casino game keno
Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad: Dec. 23 The Washington Post on President Biden's commutation of death sentences President Joe Biden’s Monday announcement that he would commute the death sentences of 37 federal inmates should not be seen as an act of mercy for people convicted of awful crimes. It was a substantial move to align the United States with the rest of the democratic world, which has largely abandoned the practice of killing people as an instrument of justice. In other words, Mr. Biden’s use of his commutation power was extraordinary — and insufficient. Three men will remain on federal death row, and more people could be put there in future years. Meanwhile, many states continue to execute people. We say this while acknowledging the horrors these people committed; the three men Mr. Biden left on death row were convicted of mass shootings or terrorist attacks. We also acknowledge that a majority of Americans still favors the death penalty, despite a downward trend in recent years. Mr. Biden’s attempt to split the difference, leaving what he considered the worst of the worst on death row, is therefore understandable. Yet the death penalty is expensive, impractical and too often unjustly applied. And, even if the death penalty posed none of these problems, the government should not purposely take lives outside of war or similar conflict. The state should be better — far better — than those who unnecessarily and premeditatedly extinguish human life. Our view has seen substantial wins in recent years. Executions have plummeted as public support for the practice has moderated. But 2024 offered multiple signs that the momentum may be ebbing. President-elect Donald Trump promised during his campaign to expand the death penalty . And the Death Penalty Information Center, in its annual end-of-year report, shows that the number of executions nationwide, though still far below their heights at the turn of the century, have been ticking upward in recent years. Twenty-five people were executed in the United States in 2024, slightly up from the previous year and more than twice the three-decade low reached in 2021. That’s largely the result of efforts by officials in Republican-run states to reactivate the death penalty. Three states this year — Utah, South Carolina and Indiana — carried out their first executions in more than a decade. Alabama also experimented with a new way to kill its inmates : asphyxiating them with nitrogen gas. The first person subjected to this method, Kenneth Smith, convulsed and gasped for air for four minutes. Following the execution, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall encouraged other states to adopt the method. “Alabama has done it, and now so can you,” he said. Increasingly, states are carrying out these executions behind a veil of secrecy. Just last week, Indiana, citing state law, executed Joseph Corcoran with no media witnesses . This year also saw an increase in the number of people sentenced to death, from 21 in 2023 to 26. About a third of those sentences were imposed by nonunanimous juries, thanks to laws in Florida and Alabama that allow jurors to recommend the death sentence even if they don’t reach consensus. In fact, Florida in 2023 enacted legislation allowing death sentences to be imposed if just 8 out of 12 jurors vote in favor. Of course, as Mr. Biden acknowledged in his Monday announcement, most people with death sentences in the United States committed heinous crimes and deserve little sympathy. But one can condemn such acts while also maintaining that executing criminals cannot bring back victims of those crimes or make whole those who lost loved ones. Also, mistakes happen, even in an advanced criminal justice system such as that of the United States. In July, Larry Roberts became the 200th person sentenced to death to be exonerated of his alleged crime since the DPIC starting tracking wrongful convictions in 1973. No one should be comfortable with that number. Since 1976, when the Supreme Court ended its four-year moratorium on the death penalty, more than 1,600 people have been executed in the United States. How many of them were likewise innocent? ONLINE: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/12/23/death-penalty-trump-criminal-justice/ Dec. 24 The New York Times on the teen mental health crisis Rates of anxiety and depression in adolescents have been rising for years . Millions of Americans with mental health problems are not getting the treatment they need for myriad reasons. Many families can’t afford it. And many young people also don’t know where to turn for help. The UJA-Federation of New York, an organization created in 1917 to provide Jewish New Yorkers with economic and social support, is trying to fill the coverage gap for young adults of all backgrounds. The organization helps them get care from its network of mental health professionals through educational outreach at schools, community centers and even coffee shops. This kind of localized approach has long been recommended by experts because it has been shown to reach people who might not otherwise seek treatment or support. “Since UJA was founded — and that’s now well over 100 years ago — we have focused on critical issues facing New Yorkers in need,” said Alex Roth-Kahn, a managing director at the organization. That mission has led to decades of supporting people with mental health challenges. Just this year, Marcellus Williams was executed in Missouri for a 1998 murder, even though the prosecuting attorney in St. Louis County filed a motion to vacate his death sentence because DNA testing of the murder weapon ruled him out. And in Texas, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is fighting the death sentence of Robert Robertson, convicted in the death of his 2-year-old, who prosecutors said died of shaken baby syndrome — though Robertson’s lawyers have cited medical and forensic experts who concluded she likely died from undiagnosed pneumonia. Mr. Biden’s intervention this week is a nod to the flaws of the death penalty, but also a need for a system that claims human dignity and equal application of the law as its driving values. State and federal lawmakers should finish the job by abolishing the practice. ONLINE: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/24/opinion/communities-fund-uja-federation.html Dec. 23 The Wall Street Journal on rising life expectancy in the United States Some good news as 2024 nears the end: Life expectancy in the U.S. last year made an unusually sharp increase as deaths from most major causes declined, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Americans can expect more longevity gains in the future—as long as Washington doesn’t introduce harmful policies. Life expectancy in 2023 rose 0.9 years to 78.4 while the overall mortality rate adjusted for age declined 6%. Death rates among all age groups fell, and more sharply for middle-aged Americans and seniors. A typical 65-year-old can expect to live another 19.5 years, up from 18.9 years in 2022. The large rebound in a single year owes largely to a decline in Covid deaths as the pandemic receded into the past. Covid deaths last year were roughly the same as those from the flu during a bad flu season. Death rates from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and unintentional injuries (e.g., drug overdoses) also declined. It’s true that U.S. life expectancy is still lower, and deaths from most causes somewhat higher, than before the pandemic when it reached an overall average of 78.8 years. But that’s because of an increase in chronic illnesses, which may have been exacerbated by the pandemic lockdowns. Forced to stay home, many Americans ate and drank more and used more drugs. The Biden Administration claimed credit for the lifespan increase because drug overdoses declined slightly in 2023. Perhaps political attention to the fentanyl scourge is making a difference. But overdoses were still 50% higher last year than in 2019. The truth is that the Administration’s “harm reduction” policies—e.g., distributing sterile needles and opioid-overdose medicine naloxone to addicts—have failed to reduce addiction. A common lament on the political left and right is that the U.S. has a lower life expectancy despite spending more on healthcare than most developed countries. But America also has more chronic disease and drug addiction, which aren’t from failings in private healthcare. Americans have access to more treatments than any country in the world. This is why U.S. cancer survival rates are higher than in most developed countries and continue to improve. Personalized cancer vaccines and CAR T-cell therapies have shown potential to treat deadly cancers like pancreatic and glioblastoma. GLP-1 medicines like Ozempic could help extend lifespans by reducing obesity, diabetes and even drug addictions. The policy risk is that government drug price controls will discourage innovation. Expanding government control over healthcare isn’t the way to make Americans healthier. ONLINE: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/cdc-u-s-life-expectancy-rises-covid-mortality-chronic-illness-drugs-pharma-e2f03030?mod=editorials_article_pos3 Dec. 24 The Boston Globe says Republicans taking directions from Elon Musk might want to reconsider Until last week’s budget debacle, Elon Musk was a warm-up act for President-elect Donald Trump. Like the many adulatory openers at Trump rallies and Republican gatherings, he amped up the crowd — but strictly in preparation for the main act. While Democrats like to flash star power at events — A-listers, movie stars, and pop icons — in today’s Republican Party, Trump is the star power. But the rise of Musk as a political figure means that another successful, powerful businessman is potentially poised to eclipse Trump’s voice in the Republican Party, whether he intends to or not. That’s a problem for Trump, who isn’t exactly used to sharing the limelight. The MAGA movement, as Trump allies describe it, is built around the idea that politicians of all stripes are too blinded by corruption, political complications, and self-interest to serve the needs of the American people. Such a movement necessitates an audacious leader who isn’t afraid to break with the pack and stand out — someone exactly like Trump. His no-holds-barred style of leadership has allowed him to quickly overhaul the Republican Party, elevating loyalists and his favored policies with little regard for pushback from liberals or traditional Republicans. Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, owner of X (formerly Twitter), and the world’s richest man, has been one of Trump’s most important allies in spreading that message. His endorsement, his campaigning efforts, his nearly quarter of a billion dollar America PAC, his energizing rally appearances, and even his transformation of X into a “town square” have been vital to spreading Republican messaging. Musk has been a dutiful “First Buddy.” But he could become more than that, as he revealed last week. Starting early Wednesday morning, a mere series of X posts from Musk helped to derail a bipartisan congressional deal to fund the government and avert a shutdown. That Musk had concerns about a 1,500-page budget bill isn’t the issue here; it’s safe to assume that any impenetrable packet of government spending contains eyebrow-raising allocations. What is of concern is how Musk seemingly single-handedly hijacked the process — and how Republicans let him. On X, Musk and his sidekick Vivek Ramaswamy praised Republicans who bowed to his opposition of the bill and put on notice those who didn’t. “Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!” Musk posted early Wednesday afternoon, generating more than 47 million views. He beat Trump to the punch — or, maybe, pushed the president-elect into action. Twelve hours after Musk’s first post opposing the bill, JD Vance and Trump released a statement condemning the bill. And that evening, Trump posted on Truth Social that “Any Republican that would be so stupid as to do this should, and will, be primaried.” So Republican leaders dutifully withdrew the bill and replaced it with a slimmed-down alternative that met Musk and Trump’s demands. That bill failed on Thursday. So on Friday, rather than allow the government to shut down, the House voted on and passed a third bill — which looked suspiciously like the initial version with some face-saving changes to placate Musk and Trump — with Democratic votes. That Musk is using his platform to share his views isn’t an issue. As he often points out, he has made X a public square for many different viewpoints — including many of his own detractors. The problem is that Republicans have allowed Musk to disproportionately sway their leadership. That’s not necessarily a problem when Musk is advocating for budget cuts and bureaucratic overhaul in his self-conceived Department of Government Efficiency. DOGE will be an extragovernmental advisory board that might have the potential to help trim some federal fat. In this advisory role, an innovator like Musk, along with his cochair Ramaswamy, have the potential to make helpful recommendations unburdened by the political pressures of being in the federal government. But advisers advise, they don’t direct. Will it be a problem when the new ascendant voice on the right wants to, say, protect his business interests with American adversaries like China ? He has many potential conflicts of interest in dictating how the American government should spend and not spend its money. His companies Tesla and SpaceX, for example, have had over $15 billion in government contracts over the past decade. Musk is doing more than swaying policy. He’s also creating a new line of attack for Democrats who are more than pleased to point out that Republicans’ reimagined “working people’s party” is being led by a billionaire puppeteered by a far richer billionaire. On X, Democrats lined up to highlight “President Musk’s” pull, with Senator Chris Murphy posting about the Trump administration’s “Billionaire First” agenda. Trump is no stranger to criticisms from the left, nor is he particularly stringent about consistency in his policy positions. Like any good populist, Trump has shown himself willing to adapt to his supporters’ whims. He might bristle, however, at the prospect of being relegated to an opening act, a mere figurehead for a party driven by someone younger, richer, and more influential. The bristling may have already started. Trump’s transition spokesperson immediately went on the defense: “President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. Full stop,” Karoline Leavitt said . And maybe some resistance from Team Trump is for the best. Even if Trump agrees with Musk, an unelected billionaire with a long list of conflicts of interest should not have such a direct line of influence over our government. Trump was elected, he should be making the decisions — not waiting for his rich friend to endorse them before Trump himself has even weighed in. Republicans are going to have to answer plenty of tough questions about Musk’s influence on their party over the next four years. None might be as difficult as this: Is Trump willing to let Musk steal his show? ONLINE: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/12/24/opinion/elon-musk-trump-congress/?event=event12 Dec. 24 The Philadelphia Inquirer says RFK Jr. cannot be taken seriously as HHS Secretary America’s public health could be at risk if the incoming administration doesn’t correct some of the campaign rhetoric that may have helped Donald Trump win an election but has no merit now that voting is over. For example, inaccurate comments about water fluoridation that prospective U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has not taken back. “ Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis , bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease,” Kennedy said in a November social media post in which he also claimed the president-elect would advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water. As is typical with Trump, he has neither embraced nor denied Kennedy’s assertions, preferring to instead suggest support of ideas that he may later reject by nebulously saying of Kennedy: “I’m going to let him go wild on health. I’m going to let him go wild on the food. I’m going to let him go wild on medicines.” Please, don’t. America doesn’t need anyone “wild” in charge of public health. Kennedy can’t be taken seriously when he makes misleading comments about water fluoridation that may have a veneer of truth but don’t hold up when someone takes the time to review the facts. Fluoride is not an industrial waste product. It is a mineral found in rocks and soil that leaches naturally into streams and other water supplies. Its effectiveness in preventing tooth decay was discovered in the 1920s when it was observed that Colorado Springs, Colo., residents whose teeth were stained by excessive fluoride in their water sources had fewer than normal cavities. Kennedy is wrong to suggest the subsequent fluoridation of community water supplies across America occurred hastily and without due investigation of potential dangers. The National Institutes of Health began investigating how fluoride affects the human body in the 1930s, but the first major trial of fluoridation of a community’s water supply didn’t occur until 1945 in Grand Rapids, Mich. President Harry S. Truman signed an act creating the National Institute of Dental Research in 1948 in large part because 20% of young men being drafted for military service were rejected because their teeth were so bad. Meanwhile, 10 years after the Michigan study began, the cavity rate among Grand Rapids children was reduced by more than 60%. Subsequent research shows drinking fluoridated water not only reduces cavities and associated dental pain but correspondingly cuts missed school and work days. Such results prompted cities and towns across America — including Philadelphia — to begin fluoridating their water, so much so that by 2010 the tap water of more than 200 million Americans was flowing from fluoridated systems. There have been virtually zero instances in which putting fluoride in a water system has been blamed for a public health issue since the fluoridation of most of America’s water supplies began. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has ranked water fluoridation as one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. Kennedy is trying to solve a problem that doesn’t seem to exist. The National Institutes of Health did complete a study that concluded there might be a connection between the lower IQs of children after long-term exposure to more than twice the federal government’s recommended level of fluoride in drinking water. But why would any town knowingly exceed the government’s fluoridation guidelines by such a large margin? There’s no incentive for local officials to risk their children’s or adults’ health. Kennedy also says fluoridating water systems is no longer necessary. “ Fluoride made sense in the 1940s when they put it in, but now we have fluoride in toothpaste,” he said. That’s true, fluoride today is in toothpaste, mouthwashes, and other oral hygiene products, but that’s why the recommended level of fluoride in water supplies was reduced from 1.0 parts per million to 0.7 parts per million in 2011. Future research may lead to more reductions in recommended fluoride levels, but there’s no basis for Kennedy’s call for a ban now. Trump’s choice to plot the course of public health agencies that make life-and-death decisions based on scientific evidence is a bad one. Kennedy comes across as someone who loves basking in the limelight too often afforded contrarians who pay little attention to facts. In that same vein, Kennedy has criticized vaccines that have long protected millions of Americans from crippling and deadly diseases. Surely the president-elect can do better with his nominations. ONLINE: https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/editorials/health-water-fluoride-robert-kennedy-20241224.html
Larson Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in Principal Financial Group, Inc. ( NYSE:PFG – Free Report ) by 132.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 675 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 385 shares during the period. Larson Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Principal Financial Group were worth $58,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Sompo Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Principal Financial Group by 5.6% during the 3rd quarter. Sompo Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 6,820 shares of the company’s stock worth $586,000 after acquiring an additional 360 shares during the last quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC raised its position in Principal Financial Group by 2.1% during the third quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 6,946 shares of the company’s stock valued at $597,000 after purchasing an additional 146 shares in the last quarter. Cerity Partners LLC raised its position in Principal Financial Group by 12.3% during the third quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 30,042 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,581,000 after purchasing an additional 3,281 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in Principal Financial Group by 1.4% during the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,403,689 shares of the company’s stock worth $120,577,000 after purchasing an additional 18,801 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Blackhawk Capital Partners LLC. purchased a new position in shares of Principal Financial Group in the 3rd quarter worth about $209,000. Institutional investors own 75.08% of the company’s stock. Principal Financial Group Trading Down 0.2 % NYSE PFG opened at $87.09 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $19.92 billion, a P/E ratio of -96.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.20. Principal Financial Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $72.21 and a fifty-two week high of $91.97. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $86.41 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $82.48. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 0.30 and a current ratio of 0.30. Principal Financial Group Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, December 18th. Investors of record on Monday, December 2nd will be given a dividend of $0.73 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 2nd. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.35%. This is a boost from Principal Financial Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.72. Principal Financial Group’s payout ratio is currently -320.00%. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts recently weighed in on the company. Barclays boosted their target price on Principal Financial Group from $75.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Principal Financial Group from $85.00 to $86.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 10th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on shares of Principal Financial Group from $85.00 to $83.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of Principal Financial Group from $87.00 to $91.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 19th. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on Principal Financial Group from $85.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 2nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Principal Financial Group currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $85.92. View Our Latest Report on Principal Financial Group About Principal Financial Group ( Free Report ) Principal Financial Group, Inc provides retirement, asset management, and insurance products and services to businesses, individuals, and institutional clients worldwide. The company operates through Retirement and Income Solutions, Principal Asset Management, and Benefits and Protection segments. The Retirement and Income Solutions segment provides retirement, and related financial products and services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Principal Financial Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Principal Financial Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Narin An handled the windy conditions with a hot putter on Thursday, making four straight birdies around the turn and finishing with an 8-under 64 for a one-shot lead in the CME Group Tour Championship. At stake for the 60-player field is a $4 million prize to the winner, the largest single-day payoff in women's golf. Nelly Korda already has won more than that during her sterling season of seven wins. Now she faces an eight-shot deficit over the next three days at Tiburon Golf Club if she wants to end her year in fitting fashion. Korda, coming off a victory last week, couldn't make amends for her three bogeys and had to settle for an even-par 72. She has come from behind in four of her victories, and still has 54 holes ahead of her. But it has made the task that much tougher. Everything felt easy for An, a 28-year-old from South Korea who has never won on the LPGA and has never cracked the top 10 in any of the 16 majors she has played. “Today my putt really good,” An said. “The speed was good and the shape was good. I just try to focus a little bit more.” She had a one-shot lead over Angel Yin, who shot 30 on the back nine, including an eagle on the par-5 17th hole that most players can easily reach in two. Former U.S. Women's Open champion Allisen Corpuz and Marina Alex were at 66, with Lydia Ko leading the group at 67. Despite the wind so typical along the Gulf Coast of Florida, 27 players — nearly half the field — shot in the 60s. “It's a good head start for the big ol' prize we get at the end of the week,” Yin said. Whoever wins this week is assured of breaking the 17-year-old LPGA record for most money earned in season. The record was set by Lorena Ochoa in 2007 at $4,364,994, back when the total prize money was about half of what it is now. Ochoa earned $1 million for winning the Tour Championship in 2007. The opening round followed a big night of awards for the LPGA Tour, where Korda officially picked up her first award as player of the year, which she clinched earlier this month . Ko was recognized for her big year, highlighted by an Olympic gold medal that put her into the LPGA Hall of Fame. She regained plenty of focus for the opening round on a course where she won just two years ago. “The course isn't easy,” Ko said. “I set a goal of shooting 3 under today, and somebody shot 8 under. I was like, ‘OK, maybe I need to make a few more birdies.’ It's a course that can get away from you as much as you can shoot some low scores, so I’m just trying to stick to my game plan and go from there.” Also in the group at 67 was Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland, already celebrating a big year with her debut in the Solheim Cup and her first appearance in the Tour Championship. She made a late run at her first LPGA title last week at Pelican Golf Club, and kept up her form. And she can see the finish line, which is appealing. “I everyone is looking at that $4 million price tag,” Valenzuela said. “I try not to look too much at the result. I feel like in the past I’ve always been stuck on results, and ultimately all I can do is control my own round, my own energy, my own commitment. “It's the last week of the year. It’s kind of the bonus week. No matter what, everyone is having a paycheck.” AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
‘Powerful’ Aussie chardonnay tops elite wine collectors’ hit paradeSEOUL, South Korea , Nov. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have unveiled a reliable companion for industrial work, the wearable robot 'X-ble Shoulder.' This device, just by being worn, can increase workers' efficiency and reduce musculoskeletal injuries. Two videos released on Hyundai Motor Group's YouTube channel show the X-ble Shoulder in action, including product features and the development story . Hyundai Motor and Kia unveiled the X-ble Shoulder at Wearable Robot Tech Day held at the Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang near Seoul . The X-ble brand — a combination of 'X,' symbolizing infinite potential, and 'able,' indicating that anything can be realized — heralds a new era in wearable technology. The X-ble Shoulder, the first product in the X-ble line, is an industrial wearable robot developed by Hyundai Motor and Kia's Robotics LAB. When used in 'overhead work' where the arm is raised, it can assist the user's upper arm muscle strength and reduce the burden on the upper extremity musculoskeletal system. The X-ble Shoulder will find use in various industries, including construction, shipbuilding, aviation and agriculture, not just automobiles. Following its domestic launch, the companies plan to gradually expand sales to overseas markets. In addition to the X-ble Shoulder, Hyundai Motor and Kia plan to develop an industrial wearable robot 'X-ble Waist' to assist the waist when lifting heavy loads, and a medical wearable robot 'X-ble MEX' for the rehabilitation of the walking impaired. "The X-ble Shoulder is a wearable robot that leverages the technical capabilities of the Robotics LAB and implements feedback from actual users," said Dong Jin Hyun , Vice President and Head of Robotics LAB at Hyundai Motor and Kia. "Going forward, we aim to expand the availability of wearable robots, creating products that work naturally with users to enhance their daily lives. By pushing technological boundaries, we will make these beneficial products accessible to more people." View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyundai-motor-and-kias-robotics-lab-announce-plans-to-launch-x-ble-shoulder-at-wearable-robot-tech-day-302317253.html SOURCE Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation
In one of his most famous statements, former PM Manmohan Singh before demitting office as the prime minister in 2014 had said, "history will be kinder to me", asserting that his leadership was not as weak as projected at that time. In what can be termed his last press conference as the Prime Minister, the former PM said in 2014, "I do not believe that I have been a weak Prime Minister." He added, "I honestly believe that history will be kinder to me than the contemporary media or for that matter the Opposition in Parliament. Given the political compulsions, I have done the best I could do. I have done as well as I could do according to the circumstances." He was responding to a volley of questions regarding criticism that his leadership was "weak" and he was not decisive on many occasions. Singh had also chosen the press conference to launch a blistering attack on BJP's then prime ministerial candidate Modi and referred to the 2002 Gujarat riots under the Chief Minister. The BJP at that time had projected Modi as a strong leader while targeting Singh over the issue of "weak" leadership in the run-up to the next Lok Sabha polls. "If you measure the strength of Prime Minister by presiding over mass massacre of innocent citizens on streets of Ahmedabad, then I do not believe in it. I do not think that this kind of strength this country needs least from its Prime Minister," Singh had said. "I have full confidence that the next Prime Minister will be from the UPA. It will be disastrous for the country to have Narendra Modi as Prime Minister. I sincerely believe what Narendra Modi is saying is not going to materialise," he had said. Maintaining that his two terms as prime minister in UPA I and UPA II displayed the Congress's ability to run a coalition government and dispelled the perception that this party cannot run coalitions, Singh said though some compromises were made in the process, they were on "peripheral issues and not on national problems". "Nobody has asked me to step down because of any inadequacy that characterised my tenure as prime minister," was his response when asked about "negative" perceptions within Congress about his leadership. (With agency inputs)
As the end of the year approaches, now’s the time to start preparing for filing your 2024 tax return in 2025. When it comes to tax strategies, generally Dec. 31 is the deadline to make changes that might lower your tax bill. One major exception is the deadline for contributing to a : You have until April 15, 2025, to make a contribution to a Roth or traditional IRA for tax year 2024. If you qualify for , then a contribution to your traditional IRA can reduce your taxable income for 2024. Here are tips and strategies to prepare now for the 2025 tax-filing deadline. If you had significant changes in your life in 2024 — maybe you got married or divorced, started your own business, or had to claim unemployment benefits — your taxes may be more complicated. As a result, you might need to hire a certified public accountant (CPA), enrolled agent (EA) or other tax professional to prepare and file your taxes. If you decide to hire someone, it’s best to start planning for that sooner rather than later. Waiting until the calendar flips to April could cost you. The average fee for a professional to prepare and file a simple Form 1040 tax return, with no itemized deductions, is about $220, according to a survey by the National Society of Accountants in 2020-2021, the most recent data available. But that amount rises quickly for more complex returns, and varies depending on where you live. For example, a Form 1040 with itemized deductions costs an average of $432 in states on the Pacific Coast, compared with $285 in New England. No matter where you live, prices usually rise as the tax deadline approaches, so it’s smart to start searching for a tax pro soon. If you’re uncomfortable doing your taxes on your own and can’t afford a CPA, enrolled agent or other tax pro, or to , there are free options to consider. The IRS currently offers three ways to prepare your taxes for free: •With the IRS Free File program, the IRS partners with for-profit tax-software companies that offer free tax-prep software to eligible taxpayers so they can file their federal tax returns for free. Some taxpayers may also qualify for a free state tax filing, depending on the software provider. In January, the IRS will announce the income limit to qualify for the program for the 2025 tax season (for filing 2024 tax returns). For the 2024 tax season (2023 tax returns), taxpayers’ adjusted gross income (AGI) couldn’t exceed $79,000. •The IRS also offers its Direct File program, a free tool that allows you to file your federal income tax return directly with the IRS at no cost. The program supports simple tax returns and is available only in certain states. Check to see if you qualify here. •Another free-filing option is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. IRS-certified volunteers offer free basic tax preparation in person to people who earn less than $67,000 a year, are disabled or whose English is limited. The IRS has an online location tool for hundreds of free tax preparation sites in the U.S. (the locator tool is updated from February through April). Some VITA sites also offer online tax-prep assistance. Now is a good time to create an IRS If you want to see your Form 1040 from last year, or you’re missing a prior year Form W-2 or mortgage interest statement, you can find your documents using this free tax tool. Another benefit of creating an IRS online account is that it allows you to quickly obtain your prior year’s tax information without sitting on the phone for hours with an IRS representative, says Carl Johnson, a certified public accountant in New Orleans. An IRS online account also lets you view your account balance and payment history for each year. You can also create a payment plan to settle your federal income tax debt within minutes. If you’re 73 years old and have enjoyed watching your 401(k) or IRA grow tax-free without touching it, remember that the IRS is going to want its share each year. That means you’ll have to make withdrawals — and pay income tax. If you turned 73 in 2024, plan to take your at the latest by April 1, 2025. Read this for more information. The amount of your RMDs is based on your age and the year-end values of your retirement accounts. A has two big tax advantages over a : Qualified withdrawals are not considered income for federal (and usually state) tax purposes, and you don’t have to take distributions from a Roth every year once you reach age 73. may save you money in the long run. Just know that when you convert an IRA to a Roth, it’s considered taxable income, which will raise your tax bill for that year. Generally, it’s best to convert to a Roth IRA when you’re in a low-income year. As tax season approaches, many people start receiving phone calls, emails and texts from entities claiming to be the IRS. Be wary, and understand that these are scams. Typically, the IRS will mail you a notice before using any other method of communication to notify you concerning issues with your tax return. The IRS won’t reach out via social media or text messaging. Relatedly, the IRS warns taxpayers to be careful when choosing a tax preparer. Taking time to vet your tax preparer is crucial to protect yourself from tax scams and fraud. Before hiring a tax professional, search that person’s name in the to avoid dishonest “professionals.” “Taxpayers should check the tax professional’s credentials,” Johnson says. Tax pros without credentials “may take questionable positions without any degree of scrutiny or fear of losing their access to the profession,” Johnson says. Taxpayers who and owe a tax bill, or who file but don’t on time, risk severe penalties. The IRS can even seize assets if necessary. Respond quickly if the IRS has been sending you letters because it found an error on your return or claims you owe back taxes. Typically, the IRS will send you a notice if you have a balance due, changes were made to your tax return, or the agency needs additional information. “If you ignore a collection letter from the IRS, you may face wage garnishments, liens, bank levies, and other adverse action. And in some cases, the amount due may increase for failure to respond,” Johnson says. Keep in mind the IRS does offer and other payment plans. Make copies of your correspondence and use only the U.S. Postal Service, the postmark from which is your proof of timeliness when responding. But whatever you do, don’t ignore the IRS because this may cause more issues in the future.Misha & Itzhak Ezratti Uncover GL Homes Vision For New Florida HomesJERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen on Thursday targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports, while the World Health Organization's director-general said the bombardment occurred nearby as he prepared to board a flight in Sanaa, with a crew member injured. “The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge — just a few meters from where we were — and the runway were damaged,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on the social media platform X. He added that he and U.N. colleagues were safe. “We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave,” he said, without mentioning the source of the bombardment. The Israeli strikes followed several days of Houthi launches setting off sirens in Israel. The Israeli military said it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa and ports in the cities of Hodeida, Al-Salif and Ras Qantib, along with power stations, asserting they were used to smuggle in Iranian weapons and for the entry of senior Iranian officials. Israel's military didn't immediately respond to questions about Tedros' post but issued a statement saying it had "capabilities to strike very far from Israel’s territory — precisely, powerfully, and repetitively.” The strikes came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “the Houthis, too, will learn what Hamas and Hezbollah and Assad’s regime and others learned" as his military has battled those more powerful proxies of Iran. The Iran-backed Houthis' media outlet confirmed the strikes in a Telegram post but gave no immediate details. The U.S. military also has targeted the Houthis in Yemen in recent days. The United Nations has noted that the targeted ports are important entryways for humanitarian aid for Yemen, the poorest Arab nation that plunged into a civil war in 2014 . Over the weekend, 16 people were wounded when a Houthi missile hit a playground in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv . Last week, Israeli jets struck Sanaa and Hodeida, killing nine people, calling it a response to previous Houthi attacks. The Houthis also have been targeting shipping on the Red Sea corridor, calling it solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting Monday in response to an Israeli request that the council condemn the Houthi attacks and Iran for supplying weapons to the rebels. Meanwhile, an Israeli strike killed five Palestinian journalists outside a hospital in the Gaza Strip overnight , the territory's Health Ministry said. The Israeli military said that all were militants posing as reporters. The strike hit a car outside Al-Awda Hospital in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The journalists were working for the local news outlet Al-Quds Today, a television channel affiliated with the Islamic Jihad militant group. Islamic Jihad is a smaller and more extreme ally of Hamas and took part in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack in southern Israel, which ignited the war. The Israeli military identified four of the men as combat propagandists and said that intelligence, including a list of Islamic Jihad operatives found by soldiers in Gaza, had confirmed that all five were affiliated with the group. Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian militant groups operate political, media and charitable operations in addition to their armed wings. Associated Press footage showed the incinerated shell of a van, with press markings visible on the back doors. Sobbing young men attended the funeral outside the hospital. The bodies were wrapped in shrouds, with blue press vests draped over them. The Committee to Protect Journalists says more than 130 Palestinian reporters have been killed since the start of the war. Israel hasn't allowed foreign reporters to enter Gaza except on military embeds. Israel has banned the pan-Arab Al Jazeera network and accused six of its Gaza reporters of being militants . The Qatar-based broadcaster denies the allegations and accuses Israel of trying to silence its war coverage, which has focused heavily on civilian casualties from Israeli military operations. Separately, Israel's military said that a 35-year-old reserve soldier was killed during fighting in central Gaza early Thursday. A total of 389 soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the start of the ground operation more than a year ago. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed across the border in an attack on nearby army bases and farming communities. They killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250. About 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third believed to be dead. Israel's air and ground offensive has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry. It says more than half the fatalities have been women and children, but doesn't say how many of the dead were fighters. Israel says it has killed more than 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The offensive has caused widespread destruction and driven around 90% of the population of 2.3 million from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are packed into squalid tent camps along the coast, with little protection from the cold, wet winter. Also Thursday, people mourned eight Palestinians killed by Israeli military operations in and around the city of Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The Israeli military said that it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. A previous version of this story was corrected to show that the name of the local news outlet is Al-Quds Today, not the Quds News Network. Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
7 tips to prepare for next year’s taxes now