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Citigroup Inc. Cuts Position in Webster Financial Co. (NYSE:WBS)In light of the recent protests in Pakistan, I reflect on them as such: The winds of greed, both seen and unseen, Swept through the halls where ideals had been. The thirst for power, raw and vile, Turned the vision into guile. Lines were drawn by cunning hand, Dividing people, land from land. Political pawns, non-political schemes, Choking the heart of collective dreams. Yet they forgot what power should know: The state is the people, who reap and sow. It is not the crown, the army, the creed, But the common hands that plant the seed. Absurd it is, this illusion of might, Of forces thinking they own the right To shape a nation in their despise, Ignoring the people's weary cries. But the people rise; they always do, In justice’s name, for what is true. No throne, no chain can hold their will; A silent wave, steadfast and still. In Pakistan, the political turmoil can often be traced back to a fundamental issue: a disagreement over the very definition of what is the "state." This ambiguity shapes not only how we govern ourselves but also how we understand the very essence of our democracy. As we witness protests, political unrest, and claims of electoral fraud, it becomes evident that the root of Pakistan’s current political struggles lies in the disconnect between the will of the people and the actions of the powers that be. Constitutional Reforms In Pakistan's Judiciary At the heart of this issue is a constitutional debate: what exactly constitutes the “state” of Pakistan? Article 7 of the Constitution of Pakistan offers a clear definition. It states that: "......the State" means the Federal Government, '[ Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) , a Provincial Government, a Provincial Assembly, and such local or other authorities in Pakistan as are by law empowered to impose any tax or cess.” However, this definition is more than just legal jargon; it points to an essential truth about democratic governance: the “state” must be the product of the will of the people. Through this lens, the Pakistani constitution is clear—particularly when we examine Part VIII, which focuses on Elections. Pat VIII of the Constitution, reflects that elections to the National Assembly shall be held in a manner that reflects the will of the people. These provisions emphasise that the state, in a democracy, is not merely a collection of bureaucratic entities or institutional powers; it is the will of the people, expressed through free and fair elections. The "state" is not a monolithic entity but a dynamic, evolving expression of the people's collective will. Thus, the legitimacy of the state is directly tied to the democratic process, where the people elect their representatives. However, the problem arises when entities within the country — particularly the powerful “Establishment,” a term often used to refer to the military and its influence over national affairs — undermine the very principle of democratic elections. Recent events in Pakistan, notably the rigging of the 2018 elections and ongoing allegations surrounding electoral malpractice, have demonstrated a blatant violation of the public's right to choose their government. By interfering in the electoral process, the Establishment not only undermines the democratic will of the people but also violates the Constitution's explicit provisions. Pakistan’s Justice Revolution: A Constitutional Court When citizens take to the streets to demand free and fair elections, they are not just protesting electoral fraud; they are invoking their constitutional right to assemble and speak out against the violation of their democracy When the public’s right to franchise is violated, as it was in this year's elections, the entire foundation of the state is called into question. The actions of the Establishment, whether through rigging, manipulation, or coercion, erode the legitimacy of the state. This has sparked protests across the country, with citizens demanding the restoration of their democratic rights. These protests, however, are not just a response to political mismanagement—they are an expression of the people's rightful claim to shape their state. Pakistan’s Constitution safeguards these rights, particularly through Article 16, which guarantees the "freedom of assembly." In essence, this article protects the public’s right to gather peacefully and express dissent, especially when their fundamental rights —such as the right to vote — are violated. When citizens take to the streets to demand free and fair elections, they are not just protesting electoral fraud; they are invoking their constitutional right to assemble and speak out against the violation of their democracy. The true crisis in Pakistan is not merely one of political instability or economic mismanagement, but rather the failure to respect the foundational principles of the state as defined by its own Constitution. The state must reflect the will of the people, and the moment that democratic will is undermined, the legitimacy of the state itself is questioned. This is why protests in Pakistan are not only a political action but a direct appeal to the Constitution’s promise of justice, equality, and freedom. Until there is a consensus on what constitutes the "state" in Pakistan, and until the will of the people is respected through free and fair elections, we will continue to see a fractured society. The protests in Pakistan are a wake-up call for a nation that must return to its constitutional roots and restore the democratic principles that form the bedrock of its statehood. Only then can Pakistan truly call itself a democratic republic, governed by the people, for the people. Will The 26th Constitutional Amendment Ensure Justice For The People Of Pakistan?
CLEMSON, S.C. — Quarterback LaNorris Sellers could not be denied against Clemson. Neither could the South Carolina football team. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.The two-minute timeout. The transfer portal as de facto free agency. Collectives generating name, image and likeness (NIL) money for athletes becoming like a payroll. The impending arrival of revenue sharing. It didn't take long for Belichick to envision how a college program should look based on his own NFL experience. "I do think there are a lot of parallels," Belichick said. And that's at least partly why the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach is now taking over at North Carolina. Years of rapid change at the have only increased the professionalization of college football across the country, with schools adjusting staffing to handle growing duties once seemingly more fitting for a pro team. UNC just happens to be making the most audacious of those bets, bringing in a 72-year-old who has never coached in college and asking him to build what amounts to a mini-NFL front office. But plenty could follow. "I really think there's going to be some of those guys that maybe don't have a job in the NFL anymore," Kansas State general manager Clint Brown said, "and now that this is going to be structured in a way where there is a cap that that's going to be something they're interested in." The rapid changes in college athletics have fueled that, notably with players able to transfer and play right away without sitting out a year and be paid through NIL endorsement opportunities in the past five years. Recruiting is now just as much about bringing in veteran talent through the portal as signing recruits out of high school, mirroring the NFL with free agency and the draft, respectively. And a bigger change looms with revenue sharing, the result of a $2.78 billion legal settlement to antitrust lawsuits. Specifically, that model will allow the biggest schools to establish a pool of about $21.5 million for athletes in the first year, with a final hearing in that case set for April 2025. It will be up to schools to determine how to distribute that money and in which sports, though football's role as the revenue driver in college sports likely means a prominent cut everywhere as a direct parallel to a professional team's salary cap. Throw all that together, and it's why coaches are adjusting their staffs like Florida's Billy Napier interviewing candidates to be the Gators' general manager. "We're built to do it now," Napier said. "The big thing here is that we're getting ready to be in a business model. We have a cap. We have contracts. We have negotiation. We have strategy about how we distribute those funds, and it's a major math puzzle. "We're going to build out a front office here in the next couple of months, and it's primarily to help us manage that huge math problem," Napier added. "There'll be a ton of strategy around that. I'm looking forward to it." Still, that also explains why Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, the former head coach of the NFL's Carolina Panthers, said: "This job as a head coach is a juggernaut. There's way more to do here than I had to do in the NFL." And it explains why the Tar Heels are betting on Belichick to be the right fit for today's changing climate. "If I was 16 of 17 years old, a coach who came at you and won how many Super Bowls? And he said, 'Come play for me,'" said New York Giants offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu, now in his third year out of UNC. "I mean, that's pretty hard to turn down now, especially in this day and age, he's telling you to come play for him and he's offering you some money, too. I mean, you can't go wrong with that choice." The timing worked for UNC with Belichick, who was bypassed for some NFL openings after leaving the New England Patriots last year and instead spent months taking a closer look at the college game. Those conversations with coaches — some in the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten and Southeastern conferences, he said Thursday — made him understand how the changes in college aligned with his pro experience. "College kind of came to me this year," Belichick said. "I didn't necessarily go and seek it out." And his mere presence in Chapel Hill makes a difference, with athletic director Bubba Cunningham saying his "visibility" would likely allow the team to raise prices for advertising such as sponsorships and signage. Belichick is also hiring Michael Lombardi, a former NFL general manager and executive, as the Tar Heels' general manager. Cunningham also said the plan is for Belichick to continue his appearances on former NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning's "Manningcast" broadcasts during Monday Night Football as well as ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" — all giving the coach the chance to promote himself and the program. Yet these steps to reshape football at North Carolina comes with a rising price. Belichick will make $10 million per year in base and supplemental pay, with the first three years of the five-year deal guaranteed, according to a term sheet released by UNC on Thursday. That's roughly double of former coach Mack Brown, whose contract outlined about $4.2 million in base and supplemental salary before bonuses and other add-ons. Additionally, Belichick's deal includes $10 million for a salary pool for assistant coaches and $5.3 million for support staff. That's up from roughly $8.1 million for assistants and $4.8 million for support staff for the 2022 season, according to football financial data for UNC obtained by The Associated Press. And those figures from 2022 under Brown were already up significantly from Larry Fedora's tenure with the 2017 season ($4 million for assistant coaches, $2.3 million for support staff). There is at least one area where the Tar Heels are set for Belichick's arrival: facilities. UNC spent more than $40 million on its football practice complex with an indoor facility (2018) as the biggest project, while other projects include $3 million in upgrades to the locker room and weight room (2019), $14.5 million on renovations to the Kenan Football Center (2022), even $225,000 on Brown's former office (2021). Now it's up to Belichick to rethink the approach to football here for the changing times. "We're taking a risk," Cunningham said. "We're investing more in football with the hope and ambition that the return is going to significantly outweigh the investment." AP Sports Writers Tom Canavan in New Jersey; Mark Long in Florida; and Eric Olson in Nebraska; contributed to this report.
Rebel troops battling Syrian government forces inside Aleppo, claim to control entirety of Idlib province( MENAFN - IANS) Chandigarh, Nov 30 (IANS) Terming the medium of literature as the most potent weapon to inspire youngsters towards defence services, Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Saturday said that valour exhibited by sons and daughters of Punjab in different wars was a perennial source of motivation for the entire nation. The Governor was speaking here after inaugurating the eighth edition of the Military Literature Festival (MLF) being organised at the Lake Sports Complex. The two-day event is being held here to offer youngsters a peep into military life and to nurture future defence leaders. "The festival not only celebrates India's glorious military heritage but also underscores the role of military literature in enhancing knowledge and fostering patriotism among citizens," the Governor said. Highlighting the increasing participation of women in the armed forces, the Governor said it marked a progressive step towards gender equality and inclusivity in the forces. The Governor commended the efforts of the literature festival organisers in encouraging and preparing young boys and girls to join the military, contributing significantly to national security and defence. India's strides toward self-reliance in defence under the vision of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat were another focal point of the Governor's address. He noted that India "is not only manufacturing state-of-the-art weapons and military equipment but is also emerging as a key exporter of defence technology to other nations". This, he said, reflects India's growing stature as a global power in military innovation. The Governor recalled India's historic achievement under the leadership of former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam during the Pokhran nuclear tests. "Pokhran was a turning point that showcased to the world India's capability and resolve. It was a moment of national pride that established our nation as a formidable nuclear power," he remarked, urging the youth to draw inspiration from such milestones in India's military history. The festival's theme, "Wars Under the Nuclear Umbrella", aligns with discussions on contemporary global challenges and India's preparedness for future conflicts. Various panel discussions are scheduled on topics like the war in Ukraine, regional instability, and advancements in defence technology. The event also features a grand military equipment exhibition organised by the Army's Western Command, showcasing India's defence capabilities. The Governor lauded the efforts of Lt Gen (retd) T.S. Shergill and Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar for organising this world-class festival and urged all citizens to reflect on India's journey toward self-reliance in defence and military excellence. MENAFN30112024000231011071ID1108941528 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.Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Bill Belichick spent time after his NFL exit talking with college coaches wanting his thoughts on managing new wrinkles at their level that looked a lot like the pros. The two-minute timeout. The transfer portal as de facto free agency. Collectives generating name, image and likeness (NIL) money for athletes becoming like a payroll. The impending arrival of revenue sharing. It didn't take long for Belichick to envision how a college program should look based on his own NFL experience. "I do think there are a lot of parallels," Belichick said. And that's at least partly why the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach is now taking over at North Carolina. Years of rapid change at the have only increased the professionalization of college football across the country, with schools adjusting staffing to handle growing duties once seemingly more fitting for a pro team. UNC just happens to be making the most audacious of those bets, bringing in a 72-year-old who has never coached in college and asking him to build what amounts to a mini-NFL front office. But plenty could follow. "I really think there's going to be some of those guys that maybe don't have a job in the NFL anymore," Kansas State general manager Clint Brown said, "and now that this is going to be structured in a way where there is a cap that that's going to be something they're interested in." The rapid changes in college athletics have fueled that, notably with players able to transfer and play right away without sitting out a year and be paid through NIL endorsement opportunities in the past five years. Recruiting is now just as much about bringing in veteran talent through the portal as signing recruits out of high school, mirroring the NFL with free agency and the draft, respectively. And a bigger change looms with revenue sharing, the result of a $2.78 billion legal settlement to antitrust lawsuits. Specifically, that model will allow the biggest schools to establish a pool of about $21.5 million for athletes in the first year, with a final hearing in that case set for April 2025. It will be up to schools to determine how to distribute that money and in which sports, though football's role as the revenue driver in college sports likely means a prominent cut everywhere as a direct parallel to a professional team's salary cap. Throw all that together, and it's why coaches are adjusting their staffs like Florida's Billy Napier interviewing candidates to be the Gators' general manager. "We're built to do it now," Napier said. "The big thing here is that we're getting ready to be in a business model. We have a cap. We have contracts. We have negotiation. We have strategy about how we distribute those funds, and it's a major math puzzle. "We're going to build out a front office here in the next couple of months, and it's primarily to help us manage that huge math problem," Napier added. "There'll be a ton of strategy around that. I'm looking forward to it." Still, that also explains why Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, the former head coach of the NFL's Carolina Panthers, said: "This job as a head coach is a juggernaut. There's way more to do here than I had to do in the NFL." And it explains why the Tar Heels are betting on Belichick to be the right fit for today's changing climate. "If I was 16 of 17 years old, a coach who came at you and won how many Super Bowls? And he said, 'Come play for me,'" said New York Giants offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu, now in his third year out of UNC. "I mean, that's pretty hard to turn down now, especially in this day and age, he's telling you to come play for him and he's offering you some money, too. I mean, you can't go wrong with that choice." The timing worked for UNC with Belichick, who was bypassed for some NFL openings after leaving the New England Patriots last year and instead spent months taking a closer look at the college game. Those conversations with coaches — some in the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten and Southeastern conferences, he said Thursday — made him understand how the changes in college aligned with his pro experience. "College kind of came to me this year," Belichick said. "I didn't necessarily go and seek it out." And his mere presence in Chapel Hill makes a difference, with athletic director Bubba Cunningham saying his "visibility" would likely allow the team to raise prices for advertising such as sponsorships and signage. Belichick is also hiring Michael Lombardi, a former NFL general manager and executive, as the Tar Heels' general manager. Cunningham also said the plan is for Belichick to continue his appearances on former NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning's "Manningcast" broadcasts during Monday Night Football as well as ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" — all giving the coach the chance to promote himself and the program. Yet these steps to reshape football at North Carolina comes with a rising price. Belichick will make $10 million per year in base and supplemental pay, with the first three years of the five-year deal guaranteed, according to a term sheet released by UNC on Thursday. That's roughly double of former coach Mack Brown, whose contract outlined about $4.2 million in base and supplemental salary before bonuses and other add-ons. Additionally, Belichick's deal includes $10 million for a salary pool for assistant coaches and $5.3 million for support staff. That's up from roughly $8.1 million for assistants and $4.8 million for support staff for the 2022 season, according to football financial data for UNC obtained by The Associated Press. And those figures from 2022 under Brown were already up significantly from Larry Fedora's tenure with the 2017 season ($4 million for assistant coaches, $2.3 million for support staff). There is at least one area where the Tar Heels are set for Belichick's arrival: facilities. UNC spent more than $40 million on its football practice complex with an indoor facility (2018) as the biggest project, while other projects include $3 million in upgrades to the locker room and weight room (2019), $14.5 million on renovations to the Kenan Football Center (2022), even $225,000 on Brown's former office (2021). Now it's up to Belichick to rethink the approach to football here for the changing times. "We're taking a risk," Cunningham said. "We're investing more in football with the hope and ambition that the return is going to significantly outweigh the investment." AP Sports Writers Tom Canavan in New Jersey; Mark Long in Florida; and Eric Olson in Nebraska; contributed to this report. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Citigroup Inc. decreased its holdings in shares of Vanguard Health Care ETF ( NYSEARCA:VHT – Free Report ) by 3.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 28,000 shares of the company’s stock after selling 932 shares during the period. Citigroup Inc.’s holdings in Vanguard Health Care ETF were worth $7,902,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Bordeaux Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Vanguard Health Care ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $12,664,000. Strategic Financial Concepts LLC acquired a new position in shares of Vanguard Health Care ETF during the second quarter valued at $11,017,000. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Vanguard Health Care ETF by 293.3% during the third quarter. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 49,708 shares of the company’s stock worth $14,028,000 after acquiring an additional 37,068 shares during the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC increased its holdings in shares of Vanguard Health Care ETF by 4.7% in the 2nd quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 710,471 shares of the company’s stock worth $188,985,000 after acquiring an additional 32,177 shares during the period. Finally, Royal Fund Management LLC lifted its position in Vanguard Health Care ETF by 111.5% in the 3rd quarter. Royal Fund Management LLC now owns 51,878 shares of the company’s stock valued at $14,768,000 after purchasing an additional 27,353 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Health Care ETF Trading Up 0.3 % NYSEARCA VHT opened at $272.24 on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $274.65 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $273.61. Vanguard Health Care ETF has a 52 week low of $235.50 and a 52 week high of $289.14. The stock has a market cap of $18.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.22 and a beta of 0.61. Vanguard Health Care ETF Company Profile Vanguard Health Care ETF seeks to track the investment performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Health Care 25/50 Index, a benchmark of large-, mid-, and small-cap United States stocks in the health care sector, as classified under the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). This GICS sector is made up of two main industry groups. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VHT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Vanguard Health Care ETF ( NYSEARCA:VHT – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Vanguard Health Care ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vanguard Health Care ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
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Sean Penn on Tuesday blasted the organizers of the Oscars for being cowards who, in effect, limit the kinds of films that can be funded and made. The 64-year-old actor said at the Marrakech Film Festival that he gets excited about the Academy Awards only on the rare occasion that films he values are nominated. “The producers of the academy have exercised really extraordinary cowardice when it comes to being part of the world of expression and, in fact, have largely been part of limiting the imagination and limiting different cultural expressions," Penn said at the festival, where he received a career achievement award this week. “I don’t get very excited about what we’ll call the Academy Awards,” he said, noting exceptions when certain films grace the ceremony, including Sean Baker's “ The Florida Project,” Walter Salles’ “I’m Still Here” and Jacques Audiard's “ Emilia Perez. ” Penn's remarks dovetail longstanding criticisms of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for lacking diversity both within the ranks of its members and in terms of the films that they elect to promote and celebrate with awards. The institution has in recent years tried to adopt more proactive steps to reform and rebrand itself, but has faced criticism for not going far enough to make meaningful changes. Penn also lauded Iranian-Danish director Ali Abassi and his latest film “ The Apprentice " about President Donald Trump. It faced difficulty finding an American distributor in the lead-up to the U.S. election in November. “It’s kind of jaw dropping how afraid this ‘business of mavericks’ is when they get a great film like that with great, great acting,” he said. “They too can be as afraid as a piddly little Republican congressman.” As part of a career tribute, the Marrakech Film Festival is screening four of Penn's films this week in Morocco's tourism capital. Local media in Morocco reported several audience members exiting a screening of “Milk” during a scene that depicted two men in bed. Homosexuality is illegal under Morocco's penal code, although cases are not frequently prosecuted. The actor, whose 2023 film “ Superpower ” documents war in Ukraine, also voiced support for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and called himself a “patriot in crisis” in response to a question about the American political landscape.
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Citigroup Inc. increased its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF ( BATS:QUAL – Free Report ) by 67.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 48,355 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 19,407 shares during the period. Citigroup Inc.’s holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF were worth $8,670,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Halpern Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Barrett & Company Inc. bought a new stake in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF in the third quarter valued at $27,000. Voisard Asset Management Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF during the third quarter valued at $27,000. OLD Second National Bank of Aurora bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF during the third quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Centennial Bank AR acquired a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at $29,000. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Stock Up 0.6 % Shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF stock opened at $185.29 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $48.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.03 and a beta of 1.03. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF has a 12-month low of $71.96 and a 12-month high of $88.63. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $180.84 and a 200 day simple moving average of $174.63. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Company Profile The iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality index. The fund tracks an index of US large- and mid-cap stocks, selected and weighted by high ROE, stable earnings growth and low debt\u002Fequity, relative to peers in each sector. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding QUAL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF ( BATS:QUAL – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .