Authored by Lance Roberts via RealInvestmentAdvice.com, Last week, we discussed that the selloff heading into Christmas was the setup for the beginning of the year-end “Santa Claus” rally. On Christmas Eve, Santa arrived, pushing the markets back above the important 50-DMA. However, the market sold off on Friday to successfully retest the 50-DMA. While it may seem that the “Santa Rally” stalled, I suspect that we could see some buying next week as portfolio window dressing concludes and traders position portfolios in the first two days of January. As shown, momentum and relative strength are weak currently, but if the market can break back above the 20-DMA, this should bring buyers into the market. As we noted previously, the sell signal keeps a lid on price appreciation, and until that reverses, there is limited upside to the markets over this week. There is also the 24% possibility that a rally fails to materialize entirely. We suggest managing portfolio risk until the market ultimately makes a decisive move. We continue to monitor yield spreads, which remain near the lowest level since the “Financial Crisis.” When yield spreads were this low previously, this equated to excessive optimism about financial market conditions. This is the same currently, as investors are willing to overpay for the risk they are taking on. Unfortunately, such has not ended well previously, but yield spreads will be the leading indicator for investors to reduce portfolio risk more aggressively. For now, optimism remains high. But as we will discuss today, that is also a problem we need to monitor closely. In “ 2025 Predictions, “ we showed some early indications of Wall Street targets for the S&P 500 index, and, as is always the case, optimism for the coming year is very high. The median estimate is for the market to rise to 6600 next year, which would be a disappointing return of just 8.2% after two years of 20% plus gains. However, the high estimate from Wells Fargo suggests a 14% return, with the low estimate from UBS of just a 5% return. Notably, there is not one estimate available for a negative return. Interestingly, optimism for 2025 has taken on an interesting twist. Over the last two years of above-average returns, earnings growth has come from just the top-7 market capitalization companies in the S&P 500 index. However, analysts now expect earnings to shift from the bottom 493 companies in the index. The optimism in these assumptions is interesting because the economy has grown strongly over the last two years, yet those 493 companies could not grow earnings. What will change in 2025? Yes, President Trump has promised to extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but that doesn’t change the previous tax rate in the last two years. He has proposed to remove tax on tips and social security, but that impacts only a small percentage of the population. On the other hand, depending on the scale and areas of impact, deregulation could improve earnings, but much of that will have to be passed through Congress, which could prove difficult. The Federal Reserve hopes to continue to cut interest rates, but sticky inflation could slow that process, particularly if economic growth remains strong into 2025. Even if the economy continues to grow strongly, what will cause the shift in earnings growth from those dominant market players to much smaller companies? Such is particularly the case given the continued reversal of monetary liquidity in the economy, with higher borrowing costs and declining consumer savings rates. However, while analyst’s optimism about earnings growth in 2025 is high, which would take earnings well above the long-term growth trend, those estimates are already reversing toward reality. In the last six months, estimates have dropped by $3 per share and will likely be closer to $220 per share by next year. As shown, earnings tend not to deviate from the long-term trend for long, and typically, those deviations only occur during recessions and immediate recoveries. As discussed recently , if earnings revert toward the long-term trend, which should be expected given that earnings are a function of economic growth, the current valuations become more problematic. “While the bullish optimism is possible, that outcome faces many challenges in 2025, given the market already trades at fairly lofty valuations. Even in a “soft landing” environment, earnings should weaken, which makes current valuations at 27x earnings more challenging to sustain. Therefore, assuming earnings decline toward their long-term trend, that would suggest current estimates fall to $220/share by the end of 2025. This substantially changes the outlook for stocks, with the most bullish case being 6380, assuming a roughly 4.5% gain versus every other outcome, providing losses ranging from a 2.6% loss to a 20.6% decline.” But again, those assumptions are based on a continued moderation in economic growth. However, to justify the optimism for increased earnings growth, we must also expect that: Economic growth remains more robust than the average 20-year growth rate. Wage and labor growth must reverse (weaken) to sustain historically elevated profit margins . Both interest rates and inflation need to decline to support consumer spending. Trump’s planned tariffs will increase costs on some products and may not be fully offset by replacement and substitution. Reductions in Government spending, debt issuance, and the deficit subtract from corporate profitability (Kalecki Profit Equation). Slower economic growth in China, Europe, and Japan reduces demand for U.S. exports, slowing economic growt h. The Federal Reserve maintaining higher interest rates and continuing to reduce its balance sheet will reduce market liquidity. You get the idea. While optimism about economic and earnings growth is elevated going into 2025, there are risks to those forecasts. Such is particularly true when examining current economic data’s relative strength and trend. Subdued manufacturing activity, slowing GDP growth, and cautious consumer behavior all point to an economic environment less supportive of aggressive earnings growth. As such, investors must carefully navigate the disconnect between high Wall Street expectations and softening economic conditions. A better way to visualize this idea is to look at the correlation between the annual change in earnings growth and inflation-adjusted GDP. There are periods when earnings deviate from underlying economic activity. However, those periods are due to pre- or post-recession earnings fluctuations. Currently, economic and earnings growth are very close to the long-term correlation. Heading into 2025, real personal consumption expenditures (PCE) remain above real retail sales. While such deviations can occur, they tend not to remain that way long, given that retail sales comprise about 40% of PCE. Such suggests that in 2025, PCE will begin to converge with retail sales, resulting in slower economic growth rates. The following graph visualizes the plight of the average American by showing the “gap” between the cost of living and income and savings. To fund the current cost of living, consumers must spend all of their income and savings and then subsidize the remainder with almost $4000 in debt annually. This is why total consumer debt continues to rise, which does sustain economic activity in the near term. However, the longer-term impact is slower economic growth as consumers cannot take on excess debt. Also, if interest rates remain elevated, the impact on economic growth is exacerbated. So, if economic growth slows next year, as the Federal Reserve expects, why is Wall Street so optimistic? When Wall Street wants to make a stock offering for a new company, it has to sell that stock to someone to provide its client, the company, with the funds it needs. The Wall Street firm also makes a very nice commission from the transaction. Generally, these publicly offered shares are sold to the firm’s biggest clients, such as hedge funds, mutual funds, and other institutional clients. But where do those firms get their money? From you. Whether it is the money you invested in your mutual funds, 401k plan, pension fund, or insurance annuity, you are at the bottom of the money-grabbing frenzy. It’s much like a pyramid scheme – all the players above you are making their money...from you. In a study by Lawrence Brown, Andrew Call, Michael Clement, and Nathan Sharp, it is clear that Wall Street analysts are not interested in you. The study surveyed analysts from major Wall Street firms to understand what happened behind closed doors when research reports were being put together. In an interview with the researchers, John Reeves and Llan Moscovitz wrote: “Countless studies have shown that the forecasts and stock recommendations of sell-side analysts are of questionable value to investors. As it turns out, Wall Street sell-side analysts aren’t primarily interested in making accurate stock picks and earnings forecasts. Despite the attention lavished on their forecasts and recommendations, predictive accuracy just isn’t their main job.” The chart below is from the survey conducted by the researchers, which shows the main factors that play into analysts’ compensation. What analysts are “paid” to do is quite different from what retail investors “think” they do. “Sharp and Call told us that ordinary investors, who may be relying on analysts’ stock recommendations to make decisions, need to know that accuracy in these areas is ‘not a priority.’ One analyst told the researchers: ‘The part to me that’s shocking about the industry is that I came into the industry thinking [success] would be based on how well my stock picks do. But a lot of it ends up being “What are your broker votes?”‘ A ‘broker vote’ is an internal process whereby clients of the sell-side analysts’ firms assess the value of their research and decide which firms’ services they wish to buy. This process is crucial to analysts because good broker votes result in revenue for their firm. One analyst noted that broker votes ‘directly impact my compensation and directly impact the compensation of my firm.’” The question becomes, “ If the retail client is not the firm’s focus, then who is?” The survey table below clearly answers that question. Not surprisingly, you are at the bottom of the list. The incestuous relationship between companies, institutional clients, and Wall Street is the root cause of the ongoing problems within the financial system. It is a closed loop portrayed as a fair and functional system; however, it has become a “ money grab” that has corrupted the system and the regulatory agencies that are supposed to oversee it.The toritetsu subset of Japanese train otaku which specializes in photography has long been notorious for a string of anti-social behavior unbecoming of their seemingly relaxing hobby. Reports of violence, vandalism, and general poor manners are widespread as these shutterbugs vie for the best shot of the rarest trains around. Railways have also made efforts to channel this passion for trains into something more positive, but problems still persist. Now, Sagami Railway in Kanagawa Prefecture has teamed up with software maker Adobe to find ways to get that perfect shot without punching other photographers, cursing out staff, or cutting down trees. On November 24, at Hoshikawa Station in Yokohama City, a workshop was held to teach toritetsu how to use Adobe Express’s generative AI to remove unwanted people or objects from photos. As a case study, who could forget that time dozens of toritetsu waited in the middle of the night to get the first photos of a new rolling stock on the Enoden line in Kanagawa, only to have a large man on a bicycle riding between them and it with his arm outstretched? Due to the contentious nature of the incident, video of it is often quickly removed from social media and YouTube, so I just got Adobe Photoshop to generate a similar image. ▼ Shortage of logic aside, it’s fairly close to the real incident. After that, I popped it into the Adobe Express app on my phone. Rubbed blue stuff on the guy with my finger and made him go away. ▼ Problem solved. ▼ Actually, those wires are ugly so let’s ditch those too. ▼ And you know what? I’m not all that crazy about trains anyway. How about a sailboat? Bear in mind, I just did super-fast, one-shot edits and it’s possible to get better results with more time and effort, especially if I had gone to that workshop. This may not satisfy the purists among toritetsu, of whom most are, but there was some positive feedback at the workshop, with one attendee liking how it cleanly removed overhead wires and hands with a natural-looking result. Even if it means just a few less people trespassing and destroying property then it’s a job well done. Readers of the news, however, seem to feel the problem is much too large to be cured with some AI editing tools. “Now, we need a way for AI to erase the toritetsu.” “Or just ban photography on station platforms.” “These guys are pretty anti-processing, I think.” “I think the toritetsu’s issues run much deeper than this.” “I don’t get why they’re against editing. The photo itself is already inherently altered from what’s seen by the human eye.” As the last comment pointed out, the news also sparked some debate over how much processing crosses that line of no longer being photography and becoming CGI. If AI editing was considered acceptable among these people, then why not just stay home and generate images of trains all day? Besides that, the ability to remove obstructions from images on Photoshop has been around for a long time and toritetsu never even seemed to embrace that. It required a lot more skill and effort back then, but probably not as much as breaking into a train yard and dismantling signs while evading security. I’m willing to give Adobe credit for putting the idea out there, even if it is in a bit of a self-promotional way. Unfortunately, this probably won’t be the end of the mayhem caused by people who like to take pictures of trains. Source: Asahi Shimbun, Itai News Images: Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Express Read more stories from SoraNews24. -- JR East attempts to unite train-photographing otaku with new social media group -- Japanese mayor suddenly speaks fluent English with AI video that surprises even him -- Tokyo Police apprehend the “Lego Kid” and accomplices7xm asia casino login 。

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As 2024 comes to a close, the biggest movies of the year are now available to stream from home — quite literally. “Inside Out 2” is streaming on Disney+ after earning a massive $1.6 billion at the worldwide box office to become the highest-grossing movie of the year and the eighth biggest global release in history (not adjusted for inflation). Also on Disney+ is “Deadpool & Wolverine,” the record-breaking Marvel movie that became the highest-grossing R-rated release in history with $1.3 billion worldwide. Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two” is another one of the year’s top earners with $714 million worldwide and can be streamed from home on Max. But blockbusters aren’t the only 2024 movies worth streaming. There are plenty of acclaimed Oscar contenders now available, from Demi Moore’s unforgettable comeback in “The Substance” (Mubi) to the addictive papacy drama “Conclave” (Peacock). Netflix’s Oscar slate includes “Maria,” “The Piano Lesson,” “Will & Harper” and “Emilia Perez,” all of which are now available to stream. And that’s not all. Catch up now on some of the year’s under-seen indie gems like “Janet Planet” (Max) and “Didi” (Peacock) or have a laugh with the year’s best comedies like “Thelma” (Hulu) or “My Old Ass” (Prime Video). Horror movie lovers are in luck thanks to Shudder, which is streaming favorites like “Oddity,” “Late Night With the Devil” and “In a Violent Nature.” And there’s always the studio misses that were actually pretty solid and deserve more eyeballs. Here’s looking at you, “Furiosa” (Max) and “The Fall Guy” (Peacock). Check out a rundown below of great movies from 2024 now available to watch on streaming platforms. Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” is the highest grossing movie of 2024 with $1.6 billion at the worldwide box office. It was also named the best movie of 2024 by Variety’s Peter Debruge, who wrote: “By following the path taken by ‘Toy Story’ — whose sequels grew up alongside Andy, rather than simply rehashing what fans liked about the first movie — ‘Inside Out 2’ is able to offer a richer, more mature window into the human mind...Screenwriters Dave Holstein and Meg LeFauve have come up with invaluable innovations, from a beautiful way to visualize one’s core identity to the scene where Riley is flooded by repressed memories. No wonder Pixar refers to its top storytellers as ‘the Brain Trust.’ Ralph Fiennes gives a quietly conflicted performance as a Catholic cardinal struggling between devotion and doubt in “All Quiet on the Western Front” director Edward Berger’s latest. It’s Fiennes’ job to oversee the selection of a new pope in this thinking man’s thriller, which unfolds like a murder mystery behind locked doors, except no one suspects foul play in the previous pontiff ’s death. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, “Conclave” lobs one of the most satisfying twists in years. It’s easy to see why the film is a major Oscar contender this year. Universal’s summer blockbuster “Twisters” earned more than $370 million globally at the box office. Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones lead the action film as two storm chasers with competing personalities who form a bond while investigating a tornado outbreak in middle America. Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, David Corenswet, Maura Tierney, Sasha Lane and more co-star. “Twisters” was directed by Lee Isaac Chung and executive produced by Steven Spielberg. From Variety’s review : “Chung made the incandescent humanistic drama ‘Minari.’ And while that wouldn’t seem to make him the likeliest contender to helm a popcorn spectacle as rooted in technological wonderment as this one, he does a smooth and confident job.” Denis Villeneuve’s second “Dune” installment was named the fifth best movie of 2024 by Variety’s Peter Debruge: “It’s the first sci-fi franchise to make us tingle in the same way as ‘Star Wars’ ... It’s the relatable human moments amid Villeneuve’s awe-inspiring vision that bring ‘Dune: Part Two’ down to earth, so to speak. Frank Herbert purists are obsessed with telling you what’s missing, but the real feat here is how dramatically the film simplifies all that arcane plotting into clear story beats, making the mythology feel almost intuitive, the way witnessing a double sunset did half a century earlier.” Warner Bros. earned backlash for seemingly burying the theatrical release of Clint Eastwood’s morality drama “Juror #2,” which might be the iconic director’s final movie behind the camera. From Variety’s review : “Nicholas Hoult plays a guilty man tapped to judge someone else for his own mistake in Eastwood’s unlikely yet engaging courtroom drama...it’s a slightly preposterous but thoroughly engaging extension of the 94-year-old filmmaker’s career-long fascination with guilt, justice and the limitations of the law.” George Miller’s long-awaited “Mad Max: Fury Road” prequel “Furiosa” disappointed at the box office and is not shaping up to be the Oscar powerhouse its predecessor was, but it’s still easily one of the best studio tentpoles of the year. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman called the epic “darkly bedazzling.” Anya Taylor-Joy is fiercely committed as the title character, who is taken from her home as a child and raised by the sociopathic warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). After becoming a bargaining tool in an escalating war, Furiosa takes matters into her own hands to exact revenge. Alex Garland’s “Civil War” earned critical acclaim in the spring and a strong $122 million at the worldwide box office. Kirsten Dunst plays a jaded war photographer who journeys through a war-torn America in order to get one of the last interviews with the U.S. president. The supporting cast includes Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson and Nick Offerman. From Variety’s review : “The press are the good guys, but also kind of the bad guys, in Alex Garland’s virtuosic ‘Civil War,’ a jarring ground-level account of what a near-future disunification of the United States might look like.” “The Substance” dominated headlines at the Cannes Film Festival, where it took home the prize for best screenplay, and became a box office sleeper hit this fall with $14 million at the domestic box office and nearly $50 million worldwide. Demi Moore plays a Hollywood icon whose being forced out of the industry due to her age. Her frustration leads her to take the eponymous serum, which creates a younger and more beautiful version of her (Margaret Qualley). Everything goes bonkers as the two halves try to live their own lives. From Variety’s review : “Filmmaker Coralie Fargeat works with the flair of a grindhouse Kubrick in a weirdly fun, cathartically grotesque fusion of ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ and ‘Showgirls.’” Blake Lively’s box office smash hit “It Ends With Us” is adapted from Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name. Lively plays a flower shop owner forced to confront an abusive relationship to a handsome doctor (Justin Baldoni, also the film’s director). Things become even more complicated when her first boyfriend, Atlas (Brandon Sklenar), re-enters the picture. The romance drama exceeded industry expectations when released in theaters in August with a huge $350 million worldwide gross. Variety hailed the film as a “convincing soap opera” and “affecting adaptation” of Hoover’s book. “Deadpool & Wolverine” is the second highest-grossing film of 2024, earning a whopping $1.3 billion at the global box office. It also ranks as the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever. The movie follows Reynolds’ Wade Wilson/Deadpool as he faces off against the Time Variance Authority and becomes frenemies with Wolverine (Jackman) to save his world. It’s the first Marvel Cinematic Universe entry to be headlined by comic book characters that were previously licensed to 20th Century Fox, which was acquired by the Walt Disney Company in 2019. Jacques Audiard’s audacious musical cartel drama “Emilia Pérez” won best actress honors at Cannes (Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz shared the prize) and is Netflix’s biggest Oscar contender this season. Saldaña plays a high-powered lawyer who is recruited to set up gender reassignment surgery for a fearsome cartel leader. The two reunite later in life to combat cartel violence, but the former leader’s loyalty to his wife and children complicate their mission. Variety called the musical a “dazzling and instantly divisive film” out of Cannes, adding: “‘Emilia Pérez’ emerges as a powerful, unfiltered portrait of someone who challenges several stereotypes at once. That’s a testament to leading lady and the audacity of Audiard.” Pablo Larrain concludes his “Jackie” and “Spencer” historical trilogy with “Maria,” starring Angelina Jolie as the doomed opera singer Maria Callas. The film, set during the singer’s final days, acts as a wandering and emotional coda on her acclaimed but troubled life. Jolie is widely considered a lock to land an Oscar nomination for best actress. From Variety’s review : “Jolie does an extraordinary job of lip-syncing to the nuances of Callas’s vocal splendor. And we can feel how the singing haunts Maria, who can’t listen to her old records; they have a perfection that gives her pain.” Malcolm Washington directs Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington in the August Wilson adaptation “The Piano Lesson.” The actors reprise the roles they performed on Broadway. “The Piano Lesson” follows the lives of the Charles family, led by Doaker Charles (Jackson), in 1936 during the aftermath of the Great Depression. The family’s heirloom piano is decorated with designs carved by an enslaved ancestor. One brother plans to build a family fortune by selling the instrument and buying the land his family toiled, while his sister tries to keep it to preserve the family history. Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu, Danielle Deadwyler and Corey Hawkins co-star. Marielle Heller’s “Nightbitch” stars Amy Adams as an exasperated mother who begins to have the feral urges of a wild dog as she fights the temptation to rebel against her suburban domesticity. From Variety’s review : “It’s been more than half a century since Helen Reddy sang, ‘I am woman, hear me roar!’ but the line remains as good a mantra as any for Amy Adams’ ferocious lead performance... The allegory is a bit confused, but the message still has bite in Marielle Heller’s surrealistic statement about all that mothers are asked to sacrifice.” Adams is nominated at the Golden Globes for her performance. Tim Burton’s long-awaited sequel “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” was a box office hit with $451 million worldwide. Micheal Keaton returns as the disruptive ghost with the most alongside newcomer Jenna Ortega as the tormented daughter of Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder, also back). Variety’s Owen Gleiberman wrote in his review that the sequel has “got just enough Burton juice” to make it worth the price of admission, adding: “There’s good fan service and bad, and as stilted and gimcracky as it can sometimes be, I had a pretty good time at ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.’” The Christopher Reeve documentary “Super/Man” is directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui and follows the late actor’s rise to superstardom as the Man of Steel, as well as his fight to find a cure for spinal cord injuries after he became a quadriplegic following a horse riding accident. Reeve’s family participated in the making of the doc, which includes personal archive material. Variety called the doc a “superbly made and supremely moving portrait of an actor’s rise and fall.” The “A Quiet Place” prequel is now available to stream on Paramount+ or Prime Video. “Day One,” starring Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn, follows a group of New York City residents as they fight to stay alive on the first day of a deadly alien invasion. The film grossed $261 million at the worldwide box office over the summer. Playwright Annie Baker makes her feature directorial debut with the A24 mother-daughter drama “Janet Planet.” From Variety’s review : “Once again, A24 gambles on an unproven filmmaker, and once again, the indie studio comes away with an incredibly specific and personal glimpse into the mysteries of childhood... Baker has made an honest and endearing portrait of how an 11-year-old girl’s clingy relationship to her single mom evolves over the course of the summer between fifth and sixth grades. Watching it feels eerily akin to running one’s fingers along a scar sustained in childhood and being magically projected back to the moment that injury was sustained.” Jane Schoenbrun’s “I Saw the TV Glow” stars Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine as two troubled high school students who bond over their mutual love over a cult television series. But the show and mysterious events in their real lives lead them to question their reality and identities. From Variety’s review : “The character-centered setup is where ‘I Saw the TV Glow’ is most affecting, grounded by the tense, tacit bond between two highly guarded people — and given an electric jolt by Lundy-Paine’s fragile, volatile performance as someone certain there’s no accepting place for them outside the rectangular confines of the TV set.” Scarlet Johansson and Channing Tatum’s historical romantic-comedy “Fly Me to the Moon” fizzled at the box office this summer with a weak $42 million worldwide on a reported $100 million production budget, but it deserves more eyeballs. Johansson plays a marketing specialist hired by NASA before the launch of Apollo 11 to film a fake moon landing in case the real mission fails. Tatum is the launch director who slowly wins her heart. Variety’s Peter Debruge called the movie a “crowd-pleaser” and “the rare 21st-century rom-com to boast the brains and heart to support repeat viewing.” Megan Park’s crowdpleaser “My Old Ass” was one of the biggest hits at the Sundance Film Festival this year. Maisy Stella plays an 18 year old whose coming-of-age journey gets complicated when she gains the ability to see and communicate with her older self (Aubrey Plaza). From Variety’s review : “Megan Park’s amusing and emotional second feature presents an original riff on the fantasy of going back in time to advise your younger self.” June Squibb earned critical acclaim for her leading role in “Thelma,” which debuted to great reviews at Sundance and earned a strong $9 million at the domestic box office. The 94-year-old Oscar nominee plays an elderly woman who breaks out of her old-age home on a mission to find the scammer who tricked her over the phone. From Variety’s review: “She’s been stealing scenes from the sidelines for decades, and now the ‘Nebraska’ favorite finally gets top billing as a headstrong woman who takes her scammers to task...she’s an unlikely yet satisfying action star.” “Oddity” was one of the most acclaimed horror films of the year. Variety called the film an “effectively frightening and unexpectedly droll haunted-house horror” in its review earlier this year. The synopsis from Shudder reads: “When Dani is brutally murdered at the remote country house that she and her husband Ted are renovating, everyone suspects a patient from the local mental health institution, where Ted is a doctor. However, soon after the tragic killing, the suspect is found dead. A year later, Dani’s blind twin sister Darcy, a self-proclaimed psychic and collector of cursed items, pays an unexpected visit to Ted and his new girlfriend, Yana. Convinced that there was more to her sister’s murder than people know, Darcy has brought with her the most dangerous items from her cursed collection to help her exact revenge.” “Late Night with the Devil” centers on a late night network broadcast devolving into supernatural chaos on Halloween night. David Dastmalchian leads the film as the Johnny Carson-esque host, whose desire for big ratings leads to terrifying consequences when he invites an allegedly possessed girl onto the show. From Variety’s review: “This isn’t the scariest movie, but neither is it entirely a self-conscious joke. The Cairnes maintain an astute balance between pop-culture irony, familiar if not always predictable thrills (including some creature/gore FX), and a kind of hallucinatory mass-media surrealism.” The slasher hit “In a Violent Nature” became such a favorite among horror fans this year that a sequel is already on the way. Directed by Chris Nash, the movie puts a new spin on the horror subgenre by telling a frightening cabin-in-the-woods horror story entirely from the perspective of the killer. From Variety’s review : “This Canadian indie manages to keep us engaged, stirring queasy viewer dread if not much outright terror. Anna Kendrick makes her directorial debut with Netflix’s “Woman of the Hour,” which is based on a true story. Kendrick stars as a contestant on “The Dating Game” in 1978, who picks Rodney Alcala as her potential date. Alcala, who died in prison in 2021, turned out to be a serial killer of at least eight victims but possibly over a hundred more. The “Dating Game” contestant, Cheryl Bradshaw, never went on the date with Alcala, who had already been convicted of being a sex offender. Daniel Zovatto plays the killer, who posed as a photographer in Los Angeles to take pictures of his victims. Tony Hale and Nicolette Robinson also star in the film. Sean Wang’s “Didi” won the U.S. dramatic audience award at Sundance this year and grossed $4.8 million for Focus Features at the summer box office. The film follows a 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy in the throes of an awkward adolescence in 2008, as he enjoys the last month of summer before high school begins. He experiences the pangs of first love, becomes friends with some skaters, fights with his older sister and gets a hard-earned understanding of his mom. From Variety’s review : “Wang does a nice job of balancing his naturally comedic sensibility with serious insights into how he triangulated his own identity as a teenager. Still relatively original in the overcrowded teen-movie genre, ‘Dìdi’ proves an effective calling card.” Andrea Arnold’s latest directorial effort “Bird” centers on a 12-year-old girl who searches for meaning in life while coming of age alongside her unpredictable father (Barry Keoghan). From Variety’s review: “It certainly has Arnold’s empathy and integrity, as well as her raw-boned craftsmanship. It also has a couple of charismatic rising movie stars in key roles... Arnold, doing her indie-rock Dardenne thing, gives us many scenes of the camera following Bailey, tracking her movements over a wire-mesh bridge, and in that very tracking capturing what makes her a wayward soul. The film also spotlights Bailey’s cell-phone videos, mostly footage of birds that she projects onto her wall.” Alice Rohrwacher’s enchanting “La Chimera” is led by “Challengers” and “The Crown” favorite Josh O’Connor and tells the beguiling tale of a group of grave robbers in Italy who must evade authorities and navigate interpersonal drama if they want to pull off their biggest score yet. Variety critic Guy Lodge named “La Chimera” a Critic’s Pick and called it “a marvelously supple and sinuous film,” adding praise for O’Connor: “Raffish and boyish at the same time — or switching between either mode as a cover for the other — O’Connor’s deft, droll performance implies such possibilities without sentimentalizing them.” “Will & Harper” centers on the relationship between Will Ferrell and his best friend Harper Steele as they take a road trip. The two met during their days on “Saturday Night Live,” which Harper wrote for from 1995 to 2008. Harper came out as transgender in 2022. From Variety’s review : “You’ll laugh and you’ll cry as ‘Barb and Star Go to Del Mar’ director Josh Greenbaum shadows Ferrell and Steele on a revealing (entry-level) road trip. Structured as an on-camera road trip between two longtime friends, fueled by laughs and tears and the occasional ‘Borat’-style stunt, ‘Will & Harper’ gives the general public a chance to meet this incredible woman. Technically, Ferrell is meeting her for the first time, too.” Azazel Jacobs’s acclaimed family drama “His Three Daughters” stars Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen and Natasha Lyonne as three sisters who converge in a New York City apartment to care for their ailing father and smooth over their rocky family history. From Variety’s review : “It’s a drama that’s funny, moving and true...The film is a finely observed, winningly unsentimental memory play about three adult sisters who have come together to take care of their father, who is dying of cancer and approaching his final days. It’s like ‘Cries and Whispers’ recast as a fast-talking tale of sibling rivalry.” Glen Powell proved his star power this year in not only “Twisters” but also “Hit Man,” the Richard Linklater-directed crime comedy that Powell also co-wrote. Inspired by a true story, Powell plays an undercover New Orleans police officer who pretends to be a contract killer in order to arrest his clients. However, his latest case goes awry when he falls for the woman who hired him, played by Adria Arjona. Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt’s action romance “The Fall Guy” didn’t exactly set the box office on fire when it opened in May and grossed $171.8 million worldwide, but it’s certainly a blast worth streaming on Peacock. Gosling stars as a stunt man who agrees to search for the missing lead of a new Hollywood blockbuster being directed by his former flame (Blunt). The two stars’ chemistry earned rave reviews, with Variety critic Peter Debruge adding in his review : “Gosling serves up one of his most appealing characters yet, blending the dedicated action hero of ‘Drive’ with the charismatic ladies’ man of ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love.’” “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” earned $396 million at the worldwide box office this summer. The fourth chapter in the “Apes” reboot franchise from 20th Century Studios, “Kingdom” centers on a young ape named Noa (Owen Teague) who sets out to find his missing family when they are kidnapped. Kevin Durand, Freya Allen, William H. Macy and Peter Macon round out the cast. In his positive review , Variety film critic Owen Gleiberman praised the film for connecting “with the spirit of ‘Planet of the Apes,’” adding: “I was more than gratified to sink into its relatively old-fashioned dramatic restraint.” Inspired by the 1968 photo book of the same name by Danny Lyon, Jeff Nichols “The Bikeriders” follows a Chicago motorcycle gang and the tension that forms between a young member (Austin Butler) and the gang’s leader (Tom Hardy). The film’s cast also includes Jodie Comer, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, Emory Cohen and Norman Reedus. Variety’s Peter Debruge named the film the third best movie of 2024 , writing: “Nichols watches this social microcosm slowly implode upon itself, the way the gangster world did across the ‘Godfather’ saga. If that comparison sounds lofty, think again: ‘The Bikeriders’ resonates on multiple layers, interrogating American masculinity as Jodie Comer’s awestruck Kathy falls for one of these stallions.” Directed by Natalie Rae and Angela Patton, “Daughters” centers on a program that allows young girls to participate in a special dance with their incarcerated fathers. The movie won the Audience Award in Documentary Competition at Sundance. A rave review for Variety reads: “The film is rife with visually lyrical moments that connect viewers with the young ones’ sorrows, fears, insights and hopes. In the hands of the directors, cinematographer Michael Cambio Fernandez and editors Troy Lewis and Adelina Bichis, the documentary exercises the kind of compassionate attention that leaves room for the girls to be girls.” The Zellner Brothers’ absurdist comedy “Sasquatch Sunset” transforms Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg into Big Foot beasts thanks to heavy makeup and a whole lot of hair. The official synopsis reads: “In the misty forests of North America, a family of Sasquatches — possibly the last of their enigmatic kind — embark on an absurdist, epic, hilarious and ultimately poignant journey over the course of one year. These shaggy and noble giants fight for survival as they find themselves on a collision course with the ever-changing world around them.” Rose Glass’s pulpy queer crime thriller “Loves Lies Bleeding” stars Kristen Stewart as the owner of a local gym in middle America who quickly falls for a bodybuilder who’s new to town. Their steamy romance is upended by murder. Variety critic Owen Gleiberman named “Love Lies Bleeding” a critic’s pick out of Sundance, writing: “The film tarts off lean and mean, then grows slowly and steadily more delirious... As the movie goes on, it generates enough ultra-violence and gonzo twists to be a midnight movie. ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ turns wild and garish, and you may think the film is losing control, yet Rose Glass is fiercely in control of what she’s doing.” Winner of three British Independent Film Awards, the provocative queer thriller “Femme” centers on the relationship between a celebrated drag artist in London (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) and the closeted gay man who brutally attacked him (George McKay). The two meet months later at a sauna and begin an affair all while the desire for revenge looms in the air. From Variety’s review: “A pair of sensational performances by Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George MacKay, locked in a nervy duet as two men with virtually nothing in common but their sexuality, represents the chief selling point for this stylish, commendably uncompromising fusion of genre fireworks and measured, thoughtful character study.” Nathan Silver’s comedy “Between the Temples” won Carol Kane the best supporting actress prize from the New York Film Critics Circle this year. Variety called the film a “winningly off-kilter comedy” in i ts rave review , adding: “Buoyed by the unlikely chemistry between its two stars, this alternately raucous and tender ‘Harold and Maude’ riff is the warmest work to date from microbudget auteur Silver...Collapsing divides between old age, middle age and adolescence into a universally relatable paean to doing whatever the hell feels right for you in your own weird situation, this scruffy shoestring indie won’t be seen by the internet’s most hawkish age-gap monitors, though it has much to gently teach them.” Variety’s Peter Debruge named “A Different Man” the sixth best movie of 2024 . The film, which won the Gotham Award for best feature, stars Sebastian Stan as struggling actor who finds success after undergoing a procedure to correct a facial disformity. His life is upended by the arrival of a beloved actor who has the same condition. Debruge writes: “The lesser-seen of two radical sci-fi fables this year, both confronting issues of body image in the film industry, Aaron Schimberg’s grungy dark comedy shares a ‘be careful what you wish for’ message with ‘The Substance,’ but pushed all kinds of buttons about representation, identity and casting.”Flamboyant is how one would describe Shaheel Shemont Flair, 26, of Naulu, Nakasi a name now popular in Fiji and abroad. Flair whose real name is Shaheel Sanil Prasad prefers to use a pseudonym. A sole breadwinner for a family of four, Flair said that he loves shopping at NewWorld Supermarket, Nakasi because of its cleanliness, variety and customer service. “It also has a very classy look and the wide range of meat and other goods that is available here is what attracts me to this supermarke,” Flair said. A meat lover whose favourite is chicken biryani cooked by his mother with potatoes says he does all their grocery shopping every fortnight while his mother goes to the market for the family’s supply of vegetables. “I love eating meat thus my shopping cart includes different varieties of meat and meat products, canned food, fruits and other essentials. “I spend around $250 to $300 for our grocery shopping and often bring my younger sister to push the trolley for me.” He shared that though we are encouraged to eat healthy food, the price of locally grown food often costs more than the imported food and pushes us towards unhealthy choices. “For example one bundle beans is $5 and that is not enough for one meal for a family of four so I would rather buy two cans of fish than vegetables which are locally produced but expensive.” Flair on talking about his fitness regime said that if he must lose weight he does not switch or leave certain foods but instead lessens his food portions and eating times. “I swear by yoga, and I think everyone should do it as we all love our food and at times it’s tough to forgo food we love to eat. “I used to have shoulder and back pain and that’s when I started my yoga journey by watching and learning simple poses on You Tube. Yoga is very underrated compared to workout centres or gyms but if only people knew the benefits of it — it would make a great difference in their life’s. “Yoga can be great complement to one’s love for food. It encourages mindfulness, allowing individuals to appreciate their food more fully, while supporting digestion, improving flexibility, reducing stress and boosting overall energy,” he added. Flair a popular social media influencer who uses technology daily to create and upload his contents says the changing digital world such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) is very intriguing but terrifying. “The way it generates photos and videos looks so realistic that it has become more easy for perpetrators to defame, humiliate, harass, bully and blackmail people through it.” Reflecting on a very low phase in his life a few years back, he said, that it is very important for people to know their self-worth and potential as this world can be a very cruel place to live in at times. “From my previous experiences I have learnt to enjoy the present and not to stress about the future or how people treat you as it is important to stay positive in all circumstances,” he shares.

ABU DHABI , UAE , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ADGM, the leading international financial centre of Abu Dhabi and a globally recognised hub for asset and wealth management unveiled nineteen major announcements from global financial institutions during the third edition of ADFW. These represent almost USD 635 billion in assets under management (AUM) and follow other Q4 announcements from the world's largest asset managers, BlackRock, PGIM, and Nuveen, which have also been set up in ADGM. This remarkable increase, from USD 450 billion to USD 635 billion , within a year has reinforced the centre's reputation as the region's fastest-growing and one of the world's most dynamic jurisdictions for asset management. This growth has been further bolstered by the establishment of billionaire-led family offices, including those of British businessman Asif Aziz , prominent philanthropist and financial strategist Wafic Said , and Singaporean entrepreneur and real estate leader Kishin RK, underscoring the centre's growing appeal as a global wealth management hub. Commenting on Abu Dhabi and ADGM's continued momentum, H.E. Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi , Member of Abu Dhabi's Executive Council & Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and ADGM said, "These milestones reflect the heart of what makes Abu Dhabi so special—a shared vision of progress, partnership, and possibility. The growing number of global financial leaders and innovators choosing ADGM is a testament to the trust they place in our infrastructure, robust regulations, commitment to excellence and Abu Dhabi's reputation as the world's safest and most dynamic jurisdiction for asset and wealth management. As we welcome these new partnerships, we remain dedicated to driving the growth and diversification of the 'Falcon Economy' and creating opportunities that resonate across industries and borders. It's an exciting moment for ADGM, Abu Dhabi , and all those who are part of this remarkable journey." Larry Fink , Chairman and CEO of Blackrock praised Abu Dhabi commenting, "It's been a long journey watching how Abu Dhabi has matured as an economy. The constant innovation that I'm seeing from the economy and from the leadership. And Abu Dhabi has really positioned itself to become a leader over the next 20 years. Its psychology was different, and now it's blossoming into this magnet of opportunity. With that strength, it is now becoming a foundation for innovation." "We see a real burgeoning of entrepreneurship happening in the region and believe that the Middle East is the next big entrepreneurial hot spot. We've watched this happen before and always had our eye out on areas emerging in terms of entrepreneurship," said Bill Ford , Chairman & CEO of General Atlantic , during the second day of ADFW. Sir Paul Marshall , Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Marshall Wace said, " Abu Dhabi is such a great place. Abu Dhabi is absolutely nailing it. It's a very attractive place." Confirming their establishment in ADGM during ADFW were leading private equity firms General Atlantic, Lone Star Funds, and Investindustrial along with private credit giants Golub Capital and Polen Capital, insurance manager – Eldridge as well as leading global equity management company, Carta and hedge fund Marshall Wace . This recent wave of commitments from global financial institutions signifies ADGM's leadership in attracting the world's foremost investment firms. Reflecting this confidence and growth, billionaire-led family offices have also been drawn to ADGM, recognising it as a trusted hub for managing and growing wealth. Asif Aziz , Founder and CEO of Criterion Capital commented, " Abu Dhabi's transformation into a global financial powerhouse makes it an ideal base for our operations. ADGM's world-class infrastructure and strategic location provide unparalleled opportunities to forge partnerships that align with our growth ambitions across the UAE and beyond." Building on its role as a leading destination for global investors and asset managers, ADGM is also redefining financial innovation by advancing its digital ecosystem. A cornerstone of this effort was the launch of Finstreet, a first-of-its-kind international securities market and an ecosystem for private securities, which exemplifies ADGM's commitment to integrating cutting-edge digital solutions with its robust financial infrastructure. The week also saw a new funding round for Themis and the entry of international digital pioneers Zodia Markets, Polygon Labs, FJ Labs, Aptos Digital, Chainlinks, Astra Tech and Themis, further solidifying the Emirate's reputation as a global innovation hub. Meanwhile, FinTech Astra Tech's Quantix announcement of a landmark USD 500 million financing from Citigroup, among the largest provided to a UAE FinTech company to date, to expand its CashNow consumer lending platform. Additionally, Themis—renowned for its advanced financial crime prevention technologies—is further reinforcing ADGM's position as a hub for the next generation of financial technologies, secured over USD 9.75 million in scale-up funding, building on its success in partnerships with global leaders, including ADGM underscoring its role in advancing financial crime prevention in innovative regulatory environments. The market announcements were released during the third edition of ADFW held under the theme "Welcome to the Capital of Capital," which gathered more than 20,000 leaders and executives from across the financial services industry, which collectively represented more than USD 42 trillion in assets under management. This wave of newcomers ADFW underscores Abu Dhabi's position as a global financial powerhouse and ADGM's role as a catalyst for economic diversification, attracting top-tier talent, cutting-edge technologies, and transformative investments that are shaping the emirate's future. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2550581/5010772/ADGM_Logo.jpg View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aum-of-usd-635-billion-at-adfw-caps-stellar-q4-as-trillion-dollar-club-flock-to-adgm-302336607.html SOURCE ADGMThe spiritual heart of Paris awakens: Notre Dame hosts first Mass since 2019 fire

Global Times: People's Daily article says favorable conditions for China's economic development remain unchanged

S&P/TSX composite up Friday, U.S. stock markets also risePresident-Elect Donald Trump said he plans to launch efforts to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, impose tariffs on foreign countries that do business with the U.S. and pardon some of the people convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol intrusion. Trump made his comments when describing his agenda In the interview that lasted more than an hour with Kristen Welker on Trump also said he will work to extend tax cuts that were passed during his first administration, not raise the age of Medicare or Medicaid and seek ways to cut federal spending. Also he said he will not impose restrictions on abortions pills, and continues to want abortion determined by individual states, In addition to the deportation efforts, he will also try to end birthright citizenship, which is spelled out in the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. He wants to strip rights from those born in the country to undocumented parents. Regarding deportations, Trump said that "we're starting with the criminals, and we got to do it. And then we're starting with others, and we're going to see how it goes." There are an estimated 4 million families in America who have mixed immigration status. "I don't want to be breaking up families. So the only way you don't break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back." Trump said he wants to work with Democrats to ensure Dreamers, who are undocumented immigrants who entered the United States as children nearly 20 or more years ago - would be able to stay in the country. "We have to do something about the Dreamers, because these are people that have been brought here at a very young age, and many of these are middle-aged people now, they don't even speak the language of their country," Trump said. While serving as president, legislation wasn't approved to protect Dreamers. They are covered under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program that has allowed them to remain in the country and work legally. Referring to his efforts to pardon the Jan. 6 rioters, he said many have endured overly harsh treatment in prison. Trump said the pardons will happen on day one, arguing many have endured overly harsh treatment in prison. "These people are living in hell," Trump said during the interview. A total of 1,251 have been convicted or pleaded guilty of the 1,572 defendants in the attack. At least 645 defendants have been sentenced to incarceration ranging from a few days to 22 years. He said members of the Jan. 6 House committee "committed a major crime" by destroying evidence. Committee members said that is not true because evidence has been preserved with the committee, the White House or Homeland Security. "Honestly, they should go to jail," Trump said about the committee members, adding he would not direct his appointees to arrest them. Regarding the consequences of tariffs, Trump said he could not assure U.S. consumers that they won't pay more for some products under the new rules should they be imposed. "I can't guarantee anything," Trump said. "I can't guarantee tomorrow." Trump also said that Ukraine should "possibly, probably" expect less aid in its fight against Russia and he is trying to negotiate the end of the war with Russia. The future president said he will not raise the age of eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid recipients, and said those programs will also be protected from sweeping cuts promised by Elon Musk, whom Trump has appointed to head a newly created Department of Government Efficiency, with another billionaire, Vivek Ramaswamy. "I won't do it," Trump said. Musk has said the department could cut as much as a third of the national budget, or more than $2 trillion, though he has been short on specifics. Analysts have said cutting that much of the U.S. spending plan in short order is while continuing to keep the country's vital services intact and the nation running, even if the department only takes aim at so-called "discretionary spending." Trump has claimed that his sweeping Nov. 5 victory is a mandate. He won by about 2 million votes of 152 million cast though his Electoral College margin was 312-226 against Vice President Kamala Harris. He said he has broad support from not only the American people, but from corporate titans like Amazon's Jeff Bezos, whom Trump claims to be having dinner with. "People like me now, you know?" he said in the interview. "It's different than the first - you know, when I won the first time, I wasn't nearly as popular as this. And one thing that's very important, in terms of the election, I love that I won the popular vote, and by a lot." While sounding harsh on the campaign trail, Trump said in the interview that he plans to "move forward," and does not, for instance, plan to appoint a special counsel to investigate President Joe Biden. Nor, he said, does he have plans to use the legal system to punish his political or personal adversaries.CLEVELAND (AP) — Shane Bieber's first venture into free agency turned into a return trip. The 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner agreed Friday to rejoin the Cleveland Guardians after making just two starts last season before undergoing Tommy John surgery, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Bieber had been expected to leave the AL Central champions. But he's coming back after agreeing to a one-year, $14 million contract that includes a $16 million player option for 2026, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. Bieber’s deal will pay him $10 million in salary and includes a $4 million buyout. The 29-year-old only pitched twice in 2024 before that bothered him during the previous campaign. Bieber felt discomfort in his start on opening day against the Oakland Athletics and again when he faced the Seattle Mariners his next outing. Bieber didn't allow a run in either start, and the club had been encouraged by his velocity and dominance (20 strikeouts). But the elbow became too painful and Bieber elected to have the ligament-replacement surgery. If his recovery follows a normal timeline, Bieber should be back in Cleveland's rotation within the first three months of next season. The Guardians feared his loss would hurt them last season, but the club got off to a fast start under first-year manager Stephen Vogt and ran away with the division title. Cleveland eliminated Detroit in the AL Division Series before losing the ALCS to the New York Yankees in five games. Bieber spent chunks of last season with the team and he received a huge ovation at Progressive Field when he was introduced before the postseason series. The two-time All-Star has spent all seven of his big league seasons with Cleveland, which had contemplated trading him before his elbow issues in 2023 limited him to 21 starts. During the shortened COVID-19 season in 2020, Bieber went 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA over 12 starts and 77 1/3 innings with 122 strikeouts. He led the majors in wins, ERA and strikeouts and finished fourth in AL MVP voting. He was selected by Cleveland in the fourth round of the 2016 amateur draft out of UC Santa Barbara and made his major league debut two years later on his 23rd birthday. Bieber has a career record of 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA over 136 outings spanning 134 starts and 843 innings. He has twice reached 200 innings, throwing a career-high 214 1/3 in 2019. AP MLB:SEALSQ Announces Completion of a $25.0 Million Registered Direct Offering

The effects of climate change are being felt acutely in Chile where the giant 'living fossil' frog is under threat. Known as the Calyptocephallela gayi or Helmeted Water Toad, this species is losing its habitat not only due to climate change but also due to human intervention. Meanwhile, a significant power outage at a SpaceX facility resulted in a temporary loss of control during an historic mission. This was the first private spacewalk conducted by the company and included billionaire Jared Isaacman, among others. The incident sparked interest given Isaacman's recent nomination as NASA administrator. Japan's space ambitions faced another setback as Space One's Kairos rocket failed shortly after liftoff. Despite these challenges, Japan remains committed to achieving 30 rocket launches annually within the decade, eyeing a prominent position in Asia's space industry. The return of NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore has been postponed until March. Originally intended as an eight-day test mission, it has now extended beyond nine months following issues with the Boeing Starliner capsule they used for their journey. (With inputs from agencies.)Barabanki-Bahraich highway to become UP’s first digital highway

( MENAFN - PR Newswire) ADELAIDE, Australia, Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A leading Australian energy management software and services company has today announced a growth capital investment from Angeleno Group, a long-standing clean energy and climate solutions venture capital and growth equity investment firm headquartered in Los Angeles, with a track record of investing in Australian-based sustainability businesses. This investment aims to accelerate AZZO's geographical expansion and the development and impact of its EnergyX IoT platform helping organisations comprehensively manage their energy including renewables and electrification initiatives for efficiency, sustainability and resilience through microgrids. AZZO's EnergyX IoT platform has made a significant impact in Australia by optimising renewable energy management, addressing grid instability and supporting the transition to a more sustainable, resilient energy ecosystem, helping businesses reduce energy costs, improve efficiency and meet sustainability goals. Founded in Adelaide by John Azzollini in 2005, AZZO has grown from its innovation roots in Australia to become a trusted global leader in the energy transition, with operations nationwide and a well-established presence in North America. "I am incredibly proud of the AZZO team for their dedication and achievements. This partnership with Angeleno Group marks a significant milestone in our journey, and I'm excited about what we can achieve together," says John Azzollini, Founder, AZZO. "Our commitment to sustainability and energy management remains our guiding purpose, and Angeleno Group's backing allows us to make a broader impact in the energy transition alongside its other innovative portfolio companies advancing decarbonisation and sustainability outcomes," says James DiLiberto, CEO, AZZO. The organisation delivers cutting-edge energy solutions for energy efficiency, reduces costs, orchestrates Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and helps in achieving sustainability goals. "AZZO has developed a compelling energy management solution that aligns well with our mission to invest in and help scale innovative clean energy and climate solutions businesses," says Daniel Weiss, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Angeleno Group . "We are excited to contribute to AZZO's growth journey and support their expansion into new markets" says Anil Tammineedi, Partner, Angeleno Group. This partnership with Angeleno will enable AZZO to further extend its presence in existing markets and enter new territories. With Angeleno Group's experience in scaling transformative energy businesses, AZZO is well-positioned and capitalised to expedite the development and deployment of its innovative solutions through partnerships, investments, and acquisitions. As part of this investment, Dominic Drenen will join AZZO as Chairman of the Board in Melbourne, bringing over 25 years of experience in the energy sector. Dominic's leadership and industry expertise will be invaluable as AZZO continues to drive growth and innovation. Dominic is an Operating Partner of Angeleno Group and the former CEO of the Angeleno Group portfolio company, Click Energy, which was acquired by AGL in 2020. The collaboration between AZZO and Angeleno Group represents a major milestone in AZZO's journey to help organisations unlock the full potential of their energy ecosystem. Through targeted investments and partnerships, both companies aim to contribute meaningfully to the transition towards cleaner energy and greater sustainability. About AZZO With a 19-year history of customer-focused innovation and offices in Oceania and North America, AZZO is a leader in renewable energy & electrification management solutions. The company offers technology and services that help businesses achieve sustainability goals and reduce energy costs while increasing resilience and energy-related revenues. The EnergyX IoT platform is central to AZZO's offerings, providing monitoring, analytics, applications, and control and management capabilities for traditional and renewable energy systems. For more information, visit . About Angeleno Group Founded in 2001, Angeleno Group is a pioneer in providing growth capital for clean energy and climate solutions companies. Angeleno Group has become one of the United States' longest standing dedicated clean energy and sustainability focused investment firms, making growth investments on a global basis. The firm's core strategy is to invest in high-growth, well managed, innovative businesses with proven technologies and established customer traction. Angeleno Group invests in a range of deal types, with a strategy that is sector-focused and research-driven. Angeleno Group is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. For more information, visit . SOURCE AZZO MENAFN19122024003732001241ID1109014675 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.None