LOS ANGELES, United States — 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' easily held its first-place position on North American movie screens this weekend while its accumulated global total pushed past the $1 billion mark, analysts said Sunday. The video game-based film earned an estimated $40 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period in the United States and Canada for a domestic total so far of $490 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported. With overseas earnings now at $532 million, its accumulated global total has hit $1.

https://entertainment.inquirer.net/497428/super-mario-is-years-first-film-to-pass-1-billion-globally

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Mueller Water Products, Inc. ( NYSE:MWA – Get Rating ) has been assigned a consensus rating of 'Hold' from the seven brokerages that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $13.57. A number of analysts recently commented on the company. Seaport Res Ptn reaffirmed a 'buy' rating on shares of Mueller Water Products in a research report on Tuesday, May 9th.

https://www.dailypolitical.com/2023/06/18/mueller-water-products-inc-nysemwa-receives-average-recommendation-of-hold-from-analysts.html

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Pittenger & Anderson Inc. boosted its holdings in AT&T Inc. ( NYSE:T – Get Rating ) by 32.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 12,005 shares of the technology company's stock after acquiring an additional 2,940 shares during the quarter. Pittenger & Anderson Inc.'s holdings in AT&T were worth $184,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock.

https://www.dailypolitical.com/2023/03/10/pittenger-anderson-inc-acquires-2940-shares-of-att-inc-nyset.html

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The Philippine men's U-22 football team, based on the group in landed on, may have a good chance of qualifying for the semifinals. But coach Rob Gier knows that getting there is something that can never be determined on paper. 'I think it's a good group for us,' Gier said as the team faces Indonesia to kick off Team Philippines' campaign in the 32nd Cambodia Southeast Asian Games Saturday at National Olympic Stadium in the capital of Phnom Penh. 'But that doesn't go to say that teams in our group are gonna be easy by any means.

https://sports.inquirer.net/507072/booters-kick-off-ph-campaign-in-phnom-penh

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BEIJING —Marriages in China dropped in 2022 to their lowest since records began, local news outlet Yicai reported on Sunday, continuing a steady decline over the past decade although the matrimonial total may have been affected by stringent COVID lockdowns. Just 6.83 million couples completed their marriage registrations last year, data published on the website of the Ministry of Civil Affairs showed, down about 800,000 from the previous year. The drop in couples tying the knot, which follows pandemic restrictions keeping tens of millions locked in their homes or compounds for weeks last year, comes as authorities deal with a declining birth rate and a falling population.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1787236/marriages-in-china-slump-to-historic-low

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Sanofi ( OTCMKTS:SNYNF – Get Free Report ) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totalling 287,600 shares, a growth of 79.3% from the June 15th total of 160,400 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 5,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 57.5 days. Sanofi Trading Down 3.1 % Sanofi stock traded down $3.43 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $106.23. The company had a trading volume of 496 shares, compared to its average volume of 16,119.

https://www.dailypolitical.com/2023/07/15/sanofi-otcmktssnynf-sees-significant-increase-in-short-interest.html

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Sky News host Chris Kenny says the AFL game between the Adelaide Crows and Sydney Swans had perhaps the 'greatest umpiring stuff up in Aussie rules history'. 'The Crows had gone from heroes to zero in an instant, and then the revelation of how badly they'd been robbed – what should have been a match winning kick, a season defining kick, was in fact a goal, it did not touch the post, it was clearly a goal, but the goal umpire had called it as having hit the post,' Mr Kenny said. 'The failure to review was inexplicable, especially given the enormity of the moment … the AFL admitted error, but no-one could fairly reverse the result, after all there was one minute to play.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/greatest-umpiring-stuff-up-in-aussie-rules-history-adelaide-crows-robbed-of-victory/video/21a57efcb280b1c8446336f1259e353e

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MANILA, Philippines — The World Bank has committed to help the Philippine government in its development agenda to become a prosperous, inclusive, and poverty-free society by 2040, Malacañang said Wednesday. According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), World Bank Managing Director Operations Anna Bjerde expressed the commitment during her courtesy visit to cabinet members on Tuesday in Malacañang. The visit was to 'align the Bank's priorities with the Philippines' development agenda,' PCO said.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1773839/fwd-palace-world-bank-commits-to-support-phs-development-agenda

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MANILA  -A $303-million project loan intended to reduce flood and climate risks and protect people and livelihoods around the river basins in Abra, Ranao and Agus, and Tagum and Libuganon has been approved, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The multilateral lender said in a statement the loan was granted for such purposes, considering that the Philippines is one of the countries that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and disasters caused by natural hazards. The new loan will support the Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation Project – Phase 1, which will upgrade and build flood protection infrastructure in those three major river basins—one in northern Luzon and two in southern Mindanao.

https://business.inquirer.net/420931/adb-approves-303-m-flood-risk-mitigation-loan

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Whittier Trust Co. lifted its stake in shares of EOG Resources, Inc. ( NYSE:EOG – Free Report ) by 5.1% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 205,722 shares of the energy exploration company's stock after purchasing an additional 9,989 shares during the quarter. Whittier Trust Co.'s holdings in EOG Resources were worth $23,582,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock.

https://www.dailypolitical.com/2023/07/04/whittier-trust-co-buys-9989-shares-of-eog-resources-inc-nyseeog.html

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Fact-Check: Old and unrelated videos of Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma and Ronaldo and his partner are being shared to falsely claim that they attended the pre-...

https://www.thequint.com/news/webqoof/virat-kohli-anushka-sharma-ronaldo-at-radhika-merchant-anant-ambani-event-fact-check

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KOTA BHARU, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- More than 5,000 students and staff of Politeknik Kota Bharu (PKB) can now enjoy clean water, after a tube well was constructed involving a donation of RM180,500 from Takaful Ikhlas General Berhad (Takaful Nasional). Takaful Nasional chief executive officer Datuk Rudy Rodzila Che Lamin said the programme was implemented in collaboration with geological and geophysical research, and the tube well construction by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). 'This is part of the activities under the Takaful Ikhlas syariah-compliant fundraising initiative, Ikhlas Barakah House (IBH), to increase the distribution of clean water resources to the community.

https://www.bernama.com/en/general/news.php?id=2225817

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The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced on 3 August the creation of a new Scientific Advisory Board to advise UN leaders on breakthroughs in science and technology and how to harness the benefits of these advances and mitigate potential risks. "Scientific and technological progress can support efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals - but they are also giving rise to ethical, legal and political concerns that require multilateral solutions." Mr. Guterres said.

https://www.miragenews.com/wmo-to-join-new-un-scientific-advisory-board-1061939/

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INQUIRER FILE PHOTO The rising prices of basic commodities remains the most urgent national concern, with six in 10 or 63 percent of Filipinos saying it is an issue that the Marcos administration must address, according to a Pulse Asia survey conducted from June 19 to 23. The administration's approval rating on controlling inflation improved by 6 percentage points, from 25 percent in March to 31 percent in June, but its performance on addressing the issue still received a negative net approval rating of -6, the lowest among the 13 concerns rated in the survey.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1800401/rising-prices-still-filipinostop-concern-pulse-asia

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TACLOBAN CITY — A farmer who was gathering seashells died Monday after being hit by lightning in Cabucgayan town, Biliran province. Edrian Elatico, 33, together with his younger brother, Zandro, 19, were gathering seashells along the sea in Balaguid village around 7:30 a.m. when a sudden downpour occurred followed by thunder and lightning. Zandro was not hurt, said Jomar Aloguin, crime registrar of the Cabucgayan municipal police station, in a phone interview on Tuesday. He said Zandro called for help from the villagers who brought his brother to the rural health unit where he was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1780125/farmer-in-biliran-dies-from-lightning

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PORTLAND, Oregon— The Portland Trail Blazers selected guard Scoot Henderson of the NBA G League with the third overall pick in the NBA draft on Thursday night. The selection complicates things a bit for the Blazers, who already have an All-Star guard in Damian Lillard. Known for his tenacity on the court, Henderson could be packaged in a trade if Portland pursues a high-profile veteran to join Lillard. Or, he could replace Lillard if the Blazers decided to rebuild. He could even pair with Lillard in Portland's backcourt.

https://sports.inquirer.net/515576/blazers-take-guard-scoot-henderson-with-the-no-3-pick-in-nba-draft

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Courier Capital LLC trimmed its position in Whirlpool Co. ( NYSE:WHR – Get Rating ) by 2.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 11,770 shares of the company's stock after selling 350 shares during the quarter. Courier Capital LLC's holdings in Whirlpool were worth $1,665,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company.

https://www.dailypolitical.com/2023/04/02/courier-capital-llc-trims-holdings-in-whirlpool-co-nysewhr.html

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CEBU CITY, Philippines — The residents who are temporarily residing at the old barangay hall in Kamagayan, Cebu City, have denied the allegations that they are being made to pay rent to live at the building. According to them, they all reached out to their barangay captain, Raquel Avila, who allowed them to stay at the hall rent-free until they could find a more permanent residence elsewhere. A few senior citizens also moved into the barangay hall after their homes were demolished last month. They also denied that they had to pay rent to live at the place.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/510397/old-kamagayan-barangay-hall-occupants-we-do-not-pay-rent

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Under the leadership of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, the House of Representatives has achieved a remarkable feat in passing a record number of bills and resolutions during the First Regular Session of the 19th Congress. This successful collaboration with the administration of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Romualdez Marcos Jr. has been hailed as the key to their legislative accomplishments. Quezon Representative Mark Enverga, a staunch member of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), commended Speaker Romualdez and called on his colleagues to follow suit by prioritizing the passage of legislation that benefits the Filipino people.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1785412/record-number-of-bills-resolutions-passed-by-house-in-synergy-with-marcos-admin

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PUTRAJAYA,  Aug 30 (Bernama) -- Malaysia does not recognize China's claims in the South China Sea, as outlined in the "China Standard Map Edition 2023," which also encompasses Malaysia's maritime areas, stated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The map holds no binding authority over Malaysia, it said in a statement Wednesday. The map, among other things, displays China's unilateral maritime claims that encroach upon Malaysia's maritime areas in Sabah and Sarawak, based on the 1979 Malaysia New Map," it said.

https://bernama.com/en/general/news.php?id=2221107

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