online slot games no deposit

After his acquittal, Daniel Penny gets the VIP treatment from JD VanceTechTarget, Inc. ( NASDAQ:TTGT – Get Free Report ) shares hit a new 52-week low during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $18.26 and last traded at $18.42, with a volume of 4000 shares. The stock had previously closed at $18.46. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms have recently weighed in on TTGT. KeyCorp cut their price target on shares of TechTarget from $38.00 to $37.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, November 14th. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $40.00 price target on shares of TechTarget in a research report on Wednesday, November 13th. Craig Hallum increased their price objective on TechTarget from $36.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 13th. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on TechTarget in a report on Tuesday. They issued a “hold” rating for the company. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, TechTarget has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $38.17. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on TechTarget TechTarget Stock Performance TechTarget ( NASDAQ:TTGT – Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 12th. The information services provider reported $0.42 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.05. TechTarget had a positive return on equity of 5.44% and a negative net margin of 5.34%. The company had revenue of $58.47 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $58.14 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.13 earnings per share. TechTarget’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that TechTarget, Inc. will post 0.55 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company increased its stake in TechTarget by 4.5% during the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 9,993 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $311,000 after acquiring an additional 430 shares during the period. Inspire Investing LLC increased its position in shares of TechTarget by 4.3% during the second quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 11,379 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $355,000 after purchasing an additional 469 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of TechTarget by 0.3% during the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 611,513 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $14,955,000 after purchasing an additional 1,602 shares during the period. Sei Investments Co. raised its stake in shares of TechTarget by 5.1% in the second quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 34,543 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $1,077,000 after purchasing an additional 1,690 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Texas Permanent School Fund Corp lifted its position in TechTarget by 10.0% in the second quarter. Texas Permanent School Fund Corp now owns 24,884 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $776,000 after purchasing an additional 2,254 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.52% of the company’s stock. TechTarget Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) TechTarget, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides marketing and sales services that deliver business impact for business-to-business technology companies in North America and internationally. The company's service enables technology vendors to identify, reach, and influence corporate information technology (IT) decision-makers actively researching specific IT purchases; and customized marketing programs that integrate demand generation, brand advertising techniques, and content curation and creation. See Also Receive News & Ratings for TechTarget Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TechTarget and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Today's Horoscope Prediction – 27th November 2024: Leo, Libra, etc Zodiac Sunshine Birthday Forecast

If architecture is frozen music, as Goethe said, the five-and-a-half-years-long, $900 million restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral — almost destroyed in a 2019 fire and reopened last weekend with an elaborate ceremony for an audience of global dignitaries on site and the whole world watching — is one of the most monumental symphonic works of our time. Some 2,000 workers from 250 companies, major construction and renovation firms to small artisanal workshops, meticulously coordinated their efforts, combining modern technology and centuries-old manual skills, to re-create and renovate with passion and precision one of the most iconic manmade structures on Earth. As the 19th century English writer John Ruskin wrote in “The Stones of Venice,” a critique of what was being lost in the Industrial Revolution with its mechanical efficiencies and standardized production practices, the medieval craftsmen who constructed the Gothic cathedrals of Europe, who shaped the blocks of stone and carved the gargoyles by hand, were practitioners of exacting yet uniquely irregular human arts that machines and assembly lines could never replicate. One of the most miraculous achievements of Notre Dame’s renovators is their deployment of skills scarcely in use anymore, on an epic scale, to retain the original materials and physical character of an 800-year-old building. At a moment when the world is exploding with horrible wars, political chaos, climate mayhem, widespread misery and existential despair, the Notre Dame project is a gift of hope and evidence of human potential for cooperation and constructive redemption. More than space rocketry, digital wizardry and artificial intelligence for all their magic, the ancient techniques and skills of individuals, teams of construction workers, stonemasons, wood butchers, carpenters, architects and engineers who put Notre Dame back together, deep-cleaned its limestone, and dismantled, cleaned and reassembled its massive 8,000-pipe organ are magic of a more profoundly fundamental order. It’s almost enough to make one forget the monstrous crimes of the Catholic Church, the sexual abuses perpetrated by its clergy, the cruelty of its repressive institutions and the barbarism of its violence in the name of spiritual salvation. That such an institution, like other ancient religions and civilizations whose achievements are tainted by slavery and human sacrifice, could erect such awe-inspiring structures to worship its deities proves the complexity of the human being and helps to explain the kinds of oppressive excess the New England Puritans were rebelling against, and why Islam and Judaism, riddled with their own oppressions, forbid idolatry. If all religions are one, as William Blake contended, and all mythologies partake of the same archetypes, as Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell taught, we are all implicated as members of our species in its atrocities as well as its accomplishments. I like to think of Notre Dame newly reborn out of its own charred ruins as a hopeful metaphor for the coming years of U.S. political and cultural history when the burn-it-down fury of a so-called populist insurgency to raze American institutions (for the benefit of corporate plutocrats raking riches out of the rubble) could be the prelude to a miraculous rebirth. Perhaps the devastation, suffering and chaos promised by the MAGA regime will in the end give way to an age of cooperative reconstruction. As hard as it may be to conceive in this dreadful moment when a gang of thugs is coming to power with the potential to bring the whole edifice of democracy crashing down around us, maybe, as the French have proved, diverse people of collective goodwill can eventually come together to reconstruct and renovate the American experiment, mobilizing a mixture of Enlightenment ideals, ancient wisdom and modern technologies to craft a more perfect union. That may sound like a utopian hallucination in light of the historical record, but it’s something I’m trying to imagine.DAMASCUS (AP) — Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad, gathering in the capital's historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! DAMASCUS (AP) — Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad, gathering in the capital's historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? DAMASCUS (AP) — Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad, gathering in the capital’s historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule. The gatherings illustrated the dramatic changes that have swept over Syria less than a week after insurgents marched into Damascus and toppled Assad. Amid the jubilation, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with allies around the region and called for an “inclusive and non-sectarian” interim government. Blinken arrived in Iraq on a previously unannounced stop after talks in Jordan and Turkey, which backs some of the Syrian insurgent factions. So far, U.S. officials have not talked of direct meetings with Syria’s new rulers. The main insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has worked to establish security and start a political transition after seizing Damascus early Sunday. The group has tried to reassure a public both stunned by Assad’s fall and concerned about extremist jihadis among the rebels. Insurgent leaders say the group has broken with its extremist past, though HTS is still labeled a terrorist group by the United States and European countries. HTS’s leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, appeared in a video message Friday congratulating “the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution.” “I invite them to head to the squares to show their happiness without shooting bullets and scaring people,” he said. “And then after, we will work to build this country, and as I said in the beginning, we will be victorious by the help of God.” Syrians celebrate in the historic heart of Damascus Huge crowds, including some insurgents, packed Damascus’ historic Umayyad Mosque in the capital’s old city, many waving the rebel opposition flag — with its three red stars — which has swiftly replaced the Assad-era flag with with its two green stars. According to Arab television stations, the Friday sermon was delivered by Mohammed al-Bashir, the interim prime minister installed by HTS this week. The scene resonated on multiple levels. The mosque, one of the world’s oldest dating back some 1,200 years, is a beloved symbol of Syria, and sermons there like all mosque sermons across Syria had been tightly controlled under Assad’s rule. Also, in the early days of the anti-government uprising in 2011, protesters would leave Friday prayers to march in rallies against Assad before he launched a brutal crackdown that turned the uprising into a long and bloody civil war. “I didn’t step foot in Umayyad Mosque since 2011,” because of the tight security controls around it, said one worshipper, Ibrahim al-Araby. “Since 11 or 12 years, I haven’t been this happy.” Another worshipper, Khair Taha, said there was “fear and trepidation for what’s to come. But there is also a lot of hope that now we have a say and we can try to build.” Blocks away in Damascus’ biggest roundabout, named Umayyad Square, thousands gathered, including many families with small children — a sign of how, so far at least, the country’s transformation has not seen violent instability. “Unified Syria to build Syria,” the crowd chanted. Some shouted slurs against Assad and his late father, calling them pigs, an insult that would have previously led to offenders being hauled off to one of the feared detention centers of Assad’s security forces. One man in the crowd, 51-year-old Khaled Abu Chahine — originally from the southern province of Daraa, where the 2011 uprising first erupted — said he hoped for “freedom and coexistence between all Syrians, Alawites, Sunnis, Shiites and Druze.” The interim prime minister, al-Bashir, had been the head of a de facto administration created by HTS in Idlib, the opposition’s enclave in northwest Syria. The rebels were bottled up in Idlib for years before fighters broke out in a shock offensive and marched across Syria in 10 days. Similar scenes of joy unfolded in other major cities, including in Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Latakia and Raqqa. US and its allies try to shape a rapidly changing Syria Al-Sharaa, HTS’ leader, has promised to bring a pluralistic government to Syria, seeking to dispel fears among many Syrians — especially its many minority communities — that the insurgents will impose a hard-line, extremist rule. Another key factor will be winning international recognition for a new government in a country where multiple foreign powers have their hands in the mix. The Sunni Arab insurgents who overthrew Assad did so with vital help from Turkey, a longtime foe of the U.S.-backed Kurds. Turkey controls a strip of Syrian territory along the shared border and backs an insurgent faction uneasily allied to HTS — and is deeply opposed to any gains by Syria’s Kurds. In other developments, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey’s Embassy in Damascus would reopen Saturday for the first time since 2012, when it closed due to the Syrian civil war. The U.S. has troops in eastern Syria to combat remnants of the Islamic State group and supports Kurdish-led fighters who rule most of the east. Since Assad’s fall, Israel has bombed sites all over Syria, saying it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands, and has seized a swath of southern Syria along the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, calling it a buffer zone. After talks with Fidan, Blinken said there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the U.S. on what they would like to see in Syria. That starts with an “interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria’s neighbors,” Blinken said. Fidan said the priority was “establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren’t dominant” — referring to the Islamic State group and the Kurdistan Workers Party. Ankara considers the PKK within Turkey’s borders a terrorist group, as it does the Kurdish-backed forces in Syria backed by the U.S. A U.S. official said that in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fidan both told Blinken that Kurdish attacks on Turkish positions would have to be responded to. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic talks. The U.S. has been trying to limit such incidents in recent days and had helped organize an agreement to prevent confrontations around the northern Syrian town of Manbij, which was taken by Turkey-backed opposition fighters from the U.S.-backed Kurdish forces earlier this week. In Baghdad, Blinken met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani, saying both countries wanted to ensure the Islamic State group — also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh — doesn’t exploit Syria’s transition to re-emerge. “Having put Daesh back in its box, we can’t let it out, and we’re determined to make sure that that doesn’t happen,” Blinken said. The U.S. official who briefed reporters said that Blinken had impressed upon al-Sudani the importance of Iraq exercising its full sovereignty over its territory and airspace to stop Iran from transporting weapons and equipment to Syria, either for Assad supporters or onward to the militant Hezbollah group in Lebanon. ___ Lee reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press Writer Suzan Fraser in Ankara contributed to this report. Advertisement AdvertisementJulia Bradbury on lifestyle change and going teetotal after cancer diagnosis

Indiana 72, Columbia 62

Elon Musk accused of censorship as H1B migrant controversy deepens By LAURA PARNABY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 15:05 EST, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 15:19 EST, 29 December 2024 e-mail View comments Elon Musk has been accused of censorship after his X social media platform allegedly removed premium features from accounts which criticized his stance in the fierce ongoing debate about immigration visas. Several prominent conservative accounts have complained this week about having their blue verification badge revoked, cutting them off from features including the ability to monetize their content. One account, called ConservativeOG, claimed more than 50 users had been affected by the apparent censorship by Musk, who prides himself on promoting free speech. It comes after the South Africa-born Tesla boss and incoming White House official voiced support for H-1B visas, which allow highly-skilled foreigners to work in the US for six years, rather than prioritizing American employees. Musk this week even threatened to 'go to war' with MAGA republicans after he defended the visas, and Donald Trump shocked faithful followers by siding with the SpaceX founder on the hot-button topic. Now, Musk appears to have stepped it up a notch by revoking privileges from X users who disagreed with his views, according to several prominent conservative accounts. 'With Elon's shift on H-1B visas, we now would like answers for losing our gold checkmark. Cooler heads must prevail to restore badges for our 50+ affiliates. Right or wrong, this platform claims to champion free speech—so let's see it in action,' ConservativeOG wrote on X. 'We pay 1K a month for a "free speech platform," we want that!' Elon Musk has been accused of censorship after his X social media platform allegedly removed premium features from accounts which criticized his stance in the fierce ongoing debate about immigration visas Trump with hard right influencer Laura Loomer Conservative pundit Laura Loomer also weighed in. 'Why are X users who pay for @premium having their posts listed as "probable spam" on my posts @elonmusk? This is censorship. I understand you don't like me, but this is nothing but retaliatory censorship?' she wrote on X. The accounts were still active on Sunday. Some conservatives said the move was a betrayal of Musk's pledges to make X a free speech haven when he bought the app, which was then called Twitter, in 2022. Musk, who immigrated to the US from South Africa and became a citizen in 2002, did not respond to requests for comment, but he posted about the X algorithm on Thursday night. 'Just a reminder that the algorithm is trying to maximize unregretted user-seconds,' Musk wrote. 'If far more credible, verified subscriber accounts (not bots) mute/block your account compared to those who like your posts, your reach will decline significantly.' But the post sparked further accusations that Musk has been shadow-banning his conservative critics by sabotaging their engagement with other users. Preston Parra, 23, the influencer who runs the ConservativeOG account, accused Musk of staging a 'political takedown' in retaliation for publicly disagreeing with his views on visas and immigration 'If anyone thinks for one minute the REAL backbone of the right wing and MAGA is gonna stand idly by while these big tech gillionaire Silicon Valley dweebs who didn't get bullied enough in high school, steal our country, they're mistaken,' Parra told NBC News in a text message. Parra said he believes Musk to be a 'Trojan horse' in the Trump camp. Several accounts have also referred to Musk as 'the monarch', suggesting he has absolute control over the website. Musk this week even threatened to 'go to war' with MAGA republicans after he defended the visas, and Donald Trump shocked faithful followers by siding with the SpaceX founder on the hot-button topic Musk, who immigrated to the US from South Africa and became a citizen in 2002, did not respond to requests for comment, but he posted about the X algorithm on Thursday night On Saturday, the president-elect praised the use of visas to bring skilled foreign workers to the U.S. 'I ́ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That ́s why we have them,' Trump told the New York Post . In fact, Trump has in the past criticized the H-1B visas, calling them 'very bad' and 'unfair' for U.S. workers. During his first term as president, Trump unveiled a 'Hire American' policy that directed changes to the program to try to ensure the visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants. Despite his criticism of them and attempts to curb their use, he has also used the visas at his businesses in the past, something he acknowledged in his interview Saturday. 'I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I ́ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It ́s a great program,' Trump told the newspaper. He did not appear to address questions about whether he would pursue any changes to the number or use of the visas once he takes office Jan. 20. On Saturday, the president-elect praised the use of visas to bring skilled foreign workers to the U.S Trump's hardline immigration policies, focused mostly on immigrants who are in the country illegally , were a cornerstone of his presidential campaign and a priority issue for his supporters. But in recent days, his coalition has split in a public debate largely taking place online about the tech industry's hiring of foreign workers. Hard-right members of Trump's movement have accused Musk and others in Trump's new flank of tech-world supporters of pushing policies at odds with Trump's 'America First' vision. Software engineers and others in the tech industry have used H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers and say they are a critical tool for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated. Share or comment on this article: Elon Musk accused of censorship as H1B migrant controversy deepens e-mail Add commentAustralia's House of Representatives passes bill banning children younger than age 16 from social media

(Reuters) – Bangladesh’s veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been suspended from bowling in all competitions organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for exceeding the maximum permitted elbow extension of 15 degrees. The 37-year-old’s action was scrutinized by on-field umpires in his one-off appearance for Surrey in September – his first appearance in the County Championship since the 2010-11 season. Following umpires’ suspicions, he was asked to do a test. “Shakib completed an independent assessment at Loughborough University earlier this month, which found that the elbow extension in his bowling action exceeded the 15-degree threshold as defined in the Regulations,” the ECB said in a statement. “This suspension takes effect from the receipt of the independent assessment on Dec. 10, and follows the process set out in the ECB’s Regulations for the Review of Bowlers Reported with a Suspected Illegal Bowling Action.” Shakib, who is considered the greatest cricketer Bangladesh has produced, could not be immediately reached for comment. To overturn the ban, the left arm spinner will need to undergo a reassessment demonstrating a narrower elbow extension. Shakib, who has been surrounded by controversy of late due to political unrest in Bangladesh, retired from Twenty20 internationals in September and decided to not return home for a farewell test against South Africa in Mirpur in October. But the former captain will likely feature in next year’s Champions Trophy. Shakib was a member of parliament for the Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina, whose 15-year rule as prime minister ended in August with her fleeing to India following deadly protests. In 2019, he received a two-year ban from playing after the International Cricket Council (ICC) found he had breached its anti-corruption code. (Reporting by Suramya Kaushik in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );

Hurricanes, Rangers on different paths entering rematch of playoff boutBTC Mainnet, RGB++ Protocol, and CKB: A Comprehensive View of Crypto Asset Issuance 11-26-2024 09:26 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: LianPR The BTC mainnet, as the leader in crypto asset issuance, is driving an unprecedented boom in the BTC ecosystem through a powerful spillover effect. As the leader of BTC ecosystem protocols, the RGB++ protocol, with its technical advantages and rapid development capabilities, has become a strategic focus for CKB in this cycle. The RGB++ protocol excels in the development of BTCFi infrastructure and is highly compatible with meme and AI sectors. With the addition of the long-term deployed Lightning Network Fiber by CKB, the protocol shows immense growth potential. As the leader in BTC ecosystem targets, CKB naturally captures the value of RGB++, further reinforcing its scarcity and leadership position. So why is the BTC mainnet the leader in crypto asset issuance, the RGB++ Layer the leader in BTC ecosystem protocols, and CKB the leader in BTC ecosystem targets? BTC Mainnet: The Leader in Crypto Asset Issuance BTC is the most consensus-backed asset, and protocols that cannot support BTCFi will lose their core competitiveness. Technical Advantages of RGB++ Layer The RGB++ Layer has been highly recognized by @BinanceResearch for its BTC-native technologies like isomorphic binding and bridgeless cross-chain functionality. The protocol offers Turing-complete programmability while also providing high privacy, transaction efficiency, security, and censorship resistance. The RGB++ Layer integrates a full suite of DeFi facilities, making it the only protocol currently capable of supporting BTCFi. The comprehensive support from Bitcoin's Lightning Network and CKB's Fiber Network greatly expands the development space of the protocol. Advantages of CKB CKB serves as the decentralized indexer, smart contract engine, and DA layer for the RGB++ Layer. Issuing RGB++ assets naturally stakes CKB, allowing CKB to capture BTCFi value. Since the inception of RGB++, the CKB mainnet's Unique Address has grown by approximately 2 million, and the overall network hashrate has increased by around 46%. Over 500 projects have issued assets on the RGB++ Layer, with over 24 million CKBs naturally staked. With just 10,000 projects, all CKB will be occupied, supporting the scarcity and leading position of CKB through natural staking. Integration of Top Projects into the RGB++ Layer Ecosystem More than 500 projects have issued assets on the RGB++ Layer, with over 24 million CKB naturally staked. Top projects like Gate Web3 Wallet, CoinEx Exchange, Element NFT Marketplace, and Wizz Wallet have already integrated the RGB++ protocol, further promoting the ecosystem's development. -Bitcoin L2 Solutions Bitcoin L2 solution UTXO Stack is continuously advancing, with plans to launch the high-performance Bitcoin L2 solution Branch Chain. Its first AppChain will serve Bitcoin financial businesses. Additionally, UTXO Stack will launch a Bitcoin Lightning Network staking layer to address channel liquidity management issues, accelerating large-scale adoption of the Lightning Network. -Innovation and Development of RGB++ Layer The leading RGB++ asset SEAL community has developed and operates the first Launchpad platform in the Bitcoin ecosystem, SealtoEarn, adopting a unique IBO model. The first IBO project, Stable++ protocol token $SBT, has a total issuance of 21 million, with 20% of the shares airdropped to $Seal stakers. Two rounds of staking attracted a total of 28.97 million $Seal, receiving analysis and promotion from top KOLs like 0xWizard, He Bi, and Crypto Philanthropist, gaining nearly 1 million online attention. -Development of Stablecoins and Payment Networks Over-collateralized stablecoin protocol Stable++ has received strategic financing from CKB Eco Fund, benchmarking RGB++ Layer against Omni Layer. It supports BTC, CKB, and RGB++ asset collateral and has issued the first RGB++ stablecoin $RUSD. The team consists of members from Google, Stanford, UC Berkeley, and top 100 public chains in CMC, with a cumulative TVL exceeding $50M. Interpaystellar will use the RGB++ protocol to build a native payment network on the BTC mainnet and launch the first programmable stablecoin #USDI to promote large-scale adoption of BTCFi and the Lightning Network. -Decentralized Exchanges and Multi-chain Ecosystems UTXOSwap, the first decentralized exchange based on the RGB++ Layer, provides liquidity for all UTXO chain assets through bridgeless cross-chain and smart contract functions, making it an important part of BTCFi. Meanwhile, CKB, in collaboration with Matrixport's subsidiary CactusCustody and Meson Finance, has issued ccBTC, backed 1:1 by Bitcoin reserves, on the CKB mainnet. Bool Network has also deployed BRC20 and Runes assets with CKB's bidirectional cross-chain and plans to further expand to multi-chain ecosystems including ETH-CKB, SOL-CKB, and TON-CKB. -Innovative Projects The full-chain AI gaming ecosystem Cellula has completed a $2 million Pre-Seed round of financing from BinanceLabs, co-led by SevenX Ventures and OKX Ventures. The project uses the RGB++ protocol to issue 511*6 sets of BitCell NFTs on Bitcoin Layer1, providing a new gaming experience. The Bitcoin autonomous world WORLD3I, based on the RGB++ Layer and DOB protocol, has completed $6 million in financing, co-led by Animoca Brands, Dapper Labs, EVG, and Com2uS. Since its launch, the project has attracted over 100,000 users and minted 3,327 SOUL Dragons on August 7. The multi-chain composable DOBs project Nervape, built on Bitcoin, has partnered with WeirdoGhostGang to issue DOBs assets and develop games. Supported by NFTGo's strategic incubation, dobhub is the first DOB issuance platform on CKB, allowing users to easily create and issue DOBs through its innovative Launchpad while tracking minting progress in real-time and conveniently browsing existing, upcoming, and historical series of DOBs. Element has fully integrated RGB++ and launched trading activities, while GameBuild develops SDKs supporting Bitcoin native assets and the RGB++ protocol. Summary Therefore, on the world's best crypto asset issuance platform BTC, the RGB++ Layer stands out among numerous protocols with its technical advantages, attracting numerous high-quality projects to join, while CKB captures the tremendous value it brings. This highlights the crucial role of RGB++ Layer and CKB in driving innovation and development in the crypto world. Disclaimer: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Media Contact Company Name: Nervos Network Contact Person: HZ Chen Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=btc-mainnet-rgb-protocol-and-ckb-a-comprehensive-view-of-crypto-asset-issuance ] Country: Singapore Website: https://www.nervos.org/ This release was published on openPR.

It's hard to find high dividend yields you can trust. Remember, a stock's dividend yield is a ratio of the company's declared payout to its share price. So, a high yield can signal that a stock is risky when the market won't support a higher share price. But that's not always the case. Realty Income ( O -0.77% ) is a prime example. By design, this well-known real estate investment trust (REIT) (and every other REIT) distributes most of its income to shareholders. That said, the stock is struggling. Shares are trading near their 52-week low, pushing the yield to 6%. But sometimes, a stock's struggle is more due to external factors than the underlying business. Today, I think that's the case. I'll highlight what might be dragging Realty Income's stock down and why this is potentially one of the best dividend stock opportunities heading into 2025. Interest rate woes are keeping Realty Income down Realty Income and other REITs are companies that acquire and lease real estate. Realty Income specializes in leasing single-tenant retail properties using net leases . Its core tenant base includes recession-resistant businesses, like convenience stores, grocery stores, dollar stores, pharmacies, and restaurants. A REIT doesn't pay corporate income taxes because it distributes at least 90% of its income to shareholders. That's why REITs generally make excellent dividend stocks. REIT stocks are sensitive to the economy's interest rates for a couple of reasons. First, since REITs don't retain earnings, they issue stock and borrow money to fund growth (e.g., property acquisitions). Higher rates make borrowing more expensive (bad for business), while lower rates make debt cheaper (good for business). Second, dividend stocks are less appealing to investors when safer, higher-yield alternatives are available. For example, many income-focused investors might prefer a high-yield savings account to a dividend stock if the yield is comparable because it's safer. You may have seen headlines about the Federal Reserve cutting the economy's benchmark interest rate . This impacts how banks borrow from each other. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield (rate) is the benchmark for corporate debt, and that's continued to rise. You can see the inverse relationship between the 10-year rate and Realty Income's share price: O data by YCharts Market forces dictate how Treasuries behave, and the rising yield could be due to several things, such as inflation worries or political factors. The bottom line is that Realty Income's stock may struggle until the 10-year Treasury rate stops rising. Yes, you can trust the dividend. Here is why. The critical takeaway today is that external factors only impact Realty Income's business to an extent. Higher rates could drag on Realty Income's growth by making debt more expensive, but it doesn't change the big picture about how good a company Realty Income is. Realty Income is a world-class dividend stock and is poised to remain so. The company has raised its dividend for 31 consecutive years, a streak that survived the dot-com crash of 2000-2001, the Great Recession of 2008-2009, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the dividend is financially rock-solid. Analysts estimate Realty Income's 2024 funds from operations (FFO) will be $4.20 per share, translating to a comfortable dividend payout ratio of 75%. In other words, the company's cash profits from running its business would need to plunge over 25% to stress Realty Income's ability to fund its dividend organically. The company operates a diverse real estate portfolio centered on tenants operating recession-resistant businesses, so the odds are low that rent goes unpaid. Additionally, Realty Income has an A- credit rating from S&P Global , which is a strong credit rating for a REIT. It helps bridge the financial gap during crises like the pandemic in 2020. Realty Income is a bonafide bargain for 2025 Again, Realty Income's share price woes don't reflect the business. Through nine months of 2024, the company earned FFO per share of $3.14, compared to $2.99 a year ago. Additionally, analysts estimate Realty Income will grow at an average of 6% annually over the long term. That's what makes the chart below so exciting. The stock trades at just under 13 times its cash from operations (chart substitute for FFO), a massive discount to its average over the past decade. Investors get a dependable 6% dividend yield, with another 6% in estimated growth, offering potential 12% annualized total returns without any changes to the stock's valuation. O Price to CFO Per Share (TTM) data by YCharts I consider the current valuation a sufficient margin of safety in case Treasury rates remain higher for longer. If rates eventually decline, the potential valuation increase could generate market-beating total returns for long-term investors. In addition, investors can reinvest Realty Income's dividend to maximize compounding. Realty Income is a rockstar dividend stock with enough upside at this price to interest all investors, not just high-yield seekers. That makes it a compelling buy to start the new year.

Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Trailer Teases New Game, Features HBO LikenessesSoccer-Outstanding Arsenal thump Sporting 5-1 in Lisbon

MOREHEAD, Ky. (AP) — Isaiah Smith ran for a career-high 205 yards on 31 carries and scored a touchdown and San Diego beat Morehead State 37-14 in a season-ending contest for both teams on Saturday. Grant Sergent threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns for San Diego (8-3, 6-2 Pioneer Football League) which ended the season with a four-game win streak and winners of six of seven. The Toreros finished in sole possession of second place in the PFL behind Drake (7-1), which clinched the league outright with a 49-10 win over Stetson on Saturday. Drake beat San Diego 30-28 on a walk-off field goal on Sept. 28 in Des Moines, Iowa. Bryce Patterson threw for 133 yards and a touchdown and James Louis ran for a touchdown for the Eagles (7-5, 5-3). ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP collegebasketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketballAfter years of being a mobile-only series, Infold Games is launching the big new open world adventure Infinity Nikki on PC next month. The developer is celebrating the near fruition of several years of work with a short documentary looking back on Nikki's journey to a bigger new Miraland and way more platforms. Infinity Nikki's development journey began in December 2019, Infold Games' chief technology officer Fei Ge says, when the series' producer expressed interest in working on an open world Nikki game. "At that time the project was kept a secret," Fei says. "So we rented an additional workspace of about 50 to 60 square meters separate from our main office. Then we gradually began recruiting and assembling our initial team, working on ideas, laying the foundation and building the infrastructure. We continued in this way for over a year." It's common enough for developers to work on a game for multiple years before publicly announcing it—which Infold Games did with the first Infinity Nikki trailer two years later in 2022—but it does sound a little like this massive new direction for the series was at least a little secret from the rest of the team for a period of time, too. I've no doubt it was quite the undertaking for a formerly mobile gacha dress up series to expand into the whole open world adventure that Infinity Nikki has become. Infold details some parts of that journey in the rest of the development documentary: how its producer sculpted a miniature version of its giant Millewish Tree area out of clay as inspiration for developers in the office and how its musicians traveled to Hungary to incorporate certain instruments into the soundtrack. You'll also spot in the doc some of the external talent that Infold worked with: Kentaro "Tomiken" Tominaga, designer on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Andrzej Dybowski, a concept artist from The Witcher 3. Those are some powerful resume namedrops to call in. As it goes for pre-release development docs, this is of course mostly fluff and getting to hear from developers all the parts of the game they were excited to work on. Though I will say I'm pretty psyched to see the Millewish tree area in-game at launch. Truly, nothing beats a really bigass tree with a village inside it. The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team. Infinity Nikki has been referring to itself as "the coziest open-world game" and though I had some initial fears about the freemium gacha game style barging into cozy gaming, I am ultimately as weak as anyone else and have wound up rather excited about the possibility of Nikki leading the way for dress-up games on PC . We'll find out soon enough if my called shot has any merit, because Infinity Nikki is launching on December 5 on mobile, PS5, and PC through Epic Games or its standalone launcher. Oh, and not for nothing, but if you're a gacha pro who knows the ropes, make sure to bookmark my list of Infinity Nikki codes where I'll be logging the launch giveaways you'll be able to redeem as soon as they're announced.

Lucy Kennedy enjoyed 'manic' Christmas with her husband Richie and three kids in DublinNEW YORK (AP) — As she anticipates her estranged uncle's return to the White House, Mary Trump isn't expecting any future book to catch on like such first-term tell-alls as Michael Wolff's million-selling “Fire and Fury” or her own blockbuster, “Too Much and Never Enough.” “What else is there to learn?” she says. “And for people who don't know, the books have been written. It's all really out in the open now.” For publishers, Donald Trump's presidential years were a time of extraordinary sales in political books, helped in part by Trump's legal threats and angered tweets. According to Circana, which tracks around 85% of the hardcover and paperback market, the genre's sales nearly doubled from 2015 to 2020, from around 5 million copies to around 10 million. Besides books by Wolff and Trump, other bestsellers included former FBI Director James Comey's “A Higher Loyalty,” former national security adviser John Bolton's “The Room Where it Happened” and Bob Woodward's “Fear.” Meanwhile, sales for dystopian fiction also jumped, led by Margaret Atwood's “A Handmaid's Tale,” which was adapted into an award-winning Hulu series. But interest has dropped back to 2015 levels since Trump left office, according to Circana, and publishers doubt it will again peak so highly. Readers not only showed little interest in books by or about President Joe Biden and his family — they even seemed less excited about Trump-related releases. Mary Trump's “Who Could Ever Love You” and Woodward's “War” were both popular this fall, but neither has matched the sales of their books written during the first Trump administration. “We’ve been there many times, with all those books,” HarperCollins publisher Jonathan Burnham says of the various Trump tell-alls. He added that he still sees a market for at least some Trump books — perhaps analyzing the recent election — because “there's a general, serious smart audience, not politically aligned in a hard way,” one that would welcome “an intelligent voice.” “It’s like the reboot of any hit TV show,” says Eric Nelson, publisher and vice president of Broadside Books, a conservative imprint of HarperCollins that's released books by Jared Kushner, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Trump Cabinet nominees Pete Hegseth and Sen. Marco Rubio. “You’re not hoping for ratings like last time, just better ratings than the boring show it’s replacing.” In the days following Trump's victory, “The Handmaid's Tale” and George Orwell's “1984” returned to bestseller lists, along with more contemporary works such as Timothy Snyder's “On Tyranny," a 2017 bestseller that expanded upon a Facebook post Snyder wrote soon after Trump defeated Hillary Clinton. Books appealing to pro-Trump readers also surged, including those written by Cabinet picks — Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s “The Real Anthony Fauci” and Hegseth's “The War on Warriors” — and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance's “Hillbilly Elegy,” his 2016 memoir that's sold hundreds of thousands of copies since Trump selected him as his running mate. First lady Melania Trump's memoir, “Melania,” came out in October and has been high on Amazon.com bestseller lists for weeks, even as critics found it contained little newsworthy information. According to Circana, it has sold more than 200,000 copies, a figure that does not include books sold directly through her website. “The Melania book has done extraordinarily well, better than we thought,” says Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt. “After Election Day, we sold everything we had of it.” Conservative books have sold steadily over the years, and several publishers — most recently Hachette Book Group — have imprints dedicated to those readers. Publishers expect at least some critical books to reach bestseller lists — if only because of the tradition of the publishing market favoring the party out of power. But the nature of what those books would look like is uncertain. Perhaps a onetime insider will have a falling out with Trump and write a memoir, like Bolton or former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, or maybe some of his planned initiatives, whether mass deportation or the prosecution of his political foes, will lead to investigative works. A new “Fire and Fury” is doubtful, with the originally only possible because Wolff enjoyed extraordinary access, spending months around Trump and his White House staff. Members of the president-elect's current team have already issued a statement saying they have refused to speak with Wolff, calling the author a “known peddler of fake news who routinely concocts situations, conversations, and conclusions that never happened.” A publicist for Wolff said he was declining comment. Woodward, who interviewed Trump at length for the 2020 bestseller “Rage,” told The Associated Press that he had written so much about Trump and other presidents that he wasn't sure what he'd take on next. He doesn't rule out another Trump book, but that will depend in part on the president-elect, how “out of control he gets,” Woodward said, and how far he is able to go. “He wants to be the imperial president, where he gets to decide everything and no one's going to get in his way,” Woodward said. “He's run into some brick walls in the past and there may be more brick walls. I don't know what will happen. I'll be watching and doing some reporting, but I'm still undecided.” 1. “Too Much and Never Enough,” by Mary Trump: 1,248,212 copies 2. “Fire and Fury,” by Michael Wolff: 936,116 copies 3. “Fear,” by Bob Woodward: 872,014 copies 4. “The Room Where It Happened,” by John Bolton: 676,010 copies 5. “Rage,” by Bob Woodward: 549,685 copies These figures represent total sales provided by Circana, which tracks about 85% of the print market and does not include e-book or audiobook sales.

President-elect Donald Trump —AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File NEW YORK, United States — President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, as one of his first executive orders. The tariffs, if implemented, could dramatically raise prices for American consumers on everything from gas to automobiles to agricultural products. The US is the largest importer of goods in the world, with Mexico, China and Canada its top three suppliers, according to the most recent US Census data. READ: Trump’s tariff talks paints PSEi red Trump made the threats Monday in a pair of posts on his Truth Social site in which he railed against an influx of migrants crossing into the US illegally, even though southern border apprehensions have been hovering near four-year lows. “On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders,” he wrote, complaining that “thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing Crime and Drugs at levels never seen before,” even though violent crime is down from pandemic highs. He said the new tariffs would remain in place “until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” “Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem. We hereby demand that they use this power,” he went on, “and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!” A senior Canadian government official said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Trump spoke after Trump’s posts. The two spoke about the border and trade and had a good conversation, the official said. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump also turned his ire on China, saying he has “had many talks with China about the massive amounts of drugs, in particular Fentanyl, being sent into the United States—But to no avail.” “Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10 percent Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America,” he wrote. The Chinese Embassy in Washington cautioned on Monday that there will be losers on all sides if there is a trade war. “China-US economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial in nature,” embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu posted on X. “No one will win a trade war or a #tariff war.” He added that China had taken steps in the last year to help stem drug trafficking. It is unclear whether Trump will actually go through with the threats or if he is using them as a negotiating tactic before he returns to the White House in the new year. Trump’s nominee for treasury secretary, Scott Bessent—who if confirmed, would be one of several officials responsible for imposing tariffs on other countries—has on several occasions said tariffs are a means of negotiation. He wrote in a Fox News op-ed last week, before his nomination, that tariffs are “a useful tool for achieving the president’s foreign policy objectives. Whether it is getting allies to spend more on their own defense, opening foreign markets to U.S. exports, securing cooperation on ending illegal immigration and interdicting fentanyl trafficking, or deterring military aggression, tariffs can play a central role.” Trump won the election in large part due to voter frustration over inflation, but his threatened tariffs pose the risk of pushing prices even higher for food, autos and other goods. If inflationary pressures increase, the Federal Reserve might need to keep its benchmark interest rates higher. Trump’s threats come as arrests for illegally crossing the border from Mexico have been falling. The most recent U.S. numbers for October show arrests remain near four-year lows, with U.S. Border Patrol making 56,530 arrests in October, less than one third of the tally from October last year. Meanwhile, arrests for illegally crossing the border from Canada have been rising over the past two years. The Border Patrol made 23,721 arrests between October 2023 and September 2024, compared with 10,021 the previous 12 months. More than 14,000 of those arrested on the Canadian border were Indian—more than 10 times the number two years ago. Last week, a jury convicted two men on charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of a family of Indian migrants who froze while trying to cross the Canada-US border during a 2022 blizzard. Much of America’s fentanyl is smuggled from Mexico. Border seizures of the drug rose sharply under President Joe Biden, and US officials tallied about 21,900 pounds (12,247 kilograms) of fentanyl seized in the 2024 government budget year, compared with 2,545 pounds (1,154 kilograms) in 2019, when Trump was president. If Trump were to move forward with the threatened tariffs, the new taxes would pose an enormous challenge for the economies of Canada and Mexico, in particular. The Canadian dollar weakened sharply in foreign exchange markets immediately following Trump’s post. During Trump’s first term, his move to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, and reports that he was considering a 25% tariff on the Canadian auto sector were considered an existential threat in Canada. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 75 percent of Canada’s exports go to the US. The tariffs would also throw into doubt the reliability of the 2020 trade deal brokered in large part by Trump with Canada and Mexico, the USMCA, which replaced NAFTA and is up for review in 2026. It’s unclear from Trump’s social media post how he would legally apply tariff hikes on those two pivotal U.S. trade partners, but the 2020 deal allows for national security exceptions. Trump transition team officials did not immediately respond to questions about what authority he would use, what he would need to see to prevent the tariffs from being implemented and how they would impact prices in the US. When Trump imposed higher tariffs during his first term in office, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Many of the US products were chosen for their political rather than economic impact. For example, Canada imports just $3 million worth of yogurt from the US annually and most of it comes from one plant in Wisconsin, the home state of then-Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. That product was hit with a 10 percent duty. The Canadian government, in a joint statement from Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Public Safety Minister Dominic Leblanc, emphasized the close relationship between the two countries and said they will discuss the border and vast economic ties with the incoming administration. “Canada places the highest priority on border security and the integrity of our shared border. Our relationship today is balanced and mutually beneficial, particularly for American workers,” the statement read. Freeland, who chairs a special Cabinet committee on Canada-US relations to address concerns about another Trump presidency, has said the president-elect’s promise to launch a mass deportation and concern that that could lead to an influx of migrants to Canada, is a top focus of the committee. A second senior Canadian official had said before Trump’s posts that Canadian officials were expecting him to issue executive orders on trade and the border as soon as he assumes office. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department and Economy Department also had no immediate reaction to Trump’s statements. Normally such weighty issues are handled by the president at her morning press briefings. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Last week, a senior Chinese commerce official said higher tariffs on Chinese exports would backfire by raising prices for consumers. Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen also said China can manage the impact of such “external shocks.” —AP