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Young Investor? 4 Excellent Starter Stocks for Your TFSAThe U.S. leads the world in developing artificial intelligence technology, surpassing China in research and other important measures of AI innovation, according to a newly released Stanford University index. There’s no surefire way to rank global AI leadership but Stanford researchers made an attempt by measuring the “vibrancy” of the AI industry across various dimensions, from how much research and investment is happening to how responsibly the technology is being pursued to prevent harm. “The gap is actually widening” between the U.S. and China, said computer scientist Ray Perrault, director of the steering committee that runs Stanford’s AI Index. “The U.S. is investing a lot more, at least at the level of firm creation and firm funding.” The California-based university’s Institute for Human-Centered AI — which has ties to Silicon Valley’s tech industry — released the report as government AI officials from the U.S. and several allies met in San Francisco to compare notes on AI safety measures. Here’s which countries made the top 10: United States The U.S. ranks No. 1 on Stanford’s list and has consistently held that position since 2018 when it overtook China. It far outpaced China in private AI investment, which hit $67.2 billion in the U.S. last year compared to $7.8 billion in China, according to the report. It also leads in publishing responsible AI research. It’s no surprise that the home of commercial AI powerhouses such as Google and Meta, along with relative newcomers like OpenAI and Anthropic, produced many notable AI models that influence how the technology is being developed and applied. The U.S. also gets some points for having a number of AI-related laws on the books, though Congress has yet to pass any broad AI regulations. China China requested far more patents than any other country regarding generative AI, the U.N. intellectual property agency said this year. Stanford researchers counted that as one measure of China’s strong growth in AI innovation but not enough to lead the pack. Still, the report says that “China’s focus on developing cutting-edge AI technologies and increasing its R&D investments has positioned it as a major AI powerhouse.” China’s universities produced a large number of AI-related research publications and it has commercial leaders developing notable AI models, such as Baidu and its chatbot Ernie. United Kingdom Coming in at No. 3 is the UK, which also ranked high in research and development, and educational infrastructure due to top computer science universities churning out a skilled AI workforce. It’s also home to Google’s AI subsidiary DeepMind, whose co-founder recently won a Nobel Prize; and “had more mentions of AI in parliamentary proceedings” than any other country. Last year, the UK hosted the world’s first international AI safety summit. India Close behind the UK was India, thanks to a “strong AI research community,” improvements in economic investments tied to AI and a robust public discourse about AI on social media, according to the report. United Arab Emirates The UAE’s deliberate focus on AI appears to have paid off in the Middle Eastern nation’s fifth-place score. It was one of the top locations for AI investments. Microsoft this year said it will invest $1.5 billion in UAE-based tech firm G42, which is overseen by the country’s powerful national security adviser. Based in Abu Dhabi, G42 runs data centers and has built what’s considered the world’s leading Arabic-language AI model, known as Jais. The rest of the top 10 Rounding out the top 10 are France at No. 6, followed by South Korea, Germany, Japan and Singapore. France, home to the buzzy AI startup Mistral, ranked high in AI policy and governance. Both it and Germany are part of the European Union’s sweeping new AI Act that places safeguards on a range of AI applications based on how risky they are. The EU also follows the U.S. in developing a plan to expand semiconductor production within the bloc. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Republican senators pushed back on Sunday against criticism from Democrats that Tulsi Gabbard , Donald Trump's pick to lead U.S. intelligence services , is “compromised” by her comments supportive of Russia and secret meetings , as a congresswoman, with Syria’s president, a close ally of the Kremlin and Iran. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, a veteran of combat missions in Iraq, said she had concerns about Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's choice to be director of national intelligence . Recommended Videos “I think she’s compromised," Duckworth said on CNN’s “State of the Union," citing Gabbard's 2017 trip to Syria, where she held talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad. Gabbard was a Democratic House member from Hawaii at the time. “The U.S. intelligence community has identified her as having troubling relationships with America’s foes. And so my worry is that she couldn’t pass a background check,” Duckworth said. Gabbard, who said last month she is joining the Republican party, has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades. She was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait and, according to the Hawaii National Guard, received a Combat Medical Badge in 2005 for “participation in combat operations under enemy hostile fire in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III." Duckworth's comments drew immediate backlash from Republicans. “For her to say ridiculous and outright dangerous words like that is wrong," Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, said on CNN, challenging Duckworth to retract her words. “That’s the most dangerous thing she could say — is that a United States lieutenant colonel in the United States Army is compromised and is an asset of Russia.” In recent days, other Democrats have accused Gabbard without evidence of being a “Russian asset.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, has claimed, without offering details, that Gabbard is in Russian President Vladimir “Putin’s pocket.” Mullin and others say the criticism from Democrats is rooted in the fact that Gabbard left their party and has become a Trump ally. Democrats say they worry that Gabbard's selection as national intelligence chief endangers ties with allies and gives Russia a win. Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat just elected to the Senate, said he would not describe Gabbard as a Russian asset, but said she had “very questionable judgment.” “The problem is if our foreign allies don’t trust the head of our intelligence agencies, they’ll stop sharing information with us,” Schiff said on NBC's “Meet the Press.” Gabbard in 2022 endorsed one of Russia’s justifications for invading Ukraine : the existence of dozens of U.S.-funded biolabs working on some of the world’s nastiest pathogens. The labs are part of an international effort to control outbreaks and stop bioweapons, but Moscow claimed Ukraine was using them to create deadly bioweapons. Gabbard said she just voiced concerns about protecting the labs. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, said he thought it was “totally ridiculous” that Gabbard was being cast as a Russian asset for having different political views. “It’s insulting. It’s a slur, quite frankly. There’s no evidence that she’s a asset of another country,” he said on NBC. Sen. James Lankford, another Oklahoma Republican, acknowledged having “lots of questions” for Gabbard as the Senate considers her nomination to lead the intelligence services. Lankford said on NBC that he wants to ask Gabbard about her meeting with Assad and some of her past comments about Russia. “We want to know what the purpose was and what the direction for that was. As a member of Congress, we want to get a chance to talk about past comments that she’s made and get them into full context,” Lankford said.Harrison lied to Julie Dale and refused to help police with their investigations after Ashley was murdered by drug dealers targeting him Drug dealer Lee Harrison was arrested by police officers less than two miles away from where Julie Dale was talking about her murdered daughter. Harrison, 27, was arrested by police officers who stopped a car travelling on Jennifer Avenue in Kirkdale on the evening of November 25 this year. Harrison, of Liverpool Road in Huyton , was charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin and possession with intent to supply cocaine . Harrison pleaded guilty to the offences at a plea and trial preparation hearing at Liverpool Crown Court this afternoon, Monday, December 23. The ECHO can now confirm that Harrison is the boyfriend of Ashley Dale - a young woman shot dead in her own home by drug dealers looking to murder Harrison . Four men were convicted of her murder and sentenced to extensive prison sentences totalling 173 years, but despite repeated attempts by the police, Harrison refused to help with their investigations . Following his conviction, the ECHO can also reveal that at the time Harrison was arrested by police officers, Ms Dale's mum Julie was speaking about violence against women . Addressing a crowd in the shadow of Liverpool Crown Court , Julie Dale told a crowd that she and her family had been dealt a "life sentence" by her daughter's murder. Julie Dale told the vigil, organised to remember women and girls who have lost their lives to male violence: "Ashley was caught up in violence that has devastated our lives . It not only took my daughter but my best friend from me. Those life sentences have not made anything better for us. In fact, things are worse now, as I now know the senseless reason why my daughter's life was snatched away from her. We now have the life sentence, living with this every single day." Ms Dale's mum has previously spoken about her anger towards Harrison. She said: "I'm very, very angry towards him. Some days I feel like I'm more angry towards him than I am to the person who's actually killed Ashley because without Lee Harrison this wouldn't have happened. "I was never concerned for her safety, shall we say, she never gave me any reason to think that she was not safe or Lee wasn't safe. But I knew that he didn't have a nine to five job, I wasn't happy about it. I didn't know the full extent of what he was doing but I did tell Ashley on a regular basis that I wasn't happy with her being with someone like Lee Harrison. "What I mean by that is, she had so many prospects and aspirations. She just wanted to live a normal life, whatever that was, and he was never ever going to be able to do that. She constantly strived for him to be that person and he was never ever going to be that." The trial heard the murder of Ms Dale stemmed from a dispute Harrison was having with four men - James Witham, Joseph Peers, Niall Barry and Sean Zeisz . Harrison lived an entirely different life to his partner Ms Dale, deeply embedded in an organised crime group known as the Hillsiders. He had previously been "best mates" with Barry, the man who orchestrated the murder plot . But the pair who dealt drugs together fell out when Barry was accused of "bumping" Harrison's gear with a cutting agent, making it less valuable than his own stock. When Barry was robbed, he accused Harrison and a bitter feud was ignited. Voice notes and messages sent to friends by Ms Dale in the two months before her death were played during the trial describing the fall-out. The killers worked together to plan and execute a shooting at the home of Ms Dale on Leinster Road in the Old Swan area on August 21 2022. Harrison was not at the address, but Witham still forced open the door armed with a Skorpion sub-machine gun. He fired 10 rounds from the gun, fatally striking Ms Dale. Julie Dale later told the ECHO she felt a sense of "betrayal" that some of the defendants knew her daughter and had socialised with her at events such as Glastonbury . The mum has also spoken about Harrison's lies to her and her partner in the aftermath of the shooting. After not hearing from him for 10 days after the shooting, they went to visit Harrison who told them that the attack had nothing to do with him. Instead he created three made-up scenarios to attempt to distance himself from the shooting. Harrison later moved to Dubai where he remained for a considerable time. It is not known how long he was back in Merseyside before his arrest. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool today alongside co-defendant Terence Rice, Harrison could be seen laughing and smiling before the hearing began . Harrison gave a thumbs up to the camera as he spoke to confirm his name. He then replied "yeah, guilty" when asked to enter a plea to a charge of conspiracy to supply crack cocaine between October 1 and November 26 this year. Wearing a black Montirex tracksuit top and sporting short dark hair and facial hair, he also admitted conspiracy to supply heroin between the same dates and possession of cocaine with intent to supply on November 25 2024. His 36-year-old co-accused, who wore a grey Montirex t-shirt, pleaded guilty to the charges of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine.
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PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) — Dennis Asoro scored 16 points as Arkansas-Pine Bluff beat Ecclesia 120-61 on Tuesday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) — Dennis Asoro scored 16 points as Arkansas-Pine Bluff beat Ecclesia 120-61 on Tuesday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) — Dennis Asoro scored 16 points as Arkansas-Pine Bluff beat Ecclesia 120-61 on Tuesday. Asoro shot 8 of 9 from the field for the Golden Lions (3-10). Kyle Brown added 15 points while going 6 of 7 and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line while they also had six rebounds. Zach Reinhart shot 5 for 7 from beyond the arc to finish with 15 points. Justin Reaves led the way for the Royals with 26 points, six rebounds and two steals. Quintus McNeal added 13 points and five assists, and Ahmad Raymond had 12 points and four assists. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. AdvertisementParent Trespassed from School After Wearing Wristband to Girls' Game Against Trans Athlete Now Deemed a 'Threat'
Paul Finebaum wants to keep Indiana out of the College Football Playoff with blowout loss to Ohio State, shows fairly obvious SEC bias | Sporting NewsNAPLES, 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 another 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's the biggest money prize in women’s golf history, bigger than even the winner’s shares in three of the four men’s major championships this year. “Today, standing here with the trophy, it's more than I can ask for,” Thitikul said. 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. Yin — who missed the start of the season after breaking her leg over the winter — hardly sounded defeated after finishing second and more than doubling her 2024 earnings in four days. “I’m pretty awesome. ... I’ve learned that I just need to believe my myself and that’s what I did," Yin said. Brooke Henderson (66) of Smiths Falls, Ont., tied for eighth at 13-under overall. The win and the massive check came down to the 18th hole, Thitikul and Yin tied at 21 under after a back-and-forth day atop the leaderboard — both knowing a mistake would likely come at a $3 million cost. Both hit the fairway on 18. Thitikul’s approach was nearly perfect, stopping about 5 feet from the cup. Yin’s response stopped maybe 15 feet away, giving Thitikul the edge as they walked up the fairway. She was smiling broadly as she approached the green, almost as if she knew what was about to happen. Yin’s birdie putt just missed. Thitikul’s was dead center. And history was hers. Her plans for all that cash? “Definitely spend it,” Thitikul said. “That’s an honest answer, for sure. Definitely going to spend it for a little while.” She already had clinched a $1 million bonus this week through the Aon Risk-Reward Challenge, a competition based on how players score on a designated hole each week. In the end, it wound up as a whopping $5 million week for the 21-year-old from Thailand — and going 8 under on the Nos. 17 and 18 over the four days at Tiburon Golf Club made the difference. “All the hard work paid off,” said Thitikul, whose eagle-birdie close to Saturday's round pulled her into a tie for the lead with Yin going into Sunday at 15 under. It didn’t take long on Sunday for Thitikul to jump in front, with birdies on two of the first three holes to grab a two-shot edge. Her lead vanished with a two-shot swing on the par-4 fourth; Yin made birdie, Thitikul bogey. It seemed like Yin grabbed control on the par-3 16th. Her birdie putt from across the green — about 25 feet — rolled in for a two-shot lead with two holes to play. But her second shot at the par-5 17th missed the green right, and the door was opened for Thitikul. The eagle-birdie finish Saturday gave her hope. The eagle-birdie finish Sunday gave her so much more — even though, it turns out, the second shot on the par 5 wasn't one that she caught flush. It worked out anyway. “Just lucky enough,” Thitikul said. Olympic gold medalist Lydia Ko (63) finished third at 17 under, her nine birdies coming in a 13-hole span. “I’m excited to be able to work hard this offseason and have another great 2025,” Ko said. Ruoning Yin (68) was alone in fourth at 16 under, and LPGA player of the year Nelly Korda (66) finished at 15 under along with Narin An (68). Ayaka Furue finished at 13 under, good enough to give her the Vare Trophy as the LPGA’s season-long scoring champion over Haeran Ryu. “I feel very happy to have this trophy in my hands,” said Furue, the first Japanese player to win the Vare. Lexi Thompson — a 15-time winner as a pro who plans to step away from full-time golf — finished at 2 under. It’s not clear how often Thompson plans to play in 2025 and beyond; that said, she returns to Tiburon the week of Dec. 9 for the Grant Thornton Invitational, where she’ll team with Rickie Fowler in the event featuring PGA Tour and LPGA Tour players. “I’m not going anywhere, guys.” Thompson said. “I’ll be back in two weeks.” There were two players who said they were retiring after Sunday’s round: Marina Alex, who shot 66 to finish at 12 under, and Ally Ewing, who closed with a 68 to wrap up the week at 11 under. “I’m happy to have ended on my best,” said Alex, a bottle of sparkling wine in her right hand, a bouquet of flowers in the other. Added Ewing: “I’ve been at peace with my decision. It’s just so nice to be able to share the walk with my family this week.” But in the end, the week belonged to Thitikul. And as the sun was setting over Tiburon on Sunday, she was ready for her offseason to begin with a well-deserved celebration. “Anybody hungry?” she asked. “I am.” With Sunday's check in her pocket, she can dine anywhere she wants for a while. ___ AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
Alaska Airlines selected to connect San Diego and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with nonstop servicePercentages: FG .557, FT .625. 3-Point Goals: 15-28, .536 (Joshua 3-3, Marshall 3-5, Klaczek 2-3, Reddish 2-3, Strand 2-4, Topuz 2-5, Briggs 1-3, Langford 0-1, Taylor 0-1). Team Rebounds: 0. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 2 (Adewale, Klaczek). Turnovers: 15 (Neely 3, Adnan 2, Klaczek 2, Strand 2, Taylor 2, Giralt, Joshua, Marshall, Topuz). Steals: 12 (Joshua 5, Langford 2, Marshall 2, Strand 2, Lindsey). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .340, FT .478. 3-Point Goals: 5-19, .263 (Alicea 2-3, Maldonado 2-6, Bargas 1-3, Pagan 0-1, Gonzalez 0-2, Saavedra 0-2, Uselis 0-2). Team Rebounds: 0. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 1 (Uselis). Turnovers: 19 (Perez 5, Alicea 4, Uselis 3, Saavedra 2, Bargas, Gonzalez, Guilfu, Pagan, Zayas). Steals: 4 (Bargas 2, Perez, Uselis). Technical Fouls: None. A_20 (12,000).
B.C. man charged over tractor crash with police during 2023 anti-SOGI protestWhen Donald Trump started his first campaign for the presidency, two Trump-branded buildings were going up in India, one in the financial capital of Mumbai and the other nearby in Pune. Before he won in 2016, the Trump Organization expanded its business in India, signing deals in two more big cities. The day after Trump's victory in November, a developer in India told local media about half a dozen new deals. Like the others, Indian companies buy the land, build the high-rises, sell the units and pay a fee to use the Trump name. These deals are putting India even more squarely in the Trump Organization's sights. And with Trump on his way back to the White House, the country is emerging as center stage for potential conflicts of interest. In Trump's first term, it was uncharted territory for a sitting U.S. president to have extensive business interests in foreign countries. During his second term, the Trump Organization aims to issue a more limited ethics plan that is unlikely to significantly curb its growth. The United States remains at the heart of the Trump family's real estate business. Elsewhere, there is one Trump Tower each in the Philippines, Turkey and Uruguay, and the company has struck deals to bring Trump Towers to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. 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View Program Finance Tally Prime & GST Accounting: Complete Guide By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Legal Complete Guide to AI Governance and Compliance By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Office Productivity Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By - Study At Home, Quality Education Anytime, Anywhere View Program Data Analysis Learn Power BI with Microsoft Fabric: Complete Course By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Leadership Business Storytelling Masterclass By - Ameen Haque, Founder of Storywallahs View Program But India stands out: The Trump company's business partners here have plans to bring the total number of Trump-branded buildings to 10 in the coming years. India's economy is expected to overtake Japan's and become the world's fourth-largest in 2025. The country's high-end consumer class has been growing richer rapidly, even as a much larger part of the population of 1.4 billion struggles with stagnant incomes. And the president-elect has long had a friendly political alliance with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose full-throated support of Trump has helped bolster the company's brand, Indian real estate experts said. Anuj Puri, founder and chair of Anarock, one of India's biggest property consultants, said many among India's rich, flush with returns from the stock market, had discovered that they "wanted to enjoy their living, instead of just saving it." Kalpesh Mehta, the founder of Tribeca Developers , a Mumbai-based company that works with the Trump Organization, told Indian newspapers in November that there would be Trump Tower buildings in the southern cities of Hyderabad and Bengaluru and more in Mumbai, Pune and the exurbs of New Delhi. Aside from the two fully built Trump Tower buildings in Mumbai and Pune, the others slated to carry the Trump brand are in varying stages of construction. After Trump's first election victory, the Trump Organization vowed to not cut new international deals while he was in office, and Trump handed over operations to his sons Donald Jr. and Eric. Mehta told local media that the Trump sons had discussed coming to India in the first half of 2025 to promote the new projects. In 2018, Donald Trump Jr. drew ethical scrutiny by visiting India and booking a talk on geopolitics. He backed down mid-trip, saying, "I'm here as a businessman." The Trump Organization, based in New York, declined to answer specific questions about its India plans. "Over the past decade, we have been involved in some of the most iconic and successful projects in India," a company spokesperson said in a statement. "We are incredibly proud of the strength of the Trump brand and everything we have achieved in the region, and look forward to many more," she said. A 38-story tower has been rising slowly from former marshland in Kolkata. The building was started by a local developer, Unimark. In the summer of 2016, a licensing deal turned "Unimark Eternia" into Trump Tower Kolkata -- and buyers flocked to purchase units, even at higher prices. In interviews last month, sales agents and apartment owners in Kolkata said the Trump name was a part of the building's appeal. Many also said they were frustrated by construction delays, and worried about Unimark's financing. "We knew it would be a quality product since it says 'Trump,'" said Poonam Dutt, 60, who said she bought an apartment there with her husband, Sukant, in 2018 for about $530,000. The couple paid to fly to New York at the invitation of Trump Tower Kolkata to celebrate the purchase. "It was a big deal that we owned flats in Trump Towers," Sukant Dutt said. In India it is relatively common for a residence to be sold before it is built, on the basis of artists' renderings -- "but only if the brand is there," Puri said. At a temporary sales site for the Trump Tower Kolkata, a coffee-table book features a photo of Donald Trump Jr. A line on the first page advertises: "Your home -- an address so powerful, a letter would reach you from any part of the world. With just the Trump name. And yours." The pitch is working. Sumit Bhalotia, an accountant at a Kolkata law firm, said he had made a down payment toward a $700,000 apartment near the end of the first Trump administration. The due date for Trump Tower Kolkata, postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic, was extended to September 2024. Owners are still waiting, according more than a dozen aggrieved customers who shared their experiences in a group chat on WhatsApp reviewed by The New York Times. Although unhappy about the delay, Bhalotia said he had high expectations: "I will get all the white-glove services. I am a professional; people who come to meet me are from high-class society." Calls to Unimark executives went unanswered, and Tribeca Developers declined to answer questions about any Trump business in India. Bhalotia bought the apartment with his whole family in mind. "It was my mother's strong desire to live in her dream flat," he said, adding that her death in October left "a scar which no one can remove." He's still hopeful, and more so since the election. Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is December 15, 2024. Click here to submit your entry for any one or more of the 22 categories and stand a chance to win a prestigious award. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )Wells Fargo Analyst Says Buying This $0.02 Altcoin Now Is Like Buying XRP Before The Legendary 12,000% Surge To $3.8 In 2017
It's no secret that clean energy technology specialist FuelCell Energy Inc FCEL has thoroughly struggled this year, with FCEL stock hemorrhaging about 77% of market value since the beginning of January. On paper, the underlying company's business of developing and delivering fuel cell systems — which convert hydrogen into electricity — is highly relevant. Unfortunately, declining revenue from prior years contributed to investor sentiment erosion. In mid-November, management announced a global restructuring effort to reduce costs and focus on core technologies, part of an overall response to slower-than-expected clean energy investments. Within the plan, FuelCell stated that it would reduce its workforce by 17% and slash spending on product development, overhead and other expenses. The company anticipates that the directive will lower operating costs by approximately 15% in fiscal year 2025 compared to 2024. Since announcing this strategic shift, FCEL stock has rebounded from the abyss. At its trough this year, shares traded hands for less than $6. However, since late last month, FCEL jumped above the all-important $10 technical support line. Should the bulls continue to maintain level flight, the energy specialist could potentially enjoy a sentiment reversal. Also Read: Biden Backs Congressional Stock Trading Ban: ‘Inside Track’ To Wealth Short-Squeeze Speculation Entices an Aggressive Long Strategy Currently, FCEL stock ranks among Benzinga's Most Shorted Stocks list, a screener dedicated to securities that have attracted the most short interest . This label refers to the total number of shares of a company that have been borrowed and sold by speculators betting that the stock will fall. The idea is that by borrowing and immediately selling a downbeat security, the speculator can pick up shares at a cheaper price. Following the return of the borrowed amount of shares back to the lending broker, the short trader pockets the difference as profit. Obviously, the target security must fall in value for a short position to be profitable. Of course, with the market being unpredictable, short traders have incurred devastating losses due to the stock in question shooting skyward. When an unexpected bullish wave materializes, the upside pressure can be exacerbated. That's because a short trader must buy to close the position, creating in effect a self-fulfilling prophecy. This upward panic — colloquially known as a short squeeze — can be incredibly powerful, especially if the contrarian bull gets in ahead of the panic. Heightened Options Activity Tempts the Contrarian Mindset To be fair, options volume for FCEL stock has been light compared to prior years due to the escalating financial challenges. However, activity has been picking up , particularly for out-the-money (OTM) call options. Though no definitive conclusions can be made, this development may suggest rising bullish interest in FuelCell stock. Investors interested in taking an aggressive wager may consider a bull call spread strategy , specifically the 9/12 call spread for the options chain expiring Jan. 17, 2025. This trade involves simultaneously buying the $9 FCEL call and selling the $11 call. The credit received from the short call partially offsets the debit paid for the long call, essentially providing a discounted net long position. In this case, $159 is at risk for the chance to earn $141 (88.68% payout). True, the bull call spread caps the reward at the short call's strike price. However, the benefit is that the threshold of profitability (or the breakeven point) is reduced. In the case of the 9/12 call spread, the breakeven price (at time of writing) sits at $10.59. Further, FCEL stock needs to rise about 12% to reach the short strike price, which is doable considering recent pricing activity. Nevertheless, it must be said that FuelCell represents a high-risk, high-reward opportunity. Given the company's history, a continuation of its misery is well within the realm of possibility. However, the bulls’ ability to jump above the critical $10 threshold — combined with management's strategic pivot — could entice contrarian traders. Read Next: Fed Meetings Made Stock Traders Richer In 2024: Could Wednesday Bring Last Big Rally? Photo: r.classen/Shutterstock.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Steve M. Klein, Chairman and CEO of Northfield Bank, Elected to the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York
Daily year-round service will seamlessly connect our guests between the nation's capital and one of our key West Coast hubs SEATTLE , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines is proud to announce new nonstop service between San Diego International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), becoming the only airline to offer this direct route and enhance connectivity to the nation's capital. Tickets will soon be available for purchase on www.alaskaair.com . On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation approved our application as part of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2024 to operate roundtrip service between San Diego and DCA. For nearly 40 years, we've proudly served San Diego with the exceptional and caring service that we're known for. We've connected our guests to DCA since 2001 and today offer nonstop service from Seattle , Portland , San Francisco and Los Angeles . "We are pleased the DOT sees the value of Alaska providing direct service between San Diego and DCA, and we thank the many leaders, local businesses and organizations who supported our bid," said CEO Ben Minicucci. "This new route reflects our commitment to San Diego , home of the nation's largest military community, and offers our guests a seamless travel option to our nation's capital." "Today is a great day for the San Diego Region with the announcement of a new, nonstop flight to Washington, D.C.'s Reagan National Airport. This flight will further connect our growing defense, research and innovation economies to our leaders in the Capitol," said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria . "Securing this flight was a team effort by our partners from Alaska Airlines, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, and our congressional delegation. I especially want to thank U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker for selecting San Diego as one of the five new DCA flight slot recipients." As the carrier with the most nonstop destinations from San Diego , Alaska will offer 40 nonstop destinations and more than 70 peak-day departures when our new service to DCA begins. Together with our Global Partners, we offer one-stop service from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to more than 330 destinations.* Currently, SAN has the greatest number of passengers of any U.S. airport without service to DCA. Whether you're flying nonstop or catching a connecting a flight at SAN, www.alaskaair.com has options for what works best for you: you can book flights on 22 partner airlines or redeem Mileage Plan miles, all on our site. "We are very pleased Alaska Airlines has received approval to begin nonstop service between San Diego International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport," said Kimberly J. Becker , president and CEO, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. " San Diego has been the largest origin-destination market without service to Reagan National Airport and it has significant defense, biotech, and communications technology sectors that require efficient access to the core of the national capital region. This new nonstop route will greatly enhance the connectivity between these two strategic regions for business and our leisure passengers." Alaska's elevated travel experience offers a blend of comfort and caring service for a seamless journey, including no change fees, the most legroom in First Class* and Premium Class, satellite Wi-Fi and the most generous Mileage Plan with the fastest path to elite status. Savor the best of West Coast-inspired food and beverages, including complimentary snacks and chef-curated meals. With access to Alaska Lounge locations for members and First Class guests on flights more than 2,000 miles, you can unwind in ultimate comfort before take-off. Building off our newest Lounge in San Francisco , we're set to nearly double our footprint in 3 years. We recently announced a plan to continue expanding our Lounge program, including in San Diego and Honolulu , followed by a new world-class Lounge in Seattle to support international service. We'll begin with an expanded Anchorage Lounge early next year and open our new Portland Lounge in 2026. In September, we began adding more Premium Class seating across our mainline fleet, including our 900ERs, 800s and MAX9s. We plan to increase our 737-800 First Class seats from 12 to 16 to make it easy for our guests to upgrade and meet the demand for premium seating. In First Class, our new premium seating will provide a calf rest, new seatback device holder, 6-way headrest with neck support and USB-C charging capabilities. In our 737-800 Main Cabin and Premium Class, guests will continue to experience comfort and convenience at every seat with improved features, including new device holders with built in cup holders, USB-C charging and a 6-way headrest with dedicated neck support. About Alaska Air Group Alaska Air Group, Inc. is based in Seattle and comprised of subsidiaries Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Holdings, Inc., Horizon Air and McGee Air Services. With our recent acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, we now serve more than 140 destinations throughout North America , Central America, Asia and across the Pacific. We are committed to safety, remarkable customer care, operational excellence, financial performance and sustainability. Alaska Airlines is a member of the one world Alliance. With one world and our additional global partners, our guests have more choices than ever to purchase, earn or redeem on alaskaair.com across 30 airlines and more than 1,000 worldwide destinations. Book travel throughout the Pacific on Hawaiian Airlines at hawaiianairlines.com . Learn more about Alaska Airlines at news.alaskaair.com and Hawaiian Airlines at newsroom.hawaiianairlines.com/blog . Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as "ALK." View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alaska-airlines-selected-to-connect-san-diego-and-ronald-reagan-washington-national-airport-with-nonstop-service-302334277.html SOURCE ALASKA AIRLINESSecond round washed out at the Australian PGA
Rosen Law Firm Announces Investigation of Breaches of Fiduciary Duties by the Directors and Officers of Southwest Airlines Co. - LUV
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel said Sunday that the body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates has been found after he was killed in what it described as a “heinous antisemitic terror incident.” The UAE's Interior Ministry later said authorities arrested three perpetrators involved in the killing of Zvi Kogan. The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel “will act with all means to seek justice with the criminals responsible for his death.” Israeli authorities did not say how they determined the killing of Kogan was a terror attack and offered no additional details. Kogan, 28, an ultra-Orthodox rabbi who went missing on Thursday, ran a kosher grocery store in the futuristic city of Dubai, where Israelis have flocked for commerce and tourism since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in the 2020 Abraham Accords . The agreement has held through more than a year of soaring regional tensions unleashed by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack into southern Israel . But Israel's devastating retaliatory offensive in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon, after months of fighting with the Hezbollah militant group, have stoked anger among Emiratis, Arab nationals and others living in the the UAE. Iran, which supports Hamas and Hezbollah, has also been threatening to retaliate against Israel after a wave of airstrikes Israel carried out in October in response to an Iranian ballistic missile attack. The Emirati government did not respond to a request for comment. However, senior Emirati diplomat Anwer Gargash wrote on the social platform X in Arabic on Sunday that “the UAE will remain a home of safety, an oasis of stability, a society of tolerance and coexistence and a beacon of development, pride and advancement.” Early on Sunday, the UAE’s state-run WAM news agency acknowledged Kogan’s disappearance but pointedly did not acknowledge he held Israeli citizenship, referring to him only as being Moldovan. The Emirati Interior Ministry described Kogan as being “missing and out of contact.” “Specialized authorities immediately began search and investigation operations upon receiving the report,” the Interior Ministry said. The ministry later said that three “perpetrators” had been arrested “in record time” without giving additional details. Netanyahu told a regular Cabinet meeting later Sunday that he was “deeply shocked” by Kogan's disappearance and death. He said he appreciated the cooperation of the UAE in the investigation and that ties between the two countries would continue to be strengthened. Israel's largely ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, condemned the killing and thanked Emirati authorities for "their swift action." He said he trusts they “will work tirelessly to bring the perpetrators to justice.” Israel also again warned against all nonessential travel to the Emirates after Kogan's killing. “There is concern that there is still a threat against Israelis and Jews in the area,” a government warning issued Sunday said. Kogan was an emissary of the Chabad Lubavitch movement, a prominent and highly observant branch of ultra-Orthodox Judaism based in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood in New York City. It said he was last seen in Dubai. The UAE has a burgeoning Jewish community, with synagogues and businesses catering to kosher diners. The Rimon Market, a kosher grocery store that Kogan managed on Dubai’s busy Al Wasl Road, was shut Sunday. As the wars have roiled the region, the store has been the target of online protests by supporters of the Palestinians. Mezuzahs on the front and back doors of the market appeared to have been ripped off when an Associated Press journalist stopped by on Sunday. Kogan’s wife, Rivky, is a U.S. citizen who lived with him in the UAE. She is the niece of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, who was killed in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The UAE is an autocratic federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula and is also home to Abu Dhabi. Local Jewish officials in the UAE declined to comment. While the Israeli statement did not mention Iran, Iranian intelligence services have carried out past kidnappings in the UAE. Western officials believe Iran runs intelligence operations in the UAE and keeps tabs on the hundreds of thousands of Iranians living across the country. Iran is suspected of kidnapping and later killing British Iranian national Abbas Yazdi in Dubai in 2013, though Tehran has denied involvement. Iran also kidnapped Iranian German national Jamshid Sharmahd in 2020 from Dubai, taking him back to Tehran, where he was executed in October . Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates