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Globe Newswire - Dec 18th, 2024
Polyrizon's Moving Forward with Expected 2025 Clinical Trial - Entered Manufacturing Agreement for its PL-14 Allergy Blocker
The engagement with an EU-based GMP manufacturing facility enables timely production and preparation for clinical trial. The EU-based GMP manufacturer has large-scale commercial production capabilities, to support Polyrizon in future commercialization efforts
Newsweek - Dec 18th, 2024
How Seriously Foster Puppy Takes 'Dryer Duty' Has Internet in Stitches
"Petunia's beef with the dryer runs DEEP," one user said. Another added: "Do you have a gas dryer? If so please get it checked for a leak immediately."
Clickondetroit - Dec 18th, 2024
Slushy Wednesday with Accumulating Late Week
Light, wet snow this morning. Snow may mix with rain across our southern areas. Accumulating snow is likely later this week.
The Sun - Dec 18th, 2024
Americans to get up to $1,100 as part of $2.93m privacy settlement – you don’t need to show bank statement to get cash
Raw Story - Dec 18th, 2024
Filipina on Indonesia death row arrives home to 'new life'
A Filipina who spent nearly 15 years on Indonesia's death row tearfully reunited with family members Wednesday after arriving in Manila, where she now awaits a hoped-for pardon in a women's prison.Mother of two Mary Jane Veloso landed at daybreak, then was immediately transferred to prison following a repatriation deal between the two countries over a decade in the making.Technically still serving a life sentence, how long she remains behind bars is now in the hands of President Ferdinand Marcos.The 39-year-old was arrested and sentenced to death in 2010 after the suitcase she was carrying was found to be lined with 2.6 kilograms (5.7 pounds) of heroin, in a case that sparked uproar in the Philippines.Veloso wept as she hugged one of her sons and her parents Wednesday inside the Correctional Institution for Women in Manila, where she is being detained under the terms of a transfer agreement with Indonesia that removed the possibility of execution.She flew home without handcuffs alongside Filipino correctional officials on an overnight commercial flight after a Jakarta ceremony marking "the end of a harrowing chapter in Veloso's life", the corrections bureau said in a statement."I hope our president (Ferdinand Marcos) will give me clemency so I can go back to my family. I had been in jail in Indonesia for 15 years over something I did not commit," Veloso, her voice breaking, told reporters after undergoing a medical examination at the Manila prison."We call on our president to grant Mary Jane clemency soon. We hope he will do this as a Christmas gift to us," her mother Celia Veloso added.In a Wednesday statement, Marcos thanked Indonesia for turning over custody, but made no mention of a pardon or clemency.Under the agreement, Veloso's life sentence now falls under the Philippines' purview, "including the authority to grant clemency, remission, amnesty and similar measures"."Definitely, that's on the table," Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez told reporters on Wednesday, adding Veloso's clemency bid would be "seriously studied".She will serve out her life sentence if not pardoned, Vasquez added.Indonesia's government has said it will respect any decision made by Manila.- 'Reciprocity' provision -After her scheduled 2015 execution by firing squad was stayed at the last minute, Veloso became a poster child for her country's 10 million-strong economic diaspora, many of whom take jobs as domestic workers abroad to escape poverty at home.Marcos said last month that Veloso's tale resonated in the Philippines as "a mother trapped by the grip of poverty, who made one desperate choice that altered the course of her life".The reprieve was granted after a woman suspected of recruiting her was arrested on human trafficking charges and Veloso was named as a prosecution witness.The Veloso deal includes a "reciprocity" provision. "If Indonesia requests similar assistance in the future, the Philippines shall fulfill such a request," the agreement states.There has been intense press speculation that Jakarta would seek custody of Gregor Johann Haas, an Australian detained on drug charges in the Philippines earlier this year.He is also being sought by Jakarta over drug smuggling, which could land him the death penalty.Vasquez said Wednesday that Haas' transfer was "not on the table", but that were it requested, Indonesia's decision to transfer Veloso would "be considered with great weight".Indonesia has some of the world's toughest drug laws and has executed foreigners in the past, but new President Prabowo Subianto has agreed to fulfill some requests to hand back prisoners.Indonesia last week transferred home the five remaining members of Australia's "Bali Nine", a group of drug-trafficking convicts, two of whom were executed.It is also in talks with France over the release of Serge Atlaoui, jailed in the archipelago nation since his 2005 arrest.- 'Miracle' -Before leaving Jakarta, Veloso sang the Indonesian national anthem and proclaimed her love for the country, though she is now banned from ever returning."This is a new life for me, and I will have a new beginning in the Philippines," a tearful Veloso told reporters."I have to go home because I have a family there, I have my children waiting for me," she said, adding she wanted to spend Christmas with them."I am very happy today, but to be honest I am a little sad, because Indonesia has been my second family," Veloso added.In her first interview since the repatriation agreement, Veloso told AFP on Friday that her release was a "miracle".According to Indonesia's Ministry of Immigration and Corrections, 96 foreigners were on death row, all on drug charges, as of early November.
CNN - Dec 18th, 2024
5 things to know for Dec. 17: Wisconsin school shooting, UnitedHealthcare CEO, Electoral College, Stock market, Spacewalk | CNN
Benzinga - Dec 18th, 2024
US Stocks To Open Higher As Rate Cut Expectations Surge: All Eyes On Dow Jones To Break Its 9-Day Losing Streak
U.S. stock futures climbed on Wednesday in premarket hours as Wall Street awaits the Federal Reserve’s final interest rate decision for 2024 and its monetary policy forecasts for 2025.On Tuesday, the Dow Jones index fell for the ninth session in a row to record its longest losing streak since 1978.The 10-year and two-year Treasury notes yielded 4.40% and 4.25%, respectively. The Federal Open Market Committee will announce its decision later in the day after a two-day meeting.It is widely expected to announce another interest rate reduction at the conclusion of their meeting on Wednesday. Expectations of a 25 basis point rate cut rose to 95.4%, from 58.7% a month ago, according to CME Group’s FedWatch tool.If the Fed cuts rates, it would be the third consecutive cut, bringing the federal funds rate down from its current level of 4.50% to 4.75%. Following the meeting, Chairman Jerome Powell’s remarks will be closely scrutinized by market participants.Investors will receive another critical economic data point on Friday with the release of the November personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation index. This release follows other inflation indicators that suggest price increases accelerated in November.Prior to that, GDP revisions on Thursday will reveal whether the economy maintained the previously estimated 2.8% growth rate for the third quarter.FuturesChange (+/-)Nasdaq 1000.24%S&P 5000.28%Dow Jones0.24%Russell 20000.49%In premarket trading on Wednesday, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) was up 0.25% to $605.80 and the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ) rose 0.24% to $537.09, according to Benzinga Pro data.Cues From The Last SessionThe Dow Jones Industrial Average extended its losing streak to nine consecutive sessions on Tuesday, its longest downturn since 1978. This negative trend weighed on the broader U.S. stock market.While Tesla shares rallied after a positive analyst upgrade, Nvidia experienced a slight decline.On the economic front, U.S. ...Full story available on Benzinga.com
Raw Story - Dec 18th, 2024
U.S. Fed expected to cut again, despite uncertain path ahead
The U.S. Federal Reserve is widely expected to cut interest rates by a quarter point on Wednesday and signal a slower pace of cuts ahead, brushing off uncertainty about inflation's downward path and the possible impact of some of President-elect Donald Trump's economic proposals. The Fed has made significant progress tackling inflation through interest rate hikes in the last two years, and recently began paring rates back in a bid to boost demand in the economy and support the labor market.In the last couple of months, the Fed's favored inflation has ticked higher, moving away from the bank's long-term target of two percent, and raising concern that the battle against inflation is not over.Nevertheless, the financial markets still overwhelmingly expect the Fed to announce a quarter percentage-point cut on Wednesday, lowering its benchmark lending rate to between 4.25 and 4.50 percent, according to CME Group data."If the Fed wasn't going to do that, they would have dissuaded markets of that notion a long time ago," Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi told AFP on Tuesday. A cut on Wednesday would be the Fed's third in a row and would leave rates a full percentage point below where they were just three months ago. "I'm dubious that another cut is necessary," Citigroup global chief economist Nathan Sheets told AFP. But a rate cut on Wednesday is "very much baked in" at this point, he said. - The Trump transition -AFP Joe Biden, pictured at the White House with Donald Trump in November 2024, will step down in January 2025This is the final planned interest rate decision before Democratic President Joe Biden makes way for Republican Donald Trump, whose economic proposals include tariff hikes, and the mass deportation of millions of undocumented workers. These proposals, combined with the recent uptick in inflation data, have led some analysts to pare back the number of rate cuts they expect in 2025, predicting that interest rates will need to remain higher for longer. At its September rate decision, Fed policymakers penciled in four additional quarter-point rate cuts next year. Many analysts expect Wednesday's updated economic forecasts to show a median expectation of only two or three cuts in 2025."They'll be signaling probably three more cuts next year," said Nathan Sheets from Citigroup, adding he also expected the Fed to slightly raise its inflation forecast, given the recent uptick.Other economists say fewer cuts are likely."I don't think they'll cut three times," said Zandi from Moody's. "We might get another rate cut or two next year, but I don't think much more than that."The futures markets broadly expect that the Fed will pause at the next decision in January 2025, and place a probability of around 70 percent that it will make a total of no more than three quarter-point cuts next year, according to CME Group data.- The challenge for Powell -AFP Powell is expected to suggest that, given recent economic data, the Fed could cut rates more slowly going forward given the recent economic dataIn a recent speech, Fed chair Jerome Powell said the U.S. central bank "can afford to be a little more cautious" going forward as it looks to lower interest rates, given the underlying strength of the US economy. One big challenge Powell will face during the post-decision press conference on Wednesday is how to defend the Fed's expected vote to cut rates, given that the US economy and the labor market are both in relatively good health, while inflation has ticked higher. "We expect Powell will indicate that the Committee believed it was appropriate to continue the re-calibration of its monetary policy stance with another modest reduction," economists at Deutsche Bank wrote in a recent investor note. "The Chair is likely to emphasize that the current policy stance leaves the Committee well placed to respond to risks in both directions," they added. Another big task facing the Fed chair is how to deal with the prospect of some dramatic economic changes once Donald Trump takes office on January 20th.The Fed has a dual mandate from Congress to act independently to tackle inflation and unemployment. But it still has to deal with the implications of government policies on the broader economy."I think it is possible -- conceptually possible -- to have a baseline that's agnostic as to Trump's policies," said Sheets from Citigroup. "And I think that that is the way that Powell is going to try to sell it."© Agence France-Presse
Variety - Dec 18th, 2024
Sundance-Bound ‘Where the Wind Comes From’ Picked Up by Films Boutique (EXCLUSIVE)
Films Boutique has picked up international rights to Amel Guellaty’s “Where the Wind Comes From” (formerly known as “Tunis-Djerba”), ahead of its world premiere in Sundance’s World Dramatic Competition. The International Film Festival Rotterdam will host the European premiere of the coproduction between Tunisia, France and Qatar, which is Guellaty’s first feature. In the film, [...]
ABC News - Dec 18th, 2024
Xi visits casino hub Macao to mark 25 years of its return to Chinese rule
Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun a three-day visit to Macao to mark the 25th anniversary of the casino city’s return to Chinese rule
ABC News - Dec 18th, 2024
Court rules that UK police can seize millions from Andrew Tate in tax dispute
A British court says police can seize more than 2 million pounds ($2.5 million) in unpaid taxes from influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan
ABC News - Dec 18th, 2024
Pakistan postpones polio vaccination drive in southwest after health workers boycotted it
Pakistani authorities have postponed a polio vaccination campaign in the country’s restive southern Balochistan province after health workers boycotted it to oppose a proposed privatization of hospitals
ABC News - Dec 18th, 2024
A British court says police can seize more than $2.5 million from influencer Andrew Tate in tax dispute
A British court says police can seize more than $2.5 million from influencer Andrew Tate in tax dispute
Cleveland - Dec 18th, 2024
School-voucher transparency is an important goal - that may have to wait till next year: editorial
There’s an old saying about healthy government, that sunlight is its best disinfectant. When it comes to Ohio’s expanded EdChoice voucher program, that such sunshine is needed should be evident to everyone in Ohio who cares not just about the proper stewardship of taxpayer money but also about ensuring that school choice offers Ohio parents truly informed school choice, writes the editorial board of The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com.
ABC News - Dec 18th, 2024
The group behind a new European soccer competition has resurfaced. Here's what they propose
The group behind a breakaway European soccer competition to rival the Champions League has resurfaced
The Sun - Dec 18th, 2024
Who won the NBA Cup 2024? Full results after Las Vegas final between Oklahoma City Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks
Benzinga - Dec 18th, 2024
Tesla Design Chief Says EV Giant Was Looking To Create 'Future Version' Of NYC's Yellow Cabs With Gold Cybercab: 'It Feels Right'
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) head of design Franz von Holzhausen explained the choice of gold paint on the company’s recently debuted 2-seater robotaxi model called Cybercab, terming it an attempt to create a future version of a New York City yellow cab.What Happened: “We chose the color gold and it’s really a special color. It really reflects kind of a future version of the idea of a New York City Yellow Cab... we’ve taken that iconic yellow and created something more expressive and more up to-date. The gold is just – it feels right,” Holzhausen said.Holzhausen shared the ...Full story available on Benzinga.com
The Sun - Dec 18th, 2024
Kim Kardashian slammed as ‘reckless’ as she debuts high-heel ankle cast and goes braless at Billie Eilish gig
Deadline - Dec 18th, 2024
UFA Hires ‘September 5’ EP; ‘Patience’ Trailer; BBC/CBC Podcast; AACTA Award Noms — Global Briefs
UFA Hires ‘September 5’ Exec Producer Christoph Müller Fremantle’s German production house UFA has hired Constantin Film’s Christoph Müller for its cinema division. The producer, who is an exec producer on the Golden Globe-nominated September 5, joins from Constantin Film and will begin at UFA Fiction on February 1, 2025. He also is known for [...]
Newsweek - Dec 18th, 2024
How Duck Responds to Dog Going Potty Leaves Internet in Hysterics
"The amount of control that dog showed by not doing a death shake," one user commented under the viral video.
