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By Tim Starks December 11, 2024 The $3 billion that Congress folded into the annual defense policy bill to remove Chinese-made telecommunications technology from U.S. networks would be a huge start to defending against breaches like the Salt Typhoon espionage campaign, senators and hearing witnesses said Wednesday. Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel recently told Hill leaders that the $1.9 billion Congress had devoted to the “rip and replace” program to get rid of Huawei and ZTE equipment left the agency with a $3.08 billion hole to reimburse 126 carriers for eliminating use of that tech, “putting our national security and the connectivity of rural consumers who depend on these networks at risk.” The fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the House by a 281-140 vote Wednesday, contains language authorizing funds to fill that gap. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, the New Mexico Democrat who chairs the Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Media and Broadband, said at Wednesday’s hearing of his panel that Congress should approve that funding even though there’s much still unknown about the attacks from the Chinese government hackers known as Salt Typhoon . “What we do know is that more must be done to prevent attacks like this in the future,” he said. “One obvious thing we can do today is get equipment manufactured by companies that collaborate with our foreign adversaries out of our American networks. ... I’m hopeful that there’s strong bipartisan agreement to fully fund this program through this year’s National Defense Authorization Act and address one of the major known vulnerabilities facing our networks every day once and for all.” Congressional action on the “rip and replace” program “demonstrates that Congress can take bipartisan action to secure our networks, an approach that is urgently needed now as we take steps to confront the challenges posed by China,” said Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. Tim Donovan, president and CEO of the Competitive Carriers Association that represents telecommunications providers and vendors, said that for rural carriers deciding whether to remove equipment but not replace it under the program’s original timeline, “the situation is dire.” Equipment still in place can’t be upgraded. “If Salt Typhoon can hack major operators, then there’s a flashing red light for ‘rip and replace’ networks that do not have the same resources,” he testified. The timing on final passage of the NDAA remains up in the air in the Senate following the House’s approval Wednesday. Some Democrats have opposed the NDAA over provisions related to transgender medical treatment. Prior to lawmakers reaching a deal and releasing the final version of the legislation over the weekend, incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said the GOP would prioritize it when they assume control of the chamber from Democrats next month — assuming it doesn’t pass before then. Some Republican senators at the hearing also cast doubt on a recent FCC proposal to regulate telecommunications firms’ cybersecurity under the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, the top Republican on the full Commerce panel, said the Biden administration shouldn’t “rush into regulatory expansion” as an answer. But Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said the FCC was taking needed action and telecommunications companies have to invest more resources to safeguard their systems. Major telecoms should’ve also already been doing the things the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency recently recommended , said Justin Sherman, founder and CEO of Global Cyber Strategies and nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative.Dillon Gabriel's run at Oregon harkens back to the days of another Hawaii-born QB, Marcus Mariota
Scottish artist Jasleen Kaur who put doily on a car wins Turner Prize 2024A 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.
The Tarkov wipe is almost here. What is likely to be one of, if not the final pre-wipe event in Escape From Tarkov has kicked off, signalling that the next Tarkov wipe is likely to launch within the next 48 hours. As announced on the official Escape From Tarkov social media accounts, the traditional fire sale pre-wipe event has kicked off, with traders selling a ton of their items for just a single rouble. This follows around a week of pre-wipe events that has included a lot of the other usual events we see each wipe, and some new ones, including the addition of smugglers . Now, if you head into Tarkov , you can buy almost everything from the traders for just a single rouble, or whichever currency they typically ask for. This means you have a day or so to build all your best weapons and finally get to try them out, or come up with some builds that you could use when the next wipe starts. However, everyone will also be in the same boat, so expect to see some very kitted out PMCs for the next few hours. Despite some worries, the fire sale event all but confirms that the next Escape From Tarkov wipe will launch this week . The fire sale is traditionally the last or penultimate pre wipe event we get, and each one tends to last around 24 hours, so that means the wipe is coming very soon. Urgent New Gmail Security Warning For Billions As Attacks Continue Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Clues And Answers For Wednesday, December 25 NYT ‘Strands’ Today: Hints, Spangram And Answers For Wednesday, December 25th After looking like this would be the case for a while, it is now all but confirmed that the next Tarkov wipe will arrive tomorrow, December 26, or Friday, December 27. I’d be putting my money on the 26th, given wipes tend to arrive on a Thursday, but last minute delays could push that back further. When the wipe does arrive there will obviously be some server downtime and then the usual issues with server loads when they do go back up, so even if it does launch on the 26 maybe don’t end your festive celebrations early in the hope you can jump into Tarkov first thing in the morning. But when you are able to get into Escape From Tarkov there will be a big new update that is set to add a lot of new toys . There will be new weapons, including a massive new sniper rifle that looks like one of the coolest weapons Tarkov has added for a while, and a mysterious new type of extraction we know very little about.South Korea lifts President Yoon's martial law decree after lawmakers vote against it
It's been a wonderful time to own certain , particularly . Have you seen how much those have risen? In 2024, we've seen: However, it has been a completely opposite performance this year by the major : So, what could happen next year in 2025? We're going to look at some Comments from Darren Thompson, head of asset management at Equity Trustees Asset Management. Thompson and his team believe that total earnings will be "flat to slightly down" compared to FY24. He acknowledged that the outlook for both and per share for the domestic market is "heavily weighted" to the performance of ASX bank shares and . He believes that banks will find it difficult to grow profit in the current environment, saying: Bank earnings are anticipated to be broadly flat due to a combination of modest credit growth, ongoing competition restricting , ongoing cost pressures and already cyclically low bad debt provisions. However, it could be harder for the ASX mining shares of BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue to maintain their earnings and dividends because of the low iron ore price. Thompson said: These companies remain highly profitable, cash generative business. It is simply that iron ore prices have continued to retrace from previous cyclical highs, largely due to lower demand from China... Thompson did acknowledge that outside of banks and miners, "many sectors of the Australian market are expected to deliver earnings and dividend growth going forward." But the problem is that these companies do not have the same clout within the ASX 200 as the banks and miners do. He also pointed out that face challenging circumstances, with lower energy prices than in the past few years. Thompson concluded his thoughts on ASX dividend shares with the following: The impact of these factors is such that the Australian equity markets 12-month forward is ~3.4%, which is well below the 10-year average. In aggregate, the outlook for near term earnings growth remains weak. This does not seem consistent with the current level of market optimism and as such we feel that capital returns over the next 1 to 3 years are likely to be more muted than those enjoyed in the last 12 months. So, it seems investors may need to be selective if they want to own ASX dividend shares that increase their dividends in FY25 and the next few years.CM Omar to travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah on Monday
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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.KEY POINTS Leading blockchain security auditor Hacken has launched a next-generation AI-powered platform, Extractor, that will automate security and compliance for Web3 companies, covering some of the most critical aspects of compliance such as AML/CFT (anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing), the European Union's MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation), DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act), and ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market) Standards. Extractor offers companies with a scalable and highly-efficient solutions for various business segments and regulators, at a time when global regulations are tightening and standards like MiCA and DORA are gradually reshaping the world of cryptocurrency business operations. What is Extractor? Hacken's Extractor is a monitoring platform that crypto companies can use to ensure that they are always up-to-date with the latest and emerging compliance requirements. Launched Tuesday, the platform is available for use on major blockchains such as Ethereum, Optimism, Binance Smart Chain, Gnosis, Polygon, Arbitrum, Base, Avalanche, and more. Extractor is the first-of-its kind Compliance Monitoring Framework for Web3 projects. It simplifies the process of adhering to regulatory standards and unlike other existing solutions, the platform combines AML/CFT, TVL (total value locked) analysis, transaction tracking, and detection of circulating supply into a structured compliance approach. Threat actors will always exist in every industry, but with the Hacken Extractor, continuous protection and operational resilience is ensured as it integrates real-time threat detection, post-incident reporting, and automated safeguards. "We developed Extractor to address the critical need for proactive monitoring and compliance in the crypto space. Combining real-time on-chain analysis, AI-powered risk detection, and automated safeguards enables projects to meet strict regulatory requirements while mitigating security risks," Hacken Co-founder and CEO Dyma Budorin said in a press release shared with International Business Times . Compliance to be a Major Cornerstone of Crypto Starting 2025 The cryptocurrency community is well aware that 2025 will change everything for the industry. In particular, compliance with AML/CFT standards is set to become a global standard. "Beginning Jan. 17, 2025, DORA's requirements will become enforceable. Non-compliance can result in severe penalties, such as fines of up to 2% of the total annual worldwide turnover or 1% of the average daily global turnover. Operating without compliance is no longer an option for entities serving EU customers," said Valentyna Kondratenko, Hacken's legal counsel. With the Extractor, crypto companies can rest assured that they will meet global compliance standards that pack risk detection, advanced monitoring, asset protection, and incident recovery planning into a standalone tool. Aside from the high-security features and necessary monitoring integrations, the platform also provides thorough post-incident root cause analysis and reporting, which is critical in giving crypto projects the proactive ability to improve their systems' resilience and address vulnerabilities over time. Incoming Compliance Regulations Governments and regulators are continuously working on evolving the rules for digital assets and blockchain technology. With parts of the comprehensive MiCA framework already enforced, more compliance requirements are coming. Hacken's Extractor, which has a structured framework, ensures that crypto service providers are ready for compliance at every stage of risk management. It represents Hacken's expertise in blockchain security auditing and also reflects its collaborative efforts with some of the most prominent regulatory bodies worldwide.
NoneScottish artist Jasleen Kaur has won the Turner Prize for her solo exhibition Alter Altar, which includes an installation of a car with a giant doily on it. Happy Valley actor James Norton announced the winner in a ceremony held at Tate Britain on Tuesday evening. The five jury members chose Kaur for “her ability to gather different voices through unexpected and playful combinations of material, from Irn-Bru to family photographs and a vintage Ford Escort, locating moments of resilience and possibility”. Kaur, who was born in Glasgow but lives and works in London, used her speech to advocate for the people in Palestine. The 38-year-old said she wanted to “echo the calls of the protesters outside” who had gathered after an open letter urged the Tate to cut ties with “organisations complicit in what the UN and ICJ are finally getting closer to saying is a genocide of the Palestinian people”. “This is not a radical demand,” Kaur said on stage. “This should not risk an artist’s career or safety. We’re trying to build consensus that the ties to these organisations are unethical, just as artists did with Sackler,” she said, referencing the family linked to the opioid epidemic. “I’ve been wondering why artists are required to dream up liberation in the gallery but when that dream meets life we are shut down. “I want the separation between the expression of politics in the gallery and the practice of politics in life to disappear. “I want the institution to understand that if you want us inside, you need to listen to us outside.” Kaur concluded her speech by calling for a ceasefire, adding: “Free Palestine.” BBC reporter Katie Razzall had to apologise to viewers after Kaur used a swear word in her speech. The artist was nominated for an exhibition that was held at the Tramway in her home city last year. The display, a series of installations exploring religious identities, politics and history, makes heavy use of different sounds, embedded into the exhibition by way of worship bells, Sufi Islamic devotional music, Indian harmonium, and pop tracks. This year the arts prize, named after British painter JMW Turner, which awards £25,000 to its winner, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Established in 1984, the prize is awarded each year to a British artist for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work. Previous recipients include sculptor Sir Anish Kapoor (1991), artist Damien Hirst (1995), and filmmaker Sir Steve McQueen (1999). In 2025, the prize will be presented in Bradford at Cartwright Hall art gallery, marking the 250th anniversary of Turner’s birth. The exhibition of the four shortlisted artists – Pio Abad, Claudette Johnson, Delaine Le Bas, and Kaur – is at Tate Britain until February 16 2025.
Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. Steve Mensch , president and manager of general operations for Tyler Perry Studios, has died. He was 62. Mensch died in a plane crash, reps for Perry confirmed with Fox News Digital. "We are incredibly saddened by the passing of our dear friend, Steve Mensch. Steve was a cherished member of our team for more than 8 years, and well beloved in the community of Atlanta," the statement read. TYLER PERRY HALTS $800M STUDIO EXPANSION DUE TO AI ADVANCEMENTS President and manager of general operations for Tyler Perry Studios Steve Mensch has died at the age of 62, reps confirmed with Fox News Digital. (Taylor Hill/FilmMagic/Getty Images) "It is hard to imagine not seeing him smiling throughout the halls. We will miss him dearly. Our heart goes out to his family as we all send them our prayers." No other fatalities have been reported during the plane crash at this time. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation. Mensch was the pilot of a single-seat plane that crashed in Florida, a source close to the studios confirmed. Mensch has been the president of Tyler Perry Studios since 2016. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images) Deputies were on scene Friday, Dec. 6 around 7:00 p.m., when a "small-engine aircraft accident" occurred near the intersection of Highway 19 and Longfellow St. in Homosassa, Florida, the Citrus Country Sheriff’s Office stated. Mensch has been the president of Tyler Perry Studios since 2016. He managed the day-to-day operations at the 300-acre studio lot in Atlanta, Georgia that is considered the first major motion picture studio on the East Coast, according to his LinkedIn profile. "Steve Mensch is considered one of the most influential people in the film and TV production industry in Georgia. He has executive experience in operations, strategic planning, budgeting, business development, and marketing at some of the biggest companies in the industry," his bio read in part. TYLER PERRY SAYS HE'S 'IGNORED' IN HOLLYWOOD, OPENS NEW STUDIO IN ATLANTA Mensch is survived by his wife and three children. The news of Mensch’s death comes after Perry halted an $800 million studio expansion due to AI advancements. Earlier this year, "Mea Culpa" director Tyler Perry had intended to add another 12 soundstages to his backlot. (Noam Galai/Getty Images for Netflix) Earlier this year, the "Mea Culpa" director had intended to add another 12 soundstages to his backlot. However, after OpenAI debuted its new tool, Sora – which can create visually complex shots of subjects and their backgrounds – it foiled Perry’s project. "All of that is currently and indefinitely on hold because of Sora and what I’m seeing," he told The Hollywood Reporter in February. "I had gotten word over the last year or so that this was coming, but I had no idea until I saw recently the demonstrations of what it’s able to do. It’s shocking to me." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Perry opened Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta in 2019, although the company was established in 2006. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images) Perry recognized the benefit of the technology lowering location and set costs at the time. He's also cognizant it might cost some people their jobs. "I immediately started thinking of everyone in the industry who would be affected by this, including actors and grip and electric and transportation and sound and editors. And looking at this, I’m thinking this will touch every corner of our industry," he explained. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Perry opened Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta in 2019, although the company was established in 2006. Stephanie Giang-Paunon is an Entertainment Writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to stephanie.giang@fox.com and on Twitter: @SGiangPaunon.
In today’s newsletter, selling sex, and then: Remembering Nikki Giovanni Kenneth Branagh’s life in Shakespeare Is Kash Patel the new J. Edgar Hoover? When the United States Tried to Get on Top of Sex Work On Christmas Day in 1872, half a dozen women broke out of the Social Evil Hospital, an isolation institution for STD-positive female sex workers on the outskirts of St. Louis, and went looking for some good times downtown. Authorities quickly tracked them down and, a few days later, the mayor explained, “We cannot get at the men, and hence we have to take charge of you.” The hospital had been discreetly established the year before, as part of an attempt to regulate sex work in the city, which had been the first city in the U.S. to legalize prostitution. In her book “Empire of Purity,” which Rebecca Mead reviews for this week’s issue , Eva Payne details this and other episodes in the history of controlling the sale of sex, both domestically and abroad. Payne argues that ideas of American exceptionalism permeated the regulation of prostitution, even as those rules were informed by overseas models of managing the sex trade. “The combined efforts of social reformers and government officials drew upon notions of sexual continence as a moral strength with which Americans were especially endowed,” Mead explains. “Americans invoked an ethic of strenuous sexual self-mastery that justified their mastery over others.” Read or listen to the story » The Lede How Would Kash Patel Compare to J. Edgar Hoover? Critics have warned that Donald Trump’s nomination of Kash Patel to be the director of the F.B.I. will create an environment reminiscent of the days of J. Edgar Hoover. “The F.B.I. should be so lucky,” Beverly Gage writes. Whereas Hoover felt the Bureau was a bulwark against an underground left-wing conspiracy to take over American life, for Patel “the F.B.I. is the conspiracy.” Read the story » Further reading: Margaret Talbot reviews Beverly Gage’s “G-Man,” about how Hoover’s secret programs subverted American democracy from within. The Year Creators Took Over Nikki Giovanni’s Legacy of Black Love Remembering Kenneth Branagh’s Shakespearean Heyday (and Forgetting His Recent Lear) Gift Ideas from the Rudy Giuliani Daily Cartoon Link copied Play today’s beginner-friendly puzzle. A clue: Seasonal song such as “Deck the Halls.” Five letters. P.S. Kimberly Guilfoyle is the President-elect’s pick for the next ambassador to Greece. Four years ago, when Guilfoyle was one of Donald Trump’s top fund-raising officials and his son’s girlfriend, Jane Mayer chronicled her departure from Fox News, where a former assistant had accused her of sexual harassment. “Ordinarily, allegations like those that have trailed Guilfoyle would likely prove disqualifying for someone seeking a prominent role in the political arena,” Mayer writes. But not in Trump’s Administration. 🇬🇷
Maria Eagle’s comments came after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the UK is “not at war” in relation to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Russian president Mr Putin has said he is entitled to target the military facilities of countries which have supplied weapons to Ukraine, allowing Kyiv’s forces to strike deep inside Russia. On Thursday, Russia used a new ballistic missile in Ukraine, which Mr Putin said was in response to the UK and US allowing missiles they have supplied to Ukraine to be used to strike targets in Russia. In a televised address, Mr Putin said: “We consider ourselves entitled to use our weapons against military facilities of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities.” Defence procurement minister Ms Eagle spoke to journalists as she opened an office for Rolls-Royce Submarines in Glasgow. She said: “We’ve heard this kind of irresponsible rhetoric from him (Putin) before. “He’s trying to stop nations supporting Ukraine, whilst he doesn’t seem to mind that much about the support he’s getting from North Korea and other nations. “We can’t allow ourselves to be put off from supporting Ukraine, and we won’t be.” Failing to stand up to Russian aggression would come at a “serious cost” for Europe, she said. The Labour minister was also asked about the incoming Donald Trump administration in the US and what preparations are being made for continuing to support Ukraine after this point. Ms Eagle said: “We have to wait and see what the Trump administration decides it’s going to do. It’s not in office yet. “We’re determined to continue to support Ukraine.” Sir Keir was asked “are we at war” as he appeared on BBC Radio Bristol on Friday. He said: “No, we’re not at war, but Ukraine certainly is, because Ukraine has been invaded by Russia, and that war has now been going on for just over 1,000 days. “That’s 1,000 days of aggression from Russia and 1,000 days of sacrifice for Ukraine, and that is why we’ve said consistently that we stand by Ukraine. We cannot allow Putin to win this war.” The Prime Minister spoke to Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on the phone on Friday afternoon, when the pair restated their support for Ukraine. Earlier on Friday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told Sky News the “aggressive” rhetoric from Moscow would continue. She said there has been an “aggressive, blustering tone” from Mr Putin throughout the conflict, which she called “completely unacceptable”. Asked about the Russian leader’s threat to use target nations that allow their own weapons to be used against Russia, Ms Cooper told Sky News: “Russia invaded a sovereign state. “We have seen the aggressive, blustering tone and response from Putin all the way through this, it’s completely unacceptable, and we will continue to see that sort of aggressive language. “We are clear that that sort of behaviour cannot be tolerated, and that’s why we have provided the support to Ukraine as they defend themselves against Putin’s aggression.” As with other Government ministers, Ms Cooper also declined to confirm officially whether British weapons had been used by Ukraine in Russia, saying: “I’m not going to comment on the detail of any individual defence operations.” The UK is believed to have allowed its Storm Shadow missiles to be used by Ukrainian forces within the Kursk region of Russia, while the US has given permission for its ATACMS weapons to be fired at targets in Mr Putin’s country. Meanwhile, Mr Putin confirmed Russia has tested the new intermediate-range weapon in an attack on Dnipro in response. The US said the weapon is an experimental, intermediate-range missile based on Russia’s existing RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. The missile’s range far outstrips that of newly authorised US and British-supplied weapons, which can hit targets around 250-300km away. The distance from Moscow to London is around 2,500km, suggesting the range of the new missile could threaten the UK. Get all the latest news from around the country Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the countryBritain 'must rescue it's lost boys' or 'watch them fill our prisons'Syrian insurgents reach the capital's suburbs. Worried residents flee and stock up on supplies