NoneThrivent Financial for Lutherans Acquires 47,989 Shares of BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF (NYSEARCA:LCTU)
By Daily Trust Laolu Akande, a former presidential aide, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rise above the performance of his predecessors and leave a legacy of trust and transformation for Nigerians. Akande said this on Thursday while speaking as a guest on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily. “The president must understand that he has an obligation to be the best president Nigeria has ever had. If he does anything below that, it’s a disappointment to his pedigree,” he stated. Reflecting on Tinubu’s past achievements as Lagos State governor and his experience as an opposition politician in the country, Akande expressed high expectations for Tinubu’s presidency. Be patient with Tinubu, 2025 presents better deal – Ganduje Christmas: CAN asks Tinubu to reduce food prices, strengthen agriculture “When they asked him about corruption, his response was lackadaisical. The president must understand the corrosive nature of corruption—it’s not just financial. It’s in our moral attitude and what we have become as a people. “Providing loans to university students is an excellent programme, but that is not how we are going to fight corruption,” Akande noted. While acknowledging the president’s confidence during the media chat, Akande pointed out a critical shortfall: the inability to instill trust in the people. He called on Tinubu to engage Nigerians more and demonstrate a genuine connection with their struggles. “He must speak not only as a confident politician but as a Nigerian who had been out there in the trenches with the people. He hasn’t been able to do that so far,” Akande submitted. Asked what Nigerians can look forward to next year, he responded: “Nigerians should go into the New Year with a new mindset. Namely, we should stop expecting ‘salvation from the political process’. Our salvation is not going to come from the political process. We will have to compel the situation that we want on the political process.” He called for greater public involvement in the civic process, stressing that real change can only come from sustained public discourse by the people, beyond what he described as “arm-chair” analysis. While urging Nigerians to be more assertive, he said: “We are not making requests from those who are in government. But we are asserting the fact that the existence of government is at our behest. The government exists because we produce it. “Many people don’t get involved in the civic process. People have to move into that realm. Otherwise, we will remain in an armchair analysis situation, talking about issues in our little corners. We need to move the conversations to the public space.” Akande emphasized the importance of media as a critical tool for change, likening it to a “village meeting place” where collective aspirations can be aired and refined. He challenged Nigerians to raise their expectations and advocate for better governance. “Whenever somebody in government does something little, there is a lot of cheer,” he said. “If you look at Nigerians very well, they are not asking for too much. We need to begin to change the conversation in public spaces to say that ‘This is the kind of Nigeria that we must have. And we will not accept anything less.’” Addressing concerns about criticisms of government leadership being equated with “demarketing” Nigeria, Akande highlighted the need for wisdom and discernment. “There is no use demarketing our country at all. People shouldn’t equate criticism of leaders in government today with criticism of Nigeria. These leaders are just in charge for a limited time, maximum – eight years,” Akande remarked. “What is the use of running your country down? It’s completely useless. But we can begin to find new ways to hold leadership accountable, starting from our narratives.” Akande praised the resilience of the Nigerian people in the face of challenges. “The stories of people like Lookman Ademola who, even though was born in the United Kingdom and he’s actually a citizen of that country, chose to wear the Nigerian flag and say ‘I am a Nigerian’. Stories like that are the things that I find very inspiring. And it encourages me that this country is going to be great,” the former Tribune editor noted. Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You. best president Demarketing Laolu Akande President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
'Look at the crime in our area': Trump made biggest gains in Santa Fe on the south side
LINCOLN — Nebraska produced a touchdown and field goal in a 15-second span to end the first half to extend its lead over Wisconsin to 24-10 into intermission on Saturday. The Huskers produced three offensive touchdowns in all including one with 17 seconds left. Dylan Raiola lofted a pass to Jahmal Banks, who got a foot inbounds in the back of the end zone for a 5-yard score set up by a Wisconsin pass-interference call. UW running back Tawee Walker then ran the ball with 16 seconds left — Ty Robinson forced a fumble and Stefon Thompson recovered. John Hohl tacked on a 37-yard field goal as Nebraska added to its lead against a Big Ten foe it hasn’t beaten in a dozen years. The Huskers opened the game with perhaps their crispest offensive drive in more than a month set up by a season-long kickoff return of 45 yards from Jacory Barney. An Emmett Johnson 15-yard dart up the middle and an intermediate toss to Banks over the middle for 21 yards — Raiola got the ball out just ahead of a blitzer — provided the chunk gains. Heinrich Haarberg came on for a keeper on second and goal from the 5, bowling over multiple Badgers on the right side for his first touchdown of the season. Wisconsin countered immediately with its own score across six plays and 82 yards. Receiver Vinny Anthony shed a tackle for a 42-yard catch-and-run to flip the field and two plays later caught a fade from Braedyn Locke over Marques Buford in the back right corner of the end zone. NU challenged the call — Anthony lost the ball after he landed out of bounds — but officials upheld the ruling. Two offenses that have struggled in the Big Ten looked the part for a stretch from there. Nebraska went three plays and punted. Wisconsin managed one first down and stalled, with Willis McGahee IV forcing one incompletion by reaching Locke and Javin Wright generating another on a third-down deflection to the sideline. A Nebraska disaster followed as Raiola faked a pitch left and rolled right for an underhanded throw to Janiran Bonner, who fumbled the ball into the arms of defensive lineman Ben Barten. But the Badgers moved backward and kicker Nathanial Vakos hooked a 34-yard field goal wide left. The Huskers swung the momentum further their way as Johnson immediately picked up 27 yards on a screen and Barney snagged a shovel pass and live-wired his way downfield for 21 more. An 11-yard completion to Jahmal Banks on a third-and-9 comebacker kept the drive going and Dante Dowdell soon after crossed the goal line untouched from 12 yards out up the middle. Nebraska’s 14-7 lead was short lived thanks on part to an unsportsmanlike conduct flag against offensive lineman Micah Mazzccua for spiking the ball after the score. The penalty help set up the Badgers near midfield and they eventually settled for a 33-yard field goal after a 19-yard run from Tawee Walker. The Husker offense stalled quickly, with punter Brian Buschini pinning UW at its own 3-yard line with a 47-yard boot out of bounds. Wisconsin moved downfield — a 27-yard pass to a wide-open Chris Brooks on the left sideline here, a shovel pass to Trech Kekahuna for 22 there — but ultimately fizzled and Vakos missed well left on a 41-yard attempt. NU rode Johnson again in the final minutes including runs of 14 and 7 yards while Raiola found Banks and Luke Lindenmeyer for 15 and 8, respectively. The march ended with the touchdown pass to Banks and a 21-10 lead. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Mikel Arteta reveals Arsenal star Bukayo Saka will miss ‘more than two months’
Stocks closed higher on Wall Street, giving the market its fifth gain in a row and notching another record high for the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The S&P 500 rose 0.3% Friday. The Dow added 1%, and the Nasdaq composite tacked on 0.2%. Retailers had some of the biggest gains. Gap soared after reporting quarterly results that easily beat analysts’ estimates. EchoStar fell after DirecTV called off its purchase of that company’s Dish Network unit. European markets closed mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. Crude oil prices gained ground. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.None
China's industrial profits fell at a slower clip in November, official data showed on Friday, but the annual decline in earnings this year is expected to be the worst in over two decades due to persistently soft domestic consumption. The world's second-largest economy has been struggling to mount a strong post-pandemic revival, as business and household appetites for spending and investment remain subdued amid a prolonged housing downturn and fresh trade risks from the incoming US administration of President-elect Donald Trump. Industrial profits fell 7.3% in November from the same month last year, following a 10% drop in October, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data showed, Reuters reported. The narrower decline in November pointed to improved profits as recent economic stimulus measures start to have an effect, said Zhou Maohua, a macroeconomic researcher at China Everbright Bank. The profit numbers were also in line with a slower decline in factory-gate prices in November. The producer price index fell 2.5% year-on-year versus the 2.9% drop in October. The World Bank on Thursday revised up its 2024 economic growth forecast for China slightly to 4.9% from its June forecast of 4.8%. Still, in the first 11 months of 2024, industrial profits declined 4.7%, deepening a 4.3% slide in the January-October period, reflecting still tepid private demand in the Chinese economy. China's full-year industrial profits are set to show their biggest drop in percentage terms since 2011. However, when smaller companies are included under a previous compilation methodology, this year's profit decline is expected to the worst since at least 2000. A spate of economic indicators released this month pointed to mixed results, with industrial output accelerating in November while new home prices fell at the slowest pace in 17 months. The industrial sector is undergoing an uneven recovery amid insufficient demand, Zhou said, pointing to difficulties facing real estate and some related industries as evidence of this malaise. China's leaders vowed in a key policy meeting this month to raise the deficit, issue more debt and loosen monetary policy to maintain a stable economic growth rate. The government also recently pledged to step up direct fiscal support to consumers and boosting social security. Beijing has agreed to issue a record $411 billion special treasury bonds next year, Reuters reported. Profits at state-owned firms fell 8.4% in the first 11 months, foreign firms posted a 0.8% decline and private-sector companies recorded a 1% fall, according to a breakdown of the NBS data. Industrial profit numbers cover firms with annual revenues of at least 20 million yuan ($2.7 million) from their main operations.
Rate cut hopes seen boosting stock marketMary Murphy, longest-serving woman in the Minnesota House, has died at 85Five-star QBs point to future excitement in Michigan-Ohio State rivalry
The Indianapolis Colts could show up to the stadium on Sunday with nothing to play for. Or the scenario may call for a victory so they can remain alive in the AFC playoffs. Either way, the Colts' postseason fate hangs on other teams as they enter Sunday's game against the lowly New York Giants at East Rutherford, N.J. Indianapolis (7-8) is mathematically alive in the playoff hunt but trails the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos by two games with two contests left. The Chargers and Broncos both have games on Saturday. If both nine-win clubs win, the Colts will be eliminated and miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is well aware of the team's predicament and scenarios entering the game against the Giants (2-13), who have lost a franchise-record 10 straight games. "We still have an opportunity, with some help from other people," Richardson said. "But we just taking it one game at a time because it doesn't do us any good if everybody else does what they have to do to help us out and then we don't go out there and take advantage of it." Richardson (back/foot) sat out practice Thursday and the Colts remain confident his ailments will improve. If not, veteran Joe Flacco could be in line to start against New York. Flacco was just 1-3 as a starter when Richardson was sidelined or benched earlier this season. But Flacco (nine touchdowns, five interceptions) has a superior touchdown-to-interception ratio than Richardson (eight TDs, 12 interceptions) and has completed 66.5 percent of his passes compared to Richardson's 47.7 percent. No matter who starts, the game plan will revolve around star running back Jonathan Taylor, who rushed for 218 yards and three scores on 29 carries during last weekend's 38-30 home win over the Tennessee Titans. It was Taylor's second-most rushing yards in a game behind the club-record 253 he put up against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2020 season. The Giants are starting Drew Lock at quarterback for the fourth time in the past five games. Lock underwent an MRI exam on his passing shoulder Monday but no damage was found. He hurt it during Sunday's 34-7 road loss against the Atlanta Falcons. Lock is 0-3 as a starter this season and has completed just 52.7 percent of his passes. He has one touchdown and four interceptions in 129 attempts. "As a quarterback, the ball is in your hands every play and one or two bad plays can change a game," Lock said of his miscues. "You try to look at them individually, try to learn from each play individually and go onto the next week. Learn from what you did and just have a heavy emphasis on taking care of the ball." Giants coach Brian Daboll opted for Lock over Tommy DeVito, who is 0-2 as a starter this season. Daboll said he made the decision to continue the continuity from last week. Meanwhile, star rookie wideout Malik Nabers (toe) missed practice Thursday and called himself a game-day decision. Nabers has 97 receptions for 969 yards and four touchdown catches as one of the bright spots of the horrendous season. "It's tough on everybody. It's not just tough on me. It's tough on everybody," Nabers said of the team's troubles. "I'm continuing to keep my mental (attitude) strong, continue to move forward, continue to try to better the team, better myself. Lead by example. I feel like that's really all we can do in this state of mind that we're going through." In addition to Nabers, running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (ankle), center John Michael Schmitz (ankle), linebacker Micah McFadden (neck), cornerbacks Greg Stroman (shoulder/shin) and Dee Williams (toe) and safety Raheem Layne (knee) sat out practice Thursday. Richardson was one of three Colts to miss practice. The others were tight end Mo Alie-Cox (toe) and linebacker E.J. Speed (knee). In the most recent meeting, the Giants routed the Colts 38-10 late in the 2022 season. --Field Level MediaStock market today: Wall Street slips as the 'Magnificent 7' weighs down the marketFalcons running game will be key in matchup vs. Commanders