‘Overdue’ Lebanon ceasefire must bring lasting solution to crisis, says PMNasdaq surges above 20,000 after US inflation data matches estimates
Don Jr.’s New Love Is the One Who Wanted Kimberly Guilfoyle to Hit the Road
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Wellington bakery Myrtle will close before Christmas, with its last day of trade on December 21. Owners Sarah Bullock and Jacob Brown say they’ve made the decision with a “heavy heart” as their “cherished site” is set to be turned into apartments. Myrtle won Outstanding Bakery at the Welly Hospo Awards, held on Monday last week. Popular Wellington bakery Myrtle has announced it will be closing down before Christmas, one week after being crowned the capital’s best bakery. Operating at the foot of Mt Victoria on Kent Tce since 2021, the small-batch bakery has become popular for its handmade bread and baked goods. In a statement on social media, owners Jacob Brown and Sarah Bullock announced the venue will close just before Christmas, with its last day of trade being December 21.
One of the biggest pieces of professional wrestling news has been Penta El Zero Miedo being removed from All Elite Wrestling's (AEW) roster, seemingly confirming that his contract is up and his time with the company has come to an end. However, there are still questions regarding whether his brother and tag team partner Rey Fénix will be joining, especially since he is still on the roster. More Professional Wrestling: WWE Legend Shawn Michaels Weighs In on Iconic Tucker Kraft Kip-Up Rumors suggest that Fénix wants to join his brother but AEW added time to his contract due to periods of injury. Now, it seems that Fénix has only added fuel to the fire. Fénix has recently taken to social media and dropped a vague accusation of "inhumane treatment." "No one stays in a place where they received inhumane treatment," Fénix said on X . No one stays in a place where they received inhumane treatment. This comes about a week after Fénix went on Instagram Live and dropped a quote about dissatisfaction and professionalism. "There are many things that are not known, but that also should not be talked about," Fénix said, per Jeremy Lambert and Luis Pulido of Fightful . "We must wait. Professionalism first and foremost, folks." More Professional Wrestling: Multi-Time WWE Champion Makes Surprising Return to AEW Fénix then proceeded to take a shot at professional wrestling podcasts that take shots at the people in the ring. "We must not be the same as all those podcasts that go around spitting out what should not be spit out. Never diminish our work. There are things that should always be respected, and many are forgetting everything that wrestling has given them." 👀 Rey Fénix, en un live de Instagram: "Hay muchas cosas que no se saben, pero que también no se deben de hablar. Hay que esperar. Profesionalismo ante todo, señores. No hay que ser los mismos de todos esos podcasts que andan escupiendo lo que no se debe de escupir. Nunca... pic.twitter.com/Qparw5ZaeF These comments came after Fightful Select reported that Fenix's contract had been extended into 2025 due to time off from injury. This is likely because Penta and Fénix, known as the Lucha Brothers, are planning to head to WWE. "When speaking to those with knowledge of the situation, it was claimed to Fightful that Rey Fénix's AEW contract extends well into next year due to the injury time that will be added to it," Fightful Select reported . More Professional Wrestling: Fan-Favorite WWE Superstar to Undergo Surgery After In-Ring Injury: Report "Fénix and Penta were expected to wrap up with AEW in the fall and head to WWE, but when AEW caught wind of it, added injury time to their deals." Fénix has had an impressive tenure in AEW, winning the AEW World Tag Team Championship, the AEW World Trios Championship, and the AEW International Championship. For more AEW and professional wrestling news, head on over to Newsweek Sports .Racing Optics® Introduces Game-Changing Twilight Tearoff to Enhance Visibility in Low-Light Racing Conditions
T-cell Malignancies Market Dynamics: Key Insights on Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma, Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma, Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma, and Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma | DelveInsightPresident-elect Donald Trump said in an interview that aired on Sunday that he would act on his first day in office to pardon rioters involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack, further building expectations for a broad granting of clemency. "I'm going to be acting very quickly, first day," Trump said on NBC News' "Meet the Press with Kristen Welker" when asked when he planned to pardon his supporters who were charged in the attack aimed at overturning his 2020 election defeat. Trump told Welker that there could be "some exceptions" to his pardons if the individuals had acted "radical" or "crazy" during the assault, which left more than 140 police officers injured and led to several deaths. But Trump described the prosecutions of his supporters as inherently corrupt and did not rule out pardoning the more than 900 defendants who had already pleaded guilty, including those accused of acting violently in the attack. "I'm going to look at everything. We're going to look at individual cases," Trump said. The comments - Trump's most detailed on the issue of pardons since he defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 election - will likely add to already high expectations for broad action once Trump is sworn in to office on Jan. 20. "He continues to put out the public message closer and closer to what the J6 community is asking for, which is clemency for all of the January 6ers," Suzzanne Monk, a longtime advocate for defendants charged in the riot, told Reuters. Hopes among Jan. 6 defendants and their supporters for broad-based clemency have been growing over the past week after President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter, marking a reversal from his pledge not to interfere with his son's criminal cases. Biden said Hunter deserved a pardon because he was the victim of political persecution, an argument Trump will likely use to justify mass pardons. Some Biden critics said his decision would lessen the political cost for Trump. Kimberly Wehle, a professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law, said she was worried broad amnesty for Jan. 6 defendants would serve to wrongly incentivize the fomenting of unrest or even violence on behalf of a president. "The idea that he's going to reward people for violating the law on his behalf in connection with an attempt to overthrow legitimate election results... that's not precedented," said Wehle, author of a recent book on presidential pardon power. In what has been billed as America's largest-ever criminal investigation, at least 1,572 defendants have been charged in the Jan. 6 attack, with crimes ranging from unlawfully entering restricted grounds to seditious conspiracy and violent assault. Of that total, more than 1,251 have been convicted or pleaded guilty and 645 have been sentenced to prison, with punishments ranging from a few days to 22 years, according to the latest data from the Justice Department. John Pierce, a lawyer who has represented dozens of Jan. 6 defendants, urged Trump to issue a blanket pardon for all who were charged with participating in the riot. "I just don't know how you do it otherwise," he said, noting that it would be difficult to parse which conduct out of the scores of cases that have already worked their way through the legal system would merit a pardon. "I think you would see a lot of unhappy people in the January 6 community" if pardons were granted on a case-by-case basis, he said. In the NBC interview, Trump lamented those held for long periods of detention, saying they were being kept in "a filthy, disgusting place that shouldn't even be allowed to be open." He described them as being victims of a "very nasty system." Attorney Norm Pattis believes pardons should cover his clients, Zachary Rehl and Joseph Biggs, two former leaders of the Proud Boys militant group sentenced to 15 and 17 years in prison after a jury convicted them of seditious conspiracy. Pattis said Trump, in promoting the idea that the 2020 election had been stolen from him through widespread fraud - an assertion for which there is no evidence - prompted his clients to believe that they had to take drastic action. "He needs to own the fact that he created a tremendous sense of expectations with his claims about a stolen election, and people responded to him as President of the United States," Pattis said. "I would hope that he would pardon broadly." Pattis said it was unclear how Trump might draw a line excluding some defendants from clemency due to acts of violence. Jake Lang, a New York man who was charged with assaulting police officers and has been held in jail prior to trial, said he was hopeful he would be swept up in a blanket pardon. "I think on January 20, 2025 we are going to see a similar situation to Hunter Biden," Lang said in a phone interview. "Everybody's pardoned, full exoneration. Get them all out of prison and get this thing over with, so that we can start the national healing process."Ex-Rangers Captain Jacob Trouba Reportedly Gave Up On Team Before Trade
A judge twice urged jurors to keep deliberating Wednesday in the trial of a man charged in the killing of a University of Mississippi student who was well-known in the local LGBTQ+ community. Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr. , 24, is charged with capital murder in the death of Jimmie “Jay” Lee , a gay man who disappeared July 8, 2022, in Oxford, where the university is located and the trial is being held. Lee's body has never been found, but a judge declared him dead . Herrington has maintained his innocence, and he did not testify. Jurors deliberated about 3 1/2 hours before sending a note to Circuit Judge Kelly Luther, asking what would happen if they could not reach a verdict. He told them to keep talking to each other. After almost two more hours, they said they were deadlocked 11-1 but did not say whether that was to convict or acquit. Luther sent them back with instructions to keep talking. Prosecutors said during closing arguments Wednesday that Herrington and Lee had a sexual encounter that ended badly and Lee left Herrington's apartment. They said text messages showed that Herrington, who was not openly gay, persuaded Lee to return with the promise of more sex. Prosecutors said Lee was killed after going back. “Tim Herrington lived a lie — lived a lie to his family,” District Attorney Ben Creekmore said. “He lied to Jay Lee to coax him over there, promising to do something with him.” Herrington's attorney, Kevin Horan, has said prosecutors cannot prove Lee is dead without having a body . He told jurors Wednesday that text messages showed Herrington did not lure Lee to his apartment. “He's the one that's being dominant anchoring this particular conversation,” Horan said of Lee. Lee, 20, has not contacted friends or family, and his financial transactions and once-prolific social media posts have stopped since the day he disappeared , investigators testified. Police arrested Herrington two weeks after Lee went missing. Authorities interviewed Herrington twice that day, and he gave conflicting information about the hours before Lee vanished, Oxford Police Chief Jeff McCutchen testified Tuesday. Before officers interviewed Herrington, they had already obtained sexually explicit text messages exchanged between social media accounts belonging to Herrington and Lee during the final hours Lee was known to be alive, McCutchen said. Google records obtained through a warrant showed that Herrington searched “how long does it take to strangle someone” at 5:56 a.m., University Police Department Sgt. Benjamin Douglas testified last week. The final text message from Lee’s phone was sent to a social media account belonging to Herrington at 6:03 a.m. from a spot near Herrington’s apartment, McCutchen said Tuesday. A cellphone tower in another part of Oxford last located any signal from Lee’s phone shortly before 7:30 a.m., the police chief said. A security camera showed Herrington moments later jogging out of a parking lot where Lee’s car was abandoned, investigators testified earlier. On the day Lee vanished, Herrington was also seen on security cameras buying duct tape in Oxford and driving to his hometown of Grenada about an hour south of Oxford, police have testified. Herrington is from an affluent family in Grenada, Mississippi, about 52 miles (84 kilometers) southwest of Oxford, testified Ryan Baker, an Oxford Police Department intelligence officer who was a detective when he helped investigate the case. Herrington’s grandfather is bishop of a church in Grenada, other family members work at the church and Herrington himself taught youth Sunday school classes there, Baker said. Herrington “was not portraying himself as gay” to family or friends, Baker said. During testimony Tuesday, Herrington’s father and grandfather both said Herrington had never spoken about having boyfriends. Both Herrington and Lee had graduated from the University of Mississippi. Lee was pursuing a master’s degree. He was known for his creative expression through fashion and makeup and often performed in drag shows in Oxford, according to a support group called Justice for Jay Lee. Prosecutors have announced they do not intend to pursue the death penalty, meaning Herrington could get a life sentence if convicted. Mississippi law defines capital murder as a killing committed along with another felony — in this case, kidnapping. The judge instructed jurors that they could consider lesser charges, including murder and manslaughter.Taveuni ferris wheel rides scratched
The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved resolutions Wednesday demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and expressing support for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees that Israel has moved to ban. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, although they reflect world opinion. Israel has faced growing international criticism over its conduct in Gaza as it fights Hamas militants, especially when it comes to humanitarian aid for desperate people in the besieged and heavily destroyed territory. Israeli airstrikes in northern and central Gaza killed at least 33 people overnight and into Wednesday, Palestinian medical officials said. Hospital records show one Israeli strike in northern Gaza killed 19 people in a home, including a family of eight — four children, their parents and two grandparents. The Israeli military said it targeted a Hamas militant in the vicinity of the hospital, part of a blistering offensive in Gaza’s isolated and heavily destroyed north . The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people, including children and older adults. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health officials. They say women and children make up more than half the dead but do not distinguish between fighters and civilians in their count. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Here's the latest: JERUSALEM — Israeli hospital officials say a young boy is fighting for his life after a shooting attack in the occupied West Bank. An Israeli bus came under fire from a suspected Palestinian attacker late Wednesday, the military said, and Israeli forces are searching for the shooter. Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem says at least three people were wounded in the shooting, which took place just outside the city in an area near major Israeli settlements. The hospital says the boy, who is about 10, is in grave condition. It says two other people, ages 24 and 55, were also hurt. UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved resolutions Wednesday demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and backing the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees that Israel has moved to ban . The votes in the 193-nation world body were 158-9 with 13 abstentions to demand a ceasefire now and 159-9 with 11 abstentions to support the agency known as UNRWA. The votes culminated two days of speeches overwhelmingly calling for an end to the 14-month war between Israel and the militant Hamas group . General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, though they reflect world opinion. There are no vetoes in the assembly. Israel and its close ally, the United States, were in a tiny minority speaking and voting against the resolutions. BEIRUT — Israeli forces withdrew from a strategic town in southern Lebanon and handed it back to the Lebanese army in coordination with U.N. peacekeepers, the two militaries said Wednesday, marking an important test of the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah militants. It appeared to be Israel's first pullout from a Lebanese border town captured during this fall’s ground invasion, and comes as part of the initial phase of the ceasefire. The Lebanese army said Wednesday it has deployed units to five positions around the town of Khiam coinciding with the Israeli army’s withdrawal. Israel's military confirmed this was the first town it has turned over to the Lebanese army under the truce, which — if it endures — would end nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel has said the truce deal gives it the right to use military force against perceived ceasefire violations. Israel has launched near-daily strikes, mostly in southern Lebanon, that have killed at least 28 people and wounded 25 others since the ceasefire took effect on Nov. 27. Still, the shaky truce appears to be holding. Five people were killed Wednesday by at least three Israeli strikes in different towns in the southern municipality of Bint Jbeil, Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state news agency said. The Lebanese army warned civilians to stay out of Khiam until it can clear the area of any unexploded munitions. The strategic hilltop town, located less than 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the border with Israel, saw some of the most intense fighting during the war. Thousands of Lebanese displaced by the war returned home two weeks ago after a ceasefire took hold , driving cars stacked with personal belongings and defying warnings from Lebanese and Israeli troops to avoid some areas. WASHINGTON — All Russian naval ships that were docked at the Syrian port of Tartus have left and it appears Moscow is now looking for a new base along the coast now that its key ally, Bashar Assad, has been ousted a ruler of Syria, a U.S. official said. It’s not clear where the ships will go, but Russia may seek a new port on the Mediterranean Sea along the African shoreline, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss U.S. assessments. The official did not say how many vessels Russia had in Syria at the time Assad was overthrown. Moscow has dedicated the bulk of its military assets to the war in Ukraine. Asked about Tartus on Wednesday, Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said that the U.S. is seeing some Russian forces and naval vessels leaving Syria. “They just had one of their key political allies, ousted,” said Singh. “We’re seeing Russia consolidate assets.” — By Lolita C. Baldor UNITED NATIONS – The Palestinians are urging United Nations member countries to vote in favor of resolutions demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and supporting the U.N. agency helping Palestinian refugees, which Israel has moved to ban in Palestinian territories. The Palestinian mission to the United Nations issued the urgent appeal to the 193 U.N. member nations ahead of Wednesday afternoon’s votes on the resolutions in the General Assembly, whose members have has been listening to two days of speeches overwhelmingly supporting the measures. Israel and close ally the United States have spoken against the resolutions. The Palestinians and their supporters went to the General Assembly after the U.S. vetoed a Security Council resolution last month demanding an immediate ceasefire in the war in Gaza. It was supported by the 14 other Security Councilmember nations, but the U.S. objected because the resolution did not include a link to an immediate release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The General Assembly resolution being voted on Wednesday mirrors the Security Council language: It “demands an immediate, unconditional and permanent cease-fire to be respected by all parties, and further reiterates its demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.” Unlike the Security Council, there are no vetoes in the General Assembly. But while council resolutions are legally binding, assembly resolutions are not, though they do reflect world opinion. The second resolution being voted on supports the mandate of the U.N. agency caring for Palestinian refugees known as UNRWA which was established by the General Assembly in 1949. It “deplores” legislation adopted by Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, on Oct. 28 banning UNRWA’s activities in the Palestinian territories, which takes effect in 90 days. It calls on the Israeli government “to abide by its international obligations, respect the privileges and immunities of UNRWA and uphold its responsibility to allow and facilitate full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance in all its forms into and throughout the entire Gaza Strip.” JERUSALEM — Israel has lifted restrictions on public gatherings and outdoor activities in areas near the Lebanese border in the northern Golan Heights, two weeks after a ceasefire with Hezbollah. The army’s Home Front Command said it was changing its public safety guidelines to “full activity” from “partial activity.” Israel had tightened restrictions on Nov. 25, reflecting concerns that fighting could intensify ahead of any possible cease-fire between Israel and Lebanese militants. The truce went into effect on Nov. 27. In recent days, Israeli tanks and troops have advanced out of Israeli-held territory in the Golan Heights and pushed into a buffer zone inside Syria — a move Israel said it took to prevent attacks on its citizens. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally, except by the United States. BEIRUT - Syria-based Palestinian factions have formed a unified delegation to meet with the country's new rebel-led authorities. The factions said in a statement after their meeting Wednesday at the Palestinian Embassy that they stand by the side of the Syrian people. The factions condemned Israel’s airstrikes on Syria over the past few days that have destroyed much of the assets of the Syrian army. The factions decided to form a joint committee to run the affairs of Palestinians in Syria as well as to be in contact with the new insurgent-led transitional government, following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians live in Syria, many of them refugees, and the factions that have been based in Damascus were close to Assad’s government. Hamas was based in Syria until it left in 2012 a year after the county's civil war began. PRETORIA, South Africa — The United Nations chief says the fall of Syria’s authoritarian government has brought hope to the troubled Middle East, and pledged the global body’s support to the country's new leaders to ensure a smooth transition. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that the U.N. wants to see “an inclusive political process in which the rights of all minorities will be fully respected, and paving the way towards a united sovereign Syria, with its territorial integrity fully re-established.” The jihadi-led Syrian rebels took control of the capital Damascus after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving many areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. A Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed force also controls large parts of northeastern Syria. Guterres said he fully trusts the people of Syria to be able “to choose their own destiny”. “I think it is our duty to do everything to support the different Syrian leaders in order to make sure that they come together and are able to guarantee a smooth transition, an inclusive transition in which all Syrians can feel that they belong," Guterres said. “The alternative does not make any sense.” Guterres is in South Africa to discuss the country’s role as it takes over the G20 presidency, among other issues. DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — An Israeli strike in central Gaza Strip killed four people and injured 16 others Wednesday, health officials said. Those killed and injured were taken to Awda Hospital after the strike hit a house in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp, according to the press center at the hospital. Since Israel’s war in Gaza began in October last year, at least 44,805 people have been killed and 106,257 others have been injured, according to the latest update by the Gaza Health ministry. BEIRUT — The top U.S. military commander for the Middle East was in Lebanon on Wednesday meeting with the head of the Lebanese army. In the wake of shocking overthrow of the government in neighboring Syria, the two military leaders discussed the security situation in Lebanon, a statement from the country's army said. U.S. Army Gen. Erik Kurilla, who leads U.S. Central Command, met with the head of the Lebanese army Gen. Joseph Aoun to discuss ongoing American support for the implementation of the U.S.-and French-brokered ceasefire agreement, which ended more than a year of war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Israel has said the truce deal gives it the right to use military force against perceived ceasefire violations. Israel has launched near-daily strikes, mostly in southern Lebanon, that have killed at least 28 people and wounded 25 others since the ceasefire took effect on Nov. 27. Still, the shaky truce appears to be holding. Five people were killed Wednesday by at least three Israeli strikes in different towns in the southern municipality of Bint Jbeil, Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state news agency said. On Tuesday, Kurilla was in eastern Syria visiting U.S. military bases and meeting with members of a Kurdish-led Syrian force that is backed by the U.S. He was assessing what CENTCOM described as efforts to counter a resurgence of the Islamic State group. He also visited Baghdad for talks with Iraqi officials on regional security and counter-IS operations. DAMASCUS — With the fall of Damascus, security forces of the deposed Bashar Assad government and staff withdrew from the Damascus International airport, grounding flights and stranding passengers. The airport has not been functional since. Now, security members of the rebel alliance in control of Syria have taken control of the airport, hoping to restore security, a sense of confidence, and the legitimacy needed to restart flights out of the capital, and from one of the country’s three international airports. “Damascus international airport is the heart of the city because it is the gateway for international delegations and missions,” Omar al-Shami, a security official with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the faction that led the shock offensive that led to the fall of Assad, told The Associated Press, calling it "the passage for Syria to breathe.” Al-Shami said security was restored at the international airport nearly 12 hours after the fall of Damascus. The factions entered the capital before dawn, and security members of the rebel alliance took charge before sunset on Sunday. He said he hoped the airport would be operational in less than a week. On Wednesday, a handful of engineers were inspecting four planes that were on the tarmac. Cleaning staff were removing broken furniture, glass windows, and trash from ransacking by looters following the fall of Damascus. The attack, reportedly by mobs and looters from the neighboring areas, left parts of the airport halls destroyed, with smashed furniture and merchandise. “There was a lot damage in the airport’s equipment and facilities in 90% of the sections,” Anis Fallouh, the head of the airport, told the AP. Fallouh said the operations to clean up the airport aim to convince international airlines to resume their flights to Damascus. “Soon in the coming days, flights will resume when we reopen air traffic to Syria and inform countries that Damascus airport is operational. We may start with domestic or test flights to ensure that everything in the airport is operational and avoid any mistakes. Then we can resume international flights.” Engineers were inspecting the four planes on the tarmac, from two Syrian airlines. Some administrative staff were visiting the airport as the new administrators of Damascus work to convince state officials to return to their posts. “We are on the Airbus 320, the technical team. Because of the security vacuum that happened on Sunday, some ill-intentioned people tried to cause damage but thank God the plane is fine — the body, the engines and its systems. Some things are missing and we are trying to fix that,” said Bassam Radi, the engineer in charge of maintenance, said. BERLIN — German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Wednesday addressed Berlin's reservations but also willingness to work the Syrian militant group in control of Damascus, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. “Nobody overlooks the origins of HTS in the al-Qaeda ideology. It is therefore clear that we will measure HTS by its actions,” Baerbock told reporters in Berlin. “Any cooperation presupposes that ethnic and religious minorities are protected, women’s rights are respected and acts of revenge are prevented.” She said that “whether we like it or not, the HTS militia ... is one of the decisive actors for the future of Syria.” “Together with our partners, we are therefore looking for an adequate way of dealing with HTS, with whom many have had no direct contact for good reasons,” she added. Ahmad al-Sharaa, the insurgent leader also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, has renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicted himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. BEIRUT — An Israeli airstrike near the southern Lebanese town of Bin Jbeil killed one person and wounded another, the state news agency reported. National News Agency said Wednesday’s airstrike hit a home. It gave no further details and there was no immediate comment from Israeli military. More than a dozen people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes since a ceasefire went into effect on Nov. 27, ending the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war. WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is returning to the Middle East this week on his 12th visit since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year but his first since the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad . Assad's departure has sparked new fears of instability in the region now wracked by three conflicts despite a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon. Blinken will travel to Jordan and Turkey on Thursday and Friday for talks expected to focus largely on Syria but also touch on long-elusive hopes for a deal to end the fighting in Gaza that has devastated the territory since October 2023. The State Department said Blinken would meet Jordanian officials, including King Abdullah II, in the port of Aqaba on Thursday before flying to Ankara for meetings with Turkish officials Friday. Other stops in the region are also possible, officials said. Blinken “will reiterate the United States’ support for an inclusive, Syrian-led transition to an accountable and representative government,” department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. BEIRUT — Insurgents have set on fire the tomb of Syria’s former President Hafez Assad in his hometown in the northwest, a war monitor and a local journalist said Wednesday. Hafez Assad had ruled Syria for 30 years until his death in 2000, when his son, Bashar, succeeded him. Both ruled Syria with an iron fist and were blamed for crackdowns that left tens of thousands dead, mainly in the central city of Hama in 1982, and in much of the country since the civil war in 2011. Bashar Assad was ousted over the weekend and fled to Russia where he was given political asylum. Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Syrian journalist Qusay Noor told The Associated Press that the tomb was set on fire Wednesday in the town of Qardaha in Latakia province. JERUSALEM — The United Nations is asking donors for over $4 billion to fund humanitarian operations in the Palestinian territories, most of it earmarked for war-ravaged Gaza. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs also called for the “lifting all impediments to the entry of aid” in its appeal issued Wednesday. U.N. agencies say aid operations in Gaza are hindered by Israeli restrictions and the breakdown of law and order. Israel says it allows enough aid to enter and blames the U.N. for not distributing it within the territory. The appeal for 2025 includes $3.6 billion for Gaza and about $450 million for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israel’s offensive, launched after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, has destroyed vast areas of the besieged territory and displaced around 90% of its population of 2.3 million. Many have been displaced multiple times and are now crammed into squalid tent camps with little in the way of food or other essentials. Most of the population relies on international aid. JERUSALEM — The president of Paraguay addressed the Israeli parliament Wednesday ahead of the reopening of the country’s embassy in Jerusalem. The decision to reopen the embassy in Jerusalem and recognize the city as the capital of Israel is a diplomatic win for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and puts Paraguay in a small group of countries that have taken the move. Israel annexed east Jerusalem in 1967 but it wasn't recognized by the international community, and most countries run their embassies out of Tel Aviv. “Without Jerusalem, the land of Israel is a body without a soul,” President Santiago Peña said in a speech to the Knesset. “So I say here today that without an embassy in Jerusalem, diplomatic relations with Israel do not have a real heart.” He said he hoped the move would inspire other countries to do the same. The embassy is set to open Thursday. Pena’s move was welcomed by Netanyahu, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, along with other Israeli leaders. “Tomorrow we will inaugurate together the embassy of Paraguay in our eternal capital, and that will happen not for the first time, but for the second time,” Netanyahu said. Paraguay had an embassy in Jerusalem in 2018, under Former President Horacio Cartes. That embassy was moved back to Tel Aviv by Cartes’ successor, Mario Abdo Benitez, prompting Israel to close its embassy in Asuncion. Israel reopened its embassy in September. MOSCOW — Russia said Wednesday it has maintained contacts with the new authorities in Syria. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “we are monitoring most closely what is happening in Syria.” “We, of course, maintain contacts with those who are currently controlling the situation in Syria,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters. “This is necessary because our bases are located there, our diplomatic mission is located there and, of course, the issue related to ensuring the security of these facilities is extremely important and of primary significance.” Peskov wouldn’t give details of those contacts, saying only that Russia has contacted “those who are controlling the situation on the ground.” He wouldn’t give the number of Russian troops in Syria. Asked to comment about Israel’s seizure of a buffer zone on the border with Syria, Peskov called them destabilizing. “The strikes and actions in the Golan Heights area, in the buffer zone area, are unlikely to help stabilize the situation in an already destabilized Syria,” he said. Russia has granted political asylum to ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad and his family after they fled rebels who seized Damascus over the weekend. TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says the recent events in Syria, including the fall of its government, were part of a joint plan by the United States and Israel. “There should be no doubt that what has happened in Syria is the result of a joint American and Zionist plan," Khamenei said in a speech in Tehran on Wednesday that was broadcast on state TV. “We have evidence, and this evidence leaves no room for doubt.” The Supreme leader added: “A neighboring state of Syria has played a clear role in this matter, and it continues to do so. Everyone can see this.” Khamenei also rejected speculation by analysts who have said that Iran will be weakened by the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government. “Those ignorant analysts are unaware of the meaning of resistance. They think that if resistance weakens, Islamic Iran will also weaken. But I say, with the help and power of God — by the will of Almighty Allah — Iran is powerful and it will become even more powerful," he said.None
TMC the metals company Inc. Investors: Please contact the Portnoy Law Firm to recover your losses. January 7, 2025 Deadline to file Lead Plaintiff Motion.Investors can contact the law firm at no cost to learn more about recovering their losses LOS ANGELES, Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises TMC the metals company Inc . ("TMC" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: TMC) investors of a class action representing investors that bought securities between May 12, 2023 and March 25, 2024 , inclusive (the "Class Period"). TMC investors have until January 7, 2025 to file a lead plaintiff motion. Investors are encouraged to contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy , by phone 310-692-8883 or email : lesley@portnoylaw.com, to discuss their legal rights, or click here to join the case. The Portnoy Law Firm can provide a complimentary case evaluation and discuss investors’ options for pursuing claims to recover their losses. On March 25, 2024, TMC announced that its financial statements for the first three quarters of 2023 were no longer reliable and would need to be restated. The revision was due to issues regarding the Company’s partnership with Low Carbon Royalties Inc. (“LCR”), specifically concerning whether the offsetting entry for the proceeds received from LCR should be categorized as debt or deferred income. TMC further clarified that, since the transaction with LCR was regarded as an equity investment rather than a sale, the future revenue sale would be reclassified as a royalty liability in accordance with the relevant accounting standards. As a result of this announcement, TMC’s stock price dropped by $0.205, or 13.2%, closing at $1.345 per share on March 26, 2024, causing losses for investors. Please visit our website to review more information and submit your transaction information. The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims against caused by corporate wrongdoing. The Firm’s founding partner has recovered over $5.5 billion for aggrieved investors. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Lesley F. Portnoy, Esq. Admitted CA and NY Bar lesley@portnoylaw.com 310-692-8883 www.portnoylaw.com Attorney Advertising
Ligue 1: Simon’s wonder goal earns Nantes victory over RennesGun found on suspect in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO matches shell casings at scene, police say ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — New York City’s police commissioner says the gun found on the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO matches shell casings found at the crime scene. Commissioner Jessica Tisch also said Wednesday that lab results matched suspect Luigi Mangione’s prints to a water bottle and a snack bar wrapper found near the scene of the killing. Police had said earlier that they believed the gunman bought the items at a nearby coffee shop while awaiting his target. Mangione is jailed in Pennsylvania on weapon and forgery charges, but he also has been charged in New York with murder in Brian Thompson's death. His lawyer has noted that Mangione is presumed innocent. Authorities are scrutinizing evidence and the suspect’s experiences with the health care industry. Arguments over whether Luigi Mangione is a 'hero' offer a glimpse into an unusual American moment Memes and online posts in support of 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, who's charged with killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO, have mushroomed online. Some cast Mangione as a hero. That's too far, says Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a rising Democrat who was almost the Democratic vice presidential nominee this year. CEO Brian Thompson's death touched off off these ripples. They offer a glimpse into how so many different aspects of 21st-century life can be surreally connected, from public violence to politics, from health care to humor, or attempts at it. FBI Director Wray says he intends to resign before Trump takes office in January WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray says he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January. The announcement Wednesday comes a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the position. His impending resignation will bring him three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations. Trump applauded the news Wednesday, saying it will end the weaponization of what he called the “Department of Injustice.” Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for the first time and be named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thursday's events will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has long seen praise from the business world and media as a sign of success. Four people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press that Trump was expected to be on Wall Street on Thursday to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, while a person familiar with the selection confirmed that Trump had been selected as Time's Person of the Year. The Trump and Biden teams insist they're working hand in glove on foreign crises WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t think much of Joe Biden’s foreign policy record. He frequently casts the outgoing Democratic president as a feckless leader who shredded American credibility around the world during his four-year term. But the Trump and Biden national security teams have come to an understanding that they have no choice but to work together as conflicts in Gaza, Syria and Ukraine have left a significant swath of the world on a knife’s edge. It’s fuzzy how much common ground Biden and Trump’s teams have found as they navigate crises that threaten to cause more global upheaval as Trump prepares to settle back into the White House. Syrians flock to morgues looking for loved ones who perished in Assad's prisons DAMASCUS (AP) — Many bodies have been found in Syrian detention centers and prisons since President Bashar al-Assad's government fell. Now Syrians around the world are circulating images of the corpses in hopes that they will see slain loved ones whose fate had been a mystery. At the morgue visited by The Associated Press on Wednesday in Damascus, families flocked to a wall where some of the pictures were pinned in a haunting gallery of the dead. Relatives desperately scanned the images for a recognizable face. Some of the prisoners died just weeks ago. Others perished months earlier. US warns Russia may be ready to use new lethal missile against Ukraine again in 'coming days' WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says Russia could launch its lethal new intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine again soon. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh cited a U.S. intelligence assessment in telling reporters on Wednesday that an attack could come “in the coming days.” She says the U.S. does not consider the Oreshnik missile a game changer on the battlefield. But that Russia is using the weapon to intimidate Ukraine as both sides wrestle for an advantage that will give them leverage in any negotiations to end the war. The Russian Defense Ministry also is warning it may retaliate against Kyiv for an attack on a military base in the Rostov region in southern Russia on Wednesday. Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 33 including children, Palestinian medics say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian medical officials say Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 33 people. One of the strikes hit a home where displaced people were sheltering in the isolated north, killing 19. A separate strike outside nearby Kamal Adwan Hospital killed a woman and her two children, and another strike in central Gaza killed at least seven people. Israel's military says it tries to avoid harming civilians and accuses militants of hiding among them, putting their lives in danger. Local health officials say Israel’s retaliatory offensive after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023 has killed over 44,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Hannah Kobayashi, missing Hawaii woman whose disappearance prompted a massive search, is found safe LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hannah Kobayashi has been found safe. That’s according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Kobayashi vanished last month in Los Angeles. The missing Hawaii woman's disappearance prompted a massive search and a missing persons investigation. It was not immediately clear where she was found, but police previously said she had voluntarily crossed the border into Mexico. The LAPD said Wednesday the department will wrap up its investigation. Kobayashi's family reported her missing to law enforcement on Nov. 11 after relatives received “strange and cryptic, just alarming” text messages. Kobayashi’s mother and sister said they are “grateful” she has been found safe. Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. But when exactly? ZURICH (AP) — Saudi Arabia scored a major win in its campaign to attract major sports events to the kingdom when it was formally appointed as the 2034 World Cup host on Wednesday. Still, many questions remain about the tournament. Key issues include during which part of the year to stage the tournament, where to play the games, whether alcohol will be allowed at all and how to protect workers rights in the massive construction projects required to host the World Cup.
Red Velvet Irene ’s solo debut has been a commercial hit since its release last month, but one accolade “Like a Flower” has missed out on so far is a music show win — and fans say SM Entertainment is to blame. From the moment Irene’s debut mini album, Like a Flower , was released, it’s been racking up album sales achievements. In its first day alone, the record sold over 250,000 copies, achieving the seventh highest first-day sales for a female K-Pop soloist on the Hanteo chart. With just one day of tracking, Irene also recorded the highest first- week sales for an SM Entertainment female soloist. Naturally, with such accomplishments in hand, fans had high expectations for Irene to become the first Red Velvet member to achieve a win on a music show. In particular, ReVeluvs worldwide went full force with their efforts on KBS ’s Music Bank . After an intense period of voting, fans even managed to break the app All Chart ’s record for the highest vote total of all time at 983,504, giving her the number one spot in the pre-vote. However, despite fans’ tireless efforts, when Music Bank aired on November 6, Irene was not nominated at all. Although she received the maximum score of 2,000 for the pre-vote, her final total was 5,768, putting her in third place on Music Bank ’s ‘K-Chart.’ The reason? A discrepancy in her album sales, which fans are calling “sabotage.” irene breaking records left and right in her solo debut yet you choose to sabotage her, you incompetent bastard @SMTOWNGLOBAL — nicole 💐 (@baechustokki) December 6, 2024 The root of the issue lies in the difference between the Hanteo chart and the chart Music Bank uses for its tally: Circle . In a nutshell, Hanteo counts retail sales, tracking albums purchased by customers both offline and online. Circle Chart, on the other hand, records the number of albums shipped to retailers, before they’re even sold to individual customers. As such, Circle Chart figures are usually higher than Hanteo, as they include stock that has been distributed to stores but not yet sold. However, in a shocking turn of events, Circle reported that Irene had only sold 164,802 copies across all versions by the end of the music show tracking week on Sunday — a striking difference from Hanteo’s figure of 288,911. Circle Album Chart Week 48: 4. Like A Flower – 159,165 [NEW] 25. Like A Flower (SMC) – 5,637 [NEW] #RedVelvet @RVsmtown #IRENE pic.twitter.com/7OWhhn5cQ5 — Red Velvet Charts (@ChartsRV) December 5, 2024 This meant that more than 120,000 sold albums were missing from Irene’s sales figures. In contrast, the two groups nominated for the win ( WayV and TWS ) had approximately 8,000 and 31,000 more sales on Circle than on Hanteo respectively. In the end, this meant that Irene was allocated just 914 points awarded for physical album sales on Music Bank . Had her Circle sales figure matched her Hanteo sales, Irene would have scored around 1,600 points in the physical sales category: enough to push her final points to over 6,400. This would have placed her above the eventual winner, WayV, whose total was 6,354 points, giving her the win. Naturally, the gap between what could have been and what happened left fans furious at SM Entertainment. Across social media, ReVeluvs accused the company of failing to support Irene’s solo debut properly, or even intentionally sabotaging it. Irene, her team, and her fans are working hard to give their best, only for Pink Company to sabotage their artist lmao why is this always happening? So professional @SMTOWNGLOBAL @RVsmtown #IreneDeservesBetterTreatment — 현 솔로⋆ 🍓 silhouette (@justirenerg) December 5, 2024 Questions arose about why her Circle chart sale were so low, with theories ranging from delayed album shipments to errors in reporting figures. Many pointed out the stark contrast between Irene’s case and that of WayV, whose sales were accurately reflected on Circle despite both artists being under SM Entertainment with albums distributed by Kakao Entertainment. we really need an explanation from sm why they managed to ship wayv's albums properly but not irene's — 🌺 (@fanniirene) December 5, 2024 Irene’s visible dedication to her debut only added to the heartbreak. The star had been working on the album for several months, including in the midst of the group’s Asia fan concert tour. In a recent vlog with fellow member Seulgi , fans also noticed dark bruises on Irene’s legs, making the agency’s lack of support even harder to accept. irene has been working SO HARD getting all bruised and exhausted just to make everything perfect but @SMTOWNGLOBAL and kakao can't even work with her and treat her properly with the same energy?? @SMTOWNGLOBAL @RVsmtown respond and treat irene better! https://t.co/Ia0jXXLjEa pic.twitter.com/UiIBJJEu88 — •᎑• | Like A Flower 🌷 (@notrenesbathtub) December 6, 2024 Now, fans are calling for SM Entertainment to explain and apologize for what happened. Baetokkis, we all know that Irene deserves the best, so help us demand better treatment from SM. Aside from the mass email event, let’s flood Kwangya 119 as well! KWANGYA 911🔗: https://t.co/kWKbO845KE Email template: https://t.co/5HQwztYa4A #아이린 #IRENE #アイリーン ... pic.twitter.com/zz44oGUOAy — Irene Ads 🌷 (@IreneadsPH) December 5, 2024 Irene’s China fanbase ( IreneBar ), whose members contributed hundreds of thousands of sales for Like a Flower , have also lodged threats against SM Entertainment. “ If the company fails to provide a satisfactory response ,” they announced on X , “ we will request a full refund for all unreleased albums and will completely boycott all albums, activities, and merchandise purchases, except for Irene’s individual activities, in the future. ” 회사에서 납득할 만한 답변을 내놓지 않을 경우, 출고되지 않은 모든 앨범에 대해 전액 환불을 요청할 것이며, 앞으로 아이린 개인 활동을 제외한 모든 앨범, 활동, 굿즈 구매를 전면적으로 보이콧할 것입니다. @RVsmtown @SMTOWNGLOBAL https://t.co/ILJ7Vp2u1c — IreneBar (@IreneBar_) December 6, 2024 Red Velvet Red Velvet’s Irene Confesses How Far She’s Gone To Avoid Dieting Red Velvet’s Irene Shocks With Album Sales And Chart Performance Following Solo Debut Red Velvet’s Irene Gains Praise For Intense Choreography “Not Made For TikTok” Red Velvet’s Wendy Faces Backlash For Posting A “Natural” Photo See more Red Velvet