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slot games best Ted Cruz's angry letter about artificial intelligence policies is unintentionally revealingShare to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin An F-16 piloted by Alec Bulldog Spencer with Forbes writer Jim Clash in the backseat at Eglin AFB, near Destin, Florida, December 9, 2024. It was a half-century ago that the first F-16 rolled off of the General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin) production line. Since then, more than 4,500 have been manufactured, and in many different configurations. The plane, a U.S. attack fighter jet, has seen combat too many times to count. The jets are also used by the famous Thunderbirds air show team, and, get this, are in operation now in some two dozen countries. To celebrate the plane’s 50-year anniversary, the U.S. Air Force decorated one with the same YF-16 colors that were painted on the first one. That aircraft, which resides at Shaw AFB in South Carolina, is a one-seater, so media folks and distinguished visitors can’t fly in the back. But at Eglin AFB near Destin, Florida, there are five two-seaters, sometimes used as trainers for burgeoning pilots. As part of this report on the F-16’s anniversary, I was privileged enough to ride in the back of one with the 40th Flight Test Squadron. Mind you, I’d been in an F-16 before, a few years back, out of Eielson AFB in Fairbanks, Alaska, but it was in uncomfortable, bulky cold-weather gear (see story at end). The extra clothing was protection if, say, we needed to eject over the Arctic and survive in the wild until a rescue party could find us. The Eglin flight, given the gentle Florida clime, would only require a standard flight suit, G-pants, helmet and oxygen mask. The official debut of the YF-16 Falcon, a prototype of the F-16. (Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images) Still, anytime one flies supersonic in a fighter jet it’s serious business. The week started with a requisite physical exam at the base. Then it was on to intensive parachute, physiologic and egress training, the parachute part in a hanging harness and the bailout part in a mock ejection seat. Ejection is a last-ditch maneuver, of course, as you will pull up to 20 G’s in less than two seconds upon initiation, not to mention the tens of millions of taxpayers’ dollars that will be lost when the plane crashes. While my pilot, Col. Alec “Bulldog” Spencer, a 45-year-old with 2,300 hours in the F-16, and I were to be under the same canopy cockpit glass - he in front, me directly behind - we each had command of our own ejection seat. Test pilot Alec Bulldog Spencer instructs Forbes writer Jim Clash on the use of an ejection seat, Eglin AFB, December 4, 2024. The flight was scheduled for Thursday, December 5, but due to maintenance issues (an environmental control system part in our F-16 needed replacing), it was pushed back to Monday, December 9. So I hung around Destin over the weekend, scouring the pristine-white sand beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, and dining in places like quirky McGuire’s Irish Pub. Josh White, an Airman who hosts a podcast called HeroFront, usually has on as guests military standouts, but found me interesting for some reason, so we taped his show for a future episode. I also had time to think about what I was to do on Monday, and about the chances of anything going south. It would be the seventh - yes, seventh - separate plane I would fly supersonic in. Depending upon how you look at that, it’s either good or bad. On one hand, I had been lucky as far as not having a mishap. Viewed another way, how statisticians might look at it, the luck factor is misleading. The longer you do something risky, the more the odds stack up against you. Since 2010, 43 F-16s have required bailouts, and, of those, eight pilots were killed. Test pilot Alec Bulldog Spencer helps Forbes writer Jim Clash strap into an F-16 before their test flight, Eglin AFB, December 9, 2024. Monday morning dawned with iffy weather. My flight was to be part of a larger war-games exercise involving five other aircraft. Four F-15s were to chase down our plane and our wingman’s, another F-16, to see if - and how long it might take - to destroy us, electronically. Because of the complexity of the mission - tactical testing of new weapons - things like wind speed and direction, cloud cover and precipitation could have scrapped it. But the go decision was made, so we suited up and made our way out to the flight line. Once strapped into the plane, it was a long taxi out to the runway. Along the way, with Bulldog’s verbal okay via a radio installed in my helmet, I armed my ejection seat by pulling down a yellow-striped lever near my left leg. Test pilot Alec Bulldog Spencer and Forbes writer Jim Clash ready to taxi out to the runway in an F-16, Eglin AFB, December 9, 2024. Our takeoff was uneventful, and without afterburners. One objective was to run the plane up to Mach 1.6, its limit, and to achieve that meant saving as much fuel as possible. We gradually made our way up above 40,000 feet, through two layers of clouds. While waiting for the F-15s, Bulldog asked if I wanted to fly the plane for a bit. Sheepishly, I put my hand on the computerized control stick near my right leg. A slight pull to the left turned the plane left of horizontal. A slight push to the right turned it in that direction. A pull back put us into a climb, and a push forward pointed the plane’s nose toward the ground. The aircraft was incredibly responsive, like an Indy car at high speed. They say you don’t really get strapped into an F-16, but strap it on. They’re right. Bulldog then took the plane to 30,000 feet and began to climb - and accelerate: Mach 0.9...1.0...1.2...1.4. Eventually, at 40,000 feet, we hit Mach 1.6. Whoa. We were cruising at more than 1,200 mph! An F-16 piloted by Alec Bulldog Spencer with Forbes writer Jim Clash in the backseat takes off from Eglin AFB, December 9, 2024. Once the F-15s had had their way with us and moved on to their bombing target, we had some spare fuel to play with. First, it was a rapid descent to 200 feet above the Gulf to conduct some low passes. At more than 600 mph, the waves were rushing by frenetically. Then we abruptly pulled vertical and climbed up to 10,000 feet in less than a minute. The G’s on that maneuver got my attention. After an hour and 10 minutes in the air, we landed safely back at Eglin. I was stoked but tired, and my ears hurt. When we had reached apogee at 44,000 feet, Bulldog explained at our debrief, the cockpit was pressurized to only 19,000 feet. If not for the oxygen masks, we would have gone hypoxic in a couple of minutes. Pilot Alec Bulldog Spencer (right) and Forbes writer Jim Clash after their Mach 1.6 test flight in an F-16, Eglin AFB, December 9, 2024. I left Eglin with a better understanding of just how important the F-16 still is to the U.S. military. While only a fourth-generation fighter jet, its ongoing evolution puts its performance close to that of fifth-generation jets like the F-22 and F-35. In future stories, we will explore that idea. Stay tuned. [Editor’s Note: This is Part 1 in a series about the F-16 and Eglin AFB.] Editorial Standards Forbes Accolades Join The Conversation One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. Forbes Community Guidelines Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space. In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's Terms of Service. We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain: False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author Content that otherwise violates our site's terms. User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk Actions that otherwise violate our site's terms. So, how can you be a power user? 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WASHINGTON — Congress returned Monday with a full plate for December’s legislative session, as well as plenty of announced nominees to begin vetting for the incoming Trump administration. Leading the list from President-elect Donald Trump’s Thanksgiving week announcements was the choice of Kash Patel for FBI director, once there’s a vacancy. Patel would replace the Trump-nominated and Senate-confirmed Christopher Wray, whose term does not end until 2027 and who would need to resign or be fired for a vacancy to exist. Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, whom Trump has picked to be the nation’s attorney general, is scheduled to be on Capitol Hill this week to meet with senators. Other Trump nominees-in-waiting, including former Fox News anchor Pete Hegseth, the Defense secretary designee; and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Trump’s pick for ambassador to the United Nations, have already started making the rounds. One of the more interesting debates to watch may be over the the case of Charles Kushner, the father of Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner. Trump pardoned the elder Kushner in his first term and announced him last week as his choice for ambassador to France. In addition to tax evasion-related crimes, Charles Kushner pleaded guilty to a charge of witness tampering in 2005. While the pardon may have ended the legal consequences, reviewing that record could be on the agenda of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. House members and senators will also be taking interest in Sunday’s announcement that President Joe Biden was granting a full pardon to his son Hunter Biden. Sign up to get our free daily email of the biggest stories! The younger Biden was convicted on federal gun charges and pleaded guilty on federal tax evasion charges. The president had stated in June that he would not pardon his son, but in a reversal Sunday evening, said he had determined that Republican lawmakers had helped conjure up unfair charges. More immediately, lawmakers have three weeks to fund the government and to try to keep the streak alive of clearing the annual defense authorization bill. Given Trump’s influence within the House Republican Conference, much will depend on how much he decides he wants to start with a clean slate in 2025. Senate Democrats are continuing to use their remaining time in the majority to confirm nominees whose terms in office will extend beyond Biden’s administration, both for federal judgeships and key administrative boards and commissions. “Confirming the [National Labor Relations Board] nominees is one of our highest priorities, and we’re going to do everything we can do to get it done by the end of the year,” Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said on social media before Thanksgiving. In a late-night deal before the Thanksgiving recess, Democrats and Republicans agreed on the process to confirm Biden’s district court nominees, while setting aside four circuit court nominees whom a Schumer spokesperson said lacked the requisite 50 votes needed for confirmation anyway. That sets the stage for at least seven confirmation votes on judicial nominees as early as this week, with an additional six in the queue that were reported out of the Judiciary Committee just before the break.

Ancelotti hopes Mbappe injury not serious after Champions League win at Atalanta

Big Ten championship recap, looking ahead to the playoff: Ducks Confidential podcastManchester City's crisis continued with a 2-0 defeat away to Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday, while Pep Guardiola's old club Barcelona beat Borussia Dortmund to clinch a spot in the knockout stage of Europe's elite club competition. Arsenal, AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Lille, Feyenoord and Stuttgart were also victorious, but City's latest loss in a miserable run will dominate the headlines. The 2023 European champions succumbed in Turin as Dusan Vlahovic put Juventus ahead early in the second half when goalkeeper Ederson was unable to keep out his header. Ilkay Gundogan was denied an equaliser by a fine Michele Di Gregorio save, before Weston McKennie made it 2-0 with a fine acrobatic finish in the 75th minute. The result leaves Juventus on 11 points with two games left, a tally that is expected to be enough to guarantee them at least a place in the knockout phase play-offs. City, meanwhile, have now won just once in 10 in all competitions, with seven defeats in that time. With just eight points, they currently sit 22nd in the standings, in which the top 24 advance to the knockouts. Their next game will be crucial, as they travel to a Paris Saint-Germain side who sit a point beneath Guardiola's men. "We have to get points, we'll go to Paris to try and do that and the same goes for the final match at home (to Club Brugge)," Guardiola told Amazon Prime in Italy. Barcelona are second in the standings with 15 points, behind only Liverpool, after beating Dortmund 3-2 in a thriller in Germany, with Ferran Torres their hero. Raphinha fired Barca ahead with his 17th goal of the season, early in a remarkable second half. Serhou Guirassy equalised with a penalty on the hour mark, but substitute Torres put Barca back in front on 75 minutes, converting the loose ball after Fermin Lopez's shot was saved. Guirassy scored again for a quick equaliser, only for Torres to strike once more and win the game for Barca with five minutes left. Barcelona's tally leaves them, like Liverpool, ideally placed to finish in the top eight, which means direct progress to the last 16 without having to go through the play-offs. Arsenal are third in the standings on 13 points after easing to a 3-0 win over Monaco in London. Bukayo Saka scored twice, putting the Gunners ahead in the first half and making it 2-0 on 78 minutes as the hosts pounced on disastrous Monaco defending. Saka then turned provider for the late third, with substitute Kai Havertz credited with the final touch. Mikel Arteta's team are one of six sides on 13 points, with Lille also on that tally after edging Sturm Graz 3-2 in France thanks to a fine late winner from Hakon Haraldsson. Lille were 2-0 up through Osame Sahraoui and Mitchel Bakker, only for goals by Otar Kiteishvili and Mika Biereth to bring the Austrian champions back level. However, Icelandic midfielder Haraldsson secured Lille's fourth win of the campaign. Atletico eased to a 3-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava, with Antoine Griezmann scoring twice after Julian Alvarez had opened the scoring with an excellent strike. David Strelec pulled one back for the Slovaks, who are one of three teams already eliminated having lost six games out of six. The others are RB Leipzig and Young Boys. Milan defeated Red Star Belgrade 2-1 at San Siro with Tammy Abraham grabbing the winner three minutes from time. Rafael Leao had put Milan ahead only for Nemanja Radonjic to equalise for the Serbian side, who have lost five of their six games and are surely heading out. Benfica edged closer to a play-off spot with a 0-0 draw at home to Bologna of Italy, who have scored just one goal in six games and will go no further. Feyenoord stayed on course to go through after beating Sparta Prague 4-2 in Rotterdam, with Gernot Trauner, Igor Paixao, Anis Hadj Moussa and Santiago Gimenez netting their goals. Stuttgart kept alive their hopes of progress by coming from behind to beat Young Boys 5-1. Lukasz Lakomy put Young Boys ahead but Angelo Stiller levelled before Enzo Millot, Chris Fuehrich, Josha Vagnoman and Yannik Keitel all scored in the second half. The next round of Champions League games is scheduled for January 21 and 22, with the league phase concluding the following week. as/jc

ImmunityBio's Cash Burn And Dilution Dampen Anktiva's Potential

Connor Kasin took to the ice for a hockey game that was being held to raise money for a charity that helps parents cope with the loss of a child. Little did the New York teen know his parents would be in that tragic group before the night was out. The 17-year-old Massapequa High School senior “experienced a sudden medical event” on Nov. 30 and later died at a hospital. “It is heartbreaking to report that Connor did not survive. His passing is devastating to the Massapequa community, and we offer our deepest condolences to Connor’s family and friends,” a letter from his school to students said, according to cable station . We join the rest of the hockey community in mourning the passing of Connor Kasin, a New York high school hockey player. — B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) Nassau police said “medics and officers responded to the Town of Oyster Bay Skating Center ...for a 17-year-old male who had lost consciousness on the ice during an intermission of a hockey game.” Police said those in attendance worked to Kasin until first responders arrived. Kasin was playing in a charity game in memory of Sabrina Navaretta of nearby Syosset, New York, who died last year in a car accident, according to the . A in Navaretta’s name raises scholarship money and helps whose children have died. The cause of Kasin’s collapse was not known as late as his Dec. 6 funeral, according to . “He was an incredible child, an incredible hockey player, and just by today, you can see how wonderful he was. It hits hard when ... you see these kids walking around in these jerseys,” Lisa Stella, a family friend, said. “He taught everyone a lot of things — how to be kind, how to be a good person,” Nicholas Stella, among the teammates wearing their hockey jerseys at the funeral, said. A New York high school hockey player has tragically died suddenly after suffering a “sudden medical event” in the middle of a game, leaving onlookers horrified. Connor Kasin was just 17 years old when he died. — TheTexasOne (@TexasRepublic71) “Connor was very close with everyone. He was a great person, and it definitely is going to take a toll on the community,” classmate Reilly Cereghino said. A priest who spoke at the funeral recalled Kasin as a positive force in the world. “We can look at this young man, Connor, at his life and say, anybody you speak to [said] he walked into a room with kindness, his smile lit up the room,” Rev. Joseph Fitzgerald said. His mother said the comments of her son’s friends were one of the few things to which she could cling in her . “I always knew he was a great kid, but it’s so great ... to hear others say it,” Mary Kasin said. We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. .The four were technology companies that aided the Chinese communist regime and Russian government in the surveillance of persecuted populations, the U.S. government has determined. According to the new filing, Beijing Zhongdun Security Technology Group “develops and sells products and services that enable China’s public security establishment to carry out human rights violations,” and Zhejiang Uniview Technologies “enables human rights violations, including high-technology surveillance targeted at the general population, Uyghurs, and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups. ” Russian NtechLab and Technology Videoanalysis “develop and supply facial recognition software to the Russian government that uses these products and services to track and target peaceful protesters and activists.” The update would prohibit exports to companies on the entity list. An aviation technology company and two Russian companies were also added to the list for enabling the Myanmar (Burma) military to carry out attacks on civilians. Xinjiang produces the vast majority of China’s cotton, and some apparel brands have cut ties with suppliers in the region due to rising concerns about forced labor in clothing supply chains. Beijing has announced retaliatory measures against entities that highlight the regime’s poor human rights record.

SAN DIEGO , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Robbins LLP reminds investors that a class action was filed on behalf of persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Match Group, Inc. ( NASDAQ : MTCH ) securities between May 2, 2023 and November 6, 2024 . Match Group, through its portfolio companies, is a leading provider of digital technologies designed to help people make meaningful connections. For more information, submit a form , email attorney Aaron Dumas, Jr. , or give us a call at (800) 350-6003. The Allegations: Robbins LLP is Investigating Allegations that Match Group, Inc. (MTCH) Misled Investors Regarding its Business Prospects According to the complaint, on November 6, 2024 , Match Group published its Q3 2024 shareholder letter, disclosing that Tinder's monthly active user count was down 9% in Q3, which was the same rate of decline as in Q2, falling short of expectations for continued improvement. Further, Match Group's revenue per payer grew less than expected and some new features tested with Tinder users in the quarter negatively impacted subscription revenue, which the company said will likely also have an impact on fourth quarter revenue. Plaintiff alleges that Match Group materially understated the challenges affecting Tinder and, as a result, understated the risk that Tinder's monthly active user count would not recover by the time the Company reported its financial results for the third quarter of 2024. On this news, the price of Match stock fell by $6.77 per share, or 17.8%, to close at $31.11 per share on November 7, 2024 . What Now : You may be eligible to participate in the class action against Match Group, Inc. Shareholders who want to serve as lead plaintiff for the class must submit their application to the court by January 24, 2025 . A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. You do not have to participate in the case to be eligible for a recovery. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. For more information, click here . All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses. About Robbins LLP : Some law firms issuing releases about this matter do not actually litigate securities class actions; Robbins LLP does. A recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation, the attorneys and staff of Robbins LLP have been dedicated to helping shareholders recover losses, improve corporate governance structures, and hold company executives accountable for their wrongdoing since 2002. Since our inception, we have obtained over $1 billion for shareholders. To be notified if a class action against Match Group, Inc. settles or to receive free alerts when corporate executives engage in wrongdoing, sign up for Stock Watch today. Attorney Advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact: Aaron Dumas, Jr. Robbins LLP 5060 Shoreham Pl., Ste. 300 San Diego, CA 92122 [email protected] (800) 350-6003 www.robbinsllp.com SOURCE Robbins LLPSir Gadfly: Anonymous Rebel Bridging Art, Blockchain, and Cultural RebellionOncocyte first to published randomized interventional data to rule-in for biopsy in high-risk patient population Study shows that monitoring with Oncocyte's assay significantly reduces time to rejection diagnosis in patients with newly developed donor-specific antibodies Early detection of transplant rejection is growing in significance as novel therapeutic treatments show promising early results in antibody mediated rejection. Study published in Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oncocyte Corp., OCX , a diagnostics technology company, today announced additional favorable data regarding its lead assay VitaGraftTM, which was published in the journal, Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation. VitaGraft KidneyTM quantifies the amount of DNA fragments in transplant patients' blood that originate from the donor organ, a key biomarker for assessing graft health. This process is commonly referred to as donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) testing and is widely used in clinical practice today. In this latest study, Oncocyte's proprietary diagnostic dd-cfDNA test using digital PCR was able to diagnose antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) in kidney transplant recipients nearly a year ahead of standard protocols 1 . "We are excited to see our dd-cfDNA technology demonstrate strong predictive value for AMR, supporting clinicians in identifying AMR in patients sooner, thereby enhancing the opportunity for better outcomes," said Oncocyte Chief Science Officer Dr. Ekkehard Schuetz. "The trial's results further validate dd-cfDNA as a critical biomarker that can bridge diagnostic gaps for transplant patients." For further context, de-novo donor specific antibody (dnDSA) is a routine biomarker used in kidney transplant management. The appearance of dnDSA in a patient -- that is, the patient is found to be dnDSA-positive (dnDSA+) -- signals an increased risk of AMR. This latest study shows that compared to standard of care, VitaGraft Kidney can significantly reduce the time to diagnosis of AMR in dnDSA+ patients. It is also the first randomized interventional study to validate any dd-cfDNA technology as a rule-in test for biopsy in a high-risk population. Catching AMR early, when kidney graft loss can be minimized, is becoming increasingly important as physicians explore the use of drugs, including the anti-CD38 drugs felzartamab and daratumumab, to manage rejection. Monitoring with VitaGraft in this high-risk patient population could support early intervention with these new therapeutic options. Once patients are on therapy, monitoring for therapeutic efficacy is also important to manage potential unwanted side effects. Publications using VitaGraft to monitor for efficacy for both aforementioned drugs can be found in the New England Journal of Medicine and Transplant International . In addition, earlier this year, Oncocyte signed an agreement with a European biotechnology company to be the provider of dd-cfDNA testing for a Phase II clinical trial for a separate therapeutic in AMR. Oncocyte expects to submit for claims expansion to its payor, MolDX 2 , to support the use of VitaGraft for these high-risk patients in the clinic. If granted, it would expand the use case beyond the current for-cause claim, opening significant new revenue opportunities. In sum, this clinical trial provides compelling evidence for dd-cfDNA monitoring as a tool for enhancing early intervention and improving outcomes for patients at increased risk of transplant rejection. Oncocyte scientists and inventors of the technology, Dr. Schuetz, Julia Beck and Kirsten Bornemann-Kolatzki, co-authored the study, which was initiated by researchers at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin under the leadership of Prof. Klemens Budde. The study was published in Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation: Oxford Academic and may be found by accessing this link. Additional study details: Highlighting potential for improved patient outcomes, as well as implications for broader clinical applications and future therapies The interventional randomized trial, conducted between June 2021 and July 2023, involved 40 kidney transplant recipients with dnDSA, assessing longitudinal dd-cfDNA monitoring as a guiding tool for diagnostic biopsy compared to standard clinical practices. Oncocyte's proprietary dd-cfDNA technology was able to detect the onset of AMR significantly earlier in patients by guiding the indication for biopsy (median time from inclusion to diagnosis: 2.8 months) compared to the control group using standard of care (14.5 months). As noted above, this early intervention could offer a valuable advantage in transplant care by enabling prompt treatment before irreversible damage occurs. "This study underscores the impact of dd-cfDNA as a critical biomarker for early AMR detection, providing healthcare teams with timely data enabling them to initiate treatments sooner," said Dr. Aylin Akifova, first author from Charité. This study also suggests that dd-cfDNA monitoring could also be instrumental in identifying subclinical AMR—a silent condition that, if undiagnosed, can lead to significant graft damage. Additionally, the findings come at a crucial time, as mentioned above, as promising new treatments, including CD38-targeted therapies, are showing unprecedented efficacy in treating AMR. Early diagnosis with dd-cfDNA could provide the earliest window for intervention, offering an advantage for patients suffering from AMR, a disease with historically very limited treatment options. "We congratulate Charité's research teams on these compelling findings, which further underscore our mission to empower clinicians with tools for precision diagnostics while also democratizing access to novel molecular diagnostic testing to improve patient outcomes," said Josh Riggs, CEO of Oncocyte. "We look forward to expanding the clinical applications of dd-cfDNA technology and supporting transplant communities worldwide with our innovative diagnostic solutions." About Oncocyte Oncocyte is a diagnostics technology company. The Company's tests are designed to help provide clarity and confidence to physicians and their patients. VitaGraftTM is a clinical blood-based solid organ transplantation monitoring test. GraftAssureTM is a research use only (RUO) blood-based solid organ transplantation monitoring test. DetermaIOTM is a gene expression test that assesses the tumor microenvironment to predict response to immunotherapies. DetermaCNITM is a blood-based monitoring tool for monitoring therapeutic efficacy in cancer patients. For more information about Oncocyte, please visit https://oncocyte.com/ . For more information about our products, please visit the following web pages: VitaGraft KidneyTM - https://oncocyte.com/vitagraft-kidney/ VitaGraft LiverTM - https://oncocyte.com/vitagraft-liver/ GraftAssureTM - https://oncocyte.com/graftassure/ DetermaIOTM - https://oncocyte.com/determa-io/ DetermaCNITM - https://oncocyte.com/determa-cni/ VitaGraftTM, GraftAssureTM, DetermaIOTM, and DetermaCNITM are trademarks of Oncocyte Corporation. CONTACT: Jeff Ramson PCG Advisory (646) 863-6893 jramson@pcgadvisory.com Forward-Looking Statements Any statements that are not historical fact (including but not limited to statements that contain words such as "will," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates," "may," and similar expressions) are forward-looking statements. These statements include those pertaining to, among other things, the expectation that Oncocyte will submit for claims expansion to MolDX to support the use of VitaGraft for high-risk patients in the clinic, which may expand the use case and open significant new revenue opportunities, the company's anticipated expansion of clinical applications of dd-cfDNA technology, the company's goal to support transplant communities worldwide with its innovative diagnostic solutions, and other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of diagnostic tests or products, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, the capacity of Oncocyte's third-party supplied blood sample analytic system to provide consistent and precise analytic results on a commercial scale, potential interruptions to supply chains, the need and ability to obtain future capital, maintenance of intellectual property rights in all applicable jurisdictions, obligations to third parties with respect to licensed or acquired technology and products, the need to obtain third party reimbursement for patients' use of any diagnostic tests Oncocyte or its subsidiaries commercialize in applicable jurisdictions, and risks inherent in strategic transactions such as the potential failure to realize anticipated benefits, legal, regulatory or political changes in the applicable jurisdictions, accounting and quality controls, potential greater than estimated allocations of resources to develop and commercialize technologies, or potential failure to maintain any laboratory accreditation or certification. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and accordingly such statements should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the business of Oncocyte, particularly those mentioned in the "Risk Factors" and other cautionary statements found in Oncocyte's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, which are available from the SEC's website. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they were made. Oncocyte undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by law. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Deal on Elgin Marbles ‘still some distance’ away, says George Osborne

ITV I'm A Celebrity fans 'gutted' that things in the jungle are going to changeAll-inclusive elder care for aging at home: This nursing home alternative is on the rise

Imran Khan’s ordeal continues

MITCHELL — Having kicked off practice recently, a new era has dawned for the Mitchell High School girls basketball team. To help guide the team forward, the Kernels are turning to its most experienced players to front the charge. ADVERTISEMENT The senior trio of returning starters Carsyn Weich and Lauren Van Overschelde, along with role player Makenzie Peterson, have taken on more prominent leadership roles within the relatively young roster, while also being among the players the Kernels will look to as they try to improve on a 20-win season and a sixth-place finish at state last year. Even with the success, which included a 15-0 start and the Eastern South Dakota Conference title, the girls know they’ll need to find an extra spark in order to compete for wins. “We’re going to have to be more confident,” Weich said. “We all know we have big shoes to fill and we’re stepping up a little bit and doing more each practice. Our coaches have faith in us, so we have to have faith in ourselves too.” “We just have to remember it’s for the team,” added Peterson. “I know we have so much potential and I know we can bring it. I’m waiting to see it and I know everyone else is as well.” Much of the discussions have been about what can the Kernels do together, knowing everyone will have to make meaningful contributions following top point-scorer Sawyer Stoebner’s graduation, who also led the team in rebounds, assists and steals last season. Each of the three seniors have stepped up to lead the team in different ways. Weich has led ball-handling drills in practice, while Peterson and Van Overschelde have used their actions during practices to set an example to the other girls on the roster. Having been around them throughout their basketball journey, Kernels head coach Dave Brooks knows they’ll let their work ethic set the tone each time the team’s together. However, their words carry added significance. ADVERTISEMENT “I trust their judgment,” Brooks said. “When they speak up, we need to listen. When something’s getting caught, out of control or if they’re pushed far enough, they will speak up, and I think that’s good for our kids to have that.” Patience will also be key, as outside of Weich, Van Overschelde, Peterson, and junior returning starter Addie Siemsen, this year’s team is composed of mostly freshmen and sophomores who’ll see time at varsity and junior varsity this season. Knowing the importance of maintaining morale, even as the group will inevitably deal with adversity throughout the season, the seniors are working on keeping themselves positive and instilling confidence. “We can’t be down on ourselves and we can’t be down on our teammates,” Van Overschelde said. “There’s going to be moments, but we have to stay positive and that’ll make everyone else get better every single practice and every single game.” Overall, the players and coaches know the first few games will be a learning process for the team, as Mitchell opens the season with consecutive home games at the Corn Palace against defending Class A state champion Vermillion on Friday, Dec. 13, and ESD foe Watertown on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Weich, Van Overschelde and Peterson have shown the rest of the Kernels their ability to take on the added responsibility, having grown from the final game at state last season throughout the summer to being in the position they’re in now. “We have great seniors,” Brooks said. “It’s amazing how kids can change from junior year to senior year, which is a good sign. They get along well and like hanging out together, and will still be in the gym with others when practice is over.”Israel said Tuesday it had bombed more than 350 military sites in Syria during the previous 48 hours, targeting “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the wave of airstrikes in neighboring Syria was necessary to keep the weapons from being used against Israel following the Syrian government’s stunning collapse . Israel also acknowledged its troops were pushing into a border buffer zone inside Syria, which was established after the 1973 Mideast war. However, Israel denied its forces were advancing Tuesday toward the Syrian capital of Damascus. Life in the capital was slowly returning to normal after jihadi-led Syrian insurgents ousted President Bashar Assad over the weekend. People celebrated for a third day in a main square, and shops and banks reopened. The United States said Tuesday it would recognize and support a new Syrian government that renounces terrorism, destroys chemical weapons stocks and protects the rights of minorities and women. Syria's nearly 14-year civil war killed nearly half a million people and displaced half of the country’s prewar population of 23 million, becoming a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. Here's the Latest: BEIRUT — Syria’s transitional government will made up of members from the rebel-led administration that ruled an insurgent stronghold in the country's northwest, the new prime minister said Tuesday, who called the task “a great challenge.” The caretaker Syrian government, which will oversee the country’s affairs until March, held its first meeting Tuesday since overthrowing former President Bashar Assad. It was attended by the departing Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali and other ministers along with new Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir. He had led the so-called “salvation government” in areas controlled by rebel groups — led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS — that have taken control of much of the country. “We were tasked by the general command with managing the affairs of the Syrian government during a transitional period,” Bashir said in a statement following the meeting in Damascus. He added that he hopes ministers in the former Syrian government will assist the new government during this transitional period. “The caretaker government was formed from a number of ministers of the revolutionary government, which is the Syrian Salvation Government, and this government is a temporary caretaker government that will last until March 2025, until the constitutional issues are resolved,” Bashir said. The insurgent alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant , Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who cut ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. SAYDNAYA, Syria — Tens of thousands came to Saydnaya Prison from all over Syria after the fall of former President Bashar Assad to search for their loved ones. The place so notorious for its horrors was long known as “the slaughterhouse.” For the past two days, all have been looking for signs of loved ones who disappeared years or even decades ago into the secretive, sprawling prison just outside Damascus. But hope gave way to despair Monday. People opened the heavy iron doors lining the hallways to find cells inside empty. With sledgehammers, shovels and drills, men pounded holes in floors and walls, looking for what they believed were secret dungeons, or chasing sounds they thought they heard from underground. They found nothing. Insurgents freed dozens of people from the Saydnaya military prison on Sunday when Damascus fell. Since then, almost no one has been found. “Where is everyone? Where are everyone’s children? Where are they?” said Ghada Assad, breaking down in tears. An estimated 150,000 people were detained or went missing in Syria since 2011 — and tens of thousands of them are believed to have gone through Saydnaya. WASHINGTON — The top U.S. military commander for the Middle East was on the ground in Syria on Tuesday, meeting with a Kurish-led, U.S.-allied force at several bases in the country's east, U.S. Central Command said. Army Gen. Erik Kurilla visited with U.S. military commanders and troops as well as the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. It wasn’t clear if he met with SDF leader Mazloum Abdi, and U.S. Central Command did not respond to a request for details about his visit or with whom he met. U.S. officials said they did not know what his message to the SDF was. The U.S has about 900 troops in Syria, including forces working with Kurdish allies in the northeast to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State group. In a press release, Central Command said Kurilla received an “assessment of force protection measures, the rapidly evolving situation, and ongoing efforts to prevent ISIS from exploiting the current situation.” Kurilla then went on to Iraq where he met with leaders in Baghdad. UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations says it still getting reports about the looting of warehouses with humanitarian aid in a number of areas in Syria, including around the capital Damascus. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Tuesday that U.N. agencies and their partners are working to identify the extent of looting at the warehouses, including those of U.N. agencies and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Dujarric said U.N. aid officials report that “the humanitarian situation remains volatile across Syria, with reports of people continuing to be displaced.” Humanitarian officials reported that 25 trucks carrying U.N. aid crossed from Turkey to northwest Syria, which the situation is now relatively calm, the U.N. spokesman said. All 11 receptions opened in Idlib in the northwest to host newly displaced families were empty as of Monday, Dujarric said. In the northeast, he said, authorities report that as of Tuesday 100,000 people have been displaced due to fighting in Tal Rifaat and other parts of Aleppo governorate. Dujarric said the U.N.’s partners report that “reception centers in Tabqa and Raqqa have reached full capacity, and more than 200 sites – including municipal buildings, schools, mosques, and stadiums – are being used to accommodate newly displaced people.” BEIRUT — The Lebanese army said Tuesday that “unidentified gunmen” crossed the border from Syria into eastern Lebanon's Bekaa province and approached a Lebanese border post. In a statement, the army said the gunmen fired into the air and seized equipment from an evacuated Syrian army post in the outskirts of Kfar Fouq, near Rashaya al-Wadi, in the western part of Bekaa province. Lebanese army personnel responded with warning shots, forcing the group to retreat back into Syrian territory. The Lebanese army did not report any injuries or provide further details about the identity of the gunmen. WASHINGTON — Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched multiple drones and a missile at three commercial ships being escorted in the Gulf of Aden by U.S. Navy ships, a U.S. official said Tuesday. There was no damage and no injuries. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations, said U.S. Navy destroyers, and Navy helicopter and a French Air Force aircraft shot down four of the drones and the missile. The three U.S. affiliated flagged ships were sailing east toward Djibouti. The Iran-backed Houthis have targeted shipping through the key waterway for more than a year, attacks they say are meant to force an end to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said it bombed more than 350 sites in Syria during the previous 48 hours, targeting “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country. There is concern that, with the sudden collapse of the Syrian government, weapons stockpiles could be seized by jihadi militants. Warplanes hit what Israel said were Syrian air defense systems, military airfields, missile depots, and dozens of weapons production sites in the cities of Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, and Palmyra, the Israeli army statement said. In naval operations overnight Monday, Israeli missile ships struck two Syrian navy facilities simultaneously — Al-Bayda port and Latakia port — where the army said 15 Syrian naval vessels were docked. Israeli did not specify how many Syrian naval vessels were hit. The private security firm Ambrey said it had seen evidence that at least six Soviet-era Syrian navy missile ships were hit. Israeli officials said earlier that Israel also targeted alleged chemical weapons sites. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Tuesday that his country’s military launched a wave of airstrikes across Syria to destroy the toppled government’s leftover “military capabilities,” and said Israel wants relations with the new government emerging Syria. Hours after Israeli warplanes pounded Syria, Netanyahu said Israeli doesn’t want to meddle in Syria’s internal affairs, but would take necessary steps to protect Israel's security and prevent jihadi militants from seizing the Syrian army assets. He warned that if the new Syrian government “allows Iran to re-establish itself in Syria or allows the transfer of Iranian weapons or any other weapons to Hezbollah, or attacks us -- we will respond forcefully and we will exact a heavy price from it.” He spoke in a video statement recorded at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, after his first day of testimony in his corruption trial. DAMASCUS, Syria — In Umayyad Square in Damascus, Syrians celebrated the fall of President Bashar Assad for the third day on Tuesday despite Israeli airstrikes across the country. Insurgents who recently took control of the capital city tried to impose a new rule banning the celebratory gunfire. There were a few violators, and much less deafening gunfire. Protesters climbed the square's central monument to wave the Syrian revolutionary flag. On the ground, crowds chanted: “Out with Bashar! Out with Bashar!” Assad fled to Russia over the weekend after a lightning rebel offensive toppled his brutal police state. Demonstrators from different provinces marched in the square in groups, celebrating Assad's fall. Men on motorcycles and horses paraded into the square. One woman from Idlib province shouted that the Israeli strikes ruined the joy of ousting Assad. “Why are you striking us? We just deposed a tyrant,” she said. “Give us peace. Leave us alone,” said Ahmed Jreida, 22, a dentist student, when asked about the Israeli airstrikes. Hamzeh Hamada, 22, said this was the first time he had gone out to a demonstration. “We want the country to get better, to live in dignity and be like other countries that respect citizens’ rights and where there are no bribes,” he said. “We have suffered a lot from bribes. ... We had to bribe people for very minor things; things that should be our right.” Abdul-Jalil Diab was taking a stroll with his brothers in another square in western Damascus. He said he came back from Jordan the day Damascus fell. He was there studying German to prepare to move to Germany and said he is now reconsidering his plans. He was ecstatic, saying words can’t describe how he feels. “We are happy to get rid of the corrupt regime that was based on bribes. The whole country feels better. Everyone is happy and celebrating,” Abdul-Jalil Diab said. QAMISHLI, Syria — Residents of northeast Syria in the area around Qamishli airport said Tuesday they heard explosions overnight after an airstrike hit trucks loaded with rockets and ammunition that were heading to a military base in Tartab. “We don’t know the story. It was only in the morning when we realized they are trucks loaded with ammunition, leftovers of the former army, the regime,” said Ibrahim al-Thalaj, who lives near the base. He said residents assumed that the strikes were Israeli. Israel has carried out a heavy wave of airstrikes across Syria targeting military infrastructure after Syrian insurgents toppled the government of Bashar Assad. However, Turkish security officials said Tuesday that the strike in Qamishli was carried out by Turkey, targeting weapons and ammunition that were abandoned by the Syrian army and seized by Syrian Kurdish militants. The explosions lasted for over 20 minutes after the strike, and many houses in the surrounding area were damaged as a result, residents of the area said. “We just felt a strike hitting. It hit the first one (truck) and we saw the other trucks retreating back, and from there rockets and shells started flying over,” said Hamid al-Asaad, an eyewitness from Qub al-Zeki village in Qamishli. “We were sitting when these explosions started to hit the house,” said Mahmoud Hamza of Tartab. “It was hitting randomly and we didn’t know where it was coming from. ... Once we got out of our house, a rocket hit the house.” There were no details released by the local Kurdish administration regarding the explosions, but members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces blocked the road to the base. BRUSSELS — The European Union’s top diplomat is concerned that Syria might violently fall apart like neighboring Iraq, or Libya and Afghanistan if its territorial integrity and the rights of minorities are not protected. “The transition will present huge challenges in Syria and in the region,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told European lawmakers on Tuesday during a special hearing. “There are legitimate concerns about the risks of sectarian violence, extremist resurgence and the governance vacuum, all of which must be averted. We must avoid a repeat of the horrific scenarios of Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan,” she said. “The rights of all Syrians, including those of many minority groups, must be protected,” she said. “It is crucial to preserve the territorial integrity of Syria, and to respect its independence, its sovereignty, as well as the state institutions.” Kallas also said the collapse of the government has shown that Assad’s backers in Russia and Iran “could neither afford to do it any longer, nor had any interest of being present in the aftermath.” “They are weakened, distracted and overstretched in other theaters in the broader Middle East, but also in Ukraine,” she said. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s intelligence agency, MIT, has attacked a convoy of trucks that was allegedly carrying missiles, heavy weapons and ammunition that were abandoned by the Syrian government and reportedly seized by Syrian Kurdish militias, Turkish security officials said Tuesday. The officials said 12 trucks, two tanks and two ammunition depots were “destroyed” in aerial strikes in the city of Qamishli, near the border with Turkey in northeast Syria. The officials provided the information on condition of anonymity in line with Turkish regulations. They did not say when the attack occurred. The officials said the intelligence agency detected that weapons left by the Syrian government forces were being moved to warehouses belonging to the Syrian Kurdish People’s Defense Units, or YPG. Turkey views the group as a terrorist organization because of its links to the banned Kurdish militants that have led a decadeslong insurgency in Turkey. According to the officials, he group was allegedly planning to use the equipment and supplies against Turkish security forces. By Suzan Fraser WASHINGTON — The White House is signaling its approval of Israel’s strikes against Syrian military and alleged chemical weapons targets and the seizure of a buffer zone in the Syrian Golan Heights after the fall of the Assad government. “These are exigent operations to eliminate what they believe are imminent threats to their national security,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday, saying the U.S. would leave it up to the Israelis to discuss details of their operations. “They have as always the right to defend themselves,” Kirby said. He declined to detail and U.S. intelligence cooperation with the Israelis that went into the strikes. Kirby said the White House was reasserting its support of the 1974 Golan Heights disengagement agreement, but didn’t criticize the Israeli seizure of the demilitarized zone. Israel has a long history of seizing territory during wars with its neighbors and occupying it indefinitely , citing security concerns. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally, except by the United States. WASHINGTON — The Biden administration says it will recognize and support a new Syrian government that renounces terrorism, destroys chemical weapons stocks and protects the rights of minorities and women. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement Tuesday that the U.S. would work with groups in Syria and regional partners to ensure that the transition from President Bashar Assad’s deposed government runs smoothly. He was not specific about which groups the U.S. would work with. Blinken says Syrians should decide their future and that other countries should “support an inclusive and transparent process” and not interfere. “The United States will recognize and fully support a future Syria government that results from this process,” he said. “We stand prepared to lend all appropriate support to all of Syria’s diverse communities and constituencies.” DAMASCUS, Syria — Jihad Mustafa Shibani was taking his new motorcycle for a spin with a friend around the house of the deposed Syrian president in western Damascus on Tuesday. Shibani was released from prison a week before the capital Damascus fell, after he served two years on charges of buying his motorcycle using foreign currency on accusations he was dealing in dollars. He was tortured for 15 days and and given a quick trial where he was sentenced for two years, he said. He was released the day Aleppo fell to the insurgents. “Everything was banned in Syria. The (Assad loyalists) only could use it,” Shibani said. He said he has never been to this neighborhood, because it was taken over by Assad, his family and supporters. “For 50 years, my family’s house is near here, and we don’t know anything about it. ... The Syrian people had been oppressed, you can’t imagine.” Shibani said he has no fear of the rebel newcomers who have taken control of the country. “We are not afraid. There can be no one more unjust than Bashar. Impossible.” BEIRUT — Lebanon’s prime minister is in contact with security and judicial officials to follow up on reports that senior members of President Bashar Assad’s government have fled to Lebanon. Najib Mikati’s office quoted him as saying that Lebanon abides by international laws regarding people who cross its borders. Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said that several top security officials have entered Lebanon over the past two days. Abdurrahman added that Syria’s former intelligence chief Ali Mamlouk, who is wanted in Lebanon over two bombings in 2012 in the northern city of Tripoli that killed dozens, was allegedly brought to Lebanon by the Hezbollah militant group and was staying in a southern suburb of Beirut where the group has deep support. Lebanon’s Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, whose ministry is in charge of border crossings, told reporters Tuesday that no person who is wanted in Lebanon entered the country through legal border crossings. There are dozens of illegal border crossings between Lebanon and Syria where people are usually smuggled in and out of Lebanon, but it was not possible to independently confirm whether Mamlouk had entered Lebanon. GENEVA — The United Nations says humanitarian operations in two major areas in northwestern Syria have resumed, deploying food, medical supplies, fuel and other needed services and supplies. Spokesman Jens Laerke of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that some health facilities were “overwhelmed” – in part due to staff shortages – and many border crossings have been closed, disrupting supply chains. OCHA said humanitarian operations in some parts of northwestern Syria were put on hold in the early days of the recent escalation, and resumed on Monday. “As of yesterday, all humanitarian organizations in Idlib and northern Aleppo have resumed operations,” Laerke told reporters at a U.N. briefing in Geneva. He said the three border crossings from Turkey used by the U.N. to deliver assistance into Syria remain open and “we are providing assistance in the northwest, including to those who have been newly displaced.” Even before the latest escalation, which led President Bashar Assad to flee the country, nearly 17 million people in Syria needed humanitarian assistance. More than 1 million have been displaced across Idlib, Aleppo, Hama and Homs since the escalation. JERUSALEM — Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that Israel's military destroyed Syria’s fleet overnight and intends to establish a demilitarized zone “in southern Syria” to prevent attacks on Israel. He also issued a warning to Syria’s rebels, saying that “whoever follows Assad’s path will end up like Assad — we will not allow an extremist Islamic terrorist entity to act against Israel across its border while putting its citizens at risk.” Speaking at a naval base in Haifa, Katz said the Israeli navy “operated last night to destroy the Syrian fleet and with great success.” Video showing the smoking wreckage of what appeared to be small Syrian naval ships in the port at Latakia was broadcast by Saudi-owned television station Al-Hadath on Tuesday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has closely tracked the conflict since the civil war erupted in 2011, said Israel targeted Syrian warships, military warehouses and an air-defense facility on the coast. Katz added that he had instructed the army to establish a “defense zone free of weapons and terrorist threats in southern Syria, without a permanent Israeli presence, in order to prevent terrorism in Syria from taking root and organizing.” It was unclear if the demilitarized zone would reach beyond the buffer zone that Israel has taken over in the border area. Israel has a long history of seizing territory during wars with its neighbors and occupying it indefinitely , citing security concerns. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally, except by the United States. DAMASCUS, Syria — Members of the Syrian government under ousted President Bashar Assad will gradually transfer power to a new transitional cabinet headed by Mohammed al-Bashir. The departing government met with al-Bashir for the first time since Assad fled Damascus over the weekend. Al-Bashir had previously led the “salvation government” running the rebel stronghold in northwest Syria. Al-Bashir told reporters after the meeting that the ministers discussed transferring the portfolios to the interim government during the transitional period until the beginning of March. He said that in the coming days the new government will decide on each ministry. DAMASCUS, Syria — Banks and shops are reopening in Damascus after the chaos and confusion of the first two days following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. Sadi Ahmad, manager of Syria Gulf Bank, said life is returning to normal. A customer who came to withdraw money from an ATM was surprised to see it functioning. At the historic Hamadiyeh market, fighters who seized power were still standing guard but shops had reopened — even an ice cream stand. Resident Maysoun Al-Qurabi said she was initially “against what happened,” referring to the insurgency, but changed her mind after seeing footage of rebels releasing inmates from the notorious Saydnaya prison. “People are at ease and secure now,” she said. “Before, people were hungry and scared.” DAMASCUS, Syria — Minority Christians in Syria have been living in a state of uneasy anticipation since insurgents headed by the Islamic militant group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham took control after ousting President Bashar Assad. Mazen Kalash, a resident of Bab Touma, a Christian neighborhood in Damascus, said he wants to know the plans of the new government that will be formed by the rebels. “The important thing is to feel safe, bring order, law and respect to the citizens,” he said. “We need to be able to work whatever we want and do whatever we want without any interference from anyone.” The insurgents have so far attempted to reassure minorities that they will be protected. Large numbers of Syrian Christians, who made up 10% of the population, fled after the civil war erupted in 2011. Many of those who stayed supported Assad out of fear they might be targeted by Islamist insurgents. TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at media during testimony at his corruption trial, which involves media moguls. “There has never been such a biased media in any democracy ... as there is in Israel,” Netanyahu told the court, describing his testy relationship with the press. He is accused of exchanging regulatory favors with media bosses for more positive coverage of himself and his family. He has denied wrongdoing. GENEVA — The U.N. envoy for Syria says armed groups that drove out President Bashar Assad have “been sending good messages” about national unity and inclusiveness but acknowledges that a Security Council resolution still counts the leading one as a terrorist group. With Syria’s future and stability still very much in flux since Assad’s departure over the weekend, Geir Pedersen suggested that the international community needs to help the country get through this turbulent moment. “We are still in what I would call a very fluid period. Things are not settled,” Pedersen told reporters at U.N. offices in Geneva on Tuesday. “There is a real opportunity for change, but this opportunity needs to be grasped by the Syrians themselves and supported by the U.N. and the international community.” Referring to Israeli military strikes in Syria, Pedersen said it was “extremely important that we now don’t see any action from any international country that destroys the possibility for this transformation in Syria to take place.” The insurgents are led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which grew out of an al-Qaida-affiliate called the Nusra Front that the Security Council listed as a terror group in a 2015 resolution. “This is obviously a complicating factor for all of us,” Pedersen said. “But we also have to be honest, we have to look at the facts and to see what has happened during the last nine years.” “The reality so far is that the HTS and also the other armed groups have been sending good messages to the Syrian people,” he said. “They have been sending messages of unity, of inclusiveness, and frankly speaking, also, we have seen in (the captured cities of) Aleppo and in Hama ... reassuring things on the ground." Ahmad al-Sharaa, previously known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency and the founder of both groups Nusra and HTS, cut ties with al-Qaida in 2016 and says he is committed to pluralism and religious tolerance. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey has “strongly” condemned Israel’s advance into Syrian territory, saying it was in violation of a 1974 agreement on a buffer zone inside Syria. “We strongly condemn Israel’s violation of the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement, its entry into the separation zone between Israel and Syria, and its advance into Syrian territory,” Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry accused Israel of “displaying a mentality of an occupier” at a time when the possibility of peace and stability had emerged in Syria. The statement also reiterated Turkey’s support to Syria’s “sovereignty, political unity, and territorial integrity.” Israeli troops on Sunday entered the buffer zone that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war and the military said it would deploy in “several other places necessary for (Israel’s’) defense.” TEL AVIV, Israel — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he works 17 to 18 hours a day and that he is engulfed in meetings, especially during the past year that Israel has been fighting wars. Netanyahu was testifying in his long-running corruption trial. He has denied charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases. “If only I could steal away five minutes to enjoy some time with my wife,” he told the court Tuesday. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli military official says troops plan to seize a buffer zone inside Syria as well as “a few more points that have strategic meaning.” The official spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. The official dismissed reports of a larger Israeli invasion as “rumors.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israeli forces were moving to control a roughly 400-square-kilometer (155-square-mile) demilitarized buffer zone in Syrian territory. The buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights was created by the U.N. after the 1973 Mideast war. Following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad, Israel sent troops into the buffer zone. It said the move was temporary and was aimed at preventing attacks. It said the 1974 agreement establishing the zone had collapsed and that Syrian troops had withdrawn from their positions. Israel has also carried out airstrikes across Syria in recent days targeting what it says are suspected chemical weapons and long-range rockets. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have condemned Israel’s incursion, accusing it of exploiting the disarray in Syria and violating international law. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized by the international community, except for the United States. The rest of the world views the strategic plateau as occupied Syrian territory. — By Joseph Krauss DAMASCUS, Syria — Israel’s air force has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in different parts of Syria as its ground forces move north of the Golan Heights along the border with Lebanon, according to an opposition war monitor. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday that since the fall of President Bashar Assad’s government, Israel’s air force has carried out more than 300 airstrikes against research centers, arms depots and military infrastructure across Syria, as well as a naval base along the Mediterranean coast. Associated Press journalists in Damascus witnessed intense airstrikes on the city and its suburbs overnight into Tuesday morning. Photographs posted online by activists showed destroyed missile launchers, helicopters and warplanes. Meanwhile, Israeli troops marched along the border with Lebanon and now control a long stretch on the Syrian side facing Lebanon’s Rashaya region, according to the war monitor's head, Rami Abdurrahman, and the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV, which has reporters in Syria. Israeli troops are now about 25 kilometers (15 miles) southwest of Damascus, according to the monitor. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia has condemned Israel’s incursion into a buffer zone in Syria and a wave of Israeli airstrikes launched after the overthrow of President Bashar Assad. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that “the assaults carried out by the Israeli occupation government, including the seizure of the buffer zone in the Golan Heights, and the targeting of Syrian territory confirm Israel’s continued violation of the principles of international law and its determination to sabotage Syria’s chances of restoring its security, stability and territorial integrity.” Israel sent troops into a buffer zone inside Syria that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war. It said the move was temporary and was taken to prevent any cross-border attacks after Syrian troops withdrew. Israel has also carried out heavy airstrikes that it says are aimed at preventing suspected chemical weapons and long-range rockets from falling into the hands of extremists. Saudi Arabia has been in talks with the United States in recent years over normalizing relations with Israel in exchange for a U.S. defense pact, American assistance in establishing a civilian nuclear program and a pathway to the establishment of a Palestinian state. But the kingdom has also repeatedly condemned Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip, where it is at war with the Hamas militant group. Last month, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and day-to-day ruler Mohammed bin Salman accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza , allegations Israel adamantly rejects.

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