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super game gcash Leading NFL MVP candidate Josh Allen had the best fantasy performance by a quarterback ever in Week 14, logging an incredible six touchdowns (three through the air, three on the ground) en route to 51.88 fantasy points. Not only is Allen’s monster day the best of the fantasy era, if you applied fantasy scoring rules to earlier pro football contests, Allen still tops the charts. The second-best historical QB performance was over six decades ago, in 1961, when Houston Oiler George Blanda would have produced a 49.72-point game. Coincidentally, his teammate Billy Cannon had the best-ever fantasy performance by a player at any position (68 points) during the same season. Advertisement To better contextualize Allen’s accomplishment for the modern era, here are the best fantasy performances by quarterbacks since 2004. Rankings and statistics in this article are from Stathead. 5. Nick Foles , Philadelphia Eagles , Nov. 3, 2013 Nick Foles threw for seven — seven! — touchdown passes and 406 yards on 22-of-28 passing, supplementing 10 yards on the ground to lead the Eagles over the Raiders in 2013. In that 49-20 trouncing of Oakland , Foles tied the NFL record for passing touchdowns and told reporters, “A couple of people came up to me and said that I tied the record with seven touchdowns,” adding, “It’s a great honor. Hats off to our guys for doing a great job.” Along with Foles, George Blanda, Drew Brees, Adrian Burk, Joe Kapp, Sid Luckman, Peyton Manning and Y.A. Tittle still hold the single-game record for passing TDs. 4. Aaron Rodgers , Green Bay Packers , Oct. 2, 2011 During a 49-23 rout of the Broncos, Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdowns and ran for two more, completing 29 passes for 408 yards to the tune of a 134.5 passer rating. He rushed for another 36 yards. One interception (and sitting out the Packers’ final two drives) kept him out of third place on this list. The Denver Post’s Mike Klis likened Rodgers’ performance against the Broncos to playing “with a new toy.” He wrote, “Rodgers smiled and threw a touchdown pass. He smiled and ran for a touchdown. He smiled and smiled and smiled.” Greg Jennings (103 receiving yards, one TD) and Jordy Nelson (91 receiving yards, one TD) led Green Bay receivers in this historic (in the fantasy sense) game. What the 2024 New York Jets wouldn’t do for 2011 regular-season Aaron Rodgers. 3. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos, Sept. 5, 2013 In another seven-passing-touchdown performance, Peyton Manning and the Broncos crushed the Ravens 49-27 on “Thursday Night Football.” Manning threw for 462 yards and had a passer rating of 141.1. While he didn’t throw an interception, he was unable to pad his stats on the ground — because Peyton Manning — posting negative two yards, . Advertisement The late Demaryius Thomas ended the game with 161 yards receiving and two touchdowns, while Julius Thomas also had over 100 yards receiving and two TDs. The latter Thomas spoke highly of his QB, according to ESPN : “He’s phenomenal. To continue to come out every year and put that kind of performance on for us, it’s amazing.” Manning made fantasy-quarterback history during his 15th season at 37 years old. 2. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles, Nov. 15, 2010 The second Eagle on the list, Michael Vick had a career game against Washington , leading Philadelphia to a 59-28 win. In a game nicknamed “The Monday Night Massacre,” the under-center speedster rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 333 yards, adding another four touchdowns through the air. He was never intercepted and finished with a 150.7 passer rating. Vick’s first play of the game was an 88-yard touchdown pass to Philly great DeSean Jackson . He also played most of the contest (three quarters) without his signature visor due to rain. Ten years after the fact, Vick recalled the historic game and told The Athletic , “I could remember everything because I saw it clear. I didn’t see it behind the tint of a visor. I saw it in the right perspective. And I’m glad it happened.” 1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills , Dec. 8, 2024 Josh Allen tops this list but he is the only quarterback here who didn’t secure a win. After trailing 38-21 entering the fourth quarter, Buffalo lost 44-42 , partially due to the mishandling of timeouts and a lack of awareness on the final punt. Head coach Sean McDermott called a costly timeout late in the game, and rookie Brandon Codrington let the final punt drop to the 1-yard line as time expired. Allen’s 342 yards passing and 82 yards rushing, Khalil Shakir ’s 106 yards receiving with a touchdown, and Amari Cooper ’s 95 yards receiving weren’t enough. Advertisement But the Bills are still 10-3, have clinched the AFC East and are looking toward the playoffs. In Week 15, Buffalo will face the Detroit Lions in what could be a precursor to a potential Super Bowl matchup. The Bills’ final two games are against the New York Jets and New England Patriots — two bottom-of-the-barrel opponents who should hope they don’t have to face the Josh Allen of Week 14. And Allen is still most likely to be the 2024-25 MVP. For all the NFL/pop-culture fans out there, he also proposed to now-fiancé Hailee Steinfeld last month. All in all, Allen is having a career year, but I bet he wants this one back. (Photo of Josh Allen: Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images)

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MEXICO CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 25, 2024-- BBB Foods Inc. (“Tiendas 3B” or the “Company”) (NYSE: TBBB) , a leading grocery hard discounter in Mexico, announced today its consolidated results for the third quarter of 2024 (“3Q24”) and the nine months ended September 30, 2024 (“9M24”). The figures presented in this release are expressed in nominal Mexican Pesos (Ps.) and are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), unless otherwise stated. HIGHLIGHTS THIRD QUARTER 2024 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO Dear Investors, Tiendas 3B has delivered another strong quarter. Our Same Store Sales grew by 11.6% in the third quarter of 2024 versus the same period last year, significantly outpacing the growth in the overall Mexican hard discount grocery retail segment as reported by ANTAD (Asociación Nacional de Tiendas de Autoservicio y Departamentales). This performance highlights our continued success in providing customers what they want – high quality products at low prices in convenient locations, During the third quarter of 2024, we opened 131 net new stores, for a total of 346 new stores year-to-date, bringing our total store count to 2,634. Our expansion strategy continues to yield strong results, with new stores performing well across the board. Overall, our revenues grew nearly 30% compared to the same period last year. Our EBITDA increased by 54%, with the higher margin driven by the dilution of operational expenses over a larger sales base. As we move forward, we remain focused on our core principles: delivering value through a compelling offering, disciplined execution, and rapid store expansion. We are confident that these pillars will continue to drive sustainable growth and create value for our stakeholders. Thank you for your continued trust and support. K. Anthony Hatoum, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer FINANCIAL RESULTS 3Q24 CONSOLIDATED RESULTS (In Ps. Millions, except percentages) 3Q24 As % of Revenue 3Q23 As % of Revenue Growth (%) Variation (bps) Total Revenue Ps. 14,834 100.0 % Ps. 11,425 100.0 % 29.8 % n.m. Gross Profit Ps. 2,344 15.8 % Ps. 1,806 15.8 % 29.7 % -1 bps Sales Expenses (Ps. 1,499) 10.1 % (Ps. 1,219) 10.7 % 23.0 % -56 bps Administrative Expenses (Ps. 494) 3.3 % (Ps. 374) 3.3 % 32.1 % 6 bps Other Income (Expense) – Net Ps. 2 0.0 % (Ps. 3) 0.0 % (161.8 %) 4 bps EBITDA Ps. 688 4.6 % Ps. 447 3.9 % 54.0 % 73 bps Please see the explanation at the end of this release on how EBITDA, a non-IFRS financial measure, is calculated, and for other relevant definitions. TOTAL REVENUE Total revenue for 3Q24 was Ps. 14,834 million, an increase of 29.8% compared to 3Q23. This increase was driven by higher revenues from stores operating for more than one year and revenues from net new stores opened in the last twelve months. GROSS PROFIT AND GROSS PROFIT MARGIN Gross profit in 3Q24 reached Ps. 2,344 million, an increase of 29.7% compared to 3Q23. This increase was driven by higher sales growth. Gross margin was stable over the year, as we passed the benefits of our increased size on to our customers. EXPENSES Sales expenses refer mainly to the expenses of operating our stores, such as the wages of store employees and energy. In 3Q24, sales expenses reached Ps. 1,499 million, a 23.0% increase compared to 3Q23. This rise in sales expenses was driven by the additional new stores opened in the last twelve months, the headcount to operate them, and wage inflation affecting labor costs accumulated during the last twelve months. Despite higher expenses, the Company was able to reduce sales expenses as a percentage of total revenue as a result of operational leverage and increased efficiencies. Sales expenses decreased from 10.7% of total revenue in 3Q23 to 10.1% in 3Q24, a decline of 56 bps. Administrative expenses refer to expenses not related to operating our stores, such as headquarters and regional office expenses. In 3Q24, administrative expenses were Ps. 494 million, a 32.1% increase compared to 3Q23. This was primarily due to: (i) higher personnel expenses driven by our expansion into three new regions (ii) the strengthening of our central HQ teams in IT, purchasing, real estate, human resources, and finance (iii) public company-related expenses, and (iv) recognition of share-based payment expenses. As a percentage of revenue, administrative expenses remained flat in 3Q24 compared to 3Q23. Other income (expense) - net, which includes revenues from asset disposals, reimbursement of costs, and insurance proceeds, among others, amounted to income of Ps. 2 million in 3Q24, as compared to an expense of Ps. 3 million in 3Q23. As a percentage of total revenue, other income (expense) – net decreased by 4 bps. EBITDA AND EBITDA MARGIN In 3Q24, EBITDA reached Ps. 688 million, an increase of 54.0% compared to 3Q23. This increase can be attributed to higher sales and lower sales expenses as a percentage of sales. EBITDA margin for 3Q24 increased by 73 bps to 4.6%. Please see the last section of this release on how we calculate EBITDA and EBITDA Margin, which are non-IFRS financial measures. To allow our investors to better assess our performance, we are providing the following information: FINANCIAL COSTS AND NET PROFIT Financial income reached Ps. 48 million, representing an increase of over 100% compared to 3Q23. This growth was primarily driven by the interest generated from the investment of proceeds derived from our IPO, net of cash used to pay off promissory and convertible notes, and the Company’s other cash positions. Financial costs decreased by 3.9% to Ps. 287 million, primarily due to the absence of interest expenses on promissory and convertible notes, which the Company fully paid in the first quarter of 2024 (“1Q24”). However, the decrease was partially offset by higher interest expenses related to lease liabilities, mainly due to the expansion of our store network. Exchange rate fluctuation resulted in a gain of Ps. 210 million in 3Q24, primarily due to the depreciation of the Mexican peso against the U.S. dollar, which positively impacted the value in Mexican pesos of our U.S. dollar cash position from the IPO proceeds. Income tax expense reached Ps. 66 million in 3Q24 compared to Ps. 113 million in 3Q23. As a result, our net profit for 3Q24 was Ps. 258 million, compared to a net loss of Ps. 339 million for 3Q23. BALANCE SHEET AND LIQUIDITY As of September 30, 2024, the Company reported cash and cash equivalents of Ps. 1,269 million, an increase from Ps. 1,220 million as of December 31, 2023, deployed mainly for working capital purposes. In addition, as of September 30, 2024, the Company held Ps. 2,964 million in U.S. dollar-denominated short-term bank deposits. 9M24 CASH FLOW STATEMENT (In Ps. Millions, except percentages) 9M24 9M23 Growth (%) Net cash flows provided by operating activities Ps. 2,378 Ps. 1,943 22.4% Net cash flows used in investing activities (Ps. 4,172) (Ps. 901) n.m. Net cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities Ps. 1,748 (Ps. 1,027) n.m. Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (Ps. 46) Ps. 14 n.m. Our business model continues to generate a significant amount of cash from our negative working capital cycle due to our increasing sales and high inventory turnover. This robust cash flow has enabled us to fund internally our growth initiatives, including the expansion of new stores and distribution centers. The information provided below offers a view of our financial activities in the first nine months of 2024: Net cash flows provided by operating activities increased to Ps. 2,378 million in the first nine months of 2024 (“9M24”) from Ps. 1,943 million in the first nine months of 2023 (“9M23”), an increase of 22.4%. Our net working capital continues to be driven by a favorable ratio of Inventory Days to Payable Days. Net cash flows used in investing activities were Ps. 4,172 million for 9M24, compared to Ps. 901 million in 9M23. This increase was primarily due to the allocation IPO proceeds in short-term U.S. dollar-denominated short-term bank deposits, which is reflected as an investment activity. In addition, spending on the purchasing of property, plant, and equipment (PP&E) reached Ps. 1,642 million, reflecting additional store openings compared to 9M23. Net cash flows provided by financing activities were Ps. 1,748 million in 9M24, compared to Ps. 1,027 million used in 9M23. This decrease is mainly attributed to higher lease payments due to the opening of new stores in the last twelve months, as well as, to a lesser extent, payment of other financial debts. KEY OPERATING METRICS 3Q24 3Q23 Variation (%) Number of Stores Opened 131 92 42.4% Number Distribution Centers Opened 0 1 n.m. Same Store Sales Growth (%) (1) 11.6% 15.4% n.m. (1) We measure “Same Store Sales” using revenue from sales of merchandise from stores that were operational for at least the full preceding 12 months for the periods under consideration. When calculating this measure, we exclude stores that were temporarily closed (for one month or more) or permanently closed during the periods in consideration. We measure Same Store Sales growth by comparing the Same Store Sales of stores that were open during the measurement period. In 3Q24, we opened 131 net new stores, reaching a total of 2,634 stores. This represents a significant increase compared to the 92 net new stores opened in 3Q23, which brought the total number of stores to 2,135 stores by the end of that period. During 3Q24, the Company did not open any distribution centers. Same Store Sales grew by 11.6% for 3Q24, compared to 15.4% for 3Q23. We maintain our leadership in Same Store Sales growth in the Mexican hard discount grocery retail market. Non-IFRS Measures and Other Calculations For the convenience of investors, this release presents certain non-IFRS financial measures, which are not calculated in accordance with IFRS (“non-IFRS financial measures”). A non-IFRS financial measure is generally defined as one that purports to measure financial performance but excludes or includes amounts that would not be so excluded or included in the most comparable IFRS financial measure. Non-IFRS financial measures do not have standardized meanings and may not be directly comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. These non-IFRS financial measures are used by our management for decision-making purposes and to assess our financial and operating performance, generate future operating plans and make strategic decisions regarding the allocation of capital. The non-IFRS financial measures presented herein have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider them in isolation or as substitutes for analysis of our results of operations presented in accordance with IFRS. Additionally, our calculations of non-IFRS financial measures may be different from the calculations used by other companies, including our competitors, and therefore, our non-IFRS financial measures may not be comparable to those of other companies. We calculate “EBITDA,” a non-IFRS measure, as net profit (loss) for the period, plus income tax expense, financial costs, net, and total depreciation and amortization. We calculate “EBITDA Margin,” a non-IFRS measure, for a period by dividing EBITDA for the corresponding period by total revenue for such period. Same Store Sales: We measure “Same Store Sales” using revenue from sales of merchandise at stores that were operational for at least the full preceding 12 months for the periods under consideration. Stores that were temporarily closed (for one month or more) or permanently closed during the relevant measurement periods are excluded from this metric. Same Store Sales growth is calculated by comparing the Same Store Sales of stores that were opened and remained open throughout the relevant measurement period. Lease Costs: Consistent with lease accounting required under IFRS 16, total depreciation and amortization includes the depreciation expense of right-of-use-asset corresponding to long-term leases, which is a non-cash expense. Such amounts, together with the interest expense on lease liabilities, is a proxy for but not equal to the Company’s actual cash expenditure incurred in connection with its leased properties. Sales per Store : We define our “Sales per Store” as the average of the revenue from sales of merchandise achieved by our stores that were open for the full year in consideration. When calculating this measure, we exclude stores that were temporarily closed (for one month or more) or permanently closed during the period in consideration. This measure assists our management’s understanding of how store performance has evolved across different vintages. Sales per Store also serves as a benchmark to measure the performance of new stores and is useful to set growth and expansion targets. Inventory Days: We calculate “Inventory Days” to be the average of beginning and end of period inventory balance, divided by cost of sales for the period and multiplied by the number of days during the period. Inventory Days measures the average number of days we keep inventory on hand before selling the product. This operating metric allows us to track our inventory management policies and observe how quickly we are able to rotate inventory, which is key to our cash conversion cycle. Payable Days: We calculate “Payable Days” to be the sum of the average of beginning and end of period balance of suppliers and of accounts payable and accrued expenses, divided by cost of sales for the period and multiplied by the number of days during the period. Payable Days measures the average number of days that it takes us to pay suppliers after receiving goods or services. This metric allows us to track the terms of payment policies with suppliers and our ability to finance our operations through agreements with our suppliers. CONFERENCE CALL DETAILS Tiendas 3B will host a call to discuss the third quarter of 2024 results on November 26, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. A webinar of the call will be accessible at: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GqDGFh_BRHmrS0LuPiQzpA . To join via telephone, please dial one of the domestic or international numbers listed below: Mexico United States +52 558 659 6002 +1 312 626 6799 (Chicago) +52 554 161 4288 +1 346 248 7799 (Houston) +52 554 169 6926 +1 646 558 8656 (New York) Other international numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/knEOJCJkC The webinar ID is 869 0678 1035 An audio replay from the conference call will be available on the Tiendas 3B website https://www.investorstiendas3b.com after the call. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We base these forward-looking statements on our current beliefs, expectations and projections about future events and trends affecting our business and our market. Many important factors could cause our actual results to differ substantially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly or to revise any forward-looking statements. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. The words “believe,” “may,” “should,” “aim,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “will,” “expect” and similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include information concerning our possible or assumed future results of operations, business strategies, capital expenditures, financing plans, competitive position, industry environment, potential growth opportunities, the effects of future regulation and the effects of competition. Please refer to our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), as well as any subsequent filings made by us with the SEC, each of which is available on the SEC’s website ( www.sec.gov ), for a more extensive discussion of the risks and other factors that may impact any forward-looking statements in this release. Considering these limitations, you should not make any investment decision in reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this release. ABOUT TIENDAS 3B BBB Foods Inc. (“Tiendas 3B”), a proudly Mexican company, is a pioneer and leader of the grocery hard discount model in Mexico and one of the fastest growing retailers in the country as measured by its sales and store growth rates. The 3B name, which references " Bueno, Bonito y Barato " - a Mexican saying which translates to "Good, Nice and Affordable" - summarizes Tiendas 3B’s mission of offering irresistible value to budget savvy consumers through great quality products at bargain prices. By delivering value to the Mexican consumer, we believe we contribute to the economic well-being of Mexican families. In a landmark achievement, Tiendas 3B was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in February 2024 under the ticker symbol “TBBB.” For more information, please visit: https://www.investorstiendas3b.com/ . FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Consolidated Income Statement (Unaudited) For the three months ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023 (In thousands of Mexican pesos) For the Three Months Ended September 30, 2024 2023 % Change Revenue From Sales of Merchandise Ps. 14,807,698 Ps. 11,399,566 29.9% Sales of Recyclables 26,108 25,609 1.9% Total Revenue 14,833,806 11,425,175 29.8% Cost of Sales (12,490,108) (9,618,847) 29.9% Gross Profit Ps. 2,343,698 Ps. 1,806,328 29.7% Gross Profit Margin 15.8% 15.8% Sales Expenses (1,498,500) (1,218,570) 23.0% Administrative Expenses (494,399) (374,347) 32.1% Other Income (Expense) - Net 1,770 (2,865) n.m. Operating Profit Ps. 352,569 Ps. 210,546 67.5% Operating Profit Margin 2.4% 1.8% Financial Income 47,642 7,388 544.9% Financial Costs (286,930) (298,527) (3.9%) Exchange Rate Fluctuation 210,191 (145,667) n.m. Financial Cost - Net (29,097) (436,806) (93.3%) Profit (Loss) Before Income Tax 323,472 (226,260) n.m. Income Tax Expense (65,872) (112,791) (41.6%) Net Profit (Loss) for the Period Ps. 257,600 (Ps. 339,051) n.m. Net Profit Margin 1.7% (3.0%) Basic Earnings (Loss) per Share 2.30 (28.25) Diluted Earnings (Loss) per Share 1.89 (28.25) Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding: Basic 112,200,752 12,000,000 Diluted 136,283,972 12,000,000 EBITDA Reconciliation Net Profit (Loss) for the Period Ps. 257,600 (Ps. 339,051) n.m. Net Profit Margin 1.7% (3.0%) Income Tax Expense 65,872 112,791 (41.6%) Financial Cost - Net (29,097) (436,806) (93.3%) D&A 335,385 236,225 42.0% EBITDA Ps. 687,954 Ps. 446,771 54.0% EBITDA Margin 4.6% 3.9% Consolidated Income Statement (Unaudited) For the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023 (In thousands of Mexican pesos) For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 2023 % Change Revenue From Sales of Merchandise Ps. 41,014,985 Ps. 31,694,573 29.4% Sales of Recyclables 77,416 68,282 13.4% Total Revenue 41,092,401 31,762,855 29.4% Cost of Sales (34,414,213) (26,733,603) 28.7% Gross Profit Ps. 6,678,188 Ps. 5,029,252 32.8% Gross Profit Margin 16.3% 15.8% Sales Expenses (4,208,458) (3,431,030) 22.7% Administrative Expenses (1,426,551) (1,033,144) 38.1% Other Income (Expense) - Net 7,066 692 921.1% Operating Profit Ps. 1,050,245 Ps. 565,770 85.6% Operating Profit Margin 2.6% 1.8% Financial Income 109,501 20,510 433.9% Financial Costs (924,055) (1,007,868) (8.3%) Exchange Rate Fluctuation 385,335 403,922 (4.6%) Financial Cost - Net (429,219) (583,436) (26.4%) Profit (Loss) Before Income Tax 621,026 (17,666) n.m. Income Tax Expense (263,033) (191,503) 37.4% Net Profit (Loss) for the Period Ps. 357,993 (Ps. 209,169) n.m. Net Profit Margin 0.9% (0.7%) Basic Earnings (Loss) per Share 3.32 (17.43) Diluted Earnings (Loss) per Share 2.72 (17.43) Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding: Basic 107,798,668 12,000,000 Diluted 131,924,394 12,000,000 EBITDA Reconciliation Net Profit (Loss) for the Period Ps. 357,993 (Ps. 209,169) n.m. Net Profit Margin 0.9% (0.7%) Income Tax Expense 263,033 191,503 37.4% Financial Cost - Net (429,219) (583,436) (26.4%) D&A 952,086 758,046 25.6% EBITDA Ps. 2,002,331 Ps. 1,323,816 51.3% EBITDA Margin 4.9% 4.2% Consolidated Balance Sheet (Unaudited) As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 (In thousands of Mexican pesos) As of September 30, As of December 31, 2024 2023 Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents Ps. 1,268,902 Ps. 1,220,471 Short-term bank deposits 2,963,511 - Creditors 3,669 - Derivative financial instruments 7,287 - Sundry debtors 47,523 11,020 VAT receivable 1,061,873 731,186 Advanced payments 134,846 72,998 Inventories 2,524,631 2,357,485 Total Current Assets Ps. 8,012,242 Ps. 4,393,160 Non-Current Assets: Guarantee deposits 37,949 33,174 Property, furniture, equipment, and lease-hold improvements - Net 5,849,141 4,606,300 Right-of-use assets – Net 6,487,974 5,520,596 Intangible assets – Net 6,794 6,771 Deferred income tax 494,588 403,801 Total Non-Current Assets Ps. 12,876,446 Ps. 10,570,642 Total Assets Ps. 20,888,688 Ps. 14,963,802 Current liabilities: Suppliers Ps. 7,855,059 Ps. 7,126,089 Accounts payable and accrued expenses 552,826 322,959 Income tax payable 43,350 2,326 Bonus payable to related parties - 78,430 Short-term debt 915,377 744,137 Lease liabilities 620,019 537,515 Employees’ statutory profit sharing payable 164,062 140,485 Total Current Liabilities Ps. 10,150,693 Ps. 8,951,941 Non-Current Liabilities: Debt with related parties - 4,340,452 Long-term debt 88,273 577,318 Lease liabilities 6,690,227 5,706,707 Employee benefits 28,231 22,232 Total Non-Current Liabilities Ps. 6,806,731 Ps. 10,646,709 Total Liabilities Ps. 16,957,424 Ps. 19,598,650 Stockholders’ equity: Capital stock 8,283,347 471,282 Reserve for share-based payments 1,247,755 851,701 Cumulative losses (5,599,838) (5,957,831) Total Stockholders’ Equity Ps. 3,931,264 Ps. (4,634,848) Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity Ps. 20,888,688 Ps. 14,963,802 Cash Flow Statement (Unaudited) For the three months ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023 (In thousands of Mexican pesos) For the Three Months Ended September 30, 2024 2023 Profit (loss) before income tax Ps. 323,472 (Ps. 226,260) Adjustments for: Depreciation of property, furniture, equipment, and lease-hold improvements 174,009 109,209 Depreciation of right-of-use assets 160,766 126,344 Amortization of intangible assets 610 672 Employee benefits 2,000 (1,936) Interest payable on Promissory Notes and Convertible Notes - 148,916 Interest expense on lease liabilities 263,415 146,859 Interest on debt and bonus payable and amortization of issuance costs 7,108 9,541 Other financial income (44,223) (7,388) Gain on fair value of derivative financial instrument (3,419) - Interests and commissions from credit lines 16,407 - Gain on termination of lease agreements (387) - Exchange fluctuation (210,191) 80,559 Share-based payment expense 126,468 112,268 Increase in inventories (150,579) (165,326) Increase in other current assets and guarantee deposits (154,747) (83,485) Increase in suppliers (including supplier finance arrangements) 572,652 774,672 Increase (decrease) in other current liabilities 113,145 (55,779) Increase (decrease) on bonus payable to related parties - 55,246 Income taxes paid (97,536) (86,113) Net cash flows provided by operating activities Ps. 1,098,970 Ps. 937,999 Purchase of property, furniture, equipment, and lease-hold improvements (651,199) (229,143) Sale of property and equipment (509) 1,467 Additions to intangible assets (563) - Short-term bank deposits 152,970 - Interest earned on short-term investments 40,683 28,923 Net cash flows used in investing activities (Ps. 458,618) (Ps. 198,753) Payments made on reverse factoring transactions-net of commissions received (818,588) (446,317) Finance obtained through supplier finance arrangements 869,064 399,429 Proceeds (payment) from Santander and HSBC credit line (85,086) 339,866 Payment of debt (30,328) (420,366) Interest payment on debt and reverse factoring commissions (23,515) (8,455) Lease payments (396,839) (301,386) Payment of Principal amount of Promissory Notes - - Payment of accrued Interests of Promissory Notes - - Proceeds from initial public offering, net of underwriting fees - - Initial public offering costs - - Net cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities (Ps. 485,292) (Ps. 437,229) Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 155,060 302,017 Effect of foreign exchange movements on cash balances (131,395) 34,626 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 1,245,237 664,440 Cash and cash equivalent at end of period Ps. 1,268,902 Ps. 1,001,083 Cash Flow Statement (Unaudited) For the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023 (In thousands of Mexican pesos) For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 2023 Profit (loss) before income tax Ps. 621,026 (Ps.17,666) Adjustments for: Depreciation of property, furniture, equipment, and lease-hold improvements 468,985 334,184 Depreciation of right-of-use assets 481,244 421,872 Amortization of intangible assets 1,857 1,990 Employee benefits 5,999 - Interest payable on Promissory Notes and Convertible Notes 82,588 459,621 Interest expense on lease liabilities 757,618 526,566 Interest on debt and bonus payable and amortization of issuance costs 29,471 21,676 Other financial income (102,214) (20,510) Gain on fair value of derivative financial instrument (7,287) - Interests and commissions from credit lines 54,378 - Gain on termination of lease agreements (387) - Exchange fluctuation (385,335) (469,030) Share-based payment expense 396,054 302,438 Increase in inventories (167,146) (259,525) Increase in other current assets and guarantee deposits (446,657) (150,082) Increase in suppliers (including supplier finance arrangements) 728,969 1,013,497 Increase (decrease) in other current liabilities 248,169 68,147 Increase (decrease) on bonus payable to related parties (79,351) 11,412 Income taxes paid (309,773) (301,751) Net cash flows provided by operating activities Ps. 2,378,208 Ps. 1,942,839 Purchase of property, furniture, equipment, and lease-hold improvements (1,642,397) (940,202) Sale of property and equipment 1,856 2,454 Additions to intangible assets (1,880) (799) Short-term bank deposits (2,621,393) - Interest earned on short-term investments 91,966 37,354 Net cash flows used in investing activities (Ps. 4,171,848) (Ps. 901,193) Payments made on reverse factoring transactions-net of commissions received (2,266,340) (1,320,996) Finance obtained through supplier finance arrangements 2,385,967 1,334,506 Proceeds (payment) from Santander and HSBC credit line 58,806 300,314 Payment of debt (107,557) (463,437) Interest payment on debt and reverse factoring commissions (76,691) (18,077) Lease payments (1,139,828) (859,684) Payment of Principal amount of Promissory Notes (1,969,602) - Payment of accrued Interests of Promissory Notes (2,955,495) - Proceeds from initial public offering, net of underwriting fees 7,841,837 - Initial public offering costs (23,269) - Net cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities Ps. 1,747,828 (Ps. 1,027,374) Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (45,812) 14,272 Effect of foreign exchange movements on cash balances 94,243 1,835 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 1,220,471 984,976 Cash and cash equivalent at end of period Ps. 1,268,902 Ps. 1,001,083 View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241125235028/en/ CONTACT: INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACTAndrés Villasis ir@tiendas3b.com KEYWORD: MEXICO UNITED STATES CENTRAL AMERICA NORTH AMERICA FLORIDA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: FAMILY RETAIL OTHER CONSUMER CONSUMER OTHER RETAIL SUPERMARKET FOOD/BEVERAGE SOURCE: Tiendas 3B Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/25/2024 04:13 PM/DISC: 11/25/2024 04:11 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241125235028/enOWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The biggest question facing the Baltimore Ravens right now has little to do with Lamar Jackson or even a defense that started the season poorly. It’s about a kicking conundrum that has turned into a crisis. Can the Ravens make it to the Super Bowl with Justin Tucker? One of the more surprising subplots of this NFL season has been Tucker’s decline from one of the greatest of all time to a week-in, week-out liability. Sunday’s loss to Philadelphia might have been the nadir — he missed two field goals and an extra point in a game the Ravens ultimately . “Points were at a premium in the game. They have been in a few of these games. Sometimes we haven’t made the most of our opportunity to score points,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “We’re racking our brains, talking to Justin, looking at what we’re doing. I’m very confident that it’s going to get fixed. I believe it will. It has to. “And he’s the guy to get it fixed.” Harbaugh has given every indication that he’s standing by Tucker, who is in his 13th season and is under contract through 2027. When he’s at his best, he’s the type of kicker that gives his team a clear advantage in close games, but this season he has missed eight field goals. Sunday showed that against a good defensive team, the Ravens (8-5) can’t simply assume their excellent offense will pile up points. There almost certainly will be close games in the weeks to come. Tucker’s ability to come through will be tested again, and for Baltimore to feel too confident at the moment. “When he was hitting, three or four years ago, hitting bombs, we were going 57, 58, 56 pretty regularly,” Harbaugh said. “That’s tightened up a little bit.” What’s working The Ravens continue to do a good job stopping the run. Although Saquon Barkley did eventually surpass the 100-yard mark late in the game, Baltimore held the Eagles to 140 yards on the ground, well below their usual output. What needs help Even beyond Tucker’s problems, Sunday wasn’t a great showing by Baltimore’s special teams. Tylan Wallace was shaky returning punts, and the Ravens had to start four drives inside their own 20 and two inside their own 10. “They had great bounces, and they downed right down in there,” Wallace said. “I’m pretty sure we’ll come back and talk about those and see what we can do to avoid those.” Stock up The Ravens’ defense continued to show signs of improvement, holding Philadelphia to 252 total yards. “I think we’ve just locked in on some things, and we’re playing our deep coverages better, bottom line,” Harbaugh said. “You watch the coverage, you watch the guys’ spacing, positioning, eyes, the communication, the checks that get made, and you just keep chasing doing the right things. It’s not (that we) changed the defense. We’re just playing it a lot better.” Stock down Harbaugh was vague on receiver Diontae Johnson’s situation. He was active Sunday but didn’t play, and he has only one catch in four games since the Ravens acquired him in a trade from Carolina. “I’m going to have to wait just to clarify it,” Harbaugh said. “There’s some moving parts there that we’re going to have to figure out and explore and just see where we’re at. I know that’s not the answer you want, but that’s the best I can do in fairness to everybody right now.” Injuries The Ravens were missing pass-rushing ace Kyle Van Noy (hamstring/neck) on Sunday, and WR Rashod Bateman was dealing with knee soreness. Key stats Through his first 12 seasons, Tucker made field goals at a 90% clip. That’s dropped to 70% this season. He had a 95% success rate from under 50 yards, and that’s dipped to 83%. Next steps The Ravens have this week off before a Dec. 15 road game against the New York Giants. Then comes a home matchup with Pittsburgh that may determine whether Baltimore has any shot to win the AFC North. ___ AP NFL:None

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DSE turnover hits four-month low

Your full guide to Kmart Australia's Black Friday sale: See the best deals as store ships in high-end buys for 'biggest event ever'

US stocks rallied, led by the Dow Jones, after Scott Bessent's nomination to run the Treasury Deparment. Bessent is seen as a stabilizing, pro-market force that could counter some of Trump's inflationary policies. Investors are eyeing key data releases in the holiday-shortened trading week, including PCE and GDP data. US stocks extended their rally on Monday, led by the Dow Jones Industrial Average , which surged 440 points and closed at a record. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite also gained. The small-cap Russell 2000 jumped 1.7% to an all-time high. Investors cheered President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Treasury Secretary, former hedge fund manager Scott Bessent. The pick of Bessent sparked a sell-off in the US dollar, Treasury yields, and gold as Wall Street expects him to pursue pro-market policies that help spur economic growth and limit inflation. The former global macro investor is seen as a pro-market, stabilizing force that could counter some of Trump's plans that could stoke inflation or further balloon the deficit. Bond yields dropped as investors saw Bessent's nomination as lowering the potential for a spike in inflation in 2025 and beyond. The 10-year Treasury yield plunged 14 basis points to 4.268%. "The choice of Scott Bessent as Treasury secretary seems to have allayed major fiscal concerns," economist James Reilly of Capital Economics said. Reports say Bessent pitched the 3-3-3 plan to Trump earlier this year, which was received favorably. The plan refers to three targets: cut the budget deficit to 3% of gross domestic product by 2028, spur annual GDP growth to 3% via deregulation, and produce an additional 3 million barrels of oil per day. He has also floated the idea of gradually implementing tariffs to avoid causing a sudden, painful spike in inflation. "Bessent as Treasury Secretary lends substantial economic and market credibility to the cabinet," Fundstrat's head of research Tom Lee said, adding that his role will be a positive for market dynamics heading into 2025. Meanwhile, it's a busy week for economic data despite the shortened holiday week. Investors will get initial jobless claims, a third-quarter GDP revision, and personal consumption expenditures data on Wednesday morning, as the stock market is closed on Thursday in observance of Thanksgiving. Economists expect initial jobless claims to come in at 215,000, and third-quarter GDP growth to be 2.8%, while PCE inflation data is expected to be the same as last month at 0.2% on a month-over-month basis. Here's where US indexes stood at the 4:00 p.m. closing bell on Monday: S&P 500 : 5,987.29, up 0.3% Dow Jones Industrial Average : 44,736.57, up 0.99% (+440.06 points) Nasdaq composite : 19,054.84, up 0.27% Here's what else is going on: UBS said Tesla stock could plunge 35% because the Trump-fueled rally isn't supported by fundamentals. A century-old land owner in Texas is seeing its stock surge thanks to an AI-fueled data center boom. Economists say Trump's immigration plans could deepen US demographic challenges. The stock market's back-to-back gains of more than 20% sets 2025 up for another big rally, Ryan Detrick said. The stock market could be a key check on Donald Trump's agenda during his second term in office. Here's what a strategic bitcoin reserve could mean for the price of the cryptocurrency. The rise of passive investing in the stock market could lead to more volatile trades during risk-off periods. In commodities, bonds, and crypto: West Texas Intermediate crude oil dropped 3.06% to $69.06 a barrel. Brent crude , the international benchmark, was lower by 2.69% to $73.15 a barrel. Gold declined 3.07% to $2,628.80 an ounce. The 10-year Treasury yield dropped 14 basis points to 4.268%. Bitcoin fell 3.48% to $94,605.NoneNone

Peter B. Teeley, who made a lasting entry in the political lexicon during the 1980 presidential primary when, as press secretary to George H.W. Bush, he came up with the term “voodoo economics” to knock the supply-side agenda of Bush’s then-rival Ronald Reagan, died Nov. 29 at a hospital in Washington. He was 84. He had tracheal cancer, said his wife, Victoria Casey. Teeley previously survived colon cancer and two bouts of throat cancer. PETER TEELEY Teeley, an old hand in Republican politics, was born in a shipbuilding town on the northwestern coast of England that endured heavy bombardment during World War II. He celebrated his seventh birthday at sea en route to the United States. He became an American citizen and, ultimately, a trusted aide to a long line of local, state and national political leaders. The most important of them was Bush, whom Teeley served as press secretary during Bush’s unsuccessful campaign for the White House in 1980, his winning bid in 1988 and his time as vice president in between. Teeley had his first taste of presidential politics working for Gerald Ford’s failed 1976 campaign. The campaign was managed by James A. Baker III, who helped bring Teeley into the Bush orbit four years later. Bush’s inner circle used the term “B.B.I.” — “Bush Before Iowa” — to refer to the team of staffers who were with the candidate before he pulled off a surprise victory in the Iowa caucuses over Reagan, the former California governor. Reagan went on to win the 1980 Republican nomination and then the presidency with Bush as his running mate. Mr. Teeley was “a charter member of B.B.I.,” historian Jon Meacham, the author of the Bush biography “Destiny and Power,” said in an interview. He was “an important part of a core group of people around George Bush in a campaign that made, in many ways, the Bush presidency possible, even though it was eight years later.” According to Meacham’s book, Mr. Teeley supplied Bush with the term “voodoo economics,” a catchphrase intended to deride Reagan’s plan to invigorate the economy through tax cuts. Mr. Teeley said he had read an editorial dismissing President Jimmy Carter’s economic policies as having been concocted by economic “witch doctors.” Inspired to lob a similar attack at Reagan, he reflected on what witch doctors do. “And then it hit me,” Meacham quoted him as saying. “They do ‘voodoo,’ and I put it in Bush’s speech.” The phrase, which never faded from politics, came to haunt Bush when Reagan selected him as his running mate and Democrats turned the phrase against the Republican ticket. “He used to complain that [it] was the only memorable thing I ever wrote and it got him into trouble,” Mr. Teeley jokingly told a reporter years later. From 1981 to 1985, during Bush’s first term as vice president, Mr. Teeley served as his press secretary. He left the job to open a public relations firm, Teeley & Associates, but returned to work for Bush during the 1988 campaign that propelled him to the presidency. In May of that year, with Bush slipping in the polls against Democrat Michael Dukakis, Mr. Teeley resigned as chief spokesman amid internal disagreement over campaign strategy. Mr. Teeley argued for a more aggressive approach, which Bush wished to defer until later in the campaign. “He wasn’t just a ‘yes’ person,” said David Clanton, a longtime friend of Mr. Teeley’s who worked with him when they were young staffers in the office of Sen. Robert P. Griffin (R-Michigan). “He would speak candidly to whoever he was talking with.” Mr. Teeley remained on Bush’s 1988 campaign staff. As president, Bush named him U.S. representative to UNICEF and then ambassador to Canada. His tenure in Ottawa, where he arrived in mid-1992, was cut short when Bush lost his reelection bid to Democrat Bill Clinton that November. Mr. Teeley later worked as vice president for government and public relations at the biotechnology company Amgen. Peter Barry Teeley was born on Jan. 12, 1940, in Barrow-in-Furness, England, a town subjected to what was known as the “Barrow Blitz” by the German Luftwaffe during World War II. After the war, he and his parents joined a paternal aunt in Detroit. Mr. Teeley spent the rest of his upbringing in Michigan, delivering newspapers to help his parents make ends meet. His father worked on an assembly line, according to Mr. Teeley’s wife, and his mother managed their apartment building in exchange for free rent. Mr. Teeley studied English and journalism at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he graduated in 1965. He took jobs in public relations and advertising before venturing into politics. The first elected officials he worked for included Detroit Mayor Jerome Cavanagh, a Democrat, and Michigan Gov. George W. Romney, a Republican. Mr. Teeley came to Washington as an aide to Griffin and later worked for Sen. Jacob K. Javits (R-New York) before joining the Ford campaign. Mr. Teeley’s marriages to Eileen Stempien, Sandra Evans and Valerie Hodgson ended in divorce. Besides Casey, his wife of 23 years, survivors include two daughters from his first marriage, Susan Risi and Laura Stanley; two daughters from his third marriage, Adrienne Teeley and Randall Teeley; a daughter from his fourth marriage, Rosa Casey-Teeley; and two granddaughters. With co-author Philip Bashe, Mr. Teeley wrote the book “The Complete Cancer Survival Guide” (2000). Bush provided a foreword. Mr. Teeley was found to have colon cancer — his first cancer diagnosis — in 1991 and became gravely ill during treatment. Bush, then serving as president, sent one of his physicians to oversee Mr. Teeley’s care and personally called the intensive care unit to check on his friend. In the aftermath of his illness, Mr. Teeley drew on his experience at UNICEF to found the Children’s Charities Foundation. Since its establishment in 1994, the group has distributed $10.5 million across the Washington area and has provided more than 50,000 new winter coats to needy children, according to the organization. One of its signature fundraising events was the BB&T Classic college basketball tournament. “One thing I learned when I got ill,” Mr. Teeley told Washingtonian magazine in 1995, “is your spirit and your health are better when you’re working on worthwhile things for the future.”

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Education Ministry initiatives include approving Onassis-funded schools, IB programs in specific schoolsNew Jersey fines firms $40K for sports betting violationsVia Middle East Eye As this year comes to an end, the most populous Arab country remains a stagnant mammoth with a slowly rotting political order, lacking domestic legitimacy and kept alive only by a continuous lifeline of cash from the West and Arab Gulf states who fear the repercussions of the Egyptian regime’s implosion. The year started with Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who is now 70, renewing his presidential term until 2030 after an electoral circus whose outcome was determined from the start. His only serious competition, former parliamentarian Ahmed Tantawi, was swiftly jailed . Egypt’s secret police, Homeland Security , continued throughout the year targeting all forms and shades of dissent, both online and offline, keeping citizens incarcerated in an endless labyrinth of fabricated cases , dubbed by rights lawyers as a process of "rotation" . Prison conditions remain draconian, and detainees have repeatedly gone on hunger strikes to protest torture and maltreatment. More than 50 incarcerated people have died in interior ministry-run prisons, Homeland Security branches and police stations this year. Criticism of the president or regime officials in the mainstream media is virtually non-existent . Most media outlets are officially owned and micromanaged by one company created by the General Intelligence Service (GIS). A handful of online independent news sites operate under strict conditions, are censored and denied media licences and face constant harassment . At the time of writing, at least 24 journalists and media workers remained in prison, according to the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate. Street activism, which experienced a rare, sudden revival in October 2023 with the outbreak of the Gaza war , was quickly crushed by security services , who ensured the streets remained quiet. A year later, more than 100 people are still in prison for taking part in peaceful solidarity actions with the Palestinian people. Syria shows the way? While organized street dissent remains under siege, spontaneous social protests by politically unaffiliated citizens involving confrontations with state forces have become increasingly frequent. Specifically, there have been industrial actions over wages and working conditions, as well as protests over housing, evictions and road safety. Since the 2013 coup, the regime has embarked on one of the biggest demolition campaigns in Egypt’s modern history, part of its militarised urban restructuring . Architect Omnia Khalil estimates that roughly 10 percent of the residents of Giza and Cairo alone have been displaced since 2013. This onslaught has triggered long-running fights against evictions, which have turned into clashes with the military and police, such as in Jemima, Port Said, Warraq and elsewhere. These protests should be monitored because they will likely escalate in the coming year. Earlier this month, Egyptians watched in jubilation as the brutal dynastic dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad fell. How this will play out for the millions who live under Sisi's brutal dictatorship remains to be seen. With the destruction of the Egyptian opposition and almost daily acts of state terror against the slightest sign or gesture of dissent , a repetition of the 2011 domino effect is unlikely - at least in the short run. However, there are certainly those in Egypt who are watching the Syrian events and contemplating whether an armed insurgency is the only way to topple Sisi, just as the Syrian 'rebels' did. Needless to say, the rebels' victory will boost political Islam in Egypt and elsewhere . Sisi is also nervous about the events in Syria. Roughly one week after Assad's downfall, he met with military commanders, senior police officials, the GIS chief, the prime minister and several other top government officials at the defense ministry's strategic command headquarters in the new administrative capital to discuss the impact of the regional wars in Syria and Gaza. Humanitarian organizations and media reports have estimated that there are some 70,000 political prisoners under Sisi ... "Sisi's prisons are no less horrifying than the atrocities of Syria's prisons." After Syria's rebels freed scores of political detainees, Egyptians are calling for the same in Egypt. Since 2013, Egypt's President Sisi has detained over 60,000 political prisoners nationwide. pic.twitter.com/ZCdvGc7Knq Speaking to his publicists on the same day, he called on the people to unite and safeguard the Egyptian state. "There are two things I've never done, thanks to God," he said . "I neither stained my hands with anyone's blood nor took anyone's money." Military business Despite pressure from international donors - and occasionally, prominent Egyptian businessmen - on the regime to remove the army from the civilian economy, the military continues to expand its control . It manipulates free-market forces in its favor and uses its clout to impose itself in partnerships with local and global capital. In 2024, Sisi continued to dodge calls to privatize military corporations or curb their influence. On the contrary, they were given more monopolies and a larger share of the pie. Early this month , Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced plans to list several companies affiliated with the military on the Egyptian Exchange. However, this is not the first time such statements have been made. Sisi announced in November 2022 that two military firms - a petrol company and a bottled water producer - would be listed on the stock exchange. A few months later, Madbouly announced that 10 more army companies would be offered on the stock market. To date, no single military firm has been privatised. There is a good reason why the regime has been procrastinating all those years with selling those firms. At this point, Sisi’s loyal constituency is confined to the officer corps. His popularity among all social classes in Egypt, including sections of big capital, has hit rock bottom. Antagonising the brass or messing with their economic privileges could prove fatal in such turbulent times. So, is the regime finally embarking on privatizing the army’s firms? The devil is always in the details. According to Madbouly’s statements, parts of the firms will be sold directly to a "strategic investor", though no specifics were provided regarding the identity of these investors or the percentage of shares to be sold. Also, the firms will not be fully privatized, but a percentage will be offered in the stock market. Again, it is unclear what percentage. Some possible scenarios to watch in 2025 include stocks being sold to civilian investors who act as fronts for the military or to companies that the military partially or wholly owns. For instance, the army’s National Service Projects Organization (NSPO) holds a 20 percent stake in Taqa Arabia, which is seen as a potential bidder for Wataniya - one of the four firms to be listed. If Sisi takes something away from the army with one hand, he will compensate them for it with the other hand. This could mean more concessions in other sectors, allocated lands and so on. For example, while planning the privatization of Silo Foods, the Egyptian Air Force (EAF) is now, in effect, running the agricultural production sector and has recently been given a monopoly over grain imports . Crisis of hegemony In the summer of 2023, Sisi signed a law ending tax exemptions for government economic activities. But tax exemptions for army business ventures remained in place, as the new law included an exception for economic activities related to “national security”, which could be conveniently interpreted as anything related to the military. In the coming year, the regime is likely to continue evading calls to reform the military-economic complex. It will likely resort to maneuvers such as floating military firms in the stock market, only to buy them through other companies and businessmen who are fronts for the army, or curbing the privileges of military corporations in one sector, only to compensate in another. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi unveiled the new administrative capital and presidential palace, built 45 kilometers east of Cairo in the desert, during the D-8 summit. The mega city, comparable in size to Hamburg, cost $45 billion. pic.twitter.com/J1YnIm0ttG Meanwhile, news emerged this month that Ibrahim al-Organi , a criminal smuggler-turned-militiaman and state-sponsored businessman, is planning to launch a political party. An official declaration has yet to be made. But if the project proceeds, the proposed party will contest the parliamentary and senate elections in 2025. (I stress “if”, as Organi has not publicly confirmed this, and the project could ultimately be scrapped.) But we must ask why such plans are being floated. This is not necessarily driven by Organi’s personal ambitions. He is an agent for the state and can be easily replaced at any point if the regime deems him useless or harmful. Rather, this is driven by the regime’s crisis of hegemony . Sisi is ruling solely by coercion, unlike his predecessors and has eviscerated the civil society and political institutions that manufacture some necessary level of consent, which is crucial for the endurance of the regime and the state. Political desert Sisi desperately needs something a la former President Hosni Mubarak’s National Democratic Party (NDP). But so far, he has failed to replicate it, including through the miserable Nation’s Future Party, whose public events for shoring up support for Sisi only backfire and turn into anti-regime protests . Attempts at rigging the votes in professional syndicates either fail or descend into pure thuggery , causing scandals that the regime has to scramble to manage. News of Organi’s proposed political party is the latest attempt to “create politics” in a country whose political scene has become wholly desertified. The total reliance on foreign debt has led to domestic fallout, widening class gaps in Egypt and a state of social decay , along with a decline in Cairo’s regional clout and soft power . From an active regional hegemon under previous regimes, Sisi’s Egypt is now dependent on foreign loans, grants and continuous bailouts by regional and international donors who see Egypt as "too big to fail" and do not want to risk further instability in the Middle East . As a result, Sisi has been unable to steer the course of events in Egypt’s traditional spheres of influence. Instead, he has either suffered diplomatic defeats or brought Egypt to a state of shameless complicity in the ongoing genocide on his eastern border under the watchful eyes of his military. In the coming year, Egypt will remain relevant to the Israeli - Palestinian conflict by virtue of geographical proximity, which puts it in control of Gaza’s only exit to the outside world - the Rafah crossing. While incapable of forcing Israel to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor along its border, Cairo will continue to pressure the weaker side - the Palestinians - into concessions and compromises to prove its own worth to the Trump administration in the US .

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey gambling regulators have handed out $40,000 in fines to two sportsbooks and a tech company for violations that included taking bets on unauthorized events, and on games that had already ended. In information made public Monday, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement fined DraftKings $20,000. It also levied $10,000 fines on Rush Street Interactive NJ and the sports betting technology company Kambi. According to documents released by the state, Rush Street accepted 16 bets worth $1,523 in Nov. 2021 on a college basketball game between the University of North Carolina-Asheville and Tennessee Tech University after the game had already concluded with a UNC victory. Kambi told the enforcement division that a trader had failed to manually remove that game from its betting markets, saying it had stopped receiving messages from its own sports data provider due to a network connectivity error. Kambi said it has updated its guidelines and retrained its traders to prevent a recurrence. Kambi, which is based in Malta, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Monday. Rush Street declined comment, and DraftKings had no immediate comment Monday. DraftKings stopped using Kambi in 2021. In March 2022 Rush Street took seven bets totaling just under $2,900 on three Magic City Jai Alai games after the results were already known. Kambi told the division it experienced a connectivity issue that allowed the bets to be accepted after the games were over. An explanation of what Kambi did to address the situation was blacked out in documents released by the division. A month earlier Rush Street took 13 wagers worth $8,150 with pre-match odds on a Professional Golf Association match after the event had already begun. In this case, Kambi told the division a newly hired trader failed to enter the correct closing time time for bets on the event. The trader and a supervisor underwent retraining. DraftKings was fined for taking bets on unapproved events including Russian basketball for nine months in 2020 and 2021. It eventually voided over $61,000 in bets and returned the money to customers after being directed to do so by the state. In this case, Kambi told the division it misidentified this particular Russian basketball league as one that was approved for wagering in New Jersey. DraftKings told the state it did not catch the error, either. In 2020, DraftKings accepted 484 wagers on unapproved table tennis matches. Kambi incorrectly enabled the events for wagering without conditions required by the state, the division said. In Feb. 2022, the division said DraftKings took pre-season NFL bets involving specific players but did not give the state specific information on what information was to be included in the bets, drawing 182 wagers worth nearly $7,000 that were later voided and refunded to customers. Follow Wayne Parry on X at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC