According to reports, the student, whose identity has not been disclosed, went missing in Shanxi province more than 13 years ago. Her sudden disappearance had left her family devastated and desperate for answers. However, recently, authorities were able to track her down to a small village where she was living with Zhang.
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — The goals are flying in again for Arsenal — and it just happens to coincide with the return from injury of Martin Odegaard. Make that eight goals in two games since the international break for Arsenal after its 5-1 hammering of Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Tuesday, tying the English team’s heaviest ever away win in the competition. Odegaard is back in Arsenal’s team after missing two months with an ankle injury . In that time, Mikel Arteta’s attack stuttered, with a 2-0 loss to Bournemouth and a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle dropping the Gunners well off the pace in the Premier League. There was also a 0-0 draw at Atalanta in the Champions League as well as a 1-0 loss to Inter Milan last month, when Odegaard made his comeback from injury as an 89th-minute substitute. Since then, Arsenal hasn’t lost and the goals have returned. After a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday came the cruise in Lisbon — and Odegaard was at the heart of everything as Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end. “He’s an unbelievable player,” Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka said of Odegaard. “The day he returned, there was a big smile on my face. You can see the chemistry we have. I hope he stays fit for the rest of the season.” Odegaard was involved in the build-up to Arsenal’s first two goals against Sporting — scored by Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz — and was fouled to win the penalty converted by Saka in the 65th to restore Arsenal’s three-goal lead at 4-1. Odegaard was seen flexing his leg after that but continued untroubled and was substituted in the 78th minute. The last thing Arteta would want now is another injury to Odegaard as Arsenal attempts to reel in first-place Liverpool in the Premier League. Liverpool is already nine points ahead of fourth-place Arsenal after 12 games. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Ballot recount confirms Woog’s win in House District 19What sets White Jiangting apart as a brand ambassador for Salomon is his genuine passion for outdoor activities. He is not just a face of the brand, but also a true advocate for exploring the great outdoors and embracing nature. This authenticity and love for outdoor adventures resonate with consumers, making White Jiangting a relatable and aspirational figure for those seeking adventure and style.
Texas has nation’s top recruiting class after landing elite defensive lineman from GeorgiaAs word spread about the exceptional quality and flavor of Mr. Zhang's mushrooms, demand began to soar. Restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers' markets clamored to stock his products, drawing customers from far and wide. Recognizing the potential for growth, Mr. Zhang invested in state-of-the-art facilities and equipment to increase production capacity and expand his product line.
Syrian government services come to a 'complete halt' as state workers stay home after rebel takeover DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria's prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers were back at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad , but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the coun Sarah El Deeb, Bassem Mroue And Tia Goldenberg, The Associated Press Dec 9, 2024 2:32 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Syrian citizens stand on a government forces tank, that was left on a street, as they are celebrating during the second day of the take over of the city by the insurgents in Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria's prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers were back at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad , but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the country's public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt." Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighboring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Assad's brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said Monday they would not tell women how to dress. “It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women’s dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty,” the command said in a statement on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services had shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the U.N. official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was long known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met for the first time with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali, who stayed in Syria when Assad fled. “You will see there are skills" among the rebels, al-Sharaa said in a video shared on a rebel messaging channel. Israel said it carried out airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets to keep them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israel also seized a buffer zone inside Syria after Syrian troops withdrew. In northern Syria, Turkey said allied opposition forces seized the town of Manbij from Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States, a reminder that even after Assad's departure, the country remains split among armed groups that have fought in the past. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Assad , a decision made by President Vladimir Putin . Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence though in some areas, small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets. Across swathes of Syria, families are now waiting outside prisons , security offices and courts, hoping for news of loved ones who were imprisoned or who disappeared. Just north of Damascus in the feared Saydnaya military prison, women detainees, some with their children, screamed as rebels broke locks off their cell doors. Amnesty International and other groups say dozens of people were secretly executed every week in Saydnaya, and they estimate that up to 13,000 Syrians were killed between 2011 and 2016. “Don’t be afraid," one rebel said as he ushered women from packed cells. "Bashar Assad has fallen!” In southern Turkey , Mustafa Sultan was among hundreds of Syrian refugees waiting at border crossings to head home. He was searching for his older brother, who was imprisoned under Assad. “I haven’t seen him for 13 years," he said. "I am going to go see whether he’s alive.” Prime minister says government is operational, but UN official says it's paralyzed Jalali, the prime minister, has sought to project normalcy since Assad fled. “We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth,” he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation had already improved from the day before. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said Sunday that judges were ready to resume work quickly. “We want to give everyone their rights,” Haddad said outside the courthouse. “We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods.” But a U.N. official said some government services had been paralyzed as worried state employees stayed home. The public sector “has just come to a complete and abrupt halt," said U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Adam Abdelmoula, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies had been put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. “This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonized by the public media are now in charge in the nation’s capital,” Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. "I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again.” Britain, U.S. considering removing insurgent group from terror list Britain and the U.S. are both considering whether to remove the main anti-Assad rebel group from their lists of designated terrorist organizations. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham began as an offshoot of al-Qaida but cut ties with the group years ago and has worked to present a more moderate image. The group's leader, al-Sharaa, “is saying some of the right things about the protection of minorities, about respecting people’s rights,” British Cabinet minister Pat McFadden said, adding that a change would be considered “quite quickly.” But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking later during a visit to Saudi Arabia, said it was "far too early” to make that decision. In Washington, a Biden administration official noted that HTS will be an “important component” in Syria's future and that the U.S. needs to “engage with them appropriately.” Another administration official said the U.S. remains in a “wait and see” mode on whether to remove the designation. Both officials requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing internal deliberations. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters that such designations are constantly under review. Even while it is in place, the designation does not bar U.S. officials from speaking with members or leaders of the group, he said. The U.S. also announced it was sending its special envoy for hostage affairs to Beirut to seek information about the whereabouts of Austin Tice, a journalist who vanished in Syria 12 years ago and who President Joe Biden has said is believed to be alive. Israel confirms it struck suspected chemical weapons and rockets Israelis welcomed the fall of Assad, who was a key ally of Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, while expressing concern over what comes next. Israel says its forces temporarily seized a buffer zone inside Syria dating back to a 1974 agreement after Syrian troops withdrew in the chaos. “The only interest we have is the security of Israel and its citizens," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told reporters Monday. Saar did not provide details about the targets, but the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said they included weapons warehouses, research centers, air defense systems and aircraft squadrons. Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria in recent years, targeting what it says are military sites related to Iran and Hezbollah . Israeli officials rarely comment on individual strikes. Syria agreed to give up its chemical weapons stockpile in 2013, after the government was accused of launching an attack near Damascus that killed hundreds of people . But it is widely believed to have kept some of the weapons and was accused of using them again in subsequent years. Turkey says its allies have taken northern town Officials in Turkey, which is the main supporter of the Syrian opposition to Assad, say its allies have taken full control of the northern Syrian city of Manbij from a U.S.-supported and Kurdish-led force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. The SDF said a Turkish drone struck in the village of al-Mistriha in eastern Syria, killing 12 civilians, including six children. Turkey views the SDF, which is primarily composed of a Syrian Kurdish militia, as an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency in Turkey. The SDF has also been a key ally of the United States in the war against the Islamic State group. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday warned against allowing Islamic State or Kurdish fighters to take advantage of the situation, saying Turkey will prevent Syria from turning into a “haven for terrorism.” ___ Mroue reported from Beirut and Goldenberg from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, Mehmet Guzel at the Oncupinar border crossing in Turkey, Jamey Keaten in Geneva, and Aamer Madhani and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow the AP's Syria coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/syria Sarah El Deeb, Bassem Mroue And Tia Goldenberg, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More World News Veteran Daniel Penny is acquitted in NYC subway chokehold case over Jordan Neely's death Dec 9, 2024 12:07 PM Ghana's ex-leader is declared the winner of the presidential election Dec 9, 2024 11:14 AM Military pauses Osprey flights again after more metal failures are found in near crash in November Dec 9, 2024 10:30 AM Featured FlyerThousands of defiant pro-EU protesters in Georgia staged a fresh rally Friday after the prime minister claimed victory in a "battle" against the opposition, amid a deepening post-electoral crisis. Tbilisi has been engulfed in turmoil since the governing Georgian Dream party declared that it had won a disputed October 26 election. The party's critics have accused it of creeping authoritarianism and of steering the country back towards Russia. Tens of thousands have taken to the streets since the election to protest against alleged electoral fraud. Fresh rallies took place across the country after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced last week that Georgia would not hold talks on European Union membership until 2028. Police have fired tear gas and water cannon against pro-EU protests in Tbilisi and hundreds of arrests have been made, triggering outrage at home and mounting international condemnation. France, Germany and Poland condemned what they called the government's "disproportionate" use of force against protesters and opposition leaders in a joint statement by their foreign ministers Friday. Several thousand people blocked the street outside parliament for a ninth consecutive night Friday, some blowing whistles and others setting off firecrackers. The crowd was smaller than on previous nights and the mood quieter, but protesters rejected claims the movement was dying out. "We are fighting for our freedom," said Nana, 18, a medical student, wrapped in an EU flag, accompanied by a friend in a matching Georgian flag. "We are not going to give up." Another protester, 35-year-old academic Alexander Kavtaradze, said: "It's a battle of nerves right now. The illegitimate government is hoping we'll get tired, that fewer people will come out each day. "We will continue our fight until the end." Separate protests were held outside Georgia's Public Broadcaster -- accused of serving as a government propaganda tool -- the education ministry, and the country's tourism administration offices. Shalva Alaverdashvili, founder of the Georgian hotels' federation, told AFP that the "unexpected and unacceptable" suspension of EU accession talks has severely hit the country's tourism industry, which accounts for seven percent of the country's GDP. Thousands have also staged anti-government rallies in the second city of Batumi on the Black Sea coast. On Friday evening, a court in Tbilisi put a 19-year-old youth activist in pre-trial detention. Zviad Tsetskhladze had been arrested during the protests on charges of "organising, leading, and participating in group violence". Tsetskhladze told the judge: "Democracy in Georgia is no more. The rule of law has been crushed. "Our actions are a form of resistance, aimed at preserving the rule of law, defending democracy, and protecting the rights of every individual." Earlier Friday Prime Minister Kobakhidze praised his security forces for "successfully neutralising the protesters' capacity for violence". "We have won an important battle against liberal fascism in our country," he told a news conference, using language reminiscent of how the Kremlin in Russia targets its political opponents. "But the fight is not over. Liberal fascism in Georgia must be defeated entirely, and work towards this goal will continue," Kobakhidze said. He repeated an earlier threat to "complete the process of neutralising the radical opposition". With both sides ruling out a compromise, there appeared to be no clear route out of the crisis. The leader of the opposition Lelo party, Mamuka Khazaradze, said the ruling party "no longer has the strength or resources to stand against the people." The government "has resorted to arresting young activists and political opponents out of fear of relentless public protests and growing civil disobedience by public servants," he told AFP. The interior ministry said police had detained three more individuals Friday for "participating in group violence", punishable by up to nine years' jail. Masked officers have raided several opposition party offices and arrested opposition leaders earlier this week, while around 300 people have been detained at rallies. On Friday Nika Gvaramia, leader of the opposition Akhali party, was sentenced to 12 days in prison. Alexandre Elisashvili, leader of the Strong Georgia opposition group, was remanded in custody for two months of pretrial detention. More trouble is expected after December 14, when Georgian Dream lawmakers elect a loyalist to succeed pro-Western President Salome Zurabishvili. She has vowed not to step down until the parliamentary polls are re-run. Local media has also reported protests across the country, including in the cities of Batumi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Rustavi and Telavi. Critics of Georgian Dream are enraged by what they call its betrayal of Tbilisi's bid for EU membership, enshrined in the constitution and supported by around 80 percent of the population. Several ambassadors, a deputy foreign minister, and other officials have resigned over the suspension of EU talks. Georgian Dream, in power for more than a decade, has advanced controversial legislation in recent years, targeting civil society and independent media and curbing LGBTQ rights. Brussels warned such policies were incompatible with EU membership, while domestic critics accuse the government of copying Russia's playbook. Georgia's own rights ombudsman Levan Ioseliani has accused the police of "torture" against those arrested. ub-im/jjFacing Manchester City is always a daunting task for any team in Europe, given their formidable squad and exceptional performance in recent seasons. However, for Munir El Haddadi, the prospect of playing against a top-tier team like City is not intimidating but rather an honor and a challenge to rise to the occasion. The striker acknowledged the quality and talent of the City team but remained confident in his team's abilities to compete at a high level.
Santa to visit 15 Vacaville parksIt is not surprising that after decades of Coalition and Labor neoliberal governments robbing the poor to give to the rich that voters have been steadily deserting the major parties for smaller parties and independents. A by The Australia Institute (TAI), released in October, found that the share of the non-major party vote in federal elections rose from just 6.9% in 1982 to 31.5% in 2022. A similar pattern can be observed in all states over this same time. The Coalition and Labor parties have been the sole government parties in this country for more than a century and they are determined not to relinquish their political duopoly. As the last term of federal parliament draws to an end, the major parties are set to rush through the to give themselves even more of an election funding advantage over smaller parties and independents. The ruling elite has enjoyed the benefits of this two-party system because whichever side wins an election, they are guaranteed to have a pro-capitalist government! Most big corporations make donations to both major parties. The major parties already receive the lion’s share of public electoral funding, and the new bill will ensure that that share grows even bigger. As TAI : “In Australia, parties and candidates receive about $3 per vote they receive. Everyone casts two votes — one for the House of Representatives and one for the Senate — so every election you decide how about $6 of taxpayer money is distributed. “Because parties and candidates get this money after the votes are counted, it only benefits those who are contesting the next election. A new party or candidate doesn’t get any money for their first campaign. “This bill would increase per-vote public funding to $5 per vote. This will cost another $41 million per three-year election cycle, with about three-quarters (75%, or $32 million) going to major parties.” The bill also provides for $17 million in new administrative funding — $90,000 for each election cycle for an MP, and $45,000 per cycle for a senator, the TAI added. “If this funding were already in place, it would have been worth $8.1 million for Labor, $4.7 million for the Liberals, $1.6 million for the Nationals and $0.9 million for the Greens. “New parties and candidates — who also have administrative costs — get nothing.” The bill also introduces a $20,000 cap on election campaign donations, which will advantage the major parties because they register multiple parties for various states and territories. TAI reported that “there are actually nine registered Labor parties: one for every state and territory and one federal”. This means that there are “nine opportunities to give to Labor in a given calendar year ($180,000 per year or $720,000 in an election cycle)”. It said the Liberal Party has eight parties and the National Party five — “so someone can still donate over a million dollars to the Coalition every election cycle”. Furthermore, the bill creates “nominated entities,” which will give the major parties another way around these donation caps. The bill also creates election spending caps, but once again provides loopholes for the major parties. This system of unfairly distributed electoral funding and corporate donations to the major parties is used to pay for deceptive and manipulative advertising campaigns to misinform the public and stir up racism, misogyny and bigotry against minorities. It acts as a political scapegoating exercise to deflect from the pain the major parties’ neoliberal policies inflict on the majority. This new bill is the latest of several election law changes, at federal and state levels, which aim to advantage the major parties and made it harder for smaller and newer parties to contest. In Victoria, proportional voting through multi-member seats was replaced by a with the express intention of reducing the number of Greens and socialist local councillors. Changes to federal election laws over decades have made it harder to register new parties and to keep that registration. Candidate deposits for the House of Representatives and the Senate have also increased — a move that makes it harder for smaller and newer parties, as well as for independents. Unfortunately, some of these changes were . Even without the rigged funding, the major parties are already entrenched by the single-member electorates for the House of Representatives and in the lower houses in every state parliament except Tasmania. Proportional representation for all houses of parliament would be part of a more democratic and representative system. The current and replaced by a new system under which the electoral commissions have the duty to distribute and publicise the policies and profiles of all candidates.The EU and a South American trade bloc reach a giant trade deal after 25 years of talks