THIS WEEK’S DOSE Congress Begins Disaster Relief Efforts, Continues Organizing for 119th Congress. The first agenda items being tackled in the lame duck include developing an emergency supplemental disaster relief bill and electing House and Senate leadership. Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Patent Legislation. The PREVAIL Act, which would regulate patent reviews and challenges, passed by a vote of 11 – 10. Senate Bipartisan Cybersecurity Working Group Releases Legislation. The legislation aims to strengthen cybersecurity in the healthcare sector and improve cyberattack prevention and response. Trump Transition Continues. President-elect Donald Trump continued to make nominations for key Administration positions, including nominating Mehmet Oz, MD, to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. DEA Extends Flexibilities for Telemedicine Prescription of Certain Controlled Substances. The flexibilities are now scheduled to expire on December 31, 2025, while the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) works on a more permanent framework. CONGRESS Congress Begins Disaster Relief Efforts, Continues Organizing for 119th Congress. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, lawmakers are focused on funding an emergency supplemental disaster relief package. President Biden requested $98 billion for disaster relief efforts at agencies such as the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). A Senate vote to provide the SBA with $550 million was blocked by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) last week. The Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing on disaster funding needs with Sen. Ossoff (D-GA), Sen. Tillis (R-NC), and leaders from federal agencies as witnesses. House Democrats held their leadership elections and unanimously re-elected Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) as minority leader. Senate Democrats have not yet announced a date for their leadership elections. Last week, Republicans elected Sen. Thune (R-ND) to be the new Senate majority leader, and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) will officially face a full House vote next year to remain speaker. While lawmakers’ focus has been on disaster relief and organizing the past two weeks, no progress has been made on a healthcare package. Key issues, such as extending the telehealth flexibilities, likely will be under consideration before the end of the year. Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Patent Legislation. The markup included S. 2220 , the PREVAIL Act, which would limit the ability of individuals and groups to request review of patents, require a higher evidentiary standard to overturn patents, and require patent challenges to occur only through the Patent Trial and Appeal Board or through the courts, rather than both. The legislation passed by a vote of 11 – 10. Sens. Whitehouse (D-RI), Padilla (D-CA), and Ossoff (D-GA) split from their party to vote no; Sens. Graham (R-SC), Tillis (R-NC), and Blackburn (R-TN) split from their party to vote yes. Votes on this bill had been cancelled multiple times as legislators debated the policy. Previous iterations of the markup included an additional patent bill, S. 2140 , the PERA Act, which was not voted on in this markup. The PERA Act would amend laws related to patent subject matter eligibility to establish that only specified subject matter is ineligible for patenting. Senate Bipartisan Cybersecurity Working Group Releases Legislation. The working group was formed in 2023 and includes Senators Cassidy (R-LA), Warner (D-VA), Cornyn (R-TX), and Hassan (D-NH). The Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2024 would provide grants to health entities to improve cyberattack prevention and response, require HHS to provide rural health clinics with best practices, improve coordination between HHS and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and require HHS to develop and implement a cybersecurity incident response plan. The working group aims to continue work on this legislation in the 119th Congress. Read more in the press release , which includes links to the bill text and a section-by-section summary. ADMINISTRATION Trump Transition Continues. President-Elect Trump nominated Mehmet Oz, MD, to be administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Oz previously ran for a Senate seat in Pennsylvania and lost to Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA). He served on the Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition during the first Trump Administration. Trump also nominated entrepreneur and former SBA Administrator Linda McMahon to be secretary of education, and he nominated former Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI), now a Fox News host, to be secretary of transportation. On November 21, 2024, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) withdrew from consideration for attorney general. Trump then quickly nominated former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi to replace Gaetz. Of relevance to those of us focused on health policy, as Florida attorney general, Bondi joined the lawsuit, California v. Texas , that unsuccessfully tried to overturn the Affordable Care Act. DEA Extends Flexibilities for Telemedicine Prescription of Certain Controlled Substances. This is the third time the DEA has extended flexibilities that allow providers to prescribe certain controlled substances through telemedicine without first requiring an in-person visit. The flexibilities began during the COVID-19 pandemic and were set to expire at the end of 2024, but they now extend through 2025. Further action is necessary for a longer-term solution. Read more in our Virtual Care Policy Update . QUICK HITS CMS Issues Guidance on Medicaid Substance Use Disorder Coverage, MLR Policies. The guidance addresses policies passed in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, including permanent required coverage of medications for opioid use disorder and a permanent state plan option to cover individuals with a substance use disorder who reside in an institution for mental disease. The guidance also addresses a newly permanent medical loss ratio (MLR) remittance policy. GAO Releases Report on Private Health Insurer Market Concentration. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that market concentration in the individual, small-group, and large-group markets became more concentrated or remained concentrated from 2011 to 2022. The GAO did not make any recommendations. CMS Issues Guidance on Medicaid Eligibility and Enrollment Strategies. The guidance outlines which unwinding-related eligibility and enrollment strategies states can continue to use, which strategies will be required due to regulatory changes, and which flexibilities will expire a fter June 2025. AHRQ Holds National Advisory Council Meeting. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) meeting agenda included updates on the AHRQ’s Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund Extension Program, the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Vision and Strategy, and the National Action Alliance for Patient and Workforce Safety. CMS Releases Comprehensive Medicaid Integrity Plan. The plan is issued every five years and presents initiatives to combat fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Strategies include managed care oversight, data sharing and collaboration, and education and technical assistance on program integrity. CMS Hosts Two Rural Health Webinars. The CMS Office of Minority Health’s webinar highlighted the accomplishments of Augusta Health, winner of the 2024 CMS Health Equity Award, and how it is serving its rural communities. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation hosted a person-centered listening session on how to improve care experience, outcomes, and equity in rural communities. HRSA Launches Campaign for Maternal Mental Health Hotline. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) began a campaign to raise public awareness of the hotline. HRSA will work with organizations such as pharmacies, grocery stores, and hospitals to promote the hotline. CMS Holds Leadership National Call. Agency leaders highlighted accomplishments from the Biden Administration, including improvements in the Medicare Shared Savings Program, improved access to behavioral healthcare, reform of prior authorization practices, Medicaid coverage expansions, and minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities. NEXT WEEK’S DIAGNOSIS Congress will be in recess next week for the Thanksgiving holiday. Lawmakers are set to return the week of December 2 with a packed agenda for the three remaining weeks of the 118th Congress. Legislators must fund the government (including a package of health extenders) before the current December 20 deadline, pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and pass emergency supplemental disaster relief funding. Speaker Johnson (R-LA) has indicated that Congress likely will pass a short-term continuing resolution to punt the fiscal year 2025 funding debate to early next year, when Republicans will have full control of Congress and the presidency. Depending on the progress of work on various pieces, disaster relief funding and the NDAA could pass as standalone packages, or they could be combined into a final end-of-the-year package that also would be expected to include healthcare extenders. With Congress out next week, the Check-Up will return on December 6. We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.
Suriname rules out state funeral for ex-dictator Bouterse
Suriname's government announced Saturday that the small South American nation will not hold a state funeral for its ex-president Desi Bouterse, who this week died a fugitive from justice aged 79. Current President Chan Santokhi "has decided, based on his powers and advice received, that there will be no state funeral... No period of national mourning," Foreign Minister Albert Ramdin told a press conference. Bouterse was a former military man who twice mounted coups, in 1980 and again in 1990, to take charge as a dictator. He eventually returned to power after being elected president in 2010 and governed for a decade. He died Tuesday in the unknown location where he had been holed up as a fugitive, with in-absentia convictions for cocaine trafficking and murder. Bouterse's body was dropped off at his residence in the capital Paramaribo. An autopsy was ordered, though police said there were "no signs of criminal activity." Bouterse had been sentenced to 20 years in prison in December 2023 for the 1982 execution of political opponents, including lawyers, journalists, businessmen and military prisoners. He remained a popular figure with the poor and working class in the former Dutch colony. The foreign minister said that, out of respect for Bouterse's status as an elected former president, flags would be flown at half-staff on government buildings on the day of his funeral, whose date has not yet been given. str-jt/rmb/acb
Generative AI is one of the fast-emerging technologies rapidly transforming and changing many different sectors, from healthcare to education and other creative industries. It has been increasingly used recently by researchers to tackle complex problems and create innovative ideas for solutioning. The technology has therefore become very precious in order to advance scientific and technological knowledge with new content, synthesize information, and model data. Here are a few of the top case studies, showing just how generative AI is changing research and where innovation may forever go. One of the most promising applications of generative AI is in the field of drug discovery . Traditional drug development can take years, with high costs and considerable risks involved. Researchers have just recently used generative AI in accelerating the process of identifying potential candidates for drug development. A good case study would be where researchers join hands with AI companies such as Insilico Medicine, who will help researchers use GANs in testing new molecular structures. These new molecular structures could lead to some drug candidates when developing diseases like cancer and fibrosis. Subsequently, the time it takes to identify promising compounds has been reduced because AI is applied in drug discovery. That which used to be time-consuming and sometimes take a man-hour to execute, such as accurate predictions of how varying chemical compounds might work with biological targets, the generative AI models can now predict. In addition to streamlining the research process, it brings possibilities forward toward finding therapies that may someday revolutionize healthcare. In NLP, generative AI brings one of the most significant differences to this picture: huge intakes of text data for researchers. Models such as GPT-3 from OpenAI have the capability to be at a par with human writing, giving much scope for more applications in academic research. AI-based models were used to come up with summaries of this academic paper, drafting research proposals, and other issues of assisting peer reviews to be applied. Generative AI has made tremendous progress in creative industries. It has helped artists and musicians reach new possibilities. The most interesting example of a model that can produce images by taking descriptions from text is the OpenAI DALL-E. Below is an elaboration on the extent of the potential that generative AI has in the sphere of art. With DALL-E, users or researchers and digital artists are, therefore able to create much more personalized and efficient creative artwork based on prompts. Similarly, in the music industry, AI models like OpenAI’s MuseNet have been used to compose original pieces of music in various genres. A good example would be the acceleration in the literature review process, where researchers use GPT-3. One feeds the AI model with a dataset of academic papers; this way, researchers may readily generate brief, concise summaries outlining key findings and save one's time and effort. Another area where generative AI proves beneficial is in the research of climate. Researchers are employing AI for modeling complex environmental systems, as well as climate pattern forecasting, along with brainstorming ways to combat climate change. The most critical case study would come from researchers involved from Google AI and University of California, Berkeley on how generative models simulate the reaction of climate systems to alterations in the environment. By utilizing the production of detailed simulations through AI, scientists can generate various climate scenarios that are more accurate in estimating results. This enables them to come up with better plans for carbon emission reduction and the enhancement of resilience in climate conditions; moreover, long term effects of climate change are understood properly. The integration of generative AI in climate research is offering critical insights that may guide policymakers and governments in their mitigation of global warming. Many of the advances in personalized medicine will depend on careful analysis and interpretation of large genomic datasets. Using some models of AI, this researcher can predict gene mutations, discover possible drug targets, and even design customized treatment for individual patients. A case study of interest is in how generative models are used in the analysis of DNA sequences to associate certain mutations with disease progression. Creative AI also makes an enormous difference in genomic research. Such models of an individual's genetic makeup will, in precision medicine with generative AI, be created to help researchers develop treatments uniquely tailored to the patient's specific genetic profile, which might become a monumental shift for healthcare as treatments would have fewer adverse side effects and be more effective in general. It is from Generative AI that a significant wave is going to be generated in the area of machine learning, especially concerning synthetic data generation. In training deep machine learning models, researchers may require large amounts of labeled data, which may take some time to prepare and can be very expensive. This is because generative models, for example GANs, are capable of generating real-like synthetic data close to real-world data for use in training without a lot of extensive datasets. This case will prove to be particularly useful in finance and healthcare for obtaining the data, which otherwise is difficult to get with the privacy regulation in place. It will then allow researchers to continue their work without compromising data privacy or security. It's certainly fantastic how all this generative AI surfaces so much research interwoven with other disciplines to better tackle complex problems and spur further innovation. Generative AI has thus been applied to everything-from new drug discovery to research on climate change. In the coming years, researchers will turn ever more increasingly to AI methods to get around bottlenecks, create new content, and originate novel solutions that will change the future of science and technology. And as AI continues to unfurl, still more breakthrough case studies are bound to surface, exemplifying the truly incredible potential of generative AI in research.
A former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, has applauded the emerging global status of the yearly Okpoama International Beach Carnival at the Brass Island saying it has added to the steady growth of the country’s entertainment industry. Sylva particularly applauded the performances of Patoranking, Nyanya, Spiro, and other emerging musical and comic artists that stormed Bayelsa and thrilled guests, tourists, and residents who attended the carnival. The former Minister of State for Petroleum described the event as beautiful sights and sounds from this year’s Okpoama International Beach Carnival. He said: “The best of our country’s musical talents performed and enjoyed the ambiance of Brass Island,” he said. “Indigenous musical prospects were given the chance to perform alongside Internationally recognized stars in a deliberate act of raising their stock. “Ultimately, the dream of making Okpoama a proper globally recognized tourism destination is in sight.” Okpoama International Beach Carnival has always paraded top musical and comic artists yearly and attracted multitude of tourists from within and outside the state. In the time past, Timaya, Davido, Wizkid, and Tiwa Savage were among the top artists who identified with and thrilled visitors at previous events. The event has always presented an indispensable opportunity for people outside the state to enjoy Bayelsa hospitality and savour local state delicacies. The 2025 Okpoama International Beach Carnival, which MC Senibo coordinated as the Master of Ceremony is usually organized by Sylva’s team and political associates including Kojo Sam to highlight the potential of Okpoama and Brass Island as a destination of choice for tourists.
Harris Dickinson toys with ambiguity in ‘Babygirl,’ and keeps a secret from Nicole KidmanDAMASCUS — A senior official from Libya's UN-recognised government met Syria's new leader Ahmed Al Sharaa on Saturday and discussed issues including diplomatic relations, energy and migration. "We expressed our full support for the Syrian authorities in the success of the important transitional phase," Libyan Minister of State for Communication and Political Affairs Walid Ellafi told reporters after the meeting. "We emphasised the importance of coordination and cooperation... particularly on security and military issues," he said, while they also discussed cooperation "related to energy and trade" and "illegal immigration". Syrians fleeing war since 2011 and seeking a better life have often travelled to Libya in search of work or passage across the Mediterranean on flimsy boats towards Europe. Ellafi said they also discussed "the importance of raising diplomatic representation between the two countries". "Today the charge d'affaires attended the meeting with me and we are seeking a permanent ambassador," he added. Power in Libya is divided between the UN-recognised government based in the capital Tripoli and a rival administration in the east, backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar who also controls the south. Representatives of Haftar's rival administration in March 2020 opened a diplomatic mission in Damascus. Before that, Libya had not had any representation in Damascus since 2012, following the fall and killing of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a NATO-backed uprising. It was not immediately clear whether the charge d'affaires had been appointed since Sharaa's Islamist group Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS) and allied factions toppled Assad on December 8 after a lightning offensive. Also on Saturday, images published by Syrian state news agency SANA also showed Sharaa meeting Bahrain's strategic security bureau chief Sheikh Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khalifa. No details of the discussions were provided. On December 14, top diplomats from eight Arab countries including Bahrain called for a peaceful transition in Syria with United Nations and Arab League support following Assad's overthrow. A day earlier, the official BNA news agency reported that Bahrain's King Hamad had told Sharaa that his country was ready to "continue consultations and coordination with Syria". Damascus's new authorities have received envoys from across the Middle East and beyond since taking control as countries look to establish contact with Sharaa's administration.
Steve Spurrier believes Jayden Daniels could win 2024 NFL MVPTORONTO, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — POET Technologies Inc. (“ ” or the “ ”) (TSX Venture: PTK; NASDAQ: POET), the designer and developer of the POET Optical InterposerTM, Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) and light sources for the data center, tele-communication and artificial intelligence markets, today announced that it has signed a Master Agreement, an Optical Engine Purchase Agreement and a Deed of Consignment with Globetronics Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd (“ ”), to manufacture optical engines for POET in Penang, Malaysia. Further information concerning GMSB is provided below POET also today provided an update on the announced acquisition of the minority equity interest of its existing joint venture in China, Super Photonics Xiamen (“ ”) and its recently announced public offering. POET has engaged GMSB to assemble and test Optical Engines based on designs made exclusively by POET. The Deed of Consignment relates to a suite of wafer-level process equipment recently purchased by POET that is being installed at the GMSB facility in Penang. Concurrent with the Deed and a Purchase Agreement, the Parties entered into a Master Agreement, covering a period of three years, which governs the overall relationship between the Parties. POET and GMSB have prepared an initial project plan and statement of work for the installation and start-up of the consigned tools, the costs for which will be absorbed by POET. POET will submit purchase orders under the Optical Engine Purchase Agreement, with pricing to be based on specific optical engine types. Globetronics Technology Berhad (“ ”) has allocated RM7.7 million (approximately US$1.7 million) for additional capital expenditures in connection with manufacturing optical engines for POET over the 2025-2027 period. Separately, and further to the Corporation’s November 25, 2024 announcement of a binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Quanzhou Sanan Optical Communication Technology Co., Ltd. (“ ”) to transfer to POET its 24.8% stake in the joint venture SPX, along with all the production equipment previously leased by SAIC to SPX, POET is pleased to confirm that the parties expect to shortly conclude their ongoing negotiations and that binding definitive agreements are expected to be signed by December 31, 2024. Terms of the transaction with SAIC remain subject to finalization and are expected to be announced upon signing of the definitive agreements As previously disclosed, it is the Corporation’s intention following completion of the transaction to continue to operate SPX in a manner consistent with past practice while it brings up a wafer-level assembly operation for optical engines in GMSB, thereby implementing its “China Plus One” strategy. As a further update to the Corporation’s public offering announced on December 12, 2024, POET is pleased to confirm that the US$25 million offering has been fully subscribed by a single institutional investor. The closing of that offering is now expected to take place after completion of the SPX acquisition described above. Terms of the offering remain unchanged from those previously announced, and the offering remains subject to the receipt of all regulatory approvals, including the final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange, and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. POET is a design and development company offering high-speed optical modules, optical engines and light source products to the artificial intelligence systems market and to hyperscale data centers. POET’s photonic integration solutions are based on the POET Optical InterposerTM, a novel, patented platform that allows the seamless integration of electronic and photonic devices into a single chip using advanced wafer-level semiconductor manufacturing techniques. POET’s Optical Interposer-based products are lower cost, consume less power than comparable products, are smaller in size and are readily scalable to high production volumes. In addition to providing high-speed (800G, 1.6T and above) optical engines and optical modules for AI clusters and hyperscale data centers, POET has designed and produced novel light source products for chip-to-chip data communication within and between AI servers, the next frontier for solving bandwidth and latency problems in AI systems. POET’s Optical Interposer platform also solves device integration challenges in 5G networks, machine-to-machine communication, self-contained “Edge” computing applications and sensing applications, such as LIDAR systems for autonomous vehicles. POET is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with operations in Allentown, PA, Shenzhen, China, and Singapore. More information about POET is available on our website at . GMSB was incorporated on 16 May 2008 as a private company limited by shares and having its registered address at B-21-1, Level 21, Tower B, Northpoint Mid Valley City, No.1, Medan Syed Putra Utara, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan. GMSB is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GTB. GMSB has an issued share capital of RM25,027,500 comprising 25,009,000 ordinary shares and is principally involved in the business of providing manufacturing and packaging services in semiconductors and turnkey manufacturing in encoder and sensor LEDs and related products. This news release contains “forward-looking information” (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws) and “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such statements or information are identified with words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “potential”, “estimate”, “propose”, “project”, “outlook”, “foresee” or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding any potential outcome. Such statements include the Corporation’s expectations with respect to its business partnership with GMSB, completion of the acquisition of the minority equity interest in SPX from SAIC, completion of its previously announced public offering, success of the Corporation’s product development efforts, the performance of its products, operations, meeting revenue targets, and the expectation of continued success in the financing efforts, the capability, functionality, performance and cost of the Corporation’s technology as well as the market acceptance, inclusion and timing of the Corporation’s technology in current and future products and expectations regarding its successful penetration of the Artificial Intelligence hardware markets. Such forward-looking information or statements are based on a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions which may cause actual results or other expectations to differ materially from those anticipated and which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the completion of definitive agreements with its SAIC concerning the acquisition of SPX, timing and conditionality for completion of its previously announced public offering, the negotiations with contract manufacturers, the size, future growth and needs of Artificial Intelligence network suppliers, management’s expectations regarding the success and timing for completion of its development efforts, the introduction of new products, financing activities, future growth, recruitment of personnel, reorganization efforts, plans for and completion of projects by the Corporation’s consultants, contractors and partners, availability of capital, and the necessity to incur capital and other expenditures. Actual results could differ materially due to a number of factors, including, without limitation, failure to receive necessary regulatory approvals for the Corporation’s arrangements with GMSB and SAIC, failure to complete the recently announced public offering, the failure of Artificial Intelligence networks to continue to grow as expected, the failure of the Corporation’s products to meet performance requirements for AI and datacom networks, lack of sales in its products, lack of sales by its customers to end-users, operational risks in the completion of the Corporation’s projects, risks affecting the Corporation’s ability to complete its products, the ability of the Corporation to generate sales for its products, the ability of its customers to generate sales for products that incorporate the Corporation’s products, the ability to attract key personnel, the failure of its reorganization efforts and the ability to raise additional capital when needed. Although the Corporation believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information or statements are reasonable, prospective investors in the Corporation’s securities should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because the Corporation can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information and statements contained in this news release are as of the date of this news release and the Corporation assumes no obligation to update or revise this forward-looking information and statements except as required by law.5 beaten-up ASX shares being bought by insiders
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black has been hospitalized after suffering a bleed on his brain and is expected to have a “smooth recovery,” his office said. Black, 76, suffered a subdural hematoma earlier this week and is at a local hospital and under the care of the Capitol’s physician, said Rev. Lisa Schultz, Black’s chief of staff. A subdural hematoma is when blood builds up between the skull and the surface of the brain, increasing pressure on the brain. A familiar bow-tied presence in the hallways of the Senate, Black has been the chaplain since 2003. He opens the proceedings each day with a prayer and counsels senators and staff through prayer groups and one-on-one meetings. He was previously the chief of the Navy’s chaplains. Black is well known for his booming voice and his often prescient and timely opening prayers in times of political tension. During an extended government shutdown in 2013, he prayed to “deliver us from the hypocrisy of attempting to sound reasonable while being unreasonable.” During former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment in 2019, he asked in a prayer that “our senators not permit fatigue or cynicism to jeopardize friendships that have existed for years.” In the early morning of Jan. 7, 2021, after supporters of Trump had attacked the Capitol and Congress had certified Democrat Joe Biden’s victory, he closed a joint session in the middle of the night with a call for unity. “We deplore the desecration of the United States Capitol building, the shedding of innocent blood, the loss of life, and the quagmire of dysfunction that threaten our democracy,” he prayed. Associated Press medical writer Lauran Neergaard contributed to this report.
ABC has made the holiday season a little brighter thanks to The Great Christmas Light Fight . Season 12 is currently underway with more elaborate and unique displays. Even though Carter Oosterhouse has been judging for more than a decade, the longtime judge continues to be impressed. The construction expert and interior designer Taniya Nayak has the difficult task of deciding who out of the four families they visit in each episode takes home $50,000 and the coveted trophy. Here Oosterhouse talks about the show’s longevity and what his residence looks like during the holidays with his wife, actress Amy Smart . It’s amazing how this show has become such an annual holiday tradition for families to watch together. Carter Oosterhouse: The Great Christmas Light Fight is the gift that keeps on giving. The more we are on, the more people come up to me at the airport and reflect on how it’s a tradition for them. They tell me, “We know it’s Christmas time when we see this show come on air.” The family programming this embodies is so sweet and perfect for the holiday season. You have the holiday movies on, which are nostalgic and fun. This is a little bit different, yet gives the same moment for families to gather and have a nice little night at home. Disney/Jim Gensheimer How would you say your judging eye has evolved? That’s a good question. I think sometimes as a judge you don’t even realize how these displays continue to get better. And it’s not just bigger. It’s more than more lights. I always say I can pick the winner right when the lights go on, but that’s not always true because now what I’ve seen is the creativity level has skyrocketed. People are more and more creative than ever before. It’s not just about putting lights on a tree or making sure the balance is correct or the color profile is engaging and interesting. It’s really about creativity. What that means is people are starting to tell stories with their lights. That’s fascinating. In scripted or nonscripted TV, it’s all about telling a story. When you watch something, that is why you keep going back to it. Now these families with these light displays are telling stories. As the viewer, it’s so much more dynamic and interesting to the point you have to scratch your head and say, “I’m blown away. I’m shocked. Just when you think you’ve seen them all, you haven’t.” Technology has also advanced within these displays through computer programming and drones. The technology is there and every year it gets better. Sometimes we do have people who are extremely good with computers and putting light and synchronized lights together, but that’s not always the winner. I don’t want to say it’s usually not the winner, but it seems to me what I have learned is over time I go back to the creative ones. Those are going to be the winners. If they can throw tech in there, even better because it makes it faster, more efficient maybe, and more interesting to some degree. As far as technology goes, every year we’re seeing something different. The light fighters who have been doing it for decades and are at the forefront of this technology, really geek out over that. I do too. I love learning more about it. Then some people who are doing it for the first time knock your socks off because they have no frame of reference. They just want to do something they want to do and in their mind is really cool. I’m always amazed at the dedication of these participants. The light fighters work extremely hard. They are very diligent with what they are doing. The families are in the grind. When September comes around, they are starting to put their lights up and it’s all hands on deck. It’s a lot of work. As a judge too, I want to make sure I applaud them and give them the credit they deserve. It is impressive to see the lengths they go. These guys are beyond the next level. They know the drill. They take the kids to school, go to work, and then come home to start working on their display at all hours of the night. Then they get up the next day and do the same thing. The cool thing is I’d say 99 percent of the people are happy to do this for their community. That’s the best part. On your travels, have there been places you never thought about going but are glad you went? For Trading Spaces , we traveled all over the United States. I think that was the indoctrination of a really crazy travel schedule. I’d say the good thing is I can go back to some of these areas. To your point, I do get to see areas that have lit up these lights or sometimes they are theme parks because we do heavyweights as well. We get into bigger areas that have the capability of dressing it up. Those are eye-opening. I’m in this last round of shooting right now where there are plenty of places I’ve said, “I want to bring my daughter back here.” That’s a sign they’ve done a really good job. You and Taniya are solo judging in these episodes, but do you talk much? We touch base a couple of times during the season and before. It’s funny because it is all very similar for us. There is a progression of what these light fighters are doing. I always feel like I can figure it out if they are going to be a top tier when the lights go on. Lately, I feel as you’ve gotten into it, this is not what I expected at all and even better. That’s fun. Taniya and I have been on the same page with all that. Carter Oosterhouse and Amy Smart at “Common Ground” Screening. (Gregg DeGuire/Variety via Getty Images) Does this being known for this show put pressure on you at home to deliver a good display? Does Amy get you to work? Good question. It used to be my wife saying, “So what are we doing? Why aren’t we having any lights?” I say, “I am the judge of The Great Christmas Light Fight . I feel like I would not do a service and carry out the oath of being a judge and fail miserably putting lights up.” Usually, when I get home it’s a lot closer to Christmas. So, we do the inside. I’ve been trying to bring back things people make as a builder and duplicate them. There are a lot of makers out there. You see this guy who has been working in his workshop, who has this crazy Santa Claus walking up a ladder built on a timing system. I think that’s really cool that I want to go home and do that. So I have dabbled in those. You mentioned you’re filming right now for next year. Do you go back and watch the episodes airing as a family at home? We try to, absolutely, when I’m not shooting for next year. We critique. If my daughter is into it, I feel like I’m doing my job. There are tons of shows she can watch, especially during the holidays. I feel if she is into it, I’m doing alright. What’s your go-to Christmas movies to watch? Do you watch Amy’s movie Just Friends ? I feel sometimes people forget that is a Christmas movie. Just Friends , we do watch that. That is definitely a Christmas movie. We go back to all the nostalgic movies. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation , we run back through all that. Now there are all these shows, too. Like these Christmas baking shows. I feel like those are of interest to us too. I guess we’re finding shows I never thought I would watch and falling into. Also, being on a show this long, we’re so thankful it has been on the air this long and having such a successful run. You go through a rollercoaster of emotions. Right now, we’re doing great. It’s fun. It’s a new interest not just on the show but on Christmas too. It’s all about being loved ones. This experience has really helped me dive deeper into the whole Christmas world and look at it from other angles compared to when I first started on the show. 2024 Holiday TV Roundup: Full Schedules for NBC, CBS, ABC, More Anything you can tease about the episodes to come? There is one episode that is coming up, and what was really of interest was the coordination. Not just of the lights but things that these blow molds were doing within the light display. We see a lot of coordination from the tech world, but when you can take traditional elements and mix those into a newer feel, that was really impressive. There was this choir of blow molds in the show, and that was so dynamic because you think, “Wait? Are those blow molds singing to me now?” There was a ton of them. Not only was it visually interesting but to hear it was amazing. What do you want to see from the show moving forward? I do like the heavyweights. Those are really fun to shoot because they are on such a different level. It’s also the community is helping out as well. You just have more people involved. I’d like to see more of those to tell you the truth because there seems to be a lot more people, which creates a bigger energy. That’s not to say the homes don’t do that. We only do one of these types of episodes a year, but I’d love to see more of them. The Great Christmas Light Fight , Thursdays, 8/7c, ABC More Headlines: ‘Firefly’ Reunion! Who Will Be at Emerald City Comic Con 2025 for ‘Serenity’s 20th Anniversary? ‘Christmas Light Fight’ Host Carter Oosterhouse on Holiday Traditions, Marriage to Amy Smart & More Snoop Dogg Gives Daughter Pre-Wedding Pep Talk in E! Docuseries Sneak Peek (VIDEO) ‘Bold and the Beautiful’ Breakup? Thorsten Kaye on Ridge’s Blowup With Brooke and If He’d Go Back to Taylor ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’ Renewed for Season 3 With a New Host: All the UpdatesB lack Friday is still a few days away on 29 November, but stores are already dropping prices to compete for our attention and cash – and they’re offering some delectable discounts on products we’ve recommended in the Filter . The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. We cautioned against getting carried away too early in our guide to not getting ripped off in the sales , because many prices continue to fall until Cyber Monday (2 December). However, some of the most popular items can sell out even before Black Friday comes around. So, if there’s something here you’ve had your eye on, this may be your best chance to grab it for significantly less than you’d normally pay. Keep an eye on this page over the coming days, because we’ll update it with any genuine Black Friday bargains on our favourite products of the year, from Ninja air fryers and GHD hair tools to Google Pixels and video doorbells. How we selected these deals (and excluded others) We’ve looked at more than 300 different products, ranging from £2 fabric plasters to the £1,700 Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, at the Filter. Many are discounted already, but only a select few deals are genuine enough for us to endorse here. A “genuine” Black Friday deal is a discount that undercuts the item’s long-term average price by a notable amount, rather than undoing a cheeky October price hike. Ideally, it will be the lowest price of the year. We use various tools to find this out, including the brilliant browser extension the Camelizer , a free and non-affiliated tool that reveals the price history of any Amazon item. Our recommendations here have the best discounts of all the products we checked (and we checked enough to make Santa sweat). Some categories, such as heated clothes airers and women’s coats , haven’t seen much Black Friday action yet, possibly because they’re good winter sellers anyway, whereas some of the deals below got off the starting blocks days ago. The best home and garden deals The essential air fryer Ninja AF100UK, £68.89 (was £79) johnlewis.com amazon.co.uk The experts who helped us compile our university essentials guide in September – that is, students themselves – told us an air fryer is a gamechanger for today’s house-sharers because it makes light, healthy and cheap work of preparing dinner. The supremely efficient Ninja cost as much as £149 last February, so at just under £70, it’s a brilliant buy for the undergrad in your life. Premium stand mixer Kenwood Titanium Chef Baker, £299.99 (was £399) amazon.co.uk Home bakers who love hi-tech appliances and bake in large quantities would love Kenwood’s premium stand mixer, according to our writer Dale Berning Sawa in her roundup of the best stand mixers . But with a usual price tag of between £399 and £469, it’s not cheap. This sub-£300 price is now the best you’ll find online and is about 25% off the average price. Food Thermos Thermos food flask, £14.37 (was £23) amazon.co.uk £17.25 argos.co.uk Stop forking out for lunch takeouts and treat yourself or your kids to hot food every lunchtime with this fantastic Thermos, which keeps last night’s leftovers steaming hot throughout the next day. It was the Filter editor Hannah Booth’s choice for everyday products that save you money and make life easier , and it’s a design classic to boot. At less than £15, it’s now almost a tenner off, and cheaper than many lunches. Luxurious heated throw Dreamland Hurry Home heated throw, £74.99 (was £94.99) johnlewis.com amazon.co.uk The recent frosty snap made us wish we’d invested in heated throws a little sooner because they keep you warm and are cheaper to run than central heating. Still, better late than never, and here’s a great deal: Dreamland’s magnificent heated throw, which featured in everyday products that save you money and make life easier , is now £20 off. It has been discounted before, but its average price is £89 – so this deal is worth snapping up before the temperature plunges again. Handheld steamer Philips 3000 Series handheld steamer, £27 (was £37.99) amazon.co.uk £29.49 philips.co.uk Another one from our university essential guide , this steamer is useful for pretty much anyone who wears clothes. It smoothes out fabric without the need for ironing and freshens up your clothes if you haven’t the time or the inclination to give them a full wash. This is the steamer’s lowest price ever on Amazon, and Philips’s own Black Friday deal isn’t far behind. Smart baby monitor Owlet Dream Sock, £199 (was £294.99) owletbabycare.co.uk amazon.co.uk The Dream Sock may look and sound gimmicky, but it was hailed as a must-have by parents in our guide to the baby gear parents wouldn’t go without . The medically certified sock wraps comfortably around your baby’s foot and gives you real-time data on their oxygen levels and pulse. It’s not cheap, but at £199 it’s now as affordable as it’s ever been. Subscription-free video doorbell Eufy video doorbell, £94.99 (was £155.17) amazon.co.uk £114 johnlewis.com Many video doorbells require a paid subscription, but this Eufy model doesn’t, instead storing videos on the device itself. It’s one of the more expensive video doorbells you can buy, admits tech journalist Andy Shaw in our guide to the best video doorbells , but it packs in extra features such as dual cameras (one for the face, one for the parcels on your doorstep). This is its lowest ever price. Battery-operated video doorbell Aqara video doorbell G4, £83.99 (was £119.99) amazon.co.uk Here’s another multitalented model from our roundup of the best video doorbells , this time with a handy microSD slot for videos and a battery compartment that takes six AAs. Unlike rechargeable doorbells, this one never has to be charged – just pop in new batteries and it’s good to go. It’s also available from the Apple Store, but at the time of writing, it’s still £119 there. This is the lowest price on Amazon in two years. The best technology deals Best value Android Google Pixel 8a, £354.99 (was £499) johnlewis.com amazon.co.uk We’ve not seen many early deals on Apple or Samsung phones, but Google Pixels are another story. The best value pick in our roundup of the best Android phones is now even better value, dropping from its regular price of £499 to just £354.99. Our consumer technology editor Samuel Gibbs called it a top-tier phone without the high-end price and was amazed that it comes with seven years of software support from release. It’s now its lowest price ever, and £100 off its average Amazon price. Premium Pixel Google Pixel 9 Pro, £899 (was £999) johnlewis.com amazon.co.uk Google’s superb flagship is our pick for “best camera alternative” in best Android phones . This outstanding device normally costs a whisper under £1,000 and, despite this new £100 discount, it’s still one of the most expensive smartphones you can buy. But it’s also one of the best, and this price drop may be your best chance to make a saving on it. Foldable Pixel Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, £1,449 (was £1,749) google.com amazon.co.uk If you thought the Pixel Pro was pricey, avert your eyes from this absolute beast of a device that doubles as a phone and tablet in one. In best Android phones , we praised its large screen, 256GB storage and nimble performance and if you’re into AI tools, you’ll find them all here. Its usual price tag of £1,749 is hair-raising, and with £300 off it’s merely eyebrow-raising. Budget Android for kids Moto G34, £109.99 (was £149.99) argos.co.uk amazon.co.uk Mercifully we now head to the other end of the price spectrum with an Android for just over £100. Motorola’s Moto G34 featured in our roundup of the best smartphones for kids , where we liked its big battery, large screen and 5G connectivity. Importantly, it also gets security updates until 2027. The Moto G34 is normally superb value at about £150, so this price drop makes it a brilliant buy as well as a fab Christmas present. Sign up to The Filter Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. after newsletter promotion Anker power banks Anker Nano, £26.98 (was £39.99) amazon.co.uk Anker Powercore 20100, £29.99 (was £44.99) amazon.co.uk Power banks are everyday necessities in the 2020s, so we couldn’t leave them out of our university essentials and autumn hiking roundups. Anker’s models are particularly powerful and reliable, with the 10,000mAh Nano adding a handy display that shows how much charge is left. The Powercore’s ultra-high 20,000mAh capacity lets you use power-hungry maps, GPS and video while you’re up a mountain all day. Both power banks have just fallen to their lowest price ever. The best deals on clothing and shoes The high street’s best jeans Levi’s 501 Original jeans, £50 (was £100) levi.com “The most brilliant jeans in the world,” said our fashion editor Jess Cartner-Morley of the legendary Levi’s 501s, which rode high in our list of 50 autumn wardrobe updates under £100 . This fantastic deal sees the jeans that launched a thousand (well, a few) classic 80s and 90s adverts tumble to half price. You heard it through the grapevine (well, here). Dune block heels Dune ankle strap court shoes, £36-£63 (was £90) dunelondon.com Another one from 50 autumn wardrobe updates under £100 , these fabulous and comfortable Dune shoes have dropped from £90 to various bargain prices depending on the colour you choose. The cheapest is the two-tone metallic edition, at £36, while the gorgeous burgundy is more expensive at £63 – still nearly a third off their usual price. Women’s snow boots Merrell Siren 4 Thermo boot, £111.30-£145.80 (was £180) amazon.co.uk With snow covering the country in November this year, these seriously protective Merrell boots are suddenly an essential – and we wouldn’t be surprised to see them sell out before Black Friday. Our fashion team’s guide to the best women’s footwear for autumn praised their toasty warmth, great traction and waterproof membrane, and said they’re light enough to wear all day. Prices are as low as £111.30 for the lovely tobacco colour edition. Men’s hiking boots Danner Crater Rim, £258 (was £430) danner.com It’s not often we see the very best deal offered by a brand’s own store, but Danner is an exception. The tough, heavy and incredibly durable Crater Rim boots wowed our walking boot tester Paddy Madison, but they’re normally wildly expensive at £430. This drop to £258 makes them relatively affordable. Given how many years these boots will last you, this is a genuinely good buy for keen walkers. Men’s summer hiking shoes Keen Arroyo II, £68.81 (was £110) amazon.co.uk The Keen Arroyo shoes snuck into best men’s walking boots , despite looking more like sandals, because they offer good sole protection, support and traction on rough terrain. Their description of “waterproof” made our writer chuckle, though. The shoes still cost £110 at Keen at the time of writing, but Amazon has treated the black and brown model to a welcome discount of more than £40. Soft cabin bag Eastpak Tranverz cabin-size suitcase, £91.70 (was £145) amazon.co.uk £101.50 luggagesuperstore.co.uk A soft but strong and durable cabin bag is the perfect travel companion, squishing into the carry-on allowance without damaging your stuff or bursting the bag’s stitches. Writer Liz Boulter chose this great-looking Eastpak bag for our roundup of 18 everyday essentials , and she said it’s still going strong after a decade of use. Well worth buying at its offer price, which is significantly lower than its average price of £110. The best hair and beauty deals Curling tongs ghd Curve Soft curl tong, £119 (was £159) ghdhair.com The 32mm ghd Curve Soft curl tong is a classic hair tool that – according to the stylists we interviewed about their favourite at-home hair styling tools – creates an effortless, undone look that’s not too big and bouncy. These tongs also have safety features that mean you won’t burn your carpet, or indeed your house down. Jumbo waver Beauty Works Jump waver, £45.49 (was £70) beautyworksonline.com If you’re after big, bouncy beach waves, this triple-barrel wave tong is your answer. Another pick from our at-home hair styling tools , the Jump waver sees more than a third wiped off its price by Beauty Works’ own store. Exfoliating body stick The Inkey List glycolic body stick, £11.25 (was £15) theinkeylist.com Glycolic acid is a wonder ingredient that helps to unclog pores, prevent ingrown hairs, soothe rough patches and even clear up body spots. One of our 14 best beauty buys to restore hair, skin and nails, this brilliantly easy stick was already a good price, but it now drops 30% in the Inkey List’s early Black Friday sale. Chanel body fragrance Chanel Coco Mademoiselle body mist, £36.80 (was £46) johnlewis.com In her roundup of everything she’s learned as a beauty columnist , our writer and self-confessed scent fiend Anita Bhagwandas shares an excellent tip for saving money on Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle perfume , which costs £122 for 100ml. Get the body mist instead because it’s normally a much better buy than the perfume at £46 for 100ml. And now John Lewis’s Black Friday sale pushes it down to just £36.80, an excellent deal for a premium scent. Invisible SPF stick Clarins Invisible Sun Care Stick SPF 50+, £19.20 (was £24) johnlewis.com amazon.co.uk Clarins Sun Care is reliably terrific across the range, and in our list of 11 best sunscreens for every need , our writer Sali Hughes praised this solid SPF stick for its smooth, invisible application. It also smells great and doesn’t sting your eyes. It’s not fallen to below £21.50 since May 2021, so this deal is a genuinely good chance to stock up on a high-protection invisible block that’s needed on sunny winter days every bit as much as in the summer.Apple CEO Tim Cook (C) laughs while inspecting a new iPhone (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) As Apple prepares to update the beloved iPhone SE , the community expects a cut-down version of the iPhone 16 to reach the mid-range price point. Tim Cook and his team have other ideas, and this iPhone SE comes with more risk than any of the previous smartphones. What Makes An iPhone An iPhone SE? The next iPhone will be the fourth generation of the SE. Launched in 2016, the SE range is Apple’s iPhone for the mid-range market. Priced around $450, it offers a significant price cut compared to the vanilla iPhone in the main range. To achieve that, Apple reduces key specifications on the handset, leans into older parts, and offers an older design, all to bring down the bill of materials while doing its best to hold on to what makes an iPhone. This year, Tim Cook and his team are taking a different approach, a riskier approach and one that could damage the brand. The iPhone SE stakes include acting as a testbed for the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, cannibalizing the iPhone 16, and the Flavor du année that is generative AI. Apple’s First Modem Belongs To The iPhone SE Since the purchase of Intel's modem division for $1 billion in 2019 , Apple’s ambition is to eliminate the need to use Qualcomm’s modem technology and supply itself. Apple’s modem will arrive in the iPhone SE six years after the purchase. It’s not without compromise, though. The new 5G circuity will be limited to the Sub-6 standard, with mmWave unavailable, while only four-carrier bands will be available for carrier aggregation, compared to six bands in Qualcomm’s hardware. iOS 18.2—Update Now Warning Issued To All iPhone Users Microsoft Warns 400 Million Windows Users—Do Not Update Your PC Selena Gomez And Benny Blanco Are Engaged—And The Internet Has Opinions It also represents one of the biggest risks Apple is taking with the iPhone SE. This is the first public rollout of that modem . Apple has made the sensible decision to introduce the new technology not on the main iPhone line, but in the SE line. If there are issues that only become apparent on a mass deployment, then the main iPhone and iPhone Pro line will not be damaged... but the SE line will. Apple Intelligence’s Impact On The iPhone SE And while Apple will have tested the new iPhone SE before launch, it wouldn’t be the first time that a flaw has not become apparent till after the launch. I don’t think holding the phone wrong will disrupt the modem, but this is a new part of the iPhone package. With previous iPhone SE handsets, Apple has matched the core specifications of chipset, memory and storage to the vanilla iPhone of that year. For the iPhone SE in 2025, that means the iPhone 16 launched in September 2024. That handset already saw its memory and chipset boosted to allow it to run the awkwardly backronymed Apple Intelligence software. Given Apple's PR focus on its generative AI system, I can’t see the iPhone SE launch without support for Apple Intelligence. That choice means the specifications of the SE will have to match the already elevated iPhone 16. The iPhone SE will be smaller, cheaper, and just as powerful as the iPhone 16. Why would the market consider the iPhone 16? A significant number of consumers could switch to the smaller handset and reduce Apple’s turnover. Apple’s iPhone SE Redefined Thanks to its consistent name, the iPhone SE is a beloved variant of the iPhone, no matter the generation you started with. The same will be true in 2025 with the fourth-generation iOS smartphone. It’s rare to see Apple push the technological boundaries with the SE, yet in this brave new world of modems, AI, and matching specs, the iPhone SE has a starring role. Now read more about the new camera Apple is using in the iPhone SE...
At least eight people were killed by Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank around the city of Tulkarem on Tuesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, including three people it said were killed by Israeli airstrikes. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of some uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. Elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian city of Bethlehem was marking a second somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of the war in Gaza, with most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent. Israel's bombardment and ground invasion in Gaza has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel in October 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage by Palestinian militants. Around 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza , although only two thirds are believed to still be alive. Here’s the latest: NUR SHAMS REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank — The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least eight people were killed by Israeli military operations in and around the city of Tulkarem in the northern West Bank on Tuesday. The ministry reported three of the dead were killed by airstrikes. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of some uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. An Associated Press photojournalist captured images of Israeli forces detonating an explosive device planted by Palestinian militants during a raid in the Nur Shams refugee camp. Israel has carried out several large-scale raids in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza, ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. While airstrikes were once rare in the West Bank, they have grown more common since the outbreak of war as Israeli forces clamp down, saying they aim to prevent attacks on their citizens. Israeli fire has killed at least 800 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since October 2023, Palestinian health officials say. In that time, Palestinian militants have launched a number of attacks on soldiers at checkpoints and within Israel. SAYDNAYA, Syria — A large crowd of Syrians gathered near a historic monastery in Saydnaya on Christmas Eve to witness the lighting of a towering tree adorned with glowing green lights. Tuesday's celebration offered a rare moment of joy in a city scarred by over a decade of war and an infamous prison , where tens of thousands were held. Families and friends stood beneath the illuminated tree — some wearing Santa hats, others watching from rooftops — while a band played festive music and fireworks lit up the sky “This year is different, there’s happiness, victory and a new birth for Syria and a new birth for Christ,” said Houssam Saadeh, one attendee. Another, Joseph Khabbaz, expressed hope for unity across all sects and religions in Syria, dismissing recent Christmas tree vandalism as “isolated incidents.” Earlier in the afternoon, pilgrims visited the historic Our Lady of Saydnaya Monastery, one of the world’s oldest Christian monasteries, believed to be built in the sixth century. In Homs, a similarly grand Christmas tree was illuminated as security officers patrolled the area to ensure a safe and peaceful gathering, according to Syria’s state media. UNITED NATIONS -- Recent attacks on hospitals in North Gaza, where Israel is carrying out an offensive, are having a devastating impact on Palestinian civilians still in the area, the U.N. humanitarian office says. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs expressed deep concern at reports that the Israeli military entered the Indonesian Hospital on Tuesday, forcing its evacuation. The humanitarian office, known as OCHA, also expressed deep concern at attacks reported in recent days in and around the two other hospitals in North Gaza that are minimally functioning – Al Awda and Kamal Adwan. OCHA said the Israeli siege on Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia and parts of Jaballiya in North Gaza continued for a 79th day on Tuesday, and while the U.N. and its partners have made 52 attempts to coordinate humanitarian access to besieged areas in December 48 were rejected by Israel. While four missions were approved, OCHA said the U.N. and its partners faced impediments as a result of Israeli military operations and “none of the U.N.-coordinated attempts to access the area have been fully facilitated.” Throughout the Gaza Strip, OCHA said that Israeli authorities facilitated just 40% of requests for humanitarian movements requiring their approval in December. WASHINGTON — A leading global food crisis monitor says deaths from starvation will likely pass famine levels in north Gaza as soon as next month. The U.S.-created Famine Early Warning System Network says that’s because of a near-total Israeli blockade of food and other aid in that part of Gaza. The finding, however, appears to have exposed a rift within the Biden administration over the extent of starvation in northern Gaza. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, disputes part of the data used in reaching the conclusion and calls the intensified famine warning “irresponsible.” Northern Gaza has been one of the areas hardest-hit by fighting and Israel’s restrictions on aid throughout its 14-month war with Hamas militants. UNITED NATIONS — Israel’s foreign minister has requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to condemn recent missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and to condemn the group's Iranian allies for allegedly providing the group with weapons. Gideon Saar said in a letter Tuesday to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the United States, which holds the council presidency this month, that the Houthis are violating international law and council resolutions. “This Iranian-backed terrorist group continues to endanger Israel’s and other nations’ security, as well as the freedom of maritime navigation, in flagrant violation of international law,” Saar said. “All of this malign activity is done as part of a broader strategy to destabilize the region.” The U.S. Mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to an email asking when the council meeting will be held. The Houthis have said they launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea – and on Israel -- with the aim of ending Israel’s devastating air and ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli war in Gaza followed Hamas’ deadly October 2023 attacks in southern Israel. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli military investigation has concluded that the presence of troops inadvertently contributed to the deaths of six hostages killed by their Hamas captors in Gaza. The hostages' bodies were discovered in a tunnel in late August, an event that shook Israel and sparked some of the largest anti-war protests since the war began. The investigation found that the six hostages were killed by multiple gunshots from their captors after surviving for nearly 330 days. The Israeli military’s “ground activities in the area, although gradual and cautious, had a circumstantial influence on the terrorists’ decision to murder the six hostages,” the report found. According to the investigation, the Israeli military began operating in the area where the hostages were being held in southern Gaza about two weeks before their discovery, under the assumption that the chances of hostages in the area was medium to low. On August 27, hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi was found alone in a tunnel , causing the Israeli military to halt operations for 24 hours to determine if there could be other hostages in the area. The military discovered the opening leading to the tunnel where the bodies of the six hostages were located on August 30. A pathological report estimated the six hostages were killed on August 29. The six hostages killed were Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin , whose American-Israeli parents became some of the most recognized spokespeople pleading for the hostages’ release, including addressing the Democratic National Convention days before their son’s killing. “The investigation published tonight proves once again that the return of all hostages will only be possible through a deal,” the Hostages Families Forum said in response to the investigation. “Every passing moment puts the hostages’ lives in immediate danger.” JERUSALEM — The Israeli negotiating team working on a ceasefire returned from Qatar to Israel on Tuesday, the prime minister’s office said, after what it called “a significant week” of talks. After months of deadlock, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt resumed their mediation efforts in recent weeks and reported greater willingness by the warring sides to reach a deal. According to Egyptian and Hamas officials, the proposed agreement would take place in phases and include a halt in fighting, an exchange of captive Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and a surge in aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. Israel says Hamas is holding 100 hostages, over one-third of whom are believed to be dead. On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was “some progress” in efforts to reach a deal, but added he did not know how long it would take. CAIRO — Israeli soldiers took control of a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Tuesday. Some of the patients had to walk to another hospital while others were driven by paramedics, according to Health Ministry spokesperson Zaher al-Wahidi. He did not specify how many patients had evacuated. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. The army later said its soldiers had left the hospital. The military said it had assisted with evacuating the patients and had not ordered the hospital closed. However, al-Wahidi said only one doctor and maintenance person were left behind. The Indonesian Hospital is one of three hospitals left largely inaccessible in the northernmost part of Gaza because Israel has imposed a tight siege there since launching an offensive in early October. The Israeli army said Tuesday’s operation at the Indonesian Hospital came after militants carried out attacks from the hospital for the past month, including launching anti-tank missiles and planting explosive devices in the surrounding area. The Health Ministry accused Israel of “besieging and directly targeting” the three hospitals in northern Gaza. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, said Israeli drones detonated explosives near the hospital and that 20 people were wounded, including five medical staff. The Israeli military declined to comment on the operation around the hospital. DAMASCUS — Scores of Syrian Christians protested in the capital Damascus on Tuesday, demanding greater protections for their religious minority after a Christmas tree was set on fire in the city of Hama a day earlier. Many of the insurgents who now rule Syria are jihadis, although Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the main rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and spent years depicting himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. It remains unclear who set the Christmas tree on fire Monday, which was condemned by a representative of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham who visited the town and addressed the community. “This act was committed by people who are not Syrian, and they will be punished beyond your expectations," the HTS representative said in a video widely shared on social media. "The Christmas tree will be fully restored by this evening.” On Tuesday, protesters marched through the streets of Bab Touma in Damascus, shouting slogans against foreign fighters and carrying large wooden crosses. “We demand that Syria be for all Syrians. We want a voice in the future of our country,” said Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church as he addressed the crowd in a church courtyard, assuring them of Christians’ rights in Syria. Since HTS led a swift offensive that overthrew President Bashar Assad earlier this month, Syria’s minority communities have been on edge, uncertain of how they will be treated under the emerging rebel-led government. “We are here to demand a democratic and free government for one people and one nation,” another protester said. “We stand united — Muslims and Christians. No to sectarianism.” DOHA — Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that ceasefire negotiations to end the war in Gaza were ongoing in Doha in cooperation with Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediators. “We will not leave any door unopened in pursuit of reaching an agreement,” said Majid al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday. Al Ansari added that rumors the ceasefire would be reached before Christmas are “speculation.” The ceasefire negotiations come at a time when winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. Families of the approximately 100 hostages who have been held for 445 days in Gaza are also worried their loved ones will not survive another winter. In a press conference, al-Ansari also called on the international community to lift sanctions on Syria as quickly as possible on Tuesday. “The reason was the crimes of the previous regime, and that regime, with all of its authority, is no longer in place, therefor the causes for these sanctions no longer exist today,” he said. DAMASCUS, Syria — American journalist Austin Tice is believed to be still alive, according to the head of an international aid group. Nizar Zakka, who runs the Hostage Aid Worldwide organization, said there has never been any proof that Tice, who has been missing since 2012, is dead. Zakka told reporters in Damascus on Tuesday that Tice was alive in January and being held by the authorities of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad. He added that U.S. President Joe Biden said in August that Tice was alive. Zakka said he believes Tice was transferred between security agencies over the past 12 years, including in an area where Iranian-backed fighters were operating. Asked if it was possible Tice had been taken out of the country, Zakka said Assad most likely kept him in Syria as a potential bargaining chip. Biden said Dec. 8 that his administration believed Tice was alive and was committed to bringing him home, although he also acknowledged that “we have no direct evidence” of his status. TEL AVIV, Israel — Hannah Katzir, an Israeli woman who was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, and freed in a brief ceasefire last year, has died. She was 78. The Hostages Families Forum, a group representing the families of people taken captive, confirmed the death Tuesday but did not disclose the cause. Her daughter, Carmit Palty Katzir, said in a statement that her mother’s “heart could not withstand the terrible suffering since Oct. 7.” Katzir’s husband, Rami, was killed during the attack by militants who raided their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her son Elad was also kidnapped and his body was recovered in April by the Israeli military, who said he had been killed in captivity. She spent 49 days in captivity and was freed in late November 2023. Shortly after Katzir was freed, her daughter told Israeli media that she had been hospitalized with heart issues attributed to “difficult conditions and starvation” while she was held captive. TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel's military said the projectile was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory, but it set off air raid sirens overnight in the country's populous central area, sending residents looking for cover. Israel’s rescue service Magen David Adom said a 60-year-old woman was seriously wounded after being hurt on her way to a protected space. There was no immediate comment from Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. It was the third time in a week that fire from Yemen set off sirens in Israel. On Saturday, a missile slammed into a playground in Tel Aviv, injuring 16, after Israel’s air defense system failed to intercept it. Earlier last week, Israeli jets struck Yemen’s rebel-held capital and a port city, killing nine. Israel said the strikes were in response to previous Houthi attacks.Costco beats on earnings as membership fee hike boosts revenue
‘Christmas Light Fight’ Host Carter Oosterhouse on Holiday Traditions, Marriage to Amy Smart & More
With a new year right around the corner, (Tax-Free Savings Account) investors will have yet another opportunity to make another $7,000 contribution in January. Indeed, it’s just north of a month away, so if your 2024 and 2023 contributions are still sitting around in cash, perhaps it’s time to start a list of stocks you’d be willing to buy before the new year. Indeed, there are plenty of great Canadian stocks to watch as the TSX Index looks to have its moment in the sun after yet another year of trailing the S&P 500. Though only time will tell, some folks out there view the value-conscious TSX 60 as potentially a better bet. Indeed, some sort of growth-to-value rotation may be enough to tilt the tables ever so slightly in the Canadian stock market’s favour. In any case, I still think TFSA should find the right balance of domestic, international, and U.S. stocks so that they’re properly diversified across geographies. In this piece, we’ll look at two Canadian stock picks that may be worth pouncing on in the coming weeks and months. Bank of Nova Scotia ( ) is quickly becoming one of my preferred picks in Canada’s banking scene, and it’s not just because of its modest valuation or newfound momentum that’s helped propel the stock more than 21% in the past three months. Indeed, if you lost patience with the name, you may just have to pay a higher price ($78 and change per share right here) to punch your ticket back into Canada’s best internationally focused bank. The good news? Shares are still cheap (13.78 times trailing price-to-earnings (P/E)) and bountiful (5.41% dividend yield). More recently, the bank got a vote of confidence from analysts over its earnings growth trajectory going into the new year. Going into 2025, I view BNS stock as a relative value play that could be next in line to hit new highs. As such, TFSA investors shouldn’t sleep on the name if they’ve been meaning to put some cash to work on stocks. Nutrien Things have not been going all too well for shares of ( ) so far this year, with the name down around 15% year to date. Indeed, the fertilizer market may not be ready for any sort of timely recovery in the near term. That said, if you’re a truly long-term investor, I think the 4.7% dividend yield is worth collecting while the stock’s trading at multi-year lows. Sure, Nutrien is facing pressure on a number of fronts (think its lending unit and lower agricultural commodity prices). However, the dividend is on some pretty sound footing, and if you seek a deeper-value option, perhaps it’s time to start doing a little bit of buying. While I’d caution against bottom-fishing in a name that still has a lot of negative momentum behind it, I do think building a partial position over the coming year makes a lot of sense if cheap dividends and a lower correlation to the rest of the market are what you seek.