The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s real estate developer ROSHN Group recently held the groundbreaking ceremony for ALMANAR, its inaugural fully integrated residential community in Makkah. The event was held under the patronage of advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Governor of Makkah Region Prince Khalid Al-Faisal. During the event, attendees had the opportunity to explore the show villas and discover the diverse residential typologies available within the community, highlighting the Group’s mission to transform urban development and improve quality of life in the Kingdom. ALMANAR, a 21 million square meter community by ROSHN, features 33,000 residential units, a sustainable living environment, and green spaces, focusing on human needs. برعاية كريمة من صاحب السمو الملكي الأمير خالد الفيصل بن عبدالعزيز آل سعود، أمير منطقة #مكة_المكرمة ، وبحضور معالي أمين العاصمة المقدسة، أ. مساعد الداود، وسعادة الرئيس التنفيذي للهيئة الملكية لمدينة مكة المكرمة والمشاعر المقدسة، م. صالح الرشيد، وسعادة الرئيس التنفيذي للهيئة العامة... pic.twitter.com/lGWmwourJD It ensures effortless access to a wide array of community facilities and services, including schools, mosques, shopping centers, and healthcare facilities. With vibrant streets, open spaces, and recreational areas, ALMANAR fosters social connections, strengthens community bonds, and cultivates a deep sense of belonging. The community is strategically situated within the Al-Haram Boundaries, just 20 minutes from the Grand Mosque, less than an hour from King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah, and two minutes from Makkah Gate. It is distinctive in its location and design, blending traditional architecture with modern materials, resulting in a distinctive destination. “Spanning over 21 million square meters, ALMANAR will offer over 33,000 homes and provide over 150 amenities to cater to residents’ needs.” “ALMANAR Community represent a pivotal step creating an integrated living environment within Makkah Al-Mukarramah, which will be only 20 minutes away from Al-Masjid Al-Haram. As ROSHN Group, we are committed to both raising the quality of life and contribute to reshaping the urban landscape in Makkah Al-Mukarramah.” ROSHN Group’s Acting Group CEO Dr Khalid Johar said.Rajkumar Kanagasingam is author of German memories of Asia . He reflects robustly on the success stories of Malaysia and Singapore . We have heard so much about these stories, but we should never be tired of reading or listening to these stories – stories that are generally referred to as the success stories of Asian Tigers because these are stories we should leverage on. This is why I have decided to share these stories with you today. Kanagasingam recounts how Mahathir Mohammad and Lee Kuan Yew leaders of Malaysia and Singapore transformed their countries from sleepy colonial outposts into Asia ‘s richest nations. He argues Mahathir’s strategies are well reflected in his macro – economic strategies by adopting the open economic policies with the realization in mind that the world trend of globalization and liberalization is irreversible. For him, we are living in an era of globalization and liberalization, a deeply imbedded neo-classical economic thought and its applications everywhere in the globe. He recalls the former Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong once said far back in the late nineties, when he was the deputy Prime Minister, “It is better to embrace globalization and liberalization proactively, at our own pace, than face the prospect of one day being swept away by the floodwaters of competition.” He says his realization of embracing the globalization and liberalization might have been inherited into him by the strategies of former Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew who in his long tenure, changed Singapore from a sleepy colonial outpost to a prosperous high-tech enclave and applied better open economic policies to make use of the globalization and liberalization in Singapore’s favour. He notes now Singapore ’s per capita GNP is higher than that of its erstwhile colonizer, Great Britain , that it has the world’s busiest port and is the third-largest oil refiner and a major center for global manufacturing and service industries, that this move from poverty to plenty has taken place within one generation. He recounts: “In 1965 Singapore ranked economically with Chile , Argentina and Mexico but today its per capita GNP is four or five times of theirs. Lee Kuan Yew managed this miraculous transformation in Singapore ’s economy while maintaining tight political control over the country. Malaysia and Singapore better managed their economies in Southeast Asia than any other countries in facing the new trends of globalization and liberalization. Mahathir’s strategies have eventually made Malaysia into a Southeast Asian economic superpower with number of megastar Malaysian entrepreneurs. “Tan Sri Ananthakrishnan, who owns the Twin Towers of Malaysia and several other conglomerates, is a role model for many Malaysian entrepreneurs who have given real meaning to the present day Malaysia by transforming Malaysia into one of the Asia ’s wealthiest nations. Tan Sri Anantha Krishnan, a Jaffna origin Malaysian who had a humble beginning as a smalltime bookmaker in Australia and later as a polished dealmaker with a degree from Harvard Business School , became a sophisticated oil trader with connections to many of the Asia’s political and petroleum industry elite with interests in oil and gas fields in the United States . Tan Sri Anandakrishnan later went further into orbit, with the successful launching of MEASAT – 1, the Malaysia ‘s maiden telecommunication satellite. Tan Sri Ananda krishnan’s success provides a compelling testimony to Mahathir’s economic policies and their successful implementations.” Even with Mahathir out of power, Malaysia boasts a diversified and modern economy, which weathered the Asian financial crisis in1997-98 better than many of its peers. How did Malaysia and Singapore achieve this feat? Malaysia’s success has been by diversifying away from the export of palm oil and rubber to the assembly of electronics with the steady provision of political stability by the resolved ethnic divisions by Mahathir – a lesson for Nigeria , isn’t it? Kanagasingam says Mahathir’s keen stewardship of the economy has spawned in various projects and the latest was the Multimedia Super Corridor – a “knowledge-based economy master plan” to upgrade the Malaysia ‘s electronics industry into a hi-tech application industry. “The knowledge-based economy master plan which encourages the new trend of Business and Knowledge Process Outsourcing is a new dimension of Globalization,” he says. Southeast Asia first experienced a new and different wave of globalization from Japan by the transferring of their locations to more labour-intensive and resource-intensive Asian countries so that Japan could continue to form the international cooperation. By this Japanese initiative of global-localization most of the Asian countries are generally favourable towards the globalization trend. The trend of globalization and liberalization is indisputably irreversible. Therefore, it is really a great challenge to developing countries. Kanagasingam holds Singapore and Malaysia are successful in tackling the globalization and liberalization because they were well prepared. He explains:” These Southeast Asian tiger economies, all went through series of distinctive stages of economic transformation with certain common characteristics. Lee Kwan Yew and Mahathir Mohammad had clear long term visions and strong political leadership skills how to make use of the globalization in their countries’ favour. “In Malaysia and Singapore there are strong and efficient technocrats who have the ability to chart the vision into planning with the capability to get things done in a much effective way. The value system which they have reinvented over a short span of time after the independence produced many successful women entrepreneurs in Malaysia and Singapore .” He says of the two countries: “They successfully defined the paths for the emergence of indigenous entrepreneurs by encouraging small and medium size enterprises; they overcome the problems of relatively shallow and weak entrepreneurial group in Malaysia and Singapore compared with well equipped and well experienced thick and abundant entrepreneurial group in developed countries; they altered their countries’ entrepreneurial strength for an equal match of the game if confronted each other directly and instantly; they looked after the private sector until they can stand alone to compete against international challenges to become themselves multi-nationals; they realized well in advance the strength and competence of the private sector which is the main market player in determining a country’s eventual competitiveness.” Malaysia and Singapore , according to him, had constraints, but realized the importance of Government leadership in the very beginning itself, their governments identified and developed the countries’ long-term competitiveness. Put this against the unseriousness with which we handle WTO assignments and reflect on it. What is important to our officials is estacode not discussions at WTO meets. We have the men and women that can do it. We have the technocrats that can do it. But we need the leadership. Government leadership.

As we look to the future, one thing is certain: the partnership between Amazon and Perplexity has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with technology, and to usher in a new era of innovation and discovery. Whether this revolution will benefit humanity as a whole, or lead to unintended consequences, remains to be seen. One thing is for sure: in the game of AI, Amazon and Perplexity are playing for keeps.Additionally, efforts to improve trade stability have been instrumental in ensuring the consistent performance of foreign trade. Measures such as enhancing trade facilitation, promoting trade diversification, and strengthening partnerships with key trading partners have helped mitigate risks and uncertainties in the global market, fostering a conducive environment for sustained growth.

NEW YORK , Dec. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Sana Biotechnology, Inc. ("Sana" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: SANA ). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Sana and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On November 4, 2024 , Sana issued a press release announcing that it "will suspend development of both SC291 in oncology and of SC379, its glial progenitor cell program, as it seeks partnerships for these programs". In the press release, Steve Harr, Sana's President and Chief Executive Officer stated that "we need to ensure that we are directing our investments into the areas where we believe we can have the greatest impact for patients" and that "[t]his modified strategy will also help us reduce our cash burn but comes with the necessity of parting with some talented and valued colleagues." On this news, Sana's stock price fell $0.37 per share, or 9.84%, to close at $3.39 per share on November 5, 2024 . Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York , Chicago , Los Angeles , London , Paris , and Tel Aviv , is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz , known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud , breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com . Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. CONTACT: Danielle Peyton Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 646-581-9980 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

India is considering cutting income tax for individuals making up to 1.5 million rupees ($17,590) a year in February’s budget to provide relief to the middle class and boost consumption as the economy slows, two government sources told Reuters. The move could benefit tens of millions of taxpayers, especially city dwellers burdened by high living costs, if they opt for a 2020 tax system that strips exemptions like housing rentals. Under that system, annual income of 300,000 rupees to 1.5 million rupees is taxed at between 5% to 20%. Higher income draws 30%. Indian taxpayers can choose between two tax systems – a legacy plan that allows exemptions on housing rentals and insurance, and a newer one introduced in 2020 that offers slightly lower rates, but does not allow major exemptions. The sources, who did not want to be named because they were not authorised to talk to the media, said they had not decided on the size of any cuts. A decision would be taken closer to the budget on Feb.1, they said. The finance ministry did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The sources declined to share revenue loss of any tax cut but one said reducing tax rates would make more people choose the new system that is less complicated. India gets a bulk of its income tax from persons earning at least 10 million rupees, the rate for which is 30%. More money in the hands of the middle class might help rev up the economy, the world’s fifth-biggest and which grew at its slowest pace in seven quarters between July and September. High food inflation is also biting into demand for goods ranging from soaps and shampoos to cars and two wheelers, particularly in urban areas. The government has also been facing political heat from the middle class over high taxes, and as growth in wages is unable to catch up with the pace of inflation. Source: Reuters

In conclusion, while the initial reports of a student setting fire to a car after failing a driving test may have sparked controversy, the truth behind the incident sheds light on the importance of accuracy and verification in news reporting. It also underscores the significance of maintaining vehicle safety and ensuring proper communication in all aspects of driving education. As the driving school and the student work towards overcoming this incident, they are reminded of the need to uphold integrity and responsibility in their endeavors to promote safe and competent driving practices for all.Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Danny Boyle, who also helmed the original cult classic, "28 Days Later," the sequel promises to ramp up the intensity and terror to new heights. With the original film leaving audiences on the edge of their seats, "28 Years Later" is poised to deliver another adrenaline-fueled rollercoaster ride through a world decimated by a deadly virus.Well, our Matt Gaetz post was short lived. And, in hindsight, that should come as no surprise given the overwhelming opposition and allegations that continued to emerge. If you are a frequent reader of Budding Trends , however, you know we try to stay on top of the unending news cycle that is the cannabis industry and keep the masses up to speed. So, here we are again. Yesterday, the news broke that Gaetz withdrew his name, reportedly because the Trump administration concluded he would not have the votes to be confirmed. Little time passed before the new nominee was named. Enter former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. Disclaimer: As we state in all posts that relate to politics, we strive to avoid any semblance of partisan commentary in this space and, because this is a cannabis law blog, aim to focus exclusively on how current events or legal developments impact the cannabis industry. This article is no different. Back to how an Attorney General Bondi may affect the cannabis industry. The former prosecutor, who served as Florida’s head attorney from 2011-2019 before working for the Ballard Partners lobbying firm and then joining Trump’s legal defense team during his first impeachment trial in 2020, has not had the most pro-marijuana positions in her tenure. If we’re being honest, what we know isn’t going to make cannabis operators feel all warm and fuzzy, but at the same time, all hope shouldn’t be lost. As Florida AG, Bondi Opposed 2014 Florida Amendment 2 Before Florida Amendment 2, which would have legalized medical marijuana in Florida, landed on the ballots in the 2014 election and then failed to receive the requisite votes, Bondi’s office challenged the legality of the ballot initiative. In their filings, Bondi argued the amendment would have made Florida “one of the most lenient medical-marijuana states, allowing use for limitless ‘other conditions’ specified by a physician.” While Bondi’s efforts then to keep the measure out of voters’ hands failed, the votes to pass the amendment weren’t enough. Amendment 2 Passes in 2016, Without Bondi’s Opposition Unlike in 2014, Bondi’s office did not formally challenge the 2016 amendment. Instead, her office simply stated that she was concerned the new law would expand the use of marijuana among Floridians, especially in the youth population. The 2016 Amendment 2 ended up receiving over 71% votes in favor of medical marijuana, giving birth to one of the more robust medical marijuana programs in the country. Bondi Tried to Uphold Smoking Ban in Medical Cannabis Law But Lost The legislation that originally enacted Amendment 2 banned smokable forms of marijuana. Lawyers, led by famed personal injury lawyer John Morgan of Morgan & Morgan, challenged the ban and succeeded. Bondi’s office mounted opposition , arguing that because “elected members of Florida’s legislature emphasized that the amendment was exclusively about medicine... smoking is antithetical to good medicine.” Ultimately, the Florida Legislature heeded the lower court’s conclusion on the issue and passed SB-182 in 2019 to legalize smokable forms of marijuana within Florida’s medical marijuana program. Bondi Has a Strong Track Record Fighting the Opioid Crisis and Draws Praise from Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers During Trump’s first four years in office, Bondi served on his Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. She also has worked inside Florida to help stop the illegal use of prescription drugs and combat the fentanyl crisis. Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve, took to X to praise Bondi’s efforts in that respect and quelled concerns that Bondi would hinder cannabis reform, stating: “I have always known her to be straight forward and very fair... She is passionate about ending the opioid crisis and did great work shutting down pill mills in Florida. She is an advocate for safe, regulated markets and I believe she will bring the same energy to end the fentanyl issues our country is facing.” Based on the foregoing, while Bondi’s position on cannabis isn’t unambiguously pro or opposed, perhaps the cannabis industry can take some solace in the (likely) possibility that, if confirmed as attorney general, she will adopt a stance similar to that of President-elect Trump , Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (nominee for new head of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), and others in the Trump administration on marijuana. At this point, all we can do is wait and see. Listen to this post

Baramulla, Nov 22: In a significant development towards improving the public health care sector in Baramulla, the District Administration Baramulla has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). This collaboration, under NHPC’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, aims to enhance healthcare facilities in the district by funding and implementing key projects in the health sector. Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Minga Sherpa, Chief Planning Officer Javaid Ahmad, and officers from NHPC, including Om Prakash, Group General Manager; K Vaidheeswaran, GM (CSR); RS Choudhary, GSM (CSR); and Keshav Prakash, Engineer (CSR) were present during the MoU signing ceremony. As part of this agreement, NHPC has committed to fully funding key projects that address pressing healthcare needs in Baramulla. Among the initiatives is the installation of a high-capacity DG set at the PHC Mohura, ensuring uninterrupted power supply and enabling round-the-clock medical services. Another vital project under this collaboration is the provision of a state-of-the-art 4×4 ambulance for the Primary Health Centre in Boniyar. This vehicle, equipped to navigate the district’s challenging terrain, will ensure timely medical assistance in remote and hilly areas, improving emergency response times and saving lives. Additionally, the partnership includes the establishment of a fully equipped dialysis centre at the Government Medical College in Baramulla. This facility will cater to the needs of patients suffering from kidney ailments, eliminating the need for long-distance travel to access specialized treatment. Speaking during the ceremony, the DC expressed his appreciation for NHPC’s proactive role in enhancing the district’s healthcare infrastructure and highlighted the importance of such collaborative efforts in addressing healthcare challenges in shared commitment to improving healthcare facilities in Baramulla.Moving forward, The Mail must reassess its editorial practices and decision-making processes to regain the public's trust and restore its reputation as a reputable journalistic institution. This requires a commitment to transparency, accountability, and ethical reporting standards that prioritize accuracy, fairness, and integrity in all aspects of journalism.

The event also served as a platform for Vivo to showcase its latest lineup of innovative devices, each equipped with state-of-the-art features and technologies. From sleek smartphones with advanced camera capabilities to cutting-edge wearables and smart home products, Vivo's diverse product portfolio reflects its commitment to meeting the ever-changing needs and preferences of consumers in the digital age.MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 17, 2024-- CardioFocus, Inc. , a medical device company dedicated to advancing ablation treatment for cardiac arrhythmias, today announced the first series of patients treated with the investigational OptiShotTM Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) System for the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation as part of the VISION AF clinical trial. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241217582090/en/ Image: [A] Endoscopic view of LSPV, [B]&[D] OptiShot Balloon, [C]&[E] Post PFA map (Photo: Business Wire) Dr. Vivek Reddy, Director of Cardiac Arrhythmia Services at Mount Sinai Hospital and Prof. Petr Neužil, Chief of Cardiology at Na Homolce Hospital, performed the first cases at Na Homolce Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic. The first-in-human trial will treat up to 50 patients in the coming months with 12-month follow-up planned, including critical remapping procedures to validate the efficacy of this novel technology. “The OptiShot balloon catheter is unique among the advanced generation of PFA catheters, with its ability to deliver circumferential lesions to the pulmonary veins with endoscopic visual confirmation of electrode-tissue contact,” said Dr. Reddy. “Direct contact confirmation made me more confident that our acute treatment strategy with this system may provide good long-term outcomes.” Professor Petr Neužil said, “The ultra-compliant balloon allows for adaptation to all anatomies with unparallelled tissue contact and precise pulsed electric field energy delivery. This design is focused on raising the bar for patient outcomes and we look forward to continuing the study.” “CardioFocus has combined our expertise in pulsed field waveforms with our clinically proven compliant balloon system to create OptiShot, a next generation PFA system for the treatment of atrial fibrillation,” said CardioFocus CEO Steve Ogilvie. “We are one step closer toward providing a true single shot pulmonary vein isolation tool, designed for safe and effective patient treatment. We are thankful to our electrophysiologist partners as well as the CardioFocus team and advisors for making this remarkable achievement happen.” CardioFocus is taking a portfolio approach to PFA. In addition to OptiShot, CardioFocus will continue clinical trials evaluating the investigational QuickShotTM PFA System, a large area focal ablation catheter that integrates with various navigation technologies. In the EU CardioFocus has treated over 6000 patients with the Centauri PFA System, which uses a proprietary monopolar waveform with marketed contact-force sensing focal ablation catheters and mapping systems. The OptiShot PFA Balloon System is investigational and not approved for commercial use. About CardioFocus, Inc. Headquartered in Marlborough, MA, CardioFocus is a medical device innovator and manufacturer dedicated to advancing ablation treatment for cardiac disorders such as atrial fibrillation, the most common heart arrhythmia. For more information, visit CardioFocus.com . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241217582090/en/ CONTACT: Media Relations [Pete Bell.pbell@cardiofocus.com ] KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS EUROPE UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MEDICAL DEVICES HEALTH HOSPITALS CLINICAL TRIALS CARDIOLOGY BIOTECHNOLOGY SOURCE: CardioFocus, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/17/2024 03:09 PM/DISC: 12/17/2024 03:10 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241217582090/en

Kelly Loeffler nominated by Trump to lead Small Business Administration

As Rainbow Warrior traverses the empty streets and abandoned dungeons of the game, they reflect on the past glory of their faction. They remember the joy of forming bonds with fellow players, the excitement of conquering formidable bosses, and the thrill of competing in intense PvP battles. But now, all that remains are memories and echoes of a once-vibrant world.

( ) shares are edging lower on Thursday morning. At the time of writing, the giant's shares are down almost 1% to $119.35. Why are Rio Tinto shares falling? The company's shares are falling this morning after investors gave a lukewarm response to the release of a couple of updates after the market close on Wednesday. The relates to the Rincon Lithium Project in Argentina which is currently being developed by Rio Tinto. According to the release, the mineral resources inclusive of ore reserves for the Salar del Rincon lithium brine deposits comprise: Management believes this supports production of up to 60kt of battery grade lithium carbonate per year for a period of 40 years and be in the first quartile of the cash cost curve. The Rincon 3000 starter plant is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2025. What else? Rio Tinto also held an investor seminar in London overnight where it provided on its strategy of investing for a stronger, more diversified and growing portfolio to ensure the long-term delivery of attractive shareholder returns. At the seminar, Rio Tinto's chief executive, Jakob Stausholm, said: We have all the building blocks we need to become a global leader in energy transition materials, and we have a clear plan for a decade of profitable growth. As we ramp up the Oyu Tolgoi underground copper mine, deliver the Simandou high-grade iron ore project in Guinea, and build out our lithium business through the proposed acquisition of Arcadium, we are underwriting a decade of profitable growth. We plan to utilise our strong balance sheet to unlock and accelerate Arcadium's tier one projects, timed to meet future demand growth. FY 2025 guidance The company also released its production guidance for FY 2025. It expects: Broker reaction Goldman Sachs was pleased with the update and notes that everything was largely in line with expectations. It said: RIO's 2024 Investor Seminar focused on the company's next phase of growth projects with the company reiterating the 3% medium-term production growth target (4% with lithium) and adjusting capex guidance slightly for the latest project sequencing and the announced acquisition of Arcadium Lithium. Overall, key growth projects are on track including Simandou iron ore in Guinea and the Oyu Tolgoi copper/gold underground project in Mongolia, which combined are expected to contribute 2/3 of RIO's CuEq growth and help drive a 5% lift in margins to 50% (GSe), and >30% increase in our EBITDA and DPS forecasts from 2024E-28E. Production guidance for 2025 was also provided which was broadly in-line with GSe and implies 7% CuEq growth. RIO also outlined a potential change in Pilbara iron ore product strategy by low grading to maximise margins and value given current demand dynamics and supply side constraints.