Ontario, CA, Nov. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CVB Financial Corp. (NASDAQ:CVBF) announced that, at its regular meeting on November 20, 2024, the Board of Directors of CVB Financial Corp. (the “Company”), the holding company for Citizens Business Bank, authorized the Company to repurchase up to 10,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “2024 Repurchase Program”), including by means of one or more Rule 10b5-1 plans or other appropriate buy-back arrangements, including open market purchases and private transactions. “The approval of this share repurchase program reflects our robust capital position, consistent track record of producing quality earnings, and history of delivering long term value to our shareholders,” said David A. Brager, President and Chief Executive Officer. This 2024 Repurchase Program replaces in its entirety the Company’s previous 2022 share repurchase program under which 4,300,059 shares remained available for repurchase. Corporate Overview CVB Financial Corp. (“CVBF”) is the holding company for Citizens Business Bank. CVBF is one of the 10 largest bank holding companies headquartered in California with over $15 billion in total assets. Citizens Business Bank is consistently recognized as one of the top performing banks in the nation and offers a wide array of banking, lending and investing services with more than 60 banking centers and 3 trust office locations serving California. Shares of CVB Financial Corp. common stock are listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol “CVBF”. For investor information on CVB Financial Corp., visit our Citizens Business Bank website at www.cbbank.com and click on the “ Investors ” tab. Contact: David A. Brager President and Chief Executive Officer (909) 980-4030https www mnl777 co download 。

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Global equity funds saw a notable rise in inflows in the week through Dec. 4, driven by a record-setting rally fueled by strong U.S. economic growth prospects and optimism about tech stocks, despite political turmoil in France and South Korea. Investors pumped a robust $21.8 billion into global equity funds during the week, the biggest amount since Nov. 13, LSEG Lipper data showed. U.S. equity funds led with net inflows of $8.85 billion, while European and Asian equity funds also saw substantial inflows, receiving $5.92 billion and $4.58 billion respectively. “The underlying strength of the U.S. economy and further interest rate cuts should provide additional momentum,” said Mark Haefele, chief investment officer at UBS Global Wealth Management. Despite economic hurdles in the euro zone, the European Central Bank is expected to make its fourth rate cut of 2024 this month due to slowing inflation, with continued easing expected through June 2025, fostering a favorable environment for reasonably valued European stocks, he said. By sector, financials and industrials attracted a noticeable $813 million and $573 million, respectively. The healthcare and technology sectors, meanwhile, witnessed outflows totaling a net $790 million and $620 million, respectively. Global bond funds were popular for the 50th successive week with net investments worth $10.82 billion during the week. High yield, dollar denominated medium-term and loan participation funds stood out as these funds drew $1.69 billion, $1.43 billion and $880 million, respectively in inflows. Global money market funds, meanwhile, saw a net $169.4 billion worth of purchases, the largest for a week since early April 2020. Among commodities, gold and precious metal funds lost a marginal $65 million in outflows following two weekly inflows in a row. Energy funds, meanwhile, gained $78 million worth of inflows. Data covering 29,635 emerging market funds showed that weekly outflows for equity funds eased to a four week low of $834 million during the week. In parallel, bond funds saw their first weekly inflow in seven weeks, to the tune of $872 million on a net basis. Source: Reuters (Reporting by Gaurav Dogra and Patturaja Murugaboopathy in Bengaluru, Editing by Gareth Jones)The City of Abbotsford is looking at a property-tax increase of almost six per cent for 2025. The rate recommended by city staff for next year is 5.98 per cent (a 4.98 per cent tax revenue increase plus a one per cent infrastructure levy) – roughly the same that has been approved in the previous two budgets. The 2023 budget also had a 5.98 per cent increase – the highest in years – while 2024 saw 5.12 per cent. This compares to 3.49 per cent in 2022, 2.05 in 2021 and 2.12 in 2020. Budget presentations to council take place Tuesday (Dec. 10) and Wednesday (Dec. 11) from 1 to 5 p.m. at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. The draft report to council states that the recommended 2025 property tax increase “continues to reflect the reality of ongoing elevated price pressures.” “These are mostly clearly seen in labour contract negotiations, construction cost inflation and emergency services contracts,” the report states. “These pressures are not unique to Abbotsford and have been observed across the region. Additionally impacting the budget this year is a significant investment in enhanced transit service.” The total consolidated budget for 2025 is $373 million, compared to $357 million in 2024. The 2025 budget breaks down to $84 million in capital projects and $289 million in operating expenses. Among the larger increased expenses for 2025 is $5.7 million more for the Abbotsford Police Department, which accounts for 20 per cent of the city budget. The APD’s total budget for 2025 comes in at $75.1 million. The draft report states that the E-Comm dispatch service continues to have a “significant impact” on the budget with a cost of $1.2 million. As well, another 8.5 proposed new positions are adding a further $800,000 to the police budget. Another large increase – $800,000 – for 2025 is related to transit, including an additional 10,000 hours of service for the conventional bus system and an extra 3,120 hours for handyDART. The city is also expecting to spend another $1.7 million in new positions “to support growth” and $300,000 more in improvements to program and service levels. Most of those positions are related to the field of information technology. Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service is also expecting to have an increase in spending of $1.5 million – mostly due to contractual increases, but also including the proposed hiring of four new firefighters, a training officer, and a fire prevention investigator/educator. Major projects planned in the capital budget for 2025 include safety improvements to railway crossings, drainage culvert replacements, renewal of an airport runway, road resurfacing, intersection improvements, park amenities, and the bike lane and sidewalk programs. In 2024, the tax bill for an average-priced single-family home – $1.157 million – in Abbotsford amounted to $5,339, including municipal and non-municipal taxes. In 2025, the average-priced home – $1.139 million – is expected to pay $5,747 in taxes. But that doesn’t necessarily mean individual homeowners will see their own bills rise by exactly that amount. Since property taxes are based on a home’s assessed value, only those properties with values that rise (or fall) exactly in line with the city average will see that average tax increase. Residents whose property values drop in value, compared to the city average, will see a smaller increase – or even a decrease. Meanwhile, those whose home’s value increases more than the city average will end up paying more in tax. The 2025 draft budget can be viewed .PSNI investigating alleged incident involving Armagh All-Ireland winning squad during US trip

https www mnl777 co member promotion apply Proving that celebrity podcasts are so 2024, Matthew McConaughey will be getting into the blogging game (alright, technically the newsletter game) in 2025. Lyrics of Livin’ will find McConaughey dispensing thoughts and words of wisdom, with the actor describing it as “five minutes with McConaughey as you end your week and head into your weekend” (via People ). The free weekly missive will debut Jan. 3, with new installments arriving every Friday at 5 p.m. ET. McConaughey will also record and release an audio version of the newsletter every week. In explaining his decision to launch Lyrics of Livin’, McConaughey said, “I’ve journaled and scribbled down good times, bad times, turn-offs and turn-ons for more than four decades now, and as you may know, many of those journal entries were what inspired my book Greenlights . Which got me thinking, what if I didn’t wait 40 more years to share my thoughts, prescribes, tips, truths and inspirations: Things I’ve seen, said, stole and heard along my way that can help us find more Greenlights in our life and put a little rhyme to our reason.” He even had a very specific reason for deciding to drop it on Friday, his favorite day of the week. “A true parlay day, the first half of Friday’s about responsibility and WORK, and the second half is about freedom and PLAY — and Friday also comes with a 48-hour runway — before we get back to Monday,” McConaughey said. The actor offered a bit of a preview of the newsletter in a short video shared on social media. It found him typing away at his laptop while musing about the lyrics to Kool and the Gang’s “Get Down On It”: “How you gonna do it if you really don’t wanna dance/By standing on the wall?/Get your backs up off the wall.” McConaughey then adds: “A few minutes after Kool and the Gang told us to do just that, we got reminded to get our hearts off the ground, our spirits in flight day and night, telling gravity to have a bit of a fuck off. So, let’s get our hips a swiggin’ above the holes the moles be digging. Time to go to work, break a sweat. Time for me, you, and all the nations to get us some elevation. A roof is a man made thing, let’s fly.”

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COYA-301 is under clinical development by Coya Therapeutics and currently in Phase II for Alzheimer’s Disease. According to GlobalData, Phase II drugs for Alzheimer’s Disease have a 36% phase transition success rate (PTSR) indication benchmark for progressing into Phase III. GlobalData tracks drug-specific phase transition and likelihood of approval scores, in addition to indication benchmarks based off 18 years of historical drug development data. Attributes of the drug, company and its clinical trials play a fundamental role in drug-specific PTSR and likelihood of approval. COYA-301 overview COYA-301 is under development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It comprises of comprises low dose recombinant human interleukin 2 and is administered through subcutaneous route. The therapeutic candidate acts by targeting IL-2 receptor. It was also under development for frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Coya Therapeutics overview Coya Therapeutics (Coya) is a cellular therapy platform that discovers and develops therapeutics for the treatment of neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. Coya is headquartered in Houston, Texas, the US. For a complete picture of COYA-301’s drug-specific PTSR and LoA scores, This content was updated on 12 April 2024 From Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors. , the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article. GlobalData’s Likelihood of Approval analytics tool dynamically assesses and predicts how likely a drug will move to the next stage in clinical development (PTSR), as well as how likely the drug will be approved (LoA). This is based on a combination of machine learning and a proprietary algorithm to process data points from various databases found on GlobalData’s .Hyderabad: FY25 promises to usher in good tidings for engineering grads set to pass out this year. India's tech industry is slated to see a 25-30% uptick in campus placements driven by surging demand for emerging technologies such as AI, Cloud Computing, and Cybersecurity. According to data provided to TOI by TeamLease Digital , after lower-than-expected campus hiring numbers of 80,000-90,000 in FY24, at least 1.12 lakh-1.2 lakh of the nearly 1.5 million engineering graduates passouts are expected to get hired on campus. "With fresh talent being increasingly recognised as a crucial driver of digital transformation initiatives across sectors and in meeting growing talent needs, the hiring landscape looks promising," said Krishna Vij, Vice-President, TeamLease Digital. Confirming that the worst is over, former Nasscom chairman BVR Mohan Reddy said things are picking up. "From now on you will see some growth but not necessarily hockey stick growth because firms are discovering GenAI applications in automating stuff and augmenting productivity of individuals," he said. However, Aseem Marwaha, founder, eLitmus, feels the figures could be much higher. "The demand, especially in the over Rs 7.5 lakh per annum range, has surged by at least 50% and could be as high as 80% due to robust demand. Even talent with average skill levels are cracking high paying jobs this year unlike last year when even good talent was struggling," he said. "Things were slow till about the first week of September . But the market recovered significantly. Many companies could not meet numbers through campus hiring and have been coming to us since November to help them identify colleges where they could still hope to get reasonable quality talent," he added. After hitting a peak placement rate of 27% in FY22, numbers plummeted to 6% in FY24 due to challenges like economic slowdown and skill mismatches, said Vij, adding: "In 2022, fresher hiring reached unprecedented levels driven by post-pandemic recovery, increasing digitisation, and demand for tech talent, leading to inflated bench sizes," she explained. In FY25, she said, fresher employability rate is set to rise to 71.5% from 64% in FY24, indicating improved skill alignment with industry needs. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , Location Guesser and Mini Crossword . Spread love this holiday season with these Christmas wishes , messages , and quotes .

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Get a taste of an off-limits country without leaving MelbourneThe newly formed Bangladesh Film Certification Board, established just two months ago, has already sparked critical debate. Central to the discussion are concerns about its ability to implement the Bangladesh Film Certification Act, 2023, and the specific guidelines it follows in decision-making. While its formation is seen as a progressive step, a lack of clarity in its operational framework hampers its work. In an effort to understand the challenges and tentative guidelines, The Daily Star reached out to board members and stakeholders. Their insights highlight the complexities of transitioning from the long-standing censor board to a modern certification body. From censorship to certification: A historical context The announcement of the Film Certification Board on September 22 this year marked a significant milestone in Bangladesh's cinematic landscape. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting replaced the Bangladesh Film Censor Board with the Bangladesh Film Certification Board, reshaping decades-old regulatory practices. Tracing the history of film censorship in Bangladesh reveals a long journey-- starting with the East Bengal of Film Censors (1952) during the pre-independence era, evolving into the Central Board of Film Censors (1963), and eventually becoming the Bangladesh Film Censor Board (1972) post-independence. Now, the newly formed Bangladesh Film Certification Board aims to modernise film regulation and align it with international standards. Since its formation, the board has cleared over 10 films, including "Voyal", the country's first A-grade film. While this milestone represents progress in age-based classification, the journey toward the system's refinement remains a work in progress. Tentative guidelines and challenges The certification board has been striving to establish a comprehensive framework. However, a board member, who wishes to remain anonymous, revealed that the draft guidelines submitted to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting remain undisclosed even to board members. This opacity fosters uncertainty regarding the standards the board is expected to uphold. Meanwhile, Md Abdul Jalil, vice chairman of the Film Certification Board, confirmed the development, stating, "The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has already formed a technical committee, which will be responsible for reviewing the draft we have submitted." Actress Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed, board member and animal rights advocate, emphasised the need for stricter regulations on using animals in films. "Many remain unaware of the silent suffering endured by animals during productions," she explained. "Amidst the chaos on set, who notices the fear, pain, or thirst of a waiting animal? Unlike actors, they cannot call for help." She proposed mandatory on-set veterinary professionals to certify the welfare of animals before granting a film clearance. If implemented, this regulation would be a landmark in the country's film certification system. Nawshaba also suggested requiring producers to provide a clearance certificate confirming full payment to all cast and crew members, a standard practice internationally. "Our industry struggles with payment issues," she noted. "Requiring a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from technicians and cast would ensure accountability." She also highlighted the need to enhance disclaimers regarding smoking and drinking in films. She pointed to practices in neighbouring countries, where films begin with advertisements highlighting the dangers of tobacco and alcohol. "These disclaimers should also appear during intermissions and at the film's conclusion," she added. Another proposed rule addresses the environmental impact of filmmaking, specifically the use of plastic on set and during the production process. The artiste stressed the importance of raising awareness about the harmful effects of plastic on the environment and suggested advocating this message using the certification framework. Structural concerns and criticisms Director Khijir Hayat Khan, another Board member, expressed dissatisfaction with the board's composition, particularly the 50 percent representation of government officials. "This ratio should be reduced to 20 percent to ensure impartial decision-making," he asserted. Khijir criticised certain sections of the Bangladesh Film Certification Act, 2023, as restrictive and outdated. For instance, Section 12 allows the board to reject a film based on subjective criteria like incoherent storytelling or poor cinematography. "These subjective criteria can easily become tools for censorship," Khijir warned. Another one is Section 14, which empowers district magistrates to halt a film's release if deemed contrary to the public interest. Khijir argued that such provisions are incompatible with a professional film industry aspiring to meet international standards. Another issue raised by Khijir concerns collaborative projects. He emphasised the need for equitable collaboration in joint productions, ensuring equal involvement of technicians and cast from both participating countries to ensure fairness and mutual benefit. A ray of hope amidst challenges Despite the concerns and criticisms, some stakeholders remain optimistic. Film critic Dr Zakir Hossain Raju, who is also a board member, highlighted the shift's potential. "The censor board deemed all cleared films suitable for all ages. The certification board introduces age-specific ratings, vital for protecting younger audiences," he explained. While acknowledging the limitations of the Film Certification Act, 2023, Dr Raju expressed hope that these issues would be addressed promptly. "We have requested the concerned ministries to implement the guidelines as soon as possible," he said. Legal and political considerations The implementation of new guidelines for the Film Certification Board also raises governance-related concerns. Stakeholders worry that the absence of an elected government could stall progress. However, Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, who is also a human rights activist, clarified the legal process. "The standard procedure requires at least a two-thirds majority in voting to pass an amendment in the parliament. Once passed, it requires the president's approval after being gazetted. If the president fails to respond within 15 days, the law would be enacted by default. In the absence of a parliament, the president can enact laws through direct approval," he stated, suggesting that the procedure would require even less time in the current situation and political uncertainties should not hinder its implementation. The establishment of the Bangladesh Film Certification Board is a turning point in the country's cinematic history. Its efforts to adopt international best practices and address longstanding issues—such as animal welfare, fair payment practices, and environmental awareness—are commendable. However, structural reforms and the removal of restrictive provisions in the Film Certification Act, 2023, are critical for success. A comparative analysis of past censorship laws and the current act—such as among Censorship of Films Act, 1963, Censorship of Films Act, 1977, and the Bangladesh Film Certification Act, 2023— reveals striking similarities, with some new provisions being even more restrictive. The analysis indicates that the majority of the sections in the certification act pertain to censorship and bear no relevance to certification or rating. In essence, censorship hinders cinema's capacity to portray society authentically. Therefore, it's crucial to establish a robust system that classifies films by age appropriateness while ensuring artistic freedom. With clear guidelines, reduced bureaucratic influence, and effective legal mechanisms, the certification board has the potential to transform Bangladesh's film industry and elevate it to international standards.

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SAN ANTONIO — Deion Sanders will get emotional if he thinks about it too much, but the final chapter of a nearly two decades-long era coaching his sons ends Saturday. It’s something he’s reflected on plenty in recent weeks, since he saw the final seconds ticking off the clock in the regular season finale against a Oklahoma State — a 52-0 win in his last game in Boulder coaching Shedeur, Shilo and Travis Hunter, who may as well be the fourth Sanders son at this point. Colorado’s Travis Hunter, right, and coach Deion Sanders embrace after Hunter won the Heisman Trophy as the outstanding player in college football, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. "I've been trying to shy away from that moment because I knew the last home game was the last home game, but (it) wasn't the last game,” Sanders said. “But this is it.” From youth football through college, Sanders has been by his kids’ side every step of the way. He had not planned on going into coaching but didn’t like the way his kids were being coached at the youth level. He hasn’t stopped since. “You know how long this journey has been with my kids?” Sanders said. With his sons heading off to the NFL after Colorado’s Alamo Bowl matchup against BYU Saturday, Coach Prime is sticking around with the Buffaloes. He wants to continue coaching due to the thousands of kids he’s worked with over the years that don’t have the name “Sanders” on the back of their jerseys. Colorado coach Deion Sanders speaks during a news conference before the 2024 Alamo Bowl against BYU on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. “This is a tremendous calling that God placed in my life to be around these kids, raise these kids to such a level as this,” Sanders said Friday at the Alamodome. The examples are all over the CU roster. There’s Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, a safety and team captain who began playing for Sanders in high school before following him to Jackson State and then CU. There’s Jimmy Horn Jr., a wide receiver from Florida who was one of the first transfers to join the Buffs in late 2022. The two once visited Horn’s father in prison in Florida. There’s Ben Finneseth and Charlie Offerdahl, a current and former walk-on who are part of the small but important group of Original Buffs (“OBs”) that remain from the pre-Sanders era at CU. Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and Colorado safety Shilo Sanders (21) speak before an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rob Gray) There’s Brendan Gant and Travis Jay, a pair of defensive players who came from Sanders’ alma mater, Florida State, and built a relationship with their head coach despite not seeing as much time on the field as they had envisioned. “We've all had moments in my office or on the field that could bring you to tears,” Sanders said. “It's unfortunate that they're moving on, but you pray that you poured into them enough that when they move on they move up. They're not just passing by. They move on and they move up. You've blessed them with knowledge and support and love and compassion in those moments.” If you want to know why Sanders coaches, that’s it right there. Coach Prime might get emotional on his pregame walk with Shedeur from midfield to the goal line and back and when he sees Shilo and Travis making plays on defense. Colorado head coach Deion Sanders talks to quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) in the first half during an NCAA college football game against Arizona, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) But he hasn’t lost sight of the journey to this point — and what’s to come. “I'm thankful that Rick (George) gave me the opportunity (at CU),” Sanders said. “We wouldn't have had a Heisman Trophy winner, a guy (that will be picked) in the first or second pick of the whole draft (and) several other guys (who) are definitely going to get drafted. It wouldn't have happened if I wouldn't have accepted that calling. So I'm thankful with the opportunities afforded to me. I'm thankful to be here, period.”

Dallas (7-8) at Philadelphia (12-3) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox BetMGM NFL Odds: Eagles by 7 1/2 Against the spread: Dallas 6-9; Philadelphia 9-6 Series record: Cowboys lead 74-58. Last meeting: Jalen Hurts threw two touchdowns and ran for two more in the Eagles’ 34-6 rout of the Cowboys at Dallas on Nov. 10. Last week: Cowboys defeated the Buccaneers 26-24; Eagles lost 36-33 at Washington. Cowboys offense: overall (16), rush (28), pass (10), scoring (20) Cowboys defense: overall (27), rush (27), pass (21), scoring (30) Eagles offense: overall (6), rush (1), pass (31), scoring (8) Eagles defense: overall (1), rush (9), pass (2), scoring (5) Turnover differential: Cowboys minus-3; Eagles plus-6 RB Saquon Barkley is 162 yards shy of becoming the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season and needs 268 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984. In his past five games, QB Cooper Rush has passed for nine touchdowns and one interception, looking more comfortable of late after taking over for Dak Prescott in November. Rush is 9-2 as a starter against teams that are not the Eagles. Dallas’s rushing defense vs. Barkley. Can anyone stop him? The Cowboys will be the latest to try to corral Barkley, who has 1,838 rushing yards and 2,114 scrimmage yards, both of which lead the NFL. Dallas ranks 28th in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing an average of 135.9 yards a game. Philadelphia, behind Barkley’s stellar play, tops the league at 187.9 yards a game on the ground. Cowboys: WR CeeDee Lamb will miss the final two games after getting shut down over the sprained right shoulder he's been dealing with the second half of the season. ... LB Eric Kendricks (calf) warmed up but wasn’t able to play against Tampa Bay last week. Eagles: Hurts was ruled out. He remained in the concussion protocol after leaving the game following a 13-yard scramble with 9:52 left in the first quarter last week. Kenny Pickett is starting in his place. ... DE Josh Sweat (ankle) and Jordan Davis also left the game at Washington early. ... QB Ian Book was signed to the practice squad Thursday. The Cowboys made the playoffs in each of the previous three seasons, but were eliminated prior to their game against Tampa Bay last week when the Commanders came back from a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat Philadelphia. ... Dallas is 5-2 on the road. ... The Eagles can clinch the NFC East and one of the conference's top two seeds with a victory. ... On Jan. 11, 1981, the Eagles defeated the Cowboys 20-7 at their former home, Veterans Stadium. Wilbert Montgomery rushed for a 42-yard touchdown to give Philadelphia an early lead that propelled the Eagles to their first Super Bowl appearance. LB Micah Parsons needs half a sack to reach double digits in sacks for the fourth straight season to begin his career and would become just the fifth player to accomplish the feat in NFL history. ... K Brandon Aubrey made a 53-yard and two 58-yard field goals against the Buccaneers, upping his league-leading total to 14 made of 50-plus yards. ... Pickett went 14 of 24 for 143 yards and a TD in relief of Hurts last week. Pickett, a 2022 first-round pick, is no stranger to starting, going 14-10 as Pittsburgh’s QB earlier in his career. ... Defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson was ejected against Washington for committing two unsportsmanlike penalties. ... The Eagles already set a team record for rushing yards in a season with 2,818, and they are within four rushing touchdowns of tying the club’s best single-season mark of 32, set in 2022. ... Barkley needs just 33 yards from scrimmage to break McCoy’s mark of 2,146 scrimmage yards, set in 2013. ... WR A.J. Brown leads the NFL with 16.3 yards a catch and ranks ninth in the league with 1,043 receiving yards, joining Mike Quick (1983–85) as the only Philadelphia players to have three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Philadelphia’s defense is tied for ninth in the NFL with a plus-6 turnover margin. With Hurts sidelined, Philadelphia giving up an uncharacteristic 36 points last week and the chance to clinch the division, the Eagles defense likely will be extra motivated to have a good performance against a Dallas offense that ranks 21st in the league in points. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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WASHINGTON – A ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans, a top White House official said Friday. Biden administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies , as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. Recommended Videos But Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, told reporters Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. The update from Neuberger is the latest development in a massive hacking operation that has alarmed national security officials, exposed cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the private sector and laid bare China's hacking sophistication. The hackers compromised the networks of telecommunications companies to obtain customer call records and gain access to the private communications of “a limited number of individuals." Though the FBI has not publicly identified any of the victims, officials believe senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures are among those whose whose communications were accessed. Neuberger said officials did not yet have a precise sense how many Americans overall were affected by Salt Typhoon, in part because the Chinese were careful about their techniques, but a “large number" were in the Washington-Virginia area. Officials believe the goal of the hackers was to identify who owned the phones and, if they were “government targets of interest,” spy on their texts and phone calls, she said. The FBI said most of the people targeted by the hackers are "primarily involved in government or political activity.” Neuberger said the episode highlighted the need for required cybersecurity practices in the telecommunications industry, something the Federal Communications Commission is to take up at a meeting next month. “We know that voluntary cyber security practices are inadequate to protect against China, Russia and Iran hacking of our critical infrastructure,” she said. The Chinese government has denied responsibility for the hacking.

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Trump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn’t install more automated systemsGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz is poised to seek a second term in the approaching snap elections. This decision emerged after his Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, a favored potential replacement, announced on Thursday that he would not be entering the race. This announcement comes as a relief following weeks of uncertainty regarding Pistorius's candidacy, mere months before the elections on February 23. The Social Democrats (SPD), however, are left with Scholz, Germany's least popular chancellor to date, as their candidate. The SPD trails in third place, below the conservative opposition and the far-right. Although Pistorius, Germany's most popular politician since his appointment two years ago, declined to run, he pledged full support to Scholz, whom he praised as an "outstanding federal chancellor." (With inputs from agencies.)

The organisers of a Christmas market in said they were 'devastated' after Storm Bert tore through the site forcing it to partially close. The county has been with 'significant damage' caused to part of the market after a marque was destroyed and two huts and mini golf damaged. The storm brought chaos to Kent, from fallen trees on the road, to travel being disrupted. After being shut on Saturday (November 23) and Sunday (November 24), the organisers of this year's Canterbury Market made the decision to close again the huts in the Cathedral Precincts for public safety reasons on Monday (November 25). Both the other sections of the market will remain open. A spokesperson said: "After an onsite meeting this morning (November 24) it was determined that we would remain shut in the Cathedral Precincts for public safety reasons and this proved the correct call because there was risk to life. Teams have worked hard to secure the marquee, continuously checking and rechecking, but Storm Bert had other ideas. "Sadly, Canterbury Marquees have had one of their marquees ripped apart in the storm. This has also caused damage to two huts, the mini golf, decor and furniture, it has been devastating, but our primary concern is, and will always be, the safety of visitors, stallholders and our team and thankfully no one has been hurt." The organisers of the market and the Canterbury Marquees' team are set to be on site first thing on Monday to assess and clear the damage caused by the storm. The Christmas Market spokesperson said: "We would like to state that there is no damage to the cathedral or any of the buildings.We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support and understanding. We’ve read all of the kind messages, texts, emails and social media posts and all we can say is thank you "We would especially like to thank Canterbury Cathedral’s team for their understanding and the support they and the Cathedral’s constabulary have given us, as well as our team and the amazing KFRS who attended and assisted our team in minimising further risk. "Thank you to our team who have gone above and beyond in the last 48 hours, including those team members in the other sections who have worked tirelessly to ensure the Christmas Market remains open and an enjoyable place to visit. Also thank you to the carousel’s team who provided onsite support." Local business Jey's Heavenly events said it has lost three days of trading due to the storm. A spokesperson said: "A lot of damage has been done to some of the huts and the amazing marquee that the incredible team had worked so hard to make what it was. "So many of us little businesses and the events team have put our all into this and spent months planning, spending and prepping, so it's been really sad this happened." The team intend to reopen the section by Tuesday (November 26). "we know stallholders would greatly appreciate your support to help them overcome this horrendous weekend," they said. Bert also left its mark in Hersden, a village near Canterbury, where a community association was preparing for its Christmas fair next week and has been forced to launch a fundraiser after its marquee was damaged beyond repair. The fundraiser page, set up on behalf of The Hersden Neighbourhood Centre Association, said: "The centre is honestly beyond words, in the 14 years we've never had a problem as great as this. Especially with six days before our biggest event of the year (Christmas fair). This extreme weather has damaged our marquee well beyond repair, despite it being strapped down securely. To make it worse we've just paid out." The page has a £2,000 target. They have raised £265 as of Sunday night (November 24).

Running back Jace Clarizio flipped his commitment from his local team, Michigan State, to Alabama. The decision, announced by Clarizio on social media Tuesday, comes after the East Lansing (Mich.) High standout visited head coach Kalen DeBoer's Crimson Tide on Nov. 16. "Great program," Clarizio told On3. "Playing on the biggest level. ... All the people and coaches I met and interacted with were all great people. The atmosphere was crazy." The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder is ranked as the No. 33 running back by On3 and tabbed No. 35 in their industry ranking. In May, he had verbally committed to the Spartans, where his father, Craig Johnson, was a running back and defensive back who was a member of the 1987 Rose Bowl-winning squad under coach George Perles. --Field Level Media

Rivals focus on different chips

I’m a Celeb fans spot show ‘feud’ and insist host Ant McPartlin ‘hates’ campmateBy JOSH BOAK WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday voiced his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports, saying that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. Related Articles National Politics | Will Kamala Harris run for California governor in 2026? The question is already swirling National Politics | Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people National Politics | Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of America National Politics | Trump extends unprecedented invites to China’s Xi and other world leaders for his inauguration National Politics | Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump The incoming president posted on social media that he met Harold Daggett, the president of the International Longshoreman’s Association, and Dennis Daggett, the union’s executive vice president. “I’ve studied automation, and know just about everything there is to know about it,” Trump posted. “The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen. Foreign companies have made a fortune in the U.S. by giving them access to our markets. They shouldn’t be looking for every last penny knowing how many families are hurt.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. At the heart of the dispute is whether ports can install automated gates, cranes and container-moving trucks that could make it faster to unload and load ships. The union argues that automation would lead to fewer jobs, even though higher levels of productivity could do more to boost the salaries of remaining workers. The Maritime Alliance said in a statement that the contract goes beyond ports to “supporting American consumers and giving American businesses access to the global marketplace – from farmers, to manufacturers, to small businesses, and innovative start-ups looking for new markets to sell their products.” “To achieve this, we need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains,” said the alliance, adding that it looks forward to working with Trump. In October, the union representing 45,000 dockworkers went on strike for three days, raising the risk that a prolonged shutdown could push up inflation by making it difficult to unload container ships and export American products overseas. The issue pits an incoming president who won November’s election on the promise of bringing down prices against commitments to support blue-collar workers along with the kinds of advanced technology that drew him support from Silicon Valley elite such as billionaire Elon Musk. Trump sought to portray the dispute as being between U.S. workers and foreign companies, but advanced ports are also key for staying globally competitive. China is opening a $1.3 billion port in Peru that could accommodate ships too large for the Panama Canal. There is a risk that shippers could move to other ports, which could also lead to job losses. Mexico is constructing a port that is highly automated, while Dubai, Singapore and Rotterdam already have more advanced ports. Instead, Trump said that ports and shipping companies should eschew “machinery, which is expensive, and which will constantly have to be replaced.” “For the great privilege of accessing our markets, these foreign companies should hire our incredible American Workers, instead of laying them off, and sending those profits back to foreign countries,” Trump posted. “It is time to put AMERICA FIRST!”

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FIREWEED METALS CORP. ("Fireweed” or the "Company”) (TSXV: FWZ; OTCQX: FWEDF) is pleased to announce it has been awarded US$15.8 M (~C$22.5 M) from the U.S. Department of Defense and up to C$12.9 M from the Government of Canada in support of its critical minerals projects at Macmillan Pass, Yukon Territory. Highlights Peter Hemstead, President and CEO, commented: "The coordinated investments by the United States and Canadian governments underscore the critical importance and strategic value of Fireweed's mineral assets at Macmillan Pass. This joint announcement is a testament to the determination of both governments to unlock this new critical minerals district in Canada. In the coming months and years, our team will work to ensure our projects and the enabling infrastructure move forward in a way that respects rights-holders, provides benefits to communities in the region, and demonstrates how critical minerals can be developed responsibly.” Adam Lundin Statement Adam Lundin, Fireweed's Strategic Advisor, stated: "The emerging critical minerals district at Macmillan Pass is a profound opportunity to address key supply chain vulnerabilities of the North American industrial base. These investments are significant milestones on the path to advancing both Macpass and Mactung projects toward development.” Statement from the Honorable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources The Honorable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, stated: "Canada is positioning itself as a global supplier of responsibly sourced critical minerals, which are increasingly in demand for the clean and digital economy as well as for defence applications. The Fireweed project will develop the necessary energy infrastructure to power multiple critical minerals mines and communities with clean energy. These investments by Canada and the United States build on our long history of friendship and collaboration, complement the region's deep expertise in mining, create good jobs in the Yukon and advance economic growth, now and into the future.” A Critical Minerals District at Macmillan Pass Macmillan Pass is an emerging critical minerals district (the "Macpass District”), with two immediately-adjacent, best-in-class critical mineral projects being advanced by Fireweed. The Macpass Project ("Macpass”) is a district-scale collection of high-grade zinc deposits, forming one of the largest undeveloped zinc resources globally, while also containing the world's largest known accumulation of germanium and gallium 1,2 . The Mactung Project ("Mactung”) is the world's largest, high-grade tungsten deposit 1 ,3 , with sufficient mineral resources to potentially supply North America's expected tungsten demand for decades. Macmillan Pass and the North Canol Road (the district's primary overland access) are located within Kaska Nation Traditional Territory and the Traditional Territory of the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyӓk Dun. The Mactung access road passes through the Sahtú Settlement Area (Tulı́tʼa District in the Northwest Territories), which include both First Nations and Métis communities. US Government Funding to Advance the Mactung Tungsten Project Fireweed has been awarded US$15.8 M (~C$22.5 M) by the U.S. Department of Defense under DPA Title III to advance its 100%-owned Mactung tungsten project toward a final investment decision. The objective of the DPA Title III funding is to progress Mactung to a final investment decision, a precursor to project construction and subsequent production of domestic tungsten concentrates for the North American industrial base. The award will support an expansive, Fireweed team-led program that includes mine design optimization, geotechnical investigations, and metallurgical test programs, culminating in the development of a new feasibility study. A range of environmental studies will be undertaken, supporting the pursuit of licenses and permits necessary to construct Mactung. The program builds on extensive past drilling at Mactung and an updated 2023 mineral resource estimate that supersedes a historical 2009 Feasibility Study. The project also benefits from a positive environmental assessment decision issued in 2014 by Yukon and Canadian Federal regulators. The DPA Title III award is non-dilutive to Fireweed shareholders and no commercial covenants are included in the award conditions that would impair Fireweed's current business nor its future sale of tungsten concentrates to the industrial base. Fireweed's own management team will lead the work and periodically report progress to administrators of the award. Canadian Government Funding to Advance the "North Canol Infrastructure Improvement Project” Fireweed will also receive up to C$12.9 M, pending final due diligence, from the Government of Canada through the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund ("CMIF”) to lead planning efforts for infrastructure improvements that would serve the critical minerals district at Macmillan Pass. The CMIF funding will support Fireweed's implementation of the first phase (Phase I) of the "North Canol Infrastructure Improvement Project” ("NCIIP”), which includes developing preliminary designs for approximately 250 kilometers of road improvements, as well as upgrades to an existing transmission line between Faro and Ross River, and the construction of a new transmission line from Ross River to Macmillan Pass. The effort also includes seeking the consent of local Indigenous groups, completing necessary environmental assessment processes and facilitating multi-party project agreements necessary to advance NCIIP toward construction (Phase II). Fireweed anticipates NCIIP Phase II to be advanced through a collaboration of government, Indigenous groups and industry. Funding sources for NCIIP construction have yet to be determined but will likely involve 'stacking' a range of new and existing funding sources, potentially including previously announced Yukon Resource Gateway funding. Qualified Person Statement Technical information in this news release has been approved by Fireweed Metals VP Geology, Jack Milton, Ph.D., P.Geo. (BC), a 'Qualified Person' as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Dr. Milton is not independent of Fireweed for purposes of NI 43-101. About Fireweed Metals Corp. (TSXV: FWZ; OTCQX: FWEDF; FSE:M0G): Fireweed Metals Corp. is an exploration company unlocking significant value in a new critical metals district located in the Yukon, Canada. Fireweed is 100% owner of the Macpass District, a large and highly prospective 977 km 2 land package. The Macpass District includes the Macpass zinc-lead-silver (germanium-gallium) project and the Mactung tungsten project, both characterized by meaningful size, grade and opportunity. At Macpass, Fireweed owns one of the largest undeveloped zinc resources worldwide 1 , 2 , in a region with enormous exploration upside potential. The Mactung project is a strategic critical metals asset that hosts the world's largest high-grade tungsten resource 1, 3 - a potential long-term supply of tungsten for North America. A Lundin Group company, Fireweed is strongly positioned to create meaningful value. In Canada, Fireweed (TSXV: FWZ) trades on the TSX Venture Exchange. In the USA, Fireweed (OTCQX: FWEDF) trades on the OTCQX Best Market for early stage and developing U.S. and international companies and is DTC eligible for enhanced electronic clearing and settlement. Investors can find Real-Time quotes and market information for the Company on www.otcmarkets.com. In Europe, Fireweed (FSE: M0G) trades on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Additional information about Fireweed and its projects can be found on the Company's website at FireweedMetals.com and at www.sedarplus.com . ON BEHALF OF FIREWEED METALS CORP. " Peter Hemstead ” President & CEO, and Director Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statements Forward Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking” statements and information ("forward-looking statements”). All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included herein, including, without limitation, statements relating to receipt of the DPA Title III award, use of proceeds of the DPA Title III award, receipt of CMIF award and the actual amount thereof, the use of proceeds of the CMIF award (including leading planning efforts relating to road improvements and transmission line construction and upgrades), pursuit of necessary licencing and permits and/or environmental assessment processes, seeking the consent of local Indigenous groups, the making of a final investment decision with respect to Mactung, interpretation of drill results, targets for exploration, potential extensions of mineralized zones, future work plans, and the potential of the Company's projects, are forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects”, "anticipates”, "believes”, "intends”, "estimates”, "potential”, "possible”, and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will”, "may”, "could”, or "should” occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Company management and reflect the beliefs, opinions, and projections on the date the statements are made. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties and accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include but are not limited to, exploration and development risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, expenditure and financing requirements, general economic conditions, changes in financial markets, changes in the Company's work programs, the ability to properly and efficiently staff the Company's operations, the sufficiency of working capital and funding for continued operations, title matters, First Nations and local Indigenous group relations, operating hazards, political and economic factors, competitive factors, metal prices, relationships with vendors and strategic partners, governmental regulations and oversight, permitting, seasonality and weather, present and future infrastructure capacities, technological change, industry practices, uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results and laboratory tests, and one-time events. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward ‐ looking statements or beliefs, opinions, projections or other factors, except as required by law. Footnotes and References 1 References to relative size, grade, and metal content of the Mactung resources and Macpass resources in comparison to other tungsten, zinc, gallium, and germanium deposits elsewhere in the world, respectively, are based on review of the Standard & Poor's Global Market Intelligence Capital IQ database. 2 For Tom, Jason, End Zone, and Boundary Zone Mineral Resources, see the technical report filed on https://www.sedarplus.ca/ October 18, 2024, entitled "Technical Report for NI 43-101, Macpass Project, Yukon, Canada”. The effective date of the Mineral Resource is September 4, 2024. SLR Managing Principal Resource Geologist, Pierre Landry, P.Geo. (BC) is a 'Qualified Person' as defined under NI 43-101. Mr. Landry is considered to be "independent” of the Company for purposes of NI 43-101. Mr. Landry, of SLR, is responsible for the Macpass Mineral Resource Estimate. 3 For Mactung Mineral Resources, see Fireweed news release dated June 13, 2023 "Fireweed Metals Announces Mineral Resources for the Mactung Project: the Largest High-Grade Tungsten Deposit in the World” and the technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report, Mactung Project, Yukon Territory, Canada,” with effective date July 28, 2023 filed on https://www.sedarplus.ca/ . Garth Kirkham, P.Geo. is considered independent of the Company, and a 'Qualified Person' as defined under NI 43-101. Garth Kirkham, of Kirkham Geosystems Limited., is responsible for the Mactung Mineral Resource Estimate. Contact: Peter Hemstead Phone: +1 (604) 689-7842 Email: [email protected]

Laboratory Freezer Market Outlook: World Approaching Demand & Growth Prospect 2024-2030 12-03-2024 09:19 PM CET | Advertising, Media Consulting, Marketing Research Press release from: DiMarket Laboratory Freezer Market Data Insights Market published a new research publication on "Laboratory Freezer Market Insights, to 2030" with 232 pages and enriched with self-explained Tables and charts in presentable format. In the Study you will find new evolving Trends, Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities generated by targeting market associated stakeholders. The growth of the Laboratory Freezer Market was mainly driven by the increasing R&D spending across the world. Get Free Exclusive PDF Sample Copy of This Research @ https://datainsightsmarket.com/report/laboratory-freezer-market-8619/sample-report?utm_source=OpenPR/utm_medium=Rahul Some of the key players profiled in the study are: Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc, LabRepCo Holding Corporation, Panasonic Healthcare Co Ltd, Haier lnc, Evermed S R L, Eppendorf AG, Arctiko A/S, Philipp Kirsch GmbH, Helmer Scientific, Antylia Scientific. The size of the Laboratory Freezer Market was valued at USD XX Million in 2023 and is projected to reach USD Million by 2032, with an expected CAGR of 4.50% during the forecast period. The titled segments and sub-section of the market are illuminated below: Type: Plasma Freezers, Enzyme Freezers, Flammable Material Freezers, Others, End User: Blood Banks, Medical Laboratories, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies, Others Market Trends: Plasma Freezers Segment is Expected to Witness a Growth Over the Forecast Period Market Drivers: Increasing Demand for Blood and Blood Components; Growing Number of Organ Transplant Procedures; Technological Advancements in Laboratory Freezers What Can be Explored with the Laboratory Freezer Market Study •Gain Market Understanding •Identify Growth Opportunities •Analyze and Measure the Global Laboratory Freezer Market by Identifying Investment across various Industry Verticals •Understand the Trends that will drive Future Changes in Laboratory Freezer Market •Understand the Competitive Scenario - Track Right Markets - Identify the Right Verticals Region Included are: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Oceania, South America, Middle East & Africa Country Level Break-Up: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, South Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Turkey, Russia, France, Poland, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Australia and New Zealand etc. Have Any Questions Regarding Global Laboratory Freezer Market Report, Ask Our Experts@ https://datainsightsmarket.com/report/laboratory-freezer-market-8619/enquiry-before-buy?utm_source=OpenPR/utm_medium=Rahul Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Laboratory Freezer Market: Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Laboratory Freezer Market Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary - the basic information of the Laboratory Freezer Market. Chapter 3: Displaying the Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges & Opportunities of the Laboratory Freezer Market Chapter 4: Presenting the Laboratory Freezer Market Factor Analysis, Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis. Chapter 5: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region/Country 2015-2020 Chapter 6: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Laboratory Freezer Market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile Chapter 7: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by Manufacturers/Company with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions (2024-2030) Chapter 8 & 9: Displaying the Appendix, Methodology and Data Source finally, Laboratory Freezer Market is a valuable source of guidance for individuals and companies. Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://datainsightsmarket.com/report/laboratory-freezer-market-8619/checkout?type=corporate?utm_source=OpenPR/utm_medium=Rahul Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Middle East, Africa, Europe or LATAM, Southeast Asia. Contact Us: Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager) DiMarket Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ New Jersey USA - 08837 Phone: +1(201) 7937323, +1(201) 7937193 mailto:sales@archivemarketresearch.com sales@marketresearchforecast.com About Author: DiMarket is Global leaders of Market Research Industry provides the quantified B2B research to Fortune 500 companies on high growth emerging opportunities which will impact more than 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Our Analyst is tracking high growth study with detailed statistical and in-depth analysis of market trends & dynamics that provide a complete overview of the industry. 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Baker Mayfield, high-flying Bucs visit Chargers in matchup of teams with winning recordsFederal prosecutors moved to dismiss the criminal charges against President-elect Donald Trump that accused him of plotting to overturn the 2020 election and to abandon the classified documents case against him, citing longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. The decision by special counsel Jack Smith, who had fiercely sought to hold Mr Trump criminally accountable for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, represented the end of the federal effort against the former president following his election victory this month despite the election-related cases and multiple other unrelated criminal charges against him. The move, announced in court papers, marks the end of the Justice Department’s landmark effort to hold Mr Trump accountable for what prosecutors called a criminal conspiracy to cling to power in the run-up to his supporters’ attack on the US Capitol on January 6 2021. In court papers, prosecutors said the Justice Department’s position “is that the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated”. Mr Smith’s team emphasised that the move to abandon the prosecutions, in federal courts in Washington and Florida, was not a reflection of their view on the merits of the cases but rather a reflection of their commitment to longstanding department policy. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” the prosecutors wrote in Monday’s court filing in the election interference case. The decision was expected after Mr Smith’s team began assessing how to wind down both the 2020 election interference case and the separate classified documents case in the wake of Mr Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. The Justice Department believes Trump can no longer be tried in accordance with longstanding policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted. Mr Trump has cast both cases as politically motivated and has vowed to fire Mr Smith as soon as he takes office in January. The 2020 election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing the Republican as he vied to reclaim the White House. However, it quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Mr Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The US Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to US District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Mr Smith’s team filed a lengthy brief in October laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will over voters after he lost to President Joe Biden.None

Special counsel moves to dismiss election interference and classified documents cases against Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors moved to dismiss the criminal charges against President-elect Donald Trump that accused him of plotting to overturn the 2020 election and to abandon the classified documents case against him. In court filings on Monday, the prosecutors cited longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. The decision by Smith, who had fiercely sought to hold Trump criminally accountable for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, represented the end of the federal effort against the former president who firmly won election this month despite the election-related cases and multiple other unrelated criminal charges against him, and is headed back to the White House. Israel launches new airstrikes on Lebanon as leaders draw closer to ceasefire with Hezbollah BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli airstrikes are hitting Lebanon with airstrikes as negotiations progress toward a ceasefire between the country and Lebanon-based Hezbollah militants. Lebanon reported that at least 12 people were killed Monday as explosions lit up the sky and airstrikes hit targets in Beirut and Tyre, a southern port city. After about a year of exchanging low-level attacks across the Israel-Lebanon border with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, Israeli troops launched a ground invasion of Lebanon in October. More than 3,700 people have been killed and 1.2 million displaced since. The fighting has amplified worries about direct conflict between Israel and Iran. International mediators are seeking to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah to end the fighting. What's blocking a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah? BEIRUT (AP) — Diplomats and other officials say there have been several sticking points in ceasefire talks in the war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, even as conditions for an agreement appear to be ripe. Israel’s military has killed nearly all of the militant group’s top leaders. Tens of thousands of Israelis who were evacuated from the border months ago are pressuring their government to go home. And the world wants to stop regional conflict from spreading after more than a year of fighting. But there remain sticking points over how Hezbollah’s withdrawal from the border area will be monitored and whether Israel will have freedom to strike the militants. Thanksgiving Travel Latest: Airport strikes, staffing and weather could impact holiday travelers Airports and highways are expected to be jam-packed during Thanksgiving week, a holiday period likely to end with another record day for air travel in the United States. AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday, most of them by car. However, travelers could be impacted by ongoing weather challenges and those flying to their destinations could be grounded by delays brought on by airline staffing shortages and an airport service workers strike. Scuffles in Serbian parliament as deadly station collapse sparks anger at the government BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Scuffles and fistfights broke out between ruling party and opposition lawmakers in Serbia’s parliament on Monday over a deadly rail station roof collapse that has ignited tensions in the Balkan state. The opposition wanted to discuss who is responsible for the crash that killed 15 people in the northern city of Novi Sad on Nov. 1. The collapse has fueled widespread anger toward the government and protests, becoming a flashpoint for broader dissatisfaction with Serbia’s authoritarian rule. Should sex abuse evidence set the Menendez brothers free? A judge will decide LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge will decide whether new evidence warrants a re-examination of the convictions of Erik and Lyle Menendez in the shotgun murders of their parents in their Beverly Hills home more than 30 years ago. The court is holding a hearing Monday for a habeas corpus petition filed by the brothers' attorneys last May. The brothers were convicted of killing their parents Jose and Kitty Menendez in 1989 and sentenced to life without parole after prosecutors said they did it for money. Their defense attorneys say new evidence of sex abuse by their father should set them free. Supreme Court won’t hear challenge to graphic cigarette warning labels WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court won’t hear a challenge to a federal requirement that cigarette packages and advertising include graphic images demonstrating the effects of smoking. The high court declined to hear the case in a brief written order handed down Monday. The warnings include pictures of smoke-damaged lungs and feet blackened by diminished blood flow. Nearly 120 countries around the world have already adopted graphic warning labels. It’s not clear when new labels might appear in the U.S., however. Some legal claims remain and the FDA has said it doesn’t plan to enforce any new requirements until December 2025. Russia reportedly captures a Briton fighting for Ukraine as Russian troops advance Reports say the Russian military has captured a Briton fighting with Ukrainian troops who have occupied part of Russia’s Kursk region. Russia also began launching daylight drone attacks on civilian areas of Ukraine and its ground forces accelerated gains along parts of the front line. Russian state news agency Tass says the captured fighter was in the British army for four years and then joined the International Legion of Ukraine, formed early on in the nearly 3-year-old war. On the battlefield, a think tank says Russian forces recently have gained ground at “a significantly quicker rate” than they did in the whole of last year. Over 18,000 in Mexico register to run for Supreme Court seats and federal judges in new system MEXICO CITY (AP) — Over 18,000 people in Mexico have registered online to run for Supreme Court seats and federal judgeships in the country’s contentious new selection process. But officials say a random drawing in the end will determine who gets on the ballot. The ruling party pushed through a constitutional reform in September to make all federal judges stand for election, replacing the system where court employees and lawyers move up through the ranks. Current court employees and their supporters have staged dozens of demonstrations against the reforms, calling them part of a ruling-party campaign to eliminate independent regulatory and oversight bodies. So you're gathering with relatives whose politics are different. Here are some tips for the holidays NEW YORK (AP) — There’s no place like home for the holidays. And that may not necessarily be a good thing. In the wake of the presidential election, the upcoming marking of Thanksgiving and the ramp-up of the holiday season could be a boon for some - a respite from the events of the larger world in the gathering of family and loved ones, hours and even days spent with people who have played the largest roles in our lives, another chapter in a lifetime of memories.For others, though, that same scenario, particularly because of the polarizing presidential campaign, is something to dread, with the likelihood of disagreements, harsh words and raised voices looming large.

Is Enron back? If it’s a joke, some former employees aren’t laughingStock market today: Wall Street drifts to a mixed close even as S&P 500 ekes out another recordTexas' abortion pill lawsuit against New York doctor marks new challenge to interstate telemedicine Texas has sued a New York doctor for prescribing abortion pills to a Texas woman via telemedicine. It appears to be the first challenge in the U.S. to a state shield law that's intended to protect prescribers in Democratic-controlled states from being punished by states with abortion bans. Prescriptions like these, made online and over the phone, are a key reason that the number of abortions has increased across the U.S. even after state bans started taking effect. Most abortions in the U.S. involve pills rather than procedures. Anti-abortion groups are increasingly focusing on the rise of pills. Syrians cheer end of 50 years of Assad rule at first Friday prayers since government fell DAMASCUS (AP) — Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad, gathering in the capital’s historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule. The newly installed interim prime minister delivered the sermon at the Umayyad Mosque, declaring that a new era of “freedom, dignity and justice” was dawning for Syria. The gatherings illustrated the dramatic changes that have swept over Syria less than a week after insurgents marched into Damascus and toppled Assad. Amid the jubilation, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with allies around the region and called for an “inclusive and non-sectarian” interim government. US military flies American released from Syrian prison to Jordan, officials say WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military has brought an American who was imprisoned in Syria for seven months out of the country. That's according to two U.S. officials, who said Friday that Travis Timmerman has been flown to Jordan on a U.S. military helicopter. The 29-year-old Timmerman told The Associated Press earlier Friday he had gone to Syria on a Christian pilgrimage and was not ill-treated while in a notorious detention facility operated by Syrian intelligence. He said he was freed by “the liberators who came into the prison and knocked the door down (of his cell) with a hammer.” New Jersey governor wants more federal resources for probe into drone sightings TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has asked the Biden administration to put more resources into the ongoing investigation of mysterious drone sightings being reported in the state and other parts of the region. Murphy, a Democrat, made the request in a letter Thursday, noting that state and local law enforcement remain “hamstrung” by existing laws and policies in their efforts to successfully counteract any nefarious drone activity. Murphy and other officials say there is no evidence that the drones pose a national security or a public safety threat. A state lawmaker says up to 180 aircraft have been reported to authorities since Nov. 18. Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she 'sustained an injury' from fall on official trip to Luxembourg WASHINGTON (AP) — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been hospitalized after she “sustained an injury” during an official engagement in Luxembourg, according to a spokesman. Pelosi is 84. She was in Europe to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Her spokesman, Ian Krager, did not describe the nature of her injury or give any additional details, but a person familiar with the incident said that Pelosi tripped and fell while at an event with the other members of Congress. The person requested anonymity to discuss the fall because they were not authorized to speak about it publicly. Russia targets Ukrainian infrastructure with a massive attack by cruise missiles and drones KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia has launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia fired 93 cruise and ballistic missiles and almost 200 drones in Friday's bombardments. He says it is one of the heaviest bombardments of the country’s energy sector since Russia’s full-scale invasion almost three years ago. He says Ukrainian defenses shot down 81 missiles, including 11 cruise missiles that were intercepted by F-16 warplanes provided by Western allies earlier this year. Zelenskyy renewed his plea for international unity against Russian President Vladimir Putin. But uncertainty surrounds how the war might unfold next year. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end the war and has thrown into doubt whether vital U.S. military support for Kyiv will continue. Trump’s lawyers rebuff DA's idea for upholding his hush money conviction, calling it 'absurd' NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers are again urging a judge to throw out his hush money conviction. In a court filing Friday, they balked at the prosecution’s “absurd” idea for preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies before sentencing. The Manhattan district attorney’s office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to “pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in a blistering 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump’s lawyers filed paperwork earlier this month asking for the case to be dismissed. Some in seafood industry see Trump as fishermen's friend, but tariffs could make for pricier fish PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is likely to bring big changes to seafood, one of the oldest sectors of the U.S. economy. Some in the industry believe the returning president will be more responsive to its needs. Economic analysts paint a more complicated picture, as they fear Trump’s pending trade hostilities with major trading partners Canada and China could make an already pricy kind of protein more expensive. Conservationists also fear Trump’s emphasis on deregulation could jeopardize fish stocks already in peril. But many in the commercial fishing and seafood processing industries said they expect Trump to allow fishing in protected areas and crack down on offshore wind expansion. OpenAI's legal battle with Elon Musk reveals internal turmoil over avoiding AI 'dictatorship' A 7-year-old rivalry between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and best avoid an artificial intelligence ‘dictatorship’ is now heading to a federal judge as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker’s ongoing conversion into a for-profit company. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year. Musk has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. OpenAI is filing its response Friday. Paula Abdul settles lawsuit alleging sexual assault by 'American Idol' producer Nigel Lythgoe LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paula Abdul and former “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe have agreed to settle a lawsuit in which she alleged he sexually assaulted her in the early 2000s when she was a judge on the show. Abdul filed a notice of settlement in a Los Angeles court Thursday. The lawsuit filed nearly a year ago had also accused Lythgoe of sexually assaulting Abdul after she left “American Idol” and became a judge on Lythgoe’s other show “So You Think You Can Dance.” Lythgoe said at the time that the allegations were “an appalling smear.” Both sides said in statements Friday that they were glad to put the case behind them.

YourUpdateTV speaks with the Travelers Institute: Putting the Brakes on Distracted Driving

In a lengthy speech at the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C. think tank, on Tuesday, President Joe Biden forcefully defended his economic legacy and harshly criticized his successor. “Most economists agree the new administration is going to inherit a fairly strong economy, at least at the moment, an economy going through fundamental transformation,” Biden said. “It is my profound hope that the new administration will preserve and build on this progress. Like most great economic developments, this one is neither red nor blue, and America's progress is everyone's progress.” RELATED STORY | What impacts will a Trump presidency have on the economy? The president pointed specifically to record job growth during his tenure and an historically-low unemployment rate, as well as solid GDP performance, major investments in infrastructure and a soaring stock market. Most economists agree Biden’s term in office has coincided with a strong jobs market, and note the economic forecast remains bright – especially when contrasted to that of other peer nations, many of which have struggled to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. And yet, Americans by and large disapprove of Biden’s economic tenure, particularly the high costs of goods and services. Though inflation has fallen some, it remains higher than when the president took office and has become a frequent point of attack for Republicans critical of the Biden administration. RELATED STORY | Wealthier Americans are driving retail spending and powering US economy President-elect Donald Trump’s victory last month served in some was as a repudiation of the president’s so-called “Bidenomics” policies, with most voters telling pollsters they were dissatisfied with the state of the U.S. economy and Biden’s handling of the issue. Since Trump’s election, attitudes towards the economy have improved slightly, particularly among Republicans; according to research from Gallup, just eight percent of Republicans in October viewed economic conditions as getting better, compared to 30% last month. Biden himself seemed to acknowledge some missteps in selling his economic vision to Americans. “I also learned something from Donald Trump,” Biden said. “He signed checks for people for $7,400 bucks,” the president noted of the pandemic-era relief measures. Even though Biden approved similar relief efforts during his term, his name never appeared on American’s checks. “I didn't – stupid,” Biden conceded. RELATED STORY | Powell says Fed will likely cut rates cautiously given persistent inflation pressures Seeking to bolster Biden’s economic legacy, the White House on Tuesday launched a new website hailing the “Biden Economy,” featuring statistics about economic performance during his term and complimentary videos from his supporters. Biden’s speach, meanwhile, also served as a warning of sorts to his successor, with the president arguing against tax cuts for the wealthy and the notion that such benefits would “trickle down” to middle class Americans. “You can make as much money as you can, good for you, but everybody's got to be they pay their fair share,” Biden said. Trump has pledged to extend the tax cuts he signed into law in 2017, telling NBC News he intends to submit a tax package to Congress within his first 100 days in office. “They’re coming due and they’re very substantial for people,” Trump said of his 2017 cuts. “That’s what led us to one of the greatest economies ever.” RELATED STORY | Amid corporate layoffs, 36% of workforce turns to gig economy for alternative employment A report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office in December found that failing to extend those tax incentives would have a negligible impact on the economy, though Republicans are expected to pursue them and other business tax breaks after they retake both chambers of Congress next year. Trump has also promised to impose significant tariffs on the import of foreign goods from Mexico, Canada and China – despite economists’ and retailers’ warnings that will drive up consumer prices. Trump in the NBC interview said he couldn’t guarantee the move wouldn’t increase consumer costs, something Biden harshly refuted. “I believe we've proven that approach is a mistake over the past four years,” Biden said. “But we all know in time, we all know in time what will happen.”What we can VERIFY about Trump’s plan to use the military to support mass deportations

By JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has pledged a personal donation of $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund. This is just after Meta and Amazon also made similar commitments, marking a new dynamic in the relationship between the tech industry and the incoming administration. A spokesperson for OpenAI confirmed the donation on Friday, 13 December. Altman said he is backing the vision of President Trump stating, “President Trump will lead our country into the age of AI, and I am eager to support his efforts to ensure America stays ahead.” Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, had previously issued a statement pledging a $1 million donation itself. Amazon confirmed its pledge and announced plans to provide an in-kind contribution as well by live-streaming Trump’s inauguration on Prime Video, an offering estimated at another $1 million. Musk And Altman: An Escalating Feud While Altman is optimistic on Trump, he also told of his lawsuit against another rival, Elon Musk, the world’s richest individual. Trump tapped Musk for co-leading a newly constituted Department of Government Efficiency along with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. An advisory body meant to ensure that wasteful spending decreases and regulations are eased up in order to streamline governmental operations. Despite the professional differences, downplaying Musk’s growing influence in the administration, he said, ‘I am not that worried about Elon’s role. There’s enough room for multiple voices in shaping America’s future.'” Intersection Of Tech And Politics The tech industry’s support for Trump’s inaugural fund speaks to a larger effort to align with the new administration’s priorities. Altman’s donation, along with those from Meta and Amazon, reflects the sector’s recognition of artificial intelligence and technology as central to future economic growth and global competitiveness. With these high-profile contributions, the inauguration is shaping to be a landmark moment in tech’s influence in politics. Altman’s statement indicates his desire to partner with Trump’s administration for the U.S. to continue leading in AI innovations. ALSO READ | Deportation Looms For 18,000 Indians As Trump Tightens Border Laws

https www mnl777 net NoneBROOKFIELD, News, Nov. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (“BIP”) (NYSE: BIP; TSX: BIP.UN) today announced that the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) accepted a notice filed by BIP of its intention to renew its normal course issuer bid for its outstanding limited partnership units (“LP Units”) and its cumulative class A preferred limited partnership units (“Preferred Units”, and together with LP Units, “Units”). Brookfield Infrastructure Corporation (“BIPC”) (NYSE/TSX: BIPC) also today announced that the TSX accepted a notice filed by BIPC of its intention to renew its normal course issuer bid for its outstanding class A exchangeable subordinate voting shares (“Exchangeable Shares”). BIP and BIPC believe that the renewed normal course issuer bid will provide the flexibility to use available funds to purchase Units or Exchangeable Shares, as applicable, should they be trading in price ranges that do not fully reflect their value. Under BIP’s normal course issuer bid, the Board of Directors of the general partner of BIP authorized BIP to repurchase up to 5% of the issued and outstanding LP Units, or up to 23,088,572 LP Units. At the close of business on November 19, 2024, there were 461,771,450 LP Units issued and outstanding. Under BIP’s normal course issuer bid, it may repurchase up to 126,133 LP Units on the TSX during any trading day, which represents 25% of the average daily trading volume of 504,532 LP Units on the TSX for the six months ended October 31, 2024, calculated in accordance with the rules of the TSX. BIP currently has four series of Preferred Units outstanding and that trade on the TSX. Under BIP’s normal course issuer bid, BIP is authorized to repurchase up to 10% of the total public float of each series of Preferred Units as follows: Calculated as at November 19, 2024. For the 6 months ended October 31, 2024. In accordance with TSX rules, any daily repurchases with respect to each of the Series 1, Series 9 and Series 11 Preferred Units will be limited to 25% of the average daily trading volume on the TSX of the respective series and any daily repurchases with respect to the Series 3 Preferred Units will be limited to 1,000 Preferred Units. Under BIPC’s normal course issuer bid, the Board of Directors of BIPC authorized BIPC to repurchase up to 10% of the total public float of Exchangeable Shares, or up to 11,889,600 Exchangeable Shares. At the close of business on November 19, 2024, there were 132,029,368 Exchangeable Shares issued and outstanding and 118,896,006 Exchangeable Shares in the public float. Under BIPC’s normal course issuer bid, it may repurchase up to 46,896 Exchangeable Shares on the TSX during any trading day, which represents 25% of the average daily trading volume of 187,586 Exchangeable Shares on the TSX for the six months ended October 31, 2024, calculated in accordance with the rules of the TSX. Repurchases under each normal course issuer bid are authorized to commence on December 2, 2024 and each normal course issuer bid will terminate on December 1, 2025, or earlier should BIP or BIPC, as applicable, complete its repurchases under its respective normal course issuer bid prior to such date. Under BIP’s current normal course issuer bid that commenced on December 1, 2023 and expires on November 30, 2024, BIP previously sought and received approval from the TSX to repurchase up to 23,107,234 LP Units, 498,926 Series 1 Preferred Units, 498,586 Series 3 Preferred Units, 798,659 Series 9 Preferred Units and 993,619 Series 11 Preferred Units. BIP has not repurchased any Units under its current normal course issuer bid in the past twelve months. Under BIPC’s normal course issuer bid that commenced on December 1, 2023 and expires on November 30, 2024, BIPC previously sought and received approval from the TSX to repurchase up to 11,867,195 Exchangeable Shares. BIPC has not repurchased any Exchangeable Shares under its current normal course issuer bid in the past twelve months. Repurchases of Series 1, Series 3, Series 9 and Series 11 Preferred Units will be effected through the facilities of the TSX and/or alternative trading systems. Repurchases of LP Units and Exchangeable Shares will be effected through the facilities of the TSX, the NYSE and/or alternative trading systems. All Units and Exchangeable Shares acquired by BIP and BIPC, respectively, under the applicable normal course issuer bid will be cancelled. Repurchases will be subject to compliance with applicable United States federal securities laws, including Rule 10b-18 under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as well as applicable Canadian securities laws. BIP and BIPC intend to enter into automatic share purchase plans on or about the week of December 23, 2024 in relation to their respective normal course issuer bids. The automatic share purchase plans will allow for the purchase of Units or Exchangeable Shares, as applicable, subject to certain trading parameters, at times when BIP or BIPC ordinarily would not be active in the market due to its own internal trading blackout periods, insider trading rules or otherwise. Outside these periods, the Units or Exchangeable Shares will be repurchased in accordance with management’s discretion, subject to applicable law. About Brookfield Infrastructure Brookfield Infrastructure is a leading global infrastructure company that owns and operates high-quality, long-life assets in the utilities, transport, midstream and data sectors across the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe. We are focused on assets that have contracted and regulated revenues that generate predictable and stable cash flows. Investors can access its portfolio either through Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (NYSE: BIP; TSX: BIP.UN), a Bermuda-based limited partnership, or Brookfield Infrastructure Corporation (NYSE, TSX: BIPC), a Canadian corporation. Further information is available at https://bip.brookfield.com . Brookfield Infrastructure is the flagship listed infrastructure company of Brookfield Asset Management, a global alternative asset manager with over US$1 trillion of assets under management. For more information, go to https://brookfield.com . Contact Information Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The words “believes,” “may” or derivations thereof and other expressions which are predictions of or indicate future events, trends or prospects and which do not relate to historical matters identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding potential future repurchases by BIP of its Units and by BIPC of its Exchangeable Shares pursuant to their respective normal course issuer bids and, as applicable, automatic repurchase plans. Although BIP and BIPC believe that these forward-looking statements and information are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, the reader should not place undue reliance on them, or any other forward-looking statements or information in this news release. The future performance and prospects of BIP and BIPC are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results of BIP and BIPC to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by the statements in this news release include: general economic conditions; interest rate changes; availability of equity and debt financing; the performance of Units and Exchangeable Shares or the stock exchanges generally; and other risks and factors described in the documents filed by BIP and BIPC with securities regulators in Canada and the United States including under “Risk Factors” in BIP’s and BIPC’s most recent Annual Reports on Form 20-F and other risks and factors that are described therein. Except as required by law, BIP and BIPC undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.Avalanche play the Lightning on 3-game win streakMan Utd legend Sir Alex Ferguson, 82, finally loses long-standing Champions League record

Controversial social media star HSTikkyTokky has pulled out of his planned return to the ring with just hours until the bell. The Tik Tok sensation is one of the most popular personalities in the influencer boxing space, and was due to compete for the first time since August tomorrow in a short-notice bout. He was set to face Moziah ‘Mosai Warrior’ Pinder on the Misfits Boxing Super Card on Thursday in Qatar. The event features a massive headliner between AnEsonGib and Slim Albaher and a co-main between Beta Squad’s King Kenny and beloved Tik Tok star Salt Papi . HSTikkyTokky was due to be one of the biggest names on the card, but is now out of action. BEEF: YouTube boxer KSI feuds with former coach over claims he ‘destroyed’ AnEsonGib in early sparring session HSTikkyTokky sends crude message as he pulls out of fight hours before One of the most anticipated fights of the Misfits event in Qatar was announced last week on short notice as HSTikkyTokky was drafted in to fight the ‘Mosai Warrior’. The Brit, whose name is Harrison Sullivan, made his debut in August when he viciously knocked out George Fensom in Dublin. And he was set to return tomorrow night, until he suffered a shoulder injury that ruled him out of the event. He had missed the entirety of fight week due to a travel issue, but reportedly weighed in this morning before skipping ceremonial weigh-ins with his injury. Last minute medicals were undergone to try to make the fight happen, but HS now claims he was unable to make it happen. He shared the news in his own inimitable style on his backup Instagram page HSDubaiTokky late on Wednesday evening in Qatar. He posted a video with his girlfriend dining at Nobu, with the crude caption: “Quick nobu with @lillie_may6 in Qatar. Injured my shoulder strumming the narn too hard last night so can’t scrap tomorrow unfortunately, big love.” HSTikkyTokky’s opponent breaks his silence after fight appears to be cancelled Love Island star Moziah Pinder had been drafted in on short notice to face HS, marking the second time he would face a contestant from the popular British show. He showed up throughout fight week, and seems to be ready to fight on Thursday still. He shared a brief video to his Instagram story slamming Sullivan for not appearing at the fight week events, saying: “Harrison Sullivan, you need to stop this now, this princess movement that you’re doing, you need to stop this. “Turn up to fight me tomorrow, on paper you’re 1-0 against me. So you have the advantage, right? Turn up and fight me tomorrow. You need to stop this, you’re failing to turn up to basic things, how?” Mams Taylor gave health update on HSTikkyTokky hours before fight pullout Misfits Boxing boss Mams Taylor is one of Sullivan’s most outspoken fans. Many viewers compare his regular defence of the controversial star to Dana White’s at times comical relationship with Jon Jones, and he was eager to see his fellow Brit compete. But speaking with Pro Boxing Fans earlier on Wednesday evening, Taylor explained: “Honestly, he’s had a really, really bad injury and medical clearance is pending. But it doesn’t look good... I’d say it’s about 87.4 per cent chance he won’t fight.” The injury is undisclosed as yet, but Bloody Elbow understands that it is legitimate according to sources within the promotion. Who is Jake Paul? Get to know the YouTuber-turned-boxing sensation as he prepares to fight Mike TysonST. PAUL, Minn. — The emotion was written all over Ville Heinola’s face Monday as he prepared to play his first NHL game in more than 22 long — at times excruciatingly painful — months. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * ST. PAUL, Minn. — The emotion was written all over Ville Heinola’s face Monday as he prepared to play his first NHL game in more than 22 long — at times excruciatingly painful — months. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? ST. PAUL, Minn. — The emotion was written all over Ville Heinola’s face Monday as he prepared to play his first NHL game in more than 22 long — at times excruciatingly painful — months. “Every time you watch the team play you just want to get out there and it kills you inside when you can’t,” Heinola told the following the Winnipeg Jets morning skate at Xcel Energy Center. “I’m just happy it’s over now and I don’t have to worry about that.” The watching and waiting and worrying finally ended as Heinola was in the Jets lineup for the first time since Jan. 19, 2023, as they took on the Minnesota Wild. “It’s been a long journey for me, for sure,” said the 23-year-old smooth-skating, puck-moving defenceman, who was selected 20th overall in the 2019 NHL draft. “It’s been a struggle to get back and feel good. But now it feels great and I’m super excited to be back.” Heinola’s medical history is rather heartbreaking, given that he’s seen two golden opportunities vanish due to circumstances beyond his control. The first occurred during training camp in 2023, when an impressive preseason meant he had earned a spot not only on the 23-man roster, but in the opening-night lineup as well. However, a broken ankle suffered in the final preseason tune-up set the course for a series of unfortunate events that would severely test the young Finn physically and mentally. By the time he’d made a full recovery a few months later, the Jets were flying high with no room for him on a crowded, healthy blue line so Heinola spent the second half of the season with the Manitoba Moose, waiting for an opportunity that would never come. Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS files Jets defenceman Ville Heinola hit the ice with the big club in regular season action Monday for the first time in almost two years. Fast forward to 2024 training camp and, once again, the door was wide open. The Jets hadn’t re-signed free agents Brenden Dillon and Nate Schmidt, and Heinola was going to get a chance to play regular minutes. Before he could even get in an exhibition game, however, his surgically-repaired ankle developed an infection. The only remedy was to go back under the knife, which would cost Heinola two more months of action. “It’s been a long ride for him,” said Jets coach Scott Arniel. “But it is what it is. That’s why we said to him that he’s waited long enough. We wanted to get him a couple of quick games down with the Moose. Now it’s a case of he’s here, so go and show us what you can do. He’s pretty excited and I know he’s been waiting for this moment for a long time.” Heinola resumed skating a few weeks ago and agreed to a brief conditioning stint in the AHL, which culminated Saturday with him setting up the game-winning goal in the third period. “I think it helps a lot. Obviously, it’s been a while since I played with those guys. So just getting my legs and everything back the way it was,” said Heinola. “I feel like I had more power in my legs on Saturday. I think it takes a little bit to get back into game shape. But I’ve been working hard in the gym every single day, so I’m not really worried about my conditioning.” MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Heinola skates with the Moose in a school-day game on Thursday. For a change, Heinola’s timing couldn’t be better. His return comes after , sidelining him indefinitely. “Every time you see a guy go down it’s not a great feeling. For me, especially, I know how it is to not play and be out for a while,” said Heinola. “But I just hope he has a quick recovery and will be back soon.” Although Samberg and Heinola are very different players, the Jets were glad to have an injection of talent and youthful energy in their lineup. “The perseverance is incredible,” said defenceman Neal Pionk. “You see what he went through last year, you feel awful for him. There’s not a whole lot you can do. This year, you get all excited for him and you kind of look at things through his eyes and then he gets the bad news again in training camp and you just feel for him. I’m excited for him. You look at it as a bit of a morale boost.” Heinola took Samberg’s spot on the roster, but not immediately in the defence pairings. Haydn Fleury moved up to skate beside Pionk, while Heinola started Monday’s game with Colin Miller. “We’ve been talking a lot. Obviously, we haven’t played together yet. But he’s a great guy,” said Heinola. “He talks a lot, so it should make my job pretty easy to play with him. He’s obviously a great player. So I think we’re going to play pretty well together. Heinola could certainly find himself moving up the lineup, especially if he can show the form that has made him one of the best young defenceman in the AHL. “I just want to move him in slowly here, get him in the mix, get him feeling comfortable,” said Arniel. “Obviously, the pace is going to be even higher than it was on the weekend for him. He’s a mobile, real-good pass-first defenceman and we just want to get him comfortable, to get out there and feeling good and then we’ll see where it goes from there.” Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg (54) climbs over the boards and onto the bench after being injured in Saturday’s game against the Nashville Predators. There’s no timeline for Samberg’s return. His toughness was on display as he blocked the Steven Stamkos slap shot, then managed to pick himself up, continue the shift and even try to get in the way of another blast before limping back to the bench. “That’s how tough he is,” Pionk said of his blue-line partner. “Not only that, but he skated off the ice on his own power. With a broken bone in his foot. That’s no joke. It says a lot about him. He’s willing to do the little things for the team. He always has. That’s one of his specialties, shot-blocking, he’s a warrior.” Dylan Coghlan is the only other healthy defenceman on the roster right now. The right-shot journeyman was a healthy scratch for a 22nd consecutive game on Monday. Logan Stanley has been sidelined since Nov. 9 with a mid-body injury, but took another step in his recovery as he joined the Jets for morning skate, albeit in a yellow non-contact jersey. He’s not expected to be ready for at least another week. “We’re going to have to step up by committee,” said Pionk. mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the before joining the in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. . Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Jack Smith moved to abandon two criminal cases against Donald Trump on Monday, acknowledging that Trump’s return to the White House will preclude attempts to federally prosecute him for retaining classified documents or trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat. The decision was inevitable, since longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Yet it was still a momentous finale to an unprecedented chapter in political and law enforcement history, as federal officials attempted to hold accountable a former president while he was simultaneously running for another term. Trump emerges indisputably victorious, having successfully delayed the investigations through legal maneuvers and then winning reelection despite indictments that described his actions as a threat to the country's constitutional foundations. “I persevered, against all odds, and WON," Trump exulted in a post on Truth Social, his social media website. He also said that “these cases, like all of the other cases I have been forced to go through, are empty and lawless, and should never have been brought.” The judge in the election case granted prosecutors' dismissal request. A decision in the documents case was still pending on Monday evening. The outcome makes it clear that, when it comes to a president and criminal accusations, nothing supersedes the voters' own verdict. In court filings, Smith's team emphasized that the move to end their prosecutions was not a reflection of the merit of the cases but a recognition of the legal shield that surrounds any commander in chief. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” prosecutors said in one of their filings. They wrote that Trump’s return to the White House “sets at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: on the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law.” In this situation, “the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated,” they concluded. Smith’s team said it was leaving intact charges against two co-defendants in the classified documents case — Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira — because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” Steven Cheung, Trump's incoming White House communications director, said Americans “want an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and we look forward to uniting our country.” Trump has long described the investigations as politically motivated, and he has vowed to fire Smith as soon as he takes office in January. Now he will start his second term free from criminal scrutiny by the government that he will lead. The election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing Trump as he tried to reclaim the White House. He was indicted for plotting to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in 2020, an effort that climaxed with his supporters' violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But the case quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The U.S. Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Smith’s team in October filed a lengthy brief laying out new evidence it planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will of voters after he lost to Biden. In dismissing the case, Chutkan acknowledged prosecutors' request to do so “without prejudice,” raising the possibility that they could try to bring charges against Trump when his term is over. She wrote that is “consistent with the Government’s understanding that the immunity afforded to a sitting President is temporary, expiring when they leave office.” But such a move may be barred by the statute of limitations, and Trump may also try to pardon himself while in office. The separate case involving classified documents had been widely seen as legally clear cut, especially because the conduct in question occurred after Trump left the White House and lost the powers of the presidency. The indictment included dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally hoarding classified records from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and obstructing federal efforts to get them back. He has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. The case quickly became snarled by delays, with U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon slow to issue rulings — which favored Trump’s strategy of pushing off deadlines in all his criminal cases — while also entertaining defense motions and arguments that experts said other judges would have dispensed with without hearings. In May, she indefinitely canceled the trial date amid a series of unresolved legal issues before dismissing the case outright two months later. Smith’s team appealed the decision, but now has given up that effort. Trump faced two other state prosecutions while running for president. One of them, a New York case involving hush money payments, resulted in a conviction on felony charges of falsifying business records. It was the first time a former president had been found guilty of a crime. The sentencing in that case is on hold as Trump's lawyers try to have the conviction dismissed before he takes office, arguing that letting the verdict stand will interfere with his presidential transition and duties. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office is fighting the dismissal but has indicated that it would be open to delaying sentencing until Trump leaves office. Bragg, a Democrat, has said the solution needs to balance the obligations of the presidency with “the sanctity of the jury verdict." Trump was also indicted in Georgia along with 18 others accused of participating in a sprawling scheme to illegally overturn the 2020 presidential election there. Any trial appears unlikely there while Trump holds office. The prosecution already was on hold after an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. Four defendants have pleaded guilty after reaching deals with prosecutors. Trump and the others have pleaded not guilty. Associated Press writers Colleen Long, Michael Sisak and Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this story.

Israel cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza UMM AL-FAHM, Israel (AP) — In the year since the war in Gaza broke out, Israel's government has been cracking down on dissent among its Palestinian citizens. Authorities have charged Palestinians with “supporting terrorism” because of posts online or for demonstrating against the war. Activists and rights watchdogs say Palestinians have also lost jobs, been suspended from schools and faced police interrogations. Palestinians make up about 20% of Israel's population. Many feel forced to self-censor out of fear of being jailed and further marginalized in society. Others still find ways to dissent, but carefully. Israel's National Security Ministry counters that, “Freedom of speech is not the freedom to incite.” Israel says rabbi who went missing in the UAE was killed TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel says the body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates has been found, citing Emirati authorities. The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Sunday said Zvi Kogan was killed, calling it a “heinous antisemitic terror incident.” It said: “The state of Israel will act with all means to seek justice with the criminals responsible for his death." Kogan went missing on Thursday, and there were suspicions he had been kidnapped. His disappearance comes as Iran has been threatening to retaliate against Israel after the two countries traded fire in October. Israeli strike kills Lebanese soldier and wounds 18 as Hezbollah fires rockets at Israel BEIRUT (AP) — An Israeli strike on a Lebanese army center has killed one soldier and wounded 18 others. The Hezbollah militant group meanwhile fired around 160 rockets and other projectiles into northern and central Israel on Sunday, wounding at least five people. Israeli strikes have killed over 40 Lebanese troops since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah, even as Lebanon's military has largely kept to the sidelines. The Israeli military expressed regret over the strike, saying it occurred in an area of ongoing combat operations against Hezbollah. It said it does not target the Lebanese armed forces and that the strike is under review. The rising price of paying the national debt is a risk for Trump's promises on growth and inflation WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has big plans for the economy. He also has big debt problem that'll be a hurdle to delivering on those plan. Trump has bold ambitions on tax cuts, tariffs and other programs. But high interest rates and the price of repaying the federal government’s existing debt could limit what he’s able to do. The federal debt stands at roughly $36 trillion, and the spike in inflation after the pandemic has pushed up the government’s borrowing costs such that debt service next year will easily exceed spending on national security. After Trump's Project 2025 denials, he is tapping its authors and influencers for key roles WASHINGTON (AP) — During the campaign, President-elect Donald Trump had hailed what would become Project 2025 as a conservative roadmap for “exactly what our movement will do." Trump pulled an about-face when Project 2025 became a political liability. He denied knowing anything about the “ridiculous and abysmal” plans, even though some were written by his former aides and many allies. Now, after winning the 2024 election, Trump is stocking his second administration with key players in the effort he temporarily shunned. Trump has tapped Russell Vought for an encore as director of the Office of Management and Budget; Tom Homan, his former immigration chief, as “border czar;” and immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as deputy chief of policy. Forecasts warn of possible winter storms across US during Thanksgiving week WINDSOR, Calif. (AP) — Forecasters in the U.S. have warned of another round of winter weather that could complicate travel leading up to Thanksgiving. California is bracing for more snow and rain this weekend while still grappling with some flooding and small landslides from a previous storm. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for California's Sierra Nevada through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at high elevations. Thousands remained without power in the Seattle area on Saturday after a “bomb cyclone” storm system hit the West Coast earlier in the week, killing two people. Parts of the Northeast and Appalachia also began the weekend with heavy precipitation. Pakistan partially stops mobile and internet services ahead of pro-Imran Khan protest ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan has suspended mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns” as supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan gear up for a protest in the capital. The government and Interior Ministry made the announcement on X, which is banned in Pakistan. Sunday's protest is to demand Khan's release. He has been in prison for more than a year but remains popular. His supporters rely heavily on social media and messaging apps to coordinate with each other. Pakistan has already sealed off Islamabad and shut down major roads and highways connecting the city with Khan's power bases. Here's what to know about the new funding deal that countries agreed to at UN climate talks BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — In the wee hours Sunday at the United Nations climate talks, countries from around the world reached an agreement on how rich countries can cough up the funds to support poor countries in the face of climate change. But it’s a far-from-perfect arrangement, with many parties still unsatisfied but hopeful that the deal will be a step in the right direction. Japan holds Sado mines memorial despite South Korean boycott amid lingering historical tensions SADO, Japan (AP) — Japan has held a memorial ceremony near the Sado Island Gold Mines despite a last-minute boycott of the event by South Korea that highlighted tensions between the neighbors over the brutal wartime use of Korean laborers. South Korea’s absence at Sunday’s memorial, to which Seoul government officials and Korean victims’ families were invited, is a major setback in the rapidly improving ties between the countries. The Sado mines were listed in July as a UNESCO World Heritage Site after Japan moved past years of disputes with South Korea and reluctantly acknowledged the mines’ dark history. Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83 NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery’s podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. He teamed up with Young for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and became a full supporter Donald Trump.

NJIT defeats Morehead State 78-69Timothy Liljegren was traded to San Jose because he didn't impress Craig Berube and have a spot on the team, and now we have a better idea why. When Toronto decided to send Timothy Liljegren to the San Jose Sharks earlier this season, it was mainly due to his inability to find a consistent roster spot, though he didn't do too much to impress head coach Craig Berube. Often a healthy scratch and eschewed in favor of other defensemen, Liljegren was traded to San Jose for a 3rd and 6th round pick and defenseman Matt Benning , who is currently with the Toronto Marlies. So far Liljegren has seemed to relish in his new home, as he's blocking a lot of shots and hitting more, but he's still not scoring, with only one goal and no assists, but is part of a struggling Sharks team he's still finding his footing. However, there could be more than just a lack of a roster spot for Liljegren, and it might have had to do with the fact they had much better shutdown defenders at their disposal. Toronto Maple Leafs ' Revamped Defense If Liljegren was hoping for a spot, he should have talked to his former GM before he went on a spending spree. In came Chris Tanev, Oliver Eman-Larsson, and Jani Hakanpaa to shore up the defense and they've certainly made an impact. Toronto is letting in the fourth least amount of goals this season with only 2.48, and while a lot of it has to do with their goaltending, the defense deserves just as much credit. Jake McCabe has started to emerge as a true shutdown defender beside Chris Tanev, Conor Timmins is quietly becoming one of Toronto's most dependable players, and OEL has looked ten years younger. Kudos to Brad Treliving for going out to get a clear need and not only fill any holes but create a brick wall out of nowhere. Tanev is on pace to shatter the single-season blocks record and is a huge reason why Toronto keeps themselves in games. With how good Toronto got with free agents coming in, and with other acquisitions coming in and proving themselves, the writing was on the wall for Liljegren. FAQ: Timothy Liljegren's True Reason For Being Traded Q1: Who did Timothy Liljegren get traded for? A1: Timothy Liljegren was traded to the San Jose for defenseman Matt Benning as well as a third and sixth round pick. Q2: Why did Timothy Liljegren get traded to San Jose? A2: Timothy Liljegren was traded to San Jose because Toronto added other free agents to play defense at a more elite rate than Liljegren, and other defenseman have emerged as better options for the Maple Leafs In closing, Timothy Liljegren really had no spot with the Maple Leafs due to their free agent signings and focus on a revamped defense, coupled with the fact their other stars picked things up, and Liljegren failed to impress. This article first appeared on Hockey Patrol and was syndicated with permission.

PC Wizard relocates, opens shop on Main StreetDomo ( NASDAQ:DOMO – Get Free Report ) and Xiao-I ( NASDAQ:AIXI – Get Free Report ) are both small-cap computer and technology companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, analyst recommendations, risk, earnings, dividends and institutional ownership. Profitability This table compares Domo and Xiao-I’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Risk & Volatility Domo has a beta of 2.43, meaning that its share price is 143% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Xiao-I has a beta of 3.38, meaning that its share price is 238% more volatile than the S&P 500. Insider and Institutional Ownership Valuation and Earnings This table compares Domo and Xiao-I”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Xiao-I has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Domo. Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for Domo and Xiao-I, as provided by MarketBeat. Domo currently has a consensus target price of $9.60, suggesting a potential upside of 1.59%. Given Domo’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Domo is more favorable than Xiao-I. Summary Domo beats Xiao-I on 7 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks. About Domo ( Get Free Report ) Domo, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates a cloud-based business intelligence platform in North America, Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and Japan. Its platform digitally connects from the chief executive officer to the frontline employee with the various people, data, and systems in an organization, as well as giving them access to real-time data and insights, and allowing them to manage business via various browsers and visualization engines accessible across laptops, TV screens, monitors, tablets, and smartphones. The company was formerly known as Domo Technologies, Inc. and changed its name to Domo, Inc. in December 2011. Domo, Inc. was incorporated in 2010 and is headquartered in American Fork, Utah. About Xiao-I ( Get Free Report ) Xiao-I Corporation, through its subsidiary, Shanghai Xiao-i Robot Technology Co., Ltd., provides software services in the People’s Republic of China. It offers conversational AI platform that uses deep learning, data enhancement, active learning technologies for dialog management, context processing mechanisms, and driven by a learning system; knowledge fusion platform which integrates Q&A, documents, multimedia, information forms, business processes, knowledge graphs, and multimodal; intelligence voice platform to enhance intelligent speech solutions, realizing the macro processes of intelligent IVP, intelligent outbound calls, speech analysis, agent assistance, and human-computer interaction; and hyperautomation platform that integrates technologies, such as OCR, NLP, and visualized data mining and analysis that enables users to realize business and process automation. The company also provides data intelligence platform which integrates data assets, manages the entire life cycle of data that realizes the entire cycles of data integration, processing, transformation, analysis, and mining; cloud platform that integrates NLP, speech recognition, image recognition, and data analysis capabilities; and intelligent construction support platform which offers parsing, reconstruction, visualization, and multi-dimensional analysis of construction drawings. In addition, it offers vision analysis platform that uses various computer vision-related technologies to apply OCR, detection, video, and image analysis; intelligent hardware support platform which provides the framework of signal collection, processing, analysis, prediction, and others; and metaverse platform that develops virtual digital human. It serves its products to large and medium-sized contact centers, financial institutions, communication operators, government services, industrial manufacturing, medical care, and others. The company was incorporated in 2018 and is based in Shanghai, China. Receive News & Ratings for Domo Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Domo and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Tafara Gapare scored 19 points, freshman Derik Queen had 15 points and eight rebounds and Maryland beat Bucknell 91-67 on Wednesday night. Maryland opened the game on a 15-2 run, extended it to 25-7 with 10:38 left and led 51-28 at the break. The Terrapins led by at least 16 points the entire second half, which included runs of 12-0 and 9-0. Gapare scored the 10 straight points during the second-half run. Gapare threw down a highlight dunk while being fouled with 2:08 remaining to give Maryland an 89-62 lead. He was called for a technical foul after stepping over Patrick O’Brien, who was attempting to take a charge. Jayden Williams made the two free throws for Bucknell and Gapare missed his free-throw attempt that would have tied his career high of 20 points. Maryland (6-1) has won 20 consecutive home games against unranked nonconference foes with its last loss coming on Dec. 1, 2021, against Virginia Tech in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Julian Reese added 14 points and Selton Miguel scored 13 for Maryland. Gapare, a Georgia Tech transfer, reached double-figure scoring as a Terp for the first time. The Terrapins shot 50% from the field with three 3-pointers apiece by Gapare and Miguel. Ruot Bijiek led Bucknell (4-4) with 20 points and Josh Bascoe added 10. The Bison turned it over 20 times leading to 22 Maryland points. Maryland stays at home to play Alcorn State on Sunday. Bucknell returns home to play Siena on Saturday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketballChief Executive Officer (CEO) of COMEX, Amar A. Babood during his recent visit to Pakistan, underscored the importance of strengthening the economic and cultural ties between Oman and Pakistan. In an interview with APP, Babood emphasized the shared history, culture, and potential that bind the two nations and also focussed on expanding trade, business interactions, and collaborative initiatives, “This is my first visit to Pakistan, and I’ve had the opportunity to visit both Karachi and Islamabad,” said Babood. “We are close neighbors, with just an hour’s distance from Karachi, and we share a deep connection in history, society, and culture. We have been following Pakistan’s developments closely, and now, we are looking to deepen our business and diplomatic relations.” COMEX, one of Oman’s leading organizations in the ICT sector, has long been eyeing Pakistan for its untapped market potential. The two countries, despite having a robust cultural connection, have seen relatively low trade volumes, which Babood believes is an area ripe for growth. “Oman and Pakistan have a lot to offer each other,” he added. “There is great potential, particularly in sectors like ICT, where Pakistan has impressive expertise. Oman’s Vision 2040 underscores the importance of working closely with global partners to unlock these opportunities, and we are eager to explore ways we can collaborate with Pakistan.” Oman is already working closely with the Pakistani Embassy in Muscat to facilitate business-to-business interactions, with a focus on expanding trade in key areas such as ICT, agriculture, and tourism. Babood also highlighted the ongoing GCC-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement negotiations, which are expected to create new avenues for bilateral trade and investment. “Oman is committed to fostering an environment of open trade and business. With the introduction of policies like 100% foreign ownership in certain sectors, we are positioning ourselves as an attractive destination for global investors,” Babood said. “In Pakistan, we see a unique opportunity to tap into a vast and growing market, especially with its strong agricultural and tourism sectors. We are also exploring joint ventures that will benefit both countries.” During his trip, Babood attended the IDEAS Expo 2024, where he interacted with Pakistani ministers for Energy, Science and Technology, as well as various entrepreneurs. The event provided valuable insights into new business trends, especially in sectors like AgriTech, which Babood sees as a key area for future cooperation. “Pakistan is making significant strides in AgriTech, and Oman can learn a great deal from these innovations,” he remarked. “Likewise, Oman’s tourism sector is evolving rapidly, with a growing emphasis on sustainable tourism and the protection of indigenous culture. There’s potential for collaboration in cultural tourism, which will benefit both our nations.” Oman is also increasingly focused on green energy, particularly solar power and green hydrogen, as part of its commitment to renewable energy. Babood mentioned that while Oman is a late developer in the renewable energy sector, it has made substantial progress in solar energy and is now prioritizing green hydrogen as a critical area of focus. “We believe that green hydrogen will play a major role in the future of energy, and Oman is keen to explore this sector further,” he explained. “Our investment tools are designed to make it easier for businesses to enter these emerging sectors, which will contribute to both national and regional sustainability goals.” Looking ahead, Babood reaffirmed Oman’s strategic role in fostering cooperation across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and beyond. He pointed out that Oman’s diplomatic ties with various nations, including Egypt and Qatar, allow it to play a vital role in resolving regional conflicts and fostering peace. “As a nation, Oman values its neutrality and diplomatic relations. We are proud to be a bridge between nations, fostering peace, stability, and prosperity in the region,” Babood concluded. “We look forward to continued cooperation with Pakistan, as we work together to realize the untapped potential in trade, business, and culture.” COMEX is a leading Omani company specializing in information and communication technology (ICT). With a focus on fostering innovation and digital transformation, COMEX is committed to building bridges between businesses and governments to drive economic growth and technological advancement in Oman and beyond.

Avalanche play the Lightning on 3-game win streakMT Democrats project confidence in Medicaid expansion passageEmpowered Funds LLC Acquires 487 Shares of Science Applications International Co. (NYSE:SAIC)

PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) — CJ Happy had 18 points in Princeton's 99-63 victory over Nazareth on Wednesday night. Happy had five rebounds for the Tigers (6-3). Peyton Seals scored 16 points while going 5 of 10 from the floor, including 3 for 6 from 3-point range, and 3 for 3 from the line and added five rebounds and five assists. Jack Stanton shot 4 for 5 from beyond the arc to finish with 12 points. Merritt Holly finished with 14 points for the Golden Flyers. Tyler Putney added 11 points for Nazareth. Jaylen Savage finished with 10 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Chase Bitcoin At All-Time Highs? Absolutely Yes

PRINCETON, N.J., Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clearway Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CWEN, CWEN.A) ("Company”) today announced that it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire the operational Tuolumne Wind Project from Turlock Irrigation District. Tuolumne Wind Project is a 137 MW wind project located in Klickitat County, WA that achieved commercial operations in 2009. The project will sell power under a new PPA with Turlock Irrigation District, an investment-grade regulated entity, with an initial contract term of 15 years to 2040. In conjunction with the acquisition, the Company also has received from Turlock Irrigation District a contractual extension option to enable a potential future repowering of the project. After factoring in estimated closing adjustments and new non-recourse project-level debt, the Company expects its total long-term corporate capital commitment to acquire the project to be approximately $70-75 million, which the Company expects to fund with existing sources of liquidity. Based on current expected terms and conditions of the new non-recourse financing, the acquisition is expected to provide incremental annual levered asset CAFD on a five-year average basis of approximately $9 million beginning January 1, 2026. The Company expects the transaction to close in the first quarter of 2025, after which its targeted contribution to fiscal year 2025 results will be communicated. "Clearway continues its successful track record of executing accretive, third-party acquisitions. We look forward to providing clean, reliable electricity to Turlock Irrigation District and its customers for years to come. Additionally, this transaction, along with other recent investments, underscores Clearway's expanding presence in Western states alongside our historical core in California, contributing further to our strong incumbency in these attractive markets for clean power,” said Craig Cornelius, Clearway Energy, Inc.'s President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are also pleased to note that this acquisition is the next step in our path to meeting our long-term financial objectives, including our goal to deliver the midpoint or better of $2.40 to $2.60 in CAFD per share in 2027.” About Clearway Energy, Inc. Clearway Energy, Inc. is one of the largest owners of clean energy generation assets in the US and is leading the transition to a world powered by clean energy. Our portfolio comprises approximately 11.7 GW of gross capacity in 26 states, including 9 GW of wind, solar, and battery energy storage and over 2.7 GW of conventional dispatchable power capacity providing critical grid reliability services. Through our diversified and primarily contracted clean energy portfolio, Clearway Energy endeavors to provide our investors with stable and growing dividend income. Clearway Energy, Inc.'s Class C and Class A common stock are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols CWEN and CWEN.A, respectively. Clearway Energy, Inc. is sponsored by our controlling investor, Clearway Energy Group LLC. For more information, visit investor.clearwayenergy.com. Safe Harbor Disclosure This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and typically can be identified by the use of words such as "expect,” "estimate,” "target," "anticipate,” "forecast,” "plan,” "outlook,” "believe” and similar terms. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding, Clearway Energy, Inc.'s (the "Company's”) dividend expectations and its operations, its facilities and its financial results, statements regarding the likelihood, terms, timing and/or consummation of the transactions described above, the potential benefits, opportunities, and results with respect to the transactions, including the Company's future relationship and arrangements with Global Infrastructure Partners, TotalEnergies, and Clearway Energy Group (collectively and together with their affiliates, "Related Persons”), as well as the Company's Net Income, Adjusted EBITDA, Cash from Operating Activities, Cash Available for Distribution, the Company's future revenues, income, indebtedness, capital structure, strategy, plans, expectations, objectives, projected financial performance and/or business results and other future events, and views of economic and market conditions. Although the Company believes that the expectations are reasonable at this time, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct, and actual results may vary materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated above include, among others, the Company's ability to maintain and grow its quarterly dividend, impacts related to COVID-19 (including any variant of the virus) or any other pandemic, risks relating to the Company's relationships with its sponsors, the failure to identify, execute or successfully implement acquisitions or dispositions (including receipt of third party consents and regulatory approvals), risks related to hazards customary in the power industry, weather conditions, including wind and solar performance, the Company's ability to operate its businesses efficiently, manage maintenance capital expenditures and costs effectively, and generate earnings and cash flows from its asset-based businesses in relation to its debt and other obligations, the willingness and ability of counterparties to the Company's offtake agreements to fulfill their obligations under such agreements, the Company's ability to enter into new contracts as existing contracts expire, changes in government regulations, operating and financial restrictions placed on the Company that are contained in the project-level debt facilities and other agreements of the Company and its subsidiaries, and cyber terrorism and inadequate cybersecurity. Furthermore, any dividends are subject to available capital, market conditions, and compliance with associated laws and regulations. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The Cash Available for Distribution are estimates as of today's date and are based on assumptions believed to be reasonable as of this date. The Company expressly disclaims any current intention to update such guidance. The foregoing review of factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements included in this news release should be considered in connection with information regarding risks and uncertainties that may affect the Company's future results included in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. In addition, the Company makes available free of charge at www.clearwayenergy.com, copies of materials it files with, or furnishes to, the Securities and Exchange Commission. Contacts: Appendix Table A-1: Adjusted EBITDA and Cash Available for Distribution Reconciliation The following table summarizes the calculation of Estimated Cash Available for Distribution and provides a reconciliation to Net Income/(Loss): Non-GAAP Financial Information EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, and Cash Available for Distribution (CAFD) are non-GAAP financial measures. These measurements are not recognized in accordance with GAAP and should not be viewed as an alternative to GAAP measures of performance. The presentation of non-GAAP financial measures should not be construed as an inference that Clearway Energy's future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. EBITDA represents net income before interest (including loss on debt extinguishment), taxes, depreciation and amortization. EBITDA is presented because Clearway Energy considers it an important supplemental measure of its performance and believes debt and equity holders frequently use EBITDA to analyze operating performance and debt service capacity. EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation, or as a substitute for analysis of our operating results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations are: Adjusted EBITDA is presented as a further supplemental measure of operating performance. Adjusted EBITDA represents EBITDA adjusted for mark-to-market gains or losses, non-cash equity compensation expense, asset write offs and impairments; and factors which we do not consider indicative of future operating performance such as transition and integration related costs. The reader is encouraged to evaluate each adjustment and the reasons Clearway Energy considers it appropriate for supplemental analysis. As an analytical tool, Adjusted EBITDA is subject to all of the limitations applicable to EBITDA. In addition, in evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, the reader should be aware that in the future Clearway Energy may incur expenses similar to the adjustments in this news release. Management believes Adjusted EBITDA is useful to investors and other users of our financial statements in evaluating our operating performance because it provides them with an additional tool to compare business performance across companies and across periods. This measure is widely used by investors to measure a company's operating performance without regard to items such as interest expense, taxes, depreciation and amortization, which can vary substantially from company to company depending upon accounting methods and book value of assets, capital structure and the method by which assets were acquired. Additionally, Management believes that investors commonly adjust EBITDA information to eliminate the effect of restructuring and other expenses, which vary widely from company to company and impair comparability. As we define it, Adjusted EBITDA represents EBITDA adjusted for the effects of impairment losses, gains or losses on sales, non-cash equity compensation expense, dispositions or retirements of assets, any mark-to-market gains or losses from accounting for derivatives, adjustments to exclude gains or losses on the repurchase, modification or extinguishment of debt, and any extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring items plus adjustments to reflect the Adjusted EBITDA from our unconsolidated investments. We adjust for these items in our Adjusted EBITDA as our management believes that these items would distort their ability to efficiently view and assess our core operating trends. In summary, our management uses Adjusted EBITDA as a measure of operating performance to assist in comparing performance from period to period on a consistent basis and to readily view operating trends, as a measure for planning and forecasting overall expectations and for evaluating actual results against such expectations, and in communications with our Board of Directors, shareholders, creditors, analysts and investors concerning our financial performance. Cash Available for Distribution A non-GAAP measure, Cash Available for Distribution is defined as of September 30, 2024 as Adjusted EBITDA plus cash distributions/return of investment from unconsolidated affiliates, cash receipts from notes receivable, cash distributions from noncontrolling interests, adjustments to reflect sales-type lease cash payments and payments for lease expenses, less cash distributions to noncontrolling interests, maintenance capital expenditures, pro-rata Adjusted EBITDA from unconsolidated affiliates, cash interest paid, income taxes paid, principal amortization of indebtedness, changes in prepaid and accrued capacity payments, and adjusted for development expenses. Management believes CAFD is a relevant supplemental measure of the Company's ability to earn and distribute cash returns to investors. We believe CAFD is useful to investors in evaluating our operating performance because securities analysts and other interested parties use such calculations as a measure of our ability to make quarterly distributions. In addition, CAFD is used by our management team for determining future acquisitions and managing our growth. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to CAFD is cash provided by operating activities. However, CAFD has limitations as an analytical tool because it does not include changes in operating assets and liabilities and excludes the effect of certain other cash flow items, all of which could have a material effect on our financial condition and results from operations. CAFD is a non-GAAP measure and should not be considered an alternative to cash provided by operating activities or any other performance or liquidity measure determined in accordance with GAAP, nor is it indicative of funds available to fund our cash needs. In addition, our calculations of CAFD are not necessarily comparable to CAFD as calculated by other companies. Investors should not rely on these measures as a substitute for any GAAP measure, including cash provided by operating activities.$15m maritime hub opens to boost Pacific Blue Economy(The Center Square) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom said if President-elect Donald Trump ends the $7,500 electric vehicle rebate program, he’ll get Californians to pay for new credits. However, the credits would not include Tesla, which is the most popular EV company and the only EV manufacturer in the state. This comes weeks after Newsom and his administration passed new refinery and carbon credit regulations that will add up to $1.15 per gallon of gasoline and require Californians with gasoline-powered cars to earn up to another $1,000 per year in pretax income to afford. “We will intervene if the Trump Administration eliminates the federal tax credit, doubling down on our commitment to clean air and green jobs in California,” said Newsom in a statement. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose rocket launches were recently blocked by a California regulatory board that cited his personal politics, shared his disapproval on his social media platform, X, after Newsom staff told Bloomberg that Tesla models would not qualify for California rebates. “Even though Tesla is the only company who manufactures their EVs in California,” said Musk. “This is insane.” Musk recently moved SpaceX and X out of California, citing a new law signed by Newsom banning parental notification for gender change requests from K-12 students. The credits would be paid for through California’s cap-and-trade program, which requires carbon emitters to purchase credits from the state — costs which are generally passed on to consumers in the form of more expensive gasoline, energy, and even concrete. Emitters buy a few billion dollars worth of credits from California each year, with the state’s $135 billion high speed rail project getting the lion’s share of the revenue. The California Resources Board — all but two of whose voting members are appointed by the governor — recently approved $105 billion in EV charging credits and $8 billion in hydrogen charging credits to be largely paid for by drivers of gas cars and diesel trucks. An investigation by The Center Square found the change was pushed by EV makers and the builders of EV charging systems. Buyers of EV chargers, who pay for the energy and own the charger, sign installation contracts that permanently give away their rights to government or other EV charging credits generated from fueling a vehicle with electrons instead of gasoline. These chargers are often bundled with the purchase of an EV, or covered entirely by utility or government rebates, meaning they are permanent, zero-or-low-cost revenue streams for the company collecting the credits.

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Colorado Avalanche (12-9, in the Central Division) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (10-7-2, in the Atlantic Division) Tampa, Florida; Monday, 7 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche are looking to extend a three-game win streak with a victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa Bay has a 10-7-2 record overall and a 6-2-1 record in home games. The Lightning have scored 68 total goals (3.6 per game) to rank 10th in NHL play. Colorado is 12-9 overall and 6-3-0 on the road. The Avalanche have an 8-5-0 record in games they have fewer penalties than their opponent. The teams play Monday for the second time this season. The Lightning won 5-2 in the previous matchup. Anthony Cirelli led the Lightning with two goals. TOP PERFORMERS: Nikita Kucherov has 11 goals and 17 assists for the Lightning. Emil Martinsen Lilleberg has scored goals over the past 10 games. Nathan MacKinnon has scored seven goals with 28 assists for the Avalanche. Sam Malinski has over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Lightning: 4-4-2, averaging 3.4 goals, six assists, 3.4 penalties and 9.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game. Avalanche: 7-3-0, averaging 3.5 goals, 6.2 assists, 2.9 penalties and 5.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game. INJURIES: Lightning: None listed. Avalanche: None listed. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

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Stock markets in both A-share and Hong Kong Stock Exchange witnessed a sweeping rise as over 5300 individual stocks surged on a single day. The bullish sentiment swept across the markets, pushing both indices to soar to new heights.

New Syrian de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa told the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television channel that he wants relations with Iran and Russia, but he insisted any ties must be based on mutual "respect." Russia and Iran were major allies of Syria under the regime of President Bashar al-Assad until the totalitarian leader was ousted by rebels in early December. The West is closely watching the new ruler's actions, including the depth of any future ties with Tehran and Moscow. "Syria cannot continue without relations with an important regional country like Iran," Sharaa told Al Arabiya in a wide-ranging interview on December 29. But relations "must be based on respect for the sovereignty of both countries and noninterference in the affairs of both countries," he added. Sharaa urged Tehran to rethink its regional policies and interventions and pointed out that opposition forces protected Iranian positions during the fighting to oust Assad, even though rebels knew Iran was a major backer of the president. Sharaa said he had expected positive overtures from Iran following these actions but said they have not been forthcoming. Sharaa, previously known by the nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, said that while he expects Moscow to withdraw its forces from Syria, he also spoke of "deep strategic interests" with the "second most powerful country in the world." "We don't want Russia to exit Syria in a way that undermines its relationship with our country,” he told Al-Arabiya, without providing details. "All of Syria's arms are of Russian origin, and many power plants are managed by Russian experts.... We do not want Russia to leave Syria in the way that some wish," he said. According to flight data analyzed by RFE/RL, Russia is reducing its military footprint in Syria and shifting some of its assets from the Middle Eastern country to Africa. To offset the potential loss of its air base in Hmeimim and naval base in Tartus, Russia appears to be increasing its presence in Libya, Mali, and Sudan, although experts say the loss of Syrian bases is a major blow to the Kremlin. Meanwhile, Sharaa also said that organizing elections in the country could take up to four years and that a new constitution could require three years to be finalized. The leader expressed hope that the new U.S. administration under Donald Trump -- set to take office on January 20 -- would lift sanctions on his country. "We hope the incoming Trump administration will not follow the policy of its predecessor," Sharaa said. The rebels who ousted Assad were led by Sharaa's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Islamist group, a U.S. and EU-designated terrorist organization. Sharaa has publicly pledged to adopt moderate policies regarding women's rights, national reconciliation, and relations with the international community, although world leaders say they remain wary of the new rulers pending concrete actions. Italy’s Foreign Ministry said journalist Cecilia Sala, who was in Iran to carry out "journalistic activities," has been detained by Tehran police authorities. The ministry said in a statement on December 27 that Sala, who has a podcast called Stories that covers life in places around the world, was detained on December 19. It gave no reason for the detention, but said in a statement that the ambassador from Italy's embassy in Tehran had paid a consular visit "to verify the conditions and state of detention of Sala." "The family was informed of the results of the consular visit. Previously, Sala had the opportunity to make two phone calls with her relatives," it said. Sala posted a podcast from Tehran on December 17 about patriarchy in the Iranian capital. Iran is routinely accused of arresting dual nationals and Western citizens on false charges to use them to pressure Western countries. Earlier this month, Reza Valizadeh , a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen and former journalist for RFE/RL's Radio Farda, was handed a 10-year sentence by Tehran's Revolutionary Court on charges of "collaborating with a hostile government." Valizadeh resigned from Radio Farda in November 2022 after a decade of work. He returned to Iran in early 2024 to visit his family but was arrested on September 22. His two court sessions, held on November 20 and December 7, reportedly lacked a prosecution representative, with the judge assuming that role. Sources close to the journalist claim he fell into a "security trap" despite receiving unofficial assurances from Iranian security officials that he would not face legal troubles upon returning to Iran. Iran is among the most repressive countries in terms of freedom of the press. Reporters Without Borders ranked Iran 176th out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index. The Paris-based media watchdog says Iran is now also one of the world’s biggest jailers of journalists. Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian is scheduled to travel to Russia on January 17, state-controlled media in Iran and Russia reported on December 26. Quoting Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali, Iran's Tasnim news agency said that “the president will visit Russia on January 17 and a cooperation agreement between the two countries will be signed during the visit." Russia and Iran both are under severe financial sanctions imposed by Western nations and have stepped up bilateral cooperation on many fronts in recent years. The West has accused Iran of providing weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine. Tehran has denied the allegations despite evidence widespread use of Iranian-made drones in the war. Israel carried out large-scale air strikes on the main airport in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on December 26 as it steps up attacks on the Iranian-backed Huthi rebels in what Tehran called a “violation” of peace and security. Huthi rebels said three people were killed and 14 were injured or missing following the Israeli attacks on the airport and other sites in Yemen, including port facilities. "Fighter jets conducted intelligence-based strikes on military targets belonging to the Huthi terrorist regime on the western coast and inland Yemen," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. The attacks followed recent rocket launches by the Huthi fighters against the Tel Aviv area, although little damage was reported. The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli strikes on Yemen, calling them "aggressions" that it claimed were "a clear violation of international peace and security." It said they represented "an undeniable crime against the heroic and noble people of Yemen," who had "not spared any effort to support the oppressed people of Palestine." The Israeli military has said air strikes in Yemen are targeting Huthi sites that have been used to receive Iranian weapons, which are then often transported to other Tehran-linked groups in the Mideast -- mainly Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hamas has been designated a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union, while Hezbollah has also been deemed a terrorist group by Washington. The EU blacklists its military arm but not its political wing. The U.S. State Department designated the Huthis as a terrorist group at the start of this year. Hamas and Hezbollah have been severely weakened following massive Israeli military strikes on their respective sites in Gaza and Lebanon, and most of their leaders have been killed in Israel's military response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes would continue against the Huthi rebels, who have also targeted shipping in the Red Sea, claiming they are in solidarity of Hamas fighters in Gaza. "We are determined to cut this branch of terrorism from the Iranian axis of evil. We will continue until the job is done," Netanyahu said in a video statement. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus -- head of the World Health Organization who was at the Sanaa airport during the Israeli attack -- said he was safe but that "one of our plane's crew members was injured.” Iran’s council on safeguarding the Internet has voted to lift bans on the WhatsApp messenger and the Google Play apps, state media reported. The Supreme Cyberspace Council voted unanimously in favor of lifting restrictions on some foreign-owned applications, including WhatsApp and Google Play, during a meeting on December 24, state news agency IRNA said. "Today, we took the first step toward lifting Internet restrictions with unanimity and consensus," Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi said on X. It was not immediately clear when the decision would come into force. The Supreme Cyberspace Council holds its meetings behind closed doors and its members' votes are not made public. IRNA reported that the members of the council voted to lift restrictions while at the same time " emphasizing the importance of rule-of-law governance in cyberspace." The two apps were restricted in 2022 following the Woman, Life, Freedom protests that were severely suppressed. The Supreme Cyberspace Council, which was established by order of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has also emphasized "supporting domestic platforms." On the eve of the council’s meeting, Mehr News Agency published a document indicating that, based on a Supreme Cyberspace Council plan, an "advertising support package" is to be allocated to domestic messaging services. The document states that the “first phase” of the council’s plan will include “building infrastructure” for domestic content platforms. While the bans on WhatsApp and Google Play were lifted by the council, other popular social media platforms including Facebook, X, Telegram, and YouTube remain blocked in Iran. Critics of the restrictions have argued that the controls have been costly for the country. "The restrictions have achieved nothing but anger and added costs to people's lives," social and political activist Ali Rabiei said on X on December 24. Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif added that President Masud Pezeshkian believes in removing restrictions and does not consider the bans to be in the interest of the people and the country. “All experts also believe that this issue is not beneficial to the country's security," Zarif said on December 24. Others, however, warned against lifting the restrictions. The reformist Shargh daily reported on December 24 that 136 lawmakers in Iran's 290-member parliament sent a letter to the council saying the move would be a "gift” to Iran's enemies. The lawmakers called for allowing access to restricted online platforms only "if they are committed to the values of Islamic society and comply with the laws of" Iran. The fall of Bashar al-Assad's government at the hands of rebels, including Ankara-backed factions, has effectively made Turkey the dominant foreign actor in Syria at the expense of Iran and its ally Russia . Turkey and Iran have competed for years for influence in the South Caucasus, and this rivalry appears to have now extended to the Levant. "The Islamic republic has had significant misgivings about Turkish influence in Syria, be it economic, political, or military, long before the fall of Assad. But with the loss of Iran's sole state ally in the region, these concerns are set to be magnified exponentially," said Behnam Taleblu, an Iran analyst at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). Still, experts say Turkey's rising profile in Syria to the detriment of Iran does not necessarily mean Ankara-Tehran relations will be significantly impacted. What Is Turkey After? Since the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Iran and Russia backed Assad while Turkey supported rebel groups opposed to his rule. Iran needed Assad to remain in power so that it could use Syria as a staging ground to fund and arm its proxies and partners, especially the Lebanese group Hezbollah. For Russia, Assad's rule meant Moscow could maintain its Hmeimim air base and naval base in Tartus, which gave it easier access to the Middle East, North Africa, and the Mediterranean Sea. Ankara wanted a government in Syria more aligned with its regional vision and policies, especially those that would restrain Kurdish groups in northeastern Syria. A coalition of Kurdish parties, including the Democratic Union Party (PYD), heads the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. PYD's armed wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), leads the U.S-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). "Turkey has had three core concerns in Syria: fighting the YPG/PYD, enabling the return of Syrian refugees to Syria, and preventing further refugee flows into Turkey," said Daria Isachenko, a Turkey expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Assad's downfall on December 8 has stemmed the influx of refugees into Turkey, but the "first two concerns remain," Isachenko added. Syria is now effectively ruled by the U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies -- some of whom are linked with Turkey , Iran's rival. Isachenko says Turkey's growing influence in Syria could further strengthen its position in the Mediterranean Sea if Ankara signs a Libya-style maritime deal with the new authorities in Damascus. The Road Ahead Turkey's growth in stature and Iran's weakened position in Syria could have ramifications for developments in the South Caucasus, where Iran, Russia, and Turkey vie for influence. Experts say while the Astana talks -- a format sponsored by the three countries to end the conflict in Syria -- may be dead, it still served as a platform for managing different interests. "Coordination and consultation on conflict management between Turkey and Iran as well as Russia on the Middle East and the South Caucasus should not be ruled out," Isachenko said. She adds that even in Syria, Turkey and Iran may find some of their interests aligned, such as finding a common adversary in Israel, which has moved into Syrian territory since the fall of Assad. Still, some argue that Tehran will seek to undermine Turkey in Syria in the hopes of returning the country into its so-called axis of resistance -- Iran's loose network of regional allies and proxies. "The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps will look for ways to claw back influence in Syria," said Taleblu of FDD. "Downtrodden, disposed, and spurned local actors are easy to co-opt, particularly in states where central authority is weak." The Kurdish Question U.S. support for the Kurdish-led SDF has weakened in recent years due to a combination of factors, including the withdrawal of a majority of U.S. troops in 2018 and 2019 and pressure from Washington's NATO ally, Turkey. Ankara, which launched an incursion into northern Syria in 2019 against Kurdish forces, is now in a strong position to further challenge the Kurds, experts say. Since Assad's fall, Ankara-backed rebel groups have clashed with Kurdish forces and seized the previously Kurdish-controlled cities of Manbij and Tarafat near the border with Turkey. Wladimir van Wilgenburg, an Iraqi Kurdistan-based analyst who has co-authored books on Syrian Kurds, says the presence of the 900 remaining U.S. troops might offer some protection to the Kurds but the situation remains precarious. "The new administration in Damascus likely will prefer relations with Turkey over the SDF," he said. "The situation is difficult for the Kurds unless they reach an agreement with HTS." HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa , previously known by the nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, wants to unify all armed groups in Syria under one banner. But if the SDF were to join, it would effectively end Kurdish autonomy in Syria, Wilgenburg says. The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has called on Syrians to resist the emerging rebel-led government after the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad, saying the uprising was orchestrated by the West. Speaking in an address on December 22, Khamenei said Syrians, especially the country's youth, "should stand with strong will against those who designed and those who implemented the insecurity." Assad left the country in the late hours of December 8 after the U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies -- some of whom are linked with Turkey -- overran government forces in a blitz offensive. While Assad was granted political asylum in Russia by President Vladimir Putin after more than five decades of iron-fisted rule by his family, the HTS has since moved quickly to establish an interim government, and its leader, Riad al-Asaad, has said he is confident the factions that helped topple Assad will unite as one force. HTS and the transitional government have insisted the rights of all Syrians will be protected, but Khamenei said he believes a group aligned with the Islamic republic's government would end up prevailing in Syria. However, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus on December 22. Details of the meeting were not immediately released, but Turkey has long been seen as a backer of HTS as it looked to remove Assad. The toppling of Assad was seen by many as another blow to Tehran, which has seen regional groups aligned with it -- parts of the so-called axis of resistance -- suffer major setbacks in the past 14 months. Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, has been decimated by Israel, which launched a war against the group in the Gaza Strip and Hamas fighters in October 2023 crossed into Israel and killed 1,200 people while taking another 250 hostage. That conflict spread to Lebanon, home of the Tehran-backed Hezbollah, a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon. Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the EU blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollah’s political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament. Israel has severely weakened Hezbollah -- killing its longtime leader and many of its top officials -- after the group launched attacks on Israel that it said was in support of Hamas. A U.S.-brokered deal to end hostilities in Lebanon took effect last month. Khamenei downplayed the links to Iran, saying they have fought against Israel on their own beliefs. "They keep saying that the Islamic republic lost its proxy forces in the region. This is another mistake. The Islamic republic does not have a proxy forces," he said. “If one day we plan to take action, we do not need proxy force,” he added. Despite sitting atop the world's second-largest natural gas reserves, energy shortages have become a feature of winters in Iran. Iran grapples with air pollution all year, but air quality significantly worsens during winter when power plants are forced to burn low-quality heavy fuel oil -- mazut -- to compensate for the lack of gas. A rare cold snap in recent weeks has exposed the extent of Iran's struggles to meet the rising demand for gas, with school classes forced to go online and government offices ordered shut to conserve energy. Highlighting the severity of the crisis, President Masud Pezeshkian last week appealed to the public to turn their thermostats down by 2 degrees Celsius to help address the energy deficit. Other government officials have followed suit with similar pleas, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi telling his staff to wear warmer clothes at work. Temperatures have plunged as low as -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of Iran in recent days. "The situation is bad due to very cold weather, especially in Tehran and the northern provinces, but it's exacerbated by the structural trend toward runaway consumption over the last two to three years without an accompanying increase in production," said Gregory Brew, an Iran and energy analyst at the U.S.-based Eurasia Group. Old Infrastructure, Poor Management Energy subsidies in Iran mean energy bills are generally low, which has promoted overconsumption. But making matters worse is a devastating combination of mismanagement and outdated infrastructure that has significantly contributed to Iran's inability to meet the rising demand for gas. Gas flaring -- the burning of gas that comes out of the ground when drilling for oil -- is a major problem. Iran does not have the technology to collect it, so it is wastefully burned. World Bank data shows that Iran ranked second globally in 2023 in terms of the volume of gas flaring, burning around 21 billion cubic meters. That is more than double that of the United States, which ranked fourth, and enough to supply 40 percent of the gas demand in neighboring Turkey, which has a population similar to Iran's. Iran's major gas reserves are in the south, southwest, and offshore, so an expansive and powerful grid is needed to transport gas to the north. To do that, Iran needs to invest heavily both in expanding its aging infrastructure and increasing production, said Brew. "But that's difficult to do without investment constrained by both a weak economy and international sanctions," he added. The United States has imposed sweeping sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear and missile programs. The sanctions have crippled the Iranian economy and dented Tehran's ability to sell oil and gas, its key exports. They have also prevented Iran from accessing foreign investment and technology. The South Pars Field in the Persian Gulf is the world's largest natural gas field, and Iran shares it with Qatar, where it is referred to as the North Dome. While Qatar has signed lucrative deals with international energy companies to develop its section of the gas field, Iran has had to rely on lackluster domestic capabilities to exploit it. Iran's seemingly never-ending struggle with gas shortages in winter has led many to question the rationale behind exporting gas to neighboring Iraq and Turkey. "Given how constrained it is by sanctions, Iran has to find and exploit any means of increasing exports, which increases pressure on supply at home," Brew said. The stand-off with the West over Iran's nuclear program means the odds of sanctions being lifted are slim, and with Donald Trump returning to the White House in January, the pressure will increase even further, experts said. The U.S. State Department condemned the 10-year sentence handed down by Iranian authorities against Reza Valizadeh , a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen and former journalist for RFE/RL's Radio Farda. "We strongly condemn this sentencing and call for his immediate release and the release of all political prisoners in Iran," a spokesperson told Radio Farda on December 17. "The Iranian government has repeatedly suppressed press freedom through threats, intimidation, detentions, forced confessions, and the use of violence against journalists in Iran," the spokesperson added. According to court documents sent to the journalist's lawyer on December 10 and subsequently reviewed by RFE/RL, Valizadeh was sentenced by Tehran's Revolutionary Court on charges of "collaborating with a hostile government." In addition to the prison term, Valizadeh was banned for two years from living in Tehran and adjacent provinces, from leaving the country, and from joining political or social organizations following the completion of his sentence. Valizadeh resigned from Radio Farda in November 2022 after a decade of work. He returned to Iran in early 2024 to visit his family but was arrested on September 22. His two court sessions, held on November 20 and December 7, reportedly lacked a prosecution representative, with the judge assuming that role. Sources close to the journalist claim he fell into a "security trap" despite receiving unofficial assurances from Iranian security officials that he would not face legal troubles upon returning to Iran. The State Department earlier condemned Valizadeh's detention, calling it "unjust" and inconsistent with international legal standards. Press freedom organizations, including Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists, urged Iranian authorities to release Valizadeh immediately. RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus also called for Valizadeh to be released, saying the charges against him, his conviction, and sentence were unjust. "Time and again, the Iranian regime has attempted to spread its malign influence around the world, trampling on human rights at every opportunity," Capus said in a statement. "Clearly, this regime feels threatened by the forces of freedom, including independent journalism." Iran is routinely accused of arresting dual nationals and Western citizens on false charges to use them to pressure Western countries. In September 2023, Iran released five Americans jailed in Iran in a prisoner swap. Valizadeh is the first U.S. citizen known to have been arrested since that deal. Iran is also among the most repressive countries in terms of freedom of the press. Reporters Without Borders ranked Iran 176th out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index. The Paris-based media watchdog says Iran is now also one of the world’s biggest jailers of journalists. Iran closed government offices and shifted school classes online on December 16 due to freezing temperatures and a severe gas shortage. Northern provinces have experienced temperatures plunging to -20°C (-4°F) in recent days, accompanied by widespread gas supply disruptions. President Masud Pezeshkian called on citizens last week to lower their thermostats by 2 degrees Celsius to conserve energy. Other government officials have made similar pleas online. Despite sitting on the world’s second-largest proven gas reserves, Iran’s aging infrastructure has struggled to meet increasing demand during winter. To read the full story by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here . Iranian police released singer Parastoo Ahmadi in the early hours of December 15 following a brief detention after she performed without the mandatory head scarf, her lawyer has confirmed. Ahmadi caused a stir on social media earlier this week after recording a performance with her hair uncovered and wearing a dress. The performance, recorded with a crew of male musicians, was uploaded to YouTube. The police on December 14 claimed she was released after a "briefing session" but a source close to the family told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that she remained in custody. Her lawyer Milad Panahipur also denied the police claim, writing on X that the authorities were "lying" about her release. The following day, Panahipur confirmed Ahmadi, who had been detained in her home province of Mazandaran, was released at 3 in the morning. Two of her bandmates, Soheil Faqih-Nasri and Ehsan Beyraqdar, were also detained briefly. Ahmadi’s Instagram account is no longer accessible, but her YouTube account remains active. The video of her performance, dubbed "an imaginary concert" because female performers cannot sing solo in front of an audience, has received around 1.6 million views on YouTube since it was uploaded on December 11. On December 12, the authorities said legal proceedings had been launched against Ahmadi and her bandmates for the "illegal concert." Ahmadi, who gained prominence during the 2022 nationwide protests after singing a song in support of demonstrators, has been widely praised for her performance. On social media, many have hailed her for fighting "gender apartheid" and showing "bravery, resilience, and love." A rising number of women have been flouting the mandatory hijab in public since the 2022 protests, which gave rise to the Women, Life, Freedom movement. The authorities have tried to crack down and recently passed a law enhancing the enforcement of the hijab by introducing hefty fines, restricting access to basic services, and lengthy prison sentences. The new hijab and chastity law, which has been widely criticized by even conservative figures, is scheduled to go into effect this month, but at least two lawmakers have said its implementation has been postponed by the Supreme National Security Council. An Iranian court has sentenced Reza Valizadeh , a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen and former journalist for RFE/RL's Radio Farda, to 10 years in prison on charges of "collaborating with a hostile government." According to court documents sent to the journalist’s lawyer on December 10 and subsequently reviewed by RFE/RL, Valizadeh was sentenced by Judge Iman Afshari of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, Branch 26. In addition to the prison term, Valizadeh was banned for two years following the completion of his sentence from living in Tehran and adjacent provinces, from leaving the country, and from joining political or social organizations. Valizadeh resigned from Radio Farda in November 2022 after a decade of work. He returned to Iran in early 2024 to visit his family but was arrested on September 22 . His two court sessions, held on November 20 and December 7, reportedly lacked a prosecution representative, with the judge assuming that role. Sources close to the journalist claim he fell into a "security trap" despite receiving unofficial assurances from Iranian security officials that he would not face legal troubles upon returning to Iran. The U.S. State Department earlier condemned Valizadeh’s detention, calling it "unjust" and inconsistent with international legal standards. Press freedom organizations, including Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists, urged Iranian authorities to release Valizadeh immediately. RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus also called for Valizadeh to be released, saying the charges against him, his conviction, and sentence were unjust. "Time and again, the Iranian regime has attempted to spread its malign influence around the world, trampling on human rights at every opportunity," Capus said in a staetment. "Clearly, this regime feels threatened by the forces of freedom, including independent journalism." Valizadeh remains in Tehran’s Evin prison under severe restrictions, with limited access to legal representation and family. Iran is routinely accused of arresting dual nationals and Western citizens on false charges to use them to pressure Western countries. In September 2023, Iran released five Americans jailed in Iran in a prisoner swap. Valizadeh is the first U.S. citizen known to have been arrested since that deal. Iran is also among the most repressive countries in terms of freedom of the press. Reporters Without Borders ranked Iran 176th out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index. The Paris-based media watchdog says Iran is now also one of the world’s biggest jailers of journalists. The husband of prominent Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has been detained by security forces, according to their daughter. Mehraveh Khandan said on Instagram that her father, Reza Khandan, was arrested on December 13 at her home in Tehran. The circumstances of Khandan's arrest and the charges against him were not known. Mohammad Moghimi, a lawyer, said on X that the reason for the arrest was likely related to a six-year prison sentence in a case in which he represented Reza Khandan and activist Farhad Meysami. The sentence against Reza Khandan was handed down in February 2019 by Tehran's Revolutionary Court. Meysami also faced a similar sentence in the case. Reza Khandan had been charged with "assembly and collusion against national security," "propaganda against the state," and "spreading and promoting unveiling in society." The sentence against Reza Khandan also banned him from membership in political parties and groups, leaving the country, and using the Internet and other media and press activities. Sotoudeh, a vocal advocate for numerous activists, has been arrested several times since 2010. Her detention has included periods of solitary confinement, highlighting the challenges faced by human rights defenders in Iran. Sotoudeh was arrested last year during the funeral of 17-year-old Armita Garavand, who died of injuries suffered in an alleged confrontation with Iran's morality police in the Tehran subway over a violation of Iran’s compulsory head scarf law. Reza Khandan said at the time of his wife's arrest in October 2023 that she started a hunger and medication strike after she was severely beaten when she was taken into custody. Sotoudeh was released about two weeks later. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in his first public comments since Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was ousted , accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating the rebel uprising that toppled the regime over the weekend. Khamenei on December 11 also implicitly blamed Turkey for the lightning push of Syrian rebels who reached Damascus from their strongholds in the northwest with little resistance. "It should not be doubted that what happened in Syria was the product of a joint American and Zionist plot," he said. "Yes, a neighboring government of Syria plays, played, and is playing a clear role...but the main conspirator, mastermind, and command center are in America and the Zionist regime," Khamenei added. The U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies -- some of whom are linked with Turkey -- ousted Assad on December 8, less than two weeks after launching their offensive. Syria under Assad served as a crucial part of a land corridor connecting Iran to the Levant, which was considered the logistical backbone of the so-called axis of resistance -- Iran's loose network of regional proxies and allies. Iran spent billions of dollars and sent military advisers to Syria to ensure Assad remained in power when civil war broke out in 2011. Russia -- where the ousted Syrian leader has been granted political asylum -- also backed Assad, while Turkey has supported rebel groups who aimed to topple the regime. A Khamenei adviser once described Syria as the "golden ring" in the chain connecting Iran to its Lebanese partner, Hezbollah. With the ring broken and Hezbollah's capabilities degraded after a devastating war with Israel, experts say the axis has become severely weak. Khamenei said only "ignorant and uninformed analysts" would assess that the axis has become weak and vowed that its reach "will expand across the region more than before." Reza Alijani, an Iranian political analyst based in France, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that Khamenei's comments were more "trash talk" than anything else. "The axis may not have been defeated, but it has suffered a serious blow and the Islamic republics arms in the region have been deal major hits," he said. Alijani argued that factions within the Islamic republic's core support base may be starting to question Khamenei's policies and vision after the recent setbacks, which he said is a cause for concern among the clerical establishment's top brass. Welcome back to the China In Eurasia briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter tracking China's resurgent influence from Eastern Europe to Central Asia. I'm RFE/RL correspondent Reid Standish and I'm back after a reporting trip in Taiwan. I'm off again for the holidays but will be back here with another newsletter at the end of the year. Here's what I'm following right now. Beijing Watches Assad Fall The full effects from the swift collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria is still playing out on the ground, but his sudden fall is set to shake up the Middle East and beyond. Here's what it means for China. Finding Perspective: China has been aligned with Assad since Syria's civil war began in 2011 but largely through its close ties to Russia and Iran, which backed the Syrian leader. At the United Nations, Beijing has often voted with Moscow, blocking condemnations of Assad as well as cross-border aid. Beijing supported the Assad regime with eight vetoes at the UN, which is half the total vetoes China has ever used. Beijing significantly reduced its presence in Syria amid the conflict, though it kept building close ties with Assad, eventually culminating in his state visit to China in 2023. Chinese investment in Syria was scarce, and beyond a strategic partnership agreement and a pledge to join the Belt and Road Initiative there has been essentially no Chinese investment in Syria and no major contracts with Chinese firms in the country since 2010. So why did Beijing throw its weight behind Assad? Revisiting The Arab Spring: For Beijing, the biggest issue was the symbolism and appearance of stability that Assad represented, especially given he was first threatened by a popular uprising that then set the Syrian civil war in motion. The spread of revolutions in the Arab world in 2011 was alarming for the Chinese Communist Party. Inside China at the time, popular grumbling with corruption at various levels of government was common, and the party was concerned the protests across the Middle East could inspire its own population, especially given simmering tensions in Tibet and Xinjiang at the time. Added to that was the rise of the Islamic State in Syria. The war led to thousands of Uyghurs, the predominantly Muslim group from western China, traveling to Syria to fight against the Syrian government. Many of those fighters said they were there to learn how to use weapons and then return to China, and fears over the return of battle-hardened fighters to Xinjiang was one of the pretexts Xi expressed to top party brass to launch the crackdown and camp system in western China that targeted the Uyghur population, according to a set of leaked internal government documents obtained by the New York Times. Why It Matters: From this logic, Beijing's support for Assad makes sense, but it's a big bet that hasn't paid off. The fall of Assad is also a reflection of the weakened regional power of two of its main partners: Iran and Russia. Their inability to prop up Assad indicates they've been consumed by the wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Ukraine, which may be a concern for Beijing looking ahead. The rapid collapse of the Syrian government is also an unwelcome message at home for Beijing, which was reflected in the way Chinese media covered the events for Chinese viewers. As images circulated around the world of jubilant crowds and the toppling of statues, Chinese state media's coverage on CCTV mostly centered around a fixed live shot of Damascus without a crowd in sight. Three More Stories From Eurasia 1. China Flexes Its Muscles Around Taiwan Beijing said it is taking "necessary measures" to defend the country's sovereignty and will not tolerate "separatist" activities, as Taiwan reported another rise in Chinese warplanes and ships near the island. The Details: Taiwan's Defense Ministry said China was deploying its largest navy fleet in regional waters in nearly three decades, posing a threat to Taiwan that is more pronounced than previous Chinese war games. China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, had been expected to launch drills to express its anger at President Lai Ching-te's tour of the Pacific that ended last week, which included stopovers in Hawaii and the U.S. territory of Guam. Without any announcement from China on military drills, Taiwan officials are calling the ongoing activity a training exercise and warned it could be used to further violate Taiwan's territorial boundaries. China, which views Lai as a separatist, held major military exercises around Taiwan following his inauguration in May and his National Day speech in October. It also held a major drill after Nancy Pelosi, then the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, visited Taiwan in 2022. 2. The California Connection A Chinese company that owns a California electronics distributor has sent hundreds of shipments of restricted dual-use technology to Russia since the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine, including to sanctioned companies with ties to the Russian military, my colleagues Mike Eckel and Mark Krutov report . What You Need To Know: The findings further highlight the difficulty Western countries have had in trying to choke off the Russian military's access to Western technology for use in its weapons and operations as its war on Ukraine continues. At least one component manufactured by the company, Yangzhou Yangjie Electronic Technology Company Limited, was found in a Russian weapons guidance system recovered from the battlefield in Ukraine, according to a public database maintained by the Ukrainian military. Yangjie Technology, located in the city of Yangzhou northwest of Shanghai, has sent more than 200 shipments of specific goods to Russia since the start of its full-scale invasion in February 2022, according to customs records obtained by C4ADS, a Washington-based, nonprofit data-analysis and global-research organization. The listed contents of those shipments -- totaling at least 238 -- included electronic components categorized as "high-priority" by the United States due to their potential use in Russian weapons systems, according to the data obtained by C4ADS and shared with RFE/RL, which independently corroborated more than 150 such shipments. 3. China And Serbia Eye New Cooperation On Extraditions Serbia has extradited five Chinese citizens in the past five years, according to data obtained by my colleague Mila Manojlovic from RFE/RL's Balkan Service. What It Means: The data shows extraditions are already taking place. That cooperation is also set to grow as Serbia's Justice Ministry prepares to submit to parliament a draft extradition law with China that, if passed, would expand the scope of cooperation between Beijing and Belgrade. That extradition deal, which would regulate the bilateral extradition of citizens charged with crimes, is seen by experts as a response to the influx of tourists and Chinese nationals to Serbia that have corresponded with high-profile Chinese investments and loans for projects through the BRI. According to data from Serbia's National Employment Service, more than 45,000 work permits have been issued to Chinese citizens since 2016, the year the ruling Serbian Progressive Party started intensifying relations with Beijing and expanding BRI projects. Serbia's Interior Ministry told RFE/RL there are currently 3,433 Chinese citizens registered in the country. Across The Supercontinent Looking at 2025: Here's my look at what's on Taiwan's agenda as we prepare to enter 2025, as part of a wider lookahead from across RFE/RL coverage region. My segment begins at 7:25. Train Links: The first train carrying goods from China to Afghanistan arrived in Mazar-e Sharif on November 23 after crossing through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The Taliban said 55 containers arrived in Afghanistan after a 22-day journey, marking the inauguration of the first direct train link between China and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The New Normal: From attacks in Pakistan to new episodes in Tajikistan, my colleagues Bashir Ahmad Gwakh and Frud Bezhan look at how new violence in South and Central Asia could affect Chinese investment projects across the region. A Late Warning: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on December 2 warned her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that Beijing's support for Russia would "impact" ties with Europe. One Thing To Watch According to a draft sanctions package obtaind by RFE/RL, the European Union has proposed for the first time to target Chinese companies and individuals with visa bans and asset freezes over their dealings with Russian firms linked to Moscow's war effort in Ukraine. The draft version of the sanctions package was first shared with EU countries on November 22 and would still need to be approved before the end of the year by all 27 member states in order to come into effect. That's all from me for now. Don't forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you might have. Until next time, Reid Standish If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here . It will be sent to your inbox every Wednesday. Syria's interim prime minister took power with the support of the rebels who ousted President Bashar al-Assad as outside powers -- including Russia, Turkey, the United States, and Israel -- maneuvered to protect their geopolitical interests in the war-torn Middle East nation. In an address on recently captured state TV, Muhammad al-Bashir said he would lead Syria's interim authority through March 1 as the new rulers, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants, looked to solidify control after deposing Assad over the weekend. Little-known Bashir, born in Idlib Province in 1982 and an engineering graduate, had once worked for Syria's state gas entity and has served as head of the rebel's so-called Salvation Government for the past year. HTS has been designated a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union. In recent years, the group severed ties with Al-Qaeda and sought to remake itself as a pragmatic alternative to the Syrian government, although Western powers and rights groups remain cautious. Meanwhile, Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's deputy foreign minister, on December 10 told NBC News that Moscow is providing sanctuary to Assad after transporting him there "in the most secure way possible." He didn't provide further details. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow on December 9 that President Vladimir Putin made the decision personally to grant asylum to Assad and his family. Earlier on December 10, loud explosions were heard amid reports Israel has been systematically striking Syrian military installations following the ouster of Assad’s brutal regime. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that the military had struck several Syrian sites and had hit its naval vessels in overnight strikes. "The [military] has been operating in Syria in recent days to strike and destroy strategic capabilities that threaten the State of Israel. The navy operated last night to destroy the Syrian fleet with great success," Katz said. Katz said Israel’s military has been ordered to create a weapons-free zone in southern Syria "to prevent the establishment and organization of terrorism] in the country. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said Israel had "destroyed the most important military sites in Syria," including “airports and their warehouses, aircraft squadrons, radars, military signal stations, and many weapons and ammunition depots in various locations in most Syrian governorates." The reports came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is "transforming the face of the Middle East" and defeating its enemies "step by step" in what he called an "existential war that has been imposed upon us." Netanyahu said Assad's regime had been a "central element of Iran's axis of evil," accusing it of facilitating a "weapons pipeline" between Iran and the Lebanon's Hezbollah militia, which has been declared a terrorist organization by the United States. Israel has launched a monthslong air campaign in Lebanon against Hezbollah. Washington has also conducted some 75 air strikes on Islamic State (IS) militants, who still have a presence in Syria, in recent days to prevent the group from taking advantage of the turmoil that followed Assad's fall. "You can expect that kind of activity will continue. We don't want to give [IS] an opportunity to exploit what is going on," White House national-security spokesman John Kirby said on December 10. The United States has about 900 troops in Syria as part of its decade-long fight against IS. "[IS] will try to use this period to reestablish its capabilities, to create safe havens," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on December 9. "As our precision strikes over the weekend demonstrate, we are determined not to let that happen." Washington said it is seeking ways to engage with Syrian rebel groups and is reaching out to partners in the region, including Turkey, to initiate informal contacts. "We have the ability to communicate with the opposition groups, and we'll continue to do that," Kirby said in his briefing. The Syrian Observatory also said IS militants killed at least 54 government soldiers who were fleeing advancing rebels "during the collapse of the regime" in the Sukhna area of Homs Province. The report could not immediately be verified. Meanwhile, satellite imagery by Planet Labs showed Russian naval ships have left their Syrian base at Tartus, with some dropping anchor offshore. Imagery showed at least three vessels -- including two guided missile frigates -- some 13 kilometers off the coast. Russia has an estimated 7,500 troops and multiple military sites in Syria, including an air base at Hmeimim along with the strategic naval facilities at Tartus, which are also used to support the Kremlin's actions in North and sub-Saharan Africa. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose government has ties to many of the rebel groups involved in the takeover, said Ankara will act against anyone seeking to compromise its Syrian territory. "From now on, we cannot allow Syria to be divided again.... Any attack on the freedom of the Syrian people, the stability of the new administration, and the integrity of its lands will find us standing against it," he said. Turkey has claimed U.S.-backed Syrian-Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria to be "terrorists" linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been designated as a terrorist group by Ankara, as well as by Washington. Tehran, which was also a long-standing backer of Assad, on December 10 said some 4,000 Iranian citizens have left Syria over the past three days. Iranian proxies are thought to have multiple military sites inside Syria, some of which have been hit by Israeli air attacks, but the government has so far been relatively muted in its response to Assad's fall. On December 9, the UN Security Council held a closed-door meeting on the situation in Syria called by Russia, which together with Iran, has been a main backer of Assad's regime. "The Council, I think, was more or less united on the need to preserve the territorial integrity and unity of Syria, to ensure the protection of civilians, to ensure that humanitarian aid is coming to the population in need," said Russia's UN ambassador, Vasily Nebenzya, in a statement released after the meeting. The HTS-led rebels announced on December 9 that they were granting amnesty to all military personnel conscripted during Assad's rule, which began in 2000 following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad, who had seized power in 1970. Ahmad al-Sharaa, 42, previously known by the nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, has become the public face of HTS, which itself was formerly known as the Al Nusra Front, among other names. Several European states on December 9 announced they were suspending the granting of asylum requests from Syrians as they awaited developments. The flood of Syrian refugees during the country's 14-year civil war has often been used by far-right politicians in Europe to inflame passions and bolster their support among voters. The EU has urged a peaceful political transition in Syria, saying that "it is imperative that all stakeholders engage in an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned dialogue on all key issues." But EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said the bloc was "not currently engaging with HTS or its leaders, full stop." The Syrian civil war began after Assad's regime unleashed a brutal crackdown in March 2011 against peaceful demonstrators inspired by the wave of protests known as the Arab Spring that were sweeping the Middle East at the time. Beginning in 2015, Russia intervened in the civil war on Assad's side, unleashing a massive bombing campaign against the rebel groups, including Islamist militants, causing numerous civilian casualties and prompting tens of thousands to flee. The fall of the Assad regime marks a major geopolitical setback for the Kremlin, which, along with Iran, has propped up his government, experts say. Iran spent decades building the so-called axis of resistance, its network of regional armed proxies, Tehran-backed militant groups, and allied state actors. The network was the lynchpin of Tehran's efforts to deter Israel and the United States and exert its influence across the Middle East. But the fall of the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Tehran, has done irreparable damage to the network, analysts say. For Iran, Syria provided a crucial land corridor to the Levant that was considered the logistical backbone of the axis. The corridor, also known as the Shi'ite Crescent, connected Tehran to the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, a key ally and an integral part of the axis. "There is no axis without access," said Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at the Brussels-based International Crisis Group. "The resistance is not done, but losing the ability to logistically support Hezbollah means the loss of Iran's strategic depth." Broken Corridor Underscoring Syria's importance, Iran spent billions of dollars to keep Assad in power. Tehran intervened militarily in Syria's civil war in 2013 and played a key role in shoring up Assad's forces. It deployed hundreds of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) officers to recruit and train tens of thousands of local and foreign Shi'ite fighters. After the loss of the land corridor connecting axis members from Iran to Lebanon, "we are likely to see a much-diminished resistance in the coming months and years," said Farzan Sabet, senior research associate at the Geneva Graduate Institute. The axis, he said, will have "a considerably lower capacity to rebuild or conduct military operations in the future." At its height, the axis was active in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, and was meant to give Iran the ability to hit its enemies outside its own borders while allowing it to maintain a position of plausible deniability. But the axis has suffered a series of debilitating setbacks in recent months. Syria is now effectively ruled by the U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies -- some of whom are linked with Turkey, Iran's rival. The HTS seized power in Damascus on December 8. Hezbollah has been severely weakened after a bruising, yearlong war with Israel, which killed the group's longtime leader , Hassan Nasrallah. Meanwhile, Israel's devastating war in the Gaza Strip has diminished the capabilities of U.S.-designated Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas, another axis member. Events in Syria "will certainly place significantly more restraints on Iran’s ability to maintain its regional influence," said Raz Zimmt, senior researcher at the Israeli-based Institute for National Security Studies. Iran's 'Very Bad' Options Weakened regionally, Iran now has tough decisions to make, including reconsidering its deterrence strategy and possibly developing a nuclear bomb, experts say. Zimmt says Iran has two "very bad options" -- to do nothing and recognize that its deterrence against Israel has been compromised, or weaponize its nuclear program and expose itself to the possibility of an Israeli attack. Things look equally grim for Iran’s axis of resistance, according to Sabet, who says Tehran will be under pressure to pull back its regional activities. Sabet says Iran will seek to exploit any potential chaos in the region, including in post-Assad Syria, to reassert its influence. "If the civil war in Syria is not quickly settled and a new order created, it might become precisely the type of environment where the Islamic republic has historically thrived," Sabet said. The collapse of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime sparked nationwide celebrations, as scenes of jubilation and chaos unfolded across the country. In the early hours of December 8, videos emerged on social media showing groups of people gathering on Umayyad Square in Damascus, a key landmark in the capital. Thousands more joined them throughout the day, with some participants climbing atop a tank. Social media footage verified by RFE/RL showed people exiting the central bank building in Damascus carrying bags and boxes. Looting was reported in the capital and in other cities across the country, according to multiple eyewitness accounts. At the gates of the presidential palace in Damascus, video footage captured jubilant men cheering and firing weapons into the air. People were seen entering the palace freely throughout the day after Assad fled the country. Russian state media reported later on December 8 that he and his family had arrived in Moscow and been granted asylum. Video footage from inside the palace showed crowds milling around, as well as people carrying out furniture and valuables, leaving trashed rooms behind them. Verified video footage obtained by RFE/RL also showed the building of the Syrian Interior Ministry's immigration and passport department ablaze in Damascus. Statues of Assad's late father, Hafez al-Assad, who created the authoritarian system his son inherited, were dismantled nationwide after a lightning-fast rebel offensive. On Arwad Island, off the coast of Tartus and around 10 kilometers from a Russian naval base, jubilant crowds toppled a statue of the elder Assad, who died in 2000, and climbed onto the monument in celebration. In Latakia, a coastal town that was a stronghold of the Assad family, another statue of Hafez al-Assad was torn down and dragged through the streets behind a truck as revelers rode atop it. Images also showed the aftermath of the storming of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, which appeared to have been abandoned earlier on December 8. Iranian media reported that diplomats had already evacuated the premises. President-elect Donald Trump said Russia and Iran are in a "weakened state" and called on Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin to end the nearly three-year war in Ukraine. Trump made the comments in a post on Truth Social on December 8 as Syrian rebels captured Damascus , ending the half-century rule of the Russia- and Iran-backed Assad family. The incoming U.S. president said Russia and Iran couldn't come to the support of Syrian dictator Assad because they were in a "weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success." Russia has lost about 600,000 soldiers since invading Ukraine in February 2022, Trump said, adding that Ukraine has lost about 400,000 defending its territory. "There should be an immediate cease-fire and negotiations should begin," Trump said. "I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The world is waiting!" The Kremlin did not immediately respond to Trump's comment. Paris Meeting Trump said in the post that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy "would like to make a deal." Trump held talks with Zelenskiy and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on December 7 to discuss the war. Zelenskiy called the trilateral talks "good and productive" and said the leaders discussed the potential for "a just peace." Trump and Zelenskiy were among world leaders who gathered in Paris on December 7 to mark the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. "We talked about our people, the situation on the battlefield, and a just peace for Ukraine. We all want to end this war as quickly and fairly as possible," Zelenskiy said in a December 7 post on Telegram . "President Trump, as always, is determined. We are thankful for that," he added. Macron said , "Let us continue joint efforts for peace, security." Trump , who will take office on January 20, has criticized the tens of billions of dollars the United States has poured into Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion. He has claimed he could end the war within 24 hours of retaking the White House, a statement that has been interpreted as meaning that Ukraine would have to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. Experts say it will be difficult to hammer out a peace deal quickly because there are so many aspects, including security guarantees for Ukraine and sanctions relief for Russia. In the meantime, the outgoing Biden administration has been accelerating weapons shipments to Ukraine ahead of the transfer of power to Trump to bolster its defenses. Washington said on December 7 that it is preparing a $988 million package of arms and equipment to Ukraine, funds taken from the remaining $2.21 billion available in the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. The funds will be used to buy precision missiles for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), and for drones, the Pentagon said. European countries are also stepping up aid in case the Trump administration ends U.S. support for Kyiv. Zelenskiy announced on December 7 that Ukraine had received a second shipment of sophisticated F-16 fighter jets from Denmark. Copenhagen announced last year it would deliver a total of 19 aircraft to Ukraine. "The second batch of F-16s for Ukraine from Denmark is already in Ukraine. This is the leadership in protecting life that distinguishes Denmark," he wrote on Telegram . Syrian rebels led by Islamist militants have entered the central city of Homs as they close in on Damascus while the country’s main allies -- Russia and Iran -- scrambled to protect the regime of authoritarian President Bashar al-Assad and their own assets in the country. Abu Mohammad al-Golani, a leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group, said late on December 7 that the insurgent fighters were "in the final moments of liberating" Homs, a city of 775,000 people. HTS is considered a terrorist group by the United States, Britain, Canada, and the European Union. Experts said the future of the Assad regime was hanging in the balance -- and that, if it fell, it would also represent a major geopolitical setback for the Kremlin which, along with Tehran, has supported the Syrian government through many years of civil war. Media reports said many residents of Damascus were stocking up on supplies as thousands were attempting to leave the country through the border with Lebanon -- itself a war-torn nation in the increasingly chaotic Middle East. As fighting on the ground and rebel gains intensified, the foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, and Turkey held emergency talks in Doha, Qatar, on December 7 calling for an end to hostilities in the most serious challenge to Assad’s rule in years. The U.S. State Department told RFE/RL that Washington was closely monitoring the situation on the ground in Syria. A spokesperson said the United States and its partners and allies urged that civilians, including members of minority groups, be protected. The spokesperson said it was time to negotiate an end to the Syrian conflict consistent with principals established in UN Security Council Resolution 2254. The spokesperson added that the refusal of the Assad regime to engage in the process has directly led to the current situation. The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War ( ISW ) said that “Assad regime forces have collapsed and Assad’s backers do not appear willing to bolster the Syrian Arab Army by rapidly deploying additional forces.” Russia has multiple military sites in Syria, including an air base at Hmeimim and strategic naval facilities at Tartus, which are also used to support the Kremlin’s actions in Africa. The ISW said that Moscow had not yet begun to evacuate the base, “but it remains unclear whether Russia will keep its vessels at the port as Syrian rebels continue to advance swiftly across regime-held territory.” The American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats blog said the Assad regime “faces an existential threat given the widespread collapse of regime forces and lack of sufficient external backing to bolster these forces.” It added that “Russia will face logistic challenges that will undermine its Africa operations if it loses its footprint in Syria.” Mark Katz, a professor emeritus at George Mason University who focuses on Russia and the Middle East, told RFE/RL that the Kremlin risks losing its air assets in Syria if it can’t agree with Turkey on the use of its airspace. “In one sense, the Turkish government might be happy to grant permission as the more the Russian Air Force is out of Syria, the happier Ankara will be,” he said. "Russia would also face difficulties relocating its warships because they would need Turkey's permission to get into the Black Sea. They would have to go through NATO waters," he added. Meanwhile, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said the United States “should have nothing to do” with the war in Syria, where a small contingent of U.S. forces remain deployed in some areas. "Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT,” he wrote on the Truth Social platform. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” Fast-moving developments on the ground were difficult to confirm, but media outlets quoted witnesses as well as rebel and Syrian army sources as saying militant fighters were continuing to make large gains on December 7 in their effort to topple Assad. Some reported signs of panic in Damascus, with shortages of critical supplies, although the government said Assad was at work as usual in the capital. Government forces and their Russian allies appear to have failed in their attempt to halt the rebel push toward Homs, which stands at an important intersection between the capital, Damascus, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus. Homs is 140 kilometers from the capital. Witnesses and army sources told Reuters and other news agencies that rebels had entered Homs amid reports that government forces had pulled out. Celebrations were reported in some areas of the city. Homs Province is Syria’s largest in size and borders Lebanon, Iraq, and Jordan. The city is also home to one of Syria’s two state-run oil refineries. The AFP news agency quoted security sources as saying hundreds of Syrian government troops, some injured, had fled across the border into Iraq. The surprising offensive was launched last week by a coalition of rebel groups led by the Islamist HTS faction. Besides HTS, the fighters include forces of an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Turkey has denied backing the offensive, though experts say insurgents would not have launched it without the country's consent. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said civilians were fleeing from Homs toward the Mediterranean coastal regions of Latakia and Tartus, strongholds of the government and the site of the Russian air and naval bases. Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declined to comment on the fate of the Russian bases, saying he “wasn’t in the business of guessing.” The United Nations said on December 6 that almost 300,000 people in Syria had already been displaced since late November by the fighting, and that up to 1.5 million could be forced to flee as the rebels advance and inflict losses on Assad, as well as his Russian and Iranian allies. Assad has relied on Iran and Russia to remain in power since the conflict erupted in 2011. Following the foreign ministers' meeting in Doha, Lavrov said -- referring to HTS rebels -- that it was "inadmissible to allow terrorist groups" to take control of Syrian territory and that Russia would oppose them with all means possible. Since the rebels seized control of Aleppo a week ago, they have moved on to capture other major cities with Assad’s forces providing little resistance. Besides capturing Aleppo in the north, Hama in the center, and Deir al-Zor in the east, rebels rose up in southern Suweida and Deraa, saying on December 6 they had taken control of the two cities and posting videos showing insurgent celebrations there. Taking Deraa and Suweida in the south could allow a concerted assault on the capital, Damascus, the seat of Assad's power, military sources said. Video posted online showed protesters in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana chanting and tearing down a statue of Assad’s father, Hafez al-Assad, who ruled Syria from 1971 until his death in 2000, when his son took power. Golani, the HTS leader, told CNN in an exclusive interview on December 5 from Syria that Assad’s government was bound to fall, propped up only by Russia and Iran. “The seeds of the regime’s defeat have always been within it,” he said. “But the truth remains, this regime is dead.” Iran is poised to significantly increase the production rate of highly enriched uranium, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned in a confidential report. The IAEA report said the effect of the change "would be to significantly increase the rate of production of uranium enriched up to 60 percent," according to news agencies quoting the report on December 6. This means the rate of production will jump to more than 34 kilograms of highly enriched uranium per month at its Fordow facility alone, compared to 4.7 kilograms previously, the report to the IAEA's board of governors says. IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi, who spoke to reporters about the report on the sidelines of an international conference in Bahrain, said the increase would represent “seven or eight times or even more," calling the development very concerning. “They were preparing, and they have all of these facilities sort of in abeyance and now they are activating that. So we are going to see,” he said, adding that it would be a “huge jump” if Iran begins increasing its enrichment. The report also said Iran must implement tougher safeguard measures such as inspections to ensure Fordow is not being "misused to produce uranium of an enrichment level higher than that declared by Iran, and that there is no diversion of declared nuclear material." Iran's decision to accelerate production of enriched uranium is in response to recent censure by the IAEA, Grossi told the AFP news agency. "This is a message. This is a clear message that they are responding to what they feel is pressure," the UN nuclear watchdog's head said. Tehran was angered by a resolution last month put forward by Britain, Germany, and France, known as the E3, and the United States that faulted Iran's cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog. Britain, Germany, and France have adopted a tougher stance on Iran in recent months, in particular since Tehran ramped up its military support to Russia. In addition, there was little progress last week when European and Iranian officials met to determine whether they could enter serious talks on the nuclear program before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January. Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers and is now appointing hawks on Iran to his planned administration. While Iran maintains its program is peaceful, Iranian officials increasingly threaten to potentially seek a nuclear bomb and an intercontinental ballistic missile. But experts war that the enrichment of uranium at 60 percent is just a short step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 percent, and they say there is no justification for enriching uranium to such a high level under any civilian program. The news of Iran's decision to increase uranium enrichment came just hours after Tehran claimed it had conducted a successful space launch with its heaviest payload ever. Official media reported that the launch of the Simorgh rocket took place at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport in Semnan Province located about 220 kilometers east of Tehran. Western governments have expressed concern that the Tehran’s ballistic missile program is coming closer to having the ability to launch a weapon against distant foes like the United States. The Simorgh carried what Iran described as an “orbital propulsion system” and two research systems to a 400-kilometer orbit above the Earth. It also carried the Fakhr-1 satellite for Iran’s military, the first time Iran’s civilian program is known to have carried a military payload. Iran has said its space program, like its nuclear activities, is for purely civilian purposes.Christopher Nolan's next film will be a star-studded adaptation of Homer's 'The Odyssey'

Just as TAFE is a proudly Australian story, it is a key to a better Australian future. Login or signup to continue reading TAFE opens doors and gives Australians one of the greatest opportunities they have - not just to fulfil their potential, but expand it. And in the process, Australia fulfils more of its own vast potential. It is a home-grown solution to the skills gaps hampering business and hurting the economy. Getting TAFE right means we're better placed to get the future right. That is why our government is taking our commitment to free TAFE a crucial step further by making it permanent. We will legislate to guarantee 100,000 free TAFE places nationwide every year. That means more tradies to build more homes. More apprentices getting a start. More carers to look after our loved ones, whether they're just starting out on life's journey or have a respectable bit of mileage on the clock. And it will equip Australians to enhance their own skills and adapt to the economy as it keeps evolving. What a boon this will be for Australia. My government made it a priority to put public TAFE back at the centre of vocational education and training. And our game-changing investment in free TAFE is already delivering results. More than half a million Australians have already enrolled in free courses. Crucially, one in every three places have been taken up by people in regional communities . People are training to become electricians in Belmont. They're training to become nurses in Loganlea. They're training to become early childhood educators in Batchelor, Cairns and Frankston. And, at the new TAFE Centres of Excellence in the Hunter Valley and Western Sydney, they're training for the good jobs that will help Australia manufacture things here at home again. We've had 35,000 enrol in construction courses, 35,000 in early education, 50,000 in digital technology, and 130,000 in aged care and disability care. Tens of thousands of jobseekers are getting a fresh start. Hundreds of thousands of young people are training for a new career, and older workers are training for a new opportunity. These are not just numbers. Each one is a story of individuals and families. A story about the joy of achievement, and the satisfaction and reward of meaningful work. And it's a story about stronger, happier communities and a healthier, more diverse economy. Our investment sends a clear message to each and every person enrolled: we back you. We support your education. We support your aspiration. And we want you to get that qualification to help build the life you want. The positive, life-changing consequences of free TAFE are such a no-brainer that it takes an ideology without heart to oppose it. Yet that is exactly what the Coalition parties have revealed about themselves through their snobbery and sneering at TAFE. Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley said the quiet part out loud in Parliament this week when she said this: "It's a key principle and tenet of the Liberal Party: if you don't pay for something, you don't value it." What an extraordinarily out-of-touch thing to say. They believe nothing in life can possibly be of any value unless you've got a receipt for it. Tells you everything you need to know about what a profound and disturbing threat the Coalition are to proudly Australian achievements like Medicare and public education. They don't back TAFE. They never will. The truth is that no matter how high TAFE helps you climb in life, and no matter what opportunities you get to build a future for yourself and your loved ones, the Liberals and Nationals will look down on the very education that gave you a boost to get there. I only hope they can open their eyes to the central place TAFE occupies in the Australian government invests in education, all Australians benefit. 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. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Get the latest property and development news here. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. WEEKLY Follow the Newcastle Knights in the NRL? Don't miss your weekly Knights update. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! 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!Recently, South Korea made a significant archaeological discovery that has captured the attention of scholars and history enthusiasts worldwide. Four ancient wooden tablets dating back thousands of years were unearthed, each intricately inscribed with a plethora of Chinese characters. These remarkable artifacts offer a fascinating glimpse into the past and shed light on the cultural exchange and historical connections between Korea and China during ancient times.How many people’s blood do you need: Asaduddin Owaisi reacts to Sambhal violence

Despite the strong performance of the Beijing real estate market, challenges remain. The high property prices in the city continue to be a barrier for many potential buyers, particularly first-time home buyers and young families. In addition, the ever-changing regulations and policies governing the real estate market can create uncertainty for both buyers and sellers.Real estate assets usher in their value "anchor" while the pricing mechanism of public REITs market needs improvement

In a shocking turn of events, it has been revealed that Zhong Moyan, the principal of a local elementary school in a small town, has been involved in a corruption scandal totaling a staggering 9.49 million RMB in bribe money. The news has sent shockwaves through the community, as Zhong Moyan was once seen as a respected figure in education.login mnl777 login 。

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin has a broken left fibula and is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks.Global RAN Analytics & Monitoring Market Valued at USD 892.2 Million in 2021 to Achieve USD 2 Billion by 2031 | TMR

This unprecedented move by the Nobel laureates reflects a deep-seated belief in the importance of science and the critical role it plays in shaping public policy and addressing global challenges. By taking a stand against the appointment of individuals who may undermine scientific progress and disregard the consensus of the scientific community, the Nobel laureates are sending a clear message that they will not stand idly by as science is sidelined in the political arena.LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Seibert choked back tears taking responsibility for missing the extra point that would have tied the score in the final minute. Jeremy Reaves choked back tears blaming himself for a missed assignment that led to a kickoff return touchdown. And John Bates choked back tears talking about moving forward from his costly fumble. All of those late mistakes contributed to the Washington Commanders' third consecutive loss , 34-26 to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in a game that was wholly unremarkable until fourth quarter chaos. The teams combined to score 31 points in the final four minutes, the most in an NFL game in more than a decade, and the Commanders (7-5) came out on the wrong end of it in a defeat that further endangers their playoff chances. “Any time you lose a game or you lose a game in that type of fashion, it’s very difficult and it’s tough, but it never comes down to one play,” rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels said. “There’s plays throughout the game where little things add up to big things.” There were a lot of little things. After Bates fumbled, the Cowboys (4-7) took an 11-point lead and the Commanders made a 2-point conversion to cut the deficit to three, Dallas' KaVonte Turpin returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. “I didn’t make the play when it was there to make, and it cost us,” said Reaves, one of the league’s top special teams players and the All-Pro pick for that two seasons ago. “No excuse, man. I’ve made that play 100 times, and I didn’t make it today and it cost us the game. It’s unacceptable. It’s solely on me. It’s going to sting for a while. It’s going to hurt.” After Seibert made a 51-yard field goal, Daniels connected with Terry McLaurin on an 86-yard TD that made it 27-26 with 21 seconds left. Coach Dan Quinn said no thought was given to going for 2 in that situation. Seibert, who missed the past two games with a right hip injury, was wide left on the point-after attempt. “I just wasn’t striking it well,” said Seibert, who added he felt fine and did not blame a low snap for his miss. "It didn’t make a difference at all. It was on me.” Juanyeh Thomas returned the onside kick immediately after 43 yards for a touchdown to put Dallas up eight with 14 seconds left. The 31 combined points are the second most in a game since at least 2000, behind only Minnesota and Baltimore's 36 in their game Dec. 8, 2013. Cowboys-Commanders was the first game in the Super Bowl era to have two missed extra points, two kickoff return touchdowns and a blocked punt. “We got down to the end there and it was a game-situational extravaganza,” Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said. “It was like Yahtzee. Everything was in there." Story continues below video While Washington's skid continued, the Cowboys ended their losing streak at five thanks to strong play from QB Cooper Rush, a defense that forced two turnovers and, of course, special teams success. Rush was 24 of 32 for 247 yards and TD passes to Jalen Tolbert and Luke Schoonmaker. “Lot of games left,” Rush said. “We’re sitting at 4-7. This is why you play them.” The Commanders have some soul-searching to do after losing as a 10 1/2-point favorite in the meeting of NFC East rivals and doing so in a way that left players so emotional. “The crazy games, I know they feel a little bit better whenever you win them,” punter and holder Tress Way said. “But that’s a tough pill to swallow.” Cowboys: LG Tyler Smith was inactive with ankle and knee injuries. ... RG Zack Martin (ankle), CB Trevon Diggs (groin/knee) and TE Jake Ferguson (concussion) were ruled out prior to game day and did not travel for the game. Commanders: RB Austin Ekeler was concussed on a kickoff return in the final seconds and taken to a hospital for further evaluation. ... RB Brian Robinson Jr. left with an ankle injury in the first half, returned and then left again. ... RT Andrew Wylie was concussed in the third quarter and did not return. ... C Tyler Biadasz was evaluated for a concussion in the fourth. ... CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) missed a third consecutive game since being acquired at the trade deadline from New Orleans. Cowboys: Host the New York Giants on Thursday in the traditional Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas. Commanders: Host the Tennessee Titans next Sunday in Washington’s final game before its late bye week. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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mln 168 It is crucial for individuals to exercise caution when receiving unexpected packages, especially those that are sent by unknown senders or have no clear indication of their origin. If you receive an empty package or a package that you were not expecting, do not hastily provide any personal information or respond to any requests for payment. Instead, contact the courier company directly to verify the legitimacy of the delivery and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.Stocks fell in morning trading Friday as Wall Street closes out a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 fell 1.4%, with more than 80% of stocks in the benchmark index losing ground. Still, the index is managing to hold onto a modest gain for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 402 points, or 0.9%, to 42,945 as of 10:41 a.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite fell 2%. Both the Dow and the Nasdaq are also holding on to weekly gains. Technology stocks were the biggest drag on the market Friday. Semiconductor giant Nvidia slumped 3.2%. Its enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes. Other Big Tech stocks losing ground included Microsoft, with a 2.2% decline. A wide range of retailers also fell. Amazon fell 2.2% and Best Buy slipped 1.9%. The sector is being closely watched for clues on how it performed during the holiday shopping season. Energy was the only sector within the S&P 500 rising. It gained 0.5% as crude oil prices rose 0.8%. Investors don't have much in the way of corporate or economic updates to review as the market moves closer to another standout annual finish. The S&P 500 is on track for a gain of around 25% in 2024. That would mark a second consecutive yearly gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The gains have been driven partly by upbeat economic data showing that consumers continued spending and the labor market remained strong. Inflation, while still high, has also been steadily easing. A report on Friday showed that sales and inventory estimates for the wholesales trade industry fell 0.2% in November, following a slight gain in October. That weaker-than-expected report follows an update on the labor market Thursday that showed unemployment benefits held steady last week. In Asia, Japan’s benchmark index surged as the yen remained weak against the dollar. Stocks in South Korea fell after the main opposition party voted to impeach the country’s acting leader. Markets in Europe gained ground. Bond yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury remained at 4.59% from late Thursday. The yield on the two-year Treasury slipped to 4.32% from 4.33% late Thursday. Wall Street's main indexes opened lower, dampening an upbeat holiday-shortened week that started out looking like a classic "Santa Claus" rally was unfolding. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield was up slightly but hovered below a near-eight-month high reached Thursday, while shorter-term Treasury yields eased. The U.S. dollar was headed for an almost 7% annual gain while Japan's yen was set for a fourth consecutive year of losses on Friday, as traders anticipated robust U.S. growth, as well as tax cuts, tariffs and deregulation by the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, would make the Federal Reserve cautious on rate-cutting well into 2025. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.56% lower after the open. The S&P 500 fell 0.65%, leaving Wall Street's benchmark on course for a 1% weekly gain. The Nasdaq Composite was down 0.79% in early trade. The Dow is up 14% in 2024, the S&P 500 is up 25% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq is up 30%. Analysts said stock markets could change direction as investors returned from holiday and reassessed the risks of elevated U.S. inflation under Trump for richly-valued Wall Street equities. MSCI's broad global share index was 0.32% lower on Friday to remain 1.07% higher for the week. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan eased 0.12%, marking a 1.5% weekly rise, while Tokyo's Nikkei rose 1.8%. Europe's Stoxx 600 was 0.27% firmer on Friday and 0.7% higher for the week. The dollar index, which measures the currency against six other major currencies, eased 0.09%, looking at a small weekly gain, and to close 2024 with a more than six percent year-on-year gain. Dollar/yen was down 0.15%, but near levels last seen in July, while the greenback was also showing a 5.3% gain this month against the yen and a near 12% advance for 2024 against the weakened Japanese currency. The euro , up 0.09%, stayed close to two-year lows Fed Chair Jerome Powell said earlier this month that U.S. central bank officials "are going to be cautious about further cuts" after an as-expected quarter-point rate reduction. The U.S. economy also faces the impact of Donald Trump, who has proposed deregulation, tax cuts, tariff hikes and tighter immigration policies that economists view as both pro-growth and inflationary. Traders, meanwhile, anticipate the Bank of Japan will keep its monetary policy settings loose and the European Central Bank will deliver further rate cuts. Traders are pricing in 37 bps of U.S. rate cuts in 2025, with no reduction fully priced into money markets until June, by which time the ECB is expected to have lowered its deposit rate by a full percentage point to 2% as the euro zone economy slows. Higher U.S. rate expectations pulled the 10-year Treasury yield, which rises as the price of the fixed income security falls, to its highest since early May early on Thursday, at 4.641%. It was last up 1.4 basis points at 4.595%. The two-year Treasury yield, which tracks interest rate forecasts, traded around 4.32% off 1.2 bp since late Thursday. U.S. debt trends also sent euro zone yields higher, with Germany's benchmark 10-year bund yield rising 4.8 bp to 2.372% on Friday. Elsewhere in markets, gold prices dipped 0.84% to $2,612.20 per ounce, set for about a 27% rise for the year and the strongest yearly performance since 2011 as geopolitical and inflation concerns boosted the haven asset. Oil prices were also set for a weekly rise as investors awaited news of economic stimulus efforts in China, the world's biggest crude importer. Brent crude futures rose 1% on the day to $73.99 a barrel, 1.5% higher for the week.

Empowering Global Talent: Ayda Akalin Joins Better You by Neeraj to Reveal Secrets of U.S. Immigration Success

Law enforcement officials arrived at the scene, gaining entry into the property where they discovered Ms. Doe's lifeless body. Initial investigations revealed no signs of foul play or forced entry, leading authorities to rule out any criminal involvement in her passing. The cause of death was later determined to be natural causes, attributed to an underlying health condition that had gone unnoticed.Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981, taking over in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the end of the Vietnam War. After his defeat by Ronald Reagan, he spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. His death on Sunday was announced by his family and came more than a year after he decided to enter hospice care. He was the longest-lived US president. Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia. pic.twitter.com/aqYmcE9tXi — The Carter Center (@CarterCenter) December 29, 2024 His son, Chip Carter, said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights and unselfish love. “My brothers, sister and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. “The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honouring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” Mr Carter is expected to receive a state funeral featuring public observances in Atlanta and Washington DC before being buried in his home town of Plains, Georgia. A moderate democrat born in Plains in October 1924, Mr Carter’s political career took him from the Georgia state senate to the state governorship and finally the White House, where he took office as the 39th president. His presidency saw economic disruption amid volatile oil prices, along with social tensions at home and challenges abroad including the Iranian revolution that sparked a 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. But he also brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979. After his defeat in the 1980 presidential election, he worked for more than four decades leading the Carter Centre, which he and his late wife Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope”. Mrs Carter, who died last year aged 96, had played a more active role in her husband’s presidency than previous first ladies, with Mr Carter saying she had been “my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished”. Earlier this year, on his 100th birthday, Mr Carter received a private congratulatory message from the King, expressing admiration for his life of public service.

In conclusion, the ongoing investigation into the advertising agreement between Google and Meta highlights the importance of ethical considerations and regulatory oversight in the digital marketing industry, especially when it comes to targeting teenagers with personalized advertisements. It is essential for regulatory authorities to hold tech companies accountable for their data practices and advertising strategies to ensure the protection of young users' privacy and well-being in an increasingly digitalized world.