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South Korean law enforcement officials have requested a court warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. They are investigating whether his short-lived martial law decree earlier this month amounted to rebellion. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military authorities into the power grab that lasted only a few hours, confirmed it requested the warrant on Monday. Investigators plan to question Mr Yoon on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion. Mr Yoon has dodged several requests by the joint investigation team and public prosecutors to appear for questioning and has also blocked searches of his offices. It is not clear whether the court will grant the warrant or whether Mr Yoon can be compelled to appear for questioning. Under the country’s laws, locations potentially linked to military secrets cannot be seized or searched without the consent of the person in charge and it is unlikely Mr Yoon will voluntarily leave his residence if he faces detainment. Mr Yoon’s presidential powers were suspended after the National Assembly voted to impeach him on December 14 over his imposition of martial law that lasted only hours but has triggered weeks of political turmoil, halted high-level diplomacy and rattled financial markets. His fate lies with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to uphold the impeachment and formally remove Mr Yoon from office or reinstate him. Mr Yoon has defended the martial law decree as a necessary act of governance, describing it as a warning against the liberal opposition Democratic Party, which has been bogging down his agenda with its majority in the parliament. Parliament voted last week to also impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who had assumed the role of acting president after Mr Yoon’s powers were suspended, over his reluctance to fill three Constitutional Court vacancies ahead of the court’s review of Mr Yoon’s case. The country’s new interim leader is Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, who is also finance minister.
49ers’ Shanahan expects Jake Moody to be his kicker into the futureSANTA CLARA – George Kittle will charge Monday night onto the only home field he’s known as one of the NFL’s marquee players, the 49ers’ crowd will go wild, and the stage will be set, yet again. The show goes on, even if the 49ers (6-9) are ending their NFC Championship reign and perhaps passing the torch to Levi’s Stadium’s final visitors this season , the Detroit Lions (13-2). Kittle is 33 yards shy of his fourth 1,000-yard season, in an eight-year career that will garner him more All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. “I’m just very excited I got to spend eight years with the San Francisco 49ers, hopefully will continue to play here, because it’s a storied franchise,” Kittle said Friday when asked about his place among NFL all-time time ends. This won’t be his farewell game, right? Look, he isn’t saying that, and he said to wait until the offseason to publicly ask him about his contract, which runs through 2025 at a $14.4 million salary — a few million shy of Travis Kelce’s market-leading price among tight ends. After Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams leveraged their elite play into extensions prior to this season, it’s obvious Kittle can and should do the same, for a franchise indebted to his production, leadership and standard-setting ways as a seven-time captain. “Dude, he’s been great to me regardless of the circumstances of winning or losing,” Brock Purdy said. “He sees something in me that’s pretty good. And he’s just been nothing but great encouragement to me. He’s real to me, about what I can do and where I can get better. He’s real and that’s why I love him.” For all the anticipation of Purdy’s blockbuster extension that can come as soon as the season ends, Kittle can strong-arm the 49ers’ brass into a deal more than any other player, all due respect to pending free agents Dre Greenlaw, Charvarius Ward, Aaron Banks, and Talanoa Hufanga. “More than anything, he’s a guy that’s going to do anything for you when you step on the field. Off the field he’s got your back,” Purdy added. “And for our team, man, we’ve been in some tough situations this year and that dude has been one of the dudes that comes to work every single day.” Kittle’s work this game likely will be to help block amid a patchwork offensive line with three new starters. That role is not taken lightly by Kittle, nor is his more renowned efforts as one of the franchise’s all-time best receivers. “Hopefully I can eventually catch T.O.,” said Kittle, whose 528 receptions and 7,241 yards rank third in 49ers’ receiving history behind only Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens. “I don’t think I’ll ever catch Jerry Rice on anything but that’s totally fine, I’m OK with that. I don’t think I want to play that long.” Kittle trails Owens by 64 catches and 1,331 yards for the No. 2 spots behind Rice (1,281 catches, 19,247 yards). He is the only tight end in 49ers history to reach the 1,000-yard mark, doing so in 2018, ’19, ’23, and, with 33 more yards, this season. The only other tight ends in NFL history with four 1,000-yard seasons: Kelce (seven), Tony Gonzalez (four), Rob Gronkowski (four), and, Jason Witten (four). “I’ll look back on that whenever I’m done playing,” said Kittle, noting his longevity is “until the wheels fall off or until my wife tells me to stop playing.” This season, he leads the 49ers with 68 catches, 967 yards and eight touchdowns. His perennial goal: 75 catches, 1,000 yards, 10 touchdowns. “I’d rather be winning football games but to have that (1,000-yard milestone) as a cherry on top is awesome,” Kittle said. “The more seasons you can stack up like that, the more fun things you can do down the road.” It’s a road that leads to Canton, Ohio and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Disclaimer: Kittle wrote a foreword for Cam Inman’s recently published book “The Franchise: San Francisco 49ers”. ©2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at mercurynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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With the current discounted rate, it’s an opportunity that no art enthusiast should miss. Whether you’re exploring new surfaces or aiming to achieve professional-grade finishes, these markers will quickly become a favorite asset in your art supplies.Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the first person of India's minority Sikh faith to hold that office, died in New Delhi on Thursday at age 92. A renowned economist, he was known as the father of economic reforms in India but was seen as a weak leader by many, including some within his party, the Indian National Congress. "India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji," Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X. "Rising from humble origins, he rose to become a respected economist. ... As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people's lives." Singh served as prime minister between 2004 and 2014, but political commentators say it was his time as finance minister in the early 1990s that was most significant. His policies during that period set India on the path of economic liberalization and globalization. "Wise, thoughtful, and scrupulously honest" is how former U.S. President Barack Obama described Singh in his memoir A Promised Land. Singh was born on Sept. 26, 1932, in a village called Gah in what is now Pakistan. His family migrated east when Great Britain divided the subcontinent into independent India and the Muslim-majority nation of Pakistan in 1947. The partition triggered mass migration and sectarian violence that killed hundreds of thousands of people, including Singh's grandfather. An Oxford-educated economist, Singh in 1991 drafted what economists call one of the most radical budgets in India's history: It opened up the country to the free market. "Let the whole world hear it loud and clear. India is now wide awake," Singh proclaimed during his budget speech . "The budget declaration was a shocker because it almost turned on its head most of what was the received economic wisdom of the day," says Rajesh Chakrabarti, a finance and public policy expert. Until 1991, Chakrabarti explains, India had been a socialist, public sector-dominated and import-restricted economy. When Singh became finance minister, the situation was dire. India was in a severe balance of payments crisis. "We were importing far, far more than what we were exporting, and our foreign exchange reserves had touched a low," says Chakrabarti. "India had to actually ship out gold — that means physically putting its gold reserves in ships and sending them to [banks in] London, to get money for running the economy." Singh's landmark budget opened India's economy to foreign direct investment, cut import duties and put an end to the Permit Raj, a complex system of regulations and red tape that discouraged private investment. In 2004, Singh was once again thrust into the limelight when Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born matriarch of the Congress party, named Singh to the top job after she declined to become the prime minister following the party's landslide victory. But critics called him the Gandhis' " puppet ," ridiculed his soft-spoken manner and said he lacked oratory skills. "Humility was his strength and, at some level, his weakness, because he could not play to the gallery," says Rasheed Kidwai, author of a book on the Congress party. Even so, he steered India through several international and domestic crises, says Kidwai. "When the world economy tottered in 2008, India stood firmly," he says. While Singh was in office, "there was no confrontation with difficult neighbors like Pakistan and China," despite a deadly 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai by Pakistani militants. Kidwai says Singh was particularly successful when it came to foreign policy. "He was not one-dimensional," he says. "[Singh] had very good relations and functional ties with Iran, and at the same time he was highly welcomed in Saudi Arabia." Under Singh's leadership, India drew closer to the U.S. on multiple fronts. Notably, the two countries agreed to a nuclear deal lifting a decades-long moratorium on nuclear trade. Singh's other achievements included accelerating India's economy and launching a social welfare program that guaranteed employment in rural areas. But his second term was marred by corruption scandals followed by the worst-ever defeat for his Congress party in the 2014 national elections. Singh did not run again for office in those elections, which were swept by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. He was absolved of wrongdoing in the corruption scandals. After leaving office, Singh continued to live in Delhi with his family. He is survived by his wife, Gursharan Kaur, a historian, and their three daughters. Chakrabarti says Singh was one of India's most graceful prime ministers. "I don't think even his worst critics will ever have anything but respect for the man," he says. "My life and tenure in public office are an open book," Singh, wearing his signature light-blue Sikh turban, said in his farewell speech in 2014. "Serving this nation has been my privilege. There is nothing more that I could ask for." Copyright 2024 NPREverest Group: Likely To Remain Range Bound
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean law enforcement officials on Monday requested a court warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol as they investigate whether his short-lived martial law decree on Dec. 3 amounted to rebellion. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military authorities into the power grab that lasted only a few hours, confirmed it requested the warrant from the Seoul Western District Court. They plan to question Yoon on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion. Yoon has dodged several requests by the joint investigation team and public prosecutors to appear for questioning and has also blocked searches of his offices. It’s not clear whether the court will grant the warrant or whether Yoon can be compelled to appear for questioning. Under the country’s laws, locations potentially linked to military secrets cannot be seized or searched without the consent of the person in charge, and it’s unlikely that Yoon will voluntarily leave his residence if he faces detainment. Yoon’s presidential powers were suspended after the National Assembly voted to impeach him on Dec. 14 over his imposition of martial law that lasted only hours but has triggered weeks of political turmoil, halted high-level diplomacy and rattled financial markets. Yoon’s fate now lies with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to uphold the impeachment and formally remove Yoon from office or reinstate him. Yoon has defended the martial law decree as a necessary act of governance, describing it as a warning against the liberal opposition Democratic Party, which has been bogging down his agenda with its majority in the parliament. Parliament voted last week to also impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who had assumed the role of acting president after Yoon’s powers were suspended, over his reluctance to fill three Constitutional Court vacancies ahead of the court’s review of Yoon’s case. The country’s new interim leader is Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, who is also finance minister.Gallium, The High-Impact Rare Earth Technological metals are often called as such due to their outstanding physical properties. This is, for example, the case with the extreme resistance of metals such as titanium or tungsten ( follow the links for the associated investment report ). Others are unique because of their electrochemical properties. This is the case for gallium, a rare earth metal essential in the production of electronics. It is crucial in the production of LEDs, as well as a whole array of specialized semiconductor components, making it a crucial part of the supply chain for not only the tech industry but also aerospace, defense, and strategic interests. Gallium is also a metal at the center of the USA-China trade wars, with escalating sanctions that could disrupt Western producers. With its prices reaching highs not seen in more than a decade, it is a potentially valuable element worth paying attention to for investors. Gallium Description Gallium is a rare earth element that makes up just 19 parts per million of the Earth's crust. It is commonly a silvery-white metal. It is almost never present in pure form in nature but as elemental traces in other metallic ores. As a result, gallium production is almost entirely the result of refining more common metals, mostly aluminum, although it can also be produced from sulfidic zinc ores and historically was even produced from special types of coal. Gallium is a remarkable metal with a low melting point of 29.8 °C (85.6 °F), meaning it will melt in a person's hands. Source: Nanographi Its boiling point is very high (2,400°C), making it mostly liquid in most conditions. It is generally nontoxic except for some rare chemical forms. Due to its rarity and sourcing as a by-product, global gallium annual production is very small and grew from just a few tons/year in the 1970s to 450 tons/year in 2024. Gallium Market Gallium is a very small market, worth only $25M in 2023, but it is expected to grow at a 7% CAGR until 2030 . The largest part of the market is for integrated circuits (IC) applications, with optoelectronics (LEDs, laser, etc.) most of the rest. Source: GrandView Research Gallium is currently at a 13-year high, following export restrictions by China ( more on that below ). Source: Mining.com Gallium Applications Electronics Manufacturing Gallium's main and most critical application is in semiconductors, with several different chemical forms. Gallium arsenide is used in electronic circuits: microwave , high-speed switching circuits, and infrared . It is also used for low-energy red LED lights, while gallium phosphide is used for green LEDs. Gallium nitride is the “miracle component” used to produce blue LEDs, a Nobel Prize-winning technology , essential for the now omnipresent white light LEDs, and important in indoor farming, water purification (UV-LEDs), Blu-Ray data storage, and surgical blue lasers. Gallium works in semiconductors by “doping” the material, improving its energy level. This method works with gallium and other rare elements like boron or antimony. Source: Wikipedia by VectorVoyager Gallium antimonide, mixed with the chemical antimony, is also used for infrared detectors, LED & laser, and thermophotovoltaic systems (increasingly used in heat batteries) . (you can read more about investing in antimony in “ Chinese Restrictions on Antimony Exports Highlight The Strategic Importance of this Metalloid ”) It should be noted that while gallium nitride is important in many semiconductor applications, it is especially strategically important in LED and laser-related applications. This includes LIDAR (laser radar) for autonomous vehicles and robotics. Gallium could also become important for flexible electronics, as its flexibility, low toxicity, and liquid phase at low temperatures without evaporation make it perfect for this application . Renewable Energy Gallium arsenide and nitride are used in photovoltaic cell tunnels as a p-dopant, as well as solar micro-inverters, optimizers, and energy storage systems and in thin-film solar cells that combine gallium with indium, copper, and selenium (CIGS). Medical As previously mentioned, gallium is important for surgical blue-light lasers. Gallium is occasionally used in medical imaging and cancer therapies (nuclear medicine), notably its gallium-67 and gallium-68 isotopes . Source: Transparency Market Research Gallium-based liquid metal nanoparticles also display antibacterial activities and could help fight bacterial antibiotic resistance. Aerospace Gallium nitride is inherently radiation tolerant, unlike silicon. This makes it a good choice for producing electronics in high-radiation conditions, like space. As a result, the material is crucial for satellite manufacturing, used in a large variety of key components: China’s Control Of Gallium Supply New Sanctions In 2023, China started restricting gallium and other rare earth exports. This had already pushed prices up and caused a panic among semiconductor manufacturers with operations in China. As China accounts for the immense majority of global gallium production (98.8%) , this is essentially going to starve semiconductor manufacturers of the crucial element. A new set of rules regarding export restrictions is creating even more strict limitations. Notably, this could prohibit foreign companies and countries from helping US manufacturers to evade the controls. For example, reprocessing Chinese gallium and reselling it to the US would be strictly forbidden, and ignoring this rule could lead to the loss of Chinese gallium shipment altogether for the “guilty” party. This follows a similar move in antimony, that has triggered a price run on the element used in semiconductor and ammunition production. Source: Mining.com Part Of A Broader Chip War This move in the US-China trade war is a retaliation against American tentatives to cripple the Chinese chip industry through a series of sanctions against the export of advanced chips and chip manufacturing equipment, first advanced EUV and then DUV machines. In parallel, the US is trying to boost domestic production, with attempts to get Intel back on track and to get TSMC to move factories to Arizona . Now, China is actively striking back in its own tentative to cripple the US chip manufacturing. China said its ban on gallium and germanium was because of the minerals’ “dual military and civilian uses”. A phrasing that mimics exactly the same justification given by the USA for sanctioning Chinese firms, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine. The move by China is likely to partially work, as gallium is an extremely small market, easy to monitor. The alternative currently existing suppliers are also unlikely to be of much help, as #2 and #3 are respectively Russia and Ukraine. How Did China Become So Dominant As gallium doesn't exist independently, China's dominance in the industry is mostly a by-product of its massive aluminum industry. But even this presence does not explain it all. After all, China is producing “only” 59% of the world's aluminum. The difference is that China has mandated by law for its aluminum producers to recover gallium, something that otherwise would not at all be a priority for aluminum refineries. This has created a surplus of gallium on the market for more than a decade, helped China build a stockpile, and lowered domestic prices while putting its competitors out of business. An Expensive Mistake In retrospect, Western governments made a clear mistake by ignoring vulnerability in critical materials like tungsten, antimony, and rare earth. This was an avoidable mistake, as experts in the industry and military have been warning about it for many years now. Giving up “costly” stockpiles of strategic minerals, built during the Cold War, compounded the problem. A report by the US Geological Survey (USGC) indicates the Chinese gallium ban could cost the US as much as $3.1B, with the associated ban on germanium as much as $0.4B . Of course, the real cost could be much higher, as it also creates very real strategic and industrial vulnerability. This vulnerability could potentially impact the US' ability to conduct military operations against China or its allies like Russia and, therefore, reduce its diplomatic options. The same report indicates that gallium prices could go up by more than 150% and germanium prices up by 26% in the event of a total ban. Solving Gallium Supply As gallium needs to be extracted from existing industrial metallurgical processes, the only realistic alternative to Chinese aluminum smelters is non-Chinese aluminum producers. Rio Tinto Group ( RIO +0.16% ) said it’s considering producing gallium from its Canadian aluminum operations . Metlen Energy & Metals SA ( MYTIL.AT ) is exploring something similar in Greece, with Metlen the EU’s largest bauxite producer (the ore from which aluminum is extracted). In the USA, Trafigura-owned Nyrstar is exploring a $150M germanium and gallium recovery and processing facility at its zinc smelter in Tennessee. However, Western aluminum companies are looking for a long-term commitment from governments and/or semiconductor firms before taking the expensive steps of retrofitting their smelting operations to add a gallium extraction step. It is unclear if the $29M to support gallium and germanium extraction earmarked by the US Defense Department will be enough. Without such a safety net, they are unlikely to take the risk and could be exposed to a potential price crash if Chinese supply unexpectedly re-enters the market. After all, pre-sanctions gallium production was generally higher than total demand. Gallium Companies DOWA ( 5714.T ) While mostly dominated by China, there are some producers of gallium totally independent from it. One of them is the Japanese DOWA Metals and Mining Company, a part of the larger DOWA Holdings . Source: DOWA Gallium production is done through smelting of zinc imported from Mexico, and performed in Japan. DOWA is primarily a recycling company, with a raw metal production side for zinc. This includes recycling of metals, but also batteries. It also performs the recycling of wastewater in Japan. Source: DOWA The company also supplies other materials for the semiconductor industry, notably infrared and ultraviolet LEDs made with gallium. So if Western markets are suffering from a shortage of such materials, this could strongly benefit DOWA, as it has already vertically integrated this very vulnerable part of the supply chain. Source: DOWA Like many industrial Japanese companies, its stock has been trading at rather low multiple for many years, with a P/E below 8 at the time of writing of this article. This can be seen as both a problem (value trap) or an opportunity depending on investors' profile and time horizon. Rio Tinto Rio Tinto Group ( RIO +0.16% ) Rio Tinto is the world's second-largest mining company. The largest part of the company's business is in iron ore. However, it is also a very large producer of copper and aluminum, with strong expansion plans for copper production. As mentioned, it is considering getting into the gallium business as well, through its Canadian aluminum smelters (see below). This could provide investors exposure to the gallium sector, while also counting on much more established businesses in mining “mainstream” metal to carry on in any case. Iron Rio Tinto's historical business was, and still is, centered around the Pilbara region in West Australia , renowned for its iron ore. It is now engaging in a project that took more than 10 years to get off the ground, Simandou, in Guinea (Africa). Once complete, Simandou will be Africa’s largest mine and infrastructure project. The Simandou project is a joint venture between the Government of the Republic of Guinea, Rio Tinto, and Chinese Chalco Iron Ore Holdings (CIOH). Rio Tinto is also looking at ways to reduce its iron carbon emissions, notably with BioIron, a proprietary technology tuned to Pilbara ore, using biomass and microwave to replace coal usage. This could reduce associated carbon emissions by 95%. Source: Rio Tinto (we explored in detail the case for investing in iron in a dedicated report ) Copper Rio Tinto is quickly growing its copper production with the massive expansion of Oyu Tolgoi, the largest mine in Mongolia. The mine is currently ramping up to 500 ktpa (thousands of tons per year), with a target for 1,000 ktpa in the next five years. Rio Tinto is expected to provide 25% of growth volumes in global copper supply in the next 5 years. Rio Tinto is also a leader in the innovation of copper extraction through its venture Nuton , whose new technology allows for a much higher rate of copper recovery from mined ore. Lithium Rio Tinto is progressively becoming a giant of lithium production. The first step was the acquisition of the Ricon project in Argentina in 2021. It was followed by the troubled Jadar lithium project in Serbia , which was canceled under strong pressure by local activists, but might restart after all . However, the big change came with the acquisition of Arcadium Lithium in 2024 , the 3rd largest lithium producer in the world, which was the result of the merger of Allken and Livent a year prior. Source: Arcadium This puts Rio Tinto at almost the top lithium company in the world in terms of reserves and total capacity. Source: Rio Tinto Regarding this acquisition, what has been described as “ Rio Tinto's real prize ” is Arcadium's direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology . Arcadium has been working on DLE since 1996, in combination with evaporation pounds, and recently made significant progress in making it commercially viable as a stand-alone extraction method. Arcadium also developed LIOVIX, a form of printable lithium foil that could be used to boost battery performances, reduce manufacturing costs, and reduce lithium use. Source: Arcadium Aluminum Rio Tinto has also been a long-time producer of low-carbon aluminum, with hydropower providing the energy to refine bauxite into alumina and then aluminum. Rio Tinto Overview Overall, Rio Tinto is a global mining giant, providing investors with solid exposure to the iron market. It is also a green metal titan in the making, with aggressive moves made into copper and lithium, and maybe even gallium. With technology to reduce iron ore emissions + already very low-emission aluminum production, it is well positioned to handle the emergence of any carbon tax on its products, giving it a potential competitive edge against its smaller competitors.
The way the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season ended has Alex Bowman hopeful his Hendrick Motorsports team can use that as a baseline to start their 2025 campaign. Bowman and the No. 48 Ally team knocked down five top-10 finishes in the final 10 races of the season. A win on the streets of Chicago in July put him into the postseason and was the boost the team needed going into the final stretch of the year. “I think we did a really, really good job to end the season,” Bowman said. There was also a pole position at Bristol Motor Speedway and 53 laps led in the postseason. And until he was eliminated from championship contention, Bowman was crushing the stage point game. The elimination, however, came in the second round. Bowman had the points to advance but was disqualified when his car was found to be too light during post-race inspection at the Charlotte Roval. More NASCAR! The RACER Mailbag, December 25 Mixed feelings for Burton over Wood Brothers exit How a terrible 2014 bonded Furniture Row into a championship team “It certainly was disappointing and (it’s) part of racing, sometimes,” Bowman said. “That stuff is going to happen, and unfortunately, we let it happen. It was certainly disappointing but I don’t think it deflated our race team. It didn’t really change much of what we were doing; I think we continued to operate at a high level. “Obviously, Phoenix didn’t go how we wanted it to, but other than that, I felt like we did a really good job the rest of the season. Martinsville looks bad on paper but we ran 13th at Martinsville with no power steering for the last half of the race. So, we were doing the right things for sure.” The late season turnaround was attributed, as Bowman credited, to having faster cars. Bowman was 13th in the championship standings and bouncing around the playoff grid bubble as the series headed to Chicago. A win and faster cars did more than just change the trajectory of Bowman’s season. It also helped to restore some self-confidence. “I don’t know if I questioned myself, but I think definitely after two back-to-back bigger injuries, it’s easy to get in that spot,” Bowman said. “It wasn’t much fun, especially (because) we were so good before I broke my back and came back and we were good for like two weeks and then terrible the rest of the season. It was crazy how bad we were at places that I’m typically really good at. “So that was really frustrating and this year, we didn’t start the year (well) but we turned it around pretty quickly. I think we’ve done a lot of the right things and I think being on the other side of it definitely feels good.” Bowman missed the final five races of the 2022 season because of a concussion suffered in a crash at Texas Motor Speedway. He led the point standings after the first six races of the 2023 as the team looked on the fringe of going to victory lane. But then Bowman broke his back in a dirt race, which sidelined him for three races in the spring. The team never ran the same again. It’s one thing to feel like the team is back in a good spot, and another to prove it. Bowman has not had a multi-win season since 2021 – the only multi-win season he’s had. The highest finish in the championship standings Bowman has had as a Hendrick Motorsports driver is sixth (2020). “We need to go win races. That’s the biggest thing,” Bowman said of 2025. “It’s so hard to make an outlook just because who would have said [Joey] Logano would win the championship in the middle of the year? I do think being on the good side of things instead of coming off a poor end of the season is really good. So, we just need to use that in the right ways and capitalize on it and go from there.”Jamie Carragher delivers three-word Conor Bradley verdict after Liverpool masterclass vs Real Madrid
Financial giants have made a conspicuous bullish move on IonQ. Our analysis of options history for IonQ IONQ revealed 40 unusual trades. Delving into the details, we found 42% of traders were bullish, while 35% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 5 were puts, with a value of $225,930, and 35 were calls, valued at $4,686,955. What's The Price Target? After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $25.0 and $65.0 for IonQ, spanning the last three months. Analyzing Volume & Open Interest In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of IonQ stands at 1094.17, with a total volume reaching 38,651.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in IonQ, situated within the strike price corridor from $25.0 to $65.0, throughout the last 30 days. IonQ 30-Day Option Volume & Interest Snapshot Significant Options Trades Detected: Symbol PUT/CALL Trade Type Sentiment Exp. Date Ask Bid Price Strike Price Total Trade Price Open Interest Volume IONQ CALL TRADE BEARISH 04/17/25 $8.5 $8.1 $8.1 $65.00 $810.0K 678 4.2K IONQ CALL SWEEP BULLISH 01/03/25 $10.4 $10.2 $10.4 $35.00 $208.0K 183 1.1K IONQ CALL SWEEP NEUTRAL 01/03/25 $10.4 $10.15 $10.4 $35.00 $208.0K 183 900 IONQ CALL SWEEP BULLISH 01/03/25 $10.4 $10.05 $10.38 $35.00 $207.8K 183 700 IONQ CALL SWEEP NEUTRAL 01/03/25 $10.4 $10.05 $10.38 $35.00 $207.6K 183 300 About IonQ IonQ Inc sells access to several quantum computers of various qubit capacities and is in the process of researching and developing technologies for quantum computers with increasing computational capabilities. The company currently makes access to its quantum computers available via cloud platforms and also to select customers via its own cloud service. This cloud-based approach enables the broad availability of quantum-computing-as-a-service (QCaaS). The company derives its revenue from its quantum-computing-as-a-service arrangements, consulting services related to co-developing algorithms on company's quantum computing systems, and contracts associated with the design, development, and construction of specialized quantum computing systems together with related services. Following our analysis of the options activities associated with IonQ, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance. Present Market Standing of IonQ Currently trading with a volume of 11,841,948, the IONQ's price is up by 4.31%, now at $46.5. RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be approaching overbought. Anticipated earnings release is in 62 days. What Analysts Are Saying About IonQ In the last month, 2 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $47.5. Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days? 20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. Click here for access .* An analyst from DA Davidson has revised its rating downward to Buy, adjusting the price target to $50. * An analyst from Craig-Hallum persists with their Buy rating on IonQ, maintaining a target price of $45. Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely. If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for IonQ, Benzinga Pro gives you real-time options trades alerts. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has announced a by-election for Pambashe Constituency in Kawambwa District, Luapula Province. This follows the conviction of Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament Ronald Chitotela, which led to the Speaker of the National Assembly declaring the seat vacant. Aspiring candidates must submit nomination papers on Tuesday, 7th January 2025, between 09:00 hours and 15:00 hours. Campaigns will begin on Wednesday, 8th January 2025, and end on Wednesday, 5th February 2025, at 18:00 hours. Candidates are required to have their nomination papers attested by authorized personnel and pay a non-refundable nomination fee as outlined by ECZ. Polling will take place on Thursday, 6th February 2025, from 06:00 hours to 18:00 hours. ECZ has urged voters in Pambashe Constituency to participate actively, emphasizing that every vote plays a vital role in shaping the future of their community. The Commission also reminded stakeholders to adhere to electoral guidelines and ensure peaceful campaigns. This by-election will fill an important National Assembly seat and significantly impact Zambia’s political landscape ahead of the next general election. For more information on the Electoral Commission of Zambia and upcoming elections, visit the official ECZ website . One after another by elections when the country is grappling with load shedding for Last one year and many challenges does not Go well for zambians.
Jo McAlister has been appointed as the new CEO of Initiative Australia , succeeding from Melissa Fein who left the agency earlier this year with Sam Geer and Chris Colter for The Monkeys. McAlister’s appointment heralds a new era of leadership for the agency. She will announce her expanded leadership team shortly. Mark Coad , CEO of IPG Mediabrands Australia, said from the outset he committed to taking the time to carefully canvas the industry nationally and globally in order to find the best person for this pivotal role, which made it all the more gratifying to have found the ideal person already firmly ensconced at the agency. Coad said: “Jo is a highly regarded leader with a strong people-first leadership style, a track record of managing large clients in complex market categories and proven success in data and technology-driven media innovation and marketing. She not only knows Initiative from the inside out – its people, its culture and its clients – but she also has a strong vision for the agency’s future and is eager to set the agenda to drive the next era of Initiative. “The agency has dug deep this year to solidify its positioning as the cultural experience agency, with award-winning work client across multiple markets. Jo has driven the new direction which makes me even more delighted to see her take on this key role, and I look forward to working alongside her and building on Initiative’s longstanding success.” McAlister first joined IPG more than five years ago, leading Rufus (Powered by Initiative) to support Amazon as a new market entrant to achieve significant, sustained sales growth before taking on the role of managing director of Initiative Sydney in 2019. Under her leadership, the Sydney office has won and retained many key clients, including Sanitarium, Fantastic Furniture, Pernod Ricard, Goodman Fielder, Salesforce and IAG. Prior to IPG, McAlister held several senior client-side marketing positions at Foxtel, NBCS, SBS and Seven, the most recent as Content Marketing Director at Foxtel, where she helped produce Cannes Lion-winning work on the final series of Game of Thrones. Throughout her media and client-side career, McAlister has been recognised for her commitment to building strong, high-performing teams, her experience as a former client uniquely positions her to navigate client challenges, which has shaped her approach as a trusted partner and leader. She is known for challenging the status quo to deliver more effective solutions for clients driving sustainable growth and better consumer experiences. Newly appointed CEO Jo McAlister said: “I am honoured to take on this important role and excited about what the future holds for Initiative, our incredibly talented team and our driven clients. I have experienced first-hand the culture of innovation and collaboration that leads to exceptional client work, and I look forward to building on that with my colleagues, collaborating with our many industry partners, and driving significant outcomes for our loyal clients. With my previous client experience I know how to think like a client which underpins my approach and leadership style. “I would also like to acknowledge Initiative’s previous leadership team whom I collaborated closely with for nearly five years, they have left a strong and solid foundation for me to build a new era for the agency. I cannot wait to get started as I am bursting with ideas and new initiatives.” Coad concluded: “As an agency Initiative often says to its team that they will do the best work of their career at Initiative, and as a result their career will flourish ; this mantra has proven true for Jo.” – Top image: Jo McAlisterUnion Pacific Corp. stock falls Wednesday, still outperforms marketNoneEnergous Co. ( NASDAQ:WATT – Get Free Report ) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 955,200 shares, an increase of 24.3% from the November 30th total of 768,700 shares. Currently, 9.7% of the company’s stock are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 227,800 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 4.2 days. Energous Price Performance NASDAQ WATT opened at $0.41 on Friday. Energous has a 52 week low of $0.28 and a 52 week high of $2.75. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $0.47 and a two-hundred day moving average of $0.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.10 million, a PE ratio of -0.13 and a beta of 2.60. Energous ( NASDAQ:WATT – Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, November 12th. The industrial products company reported ($0.50) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.74) by $0.24. The firm had revenue of $0.23 million during the quarter. Energous had a negative net margin of 4,368.98% and a negative return on equity of 317.56%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Energous About Energous ( Get Free Report ) Energous Corporation provides wireless charging system solutions in the United States. The company develops WattUp wireless power networks technology that consists of semiconductor chipsets; software controls; hardware designs; and antennas that enables radio frequency-based charging for Internet of Things devices. 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Michigan DT Kenneth Grant, a projected first-round pick, declares for NFL DraftAP Sports SummaryBrief at 2:14 p.m. EST