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Global Times: Macao Science-1 A Successful Example Of 'One Country, Two Systems' Advantage
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks wavered in afternoon trading on Wall Street Monday at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.4%. A handful of technology companies helped support the gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 63 points, or 0.2% as of 1:18 p.m. Eastern time. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 0.7%. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 3%. Broadcom jumped 5.2% to also help support the broader market. Japanese automakers Honda Motor and Nissan said they are talking about combining in a deal that might also include Mitsubishi Motors. Honda rose 3.8% and Nissan rose 1.6% in Tokyo. Eli Lilly rose 3% after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first and only prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Department store Nordstrom fell 1.7% after it agreed to be taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. The Conference Board said that consumer confidence slipped in December. Its consumer confidence index fell back to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Wall Street was expecting a reading of 113.8. The unexpectedly weak consumer confidence update follows several generally strong economic reports last week. One report showed the overall economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate during the summer, faster than earlier thought. The latest report on unemployment benefit applications showed that the job market remains solid. A report on Friday said a measure of inflation the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower last month than economists expected. Worries about inflation edging higher again had been weighing on Wall Street and the Fed. The central bank just delivered its third cut to interest rates this year, but inflation has been hovering stubbornly above its target of 2%. It has signaled that it could deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next year than it earlier anticipated because of concerns over inflation. Expectations for more interest rate cuts have helped drive a 24% gain for the S&P 500 in 2024. That drive included 57 all-time highs this year. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market's path ahead and shifting economic policies under an incoming President Donald Trump. "Put simply, much of the strong market performance prior to last week was driven by expectations that a best-case scenario was the base case for 2025," said Brent Schutte, chief investment officer at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company Treasury yields edged higher in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.58% from 4.53% late Friday. European markets were mostly lower, while markets in Asia gained ground. Wall Street has several other economic reports to look forward to this week. On Tuesday, the U.S. will release its November report for sales of newly constructed homes. A weekly update on unemployment benefits is expected on Thursday. Markets in the U.S. will close early on Tuesday for Christmas Eve and will remain closed on Wednesday for Christmas.Australia's House of Representatives passes bill that would ban young children from social media
FLORIDA, USA — Lara Trump will step down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee as she considers a number of potential options with her father-in-law, President- elect Donald Trump, set to return to the White House. Among those possibilities is replacing Florida Sen. Marco Rubio , whom Trump tapped to be the next secretary of state. If Rubio is confirmed, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will choose who takes the seat through the remainder of Rubio’s term, which expires in 2026. “It is something I would seriously consider,” she told The Associated Press in an interview. “If I’m being completely transparent, I don’t know exactly what that would look like. And I certainly want to get all of the information possible if that is something that’s real for me. But yeah, I would 100% consider it.” Elected as RNC co-chair in March, Lara Trump was a key player in the Republicans retaking the White House and control of the Senate while maintaining a narrow House majority. What she does next could shape Republican politics, given her elevated political profile and her ties to the incoming president. The idea of placing a Trump family member in the Senate has been lauded in some Republican circles. Among the people pushing for her to replace Rubio is Maye Musk, mother of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk . “The Senate is an old man’s club. We desperately need a smart, young, outspoken woman who will reveal their secrets,” she posted on X. Lara Trump is 42. Elon Musk, who was with Lara Trump on election night at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, responded to his mother’s post: “Lara Trump is genuinely great.” Led by chairman Michael Whatley and Lara Trump, the RNC invested heavily in recruiting roughly 230,000 volunteers and an army of lawyers for what it called its “election integrity” effort, four years after Donald Trump lost his reelection bid to Democrat Joe Biden, citing false or unproven theories about voter fraud. Outside groups such as Turning Point Action and Musk’s America PAC took a greater responsibility for advertising and get-out-the-vote efforts. While Whatley will remain RNC chairman, Lara Trump said she felt she had accomplished her goals in the co-chair role. “With that big win, I kind of feel like my time is up,” she said. “What I intended to do has been done.” Lara Trump praised Musk’s new endeavor, the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE , a nongovernmental task force headed by Musk and and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy . They’ve been tapped to fire federal workers , cut programs and slash federal regulations as part of Trump’s “Save America” agenda for his second term. “I really don’t think we’ve seen movement like this in our federal government since our country’s founding in many ways,” she said. “And I think if they are successful in what they plan to do, I think it is going to be transformative to America in a great way.” She said she expects a different presidency this time, beginning with the structure of the administration: While Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner served as White House advisers in his last administration, Lara Trump said she doesn’t see any family member taking any position in the White House this time around with her father-in-law. “He really wants to get in there and do a good job for the four years, and that’s all he wants to serve,” she said. “Four years, and he’s out.” Lara Trump also says she expects the Republican Party to be more unified than it has ever been. When she became co-chair in May, the Trump campaign and the RNC merged, with staffers fired and positions restructured. She said the result could spell trouble for GOP lawmakers who do not agree with Trump’s agenda. “The whole party has totally shifted and totally changed,” she said. “I think people are feeling a little more bold in coming out with their political views.” ___ Linderman reported from Baltimore and Mendoza from Santa Cruz, California.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Filip Skobalj had 19 points in UIC's 96-83 win over La Salle on Friday. Skobalj shot 6 of 8 from the field, including 4 for 6 from 3-point range, and went 3 for 3 from the line for the Flames (4-2). Jordan Mason scored 18 points, going 5 of 8 from the floor, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and 7 for 8 from the line. Tyem Freeman had 13 points and went 4 of 5 from the field (3 for 4 from 3-point range). The Explorers (4-2) were led in scoring by Deuce Jones, who finished with 21 points, four assists and two steals. Daeshon Shepherd added 15 points, two steals and two blocks for La Salle. Andres Marrero also had 15 points. UIC led 48-39 at halftime, with Skobalj racking up 13 points. UIC pulled away with a 7-0 run in the second half to extend its lead to 22 points. Ahmad Henderson II led the way with a team-high 10 second-half points for UIC. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
NoneMELBOURNE, Australia , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — As we move into 2025, the potential of AI is reshaping how sales teams operate, engage, and deliver value. Sales teams that fail to leverage AI risk being left behind – similar to the cloud and mobile technology transformations over the last decade. B2B sales productivity has always hinged on effective engagement, efficient processes, and timely decision-making, which AI sales tools are set to revolutionise. By capturing activity data and providing sales-focused playbooks, AI can optimise daily sales activities with new efficiencies. The quality of this AI driven decision making is underpinned by the underlying quality of the data sets used, enabling sales teams to orchestrate the highest value tasks across their team’s activities. Gartner predicts that by 2026, 75% of B2B sales organisations will augment traditional playbooks with AI-guided selling solutions, making AI the primary system of action for sales. This isn’t just about automation; it’s about versatility – from multichannel engagement to workflow execution – all within a single interface. These tools can reduce time spent on tasks like prospecting and meeting preparation by over 50%, enabling teams to focus on building relationships and closing deals. At Firmable, we see AI as the engine room of modern sales. Firmable deeply integrates Australia’s highest quality external business data to deliver the most useful AI toolkit to lift sales team productivity. For 2025 we’re building AI agents that not only automate tasks but also continuously learn and improve. Imagine AI generating and prioritising sales tasks based on real-time signals – updating CRM records, enriching account information, managing prospect outreach, and tracking outcomes. Leveraging large language models (LLMs) and customer-specific data, these agents refine processes with every interaction, enhancing the quality and relevance of engagements over time. This isn’t just layering AI on top; it’s fundamentally rethinking how sales teams operate. The evolution of AI also brings higher expectations from B2B customers. Sales teams must now deliver deeply personalised outreach and seamless user experiences. Efficiency isn’t just about saving time; it’s about creating meaningful connections and addressing customer needs more effectively. As AI drives process efficiency, sales professionals will need to balance automation with a human touch. The message is clear: businesses that fail to adopt AI risk being left behind – not just in speed and scale but in their ability to meet evolving customer demands. AI isn’t just a tool; it’s a foundational layer transforming how we build products, engage markets, and drive growth. At Firmable, we’re committed to leading this transformation, deeply integrating the highest quality data into our AI agents, to ensure our customers have the tools they need to thrive in the AI era. As we look to 2025, AI will continue to redefine the B2B sales landscape and accelerate growth, for those ready to embrace its potential. About Firmable Firmable is Australia’s definitive B2B database platform, helping businesses drive smarter decisions and outperform by knowing more about their leads, customers, and candidates than ever before. The platform provides access to the largest database of companies in one place with a rich set of attributes, allowing sales and marketing teams to accelerate growth, better engage with their customers, and save time by leveraging reliable market intelligence. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/ai-in-2025-transforming-the-b2b-sales-landscape-302332367.html SOURCE Firmable Pty Ltd.
Area officials react to layoffs at Semikron Danfoss in Marcy
Australia’s House of Representatives have passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 years old from social media, leaving it to the Senate to finalise the world-first law. The major parties backed the bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (£26 million) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts. The legislation was passed with 102 votes in favour to 13 against. If the bill becomes law this week, the platforms would have one year to work out how to implement the age restrictions before the penalties are enforced. Opposition lawmaker Dan Tehan told Parliament the government had agreed to accept amendments in the Senate that would bolster privacy protections. Platforms would not be allowed to compel users to provide government-issued identity documents including passports or driver’s licences. The platforms also could not demand digital identification through a government system. “Will it be perfect? No. But is any law perfect? No, it’s not. But if it helps, even if it helps in just the smallest of ways, it will make a huge difference to people’s lives,” Mr Tehan told Parliament. Communications minister Michelle Rowland said the Senate would debate the bill later on Wednesday. The major parties’ support all but guarantees the legislation will be passed by the Senate, where no party holds a majority of seats. Lawmakers who were not aligned with either the government or the opposition were most critical of the legislation during debate on Tuesday and Wednesday. Criticisms include that the legislation had been rushed through Parliament without adequate scrutiny, would not work, would create privacy risks for users of all ages and would take away parents’ authority to decide what is best for their children. Critics also argue the ban would isolate children, deprive them of positive aspects of social media, drive children to the dark web, make children too young for social media reluctant to report harms they encountered and take away incentives for platforms to make online spaces safer. Independent lawmaker Zoe Daniel said the legislation would “make zero difference to the harms that are inherent to social media”. “The true object of this legislation is not to make social media safe by design, but to make parents and voters feel like the government is doing something about it,” Ms Daniel told Parliament. “There is a reason why the government parades this legislation as world-leading, that’s because no other country wants to do it,” she added. The platforms had asked for the vote on legislation to be delayed until at least June next year when a government-commissioned evaluation of age assurance technologies made its report on how the ban could been enforced.Crooks try to trick Black Friday shoppers with fake ads, websitesAustralian politicians pass bill that would ban young children from social mediaIndependent senator Fatima Payman has accused One Nation leader Pauline Hanson of racism.
Western Union's WU short percent of float has fallen 3.02% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 19.97 million shares sold short , which is 7.7% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 4.18 days to cover their short positions on average. Why Short Interest Matters Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. Short selling is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises. Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish. See Also: List of the most shorted stocks Western Union Short Interest Graph (3 Months) As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Western Union has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted. Comparing Western Union's Short Interest Against Its Peers Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis. According to Benzinga Pro , Western Union's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 4.67%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers. Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it. This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
As part of a national “moonshot” to cure blindness, researchers at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus will receive as much as $46 million in federal funding over the next five years to pursue a first-of-its-kind full eye transplantation. “This is no easy undertaking, but I believe we can achieve this together,” said Dr. Kia Washington, the lead researcher for the University of Colorado-led team, during a press conference Monday. “And in fact I’ve never been more hopeful that a cure for blindness is within reach.” The CU team was one of four in the United States that received funding awards from the federal Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health , or ARPA-H. The CU-based group will focus on achieving the first-ever vision-restoring eye transplant by using “novel stem cell and bioelectronic technologies,” according to a news release announcing the funding. The work will be interdisciplinary, Washington and others said, and will link together researchers at institutions across the country. The four teams that received the funding will work alongside each other on distinct approaches, though officials said the teams would likely collaborate and eventually may merge depending on which research avenues show the most promise toward achieving the ultimate goal of transplanting an eye and curing blindness. Dr. Calvin Roberts, who will oversee the broader project for ARPA-H, said the agency wanted to take multiple “shots on goal” to ensure progress. “In the broader picture, achieving this would be probably the most monumental task in medicine within the last several decades,” said Dr. Daniel Pelaez of the University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, which also received ARPA-H funding. Pelaez is the lead investigator for that team, which has pursued new procedures to successfully remove and preserve eyes from donors, amid other research. He told The Denver Post that only four organ systems have not been successfully transplanted: the inner ear, the brain, the spinal cord and the eye. All four are part of the central nervous system, which does not repair itself when damaged. If researchers can successfully transplant the human eye and restore vision to the patient, it might help unlock deeper discoveries about repairing damage to the brain and spine, Pelaez said, as well as addressing hearing loss. To succeed, researchers must successfully remove and preserve eyes from donors and then successfully connect and repair the optical nerve, which takes information from the eye and tells the brain what the eye sees. A team at New York University performed a full eye transplant on a human patient in November 2023, though the procedure — while a “remarkable achievement,” Pelaez said — did not restore the patient’s vision. It was also part of a partial face transplant; other approaches pursued via the ARPA-H funding will involve eye-specific transplants. Washington, the lead CU researcher, said she and her colleagues have already completed the eye transplant procedure — albeit without vision restoration — in rats. The CU team will next work on large animals to advance “optic nerve regenerative strategies,” the school said, as well as to study immunosuppression, which is critical to ensuring that patients’ immune systems don’t reject a donated organ. The goal is to eventually advance to human trials. Pelaez and his colleagues have completed their eye-removal procedure in cadavers, he said, and they’ve also studied regeneration in several animals that are capable of regenerating parts of their eyes, like salamanders or zebra fish. His team’s funding will focus in part on a life-support machine for the eye to keep it healthy and viable during the removal process. InGel Therapeutics, a Massachusetts-based Harvard spinoff and the lead of a third team, will pursue research on 3-D printed technology and “micro-tunneled scaffolds” that carry certain types of stem cells as part of a focus on optical nerve regeneration and repair, ARPA-H said. ARPH-A, created two years ago, will oversee the teams’ work. Researchers at 52 institutions nationwide will also contribute to the teams. The CU-led group will include researchers from the University of Southern California, the University of Wisconsin, Indiana University and Johns Hopkins University, as well as from the National Eye Institute . The teams will simultaneously compete and collaborate: Pelaez said his team has communicated with researchers at CU and at Stanford, another award recipient, about their eye-removal research. The total funding available for the teams is $125 million, ARPA-H officials said Monday, and it will be distributed in phases, in part dependent on teams’ success. U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Democrat who represents Denver in Congress, acknowledged the recent election results at the press conference Monday and pledged to continue fighting to preserve ARPA-H’s funding under President-elect Donald Trump’s administration. The effort to cure blindness, Washington joked, was “biblical” in its enormity — a reference to the Bible story in which Jesus cures a blind man. She and others also likened it to a moonshot, meaning the effort to successfully put Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon nearly 50 years ago. If curing blindness is similar to landing on the moon, then the space shuttle has already left the launchpad, Washington said. “We have launched,” she said, “and we are on our trajectory.”
