super ace 2

By ALEXANDRA OLSON and CATHY BUSSEWITZ NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world’s biggest retailer followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump’s incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches — the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President — are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI,” Glasgow said. “The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America’s top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart’s announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart’s need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer’s ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart.” Walmart’s announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.Towson football wins 3rd straight, hopes for FCS playoffs bid | ROUNDUP

South China Sea clashes between Philippines and China spark money-making disinformationGordon Brown declares opposition to assisted dying law

None

Mutual of America Capital Management LLC decreased its stake in Gentex Co. ( NASDAQ:GNTX – Free Report ) by 6.0% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 124,422 shares of the auto parts company’s stock after selling 7,942 shares during the quarter. Mutual of America Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Gentex were worth $3,694,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Phoenix Wealth Advisors boosted its stake in Gentex by 3.1% during the second quarter. Phoenix Wealth Advisors now owns 10,196 shares of the auto parts company’s stock worth $344,000 after buying an additional 306 shares during the period. Toronto Dominion Bank raised its stake in shares of Gentex by 0.9% in the first quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 42,346 shares of the auto parts company’s stock valued at $1,530,000 after acquiring an additional 370 shares during the period. United Services Automobile Association lifted its holdings in shares of Gentex by 2.5% in the 2nd quarter. United Services Automobile Association now owns 17,447 shares of the auto parts company’s stock worth $588,000 after acquiring an additional 427 shares during the last quarter. Harfst & Associates Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Gentex by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Harfst & Associates Inc. now owns 66,692 shares of the auto parts company’s stock worth $2,248,000 after purchasing an additional 450 shares during the period. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. grew its holdings in Gentex by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 12,434 shares of the auto parts company’s stock valued at $449,000 after purchasing an additional 475 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.76% of the company’s stock. Gentex Price Performance GNTX stock opened at $30.40 on Friday. Gentex Co. has a 1-year low of $28.30 and a 1-year high of $37.58. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $29.92 and a 200 day moving average price of $31.65. The company has a market capitalization of $6.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.26, a PEG ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 0.91. Gentex Announces Dividend Wall Street Analyst Weigh In GNTX has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. B. Riley dropped their target price on Gentex from $44.00 to $41.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on Gentex from $35.00 to $37.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 28th. UBS Group started coverage on Gentex in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $34.00 target price on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on shares of Gentex from $33.00 to $31.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 1st. Finally, Guggenheim reduced their price target on shares of Gentex from $35.00 to $34.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Gentex has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $35.13. Read Our Latest Report on GNTX Gentex Company Profile ( Free Report ) Gentex Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and supplies digital vision, connected car, dimmable glass, and fire protection products in the United States, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, and internationally. It operates through Automotive Products and Other segments. The company offers automotive products, including interior and exterior electrochromic automatic-dimming rearview mirrors, automotive electronics, and non-automatic-dimming rearview mirrors for automotive passenger cars, light trucks, pick-up trucks, sport utility vehicles, and vans for original equipment manufacturers, automotive suppliers, and various aftermarket and accessory customers. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GNTX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Gentex Co. ( NASDAQ:GNTX – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Gentex Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Gentex and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .This ASX All Ords stock just crashed 22%. Here's why

UCF will attempt to shake off a dreadful offensive performance when it collides with LSU on Sunday afternoon in the third-place game of the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. The Knights (4-1) couldn't get anything going against No. 19 Wisconsin on Friday, going 21-for-62 from the field (33.9 percent) and just 2-for-17 from 3-point range (11.8 percent) en route to an 86-70 loss. Jordan Ivy-Curry finished with 13 points while Keyshawn Hall and Dior Johnson added 11 apiece for UCF, which never led and fell behind by as many as 23. Knights coach Johnny Dawkins is hoping that his team's struggles don't carry over into the meeting with the Tigers (4-1). "We have to do better offensively," Dawkins said. "We have to space the floor better. We have to balance our offense between our perimeter and our bigs. Those are things that we didn't do consistently (on Friday)." LSU also needs to clean things up after committing 15 turnovers in a 74-63 setback against Pitt on Friday. Tigers forward Jalen Reed doesn't believe giving the ball away will be a lingering issue. "I feel like a lot of our turnovers were more on us than them," Reed said. "I feel like a lot of the turnovers were careless, but we're a better team than that and I feel like we'll take care of the ball better moving forward." Reed and Vyctorius Miller each posted 14 points in the loss to the Panthers, with Reed also hauling in seven rebounds. Cam Carter chipped in 11 points. Carter is putting up a team-leading 16.4 points per game. Jordan Sears (12.0 points per game), Reed (11.0) and Miller (10.2) also have scoring averages in double figures. Ivy-Curry (16.8 points per game), Hall (16.2) and Darius Johnson (13.0) have been leading the way for UCF. Sunday marks the first-ever meeting between the Knights and Tigers. --Field Level Media

Melodies from the soil: Profiles of African folk musiciansVideo Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now Get the latest Belfast Live breaking news on WhatsApp Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Join us on WhatsApp I'm A Celebrity accused Dean McCullough of being 'faker than a Premier League footballer' following his unexpected composure during the latest episode of the hit reality show. In Tuesday's episode (November 26), the campmates endured a harrowing journey on the Fright Bus, with each contestant bracing themselves for a particularly nasty ride. Yet, it was Dean's reaction, or lack thereof, that caught the attention of fans. Accusations flew from viewers suggesting the Radio 1 presenter might be 'faking it' on the show. This speculation has been fuelled by Dean being chosen for a Bushtucker trial five consecutive times, even saying the iconic line 'I'm a celebrity get me out of here' twice, and at one point failing to win any stars. However, in his most recent trial, he finally hit double figures and he remained calm and composed on the Fright Bus. Fans were suspicious of Dean's behaviour (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock) Read More Related Articles ITV I'm A Celebrity's Dean McCullough leaves Ant and Dec 'disappointed' as fans send trial warning Read More Related Articles ITV I'm A Celeb's Dean McCullough's 'dark' past from hidden homelessness to health battle Despite the general hysteria among the celebrities, Dean remained much calmer than he has been in previous episodes, prompting surprise and suspicion from viewers, reports OK! . One fan questioned on social media: "Dean screaming the least? Is he ok?", as another comment read: "Na the difference in Dean doing the fright bus compared to the trials is actually embarrassing! Just shows how much he's been overdramatic and playing on it for the camera time/attention!" A third viewer expressed their scepticism more bluntly, writing: "Suddenly Dean has no fear.... cementing the suspicion of his dramatics being faker than that of a premier league footballer." After witnessing the campmates' antics on the Fright Bus, fans speculated that Deans actions were a calculated move for screen time as one viewer remarked: "Oh Dean has just proved all our points he was doing it all to get the votes to do the trails to get the screen time." All the campmates were aboard (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock) The recent episode has many betting that Tulisa is set to be voted for the next Bushtucker trial, especially after Barry had to repeatedly assist her by removing critters during their latest challenge. Revelations on I'm A Celebrity Unpacked showed that Maura and Jane are up for the next trial, with the new nerve-wracking challenge appropriately titled the Fright at the end of the Tunnel. I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! continues tomorrow at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Follow BelfastLive Facebook Twitter Comment More On BBC Radio 1 I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here Tulisa Contostavlos Dean McCulloughUCF will attempt to shake off a dreadful offensive performance when it collides with LSU on Sunday afternoon in the third-place game of the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. The Knights (4-1) couldn't get anything going against No. 19 Wisconsin on Friday, going 21-for-62 from the field (33.9 percent) and just 2-for-17 from 3-point range (11.8 percent) en route to an 86-70 loss. Jordan Ivy-Curry finished with 13 points while Keyshawn Hall and Dior Johnson added 11 apiece for UCF, which never led and fell behind by as many as 23. Knights coach Johnny Dawkins is hoping that his team's struggles don't carry over into the meeting with the Tigers (4-1). "We have to do better offensively," Dawkins said. "We have to space the floor better. We have to balance our offense between our perimeter and our bigs. Those are things that we didn't do consistently (on Friday)." LSU also needs to clean things up after committing 15 turnovers in a 74-63 setback against Pitt on Friday. Tigers forward Jalen Reed doesn't believe giving the ball away will be a lingering issue. "I feel like a lot of our turnovers were more on us than them," Reed said. "I feel like a lot of the turnovers were careless, but we're a better team than that and I feel like we'll take care of the ball better moving forward." Reed and Vyctorius Miller each posted 14 points in the loss to the Panthers, with Reed also hauling in seven rebounds. Cam Carter chipped in 11 points. Carter is putting up a team-leading 16.4 points per game. Jordan Sears (12.0 points per game), Reed (11.0) and Miller (10.2) also have scoring averages in double figures. Ivy-Curry (16.8 points per game), Hall (16.2) and Darius Johnson (13.0) have been leading the way for UCF. Sunday marks the first-ever meeting between the Knights and Tigers. --Field Level MediaUCF, LSU face off with improved focus in mind

AU Teacher Prize winner, Adeeko, creates tech tutorials in YorubaNone

Millions of university graduates and students will soon wake up to an early Christmas present after the government wiped thousands of dollars off their debts. or signup to continue reading Laws to cap the indexation rate for the Higher Education Loan Program at either the rate of inflation or the wage price index - whichever is lowest - passed federal parliament late Tuesday night after Australians were stung with a 7.1 per cent increase to their student debts in 2023 because of surging inflation. The indexation changes will lead to $3 billion in debt being cleared over coming weeks. "University is a lot more expensive today than when I was at university," Education Minister Jason Clare told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. "Wiping $3 billion in debt will fix that spike in inflation that happened last year and it'll make sure that never happens again." People with an average HELP debt level will get a $1200 reduction on their loans. Those with a debt of $45,000 will get a decrease of about $2000, while students with $60,000 owning will have debt lowered by $2700. The changes were recommended in the university accords, a review of the tertiary education sector handed down in February. The laws mean university students completing placement will receive payments to help with living costs from July 2025. Students in degrees including teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work will receive an allowance of $319 per week. The reforms were a big win for students and graduates at a time when many Australians were struggling with the high cost of living, Universities Australia chief executive Luke Sheehy said. Though universities have celebrated these measures, other government proposals for the sector have been widely spurned. Labor has attempted to implement a cap on the number of foreign student arrivals from 2025. The reform would be used in place of an immigration rule known as ministerial direction 107, that has throttled student visas. Swinburne University of Technology vice-chancellor Pascale Quester has urged the government to replace the ministerial direction and prioritise visa processing for enrolments in science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses - collectively known as STEM subjects. The number of domestic students taking these courses has dropped steadily, while international student interest has increased by 39 per cent since 2021. "Forget a brain drain, we are at risk of a brain drought," Professor Quester said. "There is so much STEM talent in the region, but we have slammed the door in their faces with hastily-crafted policy." The government is also expected to slash a further 20 per cent off Australians' student debt if it wins the federal election in 2025. Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . AdvertisementHezbollah fired into a disputed border zone held by Israel on Monday after multiple Israeli strikes inside Lebanon since a ceasefire took hold last week. The militant group said the volley, its first during the truce, was a warning shot in response to what it called repeated Israeli violations . Israeli leaders threatened to retaliate, and within hours, Israel’s military carried out a string of strikes in southern Lebanon, state media reported. There was no immediate word on casualties or what was struck. Israel has said its strikes in since the ceasefire began Wednesday have been in response to unspecified Hezbollah violations, and that under the truce deal it reserves the right to retaliate. Hezbollah began launching its attacks in solidarity with Hamas militants who are fighting Israel in the Gaza Strip. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,429 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war in Gaza has destroyed vast areas of the coastal enclave and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times . Here’s the Latest: WASHINGTON — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is demanding the immediate release of Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, saying that if they are not freed before he is sworn into office for a second term there will be “HELL TO PAY.” “Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social site . He added that, “Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!” It was not immediately clear whether Trump was threatening to directly involve the U.S. military in Israel’s ongoing campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Trump allies have said he hopes there will be a ceasefire and hostage release deal before he returns to office early next year. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage on Oct. 7, 2023. Some 100 are still held inside Gaza , around two-thirds believed to be alive. WASHINGTON — Senior American officials have had conversations with Israelis to raise questions about some of the strikes they have carried out against Hezbollah since a ceasefire went into place but have not found the Israelis to be in gross violation of the terms of the ceasefire, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly about the sensitive conversations with the Israelis, said those conversations were part of a mechanism that was created to ensure that ceasefire agreement is implemented. “This is that mechanism working,” the official added. White House national security spokesman John Kirby on Monday that “largely speaking the ceasefire is holding.” “We’ve gone from, you know dozens of strikes, you know, down to one a day maybe two a day,” Kirby told told reporters aboard Air Force One as President Joe Biden made his way for a visit to Angola. “That’s a tremendous, tremendous reduction. And we’re going to keep trying and see what we can do to get it down to zero so that both sides are fully implementing it. But, this is, this is the only it’s only a, a week or so old.” — By Aamer Madhani JERUSALEM — Hezbollah fired into a disputed border zone held by Israel on Monday, the militant group’s first attack since its ceasefire with Israel took hold last week, after Lebanon accused Israel of violating the truce more than 50 times in recent days. The Israeli military said two projectiles were launched toward Mount Dov, a disputed Israeli-held territory known as Shebaa Farms in Lebanon, where the borders of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel meet. Israel said the projectiles fell in open areas and no injuries were reported. Hezbollah said in a statement that it fired on an Israeli military position in the area as a “defensive and warning response” after what it called “repeated violations” of the ceasefire deal by Israel. It said complaints to mediators tasked with monitoring the ceasefire “were futile in stopping these violations.” The U.S.- and French-brokered ceasefire came into effect on Wednesday calling for a 60-day halt in fighting, aiming to end more than a year of exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel. Since then, Israel has carried out a number of strikes in Lebanon, most recently on Monday, when a drone strike killed a man on a motorcycle in southern Lebanon and another hit a Lebanese army bulldozer in the northeastern town of Hermel, wounding a soldier. The Lebanese army had stayed on the sidelines of the war between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel says the strikes are in response to Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire, without giving specifics. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s parliament speaker on Monday accused Israel of committing 54 breaches of the ceasefire that ended the war between Hezbollah and Israel, demanding urgent intervention to halt what he called “flagrant violations.” Speaking to the Lebanese newspaper Al Joumhouria, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri condemned Israel’s “aggressive actions,” including the alleged demolition of homes in border villages, the persistent overflight of Israeli reconnaissance drones, and airstrikes that have caused casualties. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Berri’s assertions. Israel says it reserves the right under the ceasefire deal to respond to perceived ceasefire violations. An Israeli drone strike on Monday hit a Lebanese army military bulldozer in the northeastern town of Hermel, wounding a soldier, the Lebanese army said in a statement. Also on Monday, an Israeli drone strike targeting a motorcycle in Jdeidet Marjayoun in southern Lebanon killed one person, the Lebanese Health Ministry said. In Bint Jbeil province, a drone strike injured one person, the state-run National News Agency said. On Saturday, two people were killed in an airstrike on Marjayoun province, Lebanon’s state media said. Berri called on the technical committee established to monitor the ceasefire to take immediate action, urging it to “oblige Israel to halt its violations and withdraw from Lebanese territories without delay.” He said that Lebanon and Hezbollah have fully adhered to the terms of the ceasefire since the early hours of Wednesday. Berri is the leader of the Shiite Amal movement, which is closely allied with the Shiite militant group Hezbollah. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said Monday one person was killed in an Israeli drone strike that hit a motorcycle, while the Lebanese army said that a soldier was wounded in an Israeli strike on a military bulldozer at an army base. The Israeli military said that it carried out a series of strikes in Lebanon on Sunday and Monday, including one in the same area where the soldier was said to have been wounded. It said it struck several military vehicles in Lebanon’s Bekaa province as well as strikes on Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon. The incidents underscored the fragility of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah reached after nearly 14 months of cross-border fighting. Since the ceasefire went into effect on Wednesday, Israel has struck several times in response to what it says have been ceasefire violations by Hezbollah. Lebanon has accused Israel of violating the deal but so far Hezbollah has not resumed its rocket fire. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Monday rejected accusations that Israel is violating the tenuous ceasefire agreement, saying it was responding to Hezbollah violations. In a post on X, Saar said that he made that point in a call with his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot. France, along with the U.S., helped broker the deal and is part of an international monitoring committee meant to ensure the sides uphold their commitments. Israel says that it reserves the right under the deal to respond to perceived ceasefire violations. TEL AVIV, Israel — The Israeli military said Monday an Israeli American soldier who was believed to have been taken hostage alive on Oct. 7, 2023, is now presumed to have been killed during Hamas’ attack and his body taken into Gaza. Neutra, 21, was a New York native who enlisted in the Israeli military and was captured when Hamas attacked southern Israel. Neutra’s parents, Ronen and Orna, led a public campaign while he was thought to be alive for their son’s freedom. They spoke at protests in the U.S. and Israel, addressed the Republican National Convention this year and kept up ties with the Biden administration in their crusade to secure their son’s release. In a statement announcing the death, the military did not say how it came to the conclusion over Neutra’s fate. He was one of seven American Israelis still held in Gaza, four of whom are now said to be dead. Hamas released a video of one, Edan Alexander, over the weekend, indicating he was still alive. In late summer, Israel said Hamas killed Hersh Goldberg-Polin , another prominent Israeli American hostage, along with five other captives, whose bodies the Israeli military recovered. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. Some 100 captives are still held inside Gaza , around two-thirds believed to be alive. Iraqi militias supported by Iran deployed in Syria on Monday to back the government’s counteroffensive against a surprise advance by insurgents who seized the largest city of Aleppo, a militia official and a war monitor said. Insurgents led by jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched a two-pronged attack on Aleppo last week and the countryside around Idlib before moving toward neighboring Hama province. Government troops built a fortified defensive line in northern Hama in an attempt to stall the insurgents’ momentum while jets on Sunday pounded rebel-held lines. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus Sunday and announced Tehran’s full support for his government. He later arrived for talks in Ankara, Turkey, one of the rebels' main backers. Iran has been of Assad’s principal political and military supporters and deployed military advisers and forces after 2011 protests against Assad’s rule turned into an all-out war. Tehran-backed Iraqi militias already in Syria mobilized and additional forces crossed the border to support them, said the Iraqi militia official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. According to Britain-based opposition war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, some 200 Iraqi militiamen on pickups crossed into Syria overnight through the strategic Bou Kamal. They were expected to deploy in Aleppo to support the Syrian army’s pushback against the insurgents, the monitor said. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — U.S. Navy destroyers shot down seven missiles and drones fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels at the warships and three American merchant vessels they were escorting through the Gulf of Aden. No damage or injuries were reported. U.S. Central Command said late Sunday that the destroyers USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane shot down and destroyed three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three drones and one anti-ship cruise missile. The merchant ships were not identified. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement and said they had targeted the U.S. destroyers and “three supply ships belonging to the American army in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden.” Houthi attacks for months have targeted shipping through a waterway where $1 trillion in goods pass annually over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon. A ceasefire was announced in Lebanon last week. The USS Stockdale was involved in a similar attack on Nov. 12 . Read more of the AP's coverage of the Middle East wars: https://apnews.com/hub/mideast-wars

Middle East latest: Israel and Hezbollah trade fire, threatening Lebanon ceasefireJoe Burrow is no longer talking about the playoffs after another loss by the high-scoring Bengals

The ( ) share price has sunk close to 40% in 2024 to date. Since 10 December 2024, the has dropped more than 10%. The has significantly underperformed the (ASX: XJO) this year – the index has risen more than 5% this year. That means Fortescue shares have underperformed by more than 40%! When it comes to cyclical businesses like Fortescue, past performance is certainly not a reliable indicator of future returns. The market doesn't know what's going to happen next month or next year. We just need to decide if today's value is attractive or not. Let's first examine the iron ore price as it has a key influence on Fortescue shares. According to , the iron ore price has fallen below US$105 per tonne but remains above US$100 per tonne. Trading Economics noted that ongoing economic uncertainty in China, combined with a lack of specific details about proposed financial stimulus from the Asian superpower, has been a negative for sentiment. China is the key buyer of global iron ore. While demand is challenged, supply continues to grow over time. Trading Economics noted that ( ) recently resumed operations at two of its Western Australian mines after a temporary halt because of heavy rain. The iron ore price plays a key role in Fortescue's profitability because of its focus on the commodity and mining operating leverage. Mining costs don't change much month to month, so a rise in the iron ore price can largely flow to . But, a reduction in the iron ore price cuts heavily into profit generation. Near the start of 2024, the iron ore price was going above US$140 per tonne – it has fallen significantly since then. Broker UBS estimates the iron ore price could be US$100 per tonne in 2025, US$95 per tonne in 2026 and US$90 per tonne in 2027. In other words, the iron ore price is projected to slowly decline. The outlook is uncertain, particularly if incoming US President Trump's tariffs hurt China's economy. However, it's also possible that China could launch significant stimulus to boost its economy and offset tariff headwinds, which could then be helpful for the iron ore price and Fortescue shares. This isn't the sort of flip-of-the-coin investment I like to make where there are quite a few opposing potential outcomes. But the lower Fortescue share price gives us a bit more safety. It's also important to note that the size of the possible dividends in the next few years is very dependent on what happens with the iron ore price. Over the past few years, I have expressed the opinion that it is better to wait to invest in ASX iron ore shares when the iron ore price is below US$100. This tends to result in a more favourable ASX share valuation. Since the iron ore price is currently above US$100 per tonne, I would prefer to wait for a lower Fortescue share price. However, I believe it is getting close to being an attractive investment.

CIBC Asset Management Inc purchased a new position in shares of Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. ( NASDAQ:PNFP – Free Report ) in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 2,295 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $225,000. A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Pinnacle Financial Partners by 17.9% in the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 186,612 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $18,282,000 after buying an additional 28,327 shares in the last quarter. Atria Investments Inc lifted its stake in Pinnacle Financial Partners by 40.9% in the first quarter. Atria Investments Inc now owns 43,241 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $3,713,000 after acquiring an additional 12,551 shares during the last quarter. Pier Capital LLC grew its position in shares of Pinnacle Financial Partners by 16.5% in the 2nd quarter. Pier Capital LLC now owns 111,797 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $8,948,000 after acquiring an additional 15,797 shares during the period. Edgestream Partners L.P. boosted its stake in shares of Pinnacle Financial Partners by 1,017.9% during the 2nd quarter. Edgestream Partners L.P. now owns 71,064 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $5,688,000 after acquiring an additional 64,707 shares during the period. Finally, Swedbank AB acquired a new position in shares of Pinnacle Financial Partners in the first quarter valued at $21,470,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.40% of the company’s stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on PNFP shares. Citigroup lifted their target price on Pinnacle Financial Partners from $113.00 to $123.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Barclays upped their price objective on Pinnacle Financial Partners from $101.00 to $108.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. Hovde Group downgraded shares of Pinnacle Financial Partners from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and set a $135.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Monday, November 18th. Stephens raised their price objective on shares of Pinnacle Financial Partners from $108.00 to $120.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Finally, Truist Financial raised their price objective on Pinnacle Financial Partners from $113.00 to $119.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, October 21st. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $108.70. Pinnacle Financial Partners Price Performance Shares of PNFP opened at $126.18 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The business’s fifty day moving average is $105.31 and its 200 day moving average is $92.56. The stock has a market cap of $9.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.35 and a beta of 1.04. Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. has a 12-month low of $70.23 and a 12-month high of $129.38. Pinnacle Financial Partners ( NASDAQ:PNFP – Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 15th. The financial services provider reported $1.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.79 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $810.11 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $454.18 million. Pinnacle Financial Partners had a net margin of 13.97% and a return on equity of 8.89%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.79 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. will post 6.8 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Pinnacle Financial Partners Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 1st will be given a dividend of $0.22 per share. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.70%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 1st. Pinnacle Financial Partners’s dividend payout ratio is currently 16.73%. About Pinnacle Financial Partners ( Free Report ) Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as the bank holding company for Pinnacle Bank that provides various banking products and services to individuals, businesses, and professional entities in the United States. The company accepts various deposits, including savings, noninterest-bearing and interest-bearing checking, money market, and certificate of deposit accounts; and provides treasury management services, which includes online wire origination, enhanced ACH origination services, positive pay, zero balance and sweep accounts, automated bill pay services, electronic receivables processing, lockbox processing, and merchant card acceptance services. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PNFP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. ( NASDAQ:PNFP – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Pinnacle Financial Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pinnacle Financial Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Marvel Rivals' Wolverine Design Is Certainly a Choice - IGN Daily Fix

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals have found all manner of ways to lose close games this season. Sunday's 44-38 loss to AFC North rival Pittsburgh can be blamed on a defense that missed tackles and allowed 520 yards of offense, and three turnovers by Joe Burrow. It's become a familiar story in this disappointing season. Cincinnati (4-8) keeps scoring lots of points but can't close out games. Seven of the Bengals’ eight losses this year have been by one score. Burrow has stopped talking about the possibility of going on a run and making the playoffs. He'd just like to win another game or two. “Playoffs are the furthest thing from my mind,” the fifth-year quarterback said. “You never know what can happen, so I’ll keep putting one foot in front of the other and try to be the best player I can be for the rest of the season, week in and week out.” The Bengals allowed Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson to throw for a season-high 414 yards and three touchdowns. After Wilson threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown, the Steelers (9-3) scored on seven of their last nine possessions. They didn't punt until early in the fourth quarter. Burrow lost two fumbles and threw an interception. “We haven’t done enough to earn the win,” coach Zac Taylor said. “It’s a simple as that. It’s nobody else’s fault but our own. We haven’t earned it.” Turnovers aside, Burrow had another strong game, finishing with 28 for 38 for 309 yards with three touchdowns. Burrow is having a great season statistically, and he hasn't hidden his disappointment and frustration about Cincinnati's narrow losses. ... WR Ja'Marr Chase had a touchdown catch to bring his league-leading total to 13. The defense missed tackles and couldn't hold off the Steelers, even with Burrow keeping the game close. It didn’t help that LB Logan Wilson (knee) and DT Sheldon Rankins (illness) had to sit out. The Bengals have allowed 34 or more points six times, including in four of the past five games. Cincinnati became the first NFL team to lose four games in a season in which it scored 33 points or more. RB Chase Brown has been dependable as the featured back since Zack Moss went down with a neck injury. He rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers. He also had three catches for 30 yards. The second-year back has 677 yards rushing and six TDs. “He’s really coming along, improving his game every single week,” Burrow said. “Pass game, run game, running hard, understanding his protection responsibilities. He’s a guy that practices hard, plays hard, and a guy you can count on.” The Bengals' coaching staff. Something has got to give. There was no excuse for the defense to play this badly after a bye week. The unit gave up 500-plus yards for the second time this season. None were reported in the game. 30.3 — The average points per game by the Bengals against teams with a .500 or better record this season. They are 0-7 in those games. The Bengals will try to regroup before facing the Dallas Cowboys (5-7) next Monday night. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLEx-Austrian FM to teach at Russian universityArsenal defender Gabriel kept Viktor Gyokeres quiet — then had the audacity to steal the in-demand Sporting Lisbon striker's trademark goal celebration. After heading in Arsenal's third first-half goal in the Champions League on Tuesday, Gabriel linked the fingers of his hands and placed them over his eyes, before laughing with his teammates. It was most likely a dig at Gyokeres, the Sweden striker who has quickly become one of European soccer's hottest properties . Because that is how Gyokeres celebrates his goals. “It's fun that he likes my celebration,” Gyokeres told Viaplay after the match. “He can steal it if he cannot come up with his own.” Gyokeres has scored 24 goals for Sporting in all competitions and was coming off netting four for Sweden in a Nations League match against Azerbaijan. Earlier in the first half, Gabriel had enjoyed tackling and dispossessing Gyokeres near the Arsenal area — waving both his arms in a gesture to the crowd. Gabriel's goal made it 3-0 to Arsenal at halftime and the English team went on to win 5-1, with Gyokeres failing to score. He did hit the post with a shot late in the game, however — after Gabriel had gone off with an injury. “Today he wasn't that dangerous,” Arsenal striker Kai Havertz said of Gyokeres, “but I think it's because we defended very well.” AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer