panaloko halo bunos NoDerog/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images This article has been coproduced with Kody Kester. I've said it in the past, and I'll say it again: The Safest Dividend is the One That's Just Been Raised. Essential Utilities ( NYSE: WTRG ) is Introducing iREIT® Join iREIT® on Alpha today to get the most in-depth research that includes REITs, mREIT, Preferreds, BDCs, MLPs, ETFs, Builders, and Asset Managers. Our iREIT® Tracker provides data on over 250 tickers with our quality scores, buy targets, and trim targets. We recently added an all-new Ratings Tracker called iREIT Buy Zone to help members screen for value. Nothing to lose with our FREE 2-week trial . And this offer includes a 2-Week FREE TRIAL plus my FREE book . Brad Thomas has over 30 years of real estate investing experience and has acquired, developed, or brokered over $1B in commercial real estate transactions. He has been featured in Barron's, Bloomberg, Fox Business, and many other media outlets. He's the author of four books, including the latest, REITs For Dummies. Brad, along with HOYA Capital, lead the investing group iREIT®+HOYA Capital. The service covers REITs, BDCs, MLPs, Preferreds, and other income-oriented alternatives. The team of analysts has a combined 100+ years of experience and includes a former hedge fund manager, due diligence officer, portfolio manager, PhD, military veteran, and advisor to a former U.S. President. Learn more Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of WTRG either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Jason Mackey: Kyle Dubas can't afford to let Penguins' recent run change the big picture

Unicharm Co. ( OTCMKTS:UNICY – Get Free Report ) hit a new 52-week low on Friday . The company traded as low as $4.62 and last traded at $4.99, with a volume of 718381 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $4.91. Unicharm Price Performance The stock has a market cap of $14.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.95 and a beta of 0.17. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $5.44 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $6.33. Unicharm Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Unicharm Corporation engages in the manufacturing and sale of wellness, feminine, baby and children, kirei, and pet care products in Japan and internationally. The company's baby and child care products, including disposable diapers and wipes under the Moony, MamyPoko, Oyasumiman, and Torepanman brands; feminine care products comprise napkins, tampons, panty liners, sanitary short, panty liners, and other feminine care products under the Sofy, Center-In, and Unicharm brand names; and wellness care products include napkin-type incontinence pads, pants-type diapers, tape-type diapers, pants-type specialized urine pads, and tape-type specialized urine pads under the Lifree and Charmnap brand. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Unicharm Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Unicharm and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Prosecutors in the United States have indicted Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani for their alleged involvement in a Rs 2000 crore ($265 million) bribery scheme to secure power-supply contracts. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) claims the scheme involved paying Indian officials to develop India’s largest solar power plant project. Azure Power’s contracts alone were expected to generate $2 billion in profits over 20 years. This marks the second major crisis for the Adani Group in two years, following the in 2023 which accused the conglomerate of stock manipulation and accounting fraud. The recent fallout has also resulted in Kenya announcing the of a major airport expansion project with the Adani Group to cheers in the country’s Parliament. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) prohibits companies or individuals with US ties such as American investors, public listings, or joint ventures from offering bribes to government officials for favourable treatment. While the Adani Group is not publicly traded in the US., its American investors bring it under the purview of the FCPA. In response to the allegations, the Adani Group issued a on November 21, denying the charges brought by the DOJ and the Security Exchange Commission (SEC). Describing the allegations as “baseless,” the group reiterated its commitment to legal compliance: “We assure our stakeholders, partners, and employees that we are a law-abiding organisation, fully compliant with all laws.” It also highlighted that the charges are allegations, quoting the DOJ’s own : “The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.” Adani Group emphasised its intention to seek “all possible legal recourse” to challenge the indictment. The statement aimed to reassure stakeholders amidst fluctuating share prices across its listed companies, including Adani Green Energy, Adani Enterprises, and Adani Ports. While Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani face charges of fraud and bribery, the Adani Group is also under scrutiny for failing to disclose the ongoing investigation to US and Indian investors, as well as Indian Exchanges and SEBI. The company has been accused of denying knowledge of the investigation while providing misleading information to investors. On March 15, 2024, reported that US investigators were examining whether an Adani entity or individuals linked to the group, including Gautam Adani had paid Indian officials for favourable treatment on an energy project. The Adani Group companies informed the Indian stock exchanges that “The Company states that it has not received any notice from the Department of Justice of U.S. in respect of the allegation referred to in the said article.” But Gautam and Sagar Adani were aware of the investigation. The investigation, which also involved Indian renewable energy company Azure Power Global Ltd., was led by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the DOJ's fraud unit in Washington. The DOJ indictment unsealed on Wednesday alleges that Adani Green Energy concealed an ongoing investigation against its senior executives and falsely claimed to Indian stock exchanges that it had no knowledge of such an inquiry. The indictment further reveals that the Adani Group had been aware of the investigation for over a year. In connection with the same investigation, the SEC also filed two lawsuits—one against Adani Group executives and another against an executive of the investor in Azure Power. These documents clarify that three key executives of Adani Green Energy, Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani (Gautam Adani's nephew), and Vneet Jaain, are being investigated by the DoJ and SEC. According to the indictment, in March 2023, FBI special agents revealed the existence of their investigation to Sagar R. Adani, as well as certain crimes and individuals under scrutiny. On March 17, 2023, FBI agents approached Sagar R Adani in the US and executed a judicially authorised search warrant. The FBI agents also served him a grand jury subpoena and seized his electronic equipment. The indictment notes that the following day, on March 18, 2023, “the defendant Gautam S Adani emailed himself photographs of each page of the search warrant executed and grand jury subpoena served on the defendant Sagar R Adani.” Despite being aware of these investigations, the indictment alleges, “the defendants Gautam S Adani and Sagar R Adani not only concealed the Bribery Scheme from financial institutions and investors in the United States and elsewhere but also caused others to make false and misleading statements regarding their awareness and knowledge of the United States government’s investigation and its subjects.” As per the indictment, in the days that followed after the Bloomberg report, Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani allegedly directed others within the conglomerate to issue false and misleading statements about the company’s awareness of the investigation. On March 17, 2024, the head of corporate finance for the Conglomerate, emailed a lender for the 2021 Syndicate Loan and a joint bookrunner for the 2024 144A Bond. Rule 144A offering is a private resale of securities to qualified institutional buyers (QIBs). Copying Sagar R Adani, the email dismissed the 2024 news article as “baseless,” “malicious,” and “defamatory.” Later that day, similar or identical emails were sent by him to more than a dozen other financial institutions and investors, again copying Sagar R Adani on these communications. On March 19, 2024, the corporate finance head emailed the financial institutions, sharing letters that the Indian Energy Company had sent to the NSE and BSE Limited. These letters falsely claimed that the Indian Energy Company “has not received any notice from the Department of Justice of the US in respect of the allegation referred to in the Bloomberg article and that the company was only “aware of an investigation” into potential violations of US anti-corruption laws by a “third party.” Adani Green Energy subsidiaries hinted at the existence of an anti-corruption investigation in the fine print of a after a $409 million bond issue had closed successfully, the document stated: “AGEL, its operations and projects in India and its officers and/or personnel are subject to or exposed to present inquiries and investigations under the anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws of other countries (such as the US. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act).” While the company subtly acknowledged exposure to anti-bribery inquiries in the above document, it told the BSE and NSE in the same month that no investigation was ongoing. To facilitate its bond offering, Adani Green provided Offering Circulars to potential investors. These documents, designed to assist investors in making informed decisions, detailed the company’s operations, financial performance, and compliance policies. The Offering Circulars further only assured investors. The Offering Circulars also warned investors about potential “Risk Factors,” including the possibility that employees could expose the company to liability under anti-bribery laws: "We are subject to anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws that prohibit improper payments or offers of improper payments to governments and their officials and political parties for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business or securing an improper advantage and require the maintenance of internal controls to prevent such payments..” While these warnings appeared comprehensive, they were materially misleading. They implied that the risk of bribery was hypothetical, ignoring the ongoing bribery scheme led by senior executives, including Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani. The Offering Circulars also falsely claimed that Adani Green secured its renewable energy contracts through transparent and competitive tender processes: “We win our PPAs through transparent and competitive tender processes conducted by the central and state governments of India.” By detailing specific anti-bribery policies and governance measures, Adani Green sought to create the impression that it had effective safeguards in place. According to a report by , SEBI is likely to investigate Adani Green Energy Ltd for allegedly making a false disclosure to Indian stock exchanges, as revealed by a source with direct knowledge of the matter. SEBI’s Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements ( ) Regulations, particularly Regulation 30 and Schedule III, require listed entities to disclose all material events or information that could impact investors or affect the company’s operations. Additionally, SEBI’s Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices Relating to Securities Market rules explicitly prohibit false declarations. “No person shall indulge in a manipulative, fraudulent, or an unfair trade practice in securities.” SEBI has faced significant criticism over its handling of allegations against the Adani Group, particularly after the January 2023 report by Hindenburg Research accused the conglomerate of stock manipulation and accounting fraud. Although SEBI multiple investigations in response to these allegations, progress has been slow. By August 2023, SEBI reported to the Supreme Court that it had completed 22 of the 24 investigations into the Adani-Hindenburg matter, but the remaining two were delayed due to difficulties in obtaining information from foreign regulatory agencies. This lack of a decisive resolution has raised questions about SEBI’s ability to effectively regulate and hold powerful corporate entities accountable. Adding to these concerns are allegations of conflicts of interest involving SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch. In August 2024, surfaced claiming that Buch and her husband held stakes in offshore funds linked to the Adani Group. These allegations, first highlighted by Research, have fueled speculation about potential bias in SEBI’s handling of Adani-related matters. Although Buch denied any wrongdoing and stated that she had herself from Adani-related investigations, critics argue that her position within SEBI during these inquiries undermines the regulator’s impartiality. The has since sought an explanation from Buch regarding these allegations, emphasising the need for greater transparency and accountability in regulatory oversight. The current indictment has further amplified concerns over SEBI’s regulatory framework, with opposition leaders urging the regulatory authority to demonstrate impartiality and rigour. The slow pace of past investigations, combined with allegations of potential conflicts of interest, has cast a shadow over SEBI’s credibility. Whether SEBI can take decisive action in light of these developments remains an open question.Financial services sector yet to reach full potential

Two-thirds of Wild's top line back together with Eriksson Ek’s returnAn Australian political analyst has revealed he is facing death threats after a social media post falsely accused him of murdering Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. The viral post has sparked widespread condemnation and raised concerns over the dangers of misinformation online. Joey Mannarino, whose image was falsely linked to the crime, shared his distress on X (formerly Twitter). The post in question paired his photo with that of the actual suspect, accompanied by the caption: "Possible match for the United Healthcare CEO assassin identified! Do you recognise this person?!" Mannarino expressed alarm over the post's potential consequences, tweeting, "How is this allowed? This can get me killed." His tweet, highlighting the dangers of being misidentified, quickly garnered attention, amassing over 19.4 million views. In response, some users clarified the error, stressing that Mannarino is not a suspect. A note appended to the original post clarified, "Incorrect claim. The picture on the right is Joey Mannarino, who is not a suspect." Despite this clarification, Mannarino shared the real-world fallout of the mistaken identity. He posted a screenshot of a threatening message he received, writing, "Due to this post, I'm receiving death threats like this one below from @smoking539675 in my inbox. This is not normal nor is this something someone should deal with as it puts my family and myself at risk. Someone must be held to account." Mannarino later shared another message, further highlighting the risks he faces. He also commented on the reach of the false claim, stating, "The tweet blaming me for killing the CEO has 13,000,000 views so far. About to write my own version of 'If I Did It...' like OJ did!" Social Media Backlash The incident has drawn widespread reactions from social media users, many expressing their outrage and support for Mannarino. "This is dangerous and depraved," one user wrote. Another added, "He thinks just because his account is satire, he can do whatever he wants. This is in poor taste and could potentially be dangerous for you." A third user commented, "This is how big problems start—false accusations can ruin lives." Others called the situation "unacceptable on every level." UnitedHealthcare CEO's Tragic Death Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot in Manhattan on December 4 in what police have described as a "brazen, targeted attack." The killing occurred during the company's annual investors meeting in New York. Thompson, a prominent figure in the corporate world, was reportedly involved in an insider trading case earlier this year. The 50-year-old Minnesotan's death has prompted an ongoing manhunt for the gunman. The tragic murder has sent shockwaves through the business community, with authorities continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack. This incident underscores the perils of misinformation in the digital age, with Mannarino's ordeal serving as a stark reminder of the real-world consequences of online falsehoods.WATCH: Mitchell Starc exploits Virat Kohli’s weakness to send him packing in 4th Test

Kentucky quarterback Brock Vandagriff is retiring from football with one season of eligibility left, the Lexington-Herald Leader reported Sunday. The publication said the school confirmed Vandagriff's retirement. Vandagriff didn't play in the Wildcats' season finale against Louisville. He passed for 1,593 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 11 games this season. Kentucky has added former Incarnate Word signal-caller Zach Calzada out of the transfer portal since the end of the season. Calzada also was the starting quarterback in 2021 for Texas A&M and the 2025 season will be his seventh as a college player. Vandagriff was a five-star recruit in the 2021 class who initially committed to Oklahoma before flipping and choosing Georgia. However, he didn't get much playing time in three seasons with the Bulldogs with Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck ahead of him. He chose to transfer following the 2023 season. This season, Vandagriff was benched on two occasions and only topped 200 passing yards twice. He had a good chance at a third 200-yard outing on Nov. 2 when he had 123 midway through the third quarter before getting knocked out of the 28-18 loss to then-No. 7 Tennessee due to a concussion. Cutter Boley started the 41-14 loss to Louisville. Another quarterback, Gavin Wimsatt, entered the transfer portal after throwing four interceptions in 39 attempts this season. --Field Level MediaI’ve been having a lot of fun snooping around on Kickstarter these past few weeks, looking for sweet gift ideas or just general cool stuff. The last item we posted about was a pair of , a counter to Ray-Ban’s Meta glasses. This next project I found is also AI-related, but as someone who coached CrossFit on the side, I thought it would interest anyone with a mind for fitness as well as tech. is an AI-powered home gym, featuring real-time feedback on a massive 43-inch 4K display. The big thing I’ve taken away from my time coaching is that everyone moves differently, opening up the possibility for poor movement which can then lead to potential injury. As coaches, preventing that is priority number one. With an AI coach keeping an eye on you in real-time, K1 is designed to provide instant feedback, ensuring you’re moving properly and safely. From what I can gather reading the campaign, users can use the machine for five strength modes, all tailorable to various fitness goals, such as weight loss and muscle building. To get a sense of the user, K1 utilizes a 6-point assessment to ensure people get a challenging, yet safe workout each time. The assessment checks your cardio function, body composition, muscular endurance, flexibility, posture/body alignment, and core stability. The scores are then averaged and you’re left with a single assessment score, which then hones the AI to deliver workouts based on your needs. The system’s advanced tracking technology detects any deviations from optimal form, like insufficient arm extension or an unstable torso. When needed, AEKE K1 provides instant corrective guidance through either voice or visual prompts, so you’re always in safe hands. The above is exactly what a “real” coach, like me, is trained to see during a class. The sell here is, you can get that same feedback from the comfort of your own home, plus won’t need to pay for a monthly gym membership as there are no subscriptions or recurring fees after purchasing this device. I don’t quite yet feel like that, “They took our jobs!” guy from South Park, but we’re certainly getting there. AEKE K1 is at nearly $500K, so the hard part is over. Mass production is shown to have already started with shipping expected in February, 2025. That’s surprisingly soon. Units are currently priced at (46% off expected retail price), but there’s also a holiday bundle priced at $2,328, packed with all of the add-ons you might want. Machines like Tonal always interested me, but they are incredibly pricey (currently on sale for $3K), but then coupled with a subscription ($60/mo). It’s just too much. This looks like a solid alternative and good competition, which has been needed in the home fitness space. Follow the link below to snag one while the price is good.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Walter Payton Award finalist Irv Mulligan had 116 yards rushing, Jackson State took control in the third quarter and the Tigers rolled past Southern 41-13 on Saturday to win the SWAC Championship. Jackson State (11-2) claimed the conference title for the fourth time and will play MEAC champion South Carolina State in the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 14 in Atlanta. Southern (8-5) led 10-3 late in the second quarter before Jackson State ended the half on an Emari Matthews 2-yard touchdown run and followed it up with Mulligan's 1-yard TD run to open the third quarter. Now leading 17-10, the Tigers added Gerardo Baeza's 45-yard field goal and Zy McDonald's 23-yard touchdown run to take a 27-10 lead into the fourth quarter. Jackson State wrapped up the conference title with two touchdowns in the final 6 1/2 minutes. The Jaguars' 28-yard field goal by Joshua Griffin in the fourth quarter marked the end of a six-game streak in which Jackson State had not allowed a point in the final period. Also, Southern was only the third team since Oct. 5 to score in the second half against Jackson State. In addition to Muligan's 116 yards on the ground, McDonald ran for 95 yards and the Tigers totaled 275 yards and four rushing touchdowns. McDonald completed 6 of 11 passes for 75 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Czavian Teasett had 127 yards passing and 56 yards rushing for Southern. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

I’ve been having a lot of fun snooping around on Kickstarter these past few weeks, looking for sweet gift ideas or just general cool stuff. The last item we posted about was a pair of , a counter to Ray-Ban’s Meta glasses. This next project I found is also AI-related, but as someone who coached CrossFit on the side, I thought it would interest anyone with a mind for fitness as well as tech. is an AI-powered home gym, featuring real-time feedback on a massive 43-inch 4K display. The big thing I’ve taken away from my time coaching is that everyone moves differently, opening up the possibility for poor movement which can then lead to potential injury. As coaches, preventing that is priority number one. With an AI coach keeping an eye on you in real-time, K1 is designed to provide instant feedback, ensuring you’re moving properly and safely. From what I can gather reading the campaign, users can use the machine for five strength modes, all tailorable to various fitness goals, such as weight loss and muscle building. To get a sense of the user, K1 utilizes a 6-point assessment to ensure people get a challenging, yet safe workout each time. The assessment checks your cardio function, body composition, muscular endurance, flexibility, posture/body alignment, and core stability. The scores are then averaged and you’re left with a single assessment score, which then hones the AI to deliver workouts based on your needs. The system’s advanced tracking technology detects any deviations from optimal form, like insufficient arm extension or an unstable torso. When needed, AEKE K1 provides instant corrective guidance through either voice or visual prompts, so you’re always in safe hands. The above is exactly what a “real” coach, like me, is trained to see during a class. The sell here is, you can get that same feedback from the comfort of your own home, plus won’t need to pay for a monthly gym membership as there are no subscriptions or recurring fees after purchasing this device. I don’t quite yet feel like that, “They took our jobs!” guy from South Park, but we’re certainly getting there. AEKE K1 is at nearly $500K, so the hard part is over. Mass production is shown to have already started with shipping expected in February, 2025. That’s surprisingly soon. Units are currently priced at (46% off expected retail price), but there’s also a holiday bundle priced at $2,328, packed with all of the add-ons you might want. Machines like Tonal always interested me, but they are incredibly pricey (currently on sale for $3K), but then coupled with a subscription ($60/mo). It’s just too much. This looks like a solid alternative and good competition, which has been needed in the home fitness space. Follow the link below to snag one while the price is good.Palo Alto Networks, Inc. ( NASDAQ:PANW – Get Free Report )’s share price was down 4.2% during trading on Friday . The company traded as low as $380.75 and last traded at $381.08. Approximately 1,419,727 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 63% from the average daily volume of 3,847,320 shares. The stock had previously closed at $397.70. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts recently weighed in on the company. JMP Securities raised their price objective on Palo Alto Networks from $380.00 to $415.00 and gave the company a “market outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on shares of Palo Alto Networks from $400.00 to $450.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 19th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on Palo Alto Networks from $385.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 14th. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on Palo Alto Networks from $390.00 to $425.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Palo Alto Networks from $387.00 to $449.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, November 18th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating, thirty-one have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $402.03. Get Our Latest Analysis on Palo Alto Networks Palo Alto Networks Stock Performance Palo Alto Networks’s stock is set to split before the market opens on Monday, December 16th. The 2-1 split was announced on Wednesday, November 20th. The newly created shares will be payable to shareholders after the closing bell on Friday, December 13th. Palo Alto Networks ( NASDAQ:PANW – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 20th. The network technology company reported $1.56 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.48 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $2.14 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.12 billion. Palo Alto Networks had a net margin of 32.99% and a return on equity of 23.36%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 13.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.63 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Palo Alto Networks, Inc. will post 3.57 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Buying and Selling at Palo Alto Networks In other Palo Alto Networks news, EVP Lee Klarich sold 60,000 shares of Palo Alto Networks stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $344.98, for a total transaction of $20,698,800.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 159,009 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $54,854,924.82. This trade represents a 27.40 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, EVP Nir Zuk sold 36,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.50, for a total transaction of $11,970,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 1,115,567 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $370,926,027.50. This trade represents a 3.13 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders have sold 254,252 shares of company stock worth $89,041,637 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 2.50% of the company’s stock. Institutional Trading of Palo Alto Networks Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. International Assets Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in Palo Alto Networks by 34,318.2% during the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 3,259,063 shares of the network technology company’s stock valued at $1,113,948,000 after acquiring an additional 3,249,594 shares during the period. Jennison Associates LLC lifted its position in Palo Alto Networks by 50.1% in the third quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 3,147,215 shares of the network technology company’s stock valued at $1,075,718,000 after purchasing an additional 1,050,173 shares during the last quarter. Swedbank AB purchased a new stake in shares of Palo Alto Networks during the first quarter valued at approximately $177,933,000. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG bought a new position in shares of Palo Alto Networks in the third quarter worth approximately $174,124,000. Finally, Altshuler Shaham Ltd increased its stake in shares of Palo Alto Networks by 444,100.0% in the second quarter. Altshuler Shaham Ltd now owns 444,000 shares of the network technology company’s stock worth $150,520,000 after buying an additional 444,100 shares during the period. 79.82% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About Palo Alto Networks ( Get Free Report ) Palo Alto Networks, Inc provides cybersecurity solutions worldwide. The company offers firewall appliances and software; and Panorama, a security management solution for the global control of network security platform as a virtual or a physical appliance. It also provides subscription services covering the areas of threat prevention, malware and persistent threat, URL filtering, laptop and mobile device protection, DNS security, Internet of Things security, SaaS security API, and SaaS security inline, as well as threat intelligence, and data loss prevention. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Palo Alto Networks Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Palo Alto Networks and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

The landscape of electric vehicles (EVs) is evolving at a remarkable pace, with 2024 being a banner year for innovation and diversity in the sector. One major standout is the Xpeng G6 , which has left both critics and consumers thoroughly impressed. Starting the year on a high note, the Mercedes EQV made waves with its unparalleled refinement, setting a new standard for electric vans. However, the scene was truly stolen by some unexpected entrants. MG’s BEE GT , a stunning electric restomod designed by Oxfordshire’s Frontline, offers a thrilling driving experience reminiscent of classic cars. It features a real manual five-speed gearbox, satisfying purists with both its nostalgia and innovation. The next jaw-dropper was the Taycan Turbo GT , which demonstrated that the future of performance EVs extends well beyond mere acceleration. Backwoods adventures became a new forte for the Mercedes-Benz G 580e , which showcased superior off-road capabilities compared to traditional 4x4s. But the true surprise of 2024 came from XPeng in the form of the G6 . Launched in Amsterdam, its understated debut belied the exceptional technology inside. Featuring one of the fastest charging systems—capable of reaching 280kW—the G6 offers rapid refills unparalleled in its class. The vehicle promises impressive range and efficiency, making it a formidable competitor to the Tesla Model Y. As attention shifts to 2025, the intrigue builds around the impending release of the Porsche 718 EV , poised to redefine electric sports cars. With these electrifying revelations, the world of EVs continues to astonish and inspire. Electrifying Trends of 2024: The Unseen Innovations in Electric Vehicles The year 2024 is shaping up to be pivotal in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, marked by unexpected innovations and a diverse array of offerings. As manufacturers vie for supremacy, new models not only demonstrate technological advancements but also herald a new age of sustainable driving solutions. Xpeng G6: A Trailblazer in Charging Technology One of the standout entrants is the Xpeng G6 , setting itself apart with its revolutionary charging capabilities. Armed with a 280kW fast charging system, the G6 allows for exceptionally quick recharges, reducing downtime for long-distance drivers. This places the G6 as a serious contender against the Tesla Model Y, especially among consumers prioritizing efficiency and convenience in electric SUVs. Mercedes EQV: Redefining Electric Van Refined Experience Leading the charge in the electric van sector, the Mercedes EQV combines luxurious refinement with practical enhancements. It reaffirms Mercedes’ commitment to sustainability without compromising on the tranquility and comfort synonymous with the brand, providing a seamless transition for customers accustomed to high-end combustion vehicles. MG’s BEE GT: A Harmony of Classic and Contemporary In a remarkable fusion of past and present, MG’s BEE GT captivates enthusiasts with its electric restomod approach. Employing a manual five-speed gearbox, it invokes nostalgia while embracing modern energy efficiency, catering to both classic car lovers and environmentally conscious drivers. Taycan Turbo GT and Mercedes-Benz G 580e: Emerging Versatility of EVs Sporting avenues witnessed a seismic shift with the release of the Taycan Turbo GT , showcasing that performance EVs transcend traditional speed records by delivering an exhilarating and comprehensive driving experience. Meanwhile, the Mercedes-Benz G 580e has broadened the electric landscape by excelling in off-road conditions, challenging the dominance of conventional 4×4 vehicles. Porsche 718 EV Anticipation Builds Looking ahead, the EV market is poised for another breakthrough with the anticipated launch of the Porsche 718 EV . This model is expected to redefine electric sports cars, bringing cutting-edge technology into the realm of high-performance vehicles. These advancements in the EV sector underscore a profound shift towards sustainable and versatile automotive solutions. For more information on the latest EV automotive solutions, visit XPeng Motors or Mercedes-Benz official sites. As we traverse 2024, the horizon promises further innovations, delivering not only eco-friendly options but also pushing the boundaries of what modern EVs can achieve. The industry’s evolution inspires consumers and critics alike, signaling an exciting future for electric mobility and renewal.The holidays are a time of getting together with family -- and fixing their technology. As the duly-appointed nerd in my family, I find it helpful when we're together to make sure iPhone updates like the latest iOS 18.2 are installed on on everyone's devices. Not just for security (though that is a big part), but to set them up with all the new features that have come out over the past several months, such as Apple Intelligence tools such as Genmoji and Image Wand , new text formatting in Messages , changes to the Maps app and more. But where to start? Right here: I've put together my list of eight features and settings you should change right now, including some of the top-tier features and a few that fly under the radar. If you have an iPhone that runs Apple Intelligence , be sure to check out the features you're going to use most . (Or if you have no interest in them, learn how to turn off Apple Intelligence .) For more on what's new in iOS 18 , learn about improvements to the overhauled Calculator app and the Mail app. Don't forget to consult the iOS 18 upgrade checklist , which includes making sure you have a proper backup before upgrading. Change the default buttons on the lock screen In real estate, location is everything, and the bottom corners of the iPhone lock screen are the prime spots, each an easy thumb press away when your device is still locked. Before iOS 18, those posts were held by the flashlight and camera buttons, with no way to change them. In iOS 18, you can finally replace them with other buttons -- or remove them entirely, a balm for folks who unknowingly activate the flashlight (believe me, there's a better way to turn it on ). You can add buttons to recognize music via Shazam, enable Dark Mode, set an alarm/timer, enable Airplane Mode, open your Wallet, send money via Tap to Cash and more. Here's how: 1. On the iPhone's lock screen, touch and hold anywhere on the display until you see the Customize button. You'll need to unlock the phone using Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. If it opens the home screen, swipe down from the center-top of the screen (not the right edge, which brings up Control Center. 2. Tap Customize and then choose Lock Screen . 3. Remove one of the buttons by tapping the – (minus) button on the icon. 4. To replace the button with another function, tap its space (now with a + icon) and then choose the one you want on the next screen. (You can also opt to leave that space empty with no button.) 5. Repeat those steps for the other button if you want to change it. 6. Tap Done when you're finished. 7. Tap the lock screen again to exit the customize mode. Remove a lock screen button by tapping the – (minus) button, and then choose a new control to replace it. Set up some of the new tasks available on the Action button The Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro , iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro replaced the dedicated mute switch found on every earlier iPhone model with a configurable control. By default it serves the same purpose -- hold it to turn Silent Mode on or off -- but you can configure it for other actions like opening the Camera app, performing multiple actions at once or even ordering coffee . In iOS 18, the Action button gets new capabilities. You can bypass Control Center and choose a control of your choice, such as opening the Remote interface for navigating Apple TV or using Shazam to identify a song. To choose a different action for the Action button, go to Settings > Action Button . Swipe sideways to select and activate one of the available actions. For the Controls, Shortcut and Accessibility options, tap the Choose button to pick which specific action to run. iOS 18 now lets you program the Action Button with your favorite Control Center control. Give your home screen a radical new look You wouldn't think that putting icons where you want is a radical new feature, but that's because iOS has always had a locked arrangement. Apps get added from top to bottom, left to right. You could rearrange the order in which icons appear and move them to other screens, but that was about it. In iOS 18, apps can be positioned nearly anywhere. You no longer need to deal with a wallpaper image of your kids or pets being obscured by icons. They still adhere to a grid -- Apple isn't about to sanction anarchy -- but can be placed freely. Also, Dark mode finally applies to all of the iPhone's home screen, with options for coloring icons and affecting the brightness of the wallpaper image. Here's how to customize the looks. Arrange apps: Touch and hold the home screen to enter "jiggle mode," and then drag the icons to new positions. It will still slide them around to fill spaces, but with patience, you can move them into the spots you want. Position app icons where you want so this very good girl isn't covered. You can also quickly turn compatible apps into widgets that display more information. Maps, for instance, can be a map of your current location with shortcut buttons to search for places or bring up a list of nearby places (such as dinner spots). Touch and hold the app icon and look for a row of resize buttons in the menu that appears. Once expanded beyond the standard icon size, you can drag the handle in the bottom-right corner of the new icon. To get it back to its single icon size you need to touch and hold again and choose the single-icon button Some apps can be expanded into larger icons that act like widgets. Set Dark mode: If you've ever subjected yourself to the retina blast of black text on a white background late at night in a darkened room, you will appreciate the new Dark mode option for the home and lock screens. iOS has previously included a Dark mode, where light backgrounds switch to black or dark gray, text switches to white or light gray and other interface elements are dimmed to coexist in a dark environment. That's never been applied to the home and lock screens in any significant way -- only the dock and some widgets -- until iOS 18. First, touch and hold the home screen to enter jiggle mode. Tap the Edit button in the top-left corner and choose Customize from the menu. At the bottom of the screen, choose a mode for the icons and background: Automatic , Dark or Light (I'll get to Tinted in a moment). In Dark mode, the icons gain black backgrounds, and folders and the Dock become dark gray. (Developers have the option of making Dark mode icons for their apps. In the meantime, apps not yet optimized get a generally darker appearance.) In the home screen's Dark mode, icons and the background are given a darker treatment. In Dark mode, the background image also changes. Apple's default iOS 18 wallpaper dynamically changes from light to dark as the day progresses, or you can choose colors that offer both a light and dark option. If you use a photo, its overall exposure is reduced to dim the light output. If you want dark icons but aren't a fan of the dimmed photo treatment, tap the sun icon in the corner of the options sheet at the bottom of the screen to toggle back to Light mode just for the background. Tinted icons: A new and different option is to tint all of the app icons so they share the same color. In the Customize options at the bottom of the screen, choose Tinted as the icon style. You can then adjust the Hue (the slider with the color spectrum) and Luminosity (the slider with the dark to light range) to choose the color tint you prefer. Apply a universal tint to all app icons, with controls for adjusting the hue and luminosity. What if you want to match a color from a background image? Tap the eyedropper button and then drag the reticle to pinpoint the color you want -- the border indicates the selected color. The tint is applied not only to icons but to widgets as well. For a widget such as Photos, the images it displays show up as duotones to match the theme. Large icons: Do the labels below each app icon seem redundant to you? Now you can remove the labels and increase the size of the icons with one setting. Open the Customize options as described above and tap the Large button. Make the home screen icons larger and hide the app labels. After making any of these changes, tap anywhere on the screen to apply them and exit the Customize interface. Change up how the Control Center looks Control Center was once a convenient place to quickly access controls such as playback volume and Airplane mode, but under iOS 18 it's a configurable playground. You can position controls where you want, resize many to reveal more information and add new controls on multiple screens. Swipe down from the top-right corner to reveal the Control Center (or swipe up from the bottom on the iPhone SE). To enter edit mode, touch and hold or press the + button at the top-left corner. Just as with moving apps, drag a control to another slot on the screen to reposition it. Many of the controls also include a bottom-right handle that can resize the control -- in most cases, it reveals the name of the control and its current status (such as Flashlight Off ). Rearrange the controls in Control Center and, for some, expand them to reveal more information (or just make the button a larger target for pressing). Control Center also now spans multiple screens. Swipe up to view controls for media currently playing, Home controls for smart lights and appliances and a page dedicated to the communication options that appear when you long-press the Connectivity block containing Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Cellular and others. Look closely and you'll see that those screens are actually individual controls expanded to occupy the entire Control Center area. You can rearrange the order of those screens by moving their controls. Suppose you want Home controls to be the first swipe instead of Now Playing: In the editing mode, drag the large Home control up to the previous screen (Now Playing will shift to the right to make room). Some controls get their own screens, such as Home. Normally it's on the third screen, but here it's been moved to the second screen. To remove controls, tap the – (minus) button that appears. You can also add other controls: Tap Add a Control and scroll through the available options ranging from starting a Screen Recording to a host of accessibility options. Read more : Best iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases Lock or hide any of your sensitive apps Our phones carry some of our most sensitive data, and yet it's not uncommon to hand a phone to a friend to view photos or look up something online. That doesn't mean they're going to snoop, but it doesn't not mean they might be more curious than you're comfortable with. For data you want to ensure stays out of sight or to add a layer of protection in front of sensitive information, iOS 18 adds the ability to lock and hide apps. For example, let's say you keep an ongoing set of lists of gift ideas for family members in the Notes app. You can lock individual notes, but that requires a separate step. Maybe a few ideas were made as individual quick notes or drawings. Instead of micromanaging access, you can lock the entire Notes app by doing the following: Touch and hold the app icon you want to lock and choose Require Face ID or Require Touch ID (or Require Passcode if Face ID or Touch ID are not enabled) from the menu that appears. Confirm your choice by tapping Require Face ID (or similar) in the next dialog. Lock individual apps. To remove the authentication step, touch and hold the app and choose Don't Require Face ID (or similar). Nothing outwardly indicates that an app is locked -- you'll find out when you try to open it. There's one more level of app security available, which is to hide apps in a special locked folder. Touch and hold the app and choose Require Face ID and then tap Hide and Require Face ID in the dialog. Confirm the action by tapping Hide App on the next screen. The app disappears from the home screen and gets slotted into a Hidden folder at the bottom of the App Library (swipe left beyond your last home screen to view the App Library). To access apps there, tap the Hidden folder and authenticate with Face ID. When you choose Hide and Require Face ID to protect an app, it gets put into the Hidden folder in App Library (top). Tap the folder and authenticate to access the app (bottom). iOS 18 imposes some limitations on hidden apps. Some, such as many of the built-in ones like Notes or Reminders, can only be locked and cannot be hidden at all. Also, the Hidden folder locks itself when you launch an app or swipe away from the App Library. Turn off Loop Videos in the Photos app Many apps have implemented a small but annoying (to me) feature, and now Photos under iOS 18.2 has it too: Videos automatically replay when you watch them until you tap the Pause button. That can be fun once or twice, or when viewing short clips. I'm not a fan of having to take action to make them stop each time. Now I can take action once. Go to Settings > Photos , scroll down until you see Loop Videos and turn the option off. A video will play on its own but then stop at the end as it should. Turn off Loop Videos to stop every video from replaying automatically. If you'd rather the video didn't play at all until you tap the Play button, also turn off Auto-Play Motion in the same Settings screen. Adjust the view of your calendar Big new features like locking and hiding apps are great additions but so are the tiny changes that you encounter every day. The Calendar app includes two new ways to view your schedule. In iOS 18, when you're in the Month view in portrait orientation, pinch with two fingers to view more or fewer details. As you "zoom in," individual events appear as colored bars and then as labeled events with times, all while keeping the monthly grid of days and weeks. In the Calendar app's Month view, pinch to zoom in and see more details. The Day view, which breaks down your day hour by hour, now has a new Multi Day view that shows two consecutive days to give you context for what's coming without turning the phone into landscape orientation and viewing the Week view. Tap the View button at the top of the Single Day view and choose Multi Day from the popup menu. The new Multi Day view in the Calendar shows two days at once (right). Improve movie and TV show dialogue in the TV app Trouble hearing dialogue in movies and television shows isn't a new problem -- for example, the Apple TV has had a feature for a while where you can ask Siri, "What did she say?" and it will automatically back up a few seconds, turn on subtitles and replay that section of the video. You can even buy soundbars that can overcome muffled TV speech . There are a lot of reasons it's harder to hear dialogue, but the TV app in iOS 18 includes a high-tech workaround to make dialog easier to discern. While you're watching a video in the TV app, tap the More ( ... ) button and then expand the Audio heading in the menu that appears; if the phone is in horizontal orientation, tap the Audio Adjustments button. Tap Enhance Dialogue and choose Enhance or Boost . They each dampen background noise and raise the dialogue's audio. Turn on Enhance Dialogue in the TV app to discern characters' speech better in noisy scenes. These are just a few new features and changes in iOS 18. Check out our broader coverage of Apple Intelligence , more impressions of the system after using it for months and how these all work together with the iPhone 16 models .

Universal Technical Institute ( NYSE:UTI – Free Report ) had its price target increased by Truist Financial from $22.00 to $26.00 in a report released on Thursday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a buy rating on the stock. A number of other research analysts have also recently weighed in on UTI. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Universal Technical Institute from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Rosenblatt Securities reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $22.00 price target on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Wednesday, September 11th. Lake Street Capital raised their price objective on shares of Universal Technical Institute from $19.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Barrington Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $22.00 target price on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research note on Friday, November 15th. Finally, B. Riley boosted their price objective on Universal Technical Institute from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $24.00. View Our Latest Report on Universal Technical Institute Universal Technical Institute Price Performance Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal Technical Institute A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Universal Technical Institute in the second quarter worth about $675,000. First Eagle Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 37.2% in the 2nd quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 518,888 shares of the company’s stock worth $8,162,000 after purchasing an additional 140,600 shares during the period. Great Lakes Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Universal Technical Institute during the second quarter valued at approximately $3,103,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in Universal Technical Institute by 1,526.0% during the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 4,065 shares of the company’s stock valued at $66,000 after buying an additional 3,815 shares during the period. Finally, Pier Capital LLC raised its stake in Universal Technical Institute by 15.7% in the second quarter. Pier Capital LLC now owns 351,809 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,534,000 after buying an additional 47,819 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.67% of the company’s stock. Universal Technical Institute Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Universal Technical Institute, Inc provides transportation, skilled trades, and healthcare education programs in the United States. The company operates in two segments, UTI and Concorde. It offers certificate, diploma, or degree programs under various brands, such as Universal Technical Institute, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Marine Mechanics Institute, NASCAR Technical Institute, and MIAT College of Technology. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Universal Technical Institute Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Universal Technical Institute and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

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GSA Capital Partners LLP Takes Position in Bloom Energy Co. (NYSE:BE)Even if you were lucky enough to get a new console or games this Christmas, you've probably got your eye on some upcoming releases. And 2025 is shaping up to be a big one. Most agree that 2024 was a painful year for the games industry, with tens of thousands of layoffs and worldwide studio closures. There's a hope that things will bounce back - at least in part - next year. And two huge releases in particular are likely to cut through in a big way. A cultural moment, a day millions of gamers have been awaiting for a very, very long time. The release of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6). It's due to land in autumn, 12 years after prequel GTA 5 arrived on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, breaking launch records . The sequel already broke records with its first trailer, which racked up an astonishing 90 million views in 24 hours when it debuted last December. And that probably won't be the last record that will be broken. "The anticipation for this is impossible to measure," says James Batchelor, editor-in-chief of GamesIndustry.biz . "It's undoubtedly going to be one of, if not the biggest, game launches of all time." Developer Rockstar hasn't revealed a huge amount about the new game beyond its dual protagonists and scenes from its fictional, Florida-inspired setting Leonida. The big question on most fans' minds is whether the release date will slip, as has happened for previous big releases from Rockstar. James says he's seen nothing to suggest that it will - yet - but if things stay quiet it's time to start worrying. "If we still have seen absolutely nothing by summer, and certainly if we've seen nothing of it by, say, end of August, then yeah, that's going to 2026," he says. The release of GTA 6 is expected to have an impact on the wider games industry. "I think it will probably be one of those moments where the rising tide is going to lift all of the boats," says George Osborn, consultant and author of the Video Games Industry Memo newsletter . He says a big hit - especially one with the cultural resonance of GTA - can get more people "in the mood to buy video games" and publishers want to capitalise on that. There are other big releases planned for this year - Assassin's Creed Shadows from French publisher Ubisoft, Ghost of Yōtei from Sony and strategy game Civilization VII, to name just three. "The challenge for the developers is how do you keep yourself out of the Grand Theft Auto window?," says George. Avoiding the juggernaut of GTA 6 will likely mean other publishers launch their new games early in the year or even hold them back to early 2026. One more thing we do know is that the game will release first on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, with a PC release to follow later. Many gamers are still sticking with their previous-generation machines, and Sony and Microsoft will be hoping GTA 6 will finally inspire them to upgrade. "If anything is going to convince people to jump to a new console if they haven't already it's going to be GTA 6," says James, who estimates that PlayStation 4 users still count for 50% of Sony's active players. But if we're talking hardware upgrades, there could be some competition. Here's what we know, officially, about Nintendo's next console. It exists. Your current Switch games will work on it. And that's it. There's no official name yet, but fans have been calling it the Nintendo Switch 2. Despite unconfirmed leaks and rumours the machine's capabilities remain a mystery and the company's promised some sort of official announcement by the end of March. There's a feeling, though, that Nintendo won't want to change the winning formula of the original Switch, which has sold 146 million units since its 2017 launch. "The sensible money is on just a bigger, better Switch," says James. Expect it to look similar with more processing power under the bonnet. "That might sound reductive," he adds. "But given the level of success this has had they would be daft to not just build on the foundation they've made here." James argues that confirmation of backwards compatibility - being able to play games originally made for the first Switch - strongly suggests the new machine won't be a million miles away from its younger sibling. He says there is a danger that, as has happened with previous Nintendo consoles, customers might not understand that the new machine is different to what they've already got at home. But James isn't sure it will experience the same fate. "That was a long time ago," he says. "I think they've learned a lot of lessons since then." Some of 2024's biggest success stories came from small, independent developers. The most notable was Balatro - an addictive, poker-inspired card game that ended the year in the running for high-profile game of the year awards. Journalist Rachel Watts, who hosts the Indieventure podcast , feels that has helped to set the stage for more breakout success this year. "There's been so many great indies this year," she says. "On the triple-A side a lot of critics and players have said 'it's such a quiet year, there's not many big releases', but for indie games, there's always so many cool things to play." A success like Balatro is incredibly rare, and one of the big issues for indie developers in 2024 has been discoverability - getting players to actually find your game . Rachel says the number of releases on Steam - the online store where most PC games are bought - is "frankly bonkers" and getting noticed is "one of the most difficult things". "I just don't see that becoming any easier," she says. Rachel says indie developers are also struggling to find investment and the financial outlook is "pretty bleak" going into 2025. But she does think that more gamers are starting to recognise the creativity that exists in the sector - and more breakout hits will follow. "The indie space is a place where I retreat to just play games that get me excited about gaming again," says Rachel. "If Balatro can knock elbows with some of the biggest titles of the year, then I'm hoping other other indies will." There's another big moment to watch in 2025: the first Olympic Esports Games will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. "I think it's an important moment because the Olympic movement has traditionally not been too keen on esports," says George. After years of campaigning the International Olympics Committee agreed a 12-year deal with Saudi Arabia to host the gaming version. The first esports World Cup took place in the kingdom this summer, and George says the event "didn't really cut through" to a wider audience. "It'll be interesting to see whether or not the eSports Olympics with the official IOC branding and the official Olympic movement branding behind it has a different impact," says George. Some fans, players and commentators boycotted the World Cup in protest over Saudi Arabia's human rights records. George says the esports Olympics will revive conversations about sportswashing - the idea that Saudi Arabia uses its vast wealth to invest in sports and entertainment to improve its international reputation - something it's denied. "You have this really interesting thing," says George. "Your big esports moment - esports becomes an Olympic sport. "That's really interesting. But the only way it's basically been able to happen is because Saudi Arabia's bankrolled it. "So, you know, what do people feel about that?" Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .What did you eat yesterday? SgSL evolved organically within the Deaf community and is “ a unique reflection of Singapore’s national heritage and multilingual culture ”, says Lye. SgSL has roots in Shanghainese Sign Language (SSL), which was taught in Singapore’s first school for the deaf, the Singapore Chinese Sign School for the Deaf in the 1950s, alongside written Chinese, which was the other language of instruction of the school. Peng Tsu Ying, one of the school’s founders, taught the techniques and the sign language he had learnt while growing up in Shanghai. In the 1970s, Lim Chin Heng, a former student of Peng’s who studied in America, brought back American Sign Language (ASL) to the local Deaf community, as well as Signing Exact English, which is not a language in itself, but a manual code that represents English grammar visually. With the help of four Deaf Singaporeans – Andrew Tay, Shariffah Faaiqah, Amirul Afiq and Lisa Loh – we’ll discover how these varied influences have shaped their language and how some of these signs have changed over time. Here’s one example of how signs have evolved. These are the two different signs for “10 dollars” – one is an older variant, the other is a newer one. According to Andrew, older signers who are Chinese-educated would use this variation. The sign originates from SSL. It comprises two parts: the sign for the word “red” , and a visual representation of the Chinese character for 10 (十) . Faaiqah, who is younger , uses a different sign most likely influenced by ASL. She does it by signing “money” first, followed by the sign for “10” . Some local signs have also changed over the years. Here’s an example. These are the two signs for “Singapore” . Lisa says that people of the older generation who are Chinese-educated use this sign, which has its roots in SSL. The sign involves tapping the tip of the thumb against the tip of the index finger. It is meant to symbolise the stars on the Singapore flag . Afiq, however, uses this newer variation , which is now widely used in Singapore. It is based on the sign for “island” , but using the closed-fist hand shape for the letter “S”, for Singapore, instead of the “I” for “island”. These are called initialised signs and are influenced by ASL. A big part of what makes SgSL unique is its use of local signs and colloquial expressions . This was how Andrew noticed that Deaf Singaporeans were using their own unique variety of sign language in the 2000s. He eventually named it “Singapore Sign Language”. I thought it was essential to coin the name for our sign language, SgSL. Prior to that, there wasn’t a name for it. Other countries had a name for their own sign languages, as with ASL and British Sign Language, but we had nothing like that. I felt it was essential to coin a name for our own sign language. Just as Deaf Singaporeans use the local sign for “Singapore”, many other local signs are widely used across the community. These include signs for local food and landmarks, as well as Singlish signs , says Phoebe Tay, adding that these reflect the Singaporean Deaf identity. Rainbow kueh lapis The sign consists of two parts – first, the sign for “colourful”, and second, the action of peeling the layers that the snack is well known for. Jewel Changi Airport This is made up of the sign for the letter “J” for Jewel, and a gesture meant to symbolise the iconic indoor waterfall in the middle of the mall. Teh tarik The sign is reminiscent of how this local drink is made – by pouring the drink back and forth between containers. Alamak This sign expresses shock or dismay, mirroring the meaning of the Singlish word. Kaypoh The sign combines the letters “K” and “P” in the Singlish word “kaypoh”. Both letters have the same hand shape but in a different orientation, and the change from one to another creates the sign. SgSL is deeply intertwined with the identity of Deaf Singaporeans . After giving SgSL its name, Andrew felt that there was a shift in how he perceived his identity as a Deaf Singaporean. Before SgSL was more formally established, I felt lost, and uncertain of who I was. With SgSL, I am confident in knowing what makes me who I am. And there’s that link between my Deaf identity and the Deaf culture I’m a part of. In a speaking-dominated world, it’s unclear what exactly that culture is. When SgSL was established, I felt pride in knowing what represents our Deaf identity, and I felt confident in knowing what makes Deaf culture. Lye explains that SgSL embodies the identity of the Deaf community here. “It allows Deaf individuals to express themselves fully in a language that resonates with their personal experiences and the societal and even emotional context they live in,” he adds. Similarly, Lisa, Faaiqah and Afiq view SgSL as unique to Deaf Singaporeans precisely because it reflects their shared identity and the community’s way of communicating within it. What makes SgSL unique really are the different variants that encompass it. SgSL is influenced by Pidgin Signed English, ASL and SSL, becoming a unique language that we understand. Besides these, what makes SgSL unique is the incorporation of locally developed signs. With SgSL, communication is easy. It’s unique to Singapore, and something that is ours. SgSL creates more opportunities for the Deaf community as it allows complete access to information. SgSL also builds a sense of identity as a cultural component unique to our own Deaf community. That is the significance of SgSL. SgSL represents the language, identity and culture of the Singaporean Deaf community. How do we ensure the future of SgSL? Proliferation and preservation. SgSL is gaining interest outside the Deaf community. Andrew, who works as a private-hire driver, occasionally picks up passengers who sign to him in SgSL. The majority of such passengers have taken lessons from SADeaf. Lye says SADeaf has seen an increase in sign-ups for its SgSL classes over the past three years. He adds that people sign up for a variety of reasons, such as exploring a new language and culture, or to better communicate with a friend or family member who is deaf. There are ongoing efforts to document and preserve the language for future generations – one of them is the SgSL Sign Bank , created through a partnership between SADeaf and Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Lye says the sign bank provides “a comprehensive record of signs used within the Deaf community”. As at September 2024, there are 749 documented signs, and SADeaf will continue to work with the Deaf community to document more. A free e-book on SgSL is another collaboration between SADeaf and NTU to document signs, and also to encourage readers to learn more about SgSL users and their unique experiences. And in Andrew’s case, SgSL is more than just a language he uses – it gave him a community that he could finally call his own. In the past, no one in my family signed. Everyone would be speaking, having conversations, and I would be left in the dark. There wasn’t communication, and I couldn’t be kept in the loop of what was happening. It was that sense of: “Who am I actually?” My family members used speech to communicate, but I was unlike them. I was clueless about what was happening within my family and in my environment, growing up. With SgSL, we have communication. A door opens for us, and we are able to find out more about the world, and what’s really out there.