Raphael da Silva, the right-back, announced his retirement at the age of 32 after a career that saw him rise through the ranks of Fluminense in Brazil before making a high-profile move to Manchester United in 2008. Known for his tenacity, attacking flair, and versatility, Raphael became a fan favorite during his time at Old Trafford, where he won numerous domestic and international honors, including the Premier League title and the FIFA Club World Cup. Despite facing injury setbacks at various points in his career, Raphael always displayed unwavering determination and commitment to the game, earning the respect of teammates and opponents alike.
Syrians are dancing in the streets of Damascus and other cities, to celebrate the collapse of the hideous regime of Bashar al-Assad, the man responsible for an estimated 600,000 dead in a 13-year-long civil war — including tens of thousands viciously tortured to death in his dungeons. Those still alive have been staggering out of liberated prisons, limping and running toward family and freedom. “This is the moment of celebration,” I was told by the University of Oklahoma’s Joshua Landis, a Syria specialist with family in the country. He told me the dispirited Syrian army had faded away and let rebels win because they had been receiving little or no pay and no further support from their Russian and Iranian backers. That’s the good news. The not so good news: No one is certain what kind of government will follow Assad in the weeks to come — whether it will help stabilize the region, including Lebanon and possibly Gaza, or further tear it apart. The critical news, which may save Syria from a relapse into violence: Assad’s flight to exile in Moscow is a body blow to Iran’s ayatollahs and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, for whom Syria had critical importance. It displays their increasing weakness and paints them as losers. It makes them more vulnerable to anyone who seeks negotiations with either. President-elect Trump, take note. The immediate post-Assad threat is that Syria might collapse into separate militia fiefs or into another civil war. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (known as HTS) — the main rebel group that toppled the government in a lightning advance from the north — was once the Syrian branch of al-Qaida. Its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, broke with the terrorist group several years ago and is trying to soften his image. But Syria’s many minorities will have doubts. “Jolani’s going to have to reach out to all these different Syrian communities,” said Landis, hopefully. I still recall my last visit inside Syria in 2012, during the Arab Spring just before the heightened civil war and Islamist kidnappings made journalistic access almost impossible. With a Syrian translator, I visited a headquarters of a group called Ahrar al-Sham, inside an abandoned school, and the aggressive hostility of the fighters was only contained when a Belgian volunteer intervened. I soon left. I also interviewed moderate, unbearded civilian fighters who had set up militias because they wanted a democracy to replace Assad’s vicious rule. How to coalesce secular Syrians, moderate Muslims, Kurds, and Christians into a government with Islamists, and whether free elections will be possible is the huge challenge Syria will face. Yet, what gives me hope is that the Iranians and Russians will no longer be able to bend Syria to their will. After a popular uprising in 2011, Assad was only able to retain power because of intervention by Tehran, and later by Moscow. Although Syria has a religiously and ethnically mixed population, including a plurality of Sunni Muslims along with Kurds, Christians and other minorities, Assad belongs to a minority Shiite sect, known as Alawites, who have controlled the country for decades. Thus he was close to the Shiite regime in Tehran. The Iranians sent thousands of fighters to Syria, comprised of their own forces along with Iraqi Shiite militias and even Afghan refugees living in Iran. Led by Iranian Revolutionary Guards officers, they were much more effective combatants than the underpaid and corrupt Syrian army. Iran’s quid pro quo was Assad’s permission to allow Iranian weapons and missiles to be trucked and flown from Tehran via Damascus to Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon to use against Israel. Syria thus became a critical element of Tehran’s effort to encircle Israel with a “ring of fire” that included Lebanon’s Hezbollah militiamen (along with Hamas in Gaza and Houthis in Yemen). With Assad gone and Sunni Syrian rebel groups in charge, Iranians are fleeing the country. No more will they be able to transport weapons to Lebanon to be used against Israel. Nor will they be able to help the Alawite minority dominate the country. Russia, for its part, sent planes in 2015 to bomb Syrian civilians and cities into rubble, just as they have done to Ukraine. Moscow was rewarded with a critical Mediterranean port in Tartus and a major airfield which helped support Putin’s expansionist ambitions. Russia will most likely lose those bases, which gave them their only access to the Mediterranean and gave Putin an important Mideast role. His global access is thus shrinking. And Syria, hopefully, will be freed from his colonial games. This means that the Islamists, and Jolani, will have to look to the moderate Sunni Arab world and to the West to help rebuild their country and resettle Syrian refugees who return. Which in turn gives those Arabs and Western leaders leverage to prevent any attempt to impose an ultraconservative religious state. If this leverage is not used wisely, Jolani could become a threat, in a country where ISIS still has cells that are in touch with their counterparts in Iraq. If used wisely, Syria could revive and rebuild its shattered society. Nothing less is owed to the thousands who died under torture during Assad’s rule.How major US stock indexes fared Wednesday, 11/27/2024
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Moving forward, the fate of Sudan and the success of its transition to civilian rule will depend, in part, on how leaders like Bashir navigate the complexities of political change and chart a course towards a more peaceful and prosperous future for the country and its people. Only time will tell what legacy Bashir will leave behind and how his actions as a transitional government leader will shape Sudan's journey towards lasting stability and democracy.
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In the face of potential challenges, NVIDIA remains optimistic about its prospects in China and is committed to upholding the highest standards of compliance and innovation in the region. Only time will tell how the company navigates the regulatory landscape and sustains its momentum in this key market.The weather forecast warns of an impending cold snap, a blast of Arctic air that will send temperatures plummeting to record lows. The frosty bite in the air serves as a stark reminder that winter is here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. It's time to bundle up, hunker down, and brace ourselves for the onslaught of bone-chilling cold that lies ahead.
Gary moving ahead with much-awaited street light repairs
TORONTO — Canada's main stock index edged higher in trading on Wednesday, helped by strength in the technology sector, while U.S. stock markets also rose. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 5.45 points at 25,641.18. The index took a “breather” Wednesday ahead of key labour market indicators set to be released both in Canada and the U.S. this week, said Angelo Kourkafas, senior investment strategist at Edward Jones. Statistics Canada will report the latest data from the national labour force survey on Friday, the same day the November jobs report is due in the U.S. “That's the last important data point for the Bank of Canada before they meet next week,” said Kourkafas. November was a strong month for equities, he said, so it isn't surprising that investors are digesting the gains while they await new data. He said it’s expected that Statistics Canada will report an acceleration of job gains after last month brought a “relatively weak reading,” with job gains at about half of what analysts were expecting. While Canada’s central bank is expected to cut its key interest rate a fifth straight time on Dec. 11, the size of the cut could depend on that jobs data, he said. “We're now looking at a rebound, but as the Bank of Canada deliberates between a quarter point cut versus half a percentage point cut, I think what we are going to see in terms of unemployment rate and the base of job gains is going to have a say into that,” said Kourkafas, adding that wage growth is another important metric to watch. “If we see steady job growth and slowing wages, that can potentially tilt the Bank of Canada towards a larger cut.” In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 308.51 points at 45,014.04. The S&P 500 index was up 36.61 points at 6,086.49, while the Nasdaq composite was up 254.21 points at 19,735.12. U.S. markets were propelled by strength in the technology sector, said Kourkafas, highlighting strong results in quarterly earnings released this week by Salesforce Inc. and Marvell Technology Inc. “I think today's results highlight that there is still a long runway and still enthusiasm, excitement about artificial intelligence and kind of that multi-year adoption cycle,” he said. The Canadian dollar traded for 71.09 cents US compared with 71.14 cents US on Tuesday. The January crude oil contract was down US$1.40 at US$68.54 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$3.04 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was up US$8.30 at US$2,676.20 an ounce and the March copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.20 a pound. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press
In a stunning display of gaming prowess, the highly anticipated "Path of Exile 2" Early Access version has surged to incredible heights on the Steam platform, reaching a remarkable milestone of 1.1 million copies sold. This outstanding success has translated into a staggering revenue of nearly 200 million dollars, firmly establishing the game as a dominant force in the gaming industry."Hopefully, at least Assad won't be called": Zelenskyy criticizes Orban for calling PutinCrosswalk Ecosystem Unveils Groundbreaking DeFinitivePAPER (Whitepaper) on Decentralized Finance (DeFi) introducing C8WARP Technology infused DEx Aggregator + Native Swap & Global On/Off Ramping Complete Services
The program, launched by the government in an effort to stimulate the automobile industry and promote the renewal of the vehicle fleet, offers subsidies to individuals who trade in their old cars for new ones. This not only incentivizes consumers to upgrade to safer and more fuel-efficient vehicles but also contributes to reducing emissions and improving air quality.
Bray teams sweep first basketball games of seasonBut it wasn't just about showcasing her skills; Sun Yingsha took the time to encourage and motivate the young students, emphasizing the importance of perseverance, hard work, and a positive attitude in achieving their goals. Her words resonated with the students, who listened attentively and asked insightful questions about her training routine and competition experiences.The Hope Fair will kick off the holiday season with a pop-up Christmas market featuring bespoke selections by over 100 local and regional partner vendors, in the Ballroom of Avani Sukhumvit Bangkok Hotel, tomorrow from 11am to 8pm. This is a good time for artisans, entrepreneurs, charities and culinary experts to show up and assist those looking for perfect stocking stuffers, holiday decor, festive specialties or even show-stopping gifts. The Hope Fair prides itself on curating a market with meaningful, creative products that are produced in small batches and even made by hand. Whether it is homeware goods, creative jewellery, elegant accessories, artisanal goods, tempting pastries, tasty snacks or succulent delights, visitors can find something festive to enjoy for themselves or as a special gift to others. This year's market also marks the Hope Fair's 10th Christmas with its community of vendors and guests and it will see Santa Claus coming to town to sing Christmas classics, meet families and fill the air with holiday cheer at 3.30pm. Also, children from the Mercy Centre will come a carolling to show their appreciation for Hope Fair's support. Since its inception, the Hope Fair has donated over 1 million baht to the Mercy Centre. Those funds have gone to repairs in the school and caring for the blind, senior citizens and school-aged children. Visitors are also invited to contribute to the Centre by bringing donations such as gently-used clothes and household items, which will be collected and distributed to those in need. There is no admission fee. Visit thehopefair.com.
Lawyer for Abdelrazik accuses former minister of exiling him through passport denialThe European Commission's decision to launch this survey follows similar investigations into other tech giants, underscoring the EU's commitment to ensuring fair competition in the digital market. Recent regulatory actions against companies like Google and Amazon have set a precedent for holding tech firms accountable for anti-competitive behavior.
As news of Rafael's retirement spread, tributes poured in from fans, former teammates, and footballing icons who praised his contributions to the game. Many highlighted his infectious personality, his leadership qualities, and his never-give-up mentality as reasons for his lasting impact on the teams he represented.