Independence Message: Barbados Private Sector Association
India's former prime minister Manmohan Singh, architect of economic reforms, dies at 92Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna admitted his side's 1-0 home loss to Crystal Palace was 'a frustrating night'. Following a scrappy, stop-start first period in which chances were at a premium, Town started to find some rhythm after the restart. Jean-Philippe Mateta's cool finish gave the visitors the lead though and, just like in last weekend's 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest, the Blues failed to muster much of a response. "It was a frustrating night," said McKenna, whose side remain in the relegation zone without a home win to their name. "There were probably too many similarities to Saturday for our liking. It's a really tight first half, not fantastic in terms of flow, lots of stoppages and we didn't manage to create the game that we wanted or the chances that we wanted. Having said that, neither did the opponent. We were solid, there was very little in the game and very few opportunities at either end. "We knew at half-time we just needed to get more intensity in the game one way or another. We needed to be more aggressive, more positive and play forward quicker, even if it wasn't perfect, just to create some atmosphere in the stadium. We did that, to be fair. "Second half we came out much better. I think we were in the ascendancy, we felt like we could really push on in the game, we got ourselves to a pretty good position with some momentum, then we concede a really poor goal. In a tight game like today that ends up decisive. "When the first goal goes in then the whole dynamic changes. We tried at the end to break them down, but they were defending and counter-attacking well. We weren't able to find the solution." Town skipper Sam Morsy reacts at the final whistle (Image: Steve Waller) The Blues boss continued: "They're not an easy team to create clear chances against. Newcastle have a top, top forward line and they didn't have a shot against them on Saturday. With the back five they have in place now they're going to be hard to break down. Guehi, Lacroix, Chalobah - that's a really physical, dominant one-v-one back line. When they match you up, as they did, and go man-for-man it's not easy to create chances against them. I think lots of teams will find that difficult. "We couldn't get superiority in any individual duels. We got into some good areas, but we weren't able to produce the quality that we needed to create a clear chance. Both teams probably cancelled each other out a little bit in terms of the systems." With Bournemouth coming to Portman Road on Sunday, McKenna added: "Today was different to most of our home games. In most of our home games we've managed to create intensity, atmosphere, chances, pressure and make it more like the game we want. We certainly didn't today. "I don't think it's a trend. I think you have to give Palace some credit. We're up against a lot of Premier League quality, experience and physicality. It's a big challenge."
(The Center Square) – Hurricane Helene, Donald Trump and a swelling population were intriguing North Carolina storylines in 2024 as The Center Square delivered news and information. Two dozen of them are gathered here, though the list is not a ranking, does not attempt to define “the most” of anything including republications by news partners. Rather, it is a collection of interesting, important and useful news and information delivered by The Center Square news wire service. Here’s 24 from 2024. • U.S. Census Bureau estimates have pushed the population to 11.1 million . • Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, among the matriarchs of the state's Democrats, will begin work next month with a sixth different governor. She is 79 years young and on track to have 32 consecutive years in the office. Marshall told The Center Square in a one-on-one interview in September , “It’s historic, and it’s also astonishing to me because I didn’t grow up dreaming that I would be even a lawyer, let alone running a major office in government. I didn’t dream big enough for myself.” • Actions of Carolina fraternity brothers with the American flag on the famed Polk Place campus quad drew the praise of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and led to a joint session of Congress rising for a standing ovation and chanting, “USA! USA! USA!” The April actions amid a protest about the war between Hamas and Israel also led to a guest spot at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis. • First bet was the Legislature approving sports wagering. Through the first 265 days, North Carolina is averaging a gain of $372,177 per day on the $98,627,032 total. • VinFast, in line to be a recipient of $1.2 billion in taxpayer money through incentives, failed this summer to start production of its $4 billion plant in Moncure . It’s bleeding money, too, with a third-quarter net loss of $550 million – a tad less than half of the $1.15 billion Mega Millions jackpot drawing on Friday night. • North Carolina is expected to remain a destination for abortions in the South following two decisions in a federal case litigating new state law. Overall, most of the law enacted Dec. 1, 2023, in the wake of Roe v. Wade being reversed in June 2022 is in place. Included are no abortions after 12 weeks, down from 20, except in cases of rape, incest, or “life-limiting anomalies." • Well beyond the halcyon days of the Bible Belt, faith still matters in eastern North Carolina. Speaking to The Center Square at a Trump rally in Rocky Mount, 1st Congressional District candidate and retired Army Col. Laurie Buckhout said, “Faith matters in this state. Faith matters in this district, more than a whole lot of people think.” And, she says, not of the old Bible Belt way. “It did get shook,” she says of the moniker, “and it came to have a not great conversation. Now, it’s a loving, accepting positive environment. It’s a wide environment. I see it all over the state.” • Agriculture, North Carolina’s No. 1 industry forever, topped $111.1 billion in economic impact in 2024 with No. 1 in production rankings nationally for sweet potatoes, tobacco, and poultry and eggs. Growth since coming out of the COVID-19 era in 2022 is $18 billion. • The school choice waiting list of about 55,000 was wiped clean when lawmakers appropriated $463 million to the Opportunity Scholarship program. • The state’s 100 sheriffs, according to a new law, are to hold suspects believed to have illegally entered or be illegally living in the United States. The detainer is up to 48 hours, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement is to be notified . • With a ruling from Judge Melissa Owens Lassiter at the Office of Administrative Hearings, Aetna is in and BlueCross BlueShield is out as the State Health Plan. • Charlotte City Council approved allocation of $650 million to the stadium project of NFL Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper and his companies. He’s the 94th richest person on the planet at an estimated $20.6 billion net worth and owns the stadium used by his Panthers, his Charlotte FC of Major League Soccer, and his Tepper Sports & Entertainment. • Kylee Alons, a two-time national champion and 31-time All-American for N.C. State, is among 16 collegiate athletes, including 12-time All-American Riley Gaines, suing the NCAA for letting men who say they are women compete against them and use the same locker rooms. • Payton McNabb, the volleyball player from Hiawassee Dam High School in the mountains injured in 2022 by a boy saying he was a girl so he could play, continued to lead the national fight to protect women’s spaces alongside notable figures such as Gaines and Paula Scanlan. The Independent Women’s Forum coalition and its Our Bodies Our Sports “Take Back Title IX” Bus Tour, of which she was a part of, was vandalized while making a stop in Chapel Hill. By year’s end, the Biden administration had withdrawn changes to Title IX in a true national grassroots movement victory. • In one of the two biggest legislative wins of the last 15 years for the fight against human trafficking, lawmakers made solicitation of prostitution a felony . Enactment was Dec. 1. • Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, 72, won a sixth term last month . North Carolina was more blue than purple in the 1990s when he felt Democrats were hostile to tobacco production and he left the party to be a Republican. • Gov. Roy Cooper, 67, was a strong consideration for the Democrats’ presidential ticket, ultimately saying he would support Harris but not be her running mate . He remains with a perfect election record, unbeaten in 13 – three for North Carolina House of Representatives, four in the state Senate, four four-year terms for attorney general, and two four-year terms for governor. There's a watch for his decision related to the U.S. Senate seat race in 2026. • Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson held a modest polling lead as late as May against Democrat Josh Stein in the governor’s race. The summer swoon of the Republican went to unthinkable depths – losing by 14 points on Election Day – in part ignited by a Sept. 19 report from CNN. • AI & Politics ’24, led by Lee Rainie and Jason Husser at Elon University, in May said 78% believe it is likely artificial intelligence will be abused to impact the outcome of the presidential race. • Between July 22 and Sept. 12, seven lawsuits were filed against the State Board of Elections that includes Democrats Alan Hirsch, its chairman, Jeff Carmon and Siobhan Millen; and Republicans Stacy Eggers and Kevin Lewis; and Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell. • Hurricane Helene killed 103 in the state, 232 across seven states, and caused an estimated $53 billion in damage to the state. Arguably, it is the state’s worst natural disaster. • Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, as well as their vice president picks and for Harris presidents present and past, were regular visitors ahead of Election Day . Trump’s win kept intact a pattern now 60 years old. • Average household spending in North Carolina is $1,017 more per month today to buy the same goods and services as it was in 2021 according to a July report from the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s 22% cumulative inflation. • Fifty-nine positions were eliminated and 131 realigned after the University of North Carolina System changed a diversity policy that ensures “equality of all persons and viewpoints.” Total reported savings are $17.1 million and total redirected savings are $16.2 million.Trump's casting call as he builds out his administration: TV experience preferred
Remote IDV integrations reflect demand across industries
Numerology Predictions Today, December 01, 2024: Read your personalized forecast for numbers 1 to 9
With so many blenders on the market, selecting the right one is a process that requires careful consideration. Not all blenders are made alike, and as such, elements such as size, speed, and wattage are important to think about. Vitamix is a brand that needs no introduction, with legions of celebrities among their fans. Kourtney Kardashian is one of them – Poosh, her lifestyle brand, shared a photo of her with a Vitamix, one of the best blenders on the market, which she used to make an organic smoothie. Fortunately, we not only found the model she uses, but it is also on sale. The Vitamix 5200 Blender (available on Amazon) is typically $428.00, but it's now on for $349.95 (as part of the most noteworthy Vitamix deals currently live for Black Friday). H&G's appliance editor, Lydia Hayman, warns these deals are selling out fast, and she's not sure how long they'll last, so why wait to follow Kardashian's lead? This black and grey Vitamix is just as sleek as it is powerful, with a 64 oz. container and stainless-steel blades. A bonus? It self-cleans – just add dish soap and water and blend for 30 to 60 seconds. A post shared by Poosh (@poosh) A photo posted by on With a speed dial that gives options from 1-10, this Vitamix model is ideal for anything from soups and smoothies to sauces and salsas. The 64 oz container also allows for large batches, making this a great option for families or those who host. Additionally, the blender also has the ability to heat up food with its blades, using friction-based technology to warm items like soup in six minutes. It's no surprise that Hayman counts it among the best Black Friday homes deals of the year. 'Tall, sleek, and slim enough to deserve in kitchens with spacious kitchen islands ,' Hayman comments. 'The distinctive angled sides ensure a smooth, even blend while enhancing its ability to heat soup and self-clean efficiently. It’s the perfect choice for kitchen islands, but its height isn't suited to counters with low-hanging wall cabinets.' If your kitchen falls into the latter, then fear not. We've rounded up some other H&G Vitamix favorites, all of which happen to be on sale right now. Act fast. Voted our best blender overall With five presets and the ability to make soup as well as smoothies, this powerful and versatile blender was a fast favorite. It has over ten speeds and is universally beloved. It's an expensive choice, so it's definitely worth making the most of any discounts available. Powerful & self-cleaning The Vitamix Professional series is the original blender that earned Vitamix its formidable reputation. Boasting a phenomenal 1640 watts of power and five preset programs for easy blending. It also has self-cleaning features, so you can simply add a drop of dish soap and warm water and watch your blender clean itself in 30 seconds to a minute. Great for families The variable speed control and pulse features of this blender can whip up every texture, perfect for catering to a whole host of family needs. Due to this blender's self-detect technology, the base will adjust the settings according to whichever container you choose. Design expertise in your inbox – from inspiring decorating ideas and beautiful celebrity homes to practical gardening advice and shopping round-ups.Former Pentagon official and military witness come forward with shocking UFO revelations as 'drone' wave leaves Americans on edge READ MORE: NASA astronaut saw 'two metallic spherical orbs' fly over Texas By MATTHEW PHELAN SENIOR SCIENCE REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 18:43, 26 December 2024 | Updated: 19:00, 26 December 2024 e-mail View comments A US military witness with over 25 years of experience has revealed his own late night encounter with a UFO , that lit up his campsite and 'made absolutely no noise.' The event came less than a month before a more senior ex- Pentagon counter-intel official, Luis Elizondo, testified before Congress accusing government actors of secretly working to ' hide the fact that we are not alone in the cosmos .' The October 21, 2024 campsite UFO, according to the military witness who requested anonymity, hovered as close as 100 yards above him along the treeline: 'The entire area lit up brighter than the brightest full moon I’ve ever seen,' he reported. 'I knew it wasn’t the moon because I had already located the moon prior,' the trained observer noted of this 20–30 foot UFO . '[The moon] was a dimly lit waning gibbous.' The career military man, who reported this episode to the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) , added: 'I observed it for at least a minute before fear took over and I sank back down into the bed of my truck and into my sleeping bag.' The oval-shaped 'stationary, bright white light' resembles one newly public case reported this November by Connecticut policeman Robert Klein, who professed that an orb UFO, the size of a Mini Cooper, 'lit up the entire cab' of his patrol car in 2022 . Fear over roughly car-sized 'unidentified aerial phenomena' (UAP), often described as ' mystery drones, ' has swept the nation since November as sightings across New Jersey and surrounding states have eerily matched cases over US military bases . Local leaders in the Garden State are 'livid,' according to journalist and author Michael Shellenberger, who obtained audio from a video briefing delivered to more than 500 New Jersey mayors by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). A US military witness with over 25 years of experience has revealed a late night encounter with a UFO that lit up his campsite. Above, Nest camera footage from a July 24, 2019 UFO case in Leominster, MA, in which a similar brightly lit object (a possible meteor) zoomed across the sky The US military witness saw their 30-40 foot long, oval shaped UFO while camping at the the Santa Rosa Mountain Yellow Post campsites just southwest of Joshua Tree National Park in California. Above: the Milky Way galaxy seen over a Joshua Tree in the park on May 12, 2024 'One of them [i.e. a mayor] got up there,' Shellenberger told Fox News, 'and said, "I had two automobile-sized drones hovering over my house."' The newly public military witness's case, as he told NUFORC was itself roughly 8–10 feet tall, making this bright oval UFO about the size of a school bus. The sighting, which the military man said lasted for over a full minute, occurred at the Santa Rosa Mountain Yellow Post campsites, just southwest of Joshua Tree National Park in California where he was 'the only camper/hunter in the area that night.' 'I was laying in the tarped bed of my truck,' he told NURFOC, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that has coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on UFOs for decades. 'It was pitch black out,' he said, as the waning gibbous moon was shining weakly — when 'instantly' the ordinary noises of the insects and animals in the wild 'went completely silent' as the UFO appeared. 'It made absolutely no noise, didn’t pulsate or move, and did not radiate any sort of heat,' he said, adding the temperature was 'about 40 degrees Fahrenheit' that night. By his estimation, this 'stationary, bright white light' was 'about the size of a medium sized helicopter but with the light encompassing the entire object' as it hovered at 'tree top level, behind an about 30-40 foot tall pine tree, only about 100 yards away.' The encounter, which ended as abruptly as it began, differed from Officer Klein's encounter with a car-sized glowing orb UFO in that the Connecticut policeman's sighting pulsated its light from white to red to green to orange. The veteran cop took pains to emphasize to NewsNation that, in the early moments of his encounter, he was able to get 'a very close-up view of it' from 30 feet below the hovering, orb-like object: 'It wasn't a drone — I can guarantee you that.' Swarms of drones have been spotted in the skies of New Jersey for weeks, sparking officials to call for a 'limited state of emergency' - with drone bans taking effect in some areas Mayor Mike Ghassali of Montvale, New Jersey took to Facebook to reveal what happened to a resident's quadcopter drone when they had a run-in with a mysterious drone UFO hovering in the air nearby - noting there was 'sophisticated' technology at play in this December 15 event The military witness delivered the coordinates of his October 2024 UFO sighting as 33 degrees 32' 12.8" North and 116 degrees 27' 38.7" West (red pin, above) - placing him at the Santa Rosa Mountain Yellow Post campsite east of Los Angeles at the time of his 'I froze,' Klein said, recalling that moment looking up at the object. 'I wasn't in fear. I just was really trying to understand what exactly I was looking at.' 'I was trying to just process what I was looking at,' he said. 'Still to this day, I'm perplexed.' Speaking before Congress this past November , Luis Elizondo, the former head of the Defense Department's UFO-hunting Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), criticized federal officials for 'excessive secrecy' on the UFO issue. 'I believe that we as Americans can handle the truth. And I also believe the world deserves the truth,' Elizondo said. The former intelligence officer also urged Congress to pass legislation that would protect government whistleblowers afraid to reveal what they know about UFOs, a common refrain among those testifying at the November 13, 2024 open hearing. The hearing, held by the House Oversight committee, was part of a larger investigation into UFOs to determine whether any government officials have been withholding evidence from Congress. 'Advanced technologies not made by our government, or any other government, are monitoring sensitive military installations around the globe,' Elizondo insisted, raising unsettling implications for the rash of 'mystery drone' sightings at US bases. In recent months, the Garden State has been ravaged by thousands of unexplained drone sightings, as over 5,000 reports of odd drones have been filed with federal law enforcement Read More EXCLUSIVE Haunting connection between UFOs and America's nuclear weapons is laid bare in new study Although misidentifications of conventional planes have been rife amid the growing public panic, reports by from US military officials across America and Europe , alongside local police, have told matching accounts of these car-sized drones. The drone swarm's lighting colors, as well as its behavior, match those that also made repeated brazen incursions over the restricted airspace above Air Force joint-base Langley-Eustis in Virginia, then home to America's stealth F-22 fighter fleet. For at least 17 nights in December 2023, swarms of these noisy, small UFOs were also seen at dusk 'moving at rapid speeds' and 'flashing red, green, and white lights.' And these cases are almost identical to what has been reported above sensitive sites in New Jersey, like the US Army's Picatinny Arsenal, since mid-November 2024. Base police have reported 11 confirmed and unauthorized drone sightings over the arsenal since November 13, meaning security officers ' visibly witnessed a drone .' Senior ex-Pentagon security official Chris Mellon told DailyMail.com last October that the unexplained incursions over Langley-Eustis were 'part of a much larger pattern affecting numerous national security installations.' 'Two of the notable aspects,' he said, 'are the fact our drone signal-jamming devices have proven ineffective and these craft are making no effort to remain concealed.' 'In fact, in some instances,' as Mellon took pains to emphasize, 'it is clear they want to be seen as though taunting us.' Connecticut New Jersey Share or comment on this article: Former Pentagon official and military witness come forward with shocking UFO revelations as 'drone' wave leaves Americans on edge e-mail Add commentMongoDB, Inc. ( NASDAQ:MDB – Get Free Report ) gapped up before the market opened on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $281.76, but opened at $306.22. MongoDB shares last traded at $319.26, with a volume of 661,635 shares traded. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms have weighed in on MDB. Wedbush raised MongoDB to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on MongoDB from $300.00 to $335.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, August 30th. Barclays lifted their target price on MongoDB from $290.00 to $345.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, November 15th. DA Davidson lifted their target price on MongoDB from $330.00 to $340.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, October 11th. Finally, Oppenheimer lifted their target price on MongoDB from $300.00 to $350.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, August 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating, nineteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, MongoDB currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $336.54. Get Our Latest Report on MDB MongoDB Trading Up 5.4 % MongoDB ( NASDAQ:MDB – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 29th. The company reported $0.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.49 by $0.21. The business had revenue of $478.11 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $465.03 million. MongoDB had a negative return on equity of 15.06% and a negative net margin of 12.08%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 12.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted ($0.63) EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that MongoDB, Inc. will post -2.39 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Transactions at MongoDB In related news, Director Dwight A. Merriman sold 3,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $290.79, for a total value of $872,370.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 1,135,006 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $330,048,394.74. This represents a 0.26 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website . Also, CRO Cedric Pech sold 302 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $256.25, for a total value of $77,387.50. Following the completion of the sale, the executive now directly owns 33,440 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,569,000. This trade represents a 0.90 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last ninety days, insiders sold 25,600 shares of company stock valued at $7,034,249. 3.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Trading of MongoDB A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Jennison Associates LLC boosted its position in shares of MongoDB by 23.6% in the 3rd quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 3,102,024 shares of the company’s stock valued at $838,632,000 after purchasing an additional 592,038 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in MongoDB by 2.9% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,230,036 shares of the company’s stock valued at $331,776,000 after acquiring an additional 34,814 shares during the last quarter. Swedbank AB raised its stake in MongoDB by 156.3% during the 2nd quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 656,993 shares of the company’s stock valued at $164,222,000 after acquiring an additional 400,705 shares during the last quarter. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP raised its stake in MongoDB by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP now owns 496,248 shares of the company’s stock valued at $134,161,000 after acquiring an additional 7,526 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans raised its stake in MongoDB by 1,098.1% during the 2nd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 424,402 shares of the company’s stock valued at $106,084,000 after acquiring an additional 388,979 shares during the last quarter. 89.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About MongoDB ( Get Free Report ) MongoDB, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides general purpose database platform worldwide. The company provides MongoDB Atlas, a hosted multi-cloud database-as-a-service solution; MongoDB Enterprise Advanced, a commercial database server for enterprise customers to run in the cloud, on-premises, or in a hybrid environment; and Community Server, a free-to-download version of its database, which includes the functionality that developers need to get started with MongoDB. See Also Receive News & Ratings for MongoDB Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MongoDB and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
