superph 26 Stock indexes drifted to a mixed finish on Wall Street as some heavyweight technology and communications sector stocks offset gains elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 slipped less than 0.1% Thursday, its first loss after three straight gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Gains by retailers and health care stocks helped temper the losses. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. The Labor Department reported that U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years. Treasury yields fell in the bond market. On Thursday: The S&P 500 fell 2.45 points, or 0.04%, to 6,037.59. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 28.77 points, or 0.1%, to 43,325.80. The Nasdaq composite fell 10.77 points, or 1%, to 19,764.89. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 20.34 points, or 0.9%, to 2,280.19. For the week: The S&P 500 is up 106.74 points, or 1.80%. The Dow is up 485.54 points, or 1.1%. The Nasdaq is up 447.76 points, or 2.3%. The Russell 2000 is up 37.82 points, or 1.7%. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,267.76 points, or 26.6%. The Dow is up 5,636.26, or 15%. The Nasdaq is up 5,009.01 points, or 33.4%. The Russell 2000 is up 253.12 points, or 12.5%.

( MENAFN - IANS) New Delhi, Dec 28 (IANS) An advisory has been issued by the Delhi Traffic Police urging people to avoid taking several major routes on roads in the national capital, ahead of the funeral of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday The traffic advisory outlines restrictions and diversions on major routes in New Delhi, urging the public to instead use public transport to help ease congestion. "The dignitaries of many foreign countries and other VIPs/VVIPS and the general public will visit Nigambodh Ghat on the occasion of the state funeral of late Dr Manmohan Singh, Former PM of India on December 28, 2024," Delhi Traffic Police said in its advisory on Friday. According to the advisory, diversion points include Raja Ram Kohli Marg, Rajghat Red Light, Signature Bridge, and Yudhister Setu. Traffic restrictions, regulations, and diversion may be imposed on Ring Road (Mahatma Gandhi Marg), Nishad Raj Marg, Boulevard Road, SPM Marg, Lothian Road, and Netaji Subhash Marg from 7 a.m. onwards, likely till 3 p.m. The advisory advises people to avoid the mentioned roads and stretches, as well as the area where the procession will take place. Commuters going to Old Delhi Railway Station, ISBT, Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, and Tis Hazari Court are advised to leave with sufficient time to accommodate possible delays on the route. It is also recommended to use public transport to reduce road congestion. Vehicles should only be parked in designated parking lots; roadside parking should be avoided as it obstructs the normal flow of traffic. In case any unusual or unidentified object or person is noticed in suspicious circumstances, the public is urged to report it to the Police, they added. The last rites of Dr Manmohan Singh are to be performed at Nigambodh Ghat in New Delhi on Saturday noon. "Dr Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister passed away at 9:51 p.m. on December 26, 2024, at AllMS Hospital, New Delhi. It has been decided by the government that a State funeral will be accorded to Dr Manmohan Singh. The funeral will take place at 11:45 a.m. on December 28, 2024, at Nigambodh Ghat, New Delhi. The Ministry of Defence is requested to make arrangements for a State funeral with full military honours," the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said. Dr Manmohan Singh passed away at AIIMS, Delhi, on Thursday at the age of 92 due to age-related medical conditions. He had a sudden loss of consciousness at home after which he was rushed to the hospital. Dr Singh's political career spanned several decades, with notable positions including Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996, during which he spearheaded economic reforms that transformed India's economy. He served as the 13th Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014, succeeding Atal Bihari Vajpayee. His tenure is particularly remembered for his steady leadership during economic crises and his contributions to modernising India's economy. After his second term, Dr Singh retired from public life, having led India through a period of unprecedented growth and international recognition. He was succeeded by Narendra Modi in 2014 after the Congress-led UPA lost the general elections. MENAFN27122024000231011071ID1109036081 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

Badshah breaks silence on Diljit Dosanjh's alcohol controversyA new piece of technology for North Island College (NIC) seaweed researchers will help their work to support a burgeoning industry. NIC’s Centre for Applied Research, Technology and Innovation (CARTI) has received its new seaweed bioreactor. It provides a stable environment for producing kelp cultures and gives users more time to collect and nurture samples. Typically, opportunities to collect “sori,” or spore patches for kelp are limited to certain times of the year. Usually, it is about a two- or three-month window. “It’s very seasonal,” said Logan Zeinert, CARTI senior research technician. “That kind of limits your ability to try to grow kelp in a different season.” The bioreactors are easy to maintain, providing consistency and control over factors like pH levels, light or carbon dioxide, and they provide an environment with an extremely minimal risk for contamination. The modular design allows users to scale their operations. The investment was funded by the BC Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF) as well as the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), with BCKDF and CFI each contributing $200,000. CARTI obtained one of the large, 16-compartment units. The equipment provides the CARTI team with more control and certainty when it comes to having a reliable seed supply. Bioreactors are designed to support chemical or biological reactions. “For seaweed, in particular, you need a stable supply of seeds,” said Robert Roulston, founder and CEO of Industrial Plankton (IP), which produces the bioreactor. Based in Victoria, the company saw an opportunity and a need for aquaculture technology in the face of a changing environment. It started research and development in 2010, and it now supports clients in 35 countries, including over half of the North American-based shellfish hatcheries. “Over the past decade, I’ve seen the Western world’s interest in seaweed go from niche research projects to multiple companies scaling for commercial production,” Roulston said. “In my opinion, it’s the aquaculture sector with the most growth potential and also the biggest potential to impact climate change.” In 2022, the company adapted its technology to start producing bioreactors for newer players in an industry that produces both economic and environmental benefits. “We’ve already shipped seaweed bioreactors to five countries and are receiving inquiries from seaweed producers around the world. This industry is just about to hit its stride,” said Roulston. Seaweed is a growing part of this emerging “blue” economy, with the World Bank estimating seaweed aquaculture could directly and indirectly employ 150 million within 40 years. Already, IP expects to produce even bigger bioreactors for the seaweed industry. While most of the units go to commercial clients, they can be a valuable tool for researchers like CARTI. Zeinert expects the bioreactor could be used for future CARTI projects, such as focusing on popular kelp species in the province to come up with best practices for the industry. Another project could be to set up a biobank of historic kelp populations. “It provides us an opportunity to innovate and provide access to that equipment,” he said, which will mean benefits for the classroom. “It’s been a great training opportunity for us and our students.” Among its seaweed projects, CARTI has established a Seaweed Innovation Hub to investigate questions about seaweed seed production, optimize nursery parameters and innovate new methods of seed production for the seaweed sector in B.C.

A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House saysNetflix ( NFLX ) entered the NFL live-streaming arena with a spectacular debut on Christmas Day, setting a new streaming record for the league. Preliminary Nielsen data shows an average U.S. audience of more than 24 million for each of the two holiday matchups. The Kansas City Chiefs’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers pulled in 24.1 million viewers on average, while 24.3 million tuned in to see the Baltimore Ravens defeat the Houston Texans. Adding to the excitement, the Ravens-Texans game featured a show-stopping halftime performance by Beyoncé alongside her daughter, Blue Ivy. While Netflix was the primary platform for viewers, some tuned in through local broadcasts in team markets or via the NFL’s NFL+ streaming service. The event surpassed the previous NFL streaming record of 23 million viewers for a January playoff game on Peacock. Smooth steaming and big wins for Netflix The success of Netflix’s NFL debut wasn’t just about the numbers. The stream was free of major technical glitches, a marked improvement over issues faced during last month’s Jake Paul-Mike Tyson boxing event on the platform. | “Bringing our members this record-breaking day of two NFL games was the best Christmas gift we could have delivered,” said Bela Bajaria , Netflix’s chief content officer. NFL executives were equally enthusiastic. “The quality of the stream was fabulous, the production went off tightly,” said Brian Rolapp, the league’s chief media and business officer. “This further convinces us that Christmas is a great football day.” Expanding horizons in live-event streaming Netflix’s NFL deal is part of the streaming giant’s broader push into live events to bolster its advertising revenue. The league’s agreement with Netflix spans three years and allows for one or two games to be streamed next Christmas, depending on the schedule. The move into live sports streaming is just the beginning for Netflix. In January, the platform will start live-streaming WWE Raw as part of a decade-long partnership with World Wrestling Entertainment. Netflix has had a strong year , with its stock up 91% year-to-date, positioning it for its best performance since 2015. This growth reflects increased revenue and profit, with projections indicating a $39 billion in 2024 revenue and $8.7 billion in net profit, up 15% and 60% respectively from 2023. The company’s expansion into live sports, such as NFL games and the FIFA Women’s World Cup, has contributed to its solid performance, making it one of the top-performing stocks on the S&P 500.

The decision by Tesco, Musgrave and the BWG Group came after a woman who said Mr McGregor raped her won a civil claim for damages against him. Nikita Hand, who accused the sportsman of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her claim against him for damages in a case at the High Court in the Irish capital. In a statement, a spokesman for Musgrave said: “Musgrave can confirm these products are no longer available to our store network.” The network includes SuperValu, Centra, Daybreak and Mace. A Tesco spokesperson said: “We can confirm that we are removing Proper No Twelve Whiskey from sale in Tesco stores and online.” A spokesperson for BWG Group said: “The products are no longer listed for distribution across our network of Spar, Eurospar, Mace, Londis and XL stores, including Appleby Westward which operates over 300 Spar stores in the south west of England.” It is understood that other retail outlets including Costcutter and Carry Out will also stop stocking products linked to Mr McGregor. He and some of his business partners sold their majority stake in the Proper Number Twelve Irish whiskey brand. He was reported to have been paid more than £103 million from the sale to Proximo Spirits in 2021. On Monday, a popular video game developer decided to pull content featuring the MMA fighter. The Irish athlete has featured in multiple video games, including voice-acting a character bearing his likeness in additional downloadable content in the Hitman series. Mr McGregor’s character featured as a target for the player-controlled assassin in the game. IO Interactive, the Danish developer and publisher of Hitman, said in a statement: “In light of the recent court ruling regarding Conor McGregor, IO Interactive has made the decision to cease its collaboration with the athlete, effective immediately. “We take this matter very seriously and cannot ignore its implications. “Consequently, we will begin removing all content featuring Mr McGregor from our storefronts starting today.” Last Friday, the High Court jury awarded damages amounting to 248,603.60 euros (around £206,000) to Ms Hand. Mr McGregor made no comment as he left court but later posted on social media that he intended to appeal against the decision.