cloud 9 esports jersey It is an ambitious social experiment of our moment in history — one that experts say could accomplish something that parents, schools and other governments have attempted with varying degrees of success: keeping kids . Australia's new law, approved by its Parliament last week, is an attempt to swim against many tides of modern life — formidable forces like technology, marketing, globalization and, of course, the iron will of a teenager. And like efforts of the past to protect kids from things that parents believe they're not ready for, the nation's move is both ambitious and not exactly simple, particularly in a world where young people are often shaped, defined and judged by the online company they keep. The ban won't go into effect for another year. But how will Australia be able to enforce it? That's not clear, nor will it be easy. TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram have become so ingrained in young people's lives that going cold turkey will be difficult. Other questions loom. Does the ban limit kids' free expression and — especially for those in vulnerable groups — isolate them and curtail their opportunity to connect with members of their community? And how will social sites verify people's ages, anyway? Can't kids just get around such technicalities, as they so often do? This is, after all, the 21st century — an era when social media is the primary communications tool for most of those born in the past 25 years who, in a fragmented world, seek the common cultures of trends, music and memes. What happens when big swaths of that fall away? Is Australia's initiative a good, long-time-coming development that will protect the vulnerable, or could it become a well-meaning experiment with unintended consequences? The law will make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts. “It’s clear that social media companies have to be held accountable, which is what Australia is trying to do,” said Jim Steyer, president and CEO of the nonprofit Common Sense Media. Leaders and parents in countries around the world are watching Australia’s policy closely as many seek to protect young kids from the internet's dangerous corners — and, not incidentally, from each other. Most nations have taken different routes, from parental consent requirements to minimum age limits. Many child safety experts, parents and even teens who have waited to get on social media consider Australia's move a positive step. They say there’s ample reason to ensure that children wait. “What’s most important for kids, just like adults, is real human connection. Less time alone on the screen means more time to connect, not less," said Julie Scelfo, the founder of Mothers Against Media Addiction, or MAMA, a grassroots group of parents aimed at combatting the harms of social media to children. “I’m confident we can support our kids in interacting in any number of ways aside from sharing the latest meme.” The harms to children from social media have been well documented in the two decades since Facebook’s launch ushered in a new era in how the world communicates. Kids who spend more time on social media, especially as tweens or young teenagers, are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, according to — though it is not yet clear if there is a causal relationship. What's more, many are exposed to content that is not appropriate for their age, including pornography and violence, as well as . They also face bullying, sexual harassment and unwanted advances from their peers as well as adult strangers. Because their brains are not fully developed, teenagers, especially younger ones the law is focused on, are also more affected by social comparisons than adults, so even happy posts from friends can send them into a negative spiral. Many major initiatives, particularly those aimed at social engineering, can produce side effects — often unintended. Could that happen here? What, if anything, do kids stand to lose by separating kids and the networks in which they participate? Paul Taske, associate director of litigation at the tech lobbying group NetChoice, says he considers the ban “one of the most extreme violations of free speech on the world stage today" even as he expressed relief that the First Amendment prevents such law in the United States "These restrictions would create a massive cultural shift,” Taske said. “Not only is the Australian government preventing young people from engaging with issues they’re passionate about, but they’re also doing so even if their parents are ok with them using digital services," he said. "Parents know their children and their needs the best, and they should be making these decisions for their families — not big government. That kind of forcible control over families inevitably will have downstream cultural impacts.” David Inserra, a fellow for Free Expression and Technology, Cato Institute, called the bill “about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike” in a . While Australia's law doesn't require “hard verification” such as an uploaded ID, he said, it calls for effective “age assurance.” He said no verification system can ensure accuracy while also protecting privacy and not impacting adults in the process. Privacy advocates have also raised concerns about the law's effect on online anonymity, a cornerstone of online communications — and something that can protect teens on social platforms. “Whether it be religious minorities and dissidents, LGBTQ youth, those in abusive situations, whistleblowers, or countless other speakers in tricky situations, anonymous speech is a critical tool to safely challenge authority and express controversial opinions,” Inserra said. A spot check of kids at one mall in the Australian city of Brisbane on Wednesday didn't turn up a great deal of worry, though. “Social media is still important because you get to talk to people, but I think it’s still good that they’re like limiting it,” said Swan Son, a 13-year-old student at Brisbane State High School. She said she has had limited exposure to social media and wouldn’t really miss it for a couple of years. Her parents already enforce a daily one-hour limit. And as for her friends? “I see them at school every day, so I think I’ll be fine.” Conor Negric, 16, said he felt he’d dodged a bullet because of his age. Still, he considers the law reasonable. “I think 16 is fine. Some kids, I know some kids like 10 who’re on Instagram, Snapchat. I only got Instagram when I was 14." His mom, Sive Negric, who has two teenage sons, said she was happy for her boys to avoid exposure to social media too early: “That aspect of the internet, it’s a bit `meanland.'" Parents in earlier this year organized on platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram to promise not to buy smartphones for children younger than 12 or 13. This approach costs almost no money and requires no government enforcement. In the United States, some parents are either informally or as part of an organized campaign such as Wait Until 8th, a group that helps parents delay kids' access to social media and phones. This fall, Norway announced plans to ban kids under 15 from using social media, while a smartphone ban for kids under 15 in a limited number of schools — a policy that could be rolled out nationwide if successful. U.S. lawmakers have held multiple congressional hearings — — on child online safety. Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding. In July, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation , pushing forward with what would be the first major effort by Congress in decades to hold tech companies more accountable. But the has since stalled in the House. While several states have passed laws requiring age verification, those are stuck in court. Utah became to pass laws regulating children’s social media use in 2023. In September, a against the law, which would have required social media companies to verify the ages of users, apply privacy settings and limit some features. NetChoice has also obtained injunctions temporarily halting similar laws in several other states. And last May, said there is insufficient evidence to show social media is safe for kids. He urged policymakers to treat social media like car seats, baby formula, medication and other products children use. “Why should social media products be any different? Scelfo said. “Parents cannot possibly bear the entire responsibility of keeping children safe online, because the problems are baked into the design of the products.”Yelp chief product officer Craig Saldanha sells $38,050 in stockOKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their 11th straight game, beating the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies 130-106 on Sunday night in a matchup of Western Conference leaders that turned lopsided before halftime. Rookie Ajay Mitchell scored 17 points, Aaron Wiggins contributed 16 and Jalen Williams added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder (26-5), who opened a five-game lead over second-place Memphis. Gilgeous-Alexander made 14 of 19 shots to go along with seven assists, six rebounds and a team-high four blocks. He sat most of the fourth quarter. Oklahoma City blocked nine shots, including three by center Isaiah Hartenstein. The Thunder led 76-50 at halftime behind 23 points from Gilgeous-Alexander and 12 each from Mitchell and Kenrich Williams, who combined to go 5 for 7 on 3-point shots. Oklahoma City outscored the Grizzlies 42-19 in the second quarter to take control. Desmond Bane had 22 points and nine rebounds for Memphis (22-11), which played without star Ja Morant (shoulder) and Zach Edey, the team’s No. 9 overall draft pick, who was in concussion protocol. Jay Huff added 17 points but Jaren Jackson Jr., the team's leading scorer at 21.9 points per game, managed 13 points on 3-of-17 shooting. Grizzlies: Memphis jumped out to a 9-0 lead but struggled to score after that, making 37 of 97 shots from the field (38.1%) and 14 of 51 from 3-point range (27.5%). Thunder: Oklahoma City lost the rebound battle 51-46, but outscored the Grizzlies 56-36 in the paint. Memphis pulled within 42-36 on a jumper by Jackson, but Oklahoma City went on a 32-9 run to extend the lead to 74-45 and put the game out of reach before halftime. Oklahoma City converted 21 Memphis turnovers into 33 points. Grizzlies: Visit Phoenix on Tuesday night. Thunder: Host Minnesota on Tuesday night. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Justin Neely's 16 points off the bench led Albany (NY) to a 77-70 victory against Stony Brook on Sunday. Neely also contributed nine rebounds for the Great Danes (8-7). Amar'e Marshall scored 15 points, going 6 of 9 (3 for 6 from 3-point range). Kacper Klaczek had 10 points and shot 4 for 8 (0 for 3 from 3-point range) and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line. Ben Wight led the way for the Seawolves (4-9) with 19 points and seven rebounds. Joseph Octave added 13 points and five steals for Stony Brook. Jared Frey finished with 13 points. Albany (NY) took the lead with 19:30 left in the first half and did not give it up. Marshall led their team in scoring with 10 points in the first half to help put them ahead 36-31 at the break. Albany (NY) used an 8-0 run in the second half to build a 19-point lead at 55-36 with 14:01 left in the half before finishing off the win. Albany (NY) plays Saturday against UMass-Lowell at home, and Stony Brook visits Monmouth on Thursday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Former US president Jimmy Carter dies aged 1002 excellent ASX dividend stocks to buy in January

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The Reds ultimately left St James’ Park with only a point after Fabian Schar snatched a 3-3 draw at the end of a pulsating encounter, but Salah’s double – his 14th and 15th goals of the season – transformed a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead before the Switzerland defender’s late intervention. The 32-year-old Egypt international’s future at Anfield remains a topic of debate with his current contract running down. Asked about Salah’s future, Slot said: “It’s difficult for me to predict the long-term future, but the only thing I can expect or predict is that he is in a very good place at the moment. “He plays in a very good team that provides him with good opportunities and then he is able to do special things. “And what makes him for me even more special is that in the first hour or before we scored to make it 1-1, you thought, ‘He’s not playing his best game today’, and to then come up with a half-hour or 45 minutes – I don’t know how long it was – afterwards with an assist, two goals, having a shot on the bar, being a constant threat, that is something not many players can do if they’ve played the first hour like he did. “That is also what makes him special. If you just look at the goals, his finish is so clinical. He’s a special player, but that’s what we all know.” Salah did indeed endure a quiet opening 45 minutes by his standards and it was the Magpies who went in at the break a goal to the good after Alexander Isak’s stunning 35th-minute finish. Slot said: “The shot from Isak, I don’t even know if Caoimh (keeper Caoimhin Kelleher) saw that ball, as hard as it was.” Salah set up Curtis Jones to level five minutes into the second half and after Anthony Gordon has restored the hosts’ lead, levelled himself from substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold’s 68th-minute cross. He looked to have won it with a fine turn and finish – his ninth goal in seven league games – seven minutes from time, only for Schar to pounce from a tight angle in the 90th minute. Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was delighted with the way his team took the game to the Reds four days after their disappointing 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace. Howe, who admitted his surprise that VAR official Stuart Attwell had not taken a dimmer view of a Virgil van Dijk shoulder barge on Gordon, said: “It’s mixed emotions. “Part of me feels we should have won it – a big part of me – but part of me is pleased we didn’t lose either because it was such a late goal for us. “Generally, I’m just pleased with the performance. There was much more attacking output, a much better feel about the team. “There was much better energy, and it was a really good performance against, for me, the best team we’ve played so far this season in the Premier League, so it was a big jump forward for us.”

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas’ top two executives were granted full control of casino operations amid an intensifying labor dispute with striking workers, and, with contract negotiations at an apparent impasse, union members took advantage of Wednesday’s public meeting to urge Nevada gaming regulators to scrutinize ownership’s ability to meet employee demands. The Nevada Gaming Control Board gave the greenlight Wednesday morning to a newly formed entity — C&C 4455 — to take over the day-to-day casino operations of the off-Strip casino property. C&C 4455 is comprised of Cliff Atkinson and Chad Konrad, the property’s president and chief financial officer, respectively. Atkinson will assume the role of chief executive officer while Konrad will continue as CFO, a position he has held at the property since it was known as the Hard Rock Hotel. The Nevada Gaming Commission must approve the changes before they become final. The two veteran gaming executives told the NGCB that with Mohegan Gaming’s departure as the casino operator, friction points separating Virgin’s hotel, gaming and resort operations would be removed, thereby creating a more streamlined guest experience. The goal, they said, is stability. “Since reopening (as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in 2021), the property has struggled. I think that’s pretty public and well known,” Atkinson said Wednesday morning in Las Vegas. “The deal with Mohegan simply did not work....The reason we are here (seeking approval of C&C 4455) is to successfully turn the gaming operations around.” Atkinson outlined a long-term plan for Virgin’s success that includes an appeal to locals, the activation of “dead spaces” on the property by bringing in new entertainment and amenities for guests, and the creation of a new customer loyalty program. He said there was an opportunity to return value to the Las Vegas casino market. “We both have a similar belief in the property, in the casino specifically and in our ability to really drive this casino from a performance standpoint forward and to keep this thing running, keep the doors open on this thing,” Konrad told the three-member gaming board. Culinary, Virgin unable to come to terms Prior to testimony from Atkinson and Konrad, members of Culinary Union Local 226 implored the board to question the gaming executives about the property owner’s financial situation, which they believe is being misrepresented as a means to avoid negotiating in good faith. Culinary 226 has engaged in an open-ended strike that began on Nov. 15 , making it the longest labor demonstration in recent memory. Ted Pappageorge, the union’s treasurer and secretary, told the board that Virgin employees have been working under contract conditions that expired 18 months ago. The union is reportedly seeking a new contract comparable to those offered at other off-Strip casinos, such as Westgate, Sahara, Rio and The Strat. Despite multiple negotiations, the two sides have been unable to come to terms. “Unfortunately, we have a company that is unwilling to settle the standards that we have negotiated in Las Vegas. They are the final remaining company that has not come to the table with a fair contract,” Papageorge said. The union believes that Virgin’s ownership is more than capable of meeting contract demands. The property’s ownership group includes a multi-billion-dollar Canadian-based pension fund, a private equity firm called Juniper Capital Management and British billionaire Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group. Union member and Virgin employee Paul Catha said Nevada has a “complicated relationship” with billionaire institutions and individuals, and questioned why no one from the ownership group was present Wednesday to speak about the newly formed casino operation entity. “Why would Nevada not require the owners of Virgin Las Vegas to be included in a review of the resort’s own licensed casino operation application?” Catha asked. “We believe Nevada gaming regulators should ask broader and deeper questions about sources of funds and ultimate control at Virgin Las Vegas.” NGCB Chair Kirk Hendrick indirectly addressed those concerns during the testimony of Atkinson and Konrad, alluding to an investigative document that was “a couple of inches thick,” suggesting that regulators had conducted due diligence on both the executives and the ownership group. For now, the union’s strike will continue. “These companies have extremely deep pockets,” Papageorge said of Virgin’s ownership group. “So the idea that these Canadian economic entities would come to Las Vegas to try to destroy our standards of living that we’ve worked for decades to build is just unacceptable...and if they don’t agree to Vegas standards, (they should) go back to Canada.” The casino dismissed the union’s talking points. “The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 continues to bargain in bad faith – repeatedly refusing to engage in meaningful negotiations with us since January 2024 – and nothing has changed. Despite Virgin Hotels Las Vegas agreeing to many of the Culinary Union leadership’s demands and showing flexibility on critical sticking points, the Culinary Union has not seriously countered any of our economic proposals, nor even brought our latest offer to their members for a formal vote,” the casino said in a statement, later adding that union “leadership’s current demand is not financially sustainable for Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, and we will not agree to the same contract that led to layoffs at other properties. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas remains focused on reaching a reasonable agreement that secures a brighter future for all of our 1,710 team members and their families.”

PLAINS, Ga. — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died at his home in Plains, Georgia. His death comes more than a year after the former president entered hospice care. He was 100 years old. Here are some significant events in Jimmy Carter's life: — Oct. 1, 1924: James Earl Carter Jr. is born in Plains, Georgia, son of James Sr. and Lillian Gordy Carter. — June 1946: Carter graduates from the U.S. Naval Academy. — July 1946: Carter marries Rosalynn Smith, in Plains. They have four children, John William (“Jack”), born 1947; James Earl 3rd (“Chip”), 1950; Donnel Jeffrey (Jeff), 1952; and Amy Lynn, 1967. — 1946-1953: Carter serves in a Navy nuclear submarine program, attaining rank of lieutenant commander. — Summer 1953: Carter resigns from the Navy, returns to Plains after father’s death. — 1953-1971: Carter helps run the family peanut farm and warehouse business. — 1963-1966: Carter serves in the Georgia state Senate. — 1966: Carter tries unsuccessfully for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. — November 1970: Carter is elected governor of Georgia. Serves 1971-75. — Dec. 12, 1974: Carter announces a presidential bid. Atlanta newspaper answers with headline: “Jimmy Who?” — January 1976: Carter leads the Democratic field in Iowa, a huge campaign boost that also helps to establish Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucus. — July 1976: Carter accepts the Democratic nomination and announces Sen. Walter Mondale of Minnesota as running mate. — November 1976: Carter defeats President Gerald R. Ford, winning 51% of the vote and 297 electoral votes to Ford’s 240. — January 1977: Carter is sworn in as the 39th president of the United States. On his first full day in office, he pardons most Vietnam-era draft evaders. —September 1977: U.S. and Panama sign treaties to return the Panama Canal back to Panama in 1999. Senate narrowly ratifies them in 1978. — September 1978: Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Carter sign Camp David accords, which lead to a peace deal between Egypt and Israel the following year. — June 15-18, 1979: Carter attends a summit with Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev in Vienna that leads to the signing of the SALT II treaty. — November 1979: Iranian militants storm the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 52 hostages. All survive and are freed minutes after Carter leaves office in January 1981. — April 1980: The Mariel boatlift begins, sending tens of thousands of Cubans to the U.S. Many are criminals and psychiatric patients set free by Cuban leader Fidel Castro, creating a major foreign policy crisis. — April 1980: An attempt by the U.S. to free hostages fails when a helicopter crashes into a transport plane in Iran, killing eight servicemen. — Nov. 4, 1980: Carter is denied a second term by Ronald Reagan, who wins 51.6% of the popular vote to 41.7% for Carter and 6.7% to independent John Anderson. — 1982: Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter co-found The Carter Center in Atlanta, whose mission is to resolve conflicts, protect human rights and prevent disease around the world. — September 1984: The Carters spend a week building Habitat for Humanity houses, launching what becomes the annual Carter Work Project. — October 1986: A dedication is held for The Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta. The center includes the Carter Presidential Library and Museum and Carter Center offices. — 1989: Carter leads the Carter Center’s first election monitoring mission, declaring Panamanian Gen. Manuel Noriega’s election fraudulent. — May 1992: Carter meets with Mikhail and Raisa Gorbachev at the Carter Center to discuss forming the Gorbachev Foundation. — June 1994: Carter plays a key role in North Korea nuclear disarmament talks. — September 1994: Carter leads a delegation to Haiti, arranging terms to avoid a U.S. invasion and return President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to power. — December 1994: Carter negotiates tentative cease-fire in Bosnia. — March 1995: Carter mediates cease-fire in Sudan’s war with southern rebels. — September 1995: Carter travels to Africa to advance the peace process in more troubled areas. — December 1998: Carter receives U.N. Human Rights Prize on 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. — August 1999: President Bill Clinton awards Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter the Presidential Medal of Freedom. — September 2001: Carter joins former Presidents Ford, Bush and Clinton at a prayer service at the National Cathedral in Washington after Sept. 11 attacks. — April 2002: Carter’s book “An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood” chosen as finalist for Pulitzer Prize in biography. — May 2002: Carter visits Cuba and addresses the communist nation on television. He is the highest-ranking American to visit in decades. — Dec. 10, 2002: Carter is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” — July 2007: Carter joins The Elders, a group of international leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela to focus on global issues. — Spring 2008: Carter remains officially neutral as Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton battle each other for the Democratic presidential nomination. — April 2008: Carter stirs controversy by meeting with the Islamic militant group Hamas. — August 2010: Carter travels to North Korea as the Carter Center negotiates the release of an imprisoned American teacher. — August 2013: Carter joins President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton at the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech and the March on Washington. — Oct. 1, 2014: Carter celebrates his 90th birthday. — December 2014: Carter is nominated for a Grammy in the best spoken word album category, for his book “A Call To Action.” — May 2015: Carter returns early from an election observation visit in Guyana — the Carter Center’s 100th — after feeling unwell. — August 2015: Carter has a small cancerous mass removed from his liver. He plans to receive treatment at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta. — August 2015: Carter announces that his grandson Jason Carter will chair the Carter Center governing board. — March 6, 2016: Carter says an experimental drug has eliminated any sign of his cancer, and that he needs no further treatment. — May 25, 2016: Carter steps back from a “front-line” role with The Elders to become an emeritus member. — July 2016: Carter is treated for dehydration during a Habitat for Humanity build in Canada. — Spring 2018: Carter publishes “Faith: A Journey for All,” the last of 32 books. — March 22, 2019: Carter becomes the longest-lived U.S. president, surpassing President George H.W. Bush, who died in 2018. — September 18, 2019: Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter deliver their final in-person annual report at the Carter Center. — October 2019: At 95, still recovering from a fall, Carter joins the Work Project with Habitat for Humanity in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s the last time he works personally on the annual project. — Fall 2019-early 2020: Democratic presidential hopefuls visit, publicly embracing Carter as a party elder, a first for his post-presidency. — November 2020:The Carter Center monitors an audit of presidential election results in the state of Georgia, marking a new era of democracy advocacy within the U.S. — Jan. 20, 2021: The Carters miss President Joe Biden’s swearing-in, the first presidential inauguration they don’t attend since Carter’s own ceremony in 1977. The Bidens later visit the Carters in Plains on April 29. — Feb. 19, 2023: Carter enters home hospice care after a series of short hospital stays. — July 7, 2023: The Carters celebrate their 77th and final wedding anniversary. — Nov. 19, 2023: Rosalynn Carter dies at home, two days after the family announced that she had joined the former president in receiving hospice care. — Oct. 1, 2024 — Carter becomes the first former U.S. president to reach 100 years of age , celebrating at home with extended family and close friends. — Oct. 16, 2024 — Carter casts a Georgia mail ballot for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, having told his family he wanted to live long enough to vote for her. It marks his 21st presidential election as a voter. — Dec. 29, 2024: Carter dies at home.Ventas, Inc. ( NYSE:VTR – Get Free Report ) announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, December 10th, RTT News reports. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be given a dividend of 0.45 per share by the real estate investment trust on Thursday, January 16th. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.06%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 31st. Ventas has decreased its dividend payment by an average of 5.6% annually over the last three years. Ventas has a dividend payout ratio of 600.0% indicating that the company cannot currently cover its dividend with earnings alone and is relying on its balance sheet to cover its dividend payments. Equities analysts expect Ventas to earn $3.37 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $1.80 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 53.4%. Ventas Trading Down 0.8 % VTR stock opened at $58.89 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 1.04. Ventas has a 1-year low of $41.45 and a 1-year high of $67.61. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $62.82 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $59.66. The company has a market capitalization of $24.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -346.39, a PEG ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 1.36. Insider Transactions at Ventas Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on VTR shares. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Ventas from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and upped their target price for the stock from $61.00 to $71.00 in a research report on Tuesday, October 1st. StockNews.com raised shares of Ventas from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, December 21st. Wedbush reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $75.00 target price on shares of Ventas in a report on Thursday, December 19th. Mizuho decreased their target price on Ventas from $71.00 to $68.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. Finally, Evercore ISI raised their price target on Ventas from $64.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, September 16th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $65.67. Check Out Our Latest Report on VTR About Ventas ( Get Free Report ) Ventas Inc (NYSE: VTR) is a leading S&P 500 real estate investment trust focused on delivering strong, sustainable shareholder returns by enabling exceptional environments that benefit a large and growing aging population. The Company's growth is fueled by its senior housing communities, which provide valuable services to residents and enable them to thrive in supported environments. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Ventas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ventas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .TORONTO — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Donald Trump that Americans would also suffer if the president-elect follows through on a plan to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products, a Canadian minister who attended their recent dinner said Monday. Trump threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if they don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders with the United States. He said on social media last week that he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, whose responsibilities include border security, attended a dinner with Trump and Trudeau at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club on Friday. Trudeau requested the meeting in a bid to avoid the tariffs by convincing Trump that the northern border is nothing like the U.S. southern border with Mexico. “The prime minister of course spoke about the importance of protecting the Canadian economy and Canadian workers from tariffs, but we also discussed with our American friends the negative impact that those tariffs could have on their economy, on affordability in the United States as well,” LeBlanc said in Parliament. If Trump makes good on his threat to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, the price increases that could follow will collide with his campaign promise to give American families a break from inflation. Economists say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, alcohol and other goods. The Produce Distributors Association, a Washington trade group, said last week that tariffs will raise prices for fresh fruit and vegetables and hurt U.S. farmers when the countries retaliate. Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the U.S. should Trump follow through on the threat. After his dinner with Trump, Trudeau returned home without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. “The idea that we came back empty handed is completely false,” LeBlanc said. “We had a very productive discussion with Mr. Trump and his future Cabinet secretaries. ... The commitment from Mr. Trump to continue to work with us was far from empty handed.” Joining Trump and Trudeau at dinner were Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department, and Mike Waltz, Trump’s choice to be his national security adviser. Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, told The Associated Press on Sunday that “the message that our border is so vastly different than the Mexican border was really understood.” Hillman, who sat at an adjacent table to Trudeau and Trump, said Canada is not the problem when it comes to drugs and migrants. On Monday, Mexico’s president rejected those comments. “Mexico must be respected, especially by its trading partners,” President Claudia Sheinbaum said. She said Canada had its own problems with fentanyl consumption and “could only wish they had the cultural riches Mexico has.” Flows of migrants and seizures of drugs at the two countries’ border are vastly different. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Most of the fentanyl reaching the U.S. — where it causes about 70,000 overdose deaths annually — is made by Mexican drug cartels using precursor chemicals smuggled from Asia. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol reported 1.53 million encounters with migrants at the southwest border with Mexico between October 2023 and September 2024. That compares to 23,721 encounters at the Canadian border during that time. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports as well. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing for national security.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It’s been more than 12 months since Cole Strange started an NFL game. If the drought ends Saturday, Strange should find himself at a new position. With starting center Ben Brown in concussion protocol, the Patriots’ 2022 first-round pick appears primed to make his return to the starting lineup this weekend against the Chargers. Strange, who started his first two NFL seasons at left guard, has been training at center ever since he completed his rehab from the torn patellar tendon he suffered late last season. Speaking with reporters Thursday, Strange sounded eager to get back to playing offense, after he returned in a limited, special-teams only capacity last weekend. “I’m fired up for the opportunity, honestly,” Strange said. “I feel like I’ve been working for this for a year now.” The 26-year-old downplayed both the transition to center and any rust he might be shaking off after so much time away. “The position I’m in, is really no different than the position that a lot of guys across the league are in, coming back from injury,” Strange said. “Maybe they’ve had a week or so of practice, I’ve had multiple weeks.” He continued: “I feel very prepared. We still got a couple more days, but I feel good, I feel good physically, the knees feel healthy.” If Strange starts at center, he will be responsible for calling the protections. He explained the offense operates around basic rules that govern most of his decision-making in that area, something he never had to do in his 27 career starts at left guard. “I feel like it’s kind of simple, but not easy, once you learn it,” he said. “At first it feels complicated, because there’s a lot of stuff. But once you kind of figure out the basic rules, it feels simple.” The other candidate to start at center is Lecitus Smith, a third-year backup the Patriots signed off Green Bay’s practice squad in mid-October. Smith has appeared in six games for the Patriots this season, most recently serving as a sixth offensive lineman and/or fullback in jumbo sets. Head coach Jerod Mayo said the team was considering both Strange and Smith if Brown is forced to miss Saturday’s game. Brown was officially listed as questionable on the team’s injury report. Mayo is also on the record earlier this month saying the team wants a longer look at certain young players down the stretch of the regular season, a group that includes Strange.A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says