South Korean law enforcement officials have requested a court warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. They are investigating whether his short-lived martial law decree earlier this month amounted to rebellion. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military authorities into the power grab that lasted only a few hours, confirmed it requested the warrant on Monday. Investigators plan to question Mr Yoon on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion. Mr Yoon has dodged several requests by the joint investigation team and public prosecutors to appear for questioning and has also blocked searches of his offices. It is not clear whether the court will grant the warrant or whether Mr Yoon can be compelled to appear for questioning. Under the country’s laws, locations potentially linked to military secrets cannot be seized or searched without the consent of the person in charge and it is unlikely Mr Yoon will voluntarily leave his residence if he faces detainment. Mr Yoon’s presidential powers were suspended after the National Assembly voted to impeach him on December 14 over his imposition of martial law that lasted only hours but has triggered weeks of political turmoil, halted high-level diplomacy and rattled financial markets. His fate lies with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to uphold the impeachment and formally remove Mr Yoon from office or reinstate him. Mr Yoon has defended the martial law decree as a necessary act of governance, describing it as a warning against the liberal opposition Democratic Party, which has been bogging down his agenda with its majority in the parliament. Parliament voted last week to also impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who had assumed the role of acting president after Mr Yoon’s powers were suspended, over his reluctance to fill three Constitutional Court vacancies ahead of the court’s review of Mr Yoon’s case. The country’s new interim leader is Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, who is also finance minister.College women’s basketball: Goodlett makes game-winner for Catawba
After reaching a new high in 2024, global demand for coal is set to level off in the coming years as a surge in renewable power helps to meet soaring demand for electricity around the world, according to an IEA report out today. Coal 2024 – the new edition of the IEA’s annual coal market report, which analyses the latest trends and updates medium-term forecasts – shows that global coal use has rebounded strongly after plummeting at the height of the pandemic. It is poised to rise to 8.77 billion tonnes in 2024, a record. According to the report, demand is set to stay close to this level through 2027 as renewable energy sources play a greater role in generating power and coal consumption levels off in China. The electricity sector in China is particularly important to global coal markets, with one out of every three tonnes of coal consumed worldwide burned at a power plant in the country. In 2024, China continued to diversify its power sector, advance the construction of nuclear plants and accelerate its huge expansion of solar PV and wind capacity. This should help limit increases in coal consumption through 2027, according to the report, though it also highlights a number of key uncertainties in its analysis. Electricity use in a number of countries, including China, is growing at a strong pace due to a combination of factors, including the electrification of services like transport and heating, rising demand for cooling, and increasing consumption from emerging sectors such as data centres. Additionally, weather patterns could drive fluctuations in coal consumption in the short term. According to the report, coal demand in China by 2027 could be up to 140 million tonnes higher or lower than forecast due to weather-related variability in renewable generation. The rapid deployment of clean energy technologies is reshaping the global electricity sector, which accounts for two-thirds of the world’s coal use. As a result, our models show global demand for coal plateauing through 2027 even as electricity consumption rises sharply,” said IEA Director of Energy Markets and Security Keisuke Sadamori. “However, weather factors – particularly in China, the world’s largest coal consumer – will have a major impact on short-term trends for coal demand. The speed at which electricity demand grows will also be very important over the medium term.” In most advanced economies, coal demand has already peaked and is expected to keep decreasing through 2027. The pace of decline will continue to depend on the enactment of strong policies, such as those implemented in the European Union, and the availability of alternative power sources, including cheap natural gas in the United States and Canada. Meanwhile, demand for coal is still increasing in some emerging economies where electricity demand is rising sharply along with economic and population growth, such as India, Indonesia and Viet Nam. In emerging economies, growth is mainly driven by coal demand from the power sector, although industrial use is also going up. Coal prices today remain 50% higher than the average seen between 2017 and 2019. Coal production reached an all-time high in 2024, though growth is expected to flatten through 2027 as structural changes take hold. International trade of coal by volume is also set to reach a record in 2024 of 1.55 billion tonnes. However, looking ahead, global trade volumes are set to shrink, with thermal coal seeing the biggest decline. According to the report, Asia remains the centre of international coal trade, with all of the largest importing countries in the region, including China, India, Japan, Korea and Viet Nam, while the largest exporters include Indonesia and Australia. Source: IEA
International Business Machines Co. ( NYSE:IBM – Get Free Report ) was down 0.8% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $224.27 and last traded at $226.92. Approximately 2,995,121 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 29% from the average daily volume of 4,246,416 shares. The stock had previously closed at $228.83. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts recently commented on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $250.00 target price on shares of International Business Machines in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on International Business Machines from $205.00 to $246.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. Bernstein Bank increased their target price on International Business Machines from $185.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 3rd. Evercore ISI lifted their price target on International Business Machines from $215.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 11th. Finally, StockNews.com cut International Business Machines from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 20th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $208.12. Read Our Latest Report on International Business Machines International Business Machines Stock Performance International Business Machines ( NYSE:IBM – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 23rd. The technology company reported $2.30 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.27 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $14.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.08 billion. International Business Machines had a return on equity of 40.52% and a net margin of 10.22%. The company’s revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.20 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that International Business Machines Co. will post 10.12 EPS for the current year. International Business Machines Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 12th will be paid a $1.67 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, November 12th. This represents a $6.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.94%. International Business Machines’s dividend payout ratio is presently 97.23%. Insider Transactions at International Business Machines In other news, SVP Nickle Jaclyn Lamoreaux sold 3,600 shares of International Business Machines stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.20, for a total value of $774,720.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 25,390 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,463,928. The trade was a 12.42 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link . 0.07% of the stock is owned by insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On International Business Machines Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. raised its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 1,054.5% in the third quarter. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. now owns 127 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 116 shares during the last quarter. Hara Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of International Business Machines in the third quarter worth about $29,000. Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group acquired a new position in shares of International Business Machines during the second quarter worth approximately $36,000. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC lifted its position in shares of International Business Machines by 37.0% during the second quarter. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC now owns 222 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital Performance Advisors LLP bought a new stake in shares of International Business Machines during the third quarter valued at approximately $43,000. 58.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About International Business Machines ( Get Free Report ) International Business Machines Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated solutions and services worldwide. The company operates through Software, Consulting, Infrastructure, and Financing segments. The Software segment offers a hybrid cloud and AI platforms that allows clients to realize their digital and AI transformations across the applications, data, and environments in which they operate. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for International Business Machines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for International Business Machines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen seemed to sense the question might arise after his club was eliminated from playoff consideration Sunday with a ghastly 45-33 loss to the host New York Giants in East Rutheford, N.J. The Giants were 2-13 and had lost a franchise-record 10 straight games entering the contest and their season-high point total Sunday more than tripled their season average of 14.3 points per game. It was the type of bad loss that leads to head coaches being asked about their job security. "I control what I can control," Steichen said of the employment situation. The Colts (7-9) were outplayed all contest by the team that entered the day with the worst record in the NFL -- and with their playoff hopes on the line. Last season, Steichen's first as Indianapolis coach, the Colts also fell short, losing to the Houston Texans in the final week of the season to miss the playoffs. "It was as disappointing as it gets," Steichen said of the setback against the Giants. "As the leader of a football team, shoot, I always say I've got to be better, we've all got to be better. That's a group effort, everyone's got to chip in and do their part, so stuff like that doesn't happen." Giants quarterback Drew Lock passed for 309 yards and tied his career high of four touchdowns while also running for a score. Meanwhile, the Colts also went with a reserve quarterback in veteran Joe Flacco and he turned the ball over three times on two interceptions and a fumble. He also passed for 330 yards. Flacco started because rookie Anthony Richardson couldn't play due to back and foot injuries. Indianapolis completes the season next weekend at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. "I know it's a tough situation, obviously, when you're out of the playoff hunt, but again, I told (the team) we've got to be professional about it," Steichen said. "That's the biggest thing. We've got to show up and do our job still with one week left." The Colts last made the playoffs in the 2020 season. Their last playoff win was two seasons earlier. --Field Level MediaFormer Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has claimed that the independent analysis by the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership of the Edo State governorship election has thrown Governor Monday Okpebholo into a frenzy. Recall that Osita Chidoka, the founder of the Centre, had claimed that the governorship election results shouldn’t have stood. Chidoka, who presented the Athena Centre’s findings on the Edo State election on Channels Television’s Politics Today, stated that there was substantial evidence of systemic rigging . But in a statement to Naija News on Saturday, Okpebholo’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, said in a well-orchestrated plot hatched by the PDP, in connivance with Chidoka, tried to bully and blackmail the judiciary into circumventing the will of Edo people. He said the shameful display on Channels Television’s Politics Today reeled out numbers purchased from ‘Oluwole market,’ and impetuously concluded that the 21st September governorship election in Edo State was rigged. In a swift reaction to Okpebholo’s comments, Obaseki’s Media Adviser, Crusoe Osagie, in a statement to Naija News , said the program on Channels TV showed overwhelming evidence and data exposing the systemic rigging and brazen subversion of the people’s will during the September 21 governorship election. According to the former governor’s aide, the show must have been a difficult 30 minutes for even the most vile criminal. He said the analysis revealed a widespread manipulation and substantial interference in the electoral process by the umpire, noting that the APC who is party to the robbery would rather the findings be dismissed, distorted, or buried under a barrage of propaganda and baseless accusations. His statement read: “ The independent analysis by the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, a non-partisan research institute, of the sham of an election that installed Monday Okpebholo as governor of Edo State clearly threw the governor-select and his godfathers into a frenzy yesterday. “Channels TV, in their show, Politics Today, had the mindless and unprecedented transgressions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and their conspirators, the Edo All Progressives Congress (APC) laid bare. The show must have been a difficult 30 minutes for even the most vile criminal. “Taunted by overwhelming evidence and data exposing the systemic rigging and brazen subversion of the people’s will during the September 21 governorship election, the APC, rather than covering their faces in shame, resorted to smear campaign, lies and propaganda, in a last-ditch effort to distract from the daylight robbery, and undermine the integrity of revered institutions advocating for the judiciary to right the wrong of the electoral umpire and their conspirators. “The independent analysis broadcast yesterday is the outcome of a forensic examination of data and documents made available to the research institute by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It revealed a widespread manipulation and substantial interference in the electoral process by the umpire. But the APC who is party to the robbery would rather the findings be dismissed, distorted, or buried under a barrage of propaganda and baseless accusations. “Among other things, the centre uncovered shocking discrepancies in the election results, showing that INEC inflated the number of accredited voters by over 100,000 in 798 polling units. They also discovered that polling officers recorded 580,000 accredited voters, yet INEC’s backend mysteriously produced 687,000, which further buttressed the evidence that it deliberately tampered with the election. “There were also glaring inconsistencies between INEC’s certified results and the data uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV). Specifically, the forensic analysis revealed that results of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were slashed by 11,665 votes during collation, while 32,284 votes were illegally added to APC’s tally, showing the brazen manipulation and fraud perpetrated against the people of Edo State during the last governorship election. “Unsurprisingly, as a party of electoral fraudsters, the APC would prefer that this fraud on a massive scale is upheld and normalized, seeking desperately to silence voices of dissent and attacking any institution or individual who dares to speak out against this barefaced theft of the people’s mandate. “In their desperate quest for power at all costs, the APC has continued to undermine democratic processes, distort the truth, and manipulate the system to have a grip on power. This shows what the APC really represents – a party that values personal and political gain over the interest and will of the people, willing to subvert justice and erode the very foundations of democracy to achieve their selfish objectives. “While we sympathize with the APC over their trauma from the public exposure of their electoral fraud in Edo State by the Athena Centre, we want to restate that we will not be distracted in our resolve to reclaim the mandate duly given by the good people of Edo State. We trust in the impartiality of the judiciary and are confident that they will rise above the distractions and intimidation tactics of the APC, ensuring that justice is served and the will of the people prevails.”
BROOKFIELD, Conn., Dec. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Photronics, Inc. PLAB , a worldwide leader in photomask technologies and solutions, announced today the appointment of David Garcia to the company's Board of Directors on December 12, 2024. This election expands Board membership to nine members, seven of whom are independent. Mr. Garcia is currently a strategic advisor and previously spent approximately 30 years practicing law, most recently at Holland & Hart after starting his career at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and Venture Law Group. His extensive experience spans mergers & acquisitions, venture capital financing transactions and securities offerings. He has counseled both publicly and privately held companies in their corporate and governance affairs and has additional experience in structuring corporate partnering transactions and technology development, distribution and licensing arrangements. "We welcome David to the Photronics Board of Directors," said Constantine ("Deno") Macricostas, chairman. "His extensive experience in financings, M&A, and other securities transactions will be valuable as the company evaluates a variety of business development opportunities." Mr. Garcia received an A.B. in Sociology with a concentration in organizational behavior from Stanford University in 1989, and a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1992. About Photronics Photronics is a leading worldwide manufacturer of integrated circuit (IC) and flat panel display (FPD) photomasks. High precision quartz plates that contain microscopic images of electronic circuits, photomasks are a key element in the IC and FPD manufacturing process. Founded in 1969, Photronics has been a trusted photomask supplier for over 50 years. The company operates 11 strategically located manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe, and North America. Additional information on the company can be accessed at www.photronics.com . Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" regarding our industry, our strategic position, and our financial and operating results. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially. Please refer to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023 and other subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These documents contain and identify important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in these forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. We are under no duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this release to conform these statements to actual results. For Further Information: Ted Moreau VP, Investor Relations 469.395.8175 tmoreau@photronics.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
No. 25 Illinois rebounds in big way, blasts UMES 87-40The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has confirmed that its website has been compromised, as cyberattacks targeting public institutions in Nigeria continue to rise. In a statement on its X handle on Wednesday night, the NBS announced, “ This is to inform the public that the NBS website has been hacked, and we are working to recover it. Please disregard any messages or reports posted until the website is fully restored. Thank you.” Checks on the NBS website at 9:45 p.m. revealed a nearly blank page displaying the message, “ Page Hacked .” This incident is part of a growing trend of cyber breaches targeting government websites. In March, a significant breach was reported when FIJ revealed that the private website XpressVerify.com had access to the National Identification Numbers (NINs) and personal details of registered Nigerians. To combat these persistent threats, the federal government has issued over 30 cyberattack advisories in the past year. Check Point Software Technologies, a cybersecurity firm, highlighted the increasing frequency of attacks, placing Nigeria 19th globally for cyber threats in July 2024. The firm also reported that government agencies in the country face an average of 1,791 cyberattacks weekly.
Surface-to-air missile launcher, military medals stolen in break-in
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Sensex, Nifty Next Week: Are Bulls Back? Why Did Market Rise Despite FII Outflow?LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jimmy Carter was honored with a moment of silence before the Atlanta Falcons’ game at the Washington Commanders on Sunday night, hours after the 39th president of the United States died at the age of 100 in Plains, Georgia. Beyond being a Georgia native who led the country from the White House less than 8 miles (12 kilometers) away during his time in office from 1977-81, Carter was the first president to host the NFL's Super Bowl champions there when he welcomed the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1980. Falcons owner Arthur Blank in a statement released by the team before kickoff said he was deeply saddened by the loss of his dear friend and mentor, calling Carter “a great American, a proud Georgian and an inspirational global humanitarian.” “He lived his life with great civic responsibility and took it upon himself to be the change he wished to see amongst other,” Blank said, recalling meeting Carter at The Home Depot. “President Carter’s kind and uniting spirit touched so many lives. He was a man of deep faith, and did everything with principal and grace, doing things the right way for the right reasons." AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Medical devices companies in the country are of the view that investments and job opportunities will spearhead the growth of this sector. As one of the fastest growing within the healthcare ecosystem, valued at $15.35 billion in 2023, and expected to grow over $20 billion by 2029, India can be the fourth largest Asian medical devices market after Japan, China, and South Korea. Arvind Vaishnav, head, Philips Innovation Campus and Innovation Partnerships--Growth region, Philips, said "The emphasis on automation across healthcare is likely to increase globally. There is a concerted effort towards addressing staff shortages and relieving staff of repetitive tasks and processes. We are already witnessing this with generative AI functioning as a virtual assistant, organizing clinical notes and simplifying ways patient information is communicated across teams. It is also now apparent that AI will be adopted beyond automation. It is proven that AI can help simplify complex diagnostics, enabling less experienced professionals to provide high-quality care with confidence. Imagine, AI embedded in ultrasound systems. It allows physicians to detect, diagnose and monitor cardiac conditions more confidently and efficiently. From a technology perspective, new technologies for minimally invasive procedures are becoming more advanced. This implies the need for physicians to collect and analyze data from a wide range of sources, such as live X-ray images, 3D ultrasound, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), to name a few all the while closely monitoring the patient. Hence, integration of systems, software and devices will become increasingly important, he added. In 2025, technology trends in healthcare will transition towards managing health outside of the hospital. Advances in technology solutions is expected to support remote detection of patient health risks based on vital signs and other data, said Vaishnav. According to Hariharan Subramanian, managing director, Siemens Healthcare, "India is on track to become a global leader in medical device manufacturing. By scaling up domestic production of high-quality medical equipment, the country will reduce its reliance on imports, achieve self-sufficiency, and stimulate economic growth. Fuelled by rising demand, there is a boost to local production of high-quality devices, and the integration of digital and AI technologies. Moreover, a renewed emphasis on research and development is driving innovation, resulting in safer, more sustainable, and accessible healthcare solutions. With a growing export market on the horizon, the MedTech sector is expected to create significant employment opportunities, nurturing a new generation of experts who will spearhead India's future healthcare innovations, he added. “We have built a strong infrastructure that promotes collaborative innovation, encourages open research and development, and drives manufacturing excellence. Our Innovation Hub, currently under construction in Bengaluru, will set standards for the workplace of the future. The new campus aims to intensify collaboration and creativity, coupled with environmentally friendly, sustainable, energy-efficient solutions. An investment of almost Euro 200 million makes it the largest site of Siemens Healthineers globally in terms of built-up area”, said Subramanian. Himanshu Baid, managing director, Poly Medicure, said, "India's med-tech sector is writing a new chapter in global healthcare innovation. The focus on domestic manufacturing, skill development, and healthcare infrastructure has laid the groundwork for India to emerge as a leader in cutting-edge med-tech solutions.” To build on this momentum, it is imperative for companies to step up their investments in R&D and innovation. The future belongs to those who can develop transformative technologies that address the healthcare needs of a dynamic and diverse world. By addressing key supply chain challenges and fostering a culture of innovation, India is poised to set new benchmarks in global healthcare, creating a legacy of excellence and better health outcomes for all, said Baid.