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No. 7 Mercer stages 4th-quarter comeback to top No. 10 Rhode Island 17-10, advances to FCS semifinalAhmedabad: Educational institutions are now required to submit online applications for bicycle allocation to Class 9 girl students under the Saraswati Sadhana Scheme for the ongoing academic session. The submission process must be completed through a designated online portal. Schools that did not submit applications for the previous year's bicycle assistance have received official notifications. With the current year's application process now initiated, bicycle distribution is anticipated to conclude by the academic year's end. The Saraswati Sadhana Scheme, administered by the department of social justice and empowerment, provides free bicycles to Class 9 girls from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and economically weaker sections attending govt and grant-in-aid secondary schools. This programme aims to reduce their dropout rates. Applications for bicycle distribution to eligible students for the academic year 2024-25 are being accepted on the Digital Gujarat Portal within specified deadlines. The submission requires uploading caste documentation and parental income certificates. Following approval, school heads are tasked with ensuring proper distribution of bicycles to eligible ninth-grade female students at their respective institutions. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .has transformed the way we capture and share our experiences. With advanced at our fingertips, taking stunning photos has never been more accessible. However, to truly elevate your iPhone photography from good to exceptional, understanding and mastering exposure is key. Exposure is the foundation of every photograph, determining the brightness, contrast, and overall mood of your images. By learning to control exposure manually, you can create photos that are not only technically sound but also visually captivating and emotionally engaging. Exposure refers to the amount of light that reaches your iPhone’s camera sensor, which ultimately determines how bright or dark your photo appears. Closely related to exposure is the of , which represents the range of light captured in a single image, from the deepest shadows to the brightest highlights. While the human eye can effortlessly process a wide dynamic range, cameras often struggle to capture the same level of detail in both the shadows and highlights. Your is designed to automatically adjust exposure based on the scene, but there are situations where manual intervention is necessary to achieve the desired result. High-contrast scenes, such as a sunset or a brightly lit room with deep shadows, are prime examples of when understanding exposure and dynamic range becomes crucial. In these cases, you’ll need to decide whether to prioritize the highlights, shadows or strike a balance between the two to create a compelling image. One of the most effective tools for managing exposure and dynamic range on your iPhone is . When HDR is enabled, your iPhone captures multiple exposures of the same scene and merges them into a single image, mimicking how your eyes perceive light. This process allows for a more balanced exposure, preserving details in both the highlights and shadows. On most iPhones, Smart HDR is enabled by default, ensuring well-balanced photos even in challenging lighting conditions. However, there are times when HDR may not be the best choice. If you’re aiming for a more dramatic or artistic effect, disabling HDR can help you emphasize either the highlights or shadows, creating a striking contrast in your image. Experimenting with HDR settings allows you to tailor the mood and tone of your photos to suit your creative vision. While your iPhone’s automatic exposure settings are reliable in most situations, there are times when manual adjustments can make a significant difference in the quality of your photos. Your iPhone offers several tools for precise exposure control, including the and . To manually adjust exposure, simply tap on the screen to on your subject, then drag the sun icon up or down to increase or decrease the brightness. This technique is particularly useful in uneven lighting conditions, such as backlit portraits or dimly lit interiors. For consistent results, you can lock the focus and exposure by tapping and holding on a specific area of the frame. This ensures that your settings remain fixed, even if you recompose the shot or the lighting conditions change. In bright scenes with overexposed areas, lowering the exposure can recover highlight details. In dimly lit environments, increasing the exposure can reveal shadow details and brighten your subject. Experiment with different angles and available light sources to strike the right balance between brightness and clarity. Beyond its technical aspects, exposure is also a powerful creative tool that can dramatically impact the mood, atmosphere, and overall impact of your photos. By intentionally underexposing or overexposing your images, you can achieve unique and compelling effects that draw the viewer’s attention and evoke specific emotions. your photos can deepen shadows, create a moody or mysterious atmosphere, and emphasize specific elements in your composition. This technique is particularly effective for black-and-white photography, abstract shots, or images with a dramatic, cinematic feel. On the other hand, can brighten your subject, produce a high-key effect, and create a sense of lightness, airiness, or minimalism. This approach is well-suited for portraits, still-life photography, or images with a dreamy, ethereal quality. Light and shadow also play a crucial role in creative photography. By strategically positioning your subject in relation to natural light sources, such as windows or streetlamps, you can create dynamic and visually engaging compositions. Use shadows to frame your subject, add depth to your image, or create abstract patterns and textures. Experiment with different exposure settings to achieve unique and creative effects. Use underexposure to create moody, dramatic, or cinematic images. Employ overexposure to brighten your subject and produce a high-key, minimalist effect. Leverage light and shadow to add depth, frame your subject, or create abstract compositions. While manual exposure adjustments can help you capture better results in a variety of situations, some lighting conditions pose particular challenges for iPhone photographers. Bright sunlight, low light, and mixed lighting scenarios can make achieving the perfect exposure tricky, but with the right techniques, you can overcome these obstacles and create stunning images. In direct sunlight, the high contrast between bright highlights and deep shadows can easily lead to overexposed or underexposed areas in your photo. To avoid this, lock the exposure on the brightest part of the scene, ensuring that your highlights are properly exposed. This technique is especially useful for outdoor portraits or landscapes. Additionally, be mindful of lens flares caused by direct sunlight hitting your lens. Adjust your position or use your hand to shield the lens for clearer, flare-free images. Low-light conditions, such as dimly lit interiors or nighttime scenes, present a different set of challenges. In these situations, increasing the exposure can help brighten your subject and reveal details in the shadows. However, be cautious of noise, which can degrade image quality when pushing the exposure too far. Experiment with different angles and available light sources to find the right balance between brightness and clarity. Consider using a tripod or stabilizing your iPhone against a solid surface to minimize camera shake and ensure sharp, blur-free photos. In direct sunlight, lock the exposure on the brightest part of the scene to avoid overexposed highlights. Shield your iPhone’s lens from direct sunlight to reduce lens flares and improve image clarity. In low light, carefully increase exposure to brighten your subject while minimizing noise. Use a tripod or stabilize your iPhone to prevent camera shake and ensure sharp photos in low-light conditions. To consistently improve your iPhone photography and make the most of your exposure control, keep these practical tips in mind: , as shadows and highlights can shift rapidly, altering the optimal exposure settings. , such as shooting from above or below, to create unique perspectives and leverage available light sources. for abstract or artistic compositions, emphasizing patterns, textures, and shapes. —your iPhone’s automatic settings are often sufficient for most scenes. Use manual controls selectively to enhance your photos and bring your creative vision to life. By mastering exposure on your iPhone, you’ll unlock the full potential of your device’s camera and elevate your photography to new heights. Understanding dynamic range, leveraging HDR, and using manual adjustments will enable you to create images that are both technically sound and visually compelling. Whether you’re capturing a dramatic sunset, a moody portrait, or an abstract composition, these techniques will help you harness the interplay of light and shadow to tell your unique story. With practice, experimentation, and a creative eye, you’ll consistently produce stunning photos that showcase your artistic vision and leave a lasting impact on your viewers. Source & Image Credit: lfb777 slot vip 。

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JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel approved a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah on Tuesday that would end nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza, where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Hours before the ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to pummel Hezbollah before the ceasefire takes hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. There appeared to be some lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the ceasefire agreement after it was presented by Netanyahu, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. Israel says it will ‘attack with might’ if Hezbollah breaks truce Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed a series of accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran, which backs both groups. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor all sides’ compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Warplanes bombard Beirut and its southern suburbs Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it says are Hezbollah targets across Lebanon as the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs killed at least one person and wounded 13, it said. Three people were killed in a separate strike in Beirut and three in a strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. Lebanese state media said another 10 people were killed in the eastern Baalbek province. Israel says it targets Hezbollah fighters and their infrastructure. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site that is around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets in Beirut and other areas linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously have not been targeted. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks before a ceasefire, sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, and some cars had mattresses tied to them. Dozens of people, some wearing their pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told The Associated Press that peacekeepers will not evacuate. Israeli forces reach Litani River in southern Lebanon The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few kilometers (miles) from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have been exchanging barrages ever since. Israel escalated its campaign of bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. ___ Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut, and Aamer Madhani in Washington, contributed. ___ Find more of AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Josef Federman, Kareem Chehayeb And Bassem Mroue, The Associated Press

SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As a reflection of the utility’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and corporate citizenship, Newsweek today named California Water Service Group (Group) (NYSE: CWT) one of “America’s Most Responsible Companies” for 2025. This is the fourth consecutive year that Newsweek and Statista Inc., a leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider, recognized Group with this honor. Group was one of only three investor-owned water utilities ranked in the Energy & Utilities category. The 2025 list spans 14 industries and recognizes the top 600 out of the 2,000 largest public companies by revenue. America’s Most Responsible Companies were selected this year based on 30 publicly available key performance indicators (KPIs) derived from corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and other reports, along with independent survey results. The KPIs focused on company performance in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) areas, while the survey asked respondents about their perception of company activities related to corporate social responsibility. “We have long operated by the mantra to always “do the right thing”—not simply the easy thing—for our customers, communities, employees, and stockholders, and for the environment,” said Martin A. Kropelnicki, Group Chairman & CEO. “To be recognized for our efforts by Newsweek for the fourth year in a row is an honor we do not take lightly, and we will continue striving to enhance our efforts each year to do right by those we serve.” The full listing is published at www.newsweek.com/rankings/americas-most-responsible-companies-2025 . About California Water Service Group California Water Service Group (NYSE: CWT) is the largest regulated water utility in the western United States. It provides high-quality, reliable water and/or wastewater services to more than 2.1 million people in California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Washington, and Texas through its regulated subsidiaries, California Water Service, Hawaii Water Service, New Mexico Water Service, and Washington Water Service, and its utility holding company, Texas Water Service. Group’s purpose is to enhance the quality of life for customers, communities, employees, and stockholders. To do so, it invests responsibly in water and wastewater infrastructure, sustainability initiatives, and community well-being. The company’s 1,200+ employees live by a set of strong core values and share a commitment to protecting the planet, caring for people, and operating with the utmost integrity. The company has been named one of “America’s Most Responsible Companies” and the “World’s Most Trustworthy Companies” by Newsweek , a Top Workplace, and a Great Place to Work ® . More information is available at www.calwatergroup.com . Media Contact Yvonne Kingman ykingman@calwater.com 310-257-1434

The latest episode of Bigg Boss 18 had some major confrontations, as Farah Khan came to pull up everyone and give them an earful today. Farah introduced a segment called Farah Ki Adalat , in which she confronted the contestants about what they had been doing inside the house. At first, Farah showed them footage of them making personal attacks on each other and bringing up their families in the fight. Farah said, "Salman aapko bol ke thak gaya, don't go personal, don't get physical, don't abuse but you all aren't even listening. Bagga Paji, you were laughing when she was throwing water at Karan, Shrutika smirked, you like it? A lady is abusing everyone. Sara, are you proud of it? You are throwing water at Karan and Shilpa you are seeing it. You didn't even get up to take a stand for your friend. At least Chum went and for a change, even Eisha and Avinash took a stand. They took a stand for the right thing there for the first time. But Shilpa, you continued to sit there." Farah then called Tajinder Singh Bagga in the witness box and confronted him for the words that he spoke against Karan Veer Mehra . Farah said, "Starting with our good old sleeping beauty Bagga ji. You were cute initially, but now you have become so anti-Karan. All that you do is bit*h about him, constantly talk about him. You don't have anything else?" She further added, "Bagga ji you are from Delhi, affiliated with a political party. Karan's mamaji PMO mein bathroom saaf karte the? Is this a good comment? And who all laughed at such a comment?" Farah asked the contestants to raise their hands and then slammed Eisha and Avinash for the same. Farah said, "Eisha, if Karan would have commented something like this on either of your family members, you all would have taken the house down wouldn't you? But when the comment was on him, all of you were laughing. Karan, why did you have to talk about your mamaji?" Farah then asked Karan Veer to stay careful with his words as baring Chum everyone had their target on his back and was waiting to attack him. Farah even called out Shilpa. Coming back to Bagga, he said that Karan kept rubbing his uncle's post off on them. When Karan confronted him he said that Karan had mentioned it just once. Shalini Passi Gets Candid On Her Bigg Boss 18 Experience And Spills The Beans on Bollywood Housewives Farah further revealed, "During the interview, Karan had actually praised you Bagga Ji and he even praised Avinash. That he was a very good boy but he was making an image." Bagga tried to defend by saying that Karan was doing a lot of personal attacks. Farah shut him by saying what all Sara had been saying and Bagga never stopped her.Greenville’s 2023-24 season, the last under co-coaches Steve Gipprich and Kevin Smith, saw the Spartans go 19-2 overall and 13-1 in the Patroon Conference to win their first league title in five years. This year’s Spartans will have just three players from that roster. Bryn Fitzmaurice, this season’s lone senior on the team, is confident the team will still have a presence in the Patroon Conference even if it looks different. “I think we're gonna be pretty strong,” she said. “We lost a lot last year, but I still think we're gonna be strong and we'll win a good amount of games.” Greenville will adapt to plenty of change in 2024-25, something well understood by new head coach Bob Shields. Shields, a Bethlehem High School graduate who played basketball there for two years, has coached the sport across the past decade, having been a varsity assistant at Albany Academy for Boys for the last four years after being head coach for Mohonasen’s junior varsity team. He thinks his basketball experience across several places in Section 2 has been an important experience. “You get to experience different things and different players, so I think I'm prepared enough to run my own program now,” he said. He’s going into his tenth year as the president of Cap City Scrappers, a 24-team AAU organization which he founded after attending Hudson Valley Community College for a year. Shields says he’s “always been around basketball,” something which has shaped his philosophy. “I know [about] the politics and everything that goes into it. I never like to favor kids, it's always whoever works for it is going to play over the other kids,” he said. “I've experienced it, so that's part of the reason I started the program [Cap City Scrappers].” Shields is inheriting a varsity roster with only three returning players, including Fitzmaurice as well as sophomore Charlotte Dawson, athletes he expects to carry significant responsibility as team leaders and producers on offense. “I think we all just need to play defense and stick to the script and really execute all of our plays on offense and be together as a team,” Shields said. Fitzmaurice, who is entering her fourth year on varsity, has enjoyed Shields’ leadership style so far. “He sets a good culture,” she said. “He's very motivating, and every day we come in and we work hard.” Dawson, who is heading into her third year on varsity, finds the strongest points of her skillset to be her driving and rebounding, but is excited to take on a possibly different role this season as an athlete experienced at several different positions. “I’m looking forward to working on my shooting and playing more of a guard position this year, and working on ball handling, playing point [guard], [being a] playmaker for my team, and then defensively just working on my position and getting more steals, tips, that kind of thing, to kind of push forward our momentum in the season,” she said. Both players are expected to lead the team’s championship defense through roster turnover against teams like Coxsackie-Athens, who finished right behind the Spartans last year with an 11-2 league record, stakes Dawson is well aware of. “It's definitely a little bit of pressure to keep the reputation of our school and our girls’ team up through my leadership role and Bryn,” she said. “It’s definitely a little bit of pressure to keep it up, but I think we got it.” Shields doesn’t think Greenville will be going away in 2024-25 either. “Be ready for the Greenville Spartans to make some noise,” he said. “[It’s a] rebuild year, we’re a young group, but we're going to play hard.”MACON, Ga. (AP) — Myles Redding returned an interception 25 yards for a first-quarter touchdown and Whitt Newbauer threw a four-yard touchdown pass to start the fourth quarter as No. 7-seeded Mercer beat No. 10 Rhode Island 17—10 on Saturday. Mercer advances to the FCS semifinals for the first time and will face No. 2 North Dakota State, which beat No. 15 Abilene Christian 51-31. Redding swooped in front of Hunter Helms' intended receiver for his seventh interception of the season with 3:33 left in the first quarter, tying him with teammate TJ Moore for the most in the nation. Rhode Island got a 17-yard field goal from Ty Groff as time expired in the first half and took the lead late in the third quarter when Helms connected with Marquis Buchanan on a 56-yard touchdown for a 10-7 lead. Senior Dwayne McGee set up two fourth-quarter scores for the Bears, slashing through the right side for a 33-yard gain to give Mercer a first-and-goal at the Rhode Island 10. On third-and-goal from the 4, Newbauer found Adjatay Dabbs for the go-ahead touchdown. After the Bears twice forced the Rams to punt in their own half of the field, McGee ran 40 yards on first down to give Mercer a first down at the Rhode Island 25, setting up a 24-yard Reice Griffith field goal for the game's final score. McGee finished with 114 yards on 21 carries and CJ Miller added 81 yards on 10 carries for Mercer (11-2), which remained unbeaten in seven home games. Helms finished 22 of 33 passing for 266 yards and Buchanan caught 11 passes for 119 yards to lead Rhode Island (11-3), but the Rams managed just 46 yards on 26 carries on the ground. — Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballAttempt to ban Montana transgender lawmaker from using women's restrooms fails

The Ferozepur Road Industrial Association (FRIA) has stressed the need for undertaking economic reforms and improving the regulatory environment so that financial stability can be achieved in the long-run. The newly-elected chairman of FRIA Shehbaz Aslam, in a statement issued here on Saturday, stressed the need for reducing cost of doing business, besides evolving a new price control mechanism, as huge taxation, rising oil prices and constant jump in electricity and gas tariffs have lifted the cost of production to a new high. He warned that bailout packages from the IMF were unlikely to speed up economic growth, as the political instability and lack of reforms would further deteriorate the financial situation in the country. The FRIA Chairman observed that amidst continuous of hike in cost of production in the country, what the Pakistan’s economy really needs is persistent and sound economic management. The Chairman warned the authorities that high inflation can hurt economic growth and a careful policy is required to keep it in control. He said that the pace of inflation is skyrocketing at a time when the economic activity is slowing down. Shahbaz Aslam said that the anti-business policies would prove detrimental to the industries due to high cost of doing business and will also open the floodgates of inflation. In addition to making the electricity bills costlier and unaffordable for the consumers, the hike in base tariff would escalate prices of all household goods being widely used in every household, he added. He termed the constant increase in tariffs unlawful and a violation of NEPRA’s own rules and regulations, as any increase in tariff has to be determined and implemented only after holding public hearings but unfortunately they have solely decided to raise the tariff without holding public hearings, he argued. He condemned the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority’s decision to increase electricity tariffs on daily basis, stating that the burden of power theft, mismanagement, and inefficiencies cannot be shifted to consumers on the pretext of fuel adjustment.Find Recent Car Accident News and Access Police Crash Reports

BlackRock upgraded its "Overweight" call on US stocks for 2025, citing the potential benefits of AI. Potential tax cuts and regulatory easing under the incoming Trump administration may also boost economic growth. BlackRock's outlook contrasts with Bank of America's recent recommendation to bet on international stocks. The world's largest asset manager says it's not too late to turn bullish on US stocks heading into 2025. In its outlook for the new year, BlackRock upgraded its "Overweight" rating on US stocks, turning even more bullish than its prior recommendation even as the S&P 500 trades at all-time highs. The firm was previously "+1" overweight relative to "Neutral" and is now "+2" overweight, with its highest overweight rating being "+3." BlackRock's recommendation to stay "pro-risk" toward US stocks is the opposite of Bank of America strategist Michael Hartnett, who recommended this week that investors should bet on international stocks in 2025 due to the fear that America's exceptionalism trade is about to end. But BlackRock isn't buying it. "U.S. equities have persistently outpaced their global peers," BlackRock's Investment Institute wrote in their 2025 outlook. "We think that could continue." The driving force behind BlackRock's doubling down on the US stock market rally to continue is the belief that "mega forces" like artificial intelligence are disproportionately set to benefit American companies. "We think the AI mega force will benefit U.S. stocks more and that's why we stay overweight, particularly relative to international peers such as European stocks," BlackRock said. The firm also believes potential tax cuts and an easing regulatory environment under the incoming Donald Trump administration should support continued economic growth. One top concern for US stock market investors has been valuations, which, based on metrics like price-to-earnings ratios, are hitting historical extremes. However, BlackRock dismissed the valuation concern by highlighting that the US economy looks a lot different than it did in the past, as technology and services take center stage at the expense of manufacturing. "The equity market's changing sectoral composition reflects the transformation taking hold. So, comparing today's index to that of the past is like comparing apples to oranges," BlackRock said. Valuation measures have also proven to be a poor timing tool for getting in or out of the stock market, the firm said. "We are risk-on for now but stay nimble." The firm said factors that could force it to change its bullish tune include a significant surge in long-term bond yields or an escalation in trade protectionism.Magnachip Semiconductor Co. (NYSE:MX) Shares Sold by Walleye Capital LLCChance of direct attack by Russia ‘remote’, says UK armed forces chief

There was a time not all that long ago when the United States would be seeking clearly to drive and define a particular narrative and outcome for the events unfolding in the Middle East. Seeking to mould events to its own benefit has been a central tenet of American foreign policy. But the remarkable and fast-moving developments in Syria, come at an unusual moment for America. In Washington DC, there is a vacuum of leadership. We are in the midst of the transition between President and president-elect President Biden is still running things at the White House but his ability to influence events in the Middle East, if he is even inclined to, has been shown to be limited. He is the lamest of lame duck presidents. Mr Trump does not become president until 20 January and so is unable officially to do anything. And yet he is already THE leading player on the world stage right now. What he does (and doesn't do) and what he says (and doesn't say) carries enormous weight. - invited by President Emmanuel Macron - is as important as it is remarkable. I can't think of a precedent; a moment in recent history where a president-elect would hold such influence. Of the events in Syria, the Biden White House has said only that the administration is closely monitoring developments. Donald Trump however, on social media, on brand, has declared his hand. " is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!" he wrote. On President Bashar al Assad's fate, his words were only marginally ambiguous. It "may actually be the best thing" for Mr Assad to be toppled, he said. Mr Trump will not take over as president for another six weeks. And yet already it feels like he is more of a player and moulder of global events (because of what he does and doesn't choose to do and say) than at any time in his last presidency. There's another difference this time too. During Mr Trump's last presidency, there were powerful European counterbalances. But now, Angela Merkel is long gone and Mr Macron is weak, despite his diplomatic masterstroke in inviting Mr Trump to Paris.

Quanta Services Inc. stock underperforms Wednesday when compared to competitors