Shailene Woodley still cries over ‘toxic’ Aaron Rodgers relationshipAlec Baldwin goes off on ‘uninformed’ Americans, female directors and wife’s ‘trauma’

3 Dividend Stocks With Yields Between 4.5% and 7% to Power Your Passive Income Stream in 2025The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Jao Ituka led Jacksonville State over East Carolina on Thursday night with 18 points off of the bench in an 86-78 victory. Ituka shot 5 for 10 (2 for 6 from 3-point range) and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line for the Gamecocks (4-1). Jaron Pierre Jr. added 16 points while shooting 4 of 10 from the field and 7 for 11 from the line while he also had six rebounds and six assists. Michael Houge had 15 points and shot 6 of 11 from the field and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line. RJ Felton led the Pirates (4-1) in scoring, finishing with 20 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. C.J. Walker added 20 points and seven rebounds for East Carolina. Yann Farell also had 12 points. Ituka scored 10 points in the first half and Jacksonville State went into halftime trailing 39-37. Jacksonville State used a 13-2 second-half run to take the lead at 71-66 with 3:52 remaining. Houge scored 12 second-half points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is set to marry his fiancée Lauren Sanchez in a lavish Aspen, Colorado wedding, which, according to Daily Mail, is likely to cost the American billionaire a whopping $600 million (equivalent to Rs 5096 crore). Since May 2023, the two have been dating. The Daily Mail exclusively reported that Bezos and Sanchez have booked a luxurious sushi restaurant called Matsuhisa in Aspen from December 26 to 27. According to reports, their wedding would be a spectacular party with a Winterland theme. According to the New York Post, the American billionaire is expected to wed Lauren Sanchez in a lavish $600 million wedding in Aspen, Colorado, on Saturday. Five-star hotels in Aspen have also been booked to house the guests who will be attending the wedding and private mansions have been secured for high-profile guests. The Amazon founder and CEO's lavish winter wonderland-themed wedding ceremony will be attended by a limited but star-studded guest list. Sources close to the couple reveal that the guest list will be an elite gathering of around 180 people, including many Hollywood celebrities and high-profile figures. According to Page Six, a number of celebrities and stars, including Queen Rania of Jordan, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Bill Gates, are expected to attend the extravagant wedding. According to reports, the party planners who will be in charge of planning the lavish celebration have agreed to keep the wedding gala's specifics confidential. Aspen planner Sarah Rose Attman told Express US that planners are likely to "cherry-pick" their favourite items from across the globe and bring them to Aspen for Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding. Whether it's a Parisian dessert, a New York hairdresser, or their favourite band, the crew will make sure the couple's favourite things are in the city. Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos' to-be-wife is an American media personality who gained popularity as an entertainment journalist. She has served as an anchor on Fox 11 News at Ten and a guest host on The View. In addition to being the vice-chairperson of the Bezos Earth Fund and the owner of Black Ops Aviation, the first female-owned aerial video and production firm, Lauren Sanchez was included in People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful" issue in 2010. The pair have remained silent on their wedding plans. They have not publicly confirmed their wedding date yet either.Locally, Leading Tech Solution Bridging Online and Offline Retail, Announces First Omni-Seller Marketplace In Partnership with Trek Bicycle

Labor backbencher Josh Burns says Opposition Leader Peter Dutton intervened to stop Liberal senator James Paterson from reading his statement in response to the Melbourne synagogue firebombing, after the Jewish MP lost his voice. Burns is the member from Macnamara, the electorate that contains the Adass Israel Synagogue targeted by a firebombing on Friday, and held a joint press conference that morning with Paterson as a show of unity. Josh Burns (centre right) claims James Paterson (speaking) agreed to read out his words before Peter Dutton intervened. Credit: Arsineh Houspian Burns said on Radio National on Tuesday that Paterson had agreed to read out a statement on his behalf expressing devastation at the attack and condemning antisemitism. “Unfortunately, right before we got on ... Peter Dutton told James that he wasn’t allowed to read out my words,” Burns said. “I wanted to stand out with James and present a united front on this. And Peter Dutton decided that it was more important to play partisan games than to allow my words that I physically couldn’t speak to be read out.” Burns’ statement was instead read by the president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Daniel Aghion. “The attack was a disgrace and extremely dangerous,” Burns said via Aghion. “The rise in anti-Semitism in Australia is shocking and it needs to stop. I’m standing here with James because we need to confront this together. I hope those injured make a full recovery and may those who committed the crime feel the full force of the law.” Paterson, the opposition’s home affairs spokesman, issued a brief written statement in response. “I feel very sorry that Josh Burns and his community have been abandoned by the Labor Party in the wake of this terrorist attack,” Paterson said. “But it is not the role of a Liberal frontbencher to act as a spokesman for a Labor MP. One of the many senior Albanese government ministers from Victoria should have been there to speak if Josh was not able to.” On Monday, Dutton personally attacked Burns, accusing him of losing his voice “long before Friday” and accused him of failing to stand up to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his response to antisemitism. Later that day, Dutton declared on Sky that he would not hold press conferences in front of Indigenous flags if elected prime minister, arguing the practice was divisive. “This is a guy who loves to divide,” Burns said. “I think that our country is better for having a rich history for recognising the history of the First Nations people, certainly the Jewish community and the Jewish community leaders have always stood proudly with First Nations people.” More to come. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter .India's dream of becoming a global research and development (R&D) hub is facing a funding crisis. As per the Reserve Bank of India's 'State Finances: A Study of Budgets' report, the total funding for R&D in state budgets was a paltry 0.1% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) between FY23 and FY25. Share Market View All Nifty Gainers View All Company Value Change %Change The report looked at the R&D budget of 10 Indian states and Union Territories to conclude that their total expenditure was even lower than the national average of 0.64%. Among the 10 states, Rajasthan’s R&D allocation stood at 0.42% of the GSDP in the FY25 Budget. Kerala was in second place, with its R&D expenditure at 0.28% of the state’s GDP. Moreover, Karnataka (0.07%) and Tamil Nadu (0.01%), which are among the top 5 wealthiest states, saw less than 0.1% of their GSDP allocated to R&D. State-level funding was mainly routed to medical, health, family welfare, sanitation and agricultural research. However, there were spatial variations in R&D expenditure across the states & Union Territories. While health and education-related spending increased between FY21 and FY25, expenditure on agriculture-related research declined in the same period. While the RBI report does not include all states, it highlights the sorry state of R&D funding at the state level. Also read: Budget 2025: CII seeks priority sector lending reforms, outcome-based credit “The idea of supporting research is largely missing at the state level in the absence of any mandate. State governments have never really prioritised research,” said Prof V Ramagopal Rao, Group Vice Chancellor, BITS-Pilani. He added that it is a big ask to expect state governments to fund R&D when many cannot manage state universities. Even India’s R&D spending amounting to 0.64% of the total GDP pales in comparison to the global average of 2.6%. On the other hand, the United States and China spend about 3.5% and 2.4% of their GDPs, respectively, on R&D. The lack of support at the state level has forced the Centre to do a lot of heavy lifting with respect to R&D funding. According to ‘Research and Development Statistics At A Glance 2022-23’, the Centre is responsible for over 43% of the total R&D funding in the country. State governments constitute less than 7% of the funding mix. Nevertheless, things have been improving but at a less-than-ideal pace. As per the Department of Science & Technology’s estimates, India’s Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) more than doubled from ₹ 60,196.75 crore in 2010-11 to ₹ 1.27 lakh crore in 2020-21. On a per capita basis, it increased from $29.2 in 2007-08 to $42 in 2020–21. According to Prof Rao, who won the coveted Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize in 2004, the ‘Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research’ (PAIR) scheme is an example of the Centre’s oversized involvement in R&D funding. The scheme links top-tier institutions with those having limited research capacities. “The Centre wants to use this hub-and-spoke model to encourage R&D at the state level after realising that state governments are not doing much,” he said. Prof Rao argued that state governments will start taking R&D funding seriously if NITI Aayog comes up with a ranking system. He added that co-funded initiatives involving both the Centre and the states could help the latter improve their share in R&D funding. Also read: Nirmala Sitharman’s pre-budget meeting: What states want from the FM

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Primo Spears' 31 points led UTSA over Houston Christian 78-71 on Saturday night. Spears had five assists for the Roadrunners (3-3). Raekwon Horton added 19 points while shooting 6 of 7 from the field and 7 for 7 from the line while he also had nine rebounds. Damari Monsanto finished 3 of 8 from 3-point range to finish with 11 points. Julian Mackey finished with 20 points for the Huskies (2-6). Bryson Dawkins added 16 points and two blocks for Houston Christian. Demari Williams also had 11 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

All Three Patients Treated in First Dose Cohort Administered Fludarabine-free Conditioning and Show Rapid, Deep, and Sustained B-cell Depletion with Favorable Safety Profile First Patient to Reach 6-Month Follow-up Remains in DORIS Clinical Remission and Free of All Immunosuppressive Therapies Company Plans to Initiate Dose Expansion at First Dose Level of 360M Cells SAN DIEGO, Dec. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fate Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FATE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing a first-in-class pipeline of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cellular immunotherapies to patients with cancer and autoimmune disorders, today presented new clinical and translational data from the Company’s FT819 Phase 1 Autoimmunity study for moderate-to-severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting being held in San Diego, CA. The first three study patients, each of whom presented with active lupus nephritis (LN) despite having been treated with multiple standard-of-care therapies, received fludarabine-free conditioning followed by a single dose of FT819 at 360 million cells. There were no dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), no events of any grade of cytokine release syndrome (CRS), immune effector-cell associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), or graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), and rapid, deep, and sustained elimination of CD19+ B cells in the periphery was observed during the first month of treatment. FT819 is the Company’s off-the-shelf, CD19-targeted, 1XX CAR T-cell product candidate comprised of CD8αβ+ T cells with a memory phenotype and high CXCR4 expression to promote tissue trafficking. “We continue to be very pleased with early clinical observations of fludarabine-free conditioning and FT819 off-the-shelf, CAR T-cell therapy in patients with moderate-to-severe SLE. The remarkable experience of the first patient treated in April is ongoing, as the patient remains on-study in drug-free clinical remission. In addition, the initial clinical and translational data from the two additional patients treated at the first dose level continue to support the potential for disease transformation,” said Bob Valamehr, President of Research and Development of Fate Therapeutics. “We are now initiating dose expansion at this first dose level to accelerate development, and are also escalating dose based on the favorable safety profile observed. In addition, I am pleased to announce that the first patient has now been treated with FT819 as an add-on to maintenance therapy without conditioning chemotherapy. We believe our therapeutic approach is highly-differentiated and has the potential to transform disease outcomes without requiring patient apheresis, discontinuation of maintenance therapy, intense conditioning chemotherapy, and extended hospitalization.” FT819 Phase 1 Autoimmunity Study The ongoing multi-center, Phase 1 clinical trial for patients with moderate-to-severe SLE is designed to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics, and anti-B cell activity of FT819 (NCT06308978). The first three patients, all of whom presented with active LN despite having been treated with multiple standard-of-care therapies, received fludarabine-free conditioning consisting of either cyclophosphamide alone or bendamustine alone, followed by a single dose of FT819 at 360 million cells. In all three patients, FT819 was detected in the peripheral blood and rapid, deep, and sustained elimination of CD19+ B cells in the periphery was observed during the first month of treatment. All three patients remain on-study, and there have been no DLTs and no events of any grade of CRS, ICANS, or GvHD. Based on these clinical observations, the Company is initiating dose expansion in up to 10 patients at this first dose level, and is also escalating dose to 720 million cells. The Company’s FT819 Phase 1 Autoimmunity study also includes a second treatment arm to assess the safety, pharmacokinetics, and anti-B cell activity of a single dose of FT819 as an add-on to maintenance therapy without conditioning chemotherapy in patients with SLE. The first patient has now been treated in this second arm, which is being conducted in parallel with the study’s conditioning arm. FT819 Patient 1 Case Study The first patient treated in the Phase 1 Autoimmunity study presented with active LN and severe disease, which was marked by renal BILAG A (British Isles Lupus Assessment Group) disease activity score based on biopsy, SLEDAI-2K (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index) score of 20, FACIT-Fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue) score of 33 (range 0-52, where a score of 52 indicates no fatigue) and PGA (Physician Global Assessment) score of 2.5 (where a score of 3 indicates most severe activity). Following administration of fludarabine-free conditioning and treatment with a single dose of FT819 at 360 million cells, the patient was discharged from the hospital without notable adverse events (AEs) after a protocol-required three-day stay. Rapid elimination of CD19+ B cells in the periphery was observed following treatment, and B-cell recovery by Month 3 was predominantly comprised of naïve, non-class switched B cells with near-complete elimination of switched memory B cells and deep depletion of plasmablasts, indicative of an immune reset. The patient reported that her debilitating fatigue had entirely resolved without further treatment, and treatment with methylprednisolone was discontinued at Month 3. The patient achieved DORIS (definition of remission in SLE) clinical remission, including with resolution of arthritis and active urinary sediment and with a substantial reduction in proteinuria, as of Month 6 follow-up. The patient continues on-study, in DORIS clinical remission, and remains free of all immunosuppressive therapy. iPSC-derived CAR T-cell Product Platform The Company also highlighted the scientific progress of its proprietary iPSC-derived CAR T-cell product platform at the ASH Annual Meeting. In an oral presentation entitled “ Off-the-shelf Product Candidate Incorporates Novel Sword & Shield Technology Designed to Promote Functional Persistence without Conditioning Chemotherapy ”, the Company compared its novel Sword & Shield technology, which utilizes a 4-1BB-targeted CAR (ADR) alongside the complete knock-out of CD58 (CD58KO) to both target and evade host alloreactive immune cells, to other host immune evasion strategies. In preclinical studies of allogeneic models, the Company showed that its Sword and Shield Technology specifically engaged with alloreactive T cells and supported functional persistence while avoiding the killing of general host T cells and activated anti-tumor T cells. This unique observation was not seen with other approaches that are either too broad and undesirably eliminate most of the host immune system or have limited coverage and cannot adequately protect the allogeneic cell product. In a second presentation entitled “ Development of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived T Cells Exhibiting Phenotypic and Functional Attributes of Primary CAR T Cells ”, the Company conducted a series of high-resolution analyses to show stimulated iPSC-derived T cells elicit primary T-cell like activation, proliferation, transcriptional and functional program engagement, and iPSC-derived CAR T cells uniquely emulate antigen-mediated response similar to primary-derived autologous CAR T cells. About Fate Therapeutics’ iPSC Product Platform Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) possess the unique dual properties of unlimited self-renewal and differentiation potential into all cell types of the body. The Company’s proprietary iPSC product platform combines multiplexed-engineering of human iPSCs with single-cell selection to create clonal master iPSC lines. Analogous to master cell lines used to mass produce biopharmaceutical drug products such as monoclonal antibodies, the Company utilizes its clonal master iPSC lines as a starting cell source to manufacture engineered cell products which are well-defined and uniform in composition, can be stored in inventory for off-the-shelf availability, can be combined and administered with other therapies, and can potentially reach a broad patient population. As a result, the Company’s platform is uniquely designed to overcome numerous limitations associated with the manufacture of cell therapies using patient- or donor-sourced cells. Fate Therapeutics’ iPSC product platform is supported by an intellectual property portfolio of over 500 issued patents and 500 pending patent applications. About Fate Therapeutics, Inc. Fate Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing a first-in-class pipeline of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cellular immunotherapies to patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases. Using its proprietary iPSC product platform, the Company has established a leadership position in creating multiplexed-engineered master iPSC lines and in the manufacture and clinical development of off-the-shelf, iPSC-derived cell products. The Company’s pipeline includes iPSC-derived natural killer (NK) cell and T-cell product candidates, which are selectively designed, incorporate novel synthetic controls of cell function, and are intended to deliver multiple therapeutic mechanisms to patients. Fate Therapeutics is headquartered in San Diego, CA. For more information, please visit www.fatetherapeutics.com . Forward-Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including statements regarding the safety and therapeutic potential of the Company’s iPSC-derived CAR T-cell product candidates, including FT819, the advancement of and plans related to the Company's product candidates, clinical studies and preclinical research and development programs, the Company’s progress, plans and timelines for the clinical investigation of its product candidates, including the expected clinical development plans for FT819, the initiation and continuation of enrollment in the Company’s clinical trials, the initiation of additional clinical trials and additional dose cohorts in ongoing clinical trials of the Company’s product candidates, the timing and availability of data from the Company’s clinical trials, the therapeutic and market potential of the Company’s research and development programs and product candidates, the Company’s clinical and product development strategy, and the Company’s expectations regarding progress, plans, and timelines. These and any other forward-looking statements in this release are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk that the Company’s research and development programs and product candidates, including those product candidates in clinical investigation, may not demonstrate the requisite safety, efficacy, or other attributes to warrant further development or to achieve regulatory approval, the risk that results observed in prior studies of the Company’s product candidates, including preclinical studies and clinical trials, will not be observed in ongoing or future studies involving these product candidates, the risk of a delay or difficulties in the initiation and conduct of, or enrollment of patients in, any clinical trials, the risk that the Company may cease or delay preclinical or clinical development of any of its product candidates for a variety of reasons (including requirements that may be imposed by regulatory authorities on the initiation or conduct of clinical trials, changes in the therapeutic, regulatory, or competitive landscape for which the Company’s product candidates are being developed, the amount and type of data to be generated or otherwise to support regulatory approval, difficulties or delays in patient enrollment and continuation in the Company’s ongoing and planned clinical trials, difficulties or delays in manufacturing or supplying the Company’s product candidates for clinical testing, failure to demonstrate that a product candidate has the requisite safety, efficacy, or other attributes to warrant further development, and any adverse events or other negative results that may be observed during preclinical or clinical development), and the risk that its product candidates may not produce therapeutic benefits or may cause other unanticipated adverse effects. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause the Company’s actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the risks and uncertainties detailed in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the Company’s most recently filed periodic report, and from time to time in the Company’s press releases and other investor communications. Fate Therapeutics is providing the information in this release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact: Christina Tartaglia Precision AQ 212.362.1200 christina.tartaglia@precisionaq.comThe dividend yield of the S&P 500 has decreased in recent years due to the dominance of growth stocks in the index and stock prices outpacing dividend growth rates. With the index now yielding just 1.3%, investors looking for stocks to boost their passive income stream may want to consider higher-yielding options. Chevron ( CVX 1.20% ) , United Parcel Service ( UPS 2.47% ) , and the chemical specialist Dow ( DOW 2.15% ) yield 4.5%, 5.3%, and 7%, respectively, at the time of this writing. All three companies have sold off in recent months and are hovering around 52-week lows. Here's why three Motley Fool contributors think the sell-off in these dividend stocks is a buying opportunity for patient investors. Chevron stands to improve its free cash flow with its acquisition of Hess Scott Levine (Chevron): With the gift-giving season upon us, many investors are taking time off from their holiday shopping to tend to their financial goals for the coming year. For any of them dedicated to ramping up their passive income streams in 2025, Chevron warrants close consideration -- especially now. Currently, the stock is sitting in the bargain bin, providing investors with a great opportunity to load up on shares along with their 4.5% forward dividend yield. It's a powerhouse when it comes to generating cash. For example, the company has consistently outperformed one of its closest peers, ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) , over the past five years in generating free cash flow (FCF). CVX free cash flow per share (annual), data by YCharts . And Chevron can excel even further at generating FCF should it succeed in acquiring Hess (NYSE: HES) , which seems even more likely now that the Federal Trade Commission has given the transaction the green light after completing an antitrust review. According to management, the acquisition will assist in growing revenue and FCF beyond the five-year production and FCF growth rates it had previously projected, extending it into the 2030s. With greater FCF, the company can continue hiking its dividend, as it has for more than 35 years. Chevron had expected to complete the acquisition in the first half of 2024, but it's now facing an arbitration panel with ExxonMobil, which has raised objections to the deal. This has clearly spooked investors into thinking it is in jeopardy despite both parties remaining confident it will ultimately proceed. Reflecting the market's skepticism, Chevron stock is now changing hands at 7.2 times operating cash flow, a discount to its five-year average cash flow multiple of 8.3. For those looking to strengthen their dividend income in the new year, the stock now provides a great option. The key metrics are moving in the right direction for UPS Lee Samaha ( UPS ) : It's been a difficult period for United Parcel Service. An unexpected slowdown in package deliveries due to a weak economy and a costly labor dispute hit the company hard. As such, UPS spent most of the last couple of years battling elevated costs (partly associated with the new labor contract) and weakening delivery volumes. These pressures have challenged UPS' business model emphasizing targeted, higher-margin deliveries rather than chasing volume growth. As such, the company appears to have taken on a higher quantity of lower-revenue-per-piece deliveries this year, hurting margins. Moreover, UPS has work to do to meet its full-year guidance this year. That said, most key metrics are moving in the right direction, and the company is set for an earnings recovery in 2025. The increased costs associated with the labor contract are now in the numbers, making comparisons easier. And UPS has cut capacity and 12,000 jobs to reduce costs and adjust to the market. Meanwhile, delivery volumes are growing again, and the overcapacity that dogged package delivery is being worked through. At the same time, it continues to grow in its targeted end markets like small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) and healthcare, while investing in productivity-enhancing technology such as automation and smart warehouses. All of this suggests UPS will at least maintain its dividend in 2025 as management prepares for a multi-year recovery, starting in 2025, when Wall Street expects a 17% improvement in earnings. Dow is an industry-leading company with an ultra-high yield Daniel Foelber (Dow): In the last two months, shares of commodity chemical giant Dow are down over 25% and were replaced by Sherwin-Williams in the Dow Jones Industrial Average . The stock hit a fresh four-year low on Thursday, the day after the Federal Reserve indicated the pace of its rate cuts could be slower than initially expected. Dow and its peers are highly sensitive to interest rates. It is a capital-intensive business, so higher capital costs mean higher interest expenses. However, the more significant impact of extended higher rates could be a prolonged slowdown in global demand for Dow's products, especially in Europe and China. Business has been terrible in these markets for Dow, which has compressed its margins to razor-thin levels. Since earnings are down, it doesn't look like a particularly cheap stock. However, evaluating cyclical companies based on trailing earnings can be a bad idea, since the valuation will look dirt cheap during periods of expansion and more expensive during downturns. Analyst consensus estimates for 2025 earnings per share (EPS) sit at $3.21 compared to projections for $2.09 in 2024. However, those revisions could come down under the assumption that interest rates stay higher for longer. Dow's earnings have been all over the place in recent years -- with $8.38 in EPS in 2020 and less than a dollar in 2023. Instead of getting too caught up in the near-term results, it's better to look at how the company is positioned to manage through the cycle and grow over time. Dow has a fairly strong balance sheet and an investment-grade credit rating . Since spinning off from DowDuPont in 2019, the company has kept its quarterly dividend at $0.70 per share, or $2.80 per year -- which has been a wise move given the turbulence across the industry. Some investors may want to wait and see how management responds to the possibility of higher interest rates for a longer time before buying the stock. The company will report fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 earnings on Jan. 30, which will likely provide clearer insight into where it could be headed. However, Dow has fallen so deep into the bargain bin that it's worth buying for investors with a long time horizon. The 7% yield makes it one of the highest-yielding stocks in the S&P 500, and provides a worthwhile incentive to hold it through what is sure to be another volatile year in 2025.

Mulvaney said the move puts the Pakistani Air Force ahead of the Indian Air Force. Published: December 22, 2024 5:15 PM IST By Edited by China’s fifth-generation stealth fighter J-35 is set to enter the international market as the country’s best friend Pakistan can be the first buyer of this fighter. Recently, the government of Pakistan had agreed to the purchase of Chinese J-35 fighters. It would be Beijing’s first export of fifth-generation jets to a foreign ally, which could redefine the balance of power in the region. The addition of this aircraft in Pakistan’s air force is likely to increase India’s security concerns. Pakistan to buy Chinese jet The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has approved the purchase of 40 J-35 jets to replace the country’s ageing fleet of F-16 and French Mirage fighter jets, the media reported last week. The Chinese fighter aircraft are expected to be delivered within two years. In July this year, Pakistani news network Bol News had reported that PAF pilots had officially started training for J-31 stealth fighter jets in China. The J-31’s internationally sold version is called the J-35. In January this year, Pakistani Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar had said that the foundation for acquiring the J-31 stealth fighter has been laid. Pakistan’s power will increase After the acquisition of the J-35 stealth fighter aircraft, the strength of the Pakistan Air Force is expected to increase further. Two years ago, several Chinese J-10CE Multi Role Fighter jets joined the Pakistani Air Force. Brendan Mulvaney, director of the China Aerospace Studies Institute of the US Air Force, told the South China Morning Post that he saw this development as a clear shift from the West, the USA and France to China. How will it affect India? Mulvaney said the move connects Pakistan more closely with China and puts the Pakistani Air Force ahead of the Indian Air Force (IAF). He said it also depends on how well they can fly and fight with the Chinese jets is a different matter. The performance of the jet will depend on how Beijing provides the appropriate weapons and support systems with it. “The jet may be excellent, but if it doesn’t have weapons, sensor suites, and command, control, computer intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technology (C4ISR), it doesn’t make sense,” Mulvaney said. For breaking news and live news updates, like us on or follow us on and . Read more on Latest on . Topics

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Ensuring that arts communities can flourish across Colorado takes creative solutions. A new policy framework from the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts creates a roadmap to address some of the top challenges for the state’s creative industries and to make the most of the opportunities ahead. Based on feedback from over 800 individuals through surveys, focus groups and interviews, the framework aims to represent the collective vision of the creative community across Colorado. “It recognizes the profound role that arts and culture play in shaping the social fabric, economic vitality and collective identity of communities” reads Colorado’s Art Policy Framework final report . “At its core, this framework is an affirmation that the arts are not merely an ornamental aspect of society but a fundamental driver of human expression, innovation, and connection.” While advocacy has long been relevant to the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts’ mission, the framework marks a shift for the 39-year-old organization. “Advocacy was always part of our mission, but sort of advocacy with a little ‘A,'” said Meredith Badler, the organization’s deputy director. “It was really during the pandemic that we got more involved at the state legislature as well as at the federal level, and so a lot of our initial advocacy work was very reactive.” Today, the organization has a contract lobbyist, a grassroots mobilization tool called the Colorado Arts Action Network , an active policy committee and important partnerships to support its advocacy efforts. The pandemic made it apparent that previous efforts were not always inclusive of the entire state and barely scratched the surface of need but also that there was an eagerness from people to have their voices heard in this arena, Badler added. It’s here that the need for a policy framework became apparent. “For a long time in Colorado there just hadn’t been a unified and coordinated voice for arts advocacy,” Badler said. “It really came from this idea of being more inclusive and proactive in our advocacy work going forward.” The framework establishes where the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts should focus its future advocacy and lobbying efforts through four priorities that exemplify what the organization heard through its stakeholder process. The first priority speaks to the need for policies that are locally and culturally responsive. In mountain and rural communities, the organization heard significant feedback around the need to amplify arts assets, events and cultural heritage through statewide tourism and local promotion, Badler said. These communities also expressed a need for more resources and capacity including in education, concerns about the affordability and availability of arts space and threatened liveability for creative employees, all of which are addressed in the framework. While the stakeholder process showed more similarities than differences between Colorado’s communities, there are still unique needs depending on where you live, Badler noted. “It’s a big, diverse state and the needs of a community — just even thinking about the Roaring Fork Valley, what people need in Rifle in Glenwood and the climate in Aspen — are very different,” she said. This top priority speaks to the need to understand “that every community or demographic or discipline may have some distinct needs, and we need to be thinking about that from the beginning as we’re suggesting, monitoring or supporting policy going forward,” Badler said. Policies that meet this could include creating and supporting municipal-arts partnerships, protecting dedicated arts spaces, using art as a tool to support mental health and ensuring equitable and daily access to arts. The second priority revolves around supporting the creative economy and ensuring there are sustainable funding models — be it grants or financial incentives — supporting art infrastructure and including the creative sector in economic and tourism strategies. The third priority is centered around bolstering the liveability of creative workers. This includes making sure creatives have access to affordable housing, fair compensation and professional development. The fourth and final priority is making sure arts education is supported and expanded for all ages. This includes policies to expand, improve, mandate and fund preschool to 12th-grade public arts programs as well as integrating arts into educational and career pathways. With the framework set out, the next step includes making a more tactical legislative agenda and ensuring these priorities are reflected in future policy at the federal, state and local levels. Critically, with a tight state budget and uncertain future for federal arts funding under President-elect Donald Trump, this will include collaboration and being creative about how to support the arts beyond funding. “How can we make sure arts and creative industries are incorporated into other initiatives?” Badler said, adding that this includes looking at things like: “What’s happening in the housing space, and how can we make sure artists and gig workers can access those opportunities? What’s happening in mental and behavioral health, and how can we make sure that arts interventions are eligible for those opportunities?” Federally, there are concerns that under the pending Trump administration, arts funding could take a hit including the National Endowment for the Arts. In his first term, Trump attempted to eliminate the program, from which the state of Colorado receives around $85 million to fund statewide programs. “It’s something we’re looking very closely at,” Badler said. “Not only would (changes to the National Endowment for the Arts) impact direct grants to cultural organizations and projects here in the state, but our state arts agency gets a significant amount of matching funds from the (endowment) every single year.” In addition to these large-scale efforts, the policy framework also suggests that local advocacy and progress are critically important. One survey respondent from the San Luis Valley put it this way: “When local communities are empowered to make decisions about what is happening in the community — whether it is arts related or education or otherwise — you get more buy-in and more genuine projects.” As such, the full 54-page report includes a comprehensive list of the concerns and potential solutions presented throughout the stakeholder process to guide local advocates and efforts. “While (Colorado Business Committee for the Arts) doesn’t have the capacity to be at every city council meeting across the state, we’re hoping that this can be a resource for those local advocates and that we can provide any support or guidance that’s available,” Badler said. In recent years, the organization also created the Colorado Arts Action Network , a grassroots mobilization tool to help people stay informed about and involved in arts policy. “I think the call to action is really signing up for the Colorado Arts Action Network,” Badler said. “That’s how we’ll really start. It will help people be able to stay more informed and take action going forward as we bring this roadmap to life.”

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‘Raging’ Tulisa mysteriously deletes I’m a Celeb posts after shock exitIt can be difficult to define "cheap," particularly on Wall Street. However, in the context of this article, it means a stock with a price below $50. Let's look at two tech stocks that meet this criterion , and why investors might want to strongly consider one or both for their portfolios. SoundHound AI Topping my list is SoundHound AI ( SOUN 15.38% ) . I t qualifies as a cheap stock thanks to its share price (about $21 as of this writing). On a valuation basis, its price-to-sales ratio (P/S) of more than 75 makes it quite expensive. However, like many hypergrowth tech stocks, there's a reason investors have paid up for SoundHound shares, and it's the ongoing AI boom. The corporate world is making enormous investments in artificial intelligence (AI) technology . C ompanies including Microsoft , Amazon , and Meta Platforms are spending billions to build or expand AI data centers, but it's not just the big tech players that are over the moon for AI. Consumer brands , financial companies , and healthcare providers are all recognizing that they need to develop an AI strategy, lest they fall behind their competitors. And that's where SoundHound AI comes in. The company's voice AI systems are crucial to businesses seeking to deploy customer-facing AI. SoundHound helps brands develop systems for ordering at a restaurant, in-car navigation, and other purposes. It has already partnered with iconic brands like Mercedes-Benz , Netflix , and Mastercard . The company is very early in its lifecycle and has generated only $67 million in revenue over the last 12 months, with no profits. But it is growing quickly , with revenue having increased 89% in its most recent quarter (the three months ending on Sept. 30). Growth-focused investors who are interested in what could be one of the best AI application companies around should keep an eye on SoundHound. IonQ As of this writing, the stock price of IonQ ( IONQ 17.64% ) is around $39, which qualifies it as cheap in my book -- at least when it comes to its share price. On a valuation basis, it's clear the company isn't that cheap , with less than $40 million in revenue over the last 12 months and no profits. Yet the reason this company is so compelling to me is that it is a leader in the fascinating field of quantum computing . Unlike traditional binary computers that form the foundation of everything from smartphones to AI supercomputers, quantum computers operate on a more complex system of hardware logic . It's like the difference between a steam engine and a rocket: They're both mechanisms for transportation, but the scale of their applications couldn't be more different. In a nutshell, quantum computers will be vastly more powerful than today's best supercomputers -- once scientists can work out all the kinks. That's precisely what IonQ, along with competitors like Alphabet , are trying to do: design quantum computers so that they can be scaled up and used to solve incredibly complex problems. But for the moment, technical challenges remain, meaning that this is a promising -- but not proven -- investment. More to the point, the company is free cash flow negative, meaning it must fund its operations through cash on hand, debt, or secondary equity offerings. So, while IonQ is not for every investor, it is a compelling choice for those who are looking for a pure play in the quantum computing sector.

Morgan Rogers looked to have given Unai Emery’s side another famous win when he slammed a loose ball home at the death, but referee Jesus Gil Manzano ruled Diego Carlos to have fouled Juve goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and the goal was chalked off. It was a disappointment for Villa, who remain unbeaten at home in their debut Champions League campaign and are still in contention to qualify automatically for the last 16. A very controversial finish at Villa Park 😲 Morgan Rogers' late goal is ruled out for a foul on Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and the match ends 0-0 ❌ 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/MyYL5Vdy3r — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 27, 2024 Emiliano Martinez had earlier displayed why he was named the best goalkeeper in the world as his wonder save kept his side level in the second half. The Argentina international paraded his two Yashin Trophies on the pitch before kick-off at Villa Park and then showed why he won back-to-back FIFA awards when he denied Francisco Conceicao. Before Rogers’ moment of drama in the fourth minute of added time, the closest Villa came to scoring was in the first half when Lucas Digne’s free-kick hit the crossbar. But a draw was a fair result which leaves Villa out of the top eight on goal difference and Juventus down in 19th. Before the game Emery called Juventus one of the “best teams in the world, historically and now”, but this was an Italian side down to the bare bones. Only 14 outfield players made the trip from Turin, with striker Dusan Vlahovic among those who stayed behind. The opening 30 minutes were forgettable before the game opened up. Ollie Watkins, still chasing his first Champions League goal, had Villa’s first presentable chance as he lashed an effort straight at Di Gregorio. Matty Cash then had a vicious effort from the resulting corner which was blocked by Federico Gatti and started a counter-attack which ended in Juventus striker Timothy Weah. Villa came closest to breaking the deadlock at the end of the first half when Digne’s 20-yard free-kick clipped the top of the crossbar and went over. Martinez then produced his brilliant save just after the hour. A corner made its way through to the far post where Conceicao was primed to head in at the far post, but Martinez sprawled himself across goal to scoop the ball away. How has he kept that one out?! 🤯 Emi Martinez with an INCREDIBLE save to keep it goalless at Villa Park ⛔️ 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/OkcWHB7YIk — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 27, 2024 Replays showed most of the ball went over the line, but the Argentinian got there with millimetres to spare. At the other end another fine goal-line block denied John McGinn as Manuel Locatelli got his foot in the way with Di Gregorio beaten. The game looked to be petering out until a last-gasp free-kick saw Rogers slam home, but whistle-happy official Gil Manzano halted the celebrations by ruling the goal out.None

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The performance of Bitcoin ( BTC -1.27% ) this year has been nothing short of extraordinary. It's now up about 46% since the election on Nov. 5, and 146% year to date. Best of all, Bitcoin recently broke through the $100,000 price level to hit another all-time high just north of $108,000. But what if I told you that there is another top cryptocurrency that is up more than 120% since the election, and 430% year to date? And that this cryptocurrency also just set a new all-time high? That cryptocurrency is Sui ( SUI -4.78% ) , which now ranks 14th among all cryptocurrencies with a $13 billion market cap. What is Sui and why haven't I heard of it before? If you've never heard of Sui, that's understandable. The cryptocurrency only launched in May 2023, just as the market was emerging from the crypto winter of 2022. So, in many ways, its launch flew under the radar of investors. There were bigger issues to consider. The industry was still coping with the aftermath of the collapse and scandal of crypto exchange FTX in November 2022, and nobody was very interested in hearing about another new cryptocurrency launch. But fast-forward to August 2024. That's when 21Shares -- the company that partnered with Cathie Wood's Ark Invest on the launch of spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for Bitcoin and Ethereum ( ETH -1.80% ) -- released a research report on Sui, detailing all of its unique characteristics. For example, it described how a new technical upgrade suddenly made Sui faster than any other top blockchain by a substantial margin. It pointed out how Sui was rapidly growing in terms of total value locked (TVL), which is a key metric showing the relative strength of a particular blockchain. The title of the report ("Is Sui a Solana ( SOL -3.79% ) Killer?") was very provocative, at least for crypto investors. It suggested that Sui had the technological chops to take on Solana , which now ranks as the fifth-largest cryptocurrency. For several years now, Solana has been positioned as the next Ethereum, so Sui being tabbed as a potential Solana killer is a big deal. In fact, 21Shares suggested that there might be a $68 billion market opportunity for Sui if it was able to take on Solana and win. How high can Sui go in 2025? My primary concern right now with Sui is that it may be overheating. Just like Bitcoin, it is smashing through all-time high after all-time high. Right now, Sui is trading at about $4.50 after briefly testing the $5 price level. From the perspective of crypto traders, $5 presents the same psychological price barrier for Sui that $100,000 did for Bitcoin. It took Bitcoin a while to break through the $100,000 level, so Sui may not be able to break through the $5 price level by the end of this year. But, in 2025, watch out. Just take a look at this comparison chart of Bitcoin and Sui since the presidential election. That leads me to think that the market is very bullish on Sui's prospects under the Trump administration. Bitcoin / U.S. dollar chart by TradingView Moreover, consider the trading volume that Sui is now seeing on Coinbase Global ( COIN 1.75% ) . Sui has become one of the 10 most popular cryptocurrencies on the platform in terms of 24-hour trading activity. Granted, the trading volume in Sui is nowhere near that of Bitcoin or Ethereum. But there's more activity in Sui than in popular cryptocurrencies such as Chainlink , Litecoin , Cardano , Shiba Inu , and Avalanche . Best of all, Sui has a major new product launch coming in 2025. It's a $599 handheld gaming device that is currently available for pre-order online. If that product launch is a success, then it could be off to the races for Sui. It could easily double in price to hit the $10 price level. This cryptocurrency could soar even higher if it ever realizes its full potential as the next Ethereum. Imagine if you had invested in Ethereum just 18 months after its launch. Most likely, you'd be a crypto millionaire by now. In December 2016, Ethereum was trading around $5, which is roughly where Sui is trading right now. Today, Ethereum trades for about $3,400. That said, I can't emphasize enough how speculative Sui is. It is still a baby in crypto terms. It has only been around for 18 months, and it can be difficult to get good data and reliable information about it. So, do your due diligence before investing in Sui, and keep your expectations in check. An investment opportunity like Ethereum might only come around once in a lifetime, so it's asking a lot for it to happen with Sui as well.Company Behind Massive Social Security Number Leak Shuts Down