fortune gems online casino DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli troops stormed one of the last hospitals operating in northern Gaza on Friday, forcing many staff and patients outside to strip in winter weather , the territory’s health ministry said. The army denied claims it had entered or set fire to the complex and accused Hamas of using the facility for cover. Kamal Adwan Hospital has been hit multiple times over the past three months by Israeli troops waging an offensive against Hamas fighters in surrounding neighborhoods, according to staff. The ministry said a strike on the hospital a day earlier killed five medical staff. Israel's military said it was conducting operations against Hamas infrastructure and militants in the area and had ordered people out of the hospital, but said it had not entered the complex as of Friday night. It repeated claims that Hamas militants operate inside Kamal Adwan but provided no evidence. Hospital officials have denied that. The Health Ministry said troops forced medical personnel and patients to assemble in the yard and remove their clothes. Some were led to an unknown location, while some patients were sent to the nearby Indonesian Hospital, which was knocked out of operation after an Israel raid this week. Israeli troops during raids frequently carry out mass detentions, stripping men to their underwear for questioning in what the military says is a security measure as they search for Hamas fighters. The Associated Press doesn’t have access to Kamal Adwan, but armed plainclothes members of the Hamas-led police forces have been seen in other hospitals, maintaining security but also controlling access to parts of the facilities. The Health Ministry said Israeli troops also set fires in several parts of Kamal Adwan, including the lab and surgery department. It said 25 patients and 60 health workers remained in the hospital. The account could not be independently confirmed, and attempts to reach hospital staff were unsuccessful. “Fire is ablaze everywhere in the hospital,” an unidentified staff member said in an audio message posted on social media accounts of hospital director Hossam Abu Safiya. The staffer said some evacuated patients had been unhooked from oxygen. “There are currently patients who could die at any moment,” she said. Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, denied the accusations. “While IDF troops were not in the hospital, a small fire broke out in an empty building inside the hospital that is under control,” he said Friday night. He said a preliminary investigation found “no connection” between military activity and the fire. The Israeli military heavily restricts the movements of Palestinians in Gaza and has barred foreign journalists from entering the territory throughout the war, making it difficult to verify information. “These actions put the lives of all of these people in even more danger than what they faced before,” U.N. spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay told journalists, and noted colleagues' reports of “significant damage” to the hospital. It should be protected as international law requires, she added. Since October, Israel’s offensive has virtually sealed off the northern Gaza areas of Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya and leveled large parts of them. Tens of thousands of Palestinians were forced out but thousands are believed to remain in the area, where Kamal Adwan and two other hospitals are located. Troops raided Kamal Adwan in October, and on Tuesday troops stormed and evacuated the Indonesian Hospital. The area has been cut off from food and other aid for months , raising fears of famine . The United Nations says Israeli troops allowed just four humanitarian deliveries to the area from Dec. 1 to Dec. 23. The Israeli rights group Physicians for Human Rights-Israel this week petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice, seeking a halt to military attacks on Kamal Adwan. It warned that forcibly evacuating the hospital would “abandon thousands of residents in northern Gaza.” Before the latest deaths Thursday, the group documented five other staffers killed by Israeli fire since October. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza vowing to destroy Hamas after the group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people and abducted some 250 others. Around 100 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, around a third believed to be dead. Israel’s nearly 15-month-old campaign of bombardment and offensives has devastated the territory’s health sector. A year ago, it carried out raids on hospitals in northern Gaza, including Kamal Adwan, Indonesian and al-Awda Hospital, saying they served as bases for Hamas, though it presented little evidence. Israel’s campaign has killed more than 45,400 Palestinians, more than half women and children, and wounded more than 108,000 others, according to the Health Ministry. Its count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. More than 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians have been driven from their homes, most now sheltering in sprawling tent camps in south and central Gaza. Children and adults, many barefoot, huddled Friday on the cold sand in tents whose plastic and cloth sheets whipped in the wind. Overnight temperatures can dip into the 40s Fahrenheit (below 10 Celsius), and sea spray from the Mediterranean can dampen tents just steps away. "I swear to God, their mother and I cover ourselves with one blanket and we cover (their five children) with three blankets that we got from neighbors. Sea waters drowned everything that was ours,” said Muhammad al-Sous, displaced from Beit Lahiya in the north. The children collect plastic bottles to make fires, and pile under the blankets when their only set of clothes is washed and dried in the wind. At least three babies in Gaza have died from exposure to cold in recent days , doctors there have said, and the Health Ministry said an adult — a nurse who worked at the European Hospital — also died this week. Khaled and Keath reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Narions contributed to this report.Meta to build $10 billion AI data center in Louisiana as Elon Musk expands his Tennessee AI facility

AP Business SummaryBrief at 6:44 p.m. EST

Synopsys shares fall after sales outlook misses estimates

Jeremiah Smith has been called for three penalties this season and the most costly may have been against Oregon. Ohio State’s freshman phenom had nine catches for 100 yards and a touchdown in the 32-31 loss to the Ducks on Oct. 12 at Autzen Stadium. But Smith was also called for offensive pass interference for pushing off Oregon cornerback Nikko Reed with 22 seconds remaining in that game, moving the Buckeyes from the UO 28 to the 43 and taking them out of field goal range. “I think about that call probably every day,” Smith said. “It was a crazy call. The DB was holding me; I just cleared his hands. I guess receivers can’t be physical in football anymore, but DBs could hold 10 yards, 15 yards down the field. It’s behind me. I know the move here on out when the DB is grabbing me. I just know how to move now. I guess can’t be physical as a receiver in college football anymore. We’ll just see how things play out this game.” Two plays later, Oregon deliberately committed a 12-men on the field penalty while inducing Will Howard to throw to Smith, who was matched up with Ducks cornerback Jabbar Muhammad with safety Kobe Savage helping over the top. Howard scrambled, ran 12 yards and slid as time expired on Ohio State’s final play from UO’s 38. CFP quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Who: No. 1 Oregon Ducks (13-0) vs. No. 8 Ohio State (11-2) When: Wednesday, Jan. 1 Time: 2 p.m. PT Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California TV channel: ESPN Stream: You can watch this game live for FREE with Fubo (free trial) or by signing up for Sling (cheapest streaming plans, $25 off your first month). If you already have cable, you can also watch this game live on Watch ESPN with your cable or satellite provider login information. Oregon Ducks football 2024 season schedule, scores Sign up for The Ducks Beat newsletter -- James Crepea covers the Oregon Ducks and Big Ten. Listen to the Ducks Confidential podcast or subscribe to the Ducks Roundup newsletter .

Shares of Globalstar, Inc. ( NYSEAMERICAN:GSAT – Get Free Report ) saw unusually-high trading volume on Thursday . Approximately 3,154,484 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 61% from the previous session’s volume of 8,017,312 shares.The stock last traded at $2.05 and had previously closed at $1.97. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, Craig Hallum raised their price target on Globalstar from $4.00 to $5.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, November 4th. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on GSAT Globalstar Stock Up 0.9 % Hedge Funds Weigh In On Globalstar Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of GSAT. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its stake in shares of Globalstar by 12.4% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 2,791,176 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,126,000 after purchasing an additional 307,357 shares in the last quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Globalstar during the second quarter valued at about $35,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Globalstar by 10.7% during the second quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 460,659 shares of the company’s stock valued at $516,000 after buying an additional 44,514 shares during the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp increased its holdings in shares of Globalstar by 12.0% in the second quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 336,908 shares of the company’s stock worth $377,000 after buying an additional 36,192 shares during the period. Finally, CIBC Asset Management Inc lifted its stake in shares of Globalstar by 154.9% in the 2nd quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 53,535 shares of the company’s stock valued at $60,000 after acquiring an additional 32,535 shares during the last quarter. 18.89% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Globalstar Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Globalstar, Inc provides mobile satellite services in the United States, Canada, Europe, Central and South America, and internationally. The company offers duplex two-way voice and data products, including mobile voice and data satellite communications services and equipment for remote business continuity, recreational usage, safety, emergency preparedness and response, and other applications. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Globalstar Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Globalstar and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .The NFL has issued a security alert to players warning them that migrant gangs are targeting the player’s homes for burglaries, according to a report. Recently, two Kansas City Chiefs stars — Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce — were the victims of home invasions only hours apart over the same evening, and the NFL is warning of the growing threat these burglaries represent. Sources have told NFL Network that the league is warning players that a “transnational ring” of criminals are targeting the homes of American athletes. Break-ins have already been reported among players of the NFL, the NBA, and others, the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noted. Pelissero writes that the South American crime syndicate is a “legit” worry. “It’s legit,” a source said. “It’s a transnational crime ring, and over the last three weeks, they’ve focused on NBA and NFL players, and it’s all over the country.” The report says that the criminals check media reports to see when athletes are on the road to target their houses that may be unoccupied. Pelissero added: Multiple people with knowledge of the crimes said the perpetrators are nonconfrontational and do not burglarize homes while residents are inside. Instead, they use public records to find players’ addresses and conduct extensive surveillance. Then, by tracking team schedules and the social media accounts of players and their families, they wait until homes are empty — often during games — and gain access and quickly steal items such as cash, jewelry, watches and handbags, focusing mainly on master bedrooms and closets. NFL security is telling players to lock up their valuables, frequently post about their location in real-time, and install security systems in their homes. Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston , or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston

The Dec. 4 report from Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino’s office, which covered fiscal years 2021 through 2023, also found that misconduct allegations within IDHS have increased and that the department’s inspector general’s office has been slower to investigate complaints. The report lays out the latest problems for an agency still dealing with fallout from accusations that a downstate mental health center repeatedly covered up staff misconduct amid allegations of abuse and neglect of residents. The report noted that due to a high number of allegations, it’s likely that many of the same issues documented at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna exist at other centers. The overtime issues detailed in the report are eye-opening. In fiscal year 2023, IDHS reported that 70% of the more than 7,200 employees at its state-operated facilities had overtime that accumulated a total of 1,606,962 hours. Of those, 330 employees tallied more than 1,000 hours in OT, the audit found. A worker with an annual pay rate of $66,000 logged 3,331 hours in overtime during the fiscal year and collected $227,800 in gross pay during the calendar year, the audit found. Another employee tallied 2,745 of the extra hours and had gross pay of $203,700, well above their calendar year pay rate of $68,400. The auditor general’s office noted that the hours of overtime reported do not necessarily reflect the amount of overtime worked. One reason for that is that there are different rates of overtime pay for holidays. Another is that an employee with seniority can file a grievance after not being offered an overtime shift, and, if successful, collect the extra money without having worked the shift. “However, even when taking these instances into consideration, the amount of overtime being worked by State-operated facility employees appears excessive,” Mautino’s office wrote. The report noted that beyond the fiscal implications, having employees work so many additional hours can have adverse consequences for people in IDHS care. “Multiple academic studies have found that excessive amounts of overtime can have a detrimental effect on the care provided to residents or patients, as well as the health care workers providing the care,” Mautino’s office said. The report also found allegations of wrongdoing within the department, including those involving its mental health and developmental centers and as well as community agencies, have climbed since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and that the department’s inspector general has been taking longer to investigate those claims. The IDHS inspector general’s office received 3,281 allegations during fiscal year 2023 compared with 2,423 in fiscal year 2021, which at that time was the lowest in a decade. But during fiscal year 2023, the watchdog took an average of 205 calendar days to investigate cases, an increase of 25 days during the 2020 fiscal year, according to Mautino’s office. Along with the rise in complaints, there was a slowdown in the time it took the department’s inspector general’s office to complete investigations, the audit found. In fiscal year 2023, only 22% of the IDHS watchdog’s cases were completed within 60 calendar days, an 8% drop from fiscal year 2020 — which covered part of the prior audit of the watchdog — and a 14% decrease when compared with both fiscal years 2021 and 2022, Mautino’s office found. The auditor general also found the IDHS inspector general’s office was slow to fill open positions. From fiscal years 2021 through 2023, the watchdog requested to hire for 38 positions, but as of mid-August 2023, 17 had been filled and 21 were vacant. “(IDHS watchdog) officials stated that multiple bureaus have lost headcount; if there is a lack of investigators, then timeliness worsens and caseloads increase,” Mautino’s office wrote. “According to (IDHS watchdog officials), they are unable to hire investigators fast enough to maintain their headcount.” The audit also addressed the IDHS inspector general’s office’s Quality Care Board, which is supposed to monitor the watchdog to ensure investigations of abuse and neglect are handled properly. The board is supposed to have seven members, appointed by the governor with consent of the Senate, with two of them being a person with a disability or a parent of someone disabled. According to Mautino’s office, the board did not have the required seven members during the audit period and two members were serving on expired terms. “The Board cannot fully function as directed by statute to ‘monitor and oversee the operations, policies, and procedures of the Inspector General with vacancies and neglected membership requirements,” Mautino’s office wrote. Mautino’s office noted an IDHS watchdog directive requiring that office to interview a “complainant and/or required reporter and the victim and/or guardian” within 15 working days of case assignment. But in five of 39 investigations sampled by the auditor that included a victim who was verbal, it took anywhere from 24 to 536 working days to complete the interview. “Conducting interviews quickly is essential in conducting effective investigations. As time passes, victims who have a developmental disability or mental illness may be more likely to forget what happened or be unable to recount what happened accurately,” Mautino’s office wrote. The audit recommended that IDHS ensure all employees at state-operated facilities receive training in prevention and “reporting of abuse, neglect and exploitation” as required by policies and state law. IDHS and its watchdog should work together to identify and resolve bottlenecks in the hiring process and address pay structure imbalances for management positions, Mautino’s office also said. The office also said IDHS should conduct a staffing analysis to determine if staffing levels at the state-run facilities are appropriate. “The staffing analysis should take into consideration the need to reduce excessive amounts of employee overtime, especially for direct care employees,” according to Mautino’s office. In a response to the findings that was included in the audit, IDHS said it’s in the process of reviewing staffing levels at its facilities and noted it has worked to implement changes to the collective bargaining agreements to expedite hiring for certain positions. The agency acknowledged being challenged by retirement and retention issues. The IDHS watchdog, meanwhile, said it has worked closely with IDHS to increase headcount and is in the process of “substantial additional hiring.” “However, it will take time for the new hires to make a noticeable impact on timeliness, as training takes time and significant effort from supervisory staff,” IDHS said, according to Mautino’s office. “(The IDHS watchdog) continuously reviews processes for timeliness improvements and training opportunities.” IDHS also pointed to how its bureau of hotline and intake has seen “a severe shortage” in intake investigators and bureau management due to retirements and significant delays in the hiring process. The agency also acknowledged how staff shortages result in growing backlogs that further affect the ability of the IDHS watchdog to investigate complaints quickly. “Unfortunately, the ongoing staff shortage has persisted as overall calls, including reportable and non-reportable calls, have increased,” IDHS said, according to Mautino’s report. “As of October 2024, (the IDHS watchdog) has six intake investigators, and five unfilled intake investigator positions that are in various stages of the hiring process.” The IDHS watchdog expects an upcoming change in technology will help the inspector general’s office provide better oversight. Next year, for instance, the watchdog will have a new case management system designed to better track and document when an investigator is unable to reach a victim or complainant within the required timeframes. In a statement, IDHS and its inspector general’s office said it accepted the audit’s findings and is “working to implement changes, including the hiring of staff to ensure appropriate staffing levels across all of our programs and offices.” Separately, IDHS last week said it experienced a privacy breach in April when an outside entity, through a phishing campaign, gained access to files that included the Social Security numbers of more than 4,700 customers and three employees. In addition, public assistance account information was accessed for more than a million customers, though that information did not include Social Security numbers. “Upon learning of the phishing incident, IDHS worked in partnership with (the Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology) to investigate the extent of the breach and to determine which individuals were included,” IDHS said in a statement. Read the audit:

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Saturday COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN) Noon: BTN — Md.-Eastern Shore at Maryland, CW — E. Kentucky at Louisville, FS1 — Coppin St. at Georgetown; 2 p.m.: ACCN — Alabama A&M at Georgia Tech, CBS — NC Central at NC A&T, CW — Bucknell at Syracuse, ESPN2 — Mississippi at Memphis, FS1 — Loyola (Md.) at DePaul; 4 p.m.: ACCN — Fairleigh Dickinson at Boston College, CBS — Howard at Hampton, FOX — UCLA vs. Gonzaga, Los Angeles, SECN — Abilene Christian at Texas A 6 p.m.: FOX — Utah St. at San Diego St., FS1 — Delaware at St. John’s COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN) 1:30 p.m.: FOX — Creighton at St. John’s; 2 p.m.: BTN — Wisconsin at Indiana; 4 p.m.: BTN — Penn St. at Minnesota, ESPN2 — Oregon St. at Gonzaga COLLEGE FOOTBALL 11 a.m.: ESPN — The Wasabi Fenway Bowl: UConn vs. North Carolina, Boston; Noon: ABC — The Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Boston College vs. Nebraska, New York; 2:15 p.m.: ESPN — The Isleta New Mexico Bowl: Louisiana-Lafayette vs. TCU, Albuquerque, N.M.; 3:30 p.m.: ABC — The Pop-Tarts Bowl: Iowa St. vs. Miami, Orlando, Fla.; 4:15 p.m.: CW — The Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl: Miami (Ohio) vs. Colorado St., Tucson, Ariz.; 5:45 p.m.: ESPN — The Go Bowling Military Bowl: East Carolina vs. NC State, Annapolis, Md.; 7:30 p.m.: ABC — The Valero Alamo Bowl: BYU vs. Colorado, San Antonio; 9:15 p.m.: ESPN — The Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: Louisiana Tech vs. Army, Shreveport, La. HORSE RACING 3 p.m.: FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races; 4 p.m.: FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races IIHF HOCKEY (MEN) 1 p.m.: NHLN — World Junior Championship Group Stage: Kazakhstan vs. Czechia, Group B, Toronto; 3:30 p.m.: NHLN — World Junior Championship Group Stage: Latvia vs. U.S., Group A, Ottawa, Ontario LACROSSE (MEN) 6:30 p.m.: ESPN2 — NLL: Rochester at Buffalo NBA BASKETBALL 3 p.m.: NBATV — Miami at Atlanta; 6 p.m.: NBATV — Oklahoma City at Charlotte; 8:30 p.m.: NBATV — Phoenix at Golden State NFL FOOTBALL 1 p.m.: NFLN — L.A. Chargers at New England; 4:30 p.m.: NFLN — Denver at Cincinnati; 8 p.m.: NFLN — Arizona at L.A. Rams NHL HOCKEY 7 p.m.: NHLN — Washington at Toronto SOCCER (MEN) 9 a.m.: CBSSN — Serie A: Monza at Parma TENNIS 4 a.m.: TENNIS — United Cup: USA v. Canada; 6 a.m.: TENNIS — United Cup: Greece v. Spain; 6:30 p.m.: TENNIS — United Cup: Norway v. Czech Rep.; Brisbane-ATP/WTA Early Rounds; 6 a.m. (Sunday): TENNIS — Brisbane-ATP/WTA Early Rounds Sunday COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN) Noon: BTN — Indiana St. at Ohio St.; 1 p.m.: PEACOCK — Penn at Penn St.; 1:30 p.m.: PEACOCK — Northeastern at Northwestern; 2 p.m.: BTN — Chicago St. at Illinois, PEACOCK — Morgan St. at Minnesota; 3 p.m.: ESPNU — Buffalo at Temple, PEACOCK — NJIT at Washington; 4 p.m.: BTN — Winthrop at Indiana; 6 p.m.: BTN — Toledo at Purdue; 8 p.m.: ACCN — Campbell at North Carolina, BTN — W. Kentucky at Michigan COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN) Noon: ACCN — Virginia at Notre Dame, SECN — Alabama A&M at Vanderbilt; 1 p.m.: ESPN2 — South Florida at Rice; 2 p.m.: ACCN — Louisville at Boston College, SECN — Wofford at South Carolina; 4 p.m.: ACCN — North Carolina at Miami, SECN — Texas Rio Grande Valley at Texas; 6 p.m.: ACCN — Clemson at NC State; 10 p.m.: BTN — Michigan at Southern Cal HORSE RACING 3 p.m.: FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races IIHF HOCKEY (MEN) Noon: NHLN — World Junior Championship Group Stage: Switzerland vs. Sweden, Group B, Toronto; 2:30 p.m.: NHLN — World Junior Championship Group Stage: U.S. vs. Finland, Group A, Ottawa, Ontario; 5 p.m.: NHLN — World Junior Championship Group Stage: Czechia vs. Slovakia, Group B, Toronto; 7:30 p.m.: NHLN — World Junior Championship Group Stage: Canada vs. Germany, Group A, Ottawa, Ontario NBA G-LEAGUE BASKETBALL 2 p.m.: NBATV — Osceola at Raptors 905 NFL FOOTBALL 1 p.m.: FOX — Indianapolis at N.Y. Giants; 4:05 p.m.: CBS — Miami at Cleveland; 4:25 p.m.: FOX — Green Bay at Minnesota; 8:20 p.m.: NBC — Atlanta at Washington, PEACOCK — Atlanta at Washington NHL HOCKEY 8:30 p.m.: ESPN — Dallas at Chicago SOCCER (MEN) 10 a.m.: USA — Premier League: Nottingham Forest at Everton; 12:15 p.m.: USA — Premier League: Liverpool at West Ham United; 12:40 p.m.: CBSSN — English League Championship: Leeds United at Derby County TENNIS 6 a.m.: TENNIS — Brisbane-ATP/WTA Early Rounds; 6:30 p.m.: TENNIS — United Cup: Britain v. Argentina; Brisbane-ATP/WTA Early Rounds; Hong Kong-ATP, Auckland-WTA Early Rounds; 6 a.m. (Monday): TENNIS — Brisbane-ATP/WTA Early Rounds