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PHILADELPHIA — A few months ago, Jon Runyan was at the NFL Films office in Mount Laurel, N.J., when his phone rattled. It was his former Eagles teammate, Hugh Douglas. Douglas was trying to settle a debate with their other former teammate, Jon Ritchie, over a play in 2001. Ritchie, a fullback, was lined up in the backfield for the Oakland Raiders, and needed to make sure the end man on the line of scrimmage — Douglas — had his hands down. So, he ran at Douglas full speed and took his legs out. The NFL fined Ritchie $10,000, which, 23 years later, he wanted Douglas to pay back, because he believed it was a legal cut block. But Douglas refused, maintaining that the play was illegal. They decided to consult an expert — Runyan — who has worked as the NFL's vice president of policy and rules administration since 2016. This was when the irony began to set in. "We knew he worked at the NFL office," Douglas said. "But then it was like, wait a minute, Jon Runyan does rules. He does the fine stuff. We were like, 'Are you (expletive) kidding me? Jon Runyan?'" The former offensive tackle is used to this reaction. He had a reputation for playing past the whistle. In a 2006 Sports Illustrated NFL player poll, Runyan was voted the second-dirtiest player in the league (tied with Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Joey Porter and behind New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison). He wasn't above tripping a guy, or stepping on his feet, or cleaning the pile. Former defensive tackle Hollis Thomas said the 6-foot-7, 330-pound Runyan set an aggressive tone on his first day of Eagles practice in 2000. A rookie defensive end, Dwight Johnson, hit him with some force. When he tried to do it again, Runyan grabbed him, threw him on the ground, and gave him a "that's-what-you-get nudge" with his foot. "[Jeremiah] Trotter came to [the rookie's] rescue," Thomas said. "He was like, 'Oh, you think you're swole!' Then the entire defense kind of jumped him. It was like Runyan was King Kong and the DBs were the little airplanes." Ritchie said the Raiders would dedicate a portion of their special teams meetings to studying Runyan's "cheap shots" when the Eagles were attempting to kick extra points. He described his former teammate's playing style as "angry," "mean," and "cruel." As someone who racked up an estimated 12-14 fines in his career, Runyan understood how handing out discipline for the NFL would look. But he took the job anyway, and has held it for almost a decade. "Everybody just kind of laughed at it," said Runyan, 50. "They were like, after all the stuff you did on the football field, how the hell did you become a compliance guy? "If you have an IT system, and you want to avoid getting hacked, you bring in a hacker. If you want to have good home security, you bring in a burglar." -- 'Bully mentality' Runyan developed his physical playing style in college. He went to the University of Michigan from 1992-95, where he was coached in the hard-nosed, bruising, Bo Schembechler brand of football, which was still in place even after the coach's retirement in 1989. In Michigan's team meeting room, players would see two words: "pursuit," for defense, and "harassment," for offense. The message was clear. "Always be up in someone's face," Runyan said. "Leaning on him, pushing on him. The guy I'm blocking is a better athlete and faster than me 99% of the time. So, if I do just enough to annoy him, and he's trying to fight me, that takes his athletic ability away." He was selected by the Houston Oilers in the fourth round of the 1996 NFL draft, and moved with the team to Tennessee in 1997. By that point, he'd become a starter, and was quickly developing a reputation for being a "nasty-ass offensive lineman," in Douglas' words. Runyan helped guide the Titans to the Super Bowl in 1999, and signed a six-year, $30 million contract with the Eagles in 2000. It was a lot of money. But in return, they got "the best right tackle in football," in then-coach Andy Reid's opinion. "We throw a lot of money around in this business," Reid told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2000. "It's good to see that money go to someone who deserves it." Runyan spent his 14 NFL seasons toeing the line of physical-but-not-illegal. This proved to be more difficult after he signed with the Eagles. League rules became more stringent, and he was forced to adjust. He couldn't, for example, jump across the pile, over Duce Staley, and a throng of defensive linemen, shove San Francisco 49ers linebacker Jamie Winborn — right before the whistle was blown — and always expect to get away with it. "He just waylaid him," Douglas said. "I was like, 'What the (expletive) is he doing?'" This gritty mentality gave the Eagles exactly what they needed at the time. When Runyan arrived in 2000, they were a team in search of offense. Donovan McNabb was a young, developing quarterback in his first full year as an NFL starter. They did not have many big-play weapons in their passing game. In short, they were lacking an offensive identity, and Runyan gave them one. "He wouldn't yell and scream," Douglas said, "but when he put that helmet on, and it was time to play football, you were like, 'Yeah, I see why Andy (Reid) got this (expletive). Cause he crazy.' He set the tone." Added former Eagles center Hank Fraley: "Everybody fed off of him. He brought that bully mentality." With Runyan anchoring their offensive line, the Eagles reached the divisional round twice, the NFC championship game four times, and the Super Bowl in the 2004 season, in which they narrowly lost to the Patriots, 24-21. He retired after spending the 2009 season with the San Diego Chargers, and ran for office in New Jersey's third congressional district in 2010. Runyan won, and served two terms in the House of Representatives. He didn't seek a third term. The former tackle liked the process of legislating, but he didn't like all that came with it: The public posturing, the fundraising. So, in 2016, he reached out to Howie Roseman about a role in player engagement. Roseman, the Eagles' executive vice president of football operations, told him to write a job description. Runyan sent it to former Eagles teammate Troy Vincent, who used to be the head of player engagement for the NFL, and Vincent called him back. "Are you interviewing for this job?" he asked. "I might have a position for you up here." Vincent wanted Runyan to be the head of discipline for the league office. He would analyze rules, make sure they were implemented, and if they weren't, he'd hand out fines. Runyan accepted the job, and found it to be intuitive work. Despite existing in the gray area during his playing career — where any given hit could elicit a flag — he said that he had a very black-and-white understanding of the rules. He knew where the line was drawn, and was not reckless in crossing it. This understanding has helped him in his current role even though the league's rules are quite different now. -- Making the change The NFL said it has made more than 50 changes to its rulebook since 2002. For example, when Runyan started with the Eagles, tackling a player by grabbing the inside of his shoulder pads ("the horse-collar tackle") was legal. Now, it is not only a penalty, but it can draw a fine. These rule changes are a lot to keep track of, and Runyan's job is to make sure that nothing is overlooked. "People don't realize, the officiating crews are like a quarterback," Runyan said. "So depending on the formation, they have reads that they're going through, progressions that they're going through, and a lot of times they just move down to the next progression, and something happens when they take their eyes off of their first read. "I have the benefit of slowing it down and taking a look at all 22 players, so I can see that kind of stuff. And I can tell you, a lot of times, even when we watch it live on Sunday, there's no flag on the field. And it's like, 'Alright, I'm already tagging that play because I know there was a foul missed here.'" Every Sunday, Runyan and Vincent watch all the games, with an eye on potential fouls. They review them again on Monday with the NFL's compliance team. Runyan sits with coaching supervisors on Tuesday to let them know what calls were missed, and on Wednesday, he and a few other NFL executives decide which plays are worthy of a fine. Runyan has been careful not to show any favoritism — even to his own son. In 2022, he fined then-Packers guard Jon Runyan Jr. $5,215 for unnecessary roughness in a game against the New York Giants. Out of courtesy, Runyan gave Junior a heads up. "He had attempted to do a leg whip earlier in the game, and I knew he was still asleep, so I just texted him," Runyan said. "I go, 'You know, this play in the second quarter, you tried to leg whip this guy, but you missed.' And then 20 minutes later, I'm like, 'You did it again, and you got him! You'll have a letter by the end of the week.'" He will dole out 300 to 500 fines a year, but his job is not all about punishment. It's about protection and making the game safer. This is the part that most excites Runyan. Compared to Congress, where meaningful change takes a long time, football moves quickly. And the results of those changes can be life-altering. He points to the "Use of the Helmet" rule as an example. It was tweaked a few years ago — "we added six words to it," Runyan said — and so far, the league has seen fewer helmet-to-helmet hits. These kinds of outcomes make those long days in the league office worth it. Runyan understands, firsthand, how violent football can be. He said he hasn't suffered severe post-retirement injuries, but not all of his former teammates have been as fortunate. Former Oilers and Titans tight end Frank Wycheck estimated he had 25 concussions during his 11-year career. He died at 52 in 2023. Brian Westbrook, one of Runyan's former Eagles teammates, said he believed concussions were the cause of memory loss that he began experiencing in his 30s. It's likely that football players have sustained concussions for as long as the sport has been played. But for decades, the long-term health issues resulting from concussions were unknown. It wasn't until the 2000s when that perception began to change, following the suicide deaths of multiple retired NFL stars. Runyan was in the midst of his NFL career at that time. When he was playing, he didn't think much about how he'd feel when he was 60. But his hope is that he can encourage more players to think about that now. "Two of my former teammates are dealing with a lot of brain injury issues," Runyan said, without specifying which teammates. "A lot of drug abuse and a lot of depression stuff. Legitimate issues. In and out of rehab, broke the family up, all that kind of stuff. And I try to communicate with them and talk to them as much as I can, but it is really difficult. "And unfortunately, that was a part of the sport. But that's why you're seeing the NFL shifting towards playing safer, and creating rules like use of the helmet, that mandate that we get the head out of the game." This is admirable work, and Runyan plans to continue to do it. But that doesn't mean his former teammates will stop teasing him. "I love to see all of these guys transition into new careers," Douglas said. "It's great to see growth. But at the same time, I'm like, damn, this ain't the (expletive) that I know. I remember what this (expletive) used to be. "To hear he's giving out fines ... It's like, man, God is good. Because if he can change, anybody can, you know what I mean?"SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 26, 2024-- PagerDuty, Inc. (NYSE:PD), a leader in digital operations management, today announced financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2025, ended October 31, 2024. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241126811639/en/ (Graphic: Business Wire) “PagerDuty delivered a solid quarter with revenue and non-GAAP operating income results well above third quarter guidance ranges with annual recurring revenue increasing to $483 million, growing 10% year-over-year,” said Chairperson and CEO, Jennifer Tejada. “Consistent performance over the past four quarters has led to stabilization across all business segments, and along with improving leading indicators, positions the business on a strong upward trajectory.” Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Highlights The section titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below contains a description of the non-GAAP financial measures and reconciliations between GAAP and non-GAAP financial information. Third Quarter and Recent Highlights Financial Outlook For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, PagerDuty currently expects: For the full fiscal year 2025, PagerDuty currently expects: These statements are forward-looking and actual results may differ materially. Please refer to the section titled "Forward-Looking Statements" below for information on the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. PagerDuty has not reconciled forward-looking net loss per share attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stock holders to forward-looking non-GAAP net income per share attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders because certain items are out of PagerDuty's control or cannot be reasonably predicted. Accordingly, such reconciliation is not available without unreasonable effort. Conference Call Information PagerDuty will host a conference call and live webcast (Zoom meeting ID 975 4160 6140) for analysts and investors at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on November 26, 2024. For audio only, the dial-in number 1-312-626-6799 may be used. This news release with the financial results will be accessible from PagerDuty’s website at investor.pagerduty.com prior to the conference call. A live webcast of the conference call will be accessible from the PagerDuty investor relations website at investor.pagerduty.com . Supplemental Financial and Other Information Supplemental financial and other information can be accessed through PagerDuty’s investor relations website at investor.pagerduty.com . PagerDuty uses the investor relations section on its website as the means of complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, we recommend that investors monitor PagerDuty’s investor relations website in addition to following PagerDuty’s press releases, SEC filings, social media, including PagerDuty’s LinkedIn account ( https://www.linkedin.com/company/482819 ), X (formerly Twitter) account @pagerduty, the X account @jenntejada and Facebook page (facebook.com/pagerduty), and public conference calls and webcasts. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding our future financial performance and outlook, and market positioning. Words such as “expect,” “extend,” “anticipate,” “should,” “believe,” “hope,” “target,” “project,” “accelerate,” “goals,” “estimate,” “potential,” “predict,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “could,” “intend,” “shall,” and variations of these terms or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond our control. Our actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to, risks and other factors detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 18, 2024. Additional information will be made available in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 31, 2024 and other filings and reports that we may file from time to time with the SEC. In particular, the following risks and uncertainties, among others, could cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: the effect of unfavorable conditions in our industry or the global economy, or reductions in information technology spending on our business and results of operations; our ability to achieve and maintain future profitability; our ability to attract new customers and retain and sell additional functionality and services to our existing customers; our ability to sustain and manage our growth; our dependence on revenue from a single product; our ability to compete effectively in an increasingly competitive market; and general global market, political, economic, and business conditions. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent our views as of the date of this press release. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our views to change. We undertake no intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. About PagerDuty, Inc. PagerDuty, Inc. (NYSE:PD) is a global leader in digital operations management, enabling customers to achieve operational efficiency at scale with the PagerDuty Operations Cloud. The PagerDuty Operations Cloud combines AIOps, Automation, Customer Service Operations and Incident Management with a powerful generative AI assistant to create a flexible, resilient and scalable platform to increase innovation velocity, grow revenue, reduce cost, and mitigate the risk of operational failure. Half of the Fortune 500 and nearly 70% of the Fortune 100 rely on PagerDuty as essential infrastructure for the modern enterprise. To learn more and try PagerDuty for free, visit www.pagerduty.com . The PagerDuty Operations Cloud The PagerDuty Operations Cloud is the platform for mission-critical, time-critical operations work in the modern enterprise. Through the power of AI and automation, it detects and diagnoses disruptive events, mobilizes the right team members to respond, and streamlines infrastructure and workflows across your digital operations. The Operations Cloud is essential infrastructure for revolutionizing digital operations to compete and win as a modern digital business. Non-GAAP Financial Measures This press release and the accompanying tables contain the following non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP research and development, non-GAAP sales and marketing, non-GAAP general and administrative, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders, non-GAAP net income per share attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders, free cash flow, and free cash flow margin. PagerDuty believes that non-GAAP financial measures, when taken collectively, may be helpful to investors because they provide consistency and comparability with past financial performance and can assist in comparisons with other companies, some of which use similar non-GAAP financial measures to supplement their GAAP results. The non-GAAP financial information is presented for supplemental informational purposes only, should not be considered a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP, and may be different from similarly-titled non-GAAP measures used by other companies. The principal limitation of these non-GAAP financial measures is that they exclude significant expenses and income that are required by GAAP to be recorded in PagerDuty’s financial statements. In addition, they are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgment by PagerDuty’s management about which expenses and income are excluded or included in determining these non-GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation is provided below for each historical non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable financial measure presented in accordance with GAAP. Specifically, PagerDuty excludes the following from its historical and prospective non-GAAP financial measures, as applicable: Stock-based compensation: PagerDuty utilizes stock-based compensation to attract and retain employees. It is principally aimed at aligning their interests with those of its stockholders and at long-term retention, rather than to address operational performance for any particular period. As a result, stock-based compensation expenses vary for reasons that are generally unrelated to financial and operational performance in any particular period. Employer taxes related to employee stock transactions: PagerDuty views the amount of employer taxes related to its employee stock transactions as an expense that is dependent on its stock price, employee exercise and other award disposition activity, and other factors that are beyond PagerDuty’s control. As a result, employer taxes related to employee stock transactions vary for reasons that are generally unrelated to financial and operational performance in any particular period. Amortization of acquired intangible assets: PagerDuty views amortization of acquired intangible assets as items arising from pre-acquisition activities determined at the time of an acquisition. While these intangible assets are evaluated for impairment regularly, amortization of the cost of purchased intangibles is an expense that is not typically affected by operations during any particular period. Acquisition-related expenses: PagerDuty views acquisition-related expenses, such as transaction costs, acquisition-related retention payments, and acquisition-related asset impairment, as events that are not necessarily reflective of operational performance during a period. In particular, PagerDuty believes the consideration of measures that exclude such expenses can assist in the comparison of operational performance in different periods which may or may not include such expenses. Amortization of debt issuance costs: The imputed interest rates of the Company's convertible senior notes (the "2025 Notes" and the "2028 Notes" or, collectively, the "Notes") was approximately 1.91% for the 2025 Notes and 2.13% for the 2028 Notes. This is a result of the debt issuance costs, which reduce the carrying value of the convertible debt instruments. The debt issuance costs are amortized as interest expense. The expense for the amortization of the debt issuance costs is a non-cash item, and we believe the exclusion of this interest expense will provide for a more useful comparison of our operational performance in different periods. Restructuring costs: PagerDuty views restructuring costs, such as employee severance-related costs and real estate impairment costs, as events that are not necessarily reflective of operational performance during a period. In particular, PagerDuty believes the consideration of measures that exclude such expenses can assist in the comparison of operational performance in different periods which may or may not include such expenses. Gains (or losses) on partial extinguishment of convertible senior notes: PagerDuty views gains (or losses) on partial extinguishment of debt as events that are not necessarily reflective of operational performance during a period. PagerDuty believes that the consideration of measures that exclude such gain (or loss) impact can assist in the comparison of operational performance in different periods which may or may not include such gains (or losses). Adjustment attributable to redeemable non-controlling interest: PagerDuty adjusts the value of redeemable non-controlling interest of its joint venture PagerDuty K.K. according to the operating agreement. PagerDuty believes this adjustment is not reflective of operational performance during a period and exclusion of such adjustments can assist in comparison of operational performance in different periods. Income tax effects and adjustments: Based on PagerDuty's financial outlook for fiscal 2025, PagerDuty is utilizing a projected non-GAAP tax rate of 23% in order to provide better consistency across the interim reporting periods by eliminating the impact of non-recurring and period specific items, which can vary in size and frequency. PagerDuty's estimated tax rate on non-GAAP income is determined annually and may be adjusted during the year to take into account events or trends that PagerDuty believes materially impact the estimated annual rate including, but not limited to, significant changes resulting from tax legislation, material changes in the geographic mix of revenue and expenses and other significant events. Non-GAAP gross profit and non-GAAP gross margin We define non-GAAP gross profit as gross profit excluding the following expenses typically included in cost of revenue: stock-based compensation expense, employer taxes related to employee stock transactions, amortization of acquired intangible assets, and restructuring costs. We define non-GAAP gross margin as non-GAAP gross profit as a percentage of revenue. Non-GAAP operating expenses We define non-GAAP operating expenses as operating expenses excluding stock-based compensation expense, employer taxes related to employee stock transactions, amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition-related expenses, which include transaction costs, acquisition-related retention payments, and asset impairment, and restructuring costs which are not necessarily reflective of operational performance during a given period. Non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin We define non-GAAP operating income as loss from operations excluding stock-based compensation expense, employer taxes related to employee stock transactions, amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition-related expenses, which include transaction costs, acquisition-related retention payments, and asset impairment, and restructuring costs which are not necessarily reflective of operational performance during a given period. We define non-GAAP operating margin as non-GAAP operating income as a percentage of revenue. Non-GAAP net income attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders We define non-GAAP net income attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders as net loss attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders excluding stock-based compensation expense, employer taxes related to employee stock transactions, amortization of debt issuance costs, amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition-related expenses, which include transaction costs, acquisition-related retention payments and asset impairment, restructuring costs, adjustment attributable to redeemable non-controlling interest, and income tax adjustments, which are not necessarily reflective of operational performance during a given period. Non-GAAP net income per share, basic and diluted We define non-GAAP net income per share, basic as non-GAAP net income attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders divided by weighted average shares outstanding at the end of the reporting period. We define non-GAAP net income per share, diluted as non-GAAP net income attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders divided by weighted average diluted shares outstanding at the end of the reporting period. Free cash flow and free cash flow margin We define free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities, less cash used for purchases of property and equipment and capitalization of internal-use software costs. We define free cash flow margin as free cash flow as a percentage of revenue. In addition to the reasons stated above, we believe that free cash flow is useful to investors as a liquidity measure because it measures our ability to generate or use cash in excess of our capital investments in property and equipment in order to enhance the strength of our balance sheet and further invest in our business and potential strategic initiatives. A limitation of the utility of free cash flow as a measure of our liquidity is that it does not represent the total increase or decrease in our cash balance for the period. We use free cash flow in conjunction with traditional U.S. GAAP measures as part of our overall assessment of our liquidity, including the preparation of our annual operating budget and quarterly forecasts and to evaluate the effectiveness of our business strategies. There are a number of limitations related to the use of free cash flow as compared to net cash provided by operating activities, including that free cash flow includes capital expenditures, the benefits of which are realized in periods subsequent to those when expenditures are made. PagerDuty encourages investors to review the related GAAP financial measures and the reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, which it includes in press releases announcing quarterly financial results, including this press release, and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate PagerDuty’s business. Please see the reconciliation tables at the end of this release for the reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to their most-comparable GAAP financial measures. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241126811639/en/ CONTACT: Investor Relations Contact: Tony Righetti investor@pagerduty.comMedia Contact: Debbie O'Brien media@pagerduty.comSOURCE PagerDuty KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DATA MANAGEMENT SOURCE: PagerDuty, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/26/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 11/26/2024 04:05 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241126811639/en
Governments around the world have reacted to the abrupt fall of the Assad family's five-decade rule over Syria with a mixture of hope and trepidation, as the balance of power in the Middle East shifts. Login or signup to continue reading Several Arab countries expressed support for Syria's unity and territorial integrity after Islamist rebels declared President Bashar al-Assad's ouster and seized control of Damascus early on Sunday. Turkey, Iran, Russia and the United States all deployed forces in Syria after protests against al-Assad's regime erupted into a multi-sided civil war in 2011. Various non-state factions continue to control different parts of the fragmented country. Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country, said it stands with Syria and supports its sovereignty. Egypt "calls on all Syrian sides of all leanings to preserve the state resources and national institutions and give precedence to the country's supreme interests," the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said. In Jordan, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Syria must be protected from sliding towards chaos." "Jordan will offer all possible support for the brotherly Syrian people in their efforts for rebuilding their country, institutions and political system," he said. The Foreign Ministry of Qatar, a country that has long been an outspoken critic of al-Assad, also said it is necessary to preserve Syria's national institutions and unity of the state to prevent it from "descending into chaos". "The state of Palestine and its people stand by the side of the brotherly Syrian people," Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said. But all eyes were firmly on the governments of Iran and Russia, which were staunch backers of al-Assad. With his downfall, their influence in Syria and the wider Middle East could be weakened. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said it hopes to maintain good relations with Syria despite the change in power. "Bilateral relations with Syria have a long history and we hope that this will continue with wisdom and foresight," the Foreign Ministry in Tehran said in a statement. Tehran hopes for a quick end to the military tensions and an early dialogue between all political factions in the country, the Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency. According to unconfirmed reports, Tehran is already in contact with the Islamist alliance Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in order to facilitate a peaceful withdrawal of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards from Syria. For Tehran, al-Assad was a strategically important ally within a self-declared front of resistance against arch-enemy Israel. Syria also served as a corridor for the supply of Iranian weapons to Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon, who in turn would attack Israel. "The change of power in Syria could affect the further course of the resistance front against the Zionist regime in the short term, but definitely not stop it," said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi. The resistance against Israel is "an ideological mission and not a classic war" and will therefore continue, said the top diplomat in an interview with the state broadcaster IRIB late Sunday. The Russian Foreign Ministry issued an appeal for all parties to refrain from the use of force. Al-Assad had abandoned his post and left Syria, the ministry said, without providing any information on the location of its former ally. Russia was in contact with groups in Syria, it said. Moscow had provided critical military support to al-Assad's regime since 2015. Russia maintains an airbase in Syria and a strategic naval base at Tartus, which provides access to the Mediterranean Sea. The ministry said the Russian military bases were not under threat but were in a state of heightened alert. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the seismic change in Syria presented an "opportunity". Israel has frequently hit Iranian-linked military targets in Syria in order to prevent arch-enemy Iran from expanding its influence. Netanyahu said Israel is interested in "neighbourly relations" with Syria, but also in making sure "that no hostile force embeds itself right next to the border of Israel". In Europe, the French and German governments welcomed al-Assad's overthrow. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called it "good news" - but that order needed to be restored and the rights of minorities respected. UN Secretary General António Guterres said he believed there was now a "historic opportunity to build a stable and peaceful future" for Syria. Australian Associated Press DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. 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Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!BREAKING NEWS Body is found at a Kingsholme park in a grim discovery Man's body found at a local park Police are investigating Do you know more? Email tips@dailymail.com By PRANAV HARISH FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 01:43, 30 December 2024 | Updated: 02:01, 30 December 2024 e-mail View comments The body of a man has been discovered at a local park as police investigate the grim discovery. Officers were called to the park near Upper Ormeau Road at Kingsholme, on the Gold Coast, around 5am on Monday after they were notified by a member of the public. The man is yet to be identified. A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the man was treated for live threatening injures. Gold Coast Acting Superintendent Jason Tuffley said the man was found unresponsive at the scene. 'Upon QAS ( Queensland Ambulance Service) arriving he was declared deceased,' Supt Tuffley said. '(I'm) not aware of any injuries on him.' Police have not yet determined whether the man's death is suspicious. Supt Tuffley said officers are investigating whether drugs may be involved, the Gold Coast Bulletin reports. The body of a man has been discovered at a local park as police investigate the grim discovery (pictured stock image) Daily Mail has contacted Queensland Police for further comment. Anyone with further information has been urged to contact police. More to come. Queensland Brisbane Gold Coast Share or comment on this article: Body is found at a Kingsholme park in a grim discovery e-mail Add comment
Families enjoy unique programming at Ottawa museums over holiday breakPHILADELPHIA (AP) — The mood in the Eagles' locker room was a bit more bleak than it should have been for a team riding a nine-game winning streak and celebrating a franchise rushing record. Former 1,000-yard receiver DeVonta Smith — who caught a touchdown pass and not much else — was exasperated at the offensive no-show. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a ceasefire agreement that will prevent Hezbollah from ever threatening Israel's security again. "Under the deal reached today, effective at 4 a.m. tomorrow, local time, the fighting across the Lebanese-Israeli border will end," Biden said. "This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities." In remarks from the White House, Biden said that during the next 60 days, "the Lebanese army and state security forces will deploy and take control of their own territory." "Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon will not be allowed to be rebuilt, and over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw its remaining forces," he said. "Civilians on both sides will soon be able to safely return to their communities and begin to rebuild their homes, their schools, their farms, their businesses and their very lives." Biden also said that "Israel did not launch this war," which has killed more than 3,500 people in Lebanon — including Hezbollah's top leaders — since the militant group began firing rockets and missiles into Israel one day after the surprise Oct. 7, 2023, surprise Hamas attacks on Israel from Gaza. "The Lebanese people did not seek that war either. Nor did the United States," the president said. Biden's announcement came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his security Cabinet threw their support behind the U.S.-backed ceasefire plan earlier in the day. The Israeli leader said said the pact would allow Israel to turn its attention to Iran. "I'm prepared to do anything to keep Iran from getting a nuclear weapon," Netanyahu said during televised remarks. Elias Bou Saab, Lebanon's deputy parliament speaker, said the ceasefire won approval in Beirut after Hezbollah endorsed Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to negotiate on its behalf. But a top Hezbollah leader said the militant group has yet to see the agreement in its final form. "After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials," Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of the group's political council, said, the Associated Press reported. "We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state" of Lebanon, he said, seemingly referring to Israel's threat to strike if it believes Hezbollah violated the agreement. "Any violation of sovereignty is refused," he said. Biden said the agreement "supports Lebanon's sovereignty" but included a security guarantee for Israel. "Let us be clear, if Hezbollah or anyone else breaks the deal and poses a direct threat to Israel, then Israel retains the right to self-defense consistent with international law," he said. Biden credited French President Emmanuel Macron for helping broker the agreement and said the next step would be to end Israel's war with Hamas. "Over the coming days, the United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, with the hostages released and the end of the war without Hamas in power," he said. Biden also said the U.S. "remains prepared to conclude a set of historic deals with Saudi Arabia to include a security pact and economic assurances, together with a credible pathway for establishing a Palestinian state" and "full normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel." "I believe this agenda remains possible, and in my remaining time in office, I'll work tirelessly to advance his vision for an integrated, secure and prosperous region," he said
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Diljit Dosanjh dedicated his Guwahati concert on Sunday night to ex-prime minister Manmohan Singh and delivered a heartfelt tribute from the stage. The singer praised the life of the celebrated economist and highlighted that many valuable lessons can be learnt from his journey. New Delhi: Diljit Dosanjh had a blockbuster 2024. With concerts spanning the globe, the 40-year-old Punjabi sensation captured the hearts of music lovers worldwide with his electrifying performances. During his Guwahati show on Sunday night (December 29, 2024), the Jatt & Juliet star paid a moving tribute to former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh. From the stage, Dosanjh expressed that there are many valuable life lessons to be learnt from Singh’s life. He added that the late leader led an exceptionally simple life. Dosanjh further said that Singh never answered back or spoke ill of anyone, even though pursuing such a trait is extremely difficult in the world of politics. He also dedicated his concert in the Assamese city to the celebrated economist. Have a look: The heartfelt video of Dosanjh’s tribute has now gone viral on Instagram, garnering over 60 lakh views. The short clip is receiving immense praise from netizens in the form of likes and shares. “He completely changed India’s growth trajectory! Rest in power, Sir!” commented one social media user. Another wrote, “He wasn’t a politician; he was a humanitarian in political positions. He showed the nation the power of silent yet ambitious actions – those are the ones that truly matter. He demonstrated to the world what it means to be an Indian in today’s world. He’s and will always be incomparable.” Manmohan Singh death For the unversed, Singh breathed his last at AIIMS Delhi on Thursday (December 26, 2024) following age-related complications at the age of 92. His ashes were immersed in the Yamuna River near the Majnu Ka Tila Gurdwara on Sunday (December 29, 2024). Click for more latest Celebrity news . Also get top headlines and latest news from India and around the world at News9. Raghav Jaitly is a seasoned digital journalist with over 10 years of experience. Over the course of his career, he has worked with some of the largest news outlets in India, including Times Internet, Zee News, News18, The Hindu, Deccan Herald, Bhaskar Digital, and Jagran Group. With an extensive portfolio, Raghav covers a variety of beats, from Entertainment and Politics to Tech and Sports. In the digital journalism landscape, Raghav Jaitly has established himself as a driving force with a track record of successful storytelling. Latest NewsHow Trump's bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woesVictor Wembanyama plays 1-on-1 chess with fans in New York
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Xavier Bell had 29 points in Wichita State's 87-72 victory over Friends University on Sunday. Bell shot 11 of 16 from the field and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line for the Shockers (10-3). Quincy Ballard added 17 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks. Corey Washington totaled 16 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Collin Maclin finished with 18 points for the Falcons. Cahlese Lee added 11 points and two steals. Randy Woolf Jr. recorded 10 points, five assists and two steals. Wichita State took the lead with 8:30 left in the first half and never looked back. Bell led his team in scoring with 21 points in the first half to help put them up 45-36 at the break. Wichita State pulled away with a 12-1 run in the second half to extend a nine-point lead to 20. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Portugal winger Nani announces retirementAmong elites across the ideological spectrum, there's one point of unifying agreement: Americans are bitterly divided. What if that's wrong? What if elites are the ones who are bitterly divided while most Americans are fairly unified? History rarely lines up perfectly with the calendar (the "sixties" didn't really start until the decade was almost over). But politically, the 21st century neatly began in 2000, when the election ended in a tie and the color coding of electoral maps became enshrined as a kind of permanent tribal color war of "red vs. blue." Elite understanding of politics has been stuck in this framework ever since. Politicians and voters have leaned into this alleged political reality, making it seem all the more real in the process. I loathe the phrase "perception is reality," but in politics it has the reifying power of self-fulfilling prophecy. Like rival noble families in medieval Europe, elites have been vying for power and dominance on the arrogant assumption that their subjects share their concern for who rules rather than what the rulers can deliver. In 2018, the group More in Common published a massive report on the "hidden tribes" of American politics. The wealthiest and whitest groups were "devoted conservatives" (6%) and "progressive activists" (8%). These tribes dominate the media, the parties and higher education, and they dictate the competing narratives of red vs. blue, particularly on cable news and social media. Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority of Americans resided in, or were adjacent to, the "exhausted majority." These people, however, "have no narrative," as David Brooks wrote at the time. "They have no coherent philosophic worldview to organize their thinking and compel action." Lacking a narrative might seem like a very postmodern problem, but in a postmodern elite culture, postmodern problems are real problems. It's worth noting that red vs. blue America didn't emerge ex nihilo. The 1990s were a time when the economy and government seemed to be working, at home and abroad. As a result, elites leaned into the narcissism of small differences to gain political and cultural advantage. They remain obsessed with competing, often apocalyptic, narratives. That leaves out most Americans. The gladiatorial combatants of cable news, editorial pages and academia, and their superfan spectators, can afford these fights. Members of the exhausted majority are more interested in mere competence. I think that's the hidden unity elites are missing. This is why we keep throwing incumbent parties out of power: They get elected promising competence but get derailed -- or seduced -- by fan service to, or trolling of, the elites who dominate the national conversation. There's a difference between competence and expertise. One of the most profound political changes in recent years has been the separation of notions of credentialed expertise from real-world competence. This isn't a new theme in American life, but the pandemic and the lurch toward identity politics amplified distrust of experts in unprecedented ways. This is a particular problem for the left because it is far more invested in credentialism than the right. Indeed, some progressives are suddenly realizing they invested too much in the authority of experts and too little in the ability of experts to provide what people want from government, such as affordable housing, decent education and low crime. The New York Times' Ezra Klein says he's tired of defending the authority of government institutions. Rather, "I want them to work." One of the reasons progressives find Trump so offensive is his absolute inability to speak the language of expertise -- which is full of coded elite shibboleths. But Trump veritably shouts the language of competence. I don't mean he is actually competent at governing. But he is effectively blunt about calling leaders, experts and elites -- of both parties -- stupid, ineffective, weak and incompetent. He lost in 2020 because voters didn't believe he was actually good at governing. He won in 2024 because the exhausted majority concluded the Biden administration was bad at it. Nostalgia for the low-inflation pre-pandemic economy was enough to convince voters that Trumpian drama is the tolerable price to pay for a good economy. About 3 out of 4 Americans who experienced "severe hardship" because of inflation voted for Trump. The genius of Trump's most effective ad -- "Kamala is for they/them, President Trump is for you" -- was that it was simultaneously culture-war red meat and an argument that Harris was more concerned about boutique elite concerns than everyday ones. If Trump can actually deliver competent government, he could make the Republican Party the majority party for a generation. For myriad reasons, that's an if so big it's visible from space. But the opportunity is there -- and has been there all along.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — In an era of rising authoritarianism, at the heels of a six-hour martial law decree that unfolded while many South Koreans slept, something noteworthy happened: Democracy held. The past week in Seoul, officials and academics warn, is what a threat to democracy looks like in 2024. It's a democratically-elected president declaring martial law over the nation he leads, asserting sweeping powers to prevent opposition demonstrations, ban political parties and control the media. It's members of the military attempting to block lawmakers from exercising their power to vote on cancelling the power grab. And here's what it took to defeat President Yoon Suk Yeol 's lurch toward government by force: Unified popular support for democracy. Legislators storming the National Assembly past midnight, live-streaming themselves climbing over fences. A politician grabbing at a soldier's rifle and yelling “Aren't you ashamed?” until he retreated. And finally, decisively, Parliament assembling a quorum and voting unanimously to cancel martial law. It was a victory for a hard-won democracy — and for the idea that checks and balances among branches of government must work to counteract each other's ambitions, as the American founders wrote in the Federalist Papers in 1788. But as the drama played out in Seoul, the scaffolding of democracy rattled around the world. In other countries, the grab for power might have worked. Other would-be authoritarians might have been better prepared than Yoon. In deeply polarized societies — the United States, for example, where Republicans are staunchly loyal to president-elect Donald Trump — there might not have been decisive support from the public or the opposition. The military might have used force. And the members of the legislature might not have voted as one to snuff out the attempted takeover. “President Yoon's attempt to declare martial law reveals the fragility of the rule of law in divided societies, especially those with governments in which the chief executive cannot be easily dismissed by the legislature," said Tom Pepinsky, a government professor at Cornell University who studies backsliding among democracies in Southeast Asia. Notably, he said in an email, “No members of President Yoon’s own party were willing to defend his actions in public." Nevertheless, Yoon’s surprise attempt to impose martial law revealed both the fragility and resilience of the country’s democratic system. Within three hours of his stunning announcement to impose military rule — claiming the opposition was “paralyzing” state affairs — 190 lawmakers voted to cancel his actions. In so doing, they demonstrated the strength of the country’s democratic checks and balances. Yoon’s authoritarian push, carried out by hundreds of heavily armed troops with Blackhawk helicopters and armored vehicles sent to the National Assembly, harked back to an era of dictatorial presidents. The country’s democratic transition in the late 1980s came after years of massive protests by millions that eventually overcame violent suppressions by military rulers. Civilian presence was again crucial in shaping the events following Yoon’s late night television announcement on Tuesday. Thousands of people flocked to the National Assembly, shouting slogans for martial law to be lifted and Yoon to step down from power. There were no reports of violent clashes as troops and police officers. “We restored democracy without having a single casualty this time,” said Seol Dong-hoon, a sociology professor at South Korea’s Jeonbuk National University. It’s virtually impossible for any leader of a democracy to pull off a transition toward martial law without a public willing to support it, or at least tolerate it. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, attracted millions of views as he began live-streaming his journey to the National Assembly, pleading for people to converge to the parliament to help lawmakers get inside. The shaky footage later shows him exiting his car climbing over a fence to get onto the grounds. The vote at the National Assembly was also broadcast live on the YouTube channel of Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik, who also had to scale a fence to get in. Yoon’s sense of crisis clearly wasn’t shared by the public, whose opinions, Seol said, were shaped predominantly by the shocking videos broadcast to their devices. “Ultimately, democracy is all about moving public opinion,” he said. “What was most crucial in this case was that everything was broadcast live on smartphones, YouTube and countless other media.” Opposition lawmakers are now pushing to remove Yoon from office, saying he failed to meet the constitutional requirement that martial law should only be considered in wartime or a comparable severe crisis — and that he unlawfully deployed troops to the National Assembly. On Saturday, an opposition-led impeachment motion failed after most lawmakers from Yoon’s party boycotted the vote. Yet the president’s troubles persist: The vote’s defeat is expected to intensify nationwide protests and deepen South Korea’s political turmoil, with opposition parties preparing to introduce another impeachment motion when parliament reconvenes next Wednesday. Han Sang-hie, a law professor at Seoul’s Konkuk University, said the martial law debacle highlights what he sees as the most crucial flaw of South Korea’s democracy: that it places too much power in the hands of the president, which is easily abused and often goes unchecked. Political scientists call what happened in South Korea an “autogolpe” — a “self-coup” — defined as one led by incumbent leaders themselves, in which an executive takes or sponsors illegal actions against others in the government. Yoon qualifies because he used troops to try to shut down South Korea's legislature. Self-coups are increasing, with a third of the 46 since 1945 occurring in the past decade, according to a study by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and Penn State University. About 80% of self-coups succeed, they reported. In 2021, a power grab by Tunisian President Kais Saied raised similar concerns around the world after the country designed a democracy from scratch and won a Nobel Peace Prize after a largely bloodless revolution. In the United States, some have expresed worry about similar situations arising during the second administration of Donald Trump. He has vowed, after all, to shake some of democracy's pillars . He's mused that he would be justified if he decided to pursue “the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.” That’s in contrast to the oath of office he took in 2017, and will again next year, to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution” as best he can. Nearly half of voters in the Nov. 5 election, which Trump won, said they were “very concerned” that another Trump presidency would bring the U.S. closer to authoritarianism, according to AP Votecast survey data. Asked before a live audience on Fox News Channel in 2023 to assure Americans that he would not abuse power or use the presidency to seek retribution against anyone, Trump replied, “except for day one," when he'll close the border and “drill, drill, drill.” After that, Trump said, "I'm not a dictator.” Kellman reported from London.
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SINGAPORE, Dec 30 (Reuters) - The Japanese yen traded around five-month lows on Monday against a dollar underpinned by rising U.S. yields as thin year-end liquidity kept most currencies in tight ranges. The yen was changing hands at 157.71 with only the risk of Japanese intervention preventing another test of the 160 level last seen in July. The dollar index measure against major rivals was flat at 107.98. The euro stood at $1.0429, not far from recent troughs and in a holding pattern in holiday trading. The currency is heading for a calendar-year drop of roughly 5.5% on the dollar. Rising U.S. Treasury yields have been a tailwind for the dollar, with the benchmark 10-year note hitting a more than seven-month high last week. The yield hovered close to that mark on Monday, at 4.625%. "Despite paid forecasters almost universally calling for a weaker U.S. dollar in 2024, the greenback looks set to close the year higher against all major currencies with the buck reigning supreme," said Chris Weston, head of research at Australian online broker Pepperstone. For the month, the dollar index is up 2.3%, bringing year-to-date gains to 6.6%. It has gained in each of the last three months, helped by expectations President-elect Donald Trump's policies of looser regulation, tax cuts, tariff hikes and tighter immigration will be both pro-growth and inflationary and keep U.S. yields elevated. The dollar has gained 10 yen since Dec. 3, with much of the decline in the Japanese currency coming after the Federal Reserve's Dec. 18 message of caution around future rate cuts. That view has weighed heavily on the yen, which hit its weakest level since July 17 last week at 158.09 per dollar and has shed 10.6% so far this year. It came off those lows on Friday after a summary of opinions from the Bank of Japan’s December policy meeting showed some policymakers gaining confidence in an imminent rate increase, while the Japanese central bank also cut its monthly bond purchases. Still, Japanese yields remain notably low, and recent comments have sown doubts about the BOJ's commitment to lift rates. The BOJ held interest rates steady at 0.25% at this month's meeting, and governor Kazuo Ueda said the central bank was scrutinizing more data on next year's wage momentum and clarity on the incoming U.S. administration's economic policies. A Reuters poll taken earlier this month showed the BOJ could raise rates to 0.50% by end-March, and interest rates markets are pricing in only a 42% chance of a rate rise in January . Pepperstone's Weston said dollar buyers continued to dominate trading in the dollar-yen pair. Traders are on watch for any potential intervention by Japanese officials to shore up the currency if it continues to weaken, as they have done multiple times this year. Japan Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato on Friday reiterated concerns over a sliding yen, repeating his warning to take action against excessive currency moves. "It rarely sits well buying into any market pushing new run highs, but in my view, any upside break of 158.00 is good for chasing - although yen shorts do run the increasing risk of credible MOF yen jawboning and possible intervention," Weston wrote in a note to clients. Barring the yen, currency moves in major markets were tepid last week. The yen fell 0.9%, the euro shed 0.2% and sterling rose 0.1% while the dollar index climbed 0.2%. The next interest rate cut by the European Central Bank could be longer in coming after a recent uptick in inflation, ECB Governing Council member Robert Holzmann was quoted as saying on Saturday. Leading cryptocurrency bitcoin too was sluggish around $93,350, and is down about 4% on the month after retreating from a record high of 108,379.28 hit on Dec. 17. It has surged about 115% so far this year. (Editing by Shri Navaratnam)