V2images I have been bullish on Baidu, Inc. ( NASDAQ: BIDU ) for as long as I can remember. The company's first-mover advantages in commercializing AI technology in China, its leading position in China's autonomous driving market including robotaxis, the ongoing transformation of its Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of BIDU either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.President Zelensky's decision to disclose the death toll of Ukrainian soldiers has been met with both praise and criticism. Some see it as a courageous move that sheds light on the reality of war, while others argue that it may have negative implications for ongoing negotiations and peace efforts. However, Zelensky remains steadfast in his commitment to transparency and accountability in addressing the conflict in Ukraine.
Insurers report rise in commission expenses
Manorama Industries Ltd. promoters Vinita Ashish Saraf, Shrey Ashish Saraf and Agastya Saraf along with shareholder Ritu Saraf have offloaded stake worth Rs 200 crore through open market transactions on Tuesday. On the other hand, fund houses like LIC Mutual Fund, Bank of India Mutual Fund and Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund bought shares in the company. While Vinita Ashish Saraf offloaded 12.22 lakh shares representing 2.05% of the overall stake, Shrey Ashish Saraf and Agastya Saraf offloaded 0.25% each, at Rs 1,100 per share. Ritu Saraf sold 2.97 lakh shares at Rs 1,100 apiece, according to block deal data on BSE. As of September, the shareholding of Ritu stood at 7.61%, Shrey at 9.93%, Saraf at 23.31% and Agastya at 24.01%, according to the data available with the exchanges. LIC Mutual Fund bought 7.27 lakh shares, representing 1.22% stake, and Bank of India Mutual Fund mopped up 2.7 lakh shares or 0.45% stake at Rs 1,100 per share. At the same buying price, Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund acquired 8.18 lakh shares or 1.37% stake. Shares of Manorama Industries fell as much as 5.99% during the trade on Tuesday. The scrip partially recovered to close 2.55% lower at Rs 1,090 per share. This compares with a 0.11% decline in the benchmark Nifty 50. On a year-to-date basis, the stock has soared by 172.36%. It has also marked a climb of 187.05% over the past 12 months.The Minnesota Twins acquired infielder Mickey Gasper from the Red Sox on Tuesday, sending left-hander Jovani Moran to Boston. Gasper, 29, made his major league debut in 2024 with the Red Sox, going hitless with four walks and one run in 18 at-bats over 13 games. The switch-hitter spent most of the 2024 season at Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester, hitting a combined .328 with 27 doubles, 12 home runs and 58 RBIs in 92 games. The Red Sox selected him from the New York Yankees in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft. A 27th-round pick of the Yankees in the 2018 draft, Gasper has played four positions in the minors -- first base, second base, third base and catcher -- along with serving as designated hitter. In 407 minor league games with the Yankees and Red Sox farm systems, he has hit .275 with 48 home runs and 207 RBIs. Moran, 27, underwent Tommy John surgery after the 2023 season and didn't pitch in 2024. In 79 relief appearances with the Twins from 2021-23, Minnesota's seventh-round pick in the 2015 draft is 2-3 with one save along with a 4.15 ERA, 52 walks, 112 strikeouts and a 1.33 WHIP in 91 innings. --Field Level MediaWide receiver Dallas Wilson, a five-star Class of 2025 prospect, signed with Florida. The move came just days after he asked Oregon to release him from his commitment. He signed with the Ducks on Dec. 4, the first day of the early signing period. The 247Sports composite ranks Wilson, a Florida product from Tampa Bay Tech, as the No. 4 wide receiver and No. 20 overall player in the class. Florida announced his signing with a video posted to social media Sunday night. Wilson had been committed to the Ducks since Jan. 17, 2023, taking an official visit there in June 2024 and one to Florida on Nov. 22. But The Athletic reported last week that Wilson's agent, Vernell Brown of EL1TE Sports Management Group, said Wilson changed his mind to remain closer to an ill family member, adding NIL money was not a factor. A 6-foot-3 speedster, Wilson also runs track and was part of his school's 4x400 relay team that qualified for the state competition in his junior year. --Field Level Media
Thanks to the current volatility, retail investors are increasingly jittery about investing directly in the stock market. With benchmark indices already lower by 10 per cent from their all-time high, there are fewer reasons for investors to get exposure to equity than there were earlier. Typically, wary investors tend to opt for safer options such as fixed deposits (FDs) or debt mutual funds . However, experts try to calm investors' nerves by clarifying that volatility is the best tool for assessing their risk appetite. “Market volatility is the best tool to check investors' risk-taking ability. It's a reality check of patience for many retail investors. For the last few months, we have witnessed continuous volatility. The naive investors would naturally get fearful because of the negative performance of their portfolio but this is, in fact, a good time to continue the SIPs in order to accumulate more units at lower NAV,” says Preeti Zende, founder of Apna Dhan financial Services. As far as different options that exist now, it is recommended to explore flexi cap funds, wherein allocation to different categories can be tweaked to align with changing market conditions. What are flexi cap funds? These refer to mutual funds which invest at least 65 per cent in equity and equity-related instruments. They enjoy the flexibility of investing in the stocks across market capitalisation — large cap, mid cap and small cap. There are 39 flexi cap schemes with total AUMs of ₹ 4.35 lakh crore, second highest after sectoral or thematic funds which have a total AUMs of ₹ 4.61 lakh crore. In November alone, flexi caps received an inflow of ₹ 5,084 crore while the corresponding figure for multi cap funds stood at ₹ 3,626 crore and for large caps, it stood at ₹ 2,547 crore. Popular among investors There is no denying the fact that flexi caps are among the most popular categories of mutual funds among investors. “When the domestic economy does better, a broader market index such as Nifty 500 (represented in the flexi cap fund) tends to do better than the large cap index such as Nifty50. Besides, these funds give a lot of flexibility to the fund managers who can decide where to invest. The scope of stock picking is better across sectors and across market cap,” says Mihir Vora, Chief Investment Officer, TRUST Mutual Fund. “Due to the uncertain future, it is always better to stick to large cap and/or flexi cap funds. In flexi cap funds, fund managers take their calls to have exposure in all equity and debt allocation sections or even prefer to sit on cash. So, in a single fund, you can get allocation to large cap, mid cap, small cap, and if needed in debt funds,” says Zende of Apna Dhan. Need for caution It is recommended to invest in flexi caps to take advantage of volatility. However, one should exercise caution and opt for schemes with fund managers who have a deep understanding. “If you are a seasoned investor, then you can continue your flexicap investments. But select only those flexi caps whose fund managers have a deep understanding of investing in a sideways market. The skill of fund managers matters a lot in such a volatile situation,” explains Zende. For other personal finance stories, click here
In conclusion, the selection of "Greed, Strife, Deceit" as Taiwan's representative word for 2024 serves as a powerful statement on the critical issues confronting the nation and underscores the urgent need for change. Only by acknowledging, confronting, and addressing these challenges can Taiwan move towards a more prosperous, peaceful, and prosperous future for all its citizens.Yang Shize, a well-known actor in the entertainment industry, recently made headlines when he cleverly addressed rumors of his romantic relationship with a fellow celebrity through a hidden poem. The talented actor, who is often in the spotlight for his stellar performances on screen, showed his wit and humor by using a traditional literary form to playfully respond to the speculations surrounding his love life.MARPAI ANNOUNCES PRICING OF $700,000 PRIVATE PLACEMENT
The victim, who has been identified as John Smith, was a prominent figure in the insurance industry, known for his innovative approaches and strong leadership. His untimely death has sent shockwaves throughout the business community, leaving many reeling from the tragic loss of a respected industry titan.
New Tax Reform on Water Resource Fees in Shandong Province Aims to Promote Water Conservation and Policy IncentivesChristopher Nolan is following his Oscar-winning “Oppenheimer” with a true epic: Homer’s “The Odyssey.” It will open in theaters on July 17, 2026, Universal Pictures said Monday. Details remain scarce, but the studio teased that it will be a “mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX technology.” It will also be the first time that an adaptation of Homer’s saga will play on IMAX film screens. Nolan has been an IMAX enthusiast for years, going back to “The Dark Knight,” and has made his last three films exclusively using large format film and the highest resolution film cameras. For “Oppenheimer,” the first black-and-white IMAX film stock was developed. Nolan hasn’t said specifically what the new technology for “The Odyssey” will be, but earlier this month he told The Associated Press that they’re in an intensive testing phase with IMAX to prepare for the new production. “They have an incredible engineering staff, really brilliant minds doing extraordinary work,” Nolan said. “It’s wonderful to see innovation in the celluloid film arena still happening and happening at the highest level possible.” RELATED COVERAGE Harris Dickinson toys with ambiguity in ‘Babygirl,’ and keeps a secret from Nicole Kidman ‘Kraven the Hunter’ had one of the worst openings for a Marvel-adjacent property, estimates show Christopher Nolan on ‘Interstellar’s’ cosmic success 10 years later “The Odyssey” will be Nolan’s second collaboration with Universal Pictures following “Oppenheimer,” which earned nearly $1 billion at the box office and won the filmmaker his first Oscars, including for best director and best picture . Rumors about his next project have been swirling ever since, with near-daily speculations about plot — none of which turned out to be true — and casting. While there are many reports about actors joining the ensemble, none has been officially confirmed by the studio."Path of Exile 2's" ascension to the top spot is a testament to the dedication of its developers and the support of its loyal fan base. With its engaging gameplay, rich lore, and immersive world, the game has captivated players and earned its place among the best-selling titles on Steam.
Crafting a community: Manchester students celebrate Chanukah
Tech companies led a broad rally for U.S. stocks Tuesday, a boost for the market in a holiday-shortened trading session. The S&P 500 rose 0.8% in midday trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 273 points, or 0.6%, as of 12:18 p.m. Eastern time. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite was up 1%. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.9%, while semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 0.8%. Super Micro Computer jumped 5.8%. Tesla climbed 5.1%, one of the biggest gains among S&P 500 stocks. Amazon.com rose 1.6% American Airlines slipped 0.1% after the airline briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical issue. U.S. Steel rose 1.1% a day after an influential government panel failed to reach consensus on the possible national security risks of the nearly $15 billion proposed sale to Nippon Steel of Japan. NeueHealth surged 68.9% after the health care company agreed to be taken private in a deal valued at roughly $1.3 billion. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.61% from 4.59% late Monday. European markets were mostly higher. Markets in Asia mostly gained ground. U.S. markets will close at 1 p.m. Eastern and stay closed Wednesday for Christmas. Wall Street has several economic reports to look forward to this week, including a weekly update on unemployment benefits on Thursday. Tuesday’s rally comes as the stock market enters what’s historically been a very cheerful season. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950. The so-called “Santa rally” also correlates closely with positive returns in January and the upcoming year. So far this month, the U.S. stock market has lost some of its gains since President-elect Donald Trump’s win on Election Day, which raised hopes for faster economic growth and more lax regulations that would boost corporate profits. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Even so, the stock market remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024. The benchmark S&P 500 is up about 26% so far this year and remains within roughly 1.3% of the all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year.The pope is kicking off a yearlong Jubilee that will test his stamina and Rome's patience VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis on Tuesday opens the 2025 Holy Year. It kicks off a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome. That will test the pope’s stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them. At the start of Christmas Eve Mass, Francis pushes open the great Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter’s Basilica. The ceremony inaugurates the once-every-25-year tradition of a Jubilee, in which the Catholic faithful make pilgrimages to Rome. Francis has dedicated the 2025 Jubilee to the theme of hope. Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Middle East latest: Bethlehem marks a somber Christmas Eve amid war in Gaza TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Palestinian city of Bethlehem is preparing for another somber Christmas under the shadow of war in Gaza. Most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israel’s bombardment and ground invasion has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. Heavy travel day off to a rough start after American Airlines briefly grounds all flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne Tuesday about one hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that 1,447 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed. Twenty-eight flights were canceled. Millions of travelers are expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers through Jan. 2. Major storm pounds California's central coast, blamed for man's death and partially collapsing pier SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — A major storm has pounded California’s central coast bringing flooding and high surf that was blamed for fatally trapping a man beneath debris on a beach and later partially collapsing a pier, tossing three people into the Pacific Ocean. The storm was expected to bring hurricane-force winds and waves up to 60 feet Monday as it gained strength from California to the Pacific Northwest. Some California cities have ordered beachfront homes and hotels to evacuate early Monday afternoon. Forecasters have warned that storm swells would continue to increase throughout the day. Medellin Cartel victims demand truth and justice as cartel boss Fabio Ochoa walks free in Colombia BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — The return of the notorious drug trafficker Fabio Ochoa to Colombia, following his deportation from the United States, has reopened old wounds among the victims of the Medellin cartel, with some expressing their dismay at the decision of Colombian authorities to let the former mafia boss walk free.Some of the cartel victims said on Tuesday that they are hoping the former drug lord will at least cooperate with ongoing efforts by human rights groups to investigate one of the most violent periods of Colombia’s history, and demanded that Colombian prosecutors also take Ochoa in for questioning. Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark’s only the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931. Amsterdam court sentences 5 men over violence linked to Ajax-Maccabi soccer game THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An Amsterdam District Court has issued sentences of up to six months in jail against 5 men who were involved in violent disorder after a soccer match between the Dutch club Ajax and Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv in November. The riots caused an international outcry and accusations of deliberate anti-Semitic attacks. The violence following a UEFA Europa League match left 5 people in hospital. More than 60 suspects were detained. The court on Tuesday sentenced one man to 6 months in prison, another to 2 1/2 months, two to 1 month and one to 100 hours of community service. France has a new government, again. Politics and crushing debt complicate next steps PARIS (AP) — France’s president and prime minister have managed to form a new government just in time for the holidays. Now comes the hard part. Crushing debt, pressure from the nationalist far right, wars in Europe and the Mideast. The hallenges abound for President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Francois Bayrou. They already had a tumultuous 2024. The most urgent order of business is passing a 2025 budget. Financial markets, ratings agencies and the European Commission are pushing France to bring down its deficit. It is threatening the stability and prosperity of all countries that share the euro currency. Legendary Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal dies at age 90 NEW DELHI (AP) — Shyam Benegal, a renowned Indian filmmaker known for pioneering a cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s, has died after chronic kidney disease. He was 90. His contribution to cinema was recognized as a director, editor and screenwriter. He came into the limelight with films that challenged mainstream Bollywood by dealing with the social realities of a poor nation. He also was a mentor to top Indian actors. India's prime minister says he is “deeply saddened” by Benegal's death.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Once-promising seasons hit new lows for the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers last week. Another late-game meltdown sent the Bears to their sixth straight loss and led to the firing of coach Matt Eberflus. The 49ers suffered their second straight blowout loss and more crushing injuries to go from Super Bowl contenders to outside the playoff picture in a matter of weeks. The two reeling teams will try to get back on track on Sunday when the Bears (4-8) visit the 49ers (5-7) in Chicago's first game under interim coach Thomas Brown . “I told them a minute ago after practice there is no confidence loss at all as far as what I think about them,” Brown said Wednesday. “I don’t care what anybody else thinks about them. I think we have a very talented football team. It’s about just putting the work in every single day to give us an opportunity to win.” The Bears are hoping to get an emotional boost from the first in-season firing of a head coach in franchise history. Over the last 10 seasons, teams with interim coaches are 13-11 in their first game with the new coach. Those teams had a .284 winning percentage at the time they fired their coaches. “I wouldn’t say a new voice was needed. I would say there was change that was needed," rookie quarterback Caleb Williams said, pointing to a need for more accountability and better communication. The Niners came into the season as the favorites to get back to the Super Bowl from the NFC after losing the title game to Kansas City last season. But a series of key injuries, bad losses and spotty play have left them in last place in the NFC West with only slim hopes of even reaching the postseason. San Francisco lost 38-10 to Green Bay and 35-10 to Buffalo in back-to-back weeks and lost star running back Christian McCaffrey to a knee injury last week that will sideline him for at least the rest of the regular season. The Niners already lost key players Brandon Aiyuk and Javon Hargrave to season-ending injuries and are preparing to be without stars Nick Bosa and Trent Williams for a third straight week. “It’s just been a rocky mountain for real with the injuries and other stuff we’ve had to go through this season,” receiver Deebo Samuel said. “Our record don’t show how really good we are as a team. We're still believing in this locker room.” Williams described Eberflus’ firing as “interesting” and “tough” and vowed to “roll with the punches” while insisting the chaos and turnover of the past few weeks could help him handle similar situations in the future. Just 12 games into his NFL career, the prized quarterback is on his second head coach and third offensive coordinator, though Brown will continue to call plays. How does he keep the faith that his career is in good hands with this organization? “The first part is understanding I can’t control,” Williams said. “Even if I understand or don’t understand, that doesn’t matter. I have to roll with the punches like I said before. I don’t control everything.” With McCaffrey and Jordan Mason injured, the Niners running game will turn to rookie Isaac Guerendo . The fourth-round pick has 42 carries for 246 yards and two TDs this season and will be making his second start in either college or the pros. Coach Kyle Shanahan said the progress Guerendo has made since training camp makes him ready for his new role as he sees him running with more “urgency.” “I think it takes guys some time,” Shanahan said. “You start to get a feel for it the more, if you’ve got the right stuff, the more you get reps, the more you can adjust to it. How hard you’ve got to hit stuff, how quick those holes close, how when there is a hole how you have to hit it full-speed and can’t hesitate at all or it closes like that. We’ve seen that stuff get better in practice and we’ve seen it carry over into games.” San Francisco's usually stout run defense has been anything but that this season. The Niners have struggled to slow down the opposition on the ground all year with the problem getting worse recently. The 49ers allowed 389 yards rushing the past two weeks. “It’s been so frustrating because I know what is supposed to look like,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “That’s not it.” Stopping the run also continues to be a sore spot for Chicago. The Bears rank 25th overall against the run and 29th in yards allowed per rush after another difficult outing last week. They gave up 194 yards, including 144 in the first half as the Lions grabbed a 16-0 lead. Losing veteran defensive tackle Andrew Billings to a torn pectoral muscle last month did not help. He was injured in a Week 9 loss at Arizona and is expected to miss the remainder of the season after having surgery. AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman contributed to this report. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLIt’s no secret that New Hampshire’s headed toward leaner times. Outgoing Gov. Chris Sununu hoped to get ahead of the revenue problem by asking state agencies to reduce their budgets requests. Still, this year’s proposals totaled nearly $17 billion — more than $1 billion more from the current budget. On the horizon, the state still faces several potential big-ticket expenses, like education funding lawsuits, damages paid to victims abused at the youth detention center and construction of a new state prison, each of which could cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Here’s what agencies are requesting so far and the unknowns that could overhaul state spending in the next budget cycle. What’s in the budget? The biggest chunk goes toward health and social services, partly because it’s such a large umbrella of government programs. The Department of Health and Human Services, the state’s largest department, does most of that work. “At any given time, they serve about 184,000 individuals on Medicaid, about 77,000 on the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Program, as well as housing supports for those experiencing homelessness, childcare, public health, et cetera,” said Jessica Williams, a policy analyst at the N.H. Fiscal Policy Institute. These programs account for 45 percent of agencies’ initial requests, according to a NHFPI analysis. This includes both the efficiency budget and other priorities. The efficiency budget is the bare minimum the government expects it’ll need to fulfill legal requirements and accounts for $16.29 billion. Agencies also put forth $653.1 million in additional prioritized needs, which are items they hope to add if there’s enough room in the budget. Health and social services would cost the state $7.7 billion over the next two years — a $1 billion increase from the current budget, Williams said, but that number will likely change. If the state reduces health and social services funding, that could impact things like Medicaid and housing. The next-largest spending category was education, coming in around $3.5 billion, or 20 percent of the budget. Money for schools comes from statewide property taxes, part of business and tobacco taxes and a few other sources. Other parts of the budget are smaller but still significant. Here’s what else state agencies have allocated for other categories so far, according to NHFPI. $2.02 billion for Justice and Public Protection, about 12 percent. $1.62 billion for Transportation, about 10 percent. $1.11 billion for General Government, about 7 percent. $1.02 billion for Resource Protection and Development, about 6 percent. Potential pitfalls New Hampshire had a $146.5 million cash surplus year-to-date at the end of October, but Phil Sletten, the NHFPI research director, said in addition to an encroaching revenue slump, several other major factors present unknowns for the state during this budget cycle. Ongoing lawsuits, new developments and uncertain federal funding could add hundreds of millions of dollars. Liabilities from multiple lawsuits currently under review by the state Supreme Court could create financial pitfalls for the state. Hundreds of legal claims of sexual and other abuse at the former Youth Development Center are already costing the state millions. “Some of these cases go back years and decades, and we don’t know how much money that is going to end up costing the state in liability, but that could be hundreds of millions of dollars that the state would have to find the resources to pay,” Sletten said, even if it’s not all at once. Other legal action could reshape New Hampshire’s model for education funding and force the state to pay more toward public schools. “I don’t know if it will or not, but that is a potential additional expenditure,” Sletten said. The state is also embarking on its largest capital project ever — a new men’s prison, with a $600 million price tag. After the state pushed off rebuilding the current men’s prison in Concord for years, corrections officials say aging infrastructure at the current men’s state prison is in dire condition. Lastly, Sletten said, the future of federal funds is also uncertain. During the 2023 budget cycle, about one in every three dollars of state revenue came from the federal government. With potential changes at the federal level, some state spending is up in the air. This would apply to things like Medicaid, transportation grants, environmental grants and many other services, Sletten said. “If federal funding changes, what are the timelines of those changes? What are the magnitudes of those changes?” Sletten said. “Those are all important questions that the state policymakers may have to consider this budget cycle.” He also stressed that these factors may not be finalized for a while, even by June, when some form of spending will have to be authorized by the Legislature. What happens next? Now that state agencies have proposed their own budgets, it’s up to Gov.-elect Kelly Ayotte to review them and draft her own version of the budget. She has to present that to the Legislature by mid-February. Then, both the House of Representatives and the Senate will take a stab at it, going through various rounds of additions, cuts and other changes. Sletten said the initial amount proposed by agencies is likely to decrease a bit once the budget gets through the Legislature. “I don’t have a crystal ball for you to definitively say one way or another,” he said, “but the $16.9 billion figure is likely larger than we will see proposed by either the governor or the House or the Senate.”
In the face of mounting pressure on President Moon Jae-in and the looming specter of impeachment, the Defense Ministry's statement provides a sense of assurance that the military stands ready to fulfill its duty to protect the nation and uphold the constitution. The reaffirmation of Defense Minister Suh Wook's authority over the military sends a clear signal that the armed forces are dedicated to upholding their constitutional role as defenders of the nation, regardless of the political developments unfolding in the civilian sphere.Marvell Technology (NASDAQ:MRVL) Delivers Strong Q3 Numbers, Stock Soars
As the sport of table tennis continues to evolve and adapt to modern advancements, it is essential for players and officials to prioritize fairness and integrity above all else. By embracing innovations such as the Hawk-Eye system and leveraging their benefits for the betterment of the game, athletes like Wang Chuqin set a positive example for the next generation of competitors. As fans and enthusiasts witness the exciting developments in the sport, they can take comfort in knowing that measures are in place to ensure a level playing field and uphold the principles of fair play.The Bears look for an interim coach bump when they visit the struggling 49ers
Late 3 point shot preserves Magic's 108-104 comeback win over CelticsBroker says this ASX 200 share offers 'compelling value' for investors
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