maison baccarat The dollar and gold gained Friday amid escalating tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war, while stocks got a boost from data. Bitcoin pushed on further with its march towards the $100,000 mark, as the cryptocurrency benefits from US president-elect Donald Trump's pledge to ease regulation around digital tokens. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.

Govt ‘insulted’ ex-PM Singh by holding last rites at Nigambodh Ghat, not at dedicated place: CongressIndia’s defence sector is rewriting its growth story, powered by government-backed policies aimed at bolstering domestic manufacturing. With production surging to Rs 1.3 trillion, the government's ambitious target is to touch Rs 1.8 trillion by FY25. This scale-up isn’t just about numbers; it’s reshaping the global narrative around India as a defence powerhouse. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has ramped up approvals to Rs 4.4 trillion in 2023, a 29 percent jump year-on-year. This allocation reflects India's focus on operational readiness while driving a sustained push toward self-reliance. Brokerage firm Antique sees the defence sector poised for a strong close to FY25. Despite a 20 percent dip in capital spending in the year’s first half, the stage is set for a significant uptick in Q4FY25, with multiple large-scale orders nearing finalisation. The Rs 1.7 trillion capital outlay in the 2024 budget reinforces this optimistic outlook. Antique identifies Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Mazagaon Dock, and PTC Industries as top investment picks. Here’s a quick breakdown: Eyes are on the delivery of Tejas Mk1A, supported by the F-404 engines from GE Aviation. Target price: Rs 5,902. Delays in the Akash Weapon System supply are easing, offering growth prospects. Target price: Rs 1,357. Submarine projects like the Kalvari-class expansion (₹350 billion) and P75I (six AIP-class submarines) elevate its potential. Target price: Rs 5,513. Emerging as a leader in titanium and superalloy engineering, it’s carving out a global niche. Target price: Rs 19,653. With robust government orders, BEL’s visibility in revenue and exports continues to grow. Target price: Rs 373. The surge in defence stocks isn’t confined to public-sector giants. India’s private sector is gaining traction, offering innovative technologies that could redefine the investment landscape. Antique underscores that the recent price corrections in defence stocks present a lucrative entry point, making 2025 an opportune year for investors eyeing this transformative sector.

Myers Industries: Attractively Priced But Waiting For All The Stars To Align

Share Tweet Share Share Email A decade ago, working from home was a rare anomaly, treated as a superfluous novelty by most individuals and organizations in the professional world. Today, most people with jobs that can be done remotely work remotely at least part of the time – and many businesses, especially those in the tech space, operate fully remotely. It seems that remote work is here to stay, thanks in part to the ever-increasing accessibility and power of technology. But how are companies going to evolve from here as these technologies grow in availability and sophistication? The Ever-Increasing Power of Technology Technology is the foundational building block that has allowed remote work to grow as popular as it has. Today, we have access to hardware and software that allows us to communicate, collaborate, and accomplish a wide variety of tasks, regardless of where we are. We have chat platforms and video conferencing platforms. We have robust management systems and project tracking tools. We have monitoring and productivity tools to keep people on point. We even have health and wellness apps to make sure that working from home isn’t getting the better of us. Perhaps, then, it’s no surprise that tech companies seem to be some of the most ardent supporters of remote work overall. Not only do they understand the power of technology for connecting people in remote locations, but they may also play a role in developing and maintaining it. The Pros and Cons of Remote Work Still, there are both pros and cons associated with working remotely. For example, these are just some of the benefits: Lower office expenses. If you work remotely, you don’t need an office building. If only part of your staff works remotely, you’ll need only a relatively small office building. This can help you greatly reduce office expenses, improving your profitability in the long run. And if you currently own commercial real estate, you may be able to rent or sublet it to other businesses as a secondary stream of income; it’s also possible to manage commercial real estate remotely , but this isn’t always a good organizational fit. Higher productivity. Many organizations with remote or hybrid work benefit from higher productivity. When people have more flexibility in how they approach work and more freedom on an individual level, they tend to get more done. Higher morale. Similarly, remote work environments often promote higher morale. People are happier working for organizations that grant them autonomy and flexibility, and they’re much more likely to stay there. A bigger talent pool. When you operate a company remotely or mostly remotely, you open the doors to candidates who would otherwise be unable to work for you. With a bigger talent pool, you can find better fits for your open positions. Increased retention. For these reasons and others, remote and hybrid workplaces benefit from increased employee retention. Not only does this reduce costs, but it also increases consistency and continuity within your organization. Sustainability. As you might imagine, remote businesses are greener and more sustainable. With fewer people driving to and from work, there will be fewer greenhouse gas emissions. These are some of the drawbacks: Detachment. Work culture is important , but it isn’t easy to maintain in a remote environment. When you have people living in different places, interacting with each other less frequently, you tend to lose the cohesiveness of your culture. Lack of transparency. Even with robust employee monitoring and productivity tools in place, your organization may suffer from a lack of transparency. You may not know exactly what your employees are working on or exactly how they’re spending their time, leading to gaps in knowledge and collaborative potential. Less information. It’s often harder for managers and supervisors to do their jobs in remote environments. It can also be harder for decision makers, who need to incorporate many independent pieces of information to make effective decisions. With less information available, every organization suffers. Loneliness and isolation. While many people benefit from higher morale and higher productivity when working from home, some people suffer from increased loneliness and isolation. Even people who work well by themselves need occasional in-person socialization to feel connected with others. Higher stress. Studies indicate that broadly, remote work is associated with lower stress levels , but for some workers, the opposite is true. They may not be happy or comfortable in their home environment, or they may simply work better in a traditional office setting. In any case, for these types of workers, working remotely is a source of additional stress. Technology and Company Evolution: Possibilities for the Future So where does remote work go from here? For starters, we need to recognize that technology is only going to become more advanced and better capable of connecting us remotely. With so many companies offering remote work to at least some of their people at least some of the time, the demand for better remote collaboration and communication tools is almost constantly growing. And, of course, with rising demand, there’s likely to be a rising number of entrepreneurs and innovators trying to meet that demand. So, in some ways, the advantages of remote work are almost certainly going to continue increasing, with the disadvantages increasingly being compensated for. But how will businesses adapt to these circumstances, and will the trend of remote work remain indefinitely? These are harder questions to answer. It’s very unlikely that all businesses will go fully remote, or even strive to be fully remote, given the persistent disadvantages of remote work and, to a lesser extent, stubborn mindsets in professional industries. But because the advantages of remote work are only growing, it’s also unlikely that any business that has dabbled in remote work will ever go back to being fully in-person. Accordingly, the most popular approach will likely be a hybrid one. As technologies that enable remote work become more advanced, companies will likely discover and reinforce strategies that enable “the best of both worlds,” with options for both remote and in-person work. Related Items: Remote work , work from home Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Want To Work Remotely? Then You Need To Develop These Skills Managing gen z remotely: tech challenges and solutions How gen z is redefining remote work CommentsSaturday citations: The 'donut effect'; basically immortal batteries; Neanderthals and H. sapiens

Dow ends at fresh record as oil prices pull back on ceasefire hopesImphal: Normal life was badly affected in the Imphal Valley comprising five Manipur districts on Saturday due to a 24-hour shutdown called by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) in protest against the killing of a village defence volunteer. The Joint Action Committee (JAC) called the 24-hour shutdown, which ended on Saturday evening, to protest the killing of a village defence volunteer, and the arrest of six others on December 14. Police earlier said that village volunteer Laishram Prem was killed and six others were arrested after an encounter with the Manipur police commandos near Salungpham High School in Thoubal district. Police claimed that the six persons they arrested and the slain were members of the banned outfit PREPAK who were allegedly involved in extortion activities. Some arms and ammunition, including those earlier looted from police armouries, were recovered from their possession, the official said. In view of the shutdown, markets, including the usually bustling Paona and Thangal Keithel markets in Imphal, were deserted as shopkeepers closed their establishments. Educational institutions, including schools and colleges, also remained shut, and most vehicles remained off the roads across the valley, comprising five districts. Members of the ‘Meira Paibis’ (women vigilantes) took to the streets to enforce the shutdown. Local clubs, civil society organisations (CSOs), and the Women’s Wing of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) also supported the shutdown. No major incident in connection with the shutdown was reported in any of the five valley districts. In Bishnupur district, bandh supporters vandalised a few vehicles that were plying on the roads. The JAC has decided not to claim Laishram Prem’s body until their demands are fulfilled. The JAC has been demanding strict action against police officials allegedly involved in the death of the village volunteer and the unconditional release of six village volunteers arrested on December 14.PM warns of strict action against inflated electricity bills All available resources should be utilised to meet Nepra targets, instructs premier ISLAMABAD: Expressing his annoyance over inflated electricity bills, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that the overbilling by power distribution companies was unacceptable. Chairing a review meeting on the performance of electricity distribution companies (Discos), PM Shehbaz warned that strict action would be taken against officers involved in overbilling. He directed to complete the installation of smart meters as soon as possible to ensure transparency in the billing system and called for concrete steps to prevent electricity theft. Besides other matters, affairs related to Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) and Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) were discussed in the meeting, read a statement issued by the PM’s Office. PM Shehbaz expressed concern over the delay in the appointment process of chief executive officers (CEOs) of the distribution companies and directed for ensuring CEOs’ appointments through a highly transparent process and asked for its completion at the earliest. Recruitment of workforce in distribution companies should be merit-based, with no compromise on transparency, he further added. The prime minister said that all the available resources should be utilized to meet the targets of Nepra. Minister for Economic Affairs Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Power Division Sardar Owais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Ali Pervez Malik, Prime Minister’s Coordinator Rana Ahsan Afzal, and senior government officials attended the meeting. The meeting was given a detailed briefing on the achievement of targets which included recovery rates (up to November of FY 2024-25): Lesco: 96.82%, Pesco: 87.98%, and Fesco: 97.57%. Earlier this month, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) decided to initiate legal action against K-Electric (KE) and other power-providing companies after it was found that they were charging millions of consumers excessively. “Legal proceedings against all Distribution Companies including KEL under NEPRA Fine Regulations, 2021 for violation of the provisions of NEPRA Act, CSM and tariff terms & conditions etc,” a statement issued by the power regulator said. The authority took “very serious” notice of the complaints that were reported from all over Pakistan regarding excessive, inflated, and wrong bills charged by the distribution companies to the consumers during two months — July and August. 'Hard-earned' economic stability to continue on back of remittances, exports: finance ministry PSX rebounds after two-day slump PSX plunges as profit-taking, year-end pressure weigh on sentiment Pakistan's tax gap has exceeded Rs7tr, reveals FBR chairman

Kanpur: Three-day pan-IIT meeting and conference on engineering in medicine has started at Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering (BSBE) at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K). The event aims at fostering collaborations in the healthcare sector. This year's conference focuses on the healthcare sector: regenerative medicine , molecular medicine , and digital medicine. The primary objective of the event is to strengthen collaborations among IITs, IISERs, and IISc, all under the Ministry of Education, by addressing challenges at the intersection of engineering and medicine through interdisciplinary team science projects. The event was inaugurated by Ranjan Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Dept, govt of Uttar Pradesh. The conference brought together over 300 participants. tnn

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Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. Trump's request Friday came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court. Oral arguments are scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The brief said Trump opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.” Stock market today: Wall Street slips as the 'Magnificent 7' weighs down the market NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing lower as Wall Street ends a holiday-shortened week on a down note. The S&P 500 fell 1.1% Friday and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 333 points, or 0.8%. The Nasdaq composite dropped 1.5%. The “Magnificent 7” stocks weighed on the market, led by declines in Nvidia, Tesla and Microsoft. Even with the loss, the S&P 500 had a modest gain for the week and is still headed for its second consecutive annual gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.62%. 10 tips from experts to help you change your relationship with money in 2025 NEW YORK (AP) — As the calendar changes to 2025, you might be thinking about how to approach your relationship with money in the new year. Whether you’re saving to move out of your parents’ house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated. If you’re planning to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024. Then, set specific goals and make sure they’re attainable for your lifestyle. Janet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-January WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling, as early as January 14th, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. The department has taken such action in the past. But once those measures run out the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, a deputy national security adviser, said Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. Most Americans blame insurance profits and denials alongside the killer in UHC CEO death, poll finds WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials share responsibility for the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO — although not as much as the person who pulled the trigger. So says a new poll from NORC at the University of Chicago. It finds that about 8 in 10 Americans say that the person who committed the killing has “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of responsibility for the Dec. 4 shooting of Brian Thompson. Still, some see suspect Luigi Mangione as a heroic figure. About 7 in 10 adults say coverage denials or health insurance profits also bear at least “a moderate amount” of responsibility for Thompson’s death. Another jackpot surpasses $1 billion. Is this the new normal? Remember this moment because it probably won’t last: A U.S. lottery jackpot is projected to soar above $1 billion, and that's still a big deal. Friday’s Mega Millions drawing is worth an estimated $1.15 billion. The prize has evoked headlines across the country, despite the nation's top 10 jackpots already having boasted billion-dollar payouts. Jonathan Cohen is the author of the book “For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America.” He says he expects jackpots to continue to grow in size. Larger payouts attract more media attention, increase ticket sales and bring in new players. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Richard Parsons, prominent executive who led Time Warner and Citigroup, dies at 76 NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Parsons, one of corporate America’s most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, has died. He was 76. Parsons died Thursday at his Manhattan home. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and cited “unanticipated complications” from the disease for cutting back on work a few years later. Financial services company Lazard confirmed his death. Parsons was a longtime member of the company's board. His friend Ronald Lauder told The New York Times that the cause of death was cancer. Parsons stepped down Dec. 3 from the boards of Lazard and Lauder’s company, Estée Lauder, citing health reasons. He had been on Estée Lauder’s board for 25 years.

A cup of joe is part of Australian daily life. But while it's now a regular occurrence to fork out $6 for your flat white, it might be about to get even worse. This is because arabica beans have surged to their highest price in 27 years, as supply issues mount among producing nations, leaving suppliers, cafes and consumers to feel the pinch. Arabica coffee is the most widely consumed type of coffee in Australia and the world, making up 60 per cent of the world's coffee production. Robusta coffee beans account for the rest of commercial coffee production. The main differences between arabica and robusta are their flavour, caffeine content and where they are grown. Roy Greenfield is the director of coffee at Zest Specialty Coffee Roasters, a wholesale supplier helping source coffee for cafes and restaurants operating in the nation's self-proclaimed coffee capital, Melbourne. He's worried about the cost and the quality of beans in the future. "The reason why the coffee price is so high is because of a drought and a reduction in coffee stocks in Brazil and Vietnam," Greenfield said. "So the bigger thing that keeps me awake at night is whether I can actually still get the same quality of coffee from those countries." Prices for the arabica bean climbed to US$3.03 a pound (454g), passing $3 for the first time since 2011. Prices have soared by more than 60 per cent this year. This coffee costs $200. Enthusiasts say it's a 'small price to pay' The world's biggest coffee producer, Nestlé, says we can expect prices to keep rising. "Arabica prices are rising and are forecast to rise further in 2025 as high temperatures and limited rainfall are compromising the projected harvest in Brazil," Martin Brown, beverages general manager at Nestlé Oceania, said. The key global coffee producers around the world are Brazil (36 per cent), Vietnam (11 per cent) and Colombia (8 per cent). But as cost pressures press upwards, it's a balancing act that's testing Johnny Sandish's business in Melbourne's bustling Degraves St, Xpressomondo. "Well, we have no choice now. We're losing money. But we cannot put the price any higher otherwise we lose all the customers," Sandish said. Analysts predict arabica prices will need to keep rising in the incoming months to ensure global supply is maintained. Source: SBS News If we're serious about coffee, Greenfield says consumers should get comfortable with paying more. "We say we are the coffee capital of the world. Now's the time to actually invest in that — and that's not just us as a roaster or the cafe, but that's the consumer." "If every cafe in Melbourne put their price up by 50 cents tomorrow morning, that would create sustainability for the cafe owner, the roasters, all the way through to the farmers." Australians drink six billion cups of coffee each year. Here's one way to reuse the waste In a statement to SBS News, Nestlé said: "We are continuing to work to find ways to minimise passing on these costs, but we will not compromise on the quality and taste of our products, or the investment we make in our farmers and coffee growing communities." "We are also investing to help secure a long-term coffee future, including accelerating our transition to regenerative agriculture to help build greater climate resilient coffee crops, improve yields and further support our farmers." How much coffee does Australia drink? Coffee is part of the DNA in Australia, with 75 per cent of us enjoying at least one cuppa each day, according to figures from McCrindle Research. More than one in four Australians can't survive the day without their coffee, while more than four in five buy coffee from cafes each week. The shortages are expected to have worldwide impacts, especially among the world's biggest coffee drinkers. Australia is the 10th largest importer of coffee in the world, importing about 132,000 tonnes of coffee in 2022/23, according to research from ANZ. When it comes to consumption per capita, the US Department of Agriculture ranks Australia eleventh in the world, consuming the equivalent of 4.5kg each of ground coffee per year."Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.

West Virginia knocks off No. 3 Gonzaga in overtime

Panthers get 2nd win in last 8 games, roll past Maple Leafs 5-1