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Where Will Palantir Stock Be in 3 Years?NEW YORK — Juan Soto appears on a timetable to decide on where to sign either before or during baseball’s winter meetings in Dallas, which run from Dec. 8-12. Soto met with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, a person familiar with the negotiations said last week, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details were not announced. Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, asked teams to submit initial offers by Thanksgiving, a second person familiar with the talks said, also on condition of anonymity because it was not announced. Soto is the top player available among this year’s free agents. A four-time All-Star, Soto finished third in AL MVP voting after hitting .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks. He has a .285 career average with 201 homers, 592 RBIs and 769 walks over seven major league seasons. Soto turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer from Washington in 2022, prompting the Nationals to trade him to San Diego, which then dealt him to the Yankees last December. Soto then combined with Aaron Judge to lead New York to the World Series, where the Yankees lost to the Dodgers. In his pitch to teams, Boras highlighted that Soto joined Mickey Mantle as the only players with seven RBIs in a World Series at age 21 or younger when he was with Washington, and at 20 became the youngest player with five postseason homers. Soto’s .906 postseason OPS through age 25 topped Mantle (.900) and Derek Jeter (.852). How much money will Soto get? Soto is likely to seek a record contract, topping Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. That might not mean Soto gets more than $700 million, though. Because Ohtani’s deal included $680 million in deferred money payable through 2043, it can be valued by different methods. For instance, Ohtani’s contract is valued at $46.1 million per season ($461 million total) under MLB’s luxury tax system, which used a 4.43% discount rate. The players’ association uses a 5% rate, which puts Ohtani’s contract at $43.8 million per year. For MLB’s regular payroll calculations, a 10% discount rates values Ohtani’s deal at just $28.2 million. Which means if Soto gets even $462 million without deferred payments, there’s an argument that his deal is the most valuable in MLB history. By average annual value, pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander are tied for second in baseball history at $43.33 million as part of contracts they signed with the New York Mets, deals that expired at the end of the 2024 season. In terms of total value, Ohtani surpassed outfielder Mike Trout’s $426.5 million, 12-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels through 2030. MLB’s longest contract is outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr.’s 14-year deal with the San Diego Padres through 2034. How could MLB’s luxury tax factor into team’s bids on Soto? The Mets, Yankees, Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies all are likely to enter 2025 having paid luxury tax for three straight years, putting them at the highest rate: a 50% surcharge on payroll between $241 million and $261 million, 62% from $261 million to $281 million, 95% from $281 million to $301 million and 110% for each dollar above $301 million. Toronto may have dropped below the initial tax threshold this year, pending final figures next month. If the Blue Jays did fall under, their rates next year would reset to 20%, 32%, 62.5% and 80% for the four thresholds. The winter meetings would be a fitting place for Boras to announce a record dealIf Soto reaches or announces an agreement at the winter meetings in Dallas’ Hilton Anatole, it would be a familiar location for a big Boras deal. Alex Rodriguez’s record $252 million, 10-year contract with the Texas Rangers was announced in December 2000 at what then was called the Wyndham Anatole Hotel. A-Rod’s deal more than doubled MLB’s previous high, a $121 million, eight-year contract between pitcher Mike Hampton and Colorado that was announced just two days earlier. “In two days, we’ve doubled a new highest salary,′′ said Sandy Alderson, then an executive vice president in the commissioner’s office. ”I don’t like the exponentiality of that.” Rodriguez was 25 at the time of the agreement with Texas, a free agent before entering his likely prime, like Soto. Besides Soto, which free agent hitters are available? Third baseman Alex Bregman, first basemen Pete Alonso and Christian Walker, and outfielders Anthony Santander and Teoscar Hernández are among the significant bats available to pursue and likely would interest some of the teams who fail to sign Soto. Bregman and Alonso, like Soto, are represented by Boras.

How to Make Preserved Flowers Using a Freeze Dryer 12-02-2024 09:26 PM CET | Associations & Organizations Press release from: ABNewswire Preserved flowers, also known as fresh-keeping flowers or eco-flowers, are sometimes called "everlasting flowers." They are made from fresh-cut flowers such as roses, carnations, orchids, and hydrangeas, processed through freeze-drying to become dried flowers. Preserved flowers maintain the color, shape, and texture of fresh flowers, with rich colors and versatile uses. They can last for at least three years and are ideal for floral design, home decor, and special events as a high-value floral product. Image: https://www.bothsh.com/uploads/freeze-dry1.jpg . Preserved Flower Production Process 1. Pretreatment: Start by selecting healthy fresh flowers, such as roses with approximately 80% bloom rate. The flowers should be well-shaped, with thick, vibrant petals, strong stems, and vivid colors. Before freezing, perform a color-protection treatment by soaking the flowers in a 10% tartaric acid solution for 10 minutes. Remove and gently pat dry, then prepare for pre-freezing. 2. Pre-Freezing: In the initial experimentation phase, we followed the freeze dryer guidelines, requiring the material to be thoroughly frozen to ensure effective freeze-drying. Generally, the pre-freezing takes about four hours. Initially, we ran the compressor for four hours, finding the material reached below -40 degrees C, well under the eutectic temperature of roses. In subsequent trials, we adjusted the temperature to just below the eutectic temperature of roses by 5-10 degrees C, then held it there for 1-2 hours to solidify the material before starting the drying process. Pre-freezing should maintain a final temperature 5-10 degrees C below the eutectic temperature. To determine the eutectic temperature, methods include resistance detection, differential scanning calorimetry, and low-temperature microscopy. We used resistance detection. In resistance detection, when the flower temperature drops to the freezing point, ice crystals begin to form. As the temperature further decreases, more ice crystals form. When all moisture in the flower freezes, resistance suddenly increases to near infinity. This temperature marks the eutectic point for roses. In the experiment, two copper electrodes were inserted into the rose petals at the same depth and placed in the freeze dryer's cold trap. The resistance began increasing slowly, then rapidly between -9 degrees C and -14 degrees C, reaching near infinity. Thus, the eutectic temperature for roses is between -9 degrees C and -14 degrees C. 3. Drying: Sublimation drying is the longest stage of the vacuum freeze-drying process. It involves simultaneous heat and mass transfer. In this process, our freeze dryer uses a multi-layer heating shelf system, with heat transferred primarily by conduction. After the roses are thoroughly frozen, turn on the vacuum pump to reach the preset vacuum level in the drying chamber. Then, activate the heating function to start drying the material. Once drying is complete, open the exhaust valve, turn off the vacuum pump and compressor, remove the dried product, and seal it for preservation. . Methods of Making Preserved Flowers 1. Chemical Solution Soaking Method: This involves using liquid agents to replace and retain moisture in the flowers. However, in high temperatures, it may cause leakage, mold, or fading. 2. Natural Air-Drying Method: This removes moisture by air circulation, an original and simple method. It is time-consuming, suitable for plants with high fiber, low water content, small blooms, and short stems. 3. Vacuum Freeze-Drying Method: This method uses a freeze dryer to freeze and then sublimate the flower's moisture in a vacuum environment. Flowers treated with this method retain their shape and color, are easy to preserve, and can rehydrate while maintaining their original biochemical properties. . Features of Preserved Flowers 1. Made from Real Flowers, Safe and Non-Toxic: Preserved flowers are created from natural flowers using high-tech processes, combining the longevity of artificial flowers with the vibrant, safe qualities of real flowers. Unlike dried flowers, preserved flowers retain the plant's natural tissue, water content, and color. 2. Rich Colors, Unique Varieties: Preserved flowers offer a wide array of colors, including shades not found in nature. Popular varieties include Blue Roses, as well as newly developed varieties such as roses, hydrangeas, calla lilies, carnations, orchids, lilies, and baby's breath. 3. Long-Lasting Freshness: Preserved flowers can last for years, remaining fresh-looking through all seasons. Preservation duration varies by technique, with Chinese technology allowing preservation for 3-5 years, and advanced global technology enabling up to 10 years. 4. No Watering or Care Required: Preserved flowers are easy to maintain, requiring no watering or special care. 5. Allergen-Free, No Pollen: These flowers are pollen-free, making them suitable for people with pollen allergies. If you are interested in our Freeze Dryer [ https://www.bothsh.com/freeze-dryer/ ] or have any questions, please feel free to contact us [ https://www.bothsh.com/contact-us/ ]. As a professional manufacturer of freeze dryers, we offer a wide range of specifications including home, laboratory, pilot and production models. Whether you need household equipment or large industrial equipment, we can provide you with the best quality products and services. Media Contact Company Name: BOTH Instrument & Industrial Equipment (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=how-to-make-preserved-flowers-using-a-freeze-dryer ] Country: China Website: https://www.bothsh.com/ This release was published on openPR.MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City's winless run extended to six games Tuesday after Feyenoord fought back from three goals down to draw 3-3 in the Champions League. After five-straight losses in all competitions, City looked to be cruising to victory after going three up inside 50 minutes at the Etihad Stadium. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest sports news delivered right to your inbox six days a week.

Mumbai: The Congress is furious with its ally, the Shiv Sena (UBT), since the latter's MLC Milind Narvekar has openly applauded the demolition of Babri masjid. In a post on the social media X (formerly Tweet) Narvekar, who is also a long-term personal assistant to his party chief Uddhav Thackeray, quoted the late Bal Thackeray as stating that he is proud of those who demolished the masjid. For good measure Narvekar included a picture of the demolition and also photos of himself, Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray. The post was to mark the 32nd anniversary of the demolition which was followed by massive communal riots in Mumbai and other parts of the country. The post has exposed a major faultline in the MVA. It won't be surprising if the Congress decides to pull out of the MVA. pic.twitter.com/3nZYC4EK0e Senior MLA of the Congress Amin Patel told the FPJ n Saturday that the X post was not in keeping with the coalition dharma and was most unacceptable. He said the matter will be taken up at the highest level of the Congress. Senior Congress leader and former minister Arif Naseem Khan said it was shocking that Narvekar was openly applauding those who carried out the demolition. "Uddhav Thackeray should immediately clarify whether he agreed the post. I will escalate the matter with my party leadership. The Shiv Sena (UBT) cannot be a part of the MVA and yet adopt the line of the BJP." Spokesperson of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) Atul Londe said "our alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT) was based on a common minimum programme aimed at ousting the BJP and defending the Constitution. We do not believe in the politics of religion." However, it is learnt that the Congress leadership is under pressure from the rank and file to snap ties with the Shiv Sena (UBT). Their fear is that the party will not get votes of Muslims in the elections to the BMC which may be declared any day now and this will adversely affect its poll prospects. According to sources, Narvekar, who is the Man Friday of Uddhav Thackeray, would not have done the controversial X post without the concurrence of his boss. The post appears to be a part of the party's efforts to reclaim the Hindutva agenda which was heavily compromised because of its alliance with the Congress and the NCP (Sharad Pawar). The Shiv Sena (UBT) benefited in a big way during the Lok Sabha elections when Muslims supported it and other MVA allies. However, this fact was highlighted by the BJP during the assembly election campaign. The BJP accused the Shiv Sena (UBT) of appeasing the Muslim bank a la the Congress. BJP-inspired social media was very active in the run up to the assembly elections in portraying the Shiv Sena (UBT) as another version of the Congress which has often been accused of pandering to Muslim interests in the name of secularism. BJP supporters pointed out that Uddhav even felt shy of calling his father Bal Thackeray "Hindu Hriaday Samrat" lest he lose Muslim votes. The BJP also highlighted the fact that when the Wakf Amendment Bill was introduced in Parliament Shiv Sena (UBT) members were conspicuous by their absence. The Shiv Sena (UBT) is afraid that if the narrative about the party being pro-Muslim is continued then it will have to pay a heavy price in the BMC elections. With an obvious effort to counter that narrative it appears to have asked Narvekar to go ahead with the controversial post. "Narvekar wont dare do anything without the endorsement of Uddhav. So his X post appears to have been done with the full knowledge of Uddhav," a Sena source observed. Despite the raging controversy neither Uddhav nor Aaditya, who is the second most important leader in the party have distanced themselves from Narvekar's controversial post.DUP minister rejected suggestion licensing laws could be relaxed for jubileeStyrenic Block Copolymer Market Intelligence Report Offers Key Futuristic Top Trends, Research Methodology and Competitive Landscape By 2030

ON Semiconductor Q3: Remain Soft In Automotive And IndustrialBy Kenneth H. Hernandez SHARES of International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) declined last week amid global trade policy uncertainties. ICTSI was the most actively traded stock in terms of value, with 3.5 million shares worth P1.37 billion being traded on Dec. 23 to 27. The port operator’s shares closed at P386 on Friday, down 1% or 4 centavos from a week earlier. “The Federal Reserve projected a significantly slower pace of rate cuts next year in response to rising inflation and robust economic growth,” Claire T. Alviar, assistant manager for Research and Online Engagement at Philstocks Financial, Inc., said in a Viber message. “This could negatively affect global economic growth, thereby impacting ICT’s operations.” “Moreover, many investors were cautious at the moment, waiting for the policies to be implemented by the new administration in the US,” she added. Aniceto K. Pangan, an equity trader at Diversified Securities, Inc., said the company was in a consolidation phase during the week. “This was driven by the uncertainties behind the new US President’s trading policy, which may affect trading globally, especially his protectionist stance policy,” he said in a Viber message. US President-elect Donald J. Trump has vowed to increase tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China unless they addressed illegal migration and drug trafficking. He also threatened tariffs on countries that plan to undermine the US dollar by using alternative currencies. ICTSI has earmarked $100 million and secured a 25-year concession extension to expand the terminal capacity of Mindanao port in Misamis Oriental. Ms. Alviar said there is positive sentiment about the stock as a result. “The extension of the concession period boosted investor sentiment, as these contracts ensure the long-term stability of ICTSI’s business operations,” she said. “Additionally, plans to expand terminal capacity further enhanced optimism, given its potential to drive revenue growth in the future.” Mr. Pangan said the port expansion would add more growth opportunities for the company in southern Philippines. ICTSI’s attributable net income increased 24.2%, to $212.03 million in the third quarter from a year earlier. This brought its nine-month income to $632.58 million, a 30.6% increase. Mr. Pangan expects the company to post $253.2 million in earnings this quarter and $886.2 million for the full year. Ms. Alviar put the support level for the ICTSI stock at P380, psychological resistance at P400 and resistance level at P420. The immediate support is P375 per share, while immediate resistance is P400 each, he added.Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Announces Board ChangesSoap, home insecticides segments hit, GCPL expects flattish volume growth in India sales in Q3

Law Offices of Howard G. Smith reminds investors of the upcoming January 17, 2025 deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in the case filed on behalf of investors who purchased Wolfspeed, Inc. ("Wolfspeed" or the "Company") WOLF securities between August 16, 2023 and November 6, 2024 , inclusive (the "Class Period"). Investors suffering losses on their Wolfspeed investments are encouraged to contact the Law Offices of Howard G. Smith to discuss their legal rights in this class action at (215) 638-4847 or by email to howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com . On November 6, 2024, Wolfspeed released its first quarter fiscal 2025 financial results and provided second quarter guidance significantly below expectations due to "demand ... ramp[ing] more slowly than [the Company] originally anticipated" as "EV customers revise their launch time lines as the market works though this transition period." Additionally, while the Company previously estimated that its Mohawk Valley fabrication facility would result in $100 million in revenue, it now projected a range 30% to 50% below that mark. On this news, Wolfspeed's stock price fell $5.38, or 39.2%, to close at $8.33 per share on November 7, 2024, thereby injuring investors. The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) the Company had overstated the demand for its key product and placed undue reliance on purported design wins; (2) the facility's growth had begun to taper before even recognizing the $100 million revenue per quarter allegedly achievable with only 20% utilization of the fab, let alone the promised $2 billion revenue purportedly achievable by the facility; and (3) as a result, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. If you purchased or otherwise acquired Wolfspeed securities during the Class Period, you may move the Court no later than January 17, 2025 to ask the Court to appoint you as lead plaintiff if you meet certain legal requirements. To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020, by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com , or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com . This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241127723430/en/ © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.xAI, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence ( ) company, has raised USD 6 billion in new capital, according to a regulatory filing. The equity financing came from 97 investors and includes stakes as small as USD 77,593, as stated in the filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday. The filing did not disclose the identities of the investors. Furthermore, the company has not provided specific information regarding its valuation or revenue figures. xAI’s Latest Funding The funding comes as xAI seeks to bolster its presence in the AI industry by expanding its Memphis, Tennessee, supercomputer to accommodate at least one million graphics processing units (GPUs). Earlier reports indicate that existing investors, including Valor Equity Partners, Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and the Qatar Investment Authority, participated in the funding round. Since its inception last year, xAI has launched its generative AI model, Grok, which powers features on X. The company reportedly plans to use funds from this round to purchase 100,000 chips from Nvidia. Series B Funding This new funding brings xAI’s total capital raised to USD 12 billion, adding to the USD 6 billion tranche secured earlier in May. The company stated that the Series B funding will be used to bring its first products to market, build advanced infrastructure, and accelerate research and development of future technologies. “Our Series B funding round of USD 6 billion with participation from key investors including Valor Equity Partners, Vy Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, Fidelity Management and Research Company, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal and Kingdom Holding, amongst others,” the company announced in May. “xAI is primarily focused on the development of advanced AI systems that are truthful, competent, and maximally beneficial for all of humanity. The company’s mission is to understand the true nature of the universe,” the company said in a blog post. The Grok AI Model xAI’s flagship product, a chatbot called Grok, is available to paying users of X, the social network formerly known as Twitter. In August, the company released Grok-2, a frontier language model with state-of-the-art reasoning capabilities. This release introduced two models: Grok-2 and Grok-2 Mini. In November, xAI launched the API Public Beta, offering programmatic access for developers to build applications using Grok foundation models via the newly released API. Grok AI Chatbot Now Accessible to All X Users xAI has rolled out its AI chatbot, Grok, to all users on the social platform X (formerly Twitter), previously available only to Premium subscribers of X’s higher-tier plans, X Premium and X Premium+. Free users can send up to 10 messages every two hours, after which they will be prompted to upgrade to a paid subscription. They can also analyse three images per day. As of this writing, is providing access only to the assistant Grok-2, and the image generator Grok 2+ Aurora. There is also a fun mode which users can enable. xAI, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence ( ) company, has raised USD 6 billion in new capital, according to a regulatory filing. The equity financing came from 97 investors and includes stakes as small as USD 77,593, as stated in the filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday. The filing did not disclose the identities of the investors. Furthermore, the company has not provided specific information regarding its valuation or revenue figures. xAI’s Latest Funding The funding comes as xAI seeks to bolster its presence in the AI industry by expanding its Memphis, Tennessee, supercomputer to accommodate at least one million graphics processing units (GPUs). Earlier reports indicate that existing investors, including Valor Equity Partners, Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and the Qatar Investment Authority, participated in the funding round. Since its inception last year, xAI has launched its generative AI model, Grok, which powers features on X. The company reportedly plans to use funds from this round to purchase 100,000 chips from Nvidia. Series B Funding This new funding brings xAI’s total capital raised to USD 12 billion, adding to the USD 6 billion tranche secured earlier in May. The company stated that the Series B funding will be used to bring its first products to market, build advanced infrastructure, and accelerate research and development of future technologies. “Our Series B funding round of USD 6 billion with participation from key investors including Valor Equity Partners, Vy Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, Fidelity Management and Research Company, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal and Kingdom Holding, amongst others,” the company announced in May. “xAI is primarily focused on the development of advanced AI systems that are truthful, competent, and maximally beneficial for all of humanity. The company’s mission is to understand the true nature of the universe,” the company said in a blog post. The Grok AI Model xAI’s flagship product, a chatbot called Grok, is available to paying users of X, the social network formerly known as Twitter. In August, the company released Grok-2, a frontier language model with state-of-the-art reasoning capabilities. This release introduced two models: Grok-2 and Grok-2 Mini. In November, xAI launched the API Public Beta, offering programmatic access for developers to build applications using Grok foundation models via the newly released API. Grok AI Chatbot Now Accessible to All X Users xAI has rolled out its AI chatbot, Grok, to all users on the social platform X (formerly Twitter), previously available only to Premium subscribers of X’s higher-tier plans, X Premium and X Premium+. Free users can send up to 10 messages every two hours, after which they will be prompted to upgrade to a paid subscription. They can also analyse three images per day. As of this writing, is providing access only to the assistant Grok-2, and the image generator Grok 2+ Aurora. There is also a fun mode which users can enable.

Tyreek Hill arrest: Dolphins star has traffic citations dismissed after Week 1 detainment | Sporting News