Latest news with #2024
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
TET-qualified teachers set 7-day deadline for talks over equal pay & reforms
Silchar: All Assam Primary TET Qualified Teachers' Society has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the mission director of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Assam, demanding immediate dialogue and resolution of long-standing grievances. The organisation accused the administration of "decade-long neglect and discrimination" against contractual teachers appointed since 2012 under the Right to Education Act, 2009. Teachers from Cachar, Sribhumi, and Hailakandi on Sunday alleged that repeated assurances from chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma have failed to yield meaningful policy changes. Their foremost demand is "equal pay for equal work," accompanied by calls for medical reimbursement, decentralised leave approval, and encashment of earned leaves — benefits they say have been systematically denied. The society is also seeking the implementation of the revised 2010 pay scale for both primary and upper-primary teachers, clearance of dearness allowance arrears pending since July 1, 2019, and inclusion of contractual teachers under the Modified Assured Career Progression scheme. Members raised concerns over the treatment of retired teachers, citing unpaid leave benefits and withheld entitlements. Among other pressing issues are the need for job regularisation, pay protection under the Assam Primary Education (Provincialisation) Fourth Amendment Act, 2024, and the provision of gratuity after five years of continuous service. The demand for a structured salary package was coupled with a push for better professional growth, with teachers requesting access to BEd programmes through Krishna Kanta Handique Open University and a dedicated IGNOU study centre in the Barak Valley. While the society welcomed schemes such as 'Apna Bahan', 'Apna Ghar', 'Mukhyamantri Lok Seva Arogya Yojana', and various loan initiatives announced by the CM, it voiced frustration over administrative delays that continue to hinder implementation. Kaustabh Chakraborty, the society's spokesperson, expressed hope that the govt would respond constructively. However, he warned that failure to address the demands within the stipulated timeframe would trigger intensified protests. The society urged the state to act with "lawfulness and humanity" in addressing the concerns of thousands of qualified contractual educators across Assam.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Bitcoin's 'Mempool' Nearly Empty as Prices Trade Near Lifetime Highs
The Bitcoin blockchain lacks meaningful on-chain activity, even as its native token, bitcoin BTC, trades near a record per-unit price. That's according to mempool – a holding area for unconfirmed blockchain transactions waiting to be included in a block by miners. On Satuday, the mempool had just 5,000 odd transactions awaiting inclusion, with the tally rising to 15,000 at press time, still a far cry from 150,000 when BTC's price first rose above $100,000 in late 2024, according to data source Since March this year, the tally has oscillated between $3,000 and $30,000, indicating anaemic demand for the network despite BTC establishing a foothold above $100,000. "Bitcoin's mempool (queue of transactions waiting to be processed) is almost completely empty. The percentage of miner revenue coming from fees (instead of inflation) is down to a fraction of a percent," Joël Valenzuela, director of marketing and business development, said on X. "Simply put, almost all of Bitcoin's actual users have gone away. At all-time price highs, too!" Valenzuela added, calling the situation a major crisis where the network goes bankrupt or becomes "completely custodial asset run by governments and institutions." According to Joao Wedson, CEO and founder of crypto data analysis platform Alphractal, the idle mempool is a sign of missing retail participation in the market. "When Mempool transactions begin to rise again, it's a clear sign that retail is back — because the growing backlog reflects increased demand for using the network," Wedson said. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
MasterChef star's restaurant business collapses owing half a million dollars
One of the businesses owned by MasterChef alum Reynold Poernomo has collapsed, as fears grow his popular dessert bar could be in trouble. Arnoldpo Corporation Pty Ltd, which operated as Monkey's Corner in Chippendale, was placed into liquidation on May 28, just over a year after the venue closed its doors. The small-plate bar and restaurant shut down in March 2024 after seven years in business. It was first opened in 2017 by Reynold and his brothers, Ronald and Arnold. Both Arnold and Reynold are listed as directors of the company. At the time of the closure, the team shared a message on social media hinting at future plans for the site, writing they were 'cooking up something new.' However, no new venue operated by Poernomo has opened in the space. According to documents filed with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the company owes more than $500,000 in outstanding debts. Of that, over $450,000 is owed to the Australian Tax Office (ATO), and $76,000 is linked to unpaid staff superannuation. Additional creditors include Sunnyside Financial Group and ASIC itself, with a combined debt of more than $5,000, as reported by The Daily Telegraph. Henry Kwok and Antony Resnick from dVT Group have been appointed as liquidators. The liquidation follows a series of financial restructures involving Poernomo's other business ventures. In 2024, Art Plate Pty Ltd, operator of his acclaimed Koi Dessert Bars, underwent a corporate restructure. Another company, JRP Desserts Pty Ltd, also oversees Koi operations, with Reynold's eldest brother Ronald and mother Ike Malada listed as directors. Despite the setback, Poernomo - nicknamed the 'King of Desserts' during his time on MasterChef - continues to run his dessert empire. Koi Dessert Bar now has three locations, Chippendale and Ryde in Sydney, and one in Melbourne's CBD, where he serves up his elaborate and visually striking cakes. However, former employees of Poernomo, who spoke to The Daily Telegraph on the condition of anonymity, say they are still following up on unpaid wages. 'We are chasing what we are owed and it's become very stressful and toxic,' one staff member said. 'Many staff have left.'
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
After Skyrocketing More Than 559% Over the Past Year, Can Oklo Stock Continue Powering Higher?
Oklo, a developer of small modular nuclear reactors, has seen its stock soar over the past year. Political support for the nuclear energy industry can benefit the company in the future. The growth of data centers and radioisotopic production are two trends that can contribute to Oklo's growth. 10 stocks we like better than Oklo › Amid the current renaissance in the nuclear energy industry, several stocks with exposure to this niche of the energy industry have logged considerable gains recently. Oklo (NYSE: OKLO), for example, has been on an absolute tear, soaring 559.6% as of this writing. And there's plenty of reasons to believe that the stock can continue to rocket even higher as enthusiasm for nuclear energy increases. While some growth stocks may log multibagger returns in a single year thanks to merely one catalyst, Oklo's gains stem from several factors. Investors bid the stock higher in late 2024 when the company announced that it had received letters of intent from two data center customers for the deployment of its Aurora powerhouse small modular reactors. In total, the potential deals can provide up to 750 megawatts in capacity across the United States. The company also announced a nonbinding agreement with Switch -- a company that provides artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, and enterprise data centers -- to deploy 12 gigawatts in Aurora powerhouse projects through 2044. The start of 2025 also proved to be fruitful for the stock. With Sam Altman's OpenAI announcing the Stargate Project in January, investors raced to purchase Oklo, recognizing that the OpenAI plan to develop data center infrastructure could be a potential boon for the company. More recently, the executive orders that President Donald Trump signed in May aimed at reinvigorating the nation's nuclear energy industry represented another catalyst for the stock. After decades of Washington's disinterest in development of the nuclear industry, the Trump administration is clearly enthusiastic about its potential. For prospective investors or current shareholders, it's reasonable to question whether the stock can continue its meteoric rise. Simply put, the answer is a resounding yes. With the extraordinary computing demands that generative AI is placing on data centers, AI companies are investing heavily in data center infrastructure. Research from Dell'Oro Group estimates that global spending is expected to soar from $430 billion on data centers in 2024 to $1.1 trillion by 2029. The interest that Oklo received last year from these developers will very likely extend through 2025 and beyond, helping to push the stock higher. The political goodwill toward the nuclear industry will also benefit the stock. In early June, for example, Oklo notched another victory when the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission agreed to review a report from the company, which could receive regulatory approval for licensing operators for the company's Aurora powerhouse. Oklo's progress with its subsidiary Atomic Alchemy represents another factor that can lift the stock. In June, work began at a planned radioisotopic production facility in Idaho -- just one of what management expects will be numerous projects that will expand its capabilities in commercial radioisotope production. While not as widely discussed as data centers and AI, the market for radioisotopic production is expected to experience notable growth in the coming years. According to Credence Research, the market is projected to soar at an 89.7% compound annual growth rate from about $5.68 billion in 2024 to $953 billion in 2032. Before clicking the buy button on the stock, it's imperative for potential investors to recognize that there are bound to be bumps in the road. Disrupting an industry doesn't come without some volatility, and there's certainly no guarantee that Oklo will prosper as management imagines it will. So, only investors comfortable with the inherent risks should consider a position. Those who have the resolve to stick with Oklo through the ups and downs may find themselves looking at a stock that provides a considerable return. Before you buy stock in Oklo, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Oklo wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $699,558!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $976,677!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,060% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 30, 2025 Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. After Skyrocketing More Than 559% Over the Past Year, Can Oklo Stock Continue Powering Higher? was originally published by The Motley Fool
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Manav Kaul to direct Bollywood film after 13 years: I'm acting in it too, adapted from my book Sakshatkar
Actor Manav Kaul is set to don the director's hat after 13 years. He exclusively tells us that he has locked locations for his untitled next in Uttarakhand and the shoot starts this November. Manav Kaul is getting back into film direction after 13 years 'The movie is based on my book Sakshatkar (2024). It did well, so I adapted it into a screenplay and set it in the Himalayas. I am acting in the film too, alongside (actors) Kumud Mishra, Manasi Bhawalkar and some theatre artistes. We have finalised a few untouched locations in Kumaon and Garhwal,' says Manav. Will the film be a commercial one or more in the indie space? 'It's set in a fun zone, has good humour and a gripping story that will appeal to a wider audience. I am not fixated on the commercial aspect, as my priority is making a good film. If we deliver a good product, it will definitely find its audience. I believe in the script and will pour my heart and soul in it. Of course, since filmmaking is a business, we would like it to do well commercially,' he says. Last seen in Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper (2024), Manav adds, 'My goal is to create a scenario where I can direct more films with stories I'm passionate about. Through our plays, we have already built an audience. Now, I want to create a space where the audience can enjoy films – dekhte hain, bahut maza ayega! I am changing gear with this. Everyone thinks about business and audience but we are right now just concentrating solely on making a great film. If we do that everything else will fall into place.' Regarding acting projects, he remained tight-lipped: 'There are things in the pipeline, but I can't talk about them yet.'
