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WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on the promise that his policies would reduce high borrowing costs and lighten the financial burden on American households. But what if, as many economists expect, interest rates remain elevated, well above their pre-pandemic lows? Trump could point a finger at the Federal Reserve, and in particular at its chair, Jerome Powell, whom Trump himself nominated to lead the Fed. During his first term, Trump repeatedly and publicly ridiculed the Powell Fed, complaining that it kept interest rates too high. Trump’s attacks on the Fed raised widespread concern about political interference in the Fed’s policymaking. On Wednesday, Powell emphasized the importance of the Fed’s independence: “That gives us the ability to make decisions for the benefit of all Americans at all times, not for any particular political party or political outcome.” Political clashes might be inevitable in the next four years. Trump’s proposals to cut taxes and impose steep and widespread tariffs are a recipe for high inflation in an economy operating at close to full capacity. And if inflation were to reaccelerate, the Fed would need to keep interest rates high. Because Powell won’t necessarily cut rates as much as Trump will want. And even if Powell reduces the Fed’s benchmark rate, Trump’s own policies could keep other borrowing costs — like mortgage rates — elevated. The sharply higher tariffs that Trump has vowed to impose could worsen inflation. And if tax cuts on things like tips and overtime pay — another Trump promise — quickened economic growth, that, too, could fan inflationary pressures. The Fed would likely respond by slowing or stopping its rate cuts, thereby thwarting Trump’s promises of lower borrowing rates. The central bank might even raise rates if inflation worsened. “The risk of conflict between the Trump administration and the Fed is very high,” Olivier Blanchard, former top economist at the International Monetary Fund, said recently. If the Fed hikes rates, “it will stand in the way of what the Trump administration wants.” Yes, but with the economy sturdier than expected, the Fed’s policymakers may cut rates only a few more times — fewer than had been anticipated just a month or two ago. And those rate cuts might not reduce borrowing costs for consumers and businesses very much. The Fed’s key short-term rate can influence rates for credit cards, small businesses and some other loans. But it has no direct control over longer-term interest rates. These include the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which affects mortgage rates. The 10-year Treasury yield is shaped by investors’ expectations of future inflation, economic growth and interest rates as well as by supply and demand for Treasuries. An example occurred this year. The 10-year yield fell in late summer in anticipation of a Fed rate cut. Yet once the first rate cut occurred on Sept. 18, longer term rates didn’t fall. Instead, they began to rise again, partly in anticipation of faster economic growth. Trump has also proposed a variety of tax cuts that could swell the deficit. Rates on Treasury securities might then have to rise to attract enough investors to buy the new debt. “I honestly don’t think the Fed has a lot of control over the 10-year rate, which is probably the most important for mortgages,” said Kent Smetters, an economist and faculty director at the Penn Wharton Budget Model. “Deficits are going to play a much bigger role in that regard.” Occasional or rare criticism of the Fed chair isn’t necessarily a problem for the economy, so long as the central bank continues to set policy as it sees fit. But persistent attacks would tend to undermine the Fed’s political independence, which is critically important to keeping inflation in check. To fight inflation, a central bank often must take steps that can be highly unpopular, notably by raising interest rates to slow borrowing and spending. Political leaders have typically wanted central banks to do the opposite: Keep rates low to support the economy and the job market, especially before an election. Research has found that countries with independent central banks generally enjoy lower inflation. Even if Trump doesn’t technically force the Fed to do anything, his persistent criticism could still cause problems. If markets, economists and business leaders no longer think the Fed is operating independently and instead is being pushed around by the president, they’ll lose confidence in the Fed’s ability to control inflation. And once consumers and businesses anticipate higher inflation, they usually act in ways that fuel higher prices — accelerating their purchases, for example, before prices rise further, or raising their own prices if they expect their expenses to increase. “The markets need to feel confident that the Fed is responding to the data, not to political pressure,” said Scott Alvarez, a former general counsel at the Fed. He can try, but it would likely lead to a prolonged legal battle that could even end up at the Supreme Court. At a November news conference, Powell made clear that he believes the president doesn’t have legal authority to do so. Most experts think Powell would prevail in the courts. And from the Trump administration’s perspective, such a fight might not be worth it. Powell’s term ends in May 2026, when the White House could nominate a new chair. It is also likely that the stock market would tumble if Trump attempted such a brazen move. Bond yields would probably rise, too, sending mortgage rates and other borrowing costs up. Financial markets might also react negatively if Trump is seen as appointing a loyalist as Fed chair to replace Powell in 2026. Yes, and in the most egregious cases, it led to stubbornly high inflation. Notably, President Richard Nixon pressured Fed Chair Arthur Burns to reduce interest rates in 1971, as Nixon sought re-election next year, which the Fed did. Economists blame Burns’ failure to keep rates sufficiently high for contributing to the entrenched inflation of the 1970s and early 1980s. Thomas Drechsel, an economist at the University of Maryland, said that when presidents intrude on the Fed’s interest rate decisions, “it increases prices quite consistently and it increases expectations, and ... that worries me because that means inflation might become quite entrenched.” Since the mid-1980s, with the exception of Trump in his first term, presidents have scrupulously refrained from public criticism of the Fed. “It’s amazing, how little manipulation for partisan ends we have seen of that policymaking apparatus,” said Peter Conti-Brown, a professor of financial regulation at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. “It really is a triumph of American governance.” Yes, most advanced economies do. But in some recent cases, as in Turkey and South Africa, governments have sought to dictate interest-rate policy to the central bank. And soaring inflation has typically followed. Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for years pressured the country’s central bank to cut interest rates even as prices spiked. He even fired three central bankers who had refused to comply. In response, inflation skyrocketed to 72% in 2022, according to official measures. Last year, Erdogan finally reversed course and allowed the central bank to raise rates.Russian State TV Reveals Assad's WhereaboutsFORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Corey Stephenson had 21 points in CSU Bakersfield's 68-60 victory over Northeastern at the Homewood Suites Classic tournament in Fort Myers, Florida on Sunday. Stephenson shot 8 of 16 from the field and 5 for 6 from the line for the Roadrunners (4-3). Marvin McGhee shot 4 for 10 (1 for 5 from 3-point range) and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line to add 12 points. McGhee went 3 of 7 from the field (3 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 10 points. LA Pratt led the way for the Huskies (5-2) with 15 points and six rebounds. Masai Troutman added 15 points for Northeastern. Harold Woods also had eight points. CSU Bakersfield led Northeastern at the half, 34-29, with McGhee (six points) its high scorer before the break. Stephenson's layup with 4:08 left in the second half gave CSU Bakersfield the lead for good at 56-54. NEXT UP These two teams both play Saturday. CSU Bakersfield visits Southern Utah and Northeastern visits Vermont. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .superace888 。

SUNDAY, Dec. 8, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Shingles can strike anyone who had chickenpox when they were young, and the intense pain that can accompany this body rash has sidelined many a senior. Here, one expert explains how and why shingles can surface, and what you can do to treat it, or better yet, avoid it. Shingles can happen at any age, but it most typically affects people over 50 who have stress and compromised immunity. “Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It’s the same virus that causes chickenpox,” said Dr. Eugene Fellin , a family medicine physician at Penn State Health Medical Group – Fleetwood. “For most of us who grew up before the 1990s, when children began being immunized against chickenpox, we’ve been exposed to the virus and are at risk for shingles.” How can shingles surface? After lying dormant in the nervous system for years, the virus can reemerge as shingles, which causes painful rashes that typically surface on the face or around the side of the torso, Fellin explained. “It’s like a poison ivy rash that won’t go away,” he added in a Penn State news release. “It can occur in patches, but along that same nerve root. A lot of times, people feel some tingling or a burning sensation prior to the rash actually breaking out,” Fellin noted. “When we’re looking for the rash, it will be in a string on the torso because the nerves wrap around the torso. You get a line around you, from the back to the front.” “The other issue we worry about is if it breaks out on the face and involves the eye because this can lead to blindness,” Fellin said. “Shingles around the eye is considered dangerous, and an instant referral to an ophthalmologist is always recommended.” What can you take to treat shingles? Antivirals such as Valacyclovir can be prescribed, but they’re time-sensitive and need to be taken within 36 hours of the start of the rash because they work by slowing the spread of the virus, Fellin said. While symptoms subside after three to five weeks, pain can sometimes return in the form of postherpetic neuralgia , he said. This long-term nerve pain occurs where the shingles rash appeared and can last for months or even years. Older adults are more likely to develop postherpetic neuralgia and have longer lasting and more severe pain, Fellin said. Luckily, there is something you can do to avoid shingles altogether: get vaccinated. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the Shingrix vaccine, given in two doses, with the second dose given two to six months after the first. People who get shingles can still receive the vaccine, which can lower the chances of another outbreak, Fellin noted. Most family doctors and pharmacies stock the vaccine, which is covered by Medicare, he added. “Most insurance programs are covering it because it has been out long enough and shows a real benefit,” Fellin said in a Penn State news release. “There’s a lot of misinformation about vaccines circulating out there. My message is this: Don’t be afraid of this or any vaccine.” SOURCE: Penn State Health, news release, Dec. 5, 2024Rep. (R-Ga.) railed against National Public Radio while addressing her new role as overseer for the “Department of Government Efficiency” during an interview on Fox News this weekend. The far-right rabble-rouser laid out part of her plan to slash government spending while where she told host Maria Bartiromo how she believes “every single government department” is ripe with waste. Promising to take a “deep dive” into government excess, Greene put NPR at the top of her list of what she thinks should be on the chopping block, saying, “We’ll be looking at everything from government-funded media programs like NPR that spread nothing but Democrat propaganda.” Greene’s Republican colleagues first floated the idea of stripping NPR of federal funding after Uri Berliner, a former editor, accusing the public broadcasting organization of having an “absence of viewpoint diversity” and a strong liberal bias. During a hearing led by the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s oversight subcommittee in May, Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) a “progressive propaganda purveyor” that should be forced to pay for its operations on its “own dime.” Marjorie Taylor Greene says Republicans will take a look at defunding NPR — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) direct federal funding amounts to less than 1% of its total revenue and that most of its money comes from public donations and corporate sponsorships. While a is currently in congressional limbo, an incoming Republican majority in both the House and Senate may put the threat to defund the organization back in play. Earlier this week, to supervise the newly minted “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE, subcommittee. The unofficial federal agency is set to be spearheaded by Donald Trump acolytes Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. Upon her appointment, Greene vowed to eliminate what she sees as a glut of government jobs. “Our subcommittee’s work will expose people who need to be FIRED,” . “The bureaucrats who don’t do their job, fail audits like in the Pentagon, and don’t know where BILLIONS of dollars are going, will be getting a pink slip.” Related...Empowering Africa with solar-charged electric bicycle conversion kits

Palantir ( PLTR 6.22% ) has been one of 2024's best-performing stocks. As of the time of writing, it has risen an astounding 340%, meaning the stock has more than quadrupled in 2024. That's an impressive performance, but anyone who doesn't own the stock is wondering if there's more upside to be had with Palantir. With 2025 right around the corner, can Palantir repeat its 2024 performance next year? Palantir's AI software is seeing huge growth in the U.S. With returns like that, you might guess that Palantir is somehow involved with artificial intelligence (AI), and you'd be right. Palantir's software gives those with decision-making authority all of the information they need to make the most informed choice possible. At first, this software was exclusively used by the government. Then, Palantir expanded its reach to the commercial sector, where it also saw strong demand. However, the biggest rise in demand occurred recently with its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP). AIP allows AI to be integrated into workflows rather than be a tool on the side. It also allows data to be maintained within the platform, so third-party generative AI models don't have access to potentially sensitive information. Palantir saw demand for its software explode in 2024, and management is extremely bullish on its future. CEO Alex Karp summarized Q3 in one sentence: "We absolutely eviscerated this quarter, driven by unrelenting AI demand that won't slow down." In the third quarter, Palantir saw revenue rise 30% year over year to $726 million. However, the U.S. saw outsized demand compared to its international counterparts, as U.S. commercial revenue rose 54% year over year to $179 million, and U.S. government revenue rose 40% year over year to $320 million. Clearly, AI has been a huge hit in the U.S., but that enthusiasm has yet to spill over to the international community. Another hallmark of Palantir's AI business is that it's actually profitable. In Q3, it posted a second consecutive quarter with a 20% profit margin. This proves that a software company doesn't need to be growth at all costs -- growth and financial responsibility can go hand in hand. But that's the past; what does the future hold? Palantir's business and stock have disconnected If you're thinking, "How can Palantir's stock be up more than 300% when revenue was only up 30%," you're not alone. While Palantir's business looked great, its stock returns are unbelievable. Most of Palantir's stock returns have come from a mechanism called multiple expansion. Multiple expansion occurs when investors are willing to pay more for a company's given financials; therefore, its valuation rises. This has happened with Palantir, as the stock now trades for 184 times forward earnings and 63 times sales. PLTR PS Ratio data by YCharts If you're familiar with either valuation metric, then you know how expensive the stock is. Even a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 63 would be expensive, yet that's what it trades at when only sales are accounted for. During its two-year run, AI leader Nvidia has never traded for more than 62 times forward earnings or 46 times sales. NVDA PS Ratio data by YCharts However, Nvidia also saw its revenue rise 320% from the start of 2023 until now, which justified the higher price tag. Palantir isn't anywhere close to that growth level, and it has no business being valued as highly as it is. Unless Palantir's growth rate accelerates to a pace where it's doubling year over year, this stock is ripe for a significant pullback, and investors need to be careful with it. As a result, I don't think there's any way for Palantir to repeat its 2024 performance in 2025. If anything, I'd expect to go backward in 2025, as even if the business does well (which I think it will do), the expectations are far too high to produce any sort of positive stock returns.Thanks to his recent fame, Travis Kelce’s brother will host a new late-night show on ESPN

SOMERVILLE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 8, 2024-- bluebird bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLUE) today announced new and updated data from LYFGENIATM (lovotobegligene autotemcel, or lovo-cel) gene therapy for patients with sickle cell disease who have a history of vaso-occlusive events (VOEs). The data will be presented at the 66 th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition in an oral presentation on Sunday, December 8 at 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time and a poster presentation on Sunday, December 8 at 6 p.m. Pacific Time. As of July 2024, 70 patients were treated across the full lovo-cel clinical development program, with follow-up beyond 9 years in the earliest treated patients. “Data presented at ASH demonstrate that the potentially transformative benefits of LYFGENIA are sustained through additional long-term follow-up and consistent across sub-populations, including patients with overt stroke, not studied in any other clinical development program of gene therapy for sickle cell disease.” said Richard Colvin, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer, bluebird bio. “These data continue to distinguish LYFGENIA as the most deeply studied gene therapy for sickle cell disease, with the most patients treated, longest follow-up, and broadest range of clinical presentations evaluated across the field.” Updated efficacy data continue to support sustained, transformational impact on VOE burden and hematologic markers of disease An update on clinical response to lovo-cel in patients living with sickle cell disease focused on 58 patients who received lovo-cel in the HGB-206 Group C (n=36) and HGB-210 (n=22) studies, following enhancements to the manufacturing and treatment protocols, will be presented in Oral Presentation #511: An Update on Lovotibeglogene Autotemcel (lovo-cel) Clinical Trials for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and Analysis of Early Predictors of Response to Lovo-cel. Median follow-up time was 47.7 months (4.0 years), with 15 study participants having 5 or more years of follow-up. Stacy Rifkin-Zenenberg, DO, Hackensack Meridian Health said: “These data demonstrate that the significant clinical benefits of lovo-cel for people living with sickle cell disease are durable through continued long-term follow-up. Additionally, the number of patients treated, and duration of follow-up, has enabled detailed exploration of the pharmacology and mechanism of action of LVV gene therapy for sickle cell disease, providing even greater support that one-time treatment with lovo-cel has the potential to permanently address the underlying cause of sickle cell disease.” As of the July 2024 cutoff date, all patients continued to have stable production of anti-sickling adult hemoglobin after infusion through last follow-up (median >40% HbA T87Q ) and total Hb at last visit was 12.4 (6.6, 15.1) g/dL and was stable without transfusion support post engraftment. VOEs and severe vaso-occlusive events (sVOEs) were eliminated or significantly reduced in all patients. Specific findings include: The safety profile of the lovo-cel treatment regimen was generally consistent with underlying sickle cell disease and the known effects of myeloablative conditioning. There were no cases of graft failure or graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), no vector-related complications, and no insertional oncogenesis. For complete safety information please refer to the U.S. Prescribing Information noted below. Data from patients with sickle cell disease and a history of overt stroke show no recurrence of stroke following treatment with lovo-cel The first focused analysis of the clinical impact of lovo-cel on patients with sickle cell disease with a history of stroke, including overt stroke, will be presented in Poster Presentation #3576: Participants with a History of Stroke in Lovotibeglogene Autotemcel (lovo-cel) Clinical Trials. Data showed that patients with a history of overt stroke remained stable without recurrent stroke up to 9 years post-treatment (n=6), with median follow-up of 6.5 years. Jennifer Jaroscak, MD, Director, Pediatric Non-Malignant Transplant, Medical University of South Carolina, said “We are extremely pleased to report that no study participants with a history of overt or silent stroke experienced recurrent strokes following treatment with lovo-cel gene therapy, despite discontinuing transfusions. This finding is remarkable, as these patients face an exceedingly high risk of subsequent strokes, and transfusions alone provide only modest protection against secondary strokes. These data are unique in the field as lovo-cel is the only gene therapy for sickle cell disease with data on patients with a history of stroke.” Overt ischemic stroke is a devastating complication of sickle cell disease and requires lifelong chronic transfusions or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which carry significant risk of complications. One in four patients living with sickle cell disease have a stroke by age 45. Other clinical outcomes in patients with a history of stroke—including expression of gene therapy derived anti-sickling hemoglobin (HBA T87Q ), improvements in total hemoglobin, and impact on other hematologic markers—were consistent with those patients’ respective study populations (HGB-206 Group A and HGB-206 Group C). The analysis also included 21 patients who had evidence of silent stroke based on available MRI data at screening. In this cohort there were no reports of recurrent overt or silent stroke among patients with follow-up MRIs, with a median 3.5 years follow-up (.48, 6.88 years). Silent ischemic stroke adversely affects neurocognitive function and is associated with increased risk of overt stroke. It occurs in an estimated 39% of patients with sickle cell disease. Safety findings for participants with a history of overt stroke did not differ from that in the overall treatment group. No increase in hypertension, bleeding issues, prolonged thrombocytopenia or catheter-related thromboses were observed. As previously reported, cases of acute myeloid leukemia were observed in two patients from the HGB-206 Group A cohort who were treated with an earlier version of the therapy prior to enhancements to the treatment and manufacturing processes. Both patients died due to aforementioned leukemia. About LYFGENIATM (lovotibeglogene autotemcel) or lovo-cel LYFGENIA is a one-time ex-vivo lentiviral vector gene therapy approved for the treatment of patients 12 years of age or older with sickle cell disease and a history of vaso-occlusive events (VOEs). LYFGENIA works by adding a functional β-globin gene to patients’ own hematopoietic (blood) stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Durable production of adult hemoglobin with anti-sickling properties (HbAT87Q) is possible following successful engraftment. HbAT87Q has a similar oxygen-binding affinity to wild-type HbA, limits sickling of red blood cells and has the potential to reduce VOEs. The Phase 1/2 HGB-206 study of LYFGENIA is complete and the Phase 3 HGB-210 study evaluating LYFGENIA is ongoing. bluebird bio is also conducting a long-term safety and efficacy follow-up study (LTF-307) for patients with sickle cell disease who have been treated with LYFGENIA in bluebird bio-sponsored clinical studies. Indication LYFGENIA is indicated for the treatment of patients 12 years of age or older with sickle cell disease and a history of vaso-occlusive events (VOEs). Limitations of Use Following treatment with LYFGENIA, patients with α-thalassemia trait (-α3.7/-α3.7) may experience anemia with erythroid dysplasia that may require chronic red blood cell transfusions. LYFGENIA has not been studied in patients with more than two α-globin gene deletions. Important Safety Information Boxed WARNING: HEMATOLOGIC MALIGNANCY Hematologic malignancy has occurred in patients treated with LYFGENIA. Monitor patients closely for evidence of malignancy through complete blood counts at least every 6 months and through integration site analysis at Months 6, 12, and as warranted. Hematologic Malignancy Hematologic malignancy has occurred in patients treated with LYFGENIA (Study 1, Group A). At the time of initial product approval, two patients treated with an earlier version of LYFGENIA using a different manufacturing process and transplant procedure (Study 1, Group A) developed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). One patient with α-thalassemia trait (Study 1, Group C) has been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The additional hematopoietic stress associated with mobilization, conditioning, and infusion of LYFGENIA, including the need to regenerate the hematopoietic system, may increase the risk of a hematologic malignancy. Patients with sickle cell disease have an increased risk of hematologic malignancy as compared to the general population. Patients treated with LYFGENIA may develop hematologic malignancies and should have lifelong monitoring. Monitor for hematologic malignancies with a complete blood count (with differential) at least every 6 months for at least 15 years after treatment with LYFGENIA, and integration site analysis at Months 6, 12, and as warranted. In the event that a malignancy occurs, contact bluebird bio at 1-833-999-6378 for reporting and to obtain instructions on collection of samples for testing. Post-Marketing Long Term Follow-Up Study: Patients who intend to receive treatment with LYFGENIA are encouraged to enroll in the study, as available, to assess the long-term safety of LYFGENIA and the risk of malignancies occurring after treatment with LYFGENIA by calling bluebird bio at 1-833-999-6378. The study includes monitoring (at pre-specified intervals) for clonal expansion. Delayed Platelet Engraftment Delayed platelet engraftment has been observed with LYFGENIA. Bleeding risk is increased prior to platelet engraftment and may continue after engraftment in patients with prolonged thrombocytopenia. Two patients (4%) required more than 100 days post treatment with LYFGENIA to achieve platelet engraftment. Patients should be made aware of the risk of bleeding until platelet recovery has been achieved. Monitor patients for thrombocytopenia and bleeding according to standard guidelines. Conduct frequent platelet counts until platelet engraftment and platelet recovery are achieved. Perform blood cell count determination and other appropriate testing whenever clinical symptoms suggestive of bleeding arise. Neutrophil Engraftment Failure There is a potential risk of neutrophil engraftment failure after treatment with LYFGENIA. Neutrophil engraftment failure is defined as failure to achieve three consecutive absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) ≥ 0.5 × 109 cells/L obtained on different days by Day 43 after infusion of LYFGENIA. Monitor neutrophil counts until engraftment has been achieved. If neutrophil engraftment failure occurs in a patient treated with LYFGENIA, provide rescue treatment with the back-up collection of CD34+ cells. Insertional Oncogenesis There is a potential risk of lentiviral vector-mediated insertional oncogenesis after treatment with LYFGENIA. Hypersensitivity Reactions Allergic reactions may occur with the infusion of LYFGENIA. The dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or dextran 40 in LYFGENIA may cause hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis. Anti-retroviral Use Patients should not take prophylactic HIV anti-retroviral medications for at least one month prior to mobilization and until all cycles of apheresis are completed. There are some long-acting anti-retroviral medications that may require a longer duration of discontinuation for elimination of the medication. If a patient is taking anti-retrovirals for HIV prophylaxis, confirm a negative test for HIV before beginning mobilization and apheresis of CD34+ cells. Hydroxyurea Use Patients should not take hydroxyurea for at least 2 months prior to mobilization and until all cycles of apheresis are completed. If hydroxyurea is administered between mobilization and conditioning, discontinue 2 days prior to initiation of conditioning. Iron Chelation Drug-drug interactions between iron chelators and the mobilization process and myeloablative conditioning agent must be considered. Iron chelators should be discontinued at least 7 days prior to initiation of mobilization or conditioning. Do not administer myelosuppressive iron chelators (e.g., deferiprone) for 6 months post-treatment with LYFGENIA. Non-myelosuppressive iron chelation should be restarted no sooner than 3 months after LYFGENIA infusion. Phlebotomy can be used in lieu of iron chelation, when appropriate. Interference with PCR-based Testing Patients who have received LYFGENIA are likely to test positive by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for HIV due to integrated BB305 LVV proviral DNA, resulting in a possible false-positive PCR assay test result for HIV. Therefore, patients who have received LYFGENIA should not be screened for HIV infection using a PCR-based assay. Adverse Reactions The most common adverse reactions ≥ Grade 3 (incidence ≥ 20%) were stomatitis, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, febrile neutropenia, anemia, and leukopenia. Three patients died during LYFGENIA clinical trials; one from sudden cardiac death due to underlying disease and two from acute myeloid leukemia who were treated with an earlier version of LYFGENIA using a different manufacturing process and transplant procedure (Study 1, Group A). Pregnancy/Lactation Advise patients of the risks associated with myeloablative conditioning agents, including on pregnancy and fertility. LYFGENIA should not be administered to women who are pregnant, and pregnancy after LYFGENIA infusion should be discussed with the treating physician. LYFGENIA is not recommended for women who are breastfeeding, and breastfeeding after LYFGENIA infusion should be discussed with the treating physician. Females and Males of Reproductive Potential A negative serum pregnancy test must be confirmed prior to the start of mobilization and re-confirmed prior to conditioning procedures and before LYFGENIA administration. Women of childbearing potential and men capable of fathering a child should use an effective method of contraception (intra-uterine device or combination of hormonal and barrier contraception) from start of mobilization through at least 6 months after administration of LYFGENIA. Advise patients of the options for fertility preservation. Please see full Prescribing Information for LYFGENIA including Boxed WARNING and Medication Guide . About bluebird bio, Inc. bluebird bio is pursuing curative gene therapies to give patients and their families more bluebird days. Founded in 2010, bluebird has been setting the standard for gene therapy for more than a decade—first as a scientific pioneer and now as a commercial leader. bluebird has an unrivaled track record in bringing the promise of gene therapy out of clinical studies and into the real-world setting, having secured FDA approvals for three therapies in under two years. Today, we are proving and scaling the commercial model for gene therapy and delivering innovative solutions for access to patients, providers, and payers. With a dedicated focus on severe genetic diseases, bluebird has the largest and deepest ex-vivo gene therapy data set in the field, with industry-leading programs for sickle cell disease, β-thalassemia and cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy. We custom design each of our therapies to address the underlying cause of disease and have developed in-depth and effective analytical methods to understand the safety of our lentiviral vector technologies and drive the field of gene therapy forward. bluebird continues to forge new paths as a standalone commercial gene therapy company, combining our real-world experience with a deep commitment to patient communities and a people-centric culture that attracts and grows a diverse flock of dedicated birds. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements that are not statements of historical facts are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements, such as statements regarding the therapeutic potential of LYFGENIA. Such forward-looking statements are based on historical performance and current expectations and projections about bluebird’s future goals, plans and objectives and involve inherent risks, assumptions and uncertainties, including internal or external factors that could delay, divert or change any of them in the next several years, that are difficult to predict, may be beyond bluebird’s control and could cause bluebird’s future goals, plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many risks and uncertainties that affect bluebird bio’s business, particularly those identified in the risk factors discussion in bluebird bio’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, as updated by its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the SEC. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the risk that the efficacy and safety results from bluebird’s prior and ongoing clinical trials will not continue or be seen in the commercial context; the risk that there is not sufficient patient demand or payer reimbursement to support continued commercialization of LYFGENIA; the risk of insertional oncogenic or other safety events associated with lentiviral vector, drug product, or myeloablation, including the risk of hematologic malignancy; and the risk that bluebird’s products, including LYFGENIA, will not be successfully commercialized. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and except as otherwise required by applicable law, bluebird bio undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241208134842/en/ CONTACT: Investors: Courtney O’Leary, 978-621-7347 coleary@bluebirdbio.com Media: Jess Rowlands, 857-299-6103 jess.rowlands@bluebirdbio.com KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SCIENCE OTHER SCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH GENERAL HEALTH HEALTH GENETICS OTHER HEALTH SOURCE: bluebird bio, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/08/2024 12:30 PM/DISC: 12/08/2024 12:30 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241208134842/en Copyright Business Wire 2024.

Seibert misses an extra point late as the Commanders lose their 3rd in a row, 34-26 to the Cowboys LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game with 21 seconds left after Washington’s Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin connected on an 86-yard touchdown, Dallas’ Juanyeh Thomas returned the ensuing onside kick attempt for a touchdown, and the Cowboys pulled out a 34-26 victory Sunday that extended the Commanders’ skid to three games. Seibert was wide left on the point-after attempt following a bad snap. On the ensuing onside kick attempt, Juanyeh Thomas returned it 43 yards for a touchdown as the Cowboys ended their losing streak at five in improbable fashion. Earlier in the fourth quarter, KaVonte Turpin returned a kickoff 99 yards for a TD. Sam Darnold leads game-winning drive in OT and Vikings beat Bears 30-27 after blowing late lead CHICAGO (AP) — Sam Darnold threw for 90 of his 330 yards in overtime to set up Parker Romo’s game-ending 29-yard field goal, and the Minnesota Vikings outlasted the Chicago Bears 30-27 after giving up 11 points in the final 22 seconds of regulation. Darnold threw two touchdown passes, Jordan Addison caught eight passes for a career-high 162 yards and a touchdown, and T.J. Hockenson had 114 yards receiving for the Vikings, who remained one game behind Detroit in the rugged NFC North. Caleb Williams threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns for the Bears, who lost their fifth straight. Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs win at the buzzer again, topping Panthers 30-27 on Shrader's field goal CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns, Spencer Shrader kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Carolina Panthers 30-27 to reach double-digit wins for the 10th straight season. The Chiefs bounced back from last week’s 30-21 loss at Buffalo and won at the buzzer yet again in a season of narrow escapes. Noah Brown caught two TD passes and DeAndre Hopkins also had a touchdown catch. Bryce Young finished 21 of 35 for 262 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers, who had their two-game winning streak snapped. No. 1 South Carolina women stunned by fifth-ranked UCLA 77-62, ending Gamecocks' 43-game win streak LOS ANGELES (AP) — Londynn Jones scored 15 points and fifth-ranked UCLA stunned No. 1 South Carolina 77-62. The Gamecocks' overall 43-game winning streak and their run of 33 consecutive road victories were snapped. The Gamecocks, who fell to 5-1, lost for the first time since April 2023. Te-Hina Paopao scored 18 points for South Carolina. The Bruins knocked off a No. 1 team for the first time in school history. The Bruins dominated from start to finish and their defense prevented the Gamecocks from making any sustained scoring runs. AP Top 25: Alabama, Mississippi out of top 10 and Miami, SMU are in; Oregon remains unanimous No. 1 Alabama and Mississippi tumbled out of the top 10 of The Associated Press college football poll and Miami and SMU moved in following a chaotic weekend in the SEC. Oregon is No. 1 for the sixth straight week and Ohio State, Texas and Penn State held their places behind the Ducks. The shuffling begins at No. 5, where Notre Dame returned for the first time since Week 2 after beating Army for its ninth straight win. No. 6 Georgia moved up two spots, No. 7 Tennessee and No. 8 Miami rose three and No. 9 SMU jumped four places. Indiana dropped from No. 5 to No. 10 following its first loss. Thitikul finishes eagle-birdie to win CME Group Tour Championship and claim record $4M prize NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Down by two shots with two holes to play, Jeeno Thitikul knew exactly what was needed to capture the biggest prize in women’s golf history. And a eagle-birdie finish for the second straight day made it happen. Thitikul claimed the record-setting $4 million first-place check by winning the CME Group Tour Championship on Sunday. It was the biggest money prize in women’s golf history. Thitikul shot a 7-under 65 on Sunday and finished the week at 22 under, one shot ahead of Angel Yin (66). Yin had a two-shot lead walking to the 17th tee, only to wind up settling for the $1 million runner-up check. From Maui to the Caribbean, college hoops' Thanksgiving tournaments a beloved part of the sport College basketball is ready for its Thanksgiving Week closeup. The schedule is full of early season tournaments that could create buzzworthy marquee matchups. And many of those come in warm-weather locations. The Maui Invitational in Hawaii turns 40 years old this year. It opens Monday with a field that includes two-time reigning national champion and second ranked UConn. The Battle 4 Atlantis men's tournament in the Bahamas opens Wednesday. It has a field topped by No. 3 Gonzaga. There are also multiple women's events in the Bahamas featuring ranked teams, including the fourth Atlantis women's tournament. Jannik Sinner leads Italy past the Netherlands for its second consecutive Davis Cup title MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Jannik Sinner clinched Italy's second consecutive Davis Cup title and capped his breakthrough season at the top of tennis by beating Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (2), 6-2 for a 2-0 win over the Netherlands in the final of the team competition in Malaga, Spain. Matteo Berrettini won Sunday's opening singles match 6-4, 6-2 against Botic van de Zandschulp. The Italians are the first country to win the Davis Cup twice in a row since the Czech Republic in 2012 and 2013. The No. 1-ranked Sinner stretched his unbeaten streak in singles to 14 matches and 26 sets. Netherlands reached the Davis Cup final for the first time. Verstappen still manages to win 4th straight F1 title in one of worst seasons of his Red Bull career LAS VEGAS (AP) — Max Verstappen won an unbelievable 19 races last season that included an incredible streak of 10 in a row in what would arguably go down as one of the greatest years in Formula 1 history. And yet it is this year’s eight-win season — his lowest victory total since 2020 — that Verstappen considers a career-defining campaign. Those eight wins were enough to win him a fourth consecutive F1 championship on Saturday night with his easy drive at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The championship made Verstappen only the sixth driver in F1 history to win four or more titles. Maverick McNealy birdies the last hole at Sea Island to finally become PGA Tour winner ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) — Maverick McNealy is finally a winner on the PGA Tour, and it took a shot he won't soon forget. McNealy was part of a four-way tie for the lead when he drilled a 6-iron to 5 feet on the final hole at Sea Island for birdie and a 68. That gave him a one-shot victory over Daniel Berger, Nico Echavarria and Florida State sophomore Luke Clanton. Berger and Henrik Norlander moved into the top 125 to keep full PGA Tour cards for next year. Clanton continued to show his promise. It was his second runner-up finish and fourth top 10 this year.

The new, 12-team College Football Playoff brings with it a promise to be bigger, more exciting, more lucrative. Perfect or 100% fair? Well, nobody ever believed that. The first expanded playoff bracket unveiled Sunday left a presumably deserving Alabama team on the sideline in favor of an SMU squad that finished with a better record after playing a schedule that was not as difficult. It ranked undefeated Oregon first but set up a possible rematch against Ohio State, the team that came closest to beating the Ducks this year. It treated underdog Boise State like a favorite and banged-up Georgia like a world beater at No. 2. It gave Ohio State home-field advantage against Tennessee for reasons it would take a supercomputer to figure out. It gave the sport the multiweek tournament it has longed for, but also ensured there will be plenty to grouse about between now and when the trophy is handed out on Jan. 20 after what will easily be the longest college football season in history. All of it, thankfully, will be sorted out on the field starting with first-round games on campuses Dec. 20 and 21, then over three succeeding rounds that will wind their way through traditional bowl sites. Maybe Oregon coach Dan Lanning, whose undefeated Ducks are the favorite to win it all, put it best when he offered: "Winning a national championship is not supposed to be easy.” Neither, it turns out, is figuring out who should play for it. Alabama comes up short in the bracket’s biggest debate The Big Ten will lead the way with four teams in the tournament, followed by the SEC with three and the ACC with two. The lasting memory from the inaugural bracket will involve the decision that handed the ACC that second bid. Alabama of the SEC didn't play Saturday. SMU of the ACC did. The Mustangs fell behind by three touchdowns to Clemson before coming back to tie. But they ultimately lost 34-31 on a 56-yard field goal as time expired. “We were on pins and needles,” SMU coach Rhett Lashley said. “Until we saw the name ‘SMU’ up there, we were hanging on the edge. We're really, really happy and thankful to the committee for rewarding our guys for their total body of work." The Mustangs only had two losses, compared to three for the Crimson Tide. Even though SMU's schedule wasn't nearly as tough, the committee was impressed by the way the Mustangs came back against Clemson. “We just felt, in this particular case, SMU had the nod above Alabama,” said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, the chairman of the selection committee. “But it’s no disrespect to Alabama’s strength of schedule. We looked at the entire body of work for both teams.” Crimson Tide AD gracious, but looking for answers Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne was gracious, up to a point. “Disappointed with the outcome and felt we were one of the 12 best teams in the country,” he said on social media. He acknowledged — despite all of Alabama’s losses coming against conference opponents this season — that the Tide’s push to schedule more games against teams from other major conferences in order to improve its strength of schedule did not pay off this time. “That is not good for college football," Byrne said. Georgia, Boise State and Arizona State join Oregon with first-round byes Georgia, the SEC champion, was seeded second; Boise State, the Mountain West champion, earned the third seed; and Big 12 titlist Arizona State got the fourth seed and the fourth and final first-round bye. All will play in quarterfinals at bowl games on Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Clemson stole a bid and the 12th seed with its crazy win over SMU, the result that ultimately cost Alabama a spot in the field. The Tigers moved to No. 16 in the rankings, but got in as the fifth-best conference winner. Automatic byes and bids made the bracket strange The conference commissioners' idea to give conference champions preferable treatment in this first iteration of the 12-team playoff could be up for reconsideration after this season. The committee actually ranked Boise State, the Mountain West Champion, at No. 9 and Big 12 champion Arizona State at No. 12, but both get to skip the first round. Another CFP guideline: There’s no reseeding of teams after each round, which means no break for Oregon. The top-seeded Ducks will face the winner of Tennessee-Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 earlier this year in one of the season’s best games. What the matchups look like No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, Dec. 21. Clemson is riding high after the SMU upset, while Texas is 0-2 against Georgia and 11-0 vs. everyone else this season. The winner faces ... Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. Huh? No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, Dec. 21. The biggest knock against the Mustangs was that they didn't play any big boys with that 60th-ranked strength of schedule. Well, now they get to. The winner faces ... Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Yes, SMU vs. Boise was the quarterfinal we all expected. No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame, Dec. 20. Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti thought his team deserved a home game. Well, not quite but close. The winner faces ... Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs got the No. 2 seed despite a throwing-arm injury to QB Carson Beck. But what else was the committee supposed to do? No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State , Dec. 21. The Buckeyes (losses to Oregon, Michigan) got home field over the Volunteers (losses to Arkansas, Georgia) in a matchup of programs with two of the biggest stadiums in football. The winner faces ... Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Feels like that matchup should come in the semifinals or later. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

CAMBRIDGE, MA - OCTOBER 10: Massachusetts Institute of Technology students play football outside ... [+] the Maclaurin building October 10, 2003 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (Photo by William B. Plowman/Getty Images) In some of the most interesting use cases for artificial intelligence, the digital processes are applied to a physical supply chain. At MIT’s Engine, an incubator and co-working space with many teams working on various inventions, Ashley Beckwith does research for a startup called Foray Bioscience, with the goal of disrupting conventional manufacturing of wood products, and pursuing targeted reforestation. Estimating that the world has lost a half million acres of forest in the last quarter of a century, Foray is looking at the possibility of getting live cells from plants to develop synthetic products. Beckwith is pursuing cell culture and tissue engineering: in a recent Planet Action presentation, she talked about how to envision and then tackle the problem. “Our forests are under strain,” she said. “Forest cover and biodiversity are declining at alarming rates. One third of our tree species are on the verge of extinction, and practically, forest cover loss means less natural regeneration - with fewer seed producers and bigger open stretches in between, forests are slower to bounce back, and biodiversity loss means less resilience. Less variation within a population means greater susceptibility to pests, pathogens, disasters, and these two forces feed off of each other, with forest cover loss driving biodiversity loss, leading to poor resilience and further forest loss. And this, my friends, is what we call a downward spiral, and it's driven by extreme climate events. But today I want to talk to you about solutions, because we can jump-start forest recovery and break out of this cycle with targeted reforestation.” Part of this, she explained, has to do with initiatives like commitments to plant trees, but also, along with the will to do this, there’s a need for seed. Beckwith cited a seed supply problem where U.S. Forest Services only meets about about 6% of wildfire restoration targets, where seed availability is a significant factor. Why? “Sourcing seed is like trying to move a pile of sand with a fork,” she said. “It’s painfully effective.” FBI Warns iPhone, Android Users—Change WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Signal Apps What To Know About The UnitedHealthcare CEO Murder—As NYPD Releases New Photos Of Suspect iOS 18.2 Release Date: iPhone’s New Upgrade Is Hours Away Also, Beckwith added, just because you have a seed doesn’t mean you get a tree: 90% of seeds will die after being planted. The solution? Beckwith is looking into how much we can make up for deforestation with new science. “If we can’t grow it, let’s build it with biology,” she said. That means applying AI and big data to the problem, along with doing the biological research that provides a viable scaling pathway. Beckwith outlined three steps: revamping planning capabilities, building the seed, and then establishing a framework for scaling. She also mentioned the pace of climate change, which we all know has to be factored in. “In 60 years, the climate in Boston is going to feel a lot like Memphis feels today, and that’s a big shift for our northeastern forests,” she said. In responding to the rapid phenomena showing us how quickly climate change is happening, Beckwith urged the audience to aim not at the present, but at the future, citing a remark attributed to hockey player Wayne Gretzky: “to skate where the puck will be, not where it has been.” “We’re interested in building a complex ecosystem, not a monoculture,” she added. For reference, the MIT Technology Review piece describes Foray Bioscience efforts this way: “Foray’s process involves extracting live cells from the leaves of plants such as the black cottonwood, a popular species for making fiber products, which is used as a model plant for testing the company’s methods. Leaves are first cultured into a kind of liquid broth until the cells reproduce. Then cells are transferred into a gel containing two plant hormones, auxin and cytokinin, allowing researchers to coax the cells to grow into wood-like structures. In this phase, the cell cultures can also be tweaked to produce secondary products such as aromatics for making perfumes and embryos to generate seeds.” Will it Work? There are differing opinions on the efficacy of offsetting deforestation with this kind of cell production. In the MIT Technology Review, writer Abdullahi Tsanni covers Shawn Mansfield at University of British Columbia suggesting that it’s unlikely to have that effect... On the other hand, as reported, Beckwith says tree cells can grow 100 times faster in the lab than they can with conventional methods. “Reforestation is a huge job,” she said, “so let’s bring a bigger fork.” For sure, reforestation is important. And AI has a role to play. But so do humans. Sometimes, it ends up being largely a matter of buy-in, of political will to handle a problem. Where do we go from here? It’s up to you and me.Jaden Daughtry being looked upon as leader for SycamoresUS President Joe Biden on Sunday said deposed Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad should be "held accountable" but called the nation's political upheaval a "historic opportunity" for Syrians to rebuild their country. In the first full US reaction to Assad's overthrow by an Islamist-led coalition of rebel factions, Biden also warned that Washington will "remain vigilant" against the emergence of terrorist groups, announcing that US forces had just conducted fresh strikes against militants from the Islamic State organization. "The fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice," Biden said, speaking from the White House. "It's a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria." Asked by reporters what should happen to the deposed president, who reportedly has fled to Moscow, Biden said that "Assad should be held accountable." Biden -- set to step down in January and make way for Republican Donald Trump's return to power -- said Washington will assist Syrians in rebuilding. "We will engage with all Syrian groups, including within the process led by the United Nations, to establish a transition away from the Assad regime toward independent, sovereign" Syria "with a new constitution," he said. However, Biden cautioned that hardline Islamist groups within the victorious rebel alliance will be under scrutiny. "Some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human right abuses," Biden said. The United States had "taken note" of recent statements by rebels suggesting they had since moderated, he said, but cautioned: "We will assess not just their words, but their actions." Biden said Washington is "clear eyed" that the Islamic State extremist group, often known as ISIS, "will try to take advantage of any vacuum to reestablish" itself in Syria. "We will not let that happen," he said, adding that on Sunday alone, US forces had conducted strikes against ISIS inside Syria. The US military said the strikes were conducted by warplanes against Islamic State operatives and camps. Strikes were carried out against "over 75 targets using multiple US Air Force assets, including B-52s, F-15s, and A-10s," the US Central Command said on social media. Earlier, Biden met with his national security team at the White House to discuss the crisis. Assad's reported departure comes less than two weeks after the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group challenged more than five decades of Assad family rule with a lightning rebel offensive that broke long-frozen frontlines in Syria's civil war. They announced Sunday they had taken the capital Damascus and that Assad had fled, prompting celebrations nationwide and a ransacking of Assad's luxurious home. A Kremlin source told Russian news agencies that the deposed leader was now in Moscow, along with his family. The US military has around 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq as part of the international coalition established in 2014 to help combat the Islamic State jihadist group. It has regularly struck targets in the country including those linked to Iranian-backed militias. Tehran was a major backer of Assad's government. Biden also confirmed US authorities believe the American journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted in Syria in 2012, still lives. "We believe he's alive," Biden said, but the US has yet "to identify where he is." bur-sms/mlmRoelof Botha sells $14.79 million in Natera stock

CONWAY, S.C. (AP) — Kobe Knox's 13 points helped South Florida defeat Portland 74-68 on Thursday. Knox also had six rebounds for the Bulls (3-2). Brandon Stroud added 11 points while shooting 4 for 12 (1 for 3 from 3-point range) and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line while he also had six rebounds. Jamille Reynolds shot 3 of 6 from the field and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line to finish with 10 points. The Pilots (2-3) were led in scoring by Max Mackinnon, who finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Vincent Delano added 14 points for Portland. A.Rapp also had 11 points and eight rebounds. South Florida went into the half ahead of Portland 38-33. Knox scored eight second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaignThe Loxon Group of Companies would like to announce that Jonathan A. Esmerio has been elected by the Board of Directors as its new President and Chief Operating Officer. He also steps up as President of Loxon Wandset, Inc. (LWI), a subsidiary that specializes in building envelop systems such as the design of aluminum glass for facade systems, engineering, testing, fabrication and installation of aluminum and glass systems, after being promoted from Vice President. Jon remains to be President of the other subsidiaries namely, Loxon Philippines, Inc. (LPI), which is a globally recognized specialty contractor of fully integrated building management systems for the protection of life and property; and ECE Prime Holdings, Inc., which has interests in the property sector. Jon also sits as a Director of the Group’s international logistics and procurement arm, Loxon Limited Hong Kong. LPI and LWI have both achieved ISO-certification for their Risk Based Quality Management System and are Triple A-licensed specialty contractors as certified by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB). In both of his new roles, Jon replaced company founder Ed C. Esmerio who will continue to serve as Chairman of Loxon Group of Companies and the Chief Executive Officer of LWI. Jon has been tasked to oversee project management operations and business development while Ed will focus his energies on engineering and design, logistics, plant expansion and the forging of joint-venture partnerships for building facades with leading foreign companies. “I would like to thank the Board for their vote of confidence and trust. I look forward to steering Loxon Group towards further growth and expansion by capitalizing on technological innovation and making sustainability a core part of our business strategy,” said Jonathan A. Esmerio, President and COO of Loxon Group of Companies. Jon brings with him a wealth of experience having served in a variety of roles within the Group over the last 21 years. He has undergone extensive leadership and technical training here and abroad, and his track record of accomplishments has prepared him well for this new challenge. Jon graduated with a degree in BS Industrial Engineering from De La Salle University and completed the Corporate Finance Diploma Course in Ateneo de Manila Graduate School of Business and the Eliminate Obstacles to Growth by Recognizing and Overcoming Challenges Course of Harvard Business School. Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com . Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com .

CARACAS -- Six Venezuelan government opponents who have sheltered for months at the Argentine embassy in Caracas decried Sunday that local police and intelligence agents were stationed outside of it for hours. The move prompted the U.S. government to call it a serious violation of international law and Argentina’s Foreign Ministry to describe it as an act of harassment. Most of the opponents belong to the Vente Venezuela party led by former legislator María Corina Machado . It denounced what it called “a new siege by hooded officials” that began Saturday night and extended into Sunday. The incident occurred hours after Machado called for a massive mobilization on Dec. 1, prompting Venezuela’s minister of the interior to accuse the political leader of being part of a new conspiracy attempt against the government of President Nicolás Maduro. Vente Venezuela said in a statement that the diplomatic headquarters remains without electricity and is surrounded by “regime vehicles” that are preventing traffic from circulating in the area. It said communication signals also were scrambled. Argentina’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement late Saturday that the deployment of armed troops and the closing of streets in the vicinity “constitute a disturbance of security.”. It also called on the international community to condemn the incident, which the U.S. did. On Sunday, the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela posted on X that the U.S. “strongly condemns the acts of harassment against asylum seekers.” “The deployment of armed forces and blockades seriously violate international law,” it said. “We demand that the Venezuelan regime respect its international obligations, cease these intimidating actions and guarantee safe passage for asylum seekers.” Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been broken since 2019. The opposition members entered the embassy in March after the Venezuelan Attorney General’s Office issued arrest warrants and accused them of promoting alleged acts of violence to destabilize the government. In August, Brazil accepted Argentina’s request to guard its embassy after the Venezuelan government ordered the expulsion of Argentine diplomatic personnel following statements by its president, Javier Milei, that he would not recognize “another fraud” in Venezuela after the controversial elections in Jul y. A month later, Venezuela revoked Brazil’s authorization to guard the embassy, alleging it had evidence of the use of the facilities “for the planning of terrorist activities and assassination attempts.” Brazil and Argentina have rejected those accusations.60 cool new things under $25 on Amazon that are pure geniusThe new, 12-team College Football Playoff brings with it a promise to be bigger, more exciting, more lucrative. Perfect or 100% fair? Well, nobody ever believed that. The first expanded playoff bracket unveiled Sunday left a presumably deserving Alabama team on the sideline in favor of an SMU squad that finished with a better record after playing a schedule that was not as difficult. It ranked undefeated Oregon first but set up a possible rematch against Ohio State, the team that came closest to beating the Ducks this year. It treated underdog Boise State like a favorite and banged-up Georgia like a world beater at No. 2. It gave Ohio State home-field advantage against Tennessee for reasons it would take a supercomputer to figure out. It gave the sport the multiweek tournament it has longed for, but also ensured there will be plenty to grouse about between now and when the trophy is handed out on Jan. 20 after what will easily be the longest college football season in history. All of it, thankfully, will be sorted out on the field starting with first-round games on campuses Dec. 20 and 21, then over three succeeding rounds that will wind their way through traditional bowl sites. Maybe Oregon coach Dan Lanning, whose undefeated Ducks are the favorite to win it all, put it best when he offered: "Winning a national championship is not supposed to be easy.” Neither, it turns out, is figuring out who should play for it. The Big Ten will lead the way with four teams in the tournament, followed by the SEC with three and the ACC with two. The lasting memory from the inaugural bracket will involve the decision that handed the ACC that second bid. Alabama of the SEC didn't play Saturday. SMU of the ACC did. The Mustangs fell behind by three touchdowns to Clemson before coming back to tie. But they ultimately lost 34-31 on a 56-yard field goal as time expired. “We were on pins and needles,” SMU coach Rhett Lashley said. “Until we saw the name ‘SMU’ up there, we were hanging on the edge. We're really, really happy and thankful to the committee for rewarding our guys for their total body of work." The Mustangs only had two losses, compared to three for the Crimson Tide. Even though SMU's schedule wasn't nearly as tough, the committee was impressed by the way the Mustangs came back against Clemson. “We just felt, in this particular case, SMU had the nod above Alabama,” said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, the chairman of the selection committee. “But it’s no disrespect to Alabama’s strength of schedule. We looked at the entire body of work for both teams.” Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne was gracious, up to a point. “Disappointed with the outcome and felt we were one of the 12 best teams in the country,” he said on social media. He acknowledged — despite all of Alabama’s losses coming against conference opponents this season — that the Tide’s push to schedule more games against teams from other major conferences in order to improve its strength of schedule did not pay off this time. “That is not good for college football," Byrne said. Georgia, the SEC champion, was seeded second; Boise State, the Mountain West champion, earned the third seed; and Big 12 titlist Arizona State got the fourth seed and the fourth and final first-round bye. All will play in quarterfinals at bowl games on Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Clemson stole a bid and the 12th seed with its crazy win over SMU, the result that ultimately cost Alabama a spot in the field. The Tigers moved to No. 16 in the rankings, but got in as the fifth-best conference winner. The conference commissioners' idea to give conference champions preferable treatment in this first iteration of the 12-team playoff could be up for reconsideration after this season. The committee actually ranked Boise State, the Mountain West Champion, at No. 9 and Big 12 champion Arizona State at No. 12, but both get to skip the first round. Another CFP guideline: There’s no reseeding of teams after each round, which means no break for Oregon. The top-seeded Ducks will face the winner of Tennessee-Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 earlier this year in one of the season’s best games. No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, Dec. 21. Clemson is riding high after the SMU upset, while Texas is 0-2 against Georgia and 11-0 vs. everyone else this season. The winner faces ... Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. Huh? No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, Dec. 21. The biggest knock against the Mustangs was that they didn't play any big boys with that 60th-ranked strength of schedule. Well, now they get to. The winner faces ... Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Yes, SMU vs. Boise was the quarterfinal we all expected. No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame, Dec. 20. Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti thought his team deserved a home game. Well, not quite but close. The winner faces ... Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs got the No. 2 seed despite a throwing-arm injury to QB Carson Beck. But what else was the committee supposed to do? No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State , Dec. 21. The Buckeyes (losses to Oregon, Michigan) got home field over the Volunteers (losses to Arkansas, Georgia) in a matchup of programs with two of the biggest stadiums in football. The winner faces ... Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Feels like that matchup should come in the semifinals or later. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Wade Taylor IV helps No. 22 Texas A&M get by Texas Tech'Rush the damn court!': Mizzou upsets No. 1 Kansas to earn Border War floor-storming

British Columbia's housing crisis is a cruel irony. We face a desperate shortage of long-term rentals, yet witness hotels lobbying to strangle legal short-term rentals (STRs). This hypocrisy exposes a truth – for some, profit trumps people. The recent regulations targeting legal STRs were lauded as a victory for affordability. Yet, a closer look reveals a smokescreen. Hotels, facing competition from platforms like Airbnb, lobbied heavily for these restrictions. Here's the catch: while painting themselves as champions of long-term housing, these same hotels are proposing serviced apartments – essentially, short-term rentals under a different label. Take the 129-room TownePlace Suites by Marriott, a multinational corporation building the region’s first extended stay hotel, which hotels refer to as “serviced apartments” to avoid the taint of “airbnb”. The three-storey all-suite hotel will feature studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units with fully equipped kitchens. This is blatant hypocrisy. If hotels truly prioritize tourism, wouldn't they support regulations that address Victoria's documented 2,000-room hotel shortage? Instead, they advocate for policies that remove 600 legal STRs from Victoria's downtown market, further squeezing visitor options with their oligopoly. This raises a troubling question: are these regulations truly about long-term housing, or about protecting established (often multinational) hotel chains? Consider the plight of a legal STR owner in Victoria. Their 250-square-foot unit, demonstrably not suitable for a long-term tenant, languishes on the sales market at $299K for over 60 days. Meanwhile, countless other micro-studios have not been rentable either – they are not affordable to rent for many individuals at $1,900 a month and the size makes them challenging for couples to live in full time. This example highlights the reality – many legal STRs wouldn't become homes or long-term rentals even if forced. B.C. needs a nuanced solution. We can't ignore the tourism industry's needs, but sacrificing residents on the altar of hotel profits is unacceptable. Instead, let's focus on: increased development of purpose-built rentals: This directly addresses the long-term housing shortage. Regulation of REITs (Real estate investment trusts) which own 30-48% of rental housing and benefit from the fact that Canadian law exempts them from corporate taxes as long as profits are distributed to investors. When investors control housing stock the pressure to generate profit rises and landlords are incentivized to evict residents and raise rental prices. Allow micro-condos (under 400 sq. ft.) unsuitable for long-term rentals in appropriately zoned downtown tourism areas to offer short-term rentals: They are not taking away affordable or appropriate housing. The current approach is a disservice to British Columbians. We deserve a housing strategy that prioritizes residents, fosters responsible tourism, and avoids falling prey to industry lobbying masquerading as public policy. Let's build a B.C. where both residents and visitors can thrive.

Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise prices, won't rule out revenge prosecutionsTHE use of cash has grown for the second year in a row, amid worries that more businesses are refusing to accept notes and coins. Cash was used in 19.9 per cent of all UK transactions in 2023 — up from 18.8 per cent the previous year, according to British Retail Consortium figures. 3 Use of cash is growing - amid concerns businesses are refusing to accept notes and coins Credit: Getty The increase is a shift from a long-running trend of people switching to digital payments and debit cards. The BRC credited the rise to the cost-of-living crisis — with many people finding it easier to budget their outgoings in physical cash. The Treasury Select Committee is examining if there should be rules to force businesses to accept cash, amid a rise in the number of outlets that have already switched to contactless only. There are growing concerns they exclude many vulnerable people. A submission to the inquiry by VISA found that in 2019 over 15 per cent of people with an income under £10,000 a year relied completely on cash to pay for goods and services, compared with less than 2.5 per cent of all higher income groups READ MORE BUSINESS NEWS NO MORR COSTS Morrisons boss blasts Budget 'avalanche' amid warnings of higher prices BUDGET FALLOUT 'I wouldn't trust govt to do my shopping', fumes AO World boss on tax raid But there are also warnings that cash-only businesses such as nail bars and car washes are fuelling modern slavery and illegal immigration. Bas Javid, director general of immigration enforcement at the Home Office, said at the weekend some businesses rejected card payments to disguise illegal working. The Select Committee yesterday heard that physical cash is essential for victims and survivors of economic and domestic abuse. Deidre Cartwright, of Surviving Economic Abuse, told MPs: “It’s a means for them to escape an abuser — especially when that abuser can track them through a bank account.” Most read in Business NO MORR COSTS Morrisons boss blasts Budget 'avalanche' amid warnings of higher prices REYNOLD'S VOW Food will not be on table in any trade deal talks with US, says Business Sec FAST FOOD Tesco ramps up speedy deliveries so customers can get orders in just 20 minutes REEVES SLAMMED Chancellor’s business tax raid will 'add up to 15p to price of a pint' Concerns have also been raised about a growing number of council car parks that only accept payments made using unreliable phone apps . Ron Delnevo, of the Payment Choice Alliance, told the hearing: “I know older friends who’ve stopped going to places because they couldn’t park without an app.” Millions on low-incomes to get cost of living payments as Rachel Reeves reveals £1billion Autumn Budget boost Cash debate By Dame Meg Hillier SHOULD there be rules to force certain businesses and services to always accept physical cash? My committee heard from a carer to a wife with MS, who relies on cash to put money aside for bills. A supermarket worker told of the difficulty partially sighted customers have paying digitally at checkouts. Charity Mencap stressed how people with learning disabilities often use cash to guard from card scams. But corner shops have argued they should make their own decisions, and stress the cost of handling cash. The previous Government said no to rules for cash. We are yet to hear if this Government feels the same. NUKE KID ON THE BLOCK 3 First nuclear reactor for a generation is fitted to British power station, Hinkley Point A 500-ton steel reactor was fitted into Britain’s first nuclear power station in 30 years yesterday. The 42ft reactor pressure vessel was installed at Hinkley Point C in Somerset, which EDF says will generate power for three million homes . The project, which is due to start generating power in 2029, has been hampered by political wrangling, Covid and supply chain problems. The delayed start has caused concerns about Britain’s energy security. EDF and Centrica yesterday said they will keep four ageing nuclear power stations running to ensure there is a low blackout risk. Chris O’Shea, chief executive of Centrica, said: “Power generation that doesn’t depend on the sun shining and the wind blowing is essential to keeping the lights on.” B&M SICK AS A DOG BURBERRY has launched legal action against B&M in a trademark dispute. B&M had sold “Furberry” branded pet items, including dog bowls, toys, blankets, mats and beds this year. The items featured a print with red, white and black checks on a beige background, strikingly similar to Burberry’s famous check print. It says the discount chain was falsely representing its goods as Burberry, Sky News reported. OZ CALL FOR MINE GIANT RIO 3 Rio Tinto has come under fresh attack from an activist investor Credit: Getty MINING giant Rio Tinto has come under fresh attack from an activist investor pushing it to scrap its main London listing and focus on Australia instead. Palliser Capital yesterday published an open letter to Rio Tinto’s board arguing the dual-listed structure has been a “failure for shareholders”. The UK hedge fund, which has a £197million stake in the miner, urged it to follow BHP and drop its dual listing. The loss of Rio Tinto would be a big blow to the London Stock Exchange and many pension tracker funds would be forced to sell stock if it was no longer in the FTSE 100. The Exchange is in crisis after facing the worst exodus of firms in 14 years, with 45 companies removed from the market in takeovers, according to Bloomberg. The value of the UK PLC market is shrinking because there have not been any big listings to replace the losses. PETROL 'AT PEAK' BRITAIN has hit “peak petrol” and the number of cars needing to be filled up at the pumps will almost halve over the next decade, says a report. Auto Trader estimates there were 18.7million petrol cars this year, but that will slump to 11.1million by 2034. It predicts a “seismic shift” towards electric vehicles as they become cheaper, from 1.25million EVs to 13.7million in the next decade. It expects the share of EVs to rise to 23 per cent next year, below the Government’s eco-mandate of 28 per cent. Budget gloom THE services industry has almost ground to a halt since the Budget, with firms hiking prices and freezing hiring and investment to cover costs, a survey found. Read more on the Scottish Sun DECEMBER MISERY Scots face blizzards and travel chaos as weather map reveals 75mph storm CHOC OFF Mums fume at Poundland’s ‘rotten’ advent calendar they thought was ‘for dogs’ Business confidence has slumped to its lowest in two years, the influential S&P UK services purchasing managers index revealed yesterday. S&P Global's Tim Moore said: “Worries about the impact of policies in the Budget were widely reported as leading to a gloomier assessment of investment prospects and the broader UK economic outlook.”Crescent Energy Announces Pricing of Upsized $400 Million Private Placement of Additional 7.625% Senior Notes Due 2032