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A Nebraska defensive leader from this season who had previously announced his return in 2025 has changed course and will transfer. Defensive end Jimari Butler said last week he intended to remain with the Huskers for a sixth and final year but pivoted Monday and will enter the portal. The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder from Alabama started 10 games this fall with 22 tackles and a fumble recovery. His seven stops for loss are third most on the team and his 371 defensive snaps were 10th most among the Blackshirts. Butler last week laid out why he would stay with NU once more, describing plans to get a master’s degree in criminal justice after talking with his mother and evaluating his NFL draft stock. He reflected on his previous dalliance with the portal – he entered when Nebraska made a coaching change at the end of the 2022 season but ultimately stayed. “It was kind of a panic move because I didn’t know what to expect,” Butler said. “But I’ve seen my growth as a player and I just wanted to give it another year.” The pivot came in the wake of defensive coordinator leaving to take the same position at Florida State. Butler is the fourth Husker to turn to the portal Monday and second defensive lineman after rotational player Vincent Jackson. Butler’s departure means all three of NU’s starting D-linemen are moving on after seniors Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher exhaust their eligibility following the upcoming bowl game. Junior lineman Elijah Jeudy indicated Sunday he would return for his senior year. Asked why so many players stayed with Nebraska last offseason, Butler called the culture “a different vibe.” “It’s more family-oriented,” Butler said. “But you eat what you kill in the program so if you produce you’re going to play.” Butler has appeared in 37 career games with 65 tackles and 17 TFLs in three-plus seasons as a steady contributor.
The 10 costliest climate disasters in 2024 racked up damage totalling more than 200 billion US dollars, Christian Aid has warned. A report from the charity on hurricanes, floods, typhoons and storms influenced by climate change warns that the top 10 disasters each cost more than 4 billion US dollars in damage (£3.2 billion). The figures are based mostly on insured losses, so the true costs are likely to be even higher, Christian Aid said, as it called for action to cut greenhouse gas emissions and finance for poor countries to cope with climate change. Politicians who “downplay the urgency of the climate crisis only serve to harm their own people and cause untold suffering around the world”, climate expert Joanna Haigh said. While developed countries feature heavily in the list of costliest weather extremes, as they have higher property values and can afford insurance, the charity also highlighted another 10 disasters which did not rack up such costs but were just as devastating, often hitting poorer countries. Most extreme weather events show “clear fingerprints” of climate change, which is driving more extreme weather events, making them more intense and frequent, experts said. The single most costly event in 2024 was Hurricane Milton, which scientists say was made windier, wetter and more destructive by global warming, and which caused 60 billion US dollars (£48 billion) of damage when it hit the US in October. That is closely followed by Hurricane Helene, which cost 55 billion US dollars (£44 billion) when it hit the US, Mexico and Cuba just two weeks before Milton in late September. The US was hit by so many costly storms throughout the year that even when hurricanes are removed, other storms cost more than 60 billion US dollars in damage, the report said. Three of the costliest 10 climate extremes hit Europe, including the floods from Storm Boris which devastated central European countries in September and deadly flooding in Valencia in October which killed 226 people. In other parts of the world, floods in June and July in China killed 315 people and racked up costs of 15.6 billion US dollars (£12.4 billion), while Typhoon Yagi, which hit south-west Asia in September, killed more than 800 people and cost 12.6 billion dollars (£10 billion). Events which were not among the most costly in financial terms but which have still been devastating include Cyclone Chido which hit Mayotte in December and may have killed more than 1,000 people, Christian Aid said. Meanwhile, heatwaves affected 33 million people in Bangladesh and worsened the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, flooding affected 6.6 million people in West Africa and the worst drought in living memory affected more than 14 million in Zambia, Malawi, Namibia and Zimbabwe, the charity said. Christian Aid chief executive Patrick Watt said: “There is nothing natural about the growing severity and frequency of droughts, floods and storms. “Disasters are being supercharged by decisions to keep burning fossil fuels, and to allow emissions to rise. “And they’re being made worse by the consistent failure to deliver on financial commitments to the poorest and most climate-vulnerable countries. “In 2025 we need to see governments leading, and taking action to accelerate the green transition, reduce emissions, and fund their promises.” Dr Mariam Zachariah, World Weather Attribution researcher who analyses extreme events in near-real time to discern the role of climate change, at Imperial College London, said: “This report is just a snapshot of climate devastation in 2024. “There are many more droughts, heatwaves, wildfires and floods not included that are becoming more frequent and intense. “Most of these disasters show clear fingerprints of climate change. “Extreme weather is clearly causing incredible suffering in all corners of the world. Behind the billion-dollar figures are lost lives and livelihoods.” And Prof Haigh, emeritus professor of atmospheric physics at Imperial College London, said: “The economic impact of these extreme weather events should be a wake-up call. “The good news is that ever-worsening crises doesn’t have to be our long-term future. “The technologies of a clean energy economy exist, but we need leaders to invest in them and roll them out at scale.” The 10 costliest climate disasters of 2024 were: – US storms, December to January, more than 60 billion US dollars; – Hurricane Milton in the US, October 9-13, 60 billion US dollars (£48 billion); – Hurricane Helene in the US, Mexico, Cuba, 55 billion US dollars (£44 billion); – China floods, June 9-July 14, 15.6 billion US dollars (£12.4 billion); – Typhoon Yagi, which hit south-west Asia from September 1 to 9, 12.6 billion US dollars (£10 billion); – Hurricane Beryl, in the US, Mexico and Caribbean islands from July 1-11, 6.7 billion US dollars (£5.3 billion); – Storm Boris in central Europe, September 12-16, 5.2 billion US dollars (£4.1 billion); – Rio Grande do Sul floods in Brazil, April 28-May 3, 5 billion US dollars (£4 billion); – Bavaria floods, Germany, June 1-7, 4.45 billion US dollars (£3.5 billion); – Valencia floods, Spain, on October 29, 4.22 billion US dollars (£3.4 billion). 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Dubai has been officially confirmed as the neutral venue for all matches of the Champions Trophy 2025 which involve India including the semi-final and final if they qualify. The Indian government refused permission for their cricket team to travel to Pakistan, the tournament’s host, on safety grounds amid political tensions between the two countries and after weeks of negotiations, a compromise was agreed whereby India would play their group matches, including the one against Pakistan, in a neutral country. As part of that compromise, it was agreed that when India host tournaments over the next five years, Pakistan will be play their matches also in a neutral country. The schedule was officially announced by the ICC on Tuesday. The tournament will kick off with hosts Pakistan playing New Zealand on February 19 while England’s first group match will be against Australia on February 22 in Lahore.Sheets Smith Wealth Management decreased its position in Alphabet Inc. ( NASDAQ:GOOGL – Free Report ) by 22.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 14,313 shares of the information services provider’s stock after selling 4,082 shares during the quarter. Sheets Smith Wealth Management’s holdings in Alphabet were worth $2,374,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. New Hampshire Trust increased its stake in shares of Alphabet by 2.7% in the second quarter. New Hampshire Trust now owns 43,714 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $7,963,000 after buying an additional 1,132 shares during the last quarter. Trinity Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Alphabet by 4.5% during the 3rd quarter. Trinity Financial Advisors LLC now owns 4,423 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $771,000 after acquiring an additional 190 shares in the last quarter. abrdn plc increased its position in shares of Alphabet by 10.7% in the 3rd quarter. abrdn plc now owns 6,305,717 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $1,037,196,000 after purchasing an additional 611,233 shares during the last quarter. StoneCrest Wealth Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Alphabet by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. StoneCrest Wealth Management Inc. now owns 21,509 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $3,567,000 after purchasing an additional 140 shares in the last quarter. Finally, EWG Elevate Inc. lifted its position in shares of Alphabet by 9.7% during the third quarter. EWG Elevate Inc. now owns 1,305 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $216,000 after purchasing an additional 115 shares during the last quarter. 40.03% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Alphabet Stock Down 1.7 % GOOGL stock opened at $164.76 on Friday. Alphabet Inc. has a 52-week low of $127.90 and a 52-week high of $191.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a current ratio of 1.95 and a quick ratio of 1.95. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.02 trillion, a P/E ratio of 21.85, a P/E/G ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 1.03. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $167.64 and its 200-day simple moving average is $170.35. Alphabet Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 16th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.49%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 9th. Alphabet’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 10.61%. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages recently weighed in on GOOGL. Bank of America boosted their price objective on Alphabet from $206.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on Alphabet from $204.00 to $210.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated a “neutral” rating and set a $190.00 price objective on shares of Alphabet in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Phillip Securities upgraded shares of Alphabet to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. Finally, JMP Securities increased their price target on Alphabet from $200.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a “market outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirty-one have given a buy rating and five have issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $205.90. View Our Latest Analysis on GOOGL Insider Activity In other news, CEO Sundar Pichai sold 22,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $158.68, for a total value of $3,570,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 2,137,385 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $339,160,251.80. This represents a 1.04 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website . Also, Director Frances Arnold sold 441 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $171.06, for a total transaction of $75,437.46. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 16,490 shares in the company, valued at $2,820,779.40. This represents a 2.60 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last three months, insiders sold 206,795 shares of company stock valued at $34,673,866. 11.55% of the stock is owned by company insiders. About Alphabet ( Free Report ) Alphabet Inc offers various products and platforms in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, Canada, and Latin America. It operates through Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets segments. The Google Services segment provides products and services, including ads, Android, Chrome, devices, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Maps, Google Photos, Google Play, Search, and YouTube. Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Alphabet How Can Investors Benefit From After-Hours Trading Vertiv’s Cool Tech Makes Its Stock Red-Hot How to Calculate Options Profits MarketBeat Week in Review – 11/18 – 11/22 Canadian Penny Stocks: Can They Make You Rich? 2 Finance Stocks With Competitive Advantages You Can’t Ignore Receive News & Ratings for Alphabet Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Alphabet and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
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I consider President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s (PAKD’s) post-appointment address to the Cabinet, as an address to the nation, local political parties, the diaspora, media, and political powerpacks abroad – near and far. It is because he has conveyed the conceptual crux of his approach to nation-building and Sri Lanka’s potential revival, countering the economic, political, and social challenges. His wish for “collective responsibility to achieve the goals that will uplift our nation,” is an invitation to all stakeholders. Last Thursday’s Policy Statement is an endorsement of the address to the Cabinet of Ministers. The first statement resembled the political path, expectations, and advanced advice to use power with restraint to execute the Policy Statement. The latter dealt in detail with the approaches with specific references to actions. It fitted well to achieve the humongous task of proving that the victories echo the “decisive turning point in Sri Lankan politics.” The conversion of a poll of 42% at the Presidential election to two-thirds plus Parliamentary power narrates such echoing. What he did not specifically say is the change of the north and east minority electoral mindset, between the two elections. A friend who visited Jaffna before the Parliamentary election predicted that NPP would poll between 50,000 to 100,000 in Jaffna in the Parliamentary poll, as against 27,086 at the Presidential election. He expected its repetition in the hill country due to civilians’ frustration with politicians. Both happened as predicted. Regarding north, east, and the estate sector, I guess there was another hidden strategic reason. It is the electors’ silent adherence to Indian National Security Advisor Ajith Doval’s pre-presidential advice given to Tamil politicians to negotiate with a winnable candidate and secure Tamil aspirations through negotiations. PAKD’s victory paved the path for these voters to the winner, not only a winnable candidate. Doval is a respected strategist! The communities across the divide would have thought similarly to shed the excessive baggage carried on their shoulders. It is these responses that opened space for PAKD to say that the whole country, irrespective of traditional differentiations, has been united to adhere to the change he wished. It was not an easy shift. In an interview, PAKD has said: “I thought I would die as a man who struggled to achieve this end, and not a man who accomplished it. We did not think that during our lifetime we would get power and the opportunity to change. Then, on my sick bed, I was thinking – struggling, struggling, struggling – how to achieve this change. But now that we have the opportunity to change, I like to die as a man who finished that task.” It is not a rhetoric five-year term job. It is vast as seen in the NPP manifesto. The relevant issue is how PAKD’s cadres, Cabinet, bureaucracy, military, trade unions, civil society, media, political parties of all hues, bilateral and multilateral agencies, foreign countries, etc. accept the change of mindset of the electorate and cooperatively contribute to the achievement of this arduous task. Many in these stakeholder groups would have been onlookers or crossed PAKD’s efforts in the past. Hence, there is a need for massive psychological and attitudinal change in them too. Further, elsewhere when the International Monetary Fund (IMF) salvaged bankrupt economies, the recommended reforms were not heart-warming, pleasing, or palatable. Since the IMF program is continuing, PAKD and these stakeholders must be prepared for unpopular decisions. PAKD should possess bundles of guts and patience, to live with them. The Policy Statement dealt with the details of PAKD’s action plans. Expansion of producing goods and services was highlighted, resulting in trickling economic gains to the producers. It fitted into his explanation to the IMF team concerning the importance of building public confidence in his Government. He emphasised the IMF team regarding the people’s urgent needs, i.e., especially social security measures assisting vulnerable groups that match the Policy Statement. Prioritising essential welfare initiatives (e.g., Aswesuma), eradicating child poverty, and malnutrition, and supporting individuals with disabilities also were in policy initiatives. PAKD’s officials successfully reaching the Staff Level Agreement last Friday differed from the pre-election rebellious anti-IMF NPP rhetoric slogans. The Policy Statement detailed how the State would play a role in controlling a segment of the market through regulatory actions, insinuating hidden space for ventures in energy management, financial markets, mineral value addition, etc. Similarly, export agriculture and new technological strategies are to serve the farmers. He expected four million tourists in a year, earning eight billion dollars, and dollar five billion revenue from Information Technology by engaging 200,000 persons. These must be private-sector ventures. Revenue generation must increase to finance other promised salary increases, taxation adjustments, and more. Hence, compensatory alternatives must follow. It is there this “struggle” is not personal to PAKD but to everyone mentioned. The IMF, bilateral, and multilateral agencies, and individual investors, financiers, lenders, et al will keep eyes open on the government’s behaviour. Positive responses have already reached us from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank and the Staff Level Agreement reached will bring more. Perhaps, as a starting point of bilateral assistance to the NPP Government, one may expect Prime Minister Modi to be generous to PAKD on his first visit to Delhi, as he did to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Heads of State from Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, etc. in their past first official visits. Many policy initiatives require the engagement of the public service in large numbers, which includes poverty alleviation, social service administration, malnutrition reduction, small and medium businesses, etc. Obtaining motivated State employees’ cooperation is essential as PAKD stated in the Policy Statement and addressing Finance Ministry officials. Concurrently, the policies are combined with other operational reforms in the energy sector, restructuring State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), efficient tax administration and duty policies, pruning the state sector, etc. Operationalisation of these reforms will require courage because reforms in the energy sector or SOEs or state sector employment are politically very sensitive, and on another hand, the NPP stood against these proposed reforms before elections. It is best if the NPP, as advocated by PAKD, develops the guts to move away from political rhetoric slogans and prioritise effective governance. These reforms are essential to sustain multilateral involvement in restructuring the economy. Additionally, some reforms may require broad systemic changes and approaches that have been delayed for decades, e.g., Free Trade Agreements, trading, and economic rephrasing (e.g., ‘restructuring’ vs. ‘privatisation’). The JVP/NPP and several others had opposed some of these and to support now may be embarrassing. Fortunately, protestors are less now. Nevertheless, there is no shame in course correction. Governance and corruption issues were key components of the IMF dialogue for which the IMF even conducted a special study on governance for the first time in Southeast Asia, a stinking record for a country. Anti-corruption was a grand attraction during election campaigns. Therefore, the NPP’s commitment to combating corruption and enhancing good governance must be firmed up. Its success could compensate for criticisms emanating from other failures, if any. In this regard, the electorate was given voluminous hope that the corrupt would be taken to task and any “illegally repatriated dollars” would be brought back soon, and this charge against former government functionaries swelled the NPP vote bank. However, the process of pursuing corruption issues is overly complex. Even the UN and World Bank’s Stolen Assets Recovery Initiative (StAR) interventions may succeed slowly, and the repatriated full amounts may not be recovered. Hence, the Government must prove its credible commitment publicly by immediate transparent actions. The electorate is impatient. Best wishes PAKD! PAKD has explained to the IMF the steps taken to enforce strict rules and regulations, strengthen legislative and institutional frameworks, and ensure transparency and accountability in these efforts. This is not the first time we hear of such positive promises. I am reminded of the Urdu saying “The elephant has two sets of teeth, one for chewing and the other for the show” and PAKD, unlike others must chew, and show too! Society is impatient. The current economic, social, and political problems in the north and east are a continuation of the past military, political, and resultant economic baggage. There were three opportunities the country had to solve this issue, one in 2002 with the Ceasefire Agreement, 2009 after the conflict was over, and one in 2015 with the Yahapalana Government, but all were wasted due to splits, biases, and obstinacy of some. Now, we have an unexpected, exceptional fourth opportunity with a total national mandate, for the rights of everyone to be honoured equally. If we fail to overcome the challenges, the result will be our becoming a failed state, chaos-filled, maybe even with bloodshed. Let us keep this in mind and not consider NPP’s success a victory only for PAKD or NPP, but a guideline for the Nation, saving the degeneration of a generation. Let us reflect on the possible reasoning behind the reflexes of northern, eastern, and hill county elector mindsets. It has issues like poverty, the collapse of essential services delivery (health, energy facilitation), failed elitist politics, dissatisfied youth, unending corruption, Human Rights violations, leaders ignoring peoples’ aspirations, etc. This is cumulative of decades of deterioration of political standards and was common to other areas too. In both statements, PAKD diagnosed the historical Sri Lankan political landscape, fuelled by mistrust and division, and highlighted those affected groups on language, religion, culture, etc., and the isolation of such groups, whose equal rights, and identities were pruned in these processes. Now the regional electorate has placed confidence in PAKD and NPP, it is natural for the President to directly speak to the affected promising democratic governance and actions to massage their wounded hearts. His reference to the investigation of leading emblematic criminal cases will satisfy the affected by offering long-awaited justice and punishments to the perpetrators. PAKD has beaten all Heads of State in the past by loudly promising formulation and implementation of laws, investigation, respect for the Rule of Law, most shied accountability, acting against racial discrimination, and criminalisation, and not keeping anyone above the law. This will be a massive reward to people searching for justice on behalf of the disappeared, tortured, murdered, etc., and a happy message to the humanitarian rights law troubleshooters. He exemplifies the highest moral courage by doing so. This bold response when executed must satisfy the internationals who demand a “comprehensive accountability process for all violations and abuses of human rights committed in Sri Lanka by all parties....) (UNHRC Resolution 51/1). Concurrently, the President’s statement upholds a basic democratic right of Sri Lankans under Articles 11, 12, and 13 of the Constitution, and not on UNHRC or Core Group cajoling. PKAD may review the draft Bill prepared by the former President on the Truth, Unity, and Reconciliation Commission to reinforce his actions on justice to the affected, which include the thousands who lost their lives in JVP uprisings. Most importantly, when the perpetrators are punished it will register as a satisfactory domestic accountability tool, instead of an international accountability mechanism. If the prosecution fails due to whatever reasons (e.g., non-availability of evidence) it will prove the difficulties of punishing perpetrators by court action, whether domestic or international. Then the NPP government could suggest other compensatory actions, through the Reparation Office or otherwise. Rather than raking negative issues, convincing the affected of the ground realities must be undertaken by political, civil society, international, and Diaspora interlocutors. Two other questionable issues are the devolution of land and police powers. For decades, these issues were negated without any governmental positive commitment. The JVP and NPP did not, and I think do not show interest in the 13th Amendment (13A). Despite this, the North and East have ignored such and voted NPP to power. To many citizens there, 13A is another sobered demand now, unknown to Letchchamies and Nadarasas, overtaken by economics, humanitarian rights, return to homes, and gaining access to lost assets like land. Hence, the past of JVP and the present of NPP’s attitudes do not seem to matter. For want of space let me focus on devolution of land powers only. Irrespective of the past of JVP/NPP, let us review whether we could explore, taking the island as one unit benefitting from the devolution of land powers. By such expansion, operational biases are reduced because the common application of systems is negotiable. The usual criticism had been that land power devolution can affect military installations, High-Security Zones, possession of acquired lands, and southern high population cannot be alienated land in the north and east, etc. Northerners and Easterners complain of land use by the military affecting their livelihoods, and the effect on ethnic demographic proportions. Nevertheless, PAKD in the campaign trail assured the possible release of lands held by the military, and to avoid haphazardness, formulating a policy for such is important. Releasing land is now a compulsory presidential obligation and a constitutional power he possesses. This could be managed by the provisions in Appendix II of the 13A. To wit, PAKD can appoint the National Land Commission (NLC) to formulate a National Land Policy in consultation with Provincial Councils (Supreme Court determinations apply.) All related concerns will be discussed at the NLC, and the best national policy finalised, sans political and communal biases, again as expected by law. This will ensure what PAKD stated as the “responsibility to consistently protect and elevate the rights of citizens within the democratic framework.” He considers these election results as symbolising an invitation to freedom for the oppressed, who longed for such freedom to escape the oppression. It must drive him and his teams to think anew. Of course, this will require course correction among members who had been negative on these issues, if he wishes to “create a more liberated environment for the people of this country.” His request to move away from political principles and slogans after the elections and to measure the success of the quality of governance must also be compulsorily applied to attitudinal change in some on top of his administration, worshipping election slogans. Concisely, the two statements reflected PAKD’s governance approach. The Policy Statement orchestrated PAKD’s philosophy and approach on racist politics, democratic governance, building national unity, maintaining the dignity of the Parliament, efficient State service and an overarching diplomatic service, supremacy of the Rule of Law, stabilising the economy, and continuing with the IMF program, key economic strategies to promote qualitative, economic activities, Clean Sri Lanka Program, etc., ending with a plea for cooperation from everyone to successfully perform for nation building. What more can be expected from a Policy Statement? However, we find different evaluations in the West; and domestically, as usual. Peaceful elections, the IMF Staff Level Agreement last week show that suspicions on the PAKD Government are currently ill-founded. Concerning developing nations, the West always has measures of political philosophies, human rights, and humanitarian approaches and how such nations stand with them to achieve their ends. I think PAKD has adequately addressed those. Probably with prophesied suspicion of PAKD’s political origins – i.e., Marxist, the Western media had been lukewarm, unlike the Indians in Karan Thapar in The Wire or Meera Srinivasan in The Hindu. It cannot be that the West is unconcerned with the surprising change taking place in Lankan politics. It does not match the way the Western media behaved during the Aragalaya in 2022, where we saw teams of journalists mingling with the youth participating in the Aragalaya at Galle Face Green, and when Arugam Bay “happened” recently. I hope the West will shed the baggage from last week, as PAKD sheds Lankan traditional politics, and support him as an accomplisher of much-needed change. He needs the overall acceptance and good wishes of his Sri Lankan counterparts and stakeholders to shoulder his responsibilities in the name of the nation and its future generations. Give him a chance to accomplish his mandate. If he fails the country will end up in misery. Sri Lanka may not have a fifth chance! Lest I am misunderstood, one short quip: Though I know PAKD, I am not a JVP or NPP Comrade, am only a concerned senior citizen.NEW YORK (AP) — Technology stocks pulled Wall Street to another record amid a mixed Monday of trading. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% from its all-time high set on Friday to post a record for the 54th time this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 128 points, or 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite gained 1%. Super Micro Computer, a stock that’s been on an AI-driven roller coaster, soared 28.7% to lead the market. Following allegations of misconduct and the resignation of its public auditor , the maker of servers used in artificial-intelligence technology said an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or by the company’s board. It also said that it doesn’t expect to restate its past financials and that it will find a new chief financial officer, appoint a general counsel and make other moves to strengthen its governance. Big Tech stocks also helped prop up the market. Gains of 1.8% for Microsoft and 3.2% for Meta Platforms were the two strongest forces pushing upward on the S&P 500. Intel was another propellant during the morning, but it lost an early gain to fall 0.5% after the chip company said CEO Pat Gelsinger has retired and stepped down from the board. Intel is looking for Gelsinger’s replacement, and its chair said it’s “committed to restoring investor confidence.” Intel recently lost its spot in the Dow Jones Industrial Average to Nvidia, which has skyrocketed in Wall Street’s frenzy around AI. Stellantis, meanwhile, skidded following the announcement of its CEO’s departure . Carlos Tavares steps down after nearly four years in the top spot of the automaker, which owns car brands like Jeep, Citroën and Ram, amid an ongoing struggle with slumping sales and an inventory backlog at dealerships. The world’s fourth-largest automaker’s stock fell 6.3% in Milan. The majority of stocks in the S&P 500 likewise fell, including California utility PG&E. It dropped 5% after saying it would sell $2.4 billion of stock and preferred shares to raise cash. Retailers were mixed amid what’s expected to be the best Cyber Monday on record and coming off Black Friday . Target, which recently gave a forecast for the holiday season that left investors discouraged , fell 1.2%. Walmart , which gave a more optimistic forecast, rose 0.2%. Amazon, which looks to benefit from online sales from Cyber Monday, climbed 1.4%. All told, the S&P 500 added 14.77 points to 6,047.15. The Dow fell 128.65 to 44,782.00, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 185.78 to 19,403.95. The stock market largely took Donald Trump’s latest threat on tariffs in stride. The president-elect on Saturday threatened 100% tariffs against a group of developing economies if they act to undermine the U.S. dollar. Trump said he wants the group, headlined by Brazil, Russia, India and China, to promise it won’t create a new currency or otherwise try to undercut the U.S. dollar. The dollar has long been the currency of choice for global trade. Speculation has also been around a long time that other currencies could knock it off its mantle, but no contender has come close. The U.S. dollar’s value rose Monday against several other currencies, but one of its strongest moves likely had less to do with the tariff threats. The euro fell amid a political battle in Paris over the French government’s budget . The euro sank 0.7% against the U.S. dollar and broke below $1.05. In the bond market, Treasury yields gave up early gains to hold relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed above 4.23% during the morning before falling back to 4.19%. That was just above its level of 4.18% late Friday. A report in the morning showed the U.S. manufacturing sector contracted again last month, but not by as much as economists expected. This upcoming week will bring several big updates on the job market, including the October job openings report, weekly unemployment benefits data and the all-important November jobs report. They could steer the next moves for Federal Reserve, which recently began pulling interest rates lower to give support to the economy. Economists expect Friday’s headliner report to show U.S. employers accelerated their hiring in November, coming off October’s lackluster growth that was hampered by damaging hurricanes and strikes. “We now find ourselves in the middle of this Goldilocks zone, where economic health supports earnings growth while remaining weak enough to justify potential Fed rate cuts,” according to Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide. In financial markets abroad, Chinese stocks led gains worldwide as monthly surveys showed improving conditions for manufacturing, partly driven by a surge in orders ahead of Trump’s inauguration next month. Both official and private sector surveys of factory managers showed strong new orders and export orders, possibly partly linked to efforts by importers in the U.S. to beat potential tariff hikes by Trump once he takes office. Indexes rose 0.7% in Hong Kong and 1.1% in Shanghai. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.A Nebraska defensive leader from this season who had previously announced his return in 2025 has changed course and will transfer. Defensive end Jimari Butler said last week he intended to remain with the Huskers for a sixth and final year but pivoted Monday and will enter the portal. The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder from Alabama started 10 games this fall with 22 tackles and a fumble recovery. His seven stops for loss are third most on the team and his 371 defensive snaps were 10th most among the Blackshirts. Butler last week laid out why he would stay with NU once more, describing plans to get a master’s degree in criminal justice after talking with his mother and evaluating his NFL draft stock. He reflected on his previous dalliance with the portal – he entered when Nebraska made a coaching change at the end of the 2022 season but ultimately stayed. “It was kind of a panic move because I didn’t know what to expect,” Butler said. “But I’ve seen my growth as a player and I just wanted to give it another year.” The pivot came in the wake of defensive coordinator leaving to take the same position at Florida State. Butler is the fourth Husker to turn to the portal Monday and second defensive lineman after rotational player Vincent Jackson. Butler’s departure means all three of NU’s starting D-linemen are moving on after seniors Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher exhaust their eligibility following the upcoming bowl game. Junior lineman Elijah Jeudy indicated Sunday he would return for his senior year. Asked why so many players stayed with Nebraska last offseason, Butler called the culture “a different vibe.” “It’s more family-oriented,” Butler said. “But you eat what you kill in the program so if you produce you’re going to play.” Butler has appeared in 37 career games with 65 tackles and 17 TFLs in three-plus seasons as a steady contributor. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
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By Fabian Hamacher and Angie Teo TAIPEI (Reuters) - A new board game set against the backdrop of armed conflict around Taiwan is set to be released in January 2025, amid renewed threats from Beijing, inviting players to participate in an imaginary Chinese invasion 20 years from now. China has ramped up military activity close to democratically governed Taiwan in recent years, including massing naval forces around the island this month. The new game, titled "2045", tasks gamers with navigating the troubles of war by using colourful action cards, and role-playing characters involved in operations 10 days before a fictional Chinese invasion of Taiwan. That includes members of Taiwan's armed forces, Chinese sleeper agents and pro-China politicians working to sabotage the island's defence, as well as citizens picking up guns to defend their homeland. China claims Taiwan as its own and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan's president and his government strongly object to China’s sovereignty claims and say only the island’s people can decide their future. Taiwanese board game maker Mizo Games started crowdfunding the game in August. Within two-and-a-half-months, the company had received more than T$4 million ($121,966) to fund the project. "It is not quite peaceful around Taiwan island and the Western Pacific as we speak," Chang Shao Lian, the founder of Mizo Games told Reuters at his Taipei office. Chang said he wanted "players to feel they want to win and think about what they will do to win". The game, which is also set to go on sale in the U.S. and Europe later in the year, has been developed at a time when Taiwan officials have intensified preparations for scenarios including a China conflict. Last week, Taiwan's presidential office held its first "tabletop" exercise involving government agencies beyond the armed forces, simulating a military escalation with China. The exercise involved scenarios, including the island being "on the verge of conflict", to test the readiness of government offices and civil society. Players who participated in a test run of "2045" said they learnt about what might happen in the event of a Chinese invasion and that they hoped the game could help people understand the implications of a war. "I'm not very knowledgeable on military matters, therefore through this game I learnt about where the army may land and launch an attack," said Kalin Lai, a 23-year-old who tried out the game. Mizo has previously created two other Taiwan war-themed board games - one about surviving an air raid in Taipei and the other about a bombing in Kaohsiung during Japan's colonisation of the island between 1895 and 1945. ($1=32.7960 Taiwan dollars) (Reporting By Fabian Hamacher and Angie Teo; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago's ShotSpotter program is officially over. Mayor Brandon Johnson ended the city's contract for the gunshot detection technology two months ago. Johnson called ShotSpotter ineffective, but 33 out of 50 Chicago City Council members voted to keep the system . Part of it is still online, but the company stopped sharing data with the city in September. Ald. Brian Hopkins says a majority of his colleagues already signed an amendment to next year's budget, calling for $15 million to use on another gunshot detection system. SEE ALSO | Police have responded to gunfire 2.5 minutes faster when alerted by ShotSpotter this year: CPD dataHow Trump's bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes
2024’s top 10 climate disasters cost more than 200 billion dollars, charity saysAs the stock market has moved higher, one victim has been dividend yields . With the average payout for the S&P 500 down to just 1.25%, such stocks have lost a bit of appeal at a time when investors can earn a guaranteed return of around 5% in some certificates of deposit. Nonetheless, you don't need to look far to find stocks with high, sustainable dividends and significant potential for stock price growth. Even with a budget of $3,000, a $1,000 investment in each of these stocks can bring a quick stream of dividend income without undermining the potential for stock price growth. Start Your Mornings Smarter! Wake up with Breakfast news in your inbox every market day. Sign Up For Free » AT&T Admittedly, AT&T 's (NYSE: T) recent dividend history may make its stock a strange choice at first glance. In 2022, the company abandoned a 35-year streak of payout hikes, slashing the dividend by 45%. It has remained at the $1.11-per-share level since then, yielding 4.8% at current prices. AT&T also carries a massive total debt of $129 billion, a huge burden considering its $116 billion in stockholders' equity . However, the dividend is holding up well considering this challenge. The debt fell by $8 billion over the previous nine months. Additionally, thanks to its $17 billion to $18 billion in free cash flow forecast for 2024, AT&T can pay for debt reduction while covering the $8 billion annual dividend cost. Moreover, because of a near-exclusive focus on its wireless network and fiber, AT&T has added nearly 1.2 million wireless net customers and over 700,000 fiber net customers in the first nine months of 2024. That growing customer base allows AT&T to solidify its business. Investors are taking notice of such improvements, and the stock price has risen 45% over the last year. With a relatively low P/E ratio of 19, investors may have an added incentive to buy AT&T stock now before the rising stock price further reduces its dividend yield. Innovative Industrial Properties The idea of buying a cannabis-related real estate investment trust (REIT) like Innovative Industrial Properties (IIP) (NYSE: IIPR) may seem counterintuitive right now. Although IIP serves only medical cannabis growers, the Republican sweep in the 2024 elections could slow a continued legalization process. Also, in recent quarters, a rapid growth rate came to a halt amid problems with some non-paying tenants on its 108 properties. However, IIP proved itself adept at managing such properties by either unloading them or finding new tenants to take their places. The company has also hiked its dividend at least once per year since beginning its dividend in 2017. Consequently, its $7.60-per-share annual payout yields 7.2%. That was less than $8.11 per share in funds from operations (FFO) income over the last 12 months, meaning it can sustain its dividend. Even with the significant pullback after the election, IIP stock is still up 33% for the year. Thanks to that discounted stock price, IIP stock sells at a price-to-FFO ratio of around 13. Between that valuation and the massive dividend yield, IIP offers a huge incentive to wait on a likely recovery from the recent pullback. Realty Income Realty Income (NYSE: O) is a REIT specializing in single-tenant commercial properties. It rents such buildings on a net lease arrangement, meaning the tenant pays for the taxes, insurance, and maintenance of the properties. This means the company can retain more of the revenue from the properties as profit. Moreover, nearly 99% of the company's approximately 15,500 properties have tenants. Hence, it continues to develop and acquire more property to raise its revenue over time. Admittedly, the higher interest rates over the last few years have weighed on the stock and its profitability. Nonetheless, the lower price has also increased the dividend yield. Its $3.16-per-share annual payout yields about 5.6%, far surpassing the S&P 500 average. Also, higher rates have not stopped the company from raising its payout, and its dividend has increased at least once per year since its inception in 1994. Finally, while higher rates have had Realty Income stock trading more than 30% below its 2020 high, the falling rates should increase the company's profitability. At a price-to-FFO ratio of about 14, that could set up investors to benefit from a sizable dividend and, later, a long-awaited stock recovery. Should you invest $1,000 in AT&T right now? Before you buy stock in AT&T, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now... and AT&T wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $869,885 !* Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of November 18, 2024 Will Healy has positions in Innovative Industrial Properties. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Realty Income. The Motley Fool recommends Innovative Industrial Properties. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy . The Smartest Dividend Stocks to Buy With $3,000 Right Now was originally published by The Motley FoolHigh Street set for worst year since pandemic2024’s top 10 climate disasters cost more than 200 billion dollars, charity says
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