When Gemma Bentley walked down the aisle to marry the man of her dreams with her two daughters as bridesmaids, it was a bittersweet moment. While Gemma beamed at finding happiness with future husband Ben, there was one person missing from the celebrations. Her first-born daughter Honey Cook, 15, took her own life during lockdown in February 2021 after a vicious campaign of online bullying on Instagram - by girls she had never met. She is one of countless teens throughout the UK who have quite literally been bullied to death on social media. Now parents are backing growing calls for social media to be banned for under 16s after Australia moved to protect its kids from harmful content. The UK government this month warned tech giants to get their act together or they face a blanket ban among British kids. Gemma, 38, whose daughter Honey already suffered mental health problems when bullies told her to kill herself, said: “We absolutely need more control over social media when it comes to our children. “Kids say thing to each other online they might not say in person and online grooming is a massive issue. It makes sense to ban kids from platforms altogether.” Gemma says Honey, a talented artist who enjoyed cosplay, was sent more than 100 vile messages after being befriended by a group of girls on Instagram, where she often posted her pictures. “These girls were relentless,” says Gemma, of Barnsley, South Yorks . “They told Honey to kill herself, that everyone hated her, that she was ugly and never wanted by her family. They went into really graphic detail about how to take her own life. “Honey would still be here if it hadn’t been for these kids, in my opinion. She had very poor mental health already and was struggling with an eating disorder so was very fragile, but had been coping a lot better before these messages. “I don’t understand how these messages were able to get through the Instagram app because of their damaging content and that’s something else that needs to be looked at.” Gemma wed new husband Ben,32, a family friend, in October this year, with daughters Indie, 17, and 10-year-old Teddy as bridesmaids. She said: “It was such a bittersweet moment because I was marrying the man I love but Honey wasn’t there to see it. “I attached her favourite picture to my bouquet so she was there in some sense and we spoke about her a lot at times during the day. “Her sisters still struggle without her. Teddy was six when she lost her big sister and Honey doted on her. “Indie was 13 and has grieved very differently, which shows how it impacts everyone differently and how hard it is to navigate your child's grief while dealing with your own too." Gemma, who has set up a charity in her daughter’s name which provides self-help journals to help other struggling children, added: “I don’t think kids will take any of the online bullying seriously until one of them is prosecuted.” South Yorkshire Police investigated Honey’s death, which a coroner ruled suicide, but it’s understood they were unable to make any criminal charges against those involved. A spokeswoman said: "Both girls were dealt with via restorative justice, in which they wrote a letter each to the coroner explaining their involvement in creating malicious communications and expressing their remorse." Last year, additions to the Online Safety Bill mean trolls can be jailed up to five years for encouraging victims to harm themselves, but they were not in force when Honey died. This month Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said a ban on social-media for the under 16's is “on the table” if tech giants don’t take action to protect kids. He said: “I don’t want to ban things outright unless I absolutely need to. I will always put the safety of people first.” The minister made the warning as he prepares to tell Ofcom to be more assertive with firms - including a crackdown on age-restricted content for under 13s. He is in talks with counterparts in Australia where new laws are expected to be ushered in to block under-16s from accessing platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, X and Instagram. This week an inquest heard how Welsh schoolgirl Megan Evans, 14, was found dead in her bedroom after a cyber-bullying campaign . Megan, of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, took her own life in February 2017 after being told to “kill yourself” by vile trolls. After her death, mum Nicola Harteveld found a Facebook group entitled ‘I hate Megan Evans’. Mum-of-eight Nicola has worked to raise awareness of mental health and the dangers of social media following her daughter’s death. Yet a coroner last week ruled bullying had not played a part in Megan's death - saying phrases like 'go kill yourself' can be "interpreted in different ways" by pupils. Nicola said: "It's heartbreaking and beyond disgusting to see a conclusion that tries to blur the line between bullying and banter. "Phrases like those can never be dismissed as a joke." She launched the Megan’s Starr Foundation, which provides free counselling and support to young people. Nicola continued: "As a society we've become far too comfortable with dismissing harmful words as 'banter' or 'harmless fun'. "Phrases like 'Go kill yourself' are deeply damaging and never acceptable, yet they are being trivialised. "This normalisation teaches young people that cruelty is acceptable and victims should just toughen up. "Social media amplifies this harm, making it inescapable, yet accountability remains inconsistent both online and off line. "We need to stop normalising cruelty and start protecting our young children." Tech is an everyday part of children’s lives now. Here’s some ways you can protect their online safety. Talking to your kids about the dangers is an important part of safeguarding them. For the under 11s try simple NSPCC resources like Talk PANTS and Techosaurus . Older kids might find it embarrassing to talk about difficult topics but it’s worth checking in with them regularly to see if there’s anything they want to chat about. It’s worth buying a book on the topic and reading it together, before talking about it. Or ask if they’ve discussed the issue in class. You could pretend a friend of yours needs advice to find out how much they know about online safety. The NSPCC has created an online safety toolkit which you can access here . It can be helpful to remind kids they shouldn't share their location or personal information on their posts, on public forums and chats, on videos or with people they don't know. Exploring the safety and privacy settings on apps will help you decide which are right for your child to use. Apps have different ways to set up an account but most have options to set an account to private, ban new friend requests and hide the user's location. Each app has slightly different ways to set up an account, but most have the option. Each has a different age rating. For more information log on to the NSPCC or for more advice the Internet Watch Foundation A third family also told The Sun how they want to see tougher regulations - or a total ban. The family of 16-year-old Kibi Wade were left devastated after she took her own life in July this year after classroom bullies continued to stalk her when she left school. Vile messages shown to The Sun reveal how Kibi was sent messages by a group of girls who warned her she would be continually bullied unless she met their demands - which included sitting at the front of the school bus, a bar on talking to certain kids and not going to the toilets if they were using them. She was also blackmailed into buying vapes or her tormentors threatened to spread false rumours about her. Kibi’s mum Michelle Barrett, 47, of Caistor, Lincs, said: “Kibi was very distressed by it and we thought it would all come to an end when she left school in the summer, but the messages just kept coming until she couldn’t take anymore. “If she left a group chat they would just add her to another and start abusing her again. I think she felt there was no escape from them.” Michelle and partner Michelle Gardner, 50, have now launched a campaign to raise awareness about cyberbullying - but are also backing calls for the blanket ban. Michelle said: "If it was up to us we wouldn’t let kids on social media until they were at least 18. Kids don’t seem to have any awareness of the impact their words can have on others.” The NSPCC says any under-16 ban would “penalise children for the failure of tech companies” CEO Sir Peter Wanless said: “Social media is now an integral part of young people’s lives. It provides them with opportunities to communicate with friends and family, to learn and be creative. “We understand concerns about children having access to social media that is fundamentally unsafe for them. However, children deserve to have age appropriate experiences online rather than being cut off from it all together.” Campaigner Ian Russell, whose daughter Molly took her own life after being exposed to suicide and self-harm online, said a ban would push "bad actors en masse" onto gaming platforms. Fourteen-year-old Molly, of Harrow, north-west London, died in November 2017 after viewing "dark, graphic, harmful" content. Her death sparked campaigning to clean up the internet, leading to the Online Safety Act that will force firms to take down damaging posts from their platforms. According to the experts at Family Lives, there are some specific signs to look out for. These can be split into three different sections - emotional, physical and changes at school. Emotional - the child is isolating themselves and not talking to family, they are becoming more withdrawn, there are changes in eating habits, and behaviour, such as becoming more angry, they avoid social media, they don't see their friends outside school, they show new anxiety and nervousness. Physical - the child may have unexplained bruises, cuts or marks on their body, issues with sleep, complain of headaches or tummy aches and wet the bed. Changes at school - the child suddenly starts doing badly in lesson, becomes anxious about school, claims to feel unwell more than usual, loses items or money that can't be explained, have damaged possessions and refuse to take part in after school clubs. You can call The National Bullying Helpline for a free consultation on 0300 323 0169. Ensure your offspring has the number for Childline on 0800 1111. Ian told the i paper that a ban would wrongly deny youngsters the benefits of the digital world - and called for the Government to strengthen existing laws . Tech giant Meta said it has recently introduced an initiative called Teen Accounts which can limit what kids are exposed to. All young people who sign up to Instagram in Britain, America and Canada will be put under the restrictions with a global rollout planned for later this year. It means teens will need to accept new followers and people who don’t follow them can’t see their content or interact with them. Parents can also put on controls which mean they can see who their child is messaging and a sleep mode will mute nighttime notifications. A spokesperson said Instagram also has a ‘hidden words’ feature, which allows users to filter emojis, words, phrases or comments they don’t want to see.
WASHINGTON − The State Department's Global Engagement Center, the highly touted nerve center for coordinating U.S. efforts to counter foreign disinformation – especially by Russia and China – shut down this week after becoming a lightning rod for conservative criticism. The mission of the GEC, as it is commonly known, was to “direct, lead, synchronize, integrate, and coordinate” the U.S. campaign against propaganda and disinformation efforts aimed at undermining or influencing the policies, security and stability of the U.S. and its allies. But the GEC, with a relatively tiny $60 million budget and staff of 120, was first criticized in 2023 by , the multibillionaire advisor to , as the " in U.S. government censorship & media manipulation." The GEC was initially included in a stopgap bill to fund the government , but GOP lawmakers deleted it from a last-minute bill ultimately passed by Congress. A State Department spokesperson said the GEC "will terminate by operation of law [by the end of the day] on December 23, 2024. The Department of State has consulted with Congress regarding next steps," the AFP news agency reported. The GEC evolved from the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications, established by the Obama administration in 2011 to counter online extremist recruitment and propaganda. An Obama 2016 executive order created the GEC to broaden its mission to include fighting disinformation by state and non-state actors. The GEC soon began to focus primarily on using high-tech tools such as social media analytics to identify and counter disinformation campaigns by Moscow and Beijing that were increasingly targeting Washington and its allies. It sought to broaden its impact by working with other U.S. agencies, foreign allies and the private sector. A Sept. 28, 2023 report by the GEC for spending billions of dollars annually on foreign manipulation efforts. It detailed how Beijing employed “a variety of deceptive and coercive methods as it attempts to influence the international information environment.” The report said , including through fake media and research papers "falsely blaming the United States for creating COVID-19." Those efforts falsely promoted China and the Chinese Communist Party's "desired narratives on issues such as Taiwan, its human rights practices, the South China Sea, its domestic economy, and international economic engagement.” More broadly, the GEC report said, China sought to leverage propaganda, censorship and “digital authoritarianism” to encourage foreign governments, journalists and civil society at large to accept its preferred narratives and avoid criticizing its conduct as it sought more influence on the global stage. The GEC also has published numerous hard-hitting criticisms of Russia. In 2020, the GEC has detailed how Russia during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has called out the Kremlin for trying to sow chaos in U.S. And it has exposed Russian attempts to by spreading false claims about U.S. health programs. In September, it called out Moscow and its state-run media organization RT for using propaganda, disinformation – and – to sway the global community on issues like its war against Ukraine. That effort by RT involved not only information operations but also covert influence and even military procurement efforts in targeting countries around the world, including in Europe, Africa, and North and South America, the GEC said in a Sept. 13 report. “When state or non-state actors spread disinformation, material deliberately meant to deceive or divide our public, they attack the very foundations of our free and open society,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in releasing the report. He laid out specific steps the Biden administration was taking “to hold accountable those who weaponize disinformation to undermine our democracy,” including coordinated crackdowns by the State, . In January, the GEC to counter state-run disinformation campaigns that’s now backed by at least 21 countries including Spain, Poland, Finland and the West African nation of Côte d’Ivoire – and that could enable them to also create their own versions at home. Funding for the GEC ran into congressional opposition in 2024 by Republican lawmakers who claimed it was overstepping its authority by trying in the U.S. including pro-Trump influencers. Three ranking House Republicans to accuse the GEC of straying from its statutory duty to counter propaganda and disinformation abroad. “Your Department refuses to acknowledge that ... any value the GEC provides is tempered by genuine concerns that the GEC is at best indifferent to, and at worst complicit in, an orchestrated and systematic effort to stretch the term ‘disinformation’ to encompass viewpoints that, among American progressives, are deemed to be politically disfavored or inconvenient...” the lawmakers wrote. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who co-authored the 2016 legislation that established the center, said such criticisms were unwarranted and politically motivated. He led the effort to , along with Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn. Former Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman is . “[The GEC] has played an indispensable role in combating Russian and Chinese disinformation,” Murphy said in October. “It would unnecessarily if we eliminated this tool.” When on Nov. 5, Republicans also retained control of the House and retook the Senate. The GEC on Dec. 18, praising the European Union for its “first-time use of designations under its Russia hybrid sanctions framework.” On Tuesday, the day before Christmas, the site went offline with this message: “This account is no longer in use as of 12/23/2024. For updates on the U.S. Department of State, please follow .”Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers: How to watch, schedule, live stream info, start time, TV channelThe newspapers from November of 1954 have not been short on dramatic news, and the final November edition was no exception, with an unsettling – yet intriguing – headline about a Eubank man who made a gruesome discovery on his farm. I can’t help but wonder what the investigation into that finding revealed. Others in town who weren’t digging up skeletons this week in 1954 were enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday with family. This week I’ve included a separate section listing the many college kids who had flocked home to Pulaski County for Thanksgiving break. Here’s what was newsworthy in Pulaski County this week 70 years ago, from the pages of The Somerset Journal. Visions and dreams he started having 18 months ago have led Jim Denney, 73-year-old Eubank farmer, to eight skeletons buried on his 30-acre farm along Barnie’s Branch. And he is still digging, hoping to find buried treasure like the treasure he saw in the dreams. Mr. Denney said he was wide awake when the first vision came to him. It was a bright moonlit night and he had a clear view of the path to his home. First he saw a man coming up the road. The man was carrying a high-powered rifle and on his head he was wearing some sort of covering that looked like an army helmet. At first Mr. Denney thought the man was a neighbor and kept waiting for a greeting. No greeting came, and the first thing Mr. Denney knew the man was standing at the foot his bed. A stranger! Startled by the sudden appearance of a figure in his house, Mr. Denney asked the man what his business was, but the figure didn’t say anything. Then Mr. Denney turned to his wife to ask if she knew this man, but before he could receive an answer, the figure vanished like smoke. ... Two nights later more visitors came to the Denney home. ... Mr. Denney ... awoke about 1 o’clock in the morning, feeling a presence at his bedside. This time a woman and a little girl were standing at the old man’s bedside. Mr. Denney reports that the little girl looked as though she were laughing at him, and when he asked the woman and child what they were doing there and woke his wife up to see if she, too, saw the visitors, the apparitions again had vanished. By this time Mr. Denney was prepared for anything, and slept through the next visit of the strange figures. This time the woman and child came to him in a dream and when he asked them what they were doing in his house the woman answered. She and the little girl had been murdered, she said, and buried where he had set up his work bench under the cliff. And in the dream the woman asked Mr. Denney if he wouldn’t please move his work bench or move the graves of her and her little girl. Mr. Denney actually had set up his work bench under a cliff and moved the work bench the very next day, hoping the visions would stop and bring some peace to his house again. The figures did stop coming, but dreams now took the place of the visions . . . dreams of finding buried gold and money. The dreams became so numerous that three months ago, Mr. Denney decided to start digging. The first skeleton unearthed was that of a little child, like the little girl in the vision. An adult skeleton was found about thirty feet away from that of the child, and the larger skeleton had been buried in a tomb of rock. By this time Mr. Denney had hired a bulldozer to help in the digging and was using a team of horses. Altogether eight human skeletons were found, along with the antlers of a deer and a deer’s jaw bone. The human skeletons were found buried anywhere from three to eight feet underground and all had been buried on their sides, in small graves. Old-timers in the community believe that Mr. Denney may have uncovered an Indian grave yard, as they report that signs remain of workshops once used to make arrowheads and Indian relics. Mr. Denney is convinced that he’ll find buried treasure, though, because the visions led him to the skeletons and now the dreams are of treasure. The house sits back close to a hill and is home to Mr. Denney, his wife and four children. ... Mr. Denney ... has contacted the University of Kentucky about a research project in connection with the skeletons. Some of the skeletons have been re-buried but others still were in evidence when Mr. Denney was contacted. Roy C. Thompson was elected president of the Somerset Recreational Development Association at its organizational meeting Thursday night at the Kentucky Utilities auditorium. The organization was formed under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce and will be composed of the presidents and secretaries of the various civic groups in Somerset. The principal purpose of the organization will be to unite the civic groups in an effort to promote and develop recreational facilities and community betterment for the youth of Somerset and Pulaski County. Other officers elected were Ira W. Yeary, vice president, Mrs. Edward A. Jarvis, secretary, and Mrs. Edwin S. Lester, treasurer. The support of all citizens of Somerset and Pulaski County is solicited to help make the organization successful in its endeavors. No operator of any vehicle, unless on official business, shall follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than 500 feet or drive onto or park a vehicle within the block where the fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm, Fire Chief Gilbert Keeney warned this week. He said many cars have been following the fire truck to fires recently and have prevented volunteer firemen from reaching the blaze. According to city law any person who hinders a piece of fire apparatus enroute to a fire shall be fined not less than $10 or more than $100. A 15-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with the armed robbery of the Family Drive-In Theatre Oct. 24 when $169 was taken from the attendants at the box office at gun point, Police Chief Harold Catron said today. The youth was arrested on a warrant by Sgt. Lee Duncan and Patrolmen Harold Rainwater and McKinley Hardwick near his home early Saturday morning, Catron said. The Police Chief said a warrant was issued for his arrest Nov. 17 but that the boy had gone to Shelbyville, Ind. The warrant was sent to the sheriff in Shelbyville, but the boy left home before it could be served. Less than a half hour after he arrived in Somerset he was picked up by City Police. Later he was identified by the two theatre attendants as the person who pointed a nickel-plated, snub-nosed revolver at them and demanded the “folding money” from the cashier. The attendants identified him from a line-up of eight prisoners, Catron said. He was arraigned before Municipal Judge Thomas Reid and transferred to County Juvenile Court Saturday. No date has been set for his trial. Eleven pistols and two holsters were stolen from the Rod and Gun Shop on South Maple Street late last night, Chief of Police Harold Catron said today. A plate glass window in the front of the store was smashed with a lump of coal and the robbers, who apparently wanted the pistols, slipped into the sports equipment store and escaped with a case containing the weapons, the Chief said. The guns were in a wooden case with a glass display top which was on top of a show case in the front of the building. Chief Catron said the burglar apparently knew exactly what he was looking for and where it was in the store as nothing else had been disturbed. The break-in was discovered by a waitress from Weddle’s Restaurant at 5:45 o’clock this morning. She called Oscar Garner, an employee of the Central Dry Cleaners, and he notified Don Blevins, owner of the Rod and Gun Shop. Mr. Blevins called the police. There were three new and one used .38 calibre pistols taken, two new .25 calibre pistols, one new and one used .32 calibre pistol, one 45 calibre and one .357 Magnum revolver and two 38 calibre holsters. City police are investigating the robbery. The Somerset Fire Department was called to the Southern Railroad depot early Saturday morning to extinguish a fire on a pullman car enroute to Knoxville carrying Kentucky football fans. According to Fire Chief Gilbert Keeney the fire started under the floor of the car when the brakes got hot. Damage was estimated at $200. There were no injuries to the passengers or the firemen. The car continued on to Knoxville. A meeting of the Civil Air Patrol will be held in the Municipal Building next Tuesday night for the purpose of determining whether the organization should establish a wing in Somerset. Men and women who are interested in establishing the organization in Somerset, are urged to attend the meeting which will begin at 7:30 p.m. A Civil Air Patrol officer from Louisville will attend the meeting for the purpose of answering questions and explaining the set-up of the patrol and helping to organize the local wing, should enough people be interested in the project. Some persons have failed to pay their personal property taxes and rent on the city sewer service as far back as 1949, Mayor Jess Wilson said today. Civil suits are in the process of being filed against these persons, the Mayor added, in an attempt to collect these delinquent accounts. We need this money to put the city back on its feet and to buy equipment which is badly needed by the Police, Fire and Street Departments. -W. Basil Jones is convalescing nicely from the recent operation which he underwent at the Somerset City Hospital. He was able to return home Monday. -James F. Prather, Jr., entered the Baptist Hospital, Louisville, Monday for treatment. Mrs. Prather is in Louisville with him. -Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Holsomback, who have been living in Clearwater, Florida for several years, have returned to Somerset to make their home. -Mrs. Harold Catron, Mrs. Charles Clark and Mrs. Otis Chaney entertained with a miscellaneous shower Thursday night at the home of Mrs. V.G. McKenzie on Hawkins Avenue complimenting the bride-elect, Miss Betty Elliott. Thirty guests enjoyed the delightful occasion. Delicious refreshments were served. Miss Elliott received many lovely and useful gifts. -Mr. and Mrs. George Cooper entertained with a Thanksgiving dinner today at their home on the Monticello Road. Covers were laid for Mr. and Mrs. Z.M. Ford, Mrs. J.H. Pinnell, Mrs. Lucian Waddle and children, Joe Mack, Frankie and Linda, and Mr. and Mrs. Cooper. -The many friends of Mrs. C.I. Ross will be sorry to hear that she suffered a slight stroke of paralysis last week while visiting in Cincinnati. She was brought to her home on West Columbia Street Friday and reported much improved. -Mr. and Mrs. Sam Hamilton are enjoying a family dinner at their home in the country today. Covers will be laid for Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Hamilton, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hamilton and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hamilton and their families. -Dr. and Mrs. Richard Weddle were week end guests of Dr. and Mrs. Mahon in Knoxville and attended the Kentucky-Tennessee game there Saturday afternoon. -Little Miss Mildred Lou Beasley returned Thursday from Children’s Hospital, Louisville, where she had been receiving treatment several days. Mrs. Elza Beasley was in Louisville with her. Mr. and Mrs. Luther Childers motored to Louisville and accompanied them home. -John Carl Moore returned home Tuesday from the Somerset City Hospital after an operation on his right ankle. He is convalescing nicely at his home on Lincoln Street. -Mr. and Mrs. Homer Neikirk, Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Fisher and daughter, Mrs. Paul Agee of Fort Thomas attended the U.K.-Tennessee game at Knoxville Saturday. -Mr. and Mrs. Sam Daulton entertained with a dinner Thursday night at their home at 703 West Columbia Street. Guests included Mr. and Mrs. J.S. Mavity, Mrs. J.W. Byers and Mrs. Eliza Hopper. -Mr. and Mrs. George R. Meece moved last week from Harvey Street to First Street. Carnell Meece has resumed his studies after his recent illness. -Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Tarter of Fort Thomas are enjoying the Thanksgiving holidays with her parents, Judge and Mrs. H.C. Kennedy. -Mr. and Mrs. Victor Sams and children, Bobby and Vicki, are spending Thanksgiving with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ewel Sams, at Barbourville. -Mrs. O.P. Hamilton left yesterday to spend Thanksgiving with her son, Mr. Jack M. Hamilton, and Mrs. Hamilton in Louisville. -There were 75 present for Sunday School Sunday at Saline Baptist Church. -Mrs. Earl Tarter was hostess at a Stanley party Friday afternoon. Prizes were awarded to Mrs. Allie Turpin, Mrs. Marcie Dye, Mrs. Allene Bratherton and Mrs. Evelyn Abbott. Refreshments of cake and punch were served to the guests. -Mrs. Norma Jean Hammond of New Albany, Ind., is here visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Shadoan. -Mrs. Linville Tarter is ill with pneumonia. We wish for her a speedy recovery. -Mrs. Ben Turpin of Bloomington, Ind., and Mrs. Luther Taylor of Bloomfield, Ind., were called here by the illness of their brother, Mr. Bryant Turpin, who suffered a stroke three weeks ago. -Mrs. Neva Longona of Columbus, Ohio, has been visiting her uncle, Mr. Bryant Turpin. -Mr. and Mrs. Ward Correll and daughter, Rebecca, were visitors of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Tarter Sunday afternoon. -Guests at the Turpin home Sunday were Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Spaw, Mrs. John Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Lucian Correll, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Turpin, Mr. and Mrs. Tolar Prather, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Loveless and daughter, Fayrene, and Mrs. Martha Loveless, Mrs. Homer Cassada and daughter, Shelia, and Mr. Ira Cassada. -Mrs. Newell York was a recent all-day guest of Mrs. Myrtie Prather. -The Sunday afternoon visitors in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Newell York and Mr. and Mrs. Bill Thurman were Mr. and Mrs. Carthel Beshears and son, David, of Oak Hill, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Weaver of Frazer, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Ellers and Mr. and Mrs. Harvie Regan and daughter of Monticello. -Mrs. Charlie Molen and Mrs. Myrtie Prather were visiting Mr. and Mrs. Zollie Tarter Wednesday. Mr. Zollie Tarter is not so well. We wish for him a speedy recovery. -The tenant house of Mr. and Mrs. Beecher Muse burned last week. -Mrs. Zollie Tarter and Mrs. Thomas McDowell and sons, Ronny and Junior, were visiting Mrs. Rhoda Muse at Norfleet Wednesday afternoon. -Prayer services were conducted Wednesday night at Saline Baptist Church by Miss Sherell Chitwood and Miss Thelma Brotherton. -Mr. and Mrs. Woodrow Allen and son, John, spent Saturday in Lexington. -Mr. and Mrs. Obey McFarland and son of Cincinnati and Mr. and Mrs. McFarland of Cedar Point visited Mr. and Mrs. Robert Fisher Saturday. -Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Sears and sons of Somerset, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Sears and son of Crab Orchard Road, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Sears of Sugar Hill, and Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Sears of Fort Worth, Texas, were the Sunday guests of Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Sears. The Sears of Texas have been here since Wednesday visiting relatives and old friends. They left Sunday afternoon on their return trip home. -Mrs. Robert Fisher got a letter from Mrs. Laura Gardner saying she had another granddaughter at Louisville, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Gardner. They have a six pound baby girl born November 13. She has been named Sarah Katherine. -Mrs. Charles Jenkins was able to be at church Sunday. -There were 12 additions to the Calvary Baptist Church. -The following students from the University of Kentucky are home for Thanksgiving holidays with their parents and families here. They are Clay S. Alexander, Jr., Claude T. Barlow, James H. Barnett, Milton C. Beattie, James C. Beaty, William E. Branscum, Calvin E. Buchanan, Grant H. Bush, Henry L. Cash, Elizabeth S. Caylor, Harry Lee Conley, Jr., Mildred C. Correll, Ann Craig, Patricia A. Cross, Delno C. Decker, Ouida Ann Farmer, James B. Ford, Jean C. Gover, Thomas A. Gover, Robert C. Hayes, Richard R. Holmes, Joan Hudson, David W. Hughes, Basil Jones, Jr., John R. Killinger, Don G. Marcum, Lawrence F. Marcum, Philip E. McIntosh, Wallace E. Mitchell, Dolores A. Phillippe, Tony R. Rice, Brian L. Roberts, Matt A. Roberts III, William A. Sears, David A. Shadoan, Eurma Jean Shoun, James A. Street, William M. Tibbals, Smith Stanwick Vanhook, Terry G. Waddle and Mary Ann Williams. -Misses Glenda Neikirk, Katie Coomer, Margaret Blaine Neikirk, Mary Alice Tibbals, Betty Ann Sowder and Shirley Bowling and Ronnie and Donnie Smith, John Denney Newman, Donald Tarter and Leo Weddle, students at Georgetown College, Georgetown, are home for the Thanksgiving holidays. -Misses Jane Parker, Cynthia Jones, Mariam Holmes, Wanda Lee Smith and Phyllis Greenlee, students at Eastern Kentucky State College in Richmond, arrived yesterday to spend the Thanksgiving holidays at home. -Andrew Decker, student at the University of Kentucky School of Pharmacy is spending the Thanksgiving holidays at home. -Charles Beasley, student at Sunflower Junior College, Morehead, Miss., is home for the Thanksgiving holidays. -Ben S. Mattingly, Jr., student at St. Bernard’s College, Cullman, Ala., is enjoying the Thanksgiving holidays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ben S. Mattingly. -John Dikeman, student at Centre College in Danville arrived yesterday to spend Thanksgiving with his mother, Mrs. Alvin Dikeman. -Miss Martha Jean Cox, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Carl Cox, who is a student at Lee College, Cleveland, Tenn., is spending Thanksgiving at home. -Ronald Cinnamon, student at the University of Tampa, Tampa, Fla., arrived Tuesday night to spend the Thanksgiving holidays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Cinnamon. -Miss Jane Graybeal, student at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, arrived Wednesday to spend the Thanksgiving holidays with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. M.E. Graybeal. -Burton Hacker, student at Davidson College, Davidson, N.C., is spending the Thanksgiving holidays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. David Hacker. -U.S. 27 between Camp Dick Robinson and Lancaster, closed several months for elimination of curves and for resurfacing, was reopened Wednesday. -Kentucky’s basketball Wildcats, facing one of the biggest rebuilding jobs since the departure of the “Fabulous Five” in 1949, open a challenging, 24-game schedule on December 4 by meeting archrival of the court, Louisiana State, at Lexington. Minus the services of the “Big Three” of last season’s undefeated national champions, All-Americans Cliff Hagan and Frank Ramsey plus Lou Tsioropoulos, the charges of Coach Adolph Rupp will be hard pressed to maintain a glittering record that has seen them undefeated by a conference team since the finals of the SEC Tournament in 1951. Top threats on the coming season’s power-packed schedule, which could spell finis to UK’s national-record-length home floor win streak of 124 games, are defending NCAA Tournament champion LaSalle, who will be a participant in the second annual UK Invitational Tournament, and SEC powerhouse Alabama. -Charles Murray, Eubank, was among 11 Air Force men who were injured recently in the fiery crash of a navigation training plane at the Tucson, Ariz., Municipal Airport. Four other men were killed. The plane, a T-29 from Ellington Air Force Base, Texas, struck a power line while coming in for an emergency landing after a power failure. Murray is reported to be improving. -Second Lieutenant Morris E. Burton, who recently entered military service in the air corps, is now in training at Lackland Air Base in Texas. -Pvt. Donald Jones of West Somerset will graduate this week from the Pole Line Construction Course, one of the many courses offered at The Southeastern Signal School, Camp Gordon, Georgia. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Jones. The Pole Line Construction Course, which is eight weeks in length, trains selected enlisted men to construct, maintain and rehabilitate open wire, cable and field wire communications systems. During his training, Pvt. Jones received a technical education worth thousands of dollars. He will now be reassigned to an active unit of the United States Army. -Retail grocery and hardware business at Burnside, Ky. for sale. Due to ill health, I am forced to dispose of The Nunn Shop located on French Avenue in Burnside. This is a nice small Grocery and Hardware business that is going good and offers a wonderful opportunity for a young couple to have their own business with a small investment. Will sell my entire stock of new, fresh merchandise at the invoice price, and will give a good lease on the new store building, which is completely modern with a full basement, automatic gas furnace and adequate fixtures of all kinds. Will also consider selling the building along with the business. The building is constructed so it could be used as office space or most any other purpose desired. For further information call or see Mrs. G.C. Nunn at The Nunn Shop. Phone 58 or 29. -Leason L. Waters, superintendent of the C.N.O. & T.P. Division of the Southern Railroad here since September 1948, was promoted to superintendent of the Washington Division of the company this week. He will be succeeded by H.R. Moore, the present superintendent of the Washington Division. Mr. and Mrs. Waters will leave this week end to make their home in Alexandria, Virginia and will move their furnishings about the middle of December. Mr. Moore has been superintendent of the Washington Division for the past two years. He and his family will move here next week. He will assume his duties as superintendent here December 1. Mr. Waters, a native Tennessean, started working for the Southern as station helper in 1918 and worked his way up to superintendent of terminals at Meridian in 1945. In 1947 he was promoted to superintendent at Selma, Ala. He came to Somerset from Selma. During his career, Mr. Waters served as trainmaster for the C.N.O. & T.P. under Superintendent R.C. Reid. When he came here as superintendent he succeeded W.H. Oglesby. Mr. Waters is vice president of the Somerset Rotary Club, member of the Booster Club and Country Club and has attended the Presbyterian Church regularly. -Mr. James Eastham has resigned his position with the Metropolitan Insurance Company and is now with the Morton Salt Company. -The personnel of the Pulaski Drug Store enjoyed an oyster supper Friday night at the home of Mrs. Betty Reynolds in Colonial Village. -Mrs. Edward Jarvis, Mr. and Mrs. John Murphy Parker, Mr. and Mrs. James Prather, Victor Sams and James McClung, Mr. and Mrs. Norman I. Taylor and James Stigall of Burnside attended the meeting of the Kentucky Association of Insurance Agents in Louisville the first of the week. -Contracts for construction of two new Somerset elementary schools were awarded Monday night to the Forbes and Taylor Construction Company of Lexington. The company bid a total of $583,700 on the buildings. ... O’Leary Meece, superintendent of city schools, said construction of the Porter H. Hopkins and Parker schools will probably start about the middle of December. The school bonds are scheduled to be sold the first week in December. The Lexington firm bid $214,800 on the Parker school and $368,900 on the Porter Hopkins school. The company has 365 days to construct Parker school and 400 days to build the Porter Hopkins school. The Porter H. Hopkins school site on May Street is adjacent to the present College Street school property. The site with adjoining playground contains approximately 7.5 acres. Parker School will be erected on the old Housing Commission lots on Bourne Avenue. The site contains about five acres. Each of the new buildings will house the first six grades. -Mrs. Mayme Powers, faculty member of the Pulaski County High School, attended the meeting of the Kentucky Home Economics Association held in the roof garden of the Brown Hotel in Louisville Friday and Saturday. -Miss Elgie Woods, accompanied by Mrs. L.I. Farmer and Miss Ouida Farmer spent the week end in Louisville where Miss Woods attended the annual convention of the Kentucky Teachers Music Teachers Association held Friday and Saturday at the University of Louisville School of Music. Miss Woods was chairman of the piano section. -Twenty-three Pulaski County 4-H Club project champions will receive awards at the 11th annual 4-H Achievement Banquet Monday at Hotel Beecher. The banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m. James Criswell of the University of Kentucky’s agricultural economics department will be the principal speaker and will talk on “Getting Established in Farming.” The banquet is being held under the auspices of the Somerset Chamber of Commerce. Ira Yeary, president of the chamber, will preside at the event. The invocation will be given by J.T. Wilson, chairman of the chamber’s industrial committee, and musical selections will be sung by the Pulaski County High School trio. The trio will be accompanied at the piano by Mrs. Meriel Harris. Each of the champions will receive a $25 U.S. Savings Bond from the sponsor of his or her project. Other awards will be presented by Oris Meece, secretary of the chamber. The project champions, with leaders in parenthesis, are: Canning — Kaye Correll, Oak Hill (Mrs. Charles Correll); clothing — Mildred Correll, Oak Hill (Mrs. Charles Correll); dress revue — Gaye Jewell Gibson, Quinton (Mrs. Jesse Gibson); foods — Phyllis Shelton, Science Hill (Mrs. J.O. Grabeel); housekeeping — Jean Head, Plato-Vanhook (Mrs. Johnnie Head); frozen foods — Francis Harris, Burdine No. 2 (Mrs. Everett Price); girls’ leadership — Elaine Price, Burdine No. 2 (Mrs. Everett Price); room improvement — Louanna Burton, Plato-Vanhook (Mrs. Harris Purcell); boys’ leadership — J.W. Grabeel, Science Hill (Mrs. J.O. Grabeel); beef — Fayrene Purcell, Plato-Vanhook (B.J. Purcell); corn — Arnold Duncan, Eubank (Alvis Duncan); dairy — Norma Jean Price, Caney Fork (Mrs. James Vanhook); farm labor — Charles Taylor, Burdine No. 2 (Everett Price); tractor maintenance — Nancy Henry, Eubank (L.C. Henry, Sr.); garden — Frank Burkett, Cedar Point (Mrs. O.H. Burkett); poultry — Joseph Morris, Science Hill (Mrs. Roscoe Morris); sheep — Christine Rogers, Nancy (Mrs. Willie Rogers); special crops (strawberries) — Carroll Burkett, Cedar Point (O.H. Burkett); swine — Glen Smith, Pulaski (Paul D. Smith); tobacco — James Purcell, Plato-Vanhook (Harris Purcell); forestry — Boone Burton, Jr., Plato-Vanhook (Boone Burton, Sr.); home-yard improvement — Lida Louise Jones, Cabin Hollow (Mrs. Jimmie Jones); farm and home electric — C.P. Schoolcraft, Cedar Point (Mrs. Stella Schoolcraft). -Mrs. Charles Hoffman entertained the members of her bridge club Thursday night at her home at 120 Crab Orchard Road. Prizes for high scores were awarded Mrs. Robert Haney, Mrs. John Prather and Mrs. Harry Thames. -Mrs. Joe Henry Hussing entertained the members of her luncheon bridge club Tuesday at her home on College Street. Winners of high scores were Mrs. M.E. Graybeal, Mrs. Abraham Newton and Mrs. Paul Dexheimer. -A revival opened Sunday at the High Street Baptist Church, with the Rev. R.A. Hill, pastor, as the evangelist, and the Rev. Charles E. Graves as gospel singer. Services begin at 7:30 p.m., and will be held at that time each night throughout the revival, which will continue through November 30. The public is cordially invited to attend these services. -The Women’s Christian Temperance Union will meet Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the First Baptist Church. All members are urged to attend. -The Bradley’s Chapel Methodist Church was reopened Sunday afternoon with preaching by Dr. C.N. White, Superintendent of the Danville District. Rev. Raymond Roy was appointed as pastor and services are to be held each Thursday night at 7 o’clock beginning the first Thursday in December. This is to be a community Methodist church and all denominations are invited to assist in the work of the church. Special quartets are invited and urged to be present at the first service. The church is for the whole community. -Mr. and Mrs. Charles Goff of Elihu announce the arrival of a son, Gary Edwin, November 10. This is their third child and second son. Mrs. Goff was Miss Magdalene Phelps before her marriage. -Dr. and Mrs. John P. Hill, Jr., are receiving congratulations on the arrival of a son Sunday at the Somerset City Hospital. He is their second child and second son and has been named Bruce Pickering. Mrs. Hill before her marriage was Miss Doris Pickering of Atlanta. -Announcement is made of the birth of a son, John Vaughn, to Mr. and Mrs. Ray Gover on Sunday, November 21 at the Somerset City Hospital. Mrs. Gover was Miss Ruth Begley before her marriage. -Mr. and Mrs. Bill Phelps are receiving congratulations on the arrival of a daughter, Mary Lou, November 22, at the Somerset City Hospital. Mrs. Phelps was Miss Ruby June Barnes before her marriage. -Mrs. Rose Bolin and Mr. Floyd Coots were honor guests at a dinner given in celebration of their birthday anniversary by relatives and friends Sunday, November 7, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Coots. Following the bountiful dinner, singing and movies were enjoyed. Guests included Judge R.C. Tartar, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Dause, Mr. Willie Girkey and son, Billy, Mr. Arnold Bolin and daughter, Shirley Ann, Margaret Nolan, Mrs. Thomas Reid and Mrs. Cora Daulton. -Mr. Ernest York was honor guest at a surprise dinner Sunday at his home at Windsor celebrating his 52nd birthday. Those attending were his two sons, Buford and Verlman York, and daughter, Macel York, Mr. and Mrs. P.P. Turner and daughter, Ava, Mr. and Mrs. Linville Owens and daughters, Sharon and Shelia, all of Windsor, Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Turner of Somerset and Rev. W.C. Ramsey of Monticello. Mr. York received many gifts and messages of congratulations. -Mrs. Henry H. Smith is observing her ninety-ninth birthday today at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Gladstone Wesley, and Mr. Wesley. She is in unusually good health for one of her age. Many friends extend congratulations and best wishes. -Mrs. James C. Berry announces the engagement of her daughter, Mrs. Cecil T. Williams, to Murray K. Rogers, of Paducah, Ky. The wedding will take place at 3 o’clock Saturday at the home of the bride, 520 North Main Street. Mrs. Williams is the publisher of The Somerset Journal and Mr. Rogers is a former newspaper publisher and at present is engaged in the printing business in Paducah and two manufacturing businesses in Marion, Ky. For the present the couple will maintain residences in Somerset and Paducah. -Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Dungan announce the engagement of their daughter, Miss Mary Lou Dungan, to Airman Joseph VanHook, son of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. VanHook. No date has been set for the wedding. -In an impressive ceremony solemnized Saturday night, November 13 at 8 o’clock Miss Iva Jean Owens, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Van Owens of Science Hill became the bride of Mr. Gary Dean Hardwick, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hardwick also of Science Hill, at the home of the officiating minister, the Rev. Ernest Farris, at Science Hill. ... Mrs. Donald Bishop, sister of the bride, was matron of honor. ... Mr. Donald Bishop served as best man. The bride is a graduate of Pulaski County High School and is a popular employee of Rose’s Store. The groom attended Science Hill High School and is a graduate of Somerset High School. He is associated with his father in the Hardwick Block and Tile Company Plant at Science Hill. After a wedding trip south the young couple are at home on West Mt. Vernon Street. -At 3 o’clock Saturday afternoon at Pulaski Baptist Church, Miss Gloria Voline Absher, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Absher of Route 1, Eubank, became the bride of Mr. Collas Simpson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Logan Simpson of Science Hill. The Rev. W.L. Sanders officiated at the impressive double ring ceremony. Miss Betty Compton (was the) maid of honor. ... Mr. J.D. Padgett of Waynesburg served as best man. The bride is a graduate of Eubank High School and is a popular employee of the Palm Beach Company Plant. The groom is a graduate of Science Hill High School and the University of Kentucky, Lexington. He is supervisor of Fisher Meat Packing Company, Louisville. After a wedding trip south the young couple are making their home in Louisville. -Mr. and Mrs. Perry Jackson celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary November 13 at their home on Huffaker Street. A buffet luncheon was served at noon and open house was held from 6 to 9 p.m. -Michael Lee Phelps, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Phelps, died at the Somerset City Hospital Wednesday, Nov. 10, two days after his birth. Funeral services were held Nov. 15 at the graveside in the Ringgold cemetery. The Rev. L.D. Fisher conducted the services. -Thomas A. Lewis, 67, prominent Burnside businessman, died Monday Nov. 15, at the Somerset City Hospital following a short illness. Mr. Lewis was born Nov. 21, 1886, the son of the late Thomas and Matilda Brown Lewis. He married Miss Sarah E. Burgess in February of 1905, and she survives him. Mr. Lewis lived most of his life in Burnside and was self-employed as an accountant and bookkeeper for various business firms throughout this section. When he retired last January he was employed by the J. Heber Lewis Oil Company. He had worked for the Lewis Oil Company for 13 years. He was a member of the Burnside Presbyterian Church and transferred his membership to the Pisgah Presbyterian Church when the Burnside church closed. His influence was felt throughout the community and he was held in high esteem and loved by all. Mr. Lewis is survived by his wife and one sister. Funeral services were held Wednesday at the home of George Burgess in Burnside. Burial was in the Burnside cemetery. -Mrs. Ina W. Sears, daughter of Wesley Whitson and Ellen Randall Whitson, passed away Monday, November 22 after a prolonged illness. A native of Pulaski County, she was born March 4, 1871, near Shopville and lived in that community most of her life. She united with the Fellowship Methodist Church at the age of fourteen. On December 29, 1891, she was married to C.M. Sears and to this union were born three daughters and one son. The son passed away at the age of seven years. Mr. Sears suffered an accidental death in 1914. Mrs. Sears taught school in the rural schools for eighteen years. She was active in church work and taught a Sunday School class. Surviving are her three daughters, one brother, and one sister, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon in the chapel of the Denney-Murrell-Ramsey funeral home. Interment was in the Randall cemetery near Shopville. -William Carlos Phelps, 60, Pulaski County merchant, died Tuesday at his home in Colonial Village, Somerset, following an illness of three years. A life long resident of this county, Mr. Phelps was born at Elrod June 16, 1894, the son of James William and Amanda Meece Phelps. He married Miss Sarah Adams at Coin, Ky., May 15, 1915, and eight children blessed this union. Mr. Phelps was a member of the Pleasant View Baptist Church for many years. He served his church faithfully and well, giving freely of his time and energies to the advancement and welfare of its congregation. Mr. Phelps is survived by his wife; his father; three daughters, five sons, one sister, and six grandchildren. Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the Nelson Valley Baptist Church. Burial was in the Pleasant View cemetery at Welborn. The Briar Jumpers yesterday accepted a bid to play in the Cumberland Falls Invitational Basketball Tournament which will be played in Corbin Dec. 29-Jan. 1. Athletic Director William Marshall Clark, in making the announcement, said there would be eight teams competing in the tourney. Included will be squads from Ashland, Male, Paris and Corbin. -Waddle Motor Co. – Buick and Pontiac dealers. Body and paint shop. Expert repair on all makes of cars. Wrecks rebuilt. Cars painted. Glass installed. Free estimates. 126 S. Main St. Phone 596. -Albertson’s Radio & TV – 105 W. Mt. Vernon. Phone 378. Admiral giant 21” TV, new “printed” robot chassis plus all these quality features: 270 sq. in. “Aluminized” picture tube, new all-screen “Space-Saver” cabinet, full 18-tube complement. Only $159.95. -A. Goldenberg – Christmas Sale. 50th anniversary bargains. Seven piece bedroom suite, $139.95. -Dr. Douglas Myers, Chiropractor – 110 1⁄2 N. Main Street. Phone 1535. Hours 9 to 12, 1 to 4 except Wednesday. -Truesdell Wilson Sales & Service – Mt. Vernon and Highway 80. Come drive America’s most smartly different car. Chrysler’s new 100-million-dollar look. -Denney-Murrell-Ramsey Co. Funeral Directors – Air conditioned. Day and night ambulance service. W.C. Thornton, manager. C.J. Hayden, assistant. John V. Gover, assistant. Mrs. Martha Addington, lady assistant. Passion – Africa Adventure – The Golden Mistress – Secret of Outlaw Flats – The Egyptian – Wings of the Hawk – Flame of Araby – Drums in the Deep South – The Half-Breed – Dangerous When Wet – Above and Beyond – Clash by Night – Latin Lovers
Up 860% in the last 12 months alone, Summit Therapeutics ( SMMT -2.53% ) is a skyrocketing stock that likely has more upside in store. Nonetheless, rapid gains like that tend to imply some downside risk for new investors, and this biotech is no exception. So, let's uncover the hidden risk here and what you need to know about it. This company's fate isn't entirely in its own hands Since it doesn't have any revenue yet, Summit's strategy is to license its pipeline assets from Akesobio , a larger biotech based in China. Its lead program and only clinical-stage candidate, an antibody called ivonescimab, is no exception. Although ivonescimab is approved for treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by China's National Medical Products Administration, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S., or any other regulatory agency, is yet to approve it. Summit is thus performing a pair of phase 3 clinical trials in the U.S. testing the antibody for the same indications, hoping to generate a dataset that regulators at the FDA will find compelling enough to grant the approval for commercialization. A third phase 3 trial is planned, and it's expected to start in 2025. So, there is a well-known risk (to biopharma investors, at least) of those clinical trials failing to replicate Akesobio's results or otherwise failing to impress regulators in the U.S. But with no independently developed pipeline programs to its name, Summit is likely planning to continue to license additional programs from Akesobio rather than investing in early-stage research and development (R&D) . That could be a sustainable and ultimately very profitable strategy, because the Chinese biotech is investigating ivonescimab for a slew of additional indications beyond NSCLC, including head and neck cancer, ovarian cancer, colorectal cancer, and several others. Success with those programs would thus expand ivonescimab's total addressable market without requiring much in the way of a commitment up front from Summit. Alas, that's also the source of the stock's hidden risk, and it's a fierce one. If Akesobio fails in any of its ongoing or future clinical trials with ivonescimab, it will sharply dent the drug's addressable market -- and Summit's stock will be dented right along with it. The fact that it hasn't yet signed on the dotted line to license any additional indications from Akesobio doesn't matter; there is every indication that for Summit, Akesobio's pipeline is the only game in town when it comes to near-term opportunities for growth. Furthermore, unless ivonescimab is a cancer wonder drug of some kind (something that nobody should be betting on), stumbles in drug development are inevitable -- and, unfortunately, especially likely for applications in oncology. Things could still turn out for the best Don't rush to sell this company's stock on the basis of the significant risk waiting in the wings. In Summit's context, Akesobio's clinical setbacks could be good buying opportunities , provided the therapy aces clinical trials next time around, of course. From a financial standpoint, this is more than likely. As of the third quarter, Summit has $487 million in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments. Its R&D expenses were only around $38 million. Even with the planned expansions of the ivonescimab clinical trials next year, this company will still have enough cash to continue pursuing its licensing-based strategy for quite some time before it will need to consider raising more capital. Therefore, as its near-term needs for capital are minimal, damage to its share price is not an impediment, since it likely won't be issuing more shares anytime soon to keep the lights on. In other words, as long as Akesobio has more clinical trials ongoing and in the works, Summit can likely weather a few failures of its partner, even if it's a little painful for shareholders. That calculation will change if ivonescimab whiffs on most of its clinical trial objectives, of course. For now, it isn't worth avoiding Summit's stock. While it does face considerable risks, some of which are out of its hands, it also has the benefit of being somewhat shielded from the very high risks of burning money on early-stage clinical trials. Still, one thing is clear: To know where Summit Therapeutics' stock is going, keep your eyes on Akesobio.LONDON -- Bukayo Saka will miss more than two months after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury, Mikel Arteta has says. Saka limped out of Arsenal's 5-1 win over Crystal Palace on December 21, the latest hammer blow of a season in which the Gunners have suffered a string of injuries to key players. None will be more profoundly felt than the absence of their leading chance creator, assist provider, ball progressor and shot taker. "He had a procedure, everything went well but unfortunately he will be out for many, many weeks," said Arteta, who added when pressed for a timescale: "I said many weeks. I think it will be more than two months. I don't know exactly how much longer. I think it will depend on the scar tissue that starts to heel in the first week or so, the mobility of that. Let's see." Even if Arteta's assessment is slightly too conservative, an absence of just the two months would see Saka miss a further nine Premier League games at a time when Arsenal need a winning run to haul in Liverpool. He would also miss the remainder of the Champions League league phase games, the knockout round if Arsenal are required to play it and may even be a doubt for the round of 16. Saka was not the only forward missing from the Arsenal side that ran out 1-0 winners over Ipswich, Raheem Sterling missing from a second straight Premier League matchday squad with a knee injury. That, however, is progressing encouragingly for Arsenal. "The news with Raz I think is better," said Arteta. "We have to see this week how he evolves but we expected the injury to probably take longer than actually the way the knee is evolving in the last few days. Hopefully that's good because we need it." Sterling has struggled to impress since joining on loan from Chelsea on deadline day but given Saka's absence opportunities will doubtless come his way to turn the tide. Replacing Saka will surely be beyond a 30 year old who appears to be in decline but, robbed of one of the Premier League's best players, Arsenal are going to need all the hope they can get.
Vivek Ramaswamy's Read On American 'Mediocrity' Sparks Conservative Immigration Skirmish
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