slots2.bet
slots2.bet
Maine's voter-approved limit on PAC contributions triggers lawsuit in federal court
Unwrap the latest AI features with Amazon Fire TabletsUS stocks experience mixed fortunes on quiet day of trading
Unwrap the latest AI features with Amazon Fire TabletsLong-term investment is the key to life-changing returns in the stock market, and few companies highlight this concept better than Nvidia ( NVDA -2.25% ) . If you bought $1,000 worth of the chipmaker's stock 10 years ago, you would have roughly $267,000 today -- a return of 26,600%. That said, past returns don't guarantee future results -- especially in an incredibly speculative new industry. Let's examine the pros and cons of Nvidia stock to determine whether the legendary technology giant still has multibagger potential over the long term. A history of boom and bust cycles Nvidia's core business has always been designing and selling graphics processing units (GPUs), a type of computer chip capable of parallel processing (running multiple calculations simultaneously). This tech proved crucial in rendering video game graphics, helping Nvidia dominate the custom PC and gaming laptop markets in the 2000s. When Bitcoin launched in 2009, GPUs found another use case in cryptocurrency mining, leading to Nvidia's second boom cycle. At the time, many blockchains used GPU computing power to validate their networks and mint more coins in a process called proof-of-work (PoW). This market declined substantially in 2022, erasing billions from Nvidia's market cap. Video gaming and crypto mining hardware are both represented in Nvidia's gaming segment, which posted third-quarter sales of just $3.3 billion or just around 9% of total sales . Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has become the company's latest boom cycle, causing its data center business to soar to represent 88% of total sales. The company is very nondiversified and vulnerable to another rapid change in its fortunes. How will the generative AI story end? Over the next 10 years, Nvidia's AI hardware business could face threats to its growth and profitability. And it isn't hard to see why. With a gross margin of 75%, Nvidia is selling hardware at software-level margins. For context, software-as-a-service (SaaS) giant Microsoft has a gross margin of just 69%, selling mainly digital products and services. Nvidia's market dominance will naturally encourage customers to replace its products wherever possible. While Nvidia seems to be able to keep direct competition (from other AI chipmakers like Advanced Micro Devices ) at bay, it can't stop "hyperscaler" clients like Alphabet and Amazon from designing their own custom chips or simply holding on to their old Nvidia hardware instead of upgrading to the latest models every year. Nvidia's sky-high margins may also come under increasing pressure from suppliers like Taiwan Semiconductor , which helps manufacture its highest-end AI chips. In June, analysts at Morgan Stanley reported that the fab is considering raising production fees for Nvidia. And if this is true, it could eventually eat into the company's margins. To be fair, however, Nvidia's third-quarter operating income soared 174% to $18.6 billion. And its forward price-to-earnings (P/E) of just 33 seems quite low compared to this growth rate, suggesting a possible slowdown in earnings growth may already be partially priced in. Is Nvidia stock a buy? Generally, time in the market is better than timing the market. And even if you bought Nvidia stock at the peak of its previous boom cycles, you would still have come out ahead if you held shares long enough. That said, with a market cap of $3.5 trillion, Nvidia has become the second-largest company in the world. So, things may be different now. Newton's second law of motion states that the larger an object is, the more force is needed to move it. And while the 18th-century physicist probably didn't have financial markets in mind, the concept can hold true for stocks. Investors who buy Nvidia now are making some very optimistic assumptions about the future of the AI industry. And it may make more sense to wait until the hype dies down before buying shares.Efforts to reduce the nation’s persistently high maternal mortality rates involve state panels of experts that investigate and learn from each mother’s death. The panels — called maternal mortality review committees — usually work quietly out of the public eye, but that’s not been the case recently in three states with strict abortion laws. Georgia dismissed all members of its committee in November after information about deaths being reviewed leaked to the news organization ProPublica. Days later, The Washington Post reported that Texas’ committee won’t review cases from 2022 and 2023, the first two years after the state banned nearly all abortions. In Idaho, the state let its panel disband in 2023 only to reinstate it this year. “They’ve become more of a lightning rod than they were before,” said epidemiologist Michael Kramer, director of the Center for Rural Health and Health Disparities at Mercer University in Georgia. Here’s what these committees do and what might happen next: “Maternal mortality review committees are important because they are the most comprehensive source of information about maternal mortality that we have,” said David Goodman, who leads the maternal mortality prevention team at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The panels review deaths that occur during pregnancy or within a year after it ends, whether related to the pregnancy or not. Causes of death can range from hemorrhage during childbirth to drug overdoses to traffic accidents. The goal, Kramer said, is to examine maternal deaths and help “decide what we can do about them.” All states, a few cities and Puerto Rico have these committees. Their membership varies and may include OB-GYNs, maternal-fetal medicine doctors, nurses, midwives, mental and public health experts and members of patient advocacy groups. Most have representatives from several areas of expertise, which the CDC recommends. How members are selected also varies; people may apply, submit letters of interest or be invited to serve. The selection shouldn’t be politically motivated, Kramer said, because “if there’s a systematic exclusion of certain data or certain perspectives” it’s difficult to truly understand what’s happening. The panels work with state vital statistics offices and epidemiologists to identify deaths associated with pregnancy by examining death certificates and looking for a pregnancy checkbox or a related cause of death. They also may search for links to birth and fetal death records, or delve into hospital discharge data, media reports and obituaries. Once they identify cases, they collect as much information as possible, such as prenatal care records, hospital and social service records, autopsy reports and interviews with family members. Professional “abstractors” distill all this into case narratives, which committee members pore over. Most use a standardized review process developed by the CDC — and all panels can get help and guidance from the agency. They consider questions such as: Was the death pregnancy- related? What was the underlying cause? Was it preventable? What factors contributed? States generally have privacy rules that protect committee members and people who provide information on the deaths. The groups then issue public reports that don’t name mothers or hospitals but include overall findings, trends and recommendations. Some come out a couple of years or more after the deaths. Across the nation in 2023, Goodman said, 151 recommendations from those reports were implemented by communities, hospitals, medical professionals and policymakers. Georgia will rebuild its committee through a new application process, the state public health commissioner said. Texas’ committee has been reviewing 2021 deaths and will start on 2024 cases at its next meeting, Texas Department of State Health Services spokesperson Lara Anton said. “Reviewing cases is a lengthy process and legislators have asked for more recent data. Starting the next review cycle with 2024 cases will allow us to provide that in the next report,” Anton said, adding that maternal and child health epidemiologists will continue to analyze and publish data for 2022 and 2023. In Idaho, the reconstituted review committee now falls under the state board of medicine, which licenses doctors, instead of the state’s health and welfare department. It will operate like it always has, said Bob McLaughlin, spokesperson for the medical board. Members met for the first time in November and plan to issue a report by Jan. 31. Because the legislature wanted the most up-to-date information, McLaughlin said the first report will cover only 2023 cases, and the group will review 2022 deaths next. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Hawkins stock soars to all-time high of $135.7 amid robust growth
Watch Arsenal vs Everton: Live streams and TV channels for Premier League clash
Richardson honored at Pulaski Board of Education meetingJoel Embiid sounds off after details of Sixers’ team meeting emerge: ‘Whoever leaked that is a real piece of [expletive]’Premier David Eby made his annual visit to the B.C. business community this week, but if you were looking for specifics and good news, you were left grasping at straws. Paper straws, which fall apart pretty much right away. As evidence that he’s turned a page with the business community, Eby cited fast-tracking nine wind energy projects. There will be more examples, he promised vaguely, with no hint of what industries or projects he may be favouring. Or why. Or how. Or when. So it’s fair to say Eby is not exactly throwing caution to the wind to attract more investment into B.C. – which is seeing the , and virtually nothing in line to replace it. B.C. Chamber of Commerce president Fiona Famulak tried her best to coax a commitment to natural resources out of Eby, asking a question that cited the Mining Association of B.C.’s analysis that it takes 12-15 years to permit a mine in this province. Pushing back, Eby claimed his government had reduced the timeline for mining permits by 40 per cent, but offered no corroborating evidence. Even if we take the premier at his word, that means the 12-15-year review period has been cut to seven to nine years. That’s some thin gruel. And even thinner when one considers it came just minutes after U.S. president-elect Donald Trump put this out on his Truth Social: “Any person or company investing ONE BILLION DOLLARS, OR MORE, in the United States of America, will receive fully expedited approvals and permits, including, but in no way limited to, all Environmental approvals. GET READY TO ROCK!!!” Or, put another way: “Drill, baby, drill!” How does that affect Canada? It’s better understood that Trump’s proposed 25 per cent tariffs would be incredibly harmful. For example, the softwood lumber tariff has resulted in $9 billion paid by Canadian producers since 2017. That’s by one industry on one product, at a rate less than half of what Trump is threatening. And yet this policy of “fully expedited approvals” could be even more damaging to the B.C. economy. If you’re an investor in oil, natural gas, tech, automobile manufacturing, mining, battery plants, pipelines, large development projects or other big-ticket items, why would you ever come to B.C., when you could get to work in any American state far faster and cheaper? Where your jobs and investment would be welcomed with open arms and the removal of regulatory barriers? By contrast, the BC NDP government has slathered cost and red tape on to business since 2017: multiple tax hikes, anti-employer rhetoric, WorkSafe regulations skewed completely to labour. And their soft-on-crime and drug-friendly policies have ramped up petty crime, again harming business. “When you have a near-death experience as a politician, it focuses the mind,” Eby said at the end of his speech, turning the focus back to himself. That’s all well and good. But it’s our provincial economy and our businesses that are having a near-death experience right now, as the provincial deficit and debt rush out of control, government hiring and costs far outpace the corporate sector that has to pay for them, and . America’s arms are wide open. But despite his political near-death experience, B.C.’s premier seems as unfocused and as unhelpful as ever.
AJK court remands 2 suspects in police custody in woman’s harassment caseColts need help for playoff shot, while Giants seek end to record skid
The Indianapolis Colts could show up to the stadium on Sunday with nothing to play for. Or the scenario may call for a victory so they can remain alive in the AFC playoffs. Either way, the Colts' postseason fate hangs on other teams as they enter Sunday's game against the lowly New York Giants at East Rutherford, N.J. Indianapolis (7-8) is mathematically alive in the playoff hunt but trails the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos by two games with two contests left. The Chargers and Broncos both have games on Saturday. If both nine-win clubs win, the Colts will be eliminated and miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is well aware of the team's predicament and scenarios entering the game against the Giants (2-13), who have lost a franchise-record 10 straight games. "We still have an opportunity, with some help from other people," Richardson said. "But we just taking it one game at a time because it doesn't do us any good if everybody else does what they have to do to help us out and then we don't go out there and take advantage of it." Richardson (back/foot) sat out practice Thursday and the Colts remain confident his ailments will improve. If not, veteran Joe Flacco could be in line to start against New York. Flacco was just 1-3 as a starter when Richardson was sidelined or benched earlier this season. But Flacco (nine touchdowns, five interceptions) has a superior touchdown-to-interception ratio than Richardson (eight TDs, 12 interceptions) and has completed 66.5 percent of his passes compared to Richardson's 47.7 percent. No matter who starts, the game plan will revolve around star running back Jonathan Taylor, who rushed for 218 yards and three scores on 29 carries during last weekend's 38-30 home win over the Tennessee Titans. It was Taylor's second-most rushing yards in a game behind the club-record 253 he put up against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2020 season. The Giants are starting Drew Lock at quarterback for the fourth time in the past five games. Lock underwent an MRI exam on his passing shoulder Monday but no damage was found. He hurt it during Sunday's 34-7 road loss against the Atlanta Falcons. Lock is 0-3 as a starter this season and has completed just 52.7 percent of his passes. He has one touchdown and four interceptions in 129 attempts. "As a quarterback, the ball is in your hands every play and one or two bad plays can change a game," Lock said of his miscues. "You try to look at them individually, try to learn from each play individually and go onto the next week. Learn from what you did and just have a heavy emphasis on taking care of the ball." Giants coach Brian Daboll opted for Lock over Tommy DeVito, who is 0-2 as a starter this season. Daboll said he made the decision to continue the continuity from last week. Meanwhile, star rookie wideout Malik Nabers (toe) missed practice Thursday and called himself a game-day decision. Nabers has 97 receptions for 969 yards and four touchdown catches as one of the bright spots of the horrendous season. "It's tough on everybody. It's not just tough on me. It's tough on everybody," Nabers said of the team's troubles. "I'm continuing to keep my mental (attitude) strong, continue to move forward, continue to try to better the team, better myself. Lead by example. I feel like that's really all we can do in this state of mind that we're going through." In addition to Nabers, running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (ankle), center John Michael Schmitz (ankle), linebacker Micah McFadden (neck), cornerbacks Greg Stroman (shoulder/shin) and Dee Williams (toe) and safety Raheem Layne (knee) sat out practice Thursday. Richardson was one of three Colts to miss practice. The others were tight end Mo Alie-Cox (toe) and linebacker E.J. Speed (knee). In the most recent meeting, the Giants routed the Colts 38-10 late in the 2022 season. --Field Level MediaUnwrap the latest AI features with Amazon Fire Tablets
Detroit (AP) — China will soon see a massive expansion of electric vehicle battery swapping, as global battery maker CATL said Wednesday it is investing heavily in stations there next year. Battery swapping is not new — but it's had a challenging journey. Adoption of electric vehicles has varied in regions across the globe over the past several years, and that doesn't always bode well for building new infrastructure. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts defense started this season struggling. It couldn't stop the run, couldn't keep teams out of the end zone, couldn't get off the field. Now the script has flipped. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley's group is playing stouter, holding teams — even the high-scoring Detroit Lions — largely in check long enough to give Indy a chance to win, and it's the Colts offense that has struggled. “They are playing their tails off. You don’t want them on the field a bunch and as an offense you want to be able to play complementary football,” running back Jonathan Taylor said after Sunday's 24-6 loss. “I would say specifically on offense, it sucks when you can’t help your defense out when they are fighting their tails off all game.” Indy's defense held up its end of the bargain by limiting the Lions (10-1) to 14 first-half points and allowing just 24, matching Detroit's lowest output since Week 3. The problem: Even when the Colts (5-7) did get Detroit off the field, they couldn't sustain drives or score touchdowns. Again. Anthony Richardson provided the bulk of the ground game by rushing 10 times for 61 yards, mostly early. Taylor managed just 35 yards on 11 carries and a season-high 10 penalties constantly forced the Colts to dig out from deep deficits. Part of that was by design. “We knew Jonathan Taylor was going to be the guy we needed to shut down,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “We did that. The quarterback runs. It got us on a couple but overall, we did what we needed to do, and we kept them out of that game." Part of it could be because of an injury-battered offensive line that has started three rookies each of the past two weeks and finished the previous game with the same three rookies. Whatever the fix, Indy needs a good solution. There is good news for Indy is that its schedule now gets substantially more manageable. After losing four of five, all to teams in playoff position and three to division leaders, Indy faces only one team with a winning record in its final five games. The most recent time the Colts played a team with a losing mark, Richardson rallied them past the New York Jets 28-27. But Colts coach Shane Steichen knows that's not the answer. The Colts must get this offense righted now. “We’ve got to get that figured out. We’ve got to get him going on the ground,” Steichen said when asked about Taylor, who has 92 yards on his past 35 carries. “We’ll look at the offensive line. We’ll look at everything." Pass rush. Pro Bowl DT DeForest Buckner's presence certainly has been felt since he returned from a sprained ankle Oct. 27. In those past five games, the Colts have had 14 sacks, including three of Jared Goff on Sunday. Penalties. The Colts have had one of the cleanest operations in the league most of this season. Sunday was an anomaly, but one that can't merely be written off. WR Michael Pittman Jr. The five-year veteran is one of the league's toughest guys, but playing through a back injury appeared to take its toll on Pittman's productivity. Since sitting out in Week 10, Pittman has 11 receptions for 142 yards including six for 96 yards, his second-highest total of the season, Sunday. Tight ends. Each week the Colts want their tight ends to make an impact. And each week, they seem to fail. It happened again Sunday when Drew Ogletree dropped a TD pass that would have given Indy a 10-7 lead. Instead, Indy settled for a field goal and a 7-6 deficit. Through 12 games, Indy's tight ends have a total of 26 catches, 299 yards and two TDs. That's just not good enough in a league where versatile, productive tight ends increasingly signal success. Pittman and WR Josh Downs both returned to the game after leaving briefly with shoulder injuries. WR Ashton Dulin did not return after hurting his foot in the second half. But the bigger questions come on the offensive line. LT Bernhard Raimann (knee) was inactive Sunday, and rookie center Tanor Bortolini entered the concussion protocol Monday. Bortolini was one of three rookie starters the past two weeks, replacing Pro Bowler Ryan Kelly who is on injured reserve. 55.88 — Indy has scored touchdowns on 55.88% of its red zone trips this season. While it puts it near the middle of the NFL, it's cost the Colts multiple wins. Richardson needs to rebound from this latest 11 of 28 performance and show he can lead the Colts to victories week after week. He'll get plenty of chances over the season's final month, starting with next week's game at the New England Patriots. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflTrump posts 'how it's going' message contrasting Time Person of the Year cover with mugshotBarrister cleared of misconduct calls on head of Bar Standards Board to resign
Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen have targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment on Thursday took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. An uneasy calm settles over Syrian city of Homs after outbreak of sectarian violence HOMS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s new security forces checked IDs and searched cars in the central city of Homs a day after protests by members of the Alawite minority erupted in gunfire and stirred fears that the country’s fragile peace could break down. A tense calm prevailed Thursday after checkpoints were set up throughout the country’s third-largest city, which has a mixed population of Sunni and Shia Muslims, Alawites and Christians. The security forces are controlled by the former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led the charge that unseated former President Bashar Assad. The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern. WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say they asked for — and got — the retraction of an independent monitor's warning of imminent famine in north Gaza. The internationally Famine Early Warning System Network issued the warning this week. The new report had warned that starvation deaths in north Gaza could reach famine levels as soon as next month. It cited what it called Israel's “near-total blockade” of food and water. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, criticized the finding as inaccurate and irresponsible. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the famine-monitoring group, told the AP it had asked for and gotten the report's retraction. USAID officials tell The Associated Press that it had asked the group for greater review of discrepancies in some of the data. Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans in Congress plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. They want to push through long-sought changes such as voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore public confidence in elections. That's after an erosion of trust that Democrats note has been fueled by false claims from Donald Trump and his allies of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Democrats say they are willing to work with the GOP but want any changes to make it easier, not harder, to vote. Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out NEW YORK (AP) — A lot of Americans, after an intense presidential election campaign, are looking for a break in political news. That's evident in cable television news ratings and a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans saying they've found the need recently to cut down on their consumption of political and government news. That's particularly true among Democrats following President-elect Donald Trump's victory, although a significant number of Republicans and independents feel the same way. Cable networks MSNBC and CNN are really seeing a slump. That's also happened in years past for networks that particularly appeal to supporters of one candidate. New York to charge fossil fuel companies for damage from climate change ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Large fossil fuel companies would have to pay fees to help New York fight the effects of climate change under a bill signed by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. The governor signed the new law Thursday. It requires companies responsible for substantial greenhouse gas emissions to pay into a state infrastructure fund for repairs or projects that help avoid future damage from climate change. Lawmakers approved the bill earlier this year. It's meant to make big oil and gas companies contribute to the cost of repairs after extreme weather events or for resiliency projects. Such projects may include restoring coastal wetlands or upgrading roads, bridges and water drainage systems. Legal challenges to the new law are expected. Aviation experts say Russia's air defense fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns Aviation experts say that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured. Azerbaijan is observing a nationwide day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the crash. Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons yet unclear and crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan. Cellphone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy battlefield losses KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in Russia's Kursk region and face logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks. The intelligence agency said Thursday that Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean units. Ukraine's president said earlier this week that 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed and wounded in the fighting in the Kursk region. It marked the first significant estimate by Ukraine of North Korean casualties several weeks after Kyiv announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in the almost 3-year war. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Why this Mexican American woman played a vital role in the US sacramental peyote trade MIRANDO CITY, Texas (AP) — Amada Cardenas, a Mexican American woman who lived in the tiny border town of Mirando City in South Texas, played an important role in the history of the peyote trade. She and her husband were the first federally licensed peyote dealers who harvested and sold the sacramental plant to followers of the Native American Church in the 1930s. After her husband's death in 1967, Cardenas continued to welcome generations of Native American Church members to her home until her death in 2005, just before her 101st birthday.
Eagles QB Kenny Pickett expects to be ‘ready to go’ vs. CowboysAJK court remands 2 suspects in police custody in woman’s harassment case