blackjack chart World is about to see off the biggest election year in history. Almost half of humanity was involved in election exercises across continents, ranging from large democracies like India , USA and Indonesia to island nations like Tuvalu with 11,000 population. Citizen voters, in over 70 countries, millions of them first timers, attempted to address their own situations at the voting booths. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for The last of the national elections came this Sunday in Chad in central Africa amidst an opposition boycott.Universal suffrage remains the spine that holds a dithering democratic fabric whose other ingredients are in constant debate. BR Ambedkar linked elections to political democracy, ushering conditions for equality and justice. But if elections are undermined by impurities, process glitches, fake narratives, boycotts, competing claims, street protests, violence or even abandoned midway, that could be the proverbial last nail. The Stockholm-based International IDEA (Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance), in its report 'Global State of Democracy 2024', points to a certain erosion of credibility of elections compared to five years back, owing to declining turnout and other pathological conditions. The experience in India's neighborhood as elsewhere has been mixed at best. Declining interest Elections continue to be democracy's beautiful action play, especially the view of ordinary folks queuing up to vote. The average turnout of voters in elections this year is estimated to be at 61%. During the 15 years from 2008 to 2023, there has been a disconcerting decline of about 10% in voting across the world. India, with its electoral list inching towards a billion, has successfully reversed the trend by hitting the 65%-mark third time in a row, starting from 2014. Women turned out at a higher rate again in 2024 like in 2019. The best part of this year's last two assembly elections in Jharkhand and Maharashtra is the record turnout. Not a family show Campaigns have made elections a spectacle, an ugly one off late. Electioneering is developing as a democracy malfunction with misinformation, racist references, outright abuse and misogyny becoming its part. Poll time divisive narratives from top leaders could leave unremedied scars and dent unity. Champions of unbridled freedom do not find a problem with campaign rhetoric even of the most repelling imagery; that's what democracy and rights are about, they would say. But hate speech amplified by social media and made potent by artificial intelligence, is becoming a bigger concern because it is seen yielding electoral victories. Reasonable restrictions, enforced by India's model code, have been of partial help. Top-notch campaigners and party bosses must take the responsibility, a point hammered by Election Commission of India in recent polls.It is surprising that elections of the 21st century still veer around identity: in US elections, the segments read as: coloured women, white workers, Hispanic, Asian, college goers or dropouts and in Indian context it is: OBC, SC, ST, minority and majority religion. Each one is a vote bank, the contesting candidate reduced to a mascot. For the USA that swears by individual worth, one commentary after November polls was that it is not ready for a woman president yet and a coloured one at that. Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Outcomes bite, limit the bitterness Worse is the growing trend of political contenders hesitant to accept statutorily derived results. One in five elections between 2020-2024, was challenged by the defeated candidates. Even as votes were getting counted to decide the 47th Presidency in the United States, the world was worriedly recalling the riot at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Donald Trump notched an emphatic victory, but a moot question is what if it was otherwise. Joe Biden exuded the ultimate grace of democracy when he asked supporters to "bring down the temperature". On the electoral system, Biden further said, "It is honest, it is fair, and it is transparent, and it can be trusted, win or lose."Disappointment over electoral outcomes can be provoking. But polity and politicians in India and everywhere have an urgent obligation not to fall into a trap that could erode public trust. It will be myopic to shift blame to voting equipment or a standard procedure after an electoral loss. Well Commissioned India The Constitution of India has imaginatively raised certain institutions to serve as guarantors for the country's democratic arrangement. The ECI is the critical one which gathers the franchise, counts and delivers the result that is convertible to legislative and executive leadership. Its conduct of 18 Lok Sabha and over 400 assembly elections has been rated highly by all stakeholders and by the wider world, irrespective of seasonal grievances. One sufficient pointer to performance is the negligible re-polling in only 40 out of 10.5 lakh polling stations in the last Lok Sabha polls. Smooth conduct of both parliamentary and assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, with high people's participation is another impressive statement.Election management bodies (EMBs) across countries are reforming and acquiring tech-backed efficiencies but voting and counting remain points of vulnerability. Safeguarding voters against lies, fakes and inducements is another ever expanding task. Unlike ECI, which has a staggering capacity for execution, others may require collaboration for ensuring electoral integrity. India clearly has a role to play. Last Defence The 2024 Economics Nobel recognises the role of democracy and its institutions like free and fair elections in upholding prosperity. Voting rights and correctness of representation have witnessed sizeable compromise in parts of the globe, but there have been elections this year, which immaculately embodied expression of people's will. The International IDEA underlines that India, and some other countries have "allowed the voters to have an effective voice". Good elections look like the last sure wall to not only prevent any democracy downslide, but also to enhance its promise. (The writer is former Director General, Election Commission of India) (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )NoneGen Threat Report shows emerging trends in cyberattacks Attackers are increasingly involving AI in their attack vectors Consumers and businesses alike are being hit harder and more often Cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging AI technologies to enhance their attacks, experts have warned. A report from Gen has underlined a growing need for vigilance as scammers integrate voices, images, and videos using AI. It warned attackers are leveraging the technology to create deepfake videos, often featuring celebrities, to endorse fake cryptocurrency schemes. Scammers have also been spotted exploiting global events and hijacking platforms such as YouTube to run scams, such as the SpaceX Starship integrated flight test (IFT-4) scam, which stole over $1.4 million via fake crypto campaigns. Cybercriminals expand attacks with AI Scammers are not just adopting new technologies but also revamping older tactics, the report warns. For instance, the antivirus scam, which was popular in the 2000s, has made a comeback, as cybercriminals now deploy aggressive pop-up alerts mimicking legitimate antivirus programs, falsely claiming the victim's computer is infected. These alerts abuse the Windows notification system to appear as... Efosa Udinmwen

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Artificial Intelligence: The Investment Opportunity You Can’t Ignore In the past two years, the surge of artificial intelligence, marked by innovations like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has dramatically boosted stock valuations. While many investors have focused on giants like Nvidia and Palantir Technologies, the real stars of tomorrow might not be who you expect. TSMC: The Unsung Hero in AI’s Supply Chain Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) stands at the forefront of the AI revolution, although it hasn’t captured as much limelight as Nvidia. TSMC is crucial to the ecosystem, serving as the production backbone for many tech leaders like Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet. As demand for AI components skyrockets, TSMC’s financials reflect this momentum. The company’s recent quarterly revenue rose by 39% compared to last year, hitting $23.5 billion, with robust operating margins at 47.6%. The firm’s control of about 90% of advanced chip manufacturing positions it perfectly to seize future opportunities in AI. Upstart: Reinventing Credit with AI On a different front, Upstart is redefining consumer lending with its AI-powered approach. Though its stock has dipped since its pandemic peak, it’s bouncing back, propelled by its innovative AI model that surpasses traditional credit scoring. Recent updates in their technology led to significant gains, allowing more consumers to secure loans. Despite current profitability challenges, the company’s growth potential remains strong, especially as interest rates stabilize, potentially elevating its market position. In conclusion, while the tech giants continue to lead headlines, companies like TSMC and Upstart represent intriguing opportunities for savvy investors in the evolving AI landscape. The Next Big Players in AI Investment: What You Need to Know Artificial intelligence has rapidly evolved, creating investment opportunities that extend beyond the well-known tech giants. While Nvidia and Palantir Technologies often dominate the discussion, other companies like TSMC and Upstart are emerging as pivotal players in the AI ecosystem due to their unique contributions and roles. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is a critical player behind the scenes of the AI revolution. As a leader in advanced chip manufacturing, TSMC commands about 90% of this segment, cementing its role as an essential supplier for tech behemoths like Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet. The company reported a substantial 39% increase in quarterly revenue, reaching $23.5 billion, driven by the soaring demand for AI components. With robust operating margins of 47.6%, TSMC is positioned to significantly benefit from the ongoing growth and expansion of AI technologies. TSMC continues to innovate and expand its production capabilities, which is crucial as AI applications become more sophisticated and widespread. The market reliance on TSMC for chip manufacturing highlights the importance of considering supply chain investments in the AI industry. Upstart, although lesser-known, is pioneering a transformative approach to consumer lending. By leveraging AI to enhance credit evaluation processes, Upstart is challenging the traditional credit scoring models. Despite experiencing a dip from its pandemic-era stock highs, the company’s shares are rebounding due to technological advancements that have enabled more consumers to access credit. As Upstart continues to improve its AI models, the potential for market expansion grows, especially if economic conditions, such as interest rates, stabilize. This technological edge signifies that Upstart could capture a larger slice of the lending market, making it a worthwhile consideration for investors interested in AI-driven financial services. Upstart demonstrates the potential of AI to bring significant improvements and disruptions to established industries like finance, offering insights into where future growth and opportunities may lie. The landscape of AI investment is broadening, with multiple sectors experiencing transformative changes powered by AI technologies. Companies like TSMC and Upstart exemplify new avenues for investors, focusing on the integral roles these companies play within their respective industries, indicating a shift away from traditional tech giants as the only viable investment opportunities. For investors, understanding these nuanced roles is crucial for making informed decisions. As AI continues to advance, diversifying investment portfolios to include lesser-known yet impactful firms could yield significant returns, aligning with trends towards increased innovation and technological integration across various sectors.

Rescuers reassess safety in search for woman they think fell into a Pennsylvania sinkholeSenate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, speaks before the Senate at the state capitol on Friday, November 22, 2024. Javier Gallegos State Sen. Mike Reese, R-Leesville, and Blake Miguez, R-New Iberia, speak at the podium before the Senate at the state capitol on Friday, November 22, 2024. Javier Gallegos State Sen. Alan Seabaugh, R-Many, tells a joke on the Senate floor at the state capitol on Friday, November 22, 2024. Javier Gallegos Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Income taxes will drop, sales taxes will rise and a much-maligned tax on corporate assets will disappear under legislation approved by the state Legislature Friday that ends two weeks of debate on how best to refashion Louisiana’s tax system. Final passage of the package during the special legislative session represents a major political victory for Gov. Jeff Landry, although lawmakers bowed to the pressure of special interests and scrapped major portions of his package that sought to eliminate tax breaks to simplify the complicated tax code. “It’s an exciting day for Louisiana,” said Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, who sponsored major pieces of the legislation and helped shepherd the package through the House. Landry can point to the fact that a majority of Democrats joined Republicans in approving each bill in the package except one. Landry achieved his prize goal of getting legislators to scuttle the graduated individual income tax system — which has a current top rate of 4.25% — for a single 3% rate as of Jan. 1. In conjunction, Louisiana will nearly triple the standard deduction for individual filers to $12,500 at the beginning of 2026. To pay for the tax cuts, legislators had to swallow increasing the state sales tax to 5%, or 1% higher than if they had allowed a temporary sales tax to expire next year. The higher sales tax will last for five years and then drop to 4.75%. Landry had sought to renew the expiring sales tax at just under a half-cent. Louisiana already had the country’s highest sales tax rate, and now a tax that hits the poor hardest will be even higher. Besides Landry, other political winners are Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, who led the way for the Senate to salvage the tax package after the House balked at approving a bill to extend the sales tax to 41 additional services. This week, Henry shuttled from meetings with Landry, Senate Republicans, Senate Democrats and House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice. Another winner is Richard Nelson, the revenue secretary, the architect of Landry’s plan. Nelson, a former state representative from Mandeville, ran for governor last year but dropped out and supported Landry. Corporate franchise tax repeal Besides the income tax and sales tax changes, legislators also agreed to Landry’s proposal to abolish the .275% corporate franchise tax, a longtime goal of the business community. The 84-16 vote in the House for House Bill 3 marked the only time Friday that a majority of Democrats did not support one of the tax bills. The Senate approved the bill unanimously. The governor’s plan overall will reduce state tax collections and give the biggest dollar savings to the wealthy and large corporations, with Landry saying it will spark an investment boom that will raise family income and reverse the population loss that occurred while John Bel Edwards was governor. Whether families that earn less than $40,000 per year will receive a net tax reduction was not clear Friday, given the sales tax increase. The House and the Senate breezed through the long list of tax bills Friday, with Democrats showing no fight – none went to the microphone to voice their concerns. The centerpiece of Landry’s package – House Bill 10 , which combined the income tax cuts with the sales tax increase – passed the Senate 38-1, with only Sen. Royce Duplessis, D-New Orleans, voting no. HB10 passed the House, 80-19, with 18 Democrats and Rep. Beryl Amedee, R-Gray, voting no. She had said she had made a commitment to not raise the sales tax. It would cut individual income taxes by $1.3 billion and raise $845 million in higher sales taxes. Legislators made up the difference by raiding an infrastructure fund and drastically reducing tax credits that companies can take on their inventory tax payments to parishes. Landry sought to replace the three-tier corporate income tax system with a single 3.5% rate, but legislators established a single 5.5% rate. That will reduce taxes for companies paying at the 7.5% rate, while those at the current lower two rates will receive a higher standard deduction to allow them to avoid having to pay more money, said Sen. Franklin Foil, R-Baton Rouge, who took a lead role in shepherding the package through the Senate. Reducing the top corporate income tax rate – House Bill 2 – won passage in the Senate, 38-1, with Duplessis voting no, and in the House, 90-9. Democrats cast all the no votes. Film tax credit saved Landry wanted to eliminate several tax incentive programs that independent studies show produce a low return on investment for taxpayers. But, after heavy lobbying, lawmakers kept the tax credits for film and TV productions and for renovations of historic property, although at a lower cost to the public. Also, Louisiana joined 44 other states in imposing taxes on digital goods such as streaming and games. Beyond all of those changes, Landry and legislators want to undertake a major rewrite of the state tax code. That will now be up to voters on March 29. Voters will be asked to approve a complicated change to the state constitution that would give a permanent pay raise next year of $2,000 to teachers and $1,000 to support staff – by paying off $2 billion of teacher pension debt. The proposed constitutional amendment would also give parishes the option of repealing the property tax on business inventory, and would double the standard deduction for seniors, take most property tax exemptions out of the constitution and put their fate in the hands of legislators, impose a cap on annual spending and make it harder to create more tax breaks in the future. The amendment also would merge two state savings accounts and, if passed, allow the governor to use some of that money to pay parishes to drop the inventory tax program. Remaining untouched are two popular tax items in the state constitution: the $75,000 homestead exemption and the sales tax exemption for the purchase of groceries, residential utilities and prescription drugs. Landry's goals In an interview Thursday morning, Landry said he had four goals when the special session began the day after this year’s presidential and congressional elections. He wanted to raise teacher pay next year and ensure that Louisiana didn’t have a budget shortfall next year that would lead to cuts in vital government programs. Landry wanted to lift Louisiana’s standing in the State Business Tax Climate Index of The Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C. nonprofit favored by conservatives. Louisiana is currently 40th and would jump to eighth under the original version of his plan. Because of the changes by legislators, Louisiana would now land among the top 25, Foil said. Landry also wanted to reduce the overall tax bite. In general terms, lawmakers are offsetting the reduction in income taxes with the increase in the state sales tax and other measures. The reduction comes from the repeal of the corporate franchise tax, which will save companies $530 million in the 2026/27 fiscal year. The Landry administration says that won’t cause a budget shortfall and reduce services because revenue from the corporate franchise tax in recent years has flowed into one of the state savings accounts. But Jan Moller, director of Invest in Louisiana, a Baton Rouge nonprofit that favors a progressive income tax system, has said in recent days that eliminating that tax will reduce the money available for government programs because corporate tax revenue has been inflated in recent years. In the immediate aftermath of the special session, local governments emerged as clear winners. They fended off Landry’s attempt to end their ability to impose sales taxes on the sale of machinery and equipment and on prescription drugs. The state does not tax those purchases. Landry was trying to follow the advice of The Tax Foundation, which has given poor marks to Louisiana’s sales tax system in part because of the complication of local governments imposing sales taxes on some purchases that the state does not tax. Needing more money to pay for the income tax cuts, lawmakers voted to not direct $280 million in vehicle sales taxes for two years to three major infrastructure projects: to extend Interstate 49 in Lafayette Parish, to complete the four miles of unbuilt highway on Interstate 49 just south of downtown Shreveport and to build a new bridge over the Mississippi River in metro Baton Rouge. Spending to replace the Interstate 10 bridge over the Calcasieu River will continue. Along with jettisoning Landry’s proposal to extend the sales tax to services, legislators also backed down from trying to revamp tax rates f or oil and gas production . Along a similar vein, state Rep. Roger Wilder, R-Denham Springs, withdrew his bill to triple the tax on sports betting. A group associated with Davante Lewis, a Democratic member of the Public Service Commission, has sent text messages and posted Facebook ads criticizing those who voted for the sales tax increase. In the final minutes of the special session, Rep. Steven Jackson, D-Shreveport, criticized the tactic, saying Democrats shouldn’t face criticism if they support good ideas from a Republican governor.

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By ROB GILLIES TORONTO (AP) — Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the United States should President-elect Donald Trump follow through on his threat to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products, a senior official said Wednesday. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if the countries don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across southern and northern borders. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. A Canadian government official said Canada is preparing for every eventuality and has started thinking about what items to target with tariffs in retaliation. The official stressed no decision has been made. The person spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly. When Trump imposed higher tariffs during his first term in office, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Many of the U.S. products were chosen for their political rather than economic impact. For example, Canada imports $3 million worth of yogurt from the U.S. annually and most comes from one plant in Wisconsin, home state of then-House Speaker Paul Ryan. That product was hit with a 10% duty. Another product on the list was whiskey, which comes from Tennessee and Kentucky, the latter of which is the home state of then-Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell. Trump made the threat Monday while railing against an influx of illegal migrants, even though the numbers at Canadian border pale in comparison to the southern border. The U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone — and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian one between October 2023 and September 2024. Canadian officials say lumping Canada in with Mexico is unfair but say they are happy to work with the Trump administration to lower the numbers from Canada. The Canadians are also worried about a influx north of migrants if Trump follows through with his plan for mass deportations. Trump also railed about fentanyl from Mexico and Canada, even though seizures from the Canadian border pale in comparison to the Mexican border. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Related Articles National Politics | Trump selects longtime adviser Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia National Politics | Trump’s tariffs in his first term did little to alter the economy, but this time could be different National Politics | Trump transition says Cabinet picks, appointees were targeted by bomb threats, swatting attacks National Politics | Southwest states certify election results after the process led to controversy in previous years National Politics | Political stress: Can you stay engaged without sacrificing your mental health? Canadian officials argue their country is not the problem and that tariffs will have severe implications for both countries. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. “Canada is essential to the United States’ domestic energy supply,” Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said. Trump has pledged to cut American energy bills in half within 18 months, something that could be made harder if a 25% premium is added to Canadian oil imports. In 2023, Canadian oil accounted for almost two-thirds of total U.S. oil imports and about one-fifth of the U.S. oil supply. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is holding a emergency virtual meeting on Wednesday with the leaders of Canada’s provinces, who want Trudeau to negotiate a bilateral trade deal with the United States that excludes Mexico. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday that her administration is already working up a list of possible retaliatory tariffs “if the situation comes to that.”By ROB GILLIES TORONTO (AP) — Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the United States should President-elect Donald Trump follow through on his threat to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products, a senior official said Wednesday. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if the countries don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across southern and northern borders. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. A Canadian government official said Canada is preparing for every eventuality and has started thinking about what items to target with tariffs in retaliation. The official stressed no decision has been made. The person spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly. When Trump imposed higher tariffs during his first term in office, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Many of the U.S. products were chosen for their political rather than economic impact. For example, Canada imports $3 million worth of yogurt from the U.S. annually and most comes from one plant in Wisconsin, home state of then-House Speaker Paul Ryan. That product was hit with a 10% duty. Another product on the list was whiskey, which comes from Tennessee and Kentucky, the latter of which is the home state of then-Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell. Trump made the threat Monday while railing against an influx of illegal migrants, even though the numbers at Canadian border pale in comparison to the southern border. The U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone — and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian one between October 2023 and September 2024. Canadian officials say lumping Canada in with Mexico is unfair but say they are happy to work with the Trump administration to lower the numbers from Canada. The Canadians are also worried about a influx north of migrants if Trump follows through with his plan for mass deportations. Trump also railed about fentanyl from Mexico and Canada, even though seizures from the Canadian border pale in comparison to the Mexican border. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Related Articles National Politics | Trump selects longtime adviser Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia National Politics | Trump’s tariffs in his first term did little to alter the economy, but this time could be different National Politics | Trump transition says Cabinet picks, appointees were targeted by bomb threats, swatting attacks National Politics | Southwest states certify election results after the process led to controversy in previous years National Politics | Political stress: Can you stay engaged without sacrificing your mental health? Canadian officials argue their country is not the problem and that tariffs will have severe implications for both countries. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. “Canada is essential to the United States’ domestic energy supply,” Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said. Trump has pledged to cut American energy bills in half within 18 months, something that could be made harder if a 25% premium is added to Canadian oil imports. In 2023, Canadian oil accounted for almost two-thirds of total U.S. oil imports and about one-fifth of the U.S. oil supply. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is holding a emergency virtual meeting on Wednesday with the leaders of Canada’s provinces, who want Trudeau to negotiate a bilateral trade deal with the United States that excludes Mexico. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday that her administration is already working up a list of possible retaliatory tariffs “if the situation comes to that.”

Here’s Who Else Biden Could Pardon Before He Leaves Office—Beyond Hunter BidenNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans keep proving that for every step forward, they always find ways to take two back. The Titans (3-9) clinched a third straight losing record to mark first-year coach Brian Callahan’s debut season in an ugly 42-19 loss to Washington. Yet another slow start, more turnovers, sacks, penalties ruined their chance at stringing together consecutive wins for the first time in more than two years. Callahan said Monday they’re trying to build consistency. “In the NFL, a lot of it is about not losing the game first, and we do right now with the amount of penalties and turnovers we’ve had,” Callahan said. “We put ourselves in position to lose games and not win them. And so, yes, there is a there is an element of learning how to win.” Tennessee had 11 of 12 penalties before halftime, trailing 28-7. The Titans also were the previous NFL team to be flagged for at least 11 penalties and trail by 20 or more points at halftime in Week 17 of 2005 against the Jaguars. Only Baltimore has been penalized more than Tennessee this season. Two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons said after the loss that the Titans need to learn how to deal with winning better coming off a 32-27 win at Houston. Simmons said they were “hungover from our own success.” RELATED COVERAGE Justin Tucker’s erratic season isn’t getting any better, and it’s hurting Baltimore’s outlook Rams claim CB Emmanuel Forbes off waivers from Washington Buccaneers are back to .500 and in position to control their playoff hopes down the stretch Callahan said Monday he didn’t see any hangover issues. “You have a performance like that and you’re sort of grasping for an explanation on why and there really wasn’t one other than we made too many errors early in the game and put ourselves in a hole,” Callahan said. What’s working Quarterback Will Levis’ development over the four games since his return from a sprained, right throwing shoulder at least gives the Titans promise for the future. The second-year quarterback made some nice throws and limited yards lost on two sacks Sunday. He threw two TD passes for 212 yards. Since his return, he is completing 61.7% of his passes for 960 yards with seven touchdown passes and only two interceptions with a 101.3 passer rating in that span. The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . What needs help Now the defense is struggling after going into Washington second in the NFL in yards allowed, ninth against the run and first defending the pass. They gave up a season-high 267 yards rushing after giving up just 40 a week ago. The Titans also gave up 28 points within the first 20 minutes, becoming only the third team to do that in the past five seasons . The Titans also did that in Week 8 earlier this season after being routed by the Lions in Detroit. Washington did it against Dallas in Week 16 of 2021. Stock up WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Originally undrafted out of Indiana, Westbrook-Ikhine is tied for fourth in the NFL with eight TD catches entering Monday. That’s despite starting only five games this season and not having a pass thrown to him the first month of the season. He has earned a multi-year deal with his performance. He had three receptions for 61 yards against Washington and was targeted a season-high eight times. Stock down Rookie Jha’Quan Jackson. A sixth-round pick out of Tulane and nephew of Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back Ed Reed has fumbled five times as the punt returner recovering only two of those. That got him benched against Washington. His fumbles have come in the past six games, including one in each of the past two. His fumble against Washington led to an early touchdown. Injuries LT JC Latham hurt a quadriceps muscle but finished the game. Callahan said they will see how CB Roger McCreary (shoulder) and LB Kenneth Murray Jr. (strained hamstring) recover during the week. Key number 36 — The number of games since the Titans have had consecutive victories. Next steps The Titans at least are home with their best focus trying to improve their standing inside the AFC South with four divisional games down the stretch. They have two games remaining against Jacksonville (2-10) starting Sunday with Trevor Lawrence likely out. But their biggest question now is how high does this franchise draft in April. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflNone

B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG acquired a new stake in Domino’s Pizza, Inc. ( NYSE:DPZ – Free Report ) in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm acquired 1,581 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock, valued at approximately $680,000. Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Swiss National Bank raised its holdings in shares of Domino’s Pizza by 0.4% during the third quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 103,500 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $44,519,000 after purchasing an additional 400 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC increased its position in Domino’s Pizza by 77.4% in the 3rd quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 3,951 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $1,699,000 after buying an additional 1,724 shares in the last quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc raised its stake in Domino’s Pizza by 8.6% during the 3rd quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 5,093 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $2,191,000 after buying an additional 405 shares during the period. KBC Group NV boosted its holdings in Domino’s Pizza by 68.4% in the third quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 5,081 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $2,186,000 after acquiring an additional 2,064 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fortis Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Domino’s Pizza by 10.6% in the third quarter. Fortis Capital Management LLC now owns 1,851 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $796,000 after acquiring an additional 177 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.63% of the company’s stock. Insider Activity In other news, Director Andrew Balson sold 6,970 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $428.27, for a total transaction of $2,985,041.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 15,390 shares in the company, valued at $6,591,075.30. The trade was a 31.17 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link . Also, EVP Kevin Scott Morris sold 2,646 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, November 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $459.00, for a total value of $1,214,514.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 1,966 shares in the company, valued at $902,394. This trade represents a 57.37 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Company insiders own 0.76% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Get Our Latest Report on Domino’s Pizza Domino’s Pizza Trading Up 1.7 % DPZ opened at $453.35 on Friday. Domino’s Pizza, Inc. has a 12 month low of $367.24 and a 12 month high of $542.75. The company has a market cap of $15.66 billion, a PE ratio of 27.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.40 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a 50 day moving average of $427.00 and a 200 day moving average of $455.51. Domino’s Pizza ( NYSE:DPZ – Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 10th. The restaurant operator reported $4.19 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.65 by $0.54. Domino’s Pizza had a negative return on equity of 14.35% and a net margin of 12.26%. The firm had revenue of $1.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.10 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $4.18 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Domino’s Pizza, Inc. will post 16.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Domino’s Pizza Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 13th will be issued a dividend of $1.51 per share. This represents a $6.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.33%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 13th. Domino’s Pizza’s payout ratio is presently 37.10%. Domino’s Pizza Profile ( Free Report ) Domino’s Pizza, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as a pizza company in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: U.S. Stores, International Franchise, and Supply Chain. It offers pizzas under the Domino’s brand name through company-owned and franchised stores. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DPZ? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Domino’s Pizza, Inc. ( NYSE:DPZ – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Domino's Pizza Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Domino's Pizza and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Ekeler was concussed in the final minute of the Washington Commanders’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and taken to a hospital for further evaluation. Coach Dan Quinn said he and general manager Adam Peters got to visit with Ekeler before he went to the hospital. A team spokesperson said the decision to transport Ekeler was made out of an abundance of caution. Ekeler, 29, was injured when he was tackled by Damone Clark and Nick Vigil on a kickoff return with 9 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Ekeler remained down on the field for some time being attended to by medical personnel, and players from each team knelt around him with their helmets off. Lineman Andrew Wylie was also concussed and fellow running back Brian Robinson Jr. sprained an ankle in Washington’s third consecutive defeat. Ekeler is in his first season with the Commanders after spending his first nine years in the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflFrench Prime Minister Faces No-Confidence Vote After Austerity Budget

AP News Summary at 6:06 p.m. EST

Cleanliness drive in Mahakumbh area to start today

By AAMER MADHANI, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that a number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. The U.S. believes that the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. She added that Biden has been briefed on the findings and that the White House “has made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this.” The Chinese embassy in Washington on Tuesday rejected the accusations that it was responsible for the hack after the U.S. federal authorities issued new guidance. “The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. The embassy did not immediately respond to messages on Wednesday. Associated Press writer David Klepper contributed reporting.

By AAMER MADHANI, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that a number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. The U.S. believes that the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. She added that Biden has been briefed on the findings and that the White House “has made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this.” The Chinese embassy in Washington on Tuesday rejected the accusations that it was responsible for the hack after the U.S. federal authorities issued new guidance. “The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. The embassy did not immediately respond to messages on Wednesday. Associated Press writer David Klepper contributed reporting.NoneQB Josh Allen and coach Sean McDermott deserve credit in Bills latest AFC East-clinching seasonAmazon driver stopped for driving without working brakes on Hwy. 7