76ers' star Paul George sidelined the next 2 games with bone bruise in left knee
Dhaka has to balance ties with, India, China, USJharkhand election result live updates: Election Commission to count votes today. Can Hemant Soren govt retain power?Article content JASPER — This year, Kim Stark’s kids took responsibility for decorating the family Christmas tree. Ornaments include toy cars, puzzle pieces, string and a pair of binoculars — things her three young daughters had handy after the family lost their home in summer’s devastating Jasper wildfire. “I have the most wonderful tree on the planet,” said Stark. “It’s part of our story and part of who we are. “If (the kids) are happy, I’m happy.” Stark is part of the fabric of the Jasper townsite, a 10-year member of the fire department and owner of a coffee shop and bakery. Her family, plus three furry pets and a fish, are living in a condo as they navigate rebuilding their home. “(The kids) miss our house, and we talk about our house,” said Stark. “We make sure we go to our neighbourhood, so that it doesn’t become somebody else’s neighbourhood.” Stark and other residents are anxious and nervous for the future following the fire that hit the town July 24. About 5,000 residents and 20,000 visitors were safely evacuated before the fire breached the western edge of town and destroyed 350 homes and businesses, including 820 housing units. The Insurance Bureau of Canada pegged the damage at $880 million. Six months after the fire, debris is still being cleared — lot by lot. Locals including Stark are quick to say things could have been worse. But anxiety over temporary living situations and what may be a long and slow rebuild process has many residents and municipal leaders feeling unsettled heading into 2025. For Sabrina Charlebois and David Leoni, the top concern is the Alberta government’s $112-million modular housing project. It’s to put up 250 pre-built rental units in the town and rent them to those displaced by the fire. Social Services Minister Jason Nixon said the first homes should be ready by late January or early February, with the rest in April. The majority are to be multi-bedroom suites to accommodate families. “If we can get all of our approvals on time, we definitely are on time to be able to build in the context of what we promised,” Nixon said. It’s complicated, he added, given there are layers of government with an Alberta town in a national park. Charlebois was born and raised in Jasper. The fire destroyed her childhood home, which her late father built, as well as the salon where she worked. “It’s better than nothing,” she said of the housing project, noting at least 2,000 residents were displaced so demand could outnumber the new units. Charlebois, who has been staying in a hotel, said it’s understandable projects like this take time. But “we’re six months into this, and there’s no homes for anyone.” “My fear is not finding a place to live, because I have to be out of my hotel by the spring,” she said. Leoni, a dentist and former Olympic biathlete, and his family also lost their home, as did seven staff at his clinic. He said the April cutoff date Charlebois is facing also applies to his staff staying in hotels. “Hopefully that’s concurrent with the provincial government’s opening of these modular units that they’re putting in, because we’re going to lose staff,” said Leoni. “Without them I can’t do anything.” The clinic needed to replace $160,000 worth of equipment and required a top-to-bottom scrub before appointments resumed in October. Leoni estimates his patient list is down one-third because of the fire. Whether those patients return remains to be seen. Charlebois and Leoni both said their anxiety is heightened when they consider the unpredictable nature of the town’s tourism economy and how it could complicate the pace of rebuilding. It’s a catch-22: residents need houses in order to rebuild and restart the economy, but they can’t restart the economy without tourists. And tourists require services, which require workers, who require housing. Bill Given, the town’s chief administrator, said he’s optimistic the municipality can “thread the needle.” But he has his own anxieties when it comes to rebuilding, namely the complexity of Jasper operating under both federal and provincial oversight. “An associated risk of that is that individual agendas from different orders of government overtake the public interest in delivering on what Jasper needs,” Given said. “I think there’s also a risk, maybe somewhat smaller, that private interests overtake the broader public interest.” Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland, who lost his home in the fire, said they have to find a way. “Failure is not an option for anybody,” said Ireland. “We have one chance to get this right, and that’s what we have to do.” In the meantime, Stark and her daughters watch from behind a fence as what’s left of their home is cleared away. “I’m super excited just to have a hole instead of a burnt spiral staircase that was coming up in my backyard. “Now,” she said, “it’s just this beautiful dirt. “There’s future there.”
Trump asks court to pause law that could ban TikTokPublished 20:44 IST, December 14th 2024 India's data centre market has emerged as a magnet for global and domestic investors, attracting nearly $60 billion in investment commitments between 2019 and 2024. With robust data centre (DC) demand fueling expansion into India's digital infrastructure, investment commitments in the industry are expected to surpass $100 billion by the end of 2027, according to CBRE report. India's Data Centre (DC) market is witnessing a surge in investment activity, with Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu emerging as the most preferred destinations. India's data centre market has emerged as a magnet for global and domestic investors, attracting nearly $60 billion in investment commitments between 2019 and 2024. Mumbai, which accounts for 49 per cent of India's total DC stock, continues to dominate the market, followed closely by Chennai, Delhi-NCR, and Bengaluru. Together, these Tier-I cities constituted about 90 per cent of the country's DC stock in the January-September 2024 period. Mumbai and Chennai's stronghold is bolstered by their strategic infrastructure, including multiple cable landing stations, government support, and established financial industries, making them prime hubs for BFSI, cloud, hyperscale, and OTT companies. India's DC stock stood at approximately 1,255 MW (~19 million sq. ft.) as of September 2024 and is projected to grow to around 1,600 MW (~24 million sq. ft.) by the end of the year. In 2025, an additional 475 MW of capacity is under construction, with Mumbai and Chennai expected to lead the supply additions. Demand from technology firms, BFSI, fintech, and media sectors, along with public sector undertakings, is expected to further boost occupancy rates, which currently stand at 75-80 per cent. India's generative AI sector is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28 per cent from 2023 to 2030, contributing significantly to DC demand. The adoption of generative AI is projected to add USD 400 billion to India's economy by 2030, underscoring the importance of robust digital infrastructure. State-level incentives have played a pivotal role in attracting DC investments. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana were among the first to introduce dedicated policies, defining DCs as an "essential service" and offering extensive infrastructure support. Updated 20:44 IST, December 14th 2024A judge in Delaware on Monday once again blocked a massive, multibillion dollar pay package for Tesla CEO Elon Musk, siding with the plaintiffs who argued that Musk’s salary was not in company shareholders' best interest. Delaware Chancery Court Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick ruled that Musk's pay package—which is based on the company's stock price and is currently valued at around $101 billion—was negotiated by a board that was too close to Musk. “There were undoubtedly a range of healthy amounts that the Board could have decided to pay Musk,” McCormick wrote in her opinion, according to CNN . “Instead, the Board capitulated to Musk’s terms and then failed to prove that those terms were entirely fair.” The news comes as Musk has been trying to be Donald Trump’s best buddy, even abandoning his 12 children from three different women to spend Thanksgiving with Trump at the garish Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. In fact, Musk has spent most of his time since the Nov. 5 election at Mar-a-Lago, acting as a sort of shadow president , sitting in on Trump’s calls with world leaders and trying to influence Trump’s administration picks. Trump has been publicly embracing Musk, tasking him with finding ways to slash the federal budget. Trump created the Department of Government Efficiency for Musk, which is basically a glorified advisory committee that has a super cringe name that plays off Musk's crypto coin called Doge. But privately Musk's super-cringey, socially awkward behavior (he’s calling himself the “ first buddy ,” yes, really) seems to be wearing thin . The Washington Post reported in November that “people are not happy” with Musk acting as a “co-president” to Trump. Trump even made a backhanded joke at Musk’s expense, with The Hill reporting that Trump said on Nov. 14: “Elon won’t go home. I can’t get rid of him. Until I don’t like him.” Musk's time in the Trump orbit may go the way of his Tesla pay package: up in smoke.
Georgia has a chance to post its best start to a season in 94 years ahead of its home meeting with South Carolina State in Athens, Ga., on Sunday. Georgia (11-1) hasn't appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 10 seasons and hasn't won a tournament game since 2002, but the Bulldogs seem primed to make a return. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. As property values continue to outpace inflation, property taxes are taking a bigger bite out of homeowners’ wallets. A new analysis from Construction Coverage breaks down property tax rates by state, county, and city to reveal where homeowners have the greatest burden. Click for more. Where Are U.S. Property Taxes Highest and Lowest? A State, County, and City Analysis
2024: The year in reviewMilitaries like the US, China, and Russia are building robot dogs to employ in security and combat operations. Some of these remote-controlled canines feature guns, rocket launchers, and flamethrowers These robotic dogs can fill a variety of jobs, from scouting to counter-drone roles. Militaries, law enforcement, and more around the world are increasingly turning to robot dogs — which, if we're being honest, look like something straight out of a science-fiction nightmare — for a variety of missions ranging from security patrol to combat. Advertisement Robot dogs first really came on the scene in the early 2000s with Boston Dynamics' "BigDog" design. They are becoming increasingly prolific with improved designs, and they have been used in both military and security activities. In November, for instance, it was reported that robot dogs had been added to President-elect Donald Trump's security detail and were on patrol at his home in Mar-a-Lago. Some of the remote-controlled canines are equipped with sensor systems, while others have been equipped with rifles and other weapons. One Ohio company made one with a flamethrower. Related Video Drone dogfights in Ukraine's skies usher in a new chapter of aerial warfare Some of these designs not only look eerily similar to real dogs but also act like them, which can be unsettling. Their emergence comes as uncrewed systems take on greater roles, from the civilian sector to the armed forces, and amid growing competition in this emerging technology space prompted by the great realization of what they could do in future wars. Various US military industry partners have been working on robot dogs in combat and support applications. US Air Force photos by Airman Alysa Knott Militaries have been incorporating robot dogs into operations for a few years now. They've performed scouting and security missions and explosive ordnance disposal, relying on sensing systems and advanced surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. By joining manned formations, the quadrupedal unmanned systems can assist their human companions and complete functions that may be too dangerous or impossible for them. But that doesn't mean some of these military robot dogs aren't a little disconcerting . It's kind of weird that they can jump, roll, and play like dogs. Advertisement In the US A robot dog drone with an AI-enabled rifle recently tested by the Army and its industry partners. U.S. Army photo by Capt. Eric-James Estrada Across the US military, the services are experimenting with robot dogs. The Marine Corps has tested its systems with remote assault rifles and anti-armor rocket launchers. In some cases, these robots are designed specifically for counter-drone operations — in other words, putting a drone up against another drone. Related stories The Army has also conducted urban assault drills alongside robot dogs. In March, it deployed one of the systems in a training environment as part of Project Convergence, a series of exercises and experiments focused on future war-fighting, at Fort Irwin in California. The quadruped was there to "provide enhanced situational awareness and support for frontline soldiers, acting as their eyes and ears," the Army said. The Army has said it envisions robot dogs as assisting soldiers with surveillance on the battlefield. US Army photo by Spc. Samarion Hicks Then, in August, the Army and its industry partners tested one armed with a service rifle as part of Fort Drum's "Operation Hard Kill," which tests counter-drone systems they're working on. The dog is remotely controlled, meaning an operator can remain a safe distance away from it while testing it. Advertisement The rifle was also enhanced with artificial intelligence, suggesting automated targeting. The Marine Corps, too, has been experimenting with AI-enabled weapons on its robot dogs. Efforts to develop US military robot dogs heightened in 2020 and have continued since. US Air Force photo by Senior Airman William Pugh US defense officials have long considered the development of weaponized robot dogs experimental, exploring what might be possible in future conflicts . Efforts to adopt robot dogs really ramped up in 2020 when the Air Force began integrating robot dogs into an exercise securing an airfield against a simulated attack. Other Air Force efforts have seen robot dogs helping airmen respond to nuclear and chemical threats. Advertisement And at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, for example, autonomous canines have been assisting with base security, a first for the US military. One video showed these drones sitting and rolling around like they were actual dogs. One of the biggest players in this space is Ghost Robotics , which develops Q-UGVs, quadrupedal unmanned ground vehicles, for the US military. Ghost Robotics describes one of its Q-UGVs, Vision 60, as "a mid-sized high-endurance, agile, and durable all-weather drone for use in a broad range of unstructured urban and natural environments for defense, homeland, and enterprise applications. In China The US isn't alone in its robot dog research endeavors; rivals are also interested in these unusual capabilities. China's advancements with robot dogs have often mirrored US efforts and raised some concerns in Washington. Advertisement Earlier this year, Chinese state-run media showed off one of Beijing's developments in this space — a robot dog running around a testing range and shooting an automatic rifle. Footage of the system prompted US lawmakers to raise concerns with the Pentagon on "the threat of rifle-toting robot dogs used by China ." China has also shown off its robot dogs at military exercises , including a joint one with Cambodia and other militaries last year. And at a defense trade show, a Chinese defense company, Kestrel Defense, shared footage of one of the drone systems carrying guns and smoke grenades. Advertisement One of China's military robot dogs seen at a intelligence and technology exhibition. VCG/VCG via Getty Images In Russia Russia, too, has been working on integrating robot dogs into its military . Its most prominent exhibition came in 2022 during a Russian army trade show, when a robot dog wrapped in an odd black coverall and carrying an anti-tank weapon walked around the exhibit. Video footage showed the dog even acting like a real dog — stomping and spinning around as if excited and lying down. Imagine something like that on the battlefield. At the time of the reveal, observers said that the dog looked to be a commercially available one from Chinese company Unitree, or at least included some similar parts and functions. The Russian company responsible for the system, Machine Intellect, said it's useful for transporting supplies, attacking targets, and scouting. Advertisement In actual combat In the Ukraine war, robot dogs have seen use on the battlefield , the first known combat deployment of these machines. Built by British company Robot Alliance, the systems aren't autonomous, instead being operated by remote control. They are capable of doing many of the things other drones in Ukraine have done, including reconnaissance and attacking unsuspecting troops. A robot dog in the 28th Mechanized Brigade gives a fist bump. Ukrainian Ministry of Defense The dogs have also been useful for scouting out the insides of buildings and trenches, particularly smaller areas where operators have trouble flying an aerial drone. "Such a dog should be in every unit," Kurt, a commander in the 28th Mechanized Brigade, said, per a post from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.Lebanon is closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with the Syrian capital Damascus, the General Security Directorate said Friday. The decision came hours after an Israeli airstrike damaged a border crossing in northern Lebanon just days after it was reopened. Separately, Jordan’s interior minister said the Naseeb border crossing with Syria had been closed because of the security situation on the Syrian side. He spoke after Syrian opposition activists said insurgents had captured the main border crossing with Jordan, forcing the Syrian authorities to leave. Israel’s military said it planned to reinforce its positions in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights and near the border with Syria. Israel said it was “monitoring developments and is prepared for all scenarios, offensive and defensive alike.” Meanwhile, Syrian insurgents entered the central towns of Rastan and Talbiseh early Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer Syria’s third largest city, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media both reported. The breakthrough came a day after jihiadi-led opposition fighters captured the central city of Hama , Syria’s fourth largest. In other developments, a Hamas official said international mediators have resumed negotiations with the Palestinian militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war is within reach. Israel's war against Hamas has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel in October 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,600 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Here's the Latest: DEIR AL-Balah, Gaza Strip — An Israeli strike hit a residential building in central Gaza's Nuseirat refugee camp on Friday evening, killing at least 12 people, including six children and four women, according to officials at Awda Hospital. The strike wounded at least 46 others, including 13 children and 12 women, and damaged several neighboring houses, the hospital said. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,600 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. CAIRO — Israel said Friday that “thousands of food packages and sacks of flour” were delivered to the isolated northernmost reaches of Gaza, where hunger experts warn famine could be underway. The delivery would mark one of the first successful convoys to the area, which is besieged by Israeli troops that have mounted a fierce offensive in Gaza’s north since early October. COGAT, the Israeli military agency that controls the border crossings into Gaza, said the aid was delivered to the town of Beit Hanoun. Israeli authorities did not publicly say who delivered the aid, and did not provide details on the exact amount of aid involved. COGAT released photos of flatbed trucks driving past rubble, some carrying what appeared to be 25-kilogram (55 pound) sacks of aid and others with cargo covered under tarps. The U.N. has struggled to deliver aid to the area in recent weeks. Alia Zaki, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, told The Associated Press that nearly no food has entered the area for two months, and that the agency’s daily requests to enter the area have been denied by Israel. Of two missions that have been approved since Oct. 6, Zaki said, only two trucks of aid were delivered to a shelter that Israeli soldiers ordered to evacuate soon after and then burned. The situation in northern Gaza has prompted hunger experts to warn that famine is either near or may already be underway. BEIRUT — A Kurdish-led force in Syria that's backed by the United States says it has taken positions along the border with Iraq, replacing Syrian government forces. The move by the Syrian Democratic Forces to capture areas on the west bank of the Euphrates River is likely to cut the land line that links Iran with the Mediterranean coast. The SDF said in a statement that its fighters were deployed in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour and west of the Euphrates for the safety of civilians. “Our primary objective is to protect our security and the security of our people,” it said about the deployment. SDF spokesman Farhad Shami told The Associated Press that their fighters are not in control of the Boukamal border crossing with Iraq. Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said Iran-backed fighters have evacuated the border crossing point of Boukamal and the SDF is expected to control it later. The Boukamal border crossing has been a main supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah, who had opened the corridor that links Iran with the Mediterranean in 2017. The developments come as jihadi-led insurgents in northwestern Syria have made stunning advances over the past week that have so far met little resistance from government troops. KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Crowds of displaced Palestinians, some carrying cooking pots and crying children, gathered at an aid kitchen in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Friday, but many left with nothing. “The food ran out,” said Adel Mohammad, who was hoping to get a meal of rice – the only food being served — for his children. “At night they wake up hungry.” After the kitchen shut down, children used their hands to scoop bits of rice left in large empty cooking pots. The World Food Program has warned that the humanitarian response in Gaza is “nearing collapse as famine looms.” The U.N. agency says Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries, along with the breakdown of law and order in Gaza, has made it difficult for aid convoys to reach displaced Palestinians. Concerns are growing with the onset of another winter of war. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, many displaced repeatedly by Israeli attacks, are living in tent camps, reliant on international aid. Experts have already warned of famine in northern Gaza, which Israeli forces have almost completely isolated since early October. BEIRUT -- Lebanon’s General Security Directorate said Friday the country is closing all land border crossing with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with the Syrian capital Damascus. The decision by the security agency in charge of border crossings came hours after an Israeli airstrike damaged the Arida border crossing with Syria in north Lebanon, days after it was reopened. “Border crossings will be closed until further notice for the safety of travelers,” the agency said in a statement posted on X. It said that the only border crossing that will be kept open is Masnaa in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley. Lebanon’s state news agency said Friday the airstrike on the Arida crossing caused heavy material damage and cut the road. The Israeli military said fighter jets attacked the border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, adding that they were used to transfer munitions for Lebanon’s Hezbollah group. BEIRUT - Syrian opposition activists say insurgents have captured a main border crossing with Jordan forcing Syrian authorities to leave it. Shortly afterward, Jordan’s Interior Minister al-Frayeh said the Naseeb border crossing with Syria had been closed because of the security situation on the Syrian side. Opposition activists posted videos online showing people storming the border crossing with Jordan, which was in rebel hands until government forces regained control of it in 2018. Ahmad al-Masalmeh, an opposition activist based in France who covers events in southern Syria, told The Associated Press that local gunmen have captured the Naseeb crossing as well as several other areas in the southern province of Daraa where the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011. Syrian troops have evacuated checkpoints in several areas including the villages of Inkhil, Nawa and Jassem, he added. JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said on Friday that it planned to reinforce its forces stationed in the Golan Heights and near the border with Syria, where civil war has reignited between the government and rebel groups. The Israeli military said in a statement that it was “monitoring developments and is prepared for all scenarios, offensive and defensive alike.” After 13 years of civil war, Syrian insurgents are gaining ground, first taking cities in the country’s north and on Friday entering cities in central Syria. It comes as rebel groups mount new challenges to Russia- and Iran-backed Syrian forces, including in Aleppo, the country’s largest city. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has intermittently struck areas in Syria seen as strongholds of Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group it is at war with in Lebanon. The advances of the Syrian insurgents adds new instability on Israel’s northern border, two months after it invaded neighboring Lebanon. Israel’s defense minister and military chief of staff met to discuss the situation Thursday. Israeli media reported there is concern in the country’s security establishment that the rebels would advance until they reached the Golan Heights, territory occupied by Israel, gaining control of Syrian weapons stockpiles along the way. Writing in the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahoronoth Friday, veteran military correspondent Ron Ben-Yishai wrote that Israel may “prefer” to destroy the weapons storehouses so they won’t fall into the hands of the rebels. Israel seized control of the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war. Syria has constantly accused Israel of launching attacks against it from territory it occupies in the Golan Heights. Israel has frequently struck Syria over the years. BEIRUT — Syrian insurgents entered two central towns early Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer Syria’s third largest city, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media both reported. The break into Rastan and Talbiseh came a day after opposition gunmen captured the central city of Hama , Syria’s fourth largest, after the Syrian army said it withdrew to avoid fighting inside the city and spare the lives of civilians. The insurgents, led by the jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have said that they will march to Homs and Damascus, President Bashar Assad’s seat of power. The city of Homs, parts of which were controlled by insurgents until 2014, is a major intersection point between the capital, Damascus, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus where Assad enjoys wide support. Homs province is Syria’s largest in size and borders Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan. Insurgents are now 5 kilometers (3 miles) away from Homs, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor. “The battle of Homs is the mother of all battles and will decide who will rule Syria,” said Rami Abdurrahman, the Observatory’s chief. MANAMA, Bahrain — Iran said Friday it conducted a successful space launch, the latest for its program the West alleges improves Tehran’s ballistic missile technology. Iran conducted the launch using its Simorgh program , a satellite-carrying rocket that had had a series of failed launches, at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport in rural Semnan province. That’s the site of Iran’s civilian space program. The Simorgh carried what Iran described as an “orbital propulsion system,” as well as two research systems to a 400-kilometer (250-mile) orbit above the Earth. A system that could change the orbit of a spacecraft would allow Iran to geo-synchronize the orbits of its satellites. Tehran has long sought that ability. Iran also put the payload of the Simorgh at 300 kilograms (660 pounds), heavier than its previous successful launches. There was no immediate independent confirmation the launch was successful. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The announcement comes as heightened tensions grip the wider Middle East over Israel’s continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip and as an uneasy ceasefire holds in Lebanon. MELBOURNE, Australia — Arsonists extensively damaged a Melbourne synagogue on Friday in what Australia’s prime minister condemned as an antisemitic attack on Australian values. The blaze in the Adass Israel Synagogue is an escalation in targeted attacks in Australia since the war began between Israel and Hamas last year. Cars and buildings have been vandalized and torched around Australia in protests inspired by the war. A witness who had come to the synagogue to pray saw two masked men spreading a liquid accelerant with brooms inside the building at 4:10 a.m., officials said. About 60 firefighters with 17 fire trucks responded to the blaze, which police said caused extensive damage. Investigators have yet to identify a motive, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese blamed antisemitism. “This was a shocking incident to be unequivocally condemned. There is no place in Australia for an outrage such as this,” Albanese told reporters. “To attack a place of worship is an attack on Australian values. To attack a synagogue is an act of antisemitism, is attacking the right that all Australians should have to practice their faith in peace and security,” he added. ISTANBUL — A Hamas official says international mediators have resumed negotiating with the militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war was within reach. Ceasefire negotiations were halted last month when Qatar suspended talks with mediators from Egypt and the United States because of frustration over a lack of progress between Israel and Hamas. But there has been a “reactivation” of efforts in recent days to end the fighting, release hostages from Gaza and free Palestinian prisoners in Israel, according to Bassem Naim, an official in Hamas’ political bureau who spoke with The Associated Press in Turkey on Thursday. Another official familiar with the talks confirmed the return of Qatari mediators. The official spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations with the media. Since the talks broke down, there have been significant shifts in the global and regional landscape. Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election, and a ceasefire was declared last week between Israel and Hamas ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump is a staunch supporter of Israel, but Naim said he believes the incoming administration could “affect the situation positively” given that Trump had made halting wars in the region part of his campaign platform. Trump this week called for the release of all hostages held in Gaza by the time he takes office on Jan. 20, saying there would be “hell to pay” if that doesn’t happen. WASHINGTON -- Three U.S. service members were being evaluated for potential traumatic brain injuries following an attack near a base in eastern Syria this week, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday. Ryder said U.S. Central Command is still evaluating who was behind the attack near Mission Support Site Euphrates, which prompted the U.S. to conduct counter strikes on Tuesday. At the time, the Pentagon said rockets and mortars had landed in the vicinity of the base. The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria to conduct missions to counter the Islamic Stage group. By Lolita Baldor