Sorrento Therapeutics CEO: We are not a 'pump and dump' scheme

AFP
Most markets track Wall St gains, bitcoin closes on $100,000
Most markets gained Friday after a bounce on Wall Street, while bitcoin continued its march higher to move within touching distance of the $100,000 mark.He pointed out that regarding the jobs market and prices "things are getting close to where we want to settle", adding that "it follows that we will probably need to move rates to where we think they should settle, too".
NBC News
‘Good luck, Gus’: Emperor penguin found in Australia is released back into the wild
The first emperor penguin found in Australia has been released after spending 20 days in the care of a wildlife expert, the Australian government said Friday.
Reuters
COP29 host urges collaboration as deal negotiations enter final stage
COP29 climate summit host Azerbaijan urged participating countries to bridge their differences and come up with a finance deal on Friday, as negotiations at the two-week conference entered their final hours. World governments represented at the meeting in the Caspian Sea city of Baku are tasked with agreeing a sweeping plan that would see rich nations pledge to hand over hundreds of billions of dollars to help poorer countries grapple with the worsening impacts of global warming. Economists have said developing countries need at least $1 trillion annually by the end of the decade, but wealthy nations have so far been resisting.
Associated Press
Romania holds a presidential election Sunday that could narrow to nationalist and leftist candidates
At the campaign headquarters of his far-right nationalist party in Romania's capital, George Simion hailed Donald Trump’s reelection days before he runs in his own country's presidential race. “I would like for Romanians to feel that the leaders are rule-makers, not simply rule-takers,” the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians leader told reporters Wednesday in Bucharest. Formed in 2019, the party known by its initials AUR proclaims to stand for “family, nation, faith, and freedom.”
Associated Press
Germany's defense minister clears the way for Scholz to seek a second term as chancellor
Germany's popular defense minister has taken himself out of contention to become the country's next leader, clearing the way for Chancellor Olaf Scholz to seek a second term in an early election after a week of arguments that exposed deep divisions in his struggling party. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in a video Thursday night that he has informed the center-left Social Democrats' leadership that he is “not available for a candidacy for the office of chancellor.” Pistorius' announcement resolves the question of who will run in the election expected on Feb. 23, but a week of very public arguments is widely viewed as having damaged a party that was already far behind the main opposition center-right Union bloc in polls.
AFP
Iran to launch 'advanced centrifuges' in response to IAEA censure
Iran said Friday it would launch a series of "new and advanced" centrifuges in response to a resolution adopted by the UN nuclear watchdog that censures Tehran for what the agency called lack of cooperation.The resolution -- which China, Russia and Burkina Faso voted against -- was carried with 19 votes in favour, 12 abstentions and Venezuela not participating, two diplomats told AFP. "The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran issued an order to take effective measures, including launch
Reuters
Bitcoin at record highs, sets sights on $100,000
Bitcoin touched a fresh record high on Friday, with its sights set firmly on the $100,000 barrier, in a stellar rally for the cryptocurrency sparked by expectations of a more friendly regulatory environment under a Donald Trump administration. It has more than doubled in value this year and is up about 45% in the two weeks since Trump's sweeping election victory, which has also seen a slew of pro-crypto lawmakers being elected to Congress. The crypto currency was last up just over 1% on the day at $99,380, and is on track for its best monthly performance since February.
AFP
Japan government to approve $140bn stimulus
Japan's minority government was set Friday to sign off on a $140-billion stimulus drive aimed at putting more money in consumers' pockets after the ruling party's worst election result in 15 years.- Rice prices soar - Government data Friday put headline inflation last month at a modest 2.3 percent, but it showed rice up nearly 60 percent year-on-year, revealing the pain for ordinary Japanese.
CNN
Russia’s use of a nuclear-capable missile is a clear departure from Cold War doctrine of deterrence
Russia’s use of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile marks a decisive, and potentially dangerous moment in Moscow’s conflict with the West.
Associated Press
Hungary's Orbán vows to disregard international arrest warrant for Netanyahu
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Friday denounced the International Criminal Court’s issuing of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he would defy it by inviting the Israeli leader to Hungary. In comments to state radio, Orbán accused the ICC of “interfering in an ongoing conflict for political purposes,” saying the decision to issue the warrant for Netanyahu over his conduct of the war in Gaza undermined international law and escalated tensions.
CNN
Iran says it is activating new centrifuges after being condemned by UN nuclear watchdog
Iran announced Friday it was activating new advanced centrifuges – which enrich uranium for the country’s nuclear program – after the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog criticized the country for not cooperating with the agency.
Associated Press
Tariff hikes will backfire, and China can manage such 'external shocks,' a senior official says
Higher tariffs on Chinese exports will backfire, just increasing prices paid by consumers, while China can manage to weather the impact of such “external shocks,” a senior Commerce Ministry official said Friday in Beijing. Responding to a reporter's question about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's plan to impose 60% tariffs on imports from China, Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen said that would "not solve the country’s own trade deficit problem.” “On the contrary, it pushes up the prices of the country’s imports from China and other countries,” Wang said during a news conference, noting that increased prices add to inflation.
AFP
Greece pushes green transition on its fragile islands
Greece this week signed a clean energy deal with the EU in a bid to fast-track the green transition on its fragile islands threatened by overtourism and climate change.Investing in "green" energy sources will "allow the islands to achieve their ecological transition", said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
NBC News
Flooding in California as more winds are set to hit battered Northwest
Forecasters warned of more high winds headed to the battered Pacific Northwest, while an atmospheric river continued to dump heavy rain on California.
USA TODAY
Puzzle solutions for Friday, Nov. 22, 2024
Find answers to the latest online sudoku and crossword puzzles that were published in USA TODAY Network's local newspapers.
Reuters
Bahamas debt swap unlocks $124 million for ocean protection
The Bahamas has unlocked more than $120 million to fund the conservation and management of its oceans and mangroves with a debt swap financed by Standard Chartered and backed by the private sector. By spending $215.7 million to buy back Eurobonds and repurchasing an $81 million commercial bank loan using a lower-cost $300 million loan from Standard Chartered, the Bahamas is able to redeploy the interest and principle payment savings to fund wide-reaching ocean conversation projects. So-called debt for nature swaps are emerging as an important tool to help countries achieve their conservation and climate goals and close the $942 billion nature finance gap BloombergNEF estimates is needed to restore and maintain biodiversity globally.
Associated Press
The Bahamas will refinance part of its debt to protect its famous turquoise waters
The Bahamas announced Friday that it will refinance $300 million of its external debt to free up more than $120 million for marine conservation projects and climate change mitigation. It is the fifth such debt-for-nature swap in the world, with the Bahamian government signing the deal with The Nature Conservancy, the Inter-American Development Bank and other financial partners. “We see this project not just supporting the biodiversity and climate objectives of the country, but ultimately the economy and livelihoods of many, many folks,” Shenique Albury-Smith, the Bahamas-based deputy director for The Nature Conservancy, told The Associated Press.
Associated Press
South Korea says Russia supplied ai defense missiles to North Korea in return for its troops
Russia has supplied air defense missiles to North Korea in exchange for sending its troops to support Russia's war efforts against Ukraine, a top South Korean official said Friday. The U.S., South Korea and Ukraine say North Korea sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia in October, some of whom have recently began engaging in combat. It has been unclear what Russia would give North Korea in return.
AFP
Irish economy faces the test of Trump's protectionism
With a general election next week, Ireland and its 5.4 million inhabitants fear finding themselves in the eye of a protectionist storm promised by incoming US president Donald Trump.- Stewart, from Trinity College Dublin Business School, described the looming Trump presidency as "a matter of concern" but said "not to panic at this stage".
CNN
Jussie Smollett’s conviction overturned in alleged hate-crime hoax: How we got here and what’s next
Nearly six years after actor Jussie Smollett was accused of staging a hate-crime hoax in downtown Chicago and lying to police, an Illinois Supreme Court decision overturned his conviction over prosecutorial issues, according to the Associated Press.

Sorrento Therapeutics CEO: We are not a 'pump and dump' scheme

Focusing on ‘the real deal’

Latest Stories

Most markets track Wall St gains, bitcoin closes on $100,000

‘Good luck, Gus’: Emperor penguin found in Australia is released back into the wild

COP29 host urges collaboration as deal negotiations enter final stage

Romania holds a presidential election Sunday that could narrow to nationalist and leftist candidates

Germany's defense minister clears the way for Scholz to seek a second term as chancellor

Iran to launch 'advanced centrifuges' in response to IAEA censure

Bitcoin at record highs, sets sights on $100,000

Japan government to approve $140bn stimulus

Russia’s use of a nuclear-capable missile is a clear departure from Cold War doctrine of deterrence

Hungary's Orbán vows to disregard international arrest warrant for Netanyahu

Iran says it is activating new centrifuges after being condemned by UN nuclear watchdog

Tariff hikes will backfire, and China can manage such 'external shocks,' a senior official says

Greece pushes green transition on its fragile islands

Flooding in California as more winds are set to hit battered Northwest

Puzzle solutions for Friday, Nov. 22, 2024

Bahamas debt swap unlocks $124 million for ocean protection

The Bahamas will refinance part of its debt to protect its famous turquoise waters

South Korea says Russia supplied ai defense missiles to North Korea in return for its troops

Irish economy faces the test of Trump's protectionism

Jussie Smollett’s conviction overturned in alleged hate-crime hoax: How we got here and what’s next