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NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Kmani Doughty had 17 points in Indiana State's 83-80 victory against Iona on Saturday. Doughty shot 5 of 9 from the field, including 1 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 7 from the line for the Sycamores (4-4). Jaden Daughtry added 16 points while going 6 of 9 and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line while they also had six rebounds and three steals. Josiah LeGree shot 5 for 8, including 3 for 5 from beyond the arc to finish with 14 points. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Ukraine must be in strong position for negotiations, Starmer to sayMiddle East latest: Tension on the streets of Damascus as opposition fighters close in
Daiwa Securities Group Inc. raised its position in shares of EPAM Systems, Inc. ( NYSE:EPAM – Free Report ) by 10.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,089 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 695 shares during the period. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s holdings in EPAM Systems were worth $1,411,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of EPAM. Tidal Investments LLC grew its holdings in EPAM Systems by 17.2% during the first quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 3,167 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $875,000 after purchasing an additional 464 shares during the period. Comerica Bank grew its holdings in EPAM Systems by 3.1% during the first quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 9,593 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $2,649,000 after purchasing an additional 286 shares during the period. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale lifted its position in shares of EPAM Systems by 1.9% during the first quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 10,473 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $2,859,000 after acquiring an additional 195 shares in the last quarter. Polianta Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of EPAM Systems during the second quarter worth $1,185,000. Finally, CWM LLC lifted its position in shares of EPAM Systems by 28.6% during the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,857 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $349,000 after acquiring an additional 413 shares in the last quarter. 91.58% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Insider Activity at EPAM Systems In other news, CFO Jason D. Peterson sold 1,000 shares of EPAM Systems stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $237.00, for a total value of $237,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 24,836 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,886,132. The trade was a 3.87 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink . 4.30% of the stock is owned by insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes Get Our Latest Stock Report on EPAM Systems EPAM Systems Stock Down 0.8 % EPAM opened at $243.92 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $13.84 billion, a PE ratio of 31.68, a P/E/G ratio of 3.76 and a beta of 1.46. The company has a quick ratio of 4.56, a current ratio of 4.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. EPAM Systems, Inc. has a 52 week low of $169.43 and a 52 week high of $317.50. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $210.25 and its 200 day simple moving average is $199.15. EPAM Systems declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase plan on Thursday, August 8th that allows the company to buyback $500.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the information technology services provider to reacquire up to 4.3% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are often an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued. About EPAM Systems ( Free Report ) EPAM Systems, Inc provides digital platform engineering and software development services worldwide. The company offers engineering services, including requirements analysis and platform selection, customization, cross-platform migration, implementation, and integration; infrastructure management services, such as software development, testing, performance tuning, deployment, maintenance, and support services. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EPAM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for EPAM Systems, Inc. ( NYSE:EPAM – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for EPAM Systems Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for EPAM Systems and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
NoneCharles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in Piper Sandler Companies ( NYSE:PIPR – Free Report ) by 1.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 205,226 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,689 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. owned 1.16% of Piper Sandler Companies worth $58,245,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Mesirow Institutional Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Piper Sandler Companies in the second quarter worth $10,139,000. Millennium Management LLC boosted its holdings in Piper Sandler Companies by 66.0% during the second quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 77,804 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $17,908,000 after acquiring an additional 30,942 shares during the period. Nicholas Investment Partners LP acquired a new stake in shares of Piper Sandler Companies in the second quarter valued at about $5,950,000. Sei Investments Co. lifted its position in shares of Piper Sandler Companies by 101.2% during the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 44,675 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $10,282,000 after purchasing an additional 22,471 shares during the last quarter. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC lifted its position in shares of Piper Sandler Companies by 1,576.2% during the 2nd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 20,081 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $4,622,000 after purchasing an additional 18,883 shares during the last quarter. 72.79% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Piper Sandler Companies Stock Up 0.4 % Shares of PIPR opened at $342.99 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $324.46 and its 200 day moving average price is $295.22. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.64 and a beta of 1.39. Piper Sandler Companies has a 12-month low of $152.59 and a 12-month high of $351.80. Piper Sandler Companies Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 22nd will be given a dividend of $0.65 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 22nd. This represents a $2.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.76%. Piper Sandler Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.78%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have commented on PIPR. StockNews.com downgraded Piper Sandler Companies from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. JMP Securities reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Piper Sandler Companies in a research note on Tuesday, September 17th. Check Out Our Latest Report on Piper Sandler Companies Piper Sandler Companies Company Profile ( Free Report ) Piper Sandler Companies operates as an investment bank and institutional securities firm that serves corporations, private equity groups, public entities, non-profit entities, and institutional investors in the United States and internationally. It offers investment banking services and institutional sales, trading, and research services for various equity and fixed income products; advisory services, such as mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt private placements, and debt and restructuring advisory; raises capital through equity and debt financings; underwrites municipal issuances; and municipal financial advisory and loan placement services, as well as various over-the-counter derivative products. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PIPR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Piper Sandler Companies ( NYSE:PIPR – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Piper Sandler Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Piper Sandler Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Bill Belichick didn't wait around for a call that he might not get from an NFL team. With no guarantees that another opportunity might come his way — only the Atlanta Falcons interviewed Belichick last offseason — and unsure whether he could find the right fit in the NFL, the 72-year-old future Hall of Fame coach decided to go back to school. Belichick took his eight Super Bowl rings to North Carolina on a mission to build a college program the way he constructed two dynasties during 24 seasons with the New England Patriots. It starts with doing things his way. The Patriot Way is legendary. Perhaps it'll translate into the Tar Heel way. That's to be determined. But Belichick is back doing what he loves: coaching. And, he's going to run the show with his guys around him. An NFL team giving Belichick full control the way he had in New England seemed unlikely. Success at North Carolina could change that thinking. For now, Belichick's quest to break Don Shula's all-time record for most wins in the NFL is on hold. He's 15 victories short but the buyout clause in his college contract — a $10 million fee if done before June 2025 and $1 million after that date — leaves the window open for a return to the league. If Belichick stays in college or retires without returning to the NFL, his legacy is already cemented. Winning at North Carolina will only enhance his reputation. Losing won't impact his NFL resume. "He's one of the all-time great coaches. What he's done for the NFL and the game, we all know where he'll end up — in the Hall of Fame with a gold jacket," Dallas Cowboys executive Stephen Jones said Wednesday shortly before Belichick agreed on a five-year deal with North Carolina that pays him $10 million in base and supplemental salary annually with up to $3.5 million in bonuses per year. Belichick has his detractors. There's no denying he couldn't win without Tom Brady. He was 29-39 and had no playoff wins without No. 12 in his final four seasons with the Patriots. Critics have labeled him a cheater because of the Spygate and Deflategate scandals. He overlooked Aaron Hernandez's issues. He was tough on players, even alienating Brady in the end and letting him walk him away in free agency in 2020 only to see him lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl in his first season there. But Belichick instilled in players the importance of doing their job and presided over an unprecedented two-decade run of dominance that withstood changing times, free agency, salary-cap restrictions and much more. Brady has always maintained how important Belichick was for his career, giving him credit for helping him become one of the best players in sports. Now, Belichick is onto Chapel Hill in a surprise twist after he spent most of the NFL season reinventing himself as an entertaining and engaging analyst. Belichick is a football genius and his knowledge came across on television. But he also displayed a fun personality, trading quips with the Mannings and cracking jokes with Pat McAffee. "College kind of came to me this year," Belichick said at his introductory news conference. "I didn't necessarily go and seek it out. I had many coaches, probably a couple dozen coaches, talk to me and say, 'Can we come down and talk to you about these things?' Let's call it the salary cap of pro football relative to college football. The headsets, the green dot, the two-minute warning, the tablets on the sideline. Those were all rules changes this year for college football that were either or the same or similar to what we had in the NFL. These coaches said, 'Hey coach can we talk to you about how you did this? How you did that? How did you use this?'. "As those conversations started and then the personnel conversations started relative to salary cap and how you spend whatever the allotment of money you have. I'd say that started to make me a lot more aware of it because the first thing I would have to do is learn about it. .... As you learn different things about different programs you start to put it all together. There is some common threads and there's some variables." How will he do as a college coach? Nobody knows yet. Three of Belichick's former players were skeptical before he took the job. "There's a lot of things he can do, and obviously he's tremendous, and even showing his personality. But getting out there on the recruiting trail and dealing with all these college kids, that would be ..." Brady said before trailing off during a conversation on Fox's NFL pregame show last Sunday. Fellow former Patriots Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman also wondered the same. "Can you imagine NIL, and all that nonsense?" Gronkowski said. Edelman added: "Can you imagine Bill on a couch recruiting an 18-year-old?" But Belichick doesn't have to recruit kids on visits. These are new times in college sports. The NIL has dramatically changed the landscape. Plus, Belichick's name is enough. Just like Deion Sanders at Colorado. "I think it could be great for this game, honestly, if he can find a way to make college football more like this in terms of what's being asked of the coaches, the recruiting staff, the personnel, the NIL, and all those different things," Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Cohen said. "If he can make it a little bit less demanding on some of the coaches and create a great atmosphere and have success, I think it's great for our game. It's pretty cool to see, actually." Time for Belichick to do his job. Get local news delivered to your inbox!allanswart/iStock via Getty Images It's a tough time to be a dividend investor. With every new all-time high hit by the Big Tech-driven indices, the FOMO gets a little worse. But at the same time, with each new high, the valuation of the market's If you want access to our entire Portfolio and all our current Top Picks, feel free to join us for a 2-week free trial at High Yield Landlord. We are the largest real estate investment community on Seeking Alpha with over 2,000 members on board and a perfect 5/5 rating from 400+ reviews: For a Limited Time - You can join us at a deeply reduced rate! Start Your 2-Week Free Trial Today! Austin Rogers is a REIT specialist with a professional background in commercial real estate. He writes about high-quality dividend growth stocks with the goal of generating the safest growing passive income stream possible. Since his ideal holding period is "lifelong," his focus is on portfolio income growth rather than total returns. High Yield Landlord Learn more Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of AMH, ARE, ARTNA, CTRE, EGP, HASI, JEPI, REXR, TRIN either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.‘A positive day for us’ – Social Democrats look set to make gains in Dail
NoneA NHS has spoken out and revealed what happens to your brain when you drink just one pint. It's not good news for pub fanatics as it appears just one , whether it be beer, wine or spirits, can have a "staggering" impact on the brain. Dr Sermed Mezher, an award winning doctor, that warned even your first drink can have a bad impact, let alone your second or even a heavy night out on the town. The GP has worked in the NHS for six years. He says booze can play a huge role in Speaking on , Dr Mezher said: "Alcohol can damage your brain more than dementia." "In fact, a recent study from the University of Oxford showed there was no safe drinking limit and that was on over 25,000 adults studied by [Dr Anya] Topiwala and colleagues. They found quite clearly that the more you drink, the thinner the cortex part on the outer part of the brain actually got, which is really important for executive function; things like consciousness, planning, memory." Come and join The Daily Star on , the social media site set up by ex-Twitter boss Jack Dorsey. It's now the new go-to place for content after a mass exodus of the Elon Musk-owned Twitter/X. Fear not, we're not leaving , but we are jumping on the bandwagon. So come find our new account on , and see us social better than the rest. You can also learn more about The Daily Star team in what Bluesky calls a . So what are you waiting for?! Let's The study conducted surveyed adults with an average age of 54. Through several brain scans they collected data on the affect of moderate alcohol consumption. The results revealed a link between drinking any amount of alcohol and the health of your brain getting worse. This is not limited to a particular type of alcohol, either. "We found no evidence to suggest alcoholic beverage type confers differences in risks to the brain. This supports the hypothesis that it is ethanol itself, rather than other compounds in the beverage, that is on the biological pathway to damage. "The associations of wine-drinking with higher educational level and socioeconomic status may explain the apparent health benefits." Dr Mezher added that just one unit of alcohol a week increases cognitive decline. They knew this happened already with age, but the research from 2021 shows booze speeds up the process. "Those who like to pick their poison, though, it's not all doom and gloom," he explained. "That's because crews and colleagues found that within just a couple of weeks of stopping drinking, your brain activities stem cell circuits that can regenerate neurons that have been damaged with long-term alcohol use."
Doughty scores 17 in Indiana State's 83-80 win against Iona
NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Kmani Doughty had 17 points in Indiana State's 83-80 victory against Iona on Saturday. Doughty shot 5 of 9 from the field, including 1 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 7 from the line for the Sycamores (4-4). Jaden Daughtry added 16 points while going 6 of 9 and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line while they also had six rebounds and three steals. Josiah LeGree shot 5 for 8, including 3 for 5 from beyond the arc to finish with 14 points. The Gaels (2-6) were led by Dejour Reaves, who posted 30 points and three steals. Adam Njie added 21 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals for Iona. Yaphet Moundi also had 12 points and nine rebounds. LeGree scored 11 points in the first half for Indiana State, who went into halftime tied 45-45 with Iona. Indiana State. Samage Teel scored 10 second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Fuller 9-15 6-9 27, Lasu 2-3 1-2 5, M.Davis 4-19 3-4 12, Lander 0-5 0-0 0, Strickland 7-11 2-4 17, Sheppard 1-3 2-4 4, Lee 2-3 0-0 5, Steele 0-3 0-0 0, Li 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-62 14-23 70. Benson 7-9 14-17 28, Walsh 3-7 1-4 7, Chenery 7-12 1-2 18, Lemond 0-0 0-0 0, Walker 2-6 3-5 8, Peterson 3-4 4-6 10, Ashe 0-5 2-4 2, Callahan-Gold 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 23-46 25-38 75. Halftime_LIU 32-24. 3-Point Goals_LIU 6-27 (Fuller 3-6, Lee 1-2, Strickland 1-4, M.Davis 1-10, Sheppard 0-1, Steele 0-1, Lander 0-3), Binghamton 4-16 (Chenery 3-5, Walker 1-4, Ashe 0-1, Benson 0-1, Peterson 0-1, Callahan-Gold 0-2, Walsh 0-2). Fouled Out_Lasu, Strickland. Rebounds_LIU 35 (Fuller 10), Binghamton 28 (Walsh 11). Assists_LIU 13 (Strickland 8), Binghamton 13 (Ashe 4). Total Fouls_LIU 28, Binghamton 21. A_237 (3,500).Fans in shock after son and daughter of legendary comedic actors announce engagement5 ways to tell if you’re on track for retirement — and 5 things to do if you need to catch up, according to experts
iShares MSCI China ETF (NASDAQ:MCHI) Shares Sold by Citigroup Inc.STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Jaylen Reed’s hands were still dirty and his face smeared with eye black as he took a seat in the Beaver Stadium media room. The hard-nosed veteran of nearly 50 college football games looked weary after Penn State pounded Maryland on Saturday, but lit up as he watched media members gather around teammate Audavion Collins next to him. The sophomore was excitedly describing his first career interception. Reed grinned, his pride was evident. One of Penn State’s captains, Reed loves when underclassmen earn playing time. He knows, especially on defense, the No. 3 Nittany Lions (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten, No. 4 CFP) will likely rely on them to make a run at their first national championship since 1986. “Having that type of depth, having that type of guy that can step up and play the game every week, that’s something that’s going to help us down the stretch,” Reed said. “Having depth at all positions, I feel like that’s the main thing and I feel like we have huge depth.” Reed knows Collins is far from the only reserve player who has been effective for Tom Allen’s defense this season. Heading into Saturday’s Big Ten championship game against No. 1 Oregon in Indianapolis, Penn State has used 39 players on a defense that ranks seventh nationally against the run and pass. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions are fourth overall in total defense (266.8 yards) and sixth in scoring defense (14 points) entering the showdown with the Ducks' 15th-ranked offense with a College Football Playoff first-round bye at stake. It’s not just the starting 11 getting it done. Since mid-October, Penn State has regularly rotated at least nine defensive linemen, six linebackers and nine defensive backs early and midway through games. As a result, seven players have snagged their first interceptions this season, while five others have recorded their first sacks. “We believe in everybody coming in behind us,” linebacker Tony Rojas said. “Our defense, we know what we’re capable of and I feel like our defense is top tier, if not the best.” It technically hasn’t been at full strength since Week 2 of the season. Then, star safety KJ Winston was lost to an unspecified long-term injury. He tried to play at Wisconsin on Oct. 26, but hasn’t seen action since. In the meantime, Winston’s absence has allowed Allen and head coach James Franklin to get a good look at Collins and other young backend players like Eliot Washington, Zion Tracy and Dejuan Lane. Tracy and Lane have seen their snap counts go up since November, and both have interceptions since. The Nittany Lions haven’t been immune to injuries up front, either. Star end Dani Dennis-Sutton was limited midway through the season by an unspecified ailment. Before last weekend’s game against Maryland, Penn State listed defensive tackles Alonzo Ford and Kaleb Artis and defensive end Zuriah Fisher out with injuries. While not near 100% healthy, Dennis-Sutton continued to suit up, but yielded reps to Amin Vanover and Smith Vilbert. Vanover and Vilbert are seniors who were slowed over the years by injuries but have stuck around, and are now shoring up the team’s depth. “I think getting Dani back healthy, that’s been important,” Franklin said. “I think this was his first game back where he was really healthy, Abdul (Carter) the second half of the season, has gotten very comfortable playing defensive end. We’ve been able to rotate and get production out of guys like Amin as well, so I think all those things have been really important.” So is the fact that Penn State’s defense has continued to close out games. The Nittany Lions have allowed just 445 yards on 125 third-quarter plays this season. Meanwhile, they’ve outscored opponents 192-55 in the second half and overtime and held 19 of their last 22 Big Ten opponents to fewer that 100 rushing yards. Like Reed, senior Dvon J-Thomas spent much of the second half against Maryland cheering on his freshman teammates. Notably, tackle Ty Blanding who had his first career tackle for loss in his first defensive series. “I’ve seen a tremendous leap in their attention to detail,” J-Thomas said. “There’s not a lot of moments or times in your career where you’ll have an opportunity like this and I think they realize that." Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballDublin Central General Election 2024 updates: ‘You have given us a powerful and strong mandate’ – Mary Lou set to take first seat with Hutch in contention for final seat
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Global singer Dua Lipa on Saturday performed live in Mumbai, leaving desi fans extremely happy. Several videos from the concert surfaced online. One of the best moments turned out when Dua Lipa was seen performing to the fan-made mashup of her song Levitating and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's famous track Wo Ladki Jo from his film Baadshah. Netizens went gaga after seeing the clip. "Dua Lipa did not miss the meme Levitating x Woh Ladki," a social media user commented. Another X user wrote, "so Dua Lipa did the Levitating X Woh Ladki Jo mashup in her own style wish SRK was there too." Dua has often expressed her love for Shah Rukh Khan. In 2019, during her India visit, Dua got the chance to meet Shah Rukh. She even posed for a picture with the Bollywood actor, who later shared it on his Instagram account. ALSO READ: Dua Lipa Lands In India And Heads Mumbai's Most Talked Restaurant, Any Guess Which Place Is This? "I have decided to live by New Rules, and who better to learn them from but Dua Lipa herself? What a charming and beautiful young lady and her voice. I wish her all my love. Dua, if you can, try the steps I taught you on stage," SRK captioned the post. Dua's gig saw the presence of renowned celebrities such as Radhika Merchant, Anand Piramal, Ranvir Shorey, and Namrata Shirodkar among others. Dua arrived in the city on Thursday. The same night, she was spotted dining with her boyfriend, actor Callum Turner. In the videos shared by the paps, Dua can be seen getting inside her car, escorted by security, and holding hands with Callum. The singer looked chic in an all-black outfit. The couple was all smiles as they were papped inside the car. The videos went viral in no time. Dua announced her return to India in August with an Instagram post, saying, "India, I'm coming back!! My trip at the start of this year was a beautiful reminder of how much I love this place. The warmth and energy I felt from everyone I met there was amazing, and I can't wait to see you again to perform in November!!!!" Talking to Variety, Dua shared her excitement about Zomato Feeding India Concert and said, "One of the best parts about touring the world is getting to be a tourist in so many new places, and I always find the best things to do when I'm in Asia and definitely in India. Last time I visited, I met so many warm and kind people." This is Dua's third visit to India, following her performance in 2019 and her recent vacation in Rajasthan earlier this year. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Hollywood, Entertainment News and around the world.
Ukraine must be in strong position for negotiations, Starmer to sayBaylor 45, Kansas 17No. 3 Nittany Lions relying on defensive depth in Big Ten title game and postseason run
REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Icelanders will elect a new parliament Saturday after disagreements over immigration, energy policy and the economy forced Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to pull the plug on his coalition government and call early elections. This is Iceland’s sixth general election since the 2008 financial crisis devastated the economy of the North Atlantic island nation and ushered in a new era of political instability. Opinion polls suggest the country may be in for another upheaval, with support for the three governing parties plunging. Benediktsson, who was named prime minister in April following the resignation of his predecessor, struggled to hold together the unlikely coalition of his conservative Independence Party with the centrist Progressive Party and the Left-Green Movement. Iceland, a nation of about 400,000 people, is proud of its democratic traditions, describing itself as arguably the world’s oldest parliamentary democracy. The island’s parliament, the Althingi, was founded in 930 by the Norsemen who settled the country. Here’s what to look for in the contest. Voters will choose 63 members of the Althingi in an election that will allocate seats both by regional constituencies and proportional representation. Parties need at least 5% of the vote to win seats in parliament. Eight parties were represented in the outgoing parliament, and 10 parties are contesting this election. Turnout is traditionally high by international standards, with 80% of registered voters casting ballots in the 2021 parliamentary election. A windswept island near the Arctic Circle, Iceland normally holds elections during the warmer months of the year. But on Oct. 13 Benediktsson decided his coalition couldn’t last any longer, and he asked President Halla Tómasdóttir to dissolve the Althingi. “The weakness of this society is that we have no very strong party and we have no very strong leader of any party,’’ said Vilhjálmur Bjarnson, a former member of parliament. “We have no charming person with a vision ... That is very difficult for us.” The splintering of Iceland's political landscape came after the 2008 financial crisis, which prompted years of economic upheaval after its debt-swollen banks collapsed. The crisis led to anger and distrust of the parties that had traditionally traded power back and forth, and prompted the creation of new parties ranging from the environment focused Left-Green Alliance to the Pirate Party, which advocates direct democracy and individual freedoms. “This is one of the consequences of the economic crash,’’ said Eva H. Önnudóttir, a professor of political science at the University of Iceland. “It’s just the changed landscape. Parties, especially the old parties, have maybe kind of been hoping that we would go back to how things were before, but that’s not going to happen.” Like many Western countries, Iceland has been buffeted by the rising cost of living and immigration pressures. Inflation peaked at an annual rate of 10.2% in February 2023, fueled by the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While inflation slowed to 5.1% in October, that is still high compared with neighboring countries. The U.S. inflation rate stood at 2.6% last month, while the European Union’s rate was 2.3%. Iceland is also struggling to accommodate a rising number of asylum-seekers, creating tensions within the small, traditionally homogenous country. The number of immigrants seeking protection in Iceland jumped to more than 4,000 in each of the past three years, compared with a previous average of less than 1,000. Repeated eruptions of a volcano in the southwestern part of the country have displaced thousands of people and strained public finances. One year after the first eruption forced the evacuation of the town of Grindavik, many residents still don’t have secure housing, leading to complaints that the government has been slow to respond. But it also added to a shortage of affordable housing exacerbated by Iceland’s tourism boom. Young people are struggling to get a foot on the housing ladder at a time when short-term vacation rentals have reduced the housing stock available for locals, Önnudóttir said. “The housing issue is becoming a big issue in Iceland,'' she said. —— Kirka reported from London.South Korean President Yoon's impeachment vote fails after ruling party boycotts it
Mount St. Mary's 79, Howard 75