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Westchester should back Christine Sculti for county exec if it wants lower taxes, less crime

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Westchester residents sick of high taxes and terrified of criminal migrants can do themselves a big favor Tuesday by voting for Christine Sculti in the special election for county executive.

County lawmakers called the election to fill out the term of George Latimer, who’s now serving in Congress. Sculti faces Ken Jenkins, Latimer’s No. 2, who’s acting as county exec until the election.

Both have significant experience in county government.

Sculti, the county’s deputy elections commissioner, served as chief adviser to former County Exec Rob Astorino, mid-Hudson regional director of economic development and in several other key roles.

She also helped build a family business.

Jenkins has been a Democratic Party hack almost forever, holding a seat on the Board of Legislators for 11 years, including four as chairman.

Yet the differences are stark.

She wants to kill the “congestion pricing” toll, which socks Westchester drivers hard. Jenkins’ rep on the MTA board backed it.

Another top issue for Sculti is repealing Westchester’s insane sanctuary law, which restricts county employees from working with federal immigration authorities, and so helps free “violent criminals” so they can “commit even more crimes in our neighborhoods.”

Jenkins backs sanctuary, preposterously claiming it boosts public safety.

Sculti also means to “Rein in out of control county spending.”

Under Latimer-Jenkins, outlays rose by hundreds of millions of dollars. County taxes shot up accordingly.

By contrast, when Sculti worked with Astorino, property taxes fell — and didn’t go back up until the Democrats took over.

Sculti would also stand up for parents’ rights in schools and to end “the dangerous woke ideologies that push life-altering drugs and surgeries on children and allow men to compete in girls’ sports.”

Voters should count on Jenkins, as a longtime leader in the state Democratic Party, to push for more woke policies.

Many voters skip special elections, and this one isn’t leaving much time for folks to make up their minds: It comes less than six weeks after Latimer stepped down; the Dems who chose the early date hope the short timespan will give Jenkins an edge.

(Of course, local Democrats have no qualms about delaying special elex when it suits their needs, as they’re scheming to do in the race to fill Elise Stefanik’s House seat.)

Installing Sculti could make a big difference — to families’ budgets, schools and their safety.

Early voting is already underway. Westchester voters should be sure to cast their ballots for Christine Sculti.



This story originally appeared on NYPost

Up 10% today, I think this FTSE 250 growth share could continue to surge!

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Image source: Getty Images

I’ve long argued that Babcock International (LSE:BAB) shares have been unjustly overlooked as investors have piled into industry peers like BAE Systems. But the FTSE 250 share is having its moment in the sun today (6 February) after releasing another robust market update.

At 500p per share, Babcock’s share price is currently up 10.4% in Thursday trading. It’s been driven by a strong Q3 statement and upgrades to earnings forecasts.

And I believe the defence giant has much further to go. Here’s why.

Forecasts bumped up

Babcock provides support, engineering and training services to armed forces chiefly in the UK, Australia and South Africa.

It also provides services for the civil market. That includes building nuclear power plants and cargo handling systems for commercial shipyards and shipowners.

Right now, it’s on a roll across both sides of the business.

On Thursday, it said a strong H1 “continued throughout the third quarter of the year,” adding that “the preliminary view of performance in the month of January is also encouraging.”

A majority of revenue for the financial year (to March 2025) is under contract. And having reviewed its delivery forecasts, it “expects both revenue and underlying operating profit to exceed the top end of the range of analyst expectations.”

Full-year sales of £4.9bn are expected. Underlying operating profit is tipped at the higher end of between £327.1m and £339.7m.

Civil and defence strength

Babcock’s recent success is thanks chiefly to strong trading at its Nuclear and Marine divisions.

At Nuclear, it said “growth is driven by increased newbuild and decommissioning work in civil nuclear, as well as increased submarine support activity and higher than originally expected infrastructure revenues.”

Marine growth is being boosted by “higher LGE [liquified gas equipment] volumes as well as the ramp-up of the Skynet programme.” It took over the operations and management of Skynet — the UK’s military satellite communications system — last March.

Robust outlook

Today’s update underlines the benefits of Babcock’s wide range of services and its excellent record of execution. As well as reducing reliance on one sector, its presence in civil and defence markets provides the firm with exceptional growth opportunities.

It’s benefitting from soaring arms spending across the globe. This is a trend that looks set to continue as the geopolitical landscape becomes more fractured and new dangers arise.

Roughly three-quarters of its portfolio is geared towards defence applications. Meanwhile on the civil side, I’m expecting strong demand for its nuclear services to continue as the UK switches away from fossil fuels.

City analysts are confident too. They think the company will follow a 42% earnings rise this financial year with increases of 13% and 10% in fiscal 2026 and 2027, respectively.

After recent momentum, I wouldn’t be surprised to see these short-to-medium term forecasts upgraded either.

A FTSE 250 bargain

Despite today’s rise, Babcock shares still look dirt cheap on paper. A sub-1 price-to-earnings growth (PEG) ratio of 0.4 leaves plenty more scope in my opinion for more share price gains.

Risks here include supply chain problems across the defence sector and intense market competition. But on balance, I think it looks in great shape to keep rising. So I believe it’s worth serious consideration from savvy share investors.



This story originally appeared on Motley Fool

Rams say a contract extension for Kyren Williams is a priority

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Kyren Williams was glad to hear it.

Rams coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead have said publicly that working on an extension for the Rams running back was among offseason priorities.

Does Williams want to remain with the Rams?

“Heck yeah,” Williams said Thursday at the Super Bowl’s media center. “I don’t want to go play for anybody else besides the Los Angeles Rams, coach McVay, under Les Snead and just around all my teammates I’ve been with the last three or four years.

“I hope that we can get that done, and I hope it doesn’t take away from all the other stuff that’s going on with the Rams, and we can get that over with and get back to focusing on ball.”

Williams’ situation is not the most pressing for a Rams team coming off a 10-7 record and NFC divisional-round loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Cooper Kupp, a cornerstone of McVay’s offense for most of his eight seasons, announced this week that the Rams had informed him they would seek to trade the receiver.

“It sucks,” Williams said. “It’s the nature of this business. Cooper is a guy that before I ever got to the Rams, Cooper was a pillar of the Rams and was somebody that when you think of the Rams, you think of Cooper Kupp.”

Williams said he would miss not having Kupp as a role model for how to be a professional. However, the situation also presents Williams and receiver Puka Nacua the opportunity to grow as leaders, he said.

“To be able to be that person Cooper was in the locker room for the young guys that are coming in,” he said.

The Rams also must work through quarterback Matthew Stafford’s contract situation. The 16th-year veteran has given no indication publicly that he wants to retire, and he is expected to want his contract adjusted for the second year in a row.

In the meantime, Williams will prepare for his fourth NFL season.

Williams, who will turn 25 in August, has rushed for 2,582 yards and 26 touchdowns since the Rams selected him in the fifth round of the 2022 draft out of Notre Dame.

This season, he rushed for 1,299 yards and 14 touchdowns.

“I’m excited to go back, after three years of a body of work, to really know what I’m good at, where I need to get better and continue to keep working,” he said. “I think this is going to be my best offseason. … I’m going to go back to work and get my body right and come out next season on fire.”



This story originally appeared on LA Times

Lakers are title contenders after Luka Doncic, Mark Williams trades

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They spent the last four years feeling as if they were stuck in rush-hour traffic. Now, the Lakers are racing down an open road.

Toward relevance.

Toward contention.

Toward a potential 18th championship.

Everything changed for the Lakers in the five days leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline, as they evolved from a high-profile sideshow into a legitimate threat.

Not content with simply landing LeBron James’ successor in Luka Doncic, the Lakers moved to maximize the time in which the tenures of the two generational superstars will overlap.

They addressed their opening created by the departure of center Anthony Davis, completing a trade with the Charlotte Hornets for 7-footer Mark Williams.

Williams is 23, but this is as much about the present as it is about the future.

This is a win-now move, general manager Rob Pelinka investing most of what remained of their trade capital into the deal for Williams, who averaged 17.4 points and 10.7 rebound after moving into the Hornets’ starting lineup in mid-December.

Not since they traded for Anthony Davis before their most recent championship season have the Lakers inspired as much optimism. Not since Guggenheim Baseball Management purchased the Dodgers has a Los Angeles franchise transformed as dramatically.

The Lakers have done right by their fans, and they have done right by James.

Just a couple of nights ago, I asked James if he was concerned the Lakers could further prioritize the future over the present.

“If I had concerns,” James said, “I would’ve waived my no-trade clause and got up out of here.”

He was right.

Williams cost the Lakers their most recent first-round draft choice in Dalton Knecht, as well as a first-round pick swap in 2030 and an unprotected first-round selection in 2031.

This was a high-risk, high-reward maneuver by Pelinka.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, left, walks alongside side newly acquired Lakers star Luka Doncic during a news conference at the team’s practice facility in El Segundo on Tuesday.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

A former first-round pick, Williams has played in only 85 games in his three NBA seasons, as he has missed significant time with back, foot and ankle injuries. His back problems limited him to 19 games last season.

Williams is a solid rebounder but a below-average defender. He’s certainly no Anthony Davis.

With a starting lineup that includes a 40-year-old James and defensive liabilities in Doncic and Austin Reaves, who knows if the Lakers will be able to prevent their opponents from scoring at will.

There will be very real consequences if Williams fails to stay healthy or produce as expected. The Lakers next tradeable first-round pick is in the 2033 draft and they won’t be able to access it until 2026-27.

If the Lakers are forced to make another major trade before then, they will likely have to deal Reaves, which is something they don’t want to do.

Doncic emboldened the Lakers to place this wager. He made the gamble worthwhile, if not necessary.

The Lakers have a history of acquiring superstar after superstar after superstar, but how often have they had two players as talented as Doncic and James at the same time?

Pelinka recognized the opportunity and reacted with the appropriate level of urgency.

Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss deserve credit for the roster makeover, not so much for executing the trades — the Lakers were approached by the Mavericks and Hornets, not the other way around — but for positioning themselves to be able to strike these deals.

Frustrated by the team’s roster composition in recent years, James has passive-aggressively lobbied management to surround him with better players.

LeBron James, left, speaks with Luka Doncic talk during a game against the Clippers at the Intuit Dome on Tuesday.

LeBron James, left, speaks with Luka Doncic talk during a game against the Clippers at the Intuit Dome on Tuesday.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

When the Lakers were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets last year in the playoffs, James was asked if he gained confidence in the team based on its improved late-season form.

“No,” James replied. “We lost. I’m not a participation guy.”

Translation: Upgrade the roster.

Last month, James said the Lakers had to play “close-to-perfect basketball” to win.

Translation: Upgrade the roster.

Finally, the Lakers did, providing James with an incentive to remain as engaged as he has been in his recent stretch of throwback performances.

Similar to the Dodgers and USC, the Lakers are defined by championships. For such brands, an absence of hope can result in an identity crisis. Because if they can’t win, what are they?

That’s where the Lakers were stuck late in Kobe Bryant’s career. That’s where they were after Bryant’s retirement. And that’s where they returned after their bubble championship.

The trades for Doncic and Williams don’t guarantee another championship, but they have Los Angeles dreaming again. Until further notice, the Lakers are back to being the Lakers.



This story originally appeared on LA Times

Alex Bregman knows what he wants — and is holding out for it

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Top remaining free agent Alex Bregman is getting creative short-term offers but is still looking for (and expecting) six-plus years. Teams involved include the Cubs, Red Sox, Astros and Tigers. 

Astros GM Dana Brown suggested a lack of optimism on Bregman, though word is they’ve come up from their reported $156M, six-year offer from November. 

Alex Bregman throws to second after fielding a bunt by Detroit Tigers’ Parker Meadows in the ninth inning of Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. AP

Bregman is a rare 30-year-old seemingly unaffected by the qualifying offer. The Pete Alonso-Mets negotiations are a reminder how much the qualifying offer/draft pick attachment changes the equation.  


The Mets apparently haven’t completely ruled out a return for Jose Iglesias (aka Candelita), either. 



This story originally appeared on NY Post

Here’s why AstraZeneca stock jumped nearly 6% in the FTSE 100 today

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Image source: Getty Images

Today (6 February) was good for shareholders of AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN). The FTSE 100‘s largest company vaulted 5.9% higher to 11,786p after dropping a strong set of earnings.

This helped push the Footsie up to 8,766, a record intraday high. Interest rates were also cut today, bringing down the cost of borrowing to 4.5%. So more gains could be ahead.

I added to my holding in the pharma giant in early November when the stock dipped under 10,000p. This followed news that some executives were under investigation in China, which I suspected might not matter five years from now. We also got news about that today.

Strong growth and surging profits

In 2024, AstraZeneca’s revenue jumped 21% year on year to $54.1bn on a constant currency basis. That was ahead of guidance for high-teens growth and better than what analysts were expecting ($53.1bn).

Sales growth was strong across the board, with its oncology (up 24%) and respiratory and immunology (24%) divisions leading the way. Cancer treatments account for around 41% of total sales.

Looking at regions, Europe (up 26% at constant exchange rates) and emerging markets excluding China (32%) grew the fastest. Yet its largest market, the US, recorded impressive 22% revenue growth last year.

On the bottom line, core earnings per share (EPS) spiked 19% to $8.21, ahead of forecasts ($8.15), while pre-tax profits surged 38% to $8.7bn.

CEO Pascal Soriot commented: “This year marks the beginning of an unprecedented, catalyst-rich period for our company, an important step on our Ambition 2030 journey to deliver $80bn total revenue by the end of the decade.” 

While growth’s understandably expected to be slower in 2025, things still look solid. Revenue’s set to rise by a high single-digit percentage, with EPS increasing by a low double-digit percentage. It wouldn’t surprise me if those figures end up a bit higher this time next year.

Finally, the dividend was hiked 7% last year, though the forecast yield is just 2.2%.

Ocean-deep drugs pipeline

By my count, AstraZeneca had 14 blockbuster drugs in 2024, which means each one generated over $1bn in annual sales. But a handful of others are also getting closer.

One reason I’m a shareholder is the company’s deep pipeline of innovative treatments and potential future blockbusters. Last year, it delivered nine positive late-stage studies and anticipates another seven potential new medicines this year.

This gives the company many shots on goal, though naturally some will miss the target. Late-stage trial failures are an unavoidable risk here, as is adverse regulation. Donald Trump’s health secretary, the Big Pharma critic Robert F Kennedy, also remains a wildcard.

Meanwhile, a global trade war triggered by Trump’s tariffs might see AstraZeneca facing a bit more regulatory scrutiny in China. Speaking of which…

A drop in the ocean

What about China then? Well, this matter relates to unpaid importation taxes on two cancer drugs. But the good news is that the company sees the fine for this being between $900k and $4.5m.

While it’s obviously not ideal to be in the bad books with Chinse authorities, this amount is small potatoes for a global pharma giant.

As a shareholder, I’m happy with everything I’ve read here. But I’ll wait for another dip before buying any more shares.



This story originally appeared on Motley Fool

Half of C-Suite leaders likely to leave in two years, 27% in six months — survey – Computerworld

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When considering new hires, 80% of corporate executives prioritize skills over degrees, with half planning to increase freelance hiring this year, according to a new study from freelancing platform Upwork. The study, released this week, showed “unprecedented growth” in specialized AI skills, which have surged 220% year-over-year. Another problem, however, is the skills needed to keep up with AI’s advances are constantly changing.

“What we’re witnessing isn’t just a talent shortage – it’s a fundamental transformation in how technology roles are structured,” Mitchell said.

Forward-thinking organizations are creating hybrid roles that combine AI skills with business strategy, reimagining technology careers for the AI era, according to Mitchell; 92% of organizations are redesigning technical roles to include AI skills and strategic thinking. Meanwhile, 81% of CIOs are adjusting hiring strategies, focusing on cloud computing and sustainability.



This story originally appeared on Computerworld

US lawmakers want DeepSeek banned from government devices

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Two US Congress members plan to introduce bipartisan legislation to ban China’s DeepSeek AI chatbot from government devices. The bill’s announcement came after a security expert said DeepSeek not only poses a threat to US AI stocks; it’s also a national security risk. The chatbot has recently been the most downloaded app in the US.

U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Darin LaHood (R-IL), each party’s senior-most member on the House Select Committee on Intelligence, plan to introduce the “No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act.” If all of this sounds familiar, the move echoes Congress’ blocking of TikTok from government devices in 2022. That was the opening salvo in a saga that culminated in the US-wide ban the app is now staring down.

The alarm follows an independent analysis from Feroot Security claiming that DeepSeek’s code sends user data directly to the Chinese government-owned China Mobile. “We see direct links to servers and companies in China that are under control of the Chinese government,” Feroot analyst Ivan Tsarynny said in an interview with ABC News. “This is something we’ve never seen before.”

“Our personal information is being sent to China, there is no denial, and the DeepSeek tool is collecting everything that American users connect to it,” Tsarynny told the Wall Street Journal. ABC reported on Wednesday that multiple cybersecurity experts verified Feroot’s findings.

The US Navy and NASA have already banned DeepSeek from their employees’ devices. Texas is the only state to have blocked the app from government devices. Three other countries have already beat the US to the punch in banning the app: Italy, South Korea and Australia.

LaHood warned of the app’s dangers. “The national security threat that DeepSeek — a CCP-affiliated company — poses to the United States is alarming,” the Representative wrote in a press release. “DeepSeek’s generative AI program acquires the data of US users and stores the information for unidentified use by the CCP. Under no circumstances can we allow a CCP company to obtain sensitive government or personal data.”

“We must get to the bottom of DeepSeek’s malign activities,” Gottheimer wrote. “We simply can’t risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security.”



This story originally appeared on Engadget

Who Is ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’ Based on? About Belle Gibson – Hollywood Life

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Image Credit: Courtesy Of Netflix

“A true-ish story based on a lie” — that’s what Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar teases viewers with. The miniseries focuses on Belle Gibson: a convicted scammer from Australia, who was once a wellness guru that lied about beating cancer with certain diet, exercise and medicinal choices. Since Gibson’s rise and fall is depicted in the new show, viewers are dying to learn more about the mysteries ex-influencer whom Apple Cider Vinegar is based on.

The six-episode show explores the early days of Instagram and how wellness culture became a whole new world thanks to social media. The series is not a biopic, though, as Netflix clarified; it includes a few fictional characters but unravels a dramatized version of Gibson’s story.

Below, Hollywood Life has compiled all the details about Gibson and the Netflix series.

Who Is Belle Gibson?

Gibson was a wellness guru who lied about living with multiple forms of cancer, including malignant brain, kidney and blood cancer. She started a fitness and diet empire by launching an app and a book, both titled The Whole Pantry.

During a 2015 interview with Australia’s Women’s Weekly, Gibson claimed she grew up in a difficult household in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, with a mom who battled multiple sclerosis and brother who was allegedly on the autism spectrum. 

“When I started school, my mum went, ‘My daughter is grown up now,’” she told the publication at the time. “All of a sudden, I was walking to school on my own, making school lunches and cleaning the house every day. It was my responsibility to do grocery shopping, do the washing, arrange medical appointments and pick up my brother. I didn’t have toys.”

Eventually, Gibson admitted she fabricated the cancer claims, and her family members disputed her backstory. While speaking with the Herald Sun in 2015, Gibson’s mother, Natalie Dal-Bello (who later died in 2017 from MS) called her daughter’s story “a lot of rubbish” and noted, “Belle never cared for me, her brother is not autistic and she’s barely done a minute’s housework in her life.”

Who Is 'Apple Cider Vinegar' Based on? About Belle Gibson
Courtesy of Netflix © 2024

Where Is Belle Gibson Now?

In 2017, Gibson was hit with more than $400,000 in fines, per PEOPLE. She has reportedly stayed under the raider ever since, even after law enforcement raided her home.

Who Plays Belle Gibson in Apple Cider Vinegar?

Actress Kaitlyn Dever plays the role of Gibson. Dever is recognized for roles in a slew of films and miniseries, such as Dopesick, Rosaline, No One Will Save You and season 2 of The Last of Us.

Dever spoke with Netflix’s The Tudum about how she got into character for Apple Cider Vinegar, pointing out that she “holds the wellness world so close” to her heart.

“The show really does an amazing job at shedding light on the confusion that surrounds the medical world and the wellness industry — and also human behavior and why we lie,” the actress said. “It does have very high stakes and feels very life and death.”

Is There a Belle Gibson Documentary?

Per IMDb, the documentary TV special Bad Influencer: The Great Insta Con explored Gibson’s rise and fall as a wellness guru and her run-ins with the law.



This story originally appeared on Hollywoodlife

Tourist warning as Spanish hotels could cost more with reduced working week plan | Travel News | Travel

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The Valencian Community Hotel and Tourism Business Association (Hosbec) has described the Spanish government’s plans to cut the working week from 40 hours to 37.5 hours as “reckless” and warns that it will cause a “significant increase” in tourist costs. 

Hosbec president Fede Fuster said the move will affect the competitiveness of the hotel sector and increased costs will be passed on to visitors through higher prices. 

He added that the deal struck between Labour Minister Yolanda Diez and the trade unions did not involve commerce and that tourist businesses are very labour-intensive.

Mr Fuster said: “Minister Diaz forgets that in the Valencian hospitality industry, the working week has already been agreed at 37.5 hours and she has not explained what will happen to businesses operating eight-hour shifts, 24 hours a day.”

The Hosbec president added that the “small print” of the changes will need to be analysed to see how it fits with what employers and unions have agreed to locally. 

Hosbec has pledged to work with both the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE) and the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation (CEHAT) to “minimise” the impact of the measure.

“It will have to be adapted to the reality of the tourism sector where getting replacement staff is not easy and where it might have to look at mechanising processes due to the lack of workers,” Fuster added.

The Socialist government committed to reducing the working week without any salary loss by the end of 2025 as part of its 2023 coalition deal with the far-left party, Sumar.

The reduction, which has taken over a year to agree on, will affect around 12 million workers, particularly in the retail, hospitality and agriculture sectors. Public-sector employees and most large companies already have a 37.5-hour work week.

Yolanda Diaz described the move as “a historic day”, arguing that reducing the standard 40-hour work week would modernise Spain’s labour market and prioritise quality of life over time spent at work.

She emphasised that the reform aims to enable people to “live better, work less, and be more productive and efficient economically,” describing the initiative as “a change of paradigm.”

The threat of further increases to hotel costs will not please tourists, who already suffered from price rises last year. 

According to the INE national statistics institute, overnight stays across Spain rose by 4.9% in 2024 compared to the previous year, reaching a new record high of 363.6 million euros (£304 million).

Visitors from the UK and Germany accounted for 102.9 million overnight stays in 2024, representing 42.6% of the total for foreign tourists, representing an increase of 4.3% and 8.2% respectively. 

The average daily hotel revenue per occupied room (ADR) was 121.50 euros (£101.45) in 2024. The average daily revenue per available room (RevPAR) reached 84.60 euros (£70.64).



This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk