Cozy winter fare: Make a French-style cassoulet at homeDays after two Albany heavy hitters vetoed the MTA’s next five-year capital plan , an audit released Thursday by the state C omptroller’s office says that the operators of New York’s largest transportation agency has not done enough to save money. Get the Full Story The lack of money savings is centered around “ procurements, ” per state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. According to the state’s top money big wig, the MTA has “ not done enough to consolidate its procurements across its agencies to save money as was expected under its Transformation Plan. ” The MTA was required by law to create a Transformation Plan by June 30, 2019, which it did. O ne part of the plan was to consolidate procurement for its five operating agencies, MTA Construction and Development, and MTA Headquarters to save money and avoid redundancies , DiNapoli explained. But those actions were not enough, and now the state comptroller believes the MTA needs to take additional steps to better coordinate its purchasing efforts. “T he MTA faces continued pressure to implement its capital programs and savings initiatives, which would benefit from furthering its stated goals of transforming its procurement process, ” DiNapoli said. “ More savings may be possible if it does more to coordinate purchasing among its agencies instead of the status quo of having them procure their needs independently. Consolidation, efficiency, and savings in this area was promised years ago, but has yet to be fully realized .” The audit follows another blow to the MTA this week , when state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie rejected the agency’s capital plan for 2025-2029 just days before Jan. 1. Delving deeper into Thursday’s audit, the MTA’s “ actual practice of buying goods and services ” has not changed as of September 2023, two years after its October 2021 effective date of consolidation . The audit cites several examples of this lack of progress, mostly with procurement operations, which handles direct purchases of things like parts for train cars and buses. According to the comptroller’s officer, the MTA reported saving $152 million in 2022, but the audit examined $37.7 million of that total and concluded that “ none of it was due to transformation or consolidation .” The audit revealed that the savings were from canceled orders and services that were no longer needed. According to the audit, just $4.29 million of the sampled savings were the result of procurement operations actions. But MTA officials said they largely disagree with the findings. As for consolidation, the agency’s five different procurement departments now fall under one umbrella, with most cost savings coming through construction contracts. “The MTA successfully consolidated and reorganized the agency per the Transformation Plan, forging ahead with less redundancy and red tape,” MTA spokesperson Joana Flores said. “The MTA is still continuously improving business practices with more cost savings and has achieved reduced costs – identifying an additional $100 million in annual recurring savings for a total of $500 million annually, all while providing more subway, bus, and railroad service than ever before.” Riders react Meanwhile, riders’ groups are responding to the MTA’s heavy blows this week. With the capital plan in limbo, public transit users do not know what to expect regarding the future of MTA projects, including signal upgrades and station improvements. “A gain and again, funding uncertainty has turned MTA capital plans into political footballs, with riders caught flailing like Charlie Brown, ” Lisa Daglian, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, said. “ Riders deserve a fully funded capital plan now so the MTA can begin the State-of-Good-Repair and system improvement projects we desperately need .” Danny Pearlstein, the Riders Alliance’s policy and communications director, said in response to the audit that riders’ needs are paramount. “Efficiency is a work in progress, but elected leaders can’t make the perfect the enemy of the good when it comes to meeting riders’ needs for safe, reliable, accessible public transit service,” he said.
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What is facial recognition technology and why is its use by police controversial?Warning labels for social media gained swift bipartisan support from dozens of attorneys general after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress to establish the requirements earlier this year.
Fifty years ago | Ban on company donations to parties to goThis undated photo courtesy of the Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. (PSE) shows (from left) PSE Capital Markets Development Division Head Mark Frederick V. Visda, PSE Technology Division Head Philip A. Driz, PSE General Counsel Veronica V. Del Rosario, PSE COO Roel A. Refran, PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon, PSE Issuer Regulation Division Head Marigel B. Garcia, Securities Clearing Corp. of the Philippines COO Renee D. Rubio, and PSE Market Operations Division Head Roel M. Villanueva. The Philippine Stock Exchange index ended the trading year at 6,528.79 points, up by 78.75 points or 1.2 percent from its close of 6,450.04 in 2023. This marked the first time that the PSEi closed higher year-on-year since 2019. Philippine Stock Exchange Inc.
Jimmy Carter , the 39th President of the United States, has died at 100. The longest-living president in U.S. history died almost two years after entering hospice care in his Georgia home in lieu of continued medical intervention for his various health issues. Carter was a one-term but popular president, holding office from 1977-1981, and was unseated by Ronald Reagan. The former Commander in Chief’s nonprofit organization announced he was entering hospice care in February 2023. “After a series of short hospital stays, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention,” the February 18 Twitter announcement read. “He has the full support of his family and his medical team. The Carter family asks for privacy during this time and is grateful for the concern shown by his many admirers.” Carter had undergone multiple hospital stints in recent years for various health issues, such as melanoma and several falls. On August 2, 2015, Carter underwent surgery to remove a small cancerous mass in his liver, and he recovered easily. However, the procedure revealed further health complications. On August 11, 2015, it was announced that the cancer had spread to other parts of Carter’s body. In an August 20, 2015 press conference, his doctor revealed the melanoma had spread to four parts of his brain. The politician-turned-humanitarian had a history of cancer in his family. Carter’s parents and three siblings (two sisters and a brother) all died of different forms of cancer. His mother died of breast cancer; his father and siblings all died of pancreatic cancer. Age 90 at the time of his melanoma diagnosis, Carter believed he was nearing the end of his life but was at peace. “I just thought I had a few weeks left, but I was surprisingly at ease,” he said at the time, per ABC News . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I have thousands of friends...so I was surprisingly at ease, much more so than my wife was.” The former president underwent treatment (surgery, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy) to “extend” his life as much as possible. The treatment was successful, with Carter announcing in March 2016 that doctors stopped his treatment. Carter was hospitalized again the next year for dehydration due to building homes for Habitat for Humanity in Winnipeg, Canada. He was back at work on the homes the next day after some hours of observation. In May 2019, Carter broke his hip in a fall on his way out of his Plains, Georgia, home to go turkey hunting. He had a hip replacement a few days later and suffered another fall in October 2016, needing stitches over one of his eyebrows. In November 2019, he underwent surgery to address pressure in his brain caused by bleeding from the falls and recovered fine. Carter first served as a Georgia senator from 1963 to 1967 and then served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975. He beat incumbent President Gerald Ford in the 1976 presidential election. The 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner sought to make the government “competent and compassionate” during his tenure. His accomplishments as president include creating the Department of Education, bolstering the Social Security system, hiring a record number of minority groups in government jobs, and protecting/improving the environment. Part of that effort was successfully adding 103 million acres of Alaskan land to the national park system. Carter was determined to see the U.S. switch from fossil fuel to clean energy with renewable resources. To that end, he had 32 solar panels installed on the roof of the West Wing in the summer of 1979, hoping to set an example for the future of renewable energy. The panels were used for seven years before Reagan had them removed. While he had notable accomplishments, rising energy costs, mounting inflation, and continuing tensions made it difficult for Carter to meet the high expectations he set for his administration. He shepherded in nearly eight million new jobs and a decrease in the budget deficit (per WhiteHouse.org ), but near record-high inflation and interest rates of the time, and the efforts to fix them, triggered a short recession in the economy. In foreign affairs, Carter led the Camp David Accords in 1978, a political agreement between Egypt and Israel reached through 12 days of secret negotiations at the President’s Maryland country retreat. His focus on human rights didn’t sit well with the leaders of the Soviet Union and some other nations. He obtained ratification of the Panama Canal treaties, set up diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, and finished the negotiation of the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty with the Soviet Union. Born James Earl Carter, Jr. on October 1, 1924, Carter’s family ran a peanut farm in Plains, Georgia. Talk of politics and his Baptist faith were tenets of his childhood. He graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1946, serving seven years as a naval officer. Carter married his wife, Rosalynn Carter — who died in November 2023 — after graduating from the Academy in 1946. They share three sons, John William (Jack), James Earl III (Chip), Donnel Jeffrey (Jeff), and a daughter, Amy Lynn. Carter became a career politician in 1962 when elected to the Georgia State Senate. After his presidency, Carter focused his public efforts on humanitarian aid. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” More Headlines:American Eagle Outfitters ( NYSE:AEO – Free Report ) had its target price reduced by UBS Group from $34.00 to $32.00 in a report released on Thursday, Benzinga reports. UBS Group currently has a buy rating on the apparel retailer’s stock. A number of other research analysts have also recently commented on AEO. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on American Eagle Outfitters from $22.00 to $19.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. Barclays decreased their price target on American Eagle Outfitters from $32.00 to $26.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $23.00 price objective (down from $27.00) on shares of American Eagle Outfitters in a research report on Wednesday. Telsey Advisory Group decreased their target price on shares of American Eagle Outfitters from $23.00 to $20.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday. Finally, TD Cowen dropped their price target on shares of American Eagle Outfitters from $25.00 to $23.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $22.40. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on American Eagle Outfitters American Eagle Outfitters Stock Up 2.2 % American Eagle Outfitters ( NYSE:AEO – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, December 4th. The apparel retailer reported $0.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.02. American Eagle Outfitters had a net margin of 4.28% and a return on equity of 20.80%. The firm had revenue of $1.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.30 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.49 earnings per share. American Eagle Outfitters’s revenue was down .9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts anticipate that American Eagle Outfitters will post 1.74 earnings per share for the current year. American Eagle Outfitters Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, October 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 11th were paid a $0.125 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 11th. This represents a $0.50 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.78%. American Eagle Outfitters’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 42.74%. Insider Transactions at American Eagle Outfitters In other news, CEO Jay L. Schottenstein sold 999,999 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $20.04, for a total transaction of $20,039,979.96. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,771,851 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $35,507,894.04. The trade was a 36.08 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website . Also, insider Jennifer M. Foyle sold 30,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.79, for a total transaction of $653,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 200,427 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,367,304.33. This trade represents a 13.02 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 1,050,702 shares of company stock valued at $21,148,718. 7.30% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On American Eagle Outfitters Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of AEO. SG Americas Securities LLC lifted its holdings in American Eagle Outfitters by 417.2% during the 2nd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 175,576 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock worth $3,504,000 after buying an additional 141,628 shares during the last quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in American Eagle Outfitters during the third quarter worth approximately $3,731,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in American Eagle Outfitters by 165.4% in the second quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,107,933 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $62,034,000 after purchasing an additional 1,936,938 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC purchased a new position in American Eagle Outfitters in the second quarter valued at approximately $16,861,000. Finally, Dupree Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in American Eagle Outfitters during the third quarter worth approximately $3,146,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.33% of the company’s stock. American Eagle Outfitters Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) American Eagle Outfitters, Inc operates as a multi-brand specialty retailer in the United States and internationally. The company provides jeans, apparel and accessories, and personal care products for women and men under the American Eagle brand; and intimates, apparel, activewear, and swim collections under the Aerie and OFFLINE by Aerie brands. See Also Receive News & Ratings for American Eagle Outfitters Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Eagle Outfitters and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
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Liverpool powered seven points clear at the top of the Premier League as the title favourites survived a scare in their 3-1 win against Leicester, while Bruno Fernandes was sent off in Manchester United's dismal 2-0 defeat at lowly Wolves. Erling Haaland missed a penalty as crisis-torn Manchester City failed to end their dismal run with a 1-1 draw against Everton, but it was United's travails and Liverpool's remarkable run that took centre-stage on Thursday. Arne Slot's side were shocked by Jordan Ayew's early strike at Anfield, but the leaders recovered their composure to equalise just before the interval through Cody Gakpo. England midfielder Jones marked his 100th top-flight appearance with the second goal soon after half-time. Mohamed Salah's 19th goal this term wrapped up Liverpool's 11th win in their last 13 games in all competitions. "We created enough, but because we went 1-0 down it was a game," Liverpool manager Slot said. "Then you saw how good we are and Leicester didn't want to come back into the game." Liverpool's comeback lifted them well clear of second-placed Chelsea, who were defeated 2-1 by Fulham earlier in the day. United suffered a third successive loss in all competitions to leave new boss Ruben Amorim with five defeats in his first 10 games. Fernandes was dismissed two minutes into the second half at Molineux for a second bookable offence. United's 10 men cracked in the 58th minute when Matheus Cunha's corner went straight in as goalkeeper Andre Onana flapped under pressure. Hwang Hee-chan compounded Amorim's misery when he tapped in with just seconds left. Losing to fourth-bottom Wolves was another bitter blow for United, who endured a humiliating 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth at Old Trafford last weekend after losing 4-3 in the League Cup at Tottenham. With his team marooned in 14th place -- just eight points above the relegation zone -- Amorim's woes might not be over, with United facing in-form Newcastle on Monday before travelling to Liverpool in their first game of 2025. "It's so tough to win games in this league with 11 men. With 10 men, it's more difficult," Amorim said. Champions Manchester City have just one victory in their last 13 games in all competitions as their Christmas schedule started in disappointing fashion. Bernardo Silva put City in front early on before Iliman Ndiaye salvaged a point for Everton. Seven minutes into the second half, Haaland had the chance to end his longest goal drought at the Etihad but Jordan Pickford denied him. City are languishing in seventh place and sit five points adrift of the top four, with their astonishing decline showing no sign of ending. "Of course we need results and we didn't get it. The team played really good again in all departments and unfortunately could not win," said City boss Pep Guardiola. At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea were stunned by Fulham's late fightback in a dramatic west London derby. It was Chelsea's first home defeat against Fulham since 1979. Cole Palmer put Chelsea ahead after 16 minutes, the England forward drilling home from the edge of the area after weaving through the Fulham defence in dazzling style. But Fulham levelled with eight minutes left when Harry Wilson nodded in from close range. There was worse to come for the Blues when Rodrigo Muniz completed the turnaround in the 95th minute. Nottingham Forest climbed to third place after a 1-0 win against sputtering Tottenham at the City Ground. Forest's fourth successive win was sweet revenge for boss Nuno Espirito Santo, whose former club Tottenham had Djed Spence sent off in the closing moments for a second booking. Tottenham are stuck in 11th as the pressure mounts on boss Ange Postecoglou. Newcastle swatted aside 10-man Aston Villa 3-0, moving up to fifth place after winning three consecutive league games for the first time since 2023. Jarrod Bowen's 59th-minute goal gave West Ham a 1-0 win at bottom of the table Southampton after the visitors saw Guido Rodriguez's red card overturned by VAR. It was a frustrating start for new Saints boss Ivan Juric, who has replaced the sacked Russell Martin. Bournemouth and Crystal Palace shared a goalless draw at the Vitality Stadium. smg/nf