jilihot bet

Few companies in the world are as old and as successful as The Coca-Cola Company ( KO 0.16% ) . Its namesake drink was invented in 1886, and the logo for this beverage company is reportedly recognizable by an astounding 94% of the world's population today. Its scale is absolutely massive, and the market capitalization is an enormous $270 billion. Founded in 1923, The Walt Disney Company ( DIS 0.59% ) isn't as old as Coca-Cola. But its brand is similarly far-reaching. According to the Los Angeles Times , more people have heard of Mickey Mouse than Santa Claus. It's not surprising that this company has also reached a hefty market cap of more than $200 billion. As big and as iconic as Coca-Cola and Disney are, it's hard to imagine younger companies being more valuable. But the truth is that both of these companies are slow-growing, meaning their respective market valuations are going up relatively slowly, allowing some faster-growth companies to make up ground. A decade from now, I believe that MercadoLibre ( MELI 3.26% ) and Airbnb ( ABNB 3.76% ) could be worth more than Coca-Cola and Disney. Here's why. 1. MercadoLibre: $88 billion market cap As of this writing, MercadoLibre needs to gain about 130% to overtake Disney and gain about 210% to surpass Coca-Cola. I wouldn't be surprised to see MercadoLibre pass Disney within the next five years and Coca-Cola within the next 10. MercadoLibre already has the dominant e-commerce platform of Latin America, but it has ways to increase its market share in this still fast-growing space. For starters, the company launched loyalty program Meli+ last year, which gives its users perks that many other platforms don't offer. That's good incentive to use it over some rivals. One of the things offered by the loyalty program is free shipping. This is only possible because MercadoLibre spent years building its impressive logistics network. It can ship many products free and fast, which is an important driver of adoption. In terms of incremental opportunity, MercadoLibre's large e-commerce presence gives it the ability to branch into the rewarding new business of advertising. Consider that Amazon launched advertising relatively recently. In the third quarter of 2020, it had just $5 billion in revenue from advertising services, whereas it had well over $14 billion in Q3 2024. MercadoLibre's advertising revenue won't necessarily be this big. But the growth trajectory will likely follow a similar path. For the requisite growth to carry MercadoLibre's valuation beyond $200 billion, e-commerce, logistics, loyalty programs, and advertising are promising enough on their own. But there's an entire other component of the company in financial technology, and all those metrics are growing at strong double-digit rates as well. In short, MercadoLibre does business in a lot of different areas, and all are fast-growing. Therefore, when looking 10 years down the road, I feel confident that MercadoLibre could be worth $300 billion or more. 2. Airbnb: $81 billion market cap Airbnb stock needs to go up by 152% and 237% to pass Disney and Coca-Cola, respectively. But even though it needs to go up by more than MercadoLibre stock, I still think that Airbnb can get there on a similar timetable due to its big opportunities. Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky recently said: "What I expect is every year now, for the coming years, we will launch one to two new businesses that will generate $1 billion or more of revenue incrementally a year." Some of these launches could be in areas such as travel software and tourism experiences, but not all launches will necessarily be travel-related. Investors should temper expectations. But I believe the high-upside strategy is what's particularly exciting here. Airbnb is looking to try a lot of big ideas over the next decade. Many will probably fail. But by trying a lot of things, the odds increase for finding another lucrative revenue stream. Regarding the potential to pass Coca-Cola or Disney in value, I think that Airbnb will eventually come up with something that will get it there. Airbnb's core business is solid, which allows for experimentation elsewhere. For perspective, nearly 123 million nights and experiences were booked on the platform during Q3 2024 alone. It also generated $3.7 billion in revenue at a free-cash-flow margin of 29%. That's incredibly strong. Indeed, over the last five years, Airbnb's revenue has more than doubled and its free cash flow has skyrocketed, which is great for investors. ABNB Free Cash Flow Per Share data by YCharts. In other words, my investment thesis for Airbnb here is that its core business is rock solid, still growing, and incredibly profitable. This alone represents an upside opportunity for shareholders. But the company is also using its financial strength to experiment with many adjacent opportunities. If just one of these experiments is successful over the next decade, I believe this could provide the additional lift needed to surpass even Coca-Cola's value. Over the long term, growth is an extremely important component in investing. Looking at MercadoLibre and Airbnb, it's clear that a healthy amount of growth will be served up during the next decade. This is why I believe both could become more valuable than Coca-Cola and Disney, and it's why both are key holdings in my own portfolio.SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador -- As bitcoin reached historic highs, surpassing $100,000 for the first tim e, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele was triumphant on Thursday about his big bet on the cryptocurrency. The adoption of bitcoin — which has been legal tender in the Central American nation since 2021 — never quite matched the president’s enthusiasm, but the value of the government’s reported investment now stands at more than $600 million. Bitcoin has rallied mightily since Donald Trump’s election victory last month, exceeding the $100,000 mark on Wednesday night, just hours after the president-elect said he intends to nominate cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins to be the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Just two years ago, bitcoin’s volatile value fell below $17,000. Bitcoin fell back below the $100,000 by Thursday afternoon, sitting just above $99,000 by 3 p.m. E.T. Bukele on Thursday blamed his beleaguered political opposition for causing many Salvadorans to miss out on the bonanza. There were street protests when the Congress made bitcoin legal tender in June 2021, though that move was not the only motivation for the protesters. The tiny Central American country has long used the dollar as currency, but Bukele promised bitcoin would provide new opportunities for El Salvador’s unbanked and cut out money transfer services from the remittances Salvadorans abroad send home. The government offered $30 in bitcoin to those who signed up for digital wallets. Many did so, but quickly cashed out the cryptocurrency. “It’s important to emphasize that not only did the opposition err resoundingly with bitcoin, but rather, differently from other issues (where they have also been wrong), this time their opposition affected many,” Bukele wrote on Facebook. Bukele drew an "impressive” comment from Elon Musk on the social media platform X Thursday. El Salvador’s former Central Bank President Carlos Acevedo pointed out on Thursday that while there has been a gain, it remains an unrealized one until the government’s bitcoin is sold. That said, he credited Bukele’s administration with doing well on the bitcoin move, especially in light of Trump’s election. Acevedo said “the markets’ optimism that a Trump administration will be friendly with the markets and particularly with bitcoin” explained its sustained rally over the past month. But the cryptocurrency’s volatility was a persistent risk, he said. “The average Salvadoran doesn’t use bitcoin, but obviously there are Salvadorans with economic resources who even before had already invested in bitcoin, but it is a small group,” Acevedo said. Esteban Escamilla, a worker in a clothing store in Santa Tecla, outside the capital San Salvador, said he had cashed out the original $30 of bitcoin offered in 2021. “I don’t use bitcoin because I don’t have (money) to invest and speculate with, but I know it has gone up a lot,” he said, recognizing that he would have more money now if he had kept it in bitcoin. Josefa Torres, 45, said as she was doing her grocery shopping that she didn’t have any bitcoin either. “I took out the money and used it for household expenses,” she said. At the conclusion of meetings between the International Monetary Fund and El Salvador’s government in August, the IMF issued a statement that mentioned the country’s bitcoin holdings. “While many of the risks have not yet materialized, there is joint recognition that further efforts are needed to enhance transparency and mitigate potential fiscal and financial stability risks from the Bitcoin project,” the IMf said.

Bill Press: Trump’s insane cabinet: Gaetz gone. Confirm the rest!

Lori Borgman | The little house that sat empty and alone

First in India, Bio-Bitumen-Based National Highway Stretch Opens on NH-44 in Nagpur's Mansar-- Reduces total emissions by approximately 14 percent since base year -- -- Decreases water withdrawal by approximately 17 percent since base year -- -- Achieves lost-time injury rate of 0.28, representing an approximate 32 percent reduction from prior year -- MORRISVILLE, N.C. , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pyxus International, Inc. (OTC Pink: PYYX), a global value-added agricultural company, today published its Fiscal Year 2024 Sustainability Report detailing the measurable impacts of the Company's sustainability initiatives as it progresses toward achieving its global targets. "Fiscal year 2024 was an exceptional year for Pyxus and this report highlights the positive impacts of our environmental and social initiatives, including collaboration with our contracted growers to reduce scope 3 emissions, improvement of our employee health and safety practices, and providing support to those in need," said Pyxus President and CEO Pieter Sikkel . "We remain committed to viewing all aspects of our business through a sustainable lens, helping us progress against our targets while delivering value to our stakeholders, the environment and the communities in which we operate." Notable fiscal year 2024 sustainability achievements include: Minimal Environmental Impact Support for People and Communities Ethical and Responsible Business In preparation of this year's report, Pyxus externally verified 11 global key performance indicators (KPIs) associated with its targets, up from three KPIs in the prior year. The report was prepared with reference to Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and discloses the Company's sustainability performance from April 1, 2023 , to March 31, 2024 . About Pyxus International, Inc. Pyxus International, Inc. is a global agricultural company with more than 150 years of experience delivering value-added products and services to businesses and customers. Driven by a united purpose—to transform people's lives, so that together we can grow a better world—Pyxus International, its subsidiaries and affiliates, are trusted providers of responsibly sourced, independently verified, sustainable, and traceable products and ingredients. For more information, visit www.pyxus.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pyxus-releases-fiscal-year-2024-sustainability-report-302329534.html SOURCE Pyxus International, Inc.Global Payments Inc. stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitors

( MENAFN - Live Mint) A stronger yen weakened Japanese equity futures Thursday after a rally in Treasuries weighed on yields and the dollar. US Stocks fell ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Contracts for Japanese shares fell 0.8%, while those for Australia and Hong Kong were slightly higher. The S&P 500 fell 0.4% after touching a record high in the prior session, while the nasdaq 100 dropped 0.9% as tech stocks weighed on the US market. Nvidia Corp. and Tesla Inc. were among the hardest hit big-tech companies. Shares in Microsoft Corp. fell after the US federal Trade Commission opened an antitrust investigation of Microsoft Corp., drilling into everything from the company's cloud computing and software licensing businesses to cybersecurity offerings and artificial intelligence products. In a thin trading session ahead of the holiday, data showed the Fed's preferred measure of underlying inflation picked up. While in-line with estimates, the core personal consumption expenditures climbed 2.8% from October last year. Separate figures showed the economy expanded at a solid pace. The data support recent comments by many Fed officials that there's no rush to cut rates as long as the labor market remains healthy and the US continues to power ahead. “The last mile towards price stability has been stymied by still 'sticky' inflation and bumps along road,” said Quincy Krosby at LPL Financial. Selling in US stocks was accompanied by buying in Treasuries as investors sought the safety of US government debt. That pushed the 10-year yield as low as 4.22% on Wednesday, a level not seen in a month. Australian and New Zealand yields fell early Thursday, echoing the move. Lower Treasury yields weakened an index of the dollar, which fell 0.7%. The yen was steady early Thursday after climbing more than 1% against the greenback Wednesday to trade at its strongest since late October. In Asia, data set for release includes ANZ business confidence for New Zealand and Sri Lanka trade. The Reserve Bank of Australia's Governor Michelle Bullock will speak later in the day. The Bank of Korea is anticipated to hold rates at 3.25%, pausing its policy moves after the first cut in over four years last month. Investors will also be on the lookout for further moves in Chinese equities after a Wednesday rally on speculation that a key economic meeting expected next month may lead to more stimulus. The Golden Dragon index of US-listed Chinese companies jumped 2.8%. Tech Shares US stocks have extended their outperformance against international peers this year, powered by tech shares and the artificial intelligence frenzy, while the economy remains resilient. The S&P 500 has climbed over 25% in 2024, making numerous record highs and largely outpacing the MSCI World Ex-USA Index. The valuation gap has also widened, with US stocks now trading at a record 60% premium to international peers based on forward price-to-earnings ratios. Elsewhere, BlackRock Inc., Vanguard Group Inc. and State Street Corp. were sued by a group of states led by Texas for allegedly breaking antitrust law by boosting electricity prices through their investments. In commodities, oil steadied as OPEC was expected to delay a production restart. Gold eked out small gains. Meanwhile, Bitcoin climbed back toward the elusive $100,000 price level again. Key events this week: Some of the main moves in markets: Stocks Currencies Cryptocurrencies Bonds Commodities This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation. MENAFN27112024007365015876ID1108934057 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.The connections are clear between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers, longtime NFC South rivals. The teams get together for a meeting on Sunday in Charlotte and showed recent signs they can play with any team. "It's an NFC South battle," Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said. "All of them are going to be hard, none of them (are) going to be easy. ... They're playing pretty good football. They missed some games here and there, but they're playing very good football. It's going to be a tough battle." Few introductions are needed on Sunday, as first-year Panthers coach Dave Canales came to Carolina after serving as Buccaneers offensive coordinator a season ago. Canales' prized pupil last season, Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield was with the Panthers for part of the 2022 campaign. "There's some familiarity," Canales said of his connection to the Buccaneers. "Knowing coach Bowles, he's got a really sophisticated system and he attacks each team with a specific game plan. There's some principles that carry over. I know that he's going to have some things up his sleeve." The Buccaneers (5-6) playing a division opponent for the first time since an Oct. 27 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The goal will be notching back-to-back wins for the first time since the first two weeks of the season. Four different ball-carriers, including Mayfield, found the end zone on the ground during a 30-7 drubbing of the New York Giants last Sunday. Mayfield also completed 24 of 30 passes for 294 yards. "For me, the biggest thing was blocking and tackling," Bowles said of what his team did well last weekend. "We cleaned up the fundamental and technique part of it." Star wideout Mike Evans was back in action for Tampa Bay following a three-game absence due to a hamstring injury. He finished with five receptions for 68 yards against the Giants and now gets a crack at a Carolina team allowing a league-high 30.9 points per game this season. However, the Panthers have tightened up their play as of late, winning two games in a row before hanging with the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in a 30-27 setback last Sunday. The outing against Kansas City may have been the most efficient performance of Panthers quarterback Bryce Young's two-year career. Young completed 21 of 35 passes for 263 yards and one score without throwing a pick. "It's not all Bryce, it's the whole unit," Canales said. "It's a collective effort, but he certainly needs to be the voice and driver of that." Wide receiver Jalen Coker (quadriceps), tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (neck) and safety Lonnie Johnson (personal) were all missing from practice on Wednesday for Carolina. Defensive end LaBryan Ray is dealing with a hand issue and was among those limited. Safety Jordan Whitehead (pectoral) was one of four Buccaneers to miss practice on Wednesday. Evans practiced in full. Carolina and Tampa Bay might as well get used to each other, as the two teams will collide again in Week 17. --Field Level Media

A man has made a blood-chilling discovery in his laundry after his dogs raised the alarm in his Northern Territory home. Vince Nathan was asleep about 1.30am on Tuesday when the sound of his dogs Boff and Bluey began echoing through the house, waking him up. Curious to see what the dogs were making a fuss about, Mr Nathan got out of bed and walked around the corner, spotting something underneath his feet – a saltwater crocodile. Vince Nathan and his wife Raylene found a crocodile in their laundry. Picture: Supplied “As I came around the corner, I nearly stood on him,” he told 9News. “He was sitting there in the pathway.” The crocodile, which was about 1m in length, wasn’t too impressed to see him, opening his mouth and hissing at Mr Nathan, prompting him to take off and wake up his wife, Raylene. “I call my wife and said ‘Ray, come look, come look, there’s a croc here, mate’,” he said. While the Northern Territory is known for its large crocodile population, Mr Nathan and his wife do not live close to waterways, leaving the couple scratching their heads about the crocodile’s origins. “We’re not near any water to the west of us,” Mr Nathan said. “We’ve got a beach which is five kilometres away and we’ve got a creek that goes up there called crocodile creek.” He tried calling a snake catcher but wasn’t expecting anyone to pick up the phone in the middle of the night. Picture: Supplied The crocodile likely walked for kilometres to get to the couple’s house. Picture: Supplied He then tried to call the local snake catcher, though was not expecting them to pick up the phone in the middle of the night. “When you call them it goes to voicemail, it usually goes: ‘If there is a buffalo in the area or a dangerous dog please leave a message and I’ll get back to you’,” he explained. “I’m thinking, ‘Well, it’s sort of a dangerous dog’.” It was quite the surprise for the couple. Picture: Supplied Thankfully, the snake catcher was able to take the metre-long reptile out of the house, though there isn’t an indication how the crocodile got there in the first place. Mr Nathan believes it may have walked “two to three kilometres plus” to get to the house; the crocodile could have been there for weeks, hiding in the laundry while the occupants went on with daily life. “Ray had been going there the last two weeks every day doing washing and not even half a metre away this croc was under the table,” Mr Nathan said. Originally published as ‘Nearly stood on him’: Man makes chilling discovery in laundry Animals Don't miss out on the headlines from Animals. Followed categories will be added to My News. More related stories WA News Shark ‘shook’ surfer during attack A teenage surfer has described the moment a shark attacked him, but vowing it won’t stop him getting into the water again. Read more Animals Bull shark spotted in popular river Swimmers have been warned to stay out of the water after a bull shark was spotted in a popular river in Victoria’s east. Read moreNASSAU, Bahamas — Scottie Scheffler brought a new putting grip to the Hero World Challenge and felt enough improvement to be satisfied with the result, a 5-under 67 that left him three shots behind Cameron Young on Thursday. Young was playing for the first time since the BMW Championship more than three months ago and found great success on and around the greens of Albany Golf Club, chipping beautifully and holing four birdie putts from 15 feet or longer for his 64. He led by two shots over Justin Thomas in his first competition since his daughter was born a few weeks ago. Thomas ran off four straight birdies late in his round and was a fraction of an inch away with a fifth. The big surprise was Scheffler, the No. 1 player in golf who looked as good as he has all year in compiling eight victories, including an Olympic gold medal. His iron play has no equal. His putting at times has kept him from winning more or winning bigger. He decided to try to a "saw" putting grip from about 20 feet or closer — the putter rests between his right thumb and his fingers, with his left index finger pointed down the shaft. "I'm always looking for ways to improve," Scheffler said. Scheffler last year began working with renowned putting instructor Phil Kenyon, and he says Kenyon mentioned the alternative putting grip back then. "But it was really our first time working together and it's something that's different than what I've done in the past," Scheffler said. "This year I had thought about it from time to time, and it was something that we had just said let's table that for the end of the season, take a look at it. "Figured this is a good week to try stuff." He opened with a wedge to 2 feet and he missed a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-5 third. But he holed a birdie from about the same distance at the next par 5, No. 6, and holed a sliding 6-footer on the ninth to save par. His longest putt was his last hole, from 12 feet for a closing birdie. "I really enjoyed the way it felt," he said. "I felt like I'm seeing some improvements in my stroke." Young, regarded as the best active player without a PGA Tour victory, is treating this holiday tournament as the start of a new season. He worked on getting stronger and got back to the basics in his powerful golf swing. And on this day, he was dialed in with his short game. He only struggled to save par twice and kept piling up birdies in his bogey-free round on an ideal day in the Bahamas. "The wind wasn't blowing much so it was relatively stress-free," Young said. Patrick Cantlay, along with Scheffler playing for the first time since the Presidents Cup, also was at 67 with Ludvig Aberg, Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala. Thomas also took this occasion to do a little experimenting against a 20-man field. He has using a 46-inch driver at home — a little more than an inch longer than his regular driver — in a bid to gain more speed. On a day with little wind, on a golf course with some room off the tee, he decided to put it in play. "Just with it being a little bit longer, I just kind of have to get the club out in front of me and get on top of it a little bit more," Thomas said. "I drove the hell out of it on the back, so that was nice to try something different and have it go a little bit better on the back." Thomas said the longer driver gives him 2 or 3 mph in ball speed and 10 extra yards in the air. "It's very specific for courses, but gave it a try," he said. Conditions were easy enough that only four players in field failed to break par, with Jason Day bringing up the rear with a 75. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Joe Biden led US presidents and other world leaders in paying tribute Sunday to Jimmy Carter who died aged 100. "Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian," President Biden said in a statement released by the White House. "He saved, lifted and changed the lives of people all across the globe." To President-elect Donald Trump, Americans owe Carter "a debt of gratitude." "The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans," he said on social media. Former president Bill Clinton, a Southern Democrat like Carter, said his predecessor had "worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world." He added, in a joint statement with his wife and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, that Carter "lived to serve others -- until the very end." To former president George W. Bush, Carter "dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn't end with the presidency." And for former president Barack Obama, Carter "taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service." Among other US politicians sharing their condolences, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Carter "taught us that the strength of a leader lies not in rhetoric but in action, not in personal gain but in service to others." Carter "was early to recognize that protecting our shared planet and promoting global public health were vital to national security interests," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. In one of the first reactions from abroad, French President Emmanuel Macron said Carter had "been a steadfast advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable and has tirelessly fought for peace. "France sends its heartfelt thoughts to his family and to the American people," he said. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted Carter's post-presidency work with the nonprofit Carter Center "saved countless lives and helped bring many neglected tropical diseases close to elimination." Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva hailed Carter as "a lover of democracy and defender of peace," noting his pressuring of Brazil's dictatorship to release political prisoners. "He criticized unilateral military action by superpowers and the use of killer drones," Lula said. "He worked with Brazil to mediate conflicts in Venezuela and to help Haiti." "He will be remembered forever as a name that defends the idea that peace is the most important condition for development."

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.It can be difficult to define "cheap," particularly on Wall Street. However, in the context of this article, it means a stock with a price below $50. Let's look at two tech stocks that meet this criterion , and why investors might want to strongly consider one or both for their portfolios. SoundHound AI Topping my list is SoundHound AI ( SOUN 15.38% ) . I t qualifies as a cheap stock thanks to its share price (about $21 as of this writing). On a valuation basis, its price-to-sales ratio (P/S) of more than 75 makes it quite expensive. However, like many hypergrowth tech stocks, there's a reason investors have paid up for SoundHound shares, and it's the ongoing AI boom. The corporate world is making enormous investments in artificial intelligence (AI) technology . C ompanies including Microsoft , Amazon , and Meta Platforms are spending billions to build or expand AI data centers, but it's not just the big tech players that are over the moon for AI. Consumer brands , financial companies , and healthcare providers are all recognizing that they need to develop an AI strategy, lest they fall behind their competitors. And that's where SoundHound AI comes in. The company's voice AI systems are crucial to businesses seeking to deploy customer-facing AI. SoundHound helps brands develop systems for ordering at a restaurant, in-car navigation, and other purposes. It has already partnered with iconic brands like Mercedes-Benz , Netflix , and Mastercard . The company is very early in its lifecycle and has generated only $67 million in revenue over the last 12 months, with no profits. But it is growing quickly , with revenue having increased 89% in its most recent quarter (the three months ending on Sept. 30). Growth-focused investors who are interested in what could be one of the best AI application companies around should keep an eye on SoundHound. IonQ As of this writing, the stock price of IonQ ( IONQ 17.64% ) is around $39, which qualifies it as cheap in my book -- at least when it comes to its share price. On a valuation basis, it's clear the company isn't that cheap , with less than $40 million in revenue over the last 12 months and no profits. Yet the reason this company is so compelling to me is that it is a leader in the fascinating field of quantum computing . Unlike traditional binary computers that form the foundation of everything from smartphones to AI supercomputers, quantum computers operate on a more complex system of hardware logic . It's like the difference between a steam engine and a rocket: They're both mechanisms for transportation, but the scale of their applications couldn't be more different. In a nutshell, quantum computers will be vastly more powerful than today's best supercomputers -- once scientists can work out all the kinks. That's precisely what IonQ, along with competitors like Alphabet , are trying to do: design quantum computers so that they can be scaled up and used to solve incredibly complex problems. But for the moment, technical challenges remain, meaning that this is a promising -- but not proven -- investment. More to the point, the company is free cash flow negative, meaning it must fund its operations through cash on hand, debt, or secondary equity offerings. So, while IonQ is not for every investor, it is a compelling choice for those who are looking for a pure play in the quantum computing sector.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Gratifying as it was for Sean McDermott to catch up with his family and get some rest during Buffalo’s bye week, the Bills coach on Wednesday found comfort returning to his weekly routine and familiar wardrobe — a gray T-shirt and sweatpants. “When I’m not wearing those, I go to my closet and I don’t know what to wear. I’m kind of like not myself,” he said before pulling up his hoodie for emphasis to reveal the gray shirt he had on underneath. “So I was telling some of the guys this morning, ‘It’s good to be back.’” Though there remain challenges ahead, these are upbeat times in Buffalo . The Bills (9-2) are off to their best start since 1992. They remain in contention for the AFC’s top seed by entering their break following a 30-21 win over Kansas City (10-1). And Buffalo is in position to clinch its fifth straight AFC East title as early as Sunday. To do so, the Bills would need Miami to lose to Green Bay on Thursday night, and Buffalo to win its game over San Francisco (5-6) on Sunday night. Buffalo has won six straight since back-to-back losses at Baltimore and Houston, and scored 30 or more points in each of its past five outings. Refreshed as McDermott sounded and appeared, it didn’t take long for him to revert to his game-at-a-time script when assessing what’s on the line this weekend. “We’re mostly focused on our level of play this week against a good football team,” he said. McDermott shed little light on the status of Buffalo’s lengthy list of injured players. There’s no timetable yet on Matt Milano being activated off injured reserve, even though the starting linebacker practiced fully for the first time since tearing his left biceps during a training camp practice in mid-August. Milano has actually missed nearly 14 months since sustaining a season-ending injury to his right leg in Week 5 last season. Milano revealed little during a brief interview following practice. “I feel all right. Getting back into it with the team,” said Milano, who no longer wore a red non-contact jersey in practice. Meantime, rookie receiver Keon Coleman, who has missed two games with a right wrist injury, and starting right tackle Spencer Brown, who missed one game with an ankle injury, were limited in practice. Tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) was Buffalo's only player not practicing. The Bills also opened the three-week window for backup rookie defensive tackle DeWayne Carter (wrist) and backup offensive lineman Tylan Grable (groin) to return. McDermott has another positive going for him revolving around the bye week. The Bills are 8-0 coming out of their break since McDermott took over as coach in 2017. “I don’t really have the, hey, this is exactly what we do formula,” McDermott said on whether he’s changed his bye week approach. “It’s more of us really just getting back to what we do, getting back to basics.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflJoe Biden led US presidents and other world leaders in paying tribute Sunday to Jimmy Carter who died aged 100. "Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian," President Biden said in a statement released by the White House. "He saved, lifted and changed the lives of people all across the globe." To President-elect Donald Trump, Americans owe Carter "a debt of gratitude." "The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans," he said on social media. Former president Bill Clinton, a Southern Democrat like Carter, said his predecessor had "worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world." He added, in a joint statement with his wife and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, that Carter "lived to serve others -- until the very end." To former president George W. Bush, Carter "dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn't end with the presidency." And for former president Barack Obama, Carter "taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service." Among other US politicians sharing their condolences, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Carter "taught us that the strength of a leader lies not in rhetoric but in action, not in personal gain but in service to others." Carter "was early to recognize that protecting our shared planet and promoting global public health were vital to national security interests," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. In one of the first reactions from abroad, French President Emmanuel Macron said Carter had "been a steadfast advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable and has tirelessly fought for peace. "France sends its heartfelt thoughts to his family and to the American people," he said. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted Carter's post-presidency work with the nonprofit Carter Center "saved countless lives and helped bring many neglected tropical diseases close to elimination." Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva hailed Carter as "a lover of democracy and defender of peace," noting his pressuring of Brazil's dictatorship to release political prisoners. "He criticized unilateral military action by superpowers and the use of killer drones," Lula said. "He worked with Brazil to mediate conflicts in Venezuela and to help Haiti." "He will be remembered forever as a name that defends the idea that peace is the most important condition for development."

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Young holds 3-shot lead over Scheffler in BahamasThe performance of Bitcoin ( BTC -1.27% ) this year has been nothing short of extraordinary. It's now up about 46% since the election on Nov. 5, and 146% year to date. Best of all, Bitcoin recently broke through the $100,000 price level to hit another all-time high just north of $108,000. But what if I told you that there is another top cryptocurrency that is up more than 120% since the election, and 430% year to date? And that this cryptocurrency also just set a new all-time high? That cryptocurrency is Sui ( SUI -4.78% ) , which now ranks 14th among all cryptocurrencies with a $13 billion market cap. What is Sui and why haven't I heard of it before? If you've never heard of Sui, that's understandable. The cryptocurrency only launched in May 2023, just as the market was emerging from the crypto winter of 2022. So, in many ways, its launch flew under the radar of investors. There were bigger issues to consider. The industry was still coping with the aftermath of the collapse and scandal of crypto exchange FTX in November 2022, and nobody was very interested in hearing about another new cryptocurrency launch. But fast-forward to August 2024. That's when 21Shares -- the company that partnered with Cathie Wood's Ark Invest on the launch of spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for Bitcoin and Ethereum ( ETH -1.80% ) -- released a research report on Sui, detailing all of its unique characteristics. For example, it described how a new technical upgrade suddenly made Sui faster than any other top blockchain by a substantial margin. It pointed out how Sui was rapidly growing in terms of total value locked (TVL), which is a key metric showing the relative strength of a particular blockchain. The title of the report ("Is Sui a Solana ( SOL -3.79% ) Killer?") was very provocative, at least for crypto investors. It suggested that Sui had the technological chops to take on Solana , which now ranks as the fifth-largest cryptocurrency. For several years now, Solana has been positioned as the next Ethereum, so Sui being tabbed as a potential Solana killer is a big deal. In fact, 21Shares suggested that there might be a $68 billion market opportunity for Sui if it was able to take on Solana and win. How high can Sui go in 2025? My primary concern right now with Sui is that it may be overheating. Just like Bitcoin, it is smashing through all-time high after all-time high. Right now, Sui is trading at about $4.50 after briefly testing the $5 price level. From the perspective of crypto traders, $5 presents the same psychological price barrier for Sui that $100,000 did for Bitcoin. It took Bitcoin a while to break through the $100,000 level, so Sui may not be able to break through the $5 price level by the end of this year. But, in 2025, watch out. Just take a look at this comparison chart of Bitcoin and Sui since the presidential election. That leads me to think that the market is very bullish on Sui's prospects under the Trump administration. Bitcoin / U.S. dollar chart by TradingView Moreover, consider the trading volume that Sui is now seeing on Coinbase Global ( COIN 1.75% ) . Sui has become one of the 10 most popular cryptocurrencies on the platform in terms of 24-hour trading activity. Granted, the trading volume in Sui is nowhere near that of Bitcoin or Ethereum. But there's more activity in Sui than in popular cryptocurrencies such as Chainlink , Litecoin , Cardano , Shiba Inu , and Avalanche . Best of all, Sui has a major new product launch coming in 2025. It's a $599 handheld gaming device that is currently available for pre-order online. If that product launch is a success, then it could be off to the races for Sui. It could easily double in price to hit the $10 price level. This cryptocurrency could soar even higher if it ever realizes its full potential as the next Ethereum. Imagine if you had invested in Ethereum just 18 months after its launch. Most likely, you'd be a crypto millionaire by now. In December 2016, Ethereum was trading around $5, which is roughly where Sui is trading right now. Today, Ethereum trades for about $3,400. That said, I can't emphasize enough how speculative Sui is. It is still a baby in crypto terms. It has only been around for 18 months, and it can be difficult to get good data and reliable information about it. So, do your due diligence before investing in Sui, and keep your expectations in check. An investment opportunity like Ethereum might only come around once in a lifetime, so it's asking a lot for it to happen with Sui as well.

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry celebrated a political win Thursday as he signed into law sweeping tax measures passed by lawmakers that include reducing the individual income tax to 3%, cutting corporate taxes and raising the state sales tax. He also approved an array of proposed constitutional changes to go before voters in March. “Y’all have instituted generational change,” Landry said of a bipartisan group of lawmakers standing beside him at the Capitol in Baton Rouge. “They opened the door for a new era here in Louisiana, an era where every working citizen in this state gets to keep more of their hard-earned money.” Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Air Canada faces backlash over new fees