ISLAMABAD - Despite registration of FIRs, punitive actions and operations, illegal housing societies continue to function as per routine in different parts of country, looting hard earned money of small investors and innocent people. Using deceptive tactics first they trap investors and then start fleecing their money on one account or other, like price revision, development charges, possessions charges etc. least bothering about any action against them as most of time officials of concerned authorities are hand in glove with them. Rawalpindi district is also not an exception to this phenomenon where developers and societies’ owners are looting innocent people with both hands since years due to unchecked mushroom growth of these illegal projects. According to available data, there are more than 149 illegal private housing societies functioning in the district and selling plots and residences without required approval. After a boom in real estate sector during last decade, scores of societies surfaced in the vicinity of Rawalpindi city and people invested billions of rupees in this business. Social media and property websites are the best sources of advertisement for this business where property dealers attract investors by sharing fake information. Most of such societies have also opened their offices in other cities within the country and abroad. Gwadar Airport’s landing system in bad weather made functional “It is beyond perception that why these societies’ owners continue to work despite repeated complaints against them,” stated a complainant Ashfaq Ahmed. “Concerned departments seldom take any action. Even if a complaint is lodged they merely issue a notice to these illegal businesses.” Tariq, another resident of Waris Khan claimed the concerned officials to be themselves providing time to the illegal housing scheme for fleecing people as their action remains limited to only issuing notices. “Property dealers submit a plan and start advertisement with ‘RDA approved’ tag even before getting the No Objection Certificate (NOC).” However, Director General (DG), RDA, Kinza Murtaza has claimed otherwise mentioning to strict action against violators of rules and said, the RDA has issued 149 notices to illegal/ fake housing schemes as part of its ongoing efforts to protect general public from exploitation and financial losses. “RDA had warned public against investing in 149 housing schemes in the district that have not obtained NoCs or necessary approvals from the authority,” she added. “We on our part have also intensified action against illegal/ unapproved housing schemes. We are committed to protect general public from harmful effects of these illegal schemes and take strict action them.” Urging citizens to always verify legality of any housing scheme before investment, she stated, “we advise everyone to consult RDA on legality of any scheme where they desire to invest.” She said the RDA had also stopped approval of new housing schemes and a comprehensive survey was conducted, categorizing these schemes into three groups based on their legal status. 146 electric buses land in Islamabad Now whatever the claims of authorities, illegal schemes operating under false pretenses, have caused substantial financial loss by promising ownership of homes that only existed on paper or limited to mere maps and advertisements. According to official data, the RDA enforcement squad during operation took action against illegal housing societies including Top View City (D-17) Project of Orbit International, Al-Baraqa Garden, Kohsar Extension (F-Block) and Nabeel Block (Near Kohsar Extension), Ring Road Enclave (A Project of Jawahir City Pvt. Ltd.), Hurtus Floare, Countree Farmhouse and Resorts, Gilgit City, Mehmood Town (K & M Construction and Developers (Pvt) Ltd.), Hamdard City, Top View City, Wanni in Tehsil Taxila, Green Hurtus, Farm Land Estate and others and demolished road infrastructure, security offices, sewerage lines, containers and removed advertisement boards, panaflexes besides sealing the site offices. South Korea declares 7-day mourning over 179 deaths in plane crash “We have also launched an awareness campaign about housing schemes to save people from financial losses,” Kinza Murtaza said. “The Punjab government has issued clear directions to RDA to save people’s investment and our doors are always open to guide people on investment in housing schemes and legal status of housing societies.” She informed that there were only 69 housing schemes that had obtained approval from RDA while others were illegal. “After survey we have categorized these schemes into three groups and would take action against illegal housing schemes.” Giving details, she informed that illegal housing schemes include Bin Alam City, CBR Residency, Media Enclosure, Al Haram Phase 2, Gujar Khan, Town 21 and others; completely fake schemes are Khyber Model Town Chakri Road, Pak PWD Chakri Road, City Model Town, Al-Baddar Motorway, Shadabad Housing Scheme, and others and non-existent schemes which has no land, staff or offices are Regent Farm House, AM Town, City Homes, Greenstone and others. Quaid-i-Azam posters on display in Tehran Since RDA can take action within a limited ambit of law, the situation is much more worrisome in wake of many developers proceeding abroad after usurping masses money and their operators here have falsely downed prices causing loss of billions to investors. Therefore, top authorities like NAB and FIA must have to indulge in this matter to rescue people trapped in this exploitative business and improve the overall real estate situation so the poor investors could get their dividend and take a sigh of relief. Tags: illegal housing societiesAfter the 'Ball is coming too soon' sledge in the series opener at Perth, the banter between Mitchell Starc and Yashasvi Jaiswal continued amid a tense final day of the fourth Test match between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Monday (December 30). During the second session of play on the fifth day, Starc flipped the bails while talking towards his run-up in the middle of the over. However, Jaiswal immediately flipped them back to their original position. For those unversed, the bail-flip antics were started by Stuart Broad in the Ashes last year and is viewed as a superstition to bring luck to the bowling team and produce a wicket. Following the incident, Starc asked Jaiswal if he believed in superstitions. The 23-year-old Indian star replied 'I believe in myself, that is why I am here.' 'Then why change it back if you are not superstitious?,' Starc questioned Jaiswal. “I am just enjoying this moment in my life," the Indian star replied in an exchange that was heard on the stump mic and quickly went viral on social media. Watch here Talking about the match, Australia set India a target of 340. The visitors had a forgettable first session as they lost the wickets of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli for single-digit scores with just 33 runs on the board. Jaiswal has led India's comeback with his 12th 50+ score of 2024. The 22-year-old has put up a gritty partnership with India, evidently trying to save the game. Jaiswal is India's highest run-getter of the series, while Starc has had a memorable series so far with 16 wickets. Starc has dismissed Jaiswal thrice in the series, including a first-ball dismissal in Adelaide and a second-ball wicket at the Gabba. The series is currently level 1-1, with the final Test match scheduled to take place in Sydney from January 3. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Cricket, Sports and around the world.Thomas added five assists for the Governors (4-2). Tekao Carpenter scored 12 points while finishing 4 of 9 from 3-point range. The Panthers (3-3) were led by Zarigue Nutter, who recorded 17 points. Malachi Brown added 10 points and two steals for Georgia State. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

The stock market has been hitting new highs this year as excitement continues to build with respect to artificial intelligence (AI) and the opportunities that may open up for many businesses. But while retail investors have been eagerly buying up stocks, Warren Buffett has been fairly quiet and doing more selling than buying. The Oracle of Omaha has cautioned investors in the past "to be fearful when others are greedy," which reflects his overall cautious approach to investing. Minimizing losses are a priority for him, and AI likely wouldn't fall into his circle of competence, which is what he focuses on when deciding which stocks to buy. Should investors take Buffett's conservatism in the markets this year as a red flag? Valuations are high based on historical levels In the third quarter, Buffett continued selling stocks, and Berkshire Hathaway 's cash balance reached more than $325 billion, which is higher than the nearly $277 billion it reported a quarter earlier. He has been selling shares of Apple and Bank of America for multiple periods, two top holdings in the Berkshire portfolio, and hasn't been making big moves with that money, resulting in a growing cash balance. But given how expensive the stock market has become these days, it's perhaps little wonder that he's taking a cautious position. One metric investors should pay close attention to is the S&P 500 Shiller price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, which averages inflation-adjusted earnings over the past decade. Today, the ratio is well above what it has averaged since 2000. The previous times it has been this high, there have been significant declines in the market the following year. S&P 500 Shiller CAPE Ratio data by YCharts. The Shiller P/E ratio was higher in 2021. The following year, in 2022, the S&P 500 would crash by more than 19%. In the early 2000s, the market underwent a significant dot-com crash due to the tech bubble. Many value-oriented investors may be concerned that the same could be happening with AI stocks today; many of them are trading at egregious multiples. Shareholders of Palantir Technologies , for example, don't seem to be balking at its massive earnings multiple of more than 300. A value-focused option for investors to consider Even if you're worried about valuations or the possibility of a crash in the markets, it may not necessarily mean that you should sell all of your stocks and pull all of your money out. If a correction takes place, some stocks will inevitably be hit much harder than others. Stocks trading at more reasonable valuations could weather the storm better than stocks which are at obscene multiples. Meanwhile, trying to time the market and waiting for ideal investing conditions is not an optimal strategy as it could result in you missing out on gains along the way. An alternative for investors is to consider an exchange-traded fund (ETF) which prioritizes value investments. A good example of that is the Vanguard Value Index Fund ETF Shares ( VTV 0.73% ) . The fund has a low expense ratio of 0.04% and tracks the U.S. Large Cap Value index. With the average holding in the ETF averaging an earnings multiple of just over 20, investors are getting exposure to more attractively priced stocks than the overall S&P 500 index, which is averaging a multiple of nearly 26. The top holding in the Vanguard fund is Buffett's own Berkshire Hathaway, but at just 3% of the fund's weight, it doesn't represent a huge chunk of the overall portfolio. Investors will also get access to many other blue chip stocks with the ETF, including UnitedHealth Group and Home Depot . Historically, the fund has underperformed the S&P 500, but in a possible downturn, it could be the better buy, especially given how expensive many growth stocks are right now. ^SPX data by YCharts. Investors should prepare for a possible correction Timing the market is risky, but what can be even riskier is holding stocks which trade at extremely high premiums because they can be vulnerable to a sell-off at a moment's notice. When stocks are highly valued, expectations will also be high, and any sign that a company could face difficulty could prompt investors to hit the sell button. It doesn't have to be a bad earnings report, as corrections could happen at any time investors start to smell trouble ahead. That's why it's important to consider valuations and potentially move money into cheaper stocks which may not only provide more protection during a downturn but may possess more upside in the long run. And if you aren't sure which stocks to buy or sell, a good option is to consider the Vanguard Value ETF or similar types of investments which prioritize value stocks .

Winnipeg Jets (17-3, in the Central Division) vs. Nashville Predators (6-11-3, in the Central Division) Nashville, Tennessee; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Predators -129, Jets +108; over/under is 6 BOTTOM LINE: The Winnipeg Jets visit the Nashville Predators for a matchup within the Central Division Saturday. Nashville has a 6-11-3 record overall and a 3-1-1 record in Central Division play. The Predators have conceded 64 goals while scoring 46 for a -18 scoring differential. Winnipeg has gone 17-3 overall with a 6-0-0 record in Central Division play. The Jets have scored 21 power-play goals, which leads the Western Conference. The matchup Saturday is the first meeting of the season between the two clubs. TOP PERFORMERS: Filip Forsberg has eight goals and seven assists for the Predators. Juuso Parssinen has scored goals over the last 10 games. Joshua Morrissey has two goals and 18 assists for the Jets. Cole Perfetti has scored goals over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Predators: 3-5-2, averaging 2.2 goals, 3.4 assists, 4.9 penalties and 11 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game. Jets: 8-2-0, averaging 3.8 goals, 5.4 assists, 4.1 penalties and 12.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game. INJURIES: Predators: None listed. Jets: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . The Associated PressTraffic citations against Dolphins' Hill dismissed after officers no-show at hearingAs Americans are beyond burned out, Tricia Hersey’s Nap Ministry preaches the right to rest

(ASX: XJO) stock ( ) managed to buck the broader market retrace on Tuesday. Shares in the global packaging giant closed out the day trading for $16.36 apiece, up 1.93%. The ASX 200 went the other way, closing down 0.69% yesterday. Following on that positive day of trading, Amcor shares are up 16% since this time last year. And this doesn't include the 76.5 cents per share in unfranked dividends Amcor delivered to shareholders over the 12 months. More recently, as you can see on the chart above, the ASX 200 dividend stock remains down about 2% over the last month despite the past week's rebound. But according to Baker Young's Toby Grimm, patient investors should see Amcor shares surpass those levels in 2025 (courtesy of The Bull). "Delays in expected volume growth in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025 have weighed on the packaging giant's share price in recent weeks," said Grimm, who has a recommendation on Amcor shares. But Grimm isn't concerned about the recent headwinds hitting the ASX 200 dividend stock. On the contrary, he said, "In our view, it creates an attractive opportunity to add this high quality US focused leader to portfolios at an appealing discount to fair value." Part of that appeal stems from the on offer, with Amcor paying dividends on a quarterly basis. "The stock's expected dividend yield of 4.9% should afford investors time to wait for an eventual recovery in healthcare and North American beverage volumes," Grimm said. At yesterday's closing price, Amcor shares trade on an unfranked trailing dividend yield of 4.7%, below the expected yield Grimm cites. Last Wednesday, 20 November, the ASX 200 dividend stock released a bombshell merger . Namely, Amcor's intention to acquire United States-based packaging company ( ). With major operations in the US, dual-listed Amcor also trades on the NYSE. The proposed merger would see Berry shareholders receive 7.25 Amcor shares for each Berry share they hold upon closing. Under these terms, Amcor shareholders will then own around 63% of the combined company, with Berry shareholders owning the other 37%. The all stock deal is valued at US$8.4 billion (AU$12.9 billion). If the merger proceeds, the joined company is expected to earn combined revenues of US$24 billion. Commenting on the potential benefits the deal could bring for shareholders of the ASX 200 dividend stock, Amcor CEO Peter Konieczny said, "We will have a more complete and more sustainable product offering, supported by stronger innovation capabilities, global scale and supply chain flexibility."