
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a $2.38 per share dividend for the first quarter of 2025. The dividend will be paid on March 7, 2025 , to all stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 14, 2025 . About Amgen Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative medicines to help millions of patients in their fight against some of the world's toughest diseases. More than 40 years ago, Amgen helped to establish the biotechnology industry and remains on the cutting-edge of innovation, using technology and human genetic data to push beyond what's known today. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline that builds on its existing portfolio of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and rare diseases. In 2024, Amgen was named one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies" by Fast Company and one of "America's Best Large Employers" by Forbes, among other external recognitions . Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average ® , and it is also part of the Nasdaq-100 Index ® , which includes the largest and most innovative non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization. For more information, visit Amgen.com and follow Amgen on X , LinkedIn , Instagram , TikTok , YouTube and Threads . Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the current expectations and beliefs of Amgen. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including any statements on the outcome, benefits and synergies of collaborations, or potential collaborations, with any other company (including BeiGene, Ltd. or Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.), the performance of Otezla® (apremilast) (including anticipated Otezla sales growth and the timing of non-GAAP EPS accretion), our acquisitions of Teneobio, Inc., ChemoCentryx, Inc., or Horizon Therapeutics plc (including the prospective performance and outlook of Horizon's business, performance and opportunities, any potential strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities expected as a result of such acquisition, and any projected impacts from the Horizon acquisition on our acquisition-related expenses going forward), as well as estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial metrics, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, reimbursement activities and outcomes, effects of pandemics or other widespread health problems on our business, outcomes, progress, and other such estimates and results. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and more fully described in the Securities and Exchange Commission reports filed by Amgen, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this information as of the date of this news release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those we project. Our results may be affected by our ability to successfully market both new and existing products domestically and internationally, clinical and regulatory developments involving current and future products, sales growth of recently launched products, competition from other products including biosimilars, difficulties or delays in manufacturing our products and global economic conditions. In addition, sales of our products are affected by pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny and reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers, including governments, private insurance plans and managed care providers and may be affected by regulatory, clinical and guideline developments and domestic and international trends toward managed care and healthcare cost containment. Furthermore, our research, testing, pricing, marketing and other operations are subject to extensive regulation by domestic and foreign government regulatory authorities. We or others could identify safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with our products, including our devices, after they are on the market. Our business may be impacted by government investigations, litigation and product liability claims. In addition, our business may be impacted by the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities. If we fail to meet the compliance obligations in the corporate integrity agreement between us and the U.S. government, we could become subject to significant sanctions. Further, while we routinely obtain patents for our products and technology, the protection offered by our patents and patent applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by our competitors, or we may fail to prevail in present and future intellectual property litigation. We perform a substantial amount of our commercial manufacturing activities at a few key facilities, including in Puerto Rico , and also depend on third parties for a portion of our manufacturing activities, and limits on supply may constrain sales of certain of our current products and product candidate development. An outbreak of disease or similar public health threat, such as COVID-19, and the public and governmental effort to mitigate against the spread of such disease, could have a significant adverse effect on the supply of materials for our manufacturing activities, the distribution of our products, the commercialization of our product candidates, and our clinical trial operations, and any such events may have a material adverse effect on our product development, product sales, business and results of operations. We rely on collaborations with third parties for the development of some of our product candidates and for the commercialization and sales of some of our commercial products. In addition, we compete with other companies with respect to many of our marketed products as well as for the discovery and development of new products. Discovery or identification of new product candidates or development of new indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a new indication for an existing product will be successful and become a commercial product. Further, some raw materials, medical devices and component parts for our products are supplied by sole third-party suppliers. Certain of our distributors, customers and payers have substantial purchasing leverage in their dealings with us. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of our products that implicate an entire class of products could have a material adverse effect on sales of the affected products and on our business and results of operations. Our efforts to collaborate with or acquire other companies, products or technology, and to integrate the operations of companies or to support the products or technology we have acquired, may not be successful. There can be no guarantee that we will be able to realize any of the strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities arising from the Horizon acquisition, and such benefits, synergies or opportunities may take longer to realize than expected. We may not be able to successfully integrate Horizon, and such integration may take longer, be more difficult or cost more than expected. A breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach of our information technology systems could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our systems and our data. Our stock price is volatile and may be affected by a number of events. Our business and operations may be negatively affected by the failure, or perceived failure, of achieving our environmental, social and governance objectives. The effects of global climate change and related natural disasters could negatively affect our business and operations. Global economic conditions may magnify certain risks that affect our business. Our business performance could affect or limit the ability of our Board of Directors to declare a dividend or our ability to pay a dividend or repurchase our common stock. We may not be able to access the capital and credit markets on terms that are favorable to us, or at all. CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks Elissa Snook , 609-251-1407 (media) Justin Claeys , 805-313-9775 (investors) View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amgen-announces-2025-first-quarter-dividend-302328180.html SOURCE Amgen
Equities research analysts at StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Flanigan’s Enterprises ( NYSEAMERICAN:BDL – Get Free Report ) in a note issued to investors on Saturday. The brokerage set a “hold” rating on the stock. Flanigan’s Enterprises Price Performance BDL opened at $24.75 on Friday. Flanigan’s Enterprises has a fifty-two week low of $24.32 and a fifty-two week high of $29.72. The company has a quick ratio of 1.21, a current ratio of 1.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Flanigan’s Enterprises A hedge fund recently raised its stake in Flanigan’s Enterprises stock. Empowered Funds LLC raised its position in Flanigan’s Enterprises, Inc. ( NYSEAMERICAN:BDL – Free Report ) by 5.0% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 14,030 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 670 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC’s holdings in Flanigan’s Enterprises were worth $375,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. 11.03% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Flanigan’s Enterprises Flanigan’s Enterprises, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates a chain of full-service restaurants and package liquor stores in South Florida. The company operates in two segments, Package Stores and Restaurants. It operates package liquor stores under the Big Daddy’s Liquors name, which offer private label liquors, beer, and wines; and restaurants under the Flanigan’s Seafood Bar and Grill service mark that provide alcoholic beverages and full food services. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Flanigan's Enterprises Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Flanigan's Enterprises and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
This Week in B2B Innovation: Capturing Opportunity Across an Atypical Landscape
More jail time for young man who has a history of illicit drugs and crimeLondon – Internationally educated Nigerian nurses have expressed feeling “thrown out into the cold” by the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) after being caught up in an ongoing investigation into widespread fraud at a test centre in Nigeria. The incident, which according to affected nearly 2,000 Nigerian nurses, has led to job losses, financial turmoil, and severe emotional distress for many of those involved. The investigation was triggered by concerns over fraudulent computer-based test (CBT) results at the Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in Ibadan, Nigeria, which was part of the NMC’s certification process for international nurses. Nurses, including registrants and applicants, were found to have taken the test in unusually quick times, leading the NMC to conclude that the CBT had been obtained fraudulently. In response to the scandal, 16 individuals have admitted to using proxies to sit the CBT, while 7 nurses have been removed from the NMC register, and 185 applications have been rejected. The NMC’s actions have left many nurses in a state of limbo, unable to progress with their careers as they await hearings and appeals regarding their cases. Felicia Kwaku, a representative of a group campaigning for the affected nurses, told , “We have a number of vulnerable people that have lost jobs and livelihoods,” as many nurses face a bleak future while the investigation drags on. One such nurse, who spoke to under the condition of anonymity, shared the emotional toll the situation has taken on her. Nurse A, who passed the CBT in October 2022 at Yunnik, found herself in the UK working as a healthcare assistant while waiting for her application to join the NMC register. However, in September 2023, she received a devastating letter rejecting her application, accusing her of obtaining her CBT fraudulently. “When I had that rejection letter, I thought I had died,” Nurse A recalled. “I couldn’t breathe. I was literally given an inhaler for the first time in my life because of the panic attack.” Despite retaking her CBT in the UK and providing evidence of her competence and trustworthiness, the assistant registrar who reviewed her case upheld the NMC’s decision, believing it more likely that she had obtained her CBT fraudulently. This decision has had far-reaching consequences, as Nurse A was forced to switch her visa status, losing her ability to work as a healthcare assistant and struggling financially. “I can’t go to school now, I can’t go back and do my master’s, I can’t earn a decent living,” she said. “I’m still paying the debts I incurred through the process of coming here.” Some affected nurses have pointed out that the fast test times were due to the availability of practice materials online, which were similar to the actual questions on the CBT. Nurse A explained, “I practised for eight months. At some points, just reading the first two words, you already know the answer.” The NMC has denied that these online materials were identical to the actual exam questions, but the nurses argue that Pearson VUE, the company responsible for overseeing the test centre, failed to maintain proper oversight. According to a recent webinar hosted by the NMC, the Yunnik Centre had not been inspected properly since its opening, and it lacked essential security measures such as CCTV and biometric verification to prevent fraud. Nurse A has called on Pearson VUE to take responsibility for their failure to uphold the standards of the testing centre. “We’re sort of like collateral damage between the NMC and Pearson VUE,” she said. “Nigerian nurses feel scammed that the NMC took us to a centre that was not meeting standards, and now we are getting blamed for what happened.” The situation has left many affected nurses uncertain about their future, with some even considering legal action against the NMC. The regulator’s handling of the case has sparked a wider debate about accountability and the responsibility of testing centres to uphold rigorous standards to protect the integrity of the qualification process for international nurses.NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cellectis CLLS (the "Company"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company using its pioneering gene-editing platform to develop life-saving cell and gene therapies, today announced that it has drawn down the final tranche of €5 million ("Tranche C") under the credit facility agreement for up to €40 million entered into with the European Investment Bank (the "EIB) on December 28, 2022 (the "Finance Contract"). With the drawdown of Tranche C, the Company has drawn down the full €40 million available under the Finance Contract. Tranche C is expected to be disbursed by the EIB by December 18, 2024. The Company plans to use the proceeds of Tranche C towards the development of its pipeline of allogeneic CAR T-cell product candidates: UCART22 and UCART20x22. As a condition to the disbursement of Tranche C the Company issued 611,426 warrants to the benefit of the EIB, in accordance with the terms of the 14 th resolution of the shareholders' meeting held on June 28, 2024 and articles L. 228-91 and seq. of the French Commercial Code (the "Tranche C Warrants"). Each Tranche C Warrant allows the EIB to subscribe for one ordinary share of the Company, at a price of €1.70, corresponding to 99% of the volume-weighted average price of the Company's ordinary shares over the last 3 trading days preceding the decision of the board of directors of the Company to issue the Tranche C Warrants. The total number of shares issuable upon exercise of the Tranche C Warrants represent circa 0.6% of the Company's outstanding share capital as at their issuance date. Tranche C will mature six years from its disbursement date and will accrue interest at a rate of 6% per annum capitalized annually and payable at maturity. The other terms of the Tranche C Warrants and prepayment events of Tranche C under the Finance Contract are as set forth in the Company's press release of April 4, 2023 and Form 6-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on such date. About Cellectis Cellectis is a clinical-stage biotechnology company using its pioneering gene-editing platform to develop life-saving cell and gene therapies. Cellectis utilizes an allogeneic approach for CAR-T immunotherapies in oncology, pioneering the concept of off-the-shelf and ready-to-use gene-edited CAR T-cells to treat cancer patients, and a platform to make therapeutic gene editing in hemopoietic stem cells for various diseases. As a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with 25 years of experience and expertise in gene editing, Cellectis is developing life-changing product candidates utilizing TALEN ® , its gene editing technology, and PulseAgile, its pioneering electroporation system to harness the power of the immune system in order to treat diseases with unmet medical needs. Cellectis' headquarters are in Paris, France, with locations in New York, New York and Raleigh, North Carolina. Cellectis is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market CLLS and on Euronext Growth ALCLS . To find out more, visit our website: www.cellectis.com Follow Cellectis on social networks @cellectis on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter) TALEN® is a registered trademark owned by Cellectis. Cautionary Statement This press release contains "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expect," "plan," and "will," or the negative of these and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements, which are based on our management's current expectations and assumptions and on information currently available to management. Forward-looking statements include statements about the date of disbursement of the Tranche C and the use of the proceeds of amounts received under the Finance Contract. These forward-looking statements are made in light of information currently available to us and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including with respect to the numerous risks associated with market conditions, and our ability to satisfy the conditions precedent under the Finance Contract. Furthermore, many other important factors, including those described in our Annual Report on Form 20-F as amended and in our annual financial report (including the management report) for the year ended December 31, 2023 and subsequent filings Cellectis makes with the Securities Exchange Commission from time to time, which are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov , as well as other known and unknown risks and uncertainties may adversely affect such forward-looking statements and cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. For further information on Cellectis, please contact: Media contacts: Pascalyne Wilson, Director, Communications, + 33 (0)7 76 99 14 33, media@cellectis.com Patricia Sosa Navarro, Chief of Staff to the CEO, +33 (0)7 76 77 46 93 Investor Relations contact: Arthur Stril, Interim Chief Financial Officer, investors@cellectis.com Attachment 20241128_Cellectis_BEI_Tranche C_ENGLISH_PR-MBT © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home Saturday after his meeting with Donald Trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. After the leaders’ hastily arranged dinner Friday night at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trudeau spoke of “an excellent conversation” but offered no details. Trump said in a Truth Social post later Saturday that they discussed “many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address.” For issues in need of such cooperation, Trump cited fentanyl and the “Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration," fair trade deals "that do not jeopardize American Workers” and the U.S. trade deficit with its ally to the north. Trump asserted that the prime minister had made “a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation” of American families from fentanyl from China reaching the United States through its neighbors. The U.S., he said, “will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic.” The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024 — and Canadian officials say they are ready to make new investments in border security. Trudeau called Trump after the Republican's social media posts about the tariffs last Monday and they agreed to meet, according to a official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to publicly discuss detail of the private talks. The official said other countries are calling Canadian officials to hear how about how the meeting was arranged and to ask for advice. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, after speaking with Trump on the telephone, said Thursday she was confident a tariff war with Washington would be averted. At the dinner that was said to last three hours, Trump said he and Trudeau also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic. A second official cited defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast, pipelines and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year as other issues that arose. Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest,” but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the Nov. 5 election. "Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking,” Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Trudeau had said before leaving from Friday that Trump was elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now was talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products, including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau said. “Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added. The threatened tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a “win win” for both countries. When Trump imposed higher tariffs as president, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 77% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. ___ Gillies reported from Toronto. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
People Can Fly lays off more than 120 employees as it cuts back on in-development games: 'We need to tailor our plans to our financial capacity'
NoneThe US Navy is transforming a costly flub into a potent weapon with the first shipborne hypersonic weapon, which is being retrofitted aboard the first of its three stealthy destroyers. The USS Zumwalt is at a Mississippi shipyard where workers have installed missile tubes that replace twin turrets from a gun system that was never activated because it was too expensive. Once the system is complete, the Zumwalt will provide a platform for conducting fast, precision strikes from greater distances, adding to the usefulness of the warship. “It was a costly blunder but the Navy could take victory from the jaws of defeat here, and get some utility out of them by making them into a hypersonic platform,” said Bryan Clark, a defense analyst at the Hudson Institute. The US has had several types of hypersonic weapons in development for the past two decades, but recent tests by both Russia and China have added pressure to the US military to hasten their production. Hypersonic weapons travel beyond March 5, five times the speed of sound, with added maneuverability making them harder to shoot down. Last year, The Washington Post reported that among the documents leaked by former Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira was a defense department briefing that confirmed China had recently tested an intermediate-range hypersonic weapon called the DF-27. While the Pentagon had previously acknowledged the weapon's development, it had not recognized its testing. One of the US programs in development and planned for the Zumwalt is “Conventional Prompt Strike." It would launch like a ballistic missile and then release a hypersonic glide vehicle that would travel at speeds seven to eight times faster than the speed of sound before hitting the target. The weapon system is being developed jointly by the Navy and Army. Each of the Zumwalt-class destroyers would be equipped with four missile tubes, each with three of the missiles for a total of 12 hypersonic weapons per ship. In choosing the Zumwalt, the Navy is attempting to add to the usefulness of a $7.5 billion warship that is considered by critics to be an expensive mistake despite serving as a test platform for multiple innovations. The Zumwalt was envisioned as providing land-attack capability with an Advanced Gun System with rocket-assisted projectiles to open the way for Marines to charge ashore. But the system featuring 155 mm guns hidden in stealthy turrets was canceled because each of the rocket-assisted projectiles cost between $800,000 and $1 million. Despite the stain on its reputation, the three Zumwalt-class destroyers remain the Navy’s most advanced surface warship in terms of new technologies. Those innovations include electric propulsion, an angular shape to minimize radar signature, an unconventional wave-piercing hull, automated fire and damage control and a composite deckhouse that hides radar and other sensors. The Zumwalt arrived at the Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in August 2023 and was removed from the water for the complex work of integrating the new weapon system. It is due to be undocked this week in preparation for the next round of tests and its return to the fleet, shipyard spokeswoman Kimberly Aguillard said. A US hypersonic weapon was successfully tested over the summer and development of the missiles is continuing. The Navy wants to begin testing the system aboard the Zumwalt in 2027 or 2028, according to the Navy. The US weapon system will come at a steep price. It would cost nearly $18 billion to buy 300 of the weapons and maintain them over 20 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Critics say there is too little bang for the buck. “This particular missile costs more than a dozen tanks. All it gets you is a precise non-nuclear explosion, someplace far far away. Is it really worth the money? The answer is most of the time the missile costs much more than any target you can destroy with it,” said Loren Thompson, a longtime military analyst in Washington DC. But they provide the capability for Navy vessels to strike an enemy from a distance of thousands of kilometers — outside the range of most enemy weapons — and there is no effective defense against them, said retired Navy Rear Admiral Ray Spicer, CEO of the US Naval Institute, a think tank, and former commander of an aircraft carrier strike force. Conventional missiles that cost less aren’t much of a bargain if they are unable to reach their targets, Spicer said, adding the US military really has no choice but to pursue them. “The adversary has them. We never want to be outdone,” he said. The US is accelerating development because hypersonics have been identified as vital to US national security with “survivable and lethal capabilities,” said James Weber, principal director for hypersonics in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies. “Fielding new capabilities that are based on hypersonic technologies is a priority for the defense department to sustain and strengthen our integrated deterrence, and to build enduring advantages,” he said.
China’s Latest Stealth Fighter Shown at Air Show Demonstrates Intent to Rival U.S. Forces, Continuing Military BuildupLA Times owner plans to add AI-powered ‘bias meter’ on news stories, sparking newsroom backlashMumbai: The Maharashtra Chief Minister will be from BJP, said ally Ajit Pawar today saying that the two Deputy Chief Ministers will be from other Mahayuti constituents. The Mahayuti, which comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) headed by Ajit Pawar, registered a resounding victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections. By winning 132 seats, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, while Shiv Sena and NCP won 57 and 41 seats respectively. However, government formation has been delayed and suspense over the next CM continues. Ajit Pawar was in the city to meet 95-year-old social activist Dr Baba Adhav, who held a protest against the alleged misuse of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the recent Maharashtra assembly polls. When asked who will be the chief minister of the state, Pawar said, "The state will have one chief minister from BJP and two deputies from other two parties of Mahayuti. Tentatively, the oath taking ceremony will take place on December 5. We have decided to move ahead with a strong vision." State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced on Saturday evening that the new Mahayuti government would be sworn in at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on the evening of December 5 in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence. While there was no announcement yet on who would be the chief minister, BJP sources said Devendra Fadnavis, who has been chief minister twice and was deputy CM in the last Eknath Shinde-led government, was the frontrunner for the top post. Ajit Pawar was another deputy CM in the Shinde-led government. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
: The South Zone Inter-University Table Tennis Tournament for Men was inaugurated at Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) on its campus here on Tuesday. According to a press release, T. Arumugam, vice-chancellor, Thiruvalluvar University, inaugurated the tournament in the presence of G. Viswanathan, founder and chancellor, VIT; N.V. Thiyagachanthan, Director, Department of Physical Education; and Sankar Viswanathan, vice-president. In his presidential address, G. Viswanathan said that participating in sports and games was more important than winning, as they help maintain physical and mental health. “Sportsmanship means that sportspersons will not entertain enmity if somebody wins the game. You (Sportsperson) will not become an enemy of anybody. Sportspersons know how to behave with others and how to be a team player. These are the aspects you learn when you participate in various sports,” he said. Thiruvalluvar University vice-chancellor Mr. Arumugam said that the role of sports was key in moulding one’s personality. “Sports and games are an integral part of a human being’s daily life. So, sportspersons should make use of the opportunity to develop their game of interest, physique, and mind-set,” he said. In the five-day competition, 103 teams from universities in South India will participate, the release said. Published - December 11, 2024 02:04 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp RedditTech Triumph! Here’s Why HPE is Surging
Should the Warriors' memorable Big 4 reunite for one final championship run? | Sporting NewsNASA Administrator Bill Nelson will fly in aircraft manufacturer Electra’s EL2 Goldfinch experimental prototype aircraft on Sunday, Dec. 8. Members of the media are invited to speak with Nelson and Electra leaders just prior to the flight at 11:45 a.m. EST at Manassas Regional Airport in Manassas, Virginia. Electra designed the experimental aircraft with the goals of reducing emissions and noise and connecting new locations for regional air travel, including underserved communities. Media will be able to view and film the flight, which is set to feature ultra-short takeoffs and landings with as few as 150 feet of ground roll. The flight also is set to include a battery-only landing. Media interested in participating must RSVP to Rob Margetta at robert.j.margetta@nasa.gov . NASA’s aeronautics research works to develop new generations of sustainable aviation technologies that will create new options for both U.S. passengers and cargo. Agency-supported research aims to provide industry providers like Electra, and others, data that can help inform the designs of innovative, greener aircraft with reduced operating costs. NASA investments have included projects that explore electrified aircraft technologies, and work that helped refine the electric short-takeoff and landing concept. The agency’s work with private sector aviation providers helps NASA in its effort to bring sustainable solutions to the American public. In November, NASA selected Electra as one of five recipients of its Advanced Aircraft Concepts for Environmental Sustainability 2050 awards, through which they will develop design studies and explore key technologies to push the boundaries of possibility for next-generation sustainable commercial aircraft. These new studies will help the agency identify and select promising aircraft concepts and technologies for further investigations. https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics -end- Meira Bernstein / Rob Margetta Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 meira.b.bernstein@nasa.gov / robert.j.margetta@nasa.gov
Trump’s Defense secretary nominee has close ties to Idaho Christian nationalistsFormer prime minister Gordon Brown and Scottish First Minister John Swinney were among those who remembered a “giant of a man” during a memorial service for Alex Salmond. Tributes were paid to the former Scottish first minister, who died suddenly in North Macedonia in October at the age of 69. A private family funeral has already taken place, with Saturday’s memorial service in Edinburgh held to celebrate his love of Scotland and his commitment to the cause of independence. But while some 500 people, including family, friends and politicians from across the spectrum attended the service at St Giles’ Cathedral, his successor Nicola Sturgeon was not present. A rift between her and Mr Salmond – who she had previously described as her mentor – developed during her term as SNP leader. Ms Sturgeon attended the funeral of Scottish comedian Janey Godley in Glasgow on Saturday morning. Her successor, Mr Swinney, was met with boos as he arrived at the service – held on St Andrew’s Day – with at least one person in the crowd outside on the Royal Mile shouting “traitor”. Mr Salmond stood down as SNP leader and first minister after the 2014 referendum in which Scots voted to stay part of the UK. He helped found and went on to lead another pro-independence party, Alba, with Kenny MacAskill, a long-time friend who served as justice secretary in Holyrood under Mr Salmond. Mr MacAskill, now the acting Alba leader, told the congregation – which included Mr Salmond’s widow Moira as well as Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, former Labour first minister Henry McLeish and Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay – that Mr Salmond had been a “giant of man”. Mr MacAskill, who quit the SNP to join Alba, hailed Mr Salmond as “an inspiration, a political genius” and being “most of all a man who had the cause of independence burned into his heart and seared in his soul”. The cause of independence was Mr Salmond’s “guiding light, his north star”, the former justice secretary said, adding that “he came so close to achieving it”. He added: “Those of us who share his dream must conclude that journey on his behalf. That’s the legacy he’d expect and the duty we owe him.” Recalling Mr Salmond’s words from when he stood down as first minister that “the dream shall never die”, Mr MacAskill concluded his address with the words: “Your dream shall be delivered.” Former Conservative Brexit minister and long-time friend of Mr Salmond, David Davis, gave a reading as did former Scottish government minister SNP MSP Fergus Ewing. Scottish folk singer Dougie MacLean performed his famous song Caledonia, while singer Sheena Wellington led mourners in a rendition of Robert Burns’ classic A Man’s A Man For A’ That. Scottish rock duo the Proclaimers were applauded for their performance of Cap in Hand – a pro-independence song which features the line “I can’t understand why we let someone else rule our land, cap in hand”. Brothers Craig and Charlie Reid said: “We’re going to do this for Alex, with love and respect and eternal gratitude for everything you did for our country.” Christina Hendry described her Uncle Alex as a “political giant, a strong leader, a fearless campaigner” but also remembered his as a “dearly loved husband, brother and uncle”. While she said he had been “the top man in Scotland”, he had “always made time for his family”, recalling how he phoned her brother on his birthday – the day after the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 – to apologise for not posting a card “as he’d been busy”, before telling them he would “resigning in 10 minutes”. She told the congregation: “As his family, we always felt loved no matter how far away he was or the time that passed before we saw him next. “We always knew he was standing up for our country, and for that we were grateful.” Ms Hendry continued: “The world will be a much quieter place without Uncle Alex, for Moira, for the wider family and for Scotland. “Uncle Alex passing means a great loss for many. A loss of Scotland’s voice on the international stage. A loss of integrity in Scottish politics. And a great loss to Scotland’s independence movement. “As a family it is likely a loss we will never get over.” Duncan Hamilton KC, who was an SNP MSP after the first Scottish Parliament elections, but also served as a political adviser and legal counsel to Mr Salmond, said the former first minister had “rightly been hailed as one of the greatest Scottish politicians of this, or any, generation”. He told how Mr Salmond took the SNP from being “a fringe act trying to get onto the main stage” to a party of government. “In Scottish politics, his success was both spectacular and unrivalled,” Mr Hamilton said. “Alex Salmond will forever be a pivotal figure in Scotland’s story. He changed a nation. He inspired a country. “History will certainly remember him as a man of talent, charisma and substance. But also as a political leader of courage, vision and intelligence. “He dared to dream. And so should we.” As the service finished the crowd gathered outside applauded and chanted “Alex, Alex” before singing Flower Of Scotland.