Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President K. T. Rama Rao on Saturday told the Telangana State Assembly that all BRS MLAs will resign if the Congress government proves that it is supplying 24-hour electricity to farmers or that it has waived loans of all farmers. He alleged that the Congress government is making false claims that it is giving round-the-clock uninterrupted power. Throwing the challenge during the debate on Rythu Bharosa, the BRS leader told Minister for Roads and Buildings Komatireddy Venkat Reddy that he was ready to come with him to Nalgonda district. “If you can show us even in one log book that 24-hour power is being supplied, all we MLAs will resign,” he said. Similarly, KTR, as Rama Rao is popularly called, also offered to accompany the minister to any village in Kodangal or Sircilla constituency to check on farm loan waivers. “If you can show that loans of 100 per cent farmers were waived even one village, I will resign as MLA and take retirement from politics,” he said. The BRS leader slammed the Congress government for not properly implementing the Rythu Bandhu scheme launched by the previous BRS government. KTR said Congress promised enhanced investment support to farmers under Rythu Bharosa but failed to provide the assistance even under the existing scheme. He claimed that the BRS started Rythu Bandhu to increase the area under cultivation. Citing the statement made by the government, he said the area under cultivation in the state increased from 1.41 crore acres in 2019-20 to 2.04 crore acres in 2020-21. KTR mentioned that when the BRS came to power in 2014, Telangana had the second-highest number of farmer suicides in the country. He claimed that due to the measures taken by the BRS during the last 10 years, the farmer suicides came down from 11.1 per cent to 1.5 per cent. The BRS leader alleged that the government was planning to impose cuts under the Rythu Bharosa scheme. He demanded that the Assembly session be extended by 10 days for a comprehensive debate on electricity, irrigation, and Mission Bhagiratha. The debate saw a sharp exchange of words and challenges and counter-challenges between BRS and Congress MLAs. Minister Venkat Reddy threw a challenge at the BRS, saying if it could prove that every household was supplied drinking water under Mission Bhagiratha during its rule, he would not seek votes in the next elections. He alleged that there was Rs 50,000 crore corruption under Mission Bhagiratha. To this, BRS MLA and former minister Harish Rao mentioned that the total cost of the scheme was only Rs 28,000 crore. Earlier, Minister for Agriculture Tummala Nageswara Rao said the government has not yet formulated the guidelines. He said the guidelines will be framed after taking suggestions from the legislators.How about those Bears , everybody? To put a finer point on it: Will they ever win again? In this week’s “Polling Place,” your home for Sun-Times sports polls on the social platform X, we asked what the Bears’ record will be after the 17-game season. They’re 4-6 heading into Sunday’s game against the Vikings at Soldier Field. “Could be 7-10, but probably 6-11,” @JeffreyCanalia commented. “All these choices are pathetic,” @JTurco60 wrote. “What a freaking embarrassment from top to bottom.” Next, we asked about the Bulls ’ projected season win total of 291⁄2. Over or under? “Over,” @DeyoSahler replied. “The East is bad, and the team plays hard. Young guys will carry them even if [Zach] LaVine and [Nikola] Vucevic are traded.” Finally, got any plans for New Year’s Eve? We asked if you’d go to the Blackhawks’ Winter Classic game at Wrigley Field that night if offered a free ticket. “Saying no to this is crazy work,” according to @arrosen76. “I’d pay $100 not to have to go,” @TheChrisSchultz wrote. On to the polls: Poll No. 1: Some are saying the Bears (4-6) might not win another game. With seven to go, predict their final record. Upshot: Bears fans, bless ’em, somehow keep getting out of bed on Sundays anyway. Poll No. 2: The over/under on wins for the Bulls (who are 6-10 with 66 games left) is 291⁄2. What are you taking? Upshot: One of these years, the Bulls will have a team we all can’t help but be excited about. OK, fine, one of these decades. Poll No. 3: If you were offered a free ticket to the Blackhawks-Blues Winter Classic game at Wrigley Field on New Year’s Eve, would you go? Upshot: Just so everyone knows, this New Year’s gala is black-tie optional. Alas, it’s also Blackhawks-score-a-goal optional.
Jim Harbaugh, Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers celebrated in the locker room Saturday after they wrapped up a playoff spot with a 40-7 victory over the New England Patriots . But even as they realized one goal by making the postseason, Harbaugh tried to keep things focused on the road ahead by stressing: “There's more to do.” The Chargers (10-6) go into the regular-season finale at Las Vegas knowing they will be at least the AFC's sixth seed and avoid a trip to Buffalo for the wild-card round. Los Angeles currently is in line to face Baltimore in a Harbaugh Bowl rematch, but it has an outside shot at the fifth seed and a trip to Houston if Cincinnati beats Pittsburgh next weekend. While Harbaugh credited his players for the turnaround from five wins last year to double-digit victories this season, Herbert gave most of it to Harbaugh and first-year general manager Joe Hortiz. “They have done such a great job of getting the right guys here. You look in the locker room and everybody plays for each other,” Herbert said. “(Harbaugh's) a competitor, and he wants to win no matter what it is. It definitely shows, and it’s the way everyone fights for him, wants to play for him, and respects him.” Harbaugh is the fifth coach in NFL history to win at least 10 games in his first season with two teams. He is also the eighth to make the playoffs in his first season with two teams. “Very little to do with me. If it goes right, then it’s our players. They’re doing a great job. It’s gone bad a couple times. That’s on me,” he said. “I’ve been drinking the Kool-Aid here from day one, I can’t give enough credit to Derwin James, Justin Herbert, and those two in particular. And Khalil Mack and Rashawn Slater. I mean, stalwarts. Brad Bozeman has come in. He’s been a stalwart. There’s a bunch. There’s probably, like — I counted it up early. There was maybe 15, 15 stalwarts that we had, and it’s grown since then.” Even though the Chargers are 3-5 against teams with winning records at the time they've played them, they are 7-1 against teams that were at or under .500. Four of those wins against opponents with losing records have come by at least 17 points, the first time since 2017 the Bolts have won that many games by as big a margin. Since halftime of their Dec. 19 game against Denver, the Chargers have outscored the Broncos and Patriots 61-13 over six quarters. “That’s the type of football we want to be playing in December, January, and hopefully on. That’s the type of football you want to be playing, especially in these big games like that. It was really good to see,” Herbert said. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman has said throughout the season it's tough to use the full playbook when the Chargers have short drives. They came into Saturday's game ranked 26th with only 23 possessions of at least 10 plays, but they had four against the Patriots, leading to three touchdowns and a field goal. It was the first time since Week 10 last season against Detroit they have had at least four drives of double-digit plays. Kickoff return coverage. The Chargers have allowed nine kick returns of at least 30 yards, eighth most in the league. New England's Alex Erickson had three returns for 90 yards, including 34 and 31 yards. RB J.K. Dobbins was activated off injured reserve and provided a boost to the offense with 76 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown. Dobbins, who missed four games due to a knee injury, has set career highs in scrimmage yards (983) and rushing yards (842) in his first season with the Chargers. WR D.J. Chark was targeted four times but didn't have a catch. Chark was signed during the offseason to provide experience and speed to a young receiver group. However, he missed the first half of the season with a hip injury and has played sparingly since his return. He has three receptions on the season. Three starters — RB Gus Edwards (ankle), LB Denzel Perryman (groin) and OG Trey Pipkins (hip) — were inactive. WR Joshua Palmer (heel) and DB Elijah Molden (shin) were injured in the second half. 77 and 1,054 — Receptions and receiving yards by Ladd McConkey, both records for a Chargers rookie. 5 — Consecutive seasons by Herbert with at least 3,000 passing yards and 20 touchdown passes, tied with Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson for the most to start a career. 2 — Sacks by Derwin James Jr. against the Patriots, the first time in the safety's seven-year career he has had multiple sacks in a game. The Chargers go for their first season sweep of the Raiders since 2018 in the regular-season finale. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
CLEVELAND (AP) — Chase Robinson had 16 points in Cleveland State's 78-64 victory over Wright State on Sunday night. Robinson shot 6 of 9 from the field, including 2 for 3 from 3-point range, and went 2 for 4 from the line for the Vikings (9-6, 3-1 Horizon League). Dylan Arnett added 14 points while shooting 6 of 9 from the field and also had seven rebounds. Tevin Smith had 12 points and shot 4 for 10 (2 for 6 from 3-point range) and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line. Brandon Noel finished with 20 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks for the Raiders (7-8, 1-3). Jack Doumbia added 19 points and three blocks for Wright State. Michael Imariagbe had nine points and seven rebounds. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 21, 2024-- Sunny Health & Fitness , a trailblazer in cardio equipment for over 20 years, is entering an exciting new phase of innovation and evolution. As a leader in the fitness industry, Sunny is not only enhancing its cardio offerings with cutting-edge technology to elevate users' fitness journeys but is also expanding into a comprehensive, one-stop lifestyle brand. With the launch of the Sunny Strength Line , the brand is redefining strength training with a sleek, high-performance collection designed for the fit, design-conscious consumer. This marks a bold new chapter in Sunny’s growth, delivering style, power, and innovation to home gyms everywhere at an affordable price. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241221265768/en/ From Strength to Strength - Unveiling the Sunny Strength Line (Photo: Business Wire) Strength, Style, and Innovation—Designed for the Modern Home Gym The Sunny Strength Line represents the perfect fusion of power and aesthetics. Whether you're an emerging athlete or just someone who values top-quality fitness gear at home, this collection delivers both superior performance and eye-catching design. From heavy-duty machines like racks, benches, and smith machines to stylish free weights, dumbbells, bars, and accessories, every product is engineered to meet the needs of those who want to build muscle and enhance strength, all while maintaining the sleek, modern look of their living spaces. Explore the Sunny Strength video to see how power meets style in this new strength training equipment line: https://youtu.be/j7KcpKa1iyE . Sunny Health & Fitness understands that today’s fitness enthusiasts demand equipment that not only performs but also complements their lifestyle. The Sunny Strength Line was created with versatility, functionality, and design in mind, giving you everything you need to take your strength training to the next level without compromising on the aesthetic of your home gym. With a thoughtfully curated color palette, this is strength training that combines exceptional performance with stunning design. Performance-Driven Strength Training for Every Fitness Journey Building muscle and enhancing strength are cornerstones of living a healthy and active lifestyle, and the Sunny Strength Line is specifically designed to support individuals in achieving these goals. Whether you’re a beginner or want to train like a pro, the line’s diverse range of products ensures there’s an ideal solution for every fitness level and training style. This equipment is built to deliver maximum performance, allowing users to progress efficiently in their strength training and take their fitness to new heights. Sunny Health & Fitness is committed to helping people not only get stronger but also get smarter about their fitness journey. The SunnyFit app , a key part of their digital transformation, offers personalized workout plans, fitness tracking, and progress monitoring—guiding users as they level up their performance. With this seamless integration of high-quality equipment and cutting-edge technology, the Sunny Strength Line provides everything you need to build muscle, boost endurance, and achieve long-term success. About Sunny Health & Fitness For more than two decades, Sunny Health & Fitness has been a leader in the fitness industry, providing affordable, high-quality solutions for home and commercial gyms alike. With its expanding range of strength equipment and digital tools like the SunnyFit app , the company is dedicated to helping individuals reach their fitness goals with style, innovation, and performance. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241221265768/en/ CONTACT: Hanna Kim (626) 968-1000 hannak@sunnyhealthfitness.comVisit website:SunnyHealthFitness.com Download SunnyFit now:SunnyFit.com KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE MEN LIFESTYLE SPECIALTY CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CONSUMER APPS/APPLICATIONS TECHNOLOGY FITNESS & NUTRITION RETAIL WOMEN HEALTH HOME GOODS SOURCE: Sunny Health & Fitness Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/21/2024 06:00 PM/DISC: 12/21/2024 06:00 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241221265768/enEvery day, the personnel of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, better known as NORAD, monitor and defend the skies over the United States and Canada. On Christmas Eve, they add one more duty: monitoring and tracking Santa Claus in his sleigh as he journeys around the world to deliver presents. Excited children can track his progress toward their homes with the NORAD Tracks Santa website, www.noradsanta.org , and app providing up-to-the-minute information about his whereabouts, along with a bevy of holiday games, music and activities. While tracking doesn’t begin until Santa takes off on Dec. 24, the website’s games, music and other fun are available now. Photos from fighter pilots and video from NORAD Santa Cams in space appear almost hourly on the website Christmas Eve. Tracking opportunities are also offered through social media on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter), as well as on partner platforms Amazon Alexa, SiriusXM and OnStar. For nearly 70 years, NORAD and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command, in Colorado Springs has tracked Santa’s sleigh on its journey, providing children and children at heart with a little high-tech Christmas magic. The tradition began by accident, when a 1955 Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement misprinted the telephone number for children to call and speak to Santa. The misprinted number instead reached the CONAD commander’s operations “hotline.” Rather than disappoint the children who called expecting Santa, the operations director at the time, Col. Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for signs of Santa and his sleigh making his way from the North Pole and provide updates on his location to children who called. Today, the tradition continues, with new technology to access the information. On Tuesday, trackers worldwide can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask our live operators about Santa’s location from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. PST Also on Tuesday, website visitors will see Santa’s flight from 3 a.m. to 11 p.m. PST.
FARGO — Qualifying for the North Dakota Class B volleyball state tournament for the very first time was a dream for Medina-Pingree/Buchanan. But to come out and dominate three sets was beyond anything it imagined. ADVERTISEMENT That's exactly what the Thunder did, upending Central McLean 3-0 in the state quarterfinals Thursday at the Fargodome. Set scores were 25-15, 25-9 and 25-17. The match was highlighted by M-P/B roaring out to a 17-1 lead in the middle frame, including what was an 11-0 start to the set. "It was so much fun to be at the state tournament and be able to have a score like that," said Thunder head coach Jacie Connell. "We just never let down. I just said we need to eliminate our errors in the second set, and they did a great job of that." With the win, No. 3 seed M-P/B (31-6) advanced to Friday's state semis where they'll take on No. 2 South Prairie-Max (33-6) with first serve set for 5 p.m. Connell said as state tourney newcomers, nerves came naturally. At least whatever nerves were left after downing Class B No. 1-ranked Linton/HMB in the Region 3 championship last week. "Lots of emotions," Connell said. "But beating the No. 1 team in the state in the (region) championship, I think a lot of our nerves were out right there. They were just excited to be here and play." ADVERTISEMENT Maddie Gefroh finished with a match-leading 14 kills for M-P/B, including the final one to secure match point in Set 3. "It felt great knowing we're closer to the finals now," said Gefroh, senior captain and middle hitter for the Thunder. "You could tell there were some nerves, but as soon as we got onto the court, we were ready to go right away." Gefroh said the dominant second set gave M-P/B all the momentum it needed to finish things off in Set 3. "That was crazy," Gefroh said. "That gave us so much energy to go into the third set. We knew we could do it right away." Central McLean (31-4-1) drops into the consolation semifinals, where it'll face Kenmare/Bowbells (35-7) at 1 p.m. Friday. Reagan Kjelstrup paced the Cougars offensively with eight kills while Morgan Snyder had six. Daphne Lauer finished with 25 assists. Behind Gefroh in the Thunder kills department was Brynn Sorenson with nine and Jorgen Tripp with eight, including set point in the opening frame. ADVERTISEMENT Gefroh added three aces and three blocks while Violet Bohl recorded 34 assists. Cierra Mack finished with a match-leading 15 digs. "If we play our game, that's been huge for us just eliminating our errors," Connell said. "We're going to talk about what we need to adjust a little bit on defense and we'll be ready to go. "It's been a great journey so far and we're happy to be here."The Dolphins entered Sunday’s action still alive in the AFC wild-card race, but a steep path to a playoff spot still remains. If Miami falls short of the postseason, the team’s play on offense (particularly in the games without Tua Tagovailoa in the lineup) will be responsible to a significant extent. Under head coach Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins have generally enjoyed success on offense when Tagovailoa is healthy (with exceptions against some of the league’s top defenses, to be fair) but their play on that side of the ball has notably regressed with other quarterbacks in place. That trend has largely continued in 2024, a year in which midseason signing Tyler Huntley has seen notable playing time. The Dania Beach native recently revealed he is on the Dolphins’ radar with respect to a contract for 2025. “ I got a good feeling I’m going to be home for a little bit,” Huntley said ( via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald ). “ I’m going to be down here in Miami in a little bit. It’s all God’s plans, but I’ve got a good feeling I’ll be home for a little bit.” Huntley added his agent has been informed of the Dolphins’ desire to work out a deal keeping him in place beyond the rest of the campaign. The former UDFA spent considerable time with the Ravens as their backup, although he also made a total of 10 regular and postseason starts during that time. Baltimore elected to keep Josh Johnson in place for the QB2 role this offseason, leaving Huntley to sign with the Browns. He wound up being cut, however, and shortly before the start of the season he returned to the Ravens via a practice squad deal. Not long after Tagovailoa suffered his most recent concussion, Huntley was added to Miami’s active roster and he made three starts before going down with a shoulder injury of his own. Now back in the fold and in the starting lineup for today’s must-win game as Tagovailoa deals with a hip injury, the 26-year-old is in position to help his free agent stock down the stretch with a rebound from his initial time atop the Dolphins’ depth chart (during which he posted a touchdown-to-interception ratio of only 1:1 and a passer rating of just 73.9). As Jackson adds, Miami is expected to bring in other options for the backup gig this offseason. Tagovailoa inked a massive extension this past summer, but his history of concussions makes quality insurance at the QB2 spot something of particular importance for the Dolphins. Former seventh-rounder Skylar Thompson joins Huntley as a pending free agent, and the possibility remains both could be playing elsewhere in 2025. For the latter, though, it would not come as a surprise if he were to receive an extended opportunity to earn the backup role. This article first appeared on Pro Football Rumors and was syndicated with permission.
If there’s one buzzword that’s making waves across industries, it’s blockchain. While its roots lie in cryptocurrency, this technology has found fertile ground in forex trading, transforming how traders and brokers interact. Whether you're an experienced trader or a newcomer, understanding blockchain's role in forex could be your golden ticket to navigating this fast-moving market with ease and confidence. Blockchain is more than just a tech trend. It’s a decentralized ledger system that records transactions in a way that's transparent, secure, and tamper-proof. In the context of forex trading, blockchain addresses some of the most persistent challenges—think settlement delays, hidden fees, and a lack of transparency. One of blockchain's standout features is its ability to eliminate intermediaries. Traditional forex trading often involves banks and clearinghouses, which can slow down transaction times and drive up costs. With blockchain, peer-to-peer trading becomes a reality, allowing instant transactions. Consider this. According to a report by MarketWatch, the global forex market processes over $6.6 trillion in trades daily. Blockchain can reduce settlement times from the standard T+2 (trade date plus two days) to near-instantaneous, meaning your funds are available faster. This isn’t just a convenience—it’s a game-changer in a market where timing is everything. Ask any trader about their pet peeves, and lack of transparency will be high on the list. Blockchain fixes that with an immutable ledger. Every trade is recorded and accessible to all participants in the network, leaving no room for hidden manipulations or unauthorized alterations. Imagine knowing exactly when your trade is processed and having a clear breakdown of associated costs. This level of clarity builds trust between traders and brokers. No more worrying about invisible spreads or mysterious deductions from your profits. Blockchain also has a knack for making forex trading more cost-effective. Without middlemen taking their cut, transaction fees plummet. For traders dealing in large volumes, even a slight reduction in costs can mean a substantial increase in profitability. A study by Deloitte found that blockchain could reduce infrastructure costs for financial institutions by up to $20 billion annually. These savings inevitably trickle down to individual traders, making the forex market more accessible to a wider audience. Another fascinating development is the emergence of forex crypto pairs. Blockchain has given rise to digital currencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins, which are now being traded against traditional fiat currencies. This opens up new avenues for diversification and hedging, adding another layer of strategy to forex trading. For example, during times of geopolitical instability, traders often seek refuge in stablecoins like USDT to protect against volatile fiat markets. Blockchain facilitates these trades seamlessly, offering traders a lifeline in uncertain times. When exploring blockchain's role in forex, it's impossible to ignore the brokers that are integrating this technology to benefit their clients. One name that’s gaining traction is Exness. Exness has leveraged blockchain to provide faster withdrawals and deposits, offering a smoother trading experience. Its emphasis on transparency aligns perfectly with the principles of blockchain. If you’ve ever wondered the following: is Exness legit , the answer lies in its growing reputation among traders who value efficiency and reliability. Security is a major selling point for blockchain in forex trading. With traditional systems, the risk of cyberattacks and data breaches is a constant concern. Blockchain’s decentralized nature significantly reduces these risks. Each transaction is encrypted and verified by multiple nodes, making it nearly impossible for hackers to alter or steal data. A report by IBM noted that blockchain-based systems are 85% less vulnerable to cyberattacks compared to centralized systems. For traders, this peace of mind is invaluable. The integration of blockchain into forex is still in its early stages, but the potential is undeniable. As technology continues to evolve, we could see fully decentralized forex trading platforms, cutting out brokers altogether. Smart contracts could automate trades based on pre-set conditions, removing the need for manual intervention and reducing human error. Regulation, of course, will play a significant role in shaping the future. As more governments recognize blockchain's benefits, the framework for its use in forex will only strengthen, paving the way for wider adoption. For years, forex trading seemed like the playground of institutional investors and hedge funds. Retail traders often faced barriers such as high entry costs, limited access to advanced tools, and a lack of transparency. Blockchain is breaking down these barriers, leveling the playing field in unprecedented ways. Decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms are a prime example. These platforms, built on blockchain technology, allow retail traders to participate in forex markets directly without needing to rely on traditional brokers. By using smart contracts, traders can execute complex transactions with ease and at a fraction of the cost. Blockchain isn’t just a passing trend—it’s a technological revolution reshaping forex trading as we know it. From faster transactions to greater transparency and enhanced security, the benefits are hard to ignore. Brokers like Exness are leading the charge, proving that the marriage of blockchain and forex is not just possible but highly beneficial. If you’re yet to explore blockchain in your forex journey, now might be the time. After all, staying ahead of the curve is the hallmark of every successful trader.
Great Plains Communications (GPC), a Midwestern telecommunications provider, announced Friday the successful closing of $500 million in financing to refinance debt and fund future capital expenditures and expansion. Fifth Third Bank acted as the lead arranger and administrative agent for this transaction, demonstrating strong confidence in GPC’s strategic vision and operational excellence. "This financing highlights the strength of our business model and our steadfast focus on delivering fast, reliable fiber solutions to our customers and communities," said Nick Wilkin, Chief Financial Officer of Great Plains Communications. "It enables us to further expand and enhance our network, optimize operations and support advanced technologies—delivering exceptional connectivity to current and future customers." This capital infusion equips GPC to meet the growing demand for advanced fiber solutions across residential, business and wholesale markets while reaffirming the company's focus on customer-centric innovation. "Our fiber-forward strategy is designed to deliver sustainable growth while creating long-term value for our investors, customers and communities," said Todd Foje, CEO of Great Plains Communications. "The financing ensures we can accelerate our expansion and provide the robust infrastructure required to support economic development and advancement in today’s digital economy." As the owner and operator of one of the largest privately-owned fiber networks in the Midwest, GPC continues to address the increasing demand for bandwidth-intensive applications including data center and cloud connectivity, telemedicine, gaming and streaming video with key network upgrades. These strategic investments reinforce GPC’s leadership in the telecommunications space while driving innovation and empowering the communities it serves.NEW DELHI: India has made significant progress in technology and innovation, securing the 49th rank in the Network Readiness Index 2024 (NRI 2024), an improvement of 11 places compared to last year. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in a social media post on Saturday stated that the Index, published by the Washington DC-based Portulans Institute, evaluates countries on their use of technology to enhance governance, citizen engagement, and overall impact. It said, "India has improved its position by eleven slots and is now placed at 49th rank as per the Network Readiness Index 2024 (NRI 2024) published by Portulans Institute, an independent non-profit research and educational institute based in Washington DC on technology, citizens, governance and impact." The ministry noted that the place of India has improved 11 places, in 2023, India was ranked 60th with a score of 49.93. This year, the country not only climbed the rankings but also improved its overall score to 53.63, reflecting its consistent efforts in advancing technology, research, and digital infrastructure. As per the ministry, India's advancements in fields such as artificial intelligence, mobile networks, and broadband have been instrumental in achieving this growth. The country is not only leveraging these technologies for global research but also using them to enhance the ease of living for its citizens. The ministry said, "India is not only moving ahead with technology but also expanding the scope of new research in the field of artificial intelligence, mobile networks, and broadband at the global level and also using them for promoting the ease of living." The Network Readiness Index highlights India's growing role as a global leader in technology adoption and innovation. The government's initiatives to strengthen digital infrastructure and promote research and development are key contributors to this success. India's improved ranking highlights technological progress and sets a strong foundation for further advancements in digital transformation and innovation in the country.
Significant milestones in life and career of Jimmy CarterIowa State vs. Utah FREE LIVE STREAM (11/23/24): Watch college football, Week 13 online | Time, TV, channelWall Street got back to climbing after the latest update on inflation appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve. The S&P 500 gained 0.8% Wednesday to break a two-day losing streak and finished just short of its all-time high. Big Tech stocks led the way, which drove the Nasdaq composite up 1.8% to top the 20,000 level for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged with a dip of 0.2%. Stocks got a boost as expectations built that the Fed will deliver another cut to interest rates at its meeting next week. On Wednesday: The S&P 500 rose 49.28 points, or 0.8%, to 6,084.19. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 99.27 points, or 0.2%, to 44,148.56. The Nasdaq composite rose 347.65 points, or 1.8%, to 20,034.89. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 11.38 points, or 0.5%, to 2,394.16. For the week: The S&P 500 is down 6.08 points, or 0.1%. The Dow is down 493.96 points, or 1.1%. The Nasdaq is up 175.12 points, or 0.9%. The Russell 2000 is down 14.84 points, or 0.6%. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,314.36 points, or 27.6%. The Dow is up 6,459.02 points, or 17.1%. The Nasdaq is up 5,023.54 points, or 33.5%. The Russell 2000 is up 367.09 points, or 18.1%.
Croatia's President Zoran Milanovic will face conservative rival Dragan Primorac in an election run-off in two weeks' time after the incumbent narrowly missed out an outright victory on Sunday, official results showed. The results came after an exit poll, released immediately after the polling stations closed, showed that Milanovic, backed by the opposition left-wing Social Democrats, had scooped more than 50 percent of the first round vote and would thus avoid the January 12 run-off. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Johnson's 22 help Winthrop take down Mercer 102-97
Up 541% YTD, Is It Too Late to Buy This AI Growth Stock?
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Did you recently receive a required minimum distribution (RMD) from your IRA, beating the Dec. 31 deadline? Excellent. Or perhaps you took this money out earlier in the year. Whatever the case, you're now likely sitting on a decent-sized stash of cash that's waiting to be put to work. If this is the case, don't sweat it. Here's a list of five savvy uses of any RMD money you'd like to use more constructively. You may be able to utilize more than one of these possibilities, in fact, if there's enough to work with. 1. Park it in a high-yielding money market fund Assuming you took your required minimum distribution in the form of cash and have yet to do anything more with it, it's probably in your bank checking or savings accounts. And despite their pointlessly low yields, leaving it there for a brief time is fine. But if your plan is to keep this money relatively available for a while though, there's a better, similar option. As an alternative, invest this money in a higher-yielding money market fund, many of which are paying in the ballpark of 4% to 5% . These funds are bought and sold just like stock or bond funds, meaning they require explicit trade instructions. That's why your bank may not even be able to offer them to customers who only have checking or savings accounts. If you can move this money to a more conventional brokerage account, you're more likely to have access to this option. 2. Pay down credit card debt It almost goes without saying that you'll always want to keep any credit card debt to a minimum. After all, you're racking up interest charges on any balances beyond 30 days. If you've got more than a little left to pay on your total debt right now, however, you might want to knock as much of it out as soon as you can. See, although overall interest rates are still relatively low on a historical basis, credit card interest rates aren't following suit. They're at or near record highs. The Federal Reserve reports the average annualized interest rate charged by credit card issuers right now is a whopping 21.8%, although depending on your card, you could be paying much more. Credit cards issued by retailers are charging a little more than 30% per year, on average, with many of them upping these rates without making a clear announcement of these changes. You'd be hard-pressed to achieve a comparable rate of return on any money not used to pay down this debt... meaning getting rid of this debt is your best investment prospect right now. 3. Use it to cover taxes on a conversion to a Roth IRA Have you been kicking around the idea of converting your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA so you don't have to worry about taking required minimum distributions ever again (since RMDs don't apply to Roths)? Although such conversions are taxable as ordinary income for the year in which they're completed, the IRS doesn't care where the subsequent tax payment comes from. You could use your RMD money to cover at least some of any such tax bill. That said, right now may be the absolute worst time for some investors to complete a conversion to a Roth. Why? Because traditional IRAs that are heavily invested in stocks would be undergoing the conversion process at a time when the subsequent tax burden would be quite high, while waiting just a little while longer could lower this burden quite a bit. See, stocks are now well into record-high territory, and well overvalued as a result. The S&P 500 's ( ^GSPC -1.11% ) trailing-12-month price-to-earnings ratio is just above 30, while its price-to-sales ratio is in excess of 3.0. Both are uncomfortably high for what's supposed to be a normal economic environment. It matters simply because a corrective pullback could be on the horizon, which would make it at least a little cheaper to convert your conventional IRA to a Roth. 4. Make a charitable donation Were you forced to take a required minimum distribution of cash or assets you just don't need, and probably will never need? Although it's too late to take advantage of the IRS's generous qualified charitable distribution rules (which also satisfy RMD requirements), you can still lower your tax bill by giving away this money or in-kind distribution of assets. Doing so of course will reduce your taxable income for the year in which the donation is completed. Just be sure to get a dated receipt or confirmation from whatever charity you're making a gift to. 5. Reinvest it Finally -- and perhaps most importantly -- just because you're required to remove money or investments out of your conventional IRA doesn't mean this distribution needs to remain held as cash or a cash-like holding. If you needed this money to produce risk-adjusted growth when it was inside a retirement account, you'll arguably still need it to do the same outside that account. So, reinvest it. It wouldn't be inherently wrong to reinvest the RMD in the exact same stocks, bonds, or funds it was invested in before the distribution was made (although an in-kind distribution of these assets could have saved you a couple of steps). But, since you've now got some additional liquidity, now's a great time to make adjustments to your overall portfolio's allocation . Just bear in mind that there are different kinds of investments you'll want to hold in a taxable account, as opposed to a tax-deferred account like an IRA. For example, if you don't actually need dividend income but you still want to own dividend-paying value stocks, holding your growth stocks in a taxable brokerage account will give you more control of your taxable income in any given year. Conversely, dividend payments dished out by dividend-paying stocks held in an IRA don't actually generate taxable income, as these payments are being made. Just optimize your allocation for your particular situation.Four Italian peacekeepers were injured after two rockets struck the West Sector Headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, according to a statement by UNIFIL. The four peacekeepers are currently receiving treatment at the base hospital, and none of the injuries are life-threatening, said the statement on Friday. “The rockets, likely launched by Hezbollah or affiliated groups, impacted a bunker and a logistics area used by the international military police, causing significant damage to nearby infrastructure,” said the statement, noting that one of the affected structures caught fire, “but the blaze was swiftly extinguished by base personnel.” This marked the third attack on the UNIFIL base in the village of Chamaa within just one week, according to UNIFIL, Xinhua news agency reported. In the statement, UNIFIL reiterated its call for relevant parties to avoid fighting next to its positions, stressing, “The inviolability of UN premises and personnel must be respected at all times.” “Any attack against peacekeepers constitutes a serious violation of international law and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701,” it added. UNIFIL sites and installations have previously been attacked, leading to injuries, amid the ongoing conflict between the Israeli army and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Earlier this week, four Ghanaian peacekeepers on duty sustained injuries as a rocket hit their base in the east of the southern Lebanese village of Ramyah.