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Macron names ally Bayrou as new PM as he aims to restore political stabilitySHAREHOLDER ALERT: Pomerantz Law Firm Investigates Claims On Behalf of Investors of Oklo Inc. - OKLOJERSEY CITY, N.J. , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LEAP, the only all-in-one legal practice management solution, announced today that it has been awarded the 2024 "Overall Practice Management Solution of the Year" by LegalTech Breakthrough. This marks the fourth consecutive year that LegalTech Breakthrough, an independent market intelligence organization, has honored LEAP with this recognition, reinforcing the platform's position as a global leader in legal software. The 2024 program attracted thousands of nominations. LEAP's cloud-based solutions provide attorneys with robust features, combining case management, document automation, legal accounting, billing, automatic time tracking, AI capabilities, and more into a centralized platform. With technology developed specifically for law firms across all practice areas, LEAP enables attorneys to work more efficiently, improve client services, and increase revenue. "We're honored to again win this award from LegalTech Breakthrough. At LEAP, we're committed to providing law firms with revolutionary features developed to improve efficiency, productivity, and profitability," said Poppy Bale Dyer , CEO of LEAP US. "We'll continue to deliver leading innovations to help firms get more done quickly." Standout legal AI features from LEAP include LawY for boosting productivity with the support of an AI-powered legal assistant; AutoTime for automatically tracking time spent on matter-related activities; Generator for efficient and accurate drafting; the AI prompt template library to create high-quality documents quickly, and Matter AI for intelligently analyzing matter details to provide instant answers to questions. "LEAP provides law firms with a competitive edge by offering practice management software with innovative and unique features, complemented by AI functionality," said Bryan Vaughn , Managing Director of LegalTech Breakthrough. "LEAP's innovative platform is enhancing the overall impact and effectiveness of legal practice management for law firms, helping them optimize their operations and stay ahead of industry trends." To learn about LEAP and its advanced AI features, visit leap.us/ai . About LegalTech Breakthrough: Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the LegalTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in legal technologies, services, companies, and products. The LegalTech Breakthrough Awards program provides a forum for public recognition around the achievements of LegalTech companies and solutions in categories including Case Management, Client Relations, Data and Analytics, Documentation, Legal Education, Practice Management, eDiscovery, and more. For more information visit LegalTechBreakthrough.com. About LEAP: LEAP is an all-in-one legal software solution that provides practice management and document automation within a single cloud-based platform for all practice areas of law. LEAP includes a comprehensive library of automated forms, plus the ability for firms to automate their own letters and templates. LEAP further specializes in estate planning, elder law, and probate, including access to WealthCounsel's premier drafting solution from within LEAP. LEAP's award-winning AI tools are designed to meet the unique needs of legal professionals, boosting their efficiency and enhancing client satisfaction. Media Contact: Laurie Klausner SVP of Marketing, LEAP [email protected] www.leap.us SOURCE LEAP Legal Software
MIKEL ARTETA has challenged Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard to become Arsenal’s very own Andres Iniesta and Xavi. The Gunners skipper and playmaker Odegaard has forged a telepathic relationship with winger Saka down the right side of the pitch over the past few seasons – their side’s primary goal-scoring source. In fact, since Odegaard returned from a two month lay-off with an ankle ligament injury last month, 51.4 per cent of their chances have been created down the right flank – the highest in the Prem. In their 3-0 defeat of Nottingham Forest on November 23, they shared 36 passes between each other – the second highest combo between two players, excluding defenders, this term. And last season, they created 40 open play chances for each other in the Prem, passing to each other 322 times. Excluding centre backs, only Manchester City’s Rodri and Mateo Kovacic produced more. read more arsenal The stats are there, but the trophies for Arsenal under Arteta – as of yet – are not, something that Barcelona legends Iniesta and Xavi collected at an alarming rate during their careers. Together at the Nou Camp, to name a few, they won seven La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns. Alongside star names like Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Neymar, that midfield duo were the threads that knitted everyone together – the consistent, reliable catalysts that kept Pep Guardiola’s Barca on the right track for European glory and historic Trebles year after year. This is what Arteta eyes for both Odegaard, 25, and Saka, 23 as the North Londoners aim to finally end their 20-year wait for a Prem title – especially with a mountain to climb this term currently nine points behind leaders Liverpool. Most read in Football BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER S Ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Manchester United , when asked if he has seen a better relationship between two players, boss Arteta - a former Barca academy product - said: “Yes. I always think about Barcelona with Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets. It was unbelievable. “They didn’t even need to look at each other. “Our two centre backs [William Saliba and Gabriel] naturally there is a chemistry there that is unbelievable. “So, we try to develop those more and more because there is something there that is very difficult to put a number to it. “But it’s close in a natural way and the more relationships you have make the team the better.” Arteta welcomes Ruben Amorim, 39, to the Emirates just weeks after the Portuguese coach took charge of Manchester United – drawing one and winning two of his first three games in charge in all competitions. Also in his late thirties when he arrived at his first job in the English football, Arteta knows what it takes to hit the ground running at a big club with results that demand patience and earn respect. Having been hired by Arsenal in December 2019 as a 37-year-old, asked what lessons he had for Amorim, Arteta – now 42 – explained: “How unpredictable the job is. “I jumped into a new job in the middle of the season in very special circumstances socially. Then we got hit by COVID. “You can plan whatever you want but football brings different things and you have to deal with it. Take it as it comes and deal with it. “But you can see his fingerprints [at United] in what he wants to do straight away. He’s been very clear with what he wants to do. What he did with Sporting Lisbon was remarkable after so many years. “Especially the way he did it and the way his teams are playing. It brings energy to a new club and the players which is always positive. But we have to focus on what we’re doing.” On whether United – currently 15 points off Liverpool – can still challenge for the title, Arteta added: “We are still very early in the season. READ MORE SUN STORIES "Any team that has got the capacity to put five or six wins in a row is going to be up there because it is so tough and you see very week how the teams are struggling to maintain winning, winning and winning. “So, I think anything I possible.”DALLAS (AP) — The championship vision that led Nathan Eovaldi to sign with Texas as a free agent two years ago is the same one that brought him back to the Rangers. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * DALLAS (AP) — The championship vision that led Nathan Eovaldi to sign with Texas as a free agent two years ago is the same one that brought him back to the Rangers. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? DALLAS (AP) — The championship vision that led Nathan Eovaldi to sign with Texas as a free agent two years ago is the same one that brought him back to the Rangers. A World Series title in his first season was followed by a losing record this year. “I believe in the guys in the group that we have. We were able to do it in ‘23. I don’t feel a lot has changed,” Eovaldi said Friday, a day after finalizing a $75 million, three-year contract. “We had a down year last year, but I’ve said it before, you learn a lot from losing seasons.” Eovaldi had declined a $20 million player option to become a free agent again and reaching an agreement during the winter meetings in Dallas. Texas also acquired slugging corner infielder Jake Burger in a swap with Miami. Burger had fallen asleep before getting a call late Tuesday night that he had been traded to Texas, where his family was already planning to move after the October birth of a daughter with Down syndrome. “The other city that is really good other than Nashville in terms of children’s hospital and resources for her Downs is in Dallas,” Burger said. “Not just from the baseball spectrum, from the life aspect as well ... I feel like it was meant to be, and we couldn’t be more more excited about that.” In the Nashville area, Burger lives close to Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, whom he plans to visit with soon. His former Marlins manager, Skip Schumaker, was hired last month by the Rangers as as a senior adviser for baseball operations, and Luis Urueta, Miami’s bench coach the past two seasons, recently joined Bochy’s on-field coaching staff for 2025. Burger and Rangers pitcher Dane Dunning were once roommates in the Chicago White Sox organization. Burger hit .250 with 29 home runs and 76 RBIs in 137 games for the Marlins last season, when he started 59 games at third base and 50 starts at first. He was with the White Sox in Texas when he got traded to Miami on Aug. 1, 2023, and four days later hit his first homer with the Marlins at Globe Life Field. When the Rangers made the title run in 2023, Eovaldi was 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA in six postseason starts. He was the winning pitcher in their World Series-clinching Game 5 at Arizona. He was also part of Boston’s 2018 title. Eovaldi was 12-8 this year with a 3.80 ERA in 29 starts, the last seven scoreless innings in the regular-season finale. He is 24-13 with a 3.72 ERA in 54 starts for Texas the past two seasons. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The new deal for the Texas native, who who turns 35 in February, includes a $12 million signing bonus, half payable on Nov. 15, 2026, and the rest on Jan. 15, 2028, and salaries of $18 million next season, $25 million in 2026 and $20 million in 2027. He gets a full no-trade provision. After being welcomed back by Chris Young, the Rangers president of baseball operations, the pitcher said he never felt like he really left. The Rangers stayed in contact throughout the process after he declined his option Nov. 4. “Kind of listening to the market and everything, I’m extremely happy to be back. I’m glad we were we were able to make it all work out,” Eovaldi said. “We had a lot of teams reach out right away and we were in contact with most them across the league. Ultimately we were able to make it back here.” ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb Advertisement Advertisement
NoneStock market today: Wall Street’s rally stalls as Nasdaq pulls back from its record
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge wins his second AL MVP award after leading MLB with 58 home runsCiena's Strong 2025 Outlook Wins Analyst Confidence: AI Bandwidth And Optical Market Expansion In Focus
Multi-year collaboration aims to expand artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, foster innovation, and enhance industry-specific solutions for diverse business leaders NEW YORK , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Genpact (NYSE: G), a global professional services and solutions firm delivering outcomes that shape the future, today announced a multi-year Strategic Collaboration Agreement (SCA) with Amazon Web Services (AWS) with plans to accelerate the adoption of AI and empower business leaders across functions to harness its transformative potential. By simplifying access to cutting-edge data and AI technologies, Genpact and AWS are allowing a broad range of decision-makers—from CFOs and COOs to procurement and operations leaders—to drive innovation within their organizations. "Our collaboration with AWS is focused on bringing AI innovations directly to the forefront of decision-making across every line of business," said Murat Aksu , Global Leader for Partnerships, Genpact. "This Strategic Collaboration Agreement will break down traditional barriers to AI adoption, making it accessible to business leaders beyond the CIO's office, and help our clients accelerate value through AI-driven insights and solutions." While AI innovations were previously centralized within IT functions, this expanded collaboration ensures that advanced technologies can now be seamlessly integrated into all business lines. Genpact's collaboration with AWS democratizes AI capabilities, offering tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of multiple business areas, empowering them to solve complex challenges with agility and efficiency. "Thanks to the Genpact and AWS collaboration, we've been able to become a fully cloud-native fixed-annuity provider," said Bob Guilmette , Chief Information Officer, Revol One Financial. "With AWS and Genpact's advanced technology expertise, we are streamlining operations, accelerating product launches, and enhancing digital customer experiences, positioning ourselves for sustainable growth and a competitive edge over legacy insurers." As an AWS Premier Tier Services Partner, Genpact brings deep expertise in AI, data and analytics. With nearly 1,000 certified AWS professionals, Genpact helps clients unlock the full potential of AWS services, including Amazon Connect and Amazon OpenSearch, to modernize operations and scale AI solutions. Genpact's numerous offerings in AWS Marketplace include: "We are expanding our collaboration with Genpact to drive AI transformation across industries," said Rima Olinger , Managing Director, North America Partners, AWS. "Genpact's industry expertise and advanced technology capabilities make them a valuable partner in helping organizations harness AI effectively, empowering business leaders to leverage data-driven insights and achieve their strategic objectives." This collaboration underscores the value of Genpact and AWS to provide flexibility and unlock greater business value for customers across industries. To learn how Genpact and AWS help enterprises across every industry and function, click here . About Genpact Genpact (NYSE: G) is a global professional services and solutions firm delivering outcomes that shape the future. Our 125,000+ people across 30+ countries are driven by our innate curiosity, entrepreneurial agility, and desire to create lasting value for clients. Powered by our purpose – the relentless pursuit of a world that works better for people – we serve and transform leading enterprises, including the Fortune Global 500, with our deep business and industry knowledge, digital operations services, and expertise in data, technology, and AI. Get to know us at genpact.com and on LinkedIn , X , YouTube , and Facebook . MEDIA CONTACT: Sue Martenson Genpact Media Relations +1 978-905-9582 susan.martenson@genpact.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/genpact-signs-strategic-collaboration-agreement-with-aws-to-accelerate-ai-adoption-302321582.html SOURCE Genpact Ltd.
HYDERABAD: Telugu superstar Allu Arjun was arrested on Friday, sent to 14-day judicial custody by a local court here in connection with the death of a woman in a stampede during the premiere of his blockbuster "Pushpa 2: The Rule" and granted interim bail by the Telangana High Court all in less than five hours in a dramatic turn of events. The actor, it seemed, may have to spend the night in jail despite the HC relief, as the prison authorities had not received a copy of the bail till late on Friday, the jail sources said. Even if it is received, the bail copy has to be scrutinized and the release may not be feasible on Friday, the sources said, indicating that he is likely to be walk out on Saturday morning. The high-profile arrest also triggered a political slugfest with the BJP and BRS lashing out at the ruling Congress in Telangana, questioning the treatment meted out to the star and TPCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud hitting back, saying the law is equal for everyone and it will take its course. Some drama ensued when police descended at the residence of the national award-winning actor as visuals showed him purportedly arguing with a cop and objecting to them for coming up to his bedroom. "It is definitely not a good thing," he was heard saying. The national award-winning actor was taken to the Chikkadpally police station in a police vehicle, in a sudden development that shocked his fans and surprised others. He was produced before the Nampally court, which remanded him to a 14-day judicial custody. He was shifted to jail under heavy security. A 35-year-old woman died and her eight-year-old son was hospitalised on December 4 during a stampede-like situation at the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad when thousands of fans jostled to have a glimpse of the actor at the premiere of the blockbuster movie. Following the incident, the city police registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under different sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station based on the complaint lodged by the deceased woman's family. Allu Arjun on December 11 approached the Telangana High Court seeking to quash the FIR registered against him. Shortly after Arjun was remanded to judicial custody by the local court on Friday, the high court granted him a four-week interim bail and posted the case to January 21, 2025, for further hearing. Reacting to the arrest, BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Home, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, said the actor deserved better treatment, while BRS Working President K T Rama Rao slammed the government for treating the star like a "common criminal". Responding to the criticism, Goud told PTI: "Whether it is a common man or a celebrity, the law applies to all. Law is equal for all. Arjun should not have come without proper intimation to the police. It has claimed one precious life. The law will take its course". Adding a twist to the case, the husband of the deceased said he doesn't find fault with Allu Arjun for the tragedy. He said he is ready to withdraw his case over the incident. While hiring a Lunch Motion moved by the actor, high court judge Justice J Sridevi directed him to submit a surety of Rs 50,000 to jail authorities and that he should cooperate in the investigation. Arjun's legal teams argued that the theatre management informed the police well in advance about the actors' programme and sought security and traffic management. Senior Advocate S Niranjan Reddy appearing for the actor argued that just because there is a death by stampede, a popular person cannot be accused of a crime unless there is a deliberate and direct negligence or omission. He also argued that culpable homicide not amounting to murder will not be applicable against the actor in this case. After the formal arrest, Allu Arjun was taken to the state-run Gandhi Hospital for medical tests. His father-in-law Chandrasekhar Reddy came to the police station while Arjun's father Aravind was present at the hospital when the actor was brought for medical tests. Allu Arjun last week announced Rs 25 lakh to the family of the deceased and also assured the grieving family that they are not alone in this painful situation and he will meet the family personally. Earlier, the police arrested three persons -- one of the owners of the theatre, its senior manager and the lower balcony in charge in connection with the case registered over the death of the woman due to asphyxiation as crowds jostled at the theatre during the premiere show of Allu Arjun's movie. According to the police, a huge crowd had gathered at the theatre to watch the movie and have a glimpse of the movie's lead actors coming to the theatre. However, there was no intimation from the side of the theatre management or actors' team that they would be visiting the theatre.Frankfurt follows Bayern with early exit from German Cup in 3-0 loss at LeipzigST. PAUL — A buck harvested near Wheaton in western Minnesota during the opening weekend of firearms season has tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reported on Thursday, Dec. 12. The adult male deer was harvested within Deer Permit Area 271 along the Minnesota - South Dakota border. To date, no wild deer with CWD had been previously detected in that area, nearby permit areas or near the Minnesota border in eastern South Dakota. ADVERTISEMENT “This discovery in western Minnesota, while unwelcome news, highlights the importance and necessity of our disease surveillance efforts and allowing hunters to test deer harvested anywhere in the state if they would like to,” said Erik Hildebrand, wildlife health supervisor with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Deer Permit Area 271 includes all of Traverse County and small portions of northern Big Stone and Wilkin counties. It is located north of Big Stone Lake and the Minnesota River Valley habitat corridor. The permit area is heavily farmed with limited public lands and habitat. So far this year, the total deer harvest in that permit area totals 397, with 303 of the total being adult males, according to the DNR website. Following the detection near Wheaton, the Minnesota DNR will implement measures outlined in its CWD response plan, which calls for three consecutive years of testing to help determine the potential prevalence of the disease in Deer Permit Area 271 and surrounding permit areas. The Minnesota DNR also will work with the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department to coordinate surveillance of chronic wasting disease and management activities in the vicinity. Within deer permit areas where CWD has been detected and confirmed, the Minnesota DNR uses multiple management actions designed to help mitigate disease spread, including carcass movement restrictions, a deer feeding and attractants ban, and, sometimes, increased hunting opportunities with increased bag limits. In 2024, Deer Permit Area 271 will not be included in the CWD late-season management hunt that takes place Dec. 20-22. The adult male deer in that permit area that tested positive for CWD was harvested during the breeding season when deer are known to travel longer distances. ADVERTISEMENT Before deciding whether to remove additional deer in a CWD management hunt, the DNR will conduct surveillance in the fall of 2025 to better understand disease prevalence in the permit area.What to Watch the Weekend of Friday the 13th (Like You Have to Ask)
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Digital, Information Communication Technology, and Cyber Security, Hon. Adedeji Dhikrullahi Olajide, has assured Nigerians that the 2025 budget would prioritise projects that directly improve the lives of the populace. Speaking with newsmen on his committee’s preparations ahead of the forthcoming budget defence session, Olajide reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to scrutinising the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, along with its agencies, to ensure that budgetary allocations align with the public interest. Olajide, a two-term lawmaker representing the Ibadan South-West/Ibadan North-West federal constituency of Oyo state, pledged that the budget defence process would be thorough and transparent, ensuring that funds are directed to projects with measurable impacts. He also called on stakeholders to collaborate with the committee to ensure that the 2025 budget meets the aspirations of Nigerians. According to him, “We are committed to ensuring that every naira allocated translates into meaningful development for our people. The 2025 appropriation budget will reflect the needs of Nigerians and prioritize impactful initiatives. Our work as lawmakers is to bridge the gap between governance and the needs of the people, and this budget defence is an opportunity to do just that.” Olajide highlighted the importance of addressing cybersecurity challenges, given the growing reliance on digital platforms for economic activities. He emphasized the need to harness the potential of the ICT sector to drive economic growth and improve national security and expressed the readiness of his committee to ensure that funds are allocated to expand digital infrastructure, promote digital literacy, and create opportunities for youth employment. “Our security depends on a robust cyberinfrastructure. Hence, we must allocate resources to protect our digital economy while fostering innovation,” he noted. ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE Get real-time news updates from Tribune Online! Follow us on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive stories and interviews, and much more. Join our WhatsApp Channel nowCNBC's Jim Cramer on Friday walked investors through next week's Federal Reserve meeting and big earnings from General Mills , Darden Restaurants , Nike and more. > Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are On Monday, the trial between Qualcomm and Arm Holdings begins. Cramer said a victory for Arm Holdings would take away Qualcomm's license to use some important chips in cellphones and laptops. He added that the smart move is to bet on a settlement, which he believes would be good for everyone. Retail sales numbers are out Tuesday morning, on the eve of the Fed meeting, and Cramer said there will be hot debates around the numbers as investors aim to figure out whether consumers rallied on Black Friday amid a shortened timeframe between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Fed meets Wednesday and is expected to cut interest rates by a quarter percent. Cramer said the fixation on the Fed can distract from long-term performance and lead to bad decisions from investors. Wednesday also brings earnings from General Mills, Micron and Lennar . Cramer said he's worried about GM as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s healthy-eating approach could put a major source of the company's profits under fire. Micron could keep rising after shares rallied on Friday, but Lennar may have a harder time as housing stocks fell following Toll Brothers ' sub-par earnings, Cramer said. Darden Restaurants, Nike and FedEx report on Thursday. Cramer said Darden's high prices might get pushback and the company needs to entice more consumers who are looking for the best value, while Nike needs to bring more innovation to compete with Adidas , Deckers ' Hoka and On Holding . With transport numbers on the rise, Cramer said he's more hopeful for FedEx amid the company's efforts to cut costs and improve gross margins. The personal consumption expenditures index is out on Friday, and Cramer said the Fed's decision may bring a lot of negative discussion if the number runs hot. Carnival rounds out the earnings week, and Cramer said cruises might be the most bullish vertical in the S&P 500 , and he expects the company to beat Wall Street estimates. Click here to download Jim Cramer's Guide to Investing at no cost to help you build long-term wealth and invest smarter. Sign up now for the CNBC Investing Club to follow Jim Cramer's every move in the market. Disclaimer Questions for Cramer? Call Cramer: 1-800-743-CNBC Want to take a deep dive into Cramer's world? Hit him up! Mad Money Twitter - Jim Cramer Twitter - Facebook - Instagram Questions, comments, suggestions for the "Mad Money" website? madcap@cnbc.comnCino (NASDAQ:NCNO) Beats Q3 Sales Targets But Stock Drops 11.8%
An Israeli airstrike flattened a multistory building in central Gaza, killing at least 25 people and wounding dozens more, according to Palestinian medical officials, after strikes Thursday across the Gaza Strip killed at least 28 others. The latest deadly strike hit the urban just hours after U.S. President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told reporters in Jerusalem that the recent ceasefire in Lebanon has helped clear the way for a potential deal to end the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the deadly strike in Nuseirat. Israel says it is trying to eliminate Hamas, which led the attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that sparked . The Israeli military says Hamas militants hide among Gaza’s civilian population. The fighting has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis, with experts warning of famine in some of the hardest-hit parts of the territory. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them 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. The Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and around 250 others were taken hostage. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Here's the latest: DAMASCUS, Syria — Mohammad Salim Alkhateb, an official with the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces — an internationally backed group of the opposition in exile — said his group wants to see a transitional government formed via a United Nations-backed process in the wake of Bashar Assad ouster. It is not yet clear if Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the main rebel group now in control of Syria, will pursue such a process. The insurgents have said an interim government headed by Mohammad al-Bashir, who is also the head of the “salvation government” of HTS in its former stronghold in northern Syria, will oversee the country until March but have not made clear how the transition to a new, fully empowered government would take place. “The transitional governing body should be formed in Geneva to have international legitimacy,” said Alkhateb, who is now in Damascus. “The transitional governing body, whatever its form, whether it is the ‘salvation government’ or any other, what matters is that it has international recognition.” Alkhateb said that the unexpectedly rapid fall of Damascus and departure of Assad after opposition forces launched their offensive had created confusion and a governance vacuum. A day before the insurgents pushed into Damascus, diplomats from countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Iran and Russia met in Qatar to discuss the situation in Syria. Alkhateb said that they had discussed a scenario in which the rebels would halt their advance, keeping the territory they had captured so far in the north — including Syria’s largest city, Aleppo — and the opposition and Assad’s government would go to Geneva for talks on a political settlement to the conflict. However, he noted, “there were no Syrians in that meeting.” Assad fled to Russia before the rebel forces arrived in Damascus but has not officially announced his resignation, which is “why we are living in a vacuum rather than a political transition,” Alkhateb said. He added that creating a professional army should be a priority of the transitional government. “We do not want a civilian who was trained during the revolution to carry military weapons to become the military,” he said. Israel bombed hundreds of military sites in Syria this week in a wave of airstrikes that destroyed “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the in neighboring Syria was necessary to keep the weapons from being used against Israel following the Syrian government’s . WASHINGTON — White House press secretary Karine Jean-Peirre says Austin Tice, an American journalist missing in Syria for 12 years, “is a top priority for this president.” During a briefing with reporters on Thursday, Jean-Pierre said of Tice, “There is no indication that he is not alive. There’s also no indication about his location or condition.” “What our goal is, is to bring him home. And so, we hope certainly that he is alive and, as we have stated many times before, we are talking through this with the Turks and we want to do everything we can to bring him home,” she said. BEIRUT — Amnesty International said Thursday that four Israeli airstrikes between September and October that killed at least 49 civilians in Lebanon “must be investigated as war crimes.” The rights organization said in a new report that the four strikes targeted homes in the Bekaa Valley, northern and eastern Lebanon, and municipal offices in the south. “These four attacks are emblematic of Israel’s shocking disregard for civilian lives in Lebanon and their willingness to flout international law,” said Amnesty International’s Erika Guevara Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns. The rights group said this report was part of its ongoing investigation into violations of the laws of war in Lebanon. Amnesty International investigated four Israeli airstrikes, including one on Sept. 29 in al-Ain that killed all nine members of the same family. On Oct. 21, a strike in Baalbek city in eastern Lebanon killed six members of the same family. Another on Oct. 14 in the village of Aitou in northern Lebanon killed 23 displaced people, including a 5-month-old baby. A fragment from the attack site in Aitou was identified by an Amnesty weapons expert as likely part of a Mk-80 series aerial bomb, weighing at least 500 pounds. These munitions are primarily supplied to Israel by the United States, Amnesty said. The fourth strike Amnesty investigated was the strike that hit the municipal headquarters in Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon, on Oct. 16, killing 11 civilians including the mayor. “The air strike took place without warning, just as the municipality’s crisis unit was meeting to coordinate deliveries of aid, including food, water and medicine, to residents and internally displaced people who had fled bombardment in other parts of southern Lebanon,” Amnesty said. The rights group said it interviewed survivors and witnesses, examined evidence, and found no military targets near the sites of the four strikes. The Israeli military gave no warnings and did not respond to Amnesty’s inquiries, the group said. DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — An Israeli airstrike hit the central Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing at least 25 Palestinians and wounding dozens more, Palestinian medics said, just hours after President Joe Biden’s national security adviser to end the war in Gaza. Photos from the scene of the blast that circulated on social media showed a completely collapsed building with people walking through its mangled and charred remains, smoke rising from piles of belongings strewn over the rubble. Officials at two hospitals in the Gaza Strip, al-Awda Hospital in the north and al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza, reported they received a combined total of 25 bodies from an Israeli strike on a multistory residential building in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp. Palestinian medics also reported that over 40 people, most of them children, were receiving treatment at the two hospitals. The al-Aqsa Hospital said that the Israeli attack also damaged several nearby houses in Nuseirat. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the deadly strike. Israel is trying to eliminate Hamas, which led the attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that sparked . The Israeli military says Hamas militants hide among Gaza’s civilian population. Israel’s war against Hamas has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them 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. The fighting has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis, with experts warning of famine. Israel says it allows enough aid to enter and blames U.N. agencies for not distributing it. The U.N. says Israeli restrictions, and the breakdown of law and order after Israel repeatedly targeted the Hamas-run police force, make it extremely difficult to operate in the territory. UNITED NATIONS – The U.N. food agency is trying to deal with massive needs in Syria not only from escalating war-related food insecurity and an upsurge in displaced people fleeing Lebanon but also the dramatically new environment following the ouster of Bashar Assad, a senior U.N. official says. “It’s a triple crisis and the needs are going to be massive,” said Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Program, in an interview with The Associated Press late Wednesday. The WFP estimated that 3 million people in Syria were “acutely food insecure” and very hungry. However, that estimate was made before the Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon pushed many Syrian refugees back to their home country, plus the instability caused by the overthrow of Assad. Due to funding cuts, the WFP had been targeting only 2 million of those people, he said. Because WFP has been working in Syria during the 13-year civil war, he said, it has pre-positioned food in the country. It has 500 staff in seven offices nationwide and has operated across conflict lines, across borders, and with all different parties, he said. Skau said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the main rebel group now in control of Syria, has promised to provide security for WFP warehouses. Humanitarian aid supplies had been looted at U.N. warehouses in the disorder after Assad fell. “We’re not really up and running in Damascus because of the continued kind of uncertainty there,” he said. WFP initially thought of relocating non-essential staff but the situation in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, has been “quite calm and orderly," he said. In the short term, Skau said, “what we’re seeing is that markets are disrupted, the value of the currency dropped dramatically, food prices are going up, transport lines don’t work,” and it’s unclear who will stamp required papers for imports and exports. This means that a bigger humanitarian response is needed initially, he said, but in the next phase, the U,N. will be looking at contributing to Syria’s recovery, and ultimately the country will need reconstruction. Skau said he expects a new funding appeal for Syria and urged donors to be generous. JERUSALEM — President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told reporters in Jerusalem on Thursday that Israel’s ceasefire in Lebanon has helped clear the way for another deal to end the war in Gaza. He plans to travel next to Qatar and Egypt — key mediators in the ceasefire talks — as the Biden administration makes a final push on negotiations before Donald Trump is inaugurated. Sullivan said “Hamas’ posture at the negotiating table did adapt” after Israel decimated the leadership of its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon and reached a ceasefire there. “We believe it puts us in a position to close this negotiation,” he said. Sullivan dismissed speculation that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was waiting for Trump to take office to finalize a deal. He the U.S. believes there are three American hostages still alive in Gaza, but it’s hard to know for sure. He also said “the balance of power in the Middle East has changed significantly” since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, especially with the overthrow of former Syrian President Bashar Assad, a key ally of Hezbollah and Iran. “We are now faced with a dramatically reshaped Middle East in which Israel is stronger, Iran is weaker, its proxies decimated, and a ceasefire that is new and will be lasting in Lebanon that ensures Israel’s security over the long term,” he said. KHIAM, Lebanon — An Israeli strike killed at least one person Thursday in the Lebanese border town of Khiam, the Health Ministry said, less than a day after Israeli troops to the Lebanese army in coordination with U.N. peacekeepers, Khiam is the first Lebanese town Israel has pull out of since a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah militants began two weeks ago, and marks an important test of . Lebanon's Health Ministry and state news agency did not provide details on who was killed, and did not report airstrikes elsewhere on Thursday. The Israeli military said the airstrike in Khiam targeted Hezbollah fighters. Lebanese troops deployed in the northern section of the town on Thursday morning and were coordinating with U.N. peacekeepers to finalize Israel’s withdrawal before fully entering into other neighborhoods. An Associated Press reporter who visited Khiam on Thursday observed widespread destruction, with most houses reduced to rubble. Entire neighborhoods were flattened, with collapsed walls and debris scattered across the streets. Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, sharply criticized Israel for striking the town less than 24 hours after the Lebanese army returned, saying it was “a violation of the pledges made by the parties that sponsored the ceasefire agreement, who must act to curb Israeli aggression.” The truce was brokered by the U.S. and France. Israel has previously said the ceasefire deal allows it to use military force against perceived violations. Near-daily attacks by Israel during the ceasefire, mostly in southern Lebanon, have killed at least 29 people and wounded 27 others. Khiam, which sits on a ridge less than 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the border with Israel, saw some of the most intense fighting during the war. The Lebanese army was clearing debris and reopening roads in the northern section of the town. Civilian access to other areas remained challenging as the army clears roads and works alongside the U.N. peacekeepers to ensure the area is free of unexploded ordnance. AQABA, Jordan -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is urging the many players in Syria to avoid taking any steps that could lead to further violence. Blinken spoke to reporters in Jordan on Thursday shortly after meeting King Abdullah II as he opened a trip in the region to discuss Syria's future after former President Bashar Assad's ouster. Blinken will next visit Turkey, a NATO ally and a main backer of Syrian rebel groups. Blinken called this “a time of both real promise but also peril for Syria and for its neighbors.” He said he was focused on coordinating efforts in the region “to support the Syrian people as they transition away from Assad’s brutal dictatorship” and establish a government that isn’t dominated by one religion or ethnic group or outside power. Blinken was asked about that had been demilitarized for the past half century. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the move is temporary and defensive, but also indicated Israel will remain in the area for a long time. Blinken declined to say whether the U.S. supports the move, but said the U.S. would be speaking to Israel and other partners in the region. “I think, across the board, when it comes to any actors who have real interests in Syria, it’s also really important at this time that, we all try to make sure that we’re not sparking any additional conflicts,” he said. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, arrived in Damascus on Thursday, according to Turkish media reports. Kalin was seen arriving at the Umayyad Mosque to pray, surrounded by a large crowd, according to video shown on Turkish television. The visit is highly symbolic. Turkish officials, who supported the opposition against Syria’s government, had predicted at the start of the civil war in 2011 that President Bashar Assad’s government would fall, allowing them to pray at the Umayyad Mosque. JERUSALEM — Paraguay reopened its embassy in Jerusalem Thursday, becoming one of a small handful of nations to recognize the city as Israel’s capital and marking a diplomatic victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel’s international isolation has increased as the war in Gaza drags on, and Paraguay was the first country to move its embassy to Jerusalem since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack that kickstarted the war. The United States, Honduras, Guatemala, Kosovo, and Papua New Guinea are among the few countries with Jerusalem embassies. Israel annexed east Jerusalem in 1967 but it wasn’t recognized by the international community, and most countries run their embassies out of Tel Aviv. Spirits were high at the ceremony marking the embassy’s inauguration Thursday, with Netanyahu and Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar lavishing praise on Paraguayan President Santiago Pena. “My good friend Santiago,” said Netanyahu, addressing Pena. “We’re a small nation. You’re a small nation. We suffered horrible things but we overcame the odds of history...we can win and we are winning.” Paraguay had an embassy in Jerusalem in 2018, under Former President Horacio Cartes. That embassy was moved back to Tel Aviv by Cartes’ successor, Mario Abdo Benitez, prompting Israel to close its embassy in Asuncion. Saar said Israel and Paraguay shared a “friendship based not only on interests but also values and principles.” He and the Paraguayan foreign minister, Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, signed a series of bilateral agreements and Saar said he would soon visit Asunción with a delegation from the Israeli private sector. “Israel is going to win and the countries we are standing next to Israel, we are going to win," Pena said. AQABA, Jordan — U.S. Secretary of State is renewing calls for Syria’s new leadership to respect women and minority rights, prevent extremists from gaining new footholds in the country and keeping suspected chemical weapons stocks secure as he makes his first visit to the Mideast since the weekend ouster of . Making his 12th trip to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war erupted lasted year but amid fresh concerns about security following the upheaval in Syria, Blinken emphasized Thursday to Jordan’s King Abdullah II U.S. “support for an inclusive transition that can lead to an accountable and representative Syrian government chosen by the Syrian people,” the State Department said. Blinken also repeated the importance the outgoing Biden administration puts on respect for human rights and international law, the protection of civilians and stopping terrorist groups from reconstituting. Blinken met with the monarch and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi in Aqaba before traveling to Turkey for talks with Turkish officials on the situation in Syria and the urgency of securing a long-elusive deal to release hostages and end the fighting in Gaza that has devastated the Palestinian territory since October 2023. Abdullah told Blinken that “the first step to reach comprehensive regional calm is to end the Israeli war on Gaza." GENEVA — The U.N. envoy for Syria is calling on authorities to save evidence from detention centers that were a hub of “unimaginable barbarity” that Syrians have faced for many years and cooperate with international investigators looking into such crimes. Geir Pederson referred to new images from the notorious Saydnaya military prison north of the capital, Damascus, after President Bashar Assad fled Syria as armed groups stormed in to overthrow his government over the weekend. “The images from Saydnaya and other detention facilities starkly underscore the unimaginable barbarity Syrians have endured and reported for years,” Pedersen said in a statement. Documentation and testimonies “only scratch the surface of the carceral system’s horrors,” he added. Pedersen urged authorities to cooperate with U.N. bodies like an independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria, which was created in 2011, and an independent group known as the IIIM that was set up five years later to also compile evidence of crimes. ROME — Leaders of the Group of 7 industrialized nations offered their full support for an inclusive political transition in Syria and invited all parties to preserve the country’s territorial integrity. In a message released by Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s office, the leaders said they were ready to support a transition that “leads to a credible government, inclusive and not sectarian, that guarantees respect for the state of law, universal human rights, including rights for women, (and) the protection of all Syrians, including religious and ethnic minorities.” The leaders also underlined the importance that ousted President Bashar Assad’s government is held responsible for crimes, citing “decades of atrocities.” They said they would also cooperate with groups working to prohibit chemical weapons “to secure, declare and destroy” remaining chemical arms in Syria. Italy currently holds the rotating presidency of the G-7, which also includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United States. JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says it struck Hamas militants in two locations in the southern Gaza Strip who planned to hijack aid convoys. Palestinian Health officials had earlier said that the two strikes killed 15 men who were part of local committees established to secure aid deliveries. The committees have been organized in cooperation with the Hamas-run Interior Ministry in Gaza. It was not possible to independently confirm either account of the strikes, which occurred overnight into Thursday. Israel has long accused Hamas of hijacking humanitarian aid deliveries, while U.N. officials have said there is . U.N. agencies and aid groups say deliveries are held up by Israeli restrictions on the entry of aid and movement within Gaza, as well as the breakdown of law and order more than 14 months into the war between Israel and Hamas. Israel has repeatedly targeted the Hamas-run police force, which maintained internal security before the war. The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, the main aid provider in Gaza, said a U.N. convoy of 70 trucks carrying humanitarian aid in southern Gaza “was involved in a serious incident,” resulting in just one of the trucks reaching its destination. It did not provide further details on the incident but said the same route had been used successfully two days earlier. Israel’s offensive, launched after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, has caused vast destruction and displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million, leaving the territory heavily reliant on international food aid. DAMASCUS, Syria — An American who turned up in Syria on Thursday says he was detained after crossing into the country by foot on a Christian pilgrimage seven months ago. Travis Timmerman appears to have been among after rebels reached Damascus over the weekend, and ending his family’s 54-year rule. As video emerged online of Timmerman on Thursday, he was initially mistaken by some for who went missing in Syria 12 years ago. In the video, Timmerman could be seen lying on a mattress under a blanket in what appeared to be a private house. A group of men in the video said he was being treated well and would be safely returned home. The Biden administration is working to bring Timmerman home, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Aqaba, Jordan, without offering details, citing privacy. Timmerman later gave an interview with the Al-Arabiya TV network, saying he had illegally crossed into Syria on foot from the eastern Lebanese town of Zahle seven months ago, before being detained. He said he was treated well in detention but could hear other men being tortured. AQABA, Jordan — U.S. Secretary of State has arrived in Jordan on his 12th visit to the Mideast since the erupted last year and his first since the weekend ouster of that has sparked new fears of instability in a region wracked by three conflicts despite a in Lebanon. Blinken was meeting in Aqaba with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday before traveling to Turkey for talks with Turkish officials on Friday. The meetings will focus largely on Syria but also touch on long-elusive hopes for a deal to end the fighting in Gaza that has devastated the Palestinian territory since October 2023. Blinken is the latest senior U.S. official to visit the Middle East in the five days since Assad was deposed as the Biden administration navigates more volatility in the region in its last few weeks in office and as President-elect Donald Trump has said the U.S. should stay out of the Syrian conflict. Other include national security adviser Jake Sullivan and a top military commander who traveled there as the U.S. and Israel have launched airstrikes to prevent the Islamic State militant group from reconstituting and prevent materiel and suspected chemical weapons stocks from falling into militant hands. Blinken “will discuss the need for the transition process and new government in Syria to respect the rights of minorities, facilitate the flow of humanitarian assistance, prevent Syria from being used as a base of terrorism or posing a threat to its neighbors, and ensure that chemical weapons stockpiles are secured and safely destroyed,” the State Department said. The U.S. would be willing to recognize and fully support a new Syrian government that met those criteria. U.S. officials say they are not actively reviewing the foreign terrorist organization designation of the main Syrian rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, known as HTS, which was once an al-Qaida affiliate, but stressed they are not barred from speaking to its members. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli forces will remain in a Syrian buffer zone until a new force on the other side of the border can guarantee security. After the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Israeli forces that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war. The military says it has seized additional strategic points nearby. Israeli officials have said the move is temporary, but Netanyahu’s conditions could take months or even years to fulfill as Syria charts its post-Assad future, raising the prospect of an open-ended Israeli presence in the country. Netanyahu’s office said in a statement Thursday that created a vacuum on the border. “Israel will not permit jihadi groups to fill that vacuum and threaten Israeli communities on the Golan Heights with October 7th style attacks,” it said, referring to Hamas’ 2023 attack out of Gaza, which ignited the war there. “That is why Israeli forces entered the buffer zone and took control of strategic sites near Israel’s border.” The statement added that “this deployment is temporary until a force that is committed to the 1974 agreement can be established and security on our border can be guaranteed.” The buffer zone is adjacent to the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed. The international community, except for the United States, views the Golan as occupied Syrian territory. JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said Thursday that the attacker who fatally shot a 12-year-old Israeli boy in the occupied West Bank overnight turned himself in to authorities. The attacker opened fire on a bus near the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit, critically wounding the boy, who hospital authorities pronounced dead in the early morning. Three others were wounded in the attack, paramedics said. The shooting took place just outside Jerusalem in an area near major Israeli settlements. JAKARTA, Indonesia — The Indonesian government has evacuated 37 citizens from Syria following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government, officials said Thursday. The evacuees were taken by land from Damascus to Beirut, where they boarded three commercial flights to Jakarta, said Judha Nugraha, director of citizen protection at the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The Indonesian Embassy in Damascus said all 1,162 Indonesian citizens in Syria were safe. Indonesian Ambassador to Syria Wajid Fauzi said the situation in Syria has gradually returned to normal. “I can say that 98% of people’s lives are back to normal, shops are open, public transportation has started running,” Fauzi said, adding that most Indonesian nationals living in Syria had chosen to stay. DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian medical officials say Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 28 people in the Gaza Strip, including seven children and a woman. One of the strikes overnight and into Thursday flattened a house in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, where the casualties were taken. An Associated Press reporter saw the bodies at the hospital’s morgue. Two other strikes killed 15 men who were part of local committees . The committees were set up by displaced Palestinians in coordination with the Hamas-run Interior Ministry. The Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis received the bodies and an AP reporter counted them. The hospital said eight were killed in a strike near the southern border town of Rafah and seven others in a strike 30 minutes later near Khan Younis. began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them 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. The fighting has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis, with experts warning of famine. Israel says it allows enough aid to enter and blames U.N. agencies for not distributing it. The U.N. says Israeli restrictions, and the breakdown of law and order after Israel repeatedly targeted the Hamas-run police force, make it extremely difficult to operate in the territory. UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved resolutions Wednesday and backing the . The votes in the 193-nation world body were 158-9 with 13 abstentions to demand a ceasefire now and 159-9 with 11 abstentions to support the agency known as UNRWA. The votes culminated two days of speeches overwhelmingly calling for an end to the 14-month . General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, though they reflect world opinion. There are no vetoes in the assembly. Israel and its close ally, the United States, were in a tiny minority speaking and voting against the resolutions.