Zimmerman named Outstanding Alumnus of Army War CollegeBrighton were booed off after their winless run was stretched to six Premier League games by a frustrating goalless draw against away-day strugglers Brentford. Albion dominated for large periods on a foggy evening at the Amex Stadium and hit the woodwork inside four minutes through Julio Enciso. Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken also made a string of important saves before being forced off injured in the 36th minute, albeit his replacement Hakon Valdimarsson was rarely tested on his Premier League debut. Brentford, who remain without a top-flight away win this term, had an early Yoane Wissa finish ruled out for offside following VAR intervention but barely threatened, despite an improved second-half showing. The Seagulls remain 10th ahead of Monday’s trip to Aston Villa, with Thomas Frank’s visitors a position and two points below moving towards their New Year’s Day showdown with Arsenal. Brighton have plummeted from second place to mid-table amid a poor run of form which has increased scrutiny on head coach Fabian Hurzeler. Seagulls chief executive Paul Barber called for perspective from fans in his programme notes after revealing he revealed emails “full of doom and gloom” following the recent 3-1 home defeat to rivals Crystal Palace. Enciso, one of two players recalled by Hurzeler following Saturday’s 1-1 draw at West Ham, almost gave Albion a dream start. A poor pass from Bees goalkeeper Flekken was intercepted by Carlos Baleba and, following a neat layoff from Joao Pedro, Paraguay forward Enciso curled against the right post. Brentford arrived in Sussex with the worst away record in the division, having previously taken a solitary point from 24 available this term. Flekken saved well from Baleba and then collected a tame header from the unmarked Enciso before the away side thought they had snatched a 13th-minute lead. After being slipped in by Mads Roerslev at the end of a swift counter-attack, Wissa thumped high into the net beyond Seagulls keeper Bart Verbruggen only to be ruled marginally offside. Flekken made further saves from Brajan Gruda and Matt O’Riley before hurting himself keeping out a deflected Kaoru Mitoma cross and being replaced by 23-year-old Iceland international Valdimarsson. Brentford remained on the back foot and, aside from Wissa’s disallowed effort, offered little going forward in a one-sided opening period which somehow ended level. Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke produced a crucial block to deny Wissa as the west London club began the second half brightly before Christian Norgaard’s ambitious effort deflected wide amid groans from increasingly restless home fans. Hurzeler responded with a triple change, introducing Yasin Ayari, Simon Adingra and Yankuba Minteh in place of O’Riley, Gruda and Mitoma. Albion forward Pedro then escaped punishment in the 76th minute after swinging an arm at Bees substitute Yehor Yarmoliuk without making contact before defender Ben Mee became the second visiting player to depart injured. The introduction of Solly March in the 88th minute for his first appearance since suffering a serious knee injury in October last year briefly lifted the mood on the terraces. But, following a frantic five minutes of added time, some Seagulls supporters vented their displeasure at full-time as their club’s wait for victory goes on.Colts QB Anthony Richardson ruled out for Sunday's game against the Giants
CLEVELAND (AP) — Tyler Huntley stepped in for Tua Tagovailoa and stepped up for the Dolphins. Miami still has a playoff pulse. Huntley scrambled for a touchdown and threw for one while starting for the injured Tagovailoa, and the Dolphins stayed in the AFC wild-card race heading into their season finale with a 20-3 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. With Tagovailoa sidelined by a hip injury, the backup known as “Snoop” did enough for the Dolphins (8-8). “This was not ideal in any way, shape or form,” said Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, adding he held out hope up until just before kickoff that Tagovailoa might play. “But it was a tremendous outing for (Huntley). It showed how far Snoop has come.” Miami needs to win next weekend at the New York Jets and hope the Denver Broncos lose at home to Kansas City to get a postseason berth. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and many of the top-seeded Chiefs' starters are expected to rest. “For the first time in my life, I'm about to be a huge Chiefs fan,” Dolphins defensive tackle Calais Campbell said. “It might not happen (making the playoffs), but we have an opportunity. And if it does happen, look out, we're coming.” Tagovailoa's status for next week is unclear, but Huntley showed he can get the job done if necessary. He finished 22 of 26 for 225 yards and didn't have any turnovers in his fourth start this season. The 26-year-old was with Cleveland in training camp before being released in August. Huntley downplayed any thought he was seeking revenge against the Browns. “When I left, that was it,” said Huntley, who was signed by Miami in September when Tagovailoa suffered his latest concussion. “For him to get cut, it was our blessing picking him up,” Campbell said. Tagovailoa was limited in practice all week with the hip injury suffered two weeks ago against Houston. McDaniel said “it's impossible” to know whether Tagovailoa will be available to face the Jets. “From a medical perspective, it was not an option for him to play today,” McDaniel said. Tagovailoa spent the afternoon on the sideline in sweats, encouraging Huntley and his other teammates. The quarterback was not available for interviews afterward. The Browns (3-13) dropped their fifth straight, finished 2-6 at home and could be headed toward another offseason of major turnover. They improved their draft position for 2025, when they will likely look for a quarterback. “I have no comment on that,” said Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, whose job appears safe despite the team's regression after making the playoffs last season. Dorian Thompson-Robinson isn't the long-term answer. In his second straight start, the second-year QB completed 24 of 47 passes for 170 yards. He also threw an interception, lost a fumble and was flagged three times for intentional grounding. “We were harassing him all day,” Campbell said. Both offenses had issues in windy and wet conditions, but Huntley handled them better. He ran for a 13-yard touchdown early in the third quarter to put the Dolphins up 13-3. After rolling right, Huntley made several precise cuts as he picked his way down the sideline and into the end zone. “He was just making plays,” said receiver Tyreek Hill, who had nine catches for 105 yards. Hill said Tagovailoa pushed as hard as possible to play. “Basically, it was the staff trying to save a player from himself,” Hill said. The Browns had a chance to cut into the lead, but Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey broke up Thompson-Robinson's fourth-and-goal pass toward Jerry Jeudy in the end zone. Huntley connected with tight end Jonnu Smith on a 7-yard TD with 3:38 left. Miami's Jason Sanders kicked field goals of 54 and 39 yards. He's made a franchise-best 25 in a row, the streak helped by a friendly bounce off the crossbar on his 54-yarder in the first quarter. The Browns tied it when Dustin Hopkins, who was benched for a game during a recent slump, kicked a 25-yard field goal. Browns defensive end Myles Garrett celebrated his 29th birthday with a pair of sacks. Last season's defensive player of the year has 14 this season, making him the first player in league history to get that many four years in a row. Dolphins: LT Terron Armstead was forced out in the second quarter with a knee injury that has bothered him for weeks. Patrick Paul filled in. ... WR Jaylen Waddle (knee) was inactive. Browns: CB Denzel Ward (shoulder) didn't play in the second half after getting hurt in the second quarter. ... LB Jordan Hicks was ruled out with a head injury. ... RB Jerome Ford (ankle) was forced out in the first half. He came back but was only on the field for one play after halftime. ... RB Pierre Strong Jr. left with an apparent head injury in the final minutes. Dolphins: Wrap up the regular season against the Jets on Jan. 4 or 5. Browns: Visit Baltimore next weekend. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Brighton were booed off after their winless run was stretched to six Premier League games by a frustrating goalless draw against away-day strugglers Brentford. Albion dominated for large periods on a foggy evening at the Amex Stadium and hit the woodwork inside four minutes through Julio Enciso. Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken also made a string of important saves before being forced off injured in the 36th minute, albeit his replacement Hakon Valdimarsson was rarely tested on his Premier League debut. Brentford, who remain without a top-flight away win this term, had an early Yoane Wissa finish ruled out for offside following VAR intervention but barely threatened, despite an improved second-half showing. The Seagulls remain 10th ahead of Monday’s trip to Aston Villa, with Thomas Frank’s visitors a position and two points below moving towards their New Year’s Day showdown with Arsenal. Brighton have plummeted from second place to mid-table amid a poor run of form which has increased scrutiny on head coach Fabian Hurzeler. Seagulls chief executive Paul Barber called for perspective from fans in his programme notes after revealing he revealed emails “full of doom and gloom” following the recent 3-1 home defeat to rivals Crystal Palace. Enciso, one of two players recalled by Hurzeler following Saturday’s 1-1 draw at West Ham, almost gave Albion a dream start. A poor pass from Bees goalkeeper Flekken was intercepted by Carlos Baleba and, following a neat layoff from Joao Pedro, Paraguay forward Enciso curled against the right post. Brentford arrived in Sussex with the worst away record in the division, having previously taken a solitary point from 24 available this term. Flekken saved well from Baleba and then collected a tame header from the unmarked Enciso before the away side thought they had snatched a 13th-minute lead. After being slipped in by Mads Roerslev at the end of a swift counter-attack, Wissa thumped high into the net beyond Seagulls keeper Bart Verbruggen only to be ruled marginally offside. Flekken made further saves from Brajan Gruda and Matt O’Riley before hurting himself keeping out a deflected Kaoru Mitoma cross and being replaced by 23-year-old Iceland international Valdimarsson. Brentford remained on the back foot and, aside from Wissa’s disallowed effort, offered little going forward in a one-sided opening period which somehow ended level. Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke produced a crucial block to deny Wissa as the west London club began the second half brightly before Christian Norgaard’s ambitious effort deflected wide amid groans from increasingly restless home fans. Hurzeler responded with a triple change, introducing Yasin Ayari, Simon Adingra and Yankuba Minteh in place of O’Riley, Gruda and Mitoma. Albion forward Pedro then escaped punishment in the 76th minute after swinging an arm at Bees substitute Yehor Yarmoliuk without making contact before defender Ben Mee became the second visiting player to depart injured. The introduction of Solly March in the 88th minute for his first appearance since suffering a serious knee injury in October last year briefly lifted the mood on the terraces. But, following a frantic five minutes of added time, some Seagulls supporters vented their displeasure at full-time as their club’s wait for victory goes on.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday lauded the contribution of the training institutions of the Indian Army in making the personnel proficient in military strategies and skills of warfare. He was on a visit to the three Premier Training Institutes of the Indian Army - Army War College (AWC), Infantry School and Military College of Telecommunication & Engineering (MCTE) - in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, on Sunday, accompanied by Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi and other senior officers of the Indian Army. The Defence Minister was briefed by the Officiating Commandant on the establishment of Advanced Incubation and Research Centre and the various MoUs towards enabling absorption and transformation of technologies, said a statement. He visited the Army Marksmanship Unit to witness their contribution towards national sports. The Defence Minister also visited the Infantry Museum, where he was briefed on the history of Infantry as well as the induction of modernised equipment into the Infantry. Singh also interacted with all ranks of the three institutes at AWC. Addressing the troops, he commended the courage of the Indian Army personnel in safeguarding the borders and ensuring national security. “Your dedication and devotion to duty are an inspiration to all of us. It is due to your hard work and commitment that our country and its borders are becoming increasingly secure and strong,” he said. The Defence Minister called upon the armed forces to continue keeping a vigilant eye on the current geopolitical scenario, and always remain alert and ready to deal with any kind of threats. He emphasised that there are times when India faces challenges on the borders as well as on the internal front, which makes it imperative for the soldiers to keep a close eye on the activities of the adversaries and take timely and effective steps against them. The Defence Minister asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's aim is to make India a developed and self-reliant nation by 2047, and the Armed Forces will play a crucial role in achieving this goal. Earlier, Rajnath Singh visited the Bhim Janm Bhoomi, a memorial dedicated to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in Mhow, and paid homage to the Bharat Ratna awardee and the architect of the Indian Constitution at his birthplace. (Except for the headline, this story, from a syndicated feed, has not been edited by Odishatv.in staff)
'Hard-earned' economic stability to continue on back of remittances, exports: finance ministry Prudent fiscal management and strategic reforms paving way for sustainable economic growth, says monthly report ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Finance on Friday said that the country’s economy has demonstrated sustained positive developments during the first five months of the current fiscal year, expressing optimism that the hard-earned stability will continue on the back of remittances and exports inflows with decent imports. "Macroeconomic fundamentals have strengthened, marked by a further deceleration in CPI inflation with stable food prices, effective fiscal consolidation resulting in a fiscal surplus, current account surplus supported by increased exports and remittances, and an accommodative monetary policy stance,” the finance ministry said in its monthly economic report. According to the report, these developments have bolstered business and consumer confidence, reflected in significant private-sector credit uptake and a sharp rise in the Pakistan Stock Exchange. Prudent fiscal management and strategic reforms are paving the way for sustainable economic growth, it added. The report added that efforts were afoot to ensure the agriculture sector achieves self-sufficiency for Rabi 2024-25 as the government has set a wheat production target of 27.920 million tonnes from an area of 9.262 million hectares. To achieve this target, concerted efforts were underway to ensure the timely availability of essential farm inputs, including agricultural credit, quality seeds, fertilizers, and mechanization support. Meanwhile, agriculture credit disbursement reached Rs925.7 billion during July-November FY2025, an increase of 8.5% compared to Rs853.0 billion during the same period last year. The report stated, in October 2024, large-scale manufacturing (LSM) recorded a marginal Year-on-Year (YoY) growth of 0.02%, signalling a positive shift from the significant contraction of 5.79% observed in October 2023. This hints at a gradual recovery in economic activity amidst ongoing challenges. The auto industry performed well during July-November 2025, as production and sales of all vehicles grew by 25.2% and 24.8%, respectively. Meanwhile, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation recorded at 4.9% on YoY basis in November 2024 as compared to 7.2% in the previous month and 29.2% in November 2023. Updating about the revenues, the report said, that during July-November FY2025, FBR tax collection grew by 23.3% to Rs 4,295 billion against Rs 3,485 billion last year. Within total, direct taxes rose by 27%, sales taxes by 23.6%, FED by 25.1% and customs duty by 8.0%. According to the Federal Fiscal Operations July-October, FY2025, net federal revenues grew by 71.8% to Rs 4,822 billion. This growth was primarily driven by a sharp increase in nontax collection, which grew by 101.2% to Rs 3,192 billion. Similarly, tax collection increased to Rs 3,443 billion against Rs 2,748 billion last year. Prudent expenditure management helped contain the expenditure growth to 20.6% relative to high revenue growth. In absolute, total expenditures reached Rs.4472 billion against Rs.3707 billion last year. Consequently, the fiscal balance posted a surplus of Rs.495 billion (0.4% of GDP) against a deficit of Rs.862 billion (-0.8% of GDP) last year. Similarly, primary surplus increased to Rs 3,124 billion (3.0% of GDP) against a surplus of Rs 1,430 billion (1.4% of GDP) last year. The external account position has significantly improved, driven by notable increases in exports and remittances despite a rise in imports. During July-November FY2025, the current account posted a surplus of $944 million compared to a deficit of $1,676 million last year. In November 2024 alone, the current account recorded a surplus of $729 million, compared to a deficit of $148 million in November 2023. This represents the fourth consecutive monthly surplus, following a $346 million surplus in October 2024. During July-November FY2025, goods exports increased by 7.4%, reaching $13.3 billion compared to last year, while imports recorded at $23.0 billion, against $21.2 billion last year (8.3% increase). This has resulted in a goods trade deficit of $9.7 billion, reflecting a slight increase from $8.8 billion last year, while maintaining a steady overall trade momentum. Meanwhile, during November 2024, the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment registered 60,492 workers for employment, compared to 77,316 in October 2024 and 81,427 in November 2023. The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), in collaboration with its 24 partner organisations, distributed 21,195 interest-free loans amounting to Rs 994 million. On future prospects, the report said, to achieve the target of FY2025 and sustain economic recovery, the government was cognizant to achieve the crop production targets by facilitating the farmers to achieve the desired production level. However, weather conditions may pose challenges, as below-normal rainfall may lead to water stress during the critical emerging stage of Rabi crops like wheat and barley, especially in rain-fed agricultural zones. On industrial front, despite challenges in certain sectors that remain in negative territory, the economy’s resilience is underscored by the robust performance of high-weighted sectors, which continue to drive LSM in October. Moreover, the further easing of monetary policy in December is expected to stimulate economic activity. The rising demand for credit, especially from private sector, is a positive signal of growing confidence in the economy. This momentum is poised to accelerate, fostering higher production levels and enhanced economic output in the coming months. On external front, it is expected that hard-earned stability will continue on the back of remittances and exports inflows with decent imports. This will be complemented by exchange rate stability and contained inflation — which is anticipated to remain within the range of 4.0- 5.0% for December 2024. Moreover, improved fiscal performance during July-October, driven by higher revenues and prudent expenditure management, is expected to create fiscal space for development spending and support sustainable economic growth, going forward. PSX rebounds after two-day slump PSX plunges as profit-taking, year-end pressure weigh on sentiment Pakistan's tax gap has exceeded Rs7tr, reveals FBR chairman PSX ends in red as profit-taking overshadows economic optimismChief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Education Minister Nara Lokesh have welcomed investments to Andhra Pradesh for developing renewable energy projects. Delegations from SAEL Ltd and leading financial institutions in renewable energy Norfund, NDBBank and Societe Generale met the two on Saturday and discussed their plans and projects for AP. The CM said the state’s Integrated Clean Energy Policy-2024 was designed to provide a robust regulatory framework for clean energy investments. He stated later, “It was a pleasure to meet representatives of SAEL Ltd and leading financial institutions to discuss investments under the Integrated Clean Energy Policy. We welcome investors to develop renewable energy projects in Andhra Pradesh and to assist in India's energy transition. SAEL also introduced their innovative waste-to-energy technology and we discussed collaboration to develop such projects in AP to utilise agri-waste and augment farmer incomes.” Minister Lokesh stated, “I met Sukhbir Singh, MD, SAEL Industries Ltd, to discuss SAEL's upcoming 1200mw investment in state in two phases. They will be commencing work on the first phase of the 600mw project, one of the first projects to commence construction under our attractive integrated clean energy policy. We also discussed SAEL's innovative waste-to-energy technology using agricultural waste and its use in AP. I also met representatives of Norfund, NDBBank and Societe Generale to discuss their investments in AP.”
Anxiety about money, gun violence and hate crimes ranked high on list of American's concerns Limiting your news consumption may help ease stress and anxiety More than before, Americans surveyed say they'll make mental health resolutions for 2025 FRIDAY, Dec. 27, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Should you cut back on doom scrolling in 2025? Worries about money, gun violence and hate crimes ranked high among many people's lists of worries at the end of 2024, according to a poll that is part of American Psychiatric Association (APA) Healthy Minds Monthly opinion poll series. The survey included 2200 U.S. adults. Reducing news consumption may be beneficial for your mental health , experts say. "If current events seem overwhelming it may be time to limit your news consumption,” Dr. Marketa Wills , medical director of the APA, said. “While we like to stay informed, the news can also impact our mental health, and being mindful of that impact is important," Wells said in a news release. According to the APA's research, American adults have remained most anxious about the economy and gun violence throughout 2024. Looking ahead to 2025, more than 1/3 of Americans surveyed (33%) say they will make mental health-related New Year’s resolutions, which is a 5% increase from last year. In fact, the increase is the highest result the APA has collected since it began asking the question in 2021. As usual, many people report that they will pledge to be more physically active in 2025; other resolutions focus on participating in mentally healthy activities. Spend more time in nature (46%) Meditation (44%) Focus on spirituality (37%) Take a social media break (30%) Journaling (29%) “A new year brings with it new opportunities but also renewed concerns about the very important issues that impact our lives,” Wills said, adding that “any time of the year, mental health matters. Staying mindful of how we’re doing while taking active steps to care for ourselves is a terrific resolution.” More information The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has more on stress and anxiety management. SOURCE: American Psychiatric Association (APA), news release, Dec. 13, 2024; APA, press release, Dec. 18, 2024 If you make resolutions, consider starting or re-starting a practice that will nurture your mental health, such as meditating or taking a break from social media.
EXCLUSIVE 'Living Nostradamus' makes chilling prediction that World War III is 'imminent' and 'the worst is yet to come' 'Living Nostradamus' from Brazil has made a chilling prediction Read More: 'Living Nostradamus' makes a chilling prediction about US election By ELLEN COUGHLAN FOR MAILONLINE Published: 11:03 EST, 27 December 2024 | Updated: 11:07 EST, 27 December 2024 e-mail 13 View comments A man known as 'Living Nostradamus', who predicted the Microsoft outage in April, has now warned that World War III is 'imminent'. Athos Salomé, 37, from Brazil , is often referred to as a psychic due to the accuracy of his insights and predictions, after previously foreseeing the coronavirus pandemic, Elon Musk buying Twitter and even Queen Elizabeth's death. With tensions rising around the world, he previously warned that we are teetering on the edge of WWIII, saying 'the worst is yet to come'. Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, his latest prediction is just as frightening, as he claimed that cyber threats are one of the 'biggest threats to global security' and that increasing digitalisation of major powers is a very serious threat. He notably warned of the issues around using technology and cyber war as the major forms of combat in the twenty first century. He said: 'This is not just a war of men, but of machines, and in this aspect what comes next?' It appears that global movements support the grim forecasts that Salomé made, as Russia has reached new levels of aggression towards Ukraine, after Vladimir Putin was this week accused of orchestrating an ‘inhumane’ Christmas Day attack. The war-torn nation's president Volodymyr Zelensky said that more than 70 missiles and 100 drones targeted energy infrastructure sites across the country. The attack was said to have left hundreds of thousands without heating, killing at least four people across four regions and injuring six in the city of Kharkiv . 'Living Nostradamus' who predicted the Microsoft outage in April -now warns World War III 'is imminent' Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer joined the chorus of condemnation, saying it demonstrated Russia ’s ‘bloody and brutal war machine’ that showed no respite ‘even at Christmas’. Earlier this month, Russia fired an Oreshnik supersonic missile towards the city of Dnipro. Discussing the issue, Salomé said: 'At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, Russia is ready to protect itself "by any measure". 'The employment of high technology equipment to engage in the conflict is therefore, without doubt, raising the sentiments of escalating the war.' In addition, Salomé also predicted that the cold war between the United States and China is turning into even more of a 'posing threat'. He said: 'Of course, recent mutual accusations of cyber espionage raised the concern over a devastating imminent hacker attack that might paralyse the defence systems or infrastructure.' Athos Salomé, 37, from Brazil , is often referred to as a psychic due to the accuracy of his insights and predictions, after previously foreseeing the coronavirus pandemic, Elon Musk buying Twitter and even Queen Elizabeth's death Vladimir Putin was this week accused of orchestrating an ‘inhumane’ Christmas Day attack after a wave of strikes pulverised Ukraine’s energy grid This is precisely the sort of situation which Salomé has predicted would lead to a ‘coordinated global failure’. Read More Putin accused of orchestrating 'inhumane' attack on Ukraine's energy grid He is certain that the South China Sea, already the scene of territorial disputes, will become the scene of a 'critical event', potentially involving massive cyber attacks. According to Salomé: 'Currently, there is some group that can perform a synchronised operation against spaces and sea communication systems to disintegrate the military systems of the superpowers and put the superpowers in disarray. The seer also warns of another emerging danger: the application of ASAT (Anti Satellite weapons) both kinetic and non-kinetic, including controlled electromagnetic pulses, as a means of destroying satellites. Salomé warned that an attack that could eventually set in motion events that could bring down civilian and military systems and possibly ignite a war of an undetermined scale. Kharkiv Ukraine Vladimir Putin Elon Musk Share or comment on this article: 'Living Nostradamus' makes chilling prediction that World War III is 'imminent' and 'the worst is yet to come' e-mail Add commentFrom revisiting the political scandal that sparked a cultural reckoning in Canberra to a rich-lister’s unravelling, there were no shortage of court battles being waged — or defended — by the top end of town in 2024. We revisit some of the cases that dominated headlines and left us shocked, perplexed, and — at times — even entertained. Brittany Higgins defended a defamation action launched by Senator Linda Reynolds. Credit: Composite image/Holly Thompson Villain or victim? Reynolds v Higgins It was a story of an alleged rape in the halls of Parliament House and a covert political cover-up, and like all “fairytales”, it needed a villain. That was how WA Senator Linda Reynolds’ lawyer Martin Bennett began the five-week-long trial in her defamation suit against former staffer Brittany Higgins and her husband David Sharaz, the most high-profile case to go before WA’s civil courts in 2024. The former defence minister sued Higgins over social media posts accusing her of mishandling the former staffer’s alleged rape by Bruce Lehrmann in March 2019 — a claim that was later aired by the media and created a storm that led to Reynolds’ political demise. Higgins fiercely defended the action on the basis her posts were true, but opted against taking the stand at the eleventh hour amid concerns for her health. The trial, which the pair mortgaged and sold their homes to pursue, pored over the events of 2019 in excruciating detail, dragged in high-profile figures — from former prime minister Scott Morrison to broadcaster Peta Credlin — and threw private texts into the public arena we imagine the parties would have preferred to remain private. It also spawned fresh evidence Reynolds now wants to use as a weapon in her bid to have Higgins’ $2.4 million compensation claim probed by the corruption watchdog. Lehrmann has maintained his innocence since his 2022 criminal trial was aborted due to juror misconduct, but a Federal Court judgment found, on the balance of probabilities, that he did rape Higgins. Lehrmann is now appealing that ruling. Justice Paul Tottle is expected to hand down a judgment in the court row in the New Year, but we suspect there won’t be any winners in this saga. Western Australia’s mining dynasty, of which the nation’s richest person Gina Rinehart is the most famous member, was embroiled in a court fight over the rights to the Hope Downs projects in the state’s iron-rich Pilbara region. Credit: Marija Ercegovac Gina Rinehart: 1, Bianca and John: 0 The high-stakes clash over the Hope Downs iron ore project , which pitted Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart against two mining dynasties and her eldest children, occupied two floors of the Supreme Court for more than six months in 2023. And yet still, there was unfinished business in the battle for the multibillion-dollar asset. The case made headlines again in April, when Rinehart’s eldest children lost an eleventh-hour bid for 82 top secret documents their billionaire mother claimed were protected by legal privilege. The pair, who have been locked in a bitter battle with their mother over mining assets left behind by their pioneer grandfather Lang Hancock, believed the files might aid their pursuit for ownership of Rinehart-led Hancock Prospecting’s sprawling mining tenements in the state’s north-west. But Justice Natalie Whitby ruled the pair had insufficient evidence, lashing the handling of the case and its burden on the public justice system after revealing the court book spanned 6000 pages. “To say that the resources dedicated to these privilege claims was grossly disproportionate to the issues in the dispute is an understatement,” she wrote. Ouch... We’re still awaiting a judgment from Justice Jennifer Smith on the broader row. We hope Justice Smith is not spending the whole festive season “in the area of or contiguous to” her desk and what we imagine is a very lengthy draft judgment. Beleaguered Mineral Resources boss takes on media to keep court row quiet He gained a reputation as the uninhibited billionaire mining boss behind Mineral Resources’ meteoric rise, but it would be what Chris Ellison kept hidden that would be his downfall. Depressed lithium prices, sweeping cost cuts and a debt-laden balance sheet saw Ellison declare it the “shittiest time” to be a managing director in one newspaper interview. Just a few months later, he would announce plans to vacate the top job, undone by an exposé in the Australian Financial Review detailing his involvement in an alleged decade-long tax evasion scheme. But as shareholders were demanding answers and the corporate regulator was beginning its own probe, Ellison’s lawyers were busy fighting to keep the media from undoing sweeping gag orders over documents filed in his now-settled row with a former contracts boss. The documents were central to the two-year court row MinRes, Ellison and self-proclaimed whistleblower Steven Pigozzo had been fighting on several fronts until inking a peace deal in July — which featured explosive allegations of misconduct. While a string of Pigozzo’s claims had been republished by the media, much of the case had been covered by suppression orders which were broadened when both parties asked that more than 16 legal documents be permanently removed from the case file. “The non-publication orders are sought to fortify matters raised previously about allegations that were not just irrelevant but scandalous,” Ellison’s lawyer told the court. WA Health, scientist ink top-secret stem cell patent peace deal She was the face of Royal Perth Hospital’s state-of-the-art cellular therapy facility, the Perth scientist behind a medical invention that saw her wheeled out by the health department’s publicity team to showcase its life-changing research. That was until the day of Dr Marian Sturm’s retirement in 2021, when the health service dragged her to court demanding compensation and that the licence agreement for the invention be torn up. The three-year medicine ownership battle came to an abrupt end in March after the East Metropolitan Health Service and Sturm’s company Isopogen inked a top-secret peace deal. The lawsuit centred around intellectual property rights to an improved method of manufacturing mesenchymal stromal cells used to treat inflammatory illnesses, which Sturm developed in 2007 and registered in her name and that of her capital-raising vehicle Isopogen. Sturm’s relationship with the EMHS soured amid claims she had breached her contract by asserting ownership over the medicine, which saw Isopogen, two former employees, the state’s own patents attorneys and its insurer embroiled in a bitter legal pursuit with the health service. The parties claimed they had reached a mutually acceptable, confidential settlement which provided a comprehensive framework for “an ongoing relationship”. A spokesperson for the health service told this masthead that gag order extended to how much this three-year sparring match cost the taxpayer. How convenient. Vegan activist Tash Peterson, partner cop $280k bill in defamation row She’s not quite the “top end of town”, but we couldn’t take a look back at the biggest civil cases of 2024 without referencing the whopping damages bill handed to Perth’s most prominent animal rights activist. In November, Tash Peterson and her partner were ordered to pay $280,000 in damages to the owners of a Perth veterinary clinic for defamation after a bizarre dispute in 2021. The dispute, which was later circulated on social media, was sparked after Peterson and Jack Higgs spotted two cockatiels in a large cage at the front of Dr Kay McIntosh and Andrew McIntosh’s Bicton Veterinary Clinic. What unfolded was a bizarre tirade in which Peterson accused the clinic of “advertising animal slavery” — despite neither of the birds being able to survive in the wild — and of eating their own patients. Peterson and Higgs had claimed their tirade was justified as honest opinion, defending the content on the basis it was substantially true and a matter of public interest. But the part of the trial that managed to capture the most attention were revelations about just how deep Peterson’s pockets were, with the V-Gan Booty Pty Ltd entity behind her burgeoning OnlyFans account generating more than $380,000 in earnings in 2022 alone. We suspect this won’t be the last we see of Peterson. Get alerts on breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert .
Franklin Resources Inc. raised its stake in shares of Newmark Group, Inc. ( NASDAQ:NMRK – Free Report ) by 33.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 107,642 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 26,847 shares during the quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. owned about 0.06% of Newmark Group worth $1,597,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. World Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Newmark Group during the 3rd quarter worth about $317,000. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Newmark Group during the 3rd quarter worth about $181,000. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Newmark Group by 5.7% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 3,554,867 shares of the company’s stock worth $55,216,000 after buying an additional 190,974 shares during the period. Barclays PLC lifted its holdings in shares of Newmark Group by 352.8% during the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 227,099 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,526,000 after purchasing an additional 176,947 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Newmark Group by 49.4% during the 3rd quarter. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC now owns 137,358 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,133,000 after purchasing an additional 45,426 shares in the last quarter. 58.42% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Analyst Ratings Changes NMRK has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on Newmark Group in a report on Friday, December 6th. They set a “buy” rating and a $19.00 price objective on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded Newmark Group from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $13.50 to $16.50 in a report on Thursday, September 5th. Wolfe Research cut Newmark Group from an “outperform” rating to a “peer perform” rating in a report on Monday, November 25th. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on Newmark Group from $13.00 to $17.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 3rd. Newmark Group Trading Down 1.4 % NASDAQ NMRK opened at $12.83 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.77 and a beta of 1.96. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $14.78 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $13.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a current ratio of 0.42. Newmark Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $9.22 and a 52 week high of $16.10. Newmark Group ( NASDAQ:NMRK – Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.33 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.30 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $685.90 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $682.07 million. Newmark Group had a return on equity of 18.95% and a net margin of 2.00%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 11.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.27 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Newmark Group, Inc. will post 1.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Newmark Group Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 5th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 21st were paid a dividend of $0.03 per share. This represents a $0.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.94%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, November 21st. Newmark Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 40.00%. Newmark Group Company Profile ( Free Report ) Newmark Group, Inc provides commercial real estate services in the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company offers capital markets consisting of investment sales and commercial mortgage brokerage; landlord or agency representation leasing; valuation and advisory; property management; commercial real estate technology platform and capabilities; the United Kingdom business rates services; due diligence, consulting, and other advisory services; GSEs and the Federal Housing Administration lending services comprising multifamily lending and loan servicing; asset management; and flexible workspace solutions for owners. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NMRK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Newmark Group, Inc. ( NASDAQ:NMRK – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Newmark Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Newmark Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Colts QB Anthony Richardson ruled out for Sunday's game against the GiantsQNB Corp. ( OTCMKTS:QNBC – Get Free Report ) crossed above its 50 day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 50 day moving average of $32.44 and traded as high as $34.00. QNB shares last traded at $33.95, with a volume of 2,487 shares. QNB Price Performance The business has a fifty day moving average of $32.44 and a two-hundred day moving average of $29.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $125.28 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.06 and a beta of 0.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a current ratio of 0.77. QNB ( OTCMKTS:QNBC – Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 22nd. The financial services provider reported $0.91 earnings per share for the quarter. The company had revenue of $13.09 million for the quarter. QNB had a net margin of 11.00% and a return on equity of 9.86%. QNB Dividend Announcement About QNB ( Get Free Report ) QNB Corp. operates as the bank holding company for QNB Bank that engages in the provision of commercial and retail banking products, and retail brokerage services. It offers various deposit products, which include demand and savings accounts, such as money market, interest-bearing demand, club, traditional statement savings, and online savings accounts; and time deposits comprising certificates of deposit and individual retirement accounts. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for QNB Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for QNB and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Serve Robotics Inc. ( NASDAQ:SERV – Get Free Report )’s stock price dropped 7.1% during trading on Friday following insider selling activity. The stock traded as low as $16.01 and last traded at $16.39. Approximately 5,596,455 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 41% from the average daily volume of 9,467,164 shares. The stock had previously closed at $17.64. Specifically, CEO Ali Kashani sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.50, for a total value of $123,750.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 3,283,490 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $54,177,585. This represents a 0.23 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website . Also, CEO Ali Kashani sold 5,000 shares of Serve Robotics stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $14.55, for a total transaction of $72,750.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 3,290,990 shares in the company, valued at $47,883,904.50. This represents a 0.15 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In other news, CEO Ali Kashani sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $14.70, for a total value of $36,750.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 3,295,990 shares in the company, valued at $48,451,053. This represents a 0.08 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink . Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades SERV has been the subject of several analyst reports. Seaport Res Ptn upgraded shares of Serve Robotics to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, October 7th. Northland Securities started coverage on Serve Robotics in a research report on Friday, October 18th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $16.00 price target for the company. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH assumed coverage on Serve Robotics in a research report on Monday, October 28th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $16.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Northland Capmk raised Serve Robotics to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, October 18th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and three have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Serve Robotics has a consensus rating of “Strong Buy” and a consensus price target of $16.00. Serve Robotics Stock Down 7.7 % The business’s fifty day moving average is $10.83 and its 200 day moving average is $8.78. Institutional Trading of Serve Robotics Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Yong Rong HK Asset Management Ltd purchased a new stake in Serve Robotics in the 3rd quarter worth about $9,636,000. Thomist Capital Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Serve Robotics in the second quarter worth about $407,000. PFG Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of Serve Robotics in the second quarter worth about $110,000. Bfsg LLC bought a new stake in shares of Serve Robotics in the third quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Finally, GSA Capital Partners LLP bought a new position in Serve Robotics in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $152,000. Serve Robotics Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Serve Robotics Inc designs, develops, and operates low-emission robots that serve people in public spaces with food delivery in the United States. It builds self-driving delivery robots. The company was formerly known as Patricia Acquisition Corp. and changed its name to Serve Robotics Inc in July 2023. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Serve Robotics Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Serve Robotics and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
