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How China Became the World’s Largest Gold Consumer and Producer

Union Pacific Corp. stock outperforms market despite losses on the dayEC gives pep talk on PAO elections

Strengthening ties: Azerbaijan's membership in D-8Pune: Travelling to offbeat destinations after watching social media reels is gaining traction among city residents. City-based travel company owner Nilesh Bhansali had to go above and beyond his usual planning when a couple approached him to arrange convertibles for their trip abroad to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. "The couple planned to drive the convertibles, along with their friends and family, and make videos for social media. This request was new for me, and I had to work hard to arrange it for them as I couldn't disappoint the client," Bhansali, the owner of Devam Tours and Travels, told TOI. Similarly, another travel company agent was in for a surprise when his client requested a trip to Portofino, a small but picturesque fishing village in Italy. "The client's demand was unusual, at least for Pune, as people mainly want to go to cities like Milan or Rome. The client said they saw reels of the city made by influencers, and so wanted to visit Portofino and take videos," the agent said. According to travel companies, while destinations such as Rome, London and Switzerland remain popular, heading to smaller towns in the European countryside, along with unusual add-ons, has pushed travel firms to do a lot of research. "Indian travellers are moving away from traditional tourist hotspots and looking for unique, meaningful travel experiences. Instead of focusing on famous landmarks, they now prefer destinations offering untouched natural beauty and local attractions. Countries like Kazakhstan are becoming popular among Indian tourists. Its vast open spaces, stunning mountains, and rich nomadic traditions provide a fresh and exciting travel experience compared to the usual European or American routes," Rikant Pittie, co-founder of EaseMyTrip, told TOI. "Similarly, places like Fairbanks, Alaska, are drawing attention for their unique attractions such as the Northern Lights, indigenous cultural experiences, and adventurous activities beyond regular sightseeing. Destinations like Kyrgyzstan and Laos are also gaining popularity," he added. A representative of another city-based travel company said, "When people from here go to France, they generally travel to big cities such as Paris or Marseille. Recently, we had a group who wanted to go to Saint Tropez, a small city located in Southeastern France. In addition, they asked us if we could arrange a local camera crew for them who could make their reels, apart from videos and clicking pictures. Such destinations are not on our list, but then we have to research, look for contacts, and give the clients what they want," he said. Bhansali said the rage of the reel culture has impacted the way people travel. "People watch the reels and want to head to those destinations to make better videos. These reels give them several ideas, and they, too, want to experience the same," he told TOI. Rajeev Nagpal, an IT professional living in Hinjewadi, travelled to Thailand last month but not to Bangkok or Pattaya. "We went to places like Mae Hon Son and Hua Hin, a small but beautiful fishing village. We also went to Koh Yao Koi and enjoyed the beaches there. Next time, we are planning to visit Vietnam, and our research is already under way," he told TOI. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .

India's 26 major listed real estate companies have sold properties valuing over Rs 71,000 crore during the first six months of this fiscal, with Godrej Properties clocking the highest sales bookings. According to the data compiled from regulatory filings, the 26 major listed realty firms have reported combined sales bookings of Rs 71,219 crore during the April-September period of 2024-25. The bulk of pre-sales (sales bookings) came from residential properties. In terms of sales bookings, Godrej Properties has emerged as the largest listed player in the first half of this fiscal with pre-sales of Rs 13,835 crore against Rs 7,288 crore in the year-ago period. Mumbai-based Macrotech Developers Ltd, which sells properties under the Lodha brand, reported sales bookings of Rs 8,320 crore during April-September this year. DLF Ltd, the country's largest realty firm in market capitalisation, sold properties worth Rs 7,094 crore, followed by Bengaluru-based Prestige Estates Projects Ltd, which clocked sales bookings of Rs 7,052 crore. Delhi-NCR-based Signature Global achieved sales bookings of Rs 5,900 crore, while Max Estates sold properties worth Rs 4,100 crore. Bengaluru-based realty firms Sobha Ltd and Brigade Enterprises clocked sales bookings of Rs 3,188.5 crore and Rs 2,906.6 crore, respectively. Mumbai-based Oberoi Realty did pre-sales of Rs 2,509.45 crore, while Bengaluru-based Puravankara Ltd reported sales bookings of Rs 2,459 crore. Many listed players sold properties between Rs 1,000 crore and Rs 2,000 crore each. Mumbai-based Aditya Birla Real Estate sold properties worth Rs 1,674 crore, and Kolte-Patil Developers Ltd clocked sales bookings of Rs 1,481 crore. Mumbai-based Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd achieved sales bookings of Rs 1,415 crore, while Delhi-based TARC Ltd registered sales bookings of Rs 1,332 crore and Keystone Realtors (Rustomjee brand) Rs 1,311 crore. Raymond Ltd and Sunteck Realty sold properties worth Rs 1,173 crore and Rs 1,026 crore, respectively. Many players reported sales between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1,000 crore during the first six months of this fiscal year. Bengaluru-based Shriram Properties clocked pre-sales of Rs 945 crore, while Delhi-based Ashiana Housing Ltd reported sales bookings of Rs 908 crore. Ahmedabad-based Arvind Smartspaces sold properties worth Rs 666 crore and Ajmera Realty & Infrastructure Ltd Rs 560 crore. Among those realty firms reporting less than Rs 500 crore pre-sales in the first half of this fiscal, Mumbai-based realtors Arihant Superstructures Ltd sold properties worth Rs 437.4 crore. Arkade Developers Ltd reported sales bookings of Rs 336 crore. Suraj Estate Developers sold properties worth Rs 248 crore. Mumbai-based Equinox India Developments Ltd (earlier Indiabulls Real Estate Ltd) achieved pre-sales of Rs 180 crore. Lucknow-based Eldeco Housing & Industries Ltd clocked pre-sales of Rs 162 crore during the April-September period of this fiscal year. Sales booking data of many listed players was not available on the stock exchanges. Non-listed realty firms do not report sales booking numbers. India's residential real estate segment has revived strongly after the COVID-19 pandemic, which badly impacted sales during the 2020 and 2021 calendar years. Pent-up demand and growing desire to have home ownership were the major drivers of revival in housing sales. Housing prices too appreciated significantly post-COVID pandemic. The housing market is also witnessing a shift in consumer demand towards those realty companies and brands with a better track record of executing real estate projects. Branded and reputed players, including listed and unlisted ones, have benefited most in this revival cycle as homebuyers do not want to take the risk of getting stuck in real estate projects after making payments.PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) -Haiti's foreign minister met with the French ambassador to the nation on Thursday over what the ministry branded as "unfriendly and inappropriate" comments by French President Emmanuel Macron as he left the G20 summit in Brazil. Macron had on Wednesday described the decision of the Caribbean country's transitional presidential council to oust the prime minister earlier this month amid an escalation in gang warfare as "completely dumb." "Honestly, it is Haitians who killed Haiti by letting in drug trafficking," Macron was filmed saying in Brazil, before hailing ex-Prime Minister Garry Conille, who was ousted amid divisions with the council, as a great leader. "They are completely dumb, they should never have fired him," he said. His remarks sparked outrage in Haiti, a former French colony. After Haiti freed itself from slavery and declared independence in 1804, it paid France a "debt" for lost property - including slaves - over more than a century that some activists say amounted to over $100 billion. Activists are seeking French reparations for the debt, which many blame for Haiti's economic and political turmoil. Haiti's former Prime Minister Conille, who before taking the post earlier this year had been a top U.N. official, was replaced by entrepreneur and former senate candidate Alix Didier Fils-Aime, a fresh blow to stability in a nation with a deeply fragmented political class while around half the population faces severe food insecurity. Haiti's leadership has been wracked by infighting and three members of the transitional presidential council - tasked with restoring security and paving the way for elections - have been accused of corruption. They remain in their posts. Speaking in Chile on Thursday, Macron appeared to soften his tone, vowing that "France will never turn its face from a crisis ... There will never be a double standard in face of tragedy, be it in Haiti, Venezuela or at the gates of Europe." France has pledged 4 million euros ($4.2 million) to a U.N. fund financing a deeply under-resourced security mission mandated to help restore security in Haiti, as well as funding for French and Creole classes for its troops. Haiti's foreign ministry said that in the meeting French Ambassador Antoine Michon promised France would stay by Haiti's side to help restore security and carry out elections. (Reporting by Harold Isaac and Sarah Morland; Editing by Kylie Madry and Daniel Wallis)Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan to enter 2025 NFL Draft

Caterpillar Inc. stock outperforms competitors despite losses on the dayAlgert Global LLC Sells 65,791 Shares of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:AUPH)

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) Shares Acquired by Interchange Capital Partners LLCRussian state news agencies say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad is in Moscow and given asylum DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russian state news agencies say the ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad has arrived in Moscow with his family and been given asylum, hours after close ally Russia said he left Syria after negotiations with rebel groups. The Russian agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source. The Associated Press is not immediately able to verify the reports but has contacted the Kremlin for comment. Assad reportedly left Syria early Sunday, and Syrians have been pouring into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. The fall of Bashar Assad after 13 years of war in Syria brings to an end a decades-long dynasty BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad has fled the country. Assad’s departure on Sunday brings to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto power in a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. Assad’s exit stood in stark contrast to his first months as Syria’s unlikely president in 2000, when many hoped he would be a young reformer after three decades of his father’s iron grip. But faced with protests of his rule that erupted in March 2011, Assad turned to his father's brutal tactics to crush dissent. A long stalemate was quickly broken when opposition groups in northwest Syria launched a surprise offensive late last month. Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? BEIRUT (AP) — Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters. He renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicts himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. The extent of that transformation from jihadi extremist to would-be state builder is now put to the test. The 42-year-old al-Golani is labeled a terrorist by the United States. He has not appeared publicly since Damascus fell early Sunday. But he and his insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stand to be a major player in whatever comes next. Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” Trump calls for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and says a US withdrawal from NATO is possible WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is pushing Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine. Trump describes it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO. Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the U.S. national security community. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says any deal would have to pave the way to a lasting peace. The Kremlin's spokesman says Moscow is open to talks with Ukraine. The hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's elusive killer yields new evidence, but few answers NEW YORK (AP) — Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a targeted attack, not a random one. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of a backpack found in Central Park that they believe was carried by the killer. South Korean prosecutors detain ex-defense chief over martial law imposition SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean prosecutors have detained a former defense minister who allegedly recommended last week’s brief but stunning martial law imposition to President Yoon Suk Yeol. Local media say that ex-Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun voluntarily appeared on Sunday at a Seoul prosecutors’ office, where he had his mobile phone confiscated and was detained. A law enforcement official says Kim was later sent to a Seoul detention facility. Kim's detention came a day after Yoon avoided an opposition-led bid to impeach him, with most ruling party lawmakers boycotting a floor vote to prevent a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. Trump's return may be a boon for Netanyahu, but challenges abound in a changed Middle East TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is jubilant about President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House. Trump's first term policies skewed heavily in favor of Israel, and he has picked stalwart Israel supporters for key positions in his administration. But much has transpired since Trump left office in early 2021. The turmoil in the Middle East, the lofty ambitions of Netanyahu’s far-right governing coalition and Netanyahu’s own personal relationship with the president-elect could dampen that enthusiasm and complicate what on the surface looks like a seamless alliance. A farming project in South Africa is helping deaf people build skills and find jobs JOHANNESBURG (AP) — In South Africa, where the general unemployment rate is over 32%, deaf people face even steeper hurdles. Unlike their counterparts who can hear and speak, they must struggle to communicate in sign language while trying to gain opportunities for jobs and skills development. Now a deaf entrepreneur who quit her job at one of the biggest banks in the country has created an organization where the deaf can be trained in agriculture, develop their skills and earn a sustainable living. The farming sector is emerging as a solace for those with disabilities who also face the dire levels of unemployment in Africa’s most developed economy. First 12-team College Football Playoff set, Oregon seeded No. 1 and SMU edges Alabama for last spot SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs (11-2), losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama (9-3) of the SEC but one fewer loss. The first-of-its-kind 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta.After an unseasonably warm fall, the chill of winter is finally setting in, meaning it’s time to turn up our thermostats and brace for the inevitable rise in heating costs. For families and seniors already feeling the pinch of inflation, the added burden of soaring energy bills can be overwhelming. I recently heard from a [...]

Assad family’s iron-grip rule on Syria toppled as insurgents take control of Damascus

The statement made by Union External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar on December 3, 2024 was his first substantive statement in Parliament on developments in India-China relations since the Chinese intrusions in Eastern Ladakh in the summer of 2020. His remarks offer clarity on some issues, but many questions remain unanswered. The Minister’s statement There are several takeaways from the Minister’s statement. First, the Minister recalled the amassing of troops by China, India’s forceful counter deployment, and protracted negotiations, resulting in a disengagement of forces. However, the statement is economical in giving details of the arrangements for disengagement from “friction points” (a recent and inapt coinage in India-China border negotiations to describe areas of Chinese transgressions across the Line of Actual Control, or LAC). Without using the term “buffer zones”, the Minister alluded to the construct when he remarked that in a few places where “friction” occurred in 2020, “steps of a temporary and limited nature were worked out, based on local conditions, to obviate the possibility of further friction”. He said, “This ... applies to both sides and can be revisited as the situation demands.” He flagged disengagement of troops as “an immediate priority”, but no such urgency has been attached to the termination of “steps of a temporary and limited nature”. Second, even while stating that the immediate priority of disengagement has been achieved, he made it clear that more work remains to be done on “de-escalation as well as effective management of our activities in the border areas”. He reiterated India’s consistent position that “the maintenance of peace and tranquility in border areas is a pre-requisite for the development of our ties”, a critical linkage China has sought to disavow in recent years. Mr. Jaishankar did not suggest that the border areas have returned to a state of normalcy. That cannot be the case when there is continued large-scale deployment of troops of both countries for the fifth consecutive winter season in forbidding terrain. Third, he did not suggest a major forward movement in overall relations, indicating instead that recent developments have set our ties in the direction of “some improvement” and adding that the conclusion of the disengagement phase “allows us to consider other aspects of our bilateral engagement in a calibrated manner, keeping our national security interests first and foremost”. The Minister has done well to pour cold water on the suggestion from certain quarters about a “reset” in India-China relations. It is naive to think of any major improvement in bilateral ties as long as the borders remain abnormal and a host of structural challenges in the relationship persist. It is intriguing that even some senior government functionaries are proposing integration with Chinese supply chains, disregarding the imperative of economic security vis-à-vis a country with a track-record of weaponising economic dependencies, which unfortunately abound in India’s engagement with China. Key questions The statement in Parliament leaves several core questions unanswered. First, while disengagement is pronounced as completed, India does not have any definitive information on the terms of this exercise. The statement mentions that the “resumption of patrolling to the traditional areas is underway” in Depsang and Demchok. Will this involve Indian troops getting unhindered access to five traditional patrolling points beyond Y-Junction in Depsang Plains? In Demchok, will they be able to resume patrolling to Charding La and Charding Nala – Nilung Nala (CNN) junction which they were visiting earlier? How deep on the Indian our side of the LAC will the Chinese patrols be allowed to come? There is talk of “coordinated patrolling”, which is a new and undefined concept in India-China border management. Will there be restrictions on the size and frequency of India’s patrols? What are “steps of a temporary and limited nature” agreed to elsewhere, in the Galwan Valley, Hot Spring, Gogra and the Pangong Lake area? How many of India’s traditional patrolling points are no longer accessible to its troops (and grazing grounds to Indians graziers) because of these “temporary steps”? These are legitimate questions awaiting answer. Second, the Minister has underlined that the Indian side “would not countenance any attempts to change the status quo unilaterally”. However, has not the status quo along the borders been changed by China since April 2020? In the absence of facts being shared in the public domain, we can only speculate. This writer’s discussions with retired senior military officials who have served in Eastern Ladakh suggest that there is denial of access to several traditional patrolling points under new arrangements. The statement referred to earlier governments having agreed to several steps to defuse situations, including offers to create demilitarised zones (DMZ), limited non-patrolling zones, and so on. The point to note is that the way India and China look at the LAC has changed. Under President Xi Jinping, China considers the LAC within the construct of sovereignty and the mindset of not losing an inch of territory, though the concept of the LAC was agreed to without prejudice to the respective positions of India and China on the boundary question. Unfortunately, this alteration of the LAC by China or through “temporary steps” has territorial implications for India. We will, therefore, be well-advised to terminate the so-called “buffer zones” at the earliest and keep insisting on the restoration of status quo ante in patrolling and grazing activities as a matter of high priority. Besides, there was no understanding on establishing a DMZ either in Barahoti or in Sumdorong Chu Valley as suggested elsewhere. This writer was the Indian lead in the Diplomatic and Military Experts Group which negotiated the disengagement in Sumdorong Chu Valley in 1995. We did not agree to any DMZ or restrictions on Indian patrolling. Earlier, on Barahoti, the two sides could not agree on the extent of the area where a DMZ was proposed by China in 1956. Third, there are reports in credible media outlets (including The Hindu) about Chinese troops being allowed to patrol Yangtse in Arunachal Pradesh. Earlier reports had cited “government sources” as saying that the Chinese demands for patrolling Yangtse were “unreasonable” and “devoid of logic”. Chinese troops have repeatedly attempted to access the Yangtse area but their efforts have been foiled by Indian forces, the last reported instance being in December 2022. If there is no quid pro quo in the Eastern Sector, it must be denied authoritatively. Fourth, the Chief of Army Staff has reiterated even after the announcement of the understanding on disengagement in Depsang and Demchok on October 21 that “we want to go back to status quo of April 2020”. However, the Ministry of External Affairs no longer refers to the restoration of the status quo ante. If we acquiesce in facts on the ground changed to the advantage of China, this will be another example of a successful deployment of the Chinese playbook of grey zone operations which involves making incremental gains while staying under the threshold of an outright military conflict. Bridge the political divide Greater transparency on the part of the government on the one hand and the need for the Opposition resisting the temptation to score points on a sensitive issue affecting our core interests on the other will leave us in a better place in India’s border negotiations with China. This writer recalls that after India had completed negotiations on the Agreement on Confidence Building Measures in the Military Field (November 1996) and the Agreement on the Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question (April 2005), he was instructed to brief key Opposition leaders in confidence. Not only was the confidence thus reposed not breached by those leaders, but they also appreciated the government’s gesture, understood the rationale of those sensitive agreements and supported them after they were signed. Can we make an honest attempt to pivot towards a broad consensus on India’s China challenge, even while leaving room for articulation of differences? Ashok K. Kantha is a former Ambassador of India to China, now associated with think-tanks Published - December 09, 2024 12:16 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit India / China / India-China / diplomacy / unrest, conflicts and war / ministers (government) / government / Parliament proceedings / political parties / armed Forces / economy (general) / Ladakh / Arunachal Pradesh

The European Central Bank has cut rates by a quarter percentage point amid signs of weakening growth and concern about the impact of political chaos in France and the possibility of new U.S. import tariffs. The bank’s rate-setting committee made the decision Thursday at its skyscraper headquarters in Frankfurt to lower the benchmark from 3.25% to 3%. The bank said that efforts to return inflation to its 2% target were succeeding. “The disinflation process is well on track,” it said in a statement accompanying the decision. It cautioned that it now foresaw “a slower economic recovery” than it did in a last set of projections in September. Lower rates should support growth amid signs that the post-pandemic recovery is slowing in the 20 countries that use the euro currency and concerns that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump might impose new tariffs, or import taxes, on goods imported to the US after he is inaugurated Jan. 20. That sends a cold chill through the business world in Europe, where exports are an outsized contributor to growth and employment. Yet there are internal risks as well. French Prime Minister Michel Barnier resigned Dec. 5 after losing a vote of confidence, leaving the France without a functioning government and no clear majority in parliament able or willing to tackle the country’s excessive budget deficit. Elections cannot be held before June. While the end of the Barnier government hasn't triggered a financial crisis, it adds uncertainty about how long it will take for France to right its finances. Germany's governing coalition broke up in November, and a new national election is expected Feb. 23. Weeks of coalition negotiations are expected to follow before a new government is in place. That leaves the two biggest eurozone economies politically adrift for months. All that has dinged the confidence that businesses need to borrow, invest, expand production and take risks. The survey index of purchasing managers compiled by S&P Global came in at 48.3 in November, with levels below 50 suggesting the economy is slowing. The Sentix survey of investor confidence fell in its first update after the U.S. election, by 4.6 points to minus 17.5. Inflation has fallen steeply to 2.3% from its peak of 10.6% in late 2022, shifting attention from reigning in consumer price increases to worries about ongoing weak growth. The eurozone is expected to grow 0.8% this year and 1.3.% next year, according to forecasts from the European Union's executive commission. Higher ECB rates helped squelch Europe’s outbreak of inflation in the wake of the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Higher central bank benchmarks influence borrowing costs throughout the economy, making it more expensive to borrow and spend, and thus taking pressure off prices. Yet that also presents a danger in that those same high rates could stall the EU's goal of more vigorous economic growth. A drumbeat of announcements regarding job cuts in coming years at major firms in Germany has not improved the mood. They include auto technology and parts firm Bosch, which plans to drop 5,500 jobs, 3,800 of them in Germany; auto supplier ZF Friedrichshafen, which plans to drop 14,000-15,000 jobs; and Ford Motor Co., which is to drop 4,000 jobs in Europe, 2,900 in Germany, and steelmaker ThyssenKrupp with 11,000 planned cuts. Volkswagen plans to shut as many as three German plants, according to its employee representatives who are negotiating with the company in an effort to block the closings. The ECB determines interest rate policy for the 20 of 27 EU member countries that have joined the euro currency.Former Bulldog defensive coordinator Nick Toth isn’t returning to Fresno State and will remain at Air Force, where he oversees the defense. Toth wrote on : “Despite what is circulating on social media. I am fired up to be coaching at the United States Air Force Academy and have not taken another coaching job. Go Falcons!” Reports circulated Wednesday night that Toth would replace Fresno State defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle. According to The Barkboard, new head coach Matt Entz is interviewing candidates for his staff, but nobody has been hired. Toth spent five seasons at Fresno State (2012-2016) under Tim DeRuyter, four of which were as defensive coordinator. Related Story: Josiah Freeman Enters Transfer Portal Fresno State junior wide receiver Josiah Freeman entered the transfer portal on Wednesday, making him the 16th Bulldog to signal their intentions to exit the program. Freeman wrote on : “Thank you, Red Wave, for an incredible journey. I’m grateful to the coaching staff for believing in me and giving a small-town kid a chance to chase his dreams.” Freeman spent three seasons at Fresno State (2022-2024) and was predicted to be a playmaker but was plagued with injuries. He only played four games in 2024, making eight catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns. Related Story: Phoenix Jackson Commits to Auburn Linebacker Phoenix Jackson said on Wednesday that he has left Fresno to join Auburn. He played four seasons at Fresno State, (2021-2024) recording 101 total tackles, five sacks, and three interceptions. Related Story: Cam Lockridge Declares for NFL Draft Senior cornerback Cam Lockridge declared to enter the 2025 NFL Draft on Tuesday. He has no remaining eligibility. He announced via : “First off, I want to thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to play the sport I love. I want to thank my family for the support they provided throughout this journey. I’d like to thank Reedley College, the University of Hawai’i, and Fresno State for the opportunity to earn my degree as well display my talent on the field.” Lockridge concluded, “Finally, I’d like to thank my mother for giving me life. Without her, none of this would be possible. Even though God called her name, and she is no longer with us on earth, her presence is felt by many. She is my reason why I haven’t given up on my dream to play in the NFL.” This comes after he missed the last three regular season games after a series of disgruntled social media posts that the coaches called “personal stuff.” Lockridge was named to the All-Mountain West conference first team. He’s ranked No. 1 (MW) & No. 6 in the FBS in passes defended (7 passes broken up); No. 1 (MW) & No. 2 (FBS) in interceptions (5); and No. 7 (MW) in fumbles recovered.

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