Ousted Syrian leader Assad flees to Moscow after fall of Damascus, Russian state media say DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russia media say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad has fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally. The reports came hours after a stunning rebel advance swept into Damascus to cheers and ended the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. Thousands of Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire, joyful after a stifling, nearly 14-year civil war. But the swiftly moving events raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country still split among armed factions. One rebel commander said “we will not deal with people the way the Assad family did." Analysis: Collapse of Syria's Assad is a blow to Iran's 'Axis of Resistance' MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — For Iran’s theocratic government, it keeps getting worse. Its decadeslong strategy of building an “Axis of Resistance” supporting militant groups and proxies around the region is falling apart. Hamas has been batttered by Israel's campaign in Gaza. In Lebanon, Israeli bombardment has crippled Iran’s most powerful ally, Hezbollah, even as Israel has launched successful airstrikes openly inside of Iran for the first time. And now Iran’s longtime stalwart ally and client in Syria, President Bashar Assad, is gone. Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? BEIRUT (AP) — Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters. He renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicts himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. The extent of that transformation from jihadi extremist to would-be state builder is now put to the test. The 42-year-old al-Golani is labeled a terrorist by the United States. He has not appeared publicly since Damascus fell early Sunday. But he and his insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stand to be a major player in whatever comes next. Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” The hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's elusive killer yields new evidence, but few answers NEW YORK (AP) — Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a targeted attack, not a random one. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of a backpack found in Central Park that they believe was carried by the killer. Thompson was shot and killed Wednesday outside of a hotel in Manhattan. Trump calls for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and says a US withdrawal from NATO is possible WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is pushing Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine. Trump describes it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO. Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the U.S. national security community. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says any deal would have to pave the way to a lasting peace. The Kremlin's spokesman says Moscow is open to talks with Ukraine. Gaza health officials say latest Israeli airstrikes kill at least 14 including children DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials say Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza have killed at least 14 people including children, while the bombing of a hospital in northern Gaza has wounded a half-dozen patients. Israel’s military continues its latest offensive against Hamas militants in northern Gaza, whose remaining Palestinians have been almost completely cut off from the rest of the territory amid a growing humanitarian crisis. One airstrike flattened a residential building in the urban Bureij refugee camp Sunday afternoon. That's according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, where the casualties were taken. South Korea's democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere? SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A short-lived martial law decree by South Korea's leader last week raised worries about budding authoritarianism around the world. In the end, though, democracy prevailed. President Yoon Suk Yeol announced that he was declaring martial law and giving his government sweeping powers to crack down on protesters, ban political parties and control the media. Members of the military blocked lawmakers from using the legislature's constitutional power to cancel the power grab. But the National Assembly within hours unanimously voted to do so. Trump's return may be a boon for Netanyahu, but challenges abound in a changed Middle East TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is jubilant about President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House. Trump's first term policies skewed heavily in favor of Israel, and he has picked stalwart Israel supporters for key positions in his administration. But much has transpired since Trump left office in early 2021. The turmoil in the Middle East, the lofty ambitions of Netanyahu’s far-right governing coalition and Netanyahu’s own personal relationship with the president-elect could dampen that enthusiasm and complicate what on the surface looks like a seamless alliance. College Football Playoff's first 12-team bracket is set with Oregon No. 1 and SMU in, Alabama out SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs, losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama of the SEC but one fewer loss. The inaugural 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. 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Trump raced to pick many Cabinet posts. He took more time to settle on a treasury secretary WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump launched a blitz of picks for his Cabinet, but he took his time settling on billionaire investor Scott Bessent as his choice for treasury secretary. The Republican not only wanted someone who jibes with him, but an official who can execute his economic vision and look straight out of central casting while doing so. With his Yale University education and pedigree trading for Soros Fund Management before establishing his own funds, Bessent will be tasked with a delicate balancing act. Trump expects him to help reset the global trade order, enable trillions of dollars in tax cuts, ensure inflation stays in check, manage a ballooning national debt and still keep the financial markets confident. Trump chooses Bessent to be treasury secretary, Vought as budget chief, Chavez-DeRemer for Labor WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has chosen hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, an advocate for deficit reduction, to serve as his next treasury secretary. Bessent, 62, is founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management. He previously had worked on and off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. Trump also said he would nominate Russell Vought, 48, to lead the Office of Management and Budget, a position he held during Trump's first term. And Trump chose Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, an Oregon Republican, as his labor secretary, and Scott Turner, a former football player who worked in Trump’s first administration, as his housing secretary. Afraid of losing the US-Canada trade pact, Mexico alters its laws and removes Chinese parts MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico has been taking a bashing for allegedly serving as a conduit for Chinese parts and products into North America. Officials here are terrified that a re-elected Donald Trump or politically struggling Justin Trudeau could simply expel their country from the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement. Mexico's ruling Morena party is so afraid its has gone on a campaign to get companies to replace Chinese parts with locally made ones. And its legislators are consciously tweaking the wording of major laws to try to make them compatible with the trade pact's language. Mexico hopes the rules of the trade pact would prevent the U.S. or Canada from simply walking away. US budget airlines are struggling. Will pursuing premium passengers solve their problems? DALLAS (AP) — Delta and United Airlines have become the most profitable U.S. airlines by targeting premium customers while also winning a significant share of budget travelers. That is squeezing smaller low-fare carriers like Spirit Airlines, which filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday. Some travel industry experts think Spirit’s troubles indicate less-wealthy passengers will have fewer choices and higher prices. Other discount airlines are on better financial footing but also are lagging far behind the full-service airlines when it comes to recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Most industry experts think Frontier and other so-called ultra-low-cost carriers will fill the vacuum if Spirit shrinks, and that there's still plenty of competition to prevent prices from spiking. What to know about Scott Bessent, Trump's pick for treasury secretary WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has chosen money manager Scott Bessent, an advocate for deficit reduction and deregulation, to serve as his next treasury secretary. Bessent is a past supporter of Democrats who has become an enthusiastic supporter of Trump. He’s an advocate of cutting spending while extending the tax cuts approved by Congress in Trump’s first term. He has said tariffs imposed during a second Trump administration would be directed primarily at China. What to know about Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Trump's pick for labor secretary WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has named Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer to lead the Department of Labor, elevating a Republican congresswoman who has strong support from unions in her district but lost reelection in November. Chavez-DeRemer has a legislative record that has drawn plaudits from unions, but organized labor leaders remain skeptical about Trump's agenda for workers. Trump, in general, has not supported policies that make it easier for workers to organize. Chavez-DeRemer is a one-term congresswoman, having lost reelection in her competitive Oregon district earlier this month. She joins Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio, the Florida senator, as the second Latino pick for Trump’s second Cabinet. Trump taps a Fox News personality, a surgeon and a former Congressman to lead public health agencies WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has nominated a critic of COVID-19 health measures to lead the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Marty Makary came to national attention for opposing mask mandates and other steps during the pandemic. He is a surgeon, author and professor at Johns Hopkins University. Makary is the latest of a string of Trump nominees who are deeply critical of government health regulators and experts. If confirmed, Makary would be expected to report to anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick to oversee the nation’s health agencies. Bitcoin ticks closer to $100,000 in extended surge following US elections NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin is jumping again, setting another new high above $99,000. The cryptocurrency has been shattering records almost daily since the U.S. presidential election, and has rocketed more than 40% higher in just two weeks. It's now at the doorstep of $100,000. Cryptocurrencies and related investments like crypto exchange-traded funds have rallied because the incoming Trump administration is expected to be more “crypto-friendly.” Still, as with everything in the volatile cryptoverse, the future is hard to predict. And while some are bullish, other experts continue to warn of investment risks. Supreme Court steps into fight over FCC's $8 billion subsidies for internet and phone services WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has stepped into a major legal fight over the $8 billion a year the federal government spends to subsidize phone and internet services in schools, libraries and rural areas, in a new test of federal regulatory power. The justices on Friday agreed to review an appellate ruling that struck down as unconstitutional the Universal Service Fund. The Federal Communications Commission collects money from telecommunications providers, who then pass the cost on to their customers. The Biden administration appealed the lower court ruling, but the case probably won’t be argued until late March. At that point, the Trump administration will be in place and it is not clear whether it will take a different view of the issue. Charlotte airport workers voting on whether to strike during busy Thanksgiving travel week CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Service workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport are voting on whether to go on a 24-hour strike around Thanksgiving amid complaints about low wages and poor working conditions. The vote is being taken by employees of two airport contractors who provide cabin cleaning services, trash removal and other services. The airport expects over 1 million passengers to depart from it the weekend before the holiday. The date of the proposed strike has not been announced.Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders escapes injury after questionable low hit
(Editor's Note: This story will be updated with quotes and more info.) MINNEAPOLIS — For the second consecutive season, the Stewartville High School football are the Class 3A state champions. ADVERTISEMENT Behind a dominate offensive and defensive line, the No. 1 ranked and top-seeded Tigers controlled from the opening whistle, defending their state title with a 43-22 win over Dassel-Cokato on Saturday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium. It's Stewartville's second state football title in eight trips. The back-to-back state titles puts a bow on one of the more dominant two-year runs in recent memory. Stewartville has now won 28 consecutive games, outscoring its opponents by an average margin of 44.7-5.8. The Tigers seven shutouts this season are the third most all time in MSHSL history. Stewartville is also the 14th program to capture back-to-back state football titles in the history of the MSHSL and the first since 2018 when Spring Grove and Owatonna went back-to-back. Overall, the Tigers have won 38 of their past 39 games — the only loss coming in the Class 4A state quarterfinals to Hutchinson. No. 38 was never truly in doubt. The offensive line set the tone from the start, bulldozing the Dassel-Cokato defense on the Tigers' 12-play, 59-yard opening drive that was capped by a Malik Abdi 3-yard rushing TD on the game's opening drive. Of those 59-yards, 58 came on ground. ADVERTISEMENT It was a sign of things to come. On the following Stewartville drive, Dylan Scanlan would take it 58-yards untouched to the house. It was the first of two touchdowns for the senior running back, who would add a 20-yard TD in the second half as part of a game-high 140 yards rushing on 14 carries. In all, the Stewartville offense finished with 244 yards on the ground, with Abdi adding 63 yards, a touchdown on 10 carries, and Parker Wangen adding 46 yards and two touchdowns. His 1-yard plunge on fourth-and-goal with 2 seconds left in the first half helped make it a 23-7 halftime lead. Wangen would make it 29-7 early in the third quarter, hauling in a perfectly thrown pass between two defenders from quarterback Vincent Wellik for the 30-yard score. Wangen would score Stewartville's final touchdown with a 6-yard run for an offense that finished with over 350 yards of total offense and 8 of 10 on third downs. The Minnesota State-Mankato commit also had an interception on the defensive side of the ball. As good as the Stewartville offense was, one could make an argument the defense was just as good. After Dassel-Cokato went 70-yards and scored on its opening drive, the Tigers had little trouble in shutting down Dassel-Cokato's run-first, option attack. In fact, it appeared Stewartville had 13-14 players on the field with the way it rallied to the ball. That showed up in two key fourth down stops in D-C territory that tipped the game in Stewartville's favor. The Chargers had just 139 total yards midway through the fourth quarter before the Stewartville subs came in. This came on the heels of a D-C offense that ran for 335 yards in 63 attempts in its state semifinal victory. ADVERTISEMENT Behind longtime coach coach Ryan Weinandt, a Wabasha-Kellogg High School graduate , the Chargers were in search of their second state title (2021). BOX SCORE: Stewartville 43, Dassel-Cokato 22
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Hemant Soren stands vindicated. The Jharkhand Chief Minister who spent months behind bars in alleged corruption cases has emerged victorious in one of the most difficult political battles of his life. The JMM-led coalition is poised to form its government with partners Congress, the RJD and the CPI(ML) without much ado. The Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024 not only gave him the opportunity to prove himself innocent, it also pushed the BJP and its politics of alleged vendetta and aggressive Hinduism to the oblivion at least for the time being. After the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested the son of “Guruji” Shibu Soren on January 31 this year in an alleged land scam case under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, the political dynamics of the state underwent a change. The JMM accused the BJP and the Narendra Modi-led union government of political vendetta and targeting him for not falling in line. It also raked up the issue of the humiliation of a tribesman insult of the state of Jharkhand. But JMM’s main emphasis was on the planks of development and secularism as it successfully tried to consolidate the tribals and the Muslims. The JMM’s gamble paid off as it staunchly protested against the proposed Universal Civil Code. The BJP tried to break the possible consolidation of the Muslim-tribals votes by assuring that the tribals would be kept out of the UCC. Buoyed on the success of the NRC and the issue of infiltration of Bangladeshis in Assam, the BJP tried to play the trump card in the state of Jharkhand as well, but it failed. The BJP failed to the gauge the impact of this issue and overhyped it. From stalwarts like PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah to local leaders, all took additional efforts to raise the issue that millions of Bangladeshis have infiltrated and affected the democracy of the state, particularly that of Santhal Pargana. The saffron party targeted the Muslim community without taking its name and tried to sell the idea that the minority would disturb the demographic balance and dominate in the coming years, an old story it had played in other parts of the country that the Hindus are in danger. The Election Commission slammed the saffron party for posting on its social media sites a video showing a group of men capturing the house of a leader of the party. It wanted to drive the point that the outsiders would capture your house one day. The ploy did not work and the people did not accept what the BJP wanted to say. Similarly, the BJP’s attempt of humiliating the tribal people did not work when it played the card of Champai Soren. After Hemant Soren was released from jail on bail, he became the Chief Minister of the state once again and Champai Soren vacated the seat, but reluctantly and grudgingly. The BJP lapped up the occasion, took Chmpai under its wings with the promise of making him the Chief Minister of the state after the election. However, it backfired. Champai Soren failed to bring his own vote bank to the BJP, he failed to impact his old area of impact- Kolhan. Even his son Babu Lal Soren lost the Ghatshila seat on the BJP ticket to JMM’s Ram Das Soren. All the tricks of the BJP failed, all its cards fell on the ground and the people of Jharkhand voted against the saffron party. Written By Pramode MallikRevlon Signs Lease to Relocate its New Jersey-based Science and Innovation Lab to The Northeast Science & Technology (NEST) Center