10jili cc IRS recovers $4.7 billion in taxes from scofflaws. But it's bracing for funding cuts under TrumpTexans look to regroup as they prepare for Ravens after Tank Dell suffers another injuryStock indexes closed mixed on Wall Street at the end of a rare bumpy week. The S&P 500 ended little changed Friday. The benchmark index reached its latest in a string of records a week ago. It lost ground for the week following three weeks of gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2%. The Nasdaq composite edged up 0.1%. Broadcom surged after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, surged after raising its revenue forecast. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. On Friday: The S&P 500 fell 0.16 points, or less than 0.1%, to 6,051.09. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 86.06 points, or 0.2%, to 43,828.06. The Nasdaq composite rose 23.88 points, or 0.1%, to 19,926.72. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 14.19 points, or 0.6%, to 2,346.90. For the week: The S&P 500 is down 39.18 points, or 0.6%. The Dow is down 814.46 points, or 1.8%. The Nasdaq is up 66.95 points, or 0.3%. The Russell 2000 is down 62.10 points, or 2.6%. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,281.26 points, or 26.9%. The Dow is up 6,138.52 points, or 16.3%. The Nasdaq is up 4,951.37 points, or 32.7%. The Russell 2000 is up 319.82 points, or 15.8%.

If you've been keeping track of automotive news in the past year or so, you know that U.S. Automaker Chrysler is in a tough spot. Its parent company, Stellantis, continues to face serious financial struggles, and while Stellantis claims that it has no plans to kill off or sell Chrysler, one has to imagine that could change if times continue to be tough for the company. Of course, this is hardly the first time Chrysler itself has faced such troubles, with the brand narrowly surviving the 2008 financial crisis through a merger with Fiat. However, when the company faced financial troubles in the early 1980s, Chrysler was ultimately able to save itself by releasing a successful run of new cars that were essentially based on the same platform. Those vehicles would be dubbed K-Cars in Chrysler's marketing materials, with the company boasting that the vehicles were the product of years of development, as well as a rash of technological advancements and some serious design ingenuity. Upon their 1981 release, gearheads and everyday consumers alike were no doubt curious about what the K in K-Cars actually stood for. More than 40 years later, many people still do not know what that K actually stands for, and we'd wager that one and all will be a touch disappointed to learn it doesn't really stand for anything. Instead, K is just the letter designation assigned by Chrysler to the platform on which the vehicles were built. [Featured image by IFCAR via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | Public Domain] For a point of reference, the platform and vehicles that directly preceded K-Cars in the Chrysler lineup were called L-Cars. Despite the ' alphabetical designations, the K-Car was far from a step backward for Chrysler, with the company and then boss, Lee Iacocca, instead eyeing the vehicles as a necessary pivot from the smaller L-Car towards a line of fuel-efficient, front-wheel drive mid-size builds that focused on performance and comfort. Over its production run, the K-Car platform would prove both inexpensive to make and incredibly versatile, with Chrysler shaping and reshaping it for more than a decade to produce builds of every shape and size across several of its then subsidiaries, including Dodge and the now defunct Plymouth badge . When the platform debuted in 1981, there were just a pair of options available on the K-Car platform in the Plymouth Reliant and the Dodge Aries. Once those vehicles hit showroom floors, both builds were popular with consumers, reportedly accounting for 36% of vehicles sold under the greater Chrysler shingle. Those sales figures continued to grow over the ensuing years and eventually led Chrysler back from the brink of financial ruin. Emboldened by the success of the K-Car, bosses at Chrysler Corporation continued to lean on the platform in several other builds, including the Chrysler Le Baron, the Dodge 400 and 600 models, and even the revival-ready Chrysler Executive Limousine . The K-Car platform also served as the base for the O.G. Dodge Caravan. Successes aside, Chrysler eventually moved on from the platform in the mid-1990s, with the turbo-charged Dodge Spirit and Plymouth Acclaim closing out the line in 1995.Some tech industry leaders are pushing the incoming Trump administration to increase visas for highly skilled workers from other nations. Related Articles National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families National Politics | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National Politics | New 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns National Politics | Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen National Politics | Exhausted by political news? TV ratings and new poll say you’re not alone The heart of the argument is, for America to remain competitive, the country needs to expand the number of skilled visas it gives out. The previous Trump administration did not increase the skilled visa program, instead clamping down on visas for students and educated workers, increasing denial rates. Not everyone in corporate America thinks the skilled worker program is great. Former workers at IT company Cognizant recently won a federal class-action lawsuit that said the company favored Indian employees over Americans from 2013 to 2022. A Bloomberg investigation found Cognizant, and other similar outsourcing companies, mainly used its skilled work visas for lower-level positions. Workers alleged Cognizant preferred Indian workers because they could be paid less and were more willing to accept inconvenient or less-favorable assignments. Question: Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? Caroline Freund, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy YES: Innovation is our superpower and it relies on people. Sourcing talent from 8 billion people in the world instead of 330 million here makes sense. Nearly half our Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. Growing them also relies on expanding our skilled workforce. The cap on skilled-worker visas has hardly changed since the computer age started. With AI on the horizon, attracting and building talent is more important than ever. Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: After years of openly allowing millions of undocumented entrants into the country, why is there controversy over legally increasing somewhat the number having desirable skills? Undocumented immigration significantly impacts lower skill level jobs and wages competing with domestic workers at every skill level. Why should special cases be made against those having higher skills? Could they just not walk across the border anyway, why make it more inconvenient to those with desirable skills? James Hamilton, UC San Diego YES: Knowledge and technology are key drivers of the U.S. economy. Students come from all over the world to learn at U.S. universities, and their spending contributed $50 billion to U.S. exports last year. Technological advantage is what keeps us ahead of the rest of the world. Highly skilled immigrants contribute much more in taxes than they receive in public benefits. The skills immigrants bring to America can make us all better off. Norm Miller, University of San Diego YES: According to Forbes, the majority of billion-dollar startups were founded by foreigners. I’ve interviewed dozens of data analysts and programmers from Berkeley, UCSD, USD and a few other schools and 75% of them are foreign. There simply are not enough American graduates to fill the AI and data mining related jobs now exploding in the U.S. If we wish to remain a competitive economy, we need highly skilled and bright immigrants to come here and stay. David Ely, San Diego State University YES: Being able to employ highly skilled workers from a larger pool of candidates would strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. companies by increasing their capacity to perform research and innovate. This would boost the country’s economic output. Skilled workers from other nations that cannot remain in the U.S. will find jobs working for foreign rivals. The demand for H-1B visas far exceeds the current cap of 85,000, demonstrating a need to modify this program. Phil Blair, Manpower YES: Every country needs skilled workers, at all levels, to grow its economy. We should take advantage of the opportunity these workers provide our employers who need these skills. It should be blended into our immigration policies allowing for both short and long term visas. Gary London, London Moeder Advisors YES: San Diego is a premiere example of how highly skilled workers from around the globe enrich a community and its regional economy. Of course Visa levels need to be increased. But let’s go further. Tie visas and immigration with a provision that those who are admitted and educated at a U.S. university be incentivized, or even required, to be employed in the U.S. in exchange for their admittance. Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates NO: While attracting high-skilled immigrants can fill critical gaps in sectors like technology, health care and advanced manufacturing, increasing high-skilled immigration could displace American workers and drive down wages in certain industries. There are already many qualified American workers available for some of these jobs. We should balance the need for specialized skills with the impact on the domestic workforce. I believe we can begin to increase the number of visas after a careful review of abuse. Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth YES: We should expand skilled visas to drive innovation and economic growth. Individuals who perform high-skilled work in labor-restricted industries or graduate from respected colleges with relevant degrees should be prioritized for naturalization. We depend on immigration for GDP growth, tax revenue, research, and so much more. Despite the abhorrent rhetoric and curtailing of visas in the first term, I hope the incoming administration can be persuaded to enact positive changes to a clearly flawed system. Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health YES: But it should be based upon need, not politics. There are several industries that have or could have skilled workforce shortages, especially if the next administration tightens immigration as promised and expected. Over the years, there have been nursing shortages that have been met partially by trained and skilled nurses from other countries. The physician shortage is expected to get worse in the years to come. So, this visa program may very well be needed. Jamie Moraga, Franklin Revere NO: While skilled immigration could boost our economy and competitiveness, the U.S. should prioritize developing our domestic workforce. Hiring foreign nationals in sensitive industries or government-related work, especially in advanced technology or defense, raises security concerns. A balanced approach could involve targeted increases in non-sensitive high-demand fields coupled with investment in domestic STEM education and training programs. This could address immediate needs while strengthening the long-term STEM capabilities of the American workforce. Not participating this week: Alan Gin, University of San DiegoHaney Hong, San Diego County Taxpayers AssociationRay Major, economist Have an idea for an Econometer question? Email me at phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com . Follow me on Threads: @phillip020EDA hires attorney as ITFederal appeals verdicts

Investing in dividend stocks when they’re down is a strategy that resonates with savvy, patient investors. The rationale is simple: buying when prices dip allows you to acquire more shares for the same amount of money. This not only sets you up for potential capital appreciation when the stock price recovers. It also enhances your dividend yield. Essentially, downturns offer a chance to lock in higher returns on your initial investment. By focusing on these companies during downturns, you’re buying into resilience and future potential, not just a temporary price movement. Consider CT REIT One such dividend stock that exemplifies this opportunity is ( ), down 9% since 52-week highs. offers an enticing forward annual dividend yield of approximately 6.15% at writing. This makes it an appealing choice for income-focused investors, especially in a volatile market. Beyond the attractive yield, CT REIT is backed by a strong track record of consistent performance, underpinned by a robust portfolio and reliable tenants, which include as its anchor. CT REIT’s financial performance in recent quarters has been solid. In the third quarter of 2024, the trust reported property revenue of $144.6 million, marking a 5.2% increase year-over-year. Its net operating income (NOI) also grew by 3.4% to $113.6 million. This steady reflects CT REIT’s ability to manage its properties effectively and capitalize on opportunities in the real estate market. For investors, these numbers are a testament to the trust’s operational excellence and its ability to generate consistent income, even in challenging market conditions. One of the hallmarks of CT REIT’s success is its high occupancy rate. As of writing, the trust reported a committed occupancy of 99.4%. This is not just a number. It’s a signal of the quality of CT REIT’s portfolio and the strength of its relationships with tenants. A nearly full occupancy rate ensures steady cash flows. These are critical for maintaining and increasing dividend payouts. For investors, this stability is particularly reassuring, especially in a sector like real estate, where occupancy rates can fluctuate widely. What to watch CT REIT is not resting on its laurels. The trust has been actively investing in its portfolio to drive future growth. In the third quarter of 2024, it announced three new investments worth approximately $85 million. These projects are expected to add about 283,000 square feet of gross leasable area, strengthening CT REIT’s footprint and income potential. Strategic expansions like these demonstrate the trust’s forward-thinking approach and its commitment to creating long-term value for unitholders. Dividend growth is another standout feature of CT REIT. In May 2024, the trust announced a 3% increase in its monthly distributions, marking the tenth consecutive annual increase. This consistent growth in dividends is a clear signal of management’s confidence in the trust’s financial health. For investors, it’s an assurance that their income will not only remain stable but will likely grow over time. Providing a hedge against inflation and enhancing long-term returns. CT REIT’s financial discipline is worth highlighting. With a payout ratio of 76.17%, the trust strikes a balance between rewarding unitholders and reinvesting in its business. Its ability to maintain such a disciplined approach while consistently increasing distributions underscores the strength of its operations and financial management. Furthermore, its debt-to-equity ratio of 74.8% is manageable, reflecting prudent leverage practices in an asset-heavy industry. Bottom line Buying dividend stocks like CT REIT during price dips offers a unique combination of benefits. You lock in a higher yield, position yourself for capital appreciation, and invest in a company with a proven track record of performance and growth. CT REIT’s consistent financial results, strategic investments, and commitment to returning value to unitholders make it an excellent choice for dividend-focused investors. For those willing to look beyond short-term market noise, CT REIT provides a reliable, income-generating opportunity with strong potential for long-term appreciation.Unrivaled signs LSU star Flau'jae Johnson to NIL deal

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It's down to eight teams vying for supremacy on the basketball courts at the Langley Events Centre this afternoon, and one of the teams is from Langley. The final game of the night pits the hometown Brookswood Bobcats against the Argyle Pipers (North Vancouver), tonight (Friday, Dec. 13) at 6:15 p.m. in Day 3 of the four-day Tsumura Basketball Invitational girls tournament unfolding at the events centre this week. The boys version of the invitational was held at LEC last week, saw the Bobcats advance to the semifinals, too. Instead the Dover Bay Dolphins and the King George Dragons, taking home their division trophies. Competition is down to the final four in both brackets following the quarter-final round on Thursday. All four semi-final games – two apiece in the Select 16 and Super 16 brackets – are started today on LEC's centre court at 3 p.m. The first game features Vancouver’s Notre Dame Jugglers against Courtenay’s Mark R. Isfeld Ice with the Duchess Park Condors (Prince George) facing the Vernon Panthers to complete the Select 16 bracket. And in the Super 16 Bracket, the first semifinal – which gets going at 6:15 p.m. – will be a rematch of last March’s BC School Sports Girls 4A Basketball Provincial Championships – as the defending champion Seaquam Seahawks (North Delta) take on the Riverside Rapids (Port Coquitlam). The Seahawks are also the defending Super 16 TBI champions. Then, there's the Bobcats and Pipers' game. There is no cost to attend the games, and for those unable to make it out to LEC, every game is streamed free of charge at . For schedule and scores, please visit . It was a dominant defensive display of basketball. The Notre Dame Jugglers clamped down at their end of the floor, holding the South Kamloops Titans to a mere 28 points in a 50-28 victory. Following a relatively low-scoring first 10 minutes – the Jugglers were ahead 11-6 – Notre Dame scored 16 consecutive points for what became an insurmountable advantage. Selina Quilatan’s 17 points led the Jugglers with Emily Chan and Joana Pepe chipping in 11 and 10 points, respectively. Feron Wallace paced the South Kamloops attack with 10 points. A dominant third quarter earned the Mark R. Isfeld Ice a spot in the semi-final round. With just 20 points in the first 20 minutes – and trailing by one – the Ice dominated the third quarter to the tune of 22-5, with that 17-point advantage proving crucial in a 51-42 win over the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs. Elana Russell was the top scorer for the Ice with 16 points, 13 of which came in the opening quarter. She also finished with four 3-pointers. Sara Linares Blanco chipped in nine points off the bench and Phoebe Cunningham added eight. Crystal Charchuk led the Bulldogs with 11 points while Sienna Bains added 10. The Walnut Grove Gators had no answer for a suffocating Duchess Park Condors defence. The Condors held Walnut Grove to three points in the first quarter and just 11 in the half in what became an 88-27 victory. Duchess Park offence also started slowly – they scored just 11 in the first quarter, but they found their groove in the second, exceeding Walnut Grove’s entire game output with a 29-point quarter. Zahra Ngabo’s 24 points led the Condors, who also received 14 from Devyn Bjorn and 13 from Mercedes Black. Abby Louie and Lyla McKay had nine points apiece for Walnut Grove. In a game featuring big swings, it was the Vernon Panthers who came out on top, defeating the South Delta Sun Devils 63-54. The Sun Devils led 14-1 at one point before the Panthers responded, tying the game at the half, then taking a their own 13-point lead late in the third quarter. But after South Delta clawed their way back to pull ahead 54-52, only to see the Panthers end the game on an 11-0 run. Chloe Collins and Adie Janke both hit big 3’s in the fourth quarter, and finished with 15 and 14 points, respectively, for the Panthers while teammate Paige Leahy was the leading scorer with 19. South Delta’s Zoe Millette led all scorers with 23 points and Jade de Fondaumiere had 16. Consolation round Select 16 scores: Britannia Bruins 74 – Centennial Centaurs 59 Maple Ridge Ramblers – 54 Unity Christian Flames 51 Pacific Christian Pacers – 49 Heritage Woods Kodiaks 39 Pitt Meadows Marauders 50 – Johnston Heights Eagles 48 Trailing by a point early in the second half, the Argyle Pipers rattled off a 16-4 run and never looked back, defeating the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers 90-74. After scoring 40 points in the first two quarters combined, the Pipers offence found its rhythm in the third with 27 points, a dozen of which came courtesy of Grade 10 forward Mariia Maydaan. Maydaan – the Player of the Game – finished with 38 points. She was one of four Argyle players – only one of whom is in Grade 12 – to finish with double figures, alongside Sophie Nicholson (18 points), Eva Woodward (14) and Alanna Schiemman (10). Hanna Grewal led Lord Tweedsmuir with 18 points followed by 11 apiece courtesy of Saavyn Mann and Sammy Ma. Trailing 63-62 with 2:30 to play, the Riverside Rapids scored the game’s final six points to defeat the G.W. Graham Grizzlies 68-63. Jorja Hart was a force for the Rapids as the Grade 12 guard poured in 38 points with Annabelle Neufeld adding a dozen. Jada Paquin’s 25 points led the Grizzlies and Nicole Folka added 14. With their superstar scorer Jordyn Nohr held somewhat in check – she had 52 points in her team’s opening-round game – it was her Brookswood Bobcats teammates showing they too can drop some points. Nohr still finished with 17 points, but was more playmaker than scorer, as the ‘Cats rallied from an early deficit to defeat the Kelowna Owls 62-56. Ashley Vande Ven and Hazel Phillips each scored 19 for Brookswood, with Phillips draining five 3-pointers. Mavleen Chahal led the Owls with 25 points while Ava Thiessen scored all 12 of her points from the 3-point line. A 20-point game from Camryn Tait plus 18 from Syra Toor powered the Seaquam Seahawks to a 65-39 win over the Holy Cross Crusaders. The Crusaders scored the game’s first three points before the Seahawks took flight, leading by 13 after a quarter and up 45-21 at the half. Alyssa Palma was the top scorer for Holy Cross with 11 points while Solene Jackson added 10. Consolation round Super 16 scores: Semiahmoo Thunderbirds 57 – St. Thomas More Collegiate Knights 56 Langley Christian Lightning 60 – Claremont Spartans 49 Okanagan Mission Huskies 56 – Sa-Hali Sabres 50 St. Michaels University School Blue Jags 48 – Charles Best Blue Devils 3 and

US stocks mostly rose Friday after a report showed a healthy jobs market, and Paris rallied as President Emmanuel Macron vowed to serve out his full term and end France's political crisis. Oil fell on concerns of oversupply and Bitcoin held at a level over $100,000 after hitting records Thursday. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Why Is Coeptis Therapeutics Stock Falling On Friday?

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HALIFAX — Zach Churchill resigned as Nova Scotia Liberal leader Tuesday after leading his party to a resounding defeat in the Nov. 26 provincial election. Churchill made the announcement at the Liberal caucus office in Halifax, saying he will be immediately replaced on an interim basis by Derek Mombourquette, while the other member of the caucus, Iain Rankin, will share in the leadership responsibilities while serving as house leader in the legislature. The announcement followed Monday’s recount in the district of Yarmouth, which saw Churchill lose his seat to Progressive Conservative candidate Nick Hilton by a final tally of 16 votes. “I’m certainly sorry that I couldn’t have produced better results for our candidates and our members of the legislature, but I’m certainly encouraged as I pass the torch on that we will continue to rebuild,” said Churchill. The Liberals were reduced to just two seats, losing 12 of the 14 seats they held going into the election campaign, which was the first for Churchill as party leader. Progressive Conservative Premier Tim Houston led his party to a second consecutive majority government, winning 43 of the legislature's 55 seats, after the results of a recount Tuesday that confirmed a Tory victory in the riding of Annapolis. The New Democrats, led by Claudia Chender, were elevated to official Opposition status with nine seats, and one Independent candidate was re-elected. Churchill pointed out that his party did get 23 per cent of the popular vote even if it won less than four per cent of the total seats. “If I have one regret about the campaign and my career in politics, it is that I didn’t talk more about my personal passion for proportional representation,” he said. “I think this election gives us a very clear example of how it is important to reform our electoral system.” The 40-year-old former cabinet minister was elected Liberal leader in July 2022 and had held the riding in his hometown of Yarmouth since winning a byelection in 2010. He was re-elected in 2013, 2017 and 2021. The party said the process to replace Churchill would be announced in the coming months. Mombourquette said Churchill’s decision was a “tough moment for the team” but he added that party rebuilding work would begin immediately. “Iain and I will be out and engaging across the province with candidates who ran in the last election and with their riding associations,” Mombourquette said. “There’s a lot of work that needs to happen there ... we will also have to prepare and start looking at policy for when the house goes back into session.” The legislature reconvened briefly on Tuesday as newly elected members were sworn into office and Tory Danielle Barkhouse was re-elected Speaker. The government also got consent from the legislature to move ahead with its promise to reduce the provincial portion of the harmonized sales tax by one per cent on April 1. Following the sitting, Houston told reporters that he is also supportive of the federal government’s so-called GST holiday, taking effect for two months beginning Saturday. “We recognize the affordability challenges that Nova Scotians are facing and Canadians are facing,” he said. “We have some details to work out with the federal government to really understand it, but I think the spirit of what they are trying to do, we certainly agree with, and we will work with them on that.” Houston campaigned against federal policy such as carbon pricing during the election, but after a meeting Monday with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Halifax, the premier said they had “productive” discussions. “There are things we just won’t agree on — I just don’t agree on the carbon tax — but there are things I think we can work together on,” he said mentioning the province’s fisheries and the work needed to protect from flooding the Chignecto Isthmus, which connects Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2024. Keith Doucette, The Canadian PressNational People’s Power (NPP) MP Dr. Kaushalya Ariyaratne has lodged a formal complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over a series of malicious and false news posts circulating on social media, including personal attacks targeting her. In a statement, MP Ariyaratne condemned the deliberate campaign to tarnish her reputation and called for swift action against those responsible for creating and spreading such content. She emphasised that these “cheap tactics” would not deter women from participating in politics nor harm the Government, stating, “If anyone believes such tricks can intimidate us, they are sorely mistaken. While you resort to petty ploys, we will continue to focus on progress.” The complaint comes in the wake of a national Sinhala daily newspaper publishing a report about an alleged domestic dispute involving an NPP Colombo district MP and his wife, which also mentioned a fellow female MP. Following this, social media posts falsely alleged that MP Ariyaratne was the female MP referenced in the report. The posts escalated into a vicious online campaign, spreading unfounded accusations and defamatory content about her. MP Ariyaratne has called on the CID to investigate the orchestrated campaign and take appropriate legal action against those responsible for harming her good name.Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers?