777jogo ph 'Sangee' poster shows Sharib Hashmi taking a flightIBM has come up with a way to make training and running generative AI models five times faster and much more energy efficient by swapping out copper wires for beams of light to connect data center components. The paradox of our digital age is that as computers become smaller, the problems become bigger. As chips cram on more transistors until they number in the billions, they've made possible the massive data centers and the processing power needed to make modern generative AI models possible. However, these models require more and more processing power as they evolve, the data centers have become major energy consumers, and the chips themselves are pushing not only at the limits of their technology, but the laws of physics. Two technological and physical bottlenecks for these data centers are the simple copper wire and the speed that electrons can flow along it. These are one of the major reasons electronics are so compact. It isn't just for convenience. It's because as computers become faster and more powerful, the time that data takes to go from one component to another becomes a major performance factor. In fact, data in the form of electrons have become such a bottleneck that most CPUs spend most of their time sitting idle and consuming energy while waiting for the next data packet to arrive. To speed things up, IBM has developed what it claims is the next generation of optical technology. Using optics to shift data around isn't new. It's been employed to move information from place to place by means of fiber optic cables for decades. However, this has mainly been for long distances. Once the data arrives and enters the computer itself, it's back to copper wires. To overcome this, IBM is turning to a new process for creating Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) in the form of a Polymer Optical Waveguide (PWG) that routes optical signals between the photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and external connections like single-mode fibers (SMFs). The company says that tests of the PWG show that if it was used in data centers they would require five times less power than conventional versions and allow cable connections to stretch from one meter to hundreds, allowing for more flexible architecture while carrying terabits of data per second. IBM's claim is that the power reduction for training one AI model would be enough to run 5,000 US homes for a year and using light would reduce the time for training an AI Large Language Model from three months to three weeks thanks to having 80 times the bandwidth of conventional systems. "As generative AI demands more energy and processing power, the data center must evolve – and co-packaged optics can make these data centers future-proof," said Dario Gil, SVP and Director of Research at IBM. "With this breakthrough, tomorrow’s chips will communicate much like how fiber optics cables carry data in and out of data centers, ushering in a new era of faster, more sustainable communications that can handle the AI workloads of the future." Source:

NEW YORK — I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little pygmy hippo, too! Forgive us the shameless attempt to link the fantasy hit “Wicked” to the delightful Moo Deng . But, hear us out — there’s something the two have in common as the year draws to a close. Escapism. Whether we found it on the yellow brick road, or in videos from a Thailand zoo, or perhaps in unlikely Olympic heroes , we gravitated toward fantasy and feel-good pop culture moments this year. There were new trends, as always. “Brat summer” became a thing, as did “demure, mindful.” And for some inexplicable reason, we became obsessed with celebrity lookalike contests. There were breakups — Bennifer is, again, a thing of the past — and reunions: Oasis, please try to stay together for the tour. Yet some things stayed, remarkably, the same: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé kept on breaking records and making history. So, after a year where much changed but some things held steady, here’s our annual, very selective trip down pop culture memory lane: Lily Gladstone poses in the press room Jan. 7 with the award for best performance by an actress in a motion picture, drama for "Killers of the Flower Moon" at the 81st Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. It starts as a cheery tweet from a beloved “Sesame Street” figure: “ ELMO is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” The answers hint at something deeper and more worrisome. “Not great, Elmo. Not great,” says one milder reply. Doing much better is the viral phenomenon called “BARBENHEIMER,” which makes its awards season debut at the GOLDEN GLOBES . But perhaps the most poignant moment comes from neither film: LILY GLADSTONE , first Indigenous winner of best actress in a drama for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” begins her remarks in the language of her tribe, Blackfeet Nation. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift on Feb. 11 after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime during the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game in Las Vegas. Valentine’s Day — a perfect time to settle into a sweet love saga via TikTok. Only that’s not quite what we get with “Who TF Did I Marry?,” REESA TEESA ’s depressing, fascinating, 50-part account of her disastrous marriage with a man who lied about absolutely everything. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a single week that encapsulates peak SWIFT cultural dominance , try this: she begins with the Grammys in Los Angeles (becoming the first artist to win album of the year four times AND announcing a new album), then heads to Tokyo for four tour dates, then jets back just in time for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas — where she shares a passionate smooch with boyfriend TRAVIS KELCE on the field of victory. Ryan Gosling performs the song "I'm Just Ken" from the movie "Barbie" on March 10 during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. “What was I made for?” BILLIE EILISH sings at the OSCARS, channeling BARBIE . And what was KEN made for? Not entirely clear — but it's clear RYAN GOSLING was made to play him. His singalong version of “I’m Just Ken” is one of the most entertaining Oscar musical moments in years. Still, Christopher Nolan's “OPPENHEIMER” prevails, a rare case of the top prize going to a blockbuster studio film. Will it happen again in 2025? CYNTHIA ERIVO and ARIANA GRANDE sure hope so; as presenters, they make a sly reference to their upcoming juggernaut, “WICKED.” Speaking of marketing, people are obsessed with that bizarre “DUNE” popcorn bucket. Beyonce And BEYONCÉ carves her space in country music with “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” which will make her the first Black woman to top the Billboard country chart. Taylor Swift performs June 21 at Wembley Stadium in London as part of her Eras Tour. Tennis, anyone? The game’s been around for centuries, but it’s having a cultural moment right now, helped mightily by “CHALLENGERS,” the sweaty romance triangle starring ZENDAYA, MIKE FAIST and JOSH O'CONNOR (40-love? More like 40-sex.) Elsewhere, a new era dawns: At midnight, SWIFT drops “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT," then drops another 15 songs two hours later. The fascinating and disturbing “BABY REINDEER,” the story of a struggling comedian’s extended encounter with a stalker, debuts on Netflix. Ben Affleck, left, and Jennifer Lopez arrive Feb. 13 at the premiere of "This Is Me ... Now: A Love Story" at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. It’s MET GALA time — or as it's known in 2024, another early marketing moment for “WICKED.” ERIVO and GRANDE make fashion waves on the carpet and then musical ones at dinner, with a soulful performance of “When You Believe.” If the “Wicked” tour is in full force, another one stops in its tracks: JENNIFER LOPEZ cancels her summer tour amid reports of both poor ticket sales and trouble in her marriage to BEN AFFLECK . It’s been an eventful year for J.Lo, who's released an album and movie called “THIS IS ME ... NOW" — both reflections on her renewed love with Affleck. Welcome to BRAT SUMMER ! CHARLI XCX releases her hit “Brat” album , with its lime green cover, and launches a thousand memes. Collins Dictionary defines “brat,” its word of the year, as “characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.” At the celeb-heavy SWIFT shows in London, we see PRINCE WILLIAM shaking it off, which is either charming or cringe, you decide. Even better: KELCE dons a top hat and tux and performs for one night. At another stadium across the pond, METS infielder JOSE IGLESIAS delights the crowd with his cheery number “OMG.” Stephen Nedoroscik is introduced June 29 at the United States Gymnastics Olympic Trials in Minneapolis. Bonjour, it’s OLYMPICS time! In Paris! An audacious opening ceremony along the Seine is punctuated by a fabulous CELINE DION , perched on the EIFFEL TOWER , singing her heart out — in the rain, too. Controversy swirls over a scene critics feel mocks Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (organizers say it does not). Olympic stars are born — including French swimming superstar LEON MARCHAND , rugby player ILONA MAHER , and bespectacled “Pommel Horse Guy” gymnast STEPHEN NEDOROSCIK , who nets two bronze medals and comparisons to Clark Kent. Baby pigmy hippo Moo Deng plays with a zookeeper Sept. 19 in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand. Also capturing hearts: yep, MOO DENG , born this month. Her name means “bouncy pork.” Australia's Rachael Gunn, known as B-Girl Raygun, competes Aug. 9 during the Round Robin Battle at the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. This is them ... now: BENNIFER is no more. After two decades, two engagements and two weddings, J.Lo files for divorce. One union dissolves, another returns: OASIS announces a reunion tour. Everyone seems to want to get in on TikToker JOOLS LEBRON 's “ DEMURE, MINDFUL ” act — even the WHITE HOUSE press team. Back at the Olympics, in the new sport of breaking, we meet Australia’s RAYGUN , arguably neither demure nor mindful with her “kangaroo” move. Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani brings his dog Decoy to the mound Aug. 28 before Decoy delivered the ceremonial first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles in Los Angeles. Cute animal alert: SHOHEI OHTANI ’s perky pooch DECOY does a great “first pitch” in his Major League Baseball debut. Chappell Roan performs "Good Luck, Babe" on Sept. 11 during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. One of the year’s biggest breakout artists, CHAPPELL ROAN , withdraws from a music festival after speaking out about frightening fan interactions. And more on the price of fame: In an excruciating moment, “Bachelorette” JENN TRAN , the franchise’s first Asian American lead, is forced to sit through a painful viewing of her proposal to her chosen suitor, after tearfully explaining how he’d later dumped her over the phone. Tran is keeping busy though — she’s announced as part of the new “Dancing with the Stars” lineup. Also on the list: rugby player Maher, and Pommel Horse Guy! Also, ANNA SOROKIN , dancing with an ankle monitor. Online fandom, meanwhile, is shaken when X is temporarily suspended in Brazil and celebrity stan accounts post tearful farewells, revealing to many across the globe that their favorite accounts are run by Brazilians. Miles Mitchell, 21, wins of the Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest Oct. 27 near Washington Square Park in New York. “Dune” Chalamets! “Wonka” Chalamets! Thousands gather in Manhattan for a TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET lookalike contest, and things really get interesting when Chalamet himself shows up. He doesn’t enter the contest, though, and with his mustache, he may not even have won. The trend continues with contests for JEREMY ALLEN WHITE, ZAYN MALIK and — in a very Washington version — Kennedy scion JACK SCHLOSSBERG , who's been gathering a following with some interesting social media posts. New York Liberty Kennedy Burke dances with the mascot, Ellie the Elephant, during an Oct. 24 ceremony after a parade in honor of the Liberty's WNBA basketball championship at City Hall in New York. Turning to basketball, who’s that dancing with USHER ? Why it’s ELLIE THE ELEPHANT , the now-viral NEW YORK LIBERTY mascot. Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, right, appears Nov. 2 with Maya Rudolph on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" in New York. MAYA RUDOLPH does a pretty good KAMALA HARRIS laugh on “Saturday Night Live,” but you know who does it better? HARRIS herself. The Democratic candidate makes a surprise cameo three days before the U.S. presidential election, following in the footsteps of HILLARY CLINTON , SARAH PALIN and others. Elsewhere in television, Bravo announces that “VANDERPUMP RULES,” the Emmy-nominated reality show that has lived through countless scandals, is entirely recasting its 12th season — apart from namesake LISA VANDERPUMP . As for MOO DENG , she doesn't have her own TV series yet, but our favorite pygmy hippo is generating plenty of merch . And THAT brings us back to ... Ariana Grande, left, and Cynthia Erivo pose for photographers Nov. 11 prior to the premiere of "Wicked" at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City. “WICKED” ! Director JON M. CHU ’s emerald-hued fantasy remains very very popular, to quote one of its buzzy show tunes, dancing through life and defying gravity at the multiplex. Moviegoers also come for “GLADIATOR II” and, in a veritable tidal wave, Disney's “MOANA 2,” which beckons us back to the seas of Oceania. Once again, 2024 seems to be telling us: Give people some whimsy, a place to escape, maybe some catchy tunes — and no one knows how far they’ll go. The stories and images that defined 2024. Searching for something? From queries about U.S. politics to cricket in India, Wikipedia has become a source of information for millions of people across the globe. From the Paris Olympics to the Super Bowl. From Simone Biles to Shohei Ohtani. And, of course, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. These are the sp... AP photographers assembled a visual catalog of our civilization as life in 2024 hurtled directly at us at every speed and in every imaginable ... In 2024, photographers captured glimpses of humanity, ranging from a deeply divisive presidential election, to hurricanes and fires that ravag... Associated Press photographers captured voters with raw emotions of joy, excitement, contemplation or sorrow. See entertainment's biggest moments in 2024, through the lens of Associated Press photographers. It beat five other finalists: demure, slop, dynamic pricing, romantasy and lore. News anchors, politicians and other public figures in the U.S. struggled with these words the most this year. Is it any surprise Merriam-Webster's word of the year is "polarization"? Here are the other words that rounded out the top 10 for 2024. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Drew Lock is likely going to start at quarterback for the New York Giants against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday when they try to end a franchise-record 10-game losing streak. Lock started against Atlanta last weekend and his status became an issue after the 34-7 loss when coach Brian Daboll said the 28-year-old was having an issue with his right shoulder. An MRI was done Monday and Daboll announced Tuesday that Lock would be his starter if he stayed healthy. “It came back good so rocking and rolling,” Lock said, noting he was hurt on a third down pass to Daniel Bellinger in the first quarter when Falcons linebacker Matthew Judon pulled his arm on the play. He finished the game. There were questions whether Daboll would switch back to Tommy DeVito after Lock threw two pick-6s and lost a fumble on a strip-sack against the Falcons. Lock has had three interceptions returned for scores in three starts this season, including two on tipped passes. Daboll said it was important to give Lock a couple of starts in which he was able to get all the reps in practice. “Knowing what we did the week before, take the things we need to get better at into this week and actually be able to go out there and do it is something I’m looking forward to,” Lock said. “Similar cadences with the guys, being in the huddle together. I think it can only be a positive for such a roller coaster out of that spot.” The one thing that might change this week is the Giants center. John Michael Schmitz has an ankle injury and he did not practice Tuesday. He left the locker room with a boot on his right foot. New York has moved veteran guard Greg Van Roten to center when Schmitz was hurt and Lock also worked with guard Austin Schlottmann as his center while playing in Denver. “I’m pretty familiar with all the guys that are rotating in there,” Lock said. The Giants have the NFL's worst scoring offense, averaging 14.3 points. They benched Daniel Jones coming out of their bye week and days later released him after he requested it. DeVito has started two games and Lock three since Jones was released. New York has scored 59 points in those games, with 20 coming against Dallas in a seven-point loss on Thanksgiving. Running back Tyrone Tracy (ankle), wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee-foot), cornerback Greg Stroman (shoulder-shin), defensive tackle Cory Durden (shoulder), inside linebacker Micah McFadden (neck) and cornerback Dru Phillips (shoulder) also did not practice on Tuesday, which is usually a day off. The team will have off on Christmas Day and return to practice on Thursday. The Giants opened practice on Tuesday with the song “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” blaring on the loudspeakers in their indoor practice facility. Jones, who is on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad, sent the Giants offensive linemen Christmas gifts. “DJ comes in, saves me and Tommy once again, and then takes care of the guys,” Lock said. “I expected nothing less from the guy. That’s just who he is, and cares about these guys still.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary, the last of his picks to lead executive agencies and another choice from within his established circle of advisers and allies. The nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, which will be controlled by Republicans when Trump takes office Jan. 20. Rollins would succeed Tom Vilsack , President Joe Biden’s agriculture secretary who oversees the sprawling agency that controls policies, regulations and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition. Then-President Donald Trump looks to Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, as she speaks during a Jan. 11, 2018, prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. Rollins previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The pick completes Trump’s selection of the heads of executive branch departments, just two and a half weeks after the former president won the White House once again. Several other picks that are traditionally Cabinet-level remain, including U.S. Trade Representative and head of the small business administration. Brooke Rollins, assistant to the president and director of the Domestic Policy Council at the time, speaks during a May 18, 2020, meeting with restaurant industry executives about the coronavirus response in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, speaking on the Christian talk show “Family Talk" earlier this year, said Trump was an “amazing boss” and confessed that she thought in 2015, during his first presidential campaign, that he would not last as a candidate in a crowded Republican primary field. “I was the person that said, ‘Oh, Donald Trump is not going to go more than two or three weeks in the Republican primary. This is to up his TV show ratings. And then we’ll get back to normal,’” she said. “Fast forward a couple of years, and I am running his domestic policy agenda.” Trump didn’t offer many specifics about his agriculture policies during the campaign, but farmers could be affected if he carries out his pledge to impose widespread tariffs. During the first Trump administration, countries like China responded to Trump’s tariffs by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports like the corn and soybeans routinely sold overseas. Trump countered by offering massive multibillion-dollar aid to farmers to help them weather the trade war. Brooke Rollins speaks at an Oct. 27 campaign rally for then-Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York. President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms. The USDA oversees multiple support programs for farmers; animal and plant health; and the safety of meat, poultry and eggs that anchor the nation’s food supply. Its federal nutrition programs provide food to low-income people, pregnant women and young children. And the agency sets standards for school meals. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has vowed to strip ultraprocessed foods from school lunches and to stop allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries from using food stamps to buy soda, candy or other so-called junk foods. But it would be the USDA, not HHS, that would be responsible for enacting those changes. In addition, HHS and USDA will work together to finalize the 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They are due late next year, with guidance for healthy diets and standards for federal nutrition programs. Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Associated Press writers Josh Funk and JoNel Aleccia contributed to this report. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!During her 35 years as a professor in the Department of English, Giovanni established a distinguished reputation as a writer of poems and essays, often drawing on her experience in the Black arts movement and as an activist for marginalized people and communities. “She’s a central figure in African American literature,” said Laura Belmonte, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Tech. “We’ll be reading her work 100 years from now.” Yet at the same time, Giovanni was remembered for the deep and personal relationships she forged with the people in her classroom and beyond. “That sort of very public, very global persona always coexisted with those more private times that she would offer herself to people for mentorship and encouragement and inspiration,” Belmonte said. The University Distinguished Professor Emerita had been battling cancer for the third time, according to a Tech news release about her death. Giovanni, who was named by Oprah Winfrey as one of 25 living legends, retired from the university in 2022 but continued a busy speaking, traveling, and writing schedule, including returning to campus in April to present the annual Giovanni-Steger Poetry Prize Award to undergraduate students. “We can never let words be silenced,” Giovanni said during the Moss Arts Center ceremony. “We can never let words be taken away from us. We can never let people, because they don't like what we're saying, shut us up. Words are the most important things that human beings have. And no matter what the situation, we must always remember to use them.” It was Giovanni who was asked to find the right words on April 16, 2007, when 32 students and faculty members were killed in a mass shooting on campus. Charles Steger, president of Tech at the time, asked her to compose a poem overnight and deliver it at a campus convocation the next day. Her remarks, which opened and closed with “We are Virginia Tech,” are still remembered today. “People in the community every year will quote that poem,” Belmonte said. “It just became this kind of singular moment of light in the university’s darkest day.” In a statement released Tuesday, Tech President Tim Sands called Giovanni “a treasure who lived out Ut Prosim in countless ways, using her literary gifts to motivate change, encourage critical thought, inspire us to dream, and provide comfort in times of sadness and grief.” Over the years, the poet and professor became a key part of Tech – and the university of her. Giovanni once hosted a fish fry in association with a class she was teaching about the Harlem Renaissance. Her colleagues joked that no one would show up. In a video produced by Tech, she recalled how tears came to her eyes when she saw the entire Tech football team, led by then-Coach Frank Beamer, walking across the drill field to attend her event. “I’m at the right place,” she told herself then, according to the tribute. “If we can get that kind of support for each other, then this is home. I want to be a Hokie. This is where I want to be.” Giovanni is known around the world for her poetry, essays, and written work that delve into social issues, such as race and gender, and call for action. She has received more than 30 honorary degrees, published at least 11 illustrated children’s books, and even won an Emmy for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking for “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project," according to the Tech release. Her latest book of poetry is set for publication in fall 2025. Through her work and activism, Giovanni befriended people such as Rosa Parks, Aretha Franklin, James Baldwin, Nina Simone, Morgan Freeman and Muhammad Ali, among others. But she seemed just as interested in getting to know the unknown, and offering them advice and inspiration. “She never made people feel intimidated,” by her stature, Belmonte said. “She was warm and open and wanting to listen to what you had to say. She was always extremely gracious.” “It’s really an incomparable legacy”, the dean said. “She’s leaving a tremendous hole that may never be filled in the VT legacy.”

J&K Got Rs 69.58 Lakh For Development Of Wildlife Habitats In 2023-24

Dual citizenship: ACC for action against 24 ex- ministers, MPs

ATLANTA (AP) — Even when grappling with a four-game losing streak and the uncertainty generated by quarterback Kirk Cousins’ eight interceptions and no touchdown passes in that span, there is some solace for the Atlanta Falcons. They play in the NFC South. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.

Macron calls Haitian officials 'total morons' over PM sacking$HAREHOLDER INVESTIGATION: The M&A Class Action Firm Continues to Investigate the Mergers of ARCH, USAP, CFB, and BRKHNone

This photo taken on November 10, 2023 shows Philippine coast guard personnel and journalists sailing onboard a rigid inflatable boat (left) as they head back after filming the BRP Sierra Madre grounded at Renai Jiao in South China Sea. Photo: AFP The US has reportedly acknowledged for the first time the existence of a task force named after Philippine name of China's Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef), which is backing Philippine military activities in the South China Sea. The move could encourage the Philippines to take bolder actions that could escalate tensions, but it cannot change China's capability and determination in safeguarding its rights, Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said on Thursday. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin this week visited a command and control center in the western Philippine province of Palawan, and in a post on social media platform X, Austin said he "met with some American service members deployed to US Task Force Ayungin," in what appeared to be the first public acknowledgment of its existence, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. Ayungin is the Philippine name for China's Ren'ai Jiao. "Task Force-Ayungin enhances US-Philippine alliance coordination and interoperability by enabling US forces to support Armed Forces of the Philippines activities in the South China Sea," Kanishka Gangopadhyay, spokesperson at the US Embassy in Manila, was quoted by Bloomberg as saying in a statement on Thursday. The Philippine military said on Thursday the US troops provide technical assistance that helps enhance Manila's maritime domain awareness, according to the Bloomberg report. Chen told the Global Times on Thursday that he believes the Chinese side has long been aware of the existence of such a US task force, which has been training the Philippines' navy and coast guard forces and providing planning and guidance to the Philippines' maritime operations. One reason why the US and the Philippines chose to make the US force's existence public now is probably to enhance US-Philippine bilateral relations and reduce the potential impact brought by change of the US administration, according to Chen. Austin's visit could encourage the Philippines to make bolder moves that could escalate tensions, and the publicly announced existence of US forces supporting the Philippines also means that the US' grey zone tactics in using the Philippines to contain China is becoming more open, Chen said. However, it is unlikely that the US forces will enter a direct confrontation with China, as the situation could spiral out of control and become too costly for the US, Chen said, noting that Washington will likely continue to encourage Manila to stir up more trouble. China has the capability and determination to defend its rights on Ren'ai Jiao as well as safeguard the situation in the region, and this cannot be changed by either the US or the Philippines, Chen said. China will continue to take necessary measures in accordance to domestic and international laws to resolutely safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, he said.Given India’s strong position in the equities market compared to other global markets, experts believe that the IPO market is expected to stay bullish overall with the total worth of public offerings surpassing $20 Bn as against $16 Bn in 2024 In Q3 2024 alone, India saw 27 IPOs, marking a 29% surge from the corresponding quarter of the previous year Within the tech startup ecosystem, at least 23 companies are gearing up for public listings next year, which would further add to the new-age tech stocks baskets for potential investors India’s new-age tech IPO market saw a massive upswing in 2024, driven by increased investor confidence and a favourable macroeconomic environment. What does 2025 have in store for startups looking to join the IPO spree and enter the big leagues? As many as 13 new-age tech startups made it to the public markets in 2024, cumulatively raising over INR 29K Cr ($3.4 Bn). And in 2025, this number is expected to double with at least 23 new-age tech startups eyeing a public listing, and looking to raise more than INR 55K Cr ($6.4 Bn) cumulatively. As predicted in the beginning of the year, the general elections in 2024 played a pivotal role in the IPO numbers. In fact, in the startup ecosystem, only five startups got listed before the elections while the rest hit the market once there was more stability post the election results. In 2025, while no such major events are due, ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties like GDP downfall might make the public market volatile from time to time. However, given India’s strong position in the equities market compared to other global markets, experts believe that the IPO market is expected to stay bullish overall with the total worth of public offerings surpassing $20 Bn as against $16 Bn in 2024 . In Q3 2024 alone, India saw 27 IPOs, marking a 29% surge from the corresponding quarter of the previous year. These companies cumulatively raised $4.27 Bn or close to INR 35,000 Cr, registering a 142% increase year-on-year (YoY). With that, the domestic market commanded a 36% share of total listings in Q3 2024, surpassing the US, which held a 13% share. To be noted, some of the top IPOs of this season included Swiggy, Bajaj Housing Finance, Ola Electric, FirstCry and India’s largest-ever IPO, Hyundai Motor India. The new year is expected to be more eventful as the highly anticipated public offerings of companies such as Flipkart, PhysicsWallah, Ather Energy, Zepto, HDFC Credila, and even the Indian arm of consumer electronics giant LG are expected to go to the public markets. Lightspeed India managing director Anuj Bhargava believes that the public markets trends of 2024 will continue well into 2025 and the momentum is expected to be strong. “Though we have seen some recent softening, which was expected, fundamentally, nothing has changed. Domestic capital inflows remain strong and are getting stronger. While foreign investment inflows have been sporadic, I think that was also expected. And the market today is held together, in large parts, by domestic institutions, which was not the case a couple of years ago,” said GFC’s Bhargava. In 2025, Lightspeed is looking to book profits from some of its high-profile portfolio startups such as PhysicsWallah, OYO, Zepto, and Zetwerk. Besides Lightspeed, a number of other VCs would be hoping for similar outcomes in 2025. Peak XV Partners managing partner Ishaan Mittal, for example, said that the VC major continues to be excited about the opportunity in the public markets given the trends are extremely positive both on the supply side of securities and the demand side. “On the supply side of securities, which includes the companies going public, we have just seen the tip of the iceberg as we speak. Many market-leading, exciting companies are yet to go public in every sector – whether consumer brands or consumer internet companies like Meesho, fintech companies like Groww, or payments companies like Pine Labs and Razorpay. In the next 12-18 months, many of these companies will go public,” he added. Mittal believes that domestic capital and foreign capital investors are showing great interest in IPOs and their keenness to participate in the Indian public markets is evident from the reception for some stocks. Within the tech startup ecosystem, at least 23 companies are gearing up for public listings next year, which would further add to the new-age tech stocks baskets for potential investors. The list includes Ather Energy, BlueStone, CarDekho, CaptainFresh, Ecom Express, Fractal, Infra Market, IndiQube, ArisInfra, Innoviti, OfBusiness, Ola Cabs, Pure EV, Physics Wallah, Ullu, Smartworks, among several others. These startups are set to raise more than $6 Bn cumulatively in the process of fundraising via IPOs, as things stand. Depending on the market conditions, some of these companies might decide to trim the size of their IPOs. Of this, already nine startups have filed their respective DRHPs with the Securities and Boards of India (SEBI). Coworking space provider Smartworks and logistics startup Ecom Express have already received the market regulator’s approval to file an IPO. Unlike the past three years, when startups that made the public market debut were largely tech companies, in 2025, there is a big wave of tech-enabled startups eyeing public listings. For instance, BlueStone is a D2C jewellery brand with an online presence as a part of its business model. PhysicsWallah, looking to become the first Indian edtech platform to public, is also offline-heavy at the moment. Even though the startup has a major student base online, a significant 40% of its total revenue is from offline coaching centres. Similarly, the coworking space providers Smartworks, IndiQube, ArisInfra, DevX as well as WeWork and Table Space (also preparing for listing within a year or two), are platforms that use technology to enable their business processes, but in terms of the business model, they are largely similar to their traditional counterparts. Pointing to this trend, Aakash Agrawal, associate director, digital and new-age business at brokerage firm Anand Rathi, said that it will be important for the public market investors to be able to differentiate between pure-play tech companies and tech-enabled companies as that would be essential in deciding the valuation premium they can claim and growth opportunities they have. “Take the example of OfBusiness. While it’s a solid company with good profitability, we must also appreciate that it is essentially a trading company with a tech aspect to it. So, what kind of multiples does it find for itself? How does it price its IPO given it’s a technology company as well? These factors are going to be very interesting to see next year,” said Agrawal. Meanwhile, it is also interesting that there is a sudden surge in coworking space IPOs after Awfis made its successful public market debut in 2024. The market is attributing this trend to an increasing demand for flexible workspaces. A CEO at one of the leading coworking space provider companies told Inc42 earlier this year that India’s growth narrative, coupled with a commercial real estate boom, is creating a conducive environment for flexible workspace startups. However, as the market gets cluttered, it would be interesting to see if all the impending coworking space IPOs emerge victorious in their IPOs in the coming months. Speaking on the matter, Amit Ramani, CMD at Awfis, said that as coworking spaces prepare to enter a potentially crowded public market over the next 12–18 months, their success in securing favourable investor responses will hinge on several key factors, including financial health and profitability with investors focusing on companies that demonstrate sustainable revenue streams, robust growth trajectories, and resilience to market fluctuations. “Differentiation will play a critical role, with coworking spaces standing out by offering unique value propositions such as advanced technology integration, premium amenities, sustainable features, and services tailored to specific industries... Scalability and market penetration will be vital; companies with a diversified geographical presence and the capacity to scale seamlessly are likely to be viewed as more viable. Lastly, adaptability to evolving work trends – such as hybrid and remote work – through flexible offerings and innovative solutions will be crucial,” Awfis’ Ramani told Inc42. With the tech startup IPO boom, profitable exits are becoming super critical for VC funds and PEs. After the 2021 IPO boom, 2024 brought a deja-vu moment for the PEs and VCs in India as the total gross exit value was $1.8 Bn in 2024, close to $2.3 Bn in 2021. Amid a global IPO market slump that had also adversely affected India’s stock market, the total gross exit value dipped to $700 Mn in 2022 and $1 Bn in 2023. Next year, top private investors including the likes of Lightspeed, PeakXV, Accel, and SoftBank are eyeing far more gains by offloading stakes in both pre-IPO rounds and during the IPOs. Even though some VCs and PEs might sell some stakes at a loss, it will be compensated by high returns from other portfolios. “Our focus is to continue to invest with a strong belief that we, in the venture capital industry, now have a very viable path to exit, not just a very strong IPO market about that, but also a strong pre-IPO market,” added Lightspeed’s Bhargava. The concept of pre-round IPO is also undergoing a shift. As Bhargava pointed out, traditionally this term was narrowly defined and it was a financing round just ahead of a company’s IPO to set a benchmark for the eventual IPO. “Now anything up to two years before an IPO is also a pre-IPO round. In addition to traditional crossover funds, lots of new pre-IPO funds have come up. We’ve seen family offices and HNIs being exceptionally active in this market. We expect this trend to continue,” he said, adding that the firm will certainly use pre-IPO rounds as an opportunity to exit some of its portfolio startups. Meanwhile, the Lightspeed MD also noted that several technical and fundamental dynamics decide the VC firms’ decision around partial and complete liquidation. “I think investors largely use IPOs as a partial liquidity sort of event, and then gradually exit over time. Similarly, on the pre-IPO side, people look to monetise also because we don’t want to go into an IPO with a very large shareholding from one shareholder. It places a bit of an overhang on the stock,” he added. Besides, it’s important to note that in most cases, these VCs are also reaching the end of their fund cycles and they have to realise profits to give return to their investors. With the successful IPOs of Hyundai and Swiggy in 2024, which were two of the largest IPOs in the history of the Indian equity market, the trend of large-sized IPOs are set to persist in the new year. Anand Rathi’s Agrawal said that while the small and mid-sized IPOs will be more frequent, there will also be 10-20% of the companies, which are eyeing large IPOs such as PhysicsWallah, Infra.Market and OfBusiness. “We think the IPO market will have secular growth next year. And these companies that will have large IPOs are private equity backed, raised a lot of private capital, and scaled up significantly, which warrants a large IPO,” he added. Even though it was evident this year that many new-age tech startups, including ixigo, FirstCry, Ola Electric, MobiKwik reduced their respective IPO sizes from earlier planned, Peak XV’s Mittal believes that the scale of offering have no bearing on the success or failure of IPOs if the fundamentals are strong. The verdict of the market is clear when it comes to profitability – become profitable ahead of the IPOs or show a clear path to profitability in the near term. This sentiment is not going to change in 2025. However, the recent IPOs of MobiKwik, Ola Electric and Swiggy (to some extent) have proven contrary to these expectations. Some investors believe that sometimes household names, clear growth opportunities, and exposure to niche market segments might cause such exceptions but largely, profitability and strong unit economics are a must for the public market. Peak XV’s Mittal said that profitability must be and will continue to be key for companies going IPO, however, this factor also needs to be contextualised. “This is a good time where founders and investors alike are focusing on profits. They are able to generate those profits without hurting the core of the business or without taking away from the future of the business. While profitability is important, we don’t want to compromise on the future potential of the company to optimise for short-term profits, we would rather optimise for long-term profits.” Taking a slightly different perspective, Lightspeed’s Bhargava argued that unlike in the US where companies with less than $10 Bn or $15 Bn in valuation do not receive much attention in the IPO market, Indian investors are open to much smaller valuations. “Promoters, founders, and early-stage investors are also conscious that you cannot price an IPO where you bring nothing to the table near term for incoming investments. At the same time, the IPOs cannot be very small because the companies need institutional investors following, index inclusion, liquidity in the market. But the point is, you also do not need to be a billion-dollar company to list in India,” Bhargava said. On the other hand, it goes without saying that profitable companies can command a premium in terms of the valuation. “Ultimately it boils down to growth, free cash flow, and profitability. Wherever there is an opportunity to grow, we will see promising valuations. Sometimes valuations might be slightly steep given that they are accounting for a future market opportunity and scalability. Zomato has been an example of it earlier. Swiggy too cashed on that,” said Anand Rathi’s Agrawal. As per various publicly available data, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold a net of INR 1.14 Lakh Cr in October 2024, the highest selling in a month so far, surpassing the numbers of Covid-19 pandemic period in March 2020. Amid many currently seeing the Indian market as overvalued, rising inflation, and a few other global macroeconomic factors, in 2024, FIIs have been the biggest sellers. Even though this has caused volatility in the market, the Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) kept buying. In October alone they made the highest purchase of more than INR 1 Lakh Cr. The market experts believe that FIIs selling will not impact the upcoming IPOs of 2025 as DIIs will remain strong and mutual funds are booming. Even retail investors are expected to show continued support even to the new-age tech startup IPOs given these investors now have an improved understanding of the peculiarities of these businesses. “If FIIs stop deploying capital, then it causes a larger problem. But currently, there’s no sign of that. And in fact, India is looked at as a sweet spot in the developing world,” Agrawal said. Sector-focussed policies play an important role in driving stock performances and even the companies going public. Devang Kabra, fund manager at Wallfort PMS, said that the policies the government tabled in the winter session of the Parliament will be one of the areas to watch out for. “For example, there is an Insurance Amendment Bill proposing 100% FDI, allowing relaxations for net worth requirements for companies to become insurance companies is tabled. Once it passes, we will see many big insurance brokers turning themselves into insurance companies and coming out with IPOs,” Kabra said. He said that once a policy decision happens, it impacts several other industries down the line. This Insurance Amendment Bill might lead to IPOs of more hospitals. To quote global brokerage Bernstein, “Trump’s return through high-profile US elections added new layers of complexity to inflation dynamics and geopolitical assessments... How will global inflation pan out with Trump at the helm, and will export be a more critical area to focus on than domestic cycles?” It is important to note that Trump’s win strengthens US’ “China+1” strategy, which is expected to give India a boost in its manufacturing sector. JM Financial said in a research report that China, Mexico and Canada will likely attract higher tariffs, which could provide India with the benefits in a number of manufacturing segments — chemicals, auto components, electrical components, solar panels and solar cells, tiles and other categories. Wallfort PMS’ Kabra also believes that the manufacturing sector will now pick pace further and there will be stronger ground built for their IPOs. However, domestic IT companies now might have to deal with stronger immigration rules in the US. Plus, there is higher inflationary pressure and increasing pressure on the Indian rupee. These volatile situations are less likely to impact the IPO sentiment in the long run in 2025, however, some short-term cautiousness is likely to linger in the early months. As the domestic market braces for a record year in the history of public markets, as predicted by market experts, it will also be key for the companies, especially new-age tech startups, to ensure transparent governance and clear strategic vision. After all, public markets are sensitive to these core factors. The recent incident of hoards of complaints against Ola Electric’s products and services and the negative impact of it on its stock is a case in point. While many believe that startups are riding the IPO boom without being ready enough to function in a public market, Gautham Srinivas, Partner, capital markets at Khaitan & Co., said that all the companies preparing to go public have the utmost checks in place to meet the regulatory requirements. “Public issues are not a one-month process. To file DRHP, a company needs two to three months. So, an absolutely thorough check gets done. All the upcoming new-age companies are equipped to handle a public issue from a regulatory point of view given the standards of governance they already maintain,” Srinivas added. Edited By Nikhil SubramaniamCommunity organizer Danny Sauter faces downtown revival test as supervisor

Flightmares before Christmas: why December disruption is so painful

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Bashar Barhoum woke in his dungeon prison cell in Damascus at dawn Sunday, thinking it would be the last day of his life. The 63-year-old writer was supposed to have been executed after being imprisoned for seven months. But he soon realized the men at the door weren't from former Syrian President Bashar Assad ’s notorious security forces, ready to take him to his death. Instead, they were rebels coming to set him free. As the insurgents swept across Syria in just 10 days to bring an end to the Assad family’s 50-year rule , they broke into prisons and security facilities to free political prisoners and many of the tens of thousands of people who disappeared since the conflict began back in 2011. Barhoum was one of those freed who were celebrating in Damascus. “I haven’t seen the sun until today,” Barhoum told The Associated Press after walking in disbelief through the streets of Damascus. “Instead of being dead tomorrow, thank God, he gave me a new lease of life.” Barhoum couldn’t find his cellphone and belongings in the prison so set off to find a way to tell his wife and daughters that he’s alive and well. Videos shared widely across social media showed dozens of prisoners running in celebration after the insurgents released them, some barefoot and others wearing little clothing. One of them screams in celebration after he finds out that the government has fallen. Torture, executions and starvation in Syria's prisons Syria's prisons have been infamous for their harsh conditions. Torture is systematic, say human rights groups, whistleblowers, and former detainees. Secret executions have been reported at more than two dozen facilities run by Syrian intelligence, as well as at other sites. In 2013, a Syrian military defector , known as “Caesar,” smuggled out over 53,000 photographs that human rights groups say showed clear evidence of rampant torture, but also disease and starvation in Syria's prison facilities. Syria’s feared security apparatus and prisons did not only serve to isolate Assad’s opponents, but also to instill fear among his own people said Lina Khatib, Associate Fellow in the Middle East and North Africa program at the London think tank Chatham House. "Anxiety about being thrown in one of Assad’s notorious prisons created wide mistrust among Syrians,” Khatib said. “Assad nurtured this culture of fear to maintain control and crush political opposition.” Just north of Damascus in the Saydnaya military prison, known as the “human slaughterhouse,” women detainees, some with their children, screamed as men broke the locks off their cell doors. Amnesty International and other groups say that dozens of people were secretly executed every week in Saydnaya, estimating that up to 13,000 Syrians were killed between 2011 and 2016. “Don’t be afraid ... Bashar Assad has fallen! Why are you afraid?” said one of the rebels as he tried to rush streams of women out of their jam-packed tiny cells. Tens of thousands of detainees have so far been freed, said Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based pro-opposition war monitor. Over the past 10 days, insurgents freed prisoners in cities including Aleppo, Homs, Hama as well as Damascus. Families seek loved ones who have been missing for years Omar Alshogre, who was detained for three years and survived relentless torture, watched in awe from his home far from Syria as videos showed dozens of detainees fleeing. “A hundred democracies in the world had done nothing to help them, and now a few military groups came down and broke open prison after prison,” Alshogre, a human rights advocate who now resides in Sweden and the U.S., told The Associated Press. Meanwhile, families of detainees and the disappeared skipped celebrations of the downfall of the Assad dynasty. Instead, they waited outside prisons and security branch centers, hoping their loved ones would be there. They had high expectations for the newcomers who will now run the battered country. “This happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where he is,” said Bassam Masri. “I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years," since the start of the Syrian uprising in 2011. Rebels struggled to control the chaos as crowds gathered by the Court of Justice in Damascus. Heba, who only gave her first name while speaking to the AP, said she was looking for her brother and brother-in-law who were detained while reporting a stolen car in 2011 and hadn't been seen since. "They took away so many of us,” said Heba, whose mother’s cousin also disappeared. “We know nothing about them ... They (the Assad government) burned our hearts.” Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Sarah El-Deeb and Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus contributed to this report.NEW YORK , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces an investigation of potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Quanterix Corporation (NASDAQ: QTRX) resulting from allegations that Quanterix may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. So What: If you purchased Quanterix securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses. What to do next: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31441 call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. What is this about: On November 12, 2024 , after market hours, Quanterix filed a current report on Form 8-K with the SEC. In this current report, the Company announced that on " November 11, 2024 , the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company, based on the recommendation of the Company's management and after discussion with the Company's independent registered public accounting firm, Ernst & Young LLP ("EY"), concluded that the Company's previously issued audited consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023 , and its unaudited consolidated financial statements for the quarterly and year-to-date (as applicable) periods ended March 31, 2022 , June 30, 2022 , September 30, 2022 , March 31, 2023 , June 30, 2023 , September 30, 2023 , March 31, 2024 , and June 30, 2024 (collectively, the "Non-Reliance Periods"), should no longer be relied upon." On this news, Quanterix's stock price fell $2.77 per share, or 18.3%, to close at $12.40 per share on November 13, 2024 . Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rosen-law-firm-encourages-quanterix-corporation-investors-to-inquire-about-securities-class-action-investigation--qtrx-302338948.html SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.

"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.Australia has defended the independence of the top international court after it issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister, former defence minister and a Hamas commander. The International Criminal Court (ICC) found there were reasonable grounds that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant bore criminal responsibility for alleged war crimes. This includes allegations of using starvation as a method of warfare and directing attacks against civilians in Gaza. The warrants are not a finding of guilt. The ICC rejected Israel’s challenge that it didn’t have jurisdiction over the matter. Australia respects the independence of the ICC and its important role in upholding international law. Australia is focused on working with countries that want peace to press for an urgently needed ceasefire. pic.twitter.com/SeHLuAk83Z — Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) November 21, 2024 Australia respects the independence of the ICC and its “important role in upholding international law”, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said. “We have been clear that all parties to the conflict must comply with international humanitarian law,” she said in a statement on X. Senator Wong reiterated calls for civilians to be protected, hostages to be released, aid workers to be protected and for more humanitarian aid to flow. Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie said it was troubling that the court had targeted “an elected member of a democracy, of a sovereign nation-state, trying to protect his country from terrorists”. The ICC ruled it had jurisdiction to investigate the situation in Palestinian territories and that states couldn’t challenge the jurisdiction prior to a warrant being issued, “thus Israel’s challenge is premature”. Senior coalition figures have repudiated the court’s argument it has jurisdiction, arguing Australia’s position should be in line with the United States, which rejected the ruling. “They’re supposed to be working with nation states and their legal systems, not seeking to supplant them,” Senator McKenzie said of the ICC. “We would be looking to obviously stand with the United States on this issue.” However, the US isn’t an ICC member state – while Australia is – and Washington previously welcomed a warrant issued against Russian President Vladimir Putin for atrocities in Ukraine. Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the European Commission foreign affairs representative Josep Borrell said they would comply with the ruling. An arrest warrant was also issued for Hamas’ military wing commander Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri for the crimes against humanity of murder, extermination, torture, and rape and other forms of sexual violence. There were reasonable grounds to believe he was also responsible for the war crimes of murder, cruel treatment, torture, taking hostages, outrages upon personal dignity, and rape and other forms of sexual violence, the court found. The decision by the independent court showed international humanitarian law needed to be upheld through fair and impartial judicial processes in all circumstances, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said. “Our collective mind and focus should be on the victims of international crimes in Israel and in the State of Palestine,” he said in a statement after the warrants were issued . Situation in the State of Palestine: #ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I rejects the State of Israel’s challenges to jurisdiction and issues warrants of arrest for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant. Learn more ⤵️ https://t.co/opHUjZG8BL — Int’l Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) November 21, 2024 Arrest warrants for the leader of Hamas in Gaza and the former head of its political bureau were withdrawn following confirmation of their deaths. The official death toll in Gaza has eclipsed 44,000, according to the local health ministry, with tens of thousands more missing or believed to be buried under rubble. Israel’s war in Gaza was sparked by listed terror group Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023 that killed 1200 people and resulted in 250 hostages being taken, according to Israel’s tallies. Almost 100 hostages are still missing, with 35 believed to be dead.