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Advisors Asset Management Inc. Cuts Stock Position in Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS)HENNIKER, N.H. — When Hector Xu learned to fly a helicopter in college, he recalled having a few “nasty experiences” while trying to navigate at night. The heart-stopping flights led to his research of unmanned aircraft systems while getting his doctorate degree in aerospace engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Then, he formed Rotor Technologies in 2021 to develop unmanned helicopters. Rotor built two autonomous Sprayhawks and aims to have as many as 20 ready for market next year. The company also is developing helicopters that would carry cargo in disaster zones and to offshore oil rigs. The helicopter also could be used to fight wildfires . A Rotor Technologies unmanned semi-autonomous helicopter flies away from a van containing a ground control pilot/operator during a Nov. 11 test flight over Intervale Airport in Henniker, N.H. For now, Rotor is focused on the agriculture sector, which embraced automation with drones but sees unmanned helicopters as a better way to spray larger areas with pesticides and fertilizers. “People would call us up and say, ‘Hey, I want to use this for crop dusting, can I?’ We’d say, OK maybe,” Xu said, adding that the company got enough calls to realize it was a huge untapped market. The Associated Press reporters were the first people outside the company to witness a test flight of the Sprayhawk. It hovered, flew forward and sprayed the tarmac before landing. Rotor's nearly $1 million Sprayhawk helicopter is a Robinson R44, but the four seats were replaced with flight computers and communications systems allowing it be operated remotely. It has five cameras as well as laser-sensing technology and a radar altimeter that make terrain reading more accurate along with GPS and motion sensors. At the company's hangar in Nashua, New Hampshire, Xu said this technology means there is better visibility of terrain at night. Hector Xu, CEO of Rotor Technologies, gestures during an interview Nov. 11 at the company's hanger where unmanned semi-autonomous helicopters are assembled in Nashua, N.H. One of the big draws of automation in agriculture aviation is safety. Because crop dusters fly at about 150 mph and only about 10 feet off the ground, there are dozens of accidents each year when planes collide with power lines, cell towers and other planes . Older, poorly maintained planes and pilot fatigue contribute to accidents. A 2014 report from the National Transportation Safety Board found there were more than 800 agriculture operation accidents between 2001 and 2010, including 81 that were fatal. A separate report from the National Agriculture Aviation Association found nearly 640 accidents from 2014 until this month, with 109 fatalities. “It is a very, very dangerous profession and there are multiple fatalities every year,” said Dan Martin, a research engineer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Research Service. “They make all their money in those short few months so sometimes it may mean that they fly 10 to 12 hours a day or more.” Job hazards also include exposure to chemicals. A Rotor Technologies unmanned semi-autonomous helicopter sprays water during a Nov. 11 test flight over Intervale Airport in Henniker, N.H. In recent years, safety concerns and the cheaper cost has led to a proliferation of drones flying above farmers' fields, Martin said, adding that about 10,000 will likely be sold this year alone. The size of the drones and their limited battery power means they can cover only a fraction of the area of a plane and helicopters. That is providing an opening for companies building bigger unmanned aircraft like Rotor and another company, Pyka. California-based Pyka announced in August that it sold its first autonomous electric aircraft for crop protection to a customer in the U.S. Pyka's Pelican Spray, a fixed-wing aircraft, received FAA approval last year to fly commercially for crop protection. The company also sold its Pelican Spray to Dole for use in Honduras and to the Brazilian company, SLC Agrícola. Lukas Koch, chief technology officer at Heinen Brothers Agra Services, the company that bought the Pelican Spray in August, called unmanned aircraft part of a coming “revolution" that will save farmers money and improve safety. The Kansas-based company operates out of airports from Texas to Illinois. Koch doesn't envision the unmanned aircraft replacing all the the company's dozens of pilots but rather taking over the riskiest jobs. Joao Magioni, chief flight officer of Rotor Technologies, flies a simulated unmanned semi-autonomous helicopter Nov. 11 from the company's remote operations center in Nashua, N.H. The interface also can be used as a ground control station for real-time flight operations. “The biggest draw is taking the pilot out of the aircraft inside of those most dangerous situations,” Koch said. “There’s still fields that are surrounded by trees on all borders, or you’ve got big, large power lines or other just dangers, wind turbines, things like that. It can be tough to fly around.” Koch acknowledges autonomous aviation systems could introduce new dangers to an already chaotic airspace — though that is less of a concern in rural areas with plenty of open space and fewer people. Companies like Rotor incorporated built-in in contingencies should something go wrong — its helicopter features a half-dozen communications systems and, for now, a remote pilot in control. If the ground team loses contact with the helicopter, Rotor has a system that ensures the engine can be shut off and the helicopter perform a controlled landing. “That means that we’ll never have an aircraft fly away event," Xu said. The safety measures will go a long way to helping the company receive what it expects will be FAA regulatory approval to fly its helicopters commercially. Once it has that, the challenge, as Xu sees it, will be scaling up to meet the demand in the U.S. but also Brazil, which has a huge agriculture market but more relaxed regulatory environment. Avionics Technician John Beto installs components Nov. 11, 2024, in the cockpit of an unmanned semi-autonomous helicopter being built in a hanger at Rotor Technologies in Nashua, N.H. Test pilot Joao Magioni, seated left, talks with production manager Brett Worden while preparing for a Nov. 11, 2024, flight of a Rotor Technologies unmanned semi-autonomous helicopter in a hanger at Intervale Airport in Henniker, N.H. A Rotor Technologies unmanned semi-autonomous helicopter flies away from a van containing a ground control pilot/operator during a Nov. 11, 2024, test flight over Intervale Airport in Henniker, N.H. A Rotor Technologies unmanned semi-autonomous helicopter flies Nov. 11, 2024, near Pat's Peak ski area during a test flight over Intervale Airport in Henniker, N.H. Joao Magioni, chief flight officer of Rotor Technologies, flies a simulated unmanned semi-autonomous helicopter Nov. 11, 2024, from the company's remote operations center in Nashua, N.H. The interface also can be used as a ground control station for real-time flight operations. A Rotor Technologies unmanned semi-autonomous helicopter sprays water during a Nov. 11, 2024, test flight over Intervale Airport in Henniker, N.H. With communications and control components installed where a pilot would sit, Brett Worden, production manager at Rotor Technologies, carries a spray boom following a Nov. 11, 2024, test flight of an unmanned semi-autonomous helicopter at Intervale Airport in Henniker, N.H. Christian Nowosiadly and his son Logan, 5, look at an autonomous helicopter Nov. 11, 2024, at a hanger at Rotor Technologies in Nashua, N.H. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!

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Gold Prices: The tension in the Middle East has only taken new twists and turns over the past 1-year. From Israel's all-out war against Hamas to the exchange of direct ballistic airstrikes with Iran and ground invasion in Lebanon, the latest nerve-wracking situation for the oil-hub Middle East would be Syrian rebels overthrowing over 2-decades of the regime of Bashar al-Assad. The latest development has intensified in Syria with alliances and rivalries in the region. Additionally, Israel has bombed the majority of military bases in Syria, with the presence of US military personnel rising in the region. It's not just Israel, and the US, even countries like Russia, Iran, Turkey and Iraq are also involved in the regional puzzle in Syria. Following the high geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, gold prices in the souk markets of countries like Oman, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have skyrocketed, even outperforming gold prices in India in the past 1-year, How will the tensions in Syria impact gold? Let's find out! Gold Prices In India Gold prices in India are currently at Rs 77,350 for 24K of 10 grams, which is higher by 21.8% in a year. Gold prices were merely at Rs 63,490 per 10 grams last year on December 25. Gold Prices In Middle East However, gold prices in the Middle East have outperformed gold prices in India. 24K of 10 grams of gold in Kuwait has surged by nearly 26%, while gold prices in Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia have soared by 26% to 27%. A massive surge has been seen in 27.23%. Notably, in Indian rupees, gold prices are cheaper in these Middle East countries than compared to India. 24K gold prices in Kuwait are at Rs 72,380 per 10 grams, while the price is at Rs 73,430 in Oman. Further, 24K/10 grams is at Rs 74,060 in Qatar, at Rs 73,260 in Saudi Arabia, and at Rs 73,380 in UAE. Syria Civil War Explained: The Syrian civil war is an ongoing multi-sided conflict in Syria involving various state-sponsored and non-state actors. In March 2011, popular discontent with the rule of Bashar al-Assad triggered large-scale protests and pro-democracy rallies across Syria, as part of the wider Arab Spring protests in the region, as per Wikipedia. However, in November 2024, heavy fighting renewed with a major rebel offensive in the northwest led by Tahrir al-Sham and supported by allied groups in the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army, which led to the seizure of major regions of Syria such as Aleppo, Hama, and Homs. By the end of December 8th, 2024 the rebels took over Syria's capital, Damascus. Due to this, the Assad regime collapsed, with al-Assad fleeing to Moscow. On the same day, Israel launched an invasion of Syria's Quneitra Governorate, aiming to seize the UN buffer zone in the Golan Heights. While the Syrian National Army (SNA) and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continue to be in conflict. Currently, the situation in Syria is highly sensitive and volatile, with different armed groups and opposition forces internally and externally, directly involved in the regional conflict. How Tension In Syria Will Impact Gold Prices? Also, a host of other factors will play major role in sentiment for gold in 2025. Prithviraj Kothari, Managing Director of RiddiSiddhi Bullions Limited (RSBL) said, gold prices have been greatly impacted by the recent escalation in the Middle East, especially with regard to Syrian rebels and broader regional conflicts. Geopolitical unrest frequently helps gold since it is a safe-haven investment. After Syrian revolutionaries took control of the capital, Damascus, President Bashar al-Assad and his family fled to Russia in quest of safety. Going ahead, he added, Currency fluctuations, interest rate regimes, and worldwide economic conditions are just a few of the many variables that affect gold prices. The general mood of the market and how these other elements interact will determine how the Syrian war affects gold prices. Syria's condition is extremely unstable and changing. The way the dispute develops and how it impacts larger international markets will determine the real effect on gold prices. Meanwhile, the World Gold Council lists a host of factors that could prompt investors to look for gold as an asset. WGC's 2025 outlook report said, Trump starts his second term in late January but the US stock market is already banking on a pro-business agenda with a near 7% increase since early November. A more business-friendly fiscal policy combined with an America-first agenda is likely to improve sentiment among domestic investors and consumers. This will likely favour risk-on trades in the first few months of the year. Furthermore, WGC's note said, the question, however, is whether these policies will also result in inflationary pressures and disruptions to supply chains. In addition, concerns about European sovereign debt are once again mounting, not to mention continued geopolitical instability, particularly in light of the events in South Korea and Syria in early December. In all of this, WGC's note said, this could prompt investors to look for hedges, such as gold, to counter risk. Data from WGC pointed out that spot gold increased by more than 28% y-t-d in US dollars, trading 22% higher on average this year than during 2023; its performance across currencies was equally strong. Gold reached 40 new record highs y-t-d and total gold demand in the third quarter surpassed US$100 billion for the first time. Lastly, WGC suggests that, if the economy were to perform according to consensus in 2025, gold may continue to trade in a similar range to that seen in the last part of the year, with the potential for some upside.

High Point defeats Pfeiffer 81-50AP News in Brief at 6:04 a.m. EST Israel cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza UMM AL-FAHM, Israel (AP) — Israel’s yearlong crackdown against Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza is prompting many to self-censor out of fear of Canadian Press Nov 24, 2024 3:04 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Israel cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza UMM AL-FAHM, Israel (AP) — Israel’s yearlong crackdown against Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza is prompting many to self-censor out of fear of being jailed and further marginalized in society, while some still find ways to dissent — carefully. Ahmed Khalefa's life turned upside down after he was charged with inciting terrorism for chanting in solidarity with Gaza at an anti-war protest in October 2023. The lawyer and city counselor from central Israel says he spent three difficult months in jail followed by six months detained in an apartment. It's unclear when he'll get a final verdict on his guilt or innocence. Until then, he's forbidden from leaving his home from dusk to dawn. Khalefa is one of more than 400 Palestinian citizens of Israel who, since the start of the war in Gaza, have been investigated by police for “incitement to terrorism” or “incitement to violence,” according to Adalah, a legal rights group for minorities. More than half of those investigated were also criminally charged or detained, Adalah said. “Israel made it clear they see us more as enemies than as citizens,” Khalefa said in an interview at a cafe in his hometown of Umm al-Fahm, Israel's second-largest Palestinian city. ___ Israel says rabbi who went missing in the UAE was killed TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel said Sunday that the body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates has been found after he was killed in what it described as a “heinous antisemitic terror incident.” The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel “will act with all means to seek justice with the criminals responsible for his death.” There was no immediate comment from the UAE. Zvi Kogan, 28, an ultra-Orthodox rabbi who went missing on Thursday, ran a Kosher grocery store in the futuristic city of Dubai, where Israelis have flocked for commerce and tourism since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in the 2020 Abraham Accords. The agreement has held through more than a year of soaring regional tensions unleashed by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack into southern Israel. But Israel's devastating retaliatory offensive in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon, after months of fighting with the Hezbollah militant group, have stoked anger among Emiratis, Arab nationals and others living in the the UAE. Iran, which supports Hamas and Hezbollah, has also been threatening to retaliate against Israel after a wave of airstrikes Israel carried out in October in response to an Iranian ballistic missile attack. ___ Israeli strikes in central Beirut kill at least 20 as diplomats push for a cease-fire BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Israeli airstrikes Saturday in central Beirut killed at least 20 people, officials said, as the once-rare attacks on the heart of Lebanon's capital continued without warning while diplomats scrambled to broker a cease-fire. Lebanon's Health Ministry said 66 people were wounded in the strikes, which were the fourth in central Beirut in less than a week. The escalation comes after U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein traveled to the region in pursuit of a deal to end months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has erupted into full-on war. Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,500 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. The fighting has displaced about 1.2 million people, or a quarter of Lebanon’s population. On the Israeli side, about 90 soldiers and nearly 50 civilians have been killed by bombardment in northern Israel and the fighting. The 4 a.m. strikes destroyed an eight-story building in central Beirut. Hezbollah legislator Amin Shiri said no Hezbollah officials were inside. The attack stripped the facades from some nearby buildings and crumpled cars. ___ After Trump's Project 2025 denials, he is tapping its authors and influencers for key roles WASHINGTON (AP) — As a former and potentially future president, Donald Trump hailed what would become Project 2025 as a road map for “exactly what our movement will do” with another crack at the White House. As the blueprint for a hard-right turn in America became a liability during the 2024 campaign, Trump pulled an about-face. He denied knowing anything about the “ridiculous and abysmal” plans written in part by his first-term aides and allies. Now, after being elected the 47th president on Nov. 5, Trump is stocking his second administration with key players in the detailed effort he temporarily shunned. Most notably, Trump has tapped Russell Vought for an encore as director of the Office of Management and Budget; Tom Homan, his former immigration chief, as “border czar;” and immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as deputy chief of policy. Those moves have accelerated criticisms from Democrats who warn that Trump's election hands government reins to movement conservatives who spent years envisioning how to concentrate power in the West Wing and impose a starkly rightward shift across the U.S. government and society. Trump and his aides maintain that he won a mandate to overhaul Washington. But they maintain the specifics are his alone. ___ Trump's Republican Party is increasingly winning union voters. It's a shift seen in his labor pick WASHINGTON (AP) — Working-class voters helped Republicans make steady election gains this year and expanded a coalition that increasingly includes rank-and-file union members, a political shift spotlighting one of President-elect Donald Trump’s latest Cabinet picks: a GOP congresswoman, who has drawn labor support, to be his labor secretary. Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her bid for a second term this month, despite strong backing from union members, a key part of the Democratic base but gravitating in the Trump era toward a Republican Party traditionally allied with business interests. “Lori’s strong support from both the Business and Labor communities will ensure that the Labor Department can unite Americans of all backgrounds behind our Agenda for unprecedented National Success - Making America Richer, Wealthier, Stronger and more Prosperous than ever before!” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice Friday night. For decades, labor unions have sided with Democrats and been greeted largely with hostility by Republicans. But with Trump's populist appeal, his working-class base saw a decent share of union rank-and-file voting for Republicans this year, even as major unions, including the AFL-CIO and the United Auto Workers, endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris in the White House race. Trump sat down with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union leadership and members this year, and when he emerged from that meeting, he boasted that a significant chunk of union voters were backing him. Of a possible Teamsters endorsement, he said, “Stranger things have happened.” ___ Forecasts warn of possible winter storms across US during Thanksgiving week WINDSOR, Calif. (AP) — Forecasters through the U.S. issued warnings that another round of winter weather could complicate travel leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, while California and Washington state continue to recover from storm damage and power outages. In California, where a person was found dead in a vehicle submerged in floodwaters on Saturday, authorities braced for more precipitation while grappling with flooding and small landslides from a previous storm. Thousands in the Pacific Northwest remained without power after multiple days in the dark. The National Weather Service office in Sacramento, California, issued a winter storm warning for the state's Sierra Nevada for Saturday through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at higher elevations and wind gusts potentially reaching 55 mph (88 kph). Total snowfall of roughly 4 feet (1.2 meters) was forecast, with the heaviest accumulations expected Monday and Tuesday. The Midwest and Great Lakes regions will see rain and snow Monday and the East Coast will be the most impacted on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, forecasters said. A low pressure system is forecast to bring rain to the Southeast early Thursday before heading to the Northeast. Areas from Boston to New York could see rain and strong winds, with snowfall possible in parts of northern New Hampshire, northern Maine and the Adirondacks. If the system tracks further inland, there could be less snow and more rain in the mountains, forecasters said. ___ Pakistan partially stops mobile and internet services ahead of pro-Imran Khan protest ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan Sunday suspended mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns” as supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan geared up for a protest in the capital. The government and Interior Ministry posted the announcement on social media platform X, which is banned in Pakistan. They did not specify the areas, nor did they say how long the suspension would be in place. “Internet and mobile services will continue to operate as usual in the rest of the country,” the posts said. A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry was not immediately available for comment. Meanwhile, telecom company Nayatel sent out emails offering customers “a reliable landline service” as a workaround in the areas suffering suspended cellphone service. Khan has been in prison for more than a year and has over 150 criminal cases against him. But he remains popular and his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf or PTI, says the cases are politically motivated. ___ Here's what to know about the new funding deal that countries agreed to at UN climate talks BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — In the wee hours Sunday at the United Nations climate talks, countries from around the world reached an agreement on how rich countries can cough up the funds to support poor countries in the face of climate change. It's a far-from-perfect arrangement, with many parties still deeply unsatisfied but some hopeful that the deal will be a step in the right direction. World Resources Institute president and CEO Ani Dasgupta called it “an important down payment toward a safer, more equitable future,” but added that the poorest and most vulnerable nations are “rightfully disappointed that wealthier countries didn’t put more money on the table when billions of people’s lives are at stake.” The summit was supposed to end on Friday evening but negotiations spiraled on through early Sunday. With countries on opposite ends of a massive chasm, tensions ran high as delegations tried to close the gap in expectations. Here's how they got there: ___ Japan holds Sado mines memorial despite South Korean boycott amid lingering historical tensions SADO, Japan (AP) — Japanese officials on Sunday paid tribute to workers at the country's Sado Island Gold Mines but offered no apology over Japan’s brutal wartime use of Korean forced laborers, highlighting lingering tensions between the neighbors over the issue. South Korea a day earlier announced that it was boycotting the memorial, saying it had been impossible to settle unspecified disagreements between both governments in time for the event. The Korean absence is a major setback in the rapidly improving ties between the two countries, which since last year have set aside their historical disputes to prioritize U.S.-led security cooperation. The Sado mines were listed in July as a UNESCO World Heritage site after Japan moved past years of disputes with South Korea and reluctantly acknowledged the mines’ dark history, promising to hold an annual memorial service for all victims, including hundreds of Koreans who were mobilized to work in the mines. The first ceremony of what Japan has promised will be an annual event held at a facility near the mines took place with more than 20 seats for South Korean attendees empty. “As a local resident, I must say (their absence) is very disappointing after all the preparations we made,” said Sado Mayor Ryugo Watanabe. “I wish we could have held the memorial with South Korean attendees.” ___ Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83 NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery's podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young wrote. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. In 1983, Woolery began an 11-year run as host of TV’s “Love Connection,” for which he coined the phrase, “We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds,” a two-fingered signature dubbed the “2 and 2.” In 1984, he hosted TV’s “Scrabble,” simultaneously hosting two game shows on TV until 1990. “Love Connection,” which aired long before the dawn of dating apps, had a premise that featured either a single man or single woman who would watch audition tapes of three potential mates and then pick one for a date. The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More Automotive Trump's Republican Party is increasingly winning union voters. It's a shift seen in his labor pick Nov 23, 2024 1:38 PM What to know about Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Trump's pick for labor secretary Nov 22, 2024 8:44 PM What to know about Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Trump's pick for labor secretary Nov 22, 2024 7:30 PM Featured Flyer