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LOS ANGELES -- Londynn Jones scored 15 points, making all five of her 3-pointers, and fifth-ranked UCLA stunned No. 1 South Carolina 77-62 on Sunday, ending the Gamecocks' overall 43-game winning streak and their run of 33 consecutive road victories. The Gamecocks (5-1) lost for the first time since April 2023, when Caitlin Clark and Iowa beat them in the NCAA tournament national semifinals. Te-Hina Paopao scored 18 points and Tessa Johnson scored 14 for the Gamecocks, whose road winning streak was third longest in Division I history. Editor's Picks Feast Week: The must-see women's college basketball holiday tournament games 8h Charlie Creme Notre Dame authors 'complete game,' upsets USC 10h Alexa Philippou It was the first time UCLA defeated a No. 1 team in school history, having been 0-20 in such matchups. The program's previous best wins were over a couple of No. 2s -- Oregon in 2019 and Stanford in 2008. Elina Aarnisalo added 13 points as one of five Bruins in double figures. UCLA (5-0) dominated from start to finish, with the Bruins' suffocating defense preventing the Gamecocks from making any sustained scoring runs. The Gamecocks trailed by double digits at halftime for the first time since Dec. 21, 2021, against Stanford, according to ESPN Research.MIAMI — Lionel Messi, fresh off accepting his MLS MVP trophy, kicked off the holiday season by traveling 6,870 miles to Azerbaijan this week and brought along teammates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba for a private charity event in the capital city of Baku. Azerbaijan is a landlocked country in Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, Iran, Russia, Georgia, and Turkey. Messi and his friends attended a gathering on Wednesday at the Crystal Hall, a famous music and sports venue. The event included a concert featuring French singer Willy William and Romanian group Morandi. The Argentine legend received a personalized rug with an image of himself lifting the World Cup trophy. “I have discovered the culture and the people of Azerbaijan,” Messi said. “Thank you for the warm greeting. Thank you very much for the support.” Messi, Suárez, Busquets and Alba also paid a visit and laid flowers at the tomb of former Azerbaijani leader Heydar Aliyev, on the eve of the 21st anniversary of his death Dec. 12, 2003. That part of the visit drew some criticism on social media from opponents of Aliyev’s regime. Inter Miami vs. Club America in Las Vegas? Speaking of travel, Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas said last week that the club is not planning another four-country, seven-game globetrotting preseason tour, as it did last year. The team played in El Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Japan in early 2024 and wound up dealing with injuries to a few players and a controversy when Messi sustained an injury and was unable to play in Hong Kong. Mas said the team does plan a trip abroad in early 2025, but it will be a more compact itinerary, and that a high-profile game was being planned in the United States. Deporte Total USA reported that Inter Miami will play Mexican power Club America in Las Vegas and that the game is tentatively set for Jan. 18. An MLS source confirmed that Inter Miami and Club America are in talks about a game, but details had not been finalized. Also, the club announced it will play a friendly match against Orlando City in Tampa on Feb. 14. CJ Dos Santos traded to San Diego FC Inter Miami traded backup goalkeeper CJ dos Santos to expansion club San Diego FC in exchange for $100,000 in 2025 general allocation money (GAM). Dos Santos, 24, signed for Inter Miami ahead of the 2022 MLS season. He made three appearances for the first team — two in MLS and one in the Leagues Cup, in which he kept a clean sheet against Mexican side Club Puebla in 2024 — and 28 matches for Inter Miami II in MLS NEXT Pro. New ‘Fortitude’ jersey unveiled Inter Miami on Thursday released its new “Fortitude” away jersey for the 2025 season. It has black and granite-gray blocks with the trademark pink trim. The club explained in a press release that the name came from the Latin word “Fortis,” which means strength, and the Spanish word “Fortaleza,” which stands for resilience and determination. This shirt also serves as a tribute to Fort Lauderdale, “a city that has become a fortress for Inter Miami CF and the stage for some of the Club’s most significant milestones”. This coming season will be the team’s final season in Fort Lauderdale before moving to Miami Freedom Park in 2026. The new kits are on sale at the team store at Chase Stadium beginning Thursday (Dec. 12), while supplies last. It is also available online at MLSstore.com and adidas.com . Royal Caribbean, the club’s official jersey partner, will soon have the jersey available for purchase on its ships. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.There's a reason previous governments baulked at the net zero challenge - it's absolutely colossal, something Labour's new Clean Power 2030 plan lays bare. Offshore wind generating capacity, which has taken 20 years to reach 14.8GW, must more than triple to about 50GW within just six years. The plan calls for a tripling of solar generation too, and a doubling supply from onshore wind turbines. And to get all that clean, locally produced power to where it is actually needed will require an overhaul of the National Grid not seen since the current system was planned in the 1950s. The government projects that to deliver all that infrastructure will require investment of £40bn a year until 2030. Nearly all of that will come from the private sector - it hopes - knowing the Treasury certainly will not have any spare money to pay for it. And all that is backed up by a promise that the project will lower consumer bills. It's a massive challenge and given the UK's recent history of delivering large infrastructure projects - high-speed rail line anyone? - a major political gamble. But Labour has decided it is worth the risk. Read more: Paris Agreement never been 'more fragile', UK climate chief warns Scientists already say 2025 will be top three warmest years Be the first to get Breaking News Install the Sky News app for free If they pull it off, most analysts agree that locally generated renewable power will reduce the wholesale price of electricity - currently dictated by the international gas market. This, in turn, will protect customers from price shocks and lower bills. Definitely a vote winner. The other main attraction is to "get Britain building," creating new, skilled jobs with many of them in parts of the country where they are needed most. Coupled with that, many countries are pursuing similar goals and UK companies and workers stand to benefit by exporting their knowledge and skills. And not forgetting the fact this government, like its predecessors, is legally required to do all this under the terms of the Climate Change Act as well as fulfilling the commitment made when we signed the global carbon-cutting Paris Agreement . But none of that makes it any less difficult. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Take the grid for example. Right now, as new renewable projects like large offshore windfarms are connected to our old, fossil fuel orientated national grid, on really windy days, there is already more electricity than the system can handle. Increasingly big wind farms out to sea and a long way from consumers are having to be paid not to generate electricity, and gas-fired power stations closer to customers have to be paid to come online instead. The bill for these "grid constraints" is already about £2bn a year. Re-wiring the grid will solve that problem - benefitting everyone. But imagine there's a delay - thanks to local opposition to new pylons, or a labour shortage, or poorly managed construction - and the grid doesn't get upgraded in step with generating capacity. The constraint costs are projected to hit £8bn a year - that's £80 per household - by the late 2020s. That would make very bad headlines for a government that promised to lower bills. And the grid is just one of the pieces of the zero-carbon electricity puzzle. Read more from Sky News: Starmer has a particularly toxic fight to come PM defends 'great British institution' of sandwiches Follow our channel and never miss an update. Everything - from reforming the retail market for energy, to smart metering, EV charging, connecting heat pumps and new technologies that can store excess electricity for when the wind isn't blowing - will all have to happen in parallel, at pace, to ensure the project delivers the benefits promised. The Clean Power plan will be a genuine test of whether Britain can "get building again", but also of Keir Starmer's political stomach when it hits the inevitable bumps along the way.
Colorado continues to work on defense, faces South Dakota StateFor “Hysteria!” actresses Anna Camp and Julie Bowen, horror is harder than comedy. “Horror is really hard actually because there is a fine line you have to walk; you have to make it feel grounded and you’re put in these extreme circumstances: You’re being possessed or pulled through the air, there’s nothing you can do to relate to that,” explained Camp of “Pitch Perfect” fame. “With comedy, you can have a relatable situation and go, ‘I’ve been in situations like that.’ There’s nothing you can compare (horror) to, so you have to use your imagination. I find it harder. Your imagination goes home with you at the end of the day. You’re still thinking crazy thoughts.” Bowen, best known for playing Claire Dunphy on “Modern Family,” agreed. “Comedy’s pretty binary because it’s like either you can make people laugh or you don’t. I can’t watch horror. I’m terrified, terrified! I am the easiest scare in the world, so as far as doing (horror), I want to make it as real as possible. It was hard because I had to be really, really crazy. There were times when I’d get back to my hotel room at 3 a.m., I didn’t want to be alone in my head,” said Bowen, laughing. Camp, Bowen, Royal Oak native Bruce Campbell (“Evil Dead”), showrunner David A. Goodman (“Futurama”), and Ypsilanti native/creator Matthew Scott Kane (“American Horror Story”) were promoting “Hysteria!” at the New York Comic Con in October. The horror series is streaming on Peacock. Set in the fictional Michigan town of Happy Hollow, the first episode of “Hysteria” begins with a popular quarterback’s disappearance and a pentagram is discovered on a garage door. As a result, rumors of the occult and satanic influence run rampant through the town. A trio of outcasts in a heavy metal band called Dethkrunch exploit this by rebranding themselves as a satanic metal band, which leads to them becoming the targets of the town’s witch hunt. “Something on my mind a lot in 2019 was we’re living in this post-factual age with social media. It seemed like decades and decades ago, you could trust the news. Now everything is in question. When lies end up getting disseminated as truth, that starts to warp people’s version of reality. Suddenly, they’re living in a world other people are not. That was going on in the world I was living in and I very quickly connected it to the 1980s satanic panic. It’s not really that different because people were saying Ozzy Osbourne, Jason Voorhees (of ‘Friday the 13th’), and the Smurfs were going to turn your kids into satanists and kill you in your sleep. That didn’t happen. It wasn’t true, but so many people got worked up into such a fervor over it, bad things happened. ... It was smoke without fire,” Kane said. “Disinformation is not new,” Campbell said. “Disinformation will tear a town apart.” Campbell portrays Happy Hollow Police Chief Ben Dandridge. “This guy’s a reasonable cop; he’s a rational person who doesn’t treat the teenagers like they’re idiots. It’s all very refreshing,” he said. “I want to play that guy again. I want cops to be that guy. I’m playing the cop (that) cops need to be. That’s my whole motivation for playing this guy: How would you like cops to be, especially the guy in charge, the chief of police? They’re lucky to have Chief Dandridge.” “It was truly an exciting moment when Bruce signed on,” Goodman said. By the end of the first episode, a supernatural phenomenon happens to Linda Campbell, played by Bowen. “Linda seems like one thing, then you realize she’s bananas. She’s either bananas or she’s possessed. Either way, it’s a complicated thing to play,” Bowen said. “With Julie, you can have your cake and eat it too,” Kane said. “She’s this fun, quirky mom. ... As the episode goes on, she’s pulled deeper into this thing and crazy stuff starts happening. That final act of the first episode was my favorite moment with her because this announced that this is not Claire Dunphy. We’re not doing that again; we’re pushing her as a performer. “Julie was so excited about doing stunts. She told us on many occasions she’s very sturdy and can take it. The same goes for Bruce and for Anna. We didn’t ask anyone to give us a flavor of the thing they did before. We cast people we loved so much (in their famous projects) that we wanted to give them the opportunity to do the exact opposite.” Added Bowen: “I got this script and was like, ‘Oh great. She’s a mom. How fun.’ I love moms. I’m a mom, but I felt this was not worth flying out of town to Georgia and being away from my kids. Then I got to the end of the pilot and was like, ‘She’s crazy!’ Is she possessed? There’s a lot more questions. It’s fun to just stretch again and do things I haven’t done in a while, which I found really exciting.” Kane said he felt lucky Bowen signed on at the beginning. “She was the first adult actor to sign on. That gave us such credibility to have a two-time Emmy-winning actor leading this show. Suddenly, it goes from this script from a relatively unknown writer into the new Julie Bowen show,” he said. It was the quality of the writing that attracted Camp, Bowen and Campbell to “Hysteria!” “I loved the script; it was incredibly well-written. It was immersed in the time period. It was such a good coming-of-age story, too — the feeling of being in high school again, being in the 1980s,” Camp said. “I talked to Matt who said my character (Tracy) was incredibly pivotal to the series and we’ll learn about why she is the way she is. So I was like, ‘I’d love to do this!’” For Campbell, the writing is everything. “A lot of times, I’ll get a script that could make the words interchangeable with every other character because the writing is very bland and just doesn’t have the detail you need. This was different. Every character was pretty distinct and pretty well-drawn,” he said. “It’s quality. It’s not a (expletive) show. It’s a real show that’s playing around with interesting themes. A lot of it is still relevant to this day.” “Hysteria!” has other Michigan connections, including University of Michigan alumnus Jonathan Goldstein (“Spider-Man: Homecoming”) and Dondero High School alumnus Jordan Vogt-Roberts (“Kong: Skull Island”), who both serve as executive producers. Kane explained why he set “Hysteria!” in Michigan. “You write what you know. I grew up in Ypsilanti, so that had a lot to do with it. More importantly, when you’re in a small town in the Midwest — somewhere like Michigan — these things don’t ever happen and word spreads fast and paranoia spreads quickly and (everything’s) blown out of proportion and takes up a lot of people’s minds,” he said. “Whether or not something is real doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if there are people willing to believe it does and willing it into the world. What does it matter if it’s objectively real or living rent-free in someone’s head?”
49ers are underdogs at Packers, ending streak of 36 straight games as favorites - NBC Sports
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS: LEHI, Utah and SHERMAN, Texas , Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments (TI) (Nasdaq: TXN) and the U.S. Department of Commerce today announced an award agreement of up to $1.6 billion in direct funding through the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, following the preliminary memorandum of terms announced in August 2024 . The funding will help support three of TI's new 300mm wafer fabs currently under construction in Texas and Utah. Support from the CHIPS Act, including the 25% investment tax credit, will help TI provide a geopolitically dependable supply of essential analog and embedded processing semiconductors. "As the largest analog and embedded processing semiconductor manufacturer in the U.S., TI is uniquely positioned to provide dependable, low-cost 300mm semiconductor manufacturing capacity at scale," said Haviv Ilan, president and CEO of Texas Instruments. "The increasing number of electronic devices in our lives depend on our foundational chips, and we appreciate the support from the U.S. government to make the semiconductor ecosystem stronger and more resilient." The CHIPS Act direct funding will support TI's investments through 2029 for three large-scale 300mm wafer fabs in Sherman, Texas (SM1 and SM2), and Lehi, Utah (LFAB2). Together, these fabs will manufacture tens of millions of analog and embedded processing chips every day that are critical to a variety of end markets, including automotive, industrial, personal electronics, communications equipment and enterprise systems. Specifically, the CHIPS Act direct funding will be distributed upon completion of project milestones, supporting: These connected, multi-fab sites in Texas and Utah will benefit from shared infrastructure, talent and technology sharing, and a strong network of existing suppliers and community partners. Combined, TI's three new fabs in Texas and Utah will create 2,000 company jobs, along with thousands of indirect jobs for construction, suppliers and supporting industries. TI is also investing in building its future workforce. As part of the CHIPS Act award agreement, TI will also receive up to $10 million for workplace development efforts in Texas and Utah . Consistent with TI's longstanding commitment to responsible, sustainable manufacturing and environmental stewardship, the company's 300mm wafer fabs will be entirely powered by renewable electricity. Additionally, TI is committed to reducing overall water consumption across its operations, endeavoring to achieve a 70% water reuse capability in Sherman, Texas , and Lehi , Utah. All of TI's new 300mm fabs are also designed to meet LEED Gold standards for structural efficiency and sustainability. Learn more: Notice regarding forward-looking statements This release includes forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as TI or its management "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "forecasts," "estimates" or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements herein that describe TI's business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. See Item 1A of TI's most recent Form 10-K for a detailed discussion of risk factors that could cause results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this release are made only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update the forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. If we do update any forward-looking statement, you should not infer that we will make additional updates with respect to that statement or any other forward-looking statement. About Texas Instruments Texas Instruments Incorporated (Nasdaq: TXN) is a global semiconductor company that designs, manufactures, and sells analog and embedded processing chips for markets such as industrial, automotive, personal electronics, communications equipment and enterprise systems. At our core, we have a passion to create a better world by making electronics more affordable through semiconductors. This passion is alive today as each generation of innovation builds upon the last to make our technology more reliable, more affordable and lower power, making it possible for semiconductors to go into electronics everywhere. Learn more at TI.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/texas-instruments-announces-award-agreement-for-chips-and-science-act-funding-302337541.html SOURCE Texas Instruments
Delphi Murders Case: Richard Allen Gets 130-Year Sentence for Teen Killings
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BALTIMORE (AP) — Azmar Abdullah's 21 points off of the bench led Boston University to a 69-62 victory against Howard on Sunday. Abdullah went 7 of 9 from the field (5 for 7 from 3-point range) for the Terriers (3-4). Kyrone Alexander added 10 points while going 2 of 9 from the floor, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and 4 for 4 from the line while they also had seven rebounds. Ben Palacios went 3 of 5 from the field (3 for 4 from 3-point range) to finish with nine points. Marcus Dockery finished with 17 points and two steals for the Bison (3-3). Blake Harper added 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals for Howard. Anwar Gill had 10 points and two steals. An 11-0 run in the first half gave Boston University a five-point lead. The teams entered the break with Boston University ahead 26-21, while Michael McNair led their club in scoring with eight points. Abdullah's 18-point second half helped Boston University close out the seven-point victory. NEXT UP Boston University takes on Sacred Heart at home on Sunday, and Howard visits UMBC on Monday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Chandigarh: Health education centre for school kids pushed back to Feb ’25‘Heretic’ Movie Review: Hugh Grant Gives the Creeps in This Gripping Psychological Thriller That Challenges Your Faith (LatestLY Exclusive)
India’s Public Sector Banks (PSBs) achieved their highest-ever aggregate net profit of ₹1.41 lakh crore in fiscal year 2023-24. This historic performance underscores the sector’s strong recovery, which is supported by a major increase in asset quality. The Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) ratio fell dramatically, down to 3.12% in September 2024. In the first half of 2024-25, they had a net profit of ₹ 85,520 crore, indicating continuous growth. In addition to their excellent performance, PSBs have contributed significantly to shareholder returns, paying a total dividend of ₹61,964 crore over the last three years. This tremendous financial increase demonstrates the sector’s operating efficiency, higher asset quality, and stronger capital foundation. How the banking sector suffered as a result of massive non-performing assets generated during the Congress government Let’s go back before 2014 when PM Modi was not in power, many social media experts and politicians were not aware how these NPA’s generated. (Non-Performing Assets), as per RBI report and information given by FM Nirmala Sitharaman, Gross advances of the state owned bank increased from Rs 18.19 lakh crore in FY 2008 to Rs 52.16 lakh crore as on FY 2014 (before PM Modi). She also informed that this aggressive lending practices, wilful default, corruption in some cases and economic slowdown led to spurt in stressed assets. It was easier for PM Modi to come forward after being elected in May 2014 and release a white paper with facts and numbers on how the economy was given over to him, mentioning that he wouldn’t be able to do anything for the next five years. PM Modi is known for dealing with adversity and being a man of action. He decided to tackle this as a challenge and began working with then-FM Late Shri Arun Jaitley. He did the right thing by not hiding NPA but bringing it to the surface for action. Mentioning a few steps to understand the acts accomplished. The IBC (Insolvency and Bankruptcy code), SARFAESI (Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest) act and stressed asset management verticals... The government has taken comprehensive steps under it’s 4R’s strategy, Recognising NPA’s transparently Resolving and Recovering value from stressed accounts Recapitalising PSB’s Reforms in banks and financial ecosystem to ensure a responsible and clean system. These numerous approaches enabled the government recover Rs 3.59 lakh crore from PSBs by April 2019 and the Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) ratio fell dramatically, down to 3.12% in September 2024. Decline in GNPA: Strengthening PSB Resilience The Gross NPA ratio of Public Sector Banks has undergone a significant turnaround, decreasing to 3.12% in September 2024 from a peak of 14.58% in March 2018. This large drop indicates the success of focused actions to relieve stress in the banking sector. The Asset Quality Review (AQR), undertaken by the Reserve Bank of India in 2015, marked a watershed moment. This initiative sought to uncover and resolve latent stress in banks by requiring the transparent identification of NPAs. It also reclassified previously restructured loans as NPAs, causing a significant increase in reported NPAs. During this period, banks faced increased provisioning requirements that limited their ability to lend and assist productive industries.These were written off but ultimately recovered. As a result, do not confuse waive-off with written-off. The process is ongoing, and no one will be spared by PM Modi within the confines of the law of the land, which is why fear mongering and the creation of false news with distorted data are being distributed on many platforms to harm his reputation. Finally, this allows social media warriors to go extensively into the claims against PM Modi in order to uncover true evidence about prior corruption or malpractices committed by the bosses of false news providers. We are witnessing lot of mis-information being spread in social media about loan written off for big industrialists or people shown close to PM Modi by main stream media. The ultimate purpose is to show PM Modi is corrupt and dancing to the tunes of these biggies. Let’s understand the difference between written off and waive off in simple terms. If someone borrows Rs 100 from you this month but is unable to repay you during the fiscal year as promised, you will write off this amount from your balance sheet as per long-standing accounting practice (not discovered by PM Modi), but you will still pursue him to recover your money, and you may use legal action against him if he does not follow the agreement/contract. When you waive off a debt, you are entirely releasing him from the need to pay a specific sum, and there will be no legal penalties for the debtor. A loan waiver for farmers is an appropriate example. Beyond their financial accomplishments, these banks have played an important role in promoting financial inclusion. They have implemented critical government schemes, such as the Atal Pension Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, to name a few. These efforts have guaranteed that critical benefits reach underrepresented areas of society. The government of India has actively supported the sector with reforms, welfare initiatives, and strong policies. This has enhanced the banking system by promoting greater openness, stability, and inclusivity. PSBs continue to expand their presence across the country, hence increasing financial inclusion. Their stronger financial base and improved asset quality have allowed them to enter markets freely, lessening their need on government recapitalization. Here’s how PSBs and SCBs are promoting financial inclusion: Various key financial inclusion projects (PM Mudra, Stand-Up India, PM-SVANidhi, and PM Vishwakarma) have sanctioned. 54 crore Jan Dhan accounts and over 52 crore collateral-free loans. The number of bank branches has expanded from 1,17,990 in March 2014 to 1,60,501 in September 2024, with 1,00,686 located in Rural and Semi-Urban (RUSU) areas. The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme attempts to offer farmers short-term agricultural financing. As of September 2024, the total number of operative KCC accounts was 7.71 crore, with a total outstanding of Rs. 9.88 lakh crore. The Government of India (GoI) has continually provided affordable loans to the MSME sector through a variety of initiatives. MSME advances have grown at a CAGR of 15 per cent over the last three years, with total advances as of March 31, 2024 standing at Rs. 28.04 lakh crore, or a 17.2 per cent annual growth rate. Scheduled Commercial Banks’ gross advances climbed from Rs. 8.5 lakh crore to Rs. 61 lakh crore between 2004 and 2014, and have since expanded significantly to Rs. 175 lakh crore by March 2024. In recent years, India’s public sector banks have made amazing progress, reaching new financial milestones and considerably contributing to the country’s economic stability and growth. The decrease in Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) and the improvement in Capital to Risk (Weighted) Assets Ratio (CRAR) demonstrate the sector’s resilience and good risk management methods. The EASE framework has been critical in implementing changes, encouraging cautious lending, and leveraging technology to improve banking services. The focus on financial inclusion has increased access to banks, providing millions with affordable credit and insurance. PSBs, with a stronger financial foundation and enhanced asset quality, are well-positioned to contribute to India’s development agenda and drive inclusive growth.Angela Merkel admits EU felt ‘abandoned’ by UK in Brexit referendumFrom Maui to the Caribbean, Thanksgiving tournaments a beloved part of college basketball
NoneAMMAN — Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Head of Government of Economic Team Muhannad Shehadeh stressed that the government has a realistic economic programme and a clear vision, and its decisions aim at achieving growth to be reflected on improving the quality of life and generating job opportunities, and sustainability based on the strategic approach of Economic Modernization Vision (EMV). The meeting was attended by the Minister of Finance Abdul Hakim Shibli, and Minister of Government Communication and Government Spokesman Mohammad Momani, in addition to economic programmes' presenters, heads of economic departments and economic news editors, from various media outlets. During the meeting, Shehadeh reiterates that economic measures and decisions, taken by the government since its formation of about 60 days, aim to stimulate economic growth and overcome the consequences of the political situation in the region and the world. Shehadeh stressed that the government is also committed to overcoming all obstacles and bureaucratic complications, while balancing expenditures and money collection on one hand, and moving forward with major investment projects on the other hand, to reach the desired economic growth. He pointed out that in order to reach that, it must be in line with the vision, which includes eight engines, 35 sectors and 360 economic measures related to its aspects and sectors. He explained that achieving economic growth requires the government to facilitate indirect spending, reduce the trade balance deficit, attract investments and support the purchasing power of citizens, thus contributing to increasing the GDP, which currently amounts at JD36 billion. He also pointed out that the government has already begun to facilitate spending through a number of measures and decisions it has taken related to customs, tax and princely funds, in order to provide indirect financial liquidity for citizens that can be injected into the local market to contribute to the revitalisation of economic activity. He pointed out that the funds pending today with the customs and related customs revenues exceed JD300 million, stressing that the settlement of these issues will reflect on the money circulation in the economy. He explained that the government's decision regarding medical tourism, whether in terms of allowing nationalities to enter the Kingdom, or the opening of direct airlines, came with the aim of restoring momentum to this important service sector, calling on the private sector to exploit these facilities and work to attract expatriates for treatment purposes in the Kingdom. He pointed out that the government's decision to exempt fees and fines on vehicles which their licenses have expired for more than a year amounting to more than 550,000 unlicensed vehicles, entailing JD332 million as fees. Shehadeh also noted that the government's decision on the amended bylaw of exempting profits, of exports of goods and services, from income tax for the year 2024, came in line with the EMV to ensure the continued growth of the service sectors, especially the information technology sector, which represents one of the main drivers of the vision. He stressed that the decision will also contribute to the revival of other service sectors, especially for engineers, lawyers, consultation, the information technology sector and others, and it is also part of the EMV to generate more job opportunities for Jordanians, explaining that the services sector constitutes 60 per cent of GDP. He also praised the banking sector's step toward reducing interest by 4.99 per cent on housing loans for 3 consecutive years, after the government's decision, describing it as positive as it will stimulate other economic sectors. He pointed to the major investment projects that will be implemented as part of the EMV, foremost of which is the "National Carrier", where the financial closure of the project during the next year will contribute to activate several economic sectors throughout the Kingdom and reflect on the development aspect. He pointed out that the other project is the "Railway from Aqaba to Shidia and Ghor Al-Safi", which will contribute to reducing transport fees, raising the competitiveness and level of services and improving the performance of companies, in addition to being an integrated solution for the truck sector, expecting that the first quarter of next year will witness the signing of final agreements related to it. He also addressed the issue of "indebtedness", stressing that the government is committed to manage the internal and external debt in "the best way", and there are many scenarios in this regard, including replacing part of the debt with soft loans and lower interest rates through the Kingdom's close and strong relationships with countries, in addition to the low interest rates in the world. He stressed that His Majesty King Abdullah's recent meeting with Arab and foreign investors sends a strong message that investment in Jordan reflects high confidence in monetary policies, which are the backbone of investment and employers. Finance Minister Abdul Hakim Shibli stressed that the budget is realistic, and the government is determined, despite the hard region circumstances, to reduce the deficit in the public budget as well as the public debt, in addition to securing budget allocations for the implementation of major projects, such as the national carrier and the railway. He explained that the current budget has maintained all guarantees that concern citizens, especially with regard to subsidising bread, barley and gas cylinders. Shibli added that the current budget increased the share of capital projects to JD1.469 billion. He pointed out that the draft budget law estimated public revenues at about JD10233 million, of which JD9498 million are local revenues and JD734 million are external grants, indicating that the draft budget has set realistic estimates of revenues in a way that contributes to managing the development process efficiently. Shibli explained that the budget draft included an increase in allocations for the National Aid Fund's (NAF) social protection network, and a 50 per cent increase in allocations for the University Student Support Fund, in addition to securing necessary allocations to support strategic food commodities, as well as indirect support for essential services and facilities in the fields of water, electricity, and health. He pointed out that the government relied on a "Real Economic Growth Rate" of 2.5 per cent for the next year and a "Nominal Economic Growth Rate" of about 4.9 per cent during the formulation of the current budget, while maintaining moderate inflation rates, which would contribute to enhancing financial and monetary stability. Regarding the "expenditure Items" in the general budget, Shibli indicated that the budget allocated at approximately JD11042 million, and capital expenditures at approximately JD1468 million, with an increase of 16.5 per cent compared to its re-estimated level for the current year 2024.
Inside James May's idyllic life in one of Britain's tiniest villages with no shops
Stay Ahead in Ophthalmology: Strategic Market Insights for Myopia Assessment & Forecasting | DelveInsightNEW YORK , Nov. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE: BEN) resulting from allegations that Franklin Resources may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. So What: If you purchased Franklin Resources securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses. What to do next: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=29671 call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. What is this about: On August 21, 2024 , Franklin Resources filed a current report with the SEC. In this current report, the company announced it was naming a sole Chief Investment Officer at Western Asset Management (a company subsidiary) to replace co-Chief Investment Officer Ken Leech , who had been on a leave of absence, effective immediately. The current report also stated Ken Leech had "received a Wells Notice from the Staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission," and "[i]n light of Mr. Leech's leave of absence, the Company has determined that closing its Macro Opportunities strategy [. . .] is in clients' best interests." On this news, Franklin Resources' stock fell 12.5% on August 21, 2024 . Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rosen-law-firm-encourages-franklin-resources-inc-investors-to-inquire-about-securities-class-action-investigation--ben-302314792.html SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.A WOMAN has revealed the cruel moment she discovered her cheating ex had catfished her in a bid to win her back. The singleton, from Scotland, had met her dream man on Tinder and was looking forward to a first date at the Christmas markets. 1 A woman was devastated after discovering her ex had catfished her (stock image) Credit: getty But ahead of the meeting, she was given a shocking catfish blow instead. Writing in to the Girls Overheard podcast , she said she has been left gutted and scared over the incident. Podcast host Eilidh Wells was tasked with reading out the anonymous message on the show. It read: "I've been talking to this guy for weeks on Tinder. We've never met or Facetimed but I was planning on meeting him at the start of December to go to the Christmas markets together. Read more in Fabulous DECK THE HALL PASS I'm giving my husband a free pass to cheat on me this Christmas CYBER CREEP My boss thought I fancied him & made a move – he’d been catfished by my stalker "We've literally chatted throughout the day every day and I felt like we really clicked. "Then out the blue last night I get a message from an ex." The former boyfriend in question was described as a "serial cheat and a liar" whose behaviour ended their "on and off" relationship last year. The woman' said's message went on: "So anyway he's messaging me out the blue last night telling me that he misses me and he's never clicked with anyone as much as me. Most read in Fabulous TU COSY 'Soft as cashmere' cry shoppers as they run to Sainsbury's for bargain winter coat HOT WINGS People urged to protect bird feeders from garden pests with 75p kitchen staple VOM CENTRAL I got so drunk at the office Xmas party that my male boss had to JET WASH me SEX SHOCK I slept with 100 men a day but had no idea HIV was sexually transmitted "I left him on read for a few hours and then I noticed that he's sent me photos." At this point, the situation takes a creepy turn as the cheating ex exposes himself for catfishing his former lover. My 70-year-old grandma's convinced she's engaged to 27-year-old rap star Post Malone - she won't believe he's a catfish scammer Continuing the message, host Eilidh says: "Dot dot dot screenshots of my Tinder messages to the other guy saying 'hope you don't think this is weird but I just wanted to show that we're a perfect match'. "This man has been catfishing me with a fake profile chatting to me for weeks all to prove that we still get on and he thought that that would win me over. "Never blocked anyone as fast in my life. Bit scary. "Also a bit gutted that my potential new man wasn't even real." Giving their verdict on the scheming stunt, Eilidh and her co-hosts Lauren Kerr adn Ash Reid fumed: "CALL NEV [Schulman, Catfish host] we need an intervention with this SNAKE." The clip has since racked 95,000 views with social media users in full agreement. "Wrong on so many levels", insisted one. A second cried: "No no no run." A third echoed: "Wow that’s seriously creepy behaviour." Read more on the Scottish Sun WARMING UP Scots set for 21C swing as temperature rise to bring an end to sub zero freeze HOT BUY Shoppers race to Primark for fleecy £14 hoodie will keep you cosy on frosty days "Was not expecting that plot twist", someone else gasped. Meanwhile, a fifth said: "Utter madness, poor woman. That's some messed up stuff." 15 Relationship red flags to look out for Red flags are warning signs that indicate unhealthy or manipulative behaviour. When you encounter relationship red flags, it’s a good time to pause and reflect on the dynamic you really share with that person. Overly controlling behaviour Lack of trust Feeling low self-esteem Physical, emotional, or mental abuse Substance abuse Narcissism Anger management issues Codependency Inability to resolve conflict Constant jealousy Gaslighting Lack of emotional intelligence Negatively affecting your relationship with family and friends Inability to communicate openly Lack of social connection or friends For more advice and support, Relate is available: “Whether it’s your relationship with a partner, a child, a family member or anyone else – we help everyone to build better relationships.”