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Humanity top priority, give treatment precedence over payment, doctors toldUS President Joe Biden on Sunday said deposed Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad should be "held accountable" but called the nation's political upheaval a "historic opportunity" for Syrians to rebuild their country. In the first full US reaction to Assad's overthrow by an Islamist-led coalition of rebel factions, Biden also warned that Washington will "remain vigilant" against the emergence of terrorist groups, announcing that US forces had just conducted fresh strikes against militants from the Islamic State organization. "The fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice," Biden said, speaking from the White House. "It's a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria." Asked by reporters what should happen to the deposed president, who reportedly has fled to Moscow, Biden said that "Assad should be held accountable." Biden -- set to step down in January and make way for Republican Donald Trump's return to power -- said Washington will assist Syrians in rebuilding. "We will engage with all Syrian groups, including within the process led by the United Nations, to establish a transition away from the Assad regime toward independent, sovereign" Syria "with a new constitution," he said. However, Biden cautioned that hardline Islamist groups within the victorious rebel alliance will be under scrutiny. "Some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human right abuses," Biden said. The United States had "taken note" of recent statements by rebels suggesting they had since moderated, he said, but cautioned: "We will assess not just their words, but their actions." Biden said Washington is "clear eyed" that the Islamic State extremist group, often known as ISIS, "will try to take advantage of any vacuum to reestablish" itself in Syria. "We will not let that happen," he said, adding that on Sunday alone, US forces had conducted strikes against ISIS inside Syria. The US military said the strikes were conducted by warplanes against Islamic State operatives and camps. Strikes were carried out against "over 75 targets using multiple US Air Force assets, including B-52s, F-15s, and A-10s," the US Central Command said on social media. Earlier, Biden met with his national security team at the White House to discuss the crisis. Assad's reported departure comes less than two weeks after the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group challenged more than five decades of Assad family rule with a lightning rebel offensive that broke long-frozen frontlines in Syria's civil war. They announced Sunday they had taken the capital Damascus and that Assad had fled, prompting celebrations nationwide and a ransacking of Assad's luxurious home. A Kremlin source told Russian news agencies that the deposed leader was now in Moscow, along with his family. The US military has around 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq as part of the international coalition established in 2014 to help combat the Islamic State jihadist group. It has regularly struck targets in the country including those linked to Iranian-backed militias. Tehran was a major backer of Assad's government. Biden also confirmed US authorities believe the American journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted in Syria in 2012, still lives. "We believe he's alive," Biden said, but the US has yet "to identify where he is." bur-sms/mlm
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DAYTON — Teeny McMunn will leave the Dayton City Council at the end of December, one year before her four-year term expires. McMunn, 73, was elected to City Council position No. 3 in November 2021. She served as the City Council’s representative at the Dayton Chamber of Commerce and, this year, as mayor pro tempore. She will attend her final city meetings remotely. “I felt it was time to close this chapter of my life,” she said in an email. McMunn is returning to Miles City, Montana, where she was born and raised, to be with her sister and extended family and friends, she said. “Dayton has been like a warm cozy blanket,” she wrote. Now retired, McMunn co-owned and managed a flooring business that migrated to Dayton, as well as a property rental company. At the Waitsburg Times, she sold ads, did bookkeeping and wrote a recipe column. She also served as a church deacon and board member of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Dayton, and has volunteered for numerous causes and organizations. For now, McMunn is still a board member, bookkeeper and treasurer of Neighbors United for Progress , a political action committee that advocates for moderate candidates and in 2023 successfully sued to block a measure from getting on the general election ballot that would have dissolved the Columbia County Rural Library District. A group of residents had sought to shut down the district after they failed to get the county’s only library to jettison books on anti-racism, gender identity and sexual identity, the U-B reported. "The mainstay of last year was keeping them from closing the library," McMunn said in an interview. "And then the fight continues, because they continue to try to control the library ... what the books are and what the displays can look like, and so we've got our job cut out for us." At the Tuesday, Dec. 3, city council meeting — the last that McMunn attended in person — she was presented with goodbye gifts, cookies and cake. “It was heartfelt, and I was a little embarrassed, but I was pleased that they did the effort,” she said. The City Council will soon advertise for McMunn’s open seat, consider letters of interest and interview candidates. The council will appoint a candidate to serve for a year, until the next election. They will also choose a new mayor pro tem. Dayton city councilors are elected to at-large positions. “City of Dayton is a business with expenses and income. It’s always a balancing act,” she said in a text. “I became more aware that two people can see the same thing, differently.” Last year, Councilor Tiger Dieu resigned from position No. 7 and was replaced by Mike Smith, whose fill-in term also expires at the end of 2025.Ray'Sean Taylor, Ring Malith lead SIU Edwardsville over Ball State 82-69
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From left: Scott Monroe, Julia Arenstam, John Richardson and Meg Robbins The Maine Trust for Local News is making several changes to its newsroom leadership team. Executive Editor Carolyn Fox, who was hired in September from the Tampa Bay Times where she served as managing editor, outlined them in a memo to staff this week. The Maine Trust is the parent company of the Portland Press Herald, Lewiston Sun Journal, Kennebec Journal in Augusta, Morning Sentinel in Waterville, Times Record in Brunswick and more than a dozen southern Maine weekly papers. • Scott Monroe , previously managing editor for the Central Maine newspapers, has been promoted to managing editor for the Maine Trust for Local News. His role will be to manage newsroom production, including a combined digital team, for all of the company’s newspapers, and to oversee the editors of Maine Trust’s weekly papers. • Julia Arenstam and John Richardson have been promoted to co-managing editors of the Press Herald, overseeing reporters and managers in the Portland newsroom. Richardson, who has been a reporter and editor at the paper for more than three decades, will continue to manage the state desk and politics team. Arenstam, who was hired in 2022, retains oversight of city desk reporters, while also managing a general news and culture team led by editor Katherine Lee. Arenstam previously was an executive producer at a television station in Louisiana. • Meg Robbins has been promoted to Press Herald deputy managing editor. She will oversee both the business desk and food and restaurant coverage, as well as the visuals team. Before being hired by the Press Herald last year, Robbins was a reporter and editor in Central Maine. “My hope is these changes help us continue fostering collaboration among the METLN newsrooms while showing off the talents of our rising leaders,” Fox wrote. “The goals continue to be: Produce impactful journalism, find the path to sustainability through digital audience growth and foster a healthy, creative work environment.” The Maine Trust for Local News is a subsidiary of the National Trust for Local News, a nonprofit news organization that purchased the Maine news media group from businessman Reade Brower last year. We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Press Herald account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Voters dejected by the presidential election results need to find a way to give back and remain involved, Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday as they celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Clinton presidential library. The former president urged audience members in a packed theater to remain engaged and find ways to communicate with those they disagree with despite a divisive political time. The two spoke about a month after former President Donald Trump’s win over Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election. “We’re just passing through, and we all need to just calm down and do something that builds people up instead of tears them down,” Bill Clinton said. Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state who was defeated by Trump in the 2016 election, said she understands the next couple of years are going to be challenging for voters who don’t agree with the decisions being made. “In addition to staying involved and staying aware, it’s important to find something that makes you feel good about the day because if you’re in a constant state of agitation about our political situation, it is really going to shorten your life,” she said. The Clintons spoke during a panel discussion with journalist Laura Ling, who the former president helped free in 2009 when she was detained in North Korea with another journalist. The event was held as part of a weekend of activities marking the 20th anniversary of the Clinton Presidential Library’s opening in Little Rock. The library is preparing to undergo an update of its exhibits and an expansion that will include Hillary Clinton’s personal archives. Hillary Clinton said part of the goal is to modernize the facility and expand it to make it a more open, inviting place for people for convene and make connections. When asked about advice he would give for people disappointed by the election results, Bill Clinton said people need to continue working toward bringing people together and improving others’ lives. “If that’s the way you keep score, then you ought to be trying to run up the score,” he said. “Not lamenting the fact that somebody else is winning a different game because they keep score a different way.” “And in addition, figure out what we can do to win again,” Hillary Clinton added, eliciting cheers. The program featured a panel discussion with cast members of the hit NBC show “The West Wing” and former Clinton White House staffers. The weekend amounted to a reunion of former Clinton White House staffers, supporters and close friends, including former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and adviser James Carville. McAuliffe said he and Carville ate Friday at Doe’s Eat Place, a downtown restaurant that was popular with Clinton aides and reporters during Clinton’s 1992 White House run. He said he viewed the library and its planned expansion as important for the future. “This is not only about the past, but it’s more importantly about the future,” McAuliffe said. “We just went through a very tough election, and people are all saying we’ve got to get back to the Clinton model.”
Letter of the week: Critical for society to address the challenges that maids faceThe new, 12-team College Football Playoff brings with it a promise to be bigger, more exciting, more lucrative. Perfect or 100% fair? Well, nobody ever believed that. The first expanded playoff bracket unveiled Sunday left a presumably deserving Alabama team on the sideline in favor of an SMU squad that finished with a better record after playing a schedule that was not as difficult. It ranked undefeated Oregon first but set up a possible rematch against Ohio State, the team that came closest to beating the Ducks this year. It treated underdog Boise State like a favorite and banged-up Georgia like a world beater at No. 2. It gave Ohio State home-field advantage against Tennessee for reasons it would take a supercomputer to figure out. It gave the sport the multiweek tournament it has longed for, but also ensured there will be plenty to grouse about between now and when the trophy is handed out on Jan. 20 after what will easily be the longest college football season in history. All of it, thankfully, will be sorted out on the field starting with first-round games on campuses Dec. 20 and 21, then over three succeeding rounds that will wind their way through traditional bowl sites. Maybe Oregon coach Dan Lanning, whose undefeated Ducks are the favorite to win it all, put it best when he offered: "Winning a national championship is not supposed to be easy.” Neither, it turns out, is figuring out who should play for it. The Big Ten will lead the way with four teams in the tournament, followed by the SEC with three and the ACC with two. The lasting memory from the inaugural bracket will involve the decision that handed the ACC that second bid. Alabama of the SEC didn't play Saturday. SMU of the ACC did. The Mustangs fell behind by three touchdowns to Clemson before coming back to tie. But they ultimately lost 34-31 on a 56-yard field goal as time expired. “We were on pins and needles,” SMU coach Rhett Lashley said. “Until we saw the name ‘SMU’ up there, we were hanging on the edge. We're really, really happy and thankful to the committee for rewarding our guys for their total body of work." The Mustangs only had two losses, compared to three for the Crimson Tide. Even though SMU's schedule wasn't nearly as tough, the committee was impressed by the way the Mustangs came back against Clemson. “We just felt, in this particular case, SMU had the nod above Alabama,” said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, the chairman of the selection committee. “But it’s no disrespect to Alabama’s strength of schedule. We looked at the entire body of work for both teams.” Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne was gracious, up to a point. “Disappointed with the outcome and felt we were one of the 12 best teams in the country,” he said on social media. He acknowledged — despite all of Alabama’s losses coming against conference opponents this season — that the Tide’s push to schedule more games against teams from other major conferences in order to improve its strength of schedule did not pay off this time. “That is not good for college football," Byrne said. Georgia, the SEC champion, was seeded second; Boise State, the Mountain West champion, earned the third seed; and Big 12 titlist Arizona State got the fourth seed and the fourth and final first-round bye. All will play in quarterfinals at bowl games on Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Clemson stole a bid and the 12th seed with its crazy win over SMU, the result that ultimately cost Alabama a spot in the field. The Tigers moved to No. 16 in the rankings, but got in as the fifth-best conference winner. The conference commissioners' idea to give conference champions preferable treatment in this first iteration of the 12-team playoff could be up for reconsideration after this season. The committee actually ranked Boise State, the Mountain West Champion, at No. 9 and Big 12 champion Arizona State at No. 12, but both get to skip the first round. Another CFP guideline: There’s no reseeding of teams after each round, which means no break for Oregon. The top-seeded Ducks will face the winner of Tennessee-Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 earlier this year in one of the season’s best games. No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, Dec. 21. Clemson is riding high after the SMU upset, while Texas is 0-2 against Georgia and 11-0 vs. everyone else this season. The winner faces ... Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. Huh? No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, Dec. 21. The biggest knock against the Mustangs was that they didn't play any big boys with that 60th-ranked strength of schedule. Well, now they get to. The winner faces ... Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Yes, SMU vs. Boise was the quarterfinal we all expected. No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame, Dec. 20. Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti thought his team deserved a home game. Well, not quite but close. The winner faces ... Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs got the No. 2 seed despite a throwing-arm injury to QB Carson Beck. But what else was the committee supposed to do? No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State , Dec. 21. The Buckeyes (losses to Oregon, Michigan) got home field over the Volunteers (losses to Arkansas, Georgia) in a matchup of programs with two of the biggest stadiums in football. The winner faces ... Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Feels like that matchup should come in the semifinals or later. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
HUNTINGTON, W.V. (AP) — Marshall has withdrawn from the Independence Bowl after a coaching change resulted in much of its roster jumping into the transfer portal. The Thundering Herd were slated to play Army on Dec. 28 in Shreveport, Louisiana. But the Independence Bowl and Louisiana Tech announced on Saturday that the Bulldogs will take on the 19th-ranked Black Knights instead. Marshall said it pulled out “after falling below the roster minimum that was deemed medically safe.” The Herd (10-3) beat Louisiana-Lafayette 31-3 last weekend to win the Sun Belt Conference Championship for the first time. The program has won seven games in a row in the same season for the first time since 2020. “We apologize for the nature and timing of this announcement and for the turmoil it has brought to bowl season preparations for Army, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, the American Athletic Conference and ESPN,” Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill said in a statement. Coach Charles Huff left Marshall for Southern Miss last Sunday, and Tony Gibson, the defensive coordinator at North Carolina State, was announced as his replacement less than an hour later. By Thursday, at least 25 Marshall players had entered the transfer portal. Gibson held a meeting shortly after arriving on campus in Huntington to introduce himself to the team. He followed that up with phone calls, text messages and more meetings Friday and Saturday. “Any time coaches leave to take other jobs, it is emotional,” Gibson said at a news conference Thursday. “And kids that are 18-to-22 years old are going to make emotional decisions instead of just breathing for a day or two.” It's the first bowl for Louisiana Tech (5-7) since 2020. The Bulldogs have won two of their last three games, but they haven't played since a 33-0 victory over Kennesaw State on Nov. 30. “We are excited to accept the opportunity to play in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl against a fantastic and storied program as Army,” Louisiana Tech athletic director Ryan Ivey said in a release. “I believe our football program is moving toward positive structure and the opportunity to play in this bowl adds to that momentum. We are looking forward to being in Shreveport for this matchup.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Get any of our free daily email newsletters — news headlines, opinion, e-edition, obituaries and more.Tottenham’s recent draw against Fulham means they have won just once in their last four outings, which was a sensational drubbing of Man CIty. As they attempt to get things back on track against Bournemouth, their head coach has spoken ahead of the midweek fixture in staunch defence of his backup defence. Ange Postecoglou backs backup defence Speaking to media ahead of his side’s midweek Premier League fixture away to Bournemouth, Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou discussed, among other things, his current backup defence setup that has had to be utilised in its entirety. “They’ve (the back three) been outstanding. “I just feel at the moment we’re not getting the credit we deserve. The players, in particular. Any other club, they have one centre-back out and it makes headlines, we’ve got two centre-backs out and our goalkeeper, and this group of players just continues to push on. Great credit to them. They don’t want me to make excuses or allowances, but, at the same time, I’m not going to dismiss the fact that they are giving everything for this football club.” Indeed, injuries to first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario as well as first-choice centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have left Spurs particularly light at the back. The injuries have added extra pressure on the Lilywhites to go out and look for both goalkeepers and centre-backs as the January transfer window draws near. Going into the Bournemouth game, Spurs lie seventh in the Premier League table, three points off top four. What else can one do? When he criticises, Postecoglou tends to criticise his team as a unit and rarely goes after individuals, which he’s even less likely to do in his current predicament; even if the defensive performances have been average at best, the manager needs to put up a brave face in front of the cameras. Nevertheless, Tottenham enter January in dire need of reinforcements at the back—something they would have had to consider even without their current injury crisis. This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.
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Quick Links Eventually, the brothers collaborated with investors to form a company On December 17th, 1903, the Wright Brothers made history by performing the first heavier-than-air powered flight in an aircraft which changed the world in ways that people at the time could only imagine. Over time, the Wright Brothers have been remembered as national heroes , pioneers in aviation who broke boundaries and pushed forward to bring air travel from a hypothetical concept to a reality, one that fuels the planet today. Get all the latest aviation news from Simple Flying! What is often not told, however, is the story of how these two aviation pioneers attempted to profit extensively from their discovery, through endless war, to secure patents on aircraft technology and sue others who attempted to build and design aircraft on their own. In collaboration with their investors, the Wright Brothers pursued an endless campaign of legal battles and patent applications to prevent others from manufacturing aircraft, in an attempt to build an air manufacturing monopoly. A patent war that defined early aircraft manufacturing At the end of the day, the brothers' patent war failed, despite extensive attempts and financial support from investors who were undoubtedly disappointed by this outcome. Today, aircraft manufacturers exist across the globe, with dozens building planes across the commercial, military, private, and general aviation spaces. Partly due to Wright's legal obstructions, the US lagged behind European air forces in WWI and had to fly British and French fighter planes. However, we can only begin to imagine what aircraft manufacturing would have looked like, at least in the United States, if the Wright Brothers were able to secure their patents on aircraft technology and prevent any others from entering the market. Let's take a deeper look at the infamous Wright Brothers' patent war, examine the stain that this legal battle leaves on the brothers' legacy, and evaluate what the industry might have looked like if their patents had been secured. The Brothers' background played a key role in why the patent war occurred The Wright Brothers' patent, at the end of the day, emerged from Orville and Wilbur Wright's belief that they deserved not only public recognition but also significant financial rewards for their invention of powered flight. While this may have seemed a rather obtuse viewpoint considering the importance of aviation to society, a paper published by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University argues that this should be unsurprising considering the brothers' background. The brothers' father, Bishop Wright, was an extremely principled man, one who was known to extensively debate morals and draw clear lines between right and wrong. The two brothers inherited these characteristics, and this has consistently been cited as a major reason why the pair pursued patent litigation so extensively. While it may have been up to the justice system to decide who was right and who was wrong, in the brothers' eyes, the credit for their invention should rightfully be theirs. The location of the Wright Brothers' first flight, North Carolina, is making headlines again as a supersonic factory opens in Greensboro. The pair had planned to pursue this action It may appear to be a rather coincidental post-invention decision to pursue patent litigation, but the brothers had actually maintained secrecy regarding their research for decades by the time their first flight took place in 1903. They built upon the existing research of Otto Lilienthal and Octave Chanute, two pioneers who had come before them. Their secretive approach eventually broke down their relationship with Chanute, who they believed was seeking out undeserved credit for their inventions. In response to a November 1900 request from Chanute for details regarding their aircraft, Wilbur Wright shared as follows: "We will gladly give you for your own information anything you wish to know, but for the present would not wish any publication in detail of the methods of operation or construction of the machine." Once they had achieved powered heavier-than-air flight, the brothers immediately sought to protect their invention and refused to fly for the public without patent protections. The brothers, interestingly enough, attempted to sell the aircraft to the United States Department of War and multiple commercial buyers, all of which declined as the brothers would not offer proof that the aircraft could fly until a purchase had been completed . Eventually, the brothers collaborated with investors to form a company In 1906, the brothers received a patent for their flight control systems and later sold this patent three years later to the Wright Company, a newly formed joint-stock company in which the brothers would have a 40% stake. Investors contributed over $1,000,000 to help launch the Wright Company, and these included Cornelius Vanderbilt and Theodore Shonts . This new company immediately launched a patent war, in an attempt to secure a monopoly on US aircraft manufacturing, suing rival manufacturers like Glenn Curtiss in the hopes that they would be awarded licensing fees. While the brothers did win all nine lawsuits they filed (and three that were filed against them), the growing crisis that existed in the aviation industry set US manufacturers behind European ones, according to TIME Magazine . In World War I, the impact of this patent war became clear when US fighter pilots during the conflict were forced to fly foreign-built aircraft , as American-made ones had become simply obsolete. In the wake of this, the United States government drastically shifted its tone surrounding patents in the aviation space, with new regulations forcing aircraft manufacturers to share patents, promoting the vibrant manufacturing industry that would help America build some of the most iconic aircraft of the Second World War.Satellite images appeared to show Russian forces packing up and dismantling military equipment at one of their key bases in Syria on Friday, suggesting that it may be preparing for a military withdrawal after former president and Russian ally Bashar Al-Assad was overthrown by Syrian rebels last week. It remains to be seen what the final arrangement may be between Russia and Syria's new government, but the movements reflect the profound shift in the country's post-Assad power dynamics, as Moscow grapples with losing a key ally and the potential erosion of its influence in the Middle East . Maxar Technologies, a U.S. defense contractor, released imagery on Friday showing transport movements at Russia’s Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base, both located south of Latakia on Syria’s Mediterranean coast. At Hmeimim, two An-124 heavy transport aircraft were observed on the airfield with their nose cones raised, ready to load equipment. Nearby, a Ka-52 attack helicopter was seen being dismantled, likely in preparation for transport. Other forces, including Russian military convoys, appear to be heading toward the airbase. Footage verified by NBC News captured a Russian convoy traveling north toward Homs along the highway connecting Damascus in the south to Aleppo in the north. “May God never return you,” the person filming the video says, noting it was the second such convoy he had seen. Another video shows Russian military vehicles driving in Jableh, near Hmeimim airbase. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based monitoring group, also reported that Russian forces were withdrawing from the Hassia area south of Homs, with plans to regroup later at Hmeimim. Similar movements of Russian forces on the move have been observed across the country. Another verified video showed Russian military vehicles driving through what appears to be Syria as by s tanders waved their shoes at the cars. A separate video , posted by the prominent Russian military-themed Telegram channel "Military Informer," purportedly showed a Russian military column crossing through Kurdish-controlled territories in Syria. The fall of Assad has dealt a significant blow to Russia, which is already engaged in a protracted land war in Ukraine . Russia’s military presence in Syria has been central to its strategy in the Middle East, with Hmeimim and Tartus serving as critical hubs for projecting power across the region and safeguarding Moscow’s influence in the Mediterranean. When Russia intervened in the Syrian Civil War in 2015, its support shifted the balance decisively in Assad’s favor, but Moscow has not prevented his downfall this time, and any significant withdrawal from the country would mark a major blow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov played down the damage last week, saying that while Russia had expended significant effort in stabilizing Syria in the past, its current priority lies with the conflict in Ukraine. He said that Moscow is now in discussions with the new Syrian leadership to address issues related to its military presence and the security of Russian citizens and diplomats in the country. “You know, of course, that we are in contact with those who are currently in control of the situation in Syria,” Peskov told reporters, as translated by Reuters. In a notable shift, Russian state media has begun referring to the Syrian rebels as “rebels” rather than “terrorists,” signaling Moscow’s intention to engage diplomatically with the new authorities in Syria as it seeks to maintain its strategic military foothold on the Mediterranean. However, there is no indication that a specific agreement has been reached to secure Russia’s continued presence. Meanwhile, Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations sent two identical letters to the U.N. and the U.N. Security Council on Saturday, containing an official complaint after Israeli forces moved into Syrian territory last week, while launching a massive wave of airstrikes into the country. “Syria renews its demand that the United Nations and the Security Council assume their responsibilities and take firm and immediate measures to compel Israel to immediately cease its ongoing attacks on Syrian territory, ensure that they are not repeated, withdraw immediately from the areas into which it has penetrated over the past days,” the letter said. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said last week that he had ordered the military to establish a “sterile defense zone” in southern Syria as Israeli forces seize control of the demilitarized, U.N.-patrolled buffer zone, established under a 1974 ceasefire agreement. Israel says its airstrikes and actions on the ground are aimed at preventing Assad’s arsenal of rockets and chemical weapons from falling into the hands of extremists who could threaten its borders or people. But its advance has raised alarm when the international community is already nervous about further instability as Syria navigates its transition away from 53 years of Assad rule.Off the ropes, councillor puts forward his fresh swimming pools approach
Josh Pascarelli scores 24 to propel Marist to 82-75 victory over Manhattan
HUNTINGTON, W.V. (AP) — Marshall has withdrawn from the Independence Bowl after a coaching change resulted in much of its roster jumping into the transfer portal. The Thundering Herd were slated to play Army on Dec. 28 in Shreveport, Louisiana. But the and announced on Saturday that the Bulldogs will take on the 19th-ranked Black Knights instead. Marshall said it pulled out “after falling below the roster minimum that was deemed medically safe.” The Herd (10-3) beat Louisiana-Lafayette 31-3 last weekend to win the for the first time. The program has won seven games in a row in the same season for the first time since 2020. “We apologize for the nature and timing of this announcement and for the turmoil it has brought to bowl season preparations for Army, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, the American Athletic Conference and ESPN,” Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill said in a statement. Coach Charles Huff left Marshall for last Sunday, and Tony Gibson, the defensive coordinator at North Carolina State, less than an hour later. By Thursday, at least 25 Marshall players had entered the transfer portal. Gibson held a meeting shortly after arriving on campus in Huntington to introduce himself to the team. He followed that up with phone calls, text messages and more meetings Friday and Saturday. “Any time coaches leave to take other jobs, it is emotional,” Gibson said at a news conference Thursday. “And kids that are 18-to-22 years old are going to make emotional decisions instead of just breathing for a day or two.” It’s the first bowl for Louisiana Tech (5-7) since 2020. The Bulldogs have won two of their last three games, but they haven’t played since a 33-0 victory over Kennesaw State on Nov. 30. “We are excited to accept the opportunity to play in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl against a fantastic and storied program as Army,” Louisiana Tech athletic director Ryan Ivey said in a release. “I believe our football program is moving toward positive structure and the opportunity to play in this bowl adds to that momentum. We are looking forward to being in Shreveport for this matchup.” ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up . AP college football: and The Associated PressGeorgia's ombudsman accuses police of torturing pro-EU protestersThe results of the 2024 Jharkhand Assembly elections are eagerly awaited, with Bermo emerging as one of the most crucial constituencies. Having recorded a strong voter turnout of 66.99% during Wednesday's polling, the constituency has become a focal point in the state’s political contest. Bermo's political landscape is highly competitive, featuring a three-way contest. The BJP has fielded Ravindra Pandey, a former MP from Giridih, against the incumbent Congress MLA, Kumar Jaimangal (Anup Singh). Adding to the mix is Jairam Mahto, the charismatic leader of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM), who is contesting from both Bermo and Dumri. Independent candidates, such as Santosh Kumar Mahto, Mohammad Belal Hasmi, and others, further complicate the race, making the outcome uncertain. In the 2019 Assembly elections, Bermo recorded a turnout of 62.2%, with Congress's Rajendra Prasad Singh winning the seat with 88,945 votes, defeating BJP's Yogeshwar Mahto. This follows a similar pattern of alternation between BJP and Congress in the constituency over the years, with the two parties trading victories in 2014 as well. Jairam Mahto, known as 'Tiger' for his fiery speeches and jeans-and-T-shirt style, has become a rising political force, particularly among the Kudmi Mahto community. His influence is growing, and while he may not secure a win, his ability to split the vote base could prove significant. Mahto has been a vocal advocate for local issues, such as the 1932 Khatian land settlement policy, and his leadership in movements like the push for local languages in state exams has won him a dedicated following. Bermo is set for a tense three-way contest, with the BJP, Congress, and Jairam Mahto’s JLKM battling for supremacy. Mahto's rising popularity could impact the outcome by splitting the vote, potentially altering the results and making it a closely contested race. Exit polls have left the outcome uncertain, with predictions divided between a possible victory for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and a continuation of power by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led coalition in the state. While some exit polls favour the NDA, which includes allies like AJSU and Janata Dal (United), others predict a win for the incumbent JMM-led alliance, which includes Congress and RJD. The results from Bermo will be pivotal in determining the broader political landscape in Jharkhand.
US job openings rose last month, though hiring slowed, in mixed picture for labor market WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of job postings in the United States rebounded in October from a 3 1/2 year low in September, a sign that businesses are still seeking workers even though hiring has cooled. Openings rose 5% to 7.7 million from 7.4 million in September. The increase suggests that job gains could pick up in the coming months. Still, the latest figure is down significantly from 8.7 million job postings a year ago. Last month, job openings rose sharply in professional and business services, a category that includes engineers, managers, and accountants, as well as in the restaurant and hotel and information technology industries. Trump vows to block Japanese steelmaker from buying US Steel, pledges tax incentives and tariffs HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is underscoring his intention to block the purchase of U.S. Steel by Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel Corp., and he’s pledging to use tax incentives and tariffs to strengthen the iconic American steelmaker. Trump said during the campaign that he would “instantaneously” block the deal, and he reiterated that sentiment in a Monday night statement. President Joe Biden also opposes Nippon Steel’s purchase of Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel. A secretive U.S. committee is reviewing the transaction for national security concerns, and federal law gives the president the power to block the transaction. Nippon Steel is pledging to invest in U.S. Steel’s factories and strengthen the American steel industry. China bans exports to US of gallium, germanium, antimony in response to chip sanctions BANGKOK (AP) — China has announced a ban on exports to the United States of gallium, germanium and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications. The Chinese Commerce Ministry announced the move after the Washington expanded its list of Chinese companies subject to export controls on computer chip-making equipment, software and high-bandwidth memory chips. Such chips are needed for advanced applications. Beijing earlier had required exporters to apply for licenses to send strategically important materials such as gallium, germanium and antimony to the U.S. The 140 companies newly included in the U.S. so-called “entity list” subject to export controls are nearly all based in China. Small business owners brace for Trump's proposed tariffs Small businesses are bracing for stiff tariffs that President-elect Donald Trump has proposed as one of his first actions when he takes office. Trump has proposed importers pay a 25% tax on products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, as one of his first executive orders. This means small businesses may end up paying more for goods and services. Small business owners say they’re waiting to see what final form the tariffs take, but are bracing for higher costs that they may in turn need to pass on to consumers. A top Fed official leans toward December rate cut but says it depends on economic data WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Federal Reserve official says he is leaning toward supporting an interest rate cut when the Fed meets in two weeks but that evidence of persistent inflation before then could cause him to change that view. Speaking at George Washington University, Christopher Waller, a key member of the Fed’s Board of Governors, said he was confident that inflation is headed lower and that the central bank will likely keep reducing its key rate, which affects many consumer and business loans. But he noted that there’s a risk that inflation “may be getting stuck above” the Fed’s 2% target, which would support an argument for keeping the Fed’s rate unchanged this month. US closes investigation into E. coli outbreak linked to onions in McDonald's Quarter Pounders The federal government has closed its investigation into an E. coli outbreak tied to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers after determining there is no longer a safety risk. The outbreak began in late October and sickened at least 104 people in 14 states, including 34 who were hospitalized, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. One person in Colorado died and four people developed a potentially life-threatening kidney disease complication. The FDA linked the outbreak to yellow onions distributed by California-based Taylor Farms and served raw on Quarter Pounders at McDonald’s restaurants in Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming and other states. McDonald’s briefly pulled Quarter Pounders from one-fifth of its U.S. restaurants. Melinda French Gates plans to match $1M in GivingTuesday gifts to groups that support women NEW YORK (AP) — Melinda French Gates is offering to match up to $1 million in gifts to two nonprofit organizations to help spur donations on GivingTuesday. The Tuesday after Thanksgiving, GivingTuesday has become a major annual fundraising day for nonprofits. Through her organization Pivotal Ventures, French Gates will match up to $500,000 in donations to the Vote Mama Foundation and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers. In an interview with The Associated Press, she said, “It’s a great time to remind people that we’re better off when we give something back and we all have something to give back." Stock market today: Wall Street inches higher to set more records NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks tiptoed to more records after a quiet day of trading. The S&P 500 edged up by 2 points, or less than 0.1%, on Tuesday to set an all-time high for the 55th time this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.4% to its own record set a day earlier. Treasury yields held relatively steady after a report showed U.S. employers were advertising slightly more job openings at the end of October than a month earlier. The South Korean won sank against the dollar after its president declared martial law and then later said he’ll lift it. Is Enron back? If it's a joke, some former employees aren't laughing HOUSTON (AP) — Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in corporate fraud and greed in America after it went bankrupt in 2001, is coming back. But the infamous company's return seems to be an elaborate joke. If its return is comedic, some former Enron employees who lost everything in the company’s collapse aren’t laughing. They're angry at a publicity stunt they say minimizes what they went through. Enron was once the nation’s seventh-largest company, but it went bankrupt amid massive accounting fraud. On Monday, a company representing itself as Enron announced it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” But a paper trail of legal documents points to the comeback being parody and performance art. Alaska Airlines tech issue briefly grounds planes in Seattle, disrupts bookings on Cyber Monday SEATTLE (AP) — Alaska Airlines says an unspecified technology issue caused the temporary grounding of flights in Seattle and continuing problems with booking flights online. The company said in a statement that the issue Monday morning resulted in a significant disruption to its operation, including delayed flights. The airline said it requested a 40-minute ground stop at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to clear aircraft congestion. No further details were given about the problem. Alaska said in the statement it was working to resolve the issue as soon as possible. In September, Alaska Airlines flights were grounded in Seattle because of what the company called significant disruptions from a technology problem.