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NFL mock draft roundup: Where experts say Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward will be draftedLike Kylie Minogue, Cathy Freeman or AC/DC, Australia has its fair share of icons. And one of the most unique might just be a little fat cat from Victoria who loves to meow. Bender is the enigma known as 'Huh Cat' — a cat who skyrocketed to fame after a clip of him meowing was transformed into a viral meme, a piece of media that's usually funny in nature and spread rapidly by internet users. It's not quite clear how and why Bender was chosen by the internet, but the celebrity cat now boasts a combined four million followers across TikTok and Instagram. The reason for his fame? 'Saying' the word 'huh?'. Huh Cat became a viral meme seemingly overnight. A video posted in 2021 showed Bender making a confused and shocked-looking face as he meowed. The video was later dubbed in 2023 with the now famous 'huh?' sound quickly going viral and gaining millions of views and fans. A legend was born. But what you might not have realised is that this 15-year-old celebrity cat lives in an apartment in the foothills of Victoria's Dandenong Ranges. Yep, Australia has its very own famous cat. 'An overnight success' Bender's owner is the 73-year-old Nellie Cage. She lives inside a little unit in Tecoma, 35km east of Melbourne. While she might never have envisioned herself becoming a content creator in her 70s, Cage has taken to the creator life and runs the Huh Cat social media pages. Huh Cat has 3.2 million followers on TikTok and over 700,000 followers on Instagram. "I started with bits and pieces and then one day I just posted him meowing a few things, and his meow just went viral," Cage told SBS News. "It was an overnight success. "I don't know who did the dubbing of the 'huh'. There were two videos. One went viral when he was by the... Alexandra Koster
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Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in Clear Secure, Inc. ( NYSE:YOU – Free Report ) by 10.9% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 46,175 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 4,527 shares during the quarter. Franklin Resources Inc.’s holdings in Clear Secure were worth $1,612,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. purchased a new position in shares of Clear Secure in the second quarter valued at about $26,000. Capital Performance Advisors LLP purchased a new position in shares of Clear Secure in the third quarter valued at about $26,000. Future Financial Wealth Managment LLC purchased a new position in shares of Clear Secure in the third quarter valued at about $33,000. KBC Group NV purchased a new position in shares of Clear Secure in the third quarter valued at about $90,000. Finally, Plato Investment Management Ltd increased its position in shares of Clear Secure by 10,535.4% in the second quarter. Plato Investment Management Ltd now owns 5,105 shares of the company’s stock valued at $96,000 after acquiring an additional 5,057 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 73.80% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have issued reports on YOU. Wedbush restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $26.00 price objective (up previously from $24.00) on shares of Clear Secure in a research report on Thursday, November 7th. Telsey Advisory Group boosted their price target on shares of Clear Secure from $34.00 to $42.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $45.00 price target on shares of Clear Secure in a research report on Monday, December 16th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on shares of Clear Secure from $24.00 to $32.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $35.20. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, Director Alclear Investments Ii, Llc sold 150,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.08, for a total value of $5,112,000.00. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link . Corporate insiders own 37.85% of the company’s stock. Clear Secure Stock Performance Shares of YOU opened at $27.22 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $3.79 billion, a PE ratio of 31.65 and a beta of 1.43. Clear Secure, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $16.05 and a fifty-two week high of $38.88. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $29.28 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $27.02. Clear Secure ( NYSE:YOU – Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 7th. The company reported $0.30 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.33 by ($0.03). The business had revenue of $198.40 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $194.62 million. Clear Secure had a return on equity of 48.28% and a net margin of 10.93%. Clear Secure’s revenue for the quarter was up 23.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.20 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Clear Secure, Inc. will post 0.98 EPS for the current year. Clear Secure Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 10th were issued a $0.125 dividend. This represents a $0.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.84%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 10th. This is a boost from Clear Secure’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.10. Clear Secure’s dividend payout ratio is 58.14%. Clear Secure Company Profile ( Free Report ) Clear Secure, Inc operates a secure identity platform under the CLEAR brand name primarily in the United States. Its secure identity platform is a multi-layered infrastructure consisting of front-end, including enrollment, verification, and linking, as well as back-end. The company also offers CLEAR Plus, a consumer aviation subscription service, which enables access to predictable entry lanes in airport security checkpoints, as well as access to broader network; and CLEAR mobile app, which is used to enroll new members and improve the experience for existing members. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Clear Secure Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Clear Secure and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .2024 news in reviewA groundbreaking work by Belgian surrealist Rene Magritte, which smashed auction records in New York, has an “equally magnificent” twin in Australia. An anonymous collector paid $185 million for the work overnight Wednesday, achieving a record price for the artist and a surrealist painter, according to Christie’s auction house. The previous record for a Magritte painting was $121 million set at Sotheby’s in March 2022. Magritte’s Empire of Light 1954 which sold for a world record A$185 million. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo Its near-identical sister is on rare show in Australia at the Art Gallery of NSW, a highlight of its summer blockbuster. The impressive oil is on loan from the Menil Collection in Houston, one of 117 works in the most comprehensive exhibition of the Belgian artist’s paintings ever seen in Australia. Similar in perspective and size, the two paintings differ in the silhouette of trees and another tiny detail – on close inspection the Australian version features a darkened boulder in the foreground. “As he often did, Magritte secreted details in the shadows that don’t show up in reproduction,” says Nicholas Chambers, curator of the Magritte retrospective. Magritte’s The Dominion of Light, 1954, on show at the Art Gallery of NSW. Credit: Paul Hester “In the Menil Collection work at the gallery, for example, a boulder sits in the absolute foreground, barely discernible in the darkness and standing witness to the uncanny scene.” Like Claude Monet, who painted haystacks multiple times across times of day, seasons and weather conditions, Magritte used the same composition of a lamplit urban house to paradoxically blend night and day, shadow and light. He painted 27 versions in his Empire of Light series, 10 of which were on paper. The series inspired a scene in The Exorcist in which Father Merrin arrives at the MacNeil family’s house, the film’s director William Friedkin revealed in 2003. Geoffrey Smith, chair of the auction house Smith & Singer, said the version on display in NSW was as “equally magnificent” as the painting that sold. “What is so fascinating about this composition, and why it’s so compelling, is that it captures this seemingly impossible collision between day and night. “We don’t think there is any difference on first look, but then you have the blue sky of daylight and in the foreground the darkened house and trees illuminated by lamp-post light. Magritte is the equivalent of Jeffrey Smart – they so elegantly disrupt the world around us.” Smith attributed the auction result to the rarity of such works coming up for auction, much less on public display. The buyer’s identity has not been made public. “These works of art are so iconic and so rare, so few remain in private hands, so when a work of this stature and provenance comes to market it creates such excitement,” he said. “The opportunity comes once in a lifetime. “And here you have a work of art, an auction record for the surrealist painter, and Australians have another version, equally magnificent, on our doorstep. How well-timed is that?” Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday .
Freshman wide receiver George Dimopoulos threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Dane Pardridge on the first play of the second overtime to lift Northern Illinois to a 28-20 victory over Fresno State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Monday afternoon in Boise, Idaho. The Huskies disguised the game-winning play as a jet sweep, but Dimopoulos pulled up and found Pardridge behind the defense for the winning score. Dimopoulos followed up his first career pass with a two-point conversion toss to quarterback Josh Holst to give the Huskies (8-5) bowl wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2010-11. "When they missed the field goal (to win) at the end of the game, I said, ‘We're going to empty the clip and figure out ways to go win this game by any means necessary,'" said Northern Illinois coach Thomas Hammock said. "George Dimopoulos did a phenomenal job executing those plays at the end and our guys wanted it. They wanted it for those (30) seniors and I was proud they were able to get it done." Fresno State interim head coach Tim Skipper tipped his cap to Hammock and his staff for their creativity regarding trick plays. "All season long, they've been doing those plays (in the red zone) and they keep on inventing new ones," Skipper said. "We hadn't seen those plays they threw at us, but we knew something was going to happen. You have to have good eyes down there. We lost our guys and they made plays. Give them a lot of credit." Holst, a redshirt freshman walk-on making his third career start because regular-season starter Ethan Hampton transferred to Illinois, completed 18 of 30 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a team-high 65 yards. Sophomore Joshua Wood came off the bench to complete 16 of 23 passes for 180 yards and one touchdown for Fresno State (6-7), which saw its five-game bowl winning streak end. Bryson Donelson scored two touchdowns and rushed for 82 yards while Mac Dalena made six catches for 118 yards. With Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene -- the Mountain West's leader in passing yards --announcing his transfer to Michigan earlier Monday, redshirt freshman Jayden Mandal made his first start for Fresno State. On Northern Illinois' first play from scrimmage, Holst's rollout pass sailed over his intended receiver. Safety Jayden Davis picked it off and returned it 26 yards to the Huskies' 25. Mandal led a quick drive that Donelson capped with a 1-yard blast for a 6-0 lead at 11:29 of the first. After Kanon Woodill booted a 29-yard field goal to make it 6-3, Fresno State interim head coach Tim Skipper gave Wood the controls for the Bulldogs' next drive -- and he needed just four plays to go 90 yards for a score. He hooked up with Dalena for a 54-yard bomb before taking a keeper untouched up the middle for a 13-yard score and a 13-3 lead. NIU took the first possession of the second half 76 yards for a score. Tight end Grayson Barnes leaped between two Bulldogs and snagged Holst's 26-yard lob with his right hand to cut the deficit to 13-10 with 11:22 left in the third. On Fresno State's next possession, Nate Valcarcel intercepted Mandal at NIU's 38 to set up Woodill's 34-yard field goal that made it 13-13 at 7:39 of the third. That was the last score until overtime, as Woodill missed a go-ahead 35-yard field goal with 3:02 left and the Bulldogs' Dylan Lynch missed a 35-yarder on the final play of regulation. Fresno State opened overtime with Wood's 9-yard touchdown pass to the uncovered Donelson to give the Bulldogs a 20-13 margin. Holst answered with a 3-yard touchdown lob to Barnes. --Field Level Media
A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his ownDoes Trump Jan 6. Pardon Plan Include the Seditionists?JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister has confirmed that Israel assassinated Hamas’ top leader last summer and is threatening to take similar action against the leadership of the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. The comments by Israel Katz appeared to mark the first time that Israel has acknowledged killing Ismail Haniyeh, who died in an explosion in Iran in July. Israel was widely believed to be behind the blast and leaders have previously hinted at its involvement. In a speech Monday, Katz said the Houthis would meet a similar fate as the other members of an Iranian-led alliance in the region, including Haniyeh. He also noted that Israel has killed other leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, helped topple Syria’s Bashar Assad and destroyed Iran’s anti-aircraft systems. “We will strike (the Houthis’) strategic infrastructure and cut off the head of the leadership,” he said. “Just like we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar and Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza and Lebanon, we will do in Hodeida and Sanaa,” he said, referring to Hamas and Hezbollah leaders killed in previous Israeli attacks. The Iranian-backed Houthis have launched scores of missiles and drones at Israel throughout the war, including a missile that landed in Tel Aviv on Saturday and wounded at least 16 people. Israel has carried out three sets of airstrikes in Yemen during the war and vowed to step up the pressure on the rebel group until the missile attacks stop. Here’s the latest: UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. food agency reports that 23 trucks in a 66-truck convoy carrying food and other humanitarian supplies to central Gaza were plundered and lost. U.N. associate spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay said Monday that the World Food Program convoy departed from the Kerem Shalon crossing via the recently approved Philadelphi Corridor on Sunday. Despite Israeli assurances that safety conditions would be in place, she said an airstrike took place. Tremblay said the first 35 trucks made it to a WFP warehouse without losses. She said Israeli Defense Forces delayed the rest of the convoy. News of the convoy’s movement spread, Tremblay said, leading to plundering along the way, with a total of 43 trucks making it to the warehouse while 23 others were lost. She called it “another example of why we continue to stress the need for the safe, unimpeded passage of assistance to reach populations that need it the most.” DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian witnesses and hospital officials say an aid truck carrying flour has been looted in central Gaza after an Israeli airstrike killed four policemen inside a car securing the delivery. An Associated Press journalist saw people walking away with flour bags, some stained with blood, after the blast. AP footage showed dozens of people gathered at the scene as emergency workers checked the burnt vehicle, which had spilled flour next to it. U.N. officials and international aid organizations have said they are struggling to deliver aid, including much-needed winter supplies, into Gaza, in part because of looting and a lack of security protecting the convoys. Israel often strikes armed men guarding the deliveries, saying they are Hamas militants. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on Monday’s strike. Earlier this month, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said it would halt aid deliveries through the main cargo crossing into the Gaza Strip because of the threat of armed gangs who have looted convoys. It blamed the breakdown of law and order in large part on Israeli policies. WASHINGTON — The Pentagon acknowledged Monday that there are more than 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq, the total routinely touted publicly. It also said the number of forces in Syria has grown over the past “several years” due to increasing threats, but was not openly disclosed. Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement that there are “at least 2,500” U.S. military personnel in Iraq “plus some additional, temporary enablers” that are on rotational deployments. He said that due to diplomatic considerations, the department will not provide more specifics. The U.S. concluded sensitive negotiations with the government of Iraq in September that called for troops to begin leaving after the November election. The presence of U.S. troops there has long been a political liability for Iraqi leaders who are under increased pressure and influence from Iran. U.S. officials have not provided details about the withdrawal agreement, but it calls for the mission against the Islamic State group to end by September 2025, and that some U.S. troops will remain through 2026 to support the anti-IS mission in Syria. Some troops may stay in the Kurdistan region after that because the regional government would like them to stay. Ryder announced last week that there are about 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria – more than double the 900 that the U.S. had acknowledged publicly until now. On Monday he said the extra 1,100 deploy for shorter times to do force protection, transportation, maintenance and other missions. He said the number has fluctuated for the past several years and increased “over time.” JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister has confirmed that Israel assassinated Hamas’ top leader last summer and is threatening to take similar action against the leadership of the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. The comments by Israel Katz appeared to mark the first time that Israel has acknowledged killing Ismail Haniyeh, who died in an explosion in Iran in July. Israel was widely believed to be behind the blast and leaders have previously hinted at its involvement. In a speech Monday, Katz said the Houthis would meet a similar fate as the other members of an Iranian-led alliance in the region, including Haniyeh. He also noted that Israel has killed other leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, helped topple Syria’s Bashar Assad and destroyed Iran’s anti-aircraft systems. BEIRUT — The United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon on Monday said it has observed recent “concerning actions” by the Israeli army in southern Lebanon, including the destruction of residential areas and road blockages. A spokesperson for the peacekeeping mission, Kandice Ardiel, told The Associated Press that peacekeepers also observed on Monday an Israeli flag flying in Lebanese territory near Naqoura. The town hosts the headquarters of the peacekeeping mission, known as UNIFIL. Under the terms of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement that ended the 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah, the Israeli army is required to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon within 60 days of the agreement’s signing on Nov. 27. Since the ceasefire went into effect, the Israeli army has conducted near-daily military operations in southern villages, including firing gunshots, house demolitions, excavations, tank shelling and strikes. These actions have killed at least 27 people, wounded more than 30, destroyed residential buildings and, in one case, a mosque. “Peacekeepers continue to monitor the situation on the ground and report violations of Resolution 1701,” Ardiel said. “We reiterate our call for all actors to cease and refrain from violations of Resolution 1701 and any actions that may upset the current delicate balance.” On Monday, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati visited the site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern town of Khiam as part of a tour of front-line areas alongside army chief Joseph Aoun and UNIFIL Head of Mission Aroldo Lazaro. Mikati and Lazaro urged the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory to allow the army to fully assume its duties. JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says three soldiers were killed Monday in combat in northern Gaza. The military did not provide details of the circumstances. According to a statement released Sunday, the brigade in which the three were serving completed its operational activities in the northern town of Beit Lahiya on Sunday. It then began operating in the nearby town of Beit Hanoun following intelligence suggesting the presence of militants there. Since the start of the ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, 389 Israeli soldiers have been killed. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday there is “some progress” in efforts to reach a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza, although he added he could not give a time frame for a possible agreement. Of the roughly 250 people who were taken hostage in the Hamas-led raid on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 that sparked the war, around 100 are still inside the Gaza Strip, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Speaking in the Knesset, Netanyahu said “we are taking significant actions through all channels to return our loved ones. I would like to tell you cautiously that there is some progress.” Netanyahu said he could not reveal details of what was being done to secure the return of hostages. He said the main reasons for the progress were the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Israel’s military actions against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants who had been firing rockets into Israel from neighboring Lebanon in support of Hamas. “Hamas hoped that Iran and Hezbollah would come to its aid but they are busy licking the wounds from the blows we inflicted on them,” he said, adding that Israel was also putting “relentless military pressure” on Hamas in Gaza. “There is progress. I don’t know how long it will take,” Netanyahu said. JERUSALEM — Israel's military said Monday it intercepted a drone launched from Yemen before it entered Israeli territory, days after a long-range rocket attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels hit Tel Aviv, injuring 16 people from shattered glass. The military said no air raid warning sirens were sounded Monday. Israel says the Iran-backed Houthis have fired more than 200 missiles and UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles, during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The Houthis have also been attacking shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden — attacks they say won’t stop until there is a ceasefire in Gaza. The attacks on shipping and Israel are taking place despite U.S. and European warships patrolling the area. On Saturday night and early Sunday, the U.S. conducted airstrikes on Yemen. Last week, Israel launched its own airstrikes on Yemen, killing at least nine people, and a Houthi missile damaged a school in Israel. DAMASCUS, Syria — A Qatari delegation visited the Syrian capital on Monday for the first time in more than a decade and met with the country's top insurgent commander, who said strategic cooperation between Damascus and Doha will begin soon. Qatar, along with Turkey, has long backed the rebels who now control Damascus, and the two countries are looking to protect their interests in Syria now that former President Bashar Assad has been overthrown. The Qatari delegation was headed by the minister of state for foreign affairs, Mohammed al-Khulaifi, who met with Ahmad al-Sharaa, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, the insurgent group that overthrew Assad on Dec. 8. Al-Sharaa was quoted as saying by Syrian media that they have invited the emir of Qatar to visit Damascus adding that relations will return to normal soon. Al-Sharaa said Qatar will back Syria during the transitional period and the two countries will soon start “wide strategic cooperation.” Al-Sharaa also met Monday with Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi as well as a Saudi official. Unlike Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Jordan had relations with Assad’s government until he was removed from power. JENIN, West Bank — The Palestinian Authority says a second member of its security forces has been killed in the West Bank town of Jenin during clashes with Palestinian militants . Brig. Gen. Anwar Rajab, the spokesman for PA security forces, said 1st Sgt. Mehran Qadoos was killed on Monday by “outlaws” in the volatile northern town, where the security forces launched a rare crackdown earlier this month. A member of security forces also was killed on Sunday. An Associated Press reporter in Jenin heard heavy gunfire and explosions, apparently from a battle between the security forces and Palestinian militants. There was no sign of Israeli forces in the area. Militant groups had earlier called for a general strike across the territory, accusing the security forces of trying to disarm them in support of Israel’s half-century occupation of the territory. The Western-backed Palestinian Authority is internationally recognized but deeply unpopular among Palestinians , in part because it cooperates with Israel on security matters. Israel accuses the authority of incitement and of failing to act against armed groups. The Palestinian Authority exercises limited authority in population centers in the West Bank. Israel captured the territory in the 1967 Mideast War, and the Palestinians want it to form the main part of their future state. Israel’s current government is opposed to Palestinian statehood and says it will maintain open-ended security control over the territory. Violence has soared in the West Bank following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza, which ignited the war there. JENIN, West Bank — Palestinians in the volatile northern West Bank town of Jenin are observing a general strike called by militant groups to protest a rare crackdown by Palestinian security forces. An Associated Press reporter in Jenin heard gunfire and explosions, apparently from clashes between militants and Palestinian security forces. It was not immediately clear if anyone was killed or wounded. There was no sign of Israeli troops in the area. Shops were closed in the city on Monday, the day after militants killed a member of the Palestinian security forces and wounded two others. Militant groups called for a general strike across the territory, accusing the security forces of trying to disarm them in support of Israel’s half-century occupation of the territory. The Western-backed Palestinian Authority is internationally recognized but deeply unpopular among Palestinians , in part because it cooperates with Israel on security matters. Israel accuses the authority of incitement and of failing to act against armed groups. The Palestinian Authority blamed Sunday’s attack on “outlaws.” It says it is committed to maintaining law and order but will not police the occupation. The Palestinian Authority exercises limited authority in population centers in the West Bank. Israel captured the territory in the 1967 Mideast War, and the Palestinians want it to form the main part of their future state. Israel’s current government is opposed to Palestinian statehood and says it will maintain open-ended security control over the territory. Violence has soared in the West Bank following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza, which ignited the war there. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister has begun a tour of military positions in the country’s south, almost a month after a ceasefire deal that ended the war between Israel and the Hezbollah group that battered the country. Najib Mikati on Monday was on his first visit to the southern frontlines, where Lebanese soldiers under the U.S.-brokered deal are expected to gradually deploy, with Hezbollah militants and Israeli troops both expected to withdraw by the end of next month. Mikati’s tour comes after the Lebanese government expressed its frustration over ongoing Israeli strikes and overflights in the country. “We have many tasks ahead of us, the most important being the enemy's (Israel's) withdrawal from all the lands it encroached on during its recent aggression,” he said after meeting with army chief Joseph Aoun in a Lebanese military barracks in the southeastern town of Marjayoun. “Then the army can carry out its tasks in full.” The Lebanese military for years has relied on financial aid to stay functional, primarily from the United States and other Western countries. Lebanon’s cash-strapped government is hoping that the war’s end and ceasefire deal will bring about more funding to increase the military’s capacity to deploy in the south, where Hezbollah’s armed units were notably present. Though they were not active combatants, the Lebanese military said that dozens of its soldiers were killed in Israeli strikes on their premises or patrolling convoys in the south. The Israeli army acknowledged some of these attacks.
Daily Post Nigeria Police nab two for motorcycle theft in Ogun Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport Metro Police nab two for motorcycle theft in Ogun Published on December 28, 2024 By Gift Oba Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have apprehended two suspects, identified as Eje Benson, popularly known as Kenny, and one Omoniyi Austin, for motorcycle theft in the Ago-Iwoye area of the state. The suspect stole a Bajaj motorcycle belonging to one Francis Ayinde, valued at N1.3m with registration number DGB 629 VC. The arrest was contained in a press statement by the command’s public relations officer, Omolola Odutola, on Saturday. According to the statement, the motorcycle was given to Benson for commercial purposes in October with an agreement that he would pay back N25000 every week. However, Benson allegedly claimed that the motorcycle had been stolen but conspired with one Ominyi Austin to sell it to Emmanuel Nwosu in Ijebu Ode for 800,000, using fake photocopies of the paperwork, a phone number, and a signature. The statement partly reads “The divisional police officer of Ago Iwoye has cracked a crime involving the stealing of a Bajaj Motorcycle by one EJE who fled to Benue State but has been arrested by the Divisional Police Officer Ago Iwoye** “On December 26, 2024, around 6:20 pm, Akinola Musa, a resident behind Mini-Campus Ago-Iwoye, reported to the station with Eje Benson, also known as Kenny. “Akinola stated that he had entrusted a Bajaj motorcycle, with the plate number DGB 629 VC and valued at 1,300,000, to Eje Benson for weekly payments of 25,000 throughout October 2024, on behalf of its owner, Francis Ayinde. “Eje Benson claimed the motorcycle was stolen from his home; however, he and Ominyi Austin took the vehicle to Ijebu-Ode, where they sold it to Emmanuel Nwosu for 800,000 on December 12, 2024, using forged photocopy documents that included a falsified phone number and signature. “Following this, Eje Benson fled to Benue State after paying Ominyi Austin a 60,000 commission from the 600,000 collected from Emmanuel Nwosu. “The suspects have been apprehended, and the stolen Bajaj motorcycle, DGB 629 VC, has been recovered”. Odutola noted that the Crime Branch is currently investigating the case for more information. Related Topics: ogun police Don't Miss Auto-crash claims 13 lives, injures one in Ondo You may like Kwara: Police rescue 13 hostages after gun battle with kidnappers We’re not investigating anything – Police deny knowledge of VDM’s missing N180m Ogun: Police arrest officers demanding money to investigate missing girl case Police urge public to report officers’ misconduct to their superiors IGP expresses shock, sadness over death of two retired senior police officers ‘Yan sanda sun kama jami’an da suka nemi kuɗi kafin su binciki ɓatar yarinya a Ogun Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media LtdLouisiana Tech coach Sonny Cumbie knows how to pull off a bowl game upset. Flash back to the 2004 Holiday Bowl, when Cumbie threw for 520 yards to lead No. 23 Texas Tech to a 45-31 win over Aaron Rodgers, Marshawn Lynch and No. 4 California. Twenty years later, Cumbie hopes to engineer another postseason surprise as Louisiana Tech (5-7) is a prohibitive underdog against No. 22 Army (11-2) in the Independence Bowl on Saturday in Shreveport, La. The Bulldogs weren't supposed to be a part of this game. They are a replacement for Marshall (10-3), which withdrew because of the exodus of at least 25 players through the transfer portal. Enter Louisiana Tech, which adds local flavor as Shreveport is an hour drive from the Bulldogs' campus in Ruston. Cumbie said that the seniors were especially excited after they had left campus for the holiday break figuring their college careers were over. "The first guys we got on the phone with were the seniors," Cumbie said. "They thought it was like a prank call. They thought we were jacking with them." Louisiana Tech is dealing with 16 portal losses, including several linemen from a defense which allowed 301.9 yards per game, the best mark in Conference USA. Defensive lineman David Blay, who led the Bulldogs in sacks (6.5) and tackles for a loss (10.5), has committed to Miami. Offensively, Louisiana Tech averages just 3.0 yards per carry. The Bulldogs rely more on Evan Bullock, who has thrown for 1,932 yards and 14 touchdowns with just two interceptions. Army has an opportunity to finish the season on a positive note after surrendering the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy in a deflating 31-13 loss to Navy on Dec. 14. It's also a chance for Bryson Daily to rebound as he threw three interceptions against Navy after tossing just one previously in the regular season. Daily, who finished sixth in voting for the Heisman Trophy, is the bell cow in Army's rush-heavy triple-option offense. He has carried for 1,532 yards and 29 touchdowns and has also thrown for nine scores. Army will be without its second-best running threat, Kanye Udoh, who announced his transfer to Arizona State hours after the Navy game, prompting Black Knights coach Jeff Monken to call the transfer landscape "off the rails." "I don't think it's healthy to have a transfer portal window open during the season," Monken said. Udoh rushed for 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. If Army can handle Louisiana Tech, it will finish with 12 wins, which would be the most in a season in program history, even if it didn't get the one it wanted the most. "Anytime you get your butt whipped, you want to get back out there and prove that's not who we are," Monken said. This will be Louisiana Tech's first bowl appearance since 2020 and its sixth time in the Independence Bowl, where it has a 3-2 record. Army was last in a bowl game in 2021, and this is its second appearance in the Independence Bowl. In its first appearance, it lost to Auburn 32-29 in 1996. Army and Louisiana Tech have met twice before, with the Black Knights winning both matchups in 2008 and 2013. --Field Level Media
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MONTREAL — Montreal Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson was not available for Tuesday's game against the Utah Hockey Club due to a lower-body injury. The Canadiens announced his injury half an hour before puck drop. Jayden Struble took his place in the lineup as Montreal (7-11-2) faced Utah (8-10-3) for the first time. Matheson participated in the morning skate but missed practice on Monday. The 30-year-old from nearby Pointe-Claire, Que., leads all Montreal blueliners with 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in 20 games as the lone defenceman on the team's top power-play unit. Struble has one goal and three assists in 15 games this season. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. The Canadian PressOscar returns to Sao Paulo after 14 years on 3-year dealMEXICO (AFP) – At least seven people died when a light aircraft crashed on Sunday in a heavily forested area of Jalisco in western Mexico, local authorities reported. The aircraft, a Cessna 207, was flying from La Parota in the neighbouring state of Michoacan. Jalisco Civil Protection said via its social media that the crash site was in an area that was difficult to access. Initial authorities on the scene “reported a preliminary count of seven people dead”, who haven’t been identified yet, according to the agency. “A fire was extinguished and risk mitigation was carried out to prevent possible additional damage,” it added. Authorities said they were awaiting the arrival of forensic investigators to remove the bodies and rule out the presence of additional victims.