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panaloko download ios What happens when 'The Simpsons' join 'Monday Night Football'? Find out during Bengals-Cowboys Lisa Simpson once said during an episode of “The Simpsons:” What could be more exciting than the savage ballet that is pro football? On Monday night, the entire Simpsons universe gets to experience it in a way not many could have imagined. Joe Reedy, The Associated Press Dec 7, 2024 3:12 PM Dec 7, 2024 3:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message This handout from an animated video provided by ESPN shows a scene from Atoms Stadium in Springfield from “The Simpsons” that will be used for “The Simpsons Funday Football,” an alternate broadcast on ESPN+ and Disney+ for the Dec. 9, 2024, game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys. (ESPN via AP) Lisa Simpson once said during an episode of “The Simpsons:” What could be more exciting than the savage ballet that is pro football? On Monday night, the entire Simpsons universe gets to experience it in a way not many could have imagined. The prime-time matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys will also take place at Springfield’s Atoms Stadium as part of “The Simpsons Funday Football” alternate broadcast. The altcast will be streamed on ESPN+, Disney+, and NFL+ (on mobile devices). ESPN and ABC have the main broadcast, while ESPN2 will carry the final “ManningCast” of the regular season. The replay will be available on Disney+ for 30 days. Globally, more than 145 countries will have access to either live or on replay. “We’re such huge football fans, and the Simpsons audience and the football audience, I feel, are like the same audience of just American families and football. And the Simpsons are so much a part of the DNA of the American family and culture that for us to, like, mush them together in this crazy video game, it’s so fun,” said Matt Selman, executive producer of “The Simpsons.” While the game is the focal point, the alternate broadcast, in some ways, will resemble a three-hour episode of “The Simpsons.” It starts with Homer eating too many hot dogs and having a dream while watching football. Homer joins the Cowboys in the dream while Bart teams up with the Bengals. Lisa and Marge will be sideline reporters. “That’s the beginning of the story, and the story continues through the entire game until Homer wakes up from his dream at the end of the game. It is like a complete story, and the NFL game will happen in between. It’s just going to be an amazing presentation with tons of surprises,” said Michael “Spike” Szykowny, ESPN’s VP of edit and animation. This is the second year ESPN has done an alternate broadcast for an NFL game. It used the characters from “Toy Story” for last year’s Sunday morning game from London between the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars. “The Simpsons” has featured many sports-themed episodes during its 35 seasons. Even though “Homer at the Bat” remains the consensus favorite sports episode for many Simpsons fans, there have been football ones such as “Bart Star” and “Lisa The Greek.” There also was a Super Bowl-themed one after Fox’s broadcast of Super Bowl 33 between Denver and Atlanta in 1999. Even though “The Simpsons” remains a staple on Fox’s prime-time schedule, it is part of the Disney family after their acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019. All 35 seasons are on Disney+. The show’s creators have worked with ESPN and the NFL to make sure the look and sound is definitely Simpsonsesque. The theme song is a mash-up of “The Simpsons” opening and “Monday Night Football’s” iconic “Heavy Action.” There have also been pre-recorded skits and bits to use during the broadcast featuring Simpson’s legendary voices Hank Azaria, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, and Yeardley Smith. The telecast will be entirely animated, with the players’ movements in sync with what is happening in real-time on the field. That is done through player-tracking data enabled by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats system and Sony’s Beyond Sports Technology. While Next Gen Stats tracks where players are on the field with a tracking chip in the shoulder pads, there is skeletal data tracking and limb tracking data — which uses 29 points per player — to get closer to the player’s movements. The other data tracking will allow Beyond Sports and Disney to add special characters to the game. For example, there might be a play where Lisa catches the ball and goes 30 yards instead of Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins. “Lisa is much smaller than the rest of the players. So, in real life, the ball would go over her head, but now, with data processing, we can take the ball and make it go exactly into her hands. So for the viewer, it still looks believable, and it all makes sense,” said Beyond Sports co-founder Nicolaas Westerhof. The other major challenge is making “The Simpsons” two-dimensional cartoon characters into 3-D simulations. Szykowny and his team worked to make that a reality over the past couple of months. “That’s a big leap of faith for them to say, hey, we trust you to make our characters 3-D and work with it. Our ESPN creative studio team has done a wonderful job,” Szykowny said. Lisa, Krusty, Nelson, Milhouse and Ralph will be with Bart and the Bengals; while Carl, Barney, Lenny and Moe join up with with Homer and the Cowboys. The broadcast will also feature ESPN personalities Stephen A. Smith, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. ESPN’s Drew Carter, Mina Kimes and Dan Orlovsky will call the game from Bristol, Connecticut, and also be animated. They will wear Meta Quest Pro headsets to experience the game from Springfield using VR technology. For Kimes, being part of the broadcast and being an animated Simpsons character is a dream come true. She is a massive fan of the show and has a framed photo of Lisa Simpson — who she said is a personal hero and icon — as part of her backdrop when she makes appearances on ESPN NFL shows from her home in Los Angeles. “I didn’t have any input, and I didn’t see anything beforehand, so I wasn’t sure if it would look like me, but it kind of does, which is very funny,” said Kimes, who drew Simpsons characters when she was a kid. “To see the actual staff turn me into one was a dream.” Even though the Bengals (4-8) and Cowboys (5-7) have struggled this season, Selman thinks both teams have personalities that appeal to “The Simpsons” universe. “We were just so lucky also that the Cowboys are sort of like a Homer Simpson-type team, American team, and Mike McCarthy might be a Homer-type guy, one might imagine,” he said. ”And then you have Joe Burrow on the other side who is a cool young, spiky-haired, blonde bad boy -- he’s like Bart. And that fits our character archetypes so perfectly. “If Homer is mad at Bart and has a hot dog dream while watching ’Monday Night Football’, and then it’s basically McCarthy versus Burrow, Homer versus Bart, and that’s the simple father versus son strangling — Homer strangling Bart dynamic that has been part of the show for 35 years. I don’t know if that would have worked as well if it was like Titans versus Jacksonville. We would have found something. We would have made it work.” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Joe Reedy, 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 Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Browns place LT Jedrick Wills Jr. on injured reserve, ending his season, maybe career with Cleveland Dec 7, 2024 2:31 PM Titans back home hoping to continue Music City dominance over Jaguars Dec 7, 2024 1:59 PM Dolphins seek their fourth straight win over the Jets when the AFC East rivals meet Sunday Dec 7, 2024 1:13 PM

F1 expands grid, adds Cadillac brand and new American team for '26

Cerity Partners LLC boosted its position in Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. ( NYSE:BFAM – Free Report ) by 63.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 29,078 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 11,236 shares during the quarter. Cerity Partners LLC’s holdings in Bright Horizons Family Solutions were worth $4,075,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co raised its position in shares of Bright Horizons Family Solutions by 141.6% in the first quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 14,784 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,676,000 after buying an additional 8,666 shares during the last quarter. TimesSquare Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Bright Horizons Family Solutions in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $13,639,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA lifted its stake in Bright Horizons Family Solutions by 15.4% in the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 3,181,050 shares of the company’s stock worth $445,761,000 after purchasing an additional 423,456 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Bright Horizons Family Solutions by 7.0% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 784,896 shares of the company’s stock valued at $86,395,000 after purchasing an additional 51,024 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Private Advisor Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Bright Horizons Family Solutions by 16.5% in the third quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 2,491 shares of the company’s stock valued at $349,000 after purchasing an additional 352 shares during the last quarter. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts have issued reports on the company. Baird R W raised Bright Horizons Family Solutions from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 22nd. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Bright Horizons Family Solutions from $125.00 to $160.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, August 30th. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Bright Horizons Family Solutions from $145.00 to $148.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Bright Horizons Family Solutions from $100.00 to $108.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on Bright Horizons Family Solutions from $142.00 to $162.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $141.50. Insider Buying and Selling In other Bright Horizons Family Solutions news, COO Mary Lou Burke sold 800 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $140.65, for a total value of $112,520.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 31,825 shares in the company, valued at $4,476,186.25. The trade was a 2.45 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website . 1.22% of the stock is owned by insiders. Bright Horizons Family Solutions Trading Up 0.3 % BFAM opened at $115.63 on Friday. Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. has a 52 week low of $86.79 and a 52 week high of $141.90. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $126.22 and a 200-day simple moving average of $122.52. The firm has a market cap of $6.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 58.11 and a beta of 1.49. Bright Horizons Family Solutions ( NYSE:BFAM – Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Monday, November 4th. The company reported $1.11 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $719.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $713.16 million. Bright Horizons Family Solutions had a return on equity of 13.23% and a net margin of 4.44%. Bright Horizons Family Solutions’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.78 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. will post 3 earnings per share for the current year. About Bright Horizons Family Solutions ( Free Report ) Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc provides early education and childcare, back-up care, educational advisory, and other workplace solutions services for employers and families in the United States, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia, and India. The company operates in three segments: Full Service Center-Based Child Care, Back-Up Care, and Educational Advisory and Other Services. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BFAM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. ( NYSE:BFAM – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Bright Horizons Family Solutions Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bright Horizons Family Solutions and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

LAS VEGAS — Formula 1 on Monday at last said it will expand its grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors. "As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It's an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world's premier racing series, and we're committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world," GM President Mark Reuss said. "This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM's engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level." The approval ends years of wrangling that launched a U.S. Justice Department investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, the commercial rights holder of F1, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti. Andretti in September stepped aside from leading his namesake organization, so the 11th team will be called Cadillac F1 and be run by new Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter. The team will use Ferrari engines its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season. Towriss is the the CEO and president of Group 1001 and entered motorsports via Andretti's IndyCar team when he signed on financial savings platform Gainbridge as a sponsor. Towriss is now a major part of the motorsports scene with ownership stakes in both Spire Motorsports' NASCAR team and Wayne Taylor Racing's sports car team. Walter is the chief executive of financial services firm Guggenheim Partners and the controlling owner of both the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Premier League club Chelsea. "We're excited to partner with General Motors in bringing a dynamic presence to Formula 1," Towriss said. "Together, we're assembling a world-class team that will embody American innovation and deliver unforgettable moments to race fans around the world." Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 world champion, will have an ambassador role with Cadillac F1. But his son, Michael, will have no official position with the organization now that he has scaled back his involvement with Andretti Global. "The Cadillac F1 Team is made up of a strong group of people that have worked tirelessly to build an American works team," Michael Andretti posted on social media. "I'm very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step. I will be cheering for you!" The approval has been in works for weeks but was held until after last weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix to not overshadow the showcase event of the Liberty Media portfolio. Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive championship in Saturday night's race, the third and final stop in the United States for the top motorsports series in the world. Grid expansion in F1 is both infrequent and often unsuccessful. Four teams were granted entries in 2010 that should have pushed the grid to 13 teams and 26 cars for the first time since 1995. One team never made it to the grid and the other three had vanished by 2017. There is only one American team on the current F1 grid — owned by California businessman Gene Haas — but it is not particularly competitive and does not field American drivers. Andretti's dream was to field a truly American team with American drivers. The fight to add this team has been going on for three-plus years, and F1 initially denied the application despite approval from F1 sanctioning body FIA. The existing 10 teams, who have no voice in the matter, also largely opposed expansion because of the dilution in prize money and the billions of dollars they've already invested in the series. Andretti in 2020 tried and failed to buy the existing Sauber team. From there, he applied for grid expansion and partnered with GM, the top-selling manufacturer in the United States. The inclusion of GM was championed by the FIA and president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who said Michael Andretti's application was the only one of seven applicants to meet all required criteria to expand F1's current grid. "General Motors is a huge global brand and powerhouse in the OEM world and is working with impressive partners," Ben Sulayem said Monday. "I am fully supportive of the efforts made by the FIA, Formula 1, GM and the team to maintain dialogue and work towards this outcome of an agreement in principle to progress this application." Despite the FIA's acceptance of Andretti and General Motors from the start, F1 wasn't interested in Andretti — but did want GM. At one point, F1 asked GM to find another team to partner with besides Andretti. GM refused and F1 said it would revisit the Andretti application if and when Cadillac had an engine ready to compete. "Formula 1 has maintained a dialogue with General Motors, and its partners at TWG Global, regarding the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision made by Formula 1 in January 2024," F1 said in a statement. "Over the course of this year, they have achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the 11th team GM/Cadillac, and that GM will enter as an engine supplier at a later time. Formula 1 is therefore pleased to move forward with this application process." Yet another major shift in the debate over grid expansion occurred earlier this month with the announced resignation of Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei, who was largely believed to be one of the biggest opponents of the Andretti entry. "With Formula 1's continued growth plans in the US, we have always believed that welcoming an impressive US brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport," Maffei said. "We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1." Get local news delivered to your inbox!Noussair Mazraoui believes Manchester United are too big to fail - but the Moroccan defender admits that it could be a case of no pain, no gain for Ruben Amorim’s new-look Reds. Amorim is implementing a new tactical system that has seen Mazraoui move inside from right-back to play alongside Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez in a three-man central defence. The 27-year-old is relishing the challenge - and has been astonished by the sheer scale of the club he joined in a £17million deal from Bayern Munich in the summer. But he believes it will take time for the new manager’s philosophy to reach its full potential. Mazraoui said: “I came here to win - and it will come. Manchester United is too big not to. Everyone here knows that, everybody sees that and everybody feels that - especially us as players. “We are going to come back - and we are going to come back even harder. But I think that when you want to implement a new style of play that isn’t even close to how we played before, no-one can expect us to understand everything the manager has in his mind right from the start. “So yes, of course, this is going to be a tough time - but come on, we are all top players and we play the game to win. Eventually we will get to wherever the coach wants us to be. We have unbelievable players, so of course we can adapt - and I think we are showing that. We have to get used to the new style, but I don’t think it will take too long - even if at the moment it is tough.” United drew 1-1 at Ipswich in Amorim’s first game in charge before beating Bodo/Glimt 3-2 in the Europa League at Old Trafford on Thursday night. But while Mazraoui feels the players are only just coming to terms with what the boss is demanding, he insists the season can be much more than a campaign of consolidation. Mazraoui said: “Of course you always have to believe you can challenge. Without that belief, for me personally, I think you should stop. Without belief you will not achieve anything. We still have our goals, but we’re not stupid. We know what phase we’re in and the most important thing is that we continue to improve our style of play and eventually we will see what that gives us. “Now we have our first win for him and that is something we can build on and improve. Every week that is the basic thing we will try to do.” Has Noussair Mazraoui been Manchester United's best signing this season? Have your say in the comments section . Everton now face Everton at Old Trafford and Amorim has already spoken of his admiration for how the Holland-born former Ajax defender has taken to his new role. Mazraoui said: “It’s a big compliment to hear the coach say nice things. What can I say? I try my best every day and in every game. I give my all for the team, for the coach and for the supporters. “We are all in this together. It isn’t about one player. This is the first time I have played in this position. You have to view the game differently because you are not as high up the pitch like when you are the full-back. “But you get more time on the ball and you must make the most of that in the build-up. There are some different things I have to do but it’s still the same game. Of course, I played alongside De Ligt at Bayern and having him alongside me makes life 10-times easier.” Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sky has slashed the price of its Sky Sports, Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £240 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Article content Quebec Conservative Party Leader Éric Duhaime announced Saturday morning on social media he had been hospitalized after a heart attack. “Some news is more unpleasant than others,” Duhaime began in a post on X, before announcing: “Last night, I had a heart attack. Rest assured. I’m fine. My partner immediately took me to the hospital where the medical staff took very good care of me.” The politician wanted to be reassuring about his state of health, explaining the medical staff is not worried and is convinced he will recover. Duhaime then indicated he wanted to step back and rest in the coming weeks. He wrote: “Our body sometimes sends us little signals we have to listen to in order to take a little break. That’s what I plan to do in the coming weeks, with a view to coming back in top shape for a big Conservative year in 2025.” Duhaime had indicated last month he planned to contact the approximately 1,400 members of the Quebec Conservative Party (PCQ) in Arthabaska by Christmas to get their opinion on a possible candidacy in the riding. The party leader does not have a seat in the National Assembly.After undergoing sex-change chemical treatments and surgery as a child, activist Chloe Cole, 20, is speaking out about the importance of upholding Tennessee’s law banning these "gender-affirming" treatments on children. As the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the high-profile transgender case this past week, a prominent detransitioner and public speaker emphasized the importance of the case and said it could change everything about the gender ideology they fight in the United States. U.S. v. Skrmetti revolves around a Tennessee law that bans sex-change treatments and surgeries for children. Experts believe the Supreme Court’s decision in the case could set a precedent that will shape laws about transgender treatments for children across the country. "I t's incredibly important that this law goes through so that other states, not just Tennessee, who have these protective laws, can uphold them in courts and maybe states that are more on the fence, like blue states or purple states, can have pressure put on them to put in these laws to protect children in their area as well," Chloe Cole told Fox News Digital in the frigid cold outside the Supreme Court building "This is an identity crisis that is plaguing my generation right now," she continued. "Children are losing their health, they’re losing their ability to grow up into adults, are losing their ability to have children when they become adults. It’s unconscionable." GOP TENNESSEE AG REACTS TO ORAL ARGUMENTS IN SUPREME COURT TRANSGENDER RIGHTS CASE: 'FEEL REALLY GOOD' Detransitioner and activist Chloe Cole outside the Supreme Court building during oral arguments in the U.S. v. Skrmetti case on Dec. 4, 2024. (Fox News Digital) Cole, who is 20 years old and began transitioning from a female into a male at the age of 12 and stopped at 17, said that she continues to suffer daily pain and faces serious health issues from the long-term effects of the sex-change treatments and surgery she received as a child. " I've been on the puberty blockers, the testosterone injections, and I've had a double mastectomy, and all three of these treatments have irreversibly and permanently affected my health," she said. " I basically went through an artificial menopause while I was young," Cole explained. "So, I was experiencing hot flashes and these other uncomfortable, painful symptoms that are not too dissimilar to what women naturally experience when they're in their 40s, 50s, 60s, not before they're even teenagers. " Chloe Cole began the gender transition process at age 12 and received a double mastectomy surgery at 15. (Fox News Digital) Some activists, including attorneys arguing against Tennessee’s law, posit that sex-change treatments help children suffering from gender confusion, improving their mental health and preventing suicide. However, many former transgender individuals – often called "detransitioners" – dispute the claim that sex-change treatments solve mental health issues. Instead, they say that in addition to causing physical problems, treatments can also lead to serious psychological damage. Besides having to live with the reality of having both her breasts cut off at the age of 15, Cole said that testosterone has also "made it so that I have permanent changes to my bone structure." "I have a left-over Adam's apple and facial hair growth, but I also have issues with my urinary tract, with pelvic pain [and] with things like sexual function, which, now, as an adult woman, that is something that has been both physically and psychologically incredibly painful," she explained. "I’m a woman," she went on. "I aspire to become a mother one day, I want to get married, and this is something that is going to undoubtedly affect my marriage, my romantic life, and potentially my ability to have children." SOTOMAYOR COMPARES TRANS MEDICAL 'TREATMENTS' TO ASPIRIN IN QUESTION ABOUT SIDE EFFECTS DURING ORAL ARGUMENTS Activists hold a rally outside the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., as the court hears oral arguments in the transgender treatments case of U.S. v. Skrmetti on Dec. 4, 2024. (Fox News Digital) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Although gender transition treatment is promoted by doctors and hospital systems across the country , Cole said that there are still many unanswered questions about the long-term effects of these treatments. "I don't know what the lasting effects are on my fertility. There are so many unknowns about my health, I have no idea what the future of my health is going to look like," she said. "It's been years after the fact, and I'm still experiencing reeling effects from all of this when I could have just grown up into a healthy young woman with a body intact." Although she continues to suffer the aftereffects of the treatments, Cole said she is resolved to stop more children from suffering what she underwent. "This is not what children deserve," she concluded. " Children deserve to be allowed to grow up with their bodies fully intact, they deserve a chance to learn how to love themselves the way that they are, the way they were born, the way that God beautifully crafted them in their mother's womb." Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.A rapidly advancing opposition offensive has shaken Syria to its core, with fighters reaching the outskirts of the capital, Damascus, and key government-held cities falling to insurgents. In a reversal, President Bashar al-Assad has fled the country as his forces abandon territory with little resistance, marking a pivotal shift in the 13-year civil war. For the first time since 2018, opposition groups have breached the defenses of Damascus, signaling the growing strength of rebel factions determined to overthrow the Assad regime . The question now looms: Who are these fighters, and what comes next if they succeed in toppling Assad’s government? The Opposition’s surge The offensive, which began on November 27, is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Syria’s most powerful insurgent group, alongside the Syrian National Army (SNA), an umbrella group of Turkish-backed militias. HTS, which originated as a faction of al-Qaeda, has spent recent years distancing itself from terrorist ties, seeking to position itself as a force for civilian governance as well as military action in opposition-controlled territories. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani spoke to CNN, confirming the group's aim: "We are here to overthrow the Assad government," a clear declaration of intent for the offensive that has already seen the capture of key cities like Aleppo, Syria's largest, and Hama, the fourth largest. 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The SNA has its own regional objectives, including establishing a buffer zone along the Turkish border to counter Kurdish militants—a major concern for Turkey, which has supported the opposition but now advocates for a reconciliation process. "It’s unclear whether these groups will unite in the aftermath of Assad's fall or turn on each other," said an analyst familiar with the region’s dynamics. Although the northern regions have seen the brunt of the fighting, opposition groups have also made significant inroads in southern Syria. The Druze-majority region of Sweida and the flashpoint city of Daraa, a key site of the 2011 uprising, have both fallen into the hands of opposition forces. Daraa, which had been under a fragile ceasefire brokered by Russia, saw renewed clashes after rebels seized control of several districts. Meanwhile, in the east, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the United States, continue to hold significant territory, adding another layer of complexity to the already fractured battlefield. With Assad’s forces now in control of only three provincial capitals—Damascus, Latakia, and Tartus—his grip on the country is rapidly shrinking. The road to Damascus The insurgents are now in what they call the "final stage" of their offensive, with opposition forces reportedly encircling Damascus. According to a commander with the insurgents, "We are in the final phase of liberating Damascus." On Saturday, Syrian government troops also withdrew from the central city of Homs, a strategic location that has long served as a vital link between Damascus and the coastal region where Assad retains loyal support. If Homs falls to the opposition, it would sever the connection between the capital and the coastal strongholds, potentially signaling the collapse of the Assad regime. Anas Joudeh, a Damascus resident, warned, "If Homs falls and the link to the coast is broken, it will be the end of Syria as we once knew it." As the situation grows more dire for Assad, his international allies, Russia and Iran, are distracted by other regional conflicts. Hezbollah, once a steadfast supporter of Assad, has been weakened by its ongoing involvement in the Israel-Hezbollah war, now under a fragile ceasefire. The international community is bracing for the potential fallout. The United Nations’ special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, has called for urgent talks to ensure an "orderly political transition" as the situation continues to evolve rapidly. Pedersen met with diplomats from eight key nations, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Turkey, and Iran, on the sidelines of the recent Doha Summit. Pedersen stressed that the situation is "changing by the minute," and that swift diplomatic action is necessary to prevent further escalation and ensure stability in the region. (With inputs from the Associated Press) (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )

Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”

Insurgents reach gates of Syria’s capital, threatening to upend decades of Assad ruleSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Marquel Sutton scored 23 points as Omaha beat Sacramento State 70-60 on Saturday night. Sutton added eight rebounds for the Mavericks (4-7). Tony Osburn scored 15 points and added five rebounds and three steals. JJ White had nine points and went 4 of 5 from the field. Jacob Holt led the way for the Hornets (2-7) with 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Mike Wilson added nine points and six rebounds for Sacramento State. Chudi Dioramma had seven points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Omaha's next game is Friday against Northern Iowa on the road, and Sacramento State hosts UC Davis on Saturday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Data Skrive. Get local news delivered to your inbox!