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Boston Mayor Wu: Mass deportation comments were ‘never directed’ to federal officials
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu has a strained right calf and will be reevaluated in 10 days. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu has a strained right calf and will be reevaluated in 10 days. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu has a strained right calf and will be reevaluated in 10 days. Dosunmu got hurt during Monday night’s 112-91 loss to Milwaukee. The Bulls provided an update on his injury on Saturday. Dosunmu, who turns 25 on Jan. 17, is averaging 12.6 points and 4.8 assists in his fourth NBA season. He has appeared in 30 games, including 17 starts. The Chicago native was selected by the Bulls in the second round of the 2021 draft. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA AdvertisementTrump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” Europe's economy needs help. Political chaos in France and Germany means it may be slower in coming BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe's economy has enough difficulties, from tepid growth to trade tensions with the U.S. Dealing with those woes is only getting harder due to the political chaos in the two biggest European countries, France and Germany. Neither has a government backed by a functioning majority, and France could take a while yet to sort things out. But some problems aren't going to wait, such as what to do about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's America First stance on trade and how to fund stronger defense against Putin's Russia. ‘Moana 2’ cruises to another record weekend and $600 million globally “Moana 2” remains at the top of the box office in its second weekend in theaters as it pulled in another record haul. According to studio estimates Sunday, the animated Disney film added $52 million, bringing its domestic total to $300 million. That surpasses the take for the original “Moana” and brings the sequel's global tally to a staggering $600 million. It also puts the film in this year's top five at the box office. “Wicked” came in second place for the weekend with $34.9 million and “Gladiator II” was third with $12.5 million. The 10th anniversary re-release of Christopher Nolan's “Interstellar” also earned an impressive $4.4 million even though it played in only 165 theaters. Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok as soon as next month, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Executive of Tyler Perry Studios dies when plane he was piloting crashes in Florida ATLANTA (AP) — The president of Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios has died when the small plane he was piloting crashed on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The studio confirmed on Saturday that Steve Mensch, its 62-year-old president and general manager, had died Friday. The crash happened in Homosassa, about 60 miles north of Tampa. Photos from the scene show the plane having come to rest upside down on a road. Mensch helped advocate for Georgia’s film tax credit of more than $1 billion a year. Perry hired Mensch to run his namesake studio in 2016. Mensch died as Perry released his war drama, “The Six Triple Eight." The film was shot at the Atlanta studio. US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation. The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8% to set its own record. Treasury yields eased after the jobs report showed stronger hiring than expected but also an uptick in the unemployment rate. Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass NEW YORK (AP) — In an era when online anger and social tensions are increasingly directed at the businesses consumers count on, Meta last year spent $24.4 million to surround CEO Mark Zuckerberg with security. But the fatal shooting this week of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. And experts say the task of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them is getting more difficult. One of the primary worries are loners whose rantings online are fed by others who are like-minded. It’s up to corporate security analysts to decide what represents a real threat. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. USDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus The U.S. government has ordered testing of the nation’s milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows. The Agriculture Department on Friday said raw or unpasteurized milk from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting Dec. 16. Testing will begin in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The move is aimed at eliminating the virus, which has infected more than 700 dairy herds in 15 states.Gorosito's 21 lead Ball State past Bellarmine 86-82
Floundering 76ers must start winning — and fastThe Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says a machinery fire this morning at a Delta, B.C., terminal facility has been put out and no injuries were reported. The authority says in a written statement that a coal stacker caught fire at a facility operated by Westshore Terminals, temporarily shutting operations at the terminal and a neighbouring facility operated by GCT Deltaport. The statement says the Delta fire department responded “immediately,” and the blaze has now been put out but fire officials are still on scene to monitor the site. The port authority says no injuries were reported, and Westshore is “continuing to manage” the response with Delta fire officials. Video footage posted online Saturday shows thick black smoke billowing upwards from a conveyor engulfed in flames at the facility. Photos posted on social media also show the smoke on the horizon visible from the Tsawwassen ferry terminal. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2024.
Perfect or 100% fair? Well, nobody ever believed that. The first expanded playoff bracket unveiled Sunday left a presumably deserving Alabama team on the sideline in favor of an SMU squad with a better record after playing a schedule that was not as difficult. It ranked undefeated Oregon first but set up a possible rematch against Ohio State, the team that came closest to beating the Ducks this year. It treated underdog Boise State like a favorite and banged-up Georgia like a world beater at No. 2. It gave Ohio State home-field advantage against Tennessee for reasons it would take a supercomputer to figure out. It gave the sport the multiweek tournament it has longed for, but also ensured there will be plenty to grouse about between now and when the trophy is handed out on Jan. 20 after what will easily be the longest college football season in history. All of it, thankfully, will be sorted out on the field starting with first-round games on campuses Dec. 20 and 21, then over three succeeding rounds that will wind their way through traditional bowl sites. Maybe Oregon coach Dan Lanning, whose undefeated Ducks are the favorite to win it all, put it best when he offered: "Winning a national championship is not supposed to be easy.” Neither, it turns out, is figuring out who should play for it. Coming up short The Big Ten will lead the way with four teams in the tournament, followed by the SEC with three and the ACC with two. The lasting memory from the inaugural bracket will involve the decision that handed the ACC that second bid. Alabama of the SEC didn't play Saturday. SMU of the ACC did. The Mustangs fell behind by three touchdowns to Clemson before coming back to tie. But they ultimately lost 34-31 on a 56-yard field goal as time expired. “We were on pins and needles,” SMU coach Rhett Lashley said. “Until we saw the name ‘SMU’ up there, we were hanging on the edge. We're really, really happy and thankful to the committee for rewarding our guys for their total body of work." The Mustangs only had two losses, compared to three for the Crimson Tide. Even though SMU's schedule wasn't nearly as tough, the committee was impressed by the way the Mustangs came back against Clemson. “We just felt, in this particular case, SMU had the nod above Alabama,” said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, the chairman of the selection committee. “But it’s no disrespect to Alabama’s strength of schedule. We looked at the entire body of work for both teams.” First round byes Georgia, the SEC champion, was seeded second; Boise State, the Mountain West champion, earned the third seed; and Big 12 titlist Arizona State got the fourth seed and the fourth and final first-round bye. All will play in quarterfinals at bowl games on Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Clemson stole a bid and the 12th seed with its crazy win over SMU, the result that ultimately cost Alabama a spot in the field. The Tigers moved to No. 16 in the rankings, but got in as the fifth-best conference winner. Automatic byes and bids made the bracket strange The conference commissioners' idea to give conference champions preferable treatment in this first iteration of the 12-team playoff could be up for reconsideration after this season. The committee actually ranked Boise State, the Mountain West Champion, at No. 9 and Big 12 champion Arizona State at No. 12, but both get to skip the first round. Another CFP guideline: There’s no reseeding of teams after each round, which means no break for Oregon. The top-seeded Ducks will face the winner of Tennessee-Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 earlier this year in one of the season’s best games. First round matchups No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, Dec. 21: Clemson is riding high after the SMU upset, while Texas is 0-2 against Georgia and 11-0 vs. everyone else this season. The winner faces ... Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. Huh? No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, Dec. 21: The biggest knock against the Mustangs was that they didn't play any big boys with that 60th-ranked strength of schedule. Well, now they get to. The winner faces ... Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Yes, SMU vs. Boise was the quarterfinal we all expected. No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame, Dec. 20: Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti thought his team deserved a home game. Well, not quite but close. The winner gets ... Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs got the No. 2 seed despite a throwing-arm injury to QB Carson Beck. But what else was the committee supposed to do? No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State, Dec. 21: The Buckeyes (losses to Oregon, Michigan) got home field over the Volunteers (losses to Arkansas, Georgia) in a matchup of programs with two of the biggest stadiums in football. The winner faces ... Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Feels like that matchup should come in the semifinals or later.Don McHenry scores 7 of his 29 points in OT to rally Western Kentucky past Murray State 81-76
Syrian government services come to a 'complete halt' as state workers stay home
New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr sustained a left hand injury and possible concussion in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 14-11 victory over the New York Giants. The Saints feared Carr fractured the hand, per reports, and he was slated to undergo further testing. He reportedly had a cast on the hand when exiting the stadium. Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi said Carr may have to enter the concussion protocol. Carr was injured when he tried to leap for a first down late in the final quarter. He was near the sideline and went airborne, landing hard on the left hand with this face then slamming into the turf as he landed out of bounds with 3:59 left in the game. Jake Haener finished up the game for the Saints. Carr completed 20 of 31 passes for 219 yards, one touchdown and one interception for New Orleans. Overall, Carr has passed for 2,145 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions this season. He missed three games earlier this season due to an oblique injury. --Field Level MediaChicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu has a strained right calfFirst 12-team CFP set: Oregon seeded No. 1, SMU edges Alabama for final spot
Doha: The State of Qatar and the Republic of Colombia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Sunday to enhance and develop cooperation in the fields of education, higher education, and research. The MoU was signed by Minister of Education and Higher Education HE Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mohammed Al Khater and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Colombia HE Luis Gilberto Murillo, on the sidelines of the Doha Forum 2024. The signing of this MoU reflects both parties' desire to strengthen their distinguished relations, particularly in the areas of education, higher education, and research, based on mutual interests and in pursuit of the MoU's objectives. Under the terms of the MoU, both parties encourage cooperation in areas such as the exchange of expertise, knowledge, and technologies, in addition to the exchange of visits between officials in general and higher education, including members of academic bodies, professors, researchers, and students, as well as organizing joint academic events.Sri Lanka’s pioneering shipbuilding and repairing company, the Colombo Dockyard PLC (CDL), is seeking a strategic and majority investor-cum-management party following the announced exit of Japan’s Onomichi. The CDL announced yesterday that its Board of Directors have been informed by Onomichi Dockyard Company Ltd., of Japan, which is the Company’s majority shareholder, that it has decided to withdraw from the management of the Company and the management agreement it has had with the Company, respecting the Company’s intention to form a new strategic investor. The CDL Board has been assured by Onomichi that it is prepared to exit from their investment in the Company by the disposal of its shares to any strategic investor who would be willing to make a commitment towards the Company. “Preliminary discussions are already taking place with certain parties who have expressed an interest in investing into the Company. The Company has also informed its key creditors of the exit of Onomichi and the Board’s intent to continue its operations with a potential new partner and has received an assurance of support,” the CDL said in a filing to the Colombo Stock Exchange in tandem with a trading halt. The Board of Directors also cautioned investors against unnecessary speculation on the shares of the Company, since there is no certainty whatsoever yet on the finality of an entry of a new investor or, even more so, the terms and conditions on which such engagement could be entered into. Post announcement, the CDL share price closed at Rs. 63.30, up by Rs. 0.30 or 0.5%, with 104,706 shares traded for Rs. 6.5 million. Its net assets per share is Rs. 52.41. Onomichi owns 51% stake or 36.65 million shares in the CDL since 1991. Other major shareholders are the Employees’ Provident Fund (16.34%), Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (10%), and Sri Lanka Ports Authority (3%). The public float of the CDL is 49% held by 5,326 shareholders. Onomichi has served the shipbuilding industry since 1943. It has built over 500 ships, becoming one of the most experienced shipyards in Japan. Difficult times faced by the CDL were revealed in its Annual Report of FY23, in relation to emphasis of matter on going concern. The CDL is faced with a financial crisis that has escalated over the years as a result of various external and internal factors. “However, given the long-term potential of the Company’s business and other factors, such as the strategic advantage enjoyed by the Company by virtue of its location, the Board of Directors remains confident that it will be able to steer the Company out of the present crisis with the support and cooperation of its many stakeholders. The Board of Directors is also aware of the importance of the Company continuing its operations in the larger interests of its creditors, employees, and other stakeholders,” the CDL said in its disclosure yesterday. The Board of Directors assured shareholders and all other stakeholders that it will keep them fully informed of any material developments that take place in the future. In FY23, the CDL posted its worst year with a loss of Rs. 11 billion. In the first nine months of FY24, the CDL saw its revenue decline by 35% to Rs. 18.8 billion with an after-tax loss of Rs. 1.6 billion, down from Rs. 9.7 billion in the corresponding period of the last financial year. In 2023, the total export revenue for the group amounted to Rs. 31.7 billion, marking a notable increase of 36% compared to the previous year’s export revenue of Rs. 23.3 billion. Norway emerged as the CDL’s primary overseas market, contributing 27% (Rs. 8.57 billion) to the total export revenue. India followed closely behind, accounting for 23% (Rs. 8.17 billion) while France secured the third position with 22% (Rs. 7.94 billion). As at 30 September 2024, the CDL was saddled with a retained loss of Rs. 7.5 billion, up from Rs. 4.7 billion a year ago and Rs. 5.8 billion as at the end of FY23. Its total assets were Rs. 42.26 billion, as against Rs. 36 billion in end FY23. The CDL had long term liabilities worth Rs. 9 billion as at 30 September 2024, up from Rs. 4.4 billion as at 31 March 2024. Current liabilities were Rs. 29.5 billion up from Rs. 31 billion. In August, in an announcement to mark the 50th anniversary, the CDL said, starting with harbour support vessels, the Company now builds complex cable layer vessels and hybrid bulkers. Its repair capabilities have expanded from small commercial vessels to larger and sophisticated vessels like VLGCs, dredgers, and offshore vessels. Additionally, heavy engineering achievements range from small-scale local projects to large steel structures and pioneering underwater restaurants. Managing Director and CEO Thimira S. Godakumbura said the past few years have been extremely challenging for the Company. The impact from the Easter Sunday terrorist attack, the unprecedented impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by the financial crisis in Sri Lanka, has been challenging and testing its limits. “Even with these troubling encounters, the CDL has demonstrated our resilience and commitment to excellence to adapt to these conditions,” he added. Following the impending exit, Onomichi representatives on the CDL Board have resigned. They are T. Nakabe, K. Kobatake, and J. Flurukawa. L. Ganlath, who has been a Director of the Company since 1993, has been appointed Non-Executive Chairman.
From left: Scott Monroe, Julia Arenstam, John Richardson and Meg Robbins The Maine Trust for Local News is making several changes to its newsroom leadership team. Executive Editor Carolyn Fox, who was hired in September from the Tampa Bay Times where she served as managing editor, outlined them in a memo to staff this week. The Maine Trust is the parent company of the Portland Press Herald, Lewiston Sun Journal, Kennebec Journal in Augusta, Morning Sentinel in Waterville, Times Record in Brunswick and more than a dozen southern Maine weekly papers. • Scott Monroe , previously managing editor for the Central Maine newspapers, has been promoted to managing editor for the Maine Trust for Local News. His role will be to manage newsroom production, including a combined digital team, for all of the company’s newspapers, and to oversee the editors of Maine Trust’s weekly papers. • Julia Arenstam and John Richardson have been promoted to co-managing editors of the Press Herald, overseeing reporters and managers in the Portland newsroom. Richardson, who has been a reporter and editor at the paper for more than three decades, will continue to manage the state desk and politics team. Arenstam, who was hired in 2022, retains oversight of city desk reporters, while also managing a general news and culture team led by editor Katherine Lee. Arenstam previously was an executive producer at a television station in Louisiana. • Meg Robbins has been promoted to Press Herald deputy managing editor. She will oversee both the business desk and food and restaurant coverage, as well as the visuals team. Before being hired by the Press Herald last year, Robbins was a reporter and editor in Central Maine. “My hope is these changes help us continue fostering collaboration among the METLN newsrooms while showing off the talents of our rising leaders,” Fox wrote. “The goals continue to be: Produce impactful journalism, find the path to sustainability through digital audience growth and foster a healthy, creative work environment.” The Maine Trust for Local News is a subsidiary of the National Trust for Local News, a nonprofit news organization that purchased the Maine news media group from businessman Reade Brower last year. We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Press Herald account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « PreviousBIOA INVESTOR LAWSUIT: BioAge Labs Investors with Losses are Notified of Continuing Investigation into the Company – Contact BFA Law (NASDAQ:BIOA)
Syria's opposition militias' speedy success in seizing Syria's second city, Aleppo - took almost everybody by surprise. ISTANBUL/DAMASCUS - After 13 years of civil war, Syria's opposition militias sensed an opportunity to loosen President Bashar al-Assad's grip on power when, about six months ago, they communicated to Turkey plans for a major offensive and felt they had received its tacit approval, two sources with knowledge of the planning said. Launched barely two weeks ago, the operation's speedy success in achieving its initial goal - seizing Syria's second city, Aleppo - took almost everybody by surprise. From there, in a little more than a week, the rebel alliance reached Damascus and on Dec 8 put an end to five decades of Assad family rule. The lightning advance relied on an almost perfect alignment of stars for the forces opposed to Mr Assad: his army was demoralised and exhausted; his main allies, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah, were severely weakened by conflict with Israel; and his other key military supporter, Russia, was distracted and losing interest. There was no way the rebels could go ahead without first notifying Turkey, which has been a main backer of the Syrian opposition from the war's earliest days, said the sources, a diplomat in the region and a member of the Syrian opposition. Turkey has troops on the ground in north-west Syria, and provides support to some of the rebels who were intending to take part, including the Syrian National Army (SNA) - though it considers the main faction in the alliance, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), to be a terror group. The rebels' bold plan was the brainchild of HTS and its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the diplomat said. Because of his former ties to Al-Qaeda, Jolani is designated as a terrorist by Washington, Europe and Turkey. However, over the past decade, HTS, previously known as the Nusra Front, has tried to moderate its image, while running a quasi-state centered on Idlib, where, experts say, it levied taxes on commercial activities and the population. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's government, which struck a deal with Russia in 2020 to de-escalate fighting in northwestern Syria, has long opposed such a major rebel offensive, fearing it would lead to a new wave of refugees crossing its border. However, the rebels sensed a stiffening of Ankara's stance towards Assad earlier this year, the sources said, after he rebuffed repeated overtures from Erdogan aimed at advancing a political solution to the military stalemate, which has left Syria divided between the regime and a patchwork of rebel groups with an array of foreign backers. The Syrian opposition source said the rebels had shown Turkey details of the planning, after Ankara's attempts to engage Assad had failed. The message was: "That other path hasn't worked for years - so try ours. You don't have to do anything, just don't intervene." Reuters was unable to determine the exact nature of the communications. Hadi Al-Bahra, head of the internationally-recognized Syrian opposition abroad, told Reuters last week that HTS and SNA had had "limited" planning together ahead of the operation and agreed to "achieve cooperation and not clash with each other". He added that Turkey's military saw what the armed groups were doing and discussing. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking in Doha on Sunday, said Erdogan’s effort in recent months to reach out to Assad failed and Turkey "knew something was coming". However, Turkey's deputy minister for foreign affairs, Nuh Yilmaz, told a conference on Middle Eastern affairs in Bahrain on Sunday that Ankara was not behind the offensive, and did not provide its consent, saying it was concerned about instability. Turkey's foreign and defence ministries did not respond directly to Reuters questions about an HTS-Ankara understanding about the Aleppo operation. In reply to questions about Turkey's awareness of battlefield preparations, a Turkish official told Reuters that the HTS "does not receive orders or direction from us (and) does not coordinate its operations with us either." The official said that "in that sense" it would not be correct to say that the operation in Aleppo was carried out with Turkey's approval or green light. Turkish intelligence agency MIT did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters was unable to reach a representative for HTS. Vulnerable The rebels struck when Mr Assad was at his most vulnerable. Distracted by wars elsewhere, his military allies Russia, Iran, and Lebanon's Hezbollah failed to mobilise the kind of decisive firepower that had propped him up for years. Syria's weak armed forces were unable to resist. A regime source told Reuters that tanks and planes were left with no fuel because of corruption and looting - an illustration of just how hollowed out the Syrian state had become. Over the past two years morale had severely eroded in the army, said the source, who requested anonymity because of fear of retribution. Mr Aron Lund, a fellow at Century International, a Middle-East focused think-tank, said the HTS-led coalition was stronger and more coherent than any previous rebel force during the war, "and a lot of that is Abu Mohammed al-Jolani’s doing". But, he said, the regime's weakness was the deciding factor. "After they lost Aleppo like that, regime forces never recovered and the more the rebels advanced, the weaker Assad’s army got," he said. Sunni Muslims wave Syrian opposition flags and gather in celebration, in Beirut, on Dec 8. PHOTO: NYTIMES The pace of the rebel advances, with Hama being captured on Dec. 5 and Homs falling on or around Sunday at the same time government forces lost Damascus, exceeded expectations. "There was a window of opportunity but no one expected the regime to crumble this fast. Everyone expected some fight," said Mr Bassam Al-Kuwatli, president of the Syrian Liberal Party, a small opposition group, who is based outside Syria. A US official said on condition of anonymity that while Washington had been aware of Turkey’s overall support for the rebels, it was not informed of any tacit Turkish approval for the Aleppo offensive. The White House National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Turkey's role. US President-elect Donald Trump on Dec 8 said that Russia's abandonment of Mr Assad led to his downfall, adding that Moscow never should have protected him in the first place and then lost interest because of a war in Ukraine that never should have started. Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday noted his country's role in weakening Hezbollah, which sources told Reuters withdrew its remaining troops from Syria on Dec 7. Gaza fallout Sources familiar with Hezbollah deployments said the Iran-backed group, which propped up Mr Assad early in the war, had already withdrawn many of its elite fighters from Syria over the last year to support the group as it waged hostilities with Israel - a conflict that spilled over from the Gaza war. Israel dealt Hezbollah heavy blows, particularly after launching an offensive in September, killing the group's leader Hassan Nasrallah and many of its commanders and fighters. The rebel offensive in Syria began the same day as a ceasefire came into effect in the Lebanon conflict on Nov 27. The sources familiar with Hezbollah said it did not want to engage in big battles in Syria as the group focused on starting a long road to recovery from the heavy blows. For the rebel alliance, the withdrawal of Hezbollah presented a valuable opportunity. "We just wanted a fair fight between us and the regime," the Syrian opposition source said. Mr Assad's fall marks a major blow to Iranian influence in the Middle East, coming so swiftly after the killing of Nasrallah and the damage done by Israel to Hezbollah. Syrian rebels celebrate following the takeover of Damascus, in Homs, Syria, on Dec 8. PHOTO: EPA-EFE Turkey, on the other hand, now appears to be Syria's most powerful external player, with troops on the ground and access to the rebel leaders. In addition to securing the return of Syrian refugees, Turkey's objectives include curbing the power of Syrian Kurdish groups that control wide areas of northeast Syria and are backed by the United States. Ankara deems them to be terrorists. As part of the initial offensive, the Turkey-backed SNA seized swathes of territory, including the city of Tel Refaat, from US-backed Kurdish forces. On Dec 8, a Turkish security source said the rebels entered the northern city of Manbij after pushing the Kurds back again. "Turkey is the biggest outside winner here. Erdogan turned out to be on the right - or at least winning - side of history here because his proxies in Syria won the day," said Birol Baskan, Turkey-based political scientist and former non-resident scholar at Middle East Institute. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel nowWith the start of the early signing period a week away, Michigan State made another late addition to its next recruiting class. Terrance “Deuce” Edwards, a 2025 three-star defensive back from Trinity Episcopal School in Richmond, Va., flipped his commitment from West Virginia to the Spartans, he announced on social media on Wednesday. He is a cousin of former standout Michigan State wide receiver Felton Davis, who was with the program from 2015-18. Edwards was committed to the Mountaineers since June but was in East Lansing for an official visit last weekend. He is the second addition for Michigan State this week, following three-star running back Zion Gist flipping from Western Michigan on Monday. Jace Clarizio, a three-star running back and program legacy from East Lansing High School, flipped from the Spartans to Alabama on Tuesday. Michigan State is now back to 16 commits in the 2025 class, which ranked 61st in the nation in the 247Sports Composite before the addition of Edwards. The early signing period is Dec. 4-6. At 6-foot-0 and 180 pounds, Edwards is listed as the No. 42 athlete and No. 692 recruit overall in the class.
AP News Summary at 2:48 p.m. ESTPercentages: FG .429, FT 1.000. 3-Point Goals: 11-27, .407 (Lindsay 5-8, Brown 2-6, Williams 1-1, Anderson 1-2, Ricks 1-4, Freeman 1-5, Hutchins-Everett 0-1). Team Rebounds: 6. Team Turnovers: 3. Blocked Shots: 3 (Hutchins-Everett 2, Smith). Turnovers: 9 (Smith 4, Ricks 2, Freeman, Lindsay, Williams). Steals: 1 (Smith). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .500, FT .692. 3-Point Goals: 7-18, .389 (Gray 3-3, Burke 1-1, Howell 1-3, Kapic 1-4, McGhie 1-6, Tait-Jones 0-1). Team Rebounds: 4. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 1 (Rochelin). Turnovers: 5 (Gray 2, Milovich 2, Rochelin). Steals: 5 (Gray 4, Kapic). Technical Fouls: None. .
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Is it safe to eat turkey this Thanksgiving amid bird flu outbreak? Here’s what experts sayPlayoff game at Ohio State has sold 34% more tickets than Notre Dame game on StubHub
I'M A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! fans have blasted hosts Ant and Dec following Tulisa's tricky Bushtucker Trial. Tulisa, 36, was picked by the public to take part in the latest trial and found herself spinning around a giant clock face as critters fell on her. 6 Tulisa has taken on the latest Bushtucker Trial Credit: ITV 6 Fans were annoyed with Ant and Dec during Shock Around The Clock Credit: ITV 6 They kept giving Tulisa clues for her tricky questions Credit: ITV To win stars, the N-Dubz star had to answer a string of general knowledge questions that each required 12 correct answers. As Shock Around The Clock got underway, Tulisa was asked to name all 12 of her campmates. Tulisa failed after forgetting Coleen Rooney and Melvin Odoom. But as the trial continued, Ant and Dec began shouting out hints and clues to help her. READ MORE ON TULISA MIND BLANK I'm A Celeb's 'forgotten' campmates revealed after Tulisa makes trial blunder tough times Terrified Tulisa screams 'just get it over with' in I'm A Celeb trial When quizzed with naming 12 elements from the periodic table, Dec shouted: "Think of metals! What about a balloon that floats away?" Tulisa correctly answered 'helium', as Dec continued: "How do you take the creases out of your clothes?" This led to Tulisa correctly answering "iron". She also named "fluoride" after being given a hint about toothpaste. Ant and Dec carried on helping Tulisa as the Bushtucker Trial went on. Most read in I’m A Celebrity 2024 DADDY'S GIRL I’m A Celeb fans just realising Tulisa is a nepo-baby with famous pop star dad letting loose Ruth Langsford flies to I'm A Celebrity in Australia as bosses sign her up MISSING? Moment Barry McGuigan 'goes missing' after TEN days in the I'm A Celebrity jungle clap back I'm A Celebrity star Dean McCullough's mum slams Ant for being 'too hard' on him When admitting she did not know the phonetic alphabet, Ant suggested: "When you get pulled over by the police..." Giving away "golf", Dec asked: "Sport; when you use clubs and a ball." Campmates have got it too EASY compared to my time in jungle - here's why producers need to step in Ant gave her the answer "November" by simply saying: "This month." The pair even helped Tulisa name one of 12 American States by asking: "What does the K stand for in Fried Chicken?" Tulisa replied: "Kentucky." Fans were furious by the scenes, as they felt it wasn't fair for Ant and Dec to step in and help Tulisa so much. Complaining to X, formerly known as Twitter, one wrote: "Why are Ant and Dec trying to help Tulisa?!" Another added: "Who's answering the questions in this trial Ant and Dec or Tulisa?" A third said: "Ant and Dec definitely like Tulisa, so much help this trial." And someone else chimed in: "These trials are hard bloody work to watch this year!" But despite Ant and Dec's help, Tulisa only managed to walk away with five meal stars for camp. I'm A Celebrity 2024 i'm A Celebrity is back for its 24th series, with a batch of famous faces living in the Aussie jungle. The Sun's Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars on the show this year.. Coleen Rooney - Arguably the most famous name in the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney , has made a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to be on the show this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever. Tulisa - The popstar and former X Factor judge has made her triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year's I'm A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz, Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal. Alan Halsall - The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street, was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he has become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities. Melvin Odoom - The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. Melvin has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet - the Aussie jungle . GK Barry - The UK's biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women. She has even gone on to endorse popular brands such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers. Dean McCullough - A rising star amongst this year's bunch of celebs , Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live. Oti Mabuse - The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She originally found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV's Dancing On Ice . Danny Jones - The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle , after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he's now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice , along with bandmate Tom Fletcher. Jane Moore - The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist is braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge - having recently split from her husband . It will be Jane's first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past. Barry McGuigan - Former pro boxer Barry is the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan. It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to bowel cancer . He told The Late Late Show in 2021: "She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache." Maura Higgins - The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard . Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year. Rev. Richard Coles - Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is a late arrival on I’m A Celebrity , and he's ready to spill the beans on his former employer. The former Communards and Strictly star , said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year. An insider said: "Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth." Before heading back to break the news, she said: "They're going to be devastated. They're not going to tell me they're devastated. "My mind just went blank. I was just trying to survive. I'm really disappointed in myself, really disappointed." Read more on the Scottish Sun LOOKING UP I'm a four-time world champ but my eyesight is going so I've made crucial change ISLE SAY Stunning home with panoramic views for sale for just £135k - but there's a catch Arriving in camp, Tulisa told her fellow celebs: "It's not great news. They asked me who my campmates are. I forgot two names, my mind went blank." I'm A Celebrity airs at every night at 9pm on ITV1/ ITVX 6 Tulisa only managed to win five stars for camp Credit: ITV 6 The star said she was 'disappointed' in herself Credit: ITV 6 Tulisa insists her 'mind went blank' despite the help from Ant and Dec Credit: ITV
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