Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa are not available for the San Francisco 49ers when they enter Green Bay with designs on finding their finishing kick on Sunday afternoon. Purdy is out with a right shoulder injury and won't leave the sideline at Lambeau Field, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday, when he also declared Bosa out and confirmed journeyman Brandon Allen would make his 10th career start at quarterback. "Outside of here people haven't seen a lot of Brandon. But it's his second year (with the 49ers)," Shanahan said. "Obviously guys want Brock up, but guys are excited to see Brandon play." Shanahan said the 49ers are "a little surprised" Purdy experienced tightness and discomfort in his shoulder after an MRI exam on Monday that showed no long-term cause for concern. "The way it responded this week, it's really up in the air for next week," Shanahan said of Purdy's long-term prognosis. Allen's last NFL start on the road was with the Bengals at the Ravens in 2020. Allen completed 6 of 21 passes for 48 yards with two interceptions. He finished with a passer rating of 0.0 in a 38--3 loss. "It's definitely an opportunity for me to go out and play well and put our guys in a good position to win the game," Allen said Friday. "And obviously we want Brock back and healthy and all that, but for time being, it is an opportunity for me." Purdy took the practice field Thursday with the intent to participate. His shoulder tightened significantly, and the 49ers ushered him off the field to meet with trainers. Purdy beat the Packers in the NFC divisional playoffs at San Francisco in January, but Allen is familiar to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. LaFleur was an assistant coach with the Rams during Allen's two-year run in Los Angeles. Allen broke into the NFL in 2016 with the Jaguars and is 2-7 in nine career starts. He went 1-2 with the Broncos in 2019 and 1-5 in six starts over two years with the Bengals in 2020 and ‘21. A victory against the visiting 49ers on Sunday would bolster the Packers' playoff chances, send a conference rival below .500 and avenge a bitter playoff defeat. Those seemingly rank in no particular order for the Packers (8-3), although they don't shy from living at least partially in the past ahead of a Week 12 showdown. San Francisco eliminated Green Bay 24-21 in the NFC divisional playoffs last season, scoring 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. "That's what you've got to sit with all offseason, is going back, watching the game, trying to see what you could have done better," Packers quarterback Jordan Love said. "What you could have done differently in that game. ... Just knowing that's the team that knocked us out, we're definitely hungry for this game." Ditto for San Francisco. The 49ers fell to 5-5 after last week's 20-17 home loss to Seattle, done in by Geno Smith's 13-yard touchdown run with 12 seconds to play. Still only a game behind NFC West-leading Arizona, the reigning conference champion 49ers are just 1-3 in division play and can ill afford to lose more ground. A visit to AFC East leader Buffalo awaits after the trip to Green Bay. While they're dealing with plenty of not-so-good news on the injury front, the 49ers do anticipate the return of other contributors. Cornerback Charvarius Ward, who missed the past two games following the death of his 1-year-old daughter, practiced Wednesday. Tight end George Kittle also is eager to play after a nagging hamstring injury sidelined him against the Seahawks. "Very excited," Kittle said. "Can't pass up playing the Packers, so no, I will be out there for sure." Allen was a three-year starter at Arkansas but has been a journeyman backup since entering the NFL in 2016 as the 201st overall pick of the Jaguars. Shanahan and LaFleur have been fierce competitors since twice working together, first as low-level assistants with the Texans in 2008, then on the so-called "dream team" staff in Washington that also included Sean McVay, Mike McDaniel and Raheem Morris; and two seasons with the Falcons (2015, 2016) where LaFleur was quarterbacks coach and Shanahan called the plays. Shanahan scored the most recent win over LaFleur in January. Green Bay has won seven of the past eight regular-season meetings between the franchises. But the familiarity and shared-brain approach to offense that has the coaches completed each other's play calls has led to some tight games. The past three at Lambeau Field were all decided by three points. Green Bay, which hosts a home game on Thanksgiving next Thursday, is starting a run of three games in 12 days. They'll play back-to-back Thursday games. Their Week 14 game is at Detroit. That might make it good news for LaFleur that surprising contributors have emerged of late. Packers wideout Christian Watson had a career-best 150 receiving yards on only four catches during last week's 20-19 road win against the Chicago Bears. His diving 60-yard reception in the fourth quarter put the Packers in position for Love's go-ahead, 1-yard scoring run with 2:59 to play. Watson entered the game with eight catches for 83 yards over his previous three contests, but LaFleur assured Watson remains a "big part" of the attack. "He's a guy who's got every measurable known to man in terms of the size, the speed, and it's not like those were easy plays he was making," LaFleur said. "He was making tough, contested catches." San Francisco will aim to generate more pressure against Love than the Bears, who sacked him just once. The 49ers collected four sacks against the Seahawks, with Bosa and Leonard Floyd contributing 1.5 apiece. Recent regular-season history between the Packers and 49ers at Lambeau Field has favored Green Bay. The Packers have won seven of their past eight home games against the 49ers and are 22-11 versus San Francisco at home all-time. Green Bay leads the series 34-28-1. --Field Level Mediahe will play in a bowl game this season after coming back from a very disappointing 2023 year and a lot of that has to do with senior quarterback and his father and head coach The young signal caller will play in the soon and many believe that the guidance of Coach Prime will come in handy once he plays on Sundays, however, the though of Deion maybe being his head coach at the professional level is not good. There have been rumors that he could be the one coaching a team like the because of their needs, yet one football guy thinks it should not be happening ever. The reason behind this though ESPN recently posted a picture of Deion Sanders and a quote from an executive on what he thinks should happen with the two at the next level. It has gotten many people thinking about it as well "I hope for Shedeur that (Deion Sanders doesn't coach him in the NFL) and he has to be his own man in his own career," the executive said. The rumor of a possible move to Las Vegas with the has also been talked about for the quarterback. As for the head coach, so far he has been very happy in Colorado with the Buffaloes but nobody should never disregard the idea of him taking a job in the NFL with a team that seems appealing to him, like the Cowboys or those same Raiders.
What next for OBJ as Dolphins release veteran receiver?President Vladimir Putin says Russia would keep testing its new Oreshnik hypersonic missile in combat and had a stock ready for use, while Ukraine said it was already at work to develop air systems to counter the weapon. or signup to continue reading Putin was speaking a day after Russia fired the new intermediate-range weapon into Ukraine for the first time, a step he said was prompted by Ukraine's use of US ballistic missiles and British cruise missiles to hit Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv was working with its Western partners to work out systems to counter "new risks". Putin described the first use of Oreshnik (hazel tree) as a successful test, and said more would follow. "We will continue these tests, including in combat conditions, depending on the situation and the nature of the security threats that are created for Russia," he said on Friday in televised comments to defence officials and missile developers. "Moreover, we have a stock of such products, a stock of such systems ready for use." A US official, however, said the weapon Russia used was an experimental one. The official said Russia has a limited number of them and that this is not a capability that Russia is able to regularly deploy on the battlefield. Intermediate missiles have a range of 3000-5500km, which would enable them to strike anywhere in Europe or the western United States from Russia. Security experts said the novel feature of the Oreshnik missile was that it carried multiple warheads capable of simultaneously striking different targets - something usually associated with longer-range intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads. Ukraine said the missile reached a top speed of more than 13,000km/h and took about 15 minutes to reach its target from its launch. The firing of the missile was part of a sharp rise in tensions this week as both Ukraine and Russia have struck each other's territory with increasingly potent weapons. Moscow says that by giving the green light for Ukraine to fire Western missiles deep inside Russia, the US and its allies are entering into direct conflict with Russia. On Tuesday, Putin approved policy changes that lowered the threshold for Russia to use nuclear weapons in response to an attack with conventional weapons. Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address, has described Russia's use of the new missile as an escalation. "On my behalf, the Minister of Defence of Ukraine is already holding meetings with our partners regarding new air defence systems capable of protecting lives from new risks," he said. "When someone starts using other countries not only for terror, but also for testing their new missiles through acts of terror, then this is clearly an international crime." Ukrainians, he said, had to remain vigilant. "We must be aware that 'comrade' Putin will keep trying to intimidate us," he said. "That is how he built all his power." The Kremlin said the firing of the Oreshnik was a warning to the West against taking further "reckless" actions and decisions in support of Ukraine. The Oreshnik was fired with conventional, not nuclear warheads. Putin said it was not a strategic nuclear weapon but its striking power and accuracy meant that its impact would be comparable, "especially when used in a massive group and in combination with other high-precision long-range systems". He said the missile could not be shot down by an enemy. "I will add that there is no countermeasure to such a missile, no means of intercepting it, in the world today," he said. "And I will emphasise once again that we will continue testing this newest system. It is necessary to establish serial production." Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . Advertisement
CBS has promoted two executives to top roles and the news and stations division. Alex Greco was upped to vice president of talent recruitment, development and strategy for CBS Stations and CBS Media Ventures. Angela Hunter has been promoted to vice president of talent recruitment, development and strategy for CBS News and CBS Media Ventures. They will report to Laurie Orlando, senior vice president of talent strategy and development at CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures. “Alex and Angela’s elevation to these roles is a testament to the respect and trust they have earned over the past few years, and their dedication to promoting the growth of our journalists across shows and platforms, Orlando wrote in a memo to staffers. Greco served as director at CBS Stations since November 2021 and has more than 10 years of experience at the network in editorial, booking and talent development. Hunter has served as director since July 2022, and has “a long history of identifying outstanding talent early in their careers,” Orlando wrote. Alison Pepper, who had been CBS News’s senior vice president of talent strategy, announced her departure from that role in October.
'Malcolm in the Middle' to offer new episodes with Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek are reuniting for a new four-episode run of “Malcolm in the Middle” for Disney+ — 25 years after the beloved sitcom first launched. The show ran for seven seasons starting in 2000 and was hailed for looking at ordinary life through the eyes of an extraordinary youngster, now fully grown: Malcolm, played by Muniz, has a genius I.Q. The new four episodes will be crafted by original series creator Linwood Boomer. No air dates were announced. “Malcolm in the Middle” originally aired on Fox and ended its run in 2006. Woman who falsely accused Duke lacrosse players of rape in 2006 publicly admits she lied RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The woman who in 2006 falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of raping her has admitted publicly for the first time that she made up the story. The accusations made national headlines at the time, stirring tensions about race, class and the privilege of college athletes. Crystal Mangum, who is Black, said in an interview with the “Let’s Talk with Kat” podcast that she “made up a story that wasn’t true” about the white players who attended a party where she was hired to perform as a stripper “because I wanted validation from people and not from God.” The former Duke players were declared innocent in 2007 after Mangum’s story fell apart under legal scrutiny. Sophia, a famous robot and global icon of AI, wins hearts at Zimbabwe's innovation fair HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Sophia, a world-renowned robot, has been the center of attention at an Artificial Intelligence and Innovation fair in Zimbabwe this week. Described as an AI global icon by the U.N., Sophia can hold human-like conversations with people and recognize their gestures. As a special guest at the week-long event at the University of Zimbabwe, she answered questions on academic topics from researchers. Children quizzed her about the bible, God and her birth. She also made clear her aversion to human food and romance. The United Nations Development Program said it brought Sophia to Zimbabwe as part of efforts to “inspire youth, policymakers, and innovators to embrace AI as a catalyst for development.” Stanley recalls millions of travel mugs over concerns the lids might fall off, causing burns Stanley is recalling approximately 2.6 million of its switchback and trigger action stainless steel travel mugs sold in the U.S. because of a potential burn hazard. The company said that the mug’s lid threads can shrink when exposed to heat and torque, causing the lid to detach during use, posing a burn hazard. Stanley has received 91 reports worldwide, including 16 in the U.S., of the recalled travel mugs’ lids detaching during use, resulting in 38 burn injuries worldwide, including two burn injuries in the U.S., with 11 consumers worldwide requiring medical attention. Miami Dolphins release veteran receiver Odell Beckham Jr. MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins released wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. on Friday, ending the former Pro Bowler’s short tenure with the team. Beckham had missed the past two days of practice for what the team called personal reasons. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel indicated that the decision to part ways was mutual. Beckham signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins in May, but started the season on the physically unable to perform list after offseason knee surgery. Since his Dolphins debut in Week 5 against New England, Beckham had just nine catches for 55 yards in nine games. Bird strike disables a jetliner engine and forces an emergency landing at JFK airport NEW YORK (AP) — Authorities say a bird strike involving an American Airlines jetliner disabled one of the plane’s two engines shortly after takeoff from New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The plane was forced to turn around and land at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Airline officials say no one was injured. Flight 1722 took off from LaGuardia at 7:43 p.m. Thursday with a destination of Charlotte, North Carolina. Airport officials say it safely made an emergency landing at Kennedy at 8:03 p.m. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating. The agency received reports of 19,400 strikes at 713 airports across the U.S. last year alone. Rarely do they force jetliners to make emergency landings. 49ers LB De'Vondre Campbell refuses to enter game after losing his starting spot SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco linebacker De’Vondre Campbell refused to enter the game in the third quarter after losing his starting job when Dre Greenlaw returned from an injury. Campbell played 90% of defensive snaps for the 49ers but was benched after Greenlaw came back for his first game since tearing his left Achilles tendon in last season’s Super Bowl. When Greenlaw left with soreness in the third quarter Thursday night against the Rams, Campbell told the coaches he didn't want to play and left the field. Coach Kyle Shanahan says he has never seen that before and the team will “figure out something” on how to deal with it going forward. 'Crown of Thorns' returns to Notre Dame Cathedral for public veneration PARIS (AP) — An ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ’s “Crown of Thorns” has returned to Notre Dame, five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral’s devastating 2019 fire. The crown — a circular band of branches encased in a gilded golden tube — was brought back to its historic home Friday in a ceremony. The event was presided over by the archbishop of Paris and attended by knights and dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, marking a key moment in the cathedral’s restoration journey. In 1239, it was acquired by King Louis IX of France, who brought it to Paris. 'Vanderpump Rules' star James Kennedy arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence BURBANK, Calif. (AP) — Police say “Vanderpump Rules” star James Kennedy has been arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence. Police in Burbank, California, say officers investigated reports of an argument between a man and a woman at a residence late Tuesday night and arrested the 32-year-old Kennedy. He was released from jail after posting bail. A representative of Kennedy did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. The Burbank city attorney will decide whether to file charges. Kennedy is a DJ and reality TV star who has appeared for 10 seasons on “Vanderpump Rules” — the Bravo series about the lives of employees at a set of swank restaurants. Dick Vitale says he's cancer-free after 4th bout with the disease in just over 3 years Dick Vitale said he’s cancer-free after his fourth bout with the disease in just over three years. The 85-year-old ESPN college basketball analyst posted Thursday on X that he got the news after a morning scan, saying: “SANTA CLAUS came early as Dr Rick Brown called & said that my PET SCAN at 7 AM came back CLEAN OF CANCER !” Vitale posted on X. “OMG thanks so much to ALL of YOU for your (prayers). Yes I’m cutting the nets down baby it’s my National Championship!” Vitale had surgery in the summer to remove cancerous lymph nodes from his neck. The Basketball Hall of Famer was previously treated for melanoma and lymphoma, and had radiation treatments last year for vocal cord cancer.A big housing development that would be the centerpiece of a mixed-use neighborhood in San Ramon is beginning to come into view. Share this: Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to print (Opens in new window) Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Report an error Policies and Standards Contact Us Most Popular Dear Abby: My boyfriend missed his deadline to propose. Now I’m not sure I want him to. Dear Abby: My boyfriend missed his deadline to propose. Now I'm not sure I want him to. 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Why do they act like it’s some big chore? Miss Manners: It's a party invitation! Why do they act like it's some big chore? Trending Nationally Traffic stops by Denver police plunge nearly 50% after new policy prohibits low-level enforcement New pics of suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson slay released by NYPD 2nd rare Florida panther killed by vehicle in week; fewer than 250 remain in wild State anti-book-ban law leads some school districts to forsake grants to maintain local control Man covered in blood flees from police, kayaks to random boat in Newport Beach
Manulife cautions investors regarding New York Stock and Bond LLC offer for sharesNone
C$ unless otherwise stated TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC SEHK: 945 TORONTO , Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife has been notified of an unsolicited mini-tender offer made by New York Stock and Bond LLC (New York Stock and Bond) to purchase up to 50,000 Manulife common shares, or less than 0.003% of the common shares outstanding, at a price of USD$12.50 per share. Manulife is in no way associated with New York Stock and Bond and does not recommend or endorse acceptance of this unsolicited offer. Manulife cautions shareholders that the mini-tender offer has been made at a price below the current market price for Manulife shares. The offer represents a discount of approximately 60.76% and 60.80%, respectively, below the closing prices of Manulife common shares on the TSX and NYSE on November 27, 2024 , the last trading day before the mini-tender offer was commenced, and a discount of 61.43% and 61.42%, respectively, below the closing prices on the TSX and NYSE on December 6, 2024 . Mini-tender offers are designed to seek less than 5% of a company's outstanding shares, avoiding disclosure and procedural requirements applicable to most bids under Canadian and U.S. securities regulations. The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have expressed serious concerns about mini-tender offers, including the possibility that investors might tender to such offers without understanding the offer price relative to the actual market price of their securities. The SEC states that "bidders make mini-tender offers at below-market prices, hoping that they will catch investors off guard if the investors do not compare the offer price to the current market price." Shareholders should carefully review the New York Stock and Bond offer documents and current market price for Manulife shares, and consult their investment advisors regarding any offer they may receive and review with their advisors all options for their investment in Manulife shares. Manulife has stock transfer agents providing shareholder services in Canada , the United States , Hong Kong and the Philippines . These local agents provide services directly to our registered shareholders and can provide information on share account management, direct deposit of dividends, dividend reinvestment and share purchase plans. Please email manulifeinquiries@tmx.com for more information. Manulife requests that a copy of this news release be included in any distribution of materials relating to New York Stock and Bond's mini-tender offer for Manulife common shares. About Manulife Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada , we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada , Asia , and Europe , and primarily as John Hancock in the United States . Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2023, we had more than 38,000 employees, over 98,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 35 million customers. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto , New York , and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under '945' in Hong Kong. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/manulife-cautions-investors-regarding-new-york-stock-and-bond-llc-offer-for-shares-302326646.html SOURCE Manulife Financial CorporationSeahawks try for 7th straight win in series vs. Cards in crucial NFC West matchupGames on a college basketball schedule don't contrast much more than the two NC State has this week. The Wolfpack (6-3) host Coppin State (0-10) on Tuesday in Raleigh, N.C., then hit the road to challenge No. 10 Kansas on Saturday. NC State enters its unusual week after snapping a three-game skid with an 84-74 overtime win at home Saturday against Florida State in its Atlantic Coast Conference opener. Transfers Marcus Hill and Dontrez Styles each had their season high, scoring 23 and 21 points, respectively. They scored 13 of NC State's 14 points in overtime. "Dontrez Styles was tremendous," Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts said. "In the second half, he made play after play." Hill, who was the top scorer last year at Bowling Green (20.5 points per game), and Styles, who was the second-leading scorer last year at Georgetown (12.8 ppg), combined to hit 14 of 25 shots and pull down 11 rebounds. The win followed defeats to then-No. 13 Purdue and BYU, both by double-digit margins, in the Rady Children's Invitational and a 63-59 loss to Texas in the SEC/ACC Challenge. "The little things that impact the game are defending, making free throws and blocking out," Keatts said. "We handled that much better than we did against Texas." Coppin State arrives in Raleigh on a 23-game losing streak dating to January -- the longest current run of futility in Division I. Each of the Eagles' losses this season have come by double-digit margins, though they have been more competitive lately, falling to Baltimore rival Loyola (Md.) 68-57 and at Wagner 65-52 last week. Julius Ellerbe III has been one of Coppin's most reliable players lately, scoring a combined 20 points in the last two games. He had 16 points and 12 rebounds in a loss to George Mason last month. Teammate Peter Oduro recorded a double-double, with 16 points and 10 rebounds, in last month's loss at Saint Joseph's. "These things take time," Coppin State second-year coach Larry Stewart said. "It takes time to establish your culture. It takes time to get the right players in your system." --Field Level Media
For 83 years, Dec. 7 has been remembered as a day of infamy. After this weekend, that day will have a new legacy — a day of freedom, as one of the in modern history disappeared. The liberation of Syria from , after for 50 years, is an unqualified good. How did it happen so quickly and so unexpectedly? And what comes next? I reached out to , who has over the , to help make sense of the extraordinary events of the past two weeks. According to Gopal, three external factors loomed large. Under Assad, Syria’s biggest regional benefactor was Iran, but since the Oct. 7 attacks, it has withstood Israeli military strikes and watched its Palestinian ally, Hamas, also weakened by Israel. Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah, had also been an important provider of military resources and fighting men for Assad — but the Islamic group has been severely diminished after weeks of Israeli attacks in Lebanon. Finally, and perhaps most decisively, with Russia bogged down in Ukraine, Assad could no longer rely on Moscow’s direct military engagement in fighting the rebels, particularly Russia’s close air support that had become crucial for Syria’s army. However, perhaps the most critical factor was internal: the slow-motion decay of the Assad regime. Massive corruption, economic stagnation and the utter dysfunction of the government hollowed out the country and tested the loyalty of the military rank and file. When the rebels finally mobilized from their area of control and captured Aleppo, the country’s second largest city, on Nov. 29, the low morale of Syria’s army, combined with the lack of Russian air support, doomed Assad’s regime. Rather than fight for the country’s leader, government forces abandoned their posts — and, in some cases, also their uniforms and equipment. Ironically, all this was happening at the same time there’d been a steady and slow move toward regional normalization. Just weeks ago, Assad attended a meeting of the Arab League in Saudi Arabia, a year after his Arab opponents had given back Syria’s seat in the organization. Now he’s in Moscow, likely forever. What comes next? Since the outbreak of civil war in 2011 — and even after Assad largely put down the rebel uprising — Syria has devolved into sectarian conflict. Even before Assad’s fall, a host of rebel factions controlled much of the state’s territory, including the Syrian National Army, which is basically a Turkish proxy; the Syrian Democratic Forces, an American proxy consisting of Kurdish and Arab elements that controls around 30% of Syria’s territory; and now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group responsible for the final nail in the coffin of the Assad regime. How these groups interact and cooperate (or don’t) will be crucial to Syria’s future. Much has been made of the fact that HTS grew out of Al Qaeda’s Syria offshoot and that the United States has designated its leader, Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, a terrorist. But Jolani has gone out of his way to disown Al Qaeda, purge HTS of more extremist elements and publicly moderate his views. Gopal, the New Yorker's reporter, believes the ideological shift is “genuine,” and Jolani appears to be “very pragmatically minded.” Indeed, Jolani seems to be saying all the right things in the run-up to Assad’s fall and after the president’s flight to Moscow. He’s beseeched his supporters to avoid reprisals against Assad loyalists and has consistently of unity, dignity, and justice. He’s even extended an to Syria’s Christian, Kurdish and Alawite minorities. The latter is most notable because, through the Assads, it was the Alawites that ruled Syria with an iron fist for the past five decades. Gopal, who has watched HTS’s growth over the past several years, is less surprised by the group’s political and diplomatic success than its military capacity, which seemed to catch much of the world off guard as well. “They’ve thought about the politics of this in ways that are impressive,” he said. Indeed, after HTS’s takeover of Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, in late November, the group immediately moved to establish security, protect civilians and provide basic services to the city’s residents. According to Middle East analyst Aaron Zelin, they controlled before the events of the last few weeks. These governing efforts and outreach to civilians contrasts with the Islamic State, which seemed more interested in ideological purity than institution building. Perhaps the most striking thing about HTS, under Jolani’s leadership, is the group’s outreach to the international community. “They are very serious about wanting rapprochement with the West and refashioning themselves as a national movement, not a transnational jihadist movement,” Gopal said. He noted that, usually, the prime audience for a rebel group is their domestic constituencies, but “HTS is different," he said, adding, “They are attuned to the international community — and see it as a very important audience.” HTS has been in direct contact with Iran’s government and agreed to to protect the country’s embassy and Shiite religious shrines. In addition, HTS has , even going so far as to leave the country’s naval bases in Syria untouched. Jolani seems to recognize that he cannot afford to alienate the various external groups who have been meddling in Syria’s affairs during its bloody civil war — even those who have caused so much needless death and destruction. Whether Jolani and HTS stay on a moderate course remains to be seen. The potential for further sectarian conflict or score-settling is high. Moreover, there is always the possibility that Jolani is talking a good game but will change his stripes once HTS achieves power. Even in an ideal world, consolidating their rule, forming a stable, representative government, and ensuring harmony among Syria’s grab bag of militias and external actors are herculean tasks. Jolani has played things well so far, but the real work begins now. The U.S. and the rest of the international community should offer its support to HTS and the new government taking root in Damascus while also holding the group’s feet to the fire when it comes to distancing from jihadists and upholding human rights. But patience is also required: Under Assad’s rule — and particularly since the 2011 civil war began — Syria has experienced untold suffering. Large swathes of the country lie in ruins, and millions of refugees have fled their homes. The economy is in tatters, and the Syrian people are impoverished and hungry. The trauma of those imprisoned and tortured by Assad’s henchmen — or have seen firsthand the destruction wrought by his soldiers — is profound. But after decades of darkness, the Syrian people are finally experiencing the first rays of freedom. The scenes on the streets of Damascus — and the elation of political prisoners freed from Assad’s hellish prisons — are wonderfully joyous. It is a moment for celebration and a reminder that the desire for freedom and recognition is unquenchable. Syria’s neighbors, along with the international community, must do everything they can to help the country stay on the right path.
FGBI stock hits 52-week high at $13.38 amid robust growth