After a sprawling hacking campaign exposed the communications of an unknown number of Americans, U.S. cybersecurity officials are advising people to use encryption in their communications. To safeguard against the risks highlighted by the campaign, which originated in China, federal cybersecurity authorities released an extensive list of security recommendations for U.S. telecom companies — such as Verizon and AT&T — that were targeted. The advice includes one tip we can all put into practice with our phones: “Ensure that traffic is end-to-end encrypted to the maximum extent possible.” End-to-end encryption, also known as E2EE, means that messages are scrambled so that only the sender and recipient can see them. If anyone else intercepts the message, all they will see is garble that can't be unscrambled without the key. Law enforcement officials had until now resisted this type of encryption because it means the technology companies themselves won't be able to look at the messages, nor respond to law enforcement requests to turn the data over. Here's a look at various ways ordinary consumers can use end-to-end encryption: Officials said the hackers targeted the metadata of a large number of customers, including information on the dates, times and recipients of calls and texts. They also managed to see the content from texts from a much smaller number of victims. If you're an iPhone user, information in text messages that you send to someone else who also has an iPhone will be encrypted end-to-end. Just look for the blue text bubbles, which indicate that they are encrypted iMessages. The same goes for Android users sending texts through Google Messages. There will be a lock next to the timestamp on each message to indicate the encryption is on. But there's a weakness. When iPhone and Android users text each other, the messages are encrypted only using Rich Communication Services, an industry standard for instant messaging that replaces the older SMS and MMS standards. Apple has noted that RCS messages “aren’t end-to-end encrypted, which means they’re not protected from a third party reading them while they’re sent between devices.” Samsung, which sells Android smartphones, has also hinted at the issue in a footnote at the bottom of a press release last month on RCS, saying, “Encryption only available for Android to Android communication.” To avoid getting caught out when trading texts, experts recommend using encrypted messaging apps. Privacy advocates are big fans of Signal, which applies end-to-end encryption to all messages and voice calls. The independent nonprofit group behind the app promises never to sell, rent or lease customer data and has made its source code publicly available so that it can be audited by anyone to examine it “for security and correctness.” Signal's encryption protocol is so reputable that it has been integrated into rival WhatsApp, so users will enjoy the same level of security protection as Signal, which has a much smaller user base. End-to-end encryption is also the default mode for Facebook Messenger, which like WhatsApp is owned by Meta Platforms. Telegram is an app that can be used for one-on-one conversations, group chats and broadcast “channels" but contrary to popular perception, it doesn't turn on end-to-end encryption by default. Users have to switch on the option. And it doesn’t work with group chats. Cybersecurity experts have warned people against using Telegram for private communications and pointed out that only its opt-in ‘secret chat’ feature is encrypted from end-to-end. The app also has a reputation for being a haven for scammers and criminal activity, highlighted by founder and CEO Pavel Durov's arrest in France. Instead of using your phone to make calls through a wireless cellular network, you can make voice calls with Signal and WhatsApp. Both apps encrypt calls with the same technology that they use to encrypt messages. There are other options. If you have an iPhone you can use Facetime for calls, while Android owners can use the Google Fi service, which are both end-to-end encrypted. The only catch with all these options is that, as with using the chat services to send messages, the person on the other end will also have to have the app installed. WhatsApp and Signal users can customize their privacy preferences in the settings, including hiding an IP address during calls to prevent your general location from being guessed. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!The United States is closely watching the situation in the Middle East after rebels overthrew Syrian dictator President Bashar Assad over the weekend. He's said to be in Russia after the country granted him political asylum. President Joe Biden has called the collapse a "fundamental act of justice" after decades of repression, but also "a moment of risk and uncertainty." The Biden administration says senior U.S. officials are now spread out across the region during this transition period as the U.S. works to prevent ISIS from reemerging. Rebels, who overthrew the dictator, are now taking control in Damascus. "It's imperative that all actors involved protect civilians, respect human rights especially vulnerable minorities," said Secretary of State Antony Blinken. But while the U.S. sees this as a moment of opportunity, "it's also a moment of risk and uncertainty," Biden added. Biden warned ISIS could try to take advantage of that uncertainty. "We will not let that happen," he said. The U.S. remains concerned about their presence in the country. "There are tens of thousands of ISIS supporters that are still detained in the Northeast," said Amy Austin Holmes, a research professor of international affairs at George Washington University. Sunday, U.S. forces hit more than 75 ISIS camps and operations in Syria in response. "They do believe preliminarily that they were very, very successful in hitting legitimate ISIS targets and further degrading their capabilities," said John Kirby, White House National Security Council spokesperson. This transition is felt on the ground. Syria's prime minister says most cabinet members are still at work, but some state workers are not returning to their jobs. A United Nations official said Syria's public sector has come to an abrupt halt. This as Syrian refugees celebrate after the collapse of Assad's reign. Some say he'll be remembered as one of the most brutal dictators in history. "He's used chemical weapons against his own people. He's barrel bombed his own people," Austin Holmes said. The State Department says it's also working to get information about missing American journalist Austin Tice and bring him home. He disappeared at a checkpoint in Syria 12 years ago. President Biden said he believes Tice is still alive, but acknowledges there's no direct evidence.TORONTO -- TORONTO (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump was joking when he suggested Canada become the 51st U.S. state during a dinner with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a Canadian minister who attended their recent dinner said Tuesday. Fox News reported that Trump made the comment in response to Trudeau raising concerns that Trump's threatened tariffs on Canada would damage Canada's economy. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who attended the Friday dinner at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club, said Trump's comments were in jest. “The president was telling jokes. The president was teasing us. It was, of course, on that issue, in no way a serious comment,” LeBlanc told reporters in Ottawa. LeBlanc described it as a three-hour social evening at the president’s residence in Florida on a long weekend of American Thanksgiving. “The conversation was going to be light-hearted,” he said. He called the relations warm and cordial and said the fact that “the president is able to joke like that for us” indicates good relations. On Tuesday, Trump appeared to continue with the joke, posting on his Truth Social platform an AI-generated image of himself standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him with the caption “Oh Canada!" Some Canadians had fun with it. “If I were President Trump, I’d think twice before invading Canada. The last time the U.S. tried something like that— back in the War of 1812 —it didn’t exactly end well. Canada even burned down the White House,” former Quebec Premier Jean Charest joked on X. Earlier last week, the Republican president-elect threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico unless they stem the flow of migrants and drugs. Trudeau requested the meeting in a bid to avoid the tariffs by convincing Trump that the northern border is nothing like the U.S. southern border with Mexico . Trudeau held a rare meeting with opposition leaders on Tuesday about U.S-Canada relations and later said that opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre shouldn’t amplify the erroneous narratives that Americans are saying about the border. “Less than one percent of migrants coming into the United States irregularly come from Canada and 0.2 percent of the fentanyl coming into the United States comes from Canada,” Trudeau said in Parliament. Canadian officials have said there are plans to put more helicopters, drones and law enforcement officers at the border. At the dinner, Kristen Hillman, Canada's ambassador to the U.S., said America’s trade deficit with Canada was also raised. Hillman said the U.S. had a $75 billion trade deficit with Canada last year but noted a third of what Canada sells into the U.S. is energy exports and prices have been high. “Trade balances are something that he focuses on so it’s important to engage in that conversation but to put it into context,” Hillman told The Associated Press. “We are one-tenth the size of the United States so a balanced trade deal would mean per capita we are buying 10 times more from the U.S. than they are buying from us. If that’s his metric we will certainly engage on that.” Hillman said Canada sold $170 billion worth of energy products last year to the U.S. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports as well. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing for national security. About 77% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. Trudeau's government successfully employed a “Team Canada” approach during Trump’s first term in office when the free trade deal between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico was renegotiated. But Trudeau’s minority government is in a much weaker position politically now and faces an election within a year. Poilievre, Canada's opposition leader, said the tariffs would harm Americans. “The president-elect was elected on a promise to make America richer. These tariffs would make America poorer,” Poilievre said after meeting with Trudeau. Poilievre said the U.S. would be wise to do more free trade with its best friend and closest ally. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly 3.6 billion Canadian dollars ($2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Trudeau returned home after the dinner at Mar-a-Lago club in Florida without assurances Trump would back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. The flows of migrants and seizures of drugs are vastly different. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Most of the fentanyl reaching the U.S. — where it causes about 70,000 overdose deaths annually — is made by Mexican drug cartels using precursor chemicals smuggled from Asia. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol reported 1.53 million encounters with irregular migrants at the southwest border with Mexico between October 2023 and September 2024. That compares to 23,721 encounters at the Canadian border during that time.
In the wake of this tragic event, there is a renewed sense of urgency to address the underlying issues that contribute to acts of violence in our society. It is imperative that we work towards creating a safer and more compassionate world for all individuals, where incidents like this one become a rarity rather than a grim reality.A recent study that recommended toxic chemicals in black plastic products be immediately thrown away included a math error that significantly overstated the risks of contamination, but its authors are standing by their conclusions and warn against using such products. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Chemosphere , experts from the nonprofit Toxic-Free Future said they detected flame retardants and other toxic chemicals in 85% of 203 items made of black plastic including kitchen utensils , take-out containers, children's toys and hair accessories. In a blog post, Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill University's Office for Science and Society in Canada, explained that the Toxin-Free Future scientists miscalculated the lower end of what the EPA considered a health risk through a multiplication error. Instead of humans being potentially exposed to a dose of toxic chemicals in black plastic utensils near the minimum level that the EPA deems a health risk, it's actually about one-tenth of that. (Dreamstime/TNS) The study initially said the potential exposure to chemicals found in one of the kitchen utensils approached the minimum levels the Environmental Protection Agency deemed a health risk. But in an update to the study, the authors say they made an error in their calculations and the real levels were "an order of magnitude lower" than the EPA's thresholds. The error was discovered by Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill University's Office for Science and Society in Canada. In a blog post, Schwarcz explained that the Toxin-Free Future scientists miscalculated the lower end of what the EPA considered a health risk through a multiplication error. Instead of humans being potentially exposed to a dose of toxic chemicals in black plastic utensils near the minimum level that the EPA deems a health risk, it's actually about one-tenth of that. Though Schwarcz said the risks outlined in the study aren't enough for him to discard his black plastic kitchen items if he had them, he agreed with the authors that flame retardants shouldn't be in these products in the first place. "The math error does not impact the study's findings, conclusions or recommendations," said Megan Liu, a co-author of the study who is the science and policy manager for Toxic-Free Future . She added that any traces of flame retardants or toxic chemicals in cooking utensils should be concerning for the public. Flame retardants are getting into commonly used items because black-colored products are being made from recycled electronic waste, such as discarded television sets and computers, that frequently contain the additives. When they're heated, the flame retardants and other toxic chemicals can migrate out. If you're wondering whether your old black plastic spoon or other utensils are a part of this group, Liu shared some more guidance. Generally, how do I know a product is harmful? It's nearly impossible to know whether a black plastic product is contaminated. That's because these products that include recycled e-waste don't disclose a detailed list of all ingredients and contaminants in the product. Liu said it's also unclear how many types of flame retardants are in these black plastic products. Some of the products that researchers tested in this recent study "had up to nine different harmful chemicals and harmful flame retardants in them," she said. How can I find out if black plastic food trays are made with recycled contaminated plastic? Anytime you're looking for the type of recycled plastic a product is made of you're going to look for a number within the chasing arrows (that form a triangle) logo. Recycling symbols are numbered 1 to 7 and we commonly associate the numbers with what we can toss in our blue recycling bins. The 1 through 7 numbers stand for, respectively, polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene or Styrofoam, and miscellaneous plastics (including polycarbonate, polylactide, acrylic, acrylonitrile butadiene, styrene, fiberglass and nylon). The study found higher levels of toxic flame retardants in polystyrene plastic, which is labeled with the number 6, said Liu. When did recycled e-waste begin contaminating black plastic products? There isn't a definitive timeline of when recycled electronic-waste started to be incorporated into black plastic products specifically, but e-waste started to get recycled in the early 2000s, Liu said. The way computers, cellphones, stereos, printers and copiers were being disposed of previously was to simply add them to a landfill without reusing salvageable parts. But as the National Conference of State Legislatures notes, electronics production required a significant amount of resources that could be recovered through recycling. Recovering resources such as metals, plastics and glass through recycling used a fraction of the energy needed to mine new materials. However, the study pointed out that flame retardants and other chemical contaminates have been detected in and near e-waste recycling facilities, in indoor air and dust at formal e-waste recycling facilities in Canada, China, Spain and the U.S. It also noted contamination in soil samples surrounding e-waste recycling sites in China and Vietnam. What are safer alternatives? The safest nontoxic material options for kitchen utensil are wood and stainless steel. The 20th century brought airplanes, radio, television, the internet, and plastic. Lots of plastic. That plastic is now showing up on shorelines, forming islands in oceans, and generating mountains of translucent trash on land. Around 700 species of animals in the sea have been found to interact with plastic daily. Companies across every industry face pressure to reduce the amount of plastic they produce. Seventy-two percent of the world's largest have made voluntary commitments to reduce their plastic waste, according to a Duke University analysis. One industry, in particular, has greatly benefited from advancements in single-use plastic technology: the medical industry. Only in recent years have businesses and academics in the field begun to talk about minimizing their impact on our environment like beverage manufacturers and other consumer goods-producing businesses. Medical Technology Schools analyzed academic studies published in the National Library of Medicine , the American Medical Association , and news reports to shed light on the medical community's use of plastics through history, their environmental problems, and proposed solutions to reduce their impact. And the impact can be significant. A single hospital patient generates nearly 34 pounds of waste a day —as much as a quarter of it is plastic. The COVID-19 pandemic only worsened the problem. The pandemic pushed hospital capacity to the brink and led to a massive increase in personal protective equipment and medical supply usage. Medical-grade masks and other protective equipment like face shields, made mostly of nonrenewable plastics, were in high demand. In 2020, the World Health Organization estimated that the international need for PPE manufacturing would boost 40% to address the public health crisis. Hospitals needed an estimated 89 million masks, 76 million gloves, and 1.6 million goggles every month of the pandemic. To date, nearly 677 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered, each requiring their own plastic syringe, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Global consulting firm Frost & Sullivan estimated that the U.S. would produce a year's worth of medical waste in just two months due to the pandemic. The World Economic Forum warned that the COVID-19 crisis threatened to " stall and even reverse progress " to reduce large plastic waste. It's a challenge researchers acknowledge today as they search for solutions. Plastics introduced an era of ultraconvenience to the world. It makes our clothes. It's made bike helmets and airbags possible. And it's a cheap material to produce, meaning it's cheap for consumers too. Almost as importantly, it's durable and incredibly easy to make into complex shapes—a trait that helped plastics invented in the mid-20th century quickly replace more expensive metal and wooden goods. That adoption extended to the medical field, where the single-use nature of plastics represented a move toward more hygienic tools for physicians and hospitals. But it wasn't plastic's sanitary qualities that the industry first latched onto. Like so many other technical advancements, convenience and cost were the initial driving factors. That they were more conducive to creating a sterile environment for patients was a benefit that health care began to tout closer to the end of the 20th century. PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, replaced glass bottles previously used to hold IV solution and replaced rubber tubing used throughout hospital settings. Plastic has also become the go-to material for making syringes and catheters. Plastic products are generally made from chemicals derived from the oil and natural gas refining process. Chemists use those byproducts to create synthetic materials with malleable and durable chemical structures. The low cost of these materials has helped medical device-makers support better health outcomes for communities across the U.S. since the 1900s. No longer was health care priced at rates only the elite could afford—it was accessible to a much larger swath of the public. In the last decade, the U.S., in particular, has emerged as a massive market for medical plastics. The country generally accounts for nearly half of the global market for medical devices. Plastic's durability is not only a benefit but a detriment to the environment, as the material can take many years to deteriorate when it enters landfills or trashes oceans. Estimates vary widely, but scientists ballpark that depending on the kind of plastic and the environment in which it decomposes, it could take dozens to thousands of years to break down entirely. COVID-19, which remains a burden for health care systems, isn't the only force raising the stakes for a health care industry pressured to reduce reliance on plastics or find ways to reuse them. Global annual production of plastic has doubled in the last two decades , according to the Environmental Protection Agency. As the U.S. looks toward the future, its aging population is another factor that could exacerbate the rate at which medical plastics end up in landfills. People require more medical care as they age, and aging baby boomers are expected to place increased demand on the medical device industry. At the same time, governments are under pressure to lower health care costs, which have become unaffordable even for those insured . As recently as 2021, researchers lamented a lack of data on efforts to recycle medical plastics. Around 350 hospitals participate in Practice Greenhealth's Environmental Excellence Awards . Practice Greenhealth is an organization working to help hospitals increase their sustainability. It's one of the few sources of hospital sustainability data, and its roster of participating hospitals represents a small fraction of the more than 6,000 hospitals operating in the U.S. To meet the need to reduce plastic waste generation, some hospitals are moving away from using plastic in certain applications. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center replaced health care workers' disposable plastic isolation gowns with reusable cloth gowns at its hospitals in the last decade, saving money and preventing literal tons of medical waste. It also implemented a process for sterilizing and incinerating the boxes that hold used needles, allowing them to be reassembled and reused in a health care setting. Recycling plastic medical waste is complicated by the potential for contamination and the need to separate contaminated and noncontaminated waste; once separated, they can be broken down with heat or treated with chemicals and reprocessed. However, using chemical methods to break down and dispose of plastics has drawbacks. Over 200 nongovernmental organizations signed a letter in 2023 urging the Biden administration to end federal support for methods like these, arguing they generate toxic pollutants. The Vinyl Council of Australia is working with hospitals to recover used materials made of PVC . The materials are broken down into tiny pieces, washed and heated at high temperatures, and remade into things used outside medical settings. In the U.S. and Europe, there's the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council, a coalition of companies working in the health care device space that includes DuPont, Johnson & Johnson, and Medtronic. In 2021, the HPRC, advised by professionals at Kaiser Permanente and other health systems, rolled out a medical waste recycling pilot project with hopes of scaling it across more hospitals. Story editing by Ashleigh Graf. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Clarese Moller. This story originally appeared on Medical Technology Schools and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week!Attention! Top Grade Three Hospital in Guangzhou to Suspend Medical Services for RenovationDAMASCUS, Syria — Syria's prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers were back at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad, but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the country's public sector came "to a complete and abrupt halt." Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighboring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Assad's brutal rule. The rebel alliance now in control of much of the country is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and promises representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said Monday they would not tell women how to dress. Syrian citizens stand on a government forces tank that was left on a street Monday as they celebrate in Damascus, Syria. "It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women's dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty," the command said on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the U.N. official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was long known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met for the first time with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali, who stayed in Syria when Assad fled. Israel said it carried out airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets to keep them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israel also seized a buffer zone inside Syria after Syrian troops withdrew. Syrians wait to cross into Syria from Turkey on Monday at the Oncupinar border gate near the town of Kilis, southern Turkey. In northern Syria, Turkey said allied opposition forces seized the town of Manbij from Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States, a reminder that even after Assad's departure, the country remains split among armed groups that have fought in the past. The Kremlin said Russia granted political asylum to Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Assad's specific whereabouts and said Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people still celebrated. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence, though in some areas small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets. Syrian citizens celebrate Monday during the second day of the takeover of the city by the insurgents in Damascus, Syria. Across swathes of Syria, families are now waiting outside prisons, security offices and courts, hoping for news of loved ones who were imprisoned or who disappeared. Just north of Damascus in the feared Saydnaya military prison, women detainees, some with their children, screamed as rebels broke locks off their cell doors. Amnesty International and other groups say dozens of people were secretly executed every week in Saydnaya, and they estimate that up to 13,000 Syrians were killed between 2011 and 2016. "Don't be afraid," one rebel said as he ushered women from packed cells. "Bashar Assad has fallen!" In southern Turkey, Mustafa Sultan was among hundreds of Syrian refugees waiting at border crossings to head home. He was searching for his older brother, who was imprisoned under Assad. "I haven't seen him for 13 years," he said. "I am going to go see whether he's alive." Jalali, the prime minister, sought to project normalcy since Assad fled. "We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth," he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation already improved from the day before. Israeli soldiers sit on top of a tank Monday along the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria, in the town of Majdal Shams. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said Sunday that judges were ready to resume work quickly. "We want to give everyone their rights," Haddad said outside the courthouse. "We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods." But a U.N. official said some government services were paralyzed as worried state employees stayed home. The public sector "has just come to a complete and abrupt halt," said U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Adam Abdelmoula, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies was put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. "This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonized by the public media are now in charge in the nation's capital," Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. "I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again." People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Members of the Syrian community in Finland wave a Syrian flag and celebrate in Helsinki, Finland, Dec. 8, 2024. (Roni Rekomaa/Lehtikuva via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Syrians wave opposition flags and give out sweets during a spontaneous rally in Wuppertal, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa/dpa via AP) Syrians celebrate the fall of the Assad regime in Syria at a demonstration in Stockholm, Sweden, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Jonas Ekstroemer/TT News Agency via AP) A Syrian man waves a flag during a spontaneous demonstration celebrating the fall of the Assad regime, in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Syrians wave Syrian opposition flags at a rally in Wuppertal, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa/dpa via AP) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) Syrians living in France gather on Republique square after the Syrian government fell early today in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government's fall, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Syrians living in France hug during a rally on Republique square after the Syrian government fell early today in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A Syrian man waves a flag during a spontaneous demonstration celebrating the fall of the Assad regime in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Get local news delivered to your inbox!
5. **Zhai Xiaochuan** 'Where are we supposed to go?': Emotional reaction to Ford government’s hard line on encampmentsAt 2-12 entering play Friday night, the Philadelphia 76ers are one of the worst teams in the NBA and their aspirations of a championship seem to be dissipating by the day. The 76ers, of course, aren't out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture with 68 games left in the regular season. The top six finishers in each conference make the playoffs, with the play-in reserved for the seventh through 10th seeds. The Atlanta Hawks currently hold down the sixth spot in the East at 7-9. Even with a favorable conference set-up, the reality is this season can really get off track if the Sixers aren't careful. Simply put, they must string wins together — and fast. A look at the next couple of weeks shows games one would believe are winnable against the Brooklyn Nets (6-9), Charlotte Hornets (6-9) and Detroit Pistons (7-10). But considering the drama off the court with the recent team meeting and the on-court struggles, this team hasn't earned the benefit of the doubt when projecting wins. In a perfect world, the team must hope that once healthy, the trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey will elevate Philadelphia among the league's elite. But that vision is blurred at the moment. Embiid's left knee still doesn't seem to be right and George will miss at least the next two games after hyperextending his left knee in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. This is the same injury he had in the preseason. Oh, and Maxey is just returning from a hamstring injury after missing six games, so he must find his rhythm again. Nobody knows when this Big Three will have a chance to build chemistry. There's also the matter of supporting pieces, or lack thereof. Jared McCain (15.6 PPG) has been a pleasant surprise and is a great building piece for the future, but he's still just a rookie. It's also fair to ask if 38-year-old Kyle Lowry and 35-year-old Eric Gordon should be playing legit minutes on a team with championship aspirations in 2024? This roster has proved it's not good enough to survive Embiid not playing in back-to-backs and absences from George and Maxey. Yes, the All-Star level talent makes it hard to totally put the Sixers on ice for the season, but sometimes logic is the best guide to projecting future outcomes. Logic says they aren't a cohesive unit. Logic says their best player (Embiid) can't be relied on consistently to be healthy. Logic says their big signing (George) is old (34) and can't carry the heavy load when Embiid is out. Logic also says the 76ers can't expect the young backcourt of Maxey and McCain to hold it down when the aforementioned are out. Can things get better? Sure, but there's another reality the Sixers have to face: Philadelphia can't afford to take games in November and December for granted. If the team isn't careful, it will go from championship contender to a spot among the league's basement dwellers. Through 14 games, they Sixers are much closer to the latter.In the world of basketball, strategy, skill, and teamwork are essential components for achieving success on the court. The Shanxi basketball team, under the guidance of their head coach, has been focusing on optimizing their defensive capabilities and strengthening their performance on the boards. One player who has been singled out for special attention in this regard is Liu Chuanxing. The head coach has been encouraging Liu to play more aggressively to improve the team's defense and rebounding, recognizing the vital role that these aspects play in the overall success of the team.
Nexgel director Steven Glassman buys $24,997 in common stock
In conclusion, "Brothers of Four Seas" stands as a testament to the power of narrative innovation and creative storytelling in reinvigorating classic genres. Through its bold adoption of a linear narrative structure, the film has set a new standard for mafia cinema, offering audiences a fresh perspective on the age-old tale of brotherhood, honor, and betrayal. As the saga continues to captivate audiences around the world, one thing is certain - the bonds of brotherhood and the allure of power will always reign supreme in the world of organized crime.
WASHINGTON − The Supreme Court will decide whether the work of the charitable arm of a Catholic diocese is sufficiently religious to be exempt from unemployment taxes, a case being closely watched by religious groups around the country. The case the court agreed to hear involves Catholic Charities Bureau and four independently incorporated organizations controlled by the diocese in Wisconsin that serve people with developmental and mental health disabilities. Similar to other states, Wisconsin exempts from its unemployment tax system organizations “operated primarily for religious purposes and operated, supervised, controlled, or principally supported by a church or convention or association of churches.” The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that the organizations at issue should have to pay into the state’s unemployment system because they are not operated primarily for religious purposes, even if the services are religiously motivated. People who get the agency's social services don’t receive religious instruction and employees don’t have to be Catholic. The subsidiary organizations receive no funding from the diocese. Their services – including job training, placement and coaching – can be provided by groups with either religious or secular motivations, the state Supreme Court said, “and the services provided would not differ in any sense.” “If we looked to the church's purpose in operating the organization only, then any religiously affiliated organization would always be exempt,” Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley wrote for the majority. A 263-day wait for jobless benefits Alabama shrimp farmer takes case to Supreme Court But lawyers for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, who are representing the diocese, said that what Walsh was essentially – and incorrectly – saying is, “it doesn’t matter if Catholic Charities gives a cup of water in Jesus’ name, because non-religious charities offer cups of water too.” “It shouldn’t take a theologian to understand that serving the poor is a religious duty for Catholics,” Eric Rassbach, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, said when the group filed its appeal. “But the Wisconsin Supreme Court embraced the absurd conclusion that Catholic Charities has no religious purpose. We’re asking the Supreme Court to step in and fix that mistake.” Wisconsin Attorney General Joshua Kaul said there was no mistake. The Wisconsin Supreme Court, Kaul said in a filing, correctly applied a neutral state law that “imposes no constitutionally significant burden on their religious exercise.” “Courts routinely deny religious tax exemptions to entities that assert religious motivations without overly entangling themselves in religious matters,” he told the high court. The case, Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission, is expected to be decided by summer.Despite the advancements in technology and the impressive graphics of modern video games, there is still a certain intangible quality that actors like Harrison Ford bring to their performances that cannot be replicated in a digital format. The human element, the emotions, and the subtle nuances that actors bring to their roles are what make characters truly come to life on screen, and it is these qualities that fans often find lacking in digital recreations of beloved characters.
As Greenwood continues to dazzle on the football pitch, one thing is clear - he is a special talent with the potential to achieve great things in the game. His rapid rise to the top of European football is a testament to his hard work, dedication, and natural ability. And with records tumbling and defenders left in his wake, Mason Greenwood is showing that he belongs among the elite goal scorers of his generation. The future is bright for this young star, and the footballing world will be watching closely as he continues to light up the pitch with his goalscoring exploits.
In the end, the words "filial piety" took on a whole new meaning, as the selfless actions of a daughter in her father's time of need touched the hearts of all who witnessed it. The world may be a chaotic and unpredictable place, but in the face of adversity, love will always prevail.In addition to outstanding sound quality, the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 series offers a host of features designed to enhance your listening experience. Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology reduces external noise, allowing you to focus solely on the music without distractions. Whether you're commuting on a noisy train or working in a bustling cafe, the Galaxy Buds3 series ensures that you can immerse yourself in your favorite tunes without any interruptions.Man Arrested for Spreading Fake News About Amit Shah’s ‘Demise’
The incident occurred onboard a China Eastern Airlines flight as it was preparing to land at Nanjing Lukou International Airport. According to witnesses, the passenger, a middle-aged man, began to show signs of distress shortly before landing. Despite the efforts of the cabin crew and fellow passengers to assist him, the situation quickly escalated, and the man lost consciousness.With Chelsea's attacking players stealing the spotlight, Ramsdale has been quietly going about his business, making crucial saves and keeping the team solid at the back. His presence in goal has given the Chelsea defense a sense of security, allowing the attacking players to play with freedom and creativity knowing that they have a reliable last line of defense behind them.Key posts 4.20am In pictures: Seoul descends into chaos after martial law declaration 3.52am Yoon Suk Yeol says martial law declaration will be lifted 3.32am Martial law declared in South Korea, sparking chaos Hide key posts Posts area Latest 1 of 1 Go to latest Pinned post from 3.32am Martial law declared in South Korea, sparking chaos By Riley Walter On Tuesday night, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, sending the capital, Seoul, into chaos. Here’s what you need to know: Yoon made the declaration, vowing to eradicate “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces” and said he had no choice but to take the measure to safeguard constitutional order. The country’s National Assembly passed a motion to have the martial law declaration lifted, but it will remain in place until Yoon complies with the vote. Just before 5am local time (7am AEDT), Yoon announced that he would move to lift the martial law declaration at a cabinet meeting “as soon as members arrive”. Tuesday’s move was the first time since 1980 that martial law has been declared in South Korea. Under martial law, South Korea’s military has the authority to suspend parliament and political activities and arrest those protesting the declaration. Shortly after Yoon’s announcement, made on live television, troops enforcing martial law swarmed the National Assembly building in Seoul as protesters gathered outside calling for the declaration to be lifted and for the president to be arrested. The United States is closely monitoring the situation and in contact with the South Korean government, a White House spokesperson said. Read our full story here . Latest posts Latest posts 4.45am Australians in South Korea warned to stay away from mass gatherings By Josefine Ganko Australians in South Korea should stay away from mass gatherings and listen to official advice amid the unfolding political crisis, says Finance Minister Katy Gallagher. Gallagher told ABC News Breakfast there was lots of “uncertainty” around President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law, which was walked back early this morning. People gathered outside the National Assembly building in Seoul protesting the martial law declaration. Credit: Getty Images She said the government had been briefed by the relevant agencies. “I think that the best message that we can give on this unfolding situation is for any Australians in South Korea to really listen to official advice and stay away from some of the mass gatherings as we continue to get across and understand the full implications of what’s happened overnight.” 4.20am In pictures: Seoul descends into chaos after martial law declaration By Riley Walter The first declaration of martial law in South Korea in almost 50 years sparked chaos in the country’s capital, Seoul, as thousands gathered to protest the move outside parliament and troops descended on the National Assembly building. Footage captured by a South Korean media outlet, OhmyTV, shows a woman tussling with a soldier as she attempts to take his gun before being pushed aside. South Korean troops try to enter the National Assembly building. Credit: Getty Images Other footage circulating online shows troops smashing windows of the National Assembly building to gain access after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration. 3.52am Yoon Suk Yeol says martial law declaration will be lifted By Riley Walter South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says he will soon move to lift the martial law declaration imposed on Tuesday night, honouring a parliamentary vote against the measure. Yoon said his government had withdrawn military personnel that had been deployed, and that he would formally lift martial law following a cabinet meeting “as soon as members arrive”. It is just before 5am local time in Seoul, South Korea’s capital. Yoon declared martial law on Tuesday to thwart “anti-state forces” among his opponents. But outraged MPs rejected the decree, as protesters gathered outside parliament in the country’s biggest political crisis in decades. Protesters gathered outside the National Assembly building in Seoul after the martial law declaration. Credit: AP Yoon’s surprise declaration, which he cast as aimed at his political foes, was unanimously voted down by 190 MPs. Under South Korean law, the president must immediately lift martial law if parliament demands it by a majority vote. His own party urged him to lift the decree. The crisis in a country that has been a democracy since the 1980s, and is a US ally and major Asian economy, caused international alarm. Reuters, AP Advertisement 3.49am Why South Korea matters By Chris Zappone South Korea has hosted US troops since the cessation of fighting at the end of the Korean War in 1953. The conflict, which saw North Korea fight for control of the peninsula with South Korea, was a central event of the Cold War (the geopolitical situation which lasted from the end of World War II until the early 1990s.) South Korea has transitioned from that time from an authoritarian nation to a liberal democracy with a rising standard of living. Its economy transformed from agriculture to high technology and exports, although like other nations, standards of living have struggled in recent years. The ceasefire in the Korean War, which has held since 1953, sees North Korea and South Korea in a state of continual tension – with Pyongyang frequently testing the resolve of Seoul with rocket launches and threats. South Korea hosts approximately 28,000 US troops. North Korea, led by Kim Jong-un, is a Stalinist authoritarian regime. In recent years, it has grown closer to Russia with which it shares a border. South Korea along with Japan are key allies in the US-led security alliance in Asia, a grouping which has been pressured by the rise of China. For this reason, any sudden political shocks within South Korea are watched carefully. 3.34am President Yoon hints at North Korean role By Chris Zappone In South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s speech declaring martial law, he accused the opposition of trying to paralyse the administration and then invoked the threat from North Korea. “I am declaring a state of emergency martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threats of the North Korean communist forces, to eradicate the shameless pro-North anti-state forces that plunder the freedom and happiness of our people and to safeguard the free constitutional order. “Through this state of emergency martial law, I will rebuild and protect the free Republic of Korea, which is falling into the abyss of national ruin. “To this end, I will definitely eradicate the root causes of national ruin and the anti-state forces that have persistently engaged in malicious conduct.” South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday night. Credit: AP 3.33am US says it is watching events in South Korea with grave concern US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said the United States was watching events in US ally South Korea with “grave concern” and had every hope and expectation that any political disputes would be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law. Campbell spoke at an event at the US State Department after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in a surprise late-night TV address earlier on Tuesday, creating the most serious challenge to South Korea’s democracy since the 1980s. “We are watching the recent developments in ROK with grave concern,” Campbell said, using the acronym for Republic of Korea. “We’re seeking to engage our (South Korean) counterparts at every level, both here and in Seoul.” Campbell said President Joe Biden, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken were being kept appraised of the situation as it developed. He stressed that the US alliance with South Korea was “ironclad” and added: “We stand by Korea in their time of uncertainty. I also want to just underscore that we have every hope and expectation that any political disputes will be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law.” Reuters Advertisement 3.32am Martial law declared in South Korea, sparking chaos By Riley Walter On Tuesday night, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, sending the capital, Seoul, into chaos. Here’s what you need to know: Yoon made the declaration, vowing to eradicate “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces” and said he had no choice but to take the measure to safeguard constitutional order. The country’s National Assembly passed a motion to have the martial law declaration lifted, but it will remain in place until Yoon complies with the vote. Just before 5am local time (7am AEDT), Yoon announced that he would move to lift the martial law declaration at a cabinet meeting “as soon as members arrive”. Tuesday’s move was the first time since 1980 that martial law has been declared in South Korea. Under martial law, South Korea’s military has the authority to suspend parliament and political activities and arrest those protesting the declaration. Shortly after Yoon’s announcement, made on live television, troops enforcing martial law swarmed the National Assembly building in Seoul as protesters gathered outside calling for the declaration to be lifted and for the president to be arrested. The United States is closely monitoring the situation and in contact with the South Korean government, a White House spokesperson said. Read our full story here . Latest 1 of 1 Latest Most Viewed in World Loading
SUMMARY (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); NSO Group Held Accountable: A U.S. court ruled against NSO Group for hacking WhatsApp accounts, violating U.S. law and its terms of service. Pegasus Spyware Abuse: NSO exploited a WhatsApp flaw to install Pegasus spyware on 1,400 devices, targeting activists, journalists, and officials. WhatsApp Lawsuit Victory: WhatsApp sued NSO in 2019 after discovering the spyware attack, marking a major win for privacy rights. Court Rejects NSO’s Defense: The court dismissed NSO’s claims of immunity, holding it liable despite its stated anti-terrorism purpose. Spyware Industry Implications: The ruling sets a precedent for accountability, boosting privacy advocacy efforts against invasive technologies. The Israeli spyware company NSO Group has been held liable for compromising the accounts of hundreds of WhatsApp users, marking a significant legal victory for Meta Platforms. The Ruling In a landmark ruling, U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton found the NSO Group responsible for hacking and breaching the world’s leading messaging app WhatsApp’s terms of service, compromising the accounts of hundreds of its users. According to court documents (PDF), the NSO Group exploited a vulnerability in the messaging app to install its powerful Pegasus spyware on at least 1,400 devices. This spyware, known for its ability to infiltrate phones and extract sensitive data, was allegedly used to target journalists, human rights activists, political dissidents, and government officials, raising serious concerns about privacy and human rights. Background Details For your information, WhatsApp filed the lawsuit in 2019, accusing NSO Group of accessing its servers without authorization to deploy Pegasus . It was reported by Hackread.com that the NSO Group was suspected of exploiting a new “MMS Fingerprint” attack on WhatsApp, exposing device information without user interaction. Hackread.com also reported earlier this year that WhatsApp discovered the vulnerability in May 2019 , which let attackers install Pegasus spyware on users’ devices. The flaw was then used to target government officials and activists globally. WhatsApp sued NSO Group for the exploitation The Israeli firm, which claims its technology is used to combat terrorism and crime, argued that its actions were justified and that it should be shielded from liability. However, the court rejected these arguments, finding that it was responsible for the breach and that its actions violated US law. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); This ruling has major implications for the spyware industry , which operates in a legal gray area. It establishes a precedent that companies like NSO Group can be held accountable for the misuse of their technology, even if they claim to be providing services to legitimate government agencies. The decision is also a major victory for privacy advocates, who have long warned about the dangers of invasive surveillance technologies. WhatsApp hailed the ruling as a “huge win for privacy,” emphasizing that it would continue to work to protect user communications from such attacks. “We spent five years presenting our case because we firmly believe that spyware companies could not hide behind immunity or avoid accountability for their unlawful actions,” Will Cathcart, the head of WhatsApp stated. RELATED TOPICS ChatGPT’s Training Methods Challenged in Lawsuit Apple loses lawsuit against cyber security startup Corellium Amazon Files Lawsuits Against Fraudsters Over Fake Reviews YouTube MP3 Converter Site Shut Down After Labels Win Lawsuit Dutch Watchdog Sues Adobe Over Mass Collection of Citizen DataPlayoff game at Ohio State has sold 34% more tickets than Notre Dame game on StubHub
PRFZ: Small-Cap ETF Defining Size By FundamentalsThe suspect's Steam playing hours have raised concerns about the role of online platforms in enabling individuals with violent tendencies to further indulge in destructive behaviors. While video games themselves are not necessarily linked to violent behavior, the immersive nature of certain games can provide an outlet for individuals struggling with mental health issues to act out their fantasies in a virtual setting.