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BEIRUT (AP) — Thousands of people fled the central Syrian city of Homs, the country’s third largest, as insurgents seized two towns on the outskirts Friday, positioning themselves for an assault on a potentially major prize in their march against President Bashar Assad. The move, reported by pro-government media and an opposition war monitor, was the latest in the stunning advances by opposition fighters over the past week that have so far met little resistance from Assad’s forces. A day earlier, fighters captured the central city of Hama , Syria’s fourth largest, after the army said it withdrew to avoid fighting inside the city and spare the lives of civilians. The insurgents, led by the jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have vowed to march to Homs and the capital, Damascus, Assad’s seat of power. Videos circulating online showed a highway jammed with cars full of people fleeing Homs, a city with a large population belonging to Assad’s Alawite sect, seen as his core supporters. If Assad’s military loses Homs, it could be a crippling blow. The city, parts of which were controlled by insurgents until 2014, stands at an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, where Assad enjoys wide support. Homs province is Syria’s largest in size and borders Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan. The city is also home to one of Syria’s two state-run oil refineries. Pressure on the government intensified from multiple directions. Opposition protesters stormed security posts and army positions in the southern province of Sweida, opposition activists said. U.S.-backed Kurdish forces who control eastern and northeastern Syria began to encroach on government-held territory. Offensive leaves Assad reliant on Russia After years of largely being bottled up in a northwest corner of the country, the insurgents burst out a week ago, captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest , and have kept advancing since. Government troops have repeatedly fallen back. The sudden offensive has flipped the tables on a long-entrenched stalemate in Syria’s nearly 14-year-old civil war. Along with HTS, the fighters include forces of an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Turkey has denied backing the offensive , though experts say insurgents would not have launched it without the country's consent. HTS’s leader, Abu Mohammad al-Golani, told CNN in an exclusive interview Thursday from Syria that Assad’s government was on the path to falling, propped up only by Russia and Iran. “The seeds of the regime’s defeat have always been within it,” he said. “But the truth remains, this regime is dead.” A key question about Assad’s ability to fight back is how much top ally Russia — whose troops back Assad’s forces — will throw support his way at a time when it is tied up in the war in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he planned to discuss the developments in Syria with his Turkish and Iranian counterparts at a meeting Friday in the Qatari capital, Doha. In an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, he said international actors were backing the insurgents’ advances and that he would discuss “the way to cut the channels of financing and arming them.” Meanwhile, Russia’s embassy in Syria issued a notice reminding Russian citizens that they may use commercial flights to leave the country “in view of the difficult military-political situation.” The foreign ministers of Iran, Iraq and Syria — three close allies — gathered Friday in Baghdad to consult on the rapidly changing war. Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh said the current developments may pose “a serious threat to the security of the region as a whole.” Assad opponents move in center, south and east The insurgent fighters on Friday took over the central towns of Rastan and Talbiseh, putting them 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Homs, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor. “The battle of Homs is the mother of all battles and will decide who will rule Syria,” said Rami Abdurrahman, the Observatory’s chief. Pro-government Sham FM said the insurgents entered Rastan and Talbiseh without facing any resistance. There was no immediate comment from the Syrian military. The Observatory said Syrian troops had left Homs. But the military denied that in comments reported by the state news agency SANA, saying troops were reinforcing their positions in the city and were “ready to repel” any assault. In eastern Syria, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces coalition said it had moved into the government-held half of the city of Deir el-Zour, apparently without resistance. One of the main cities in the east, Deir el-Zour had long been split between the government on the western side of the Euphrates River and the SDF on the eastern side. The SDF also said it took control of further parts of the border with Iraq. That appeared to bring it closer to the government-held Boukamal border crossing. The crossing is a vital for the government because it is the gateway to the corridor to Iran, a supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah. At the same time, insurgents seized Syria’s sole crossing to Jordan, according to opposition activists. Jordan announced it was closing its side of the crossing. Lebanon also closed all but one of its border crossings with Syria. Worsening economy could hurt Assad’s war effort The opposition assault has struck a blow to Syria’s already decrepit economy. On Friday, the U.S. dollar was selling on Syria’s parallel market for about 18,000 pounds, a 25% drop from a week ago. When Syria’s conflict erupted in March 2011, a dollar was valued at 47 pounds. The drop further undermines the purchasing power of Syrians at a time when the U.N. has warned that 90% of the population is below the poverty line. Syria’s economy has been hammered for years by the war, Western sanctions, corruption and an economic meltdown in neighboring Lebanon, Syria’s main gate to the outside world. Damascus residents told The Associated Press that people are rushing to markets to buy food, fearing further escalation. The worsening economy could be undermining the ability of Syria’s military to fight, as the value of soldiers’ salaries melts away while the insurgents are flush with cash. Syria’s military has not appeared to put up a cohesive counteroffensive against the opposition advances. SANA on Friday quoted an unnamed military official as saying the Syrian and Russian air forces were striking insurgents in Hama province, killing dozens of fighters. Syria’s defense minister said in a televised statement late Thursday that government forces withdrew from Hama as “a temporary tactical measure” and vowed to gain back lost areas. “We are in a good position on the ground,” Gen. Ali Mahmoud Abbas said, saying troops remained “at the gates of Hama.” He spoke before the opposition advanced further south toward Homs. He said the insurgents, whom he described as “takfiri” or Muslim extremists, are backed by foreign countries. He did not name the countries but appeared to be referring to Turkey and the United States. ___ Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria, and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report. Bassem Mroue, The Associated Press
The last couple of years have been transformative for streaming platform Netflix ( NFLX 1.84% ) . The company has proven that it can compete with legacy media businesses through the creation of its own original content. Netflix's nascent advertising business has also demonstrated some promising results as the company seeks to diversify its business beyond streaming subscriptions. One way that Netflix has bolstered both its subscription and advertising businesses is by getting into live entertainment. Let's explore how live events are serving as the next phase for Netflix's evolution, and how one upcoming event occurring on Christmas Day is a major catalyst that could send the stock parabolic going into the New Year. Netflix and live entertainment are a match made in heaven, and... As far as live events go, Netflix has deliberately chosen to focus on one specific area for now: Sports. As an avid sports viewer myself, I think this move by Netflix makes complete sense. Let's face it -- cable is expensive and the average viewer almost certainly doesn't watch every channel available to them. Besides the news, sports, and maybe a couple of network TV miniseries, I'd wager that the average television viewer watches a couple dozen channels at most. While this dynamic has given rise to the cord-cutting movement and propelled streaming platforms into the spotlight, one big challenge remains. What do you do if a big sports event is on TV and you've already canceled service with your provider? Candidly, I find myself in this very situation quite frequently. Among my friends, the one person who still pays for cable constantly has to volunteer their house and entertain us so that no one misses the big game. As all innovative companies do, Netflix has identified this issue and made it into a lucrative opportunity. Take boxing as an example. Unlike basketball or baseball, boxing is not the type of sport that is broadcast on a daily basis. For this reason, boxing matches take a long time to prepare -- including training, marketing campaigns, and sponsorships. Given all these moving pieces, boxing matches are almost always pay-per-view (PPV) events. And just like with cable, who actually wants to foot the bill for this? Well, apparently Netflix does, and I think it's a genius idea. A few weeks ago, acclaimed boxer Mike Tyson fought outspoken YouTuber and social media superstar Jake Paul in an extremely highly publicized event. The catch? You needed a subscription to Netflix to watch. While this may seem like a bit of a gimmick, I'd encourage you to consider the following: PPV events can often be in the range of $80. As far as Netflix is concerned, it doesn't matter what subscription tier you sign up for -- you'll still have access to the live event. I have Netflix's lowest subscription plan ($6.99 per month) and was able to stream the Tyson-Paul fight live. Sure, while there isn't much of a difference between the annualized cost of $6.99 per month and an $80 PPV event, keep in mind that I now have access to any upcoming Netflix live events as well and do not have to pay a separate fee for the next live event. ... a Christmas surprise is right around the corner In addition to priceless family time, Christmas Day can come with the sweetener of live sports. In particular, the National Football League (NFL) occasionally broadcasts games on Christmas Day -- depending on what day of the week the holiday tends to fall on. As usual with the NFL, these games are broadcast nationally in the U.S. on the sports affiliates of Fox and CBS. However, Christmas 2024 has a trick play up its sleeve ... and it involves Netflix. On Dec. 25, Netflix will be livestreaming the NFL's Christmas Day games on its platform. This is an absolute game-changing event, as the NFL has traditionally been extremely stringent with its broadcasting and licensing arrangements with television networks. I see this deal as a win-win for both Netflix and the NFL. Both organizations have the benefit of the Christmas Day games being viewable around the globe -- not just in the U.S. This level of engagement could be appealing for marketers, who subsequently turn to the NFL and Netflix for advertising and brand deals. Lastly, the most obvious appeal for Netflix in particular is for viewers to convert into longstanding subscribers who become sticky within the streamer's ecosystem. Is Netflix stock a buy right now? The one minor drawback I see with investing in Netflix pertains to valuation. The company's forward price-to-earnings (P/E) of 45 is expensive. As the graph below shows, the company's valuation has expanded considerably over the last few months and hasn't shown many signs of taking a breather. In fact, the stock has risen about 9% since the Tyson-Paul boxing match on Nov. 15. NFLX PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts. Despite its pricey valuation, I think Netflix's premium is warranted. The company has put on a masterclass in navigating around other streaming platforms, and I see the entry into live sports as the first stepping stone in its journey to become more involved with live events in general. In turn, should this strategy drive more engagement in the form of higher subscriptions and increased advertising revenue, Netflix may have just unlocked a virtuous cycle that could fuel its streaming business to the forefront of all media and entertainment. As with the boxing match, I could very well see Netflix stock popping higher following the NFL games on Christmas Day. To me, Netflix is a terrific buy-and-hold opportunity for investors with a long-run time horizon, and I think that dollar-cost averaging into the stock is the most prudent strategy to build a position.
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WASHINGTON — A top White House official said Wednesday at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations were impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. FILE - The American and Chinese flags wave at Genting Snow Park ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, in Zhangjiakou, China, on Feb. 2, 2022. A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File) Kiichiro Sato Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could grow. People are also reading... The U.S. believes the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. She added that Biden was briefed on the findings and the White House “made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this.” US officials recommend encrypted messaging apps amid "Salt Typhoon" cyberattack, attributed to China, targeting AT&T, Verizon, and others. Straight Arrow News The Chinese embassy in Washington rejected the accusations that it was responsible for the hack Tuesday after the U.S. federal authorities issued new guidance. “The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. The embassy did not immediately respond to messages Wednesday. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts White House officials believe the hacking was regionally targeted and the focus was on very senior government officials. Federal authorities confirmed in October that hackers linked to China targeted the phones of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, along with people associated with Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. FBI tells telecom firms to boost security following wide-ranging Chinese hacking campaign The number of countries impacted by the hack is currently believed to be in the “low, couple dozen,” according to a senior administration official. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under rules set by the White House, said they believed the hacks started at least a year or two ago. The suggestions for telecom companies released Tuesday are largely technical in nature, urging encryption, centralization and consistent monitoring to deter cyber intrusions. If implemented, the security precautions could help disrupt the operation, dubbed Salt Typhoon, and make it harder for China or any other nation to mount a similar attack in the future, experts say. Trump's pick to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kash Patel was allegedly the target of cyberattack attempt by Iranian-backed hackers. Straight Arrow News Neuberger pointed to efforts made to beef up cybersecurity in the rail, aviation, energy and other sectors following the May 2021 ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline . “So, to prevent ongoing Salt Typhoon type intrusions by China, we believe we need to apply a similar minimum cybersecurity practice,” Neuberger said. The cyberattack by a gang of criminal hackers on the critical U.S. pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel used along the Eastern Seaboard, sent ripple effects across the economy, highlighting cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the nation’s aging energy infrastructure. Colonial confirmed it paid $4.4 million to the gang of hackers who broke into its computer systems as it scrambled to get the nation's fuel pipeline back online. 5 tips for protecting your phone while traveling abroad 5 tips for protecting your phone while traveling abroad Picture this: You're on vacation in a city abroad, exploring museums, tasting the local cuisine, and people-watching at cafés. Everything is going perfectly until you get a series of alerts on your phone. Someone is making fraudulent charges using your credit card, sending you into a panic. How could this have happened? Cyberattacks targeting travelers are nothing new. But as travel has increased in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so has the volume of hackers and cybercriminals preying upon tourists. Financial fraud is the most common form of cybercrime experienced by travelers, but surveillance via public Wi-Fi networks, social media hacking, and phishing scams are also common, according to a survey by ExpressVPN . Spokeo consulted cybersecurity sources and travel guides to determine some of the best ways to protect your phone while traveling, from using a VPN to managing secure passwords. Online attacks are not the only type of crime impacting travelers—physical theft of phones is also a threat. Phones have become such invaluable travel aids, housing our navigation tools, digital wallets, itineraries, and contacts, that having your phone stolen, lost, or compromised while abroad can be devastating. Meanwhile, traveling can make people uniquely vulnerable to both cyber and physical attacks due to common pitfalls like oversharing on social media and letting your guard down when it comes to taking risks online. Luckily, there are numerous precautions travelers can take to safeguard against cyberattacks and phone theft. TAUSEEF MUSTAFA/AFP // Getty Images Use a VPN Hackers can—and do—target public Wi-Fi networks at cafés and hotels to gain access to your personal information or install malware onto your device, particularly on unsecured networks. Travelers are especially vulnerable to these types of cybersecurity breaches because they are often more reliant on public Wi-Fi than they would be in their home countries where they have more robust phone plans. This reliance on public, unsecured networks means travelers are more likely to use those networks to perform sensitive tasks like financial transfers, meaning hackers can easily gain access to banking information or other passwords. One easy way to safeguard yourself against these breaches is to use a virtual private network, or VPN, while traveling. VPNs are apps that encrypt your data and hide your location, preventing hackers from accessing personal information. An added bonus is that VPNs allow you to access websites that may be blocked or unavailable in the country you are visiting. To use a VPN, simply download a VPN app on your phone or computer, create an account, choose a server, and connect. Robert Nickelsberg // Getty Images Wear a cross-body bag or antitheft strap Pickpockets, scammers, and flagrant, snatch-your-phone-right-out-of-your-hand thieves can be found pretty much everywhere. In London, for instance, a staggering 91,000 phones were reported stolen to police in 2022 , breaking down to an average of 248 per day, according to the BBC. Whether you're visiting a crowded tourist attraction or just want peace of mind, travel experts advise taking precautions to make sure your phone isn't physically stolen or compromised while traveling. There are several antitheft options to choose from. If you want a bag that will protect your phone from theft, experts recommend looking for features like slash-resistant fabric, reinforced shoulder straps, hidden zippers that can be locked, and secure attachment points, like a cross-body strap or a sturdy clip. For tethers, look for those made of tear-resistant material with a reinforced clip or ring. Lauren DeCicca // Getty Images Back up your phone's data If your phone falls into the wrong hands, there's a good chance you won't be getting it back. Out of those 91,000 phones stolen in London in 2022, only 1,915 (or about 2%) were recovered. The good news is that you can take precautions to make the loss of your phone less devastating by backing up your data before you travel. With backed-up data, you can acquire a new device and still access your photos, contacts, messages, and passwords. Moreover, if you have "Find My Device" or "Find My Phone" enabled, you can remotely wipe your stolen phone's data so the thief cannot access it. It's safest to back up your data to a hard drive and not just the cloud. That way, if you have to wipe your device, you don't accidentally erase the backup, too. Mike_shots // Shutterstock Protect your passwords Strong passwords for important accounts help protect your information while you travel, but it's just a first step. The National Cybersecurity Alliance recommends creating long, unique, and complex passwords for every account and combining them with multifactor authentication to create maximum barriers to entry. If you're worried about remembering these passwords, password managers can be a vital tool for both creating and storing strong passwords. Password managers are apps that act as secure vaults for all your passwords. Some even come with a feature that allows you to temporarily delete sensitive passwords before you travel and then easily restore them once you return. Story editing by Mia Nakaji Monnier. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Spokeo and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. KT Stock photos // Shutterstock The business news you need
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What is the gameplay like in Infinity Nikki?World Chess Championship: Gukesh enters unchartered territory riding high on good form but don't write off LirenIn the Gaines house, holiday baking is a family affair! Joanna Gaines posted a video via Instagram on Thursday, November 28, of her and her oldest daughter, Ella, baking during the festive season. Taken by Joanna, 46, the video shows 18-year-old Ella tidying up as they continue their baking session, with four rows of donuts sitting on the kitchen counter. “Late night baking with my Ella ✨#syriandonuts,” Gaines captioned her post. Along with Ella, the Fixer Upper star shares 5 children with husband and co-star, Chip Gaines , including Drake, 19, Duke, 16, Emmie, 14, and Crew, 6. Baking with her mother isn’t the first time Ella has ventured into the family business. In a 2019 interview with People , Joanna spoke about how her daughter was “just like her.” “I think she’ll follow in my footsteps and have her hand in a lot of things,” she told the outlet at the time. “Right now she wants to cook, be a lead designer and have a donut truck.” As for their mother-daughter baking night, Ella and Joanna appeared to be whipping up some Syrian donuts, the recipe for which is available on the Gaines’ company website, Magnolia, where Joanna also shared a family tip. “My grandfather’s recipe calls for just 1 cup of sugar,” she wrote via Magnolia . “I like everything sweeter, so I always use 2 cups. I love anise seed, so I always use the larger amount. Not everyone likes so much of this unusual spice, so use the smaller amount if you prefer.” Joanna is no stranger to late night baking. Back in October, she posted a video via Instagram of her making Sourdough bagels at night. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News “Sourdough > Sleep,” Joanna wrote in the caption. “One of my favorite things to do is bake at night, and then eat what I bake👩🏻🍳 I love the texture of a sourdough bagel—Like an actual pillow of happiness 🥰Sourdough lovers, what should I try next?” Besides their home endeavors, the Gaines’ have their hands full producing four new unscripted shows on MAX. Two of the shows have already premiered, including Roller Jam , a roller skating competition show, and Human vs. Hamster , where humans compete against hamsters. Chip and Joanna are also executive producing a show called Second Chance Stage , which gives people a second chance at their dreams, as well as Back to the Frontier , where contestants attempt to live as people once did on the frontier.Renewables are exceeding expectations — but so are emissions. Why?
Breaking News Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Anthony Albanese splashed out $62,000 on flowers and a musical performance for world leaders at a summit in Melbourne earlier this year. Documents supplied to the federal opposition through freedom of information requests show the Prime Minister’s office spent $18,000 on the flowers and $44,000 for singer Jess Mauboy. The major event was a dinner at the 50-year ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit, which brought together 11 prime ministers, presidents and sultans in Melbourne in March. Australia is not a member of ASEAN, rather a “comprehensive strategic partner”. The 50-year ASEAN special summit was held in Melbourne in March. Picture: NewsWire / David Crosling Opposition waste spokesman James Stevens said the floral expense was “remarkable and insulting” amid cost-of-living pressures. “Albo’s flower power has cost taxpayers more than $60,000 in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis,” Mr Stevens said in a statement. “Unfortunately, this is just another example of our Prime Minister enjoying himself at the taxpayer’s expense.” The Prime Minister’s office says the expenditure was in line with similar events, including the 2018 ASEAN conference. Jessica Mauboy took to the stage, being paid a cool $44,000. Picture: Instagram Mr Albanese’s office also said two-way trade between Australia and the ASEAN nations totalled $183.4bn last year. The documents show the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet spent $18,513 on floral arrangements for the leaders and spouses’ dinner at the conference, including a $7000 12m dining table centrepiece. ARIA-winner Mauboy was also paid $44,000 of taxpayer money to perform. “What an honour it was to perform at the reception for the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit 2024 in Melbourne this week,” she posted on social media at the time. The 10 ASEAN nation leaders, plus Anthony Albanese and the ASEAN secretary-general were treated to a $44,000 performance. Picture: Supplied “Thank you so much for having me.” In a statement, the Prime Minister’s office said the summit was a “major event commemorating 50 years of our relations with ASEAN” and pointed to the economic value of Australian trade within ASEAN nations. “All procurement related to the summit was undertaken in accordance with Commonwealth procurement rules,” the statement read. “Expenditure on the summit was in line with similar-sized events, including the 2018 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Sydney.” Separate publicly available tender documents show hiring the National Gallery of Victoria cost more than $41,000, plus $13,600 for food and drinks. More Coverage ‘Exactly right’: Albo’s tongue-in-cheek remark Blair Jackson ‘97 times’: Albo’s reminder of broken promise Blair Jackson Originally published as Anthony Albanese treats world leaders to $60k worth of flowers and entertainment Read related topics: Anthony Albanese More related stories Hockey Olympic great calls time on career A five-time Olympian has made his final appearance for the Kookaburras after announcing his international retirement. Read more Breaking News Australia-Israel relationship at ‘lowest ebb’ Australia’s relationship with Israel is at its “lowest ebb in decades” after a controversial former Israeli minister was refused entry. Read more
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