T his is at once a wise and wonderfully enjoyable book. Mark Lilla treats weighty matters with a light touch, in an elegant prose style that crackles with dry wit. Almost every one of the short sections into which the narrative is divided – and there is a narrative, cunningly sustained within what seems a relaxed discursiveness – takes careful aim and at the end hits the bullseye with a sure and satisfying aphoristic thwock . The central premise of the book is simply stated: “How is it that we are creatures who want to know and not to know?” Lilla, professor of humanities at Columbia University, New York, and the author of a handful of masterly studies of the terrain where political and intellectual sensibilities collide, is an acute observer of the vagaries of human behaviour and thought in general, and of our tendency to self-delusion in particular. He has a genius for the telling epigraph, of which there are many here, set like jewels throughout the text. The first of these, and the most emblematic, is taken from George Eliot’s novel Daniel Deronda : “It is a common sentence that knowledge is power; but who hath duly considered or set forth the power of ignorance?” This latter form of power, he tells us, is the subject he means to address. His book is certainly timely. As he notes, there are certain epochs, and surely we are slap bang in the middle of one, when “evident truth” is cast aside in favour of all manner of imbecile imaginings. “Mesmerised crowds still follow preposterous prophets, irrational rumours trigger fanatical acts, and magical thinking crowds out common sense and expertise.” There, encapsulated in a sentence, is the predicament we face in our present-day social and political lives. At the outset he presents a subtle retelling of Plato’s allegory of the cave . In his telling, a man and a boy are set free from the shadowed chamber and led up into the light. Soon, however, the boy is begging to return to the realm of happy delusion. “I miss my playmates,” he says tearfully. “Even if they were just pixels on a screen.” From the cave, Lilla makes a smooth ascent to the case of Oedipus, the most famous exemplar of the will to ignorance. As he notes, today Oedipus the King “seems less about fate and prophecy than about the vexed problem of self-knowledge”. And Oedipus is not alone in his state of willed blindness. What about Jocasta ? “While sharing her son’s bed all those years, wouldn’t she have noticed his disfigured feet, an unmistakable sign of his identity?” And why stop with the royal couple? Maybe they were all in on it, all of Thebes, and beyond, all “caught between the will to know and the will not to know”. It is remarkable how many instances Lilla finds of the wriggly measures humankind adopts in order not to look the facts in the face, from the Bible – that vast compendium of elaborate avoidances – through Augustine , and the giants of the Enlightenment, to the enraptured messianism of the twin mid-20th-century ideologies of fascism and communism. At the heart of the book is an invigorating excursus on St Paul, the founding father of the most consequential and, some would contend, most pernicious religious cult the world has known. Lilla knows his man: “It is no exaggeration to say that the history of western populism – spiritual and political – began with Paul.” He is “the cultured despiser of culture”, “a learned fanatic of the highest order”, who “held up as spiritual models innocent children, uneducated workmen, and lambs with vacant eyes, forever enshrining reverse snobbery as a Christian virtue”. If the next resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is in need of a patron saint, surely Paul is the one: “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent ... If any man among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” Sign up to Observed Analysis and opinion on the week's news and culture brought to you by the best Observer writers after newsletter promotion And one more quote, not to be resisted for the tenor of its measured contempt: “Paul made possible the transformation of the Gospels’ beautiful moral ideal into an anti-intellectual ideology that was enshrined permanently in the Christian scriptures and has since passed into our secular societies. That ideology has attracted a certain sort of mind ever since – one with a death wish.” As Nietzsche put it: “There was only one Christian, and he died on the cross.” Ignorance and Bliss is a splendidly invigorating antidote to the vapid nostrums and mindless pieties – from right and left – that swirl about us in a poisoned fog. These are parlous times, and we need the likes of Lilla to help us face, and face down, the massed cohorts of “holy fools and eternal children whose distaste for the present sends them rushing, vainly, to restore an imagined past”. Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know by Mark Lilla is published on 12 December by C Hurst & Co (£18.99). To support the Guardian and the Observer order your copy at guardianbookshop.com . Delivery charges may applyHope Place supports family caring for orphaned sisters
Freight Technologies Announces Adjournment of Annual Meeting of StockholdersFrom being unsafe in the family home to having parents or caregivers who’ve forbidden their return, youth are not immune to becoming part of the country’s growing population of people without housing. That’s why Cobourg’s Rebound Child and Youth Services (Rebound) offers programs and continues to develop new resources to prevent youth homelessness in Northumberland. The not-for-profit agency that supports children, youth, and families has announced it’s a local beneficiary of the Home Depot Canada Foundation’s “Holiday Orange Door Project Campaign” combatting homelessness, which runs until December 22 at the Cobourg Home Depot and online. “We know that youth experiencing unstable housing is growing in our community,” Rebound’s executive director Sam Rockbrune told kawarthaNOW. “Funds raised through this campaign will help us provide supports, such as mental health services and our family wellness hub, to take preventative steps for youth homelessness. Rebound is already working on prevention for youth homelessness with our current programs and rolling out exciting new programs in the new year.” Rebound services offer a private and confidential process that can assist children, youth, and their families with options and resources for programming. The organization believes that the most effective services are those that are provided in a responsive and respectful manner and in a partnership with families. The agency serves more than 1,800 young people each year. In 2018, Rebound partnered with Northumberland County Community & Social Services to deliver the trusteeship program for youth aged 16 to 17 receiving Ontario Works (OW). “At the time, I was the trusteeship caseworker, and the case load was 13 individuals,” recalled Krystyne Gillespie, Rebound’s outreach and fund development manager, adding the case load has since quadrupled. “We see approximately 50 to 60 individuals per year, with around 40 to 45 of those (youth) continuing to need support through the program,” she said. “The trusteeship is not just about receiving financial support through OW. Our goal is for the youth to stay in school, graduate and go on to post-secondary education or into the workforce.” Rebound provides clients with emotional health supports, access to food and clothing items, and strives to serve as a bridge to other resources, as necessary. The agency saw, on average, two unsheltered youth per year in the first few years of the program. “So far in 2024, we currently have seven youth who are experiencing homelessness,” Gillespie noted. She said Rebound is aware of a large number of youths who are living with grandparents or other family members to provide space between them and their parents, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. “Youth homelessness is often unseen, as youth are resilient and will find places to stay or couch-surf,” she said. “I would encourage parents to ask questions if their child is having a friend sleep over more often or throughout the week.” “Ultimately, Rebound hopes to prevent youth homelessness by helping families creating stronger bonds, building their skills around communication and conflict management, for example. Families that learn together, grow together, (and) hopefully stay together.” As for the Holiday Orange Door Project Campaign, customers can donate during checkout at the Cobourg Home Depot or by visiting orangedoorproject.ca and selecting Cobourg as the location for their donation. All local donations will help Rebound provide counselling and therapy, youth justice diversion, youth homelessness prevention programs, along with family and parenting support services. Since 2022, the Cobourg Home Depot has raised over $25,000 for Rebound through the Orange Door Project fundraising campaign, an initiative of the Home Depot Canada Foundation. The foundation is a Canadian registered charity supporting 127 organizations across the country that are committed to preventing and ending youth homelessness. To create new paths for youth experiencing homelessness or at risk of doing so, the foundation will invest $125 million by 2030.Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Lancashire Evening Post, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Residents and businesses in the areas which would be impacted, such as St Annes, Wrea Green and Kirhham, have long been campaigning against the proposals. They set up the protest group, ‘Against the Wind Farm Onshore Cable and Substation Plans across the Fylde’ to raise awareness and challenge the plans, fearing the scheme would scar the land and cause extreme disruption to homes and livelihoods. Now Fylde Council has added its voice to those concerns. Advertisement Advertisement It comes in a week in which the Planning Inspectorate announced it has accepted an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to connect two planned wind farms in the Irish Sea to the national grid at the Penwortham Substation. The proposed development involves undersea cables landing near Blackpool Airport and running underground to two substations between Kirkham and Newton, before continuing underground and beneath the River Ribble to Penwortham. The scheme will now go to the next stage of the planning process. Fylde Council made representations to the Planning Inspectorate expressing concern that the pre-application consultation was inadequate as it did not appear to include notification of all interested parties. Advertisement Advertisement The council also raised concerns that the level of detail available at the consultation stage was not sufficiently detailed to allow affected communities and other key stakeholders to make meaningful comments. Leader of Fylde Council, Councillor Karen Buckley, said: “Our submission to the Planning Inspectorate was a clear request to decline to accept the application to progress to the next stage. “Instead, we asked that the proposals be refined and further consultations take place with the local community, statutory consultees and stakeholders. “This would have allowed the applicants to further consider appropriate alternative routing for the proposed connections to the national grid which would have a lesser environmental impact, be less costly to implement and even provide an opportunity for more economic growth, such as the nearby site at Hillside Technology Enterprise Zone which is close to a grid connection at Stanah. Advertisement Advertisement “The fact that this opportunity has been missed demonstrates a blinkered approach that ignores the local geography of Fylde and risks the implementation of a scheme that threatens homes and local livelihoods that support our community. ” Deputy Leader of Fylde Council and Chair of the Planning Committee Councillor Richard Redcliffe added: “We are extremely disappointed that the Planning Inspectorate has decided to accept the application despite the view of the local council that the consultation exercise carried out prior to the submission of the application was flawed. “The report outlining the reasons for the application being accepted has not yet been published and we intend to carefully review the Planning Inspectorate’s reasoning for accepting the application. “Fylde Council will continue to make representations to the proposal at the next stages of the procedure and would encourage residents who may be directly or indirectly impacted by the development to register with the Inspectorate so that they remain informed of the process and to make their views known to the Inspectorate.” Advertisement Advertisement Coun Redciffe said that whilst Fylde Council is committed to providing for renewable energy and the infrastructure that supports it, this must be balanced against the potential impacts on the environment and local communities. Fylde Council objected to the proposed connection for a number of reasons including the potential impact of the project on agricultural land, the visual impact of the extremely large substations that would be required and the widespread disturbance that would be created during the construction phase. The scheme is known as the Morgan and Morecambe Offshore Wind Farms: Transmission Assets project. The Morgan element of the scheme is to be developed under a joint venture between bp and EnBW Energie Baden-Wurttemberg AG. Advertisement Advertisement The Morecambe side is under a joint venture between Cobra and Flotation Energy. BP says both projects have the combined potential to generate up to 2GW. A spokesman previously stated: “Having an open dialogue with communities is critical as the project progresses to refine its proposals and we greatly value the feedback from local residents and stakeholders.”
Pearl Diver Credit Company Inc. Prices Offering of Series A Preferred Stock‘He brought an aura like no other’ – Tyrone GAA mourns death of legendary player and coach who leaves behind huge legacyControversial MAFS 'villain' tipped to join I'm A Celebrity 2025: 'Infuriate people'Stock market today: Wall Street gains ground as it notches a winning week and another Dow record
D espite her background in professional wrestling, Linda McMahon is not known for bombast. Indeed, she’s terrible at it: in the many years during which the former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO would make occasional appearances in her company’s programming as a version of herself, she was always derided by fans for her lack of charisma and wobbly speaking voice. The most notable thing she did in any of the storylines was pretend to be comatose in a wheelchair while her husband, the vastly more explosive Vince McMahon, sexually harassed one of his female wrestlers in a skit. Linda won’t be winning an Emmy anytime soon. That’s ultimately what makes her a threat: she doesn’t seem like one. She is falsely perceived as a “moderate” and will come across as the “good cop” in a collection of awful ones. When she was nominated as director of the Small Business Administration in 2017, under Donald Trump, she was the only cabinet pick who passed with substantial Democratic support – 81 out of 100 senators voted to confirm her. She made it through her two-plus years in the role without drawing attention (despite the fact that her husband was simultaneously making lucrative business deals with the Saudi government ). She will almost certainly be confirmed by the Senate again with relatively little difficulty. They have other things to worry about. But senators should be worried about putting McMahon in charge of education policy. Behind her grandmotherly affect beats a cold heart. As I documented in my biography of her husband, Ringmaster , Linda and Vince have presented a united front at all times even amid accusations of sexual assault . She was almost certainly aware of a massive pedophile ring that ran within the McMahons’ World Wrestling Federation (as it was known) from the 1970s to the early 90s. Just last month, five additional men stepped forward in a lawsuit to accuse Linda and Vince of knowingly allowing their childhood sexual assaults. Naturally, the McMahons deny any wrongdoing. (Vince is also under federal investigation for sex trafficking, a fact that Linda has yet to publicly comment on.) So far, Linda hasn’t mimicked Trump’s wild attacks on his opponents or the institutions of the US government. Her first statement since receiving Trump’s nomination was bland: “All students should be equipped with the necessary skills to prepare them for a successful future.” But I would doubt that her tenure will be moderate. She has never spoken or acted in opposition to any of Trump’s extremist policies in the past, and she has been friends with him since the early 1980s. She ran the biggest pro-Trump Super Pac in 2020 and is currently the co-chair of Trump’s transition team. There is no reason to doubt that this lifelong Republican and dedicated Trumpist operative will enact large swaths of the Project 2025 agenda, which calls for slashing school budgets and censoring educational content on race and gender. There is an illusion at play here. McMahon will be held up as a “reasonable” woman. But given that she works for Trump, her reasonableness is nothing more than “kayfabe”. Emerging from carnival sideshows in the 1880s, pro wrestling has always been built on a platform of deception. This deception is known in the industry as “kayfabe” (rhymes with “hey, babe”). For wrestling’s first century of existence, kayfabe was relatively simple, if arduous: wrestlers pretended to be violent madmen and performed staged matches “against” each other – but unlike film actors, they had to stay in character at all times, even on their off-hours. To commit to this code was to “stay in kayfabe”; to violate it was to “break kayfabe”. It was a lie, but it was wide and flat, so you could stand on it easily. However, those days are long gone. In the 1980s, Vince and Linda admitted their product’s fakeness in legal proceedings, so as to avoid taxes, regulations and fines. The secret was out, and nobody could credibly claim wrestling was on the level any more. So kayfabe evolved. What emerged was powerful – and often malevolent. In Ringmaster, I coined a term for this new form of misdirection, which still reigns: “ neokayfabe ”. Instead of insisting to the audience that what they were seeing was real, McMahon allowed fans to see behind the curtain and learn that not all was as it seemed. Wrestlers were encouraged to bring up real-life disputes with fellow grapplers, or even with McMahon himself, when they appeared in the ring. Previously taboo truths were confessed. Salacious teases of people’s personal lives came to the fore: first, it was just revelations of behind-the-scenes business frustrations; then, it graduated to things like a live interview with a wrestler’s widow about his drug overdose, the day after he died. Eventually, you had spectacles like a closeted gay wrestler being forced to sing Boy George lyrics and then get gay-bashed by another grappler. It’s hard to overstate how shocking – and gripping – these neokayfabe developments were for wrestling fans. When neokayfabe fully took hold in the late 1990s, ratings soared. Fans knew for sure that the matches were staged, but they also knew that thrilling revelations were bursting to the surface. The appeal wasn’t about who “won” or “lost” any more. It was about digging up the truth and deciphering it. You’d see a wrestler throw a particularly vicious personal insult at another one and start to wonder if their hatred was real, even if the match result wasn’t. You’d see Vince wrestle as a sadistic owner called “Mr McMahon” and be astonished that a Fortune 500 CEO was risking life and limb by falling 20ft from the side of a steel cage and landing on a table – was he really hurt after that fall, or was it all part of the show? Conversely, when the wrestler Owen Hart fell 70ft in a zipline accident during a 1999 live show and died after hitting the ring, the McMahons’ show went on, leading many in the crowd to assume it had all been staged. On top of all that, McMahon would toss in obscene sexual references and unconscionable bigotry to mock the marginalized. Much like Trump, McMahon was a master at capturing your attention because you couldn’t quite believe he was able to do what he was doing. Yet there it was. And all the while, Linda was the hidden hand behind him, steering the ship through the choppy waters of industry and emerging with a (somewhat) respectable media empire worth over a billion dollars. In her time running the company, she and Vince cultivated relationships with a wide array of people who now find themselves at the top of the Republican food chain. Most notably, Trump hosted two installments of the annual WrestleMania extravaganza in the late 80s, attended many additional shows and even participated in a long storyline where he pretended to be in an explosive rivalry with Vince, back in 2007. Before that storyline, Trump had rarely, if ever, worked up a rowdy and interactive crowd. But he was a quick study, and we can all see what he learned when he addresses his rally crowds. But Trump wasn’t the only key contact. The McMahons were early corporate partners of the mixed martial arts promotion UFC, getting to know its deeply controversial head, Dana White (and, for what it’s worth, missing an opportunity to buy UFC in its infancy, only to watch as MMA dwarfed wrestling in popularity). It was the McMahons who made the wrestler Hulk Hogan (born Terry Bollea) an international superstar in the mid-80s. By 2024, both White and Hogan, as well as Linda, were primetime speakers at the Republican national convention. The reasoning for that prominent placement was easy to suss out: Trump just flat-out loves wrestling, and has since he was a preteen in Queens, watching local shows organized by Vince’s father. Trump did a late-stage campaign interview with the retired wrestler Mark Calaway (better known as the Undertaker), and was so excited that he essentially turned the tables and started interviewing Calaway with childish questions (eg “What stops somebody from going nuts and starting a real fight?”). If you watched Trump’s face throughout the convention, you saw him practically – and sometimes literally – falling asleep during the speeches. Not so when Hogan got up there. Trump was rapt and grinning while Hogan ripped off his shirt and declared that “Trumpamania” would take the former president all the way back to the White House. Hogan proved more prescient than many highly paid pundits, in that regard. The introduction of pro-wrestling culture into mainstream politics has brought a huge dose of chaos. That chaos is, of course, the point. It’s a shock-and-awe tactic: the enemies of pluralistic democracy are attempting to overwhelm us with statements and actions that confuse and unsettle. The Trump team is doing what it does best, which is keep the world off balance by warping our sense of reality. We no longer trust that anything we see or hear from Trump is strictly “real” – he lies as easily as breathing and routinely gets bored with his plans – but nor do we feel certain that he won’t act on his most ludicrous promises. We are immobilized in a state of constant panic and bewilderment. All of which is to say, Trump and his team have learned the most essential lessons of Trump’s favorite art form. If you don’t understand wrestling, you’ll never understand Trump. And you must know wrestling to understand our likely next secretary of education, as well – even though she doesn’t come across as a typical wrestling personality. She will mask herself in neokayfabe and do what her boss tells her to do. She will seek to tear up American education, from starving public kindergartens of cash to crushing protests at universities. She will be the sharp end of the presidential spear, all while seeming more like a kindly southern aunt than an efficient tool of neo-fascist revolution. She, and all of her ilk, will deceive and misdirect us. We must be vigilant. Don’t believe the hype.
Within hours of Syrian rebels seizing Damascus last weekend, Israeli soldiers crossed into a demilitarized buffer zone between the two countries. Israel described the move as defensive and temporary, necessary to keep at bay the potential chaos and attendant threats inside Syria. From a strategic perspective, the crumbling of Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” – including a weakened Hezbollah and the fall of the Tehran-backed Assad regime in Damascus – is a victory for Israel. But it also creates a host of security problems. In a powerful indication it is taking no chances, Israel launched hundreds of air and missile strikes on Syrian military equipment and installations this week. In the meantime, not everyone is convinced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu isn’t already overreaching in Syria to win domestic political points. Others say there are opportunities for even greater achievements. Jeremy Issacharoff, a former Foreign Ministry official, suggests Israel could strengthen its anti-Iranian alliance if it addresses Palestinian aspirations. “It could start talking about a pathway towards a two-state solution with the Saudis that could also include the Syrians as well,” he says. “I don’t want to be overly optimistic – these are not simple things – but it would be irresponsible to exclude it.” For 50 years, the Israel-Syria border on the Golan Heights was the quietest in the Middle East. But within hours of Syrian rebel forces seizing Damascus without a fight last weekend, Israeli soldiers crossed into a demilitarized zone in Syria designed as a buffer between the two countries. Israel described the seizure of some key positions on the Golan’s rocky plateau and near the peak of snowcapped Mount Hermon as a defensive and temporary move, necessary to keep at bay the potential chaos and attendant threats inside Syria. The action also has the proactive markings of a government and army still reeling from the colossal failure to protect its people from the Hamas massacre and mass hostage taking 14 months ago. Yet in an even more powerful indication it is taking no chances, Israel launched hundreds of air and missile strikes on Syrian military equipment and installations this week. The goal: to minimize any threat from the replacement in Damascus of the “devil it knew,” Bashar al-Assad, with an untested coalition of rebels led by a faction with jihadist roots. Among the targets not just hit, but entirely destroyed, according to Israel: the Syrian navy and sea-to-sea missiles with a range as far as 120 miles. Of most immediate concern, however, have been stockpiles of and production facilities for chemical weapons, which Mr. Assad had used against his own people and which Israel fears could fall into “the wrong hands.” Following the dramatic weakening of the Iran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah in a punishing Israeli offensive this fall, what does the sudden collapse of the Iran-allied Assad regime mean for Israel? From a strategic and historical perspective, the crumbling of Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” – its collection of proxy armies – is a victory. But it also creates a host of Israeli security problems, not least of which is Syria’s likely instability for the foreseeable future. “The worst-case scenario in Syria is that it could become the Somalia of the Middle East,” Nitzan Nuriel, a retired brigadier general and counterterrorism expert, told journalists in a briefing. “From the Israeli perspective, based on what happened in countries from Libya to Afghanistan, we know when regimes collapse, terror groups can take over and take advantage of weapons systems and platforms and use them against neighboring states and others,” he said. “So as a preemptive step, we decided to destroy everything those unexpected rivals might use in the future.” With Iran considerably weakened, the biggest question for Israel now surrounds the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, argues Danny Citrinowicz, a research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank. “Tehran could theoretically enrich uranium to a military-grade level of 90 percent ‘as early as tomorrow’ and attempt to build a nuclear facility within a few months,” he wrote in the Maariv daily newspaper. Yet, he cautioned, “Such a move without Hezbollah’s protective umbrella, combined with Israel’s demonstrated capability to strike in Iran, and the presence of President Trump in the White House, could pose a direct threat to the regime in Tehran.” This new reality “changes the rules of the game,” he added, and “significantly weakens Iran’s influence in the Middle East for at least the coming years.” Still, analysts say, it will be important for Israel to thwart any Iranian attempts to regain a foothold in Syria, which for years served as Tehran’s main corridor for transporting weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Also recommended: to build bridges with the country’s moderate Sunni rebels and Druze communities. In the meantime, not everyone in Israel is convinced that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government isn’t already making mistakes by engaging in tactical overreach in a bid to win domestic political points. “When it comes to sending troops to the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, what military purpose does it serve apart from showing everyone we are there and we are strong?” says Eyal Zisser, a professor of Middle East history at Tel Aviv University and an expert on Syria. “Are we protected better if we are about a mile or two deeper into Syria? I doubt that very much.” Aluf Benn, editor-in-chief of Haaretz, a left-wing Israeli newspaper, noted Wednesday that on a tour of the Golan Heights the previous day, Mr. Netanyahu had declared the collapse of the 1974 postwar agreement that set up the Syrian buffer zone and had been honored ever since. “If the agreement has collapsed, Israel is no longer bound by the map that accompanies it; it can change the border according to its security needs,” Mr. Benn wrote. “For most of his years in power, Netanyahu was considered risk-averse, someone who avoided wars and embraced the status quo. The current war [with Hamas and Iran’s proxies] has changed him.” Jeremy Issacharoff, former vice director-general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, argues that while Israel has a duty to protect its border, it also has one to respect such a valuable agreement, one that has served as a critically stabilizing force and kept the border peaceful. “To take over the Syrian side of the Golan Heights is an important cautionary step,” he says, “but it’s important to say it is a temporary measure, not meant to disrupt but rather preserve the agreement.” This, he argues, would be a central achievement for Israel, as it waits to see how things play out inside Syria – specifically, whether the leadership that emerges is moderate or extreme. Rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, whose Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham faction is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and others, has presented himself as pragmatist who wants to focus on rehabilitating Syria, not on seeking out new wars to fight. In 2013, during the Syrian civil war, the Israeli army launched “Operation Good Neighbor” – its answer to concerns that Islamist militants among the Syrian rebels might use the border area to launch attacks. To encourage villages and towns to keep such forces away, and to help civilians fleeing toward the border, Israel provided humanitarian assistance in the form of food, gasoline, and medical supplies, and then began treating wounded Syrians in Israeli hospitals. The hope was also long-term, that this kind of personal outreach would one day pay dividends. “This is how Syrians found out that Israel is not Satan. Ties were made between people,” says Yehuda Blanga, a Syria expert who lectures in Bar Ilan University’s Middle East studies department. “I’d suggest the government try to connect now to the same people who once needed our help.” In 13 years of civil war, which Mr. Assad sought to brutally crush – bombing civilians in opposition-held cities and torturing detainees – more than half a million people were killed and millions displaced. Syria “could go the way of becoming an ISIS meshuggeneh state,” says Ambassador Issacharoff, using the Yiddish word for crazy, “but I have a feeling it’s too much of an opportunity for the Syrian people” to miss out on rebuilding and rehabilitating themselves. Israel could in turn strengthen and expand its regional anti-Iranian alliance, he suggests, if it addresses Palestinian aspirations. “It could start talking about a pathway towards a two-state solution with the Saudis that could also include the Syrians as well, and maybe Lebanon, too,” he says. “I don’t want to be overly optimistic – these are not simple things – but it would be irresponsible to exclude it. “American involvement can help fashion a much broader opportunity if you have a Saudi or Syrian opportunity on the table,” he says. “If you want to make the deal of the century, this could be it.”A British mother of three has died at a remote retreat in the Amazon rainforest that specialises in “plant ceremonies” involving psychedelic drugs. Maureen Rainford, 54, a social worker from Romford in Essex, paid £800 for a ten-day stay last month at the Ayahuasca and San Pedro Pisatahua Retreat in Bolivia. The retreat describes itself as “an ideal environment to heal, expand consciousness and connect with the wonders of the Amazon”. Her daughter Rochel, 32, said that she was informed by a member of staff named Eric that her mother had suffered a “medical emergency” while on site. Others told her that Rainford collapsed ten minutes after drinking a tea brewed with ayahuasca, a plant-based psychedelic which is an illegal class A drug in Britain.Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster who broke barriers during his career calling some of the biggest sporting events, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by the news network on Friday. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, he announced Super Bowl 35 for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Gumbel as someone who broke barriers and set standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in the NFL and March Madness. “A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time,” Berson said. Gumbel had two stints at CBS, leaving the network for NBC when it lost football in 1994 and returning when it regained the contract in 1998. He hosted CBS’ coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics and called Major League Baseball games during its four-year run broadcasting the national pastime. In 1995, he hosted the World Figure Skating Championships and the following year hosted NBC’s daytime coverage of the Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta. But it was football and basketball where he was best known and made his biggest impact. Gumbel hosted CBS’ NFL studio show, “The NFL Today” from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2004-05. Earlier this year, Gumbel recalled replacing Brent Musburger as host of “The NFL Today” in 1990, describing it as intimidating and daunting. “The fact that I got to sit in the same chair and do the same thing or try to do the same thing that he did was an incredible honor,” he said. Gumbel also called NFL games as the network’s lead play-by-play announcer from 1998 to 2003, including Super Bowl 35 and 38. He returned to the NFL booth in 2005, leaving that role after the 2022 season. “Like all who knew and loved him, I too am saddened by his death, yet also so very grateful to have known him in my life,” Clark Kellogg, a CBS Sports college basketball game and studio analyst, said in a statement. “What a gift to be touched by such a good man and partner.” Gumbel was the older brother of Bryant Gumbel, the host of NBC’s “Today” show and “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” on HBO. Bryant Gumbel received a lifetime achievement award at the Sports Emmys in 2003. Greg Gumbel grew up in Chicago and graduated from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1967 with a degree in English. He had plans to become an English teacher, but after his brother got into sportscasting, he auditioned at WMAQ-TV, an NBC affiliate in Chicago in 1973, according to the book “You Are Looking Live!: How The NFL Today Revolutionized Sports Broadcasting.” He was soon offered a position as weekend sports anchor. “I’m kind of surprised I got the job. I certainly wasn’t anyone who was polished,” he said in the book. “By my own reckoning, it took me a good year to start to feel comfortable in front of a camera.” Gumbel also worked for ESPN and the Madison Square Garden network. James Brown, who currently hosts “The NFL Today,” described Gumbel on Friday as “Mr. Versatility and also very telegenic.” “It was my pleasure to call him a friend and one who could do anything that was given to him in the wake of an assignment,” he added. Gumbel won local Emmy Awards during his long career and was the recipient of the 2007 Pat Summerall Award for excellence in sports broadcasting. Outside of his career as a sportscaster, he was affiliated with the March of Dimes for three decades, including as a member of its board of trustees. He also was a member of the Sports Council for St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital for 16 years. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville has approved a five-year contract extension through June 2030 for athletic director Josh Heird, whose 2 1/2-year tenure has included the hirings of two men’s basketball coaches and football coach Jeff Brohm. The university’s Board of Trustees on Thursday authorized President Kim Schatzel to execute the deal, three days after the University of Louisville Athletic Association board approved the agreement. Heird was named interim AD in December 2021 before being elevated to the full-time job the following June. Schatzel said in a release that the extension signals the school’s faith in Heird and added, “He is the right person and right leader” to take the athletic program forward to a bright future. Several significant personnel moves marked Heird’s initial tenure. He fired basketball coach Chris Mack in January 2022 and subsequently hired former Cardinals player Kenny Payne two months later. Heird fired Payne last March after two historically bad seasons and replaced him with Pat Kelsey on March 28. Heird also hired ex-Louisville quarterback and assistant Brohm in December 2022. The Cardinals won 10 games to reach the ACC championship game for the first time last season and are headed for a second consecutive postseason under the Louisville native with a berth in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas. Heird has also extended contracts for women’s basketball coach Jeff Walz, volleyball coach Dani Busboom-Kelly and baseball coach Dan McDonnell. The AD’s other achievements include a $41 million naming rights deal for the Cardinal Stadium football field along with a $4 million club renovation. He also secured a $1 million donation to enhance Louisville's Jim Patterson Stadium baseball field. Heird also serves on the NCAA women’s basketball selection committee. AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsTop Canadian Stocks to Buy Right Now With $5,000
21.0 EH/s and 967 MW 1,2 under management in mining with path to ~35 EH/s MIAMI, Dec. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hut 8 Corp. (Nasdaq | TSX: HUT) ("Hut 8” or the "Company”), a leading, vertically integrated operator of large-scale energy infrastructure and one of North America's largest Bitcoin miners, today released its operations update for November 2024. "We achieved net increases in deployed self-mining hashrate and efficiency in November by bringing inefficient miners offline in preparation for our initial fleet upgrade and completing the development of our R&D facility at Salt Creek,” said Asher Genoot, CEO of Hut 8. "These measures partially offset the impact of rising network difficulty on Bitcoin production, and we expect further performance gains in Q1 2025 as our initial fleet upgrade is expected to drive an improvement in average fleet efficiency to 19.9 joules per terahash.” "We remain intently focused on growing our proprietary operations and have advanced the buildout of our Vega site on schedule for energization in Q2 2025. Accounting for our fleet upgrade and assuming we fully exercise our purchase option for the miners we expect to host at the Vega site, we have a path to approximately 24 exahash per second of self-mining hashrate with an average fleet efficiency of 15.7 joules per terahash as early as Q2 2025. In parallel, we continue to progress AI data center development opportunities across our development pipeline.” Highlights Energy Infrastructure Platform Capacity Mining Services Sales Upcoming Conferences & Events: About Hut 8 Hut 8 Corp. is an energy infrastructure operator and Bitcoin miner with self-mining, hosting, managed services, and traditional data center operations across North America. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Hut 8 Corp. has a portfolio comprising twenty sites: ten Bitcoin mining, hosting, and Managed Services sites in Alberta, New York, and Texas, five high performance computing data centers in British Columbia and Ontario, four power generation assets in Ontario, and one non-operational site in Alberta. For more information, visit www.hut8.com and follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @Hut8Corp. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release includes "forward-looking information” and "forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and United States securities laws, respectively (collectively, "forward-looking information”). All information, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that Hut 8 expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including such things as future business strategy, competitive strengths, goals, expansion and growth of the business, operations, plans and other such matters is forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may”, "would”, "could”, "should”, "will”, "intend”, "plan”, "anticipate”, "allow”, "believe”, "estimate”, "expect”, "predict”, "can”, "might”, "potential”, "predict”, "is designed to”, "likely” or similar expressions. Specifically, such forward-looking information included in this press release includes statements relating to the Company's planned initial fleet upgrade and the expected resulting performance gains, including expected improvement in average fleet efficiency, its focus on growing its proprietary operations, its buildout and energization of the Vega site, including the expected timing and resulting performance gains, its continuing progress with respect to AI data center development opportunities across its development pipeline and the impact of Ionic's termination of the managed services agreement. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts, but instead represent management's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events based on certain material factors and assumptions at the time the statement was made. While considered reasonable by Hut 8 as of the date of this press release, such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to, security and cybersecurity threats and hacks; malicious actors or botnet obtaining control of processing power on the Bitcoin network; further development and acceptance of the Bitcoin network; changes to Bitcoin mining difficulty; loss or destruction of private keys; increases in fees for recording transactions in the Blockchain; erroneous transactions; reliance on a limited number of key employees; reliance on third party mining pool service providers; regulatory changes; classification and tax changes; momentum pricing risk; fraud and failure related to digital asset exchanges; difficulty in obtaining banking services and financing; difficulty in obtaining insurance, permits and licenses; internet and power disruptions; geopolitical events; uncertainty in the development of cryptographic and algorithmic protocols; uncertainty about the acceptance or widespread use of digital assets; failure to anticipate technology innovations; the COVID19 pandemic, climate change; currency risk; lending risk and recovery of potential losses; litigation risk; business integration risk; changes in market demand; changes in network and infrastructure; system interruption; changes in leasing arrangements; failure to achieve intended benefits of power purchase agreements; potential for interrupted delivery, or suspension of the delivery, of energy to mining sites and other risks related to the digital asset mining and data center business. For a complete list of the factors that could affect Hut 8, please see the "Risk Factors” section of Hut 8's Transition Report on Form 10-K, available under the Company's EDGAR profile at www.sec.gov , and Hut 8's other continuous disclosure documents which are available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca and EDGAR profile at www.sec.gov . Hut 8 Corp. Investor Relations Sue Ennis [email protected] Hut 8 Corp. Media Relations [email protected] A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c9236ca1-6918-4b97-b9aa-530c73b90a67Key details to know about the arrest of a suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO
However, some state workers failed to return to their jobs and a United Nations official said the country’s public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt”. Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighbouring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Mr Assad’s brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant, who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said they would not tell women how to dress. “It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women’s dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty,” the command said in a statement on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services had shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the UN official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali for the first time. Mr Jalali stayed in Syria when Mr Assad fled and has sought to project normalcy since. “We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth,” he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation had already improved from the day before. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said that judges were ready to resume work quickly. “We want to give everyone their rights,” Mr Haddad said outside the courthouse. “We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods.” But a UN official said some government services had been paralysed as worried state employees stayed at home. The public sector “has just come to a complete and abrupt halt,” said Adam Abdelmoula, UN resident and humanitarian co-ordinator for Syria, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies had been put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. “This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonised by the public media are now in charge in the nation’s capital,” Mr Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. “I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again.” In a video shared on a rebel messaging channel, Mr al-Sharaa said: “You will see there are skills” among the rebels. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Mr Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Mr Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Mr Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence though in some areas, small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets.ALBION 0 BRENTFORD 0 Albion suffered a night of frustration at the Amex as their winless run stretched to six games. They saw Julio Enciso hit the post and Mark Flekken make several good saves before running out of ideas in the second half. Brentford were unfortunate to see a Yoane Wissa goal ruled out for a narrow offside call. The hosts sent on Solly March late on to end his 14-month injury-enforced absence – and he whipped a shot narrowly over in the final seconds as the fairy tale finale beckoned. But there were a few boos at the end as the Bees celebrated their hard-fought point. Julio Enciso and Matt O’Riley came into the starting line-up for the out-of-sorts Georginio Rutter and the injured Mats Wieffer, who was unable to build on his goalscoring performance at West Ham. But the biggest cheer from fans in the build-up was for news that March was on the bench. Enciso was making his first Premier League start since the home defeat by Chelsea late last season and should have got off to a dream start. Instead, he was denied by the post after five minutes. Brentford got into a mess at the back and Carlos Baleba picked off a pass. Joao Pedro laid the ball off and Enciso curled against the far upright as Flekken could only stand and watch. As a strong Albion start continued, Flekken was sharply down to his left to parry from Baleba while Brajan Gruda was active on the right. Enciso headed straight at Flekken after a sublime first touch and pinpoint cross by Kaoru Mitoma. But the hosts had a real let-off on 14 minutes as Wissa saw a goal ruled out for a narrow offside confirmed by VAR Chris Kavanagh. Pervis Estupinan and Lewis Dunk were cleverly sucked in before the ball was sent behind them. Wissa was a pace offside as the ball was delivered to him and he finished superbly - but the Bees had certainly outmanoeuvred the home defence. Gruda then forced a free-kick which he curled past the wall and into Flekken’s arms and chest from about 25 yards. The busy Flekken held an Enciso header, which was easy enough. Then he made a better save, low to his right this time, after O’Riley cleverly worked himself room for a shot which was guided through a defender’s legs. Flekken was having a fine game. After more good build-up by Albion down the left, he improvised to kick away a low ball in by Mitoma which flicked off Ben Mee. It was a really good save, but looked awkward and after, moments later, Enciso dragged a shot wastefully wide, the keeper stayed down for treatment. He eventually went off, replaced by Hakon Valdimarsson. Albion wanted to test the new man but a shot straight to him and then a volley well wide, both by Enciso, did not do that. O’Riley, from 25 yards, saw his shot fly past the top corner via a flick off Mee and Mitoma crunched a ferocious half-volley into the side-netting. The mist was a little denser as Albion looked to attack the North Stand in the second half. It felt temporarily like they had run out of ideas and momentum at the moment. Brentford could sense that and van Hecke had to make an important block. But Joao Pedro shot at Valdimarsson and Mitoma headed over as Albion returned to the attack. Albion’s changes midway through the half saw Simon Adingra and Yankuba Minteh sent on wide and Yasin Ayari in midfield, soon followed by Georginio Rutter. But they were unable to trouble the well-organised Bees as impatience and frustration levels rose around the stadium. Too often they over-complicated matters around the edge of the box. March went on for Veltman in the closing stages. After an uncertain moment at the back, he suddenly found himself unmarked on the edge of the box as time ticked way. But his curler flashed into the North Stand and the winless run went on. Albion: Verbruggen; Veltman (March 88), van Hecke, Dunk, Estupinan; O’Riley (Ayari 67), Baleba; Gruda (Minteh 67), Enciso (Rutter 78), Mitoma (Adingra 67); Joao Pedro. Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Igor, Moder. Brentford: Flekken (Valdimarsson 36); Roerslev, Mee (Kim 78), Collins, Lewis-Potter; Janelt, Norgaard (Yarmoliuk 72), Damsgaard; Schade, Wissa, Mbeumo. Subs: Arthur, Konak, Meghoma, Carvalho, Maghoma, Yogane. Yellow card: Mee, Yarmoliuk. Referee: Andy Madley.
The Titans have issues to fix and hope to keep slim playoff hopes alive when they host the JagsNEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Light & Wonder, Inc. LNW resulting from allegations that Light & Wonder may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. SO WHAT: If you purchased Light & Wonder securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=29678 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On September 24, 2024, the Las Vegas Review-Journal published an article entitled "Slot manufacturer scores major win against Las Vegas-based rival." It stated that "Aristocrat Technologies Inc.'s request for a preliminary injunction in its trade-secret and copyright infringement lawsuit against Light & Wonder" had been granted, and that the "order prohibits [Light & Wonder] from the ‘continued or planned sale, leasing, or other commercialization of Dragon Train,' which Aristocrat claims uses intellectual property developed for its Dragon Link and Lightning Link games." On this news, the price of Light & Wonder common stock fell 19.49% on September 24, 2024. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Hyderabad: A young man, out of frustration, burnt his newly brought bike after he was constantly harassed by a private finance firm in Medak district on Sunday. Video of the incident has surfaced on social media showing a bike up in flames. A young man, out of frustration, burnt his newly brought bike after he was constantly harassed by a private finance firm in Medak district on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/PWzt6gNOxh According to local reports, the young man had purchased the bike on a monthly instalment by availing loan from the private finance company. He was consistent in paying back the loan money for several months. However, due to financial constraints, he failed to pay the instalments for some time. What followed was constant threats from the private finance company. Irked by the behaviour, the young man burnt his bike, creating a tensed atmosphere. On information, police reached the spot and a case has been registered. Further investigations are on.
Kansas City Chiefs back to winning ways against Carolina Panthers