The Winter Session of Parliament concluded with disappointing productivity figures, reflecting an alarming trend in legislative functioning. The Lok Sabha recorded just 58% productivity, while the Rajya Sabha fared worse at 40.03%. These figures signify a serious lapse in the effective use of parliamentary time, raising concerns about the growing discord that overshadows crucial governance responsibilities. Parliament is the cornerstone of democracy, meant to deliberate on policies and address the concerns of its citizens. Unfortunately, this session was marred by animosity and protests, with both the ruling NDA and the opposition equally culpable. The session’s highlights-two landmark bills on simultaneous elections and the robust debate on the Constitution’s 75-year journey-were overshadowed by unseemly incidents, including Thursday’s physical altercation and a police case involving MPs. Focusing on political grandstanding rather than legislative work is a betrayal of public trust. Parliamentary discourse should prioritise the nation’s pressing issues, from economic policies to social welfare measures. Instead, sessions devolve into verbal sparring, disruptions, and adjournments. The stark contrast between the potential for constructive debates and the actual outcome of this session is disheartening. The responsibility lies with all stakeholders. Opposition parties must recognise that sustained protests and walkouts, though sometimes necessary, cannot replace the need for active participation in discussions. Simultaneously, the ruling party must foster an environment of dialogue rather than confrontation, addressing concerns raised by the opposition with transparency. The crux of the issue lies in the erosion of respect for parliamentary norms. India’s pressing challenges-economic recovery, employment generation, and social justice-demand attention. The time lost in this session is a loss to the citizens who look to their elected representatives for solutions. Returning to productive functioning requires introspection, collaboration, and a commitment to restoring Parliament’s sanctity. The upcoming sessions offer another opportunity for the government and opposition to set aside differences and prioritise the nation’s agenda. Anything less would be an abdication of their democratic responsibilities.
El Salvador's Congress on Monday approved a bill promoted by President Nayib Bukele to roll back a ban on the mining of gold and other metals, dismaying environmentalists. The small Central American nation became the world's first country to outlaw metal mining in 2017, warning of the harmful effects of the chemicals used, like cyanide and mercury. The move by Bukele's predecessor, former left-wing rebel Salvador Sanchez Ceren, reflected a growing rejection of mining by rural communities in the region. But last month, Bukele, who is popular at home for his crackdown on street gangs, signaled that he wanted to change course. The bill to bring back metal mining was approved by 57 deputies out of a total of 60, said Ernesto Castro, head of the legislature -- which is dominated by the ruling party -- as environmental campaigners protested nearby. Critics fear that mining will pollute the Lempa River, which runs through a potential mining zone proposed by Bukele and supplies water to 70 percent of the inhabitants of the capital and surrounding areas. "This wretched mining will punish the people, it will contaminate our waters and rivers and that's an attack on life," activist Vidalina Morales told reporters. Bukele said last month that El Salvador, a country of 6.6 million people, had "potentially" the largest gold deposits per square kilometer in the world. "God placed a gigantic treasure underneath our feet," he wrote on social media, arguing that the mining ban was "absurd." "If we make responsible use of our natural resources, we can change the economy of El Salvador overnight," he said. The new law stipulates that the state will be the only entity authorized to search for, extract and process mined metals. However, the government may do so through companies in which it is a shareholder. The bill prohibits the use of mercury in mining operations, which may not be carried out in protected natural areas or places with important water sources. A survey by Central American University published on Monday revealed that 59 percent of respondents do not consider El Salvador "an appropriate country for metal mining." Since El Salvador dollarized its remittances-reliant economy in 2001, it has registered average annual growth of 2.1 percent. Twenty-seven percent of Salvadorans live in poverty, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and 70 percent of the workforce operates in the informal sector. Elsewhere in the region, Costa Rica and Honduras have banned open-pit mining, and Panama declared a moratorium on new mining concessions last year after mass protests over plans for a huge copper mine. ob/fj/dr/jgc
The legendary punctuality of Japanese trains, especially the Shinkansen, has long been a sign of accuracy and efficiency. Globally celebrated for running like clockwork, these trains rarely deviate from their schedules. However, a recent delay on a bullet train in Japan surprised an Indian traveller, who shared his experience in a humorous video on social media. Here’s all about the incident! Indian Tourist Reacts To Japan’s Bullet Train Delay In a video shared on X (previously known as Twitter), the man humorously expressed his disbelief when his train was delayed by an unprecedented 1 hour and 30 minutes. “We’ve heard Japan has 7G, and trains never run late. They even apologise if they’re two minutes late.” His comment, in Hindi, added a funny twist as he compared the situation to what he imagined Japan would be like. The cold winter temperatures added to the discomfort of the wait. “There’s no place to sit, and it’s freezing,” he added, showing his surprise at the delay. He also compared the technology he saw at the airport with Japan’s high-tech reputation, noting, “We got 3G SIM cards at the airport, but we couldn’t find 7G. Even 5G is expensive here.” He ended with, “It’s just like India!” Also Read: Delhi Traffic Police Issues Advisory For Samvidhan Divas Padyatra On November 25; Details Inside Netizens Defend Japan’s Train System While the video amused many viewers, it also sparked a spirited discussion online. Several netizens came to Japan’s defence. They pointed out that such delays are very rare and often caused by exceptional circumstances. One commenter noted, “I just returned from Japan. Trains are usually on time. This kind of delay is very rare.” Others explained that the man may not have been fully aware of the announcements or updates provided in Japanese. “Maintenance might have been going on,” one person suggested. “They always apologise and keep passengers updated. Some commenters encouraged looking beyond the rare delay to appreciate the broader cultural context. “Instead of criticising, look at the clean environment, the calm demeanour of people, and the humility they display. There’s much to learn,” one user wrote. The incident underscores the high expectations tied to Japan’s railways. This episode may not have showcased Japan’s trademark punctuality, but it certainly highlighted the global fascination with their railways. Cover Image Courtesy: Canva and @rathor7_/X
It's always a great time to invest in quality businesses that can prime your portfolio for long-term growth. It's important to be selective with the companies that you add to your portfolio and ensure that you only put cash into investments that align with your overall investment priorities, risk tolerance, and long-term goals. You should also only put cash to work that you can leave in your portfolio for a few years, not funds that you might soon need for bills or other financial obligations. On that note, if you're looking for top-notch growth stocks to buy right now and have $1,000 available to invest, here are two names to consider. Start Your Mornings Smarter! Wake up with Breakfast news in your inbox every market day. Sign Up For Free » 1. Eli Lilly Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) has been the darling of pharmaceutical stocks in the last 12 to 18 months, with shares rocketing upward as the popularity of its GLP-1 drugs has propelled revenue and earnings. Bear in mind, this is one of the oldest healthcare companies in the world, with a lineup of top-selling drugs across a range of disease categories that target everything from various cancers and cardiovascular ailments to endocrine disorders and neurological conditions. In the first nine months of 2024 alone, shares roared upward to the tune of about 62%. After the company reported its earnings for the third quarter of 2024, shares took a double-digit nosedive as investors responded negatively to a few key points, including a slight pullback in full-year guidance. The company also reported financial figures that were slightly below what Wall Street had expected. In terms of its full-year guidance, where Eli Lilly was targeting revenue for the 12-month period in the $45.4 billion to $46.6 billion range, the company is now projecting that it will deliver in the ballpark of $45.4 billion to $46 billion. Its Q3 revenue was around $800 million below what analysts had aimed for. That being said, a closer look is warranted, and the long-term outlook for this business is anything but dismal. Revenue in Q3 2024 rose 20% year over year to $11.4 billion. The company sold rights for its olanzapine portfolio in Q3, featuring products used to treat ailments such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. If you exclude revenue from this portfolio, Eli Lilly's top line actually jumped 42% on a year-over-year basis, which is a bit more than the 36% growth it reported in the second quarter. The company also reported net income of approximately $970 million in Q3. Tirzepatide, which is the main active ingredient in its top-selling drugs Mounjaro (for diabetes) and Zepbound (for weight loss), is being studied by Eli Lilly across multiple other disease areas. For example, positive phase 3 trial data from a 176-week study of tirzepatide demonstrated a 94% reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adults with pre-diabetes who are obese or overweight. Another first-of-its-kind study initiated by Eli Lilly has been studying tirzepatide in adults with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and obesity. In this phase 3 trial, tirzepatide reduced heart failure symptoms and physical limitations while lowering the risk of worsening heart failure events by 38%. Risk of hospitalization for heart failure was also reduced by 56% in trial patients taking tirzepatide. In short, the future revenue and profit opportunities from tirzepatide may be in the very early innings. In Q3, sales of Mounjaro rose more than 121% year over year to $3.1 billion, while Zepbound (which was just approved last November) raked in $1.3 billion in sales. This was despite negative effects for both drugs cited by Eli Lilly that were caused by inventory decreases in the wholesaler channel. Blockbuster cancer drug Verzenio generated $1.37 billion in sales in the quarter, up 32% from one year ago, while sales of autoimmune disease drug Taltz jumped 18% to $879.6 million. While investors appear to be particularly reactionary in the current environment, that can present an opportunity for those with a sufficient buy-and-hold horizon to take a slice of the action. While Eli Lilly doesn't trade at a cheap valuation by any means, its annual dividend of $5.20 and steady increase to its payout can augment total investor returns. Investors who want to become part-owner in a top healthcare business with a steady global footprint may be remiss to overlook this quality stock. 2. Monday.com Monday.com (NASDAQ: MNDY) is a low-code and no-code platform that helps organizations build the work management tools and software applications they need to ensure business operations run smoothly. The company derives its revenue from monthly or annual subscription agreements that it enters into with customers who use its cloud-based platform. Monday.com's software enables everything from project management and collaboration to helping keep tools and files in a single location for easy access. Clients with little to no coding experience can leverage its platform to develop customized workflow apps featuring boards, charts, and other important automation solutions. Companies like Canva, Lionsgate , and Coca-Cola are just a handful of the big names on Monday.com's client roster. Investors have been particularly optimistic about Monday.com's performance recently, with shares skyrocketing to the tune of about 50% over the trailing 12-month period. As always, share price is never a reason to buy (or sell) a stock. You need to look at the underlying business, its drivers and detractors of growth, its financial performance, its industry, and its long-term growth runway to gain a clear picture of whether it's a wise fit for your portfolio. In the case of Monday.com, the company has only been in business since 2012, so it's still in the relatively early stages of its potential growth story. Management estimates that the company operates in a large and growing total addressable market, which could hit a valuation of $150 billion by the year 2026. The diverse range of solutions that Monday.com's platform offers allows it to target various segments of its overall market opportunity, including the $30 billion customer relationship management (CRM) software market. From a financial perspective, Monday.com is doing quite well. Its third-quarter revenue rose 33% from the year-ago period to $251 million, and the company officially surpassed the $1 billion annual recurring revenue (ARR) mark. Its overall net dollar retention rate (NRR) increased to 111%, while NRR for customers with more than $100,000 in ARR was 115%. The number of paid customers with more than $100,000 in ARR jumped 44% from one year ago. Meanwhile, the company's second-largest customer, which is an unnamed international technology company, more than doubled its seat count to 60,000 from 25,000. Although Monday.com is not profitable on the basis of generally accepted accounting principles ( GAAP ), cash flow is another core profitability metric to consider. From a free cash flow perspective, the company raked in $82.4 million of free cash flow, while net cash provided by operating activities was $86.6 million in Q3. While investors may need a certain level of risk tolerance to invest in software stocks, this resilient business looks like a compelling addition to a well-diversified portfolio. Should you invest $1,000 in Eli Lilly right now? Before you buy stock in Eli Lilly, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now... and Eli Lilly wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $898,809 !* Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of November 18, 2024 Rachel Warren has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Monday.com. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy . 2 Incredible Growth Stocks to Buy With $1,000 Right Now was originally published by The Motley Fool
Maharashtra Election Results: Stock Markets May Resume Upward Movement But Geopolitics, Earnings Remain ConcernAfter his team's 102-89 home win on Wednesday night over Purdue Fort Wayne, Penn State coach Mike Rhoades challenged his team's fan base to show up and make more noise. "Sweat with us," he said at one point. At 5-0, the Nittany Lions haven't had to sweat much to get off to a fast start. They might not have to expend much perspiration to make it 6-0 on Monday when they meet Fordham in a semifinal matchup at the Sunshine Slam tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla. Penn State hasn't played a strong schedule so far, but the team has been impressive. It's averaging 98.2 points per game and 13.8 steals per game, both of which ranked second in Division I through Saturday's play. The Nittany Lions were seventh per kenpom.com in turnover rate, forcing 25.3 per 100 possessions. Point guard Ace Baldwin Jr. is leading the charge, scoring 16.4 points and dishing out 7.8 assists while chipping in 2.6 steals. Zach Hicks has nearly doubled his scoring average from 8.4 last season to 15.8 this season, while Northern Illinois transfer Yanic Konan Niederhauser has beefed up the interior, tallying 12.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. Meanwhile, Fordham (3-3) is coming off a 73-71 home loss Friday night against Drexel in New York. The Rams blew a seven-point lead early in the second half and missed a chance to force overtime when leading scorer Jackie Johnson III missed a layup as time expired. Johnson, a UNLV transfer, is averaging 19 points per game and is making nearly 48 percent of his shots as one of three Rams with double-figure scoring averages. Jahmere Tripp scores at an 11.0 clip while Japhet Medor is contributed 10.5, but Fordham is struggling to make shots, canning only 41.5 percent from the field. The Rams were picked for a 14th-place finish in the Atlantic 10 despite returning more scoring than any team in the league except for VCU. Third-year coach Keith Urgo thinks his team can defy low external expectations. "We're experienced and I think we're poised to have a tremendous year," he said. --Field Level Media