Opposition fighters are closing in on Syria’s capita l in a swiftly developing crisis that has taken much of the world by surprise. Syria's army has abandoned key cities with little resistance. Nervous residents in Damascus describe security forces on the streets. The state news agency has been forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad has left the country. Who are these opposition fighters? If they enter Damascus after taking some of Syria’s largest cities , what then? Here’s a look at the stunning reversal of fortune for Assad and his government in just the past 10 days, and what might lie ahead as Syria’s 13-year civil war reignites. > Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are The aim? Overthrow the government This is the first time that opposition forces have reached the outskirts of the Syrian capital since 2018, when the country’s troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The approaching fighters are led by the most powerful insurgent group in Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, along with an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Both have been entrenched in the northwest. They launched the shock offensive on Nov. 27 with gunmen capturing Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, and the central city of Hama, the fourth largest. The HTS has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. But the group said in recent years it cut ties with al-Qaida, and experts say HTS has sought to remake itself in recent years by focusing on promoting civilian government in their territory as well as military action. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told CNN in an exclusive interview Thursday from Syria that the aim of the offensive is to overthrow Assad’s government. Possible rifts ahead The HTS and Syrian National Army have been allies at times and rivals at times, and their aims might diverge. The Turkish-backed militias also have an interest in creating a buffer zone near the Turkish border to keep away Kurdish militants at odds with Ankara. Turkey has been a main backer of the fighters seeking to overthrow Assad but more recently has urged reconciliation, and Turkish officials have strongly rejected claims of any involvement in the current offensive. Whether the HTS and the Syrian National Army will work together if they succeed in overthrowing Assad or turn on each other again is a major question. Others take advantage While the flash offensive against Syria’s government began in the north, armed opposition groups have also mobilized elsewhere. The southern areas of Sweida and Daraa have both been taken locally. Sweida is the heartland of Syria’s Druze religious minority and had been the site of regular anti-government protests even after Assad seemingly consolidated his control over the area. Daraa is a Sunni Muslim area that was widely seen as the cradle of the uprising against Assad’s rule that erupted in 2011. Daraa was recaptured by Syrian government troops in 2018, but rebels remained in some areas. In recent years, Daraa was in a state of uneasy quiet under a Russian-mediated ceasefire deal. And much of Syria's east is controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led group backed by the United States that in the past has clashed with most other armed groups in the country. Syria's government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. What’s next? Much depends on Assad’s next moves and his forces' will to fight the rebels. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces have started carrying out the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. And Syrian troops withdrew Saturday from much of the central city of Homs, Syria's third largest, according to a pro-government outlet and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. If that city is captured, the link would be cut between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where he enjoys wide support. “Homs to the coastal cities will be a very huge red line politically and socially. Politically, if this line is crossed, then we are talking about the end of the entire Syria, the one that we knew in the past,” said a Damascus resident, Anas Joudeh. Assad appears to be largely on his own as allies Russia and Iran are distracted by other conflicts and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah has been weakened by its war with Israel, now under a fragile ceasefire. The U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, seeks urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition,” saying the situation is changing by the minute. He met with foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran on the sidelines of the Doha Summit. President-elect Donald Trump in his first extensive comments on the developments in Syria said the besieged Assad didn’t deserve U.S. support to stay in power. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,” Trump posted on social media. ___ Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed.President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday insisted at a meeting with US President-elect Donald Trump that any settlement with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine had to be "just", as fears grow in Kyiv on the position of the incoming administration. President Emmanuel Macron hosted three-way talks with Zelensky and Trump at the Elysee Palace, discussing what the incoming American president had termed a world that was a "little crazy". Hours after their meeting, the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden announced a new $988 million military assistance package for Ukraine. The package features drones, ammunition for precision HIMARS rocket launchers, and equipment and spare parts for artillery systems, tanks and armoured vehicles, the Pentagon said in a statement. Zelensky's meeting with Trump just before the three men headed to Notre Dame for the re-opening ceremony of the great Paris cathedral was his first face-to-face encounter with tycoon-turned-politician since his election victory. The meeting was of huge importance to Zelensky, given fears in Kyiv that Trump, who once boasted he could end Russia's war on Ukraine in 24 hours, may urge Ukraine to make concessions to Moscow. It also offered a unique chance for Macron to gain insights into how a second Trump presidency will look when he takes office in January. The trip to Paris is Trump's first international visit since his November 5 election win. "We all want peace. But it is very important for us... that the peace is just for all of us and that Russia, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin or any other aggressor has no possibility of ever returning," Zelensky said according to the presidential website. "And this is the most important thing -- a just peace and security guarantees, strong security guarantees for Ukraine," he added. Trump has scoffed at the billions of dollars in US military assistance to Ukraine and has spoken of forcing a quick settlement. But Zelensky also thanked Trump for his "unwavering resolve" describing the talks as "good and productive". Trump and Macron embraced and shook hands several times on the steps of the French presidential palace, with Trump given a full guard of honour despite not yet being in office. "It seems like the world is going a little crazy right now and we will be talking about that," Trump told reporters as he prepared to sit down for the talks with Macron. Despite tensions between the two men during his first term, Trump hailed his ties with the centrist French leader, saying: "We had a great relationship as everyone knows. We accomplished a lot." Macron told Trump it was "a great honour for French people to welcome you" for the re-opening ceremony at Notre Dame, which was devastated by a blaze in 2019 during Trump's first term. "You were president at that time and I remember the solidarity and the immediate reaction," Macron added, speaking in English. When he first took office in 2017, Trump's ties with Macron -- then also a fresh face on the world stage -- began warmly despite their obvious political differences. Their long and muscular handshakes -- which saw each man seek to assert his superiority -- became a light-hearted focus of attention before ties cooled, then soured, following disputes about climate change, trade and defence. Trump earlier wrote on his Truth Social platform that the United States should "not get involved" in the situation in Syria, where fast-moving rebel forces say they have begun to encircle the capital Damascus. The Republican's return to power has rung alarms in Paris and many European capitals after his promises on the campaign trail to force an end to fighting in Ukraine and levy tariffs on trading partners. In his own reaction to the discussions, Macron wrote on social media: "Let us continue our joint efforts for peace and security." European allies have largely enjoyed a close working relationship with Biden on the crisis in the Middle East, but Trump is likely to distance himself and ally the United States even more closely with Israel. In a sign of the importance of Trump's one-day trip to Paris, he was accompanied by his pick for White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, as well as his Near East and Middle East advisors, Steve Witkoff and Massad Boulos, according to a guest list issued by the Elysee Palace. Tesla tycoon and Trump advisor Elon Musk, who was also on the line during a phone call between the incoming president and Zelensky last month, also flew into the French capital was present at the Notre Dame ceremony. sjw/adp/jjGeneral Motors said Tuesday it will stop funding and exit robotaxi development at its majority-owned Cruise business, a blow to the automaker that had made the advanced technology unit a top priority. GM said it would no longer fund work on the robotaxis “given the considerable time and resources that would be needed to scale the business, along with an increasingly competitive robotaxi market.” The automaker has invested more than $10 billion in Cruise. GM shares rose 3.2% in extended trading on Tuesday. In 2023, GM CEO Mary Barra said the Cruise business could generate $50 billion in annual revenue by 2030. “This is the latest in the series of decisions that GM has announced which underscore our focus on having the right technology for the future of our company and the industry and reflects our commitment to execute with speed and efficiency,” she said on Tuesday. Barra declined to say how many Cruise employees could be moved over to GM. Some of GM’s competitors have already stopped funding autonomous driving businesses, citing the costs and difficulties involved in developing such sophisticated technology. In October 2022, Ford Motor shifted spending away from its Argo AI operation, winding down the venture that was also funded by Volkswagen. Ford is still working on advanced driver assistance systems in-house different from the fully autonomous ones being developed at Argo AI. Last month, Cruise admitted to submitting a false report to influence a federal investigation and agreed to pay a $500,000 criminal fine as part of a deferred prosecution agreement. The Justice Department said Cruise failed to disclose key details of an October 2023 crash to federal regulators in which one of its robotaxis in San Francisco struck and seriously injured a pedestrian . GM expects the restructuring will lower spending by more than $1 billion annually after the plan is completed by the end of June. GM, which owns about 90% of Cruise, has agreements with other shareholders that will raise its ownership to more than 97% and will pursue the acquisition of the remaining shares. GM in July said it would halt development of a planned robotaxi that would not have a steering wheel or other human controls. In 2022, GM filed a petition with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration seeking permission to deploy up to 2,500 self-driving Origin vehicles annually without human controls such as brake pedals or mirrors. The agency has not acted on the request and GM cited the regulatory risk for its decision.
Pep Guardiola sure 75 per cent of Premier League clubs want Man City relegated
Australia has defended the independence of the top international court after it issued arrest warrants for Israel's prime minister, former defence minister and a Hamas commander. or signup to continue reading The International Criminal Court (ICC) found there were reasonable grounds that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant bore criminal responsibility for alleged war crimes. This includes allegations of using starvation as a method of warfare and directing attacks against civilians in Gaza. The warrants are not a finding of guilt. that it didn't have jurisdiction over the matter. Australia respects the independence of the ICC and its "important role in upholding international law", Foreign Minister Penny Wong said. "We have been clear that all parties to the conflict must comply with international humanitarian law," she said in a statement on X. Senator Wong reiterated calls for civilians to be protected, hostages to be released, aid workers to be protected and for more humanitarian aid to flow. Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie said it was troubling that the court had targeted "an elected member of a democracy, of a sovereign nation-state, trying to protect his country from terrorists". The ICC ruled it had jurisdiction to investigate the situation in Palestinian territories and that states couldn't challenge the jurisdiction prior to a warrant being issued, "thus Israel's challenge is premature". Senior coalition figures have repudiated the court's argument it has jurisdiction, arguing Australia's position should be in line with the United States, which rejected the ruling. "They're supposed to be working with nation states and their legal systems, not seeking to supplant them," Senator McKenzie said of the ICC. "We would be looking to obviously stand with the United States on this issue." However, the US isn't an ICC member state - - and Washington previously welcomed a warrant issued against Russian President Vladimir Putin for atrocities in Ukraine. Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the said they would comply with the ruling. An arrest warrant was also issued for Hamas' military wing commander Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri for the crimes against humanity of murder, extermination, torture, and rape and other forms of sexual violence. There were reasonable grounds to believe he was also responsible for the war crimes of murder, cruel treatment, torture, taking hostages, outrages upon personal dignity, and rape and other forms of sexual violence, the court found. The decision by the independent court showed international humanitarian law needed to be upheld through fair and impartial judicial processes in all circumstances, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said. "Our collective mind and focus should be on the victims of international crimes in Israel and in the State of Palestine," . Arrest warrants for the leader of Hamas in Gaza and the former head of its political bureau were withdrawn following confirmation of their deaths. The official death toll in Gaza has eclipsed 44,000, according to the local health ministry, with tens of thousands more missing or believed to be buried under rubble. Israel's war in Gaza was sparked by listed terror group Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023 that killed 1200 people and resulted in 250 hostages being taken, according to Israel's tallies. Almost 100 hostages are still missing, with 35 believed to be dead. Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . AdvertisementAs the debate rages on and fans continue to discuss and analyze the merits of each athlete, one thing is certain - the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Jordan, and Tom Brady in the realm of sports has elevated the level of competition, inspired countless individuals, and brought joy to millions of fans worldwide. Regardless of who is ultimately crowned the GOAT, these three legends will forever hold a special place in the hearts and minds of sports enthusiasts everywhere.
Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here . ••• You can learn something about a city by just walking through it. Most of New York City’s Manhattan core feels bustling, whereas a San Francisco block can seem dormant. In Rome, it is common to see groups of men standing around, chatting or arguing. We are all familiar with such casual generalizations, but what might the data show more explicitly? Fortunately, there is new research. We have entered the age where innovative methods of measurement, such as computer vision and deep learning, can reveal how American life has changed. Researchers at the National Bureau of Economic Research compiled footage of four urban public spaces, two in New York and one each in Philadelphia and Boston, from 1979 to 1980 and again in 2008-2010. These snapshots of American life, roughly 30 years apart, reveal how changes in work and culture might have shaped the way people move and interact on the street. The videos capture people circulating in two busy Manhattan locations, in Bryant Park in midtown and outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the Upper East Side; around Boston’s Downtown Crossing shopping district; and on Chestnut Street in downtown Philadelphia. One piece of good news is that, at least when it comes to our street behavior, we don’t seem to have become more solitary. From 1980 to 2010 there was hardly any change in the share of pedestrians walking alone, rising from 67% to 68%. A bigger change is that average walking speed rose by 15%. So the pace of American life has accelerated, at least in public spaces in the Northeast. Most economists would predict such a result, since the growth in wages has increased the opportunity cost of just walking around. Better to have a quick stroll and get back to your work desk. The biggest change in behavior was that lingering fell dramatically. The amount of time spent just hanging out dropped by about half across the measured locations. Note that this was seen in places where crime rates have fallen, so this trend was unlikely to have resulted from fear of being mugged. Instead, Americans just don’t use public spaces as they used to. These places now tend to be for moving through, to get somewhere, rather than for enjoying life or hoping to meet other people. There was especially a shift at Boston’s Downtown Crossing. In 1980, 54% of the people there were lingering, whereas by 2010 that had fallen to 14%. Consistent with this observation, the number of public encounters also fell. You might be no less likely to set off with another person in tow, but you won’t meet up with others as often while you are underway. The notion of downtown as a “public square,” rife with spontaneous or planned encounters, is not what it used to be. The internet and mobile phones are likely driving this change in behavior. If there is someone you want to meet up with, it is today much easier to arrange that in advance, rather than hoping for chance encounters. Anecdotally, I have noticed that the notion of a “hangout” is less central to daily life than when I was growing up, though people will talk about “hanging out” on social media such as X or Bluesky. Another driver of change could be the aging of America. In the 1980s, when I was in my 20s, I sometimes would hang out at the Downtown Crossing area in Boston, but it is unlikely, if I still lived nearby, that I would do so today. As an older person, I am busier and have more preestablished social networks, including in other cities and online. I also find that more people in public spaces are on their cellphones, so what’s the point? American cities have devoted considerable attention to developing public spaces as a place to meet up and socialize. Some pedestrian-oriented spaces, such as New York City’s Times Square and downtown areas in Cleveland and Philadelphia, among others, are far more animated than they were three decades ago. But perhaps the emphasis on the public square is less appropriate than it used to be, and traffic management, in the broad sense of that term, should be the new priority. Should we prefer this new world to the old? There is probably no going back, but in the meantime I will be observing public spaces in a new and different way. I am more likely to see the velocity of movement and take stock of the social thinness of what is before me, and thus be all the more in a hurry to get to my next destination. Tyler Cowen is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist, a professor of economics at George Mason University and host of the Marginal Revolution blog.Jaguars end the Titans' slim playoff hopes
Title: Introducing the Compact AMD Handheld Device - GPD WIN4, priced at 7499 RMBThe self-discipline challenge, believed to focus on various aspects of personal development such as time management, goal setting, and habit formation, required participants to adhere to a strict regimen for a specified period. Despite the hefty sum of money paid as an entry fee, the man faced difficulties in maintaining the discipline needed to succeed in the challenge.NEW YORK — Talaysia Cooper scored 19 of her 23 points in the second half to help Tennessee beat No. 17 Iowa 78-68 on Saturday night in the inaugural Women's Champions Classic. Her jumper with 3:04 left in the fourth gave the Lady Vols (7-0) a 68-67 lead and sparked a 12-1 run to close the game away. Cooper scored four straight in the spurt including one off a steal on the inbounds with 1:23 left to seal the victory. Lucy Olsen scored 23 points for Iowa (8-1), which committed a season-high 30 turnovers. No. 2 UConn routed 22nd-ranked Louisville 85-52 in the second game of the doubleheader. It was a matchup of two first-year head coaches at their schools. Jan Jensen took over for Lisa Bluder, who retired in the offseason after leading Iowa to two straight national championship games. Jensen, who was an assistant at Iowa for the previous 24 years, was the first coach in school history to begin her career 8-0. Kim Caldwell came to Tennessee after a successful stint at Marshall and before that at Division II Glenville State. She brought her fast-paced pressing style to Tennessee as well as her hockey line changes. The Lady Vols constantly sub players in and out every minute or two to keep them fresh. Iowa struggled against the frantic pace and committed 18 of its turnovers in the first half as the game was tied at 35 at the break. Neither team could build much of a lead in the second half until Cooper sparked the game-changing run in the final few minutes. Chamique Holdsclaw, Diamond DeShields, Rickea Jackson, Andraya Carter and Sue Bird were all in attendance at Barclays Center, sitting courtside along with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. This was the first meeting between the storied programs since 1993 when Pat Summitt and C. Vivian Stringer were coaching the schools. Stay Informed: Subscribe to Our Newsletter Today