Prior to announcing his Senate candidacy in April 2023, Bernie Moreno was a political no name. A former car salesman in the Cleveland area, his only prior experience in politics was a losing bid for Ohio’s other Senate seat in 2022. Moreno has since accomplished the once unthinkable. On Nov. 5, as part of the election that swept Donald Trump back into the White House, Moreno defeated Democratic incumbent Senator Sherrod Brown, who was first elected to the House in 1992, before winning his Senate seat in 2006 and chairing the powerful Banking Committee since 2021. Moreno’s rise from unsung Ohio businessman to prominent political leader was no accident. His campaign was backed by $40 million from the cryptocurrency industry as part of a highly targeted effort to get friendly candidates elected and, perhaps more importantly, its critics removed. Moreno’s victory was one of the Senate seats Republicans flipped to take control of the chamber. In total, crypto-related PACs and other groups tied to the industry reeled in over $245 million, according to Federal Election Commission data. Crypto accounted for nearly half of all corporate dollars that flowed into the election, according to nonprofit watchdog Public Citizen. Advocacy group Stand With Crypto Alliance, which Coinbase launched last year, developed a grading system for House and Senate races across the country as a way to help determine where money should be spent. Crypto execs, investors and evangelists saw the election as existential to an industry that spent the past four years simultaneously trying to grow up while being repeatedly beaten down. Nearly 300 pro-crypto lawmakers will take seats in the House and Senate, according to Stand With Crypto, giving the sector unprecedented influence over the legislative agenda. The crypto political lobby worked so well this cycle because it made something complicated, like campaign finance, simple: Raise a ton of cash from a handful of donors and buy ad space in battleground states to either support candidates who back crypto or smear the candidates who don’t. It also required thinking of candidates as a bit of a binary: They were either with the industry or against it. Crypto companies and their executives mobilized rapidly, and they successfully figured out how to deploy their cash through a sophisticated ad machine across the country. They also took cues from what big tech got wrong. Rather than spending hundreds of millions of dollars on lobbying legislators post-election, the crypto industry invested in targeting their opponents ahead of the election so they wouldn’t have to deal with them at all the next few years. For over a year, Moreno was grilled by Silicon Valley heavy hitters like Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz and David Sacks about blockchain technology, digital asset policy and the shifting terrain of global finance. “They didn’t just jump in head first,” Moreno said, describing the scores of meetings that stretched back to his run in the primary. “We had to build a lot of trust.” Moreno also met with Coinbase co-founders Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam as well as policy chief Faryar Shirzad. Armstrong and Ehrsam did not respond to CNBC’s request, through Coinbase, for comment about the meetings. Coinbase is the largest digital asset exchange in the U.S. and has been battling the Securities and Exchange Commission in court for over a year. The company was the crypto kingmaker in the 2024 cycle, giving more than $75 million to a super PAC called Fairshake. It was one of the top spending committees of any industry this cycle and exclusively gave to pro-crypto candidates running for Congress. Fairshake’s candidates won virtually every race that it funded in the general election. “Being anti-crypto is simply bad politics,” Coinbase’s Armstrong wrote on X following Moreno’s victory. As the price of bitcoin has multiplied by about sixfold in the past four years, SEC Chairman Gary Gensler has taken major crypto players like Coinbase and Ripple to court for allegedly selling unregistered securities and has avoided working with companies to develop new specialized regulations. Meanwhile, Sen. Brown sided with the expressly anti-crypto Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., in targeting crypto for allegedly funding terrorist organizations, including Hamas. Brown became more vocal in calling for crackdowns of the industry after the failure of crypto exchange FTX in late 2022. As FTX was spiraling into bankruptcy, Brown on Nov. 10 retweeted a post from the Senate Banking Committee calling the event “a loud warning bell that cryptocurrencies can fail” and can “have a ripple effect on consumers and other parts of our financial system.” The bipartisan Fairshake won all but three races in the general election, spending big on Republicans and Democrats gunning for key seats. Protect Progress, a PAC affiliated with Fairshake, gave more than $10 million apiece to Democratic candidates for the Senate in Arizona and Michigan. Both won. Defend American Jobs, another one of Fairshake’s affiliated PACs, spent more than $3 million to support Republican Jim Justice in West Virginia, who will take the former seat of Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin when the new session gets underway in 2025. In California, Democratic Rep. Katie Porter lost a Senate primary after Fairshake spent more than $10 million on ads against her. “I was, like, ‘What the heck is Fairshake?’” Porter told The New Yorker . How tech bros made their pick Those vetting Moreno wanted to understand what he would do differently than the current administration and regulatory regime, the senator-elect told CNBC in an interview. “These are people who know how to vet investments, know how to vet people and they took that same discipline” with me, Moreno said. It helped that he’d built a blockchain startup, a company called Champ Titles that digitizes automobile ticketing and registration. “What they didn’t want was to put time, effort and energy behind somebody who, at the end, would be a disappointment,” Moreno said. A spokesperson for Andreessen and Horowitz, who are co-founders of a venture firm bearing their names, declined to comment. Sacks, founder of Craft Ventures, didn’t respond to CNBC’s request for an interview. Coinbase’s Shirzad met Moreno over breakfast in Washington in the spring. Moreno wasn’t an expert on the details of the policy issues he’d be pursuing but had a clear understanding of crypto technology and how it could be applied, Shirzad told CNBC in an interview. “It was a really great meeting of minds between me as a policy guy and him as kind of a business guy that saw the potential of the technology,” Shirzad said. Moreno was out of cash after spending all he had on a tough and expensive primary, said David McIntosh, an early backer of Moreno’s Senate bid and president of the Club for Growth, a conservative organization that focuses on American economic issues. Fairshake played a crucial role for Moreno’s campaign starting in the summer, McIntosh said. Moreno’s victory over Brown “sent a really strong signal to Washington that the voters are going to support candidates who are pro-blockchain,” McIntosh said. McIntosh noted that the Club for Growth spent $6.5 million to help Moreno with advertising in the primary through its different super PACs, including the Bitcoin Freedom Fund. Brown’s office didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment. Brown told Politico he hasn’t ruled out running for Vice President-elect JD Vance’s open Senate seat in Ohio, which will be filled by special election in 2026. Moreno benefited from branding himself as the “change” candidate while Brown “became a defender of the status quo,” Shirzad said. “Crypto thematically is a change issue,” Shirzad said. “It appeals to not only a younger demographic, but it also appeals to voters who want to change.” Fairshake declined to comment on whether it would spend to block another Brown Senate run, but the super PAC has already raised $78 million for the 2026 midterms. “We stuck to our core strategy from Day 1, supported pro-crypto candidates and opposed those who played politics with jobs and innovation, and won,” Fairshake told CNBC in a statement. ‘Most pro-crypto Congress ever’ The past two election cycles featured spending from the now-bankrupt crypto exchange FTX and its founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison in March for stealing more than $8 billion worth of customer money through FTX. This year’s contributor list was more robust but saw large sums of funding come from companies that have been at odds with SEC Chair Gensler for years. That includes Coinbase and blockchain giant Ripple Labs. Prominent venture fund Andreessen Horowitz, which has a large portfolio of crypto companies, was one of the other primary contributors. A lot of crypto’s big names also gave significantly in 2024. FEC filings show Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss were among the largest individual crypto donors this election cycle, giving a combined $10.1 million. Top executives from Ripple contributed millions, led by billionaire founder Chris Larsen, who gave around $12 million this cycle. Coinbase CEO Armstrong gave over $1.3 million to a mix of PACs including Fairshake and JD Vance for Senate Inc. He also gave directly to Democrats and Republicans running for House and Senate seats. Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal attended at least two Trump fundraisers, including one in Nashville , Tennessee, on the sidelines of the biggest bitcoin event of the year. Kraken Chairman Jesse Powell donated over $1 million to the Trump campaign. Other individual crypto contributors include ex-Bitfinex strategy chief Phil Potter (over $1.6 million), Multicoin Capital’s Kyle Samani ($878,600), Paradigm co-founder Fred Ehrsam ($735,400), Union Square Ventures partner Fred Wilson ($1,4 million), Paxos CEO Charles Cascarilla ($198,500), BitGo CEO Mike Belshe ($119,825), Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko ($67,100), and Xapo Bank founder Wences Casares ($374,899). This week, Armstrong reportedly met with the president-elect to discuss appointments. Within a day, conversations swirled about the potential for the White House’s first crypto czar . By the end of the week, SEC Chair and longtime crypto foe Gensler, whose term doesn’t expire until June 2026, announced he was retiring on inauguration day. One of Trump’s promises to his crypto fans on the campaign was that he would fire the SEC head and choose crypto-friendly regulators if elected. Gensler may have taken a look at the pressure that faces him across Washington and decided it just wasn’t worth trying to stick it out. “Welcome to America’s most pro-crypto Congress ever,” Armstrong wrote on X on Nov. 5.
Auto industry's shift toward EVs is expected to go on despite Trump threat to kill tax creditsC ricketer (England, 18 years old) By Steve James A couple of years ago Martin Speight, once a fine cricketer himself but now probably better known as Harry Brook’s coach and mentor, mentioned to me a young left-arm bowler at his school, Sedbergh (he is now at Repton). “She is unbelievably good,” he said. And “two-metre Mahika” as they call her, certainly is good. She is rare in the women’s game too, a tall left-arm swing bowler (she is 6ft 4in), who, as England men’s bowling coach James Anderson says, has “a really nice action and swings the ball back in from that height, which makes it very difficult to play”. Injury and school A-levels scuppered her 2024 season but, now with an England central contract,Former teammate David Bakhtiari roasts Aaron Rodgers with hilarious joke after shocking negative record
World News | Belarus' Strongman Leader Pardons 20 More Prisoners, but Rights Groups Say Repression ContinuesNormalcy returned to Kashmir on Sunday as flight operations resumed and several roads were cleared for traffic, following the season's heaviest snowfall that had disrupted daily life. Meanwhile, cold conditions persisted in Punjab and Haryana, with maximum temperatures remaining below normal. In Himachal Pradesh, the higher reaches experienced snowfall, with Kalpa and Kufri recording the highest precipitation. Narakanda, Keylong, and other high-altitude areas in the state also received fresh snow early Sunday. In Rajasthan, some places in the state's eastern parts received light rain while dense to very dense fog was recorded at many places. Some places also witnessed cold-day conditions. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for The Jammu and Kashmir government deployed men and machinery to restore services following Saturday's heavy snowfall that disrupted connectivity. The snowfall, being dubbed as among the heaviest in recent memory, began on Friday evening and continued into Saturday. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah commended the efforts of various departments involved in the restoration process. In a post on X, he praised the power department for effectively managing outages. He also lauded the roads and buildings department for its effective snow clearance operations. 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View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program By Sunday morning, air traffic at the Srinagar International Airport had resumed, with Airports Authority of India officials confirming that operations were back to normal following safety checks and runway clearance. The Srinagar-Jammu national highway, crucial for connecting the valley with the rest of the country, was also reopened for vehicular traffic after a day's closure. However, commuters were advised to exercise caution, particularly between Banihal and Qazigund, where roads remained slippery. Several key interdistrict routes, including Mughal Road and Sinthan Pass, continue to be closed due to heavy snow accumulation. Saturday's snowfall had significantly impacted air, rail and road traffic. In neighbouring Punjab, and Haryana, a thick blanket of fog reduced visibility early in the morning at several places, according to the Met office. In Haryana, severe cold prevailed during the day at most places. The maximum temperature in Ambala was recorded at 15.8 degrees Celsius, Hisar 13.6 degrees, Karnal 13 degrees, Rohtak 12.2 degrees, Sirsa 13.4 degrees and Gurugram 13.2 degrees. In Punjab, Amritsar registered a day temperature of 16.7 degrees Celsius and Ludhiana 16 degrees. Delhi, on the other hand, recorded a maximum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal, the India Meteorological Department said. The minimum temperature was at 13 degrees Celsius, six notches above normal. In Rajasthan, Kota recorded light rain in the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am while the weather remained dry in the state's western parts. The highest maximum temperature in the state was recorded in Barmer at 24.5 degrees Celsius. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )Punjab Bandh LIVE updates: Farmers have announced a Punjab Bandh on Monday, 30 December, 2024 leading to the expected closure of all shops across the state and disruptions in road and rail services. However, emergency services will continue to operate. There will also be no supply of milk, fruits, and vegetables until the protest ends on Monday evening as several trade organisations lent their support to the bandh. “Farmer union leaders will enforce a chakka jam on roads and rail lines from 7 am to 4 pm. Government and private institutions are requested to stay closed. Only emergency vehicles, such as ambulances, marriage vehicles, or anyone in a dire emergency, will be allowed to pass," reports quoted a senior farm leader as saying. The decision to give a call for a 'Punjab bandh' was taken last week by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. Sarwan Singh Pandher — who happens to be the coordinator of both forums — said traders, transporters, employees unions, toll plaza workers, labour, ex-servicemen, Sarpanches and teachers' unions, social and other bodies, and some other sections have lent their support to the bandh. Farmers under the banner of SKM (Non-Political) and KMM have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces. Catch LIVE updates with Mint Punjab Bandh LIVE updates: No supply of fruit, milk, vegetables Punjab Bandh LIVE updates: Protesting farmers in Punjab have called for a ‘complete shutdown’ on December 30 — with road and rail blockades from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. There will also be no supply of milk, fruits, and vegetables until the protest ends on Monday evening as several trade organisations lent their support to the bandh.
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter has died at 100What Jaylin Noel said about his last game at Iowa State
Eight bowl games will be held on Saturday, Dec. 28. As is always the case with bowl games, there are a large number of opt-outs, but unlike in past years, a fair number of players are sticking it out and playing in these games. Players like Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter, Cam Ward, and more are set to play. Below are my five best bets for this slate of eight games, including UConn, Colorado, Army, Miami, and Boston College. All odds are courtesy of the best PA sportsbooks . Best bets, odds, and predictions for CFB Bowl Games Today UConn +2.5 (-104) - FanDuel Colorado -4 (-105) - bet365 Miami (FL) -3.5 (-110) - BetMGM Boston College +4 (-110) - Caesars Army -17 (-107) - DraftKings You can find all of our exclusive welcome bonuses on our Pennsylvania betting page. UConn +2.5 (-104) Where: FanDuel Sportsbook Why: The North Carolina Tar Heels will take on the UConn Huskies in the Fenway Bowl. Both teams have several players out for various reasons, but the Tar Heels will be without 14 due to injury or the transfer portal. Others headed to the NFL Draft, including Kaimon Rucker, Jahvaree Ritzie, and star running back Omarion Hampton, will also be absent. The Huskies went 8-4 this season and 7-4-1 against the spread, while the Tar Heels were 6-6 and 2-9-1 against the spread. The Tar Heels will look plenty different next season with Bill Belichick arriving on campus, but in this game, it appears they’ll still have Jacolby Criswell as their starting quarterback. He’s completed just 57.5% of his passes this season for 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. However, he does have 13 turnover-worthy plays, indicating he’s had some luck on his side. When pressured this season, Criswell completes just 31.8% of his passes for 514 yards (4.8 yards per attempt), one touchdown, and three picks. I think there’s too much working against the Tar Heels here. The Huskies will cover. Colorado -4 (-105) Where: bet365 Sportsbook Why: Despite Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter heading to the NFL, they will suit up and play in the Alamo Bowl against BYU. This is important as it appears all of the BYU starters, including quarterback Jake Retzlaff will play. So far this season, he’s completed 57.6% of his passes for 2,793 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 10 picks, and he’s run for 476 yards and six touchdowns. BYU went 10-2 this season, losing two of their last three games to Arizona State and Kansas. Both teams allow less than 200 passing yards per game and are also both within the top 25 in points allowed per game. That said, the Buffaloes are 12th in points scored per game at 34.8. I am hesitant about how much Sanders and Hunter will play. Will they play the full game? Only a half? Injury is a concern here, but it appears they’re committed to ending their Colorado career with a win for head coach and Shedeur’s father, Deion Sanders. I don’t think any BYU corner will be able to hang with Hunter. I also think the Colorado pass rush could get to Retzlaff enough to put him in a spot to turn the ball over. When faced with pressure this season, Retzlaff has completed just 39.5% of his passes, averages 4.9 yards per attempt, and has one touchdown and four picks. Miami (FL) -3.5 (-110) Where: BetMGM Sportsbook Why: After ending the season with two losses and missing the College Football Playoff, Miami quarterback Cam Ward will suit up and play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against a feisty Iowa State defense. This will be an excellent opportunity for him to build on his draft stock and, hopefully, surpass Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, it’s not going to be necessarily all that easy. The Cyclones allow 23.1 points (39th) and just 165.1 passing yards (fifth) per game. That said, they also faced a player like Ward this season. They went 10-3, losing to Arizona State, Kansas, and Texas Tech. This season, Ward threw for 4,123 yards (second) and 36 touchdowns (first). He also completed 67.4% of his passes. The Hurricanes defense has been fairly poor this season, but I’m not a huge fan of Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht. Thus far, he’s completing just 58.7% of his passes for 3,240 yards, 7.6 yards per attempt, 22 touchdowns, and nine picks. He also has 19 turnover-worthy plays. He’s completed less than his average completion percentage in four games this season, including an outing against Kansas State, where he completed just 13 of 36 passes. Iowa State will certainly be a challenge, but I expect Ward to take advantage of the mismatch between slot receiver Xavier Restrepo and Cyclones slot corner Jeremiah Cooper. Miami will win this game and cover. Boston College +4 (-110) Where: Caesars Sportsbook Boston College and Nebraska are set to face off at Yankee Stadium in the Pinstripes Bowl. The weather isn’t looking all too great. There’s a 40% chance of rain. Boston College will be without quarterback Thomas Castellanos, but that’s been the case since Boston College lost to Louisville at home on Oct. 25. Since then, Grayson James has been the starter. In four starts this season, James has thrown at least one touchdown pass in each of them. In his most recent outing against Pitt, he played incredibly well, completing 71.4% of his passes for 253 yards, nine yards per attempt, two touchdown passes, and zero interceptions. Nebraska does have quarterback Dylan Raiola, but there’s not a lot else around him. Players like Jimari Butler, Mikai Gbayor, Nate Boerkircher, and Isaiah Neyor won’t be playing. All of these players were starters for the team. There are nearly 20 players out due to the transfer portal. James has played well enough to hang with Raiola here. They’ll keep this one close enough in what could be poor weather to cover. Army -17 (-107) Where: DraftKings Sportsbook Army will take on Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl. Louisiana Tech is a 5-7 team, but they’re in the game after Marshall was forced to opt out due to too many players entering the transfer portal. Army will be without running back Kanye Udoh, who rushed 179 times for 1,111 yards, 6.2 yards per carry, and 10 rushing touchdowns. Still, the team has Bryson Daily. He had 29 rushing touchdowns this season and 1,528 rushing yards. Louisiana Tech allows 125.6 rushing yards per game. The Army defense is in the top 30 passing yards allowed (193.7) and in the top 15 rushing yards (112.8) per game. The quarterback for Louisiana Tech appears to be Evan Bullock. He has just two interceptions across 274 attempts but also has 11 turnover-worthy plays. His Achilles heel is fumbles. He has nine fumbles this season. I expect Army to control the time of possession and beat Lousiana Tech by three or more touchdowns. This will be a route.'Classroom in the Cloud': How technology is transforming education in Tamil Nadu
It's no secret that inflation has caused prices of goods and services to rise in the last few years. The need to spend more just to maintain your current standard of living is a constant worry for many families. There is an attractive solution to this problem: buying dividend stocks that can supply you with a stream of additional passive income to supplement your earned income. The ideal dividend stock should be a business with a strong competitive edge that possesses a long track record of increasing dividends. It should also generate huge amounts of free cash flow that can sustain its dividend payments. Such dividend stock candidates should sit well within your portfolio to supply you with the dividends you need to not only beat inflation but also provide you with some extra spending money for the nicer things in life. Here are three attractive dividend stocks that you can consider adding to your income portfolio. 1. Medtronic Medtronic ( MDT -0.20% ) makes medical devices for a wide range of specialities such as cardiovascular, diabetes, respiratory, spinal, and neurological. The company has a stellar track record of increasing its dividend over 47 consecutive years, with its latest being a quarterly dividend of $0.70 per share. Net sales went from $31.7 billion in fiscal 2022 (ended April 30) to $32.4 billion in 2024. Net income, however, fell from $5 billion to $3.7 billion over the same period because of higher costs of goods sold and interest expenses. Despite the lower profit, Medtronic continued to generate consistent free cash flow, which averaged around $5.3 billion per fiscal year. With a payment of $3.67 billion in dividends for fiscal 2024, the dividend amounted to 70% of Medtronic's free cash flow and is, therefore, sustainable. The company reported earnings for the first half of fiscal 2025 as inflation starts to abate. Revenue rose 4% year over year to $16.3 billion, while operating income climbed 10.2% to $2.9 billion. With Medtronic enjoying a lower tax expense for the period, net income surged by 36% to $2.3 billion. Free cash flow for the business jumped 41% to $1 billion, building confidence that Medtronic can continue with its impressive track record of increasing dividends. The company continued its innovative streak, with close to 120 product approvals in the past 12 months, adding to its burgeoning portfolio of products and devices that cover a wide range of specialities and geographies. Interim CFO Gary Corona mentioned that Medtronic is focused on improving its margins and is increasing productivity through the centralization of operations and the consolidation of factories and suppliers. He also mentioned several promising new product launches that have yet to meaningfully scale up and deliver their full potential. Finally, Medtronic will focus on tuck-in acquisitions to boost areas that it lacks or need strengthening. These initiatives should help the business to continue growing and paying out higher dividends for the foreseeable future. 2. General Dynamics General Dynamics ( GD -0.24% ) is a global aerospace and defense company with a portfolio of products catered for the business aviation, ship construction and repair, and weapon systems sectors, among others. The company reported steadily increasing revenue and profits, while also generating copious levels of free cash flow. From 2021 to 2023, revenue from products and services increased from $38.5 billion to $42.3 billion. Earnings went from $3.26 billion to $3.32 billion over the same period. Free cash flow increased from $3.4 billion to $3.8 billion over the three years and averaged $3.55 billion per year, helping to fund General Dynamics' increased dividends. The company has increased its annual dividend without fail for 27 years, with the most recent increase being a 7.6% year-over-year rise to $5.68 per share. General Dynamics continued to report increased revenue and earnings for the first nine months of 2024. Revenue grew 12.3% year over year to $34.4 billion, while operating income jumped 14% to $3.4 billion. Net income for the engineering company climbed 14% to $2.6 billion. The business also generated a positive free cash flow of $1.4 billion for the period. General Dynamics continues to snag key contracts with the military. Back in November, one of the company's business units was awarded a contractor logistics support services contract that extends over seven years and provides services to the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and Coast Guard. A month later, General Dynamics was awarded a $5.6 billion contract from the U.S. Air Force to help modernize, integrate, and operate the latter's Mission Partner Environments. These promising contract wins should solidify the company's status as an essential contractor and help reinforce its reputation as a dependable business that can steadily increase its dividends over the long term. 3. Illinois Tool Works Illinois Tool Works ( ITW -0.86% ) is an industrial manufacturing company that produces products for seven verticals, including automotive, construction, and food equipment. Like General Dynamics, Illinois Tool Works has also demonstrated steady increases in both its revenue and net income over the years. Revenue increased from $14.4 billion in 2021 to $16.1 billion in 2023, while net income went from $2.7 billion to $3 billion over the same period. Free cash flow improved by a larger magnitude, going from $2.3 billion in 2021 to $3.1 billion by 2023 and averaging $2.4 billion per annum. This consistent free cash flow generation has allowed the company to increase its dividend without fail for close to three decades, going from just $0.16 in 1995 to $5.42 in 2023. Illinois Tool Works reported a mixed financial performance for the first nine months of 2024. Revenue dipped slightly by 1.3% year over year to $12 billion, but operating income managed to climb close to 6% to $3.2 billion. Net income surged 22% to $2.7 billion. The business also generated a positive free cash flow of $1.8 billion, and management upped the company's annual dividend for the 29th consecutive year to $6 per share. The company has made bold plans to continue growing and unveiled its strategic priorities during last year's Investor Day event. Illinois Tool Works has a target to grow organically by 4% to 7% from 2023 to 2030. Acquisitions should help to boost growth further, but these will be undertaken only if they are worth the time and effort and help to advance the company's long-term organic growth target. There will be two main types: bolt-on acquisitions to strengthen existing segments, and the building of new platforms. By 2030, Illinois Tool Works hopes to deliver between 11% to 13% per annum total shareholder return, comprising both organic growth and a 2% to 3% dividend yield. This can be achieved through a 9% to 10% annual earnings-per-share growth, coupled with a plan to increase the annual dividend by around 7% annually.
3 Dividend Stocks to Double Up on Right Now
Assad’s fall opens new dynamics in Middle East, regional analysts say
Argentine-born British actress Olivia Hussey, known primarily for her role as Juliet in director Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet , and as final girl Jess Bradford in the 1974 slasher Black Christmas , died Friday. She was 73. Friend and filmmaker Marc Huestis confirmed the news to the San Francisco Chronicle . A post on Hussey’s Instagram profile informed fans: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Olivia Hussey Eisley, who went peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones. Olivia was a remarkable person whose warmth, wisdom, and pure kindness touched the lives of all who knew her.” Hussey was born in Buenos Aires to opera singer Andrés Osuna and Joy Hussey, a legal secretary from England. Hussey studied drama at London’s Italia Conti Academy, and was a professional actress by the time she was 13. She was 16 when she starred opposite Leonard Whiting in Romeo and Juliet —roles that earned each a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer. Hussey later appeared in the films Death on the Nile, Virus, and the 1990 horror miniseries It , based on the Stephen King novel. Gossip Girl star Chanel Maya Banks , who made headlines last month after denying her family’s claims that she had gone missing, has filed a restraining order against her mother and cousin. The 36-year-old submitted the request in Los Angeles on Thursday, alleging her mom, Lutchmin Judy Kumar, and cousin, Danielle Singh have harassed her, TMZ reported. The actor also claimed that her mother and cousin were working to destroy her credibility. In October, Banks’ family reported her missing. She denied the claims in a post days later. Banks wrote in the restraining order filing that Kumar and Singh broke into her apartment in November while she was gone and attacked her husband. She also alleged that an Apple AirTag was put on her car to track her. After the attack, she alleged that her mother and cousin accused her husband of murder and said that Banks should be in a psychiatric hold. Sources told TMZ that they’re happy she is safe and are “moving on with their lives.” Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. Boxing Week sales are still in full swing, folks! As an avid J.Crew fan , I can honestly say that the brand’s discount-laden factory store (the brand’s online outlet) is a great way to get high-quality wardrobe staples without the big price tag. J.Crew Factory always offers discounts up to 40 percent off J.Crew, but for a limited time, you can unlock even more savings from already discounted items. Right now, J.Crew Factory is offering 70 percent off clearance items with the code SALE70 at checkout. Now’s the time to invest in evergreen staples like jeans and office-friendly blazers while they’re half off, or grab a few outwear essentials to round out your cold-weather lineup. The sale also includes tons of denim for just $50, pure cotton crewneck T-shirts for $20, and even new arrivals like NYE frocks and cashmere items. And the sale is not just for women; the gents’ and kids’ sections are equally full of additional savings. R&B singer Ne-Yo announced Friday that a popular professional boxer under his management has died at age 35. In a joint statement posted by the Grammy-winner and the boxer’s family, Ne-Yo, real name Shaffer Chimere Smith, announced “the passing of beloved son, brother, friend and boxing champion Paul Bamba, whose light and love touched countless lives.” Hailing from Puerto Rico, Bamba became one of the first boxing talents to sign to Ne-Yo’s management company in 2024. Bamba won all of his bouts in 2024 by knock out and recently claimed WBA’s secondary “gold” cruiserweight title after knocking out Rogelio Medina. “He was a fierce yet confident competitor with an unrelenting ambition to achieve greatness. But more than anything, he was a tremendous individual who inspired many with his exceptional drive and determination,” the statement added. Bamba was the No. 12 ranked contender by the WBA and seemed set on fighting in more high profile matches—challenging boxer Jake Paul to “holla at us” in one post. Paul shared his condolences on X, writing, “RIP Paul Bamba.” RIP Paul Bamba https://t.co/ovu7egrGHn A Democratic Florida state representative announced she is defecting from her party and joining the Republicans because the Democrats are too open to “extreme progressive voices.” Hillary Cassel, who is Jewish, said in a statement on X that she was “increasingly troubled by the Democratic Party’s failure to unequivocally support Israel” in its war with Hamas. “I’m constantly troubled by the inability of the current Democratic Party to relate to everyday Floridians,” she added. “I can no longer remain in a party that doesn’t represent my values. I know I won’t always agree on every detail with every Republican, but I do know that I will always have input, collaboration, and respect.” Cassel first won office in Florida’s 101st district in 2022, beating out her Republican opponent by seven points, according to Ballotpedia. She won re-election two months ago, running unopposed. Earlier this month, another Democrat in Florida’s house, Susan Valdes, announced that she would join the Republicans because she felt “ignored” by her party, according to the Tallahassee Democrat . Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. If you’re looking to revamp your at-home fitness lineup ahead of 2025 and don’t have hours to commit to exercising each day, allow us to introduce you to the CAROL Bike . The science-backed and AI-powered fitness bike is engineered to give you maximum results in the shortest time possible—and by the shortest time, we mean as little as five minutes. 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You can try the CAROL Bike for yourself risk-free for 100 days, and the brand offers free shipping (7-10 business days) in the U.S. Legendary sportscaster Greg Gumbel has died at age 78, his family confirmed in a statement Friday, according to CBS News . “He passed away peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer,” they wrote. “Greg approached his illness like one would expect he would, with stoicism, grace, and positivity.” The veteran CBS Sports journalist, who spent more than 50 years in broadcasting, approached his job with the same regard, according to his colleagues who nicknamed him “Gumby” for his grace in front of the camera and behind the scenes. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” added the post, authored by his wife Marcy and daughter Michelle. “Greg’s memory will forever be treasured by his family, dearest friends, colleagues and all who loved him.” No further details were given about his diagnosis. Gumbel is the older brother of fellow sportscaster and NBC host Bryant Gumbel, who is nicknamed “Never Stumble Gumbel.” Yet another billionaire is clambering to get into President-elect Donald Trump’s hyper-rich inner circle, the MAGA chief has claimed. Trump, who will take the hot seat on Jan. 20, 2025, has seen his popularity surge among Silicon Valley types after he was endorsed by the world’s richest man, Elon Musk . The number two, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos , soon made a beeline for the big man too, after he was spotted dining with Musk and Trump at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month. Now Bill Gates wants a slice, according to Trump. Writing on Truth Social, Trump said the former CEO of Microsoft— whom Forbes says is the 16th richest in the world— personally asked for an audience with him. In a somewhat incoherent post, he said: “Where are you? When are you coming to the ‘Center of the Universe,’ Mar-a-Lago. Bill Gates asked to come, tonight. We miss you and x! New Year’s Eve is going to be AMAZING!!! DJT.” The murder of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson is being blamed not just on the gunman–but on the industry the dead man worked for, a new poll has found. UnitedHealthcare CEO Thompson was gunned down from behind on a Manhattan street just before dawn on December 4, prompting a nationwide manhunt which ended five days later with the arrest of the suspected killer , 26-year-old Ivy League graduate Luigi Mangione . Now research by NORC at the University of Chicago published Friday shows that while 78 per cent of people said that the alleged killer, had a great deal or a moderate amount of responsibility for the death, almost as many blamed health insurance companies' denial of coverage for the death. And almost as many, 67 per cent, said profits by the insurers were to blame. A majority of people, 53 per cent, blamed “wealth or income inequality in general”–although it was Mangione who was the scion of a millionaire family , while Thompson was from rural Iowa and had been the first in his family to go to college. One in ten said that Thompson’s killer bore no responsibility at all–an issue which is likely to dog jury selection when Mangione goes on trial in Manhattan for the alleged murder. He is charged by both federal and state authorities with murder and in the federal case is eligible for the death penalty . Mangione has pleaded not guilty. Tom Cruise ’s first movie project after wrapping up the Mission: Impossible franchise next year with The Final Reckoning has been revealed. And it could land him back in the Oscar conversation. Warner Bros. announced Friday that Cruise will star in an untitled film from two-time Academy Award-winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu ( Birdman , The Revenant ), set to be released on Oct. 2, 2026. The logline reads: “The most powerful man in the world embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.” Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Sophie Wilde, and Riz Ahmed are among the other actors in the cast. The project is Iñárritu‘s first English-language film since 2015’s The Revenant , which won Leonardo DiCaprio his first Oscar for Best Actor. Cruise has been nominated for three acting Oscars over the course of his long career—for Born on the Fourth of July , Jerry Maguire , and Magnolia —but has never received a trophy at the ceremony. Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. 2025 is quickly approaching, and there’s no better way to celebrate the new year than with 2024’s cocktail du jour—the espresso martini. It’s the perfect way to toast 2025 with sophistication, flavor, and an energy boost. Think you can’t make the buzzy beverage at home because you’re not a bartender? Think again. You can create this beloved cocktail effortlessly with just a cocktail shaker, fresh espresso, vodka, coffee beans, and Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur . It all starts in the land Down Under—Australia. Mr Black sources its ingredients, including 100 percent specialty-grade Arabica coffee, from local farmers and cooperatives. The liqueur is then slowly brewed with purified cold water to preserve its delicate, complex flavors. The result? A bittersweet masterpiece with bold flavor, balanced sweetness, and a lasting coffee kick. Its rich, coffee-forward taste is a crowd-pleaser, and the sleek bottle design adds a touch of elegance to any bar cart. Making an espresso martini is simple. Combine Mr Black , vodka, and freshly brewed espresso in a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously until cold. Then, strain the mixture into a martini glass and finish with three coffee beans as a garnish. Skip the champagne toast this year and ensure you stay awake for the countdown to 2025 with a Mr Black espresso martini. Entire stalls were engulfed by flames at the Bryant Park holiday market in Manhattan on Friday morning, videos show. A cause for the blaze is yet to be determined, but a spokesperson for FDNY told Gothamist it’s under investigation. The fire broke out around 9:30 a.m. and nobody was injured, the spokesperson said, adding that the fire was between “six feet wide by 40 feet long” at its peak. Clips of the flames quickly went viral on social media and the market has been closed indefinitely. New York City Emergency Management advised people to avoid the area and warned there will be traffic delays while a probe is completed. It’s the second time this season a holiday market has gone up in flames in the city, coming a week-and-a-half after a fire ignited a swath of Herald Square’s festive shopping corridor. Eighteen shops—and their merchandise, ranging from shirts to glass ornaments—were reportedly razed by that blaze. Bryant Park Christmas Village is on fire 🔥 #whatisnewyork pic.twitter.com/031iZ2D6He Kevin O’Leary , of Shark Tank fame, says half of Canada is “interested” in merging with the U.S.—a longshot arrangement that topped Donald Trump ’s wishlist this Christmas. “Canadians over the holidays—the last two days—have been talking about this,” O’Leary told Fox Business. “They want to hear more.” The 70-year-old Montreal native said he’s headed to Mar-a-Lago to start a conversation that, at the least, may lead to his homeland and the U.S. striking a partnership agreement akin to the European Union. “So secure [the northern territories], give a common currency, figure out taxes across the board, get everything trading both ways, create a new, almost EU-like passport—I like this idea and at least half of Canadians are interested,” he said. O’Leary acknowledged there’d be “a lot of issues” with a merger, but suggested now’s the time to get a deal done with Trump returning to office as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s power is waning. O’Leary may not be the best barometer for what the average Canadian thinks, however. The businessman, worth an estimated $400 million , has ditched the great white north for sunny Miami Beach . He was also soundly rejected by voters when he ran for the leadership of the Canadian Conservative Party in 2017 and won just one percent of the vote.Jimmy Carter, former president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, dies at age 100
Normalcy returns in Kashmir after snow-led disruptions; Haryana, Rajasthan continue to shiver
