LOBITO, Angola — President Joe Biden pledged another $600 million Wednesday for an ambitious multi-country rail project in Africa as one of the final foreign policy moves of his administration, and told African leaders the resource-rich continent of more than 1.4 billion people had been “left behind for much too long.” “But not anymore,” Biden added. “Africa is the future.” Biden used the third and final day of a visit to Angola — his long-awaited first trip to sub-Saharan Africa as president — to travel to the coastal city of Lobito and tour an Atlantic port terminal that’s part of the Lobito Corridor railway redevelopment. Biden described it as the largest U.S. investment in a train project outside America. The U.S. and allies are investing heavily in the project that will refurbish nearly 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) of train lines connecting to the mineral-rich areas of Congo and Zambia in central Africa. The corridor, which likely will take years to complete, gives the U.S. better access to cobalt, copper and other critical minerals in Congo and Zambia that are used in batteries for electric vehicles, electronic devices and clean energy technologies that Biden said would power the future. China is dominant in mining in Congo and Zambia. The U.S. investment has strategic implications for U.S.-China economic competition, which went up a notch this week as they traded blows over access to key materials and technologies. The African leaders who met with Biden on Wednesday said the railway corridor offered their countries a much faster route for minerals and goods — and a convenient outlet to Western markets. “This is a project that is full of hope for our countries and our region,” said Congo President Félix Tshisekedi, whose country has more than 70% of the word’s cobalt. “This is not just a logistical project. It is a driving force for economic and social transformation for millions of our people.” The leaders said the corridor should spur private-sector investment and improve a myriad of related areas like roads, communication networks, agriculture and clean energy technologies. For the African countries, it could create a wave of new jobs for a burgeoning young population. “It’s a huge, huge opportunity,” said Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. “It’s good for Africa.” Cargo that once took 45 days to get to the U.S. — usually involving trucks via South Africa — would now take around 45 hours, Biden said. He predicted the project could transform the region from a food importer to exporter. It’s “something that if done right will outlast all of us and keep delivering for our people for generations to come,” he said. The announcement of an additional $600 million took the U.S.’s investment in the Lobito Corridor to $4 billion. The corridor has drawn financing from others including the European Union, the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations, a Western-led private consortium and African banks. Biden said the total investment was $6 billion. Some calling for more U.S. involvement in Africa hope it will mark a new era of U.S.-Africa engagement. Much of that depends on the administration of Donald Trump , who takes office Jan. 20. The White House says Republicans in Congress have supported past efforts to promote African business interests through targeted investments and that such initiatives have appealed to Trump in the past. Trump also supports measures to counter China, and some see the Lobito Corridor as a direct counter to the Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure strategy that China has used to promote its economic and political influence in Africa and elsewhere. A senior U.S. administration official called the Lobito Corridor the heart of competing with China not as a political adversary but from a business standpoint by sparking investment and helping countries over the long term. The U.S. is looking to replicate the Lobito Corridor project in other parts of the world, said the official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity to offer details that hadn’t yet been made public. Biden had promised to visit sub-Saharan Africa last year but the trip was delayed. He was greeted Monday by thousands of Angolans on the streets of the capital, Luanda. Angola has long and strong ties to China, and the Biden administration’s ability to win it over as a partner for such a major project has been viewed as a rare success for the U.S. in Africa. Biden, who has about six weeks left in office, said he would like to come back to see the railway’s progress. “I want to come back and ride the whole thing,” he told the African leaders, before departing. Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa.FINAL VERSION The bicameral conference committee on the draft 2025 national budget meets at The Manila Hotel on Wednesday, where lawmakers later approved the P6.252-trillion purse of the Marcos administration in a midterm election year. —Niño Jesus Orbeta MANILA, Philippines — The bicameral conference committee reconciling differences in the House of Representatives and Senate versions of the proposed budget for 2025 on Wednesday approved the final version of the P6.252-trillion general appropriations bill (GAB). Members of the panel stood pat on their decision backing the move of the House to trim the spending plan of Vice President Sara Duterte’s office next year by P1.3 billion on the heels of the congressional inquiry into her alleged misuse of hundreds of millions in confidential funds in 2023. READ: Secret fund use hits P10B; OVP outspends 4 security agencies The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), two of the government’s primary social protection agencies, lost P96 billion and P74.4 billion, respectively, in the bicam report as compared to House Bill No. 10800 that the Senate had adopted on Nov. 26. READ: Senate, House agree to ‘open bicam’ to reconcile 2025 national budget On the other hand, lawmakers increased by almost P289 billion the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which had consistently been at the center of various corruption allegations in the past. From P825 million, the DPWH’s expenditure program ballooned to a record P1.1 trillion, making it the first department to receive such a huge amount in annual appropriations. The House also emerged as among the biggest gainers in next year’s budget as the bicam increased its allocation by more than 100 percent. Under the approved spending program, the 300-member chamber will get P33.7 billion, up from its P16.3-billion allocation under the GAB. The House’s pet aid scheme, the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (Akap), also managed to avoid the chopping block. Speaker Martin Romualdez announced that the bicameral committee retained P26 billion out of the initial P39.8 billion eyed for Akap, which seeks to provide financial aid to people who are unemployed or who earn much less than the minimum wage. The entire fund will be handled by the DSWD. During the Senate deliberations, Sen. Imee Marcos had moved the fund allocation for Akap to another social program under the DSWD, citing the vague purposes of the program. While it was not included in the budget crafted by the administration, Akap was inserted by the House in its version. The reconciled version also included an increase in soldiers’ subsistence allowance from P150 to P350 a day, or P10,500 a month, an allocation which Romualdez said was made upon the instruction of the President. The House and the Senate ratified on Wednesday night the reconciled version in their plenary, with opposition lawmakers voting against the budget measure. It will then be sent to Malacañang, which will scrutinize and recommend its approval or veto of some provisions to the President. Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cesar Chavez said the tentative signing into law of the 2025 GAB is scheduled on Dec. 20 at 9 a.m. But several senators did not hide their disappointment over the “worrying” changes made. Expressing concern, Sen. JV Ejercito pointed out that the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act, which he had sponsored and authored, mandated the allocation of government subsidy to PhilHealth for the premium of indigents, senior citizens, persons with disabilities and other nonpaying members. “My worry is that the allotment for (PhilHealth subsidy) is actually mandated by law,” Ejercito told reporters. “The sin tax law also earmarks a certain percentage for PhilHealth’s indirect contributors. So we need to resolve that,” he said, referring to the tax revenues collected from cigarettes and alcoholic drinks. Sen. Grace Poe, who defended the national spending plan as chair of the Senate finance committee, acknowledged that the bicam could not accommodate the requests of all lawmakers since Congress could not go beyond the budget proposal that Malacañang had prepared. “This is a collegial body. We all have our own ‘wish list’ that we want to fulfill. But in the end, the majority wins,” Poe said in an interview. As to the scrapping of the PhilHealth subsidy, the senator admitted that the matter was “very contentious.” According to Poe, the state health insurer has not been spending the allotment it received yearly from the government, which prompted the Department of Finance to order it to remit P89.9 billion of its “excess funds” to the national treasury. “PhilHealth, if I’m not mistaken, still has P600 billion in reserve funds. So PhilHealth will not be given any budget because they need to use their reserve funds first,” Poe said. Senator Risa Hontiveros warned that her colleagues’ decision would not only violate the UHC and sin tax laws, but the 1987 Constitution as well. She insisted that it was the obligation of the state to provide medical insurance and services to poor and underprivileged Filipinos. “Denying PhilHealth support to pay the premium contribution of the most vulnerable is to deny Filipinos our right to health,” Hontiveros emphasized. “That’s why this ‘zero subsidy’ is unfair, illegal and potentially unconstitutional,” she warned. “It is ironic that PhilHealth gets zero subsidy on the eve of International Universal Health Coverage Day.” Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri resented the decision of the bicam panel to thumb down his proposal to augment by P247.5 million the budget of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Instead, the committee added only P172.5 million to the state agency tasked with leading the country’s response to natural disasters. “I’m disappointed,” Zubiri said, noting that the proposed increase in the DOST’s outlay was for the acquisition of additional equipment for the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. Senators Marcos and Christopher Go, both allies of Duterte, did not attend the second and final bicam meeting at the Manila Hotel. Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, Hontiveros and Go opted not to sign the bicam report on President Marcos’ third national budget. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . “We cannot do anything if they don’t want to (increase the budget of the Office of the Vice President). Just look at my eyes to see how frustrated I am,” Dela Rosa told reporters. —with a report from Krixia SubingsubingWASHINGTON D.C., DC — President Joe Biden said Sunday that the sudden collapse of the Syrian government under Bashar Assad is a “fundamental act of justice” after decades of repression, but it was “a moment of risk and uncertainty” for the Middle East. Biden spoke at the White House hours after after rebel groups completed a takeover of the country following more than a dozen years of violent civil war and decades of leadership by Assad and his family . Biden said the United States was monitoring reports of the whereabouts of Assad, with Russian state media saying he had fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally. The outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trump were working to make sense of new threats and opportunities across the Middle East. Biden credited action by the U.S. and its allies for weakening Syria's backers — Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. He said “for the first time” that they could no longer defend Assad's grip on power. “Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East," Biden said, after a meeting with his national security team. Trump said Sunday that Assad had fled because close ally Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, “was not interested in protecting him any longer.” Those comments on Trump's social media platform came a day after he used another post to decry the possibility of the U.S. intervening militarily in Syria to aid the rebels, declaring, “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT." The Biden administration said it had no intention of intervening. The U.S has about 900 troops in Syria, including forces working with Kurdish allies in the opposition-held northeast to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State group. Biden said he intended for those troops to remain, adding that U.S. forces on Sunday conducted “precision air strikes" on IS camps and operations in Syria. U.S. Central Command said the operation hit more than 75 targets. “We’re clear-eyed about the fact that ISIS will try and take advantage of any vacuum to reestablish its credibility, and create a safe haven," Biden said, using a different acronym for the group. "We will not let that happen.” The Syrian opposition that brought down Assad is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham , which the U.S. says is a terrorist organization with links to al-Qaida, although the group says it has since broken ties with al-Qaida. “We will remain vigilant,” Biden said. “Make no mistake, some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human rights abuses.” He added that the groups are “saying the right things now.” “But as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words, but their actions,” Biden said. A senior Biden administration official, when asked about contact with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leaders after Assad's departure, said Washington was in contact with Syrian groups of all kinds. The official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the situation and spoke on condition of anonymity, also said the U.S. has focused over the past several days on chemical weapons that had been controlled by the Assad government, aiming to ensure they were secured. Still, Assad's fall adds to an already tense situation throughout much of region on many fronts — including Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza and its fragile cease-fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Like Biden, Trump, who takes office in five-plus weeks, made a connection between the upheaval in Syria and Russia's war in Ukraine , noting that Assad's allies in Moscow, as well as in Iran, the main sponsor of Hamas and Hezbollah, “are in a weakened state right now.” Vice President-elect JD Vance , a veteran of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, wrote on own social media Sunday to express skepticism about the insurgents. “Many of ‘the rebels’ are a literal offshoot of ISIS. One can hope they’ve moderated. Time will tell,” he said, using another acronym for the group. Trump has suggested that Assad's ouster can advance the prospects for an end to fighting in Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in February 2022. The president-elect wrote that Putin's government “lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine” and the Republican called for an immediate cease-fire, a day after meeting in Paris with the French and Ukrainian leaders . Daniel B. Shapiro, a deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, said the American military presence will continue in eastern Syria but was “solely to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS and has nothing to do with other aspects of this conflict.” “We call on all parties in Syria to protect civilians, particularly those from Syria’s minority communities to respect international military norms and to work to achieve a resolution to include the political settlement,” Shapiro said. “Multiple actors in this conflict have a terrible track record to include Assad’s horrific crimes, Russia’s indiscriminate aerial bomb bombardment, Iranian-back militia involvement and the atrocities of ISIS," he added. Shapiro, however, was careful not to directly say Assad had been deposed by the insurgents. “If confirmed, no one should shed any tears over the Assad regime,” he said. As they pushed toward the Syrian capital of Damascus, the opposition freed political detainees from government prisons. The family of missing U.S. journalist Austin Tice renewed calls to find him. “To everyone in Syria that hears this, please remind people that we’re waiting for Austin,” Tice’s mother, Debra, said in comments that hostage advocacy groups spread on social media. "We know that when he comes out, he’s going to be fairly dazed & he’s going to need lots of care & direction. Direct him to his family please!” Tice disappeared in 2012 outside Damascus, amid intensification of what became a civil war stretching more than a decade. "We’ve remained committed to returning him to his family,” Biden said at the White House. "We believe he’s alive, we think we can get him back but we have no direct evidence to that yet. And Assad should be held accountable.” The president added: “We have to identify where he is." The U.S. has no new evidence that Tice is alive but continues to operate under the assumption that he is, according to a U.S. official. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly, added that the U.S. will continue to work to identify Tice's whereabouts and to try to bring him home . ___ Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain, and Aamer Madhani and AP White House Correspondent Zeke Miller contributed to this report.

U.S. stocks traded higher toward the end of trading, with the Dow Jones index gaining by more than 500 points on Thursday. The Dow traded up 1.24% to 43,945.57 while the NASDAQ rose 0.09% to 18,982.36. The S&P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.62% to 5,953.83. Check This Out: Jim Cramer Likes Devon Energy, But Calls Another Stock ‘Far Superior ‘ Leading and Lagging Sectors Energy shares rose by 1.6% on Thursday. In trading on Thursday, communication services shares fell by 2.3%. Top Headline Shares of Baidu, Inc BIDU fell more than 5% on Thursday after the company reported results for its fiscal third quarter. The company posted quarterly revenue of $4.78 billion, down 3% year-on-year, topping the analyst consensus estimate of $4.69 billion. Baidu's adjusted earnings per ADS of $2.37 beat the analyst consensus estimate of $2.35. Equities Trading UP Quantum Computing Inc. QUBT shares shot up 29% to $4.75. Quantum Computing announced it received another purchase order for its photonic chip foundry. Shares of Snowflake Inc. SNOW got a boost, surging 32% to $170.79 after the company reported stronger-than-expected results for its third quarter. Snowflake expects fourth-quarter product revenue in the range of $906 million to $911 million, up approximately 23% year-over-year. The company also raised its full-year product revenue guidance from $3.356 billion to $3.43 billion, representing 29% year-over-year growth. Universal Technical Institute, Inc. UTI shares were also up, gaining 19% to $23.71 after the company posted upbeat quarterly earnings. Equities Trading DOWN Cool Company Ltd. CLCO shares dropped 13% to $9.27 following third-quarter results. Shares of Pyxis Oncology, Inc. PYXS were down 44% to $2.14 after the company announced PYX-201 clinical Phase 1 part 1 data. Kura Oncology, Inc. KURA was down, falling 34% to $10.46. Kura Oncology and Kyowa Kirin disclosed a global strategic collaboration to develop and commercialize Ziftomenib in Acute Leukemias. Commodities In commodity news, oil traded up 1.7% to $70.06 while gold traded up 0.8% at $2,673.60. Silver traded down 0.3% to $30.920 on Thursday, while copper fell 0.9% to $4.1170. Euro zone European shares closed higher today. The eurozone's STOXX 600 rose 0.41%, Germany's DAX gained 0.74% and France's CAC 40 rose 0.21%. Spain's IBEX 35 Index rose 0.19%, while London's FTSE 100 gained 0.79%. Consumer confidence in the Eurozone fell by 1.2 points to a reading of -13.7 in November. Asia Pacific Markets Asian markets closed mostly lower on Thursday, with Japan's Nikkei 225 falling 0.85%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index falling 0.53%, China's Shanghai Composite Index gaining 0.07% and India's BSE Sensex falling 0.54%. Economics U.S. existing home sales gained by 3.5% from the previous month to an annualized rate of 3.96 million in October. The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index fell to -5.5 in November from 10.3 in the previous month, and compared to market estimates of 8. U.S. initial jobless claims declined by 6,000 from the previous week to 213,000 in the week ending Nov. 16. Now Read This: Top 3 Tech Stocks Which Could Rescue Your Portfolio In Q4 © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Jupiter Neurosciences, Inc. Announces Closing of $11 million Initial Public OfferingUnwrap the latest AI features with Amazon Fire Tablets

On 11 March 2014, a short video of Natalia Poklonskaya went viral on YouTube . The footage shows Natalia as Crimea's newly appointed chief prosecutor at a press conference. Internet users, particularly Japanese and Chinese, loved Natalia Poklonskaya's baby face and created manga and anime art of her. Where is this internet sensation now? TABLE OF CONTENTS Profile Summary Natalia Poklonskaya's bio Natalia Poklonskaya's age Natalia Poklonskaya's height and weight Why is Natalia Poklonskaya famous? Natalia Poklonskaya's art and memes Educational Background Career Prosecutor, Ukraine Appointment as the Prosecutor General of Crimea Political career, Russia Diplomatic Career, Russia The campaign against Matilda Voting against the retirement bill Author: Crimean Spring: Before And After What is Natalia Poklonskaya's nickname? Who is Natalia Poklonskaya's husband? Natalia Poklonskaya's net worth Anti-War comments on the Russian invasion of Ukraine Is Natalia Poklonskaya pagan? Where is Natalia Poklonskaya now? Fast Facts about Natalia Poklonskaya Who is Natalia Poklonskaya, and how did she become a meme lord? Did the fame that followed affect her life and profession? Learn more about the Ukrainian-born Russian prosecutor. Profile Summary Natalia Poklonskaya's bio Poklonskaya is a Ukranian-born Russian lawyer currently serving as the adviser to the Prosecutor General of Russia. Natalia Poklonskaya became a meme online when a video of her at a press conference went viral. People marvelled at her appearance at the meeting. Read also Bloody Civilian responds to N200bn lawsuit over alleged defamation of Pastor Helen Ukpabio Natalia Poklonskaya's family moved to Yevpatoria, Crimea, in 1990 when she was 10. Her parents are both retired and live in Crimea. Natalia's grandfathers perished in World War II, while one of her grandmothers survived the fascist occupation. The Russian politician is 44 years old as of 2024. She was born on March 18, 1980, in Mykhailivka, Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine. How tall is Natalia Poklonskaya? Poklonskaya is 5' 6" and weighs 59 kg. Her eye colour is blue, and her hair is blonde. She has an hourglass body shape, and her body measurements are 32-24-33 inches. Natalia Poklonskaya became a meme overnight when a clip of her at a press conference went viral. In the middle of the Russian occupation of Crimea in March 2014, Natalia Poklonskaya was appointed prosecutor of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. A clip of the press conference made her an internet sensation. Read also UNIBEN: Mother of best graduating student wears Chosen apron to meet VC during convocation The video was initially uploaded to a Japanese YouTube channel and became a sensation, especially among Chinese and Japanese internet users and streamers . Interest grew and spread to platforms like 4chan, Reddit, and VKontakte. Eventually, the story was picked up by international media outlets, including the BBC . She became a viral trend, with her press conference gaining over 1.7 million views within a month. Natalia Poklonskaya's memes and cute photos circulated on the internet as people admired her looks. A Russian journalist informed Poklonskaya of her internet fame and asked what she thought of being called the new Russian love symbol. She responded with surprise and said she was not so sure about it. No, I want everyone to consider me as an attorney. And I'll achieve it with my job. Natalia Poklonskaya has said she views her beauty as an asset since it allows people to underestimate her, which is excellent for deceiving enemies. Read also Magi Sadeq's biography: Who is Mohamed Salah's wife? Internet users found Natalia Poklonskaya's looks appealing, especially in contrast to her military uniform. The internet virality led to many memes and anime and manga drawings inspired by her. Fan art was made and uploaded on different platforms. These were shared widely and made news internationally. The famous politician graduated from the Yevpatoria branch of the Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs in 2002. In 2022, Natalia Poklonskaya completed her master's degree in international relations at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Federation. Natalia has served in several roles including lawyer, politician, diplomat and adviser. She is also the author of Crimean Spring: Before And After . After Natalia Poklonskaya graduated, she worked in the Ukrainian Prosecutor's Office. She was employed as an assistant prosecutor to the Acting Prosecutor of the Republic of Crimea. From 2002 to 2010, she was assistant attorney general of the Krasnogvardeisky and Yevpatoria districts of Crimea. From 2010 to 2011, she was deputy chief of a surveillance law enforcement unit of the Prosecutor's Office of Crimea. Read also Who is Fayza Lamari? All there is to know about Kylian Mbappé’s mother Among the first cases she handled during this period in her career include that of the organized racket gang 'Bashmaki.' In 2012, she worked as a state prosecutor at the trial against the ex-deputy of the Crimean Council Ruvim. From December 2012 to March 2014, Natalia Poklonskaya worked as a senior attorney of the 2nd division of the General Directorate of Internal Affairs in Crimea. In February 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine to occupy Crimea and annex it from Ukrainian control. The military occupation started on 20 February, which led to the successful Russian annexation of Crimea. During Russian military occupation in preparation for the annexation, Natalia Poklonskaya was appointed Prosecutor of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Four others had rejected the position before Natalia Poklonskaya accepted it. She resigned from the Ukrainian judicial service and joined the occupying Russian forces in Crimea. She has been termed a traitor in Ukraine even to this day. Read also How much is Andile Jali's salary? Top details about the football star Following her appointment, Natalia Poklonskaya was declared a wanted criminal by the Ukrainian judicial authorities due to her alleged involvement in a conspiracy to overthrow the constitutional order. Natalia held a press conference after her appointment, reacting to the situation. Her video went viral, making her an internet sensation. In her speech, she criticized the opposition protests in Ukraine and described the change of government in Kyiv as an "anti-constitutional coup." Following her remarks, the Ukrainian government launched a criminal case against Natalia and stripped her of the civil service rank of "counsellor of justice." In October 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin terminated Natalia's appointment as the prosecutor of Crimea. The move came a few weeks after she was elected MP of the Russian parliament by the United Russia party on September 18. Natalia started serving as the Deputy of the State Duma of Russia on October 5, 2016. The famous politician also served as the deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Foreign Affairs. Read also Top 30 best defensive midfielders in the world as of 2024 ranked While in office, Poklonskaya initiated a ban on the Mejlis of Crimean Tatar people, describing it as an extremist organization. She also gave the course of numerous lawsuits over the Crimean Tatars on charges of extremism and terrorism. Natalia Poklonskaya began her diplomatic career on October 13 2021. She was appointed the Russian Federation's ambassador to the Republic of Cabo Verde but could not take the position. After graduating in February 2022, she received another appointment as the deputy chief of Rossotrudnichestvo, also known as the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation. In November 2016, Natalia led a campaign to block the release of Matilda for allegedly insulting believers' feelings, which is a criminal offence in Russia, according to a law passed in 2013. The film tells the story of the romance between prima ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya and the last Russian tsar, Nicholas II. She filed 43 complaints against the movie despite receiving rejections from the prosecution each time. Read also Meet Marcia Aoki, legendary footballer Pelé’s widow She received support from famous figures, including Chechen President Ramazan Kadyrov and Orthodox Church clerics. Despite her efforts, the film premiered in St Petersburg's Marinski Theatre in October 2017 under tight security. In July 2018, Poklonskaya was the only United Russian MP to vote against a government bill to raise the retirement age. The State Duma voted on the first reading of legislation to pass the bill. After Natalia's rebellion, United Russia leaders discussed her future in the party but did not include her in the newly formed Joint Commission of Ethics and Income Monitoring. Natalia remained the deputy chairperson of the Security and Countering Corruption Commission and an ordinary member of the National Security Budgetary Spending Commission. Poklonskaya also co-authored a book , Crimean Spring: Before and After , with her ex-husband, Ivan Solovyev. Read also Aya Tanjali’s age, birthday, parents, why is she famous? The book launch occurred on March 10, 2019, at Livadia Palace in Crimea. The 15-chapter book highlights her childhood, family, and career. Her book shows the Ukrainian intelligence services and describes the events in which she participated. What is Natalia Poklonskaya's nickname? Natalia is often called 'Nyasha' because of her appearance. The word originates from 'Nyashniy,' which means attractive, cheerful, desirable things or characters in anime. 'Nyasha' is also often used to describe an adorable girl. Who is Natalia Poklonskaya's husband? The Russian diplomat married Ivan Nikolaevich Soloview in 2018. Their wedding took place in Crimea. Ivan is a veteran of law enforcement agencies. After over one year of marriage, the couple divorced in 2019. The politician is currently single and living with her daughter. Natalia Poklonskaya's daughter is called Anastasiya Poklonskaya. Natalia Poklonskaya's net worth The 44-year-old has earned quite a lot as a lawyer and politician. Her estimated net worth is $1 million, per The City Celeb . Read also Who is Thierry Henry’s wife? Get to know Andrea Rajacic Anti-War comments on the Russian invasion of Ukraine In 2022, Natalia Poklonskaya made anti-war sentiments on her Telegram channel. She decried the devastation that the Russian invasion of Ukraine had caused. Following her remarks, she was dismissed as deputy chief of Rossotrudnichestvo. After the dismissal, Natalia Poklonskaya thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for his support and said she would move to another job. The following day, she was appointed as the adviser to the Prosecutor General of Russia. Since then, she has been largely silent on social media, which has led to speculations of a strict ban on public speaking. Is Natalia Poklonskaya pagan? Natalia Poklonskaya is an orthodox Christian. However, she came under fire in November 2024 when she shared pictures on Telegram wearing face paint and Celtic garb to celebrate the Gaelic festival of Samhain. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church criticized her outfit and called it an attempt to revive paganism. Read also Shawty Bae’s age, height, real name, net worth, boyfriend Where is Natalia Poklonskaya now? Natalia Poklonskaya currently advises the Prosecutor General of Russia. She reposts and reports stories on her Telegram channel but has not been as active on social media. Fast Facts about Natalia Poklonskaya She was born in Ukraine and was a citizen of Ukraine before Russian invasion. She joined the Russian military occupation of Crimea and became of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. She has one daughter, Anastasiya Poklonskaya. She is a high-ranking official in the Russian government and currently serves as an adviser to the Prosecutor General of Russia. She was accused of treason by the Prosecutor General’s office of Ukraine for assisting Russia in occupying Crimea. To Russians, Natalia Poklonskaya is a prosecutor, diplomat and adviser trusted by Putin and proof of beauty with brains. While to Ukrainians, she is a traitor who betrayed the country and joined the occupying forces. Despite her controversies and decisions, Poklonskaya remains an influential figure in Russia. Read also 15 hottest weather women to ever grace your TV screen Legit.ng recently shared an article on the Top 30 countries with the most beautiful women in 2024. This ranking was sourced from multiple publications to bring you the most beautiful women based on different metrics. Find out which countries are considered to have the most beautiful women and if your country is on the list. The countries featured here are frequently celebrated in global media, beauty pageants, and cultural narratives for the unique attributes of their women. Source: Legit.ngRefurbished heart pacemakers work like newJason Kelce has learned to keep his cool following the viral phone-smashing incident in early November. The 37-year-old retired Philadelphia Eagles center was accosted by an angry fan on Thursday, November 21, after leaving a taping of the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show in Los Angeles. The man screamed at Jason, saying he was "nobody special" amid a slew of obscenities in a video obtained by TMZ . The man seemed angry that the New Heights podcaster had bypassed the people seeking autographs to head right to his car. "You're some s**t bag, f**king guy that thinks he's on some pedestal," he shouted at Jason, adding, "Don't be a d**k!" Jason tried to explain himself, saying, "I have a habit of not signing for people that follow where I'm going." This, however, only seemed to make the yelling man even angrier. "You don't love nothing but money. You don't know these streets. F**k you, your love is fake," he shouted, while another man could be heard yelling, "This is public information, Jason!" The man insisted that they hadn't followed him, but rather, they always stood outside there to get autographs from celebrities on Kimmel's show. He name-dropped stars like Morgan Freeman and Harrison Ford as stars who took the time to stop for autographs. The yelling continued even after Jason got into the waiting vehicle, seemingly prepared to leave. However, the ESPN personality remained calm as he chose to get out of the car and come speak to those looking for autographs, face to face. Jason apologized to the man, saying he "didn't mean anything" by skipping the autographs. He could be seen signing autographs for the crowd as the man who had been yelling took back what he said, said he was "ashamed" for the outburst, and praised Kelce. The former NFL player had been on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to announce that he would be hosting a one-hour late night show on ESPN called They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce . The show, which will be filmed in Philadelphia, is set to air its first episode at 1 a.m. ET on January 4. A post shared by Jimmy Kimmel Live (@jimmykimmellive) This latest confrontation comes just weeks after Jason went viral for smashing a Penn State student's cell phone after he yelled insults about his brother, Travis Kelce . "Kelce how does it feel that your brother is a f****t for dating Taylor Swift ?" the student could be heard saying in social media videos of the incident. Jason didn't take kindly to someone insulting his brother, and responded by smashing the student's phone while calling him the same slur. He later apologized for the behavior at the start of ESPN's Monday Night Countdown on November 4. "Listen, I am not happy with anything that took place. I'm not proud of it. In a heated moment, I chose to greet hate with hate. I just don't think that is a productive thing... I try to treat people with common decency and respect. I'm going to keep doing that moving forward, even though I fell short this week," he said. Days after Jason's public apology, Travis addressed the incident on the pair's podcast. He came to his brother's defense, saying, "The real situation is you had some clown come up to you and talk about your family, and you reacted in a way that was defending your family, and you might have used some words that you regret using."

Meet the 12 CFP Title Contenders: No. 11 SMUState Homeland Security prepping for 3rd big snow storm of season

GLENWOOD, Iowa — Hundreds of people who were separated from society because they had disabilities are buried in a nondescript field at the former state institution here. Disability rights advocates hope Iowa will honor them by preventing the kind of neglect that has plagued similar cemeteries at other shuttered facilities around the U.S. The southwest Iowa institution, called the Glenwood Resource Center, was closed this summer in the wake of . The last of its living residents were moved elsewhere in June. But the remains of about 1,300 people will stay where they were buried on the grounds. The graveyard, which dates to the 1800s, covers several acres of sloping ground near the campus’s brick buildings. A 6-foot-tall, weathered-concrete cross stands on the hillside, providing the most visible clue to the field’s purpose. On a recent afternoon, dried grass clippings obscured row after row of small stone grave markers set flat in the ground. Most of the stones are engraved with only a first initial, a last name, and a number. “If somebody who’s never been to Glenwood drove by, they wouldn’t even know there was a cemetery there,” said Brady Werger, a former resident of the facility. During more than a century of operation, the institution housed thousands of people with intellectual disabilities. Its population declined as from the practice of sequestering people with disabilities and mental illness in large facilities for decades at a time. The cemetery is filled with residents who died and weren’t returned to their hometowns for burial with their families. State and local leaders are working out arrangements to maintain the cemetery and the rest of the 380-acre campus. Local officials, who are expected to take control of the grounds next June, say they’ll need extensive state support for upkeep and redevelopment, especially with the town of about 5,000 people reeling from the loss of jobs at the institution. Hundreds of such places were constructed throughout the U.S. starting in the 1800s. Some, like the one in Glenwood, served people with disabilities, such as those caused by autism or seizure disorders. Others housed people with mental illness. Most of the facilities were built in rural areas, which were seen as providing a wholesome environment. States began shrinking or closing these institutions more than 50 years ago. The shifts were a response to complaints about people being removed from their communities and subjected to inhumane conditions, including the use of isolation and restraints. In the past decade, Iowa has closed two of its four mental hospitals and one of its two state institutions for people with intellectual disabilities. After closures in some other states, institutions’ cemeteries were abandoned and became overgrown with weeds and brush. The neglect drew protests and sparked efforts to respectfully memorialize people who lived and died at the facilities. “At some level, the restoration of institutions’ cemeteries is about the restoration of humanity,” said Pat Deegan, a Massachusetts mental health advocate . Deegan, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teenager, sees the neglected graveyards as symbolic of how people with disabilities or mental illness can feel as if their individual identities are buried beneath the labels of their conditions. Deegan, 70, helped lead efforts to rehabilitate a pair of overgrown cemeteries at the near Boston, which housed people with mental illness before it closed in 1992. More than 700 former residents were buried there, with many graves originally marked only with a number. The Massachusetts hospital’s grounds were redeveloped into a condominium complex. The rehabilitated cemeteries now have individual gravestones and a large historical marker, explaining what the facility was and who lived there. The sign notes that some past methods of caring for psychiatric patients seem “barbarous” by today’s standards, but the text portrays the staff as well-meaning. It says the institution “attempted to alleviate the problems of many of its members with care and empathy that, although not always successful, was nobly attempted.” Deegan has helped other groups across the country organize renovations of similar cemeteries. She urges communities to include former residents of the facilities in their efforts. Iowa’s Glenwood Resource Center started as a home for orphans of Civil War soldiers. It grew into a large institution for people with disabilities, many of whom lived there for decades. Its population peaked at more than 1,900 in the 1950s, then dwindled to about 150 before state officials decided to close it. Werger, 32, said some criticisms of the institution were valid, but he remains grateful for the support the staff gave him until he was stable enough to move into community housing in 2018. “They helped change my life incredibly,” he said. He thinks the state should have fixed problems at the facility instead of shutting it. He said he hopes officials preserve historical parts of the campus, including stately brick buildings and the cemetery. He wishes the graves had more extensive headstones, with information about the residents buried there. He would also like to see signs installed explaining the place’s history. Two former employees of the Glenwood facility recently raised concerns that . But officials with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, which ran the institution, said they have extensive, accurate records and recently placed stones on three graves that were unmarked. Department leaders declined to be interviewed about the cemetery’s future. Spokesperson Alex Murphy wrote in an email that while no decisions have been made about the campus, the agency “remains committed to ensuring the cemetery is protected and treated with dignity and respect for those who have been laid to rest there.” Glenwood civic leaders have formed a nonprofit corporation that is negotiating with the state over development plans for the former institution. “We’re trying to make the best of a tough situation,” said Larry Winum, a local banker who serves on the new organization’s board. Tentative plans include tearing down some of the existing buildings and creating up to 900 houses and apartments. Winum said redevelopment should include some kind of memorial sign about the institution and the people buried in the cemetery. “It will be important to us that those folks be remembered,” he said. Activists in other states said properly honoring such places takes sustained commitment and money. Jennifer Walton helped lead efforts in the 1990s to properly mark graves and improve cemetery upkeep . Some of the cemeteries are deteriorating again, she said. Activists plan to ask Minnesota legislators to designate permanent funding to maintain them and to place explanatory markers at the sites. “I think it’s important, because it’s a way to demonstrate that these spaces represent human beings who at the time were very much hidden away,” Walton said. “No human being should be pushed aside and ignored.” Related Articles On a recent day, just one of the Glenwood graves had flowers on it. Retired managers of the institution said few people visit the cemetery, but amateur genealogists sometimes show up after learning that a long-forgotten ancestor was institutionalized at Glenwood and buried there. Former grounds supervisor Max Cupp said burials had become relatively rare over the years, with more families arranging to have deceased residents’ remains transported to their hometown cemeteries. One of the last people buried in the Glenwood cemetery was Kenneth Rummells, who died in 2022 at age 71 after living many years at the institution and then at a nearby group home overseen by the state. His guardian was Kenny Jacobsen, a retired employee of the facility who had known him for decades. Rummells couldn’t speak, but he could communicate by grunting, Jacobsen said. He enjoyed sitting outside. “He was kind of quiet, kind of a touch-me-not guy.” Jacobsen helped arrange for a gravestone that is more detailed than most others in the cemetery. The marker includes Rummells’ full name, the dates of his birth and death, a drawing of a porch swing, and the inscription “Forever swinging in the breeze.” Jacobsen hopes officials figure out how to maintain the cemetery. He would like to see a permanent sign erected, explaining who is buried there and how they came to live in Glenwood. “They were people too,” he said.Police hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's masked killer after 'brazen, targeted' attack on NYC street NEW YORK (AP) — A gunman killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO on Wednesday in a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, police said, setting off a massive search for the fleeing assailant hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting nearby. Brian Thompson, 50, was shot around 6:45 a.m. as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel, police said. The shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Police had not yet established a motive. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said, adding that the shooting "does not appear to be a random act of violence.” Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows someone emerging from behind a parked car, pointing a gun at Thompson’s back, then firing multiple times from several feet away. The gunman continues firing, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Thompson stumbles forward and falls to the sidewalk. He then walks past Thompson and out of the frame. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. Hegseth fights to save Pentagon nomination as sources say Trump considers DeSantis WASHINGTON (AP) — A defiant Pete Hegseth fought to save his nomination to be Donald Trump's defense secretary Wednesday as the president-elect considered possible replacements in the face of growing questions about the former Fox News host's personal conduct and ability to win Senate confirmation. Hegseth met with legislators on Capitol Hill, conducted a radio interview and released an opinion article denying allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking. He insisted he was “not backing down one bit," that Trump was still supporting him and he planned to return Thursday for more meetings with lawmakers. But the president-elect's team was looking at alternatives including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trump himself remained quiet about Hegseth while issuing a flurry of statements on social media Wednesday about other nominees and his news coverage. Hegeth, asked if he'd meet with Trump on Thursday, said he'd meet with him “anytime he'd like." Hegseth is the latest nominee-designate to be imperiled by personal baggage after the recent withdrawal of Trump’s initial pick for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, whose vulnerabilities were well-documented. But Hegseth’s past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies, was not widely known. Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on medical treatments for transgender minors WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people, showcasing the uneasy intersection between law, politics and individual rights. The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors. In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism of arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban. Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser WASHINGTON (AP) — Former White House adviser Peter Navarro, who served prison time related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, will return to serve in Donald Trump’s second administration, the president-elect announced Wednesday. Navarro, a trade adviser during Trump’s first term, will be a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, Trump said on Truth Social. The position, Trump wrote, “leverages Peter’s broad range of White House experience, while harnessing his extensive Policy analytic and Media skills.” The appointment was only the first in a flurry of announcements that Trump made on Wednesday as his presidential transition faced controversy over Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice for Pentagon chief. Hegseth faces allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement, and Trump has considered replacing him with another potential nominee. As he works to fill out his team, Trump said he wanted Paul Atkins, a financial industry veteran and an advocate for cryptocurrency, to serve as the next chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He wrote on Truth Social that Atkins “recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before.” Trump also said he was changing course on his choice for White House counsel. He said his original pick, William McGinley, will work with the Department of Government Efficiency, which will be run by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy with the goal of cutting federal spending. Now David Warrington, who has worked as Trump’s personal lawyer and a lawyer for his campaign, will serve as White House counsel. Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes tore through a tent camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza on Wednesday, sparking fires and killing at least 21 people, according to the head of a nearby hospital, in the latest assault on a sprawling tent city that Israel designated a humanitarian safe zone but has repeatedly targeted. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants “involved in terrorist activities” in the area, without providing additional details, and said it took precautions to minimize harm to civilians. The strike on the Muwasi tent camp was one of several deadly assaults across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. An Israeli attack in central Gaza killed at least 10 more people, including four children, according to Palestinian medics. Israel’s devastating war in Gaza, launched after Hamas’ October 2023 attack, shows no signs of ending after nearly 14 months. Hamas is still holding dozens of Israeli hostages, and most of Gaza’s population has been displaced and is reliant on international food aid to survive. Israel is also pressing a major offensive in the isolated north, where experts say Palestinians might be experiencing famine. The Biden administration has pledged to make a new push for a Gaza ceasefire now that there's a truce in Lebanon between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah, ending more than a year of cross-border fighting. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump demanded this week the release of hostages held by Hamas before he is sworn into office in January. South Korean President Yoon's martial law declaration raises questions over his political future SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term and whether he will abide by democratic principles. The opposition-controlled parliament overturned the edict, and his rivals on Wednesday took steps to impeach him. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Here's a look at the political firestorm caused by the martial law declaration, the first of its kind in more than 40 years. Yoon's declaration of emergency martial law on Tuesday night was accompanied by a pledge to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces at a single stroke.” He vowed to protect the country from “falling into the depths of national ruin.” Yoon, a conservative, cited repeated attempts by his liberal rivals in control of parliament to impeach his top officials and curtail key parts of his budget bill for next year. French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962 PARIS (AP) — France’s far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined together Wednesday in a historic no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet members to resign, a first since 1962. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. A conservative appointed in September, Barnier becomes the shortest-serving prime minister in France’s modern Republic. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. The U.S. believes that the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. Harris found success with women who have cats, but Trump got the dog owner vote: AP VoteCast WASHINGTON (AP) — The lead-up to the 2024 election was all about cat owners. But in the end, the dogs had their day. President-elect Donald Trump won slightly more than half of voters who own either cats or dogs, with a big assist from dog owners, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. Dog owners were much more likely to support the Republican over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. Cat owners were split between the two candidates. About two-thirds of voters said they own a dog or cat, but pet owners don't usually get much attention from politicians. This year, however, past comments by Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, about “childless cat ladies” briefly became a campaign issue — and Taylor Swift signed her Instagram endorsement of Harris in September as “Taylor Swift Childless Cat Lady.” Harris did end up decisively winning support from women who owned a cat but not a dog. Still, those voters were a relatively small slice of the electorate, and pet owners as a whole did not seem to hold Vance's remarks against the GOP ticket. Childless or not, women who only owned a cat were more likely to support Harris than were dog owners, or voters who had a cat and a dog. About 6 in 10 women who owned a cat but not a dog supported Harris, according to AP VoteCast. She did similarly well among women who did not own either kind of pet.

China's consumer prices rose less-than-expected in November, climbing 0.2% from a year ago, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics released Monday. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a slight pickup in the consumer price index to 0.5% in November from a year ago, versus 0.3% in October. China's producer price index declined for the 26th month. Producer inflation fell by 2.5% year on year in November, less than the estimated 2.8% decline as per the Reuters poll. China's consumer prices rose less-than-expected in November, climbing 0.2% from a year ago, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics released Monday. > 24/7 San Diego news stream: Watch NBC 7 free wherever you are Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a slight pickup in consumer prices to 0.5% in November from a year ago, versus 0.3% in October. China's producer price index declined for the 26th month. Producer inflation fell by 2.5% year on year in November, less than the estimated 2.8% decline as per the Reuters poll. The persistent near-zero inflation shows that China is still grappling with sluggish domestic demand and deflation at the wholesale level. This is in spite of Beijing's slate of stimulus efforts since September which has included interest rate cuts, support for the stock and property markets as well as efforts to boost bank lending. "We believe deflation will continue in China, especially based on the previous experience during trade wars," said Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered Bank, drawing reference to the ongoing trade war between China and the U.S. "Inflation, especially PPI inflation, typically falls to negative territory during such periods and this time we see no exception," she said. Liu said China's producer price index inflation will likely remain negative throughout 2025. Money Report CNBC Daily Open: Political turmoil continues over the weekend He bought a KFC store in Australia for $100,000 in 1969. Today, his fast food company is worth over $3 billion Goldman Sachs similarly expects near-zero CPI figures to persist in China next year, the investment bank's analysts wrote in a note dated Dec. 6. However, other tenets of China's economy have shown some signs of recovery. The world's second-largest economy reported strong growth in October's retail sales , beating Reuters' expectations. China's manufacturing activity also expanded for two months in a row . Top leaders in the country are set to convene at the annual Central Economic Work Conference starting Wednesday to outline economic goals and stimulus measures for 2025. On Monday, Fitch Ratings revised down its 2025 Chinese GDP growth forecast to 4.3% from 4.5%. The credit rating agency also adjusted its 2026 growth projections to 4.0%, down from 4.3% in September. "For 2025 and 2026, we assume that U.S. trade policy towards China will take a sharp protectionist turn," Fitch Ratings Chief Economist Brian Coulton wrote in the report. While there are "tentative signs of stabilization" in the country's real estate sector, an extended downturn in the property market poses a key risk to the agency's forecast. China is also due to report its trade data for November on Tuesday, and retail sales figures next Monday. Also on CNBC Electric car stock plays for 2025 as GM, Tesla struggle in China With TikTok ban upheld, it's Trump's move, and donors vs. national security Far from a bazooka, China's stimulus measures are just trickling through the economyWith reference to the stock exchange announcement on 15 August 2024 for the acquisition of 12 modern Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGCs) from Avance Gas Holdings Ltd (“Avance Gas”, OSE ticker code: “AGAS”), BW LPG Limited (“BW LPG” or the “Company”, OSE ticker code: “BWLPG.OL”, NYSE ticker code “BWLP”) has taken delivery of vessels BW Mistral and BW Polaris on 10 December 2024. Nine of the 12 VLGCs are now delivered. BW LPG has today issued 3,450,000 new BW LPG shares to Avance Gas as part-consideration for the above vessels. Following the issuance of the new shares, the total number of issued shares of BW LPG is 154,441,000, representing a total share capital in the amount of USD 536,359,798. The new shares have been legally and validly issued and are fully paid. Following the above issuance, Avance Gas holds 14,441,000 shares in BW LPG, representing approximately 9.35% shareholding. Source: BW LPG

Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. stock rises Wednesday, still underperforms marketJuan Soto gets free luxury suite and up to 4 premium tickets for home games in $765M Mets deal