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NEW YORK — Eager to preserve President-elect Donald Trump's hush money conviction even as he returns to office, prosecutors suggested various ways forward — including one based on how some courts handle criminal cases when defendants die. In court papers made public Tuesday, the Manhattan district attorney's office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books. The proposals include freezing the case until Trump is out of office, or agreeing that any future sentence wouldn't include jail time. Another idea: closing the case with a notation that acknowledges his conviction but says that he was never sentenced and his appeal wasn't resolved because of presidential immunity. Former President Donald Trump appears in Manhattan criminal court May 30 during jury deliberations in his criminal hush money trial in New York. The last is adopted from what some states do when a criminal defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether that option is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Judge Juan M. Merchan could innovate in what's already a unique case. "This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding," prosecutors wrote. But at the same time, it wouldn't "precipitously discard" the "meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers." Expanding on a position they laid out last month, prosecutors acknowledged that "presidential immunity requires accommodation during a president's time in office," but they were adamant that the conviction should stand. They argued that Trump's impending return to the White House should not upend a jury's finding. Trump wants the case to be thrown out in light of his election. His communications director, Steven Cheung, called prosecutors' filing "a pathetic attempt to salvage the remains of an unconstitutional and politically motivated hoax." Trump has fought for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. Former President Donald Trump returns to the courtroom May 30 at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York. He says they did not and denies wrongdoing. Trump portrays the case as a political attack ginned up by District Attorney Alvin Bragg and other Democrats. Trump's legal team argues that letting the case continue would present unconstitutional "disruptions" to his upcoming presidential term. Trump's attorneys also cited President Joe Biden's recent pardon of his son Hunter Biden, who was convicted of tax and gun charges. Biden complained that his son was unfairly prosecuted for political reasons — and Trump's lawyers say he was, too. Trump's lawyers argued that the possibility of a jail sentence — even if it's after he leaves office — would affect his presidency. Prosecutors suggested Merchan could address that concern by agreeing not to put him behind bars. It's unclear how soon Merchan could decide what to do next with the case. He could grant Trump's request for dismissal, go with one of the suggestions from prosecutors, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump's parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. Former President Donald Trump gestures May 31 as he leaves a news conference at Trump Tower in New York. He was scheduled for sentencing late last month. After Trump's Nov. 5 election win, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president's sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Merchan also delayed a decision on Trump's prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. A dismissal would erase Trump's conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. The hush money case was the only one of Trump's four criminal indictments to go to trial. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith ended his two federal cases, which pertained to Trump's efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in each case. Former President Donald Trump speaks outside the courtroom after a jury convicted him of felony crimes for falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election, at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Steven Hirsch/New York Post via AP, Pool) Former President Donald Trump sits in Manhattan criminal court, on May 13, 2024, in New York. (Sarah Yenesel/Pool Photo via AP) Former President Donald Trump talks to the media outside Manhattan criminal court in New York, on May 14, 2024. (Curtis Means/Pool Photo via AP) Former President Donald Trump appears at Manhattan criminal court before his trial in New York, on April 30, 2024. (Justin Lane/Pool Photo via AP) Michael Cohen, right, leaves his apartment building in New York, on May 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Former President Donald Trump appears at Manhattan criminal court during jury deliberations in his criminal hush money trial in New York, Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Mark Peterson/Pool Photo via AP) Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings in Manhattan Criminal Court, on May 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, Pool) Former President Donald Trump appears at Manhattan criminal court during jury deliberations in his criminal hush money trial in New York, Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Steven Hirsch/New York Post via AP, Pool) From left North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy look on as former President Donald Trump talks to the media as he arrives at Manhattan criminal court in New York, on May 14, 2024. (Curtis Means/Pool Photo via AP) A supporter of former President Donald Trump reads a "Jews for Trump" sign outside Manhattan Criminal Court, on May 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Donald Trump, Jr. speaks to reporters across the street from former President Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York, on May 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) A supporter of former President Donald Trump and an anti-Trump protester fight outside Manhattan Criminal Court, Thursday, May 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Robert De Niro, center, argues with a Donald Trump supporter after speaking to reporters in support of President Joe Biden across the street from Trump's criminal trial in New York, on May 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Donald Trump Jr. speaks outside Manhattan criminal court, on May 21, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Former President Donald Trump talks to the media after a day of testimony in his trial at Manhattan Criminal court in New York, on May 10, 2024. (Jeenah Moon/Pool Photo via AP) Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, wears a tie with photographs of former President Donald Trump during a press conference outside Manhattan criminal court, on May 21, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Trump supporters wave flags and cheer as the motorcade carrying former President Donald Trump leaves the Manhattan Criminal court, on May 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah) Former President Donald Trump, seen through a camera viewfinder, speaks to members of the media at Manhattan criminal court in New York, on May 2, 2024. (Jeenah Moon/Pool Photo via AP) Former President Donald Trump gestures as he returns to court after a lunch break, at Manhattan criminal court in New York, on May 16, 2024. (Mike Segar/Pool Photo via AP) Former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 21, 2024 in New York. (Michael M. Santiago/Pool Photo via AP) Supporters of former President Donald Trump gather in Collect Pond Park outside Manhattan Criminal Court, Thursday, May 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Former President Donald Trump closes his eyes, during his trial at Manhattan criminal court on May 16, 2024, in New York. (Mike Segar/Pool Photo via AP) Former President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom during his criminal trial at the Manhattan criminal court in New York, on May 6, 2024. (Brendan McDermid/Pool Photo via AP) Former President Donald Trump walks to the courtroom at Manhattan criminal court as jurors are expected to begin deliberations in his criminal hush money trial in New York, on May 29, 2024. (Charly Triballeau/Pool Photo via AP) Former President Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower on his way to Manhattan criminal court, on April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Former President Donald Trump sits in Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, on May 20, 2024. (Dave Sanders/The New York Times via AP, Pool) Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.The president of Napier's Mongrel Mob Barbarian chapter, 'Heil Dogg', is being farewelled at a tangi on Friday. Police are preparing for a large number of gang members from across the country to visit the region, and say extra staff have been called in to monitor the funeral. Angus Benson, also known as Angus Ratima and 'Heil Dogg', will be taken from Palmerston North Hospital to his mother's place in the Napier suburb of Maraenui, and then to the Mongrel Mob's Napier Aoteoroa gang pad for his final night before the funeral on Friday. A social media post about the tangi urged people to "Travel safe to all our whānau coming from all over the nation". Friends and family shared their condolences on social media, saying it was a "such a big loss to the Maraenui and Napier community", and that he was "another solid brother gone way too soon". Police say his death was not being treated as suspicious and will be referred to the Coroner. A source told RNZ the tangi is expected to be peaceful, and gang members will respect the new laws banning patches in public. Police have reiterated that anyone wearing gang insignia would be arrested under the recent Gangs Act. One person had already been arrested for wearing a Mongrel Mob t-shirt on Tuesday, but police determined he was not part of the group attending the funeral. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen reflected on Buffalo’s many offseason critics and doubters when asked about the Bills achieving their latest milestones while sewing up the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the unraveling and undisciplined New York Jets on Sunday. It was a the Bills quarterback’s “I told you so moment,” even though Allen elected not to use those exact words. “It speaks to the staff that we’ve got here, the guys that we’ve got in this locker room, how this team is put together and the culture that we have,” Allen said. “We didn’t really pay attention to the preseason notions, but we heard them and we saw them and we knew what people were saying. "But it had no effect on us.” Well, that might be a stretch when it comes to motivation. What’s unquestioned is how Allen and the Bills (13-3) overcame a young, patchwork roster following the offseason departure of six of eight team captains — including Stefon Diggs being traded to Houston — to run away with their fifth consecutive AFC East title and win a franchise-best 13 games for the fifth time in team history, and third since 2020. Coach Sean McDermott didn’t leave much doubt as to who deserves the most credit for leading the Bills to their sixth consecutive playoff berth, and helping them set the single-season franchise records for points (509) and touchdowns (63). “I think Josh Allen continues to show why he should be the MVP,” McDermott said. “I’ve been around this league long enough to know to see MVP every year for many years. And what he has done on this team and this organization in this community — and no offense to anybody else — but I’ve got a hard time believing that someone’s done more.” Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score to become the NFL’s first player to score 40 touchdowns in five consecutive seasons. He did so in an outing Buffalo blew the game open by capitalizing on two Jets turnovers and scoring three touchdowns over a 5:01 span in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Buffalo’s defense forced three takeaways overall and sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, including a 2-yard loss for a safety in the second quarter. Nothing went right in what became a comedy of errors for Rodgers and the Jets (4-12). New York will finish with five or fewer wins for the seventh time over a 14-season playoff drought — the NFL’s longest active streak. “It’s kind of like the season, it just got away from us. Too many games got away from us,” said Rodgers, who finished 12 of 18 for 112 yards and two interceptions before being pulled in favor of Tyrod Taylor with Buffalo leading 40-0. “We were moving the ball well and then just hit a wall. And that’s kind of been the season.” Rodgers, who entered the game with 499 career TD passes and looking to become just the fifth player to reach 500, was instead shut out and became the NFL’s most sacked quarterback. The 41-year-old has now been sacked 568 times , moving ahead of Tom Brady (565) and into first place on the career list. Taylor accounted for all of New York’s points, with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson and a 20-yarder to Tyler Conklin. Discipline was an issue for a Jets team that fell to 2-9 since Jeff Ulbrich took over as interim coach. New York finished with 16 accepted penalties for 120 yards. “It’s frustrating, it’s embarrassing, it’s maddening. It’s all of that,” Ulbrich said. Allen had a short and efficient outing, finishing 16 of 27 for 182 yards with a 30-yard TD pass to Amari Cooper and a 14-yarder to Keon Coleman before giving way to backup Mitchell Trubisky with Buffalo leading 33-0 through three quarters. And Trubisky piled on by completing a 69-yard touchdown pass to practice squad call-up Tyrell Shavers 2:23 into the fourth quarter. Shavers became the 13th Bills player to catch a touchdown pass, matching the single-season NFL record, to validate the “everybody eats” mantra Allen and the offense used to approach this season. The Bills defense enjoyed a dominating performance to snap a shaky three-game stretch in which it combined to allow 1,357 yards, 86 first downs and 107 points. “I wouldn’t say need ... and I don’t want to say reassurance, either,” said A.J. Epenesa, who sacked Rodgers for the safety. “But it just shows that this is what we can do and this is the standard that needs to be upheld.” Allen’s 1-yard score was the 65th rushing TD of his career, matching the team record held by Thurman Thomas. ... James Cook scored on a 4-yard run for his 15th TD rushing of the season, one short of the Bills' single-season record set by O.J. Simpson in a 14-game season in 1975. Cook matched Allen, who scored 15 last year. ... Wilson reached 1,000 yards receiving for the third straight year to start his career, the first Jets player to do so and the 10th player in NFL history to accomplish the feat. Jets: Close the season by hosting the Miami Dolphins. Bills: Play their regular-season finale at the New England Patriots. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflFive new driving laws you need to know in 2025 – including car tax changes Several drivers will be affected by new law changes (stock) (Image: Getty Images ) UK motorists are set to face a set of new rules and regulations from 2025, including major changes to car tax, Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), and others. Fees are due for a significant overhaul from spring, affecting drivers across the country. VED, also known as road tax, car tax or the road fund licence, is a tax that drivers must pay to legally drive or park a vehicle on public roads. The Office for Budget Responsibility predicts that VED will generate £9.4 billion by 2027/28, up from £7.3 billion collected for the 2022-23 tax year, or £5.8 billion in the year before the VED car tax changes in 2017. However, this isn't the only change drivers should prepare for as we approach the new year. New legislation will bring about a range of changes for drivers, some of which could be expensive for car owners who have previously been exempt from certain laws. Drivers will be faced with several new laws in 2025 (stock) (Image: Getty Images ) 1. Green vehicle discount will be cancelled The cleaner vehicle discount will cease on 25 December 2025. This means that if you renew your discount after 24 December 2024, you will receive less than 12 months of discount and the £10 renewal fee will still apply. If you can provide TFL with all your cleaner vehicle discount documents you can apply online now. You can... Claudia Trotman , James Rodger , Steve BagnallBERLIN (AP) — Harry Kane scored a hat trick including two penalties for Bayern Munich to beat Augsburg 3-0 in the Bundesliga on Friday. The win stretched Bayern’s lead to eight points ahead of the rest of the 11th round, and Kane took his goals tally to a league-leading 14. The England forward is the fastest player to reach 50 goals in the Bundesliga in what was his 43rd game. However, coach Vincent Kompany should be concerned by his team’s ongoing difficulty of scoring in matches it dominates. Bayern previously defeated St. Pauli and Benfica only 1-0. Kompany’s team had to wait until stoppage time before Kane sealed the result with his second penalty. Two minutes later, Kane scored with a header after controlling Leon Goretzka's cross with his first touch for a flattering scoreline. Bayern had possession and chances, but the visitors defended resolutely with Augsburg goalkeeper Nediljko Labrović denying Kane, then twice Jamal Musiala to keep the game scoreless at halftime. Bayern counterpart Manuel Neuer, who overcame a rib injury to start, had little to do at the other end. Musiala, Goretzka and Michael Olise all went close after the break. Labrović and the Augsburg defense held on. Then Mads Pedersen was penalized for handball following a VAR review and Kane duly broke the deadlock in the 63rd. Bayern continued as before with 80% possession, but had to wait for Keven Schlotterbeck to be penalized through VAR for a foul on Kane. Kane sealed the result in the third minute of stoppage time and there was still time for him to grab another. It’s Bayern’s seventh consecutive win without conceding a goal since it conceded four at Barcelona (4-1) on Oct. 23 in the Champions League. Bayern next hosts Paris Saint-Germain in that competition on Tuesday, then Borussia Dortmund away in the Bundesliga next weekend, before defending champion Bayer Leverkusen visits in the third round of the German Cup. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy was quick to celebrate Michigan’s massive recruiting victory on Thursday, but that does not mean he had a direct hand in making it happen. Bryce Underwood, who is the No. 1 overall recruit for the class of 2025, has announced his commitment to the Wolverines. Underwood, who is from Belleville, Mich., had previously been committed to LSU, but the quarterback changed his commitment. Portnoy, who is a Michigan alumnist and fan of the Wolverines, had previously indicated he was prepared to spend millions of dollars to bring his school a top quarterback. Did he do that to help Michigan land Underwood? It doesn’t sound like it. Though Portnoy shared a video on social media boasting about Underwood’s commitment , he later said his role in bringing the quarterback to Ann Arbor was “tiny.” “Im getting tons of credit online for flipping Bryce. While I love credit reality is I played a tiny roll (sic). Rest assured there are Michigan Men + Women out there making things happen behind the scenes. I’ve never been more confident that Mich is poised to dominate in this new world,” Portnoy wrote on X. Im getting tons of credit online for flipping Bryce. While I love credit reality is I played a tiny roll. Rest assured there are Michigan Men + Women out there making things happen behind the scenes. I've never been more confident that Mich is poised to dominate in this new world — Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) November 22, 2024 The 6-foot-4 Underwood is now the highest-rated recruit Michigan has ever landed. Underwood’s high school teammate Elijah Dotson flipped his commitment from Pitt to Michigan earlier this week, which seemed to be a sign of what was to come with Underwood. This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.
Jaipur: Facing the challenge of an emerging cyber fraud hub in the Mewat area of the state, the Rajasthan Government has come up with an advisory on Deepfake, its threats and countermeasures, with the focus on ensuring effective cyber hygiene and security among the public at the ground level. The identified target audience or potential beneficiaries according to the advisory include both individuals and organizations. The advisory was issued in consonance with the cyber security measures or actionable points determined during the Third National Conference of Chief Secretaries under the theme “Cyber Security: Emerging Challenges”. The advisory has explained Deepfake technology as an application of AI in manipulation of videos, images, and even audios. As per the advisory, the major risks associated with Deepfake technology are the spread of misinformation, frauds, or scams and reputational damage. Both positive and negative applications of Deepfake have been identified by the advisory. While positive applications can be seen in the generation of special effects in movies and engaging or interactive educational content, there are numerous negative uses as well. There is a risk of financial frauds through impersonation, disinformation to manipulate public opinion, along with emotional and financial extortion through non-consensual explicit content. The concerned advisory also highlighted certain preventive steps which can be referred to by both individuals and organizations for avoiding mishaps caused by Deepfake technology and its negative applications. Individuals and organizations have been advised to do cross-referencing for every information and exercise extreme caution in case of personal information. Certain measures like Multi-Factor Authentication or MFA, strong privacy settings, verification protocols, and consistent security audits can aid the public in combating the ill effects of Deepfake technology. On an individual level, the public has been advised to be cautious while sharing any information in the digital space. It is advised to assess the authenticity of the source of concerned information. The concerned advisory also provided certain preventive measures meant specifically for organizations. The advisory said that organizations deal in large amounts of company and customer data, it is advised to make use of Multi-Factor Authentication or MFA to ensure secure use, storage, and transfer of data. Organizations have been advised to undertake security audits at regular intervals along with usage of encrypted modes of communication. The advisory also suggests formulation of crisis management plans in case of any mishap. Notably, Rajasthan's Mewat region is emerging as a cyber fraud hub in the country and has become a challenge for the state police, who is running “Operation Anti-Virus” in the area. As per reports the Deeg district is seeing an alarming rise in cyber fraud cases and 90% of these cases involve morphing victims’ images with explicit videos.
Ludhiana: Candidate lists released by political parties for the MC polls indicate that the seventh MC general house will have more of fresh faces. The four main parties in the fray are giving a chance to new leaders. Another factor contributing to the preference for new faces is ward delimitation. During ward delimitation last time, Congress was in a majority. After the exercise, many of the wards are either reserved or divided into two or three wards. Many former councillors, including former mayor Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria, Balkar Sandhu and Jaiparkash have given way to younger leaders. Also, since AAP is a relatively new entrant, people expect new leaders as candidates. For Shiromani Akali Dal, this election is an issue of survival. On the other hand, morale is high in the BJP camp, with leaders confident about forming the house. However, rival parties are mystified by the BJP’s delay in announcing the list, particularly with AAP MLAs proclaiming that there was no dearth of potential candidates in their party. A number of former councillors like Gagandeep Bhalla, Pankaj Sharma and Parvinder Lapran have been replaced by their wives as candidates. Ruling party candidates have to find space for themselves as after the ward delimitation exercise, many wards have multiple aspirants. This has necessitated division of one ward into multiple ones. A ticket aspirant from the BJP said that the saffron party has to give 95 reliable faces, so the leaders are trying to convince them to shift their wards if they can win from somewhere else. He said there is much pressure on aspirants as well as senior leaders to give the best candidates at this time. We also published the following articles recently Muvattupuzha municipality: Merchant body alleges irregularities in ward delimitation Muvattupuzha merchants have lodged a complaint with the district collector, citing irregularities in the delimitation commission's draft. They argue that ward boundaries violate guidelines, creating unequal resident distribution and forcing some to travel long distances to access services. The merchants suspect political motivations behind the delimitation, potentially impacting upcoming local body polls. BJP braces for GMC bypolls in 2 wards Ghaziabad gears up for crucial civic body bypolls in two wards on December 17th. These elections were necessitated by the unfortunate demise of two sitting councillors. With nine candidates vying for the seats, including representatives from BJP, Congress, and SP, the BJP aims to bolster its existing 77-member majority in the 100-member house. Ward strikes right notes Hockey star Samuel Ward, 33, is set to make his Hockey India League (HIL) debut with UP Rudras, starting December 28. Recovering from a near career-ending eye injury in 2019, Ward's resilience is key for the Rudras. He's excited to play alongside Olympic medalists and learn from young captain Hardik Singh. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .
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(Bloomberg) — Over the last few years, the US economy has consistently defied expectations for a slowdown, and 2024 was no different. Despite uncertainty around a presidential election, elevated interest rates and a cooling labor market, economic growth remained solid this year. The US is set to be the top performer among Group of Seven countries, according to International Monetary Fund projections. Still, the economy was far from perfect. Inflation proved slow to recede, leading the Federal Reserve to embrace a higher-for-longer approach to interest rates. The housing and manufacturing sectors continued to struggle under the weight of high borrowing costs, and consumers with credit-card debt, mortgages and other loans saw rising delinquency rates. Here’s a closer look at how the US economy performed in this year: Consumers Held Up... The answer to why the economy exceeded expectations in 2024 is the American consumer. Even as hiring slowed, wage growth continued to outpace inflation and household wealth reached new records, supporting an ongoing expansion in household spending. Bloomberg Economics forecasters estimate household outlays advanced 2.8% in 2024 — faster than in 2023 and nearly twice their projection at the start of the year. ...But Cracks Emerged... Though consumers are still holding up, some of the main drivers of that remarkable resilience lost steam this year. Americans have mostly exhausted their pandemic savings and have generally been putting aside a smaller share of their incomes each month. Consumer spending has also been increasingly driven by higher earners who are enjoying a so-called wealth effect from gains in housing prices and the stock market. That’s taking place while many lower-income consumers are relying on credit cards and other loans to support their spending, with some showing signs of financial strain like higher delinquency rates. ...Including in the Labor Market The main support for consumer spending also began flashing warning signs in 2024. Hiring decelerated throughout the year and the unemployment rate edged higher, triggering a popular recession indicator. Moreover, the number of job openings declined and the unemployed are increasingly having a harder time finding new jobs. Fed officials began cutting rates in September amid concerns that the job market could be approaching a dangerous tipping point, though they’ve become more optimistic in the final months of the year as the unemployment rate has stabilized around levels that remain low by historical standards. Wage growth, meanwhile, remains steady around 4%, which should keep supporting household finances. Inflation Progress Stalled Progress toward the central bank’s 2% inflation target has stalled in recent months following a swift decline in 2023 and additional progress in the first half of 2024. One of the Fed’s preferred inflation metrics — the personal consumption expenditures price index excluding food and energy — rose 2.8% in November from a year ago. While Fed officials opted to lower rates by a full percentage point this year in an effort to take some pressure off the economy, Chair Jerome Powell has indicated that central bankers need to see more progress on inflation before making additional cuts in 2025. High Rates Hurt the Housing Market... The housing market continued to struggle under the weight of higher borrowing costs. Mortgage rates, which fell to a two-year low in September, have been approaching 7% again on expectations that the Fed will take longer to cut. Contractors continued to offer incentives to lure buyers, including so-called mortgage buydowns and payments on their behalf, as well as occasional price cuts. While sales have stabilized somewhat this year, they remain below pre-pandemic levels. In the resale market — which accounts for a majority of home purchases — the National Association of Realtors anticipates the 2024 sales pace came in even lower than last year, which was already the worst since 1995. ...And the Manufacturing Sector The manufacturing sector was another victim of elevated borrowing costs. Investment in new structures was hindered by high rates and weaker demand abroad, and many firms shed jobs in an effort to save costs. Durable goods manufacturers subtracted from payrolls in all but one month this year. President-elect Donald Trump’s economic agenda could also weigh on the sector in 2025. Though Trump has promised to boost domestic manufacturing, some economists and business groups anticipate his plans to impose higher tariffs, deport millions of immigrants and cut taxes could push up inflation and constrain the labor market, as well as disrupt supply chains. Capital spending by US manufacturers is seen rising at a tepid pace next year amid that uncertainty.
Thousands of Syrians gathered in Damascus’ main square and a historic mosque for the first Muslim Friday prayers since former President Bashar Assad was overthrown , a major symbolic moment for the country’s dramatic change of power. The rebels are now working to establish security and start a political transition after seizing the capital on Sunday. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Friday, pressing ahead with efforts to unify Middle East nations in support of a peaceful political transition in Syria. It’s part of Blinken’s 12th trip to the Mideast since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year in Gaza but his first after Assad was ousted. The U.S. is also making a renewed push for an ceasefire in Gaza, where the war has plunged more than 2 million Palestinians into a severe humanitarian crisis. Israel’s war against Hamas has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The October 2023 Hamas attack that sparked the war killed some 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and around 250 others were taken hostage. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Here's the latest: ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday that eliminating a U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish militia is his country’s “strategic goal,” and called on members of the group to leave Syria or lay down arms. In an interview with Turkey’s NTV television, Fidan also suggested that Syria’s new rulers — the rebels who swept into Damascus and who are backed by Ankara — would not recognize the militia, known as the People’s Protection Units, or YPG. The group is allied with the United States in the fight against the Islamic State group but Turkey views it as a terrorist organization and a security threat. “The non-Syrian YPG members must leave the country as soon as possible. The entire command level of the YPG must also leave the country,” Fidan said. “After that, those who remain must put down their weapons and continue with their lives.” Fidan said that as the Syrian insurgents advanced toward Damascus and Syria's Bashar Assad was toppled, Turkey in talks that were underway in Qatar at the time asked Iran and Russia not to intervene militarily. “At some point they (Russians and Iranians) made phone calls. That evening, Assad left,” Fidan said. UNITED NATIONS —– The situation in Gaza is rapidly deteriorating with scores of reported fatalities from multiple Israeli airstrikes in recent days and insecurity hampering aid deliveries, the United Nations said Friday. U.N. humanitarian coordinator Muhannad Hadi urged respect for the principles of “distinction, proportionality and precautions” and called on the parties to ensure the protection of civilians and safe and unimpeded passage of humanitarian aid. Hadi cited the looting of a 70-truck convoy that was traveling at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Wednesday and the looting of four out of five trucks leaving the Kissufim crossing that same day. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs known as OCHA reported that Israel denied more than 90% of the 137 missions the U.N. and its partners wanted to send to besieged northern Gaza since Oct. 6. BEIRUT — Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes on Friday against sites in several cities in Syria, an opposition war monitor reported. Associated Press journalists heard loud explosions throughout the Syrian capital Damascus. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The strikes hit the summit of Mount Qasioun in Damascus, Khalkhala Airport in the countryside of Sweida and the Defense and Research Laboratories in Masyaf, located in the western countryside of Hama, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Earlier on Friday, Israeli strikes targeted six military sites in the countryside of Damascus and Sweida, the observatory said. Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes since the toppling of the Syrian regime, saying it seeks to neutralize potential threats following the ouster of Bashar Assad. The strikes have targeted weapons production sites, anti-aircraft batteries and airfields. Israel has also moved troops to occupy a buffer zone in the Golan Heights on its border with Syria. DAMASCUS, Syria — Russian forces and military vehicles were seen withdrawing from southern Syria on Friday toward their primary base in in the coastal city of Latakia. The Russian troop movement comes amid questions about whether Moscow will still be able to project power in the Middle East after the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad. His rule was supported by Russia and he received asylum in Russia after being toppled Sunday. There are also questions about what a Russian pullback in Syria could mean for the war in Ukraine. Significant Russian military convoys were seen on the Damascus-Homs highway near Shinshar village heading north. The military vehicles, bearing Russian flags, included tanks and armored personnel carriers. The military equipment had been previously stationed in southern regions such as Daraa and Damascus. On Thursday, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Russian forces were leaving bases in Ain Issa and Tel Al-Samn in the Al-Raqqah countryside. Satellite images released by Maxar Technologies on Friday show what appear to be cargo planes at a Russian military airfield in Syria with their nose cones opened to receive heavy equipment, along with helicopters being dismantled and prepared for transport. Earlier this week, all Russian naval ships departed the Syrian port of Tartus, according to a U.S. official. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey's embassy in the Syrian capital of Damascus will reopen on Saturday for the first time since 2012, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday. In an interview with Turkey’s NTV television Fidan said a newly appointed interim charge d’affaires had left for Damascus on Friday together with his delegation. “It will be operational as of tomorrow,” he said. The embassy in Damascus had suspended operations in 2012 due to the escalating security conditions during the Syrian civil war. All embassy staff and their families were recalled to Turkey. The Syrian insurgents who overthrew Syrian President Bashar Assad on Sunday did so with vital help from Turkey. WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has transported out of Syria an American who disappeared seven months ago into former President Bashar Assad’s notorious prison system and was among the thousands released this week by rebels, a U.S. official said Friday. Travis Timmerman was flown out of Syria on a U.S. military helicopter, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing operation. Timmerman, 29, told The Associated Press he had gone to Syria on a Christian pilgrimage and was not ill-treated while in Palestine Branch, a notorious detention facility operated by Syrian intelligence. He said he was freed by “the liberators who came into the prison and knocked the door down (of his cell) with a hammer.” Timmerman said he was released Monday morning alongside a young Syrian man and 70 female prisoners, some of whom had their children with them. He had been held separately from Syrian and other Arab prisoners and said he didn’t know of any other Americans held in the facility. — By Lolita C. Baldor THE HAGUE, Netherlands — A Dutch court on Friday rejected a bid from human rights groups to block weapons exports to Israel and trading with the occupied territories, after finding there were sufficient checks already in place to comply with international law. The ten organizations told The Hague District Court last month that they thought the Netherlands was in violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention, drawn up following World War II, by continuing to sell weapons to Israel more than a year into the conflict in Gaza. “The government uses my own tax money, that I pay, to kill my own family. I’ve lost 18 members of my own family,” Ahmed Abofoul, a legal adviser for the pro-Palestinian organization Al-Haq, one of the groups involved in the lawsuit, told the court during a hearing in November . The court ruling said that “it is not up to the interim relief judge to order the state to reconsider government policy. That is primarily a political responsibility.” Lawyers for the government argued it wasn’t up to a judge to decide foreign policy for the Netherlands. The activist groups pointed to several emergency orders from another court, the International Court of Justice, as confirming the obligation to stop weapons sales. In January, the top U.N. court said it was plausible Palestinians were being deprived of some rights protected under the Genocide Convention. The coalition said it will review the court’s ruling and is considering an appeal. CAIRO — Israeli attacks in and around a hospital in northern Gaza wounded three medical staff overnight into Friday and caused damage to the isolated medical facility, according to its director. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya said Israeli quadcopter drones carrying explosives deliberately targeted the emergency and reception area of Kamal Adwan Hospital, where one doctor was wounded for a third time. Abu Safiya said “relentless” drone and artillery strikes throughout the night exploded “alarmingly close” to the hospital, heavily damaging nearby buildings and destroying most of the water tanks on the hospital’s roof and blowing out doors and windows. Kamal Adwan Hospital in the town of Beit Lahiya has been hit multiple times over the past two months since Israel launched a fierce military operation against Hamas in northern Gaza. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the strikes. “We demand international protection for the hospital and its staff,” Abu Safiya said in a statement released via the U.K.-based aid group Medical Aid for Palestinians, “as well as the entry of delegations with surgical expertise, medical supplies, and essential medications to ensure we can adequately serve the people we are treating.” Abu Safiya said there were 72 wounded patients at the hospital, one of the few medical facilities left in northern Gaza. He said he expected Israeli forces would allow a World Health Organization aid convoy to bring supplies to the hospital on Friday or Saturday, as well as a team of doctors from Indonesia. Israel has allowed almost no humanitarian or medical aid to enter the three besieged communities in northern Gaza — Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun and the urban Jabaliya refugee camp — and ordered tens of thousands to flee to nearby Gaza City. Israeli officials have said the three communities are mostly deserted, but the United Nations humanitarian office said Tuesday it believes around 65,000 to 75,000 people are still there, with little access to food, water, electricity or health care. Experts have warned that the north may be experiencing famine . BAGHDAD — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced stop in Iraq on Friday on his latest visit to the Middle East aimed at stabilizing the situation in Syria to prevent further regional turmoil. Blinken met in Baghdad with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani as part of the hastily arranged trip, his 12th to the region since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year but his first since the weekend ouster of Syrian strongman Bashar Assad. Blinken has already been to Jordan and Turkey on his current tour and will return to the Jordanian city of Aqaba for meetings on Saturday with Arab foreign ministers, Turkey’s foreign minister and the United Nations special envoy for Syria, the U.N. said. Blinken will try to unify support for an inclusive post-Assad transition that does not allow the Islamic State group to take advantage of the political vacuum in Syria and secures suspected chemical weapons stocks. In Baghdad, Blinken underscored “U.S. commitment to the U.S.-Iraq strategic partnership and to Iraq’s security, stability, and sovereignty,” the State Department said. “He will also discuss regional security opportunities and challenges, as well as enduring U.S. support for engagement with all communities in Syria to establish an inclusive transition,” it said in a statement. His trip comes as the Biden administration winds down with just over a month left before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump has been highly critical of Biden’s approach to the Middle East and skeptical of the U.S. military presence in both Iraq and Syria. The U.S. and Iraq agreed in September to wrap up U.S.-led military operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq next year, although Assad’s ouster and the potential for the group taking advantage of a political vacuum in Syria could complicate the timing of the withdrawal, according to American officials. DAMASCUS — The kingdom of Bahrain sent a message Friday to Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It said Bahrain is “fully prepared to consult with you continuously and to provide support in regional and international organizations to achieve what is in the interest of the brotherly Syrian people.” It added, “We look forward to Syria regaining its authentic role in the Arab League.” Bahrain is the current head of the Arab summit. Syria was readmitted to the Arab League last year after 12 years of ostracization. It is still unclear how the international community will deal officially with the new interim government in Syria. JERUSALEM - Israel’s defense minister told troops to prepare to remain through the winter months on the peak of Mount Hermon, Syria’s highest point, located in a swath of southern Syria that Israeli troops moved into after the fall of Damascus to insurgents. The comments by Defense Minister Israel Katz signaled that the military will extend its occupation of the zone along the border, which Israel says it seized to create a buffer zone. In a statement Friday, Katz said that holding the peak was of major importance for Israel’s security and that it would be necessary to build facilities there to sustain troops through the winter. The summit of Mount Hermon, the highest peak on the eastern Mediterranean coast at 2,814 meters (9,232 feet), gives a commanding view over the plains of southern Syria. It also positions Israeli troops about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the center of Damascus. The mount is divided between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Lebanon and Syria. Only the United States recognizes Israel’s control of the Golan Heights. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israeli troops would remain in the zone until another force across the border in Syria could guarantee security. Israeli troops moved into the zone -– set as a demilitarized area inside Syrian territory under truce deals that ended the 1973 Mideast war -- after the regime of Bashar al-Assad fell last weekend. ANKARA, Turkey -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the United States on what they would like to see in Syria following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. “There’s broad agreement on what we would like to see going forward, starting with the interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria’s neighbors,” Blinken said in joint statements with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The insurgent groups that toppled Assad in Syria have not made clear their policy or stance on Israel, whose military in recent days has bombed sites all over the country, saying it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands. Blinken also said it was crucial to keep the Islamic State group under control. “We also discussed the imperative of continuing the efforts to keep ISIS down. Our countries worked very hard and gave a lot over many years to ensure the elimination of the territorial caliphate of ISIS to ensure that that threat doesn’t rear its head again,” Blinken said. The Turkish foreign minister said the two discussed ways of establishing prosperity in Syria and ending terrorism in the country. “Our priority is establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren’t dominant,” Fidan said, in a reference to the banned Kurdistan Workers Party. Blinken said: “We’re very focused on Syria, very focused on the opportunity that now is before us and before the Syrian people to move from out from under the shackles of Bashar al-Assad to a different and better future for the Syrian people, one that the Syrian people decide for themselves.” Blinken and Fidan said they had also discussed a ceasefire for Gaza. “We’ve seen in the last couple of weeks more encouraging signs that (a ceasefire) is possible,” Blinken said. Blinken, who is making his 12th trip to the Mideast since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year but first since the weekend ouster of Assad, met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late Thursday. The outgoing Biden administration is particularly concerned that a power vacuum in Syria could exacerbate already heightened tensions in the region, which is already wracked by multiple conflicts, and create conditions for the Islamic State group to regain territory and influence. Later Friday, Blinken is to return to Jordan for meetings on Saturday with Arab foreign ministers and senior officials from the European Union, the Arab League and the United Nations. ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkey has appointed a temporary charge d’affaires to reopen its embassy in Syria, Turkey’s state-run news agency reported. The Turkish Embassy in Damascus had suspended operations in 2012 due to the escalating security problems during the Syrian civil war and embassy staff and their families were recalled to Turkey. The Anadolu Agency said late Thursday that Turkey appointed Burhan Koroglu, its ambassador in Mauritania, to the post.
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