction of related facilities by the Department of Public Works and Highways and local governments, pointing out it would show the sector remained a top priority. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . He noted that if the budgets of DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and the state universities and colleges were summed up, it would show that the education sector was still allocated the biggest chunk of the 2025 national budget. —with a report from Jeannette I. Andrade
The trend of modifying videos using AI algorithms to insert unexpected elements or absurd alterations has gained popularity on social media platforms. In the case of "Zhen Huan raising a gun," clips from the historical drama series are edited to make it appear as though the characters are holding firearms or engaging in violent actions that are completely out of context with the original storyline. While some viewers find these videos to be entertaining and humorous, others argue that they trivialize serious themes and historical events depicted in the drama.FOSTER CITY, Calif., Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apollomics Inc. (Nasdaq: APLM ) (the “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing medicines to address difficult-to-treat cancers, today announced that on December 10, 2024, it received a notification (the “Notice”) from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) stating that the Company has regained compliance with the requirement to maintain a minimum closing bid price of $1.00 per share, as set forth in Nasdaq Rule 5550(a)(2) (the “Bid Price Requirement”), and Nasdaq has determined to continue the listing of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares (“Class A Ordinary Shares”) on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “APLM.” On December 10, 2024, Nasdaq confirmed that for the ten consecutive business days from November 25, 2024 to December 9, 2024, the closing bid price of the Company’s Class A Ordinary Shares was at $1.00 per share or greater. Accordingly, the Company has regained compliance with the Nasdaq Bid Price Requirement and the matter is closed. About Apollomics Inc. Apollomics Inc. is an innovative clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of oncology therapies with the potential to be combined with other treatment options to harness the immune system and target specific molecular pathways to inhibit cancer. Apollomics’ lead program is vebreltinib (APL-101), a potent, selective c-Met inhibitor for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and other advanced tumors with c-Met alterations, which is currently in a Phase 2 multicohort clinical trial in the United States and over 10 other countries. For more information, please visit www.apollomicsinc.com. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this press release, regarding the Company’s strategy, prospects, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words “could,” “should,” “will,” “may,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” the negative of such terms and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. Apollomics cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, the Company’s ability to maintain compliance with any of the other Nasdaq continued listing requirements, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of Apollomics. In addition, Apollomics cautions you that the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are subject to unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including: (i) the impact of any current or new government regulations in the United States and China affecting Apollomics’ operations and the continued listing of Apollomics’ securities; (ii) the inability to achieve successful clinical results or to obtain licensing of third-party intellectual property rights for future discovery and development of Apollomics’ oncology projects; (iii) the failure to commercialize product candidates and achieve market acceptance of such product candidates; (iv) the failure to protect Apollomics’ intellectual property; (v) breaches in data security; (vi) the risk that Apollomics may not be able to develop and maintain effective internal controls; (vii) unfavorable changes to the regulatory environment; and (viii) those risks and uncertainties discussed in the Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed by Apollomics Inc. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under the heading “Risk Factors” and the other documents filed, or to be filed, by the Company with the SEC. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact the operations and projections discussed herein can be found in the reports that Apollomics has filed and will file from time to time with the SEC. These SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made by the Company. Apollomics undertakes no obligation to update publicly any of its forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. Investor Contact: Eric Ribner LifeSci Advisors, LLC (646) 751-4363 eric@lifesciadvisors.com
After an unseasonably warm fall, the chill of winter is finally setting in, meaning it’s time to turn up our thermostats and brace for the inevitable rise in heating costs.For families and seniors already feeling the pinch of inflation, the added burden of soaring energy bills can be overwhelming. I recently heard from a constituent [...]
Companies Expanding Use of Recycled Plastic; Technological Developments Improve Production Process, Allow Incorporation in Cars, ElectronicsCOLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Tafara Gapare scored 19 points, freshman Derik Queen had 15 points and eight rebounds and Maryland beat Bucknell 91-67 on Wednesday night. Maryland opened the game on a 15-2 run, extended it to 25-7 with 10:38 left and led 51-28 at the break. The Terrapins led by at least 16 points the entire second half, which included runs of 12-0 and 9-0. Gapare scored the 10 straight points during the second-half run. Gapare threw down a highlight dunk while being fouled with 2:08 remaining to give Maryland an 89-62 lead. He was called for a technical foul after stepping over Patrick O’Brien, who was attempting to take a charge. Jayden Williams made the two free throws for Bucknell and Gapare missed his free-throw attempt that would have tied his career high of 20 points. Maryland (6-1) has won 20 consecutive home games against unranked nonconference foes with its last loss coming on Dec. 1, 2021, against Virginia Tech in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Julian Reese added 14 points and Selton Miguel scored 13 for Maryland. Gapare, a Georgia Tech transfer, reached double-figure scoring as a Terp for the first time. The Terrapins shot 50% from the field with three 3-pointers apiece by Gapare and Miguel. Ruot Bijiek led Bucknell (4-4) with 20 points and Josh Bascoe added 10. The Bison turned it over 20 times leading to 22 Maryland points. Maryland stays at home to play Alcorn State on Sunday. Bucknell returns home to play Siena on Saturday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketballAAP legislator Naresh Balyan was arrested here on Saturday in connection with an extortion case lodged last year, police said. The MLA from Delhi's Uttam Nagar Assembly segment was called to the Delhi Police's Crime Branch office in R K Puram for questioning and was later arrested, they said. The development came hours after the BJP alleged that Balyan was involved in extortion activities and questioned why AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has not taken action against him. The Aam Aadmi Party defended Balyan, claiming that his arrest was illegal. The MLA had refuted the BJP's allegations and said he would lodge police cases against those who "spread lies" about him. A police official said that an audio clip of a conversation purportedly between Balyan and gangster Kapil Sangwan, currently based abroad, had gone viral on social media. The conversation involved discussions about collecting extortion money from businessmen, he said, adding further investigation and interrogation was underway. 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"Balyan has been arrested under this conspiracy and the charges against him are baseless," Singh claimed. "The BJP leaders have played a fake audio despite the High Court's order against it. Balyan himself complained to the police about multiple threats received by him from the gangster Kapil Sangwan," he claimed. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
December 16, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source proofread by Tata Institute of Fundamental Research The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, in collaboration with the Australian National University, Canberra has demonstrated a novel way of steering a beam of relativistic electron pulses produced by an ultrahigh intensity, femtosecond laser. Their study is published in the journal Laser and Photonics Reviews . Beams of high energy electrons are crucial for fundamental science and myriad applications and technologies, such as imaging, semiconductor lithography, material science and medical therapies. Typically, such beams are derived from accelerators—complex, expensive devices in large sizes and with sophisticated, high-power electrical and control systems. And each is geared towards operation in a certain regime of energies and currents, which is very difficult to modify at will. High intensity femtosecond laser pulses have been driving electrons to very high energies reaching million and billion electron volts over length scales that are 100–1,000 times shorter than conventional accelerator lengths, promising a revolution in compactification and control. Much of this progress has been achieved using gaseous plasma targets and the beaming of the electrons is typically along the direction of the laser itself. It is therefore imperative to find ways to get electrons at larger fluxes, say using a solid target, at the same time as controlling their directionality. For planar solids, the laser incident direction and polarization control the energies and the emission direction of the electrons. The beams are rather broad in their angular spread, getting even broader at higher laser intensities. Changing their direction or forming a narrow beam are extremely difficult challenges. This is precisely where the present advance steps in. Using a solid with a surface decorated by nanopillars, the authors drive MeV energy pulses of electrons and steer them in narrow beams by adjusting the laser incidence angle. The nanostructure enhances the local electric fields, providing higher acceleration than planar surfaces can, while a judicious choice of the incident angle and spacing can direct the electron pulses in a desired direction. A great bonus—simulations show that the electron pulses have attosecond duration. In summary, ordered nano steps can not only give a mighty kick to electrons but also bunch them tightly in time and order them to travel in specified directions. The authors call this "plasma nanophotonics," driving an analogy with an array of antennas- rightly spaced- emitting directional, coherent electromagnetic radiation. More information: Ankit Dulat et al, Coherent Control of Relativistic Electron Dynamics in Plasma Nanophotonics, Laser & Photonics Reviews (2024). DOI: 10.1002/lpor.202401570 Provided by Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
Leeds 3-1 Middlesbrough: Daniel Farke's side show they are the best the Championship has to offer as they go top of the league - denting promotion hopes of Michael Carrick's men Leeds continued their imperious form at Elland Road with a narrow victory Dan James starred as Farke's men went two points clear at top of league LISTEN NOW to It's All Kicking Off! : Why can't Chelsea win the league? They made seven changes and still scored five. Do you think Liverpool could do that? By DAVID COVERDALE Published: 22:15 GMT, 10 December 2024 | Updated: 22:40 GMT, 10 December 2024 e-mail 2 View comments Daniel Farke can play it down all he likes, but his Leeds side further showed on Tuesday night that they are the team to topple in the Championship. Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder caused a stir at the weekend when he claimed Farke's men were 'miles ahead' of his own promotion hopefuls. But while Farke rubbished his rival manager's remark, his team went on to prove Wilder right on Tuesday night by beating Middlesbrough to return to the top of the table at the expense of the Blades. Late goals from Daniel James and Brenden Aaronson earned Leeds an eighth straight home win after Max Wober’s own goal had cancelled out Wilfried Gnonto’s early opener. And Farke's men are now two points clear of Wilder's United, who have a game in hand at Millwall on Wednesday, and three ahead of third-placed Burnley , who were surprisingly held at home against Derby. Increasingly, the Whites look poised for a Premier League return after two seasons away, while Boro's own promotion hopes took a hit as they dropped one place to sixth. Daniel Farke's Leeds showed they are the best the Championship has to offer on Tuesday Dan James stole the show with an impressive display and goal in his side's 3-1 victory The win means Leeds go top of the Championship table in their hunt for promotion this season Despite Leeds' formidable form at Elland Road in the Championship this season, home fans will have been nervous when they arrived given their previous result here against Middlesbrough. Back in August, Boro swept aside the Whites - who had that evening been rocked by the news Georginio Rutter was leaving for Brighton - 3-0 in the Carabao Cup. Carrick's men have continued to enjoy their travels this season and came here having not lost on the road since the start of October, form that had helped push them into the play-off places. As for Carrick himself, he has been enhancing his reputation in a division where ex-England internationals have enjoyed mixed fortunes in the dugout so far this season, with Scott Parker, Tom Cleverley, Wayne Rooney and now Frank Lampard all in head coach roles in the second tier. 'Michael Carrick, he's won more than you,' the visiting fans taunted their home counterparts about their beloved boss and former Manchester United midfielder. Carrick, though, will have known this would be his team's toughest test to date. And so it proved, with the travelling Teesside faithful soon silenced. First, James - making his 100th appearance for Leeds - gave an early warning when he raced forwards and dragged a shot just wide. Then in the 14th minute, Sam Byram sent James tearing down the right wing and his cross was diverted by Boro centre back George Edmundson – under pressure from Mateo Joseph - towards his goalkeeper Seny Dieng. Michael Carrick's side stay sixth but their promotion hopes were dealt a blow at Elland Road Wilfied Gnonto opened the scoring with one of the easiest goals he will score in his career Brenden Aaronson, meanwhile, wrapped up the points with his strike late into stoppage time While Dieng blocked his defender's intervention, the grounded Boro No 1's attempted clearance ricocheted in off the on-rushing Gnonto, who wheeled away in delight at one of the luckiest goals he will ever score. Still, it was the Italian's fourth of the season and the perfect response to surprisingly being left out of the team last Saturday against Derby. And Gnonto looked in the mood for more, as he continued to run the Boro backline ragged on the left, much like his fellow wideman James was doing on the opposite flank. Much of Boro's hopes rested on Emmanuel Latthe Lath, who bagged a brace in both Championship meetings against Leeds last season. MATCH FACTS Leeds (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Byram (Ampadu 85), Rodon, Struijk, Wober; Tanaka, Rothwell (Guilavogui 90); James (Schmidt 90), Aaronson, Gnonto (Piroe 69); Joseph (Solomon 69) Subs not used: Darlow, Crew, Ramazani, Bamford Booked: Wober Goals: Gnonto 14, James 74, Aaronson 90 +2 Manager: Daniel Farke Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1): Dieng; Dijksteel, Edmundson, Clarke, Borges; Barlaser, Hackney; Doak, Azaz (Conway 82), McGree (Burgzorg 81); Latte Lath Subs not used: Brynn, Ayling, McCormick, Howson, Jones, Hamilton, Gilbert Booked: Dijksteel, Edmundson Goal: Wober OG 54 Manager: Michael Carrick Advertisement Yet the Ivorian striker – who was back in the starting line-up for top scorer Tommy Conway – barely saw sight of the ball in the first 45 minutes. In fact, the closest Boro came to scoring was when home defender Pascal Struijk passed just wide of his own net. That brought groans from a crowd who always fear the worst and a similar sound greeted Aaronson when he scooped a bouncing ball over the bar at the other end. Gnonto, though, could do little wrong and he brought fans to their feet when he drew a diving stop out of Dieng with a long range strike on the stroke of half time. At 1-0, however, an air of apprehension swirled around this old ground and Boro came out all guns blazing after the break. With his team's first meaningful attempt on goal, Riley McGree won a corner when he stung the palms of Illan Meslier with a fierce left-footed drive. And from Daniel Barlaser's inswinging setpiece in the 54th minute, Leeds defender Wober flicked into his own net ahead of Neto Borges at the near post. It was a bitter blow for the Austrian, who had just earned some credit back with supporters with his goal against Derby having annoyed them last season by jumping ship on loan to Borussia Monchengladbach. Ben Doak had a chance to give the visitors a shock lead, only for his shot to be smothered by Meslier. And he was made to pay 16 minutes from time as Leeds sub Joel Prioe played in James, who made up for a miss moments earlier by lashing into the top left corner to send the home fans wild. Aaronson then added gloss to the scoreline in the second minute of stoppage time when he stroked into an empty net from Ao Tanaka’s ball, as an animated Farke punched the air on the touchline. Daniel Farke Burnley Middlesbrough Leeds Share or comment on this article: Leeds 3-1 Middlesbrough: Daniel Farke's side show they are the best the Championship has to offer as they go top of the league - denting promotion hopes of Michael Carrick's men e-mail Add commentPharmaceutical, Diagnostic, and Biologics Product, Equipment/Process, Software and QMS Verification and Validation Training Course - ResearchAndMarkets.comThe Yu Hua Ying case serves as a stark reminder of the prevalence of human trafficking and the importance of combating this form of modern slavery. It underscores the need for greater awareness, vigilance, and cooperation among law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations, and the general public to address the root causes of human trafficking and protect the rights and dignity of all individuals.