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11 super game apk The cost of a Thanksgiving dinner is 29% more expensive since 2020, according to a new survey of holiday meal costs by the American Farm Bureau Federation. The Farm Bureau’s annual Thanksgiving dinner price survey found holiday meal staples to serve 10 people total $58.08 nationally. That is down from a record high meal cost of $64.06 in 2022 when the post-pandemic inflation wave was at its highest. But holiday meal prices are still 24% higher than they were in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic and social shutdowns. Thanksgiving meals cost $46.90 in 2020. Those prices are based on 10 Thanksgiving food items such as turkey, cranberries and pumpkin pie ingredients. But if the food list expanded to include potatoes, green beans and ham the average cost in 2024 is $77.34, according to the Farm Bureau. The same 13 items cost $60.11 in 2020, according to the agriculture group. That’s a 29% rise. Turkey prices have come down compared to 2023. Inflation was a top concern of voters in the 2024 presidential election with economically stressed voters preferring now President-elect Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris. Overall, U.S. prices are up 22% since before the pandemic in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “While inflation has slowed down, it really hasn't slowed down enough to bring costs back down to these pre-pandemic levels. So it's really important to remember that our farmers and ranchers, like our consumers, are also dealing with inflation, so the cost of supplies to grow food has gone up, while USDA predicts that net farm income is going to be down nearly 25 percent compared to just two years ago,” said Bernt Nelson, a Farm Bureau economist. Get any of our free daily email newsletters — news headlines, opinion, e-edition, obituaries and more.Share Tweet Share Share Email Recent blockchain trends typically highlight zones ripe for innovation. The latest partnership between the Hedera network and Zoniqx underscores the prospects of real-world asset tokenization, while the Avalanche partnership with Red Bulls and Sports Illustrated illustrates how blockchain is penetrating mainstream sectors. In another development, BlockDAG’s recent AMA, hosted by advisory board member Dr. Maurice Herlihy, an esteemed MIT graduate, showcased how BlockDAG’s DAG-based framework reduces inefficiencies, allowing for quicker, more cost-effective transactions. BlockDAG (BDAG) has already created a stir with a record presale of over $166 million in just a few months. Insights on Hedera Network’s Role in RWA Tokenization Through its collaboration with fintech pioneer Zoniqx, Hedera Network is redefining the tokenization of real-world assets. Utilizing Hedera’s Distributed Ledger Technology, Zoniqx tackles issues such as low liquidity and high operational costs, offering quicker and cheaper transactions for users. However, this initiative faces hurdles like limited public adoption of the Hedera network and ongoing regulatory concerns. With a competitive blockchain landscape, the durability of this partnership’s impact is yet to be determined. Avalanche Partnership with Red Bulls and Sports Illustrated Avalanche has forged a 13-year agreement with Red Bulls and Sports Illustrated, aiming to merge blockchain technology with sports and media. This new Avalanche partnership showcases the potential of blockchain in mainstream areas, noted for its rapid transaction capabilities and reduced costs. Yet, analysts suggest that such long-term agreements in fluctuating industries risk obsolescence as technologies advance. Avalanche continues to face challenges in competing with platforms offering better scalability and more user-friendly environments. The network’s ambitious strategies also spark concerns about its ability to remain reliable amid escalating demands. Even as it stays among the top crypto assets, the challenge to keep up in a densely populated market continues. Exploring BlockDAG’s Innovative DAG-Based Architecture During a recent AMA , Dr. Maurice Herlihy, a MIT graduate and advisory board member for BlockDAG, unveiled the capabilities of BlockDAG’s DAG-based structure. He explained how this advanced architecture solves common blockchain issues such as slow transaction times and scalability challenges that are prevalent in systems like Bitcoin. Dr. Herlihy pointed out that BlockDAG does not follow traditional blockchain models; instead, it creates a dynamic graph with multiple connections per block, which increases processing speed and minimizes the delays that often occur in networks due to forks. BlockDAG’s CEO, Anthony Turner, also highlighted the significant milestones the project has achieved during the session. Notably, BlockDAG is compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), allowing developers to easily transfer dApps and smart contracts into its scalable environment. Additionally, with support for WASM, developers can use popular programming languages such as Rust and C++ to build innovative applications in sectors like gaming and DeFi. This results in an environment where users can leverage Ethereum’s features but experience quicker and more cost-effective transactions through BlockDAG. BlockDAG’s unique attributes have drawn a significant number of developers and traders, propelling its presale to record heights. The project has garnered over $166 million in just a few months, selling over 17.2 billion BDAG coins across 26 presale stages. Currently, BlockDAG boasts over 170,000 unique holders globally. Early participants have seen their value increase by 2240%, as the BDAG coin price jumped from $0.001 to $0.0234. For potential participants, now is an opportune time to engage, with the entry price at $0.0234. However, this price is expected to rise, as the current presale stage is nearly sold out, indicating a forthcoming price hike in the next stage. Engaging now could secure a position in the evolving crypto landscape. Spotlight on Blockchain Integration and Asset Tokenization As the Hedera network continues to advance asset tokenization with Zoniqx, and the new Avalanche partnership delves into blockchain’s role in sports and media, BlockDAG remains at the forefront with its pioneering DAG technology. Its recent AMA session emphasized the scalability and efficiency of its architecture, establishing it as a leader among top crypto assets . With its impressive fundraising and advanced technology, BlockDAG is a prominent player for those interested in top crypto assets, offering a promising avenue in the fast-paced industry of blockchain. Presale: https://purchase.blockdag.network Website: https://blockdag.network Telegram: https://t.me/blockDAGnetworkOfficial Discord: https://discord.gg/Q7BxghMVyu Related Items: Blockchain , BlockDAG Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Top 10 Cheap Crypto To Invest In For High-Potential: Buy Now For Next Bull Run 2025 Analysts Say $20 for BlockDAG is Coming — Whale Activity Surges! Avalanche’s Update & Stellar’s Moves Shake the Market Plus Wallet Simplifies Crypto Management; MetaMask Enhances Ethereum Swaps & Russia Introduces Tax-Friendly Wallets Comments

Boston police arrest two in connection with drone flights encroaching on Logan Airport

Nicaragua Tortured at Least 229 Political Prisoners, Rights Group Says

President-elect Donald Trump has promised swift immigration action during his second term in office. He has repeatedly pledged to seal the U.S.-Mexico border and implement a mass deportation program targeting millions of people who are in the U.S. illegally. On Dec. 8, in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Trump suggested he is considering deporting entire families, including children who are U.S. citizens with undocumented parents. “I don’t want to be breaking up families, so the only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back,” Trump said, echoing remarks his border czar Tom Homan made in October. Multiple people on social media claim the president cannot legally deport U.S. citizens because doing so would be unconstitutional. Recent online search trends show many people online are wondering if this is true. THE QUESTION Is it unconstitutional to deport U.S. citizens? THE SOURCES 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution Afroyim v. Rusk Michelle Mittelstadt , director of communications and public affairs for the Migration Policy Institute Allen Orr, Jr., J.D. , an immigration attorney and founder of Orr Immigration Law Firm P.C. Jean Lantz Reisz, J.D. , co-director of the USC Immigration Clinic, and clinical associate professor of law at the USC Gould School of Law Maureen Sweeney, J.D. , law school professor and director of the Chacón Center for Immigrant Justice at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law Scott D. Pollock & Associates, P.C , an immigration law firm in Chicago, Illinois THE ANSWER Yes, deporting U.S. citizens is a violation of the U.S. Constitution. Sign up for the VERIFY Fast Facts daily Newsletter! WHAT WE FOUND The president cannot deport U.S. citizens, including those with undocumented parents, because doing so would be unconstitutional, according to immigration law experts. The U.S. Constitution protects natural-born citizens from being deported by the government. But citizens may choose to renounce their citizenship voluntarily. “It is unconstitutional to deport U.S. citizens,” said Michelle Mittelstadt, a spokesperson for the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. U.S. citizenship through birth, which is known as “birthright citizenship,” comes via the 14th Amendment , which was ratified after the Civil War to secure citizenship for newly freed Black Americans. It was later, after multiple court challenges, used to guarantee citizenship to all babies born on U.S. soil regardless of the citizenship of their parents. Section 1 of the 14th Amendment reads: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” Trump has repeatedly said he would attempt to end birthright citizenship through executive action in his second term. However, we previously found that the president cannot end birthright citizenship by executive order because it would also violate the Constitution. Amending the Constitution would require congressional action and ratification by three-quarters of the states. Law experts agree that any executive order by Trump or any president to terminate birthright citizenship would likely be subjected to legal and judicial challenges. On Dec. 8, immigration attorney Allen Orr Jr. wrote on X that a president cannot deport U.S. citizens because “U.S. citizenship cannot be revoked arbitrarily” under the 14th Amendment. Orr added that in 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a landmark case known as Afroyim v. Rusk “that the government cannot involuntarily strip a citizen of their citizenship, meaning a person can only lose their citizenship if they voluntarily relinquish it.” Jean Reisz, a law professor and the co-director of the USC Immigration Clinic, told VERIFY it is unclear if Trump actually plans to forcefully deport U.S. citizens with undocumented parents, which she agrees he cannot legally do because it would be unlawful. “It seems to me Trump is addressing a situation that often occurs in mixed-status families with young U.S. citizen or LPR [legal permanent resident] children, and/or spouses where a noncitizen family member is going to be deported and the family must decide whether they will go with the noncitizen to the country to where the noncitizen is being deported and start a life there, or stay in the U.S. and be separated from the noncitizen,” Reisz explained. VERIFY reached out to the Trump transition team for clarification but did not hear back before publication. Although deporting U.S. citizens is unconstitutional, it has happened illegally in the past, according to Mittelstadt and Maureen Sweeney, the director of the Chacón Center for Immigrant Justice at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. “U.S. citizens have been deported, unlawfully, during prior instances of significant deportations, including during local ‘repatriation drives’ that took place around the U.S. during the Great Depression and during ‘Operation Wetback ’ in the Eisenhower administration,” Mittelstadt said. “These deportations were illegal then, as they would be now,” Sweeney noted. The Associated Press contributed to this report . Related Articles No, the president cannot end birthright citizenship by executive order Yes, Trump will have the authority to pardon Jan. 6 rioters What we can VERIFY about Trump’s plan to use the military to support mass deportations The VERIFY team works to separate fact from fiction so that you can understand what is true and false. Please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter , text alerts and our YouTube channel . You can also follow us on Snapchat , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok . Learn More » Follow Us YouTube Snapchat Instagram Facebook TikTok Want something VERIFIED? Text: 202-410-8808

SAN DIEGO , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Robbins LLP reminds shareholders that a class action was filed on behalf of all investors that purchased or otherwise acquired ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ: ASML ) ordinary shares between January 24, 2024 and October 15, 2024 . ASML is a leading supplier to the semiconductor industry, providing chipmakers with hardware, software, and services to mass produce integrated circuits (i.e., microchips). For more information, submit a form , email attorney Aaron Dumas, Jr. , or give us a call at (800) 350-6003. The Allegations: Robbins LLP is Investigating Allegations that ASML Holding N.V. (ASML) Misled Investors About How Issues in the Semiconductor Industry Would Impact the Company According to the complaint, during the class period, defendants failed to disclose that: (1) the issues being faced by suppliers, like ASML, in the semiconductor industry were much more severe than defendants had indicated to investors; (2) the pace of recovery of sales in the semiconductor industry was much slower than defendants had publicly acknowledged; (3) defendants had created the false impression that they possessed reliable information pertaining to customer demand and anticipated growth, while also downplaying risk from macroeconomic and industry fluctuations, as well as stronger regulations restricting the export of semiconductor technology, including the products that ASML sells; and (4) as a result, defendants' statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects lacked a reasonable basis. As a result of these acts, ASML stock has declined significantly, harming investors. What Now : You may be eligible to participate in the class action against ASML Holding N.V. Shareholders who want to serve as lead plaintiff for the class must submit their application to the court by January 13, 2025 . A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. You do not have to participate in the case to be eligible for a recovery. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. For more information, click here . All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses. About Robbins LLP : Some law firms issuing releases about this matter do not actually litigate securities class actions; Robbins LLP does. A recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation, the attorneys and staff of Robbins LLP have been dedicated to helping shareholders recover losses, improve corporate governance structures, and hold company executives accountable for their wrongdoing since 2002. Since our inception, we have obtained over $1 billion for shareholders. To be notified if a class action against ASML Holding N.V. settles or to receive free alerts when corporate executives engage in wrongdoing, sign up for Stock Watch today. Attorney Advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. SOURCE Robbins LLPArkansas DE Landon Jackson carted off field and taken to hospital with neck injuryWNBA stars inspire Unit 5 junior high girls basketball teams eyeing state finalsBy Vanessa G. Sánchez, KFF Health News (TNS) LOS ANGELES — President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations and tougher immigration restrictions is deepening mistrust of the health care system among California’s immigrants and clouding the future for providers serving the state’s most impoverished residents. At the same time, immigrants living illegally in Southern California told KFF Health News they thought the economy would improve and their incomes might increase under Trump, and for some that outweighed concerns about health care. Community health workers say fear of deportation is already affecting participation in Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program for low-income residents, which was expanded in phases to all immigrants regardless of residency status over the past several years. That could undercut the state’s progress in reducing the uninsured rate, which reached a record low of 6.4% last year. Immigrants lacking legal residency have long worried that participation in government programs could make them targets, and Trump’s election has compounded those concerns, community advocates say. The incoming Trump administration is also expected to target Medicaid with funding cuts and enrollment restrictions , which activists worry could threaten the Medi-Cal expansion and kneecap efforts to extend health insurance subsidies under Covered California to all immigrants. “The fear alone has so many consequences to the health of our communities,” said Mar Velez , director of policy with the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California. “This is, as they say, not their first rodeo. They understand how the system works. I think this machine is going to be, unfortunately, a lot more harmful to our communities.” Alongside such worries, though, is a strain of optimism that Trump might be a boon to the economy, according to interviews with immigrants in Los Angeles whom health care workers were soliciting to sign up for Medi-Cal. Selvin, 39, who, like others interviewed for this article, asked to be identified by only his first name because he’s living here without legal permission, said that even though he believes Trump dislikes people like him, he thinks the new administration could help boost his hours at the food processing facility where he works packing noodles. “I do see how he could improve the economy. From that perspective, I think it’s good that he won.” He became eligible for Medi-Cal this year but decided not to enroll, worrying it could jeopardize his chances of changing his immigration status. “I’ve thought about it,” Selvin said, but “I feel like it could end up hurting me. I won’t deny that, obviously, I’d like to benefit — get my teeth fixed, a physical checkup.” But fear holds him back, he said, and he hasn’t seen a doctor in nine years. It’s not Trump’s mass deportation plan in particular that’s scaring him off, though. “If I’m not committing any crimes or getting a DUI, I think I won’t get deported,” Selvin said. Petrona, 55, came from El Salvador seeking asylum and enrolled in Medi-Cal last year. She said that if her health insurance benefits were cut, she wouldn’t be able to afford her visits to the dentist. A street food vendor, she hears often about Trump’s deportation plan, but she said it will be the criminals the new president pushes out. “I’ve heard people say he’s going to get rid of everyone who’s stealing.” Although she’s afraid she could be deported, she’s also hopeful about Trump. “He says he’s going to give a lot of work to Hispanics because Latinos are the ones who work the hardest,” she said. “That’s good, more work for us, the ones who came here to work.” Newly elected Republican Assembly member Jeff Gonzalez, who flipped a seat long held by Democrats in the Latino-heavy desert region in the southeastern part of the state, said his constituents were anxious to see a new economic direction. “They’re just really kind of fed up with the status quo in California,” Gonzalez said. “People on the ground are saying, ‘I’m hopeful,’ because now we have a different perspective. We have a businessperson who is looking at the very things that we are looking at, which is the price of eggs, the price of gas, the safety.” Related Articles National Politics | Mexico tests cellphone app allowing migrants to send alert if they are about to be detained in US National Politics | Trump wants mass deportations. For the agents removing immigrants, it’s a painstaking process National Politics | Immigration agency deports highest numbers since 2014, aided by more flights National Politics | Advocates train immigrants to ‘prepare to stay’ in the US under Trump National Politics | Immigration drives US population growth to highest rate in 23 years as residents pass 340 million Gonzalez said he’s not going to comment about potential Medicaid cuts, because Trump has not made any official announcement. Unlike most in his party, Gonzalez said he supports the extension of health care services to all residents regardless of immigration status . Health care providers said they are facing a twin challenge of hesitancy among those they are supposed to serve and the threat of major cuts to Medicaid, the federal program that provides over 60% of the funding for Medi-Cal. Health providers and policy researchers say a loss in federal contributions could lead the state to roll back or downsize some programs, including the expansion to cover those without legal authorization. California and Oregon are the only states that offer comprehensive health insurance to all income-eligible immigrants regardless of status. About 1.5 million people without authorization have enrolled in California, at a cost of over $6 billion a year to state taxpayers. “Everyone wants to put these types of services on the chopping block, which is really unfair,” said state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, a Democrat and chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus. “We will do everything we can to ensure that we prioritize this.” Sen. Gonzalez said it will be challenging to expand programs such as Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace, for which immigrants lacking permanent legal status are not eligible. A big concern for immigrants and their advocates is that Trump could reinstate changes to the public charge policy, which can deny green cards or visas based on the use of government benefits. “President Trump’s mass deportation plan will end the financial drain posed by illegal immigrants on our healthcare system, and ensure that our country can care for American citizens who rely on Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security,” Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to KFF Health News. During his first term, in 2019, Trump broadened the policy to include the use of Medicaid, as well as housing and nutrition subsidies. The Biden administration rescinded the change in 2021. KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News, found immigrants use less health care than people born in the United States. And about 1 in 4 likely undocumented immigrant adults said they have avoided applying for assistance with health care, food, and housing because of immigration-related fears, according to a 2023 survey . Another uncertainty is the fate of the Affordable Care Act, which was opened in November to immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and are protected by the Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals program. If DACA eligibility for the act’s plans, or even the act itself, were to be reversed under Trump, that would leave roughly 40,000 California DACA recipients, and about 100,000 nationwide , without access to subsidized health insurance. On Dec. 9, a federal court in North Dakota issued an order blocking DACA recipients from accessing Affordable Care Act health plans in 19 states that had challenged the Biden administration’s rule. Clinics and community health workers are encouraging people to continue enrolling in health benefits. But amid the push to spread the message, the chilling effects are already apparent up and down the state. “¿Ya tiene Medi-Cal?” community health worker Yanet Martinez said, asking residents whether they had Medi-Cal as she walked down Pico Boulevard recently in a Los Angeles neighborhood with many Salvadorans. “¡Nosotros podemos ayudarle a solicitar Medi-Cal! ¡Todo gratuito!” she shouted, offering help to sign up, free of charge. “Gracias, pero no,” said one young woman, responding with a no thanks. She shrugged her shoulders and averted her eyes under a cap that covered her from the late-morning sun. Since Election Day, Martinez said, people have been more reluctant to hear her pitch for subsidized health insurance or cancer prevention screenings. “They think I’m going to share their information to deport them,” she said. “They don’t want anything to do with it.” This article was produced by KFF Health News , which publishes California Healthline , an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation . ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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An archbishop's knock formally restores Notre Dame to life as winds howl and heads of state look onHopes for a Santa Claus rally on Wall Street fell Friday as tech stocks slid lower, while a weaker yen lifted Japanese equities. US indices slid lower at the opening bell, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite losing two percent during morning trading. Shares in Tesla were down over three percent in late morning trading while those in AI chipmaker NVIDIA shed around two percent. Wall Street stocks have historically performed well around the year-end holidays in what is popularly known as a Santa Claus rally. A Christmas Eve jump in equities got the Santa rally off to a flying start and indices barely budged in Thursday trading. Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare also pointed to an increase in 10-year US Treasury bond yields to around 4.6 percent, which he noted is an increase of nearly 0.9 percentage points since the US Federal Reserve made its first interest rate cut in September. "The Fed doesn't hold sway over longer-dated maturities like it does over shorter-dated securities, so the bump in rates at the back end of the curve is being watched with an anxious eye as a possible harbinger of a pickup in inflation and/or the budget deficit," O'Hare said. Wall Street stocks took a knock earlier this month when the Fed indicated it would likely cut interest rates less than it had previously expected to. That was in part because of uncertainty tied to the stated intention of incoming president Donald Trump to raise tariffs, which could boost inflation that is already proving sticky. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei index closed up nearly two percent, with the yen's recent weakness proving a boon for major exporters. The yen hit 158.08 per US dollar on Thursday evening -- its lowest in almost six months -- following comments made by Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda that failed to give a clear signal on a possible interest rate increase next month. Recent data has showed Japan's inflation rose for a second month in December, while industrial production declined less than expected in November and retail sales came in higher than estimated last month. Japan's government also on Friday approved a record budget for the next fiscal year, ramping up spending on social welfare for its ageing population and on defence to tackle regional threats. In Seoul, the stock market closed down one percent after the won plunged to a nearly 16-year low of 1,487.03 against the dollar on Friday morning. South Korea is struggling to emerge from political turbulence in the wake of President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration this month, which prompted his impeachment. Acting President Han Duck-soo was also impeached Friday in a vote that prompted governing party lawmakers to protest with angry chants and raised fists. South Korea's business outlook for January fell in the Bank of Korea's composite sentiment index, the biggest month-on-month slide since April 2020, according to data based on almost 3,300 firms released Friday. In Europe, Frankfurt's DAX index rose after German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier dissolved parliament on Friday and confirmed the expected date for the early general election, emphasising the need for "political stability" in Europe's largest economy. New York - Dow: DOWN 0.8 percent at 42,987.31 New York - S&P 500: DOWN 1.2 percent at 5,967.31 New York - Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 1.7 percent at 19,676.01 London - FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 8,149.78 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 1.0 percent at 7,355.37 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.7 percent at 19,984.32 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.8 percent at 40,281.16 points (close) Seoul - Kospi: DOWN 1.0 percent at 2,404.77 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.1 percent at 20,116.93 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 3,400.14 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0431 from $1.0424 on Thursday Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2589 from $1.2526 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 157.53 yen from 158.00 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 82.85 pence from 83.19 pence West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.2 percent at $70.42 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.1 percent at $73.62 per barrel burs-rl/rlpBEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria gained speed on Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and with the government forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by an opposition war monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. As they have advanced, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands rushed the Syria border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those that remained open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some shops were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reach the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. Amid the developments, Syria’s state media denied rumors flooding social media that Assad has left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. Assad's chief international backer, Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine, and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up his forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran, meanwhile, has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. Pedersen said a date for the talks in Geneva on the implementation of U.N. Resolution 2254 would be announced later. The resolution, adopted in 2015, called for a Syrian-led political process, starting with the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were also marching from eastern Syria toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. Syria’s military, meanwhile, sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama, the country’s fourth largest city. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told CNN in an interview Thursday from Syria that the aim is to overthrow Assad’s government. The Britain-based Observatory said Syrian troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces and are sending reinforcements to Homs, where a battle is looming. If the insurgents capture Homs, they would cut the link between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where the president enjoys wide support. The Syrian army said in a statement Saturday that it has carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists.” The army said it is setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remained in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. Tartus is home to the only Russian naval base outside the former Soviet Union while Latakia is home to a major Russian air base. In the gas-rich nation of Qatar, the foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey met to discuss the situation in Syria. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remained in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. On Friday, U.S.-backed fighters of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces captured wide parts of the eastern province of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq as well as the provincial capital that carries the same name. The capture of areas in Deir el-Zour is a blow to Iran’s influence in the region as the area is the gateway to the corridor linking the Mediterranean to Iran, a supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah. With the capture of a main border crossing with Iraq by the SDF and after opposition fighters took control of the Naseeb border crossing to Jordan in southern Syria, the Syrian government's only gateway to the outside world is the Masnaa border crossing with Lebanon. Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report.

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A scruffy little fugitive is on the lam again in New Orleans, gaining fame as he outwits a tenacious band of citizens armed with night-vision binoculars, nets and a tranquilizer rifle. Scrim, a 17-pound mutt that's mostly terrier, has become a folk hero, inspiring tattoos, T-shirts and even a ballad as he eludes capture from the posse of volunteers. And like any antihero, Scrim has a backstory: Rescued from semi-feral life at a trailer park and adopted from a shelter, the dog broke loose in April and scurried around the city until he was cornered in October and brought to a new home. Weeks later, he'd had enough. Scrim leaped out of a second-story window, a desperate act recorded in a now-viral video. Since then, despite a stream of daily sightings, he's roamed free. The dog’s fans include Myra and Steve Foster, who wrote “Ode to Scrim” to the tune of Ricky Nelson’s 1961 hit, “I’m a Travelin’ Man.” “I'm a travelin' dog and I've made a lot of stops/All over this town...” Leading the recapture effort is Michelle Cheramie, a 55-year-old former information technology professional. She lost everything — home, car, possessions — in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in the aftermath, found her calling rescuing pets. “I was like, ‘This is what I should be doing,’” Cheramie said. “I was born to rescue.” She launched Zeus’ Rescues, a nonprofit shelter that now averages 600 cat and dog adoptions a year and offers free pet food to anyone who needs it. She helped Scrim find the home he first escaped from. It was Cheramie's window Scrim leaped from in November. She's resumed her relentless mission since then, posting flyers on telephone poles and logging social media updates on his reported whereabouts. She's invested thousands of dollars on wildlife cameras, thermal sensors and other gear. She took a course offered by the San Diego Zoo on the finer points of tranquilizing animals. And she's developed a network of volunteers — the kind of neighbors who are willing to grid-search a city at 3 a.m. “...And at every stop I own the heart, of at least one lovely ... " People like writer David W. Brown, who manages a crowd-sourced Google Map of all known Scrim sightings. He says the search has galvanized residents from all walks of life to come together. As they search for Scrim, they hand out supplies to people in need. “Being a member of the community is seeing problems and doing what you can to make life a little better for the people around here and the animals around you,” Brown said. And neighbors like Tammy Murray, who had to close her furniture store and lost her father to Parkinson's disease. This search, she says, got her mojo back. “Literally, for months, I’ve done nothing but hunt this dog,” said Murray, 53. “I feel like Wile E. Coyote on a daily basis with him.” Murray drives the Zeus' Rescues' van towards reported Scrim sightings. She also handles a tactical net launcher, which looks like an oversized flashlight and once misfired, shattering the van's window as Scrim sped away. After realizing Scrim had come to recognize the sound of the van's diesel engine, Murray switched to a Vespa scooter, for stealth. “...If you're ever in the 9th Ward stop and see/My cute little mini poodle ...” Near-misses have been tantalizing. The search party spotted Scrim napping beneath an elevated house, and wrapped construction netting around the perimeter, but an over-eager volunteer broke ranks and dashed forward, leaving an opening Scrim slipped through. Scrim's repeated escapades have prompted near-daily local media coverage and a devoted online following. Cheramie can relate. “We’re all running from something or to something. He's doing that too,” she said. Cheramie's team dreams of placing the pooch in a safe and loving environment. But a social media chorus growing under the hashtag #FreeScrim has other ideas — they say the runaway should be allowed a life of self-determination. The animal rescue volunteers consider that misguided. “The streets of New Orleans are not the place for a dog to be free,” Cheramie said. “It’s too dangerous.” "... and my Shar-Pei doll down in old Treme/Waits for my return ..." Scrim was a mess when Cheramie briefly recaptured him in October, with matted fur, missing teeth and a tattered ear. His trembling body was scraped and bruised, and punctured by multiple projectiles. A vet removed one, but decided against operating to take out a possible bullet. The dog initially appeared content indoors, sitting in Cheramie's lap or napping beside her bed. Then while she was out one day, Scrim chewed through a mesh screen, dropped 13 feet to the ground and squeezed through a gap in the fence, trotting away. Murray said Cheramie's four cats probably spooked him. “I wholeheartedly believe the gangster-ass cats were messing with him,” Murray said. Cheramie thinks they may have gotten territorial. Devastated but undeterred, the pair is reassessing where Scrim might fit best — maybe a secure animal sanctuary with big outdoor spaces where other dogs can keep him company. Somewhere, Murray says, “where he can just breathe and be.” ___ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96 Copyright 2024 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. 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