We are one week into the 2024-25 swimming season. A few squads have navigated a couple of wins, while others made some noise in their inaugural contest. Have a look below at the Swimmer of the Week in each conference between December 4-10. Girls swimming Boys swimming The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) PJ Potter may be reached at PPotter@njadvancemedia.com .
Venture investor and podcaster David Sacks will join the Trump administration as the "White House A.I. & Crypto Czar," President-elect Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on Thursday. Sacks will guide the administration's policies for artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, Trump wrote. Some of that work includes creating a legal framework for crypto, as well as leading a presidential council of advisors on science and technology . "David will focus on making America the clear global leader in both areas," Trump wrote. "He will safeguard Free Speech online, and steer us away from Big Tech bias and censorship." The appointment signals that the second Trump administration is rewarding Silicon Valley figures who supported his campaign. It also indicates that the administration will push for policies that cryptocurrency entrepreneurs generally support. Sacks became a major Trump booster earlier this year, hosting a fundraiser for the then-Republican nominee at his San Francisco mansion. Tickets sold for $50,000 a head, with a $300,000 tier that included perks like a photo with Trump. It was a stark change of tone for Sacks, who was sharply critical of Trump after the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Sacks said on an episode of his All-In podcast soon after that Trump was "clearly" responsible for the events of Jan. 6, and that he had "disqualified himself from being a candidate at a national level." In July, Sacks spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Sacks is a venture capitalist and entrepreneur who sold Yammer, to Microsoft for $1.2 billion in 2012. He's also affiliated with the "PayPal mafia," an unofficial club of prominent technology figures and investors, including Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, who worked at PayPal in the 1990s. In recent years, Sacks has been best known for hosting the All-In podcast alongside fellow investors Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, and David Friedberg. In his post, Trump called it the "top podcast in Tech, where he and his friends discuss economic, political and social issues."Israeli warplanes bombed the Lebanese capital of Beirut and its southern suburbs on Tuesday — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on the militant group Hezbollah in the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded in a crowded neighborhood near downtown, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Hezbollah, meanwhile, has resumed its rocket fire into Israel, triggering air raid sirens across the country's north. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was meeting with his security Cabinet on Tuesday evening to discuss a proposed ceasefire, and he has scheduled a statement on national TV. Among the remaining issues is Israel's demand to reserve the right to take military action should Hezbollah violate its obligations under the emerging deal. Hezbollah began attacking Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after Hamas’ attack on southern Israel, in support of the Palestinian militant group. That has set off more than a year of fighting escalated into all-out war in September with massive Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon and an Israeli ground invasion of the country’s south. Hezbollah has fired thousands of rockets into Israeli military bases, cities and towns, including some 250 projectiles on Sunday. It’s not clear how the ceasefire will affect the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, where more than 44,000 people have been killed and more than 104,000 wounded in the 13-month war between Israel and Hamas, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. ——— Here's the Latest: BEIRUT — Lebanon’s state media said Israeli strikes on Tuesday killed at least 10 people in Baalbek province the country’s east. At least three people were killed in the southern city of Tyre when Israel bombed a Palestinian refugee camp, said Mohammed Bikai, a representative of the Fatah group in the area. He said several more people were missing and at least three children were among the wounded. He said the sites struck inside the camp were “completely civilian places” and included a kitchen that was being used to cook food for displaced people. JERUSALEM — Dozens of Israeli protesters took to a major highway in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening to call for the return of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, as the country awaited news of a potential ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. Protesters chanted “We are all hostages,” and “Deal now!” waving signs with faces of some of the roughly 100 hostages believed to be still held in Gaza, at least a third of whom are thought to be dead. Most of the other hostages Hamas captured in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack were released during a ceasefire last year. The prospect of a ceasefire deal in Lebanon has raised desperation among the relatives of captives still held in Gaza, who once hoped that the release of hostages from Gaza would be included. Instead of a comprehensive deal, the ceasefire on the table is instead narrowly confined to Lebanon. Dozens of Israelis were also demonstrating against the expected cease-fire, gathering outside Israel’s military headquarters in central Tel Aviv. One of the protesters, Yair Ansbacher, says the deal is merely a return to the failed 2006 U.N. resolution that was meant to uproot Hezbollah from the area. “Of course that didn’t happen,” he says. “This agreement is not worth the paper it is written on.” FIUGGI, Italy — Foreign ministers from the world’s industrialized countries said Tuesday they strongly supported an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and insisted that Israel comply with international law in its ongoing military operations in the region. At the end of their two-day summit, the ministers didn’t refer directly to the International Criminal Court and its recent arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over crimes against humanity . Italy had put the ICC warrants on the official meeting agenda, even though the G7 was split on the issue. The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, isn’t a signatory to the court and has called the warrants “outrageous.” However, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell said all the other G7 countries were signatories and therefore obliged to respect the warrants. In the end, the final statement adopted by the ministers said Israel, in exercising its right to defend itself, “must fully comply with its obligations under international law in all circumstances, including international humanitarian law.” And it said all G7 members — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – “reiterate our commitment to international humanitarian law and will comply with our respective obligations.” It stressed that “there can be no equivalence between the terrorist group Hamas and the State of Israel.” The ICC warrants say there's reason to believe Netanyahu used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny. BEIRUT — An Israeli strike on Tuesday levelled a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded in Beirut, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. It was not immediately clear if anyone in particular was targeted, though Israel says its airstrikes target Hezbollah officials and assets. The Israeli military spokesman issued a flurry of evacuation warnings for many areas, including areas in Beirut that have not been targeted throughout the war, like the capital’s commercial Hamra district, where many people displaced by the war have been staying. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks in Lebanon during the final hours before a ceasefire is reached, sparked panic and sent residents fleeing in their cars to safer areas. In areas close to Hamra, families including women and children were seen running away toward the Mediterranean Sea’s beaches carrying their belongings. Traffic was completely gridlocked as people tried to get away, honking their car horns as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. The Israeli military also issued warnings for 20 more buildings in Beirut’s suburbs to evacuate before they too were struck — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah in the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. TEL AVIV, Israel — The independent civilian commission of inquiry into the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel has found Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly responsible for the failures leading up to the attack, alongside former defense ministers, the army chief and the heads of the security services. The civil commission presented its findings today after a four-month probe in which it heard some 120 witnesses. It was set up by relatives of victims of the Hamas attack, in response to the absence of any state probe. The commission determined that the Israeli government, its army and security services “failed in their primary mission of protecting the citizens of Israel.” It said Netanyahu was responsible for ignoring “repeated warnings” ahead of Oct. 7, 2023 for what it described as his appeasing approach over the years toward Hamas, and for “undermining all decision-making centers, including the cabinet and the National Security Council, in a way that prevented any serious discussion” on security issues. The commission further determined that the military and defense leaders bear blame for ignoring warnings from within the army, and for reducing the army’s presence along the Gaza border while relying excessively on technological means. On the day of the Hamas attack, the report says, the army’s response was both slow and lacking. The civil commission called for the immediate establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 attack. Netanyahu has opposed launching a state commission of inquiry, arguing that such an investigation should begin only once the war is over. JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military says its ground troops have reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River — a focal point of the emerging ceasefire. In a statement Tuesday, the army said it had reached the Wadi Slouqi area in southern Lebanon and clashed with Hezbollah forces. Under a proposed ceasefire, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is some 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the Israeli border. The military says the clashes with Hezbollah took place on the eastern end of the Litani, just a few kilometers (miles) from the border. It is one of the deepest places Israeli forces have reached in a nearly two-month ground operation. The military says soldiers destroyed rocket launchers and missiles and engaged in “close-quarters combat” with Hezbollah forces. The announcement came hours before Israel’s security Cabinet is expected to approve a ceasefire that would end nearly 14 months of fighting. BEIRUT — Israeli jets Tuesday struck at least six buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday, including one that slammed near the country’s only airport. Large plumes of smoke could be seen around the airport near the Mediterranean coast, which has continued to function despite its location beside the densely populated suburbs where many of Hezbollah’s operations are based. The strikes come hours before Israel’s cabinet was scheduled to meet to discuss a proposal to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The proposal calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. There were no immediate reports of casualties from Tuesday’s airstrikes. FIUGGI, Italy — EU top diplomat Josep Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. (edited)
Xbox Insiders can now play "select" games they own on their console using cloud streamingGeorge Kresge Jr., who wowed talk show audiences as the The Amazing Kreskin, diesPep Guardiola’s side avoided the indignity of a sixth successive defeat in all competitions and looked on course for a welcome victory thanks to a double from Erling Haaland – the first from the penalty spot – and a deflected effort from Ilkay Gundogan. Yet Guardiola was left with his head in hands as Feyenoord roared back in the last 15 minutes with goals from Anis Hadj Moussa, Sergio Gimenez and David Hancko, two of them after Josko Gvardiol errors. FULL-TIME | A point apiece. 🩵 3-3 ⚫️ #ManCity | #UCL pic.twitter.com/6oj1nEOIwm — Manchester City (@ManCity) November 26, 2024 Arsenal delivered the statement Champions League win Mikel Arteta had demanded as they swept aside Sporting Lisbon 5-1. Arteta wanted his team to prove their European credentials, and goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard got their continental campaign back on track in style following the 1-0 defeat at Inter Milan last time out. A memorable victory also ended Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season, a streak of 17 wins and one draw, the vast majority of which prompted Manchester United to prise away head coach Ruben Amorim. Putting on a show at Sporting 🌟 pic.twitter.com/Yi9MgRZEkl — Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 26, 2024 Paris St Germain were left in serious of danger of failing to progress in the Champions League as they fell to a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. Kim Min-jae’s header late in the first half was enough to send PSG to a third defeat in the competition this season, leaving them six points off the automatic qualification places for the last 16 with three games to play. Luis Enrique’s side, who had Ousmane Dembele sent off, were deservedly beaten by Bayern who dominated chances and possession. 🔔 FULL TIME – Victory at home! +3 in the #UCL 👏❤️ #FCBayern #MiaSanMia | #FCBPSG #UCL pic.twitter.com/BYE23dXXih — FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) November 26, 2024 Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid were 6-0 winners away to Sparta Prague, Julian Alvarez and Angel Correa each scoring twice whilst there were also goals from Marcos Llorente and Antoine Griezmann. Barcelona ended tournament debutants Brest’s unbeaten start with a 3-0 victory courtesy of two goals from Robert Lewandowski – one a penalty – and Dani Olmo. Lewandowski’s first was his 100th Champions League goal, only the third man to reach the mark after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. A Castello Lukeba own goal saw Inter Milan go top of the standings with a narrow 1-0 win over RB Leipzig at San Siro, whilst Bayer Leverkusen were emphatic victors against Red Bull Salzburg, Florian Wirtz scoring twice to move Xabi Alonso’s side into the automatic qualification places. Atalanta continued their strong start, albeit whilst conceding a first goal in Europe this season in a 6-1 win away to Young Boys, whilst Tammy Abraham scored the decisive goal as AC Milan beat Slovan Bratislava 3-2.
Israeli warplanes bombed the Lebanese capital of Beirut and its southern suburbs on Tuesday — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on the militant group Hezbollah in the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded in a crowded neighborhood near downtown, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Hezbollah, meanwhile, has resumed its rocket fire into Israel, triggering air raid sirens across the country's north. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was meeting with his security Cabinet on Tuesday evening to discuss a proposed ceasefire, and he has scheduled a statement on national TV. Among the remaining issues is Israel's demand to reserve the right to take military action should Hezbollah violate its obligations under the emerging deal. Hezbollah began attacking Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after Hamas’ attack on southern Israel, in support of the Palestinian militant group. That has set off more than a year of fighting escalated into all-out war in September with massive Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon and an Israeli ground invasion of the country’s south. Hezbollah has fired thousands of rockets into Israeli military bases, cities and towns, including some 250 projectiles on Sunday. It’s not clear how the ceasefire will affect the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, where more than 44,000 people have been killed and more than 104,000 wounded in the 13-month war between Israel and Hamas, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. ——— Here's the Latest: BEIRUT — Lebanon’s state media said Israeli strikes on Tuesday killed at least 10 people in Baalbek province the country’s east. At least three people were killed in the southern city of Tyre when Israel bombed a Palestinian refugee camp, said Mohammed Bikai, a representative of the Fatah group in the area. He said several more people were missing and at least three children were among the wounded. He said the sites struck inside the camp were “completely civilian places” and included a kitchen that was being used to cook food for displaced people. JERUSALEM — Dozens of Israeli protesters took to a major highway in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening to call for the return of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, as the country awaited news of a potential ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. Protesters chanted “We are all hostages,” and “Deal now!” waving signs with faces of some of the roughly 100 hostages believed to be still held in Gaza, at least a third of whom are thought to be dead. Most of the other hostages Hamas captured in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack were released during a ceasefire last year. The prospect of a ceasefire deal in Lebanon has raised desperation among the relatives of captives still held in Gaza, who once hoped that the release of hostages from Gaza would be included. Instead of a comprehensive deal, the ceasefire on the table is instead narrowly confined to Lebanon. Dozens of Israelis were also demonstrating against the expected cease-fire, gathering outside Israel’s military headquarters in central Tel Aviv. One of the protesters, Yair Ansbacher, says the deal is merely a return to the failed 2006 U.N. resolution that was meant to uproot Hezbollah from the area. “Of course that didn’t happen,” he says. “This agreement is not worth the paper it is written on.” FIUGGI, Italy — Foreign ministers from the world’s industrialized countries said Tuesday they strongly supported an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and insisted that Israel comply with international law in its ongoing military operations in the region. At the end of their two-day summit, the ministers didn’t refer directly to the International Criminal Court and its recent arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over crimes against humanity . Italy had put the ICC warrants on the official meeting agenda, even though the G7 was split on the issue. The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, isn’t a signatory to the court and has called the warrants “outrageous.” However, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell said all the other G7 countries were signatories and therefore obliged to respect the warrants. In the end, the final statement adopted by the ministers said Israel, in exercising its right to defend itself, “must fully comply with its obligations under international law in all circumstances, including international humanitarian law.” And it said all G7 members — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – “reiterate our commitment to international humanitarian law and will comply with our respective obligations.” It stressed that “there can be no equivalence between the terrorist group Hamas and the State of Israel.” The ICC warrants say there's reason to believe Netanyahu used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny. BEIRUT — An Israeli strike on Tuesday levelled a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded in Beirut, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. It was not immediately clear if anyone in particular was targeted, though Israel says its airstrikes target Hezbollah officials and assets. The Israeli military spokesman issued a flurry of evacuation warnings for many areas, including areas in Beirut that have not been targeted throughout the war, like the capital’s commercial Hamra district, where many people displaced by the war have been staying. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks in Lebanon during the final hours before a ceasefire is reached, sparked panic and sent residents fleeing in their cars to safer areas. In areas close to Hamra, families including women and children were seen running away toward the Mediterranean Sea’s beaches carrying their belongings. Traffic was completely gridlocked as people tried to get away, honking their car horns as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. The Israeli military also issued warnings for 20 more buildings in Beirut’s suburbs to evacuate before they too were struck — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah in the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. TEL AVIV, Israel — The independent civilian commission of inquiry into the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel has found Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly responsible for the failures leading up to the attack, alongside former defense ministers, the army chief and the heads of the security services. The civil commission presented its findings today after a four-month probe in which it heard some 120 witnesses. It was set up by relatives of victims of the Hamas attack, in response to the absence of any state probe. The commission determined that the Israeli government, its army and security services “failed in their primary mission of protecting the citizens of Israel.” It said Netanyahu was responsible for ignoring “repeated warnings” ahead of Oct. 7, 2023 for what it described as his appeasing approach over the years toward Hamas, and for “undermining all decision-making centers, including the cabinet and the National Security Council, in a way that prevented any serious discussion” on security issues. The commission further determined that the military and defense leaders bear blame for ignoring warnings from within the army, and for reducing the army’s presence along the Gaza border while relying excessively on technological means. On the day of the Hamas attack, the report says, the army’s response was both slow and lacking. The civil commission called for the immediate establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 attack. Netanyahu has opposed launching a state commission of inquiry, arguing that such an investigation should begin only once the war is over. JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military says its ground troops have reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River — a focal point of the emerging ceasefire. In a statement Tuesday, the army said it had reached the Wadi Slouqi area in southern Lebanon and clashed with Hezbollah forces. Under a proposed ceasefire, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is some 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the Israeli border. The military says the clashes with Hezbollah took place on the eastern end of the Litani, just a few kilometers (miles) from the border. It is one of the deepest places Israeli forces have reached in a nearly two-month ground operation. The military says soldiers destroyed rocket launchers and missiles and engaged in “close-quarters combat” with Hezbollah forces. The announcement came hours before Israel’s security Cabinet is expected to approve a ceasefire that would end nearly 14 months of fighting. BEIRUT — Israeli jets Tuesday struck at least six buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday, including one that slammed near the country’s only airport. Large plumes of smoke could be seen around the airport near the Mediterranean coast, which has continued to function despite its location beside the densely populated suburbs where many of Hezbollah’s operations are based. The strikes come hours before Israel’s cabinet was scheduled to meet to discuss a proposal to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The proposal calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. There were no immediate reports of casualties from Tuesday’s airstrikes. FIUGGI, Italy — EU top diplomat Josep Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. (edited)
NEW ORLEANS — A scruffy little fugitive is on the lam again in New Orleans, gaining fame as he outwits a tenacious band of citizens armed with night-vision binoculars, nets and a tranquilizer rifle. Scrim, a 17-pound mutt that's mostly terrier, has become a folk hero, inspiring tattoos, T-shirts and even a ballad as he eludes capture from the posse of volunteers. And like any antihero, Scrim has a backstory: Rescued from semi-feral life at a trailer park and adopted from a shelter, the dog broke loose in April and scurried around the city until he was cornered in October and brought to a new home. Weeks later, he'd had enough. Scrim leaped out of a second-story window, a desperate act recorded in a now-viral video. Since then, despite a stream of daily sightings, he's roamed free. People are also reading... The dog’s fans include Myra and Steve Foster, who wrote “Ode to Scrim” to the tune of Ricky Nelson’s 1961 hit, “I’m a Travelin’ Man.” Michelle Cheramie, founder of Zeus' Rescues, at her office in New Orleans on Dec. 9 with a whiteboard index of sheltered cats and dogs and a Scrim look-alike recuperating in the background. Jack Brook, Associated Press 'I'm a travelin' dog and I've made a lot of stops/All over this town...' Leading the recapture effort is Michelle Cheramie, a 55-year-old former information technology professional. She lost everything — home, car, possessions — in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in the aftermath, found her calling rescuing pets. “I was like, ‘This is what I should be doing,’” Cheramie said. “I was born to rescue.” She launched Zeus’ Rescues, a nonprofit shelter that now averages 600 cat and dog adoptions a year and offers free pet food to anyone who needs it. She helped Scrim find the home he first escaped from. It was Cheramie's window Scrim leaped from in November. She's resumed her relentless mission since then, posting flyers on telephone poles and logging social media updates on his reported whereabouts. She's invested thousands of dollars on wildlife cameras, thermal sensors and other gear. She took a course offered by the San Diego Zoo on the finer points of tranquilizing animals. And she's developed a network of volunteers — the kind of neighbors who are willing to grid-search a city at 3 a.m. Scrim on Oct. 24 at the Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie, La. Brett Duke, The New Orleans Advocate '...And at every stop I own the heart, of at least one lovely...' People like writer David W. Brown, who manages a crowd-sourced Google Map of all known Scrim sightings. He says the search galvanized residents from all walks of life to come together. As they search for Scrim, they hand out supplies to people in need. “Being a member of the community is seeing problems and doing what you can to make life a little better for the people around here and the animals around you,” Brown said. Neighbor Tammy Murray had to close her furniture store and lost her father to Parkinson's disease. This search, she says, got her mojo back. “Literally, for months, I’ve done nothing but hunt this dog,” said Murray, 53. “I feel like Wile E. Coyote on a daily basis with him.” Murray drives the Zeus' Rescues van toward reported Scrim sightings. She also handles a tactical net launcher, which looks like an oversized flashlight and once misfired, shattering the van's window as Scrim sped away. After realizing Scrim came to recognize the sound of the van's diesel engine, Murray switched to a Vespa scooter for stealth. Michelle Cheramie, director of Zeus' Rescues, left, walks with Scrim on Oct. 24 at the Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie, La. Brett Duke, The New Orleans Advocate '...If you're ever in the 9th Ward stop and see/My cute little mini poodle...' Near-misses have been tantalizing. The search party spotted Scrim napping beneath an elevated house, and wrapped construction netting around the perimeter, but an over-eager volunteer broke ranks and dashed forward, leaving an opening Scrim slipped through. Scrim's repeated escapades prompted near-daily local media coverage and a devoted online following. Cheramie can relate. “We’re all running from something or to something," she said. "He's doing that, too.” Cheramie's team dreams of placing the pooch in a safe and loving environment. But a social media chorus growing under the hashtag #FreeScrim has other ideas — they say the runaway should be allowed a life of self-determination. The animal rescue volunteers consider that misguided. “The streets of New Orleans are not the place for a dog to be free,” Cheramie said. “It’s too dangerous.” Scrim rests in a kennel Oct. 24 at the Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie, La. Brett Duke, The New Orleans Advocate '...and my Shar-Pei doll down in old Treme/Waits for my return...' Scrim was a mess when Cheramie briefly recaptured him in October, with matted fur, missing teeth and a tattered ear. His trembling body was scraped and bruised, and punctured by projectiles. A vet removed one, but decided against operating to take out a possible bullet. The dog initially appeared content indoors, sitting in Cheramie's lap or napping beside her bed. Then while she was out one day, Scrim chewed through a mesh screen, dropped 13 feet to the ground and squeezed through a gap in the fence, trotting away. Murray said Cheramie's four cats probably spooked him. Cheramie thinks they may have gotten territorial. Devastated but undeterred, the pair is reassessing where Scrim might fit best — maybe a secure animal sanctuary with big outdoor spaces where other dogs can keep him company. Somewhere, Murray says, “where he can just breathe and be.” A fugitive gains fame in New Orleans eluding dart guns and nets Scrim sits in the arms of Zoey Ponder on Oct. 24 at Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie. Brett Duke, The New Orleans Advocate Scrim at the Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter in Louisiana. Valerie Robinson, Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter A Scrim sticker for sale Dec. 9 at Zeus' Rescues office to raise money for the shelter in New Orleans. Jack Brook, Associated Press A homemade portrait of Scrim hangs Dec. 9 in the Zeus' Rescues shelter in New Orleans. Jack Brook, Associated Press Scrim spends some time outside Oct. 24 with Michelle Cheramie, director of Zeus' Rescues, in a fenced-in area at Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie. Brett Duke, The New Orleans Advocate Stay up-to-date on what's happeningYourUpdate TV Speaks with U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation about their National Civics Bee Championship
These interviews come on the heels of the expiration of theterms of the current Commissioners, marking a pivotal moment for ZACC’s future. This announcement was made by the Chief Secretary to thePresident and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya, in an official communication to theParliament of Zimbabwe. The process began with a public call for nominations, asrequired by Section 237(1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. The Committee onStanding Rules and Orders (CSRO) received an overwhelming response — 145nominations in total, comprising 112 men and 33 women. After a rigorous screening, the CSRO whittled down the listto 47 suitable candidates, who now prepare to face the nation in publicinterviews. These interviews will take place at Committee Room Number 3 of theNew Parliament Building in Mt Hampden. Candidates must be in their seats by 7 am sharp, as DrRushwaya made it clear that late arrivals will be disqualified withoutexception. The list of contenders reads like a who’s who of thecountry’s legal, political and civic leadership. Former legislators such as Gabriel Chaibva, MayorWadyajena, Tongai Matutu, Kindness Paradza, and Zalerah Makari, are among thosevying for the prestigious positions. The legal fraternity is well-represented with figures likeBrian Kashangura, Caroline Chigumira, Doreen Gapare, Meme Zvimba and AdvocateWilbert Mandinde. The diverse line-up also includes religious leaders likeRev Jeremiah Doyce and Rev. Dr. Chiropafadzo Moyo, retired military personnelsuch as Major Michael Santu, academics like Dr Tinashe Rukuni, and variousother professionals and community leaders. The full roster, a mosaic of expertise and backgrounds,underscores the importance of this selection process for the Commission’smandate to combat corruption. For those curious to witness the process unfold, Parliamenthas made arrangements to accommodate members of the public in the Multi-PurposeHall of the New Parliament Building. But for those who cannot attend in person, technologybridges the gap. Proceedings will be streamed live across multipleplatforms, including Zoom, Twitter, and Facebook Live. Access links can befound on the Parliament’s official website, www.parlzim.gov.zw, ensuringtransparency and public engagement in this critical national decision. As the countdown to December 19 continues, the shortlistedcandidates prepare to face public scrutiny, and the nation eagerly awaits theoutcome. This process is not just about filling vacancies; it isabout shaping the future of an institution tasked with safeguarding thecountry’s integrity. HeraldVote counting for Maharashtra's Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Assembly seat concluded on Saturday. The main fight was between MLA Abu Asim Azmi and Nawab Malik. Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Election Results 2024: The Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Assembly constituency is one of Maharashtra ’s 288 constituencies. It belongs to the Mumbai North East Lok Sabha constituency and has a unique mix of communities that make its elections interesting every time. The counting of votes in the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Assembly seat in Maharashtra concluded on Saturday, November 23. The key contest in the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Assembly is between the sitting MLA from the Samajwadi Party (SP), Abu Asim Azmi against Nawab Malik from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). This area has a population that is about 58% Muslim. The remaining 42% includes Marathis, North Indians, South Indians, and Dalits. This diverse population often leads to tough political contests. Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Election Results 2024: Here Are The Updates 03:56 PM: The counting has completed and Abu Asim Azmi from SP has won the elections. 11:47 AM: Abu Asim Azmi is leading with +5,202 votes. Ateeq Ahmad Khan from All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen is trailing. 10.27 AM: Abu Asim Azmi from Samajawadi Party is leading by +86 votes. Shiv Sena candidate, Suresh (Bullet) Patil is trailing. 09:27 AM: Abu Asim Azmi from Samajawadi Party is leading. Nawab Malik from NCP is trailing. 08:00 AM: Counting of votes begins 06:00 AM: Counting of votes to begin at 8 AM amid tight security. Key Candidates in the 2024 Polls: In the 2024 election, Abu Asim Azmi, the sitting MLA from the Samajwadi Party (SP), is running for re-election. Azmi has held this seat for three terms and is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance. He is facing tough competition from Suresh 'Bullet' Patil of the Shiv Sena, who represents the Mahayuti alliance. Another major candidate is Nawab Malik from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Nawab Malik, a former minister in the MVA government, joined Ajit Pawar ’s NCP faction after the party split. His candidacy has been controversial because he was arrested in 2022 in a case involving Dawood Ibrahim and associates. Nawab Malik was released on bail in July 2023 on medical grounds, but the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) has opposed his participation in the election. Look at The Past Winners: Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar has been a stronghold for Abu Asim Azmi and the Samajwadi Party. Abu Asim Azmi first won this seat in 2009 and has held it ever since. In the 2019 elections, he defeated Vithal Govind Lokare of the then-undivided Shiv Sena by a large margin of 25,601 votes. His success in 2014 and 2009 also solidified his hold over the constituency, despite challenges from various parties like the Congress and independent candidates. Polling and Counting Date for Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Constituency The constituency went to the polls on November 20, 2024, along with the rest of Maharashtra. The counting of votes will take place on November 23, and the results will reveal whether Azmi retains his seat or if a new leader emerges. About Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar This constituency plays an important role in Mumbai’s political landscape. It has long been dominated by the Samajwadi Party candidate Abu Asim Azmi’s leadership and support from the area’s Muslim population. Over the years, candidates from Shiv Sena, Congress, and smaller parties have tried to challenge this dominance but have found it difficult to break through. With its diverse population and history of intense political competition, Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar continues to be one of the most watched constituencies in Maharashtra. Also Read: Maharashtra Election Result 2024 LIVE: Counting of Votes Begins | Republic World Get Current Updates on India News , Entertainment News along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world. Published 21:07 IST, November 23rd 2024
In November, the OPEC Reference Basket (ORB) value dropped by $1.47, or 2.0%, month-on-month (m-o-m), to average $72.98/b. The ICE Brent front-month contract dropped by $1.98, or 2.6%, m-o-m, to average $73.40/b, while NYMEX WTI dropped by $2.02, or 2.8%, m-o-m, to average $69.54/b. GME Oman front-month contract dropped by $2.55, or 3.4%, m-o-m, to average $72.48/b. The ICE Brent-NYMEX WTI first month spread remained little changed, widening marginally by 4¢/b, m-o-m, to average $3.86/b. The forward curves of oil futures prices flattened further, with the nearest time spreads contracting but remaining in backwardation. Hedge funds and other money managers raised their net long positions but maintained a bearish stance on oil prices. The world economic growth forecasts remain unchanged at 3.1% for 2024 and 3.0% for 2025. The US economic growth forecast for 2024 is revised up slightly to 2.8%, reflecting robust growth in 2H24. For 2025, the US growth forecast is also revised up slightly to 2.2%. Japan’s growth forecast remains unchanged at 0.1% in 2024, but for 2025, it is revised up slightly to 1.0%. The Eurozone’s economic growth forecasts for 2024 and 2025 remain unchanged at 0.8%, and 1.2%, respectively. China’s economic growth forecasts remain unchanged at 4.9% for 2024 and 4.7% for 2025. India’s economic growth forecasts for 2024 and 2025 remain unchanged at 6.8%, and 6.3%, respectively. The economic growth forecast for Brazil is revised up slightly to 3.1% for 2024, but remains at 2.1% for 2025. Russia’s economic growth forecasts remain unchanged at 3.5% for 2024 and 1.7% for 2025. The global oil demand growth forecast for 2024 is revised down by 210 tb/d from the previous month’s assessment to 1.6 mb/d, year-on-year (y-o-y). This minor adjustment is mainly due to updated data for 1Q24, 2Q24 and 3Q24. In the OECD, oil demand is expected to grow by around 0.1 mb/d, while non-OECD demand is forecast to expand by close to 1.5 mb/d in 2024. Global oil demand growth for 2025 is also revised down by 90 tb/d from the previous month’s assessment to 1.4 mb/d, y-o-y. OECD demand is expected to grow by 0.1 mb/d, y-o-y, in 2025, while demand in the non-OECD is forecast to expand by 1.3 mb/d. Non-DoC liquids supply (i.e. liquids supply from countries not participating in the DoC) is expected to grow by 1.3 mb/d, y-o-y, in 2024, revised up slightly from last month’s assessment. The main growth drivers are expected to be the US and Canada. For 2025, the non-DoC liquids supply growth forecast is expected to grow by 1.1 mb/d, y-o-y, unchanged from last month. Growth is anticipated to be mainly driven by the US, Brazil, Canada, and Norway. Natural gas liquids (NGLs) and non-conventional liquids from countries participating in the DoC are forecast to grow by about 0.1 mb/d, y-o-y, in 2024 to average 8.3 mb/d, followed by an increase of about 80 tb/d, y-o-y, in 2025 to average 8.4 mb/d. Crude oil production by the countries participating in the DoC increased by 0.32 mb/d in November compared with the previous month, averaging about 40.67 mb/d, as reported by available secondary sources. In November, refinery margins rose further to show gains for the second consecutive month in key trading hubs. An improvement in product buying interest and lower feedstock prices underpinned product markets across regions despite rising refinery runs at the end of the heavy refinery maintenance season. On the US Gulf Coast (USGC), unplanned outages at secondary units led to upward pressure on US product crack spreads at the middle and bottom sections of the barrel. At the same time, diesel markets in Europe strengthened due to colder weather and rising heating requirements, while a boost in transport fuel loadings in China ahead of a tax rebate cut, effective from 1 December, provided further support. Global refinery intake began to recover in November, with the end of the heavy refinery turnaround season, rising by 1.3 mb/d, m-o-m, to average 80.2 mb/d, representing a y-o-y increase of 169 tb/d. Dirty spot freight rates fell across all monitored routes in November, continuing the decline seen at the end of the previous month, as higher vessel availability outpaced tonnage demand. On the Middle East-to-East route, VLCC spot freight rates decreased by 9%, m-o-m, in November, while rates on the West Africa-to-East route dropped by 10%. In the Suezmax market, rates on the US Gulf Coast-to-Europe route reversed the previous month’s gains, falling 25%, m-o-m. Aframax spot rates on the Caribbean-to-US East Coast route fell by 34%, retracting after a strong surge the month before. In the clean tanker market, East of Suez rates declined by 15% on average, while West of Suez rates jumped by 19%, m-o-m. Available data for November shows US crude imports recovering from the previous month’s decline to average 6.7 mb/d, as refiners returned from maintenance. US crude exports returned above 4 mb/d for the first time in four months, reflecting higher flows to Asia, as well as Europe. US product imports increased to 1.6 mb/d, amid higher flows of gasoline, while exports remained strong at 6.8 mb/d, also led by gasoline. Preliminary estimates for OECD Europe indicate crude imports in November were marginally higher, m-o-m, while product imports fell as lower inflows of diesel offset higher imports of fuel oil. In October, Japan’s crude imports declined by almost 12%, m-o-m, weighed down by softer domestic sales of refined products. Japan’s product imports were around 7% lower, m-o-m, as declines in naphtha, gasoline and gasoil outweighed increased imports of LPG and kerosene. In China, crude imports fell a further 5% compared to the previous month to average 10.6 mb/d in October, while net product imports increased by about 3%, m-o-m, as the decline in exports outpaced the drop in imports. In India, crude imports averaged 4.6 mb/d in October, representing a marginal gain over the previous month as ongoing refinery maintenance limited gains. India’s product exports fell back 24% following the previous month’s strong showing, with all major products registering declines. Preliminary October 2024 data shows total OECD commercial oil stocks down by 22.3 mb, m-o-m. At 2,777 mb, they were 169 mb below the 2015–2019 average. Among components, crude stocks rose by 7.9 mb, m-o-m, while product stocks fell by 30.2 mb, m-o-m. OECD commercial crude stocks stood at 1,324 mb, which is 130 mb less than the 2015–2019 average. OECD total product stocks stood at 1,453 mb, about 39 mb lower than the 2015–2019 average. In terms of days of forward cover, OECD commercial stocks rose by 0.3 days, m-o-m, in October, to stand at 60.8 days, which is 1.6 days below the 2015–2019 average. Demand for DoC crude (i.e. crude from countries participating in the Declaration of Cooperation) is revised down by 0.3 mb/d from the previous assessment, to stand at 42.4 mb/d in 2024. This is around 0.3 mb/d higher than the 2023 estimate. Demand for DoC crude in 2025 is revised down by around 0.4 mb/d from the previous month’s assessment to stand at 42.7 mb/d, around 0.3 mb/d higher than the estimate for 2024. Source: OPECStock futures are little changed as Wall Street awaits Fed's preferred inflation reading: Live updates