TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay's surest path to the NFL playoffs is a division championship. The Buccaneers will need help to repeat in the NFC South , but only if they first and foremost give themselves a chance. That means winning their remaining games at home against Carolina and New Orleans, while the Atlanta Falcons lose at least once in the final two weeks of the regular season. The Bucs (8-7) and Falcons share the best record in the division, however Atlanta holds the tiebreaker after sweeping the season series between the teams. Tampa Bay, which has won three consecutive division titles, is the only NFC team that has made the playoffs each of the past four seasons. “We’ve got to take care of business or else we’ve got no shot,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said after a 26-24 loss at Dallas cost the Bucs control of the NFC South race. “This one, we've got to take it on the chin,” Mayfield added. “It's a short week. It's Christmas week. We've got to focus on Carolina and figure out a way to win.” If Atlanta is able to maintain its lead, Tampa Bay could make the postseason as a wild card if the Bucs win out and the Commanders lose twice. Coach Todd Bowles sounds confident that his players understand the challenge ahead and will clean up mistakes that contributed to the end of their four-game win streak. “We’ve got to win a ballgame (this week). If we don’t win a ballgame, we don’t give ourselves a chance,” Bowles said Monday. “We have to focus on us like we’ve been doing,” the coach added. “We have to correct the mistakes, and we have to go out and win Sunday, and we’ve got to win the next week, and then we’ll see what happens after that.” The offense, which ranks third in the NFL at 389.8 yards per game, isn't a fluke. Despite losing to the Cowboys, Tampa Bay finished with 410 yards total offense. It was the team's fifth straight game — as well as an NFL-high ninth overall — with 400-plus yards. The Bucs are seventh in rushing (143.7 yards per game) after ranking 32nd each of the past two seasons. The defense yielded 292 yards passing against the Cowboys, 226 of it in the first half when Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb had six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. Bowles said shoddy tackling was the biggest issue — not poor coverage. Lamb had one reception for 5 yards after halftime. Mayfield's chemistry with rookie WR Jalen McMillan, who has 27 receptions for 336 yards and five TDs, continues to grow. McMillan had five catches for 57 yards and a touchdown — his fourth in the past three games — against Dallas. He was also the intended receiver on Mayfield's deep throw that CB Jourdan Lewis intercepted in the end zone to help the Cowboys hold off the Bucs in the closing minutes. Turnovers were costly against Dallas. The end-zone interception stopped the Bucs from cutting into a 26-17 deficit with 6:22 remaining in the fourth quarter. Rachaad White's fumble with 1:31 left ended any hope for a last-minute victory. On both plays, defenders ripped the ball out of the grasp of the offensive player. “We knew they were going to rake at the ball going into the ballgame," Bowles said. "We just have to have two hands on the ball, and we have to fight for it. We have to take better care of the football. That’s priority No. 1.” Bowles said it's too early to project the status of several starters for coming games, including S Antoine Winfield Jr. (knee), who has missed the past two games. TE Cade Otton (knee) and LB K.J. Britt (ankle) were inactive against the Cowboys, while reserve WR Sterling Shepard left during the game with a hamstring injury. 80. Bucky Irving leads all NFL rookie RBs with 920 yards rushing. He needs 80 over the next two games to reach 1,000. He scored his seventh rushing touchdown against Dallas. That tied Errict Rhett and Lars Tate for the second-most rushing TDs by a rookie running back in franchise history. Doug Martin set the record of 11 in 2012. Host Carolina on Sunday. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflKosovo arrested several suspects Saturday after an explosion at a key canal feeding two of its main power plants, while neighbouring Serbia rejected accusations of staging the blast. The explosion Friday near the town of Zubin Potok, which sits in an ethnic Serb-dominated area in Kosovo's troubled north, damaged a canal that supplies water to hundreds of thousands of people and cooling systems at two coal-fired power plants that generate most of Kosovo's electricity. As security forces swarmed the area around the canal, whose concrete walls were left with a gaping hole gushing water, Prime Minister Albin Kurti visited the site and announced authorities had arrested several people. Law enforcement "carried out searches" and "collected testimony and evidence, and the criminals and terrorists will have to face justice and the law," he said. The arrests follow a security meeting late Friday, when Kurti pointed the finger at Serbia. "The attack was carried out by professionals. We believe it comes from gangs directed by Serbia," he told a press conference, without providing evidence. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic hit back Saturday, denying the "irresponsible" and "baseless accusations". "Such unfounded claims are aimed to tarnish Serbia's reputation, as well as to undermine efforts to promote peace and stability in the region," he said in a statement to AFP. Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric had earlier suggested on X that the Kosovar "regime" could itself be behind the blast, calling for an international investigation. The main political party representing Serbs in Kosovo, Serb List, also condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms". AFP journalists at the scene saw water leaking heavily from one side of the reinforced canal, which runs from the Serb-majority north of Kosovo to the capital, Pristina. However, electricity supplies to consumers were running smoothly on Saturday morning, with authorities having found an alternative method to cool the plants, said Kosovo's Economy Minister Artane Rizvanolli. Repair work was ongoing, authorities said, while Kurti confirmed workers had managed to restore water flows to 25 percent capacity. More from this section The European Union denounced the explosion as a "terrorist attack". "It is a despicable act of sabotage on Kosovo's critical civilian infrastructure, which provides drinking water for considerable part of Kosovo's population and is a vital component of Kosovo's energy system," the bloc's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said in a statement. The United States, France and Turkey joined the international condemnation of the attack. "We call on all parties to exercise restraint to avoid escalation in the region," Turkey's foreign ministry said. The NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping mission for Kosovo likewise called for restraint. "It is important that facts are established and that those responsible are held accountable and brought to justice," it said in a statement. The force is providing security in the surrounding area and has offered logistical, explosives removal and engineering support to the Kosovo authorities, it added. Animosity between ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo and Serbia has persisted since the end of the war between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian insurgents in the late 1990s. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, a move that Serbia has refused to acknowledge. Kurti's government has for months sought to dismantle a parallel system of social services and political offices backed by Belgrade to serve Kosovo's Serbs. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Saturday denounced "the act of sabotage on the critical water supply infrastructure in the Iber-Lepenc Canal" in comments on X, calling it "a serious crime that endangers the lives of Kosovo's citizens and undermines the process of normalizing relations in our region." Friday's attack came after a series of violent incidents in northern Kosovo, including the hurling of hand grenades at a municipal building and a police station earlier this week. Kosovo is due to hold parliamentary elections on February 9. ih/ach/giv/jhb/sbk
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Most ruling party lawmakers were boycotting a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority sought by the opposition to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law , as protests grew nationwide calling for his removal. The likely defeat of the motion is expected to intensify public protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative party, but it is also determined to oppose Yoon’s impeachment apparently because it fears losing presidency to liberals. Impeaching Yoon would require support from two-thirds of the National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members. The opposition parties who brought the impeachment motion have 192 seats, meaning they need at least eight additional votes from Yoon’s People Power Party. The opposition-controlled parliament began a vote earlier Saturday, but only three lawmakers from PPP took part with opposition members. If the number of lawmakers who cast ballots doesn’t reach 200, the motion will be scrapped at midnight without the ballot counting, according to the National Assembly. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. There are worries that Yoon won’t be able to serve out his remaining 2 1⁄2 years in office because his leadership took a huge hit. Many experts say some ruling party lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties’ efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik urged ruling party members to return to the chamber to participate in the vote, stressing that it was closely watched by the nation and also the world. “Don’t make a shameful judgment and please vote based on your convictions,” Woo said. Democratic Party leaders visited a hall on the floor below the main chamber where PPP lawmakers were gathered, attempting to persuade them to vote. After being blocked from entering, they angrily accused the conservatives' leadership of preventing its lawmakers from voting freely. Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued a public apology over the martial law decree, saying he won’t shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose martial law. He said would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country’s political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office.” “The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologize to the people who must have been shocked a lot,” Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a “den of criminals” bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces.” The turmoil resulting from Yoon’s bizarre and poorly-thought-out stunt has paralyzed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the U.S. and Japan. Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircling the parliament building and army helicopters hovering over it, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon’s martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. Yoon’s speech fueled speculation that he and his party may push for a constitutional amendment to shorten his term, instead of accepting impeachment, as a way to ease public anger over the marital law and facilitate Yoon’s early exit from office. Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, told reporters that Yoon’s speech was “greatly disappointing” and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment. His party called Yoon’s martial law “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup.” The passage of Yoon’s impeachment motion appeared more likely Friday when the chair of Yoon’s party called for his removal on Friday, but the party remained formally opposed to impeachment. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people densely packed several blocks of roads leading up to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing and singing along to K-pop songs with lyrics changed to call for Yoon’s ouster. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP’s headquarters near the Assembly, angrily shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon’s supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied in separate streets in Seoul, decrying the impeachment attempt they saw as unconstitutional. Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon’s wife. Some lawmakers from Yoon’s party were seen leaving the hall after that vote, triggering angry shouts from opposition lawmakers. On Friday, PPP chair Han Dong-hun, who criticized Yoon’s martial law declaration, said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Yoon ordered the country’s defense counterintelligence commander to arrest and detain unspecified key politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities.” Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians. The targeted politicians included Han, Lee and Woo, according to Kim Byung-kee, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting. The Defense Ministry said Friday it suspended three military commanders including the head of the defense counterintelligence unit over their involvement in enforcing martial law. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho has told parliament that Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly after Yoon imposed martial law. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim resigned Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him.Little shop of Manitoba keepsakes
Bhumi Pednekar Hunts For 'Ultimate' Chole Bhature In Delhi
EXCLUSIVE Investors threaten to call in police over huge losses after collapse of Alastair Campbell son's football betting syndicate By GLEN OWEN Published: 23:00, 28 December 2024 | Updated: 23:08, 28 December 2024 e-mail View comments Alastair Campbell is facing losses running into hundreds of thousands of pounds following the collapse of a football betting syndicate run by his son, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Tony Blair 's former spin chief is understood to be among those alleged to have lost a total of more than £5 million from Rory Campbell's venture, with some out-of-pocket investors now threatening to go to the police. The row has dragged in Charlie Falconer, Mr Blair's Lord Chancellor and former flatmate, who held meetings with syndicate members shortly before Christmas to 'calm tempers' after they were told that they would not be able to recoup their losses. The syndicate bet on the Premier League , the German Bundesliga , Italy 's Serie A and Spain 's La Liga using mathematical models intended to give it an edge over the rest of the betting market by assessing the effect of injuries, how well players link up and factors such as the weather. Sources said that Rory, 37, told investors in April that 'everyone will get paid in the summer' and 'there is absolutely no hole' in the fund, before in June promising again that they would be paid back in full by the end of July. But it is claimed that on July 18 he warned they might receive 'in the region of 50%-65%' of their investment. Two weeks ago, his lawyers are said to have informed them that the venture had collapsed because bookmakers in Asia had failed to pay their debts. Last night, a representative for Rory Campbell said: 'You appear to have been given an incomplete and in several respects inaccurate account of a highly complex set of issues, which are currently the subject of what we had understood to be confidential negotiations intended to seek a resolution between the various parties. Alastair Campbell's son Rory's (pictured) football betting syndicate has gone bust, with losses of up to £5million Alastair Campbell and his partner Fiona Millar (pictured) are believed to have invested nearly £300,000 in the business 'It is a matter of concern and very disappointing to learn from you that these confidences have been broken. Given the confidential nature of the discussions, we are not at liberty to make any further comment at this stage.' More than 50 people are understood to have placed between £10,000 and £500,000 each in the syndicate over the past five years, with Alastair Campbell and his partner Fiona Millar believed to have invested nearly £300,000. Around 20 of the investors have compiled a dossier of evidence to pass to the police, including contracts setting out how the syndicate would run, bank statements, emails stating that the fund was profitable and spreadsheets detailing how much it was supposedly making. The sources said that Lord Falconer met twice with investors to try and negotiate a financial settlement on behalf of the Campbell family, most recently in early December. The meetings have been described by sources as 'long and bruising'. This newspaper has seen correspondence between Rory and one investor who tried to withdraw his money from the syndicate last year after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. The investor wrote in November 2023: 'I am now reaching the end of my tether and the next step will be for me to start looking at legal options to recover what you owe me. 'I really don't want to do that but when you continually tell me the money is coming shortly (since July) and December is approaching you can understand why I think you may not be good for it.' Sources said that Lord Falconer (pictured) met twice with investors to try and negotiate a financial settlement on behalf of the Campbell family The investor added: 'Are you going to send some money soon or are you just hoping I die before you need to pay up?' Rory replied: 'Absolutely not and yes very, very soon. All of it.' A year later, the investor says he is still to receive the £160,000 he's owed. Another syndicate member, said to be facing losses of more than £150,000, told the MoS: 'We are all absolutely furious. 'Rory told us that at no time could he lose more than 5 per cent of the total betting fund to a single bookmaker and that his job was to manage that risk. 'Then suddenly all the money has just disappeared. He has provided absolutely zero evidence of where it has gone and we want a proper explanation of where all the millions of pounds have gone.' Another investor said: 'We will be very lucky to get 15 per cent of our losses back after legal and professional costs. 'By Rory's own figures over £5 million is owed. He has at least finally admitted there is a massive financial black hole, which he denied for a long time, but this has left a lot of people in serious financial trouble as many had invested a decent proportion of their overall wealth in something Rory described as 'massively low risk'.' Alastair with his son Rory (right) and Calum Campbell (centre) at the London Stadium In a 2018 interview Rory, who read Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford, said he spent 'the majority of time' at university 'playing poker and watching football'. After graduating, he advised football clubs on 'tactical insights'. Alastair Campbell, 67, is enjoying a lucrative second career as co-host of The Rest Is Politics podcast with former Tory minister Rory Stewart, with his personal income topping an estimated £100,000 a month. Alastair Campbell and Lord Falconer both declined to comment. Spain Serie A La liga Italy Asia Share or comment on this article: Investors threaten to call in police over huge losses after collapse of Alastair Campbell son's football betting syndicate e-mail Add commentI’m A Celeb fans accuse ITV of ‘choosing winner’ as they hit out at ‘campaign’ for starRoope Hintz scores 15th goal as Dallas beats Utah 3-2
Former President Bill Clinton was hospitalized today after developing a high fever, an aide announced. “President Clinton was admitted to Georgetown University Medical Center this afternoon for testing and observation after developing a fever,” the aide, Angel Ureña, wrote on X. “He remains in good spirits and deeply appreciates the excellent care he is receiving.” Clinton was hospitalized in 2021 at UCI Medical Center in Orange for an infection for about six days. Clinton, 78, has been on a book tour to promote his most recent book, C He also campaigned for Kamala Harris in the recent presidential election, and spoke at the Democratic National Convention. Clinton underwent a quadruple bypass operation in 2004. In 2010, he underwent surgery to place two stents in his coronary artery. Sign up for . For the latest news, follow us on , , and .
Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala’s Pre-Wedding Celebrations Begin; Bride-To-Be Shines in Pelli Raata and Mangala Snanam Ceremonies (See Pics)
halbergman/E+ via Getty Images Shares of Invitation Homes ( NYSE: INVH ) have been a poor performer over the past year, rising just 2% and largely missing out on the equity market rally. While the company has performed in line with my expectations, valuation and Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.None
tiero Bottom Line Upfront: A 2025 Correction Is Extremely Likely, But Low-Volatility High-Yield Dividend Aristocrats Might Be A Better Alternative To A 60-40 Portfolio Consensus Total Return Potential Not a forecast. Consensus return potential. These are the expected returns if ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dividend Kings helps you determine the best safe dividend stocks to buy via our Automated Investment Decision Tool, Zen Research Terminal, Correction Planning Tool, and Daily Blue-Chip Deal Videos. Membership also includes Access to our 14 model portfolios. my real money $3.5 million family portfolio. 50% discount to iREIT (our REIT-focused sister service) real-time chatroom support real-time email notifications of all my family portfolio buys numerous valuable investing tools Click here for a two-week free trial , so we can help you achieve better long-term total returns and your financial dreams. Dividend Sensei (Adam Galas) is an Army veteran and stock analyst with 20+ years of market experience. The Dividend Kings Learn more Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.Nothing's guaranteed, but Bucs need to win out to give themselves best shot to make the playoffsTop 10 Best Infrastructure Development Companies in India 2025 | Building India’s Future
The Nativity Store in Manger Square has sold handmade olive wood carvings and religious items to people visiting the traditional birthplace of Jesus since 1927. But as Bethlehem prepares to mark its second Christmas under the shadow of the war in Gaza, there are almost no tourists, leaving the Nativity Store and other businesses unsure of how much longer they can hold on. For the second straight year, Bethlehem’s Christmas celebrations will be somber and muted, in deference to ongoing war in Gaza. There will be no giant Christmas tree in Manger Square, no raucous scout marching bands, no public lights twinkling and very few public decorations or displays. “Last year before Christmas, we had more hope, but now again we are close to Christmas and we don’t have anything,” said Rony Tabash, the third-generation owner of Nativity Store. Israel's war against Hamas has been raging for nearly 15 months, and there still is no end in sight. Repeated ceasefire efforts have stalled. Since the war began, tourism to Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank has plummeted. And after Israel barred entry to most of the 150,000 Palestinians in the West Bank who had jobs in Israel, the Palestinian economy contracted by 25% in the past year. The yearly Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem — shared among Armenian, Catholic and Orthodox denominations — are usually major boons for the city, where tourism accounts for 70% of its yearly income. But the streets are empty this season. Tabash said he continues to open the store every day, but often an entire week will go by without a sale. Tabash works with more than 25 local families who create hand-carved religious items out of the region’s storied olive wood. But with no buyers, work has dried up for these families. The number of visitors to the city plunged from a pre-COVID high of around 2 million visitors per year in 2019 to fewer than 100,000 visitors in 2024, said Jiries Qumsiyeh, the spokesperson for the Palestinian tourism ministry. According to the Christmas story, Mary was forced to give birth to Jesus in a stable because there was no room at the inn. Today, nearly all of Bethlehem’s 5,500 hotel rooms are empty. The city’s hotel occupancy rate plunged from around 80% in early 2023 to around 3% today, said Elias Al Arja, the head of Bethlehem Hoteliers Association. At his own hotel, the Bethlehem Hotel, he said he has laid off a staff of more than 120 people and retains just five employees. The city hosts more than 100 stores and 450 workshops dealing with traditional Palestinian handicraft, Qumsiyeh said. But just a week before Christmas, when the city should be bursting with visitors, Manger Square was mostly empty save for a few locals selling coffee and tea. Only two of the eight stores in the main drag of the square were open for business. Qumsiyeh worries that when the war ends and tourism eventually rebounds, many of the families that have handed down traditional skills for generations will no longer be making the items that reflect Palestinian heritage and culture. Many are leaving the region entirely. “We have witnessed a very high rate of emigration since the beginning of the aggression, especially among those working in the tourism sector,” said Qumsiyeh. Almost 500 families have left Bethlehem in the past year, said Mayor Anton Salman. And those are just the families who moved abroad with official residency visas. Many others have moved abroad on temporary tourist visas and are working illegally, and it's unclear if they will return, Salman said. Around half of the population in the Bethlehem area, including nearby villages, works in either tourism or in jobs in Israel. The unemployment rate in Bethlehem is roughly 50%, said Salman. Unemployment across the West Bank is around 30%, according to the Palestinian Economy Ministry. Canceling Christmas festivities is one way to draw attention to the difficult situation in Bethlehem and across the Palestinian territories, said Salman. “This year we want to show the world that the Palestinian people are still suffering and they haven’t the joy that everybody else in the world having,” said Salman. It is another blow to the Holy Land's dwindling population over the decade due to emigration and a low birthrate. Christians are a small percentage of the population. There are about 182,000 in Israel, 50,000 in the West Bank and Jerusalem and 1,300 in Gaza, according to the U.S. State Department. Father Issa Thaljieh, the parish priest of the Greek Orthodox Church in the Church of the Nativity, said many families are struggling financially, leaving them unable to pay rent or school fees, much less buy Christmas presents or celebrate the holiday in other ways. The church’s social services have tried to help, but the needs are great, he said. Thaljieh said his Christmas message this year focused on encouraging Palestinians in Bethlehem to stay despite the challenges. “A church without Christians is not a church,” he said, as workers hand-polished the ornate brass candelabras in the cavernous, empty church a week before the holiday. “The light that was born when Jesus Christ was born here is the light that moves beyond darkness, so we have to wait, we have to be patient, we have to pray a lot, and we have to stay with our roots because our roots are in Bethlehem,” he said. Some families are finding ways to bring back pockets of joy. Bethlehem resident Nihal Bandak, 39, gave into her three children’s requests to have a Christmas tree this year, after not having one last year. Decorating the tree is the favorite part of Christmas of her youngest daughter, 8-year-old Stephanie. Mathew Bandak, 11 was thrilled his family brought back some of their traditions, but also torn. “I was happy because we get to decorate and celebrate, but people are in Gaza who don’t have anything to celebrate,” he said. Rony Tabash, the third-generation owner of Nativity Store, said he will continue to open the store, because it’s part of his family’s history. “We are not feeling Christmas, but in the end, Christmas is in our hearts,” he said, adding that the entire city was praying for a ceasefire and peace. “We have a big faith that always, when we see Christmas, it will give us the light in the night.”
Race to be next Oakland mayor somewhat stalled as Rep. Barbara Lee makes up her mindThe "Juan Soto sweepstakes" are taking over baseball this winter. Most of the league seems to be at a complete standstill as everybody holds their breath and waits for Soto to sign. There are basically five teams left in the running to acquire Soto: the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Toronto Blue Jays. Make that six teams, if you want to count the Philadelphia Phillies. Each team has its own recruiting pitch. For the Red Sox, they're going with an all-hands-on-deck approach, which includes Red Sox legend David Ortiz making a pitch to Soto. Ortiz and Soto have a good relationship that's dated back years. Ortiz was recently asked how he would speak to Soto in order to help recruit him to Boston. "I would just tell him it's a great organization. I would tell him to surround yourself with a good organization. I have a very good relationship with Juan. If I see him before in the Dominican where we live, and we talk, I would tell him that the finances, you know, the finances are whatever, they'll take care of themselves," Ortiz told Newsweek Sports on Friday. "I would love for him to go to the Red Sox. He's a phenomenal player. Go to a good organization. The Red Sox are a great organization; they take care of their players." With the Red Sox emerging as one of the top suitors, to have such a well-respected member of the Baseball Hall of Fame recruiting Soto to play in Boston is going to be pretty tough to look past. Soto and Ortiz's personal relationship has opened the door for the Red Sox to sign the $650 million superstar. Now it's up to the front office to get the deal done. Ortiz spoke to Newsweek while attending his 16th Annual "Weekend With Papi" Celebrity Gold Classic, raising money for the David Ortiz Childen's Fund, which raises money for lifesaving pediatric heart surgeries in the Dominican Republic and New England. As part of his fundraising efforts, Ortiz is holding a silent auction loaded with priceless items that will be live until Saturday, Nov. 23 at 9:30 p.m. ET. You can also donate to the cause on the David Ortiz Childen Fund's website . More MLB: Red Sox, Tigers, Astros Listed As Potential Fits For $119 Million World Series Legend
None