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anjali arora age At least two journalists and a police officer were killed Tuesday after armed gangs opened fire on them inside an old military hospital in Haiti’s capital. The attack also left at least seven journalists and two police officers injuredwith gunshot wounds. The injured were being treated at La Paix Hospital after a specialized unit of the Haiti National Police went inside the facility that is part of the Hospital of the State University of Haiti , better known as the General Hospital, to rescue the wounded. Police officers told a Miami Herald freelancer and other waiting journalists that they had left four bodies on the ground. After three ambulances arrived at the hospital, journalists identified two of the bodies inside one of the ambulances as online journalists Mackendy Nathoux and Jimmy Jean. A Haitian police spokesman could not be reached for comment. The tragedy unfolded while the press was awaiting the arrival of Health Minister Duckenson Lorthe Blema to cover the reopening of the General Hospital, which had been closed for months because of gang attacks. As reporters waited inside for the arrival of Blema, they could hear gunfire out in the streets, where two armored police vehicles were patrolling. Inside, final arrangements were being made for the minister’s visit. That’s when several armed men stormed the area outside and opened fire. In a video shared online, long volleys of gunfire could be heard as bullets flew through the green iron gates of the General Hospital. Other photos and videos shared online by some of the reporters trapped inside showed journalists lying on the floor covered in blood, with gunshots wounds to the head, chest and mouths. In one video, a journalist showed where a bullet had pierced his tongue. “We haven’t found a nurse or anyone to give us first aid, anything,” a journalist who was not injured said as she pleaded for help. “Those who are the most vulnerable, we want to get them out of here.” But getting out of the area proved difficult as police exchanged gunfire with gang members. “The whole area is under siege,” Guyler Delva, head of the press freedom group SOS journalists, said before police moved in to rescue the trapped reporters. “Bandits are shooting all around. If the journalists go out into the street, they will be killed and no one is helping them. The situation is very worrisome. They are stranded.” Delva blamed the Haitian government for the incident, saying the attack is part of a larger problem in which journalists are being targeted by the police as well as gangs. Reporters have reported being harassed by police while on assignment. Earlier this year Haitian authorities issued a list of journalists they were seeking to arrest, claiming they were working with gangs. Last month the country’s telecommunications authority, CONATEL, shut down a popular program, Boukante la Pawol, hosted by Guerrier Henri, on Port-au-Prince’s Radio Mega after Henri allowed gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier to speak. Delva said the move infringed on press freedoms and was a throwback to the days Haiti was ruled by dictators. “Journalists have been working with a lot of fear,” he said. “They realize that the government doesn’t care. They not only try to block them but they openly show they won’t intervene to help them.” The Association of Haitian journalists also condemned the attack and called on authorities to avoid exposing journalists to danger. The group also asked on the authorities take immediate measures to provide all the necessary assistance to injured journalists and to the parents of those murdered in the exercise of their duties. Both the prime minister’s office and ruling transitional council condemned the attack. “What happened today on Christmas Eve at the General Hospital where people in the population, journalists and police were victims, is unacceptable,” Leslie Voltaire, the president of the council said, in a brief video message. “It will not stand without consequences.” The General Hospital, the country’s largest public medical facility, had been closed since March when a united front of powerful gang leaders led attacks on police stations as well as the main airport, seaport and prison with the hope of toppling the government. Since then, the violence has continued to escalate, with hospitals across Port-au-Prince shutting down. In July Haitian authorities claimed that they had taken control of the General Hospital. But days later, the country’s prime minister was forced to run for cover, along with police officers, when armed gangs opened fire as he was giving a tour of the facility to visiting CNN journalists. The Christmas Eve attack added to an avalanche of bad news for Haiti. On Monday, a ship transporting merchandise and vehicle to the southern region of the country capsized near Terminal Varreux in Port-au-Prince during loading. The incident was confirmed by the private port, but the extent of the casualties and damages were unclear. On Tuesday, as the gang attack was happening in Port-au-Prince, authorities in the northwest region confirmed the deaths of at least seven people from torrential rains that continued to hit the city of Port-de-Paix on Tuesday. Officials said that 10 others had been injured, while at least 100 houses had been destroyed and 500 others seriously damaged. About 11,000 houses were flooded and 20 vehicles were swept away. A bridge, constructed less than six months ago, also collapsed. On Monday, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, issued a statement about Haiti’s escalating crisis. Her statements as president of the U.N. Security Council came on the same day the U.N. political office in Haiti issued a report on a recent gang massacre in the Wharf Jérémie neighborhood in the capital. The report said at least 207 people, most of them elderly, were killed between December 6 and 11 by gang leader, Micanor Altès, after he accused most of them of using Vodou to make his son sick. Some of of the victims were also family members of the elderly, who had attempted to flee the area, or individuals suspected of having leaked information about the crimes to local media. The victims were tracked down at their homes and at a place of worship, then driven to the gang’s stronghold, where they were shot or killed with machetes. After the killings, Altès tried to erase all evidence, by burning the bodies or dismembering them, and then throwing them into the sea, the U.N. found. The security council, Thomas-Greenfield said, is deeply concerned over the deteriorating situation in Haiti. This story was originally published December 24, 2024, 3:28 PM.

Former PM Manmohan Singh was India's man of destiny: G P HindujaPORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Suspected gang members opened fire on journalists in Haiti's capital on Tuesday as they were covering the attempted reopening of the country's largest hospital, wounding or killing an unknown number of people. Haiti's interim president, Leslie Voltaire, said in an address to the nation that journalists and police were among the victims of the vicious Christmas Eve attack. He did not specify how many casualties there were, or give a breakdown for the dead or wounded. “I send my sympathies to the people who were victims, the national police and the journalists,” Voltaire said, pledging “this crime is not going to go unpunished.” There were concerns there could be fatalities — a video posted online by the reporters trapped inside the hospital showed what appeared to be two lifeless bodies of men on stretchers, their clothes bloodied. One of the men had a lanyard with a press credential around his neck. Radio Télé Métronome initially reported that seven journalists and two police officers were wounded. Police and officials did not immediately respond to calls for information on the attack. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. They forced the closure of the General Hospital early this year during violence that also targeted the main international airport and Haiti’s two largest prisons. Authorities had pledged to reopen the facility Tuesday but as journalists gathered to cover the event, suspected gang members opened fire. Video posted online earlier showed reporters inside the building and at least three lying on the floor, apparently wounded. That video could also not be immediately verified. Johnson “Izo” André, considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader and part of a gang coalition known as Viv Ansanm that has taken control of much of Port-au-Prince , posted a video on social media claiming responsibility for the attack. The video said the gang coalition had not authorized the hospital's reopening. Haiti has seen journalists targeted before. In 2023, two local journalists were killed in the space of a couple of weeks — radio reporter Dumesky Kersaint was fatally shot in mid-April that year, while journalist Ricot Jean was found dead later that month. In July, former Prime Minister Garry Conille visited the Hospital of the State University of Haiti, more widely known as the General Hospital, after authorities regained control of it from gangs. The hospital had been left ravaged and strewn with debris. Walls and nearby buildings were riddled with bullet holes, signaling fights between police and gangs. The hospital is across the street from the national palace, the scene of several battles in recent months. Gang attacks have pushed Haiti’s health system to the brink of collapse with looting, setting fires, and destroying medical institutions and pharmacies in the capital. The violence has created a surge in patients and a shortage of resources to treat them. Haiti’s health care system faces additional challenges during the rainy season, which is likely to increase the risk of water-borne diseases. Poor conditions in camps and makeshift settlements have heightened the risk of diseases like cholera, with over 84,000 suspected cases in the country, according to UNICEF. Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Olive Garden confirms it’s bringing popular service to all its restaurants after only offering it to 1.5% of customersUP Cong to begin revamp process at grassroots

Elmhurst native Fred Lorenzen got his start in auto racing as an 18-year old, racing stock cars at Soldier Field in Chicago in the early 1950s. Success there eventually led to racing stardom in a career in which Lorenzen was credited with 158 NASCAR starts and 26 wins, including the 1965 Daytona 500 and the World 600 that same year. In 1998 he was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers and in 2015 he was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame , an accomplishment all the more remarkable given his Midwest roots at a time when the sport was dominated by Southerners. Fred Lorenzen, right, of Elmhurst, signs up to compete in the Old Dominion 250-mile stock car race to be run in Martinsville, Va. in 1966. H. Clay Earles, center, president of the track, looks happy over the entry. (Chicago Tribune archive) Lorenzen died Dec. 18, a few days before what would have been his 90th birthday, according to statements from his family and NASCAR. “The NASCAR Hall of Fame team joins the racing community in mourning the passing of Fred Lorenzen,” NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director Winston Kelley said in a statement, calling Lorenzen “a legend whose impact will forever be felt in the sport.” In a death notice, his family noted he had battled dementia for over 20 years. His daughter, Amanda Lorenzen Gardstrom, told the Tribune in 2015 she thought her father’s dementia might be related to long-ago crashes. Some of his memories were not so clear in 2015. But the Hall of Fame induction that January was a special time for Lorenzen and his family. “We all flew down to Charlotte,” Gardstrom said. “We were there for the whole weekend. I haven’t seen my dad so happy with a glow in his eyes and smiling for so long. “He was so happy – he recognized all his old racing buddies. What a gift to give to a man who’s given so much to NASCAR. That was the best thing.” Along with his racing success, Lorenzen’s personality helped put a face on the sport. “Fred’s nicknames personify him as well as anyone,” Kelley said. “Fast Freddie or Fearless Freddie described his penchant for driving fast and on the largest of NASCAR tracks. The Golden Boy was a nod to his Hollywood good looks. That combination made him one of the most successful and recognizable stars of NASCAR in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. His leading-man good looks and smooth driving earned him legions of fans and brought a new style and class to the sport.” Even before those early stock car races in the Chicago area, Lorenzen was speeding around the streets of Elmhurst in a lawnmower-powered go-kart he built. “He always had a passion for cars,” Gardstrom said in 2015. Fred Lorenzen, of Elmhurst, shows off his custom 1950 Ford with a 1954 Cadillac engine with 350 horse power at the All Class Auto Show held at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago on May 7, 1955. Next to Lorenzen is E.G. Braner, of Chicago, back left, and Bruce Mann, of Chicago, on right. (Phil Mascione/Chicago Tribune) Stan Kalwasinski, who writes about motor sports, called Lorenzen “a racing icon” in the Chicago area. Kalwasinski, who met Lorenzen several times, said he first heard of him around 1963 when network sports television shows included short clips or excerpts of auto races. Gardstrom said that after winning local United States Auto Club events in the late 1950s at both Soldier Field and at O’Hare Stadium — a former racing venue south of the airport — her father shifted gears. “He decided he wanted to try out NASCAR on his own,” she said, “but he went broke twice.” However, Lorenzen, also known as “The Elmhurst Express,” never gave up. He finally connected with Ralph Moody of the famed Holman Moody Ford racing group, and in late 1960 Moody offered him an opportunity to drive in NASCAR events. Lorenzen’s career with NASCAR was relatively short. Except for a brief comeback, he retired from racing in 1967, saying he was tired of the traveling and living out of hotels. He shifted gears again, transitioning into a successful career in real estate. Kelley said Lorenzen’s selection for the Hall of Fame recognized his overall success both on and off the track and his contributions to the sport. “He excelled on big tracks and big races,” Kelley said, noting that Lorenzen was the first driver to earn $100,000 in a season, doing so in 1963. Kelley also noted Lorenzen’s Elmhurst roots. “He was one of the first non-Southerners to come into NASCAR and have great success.” In addition to Gardstrom, Lorenzen’s survivors include his son Chris Lorenzen and two grandchildren. Graydon Megan is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

KINGSPORT — Tennessee’s unemployment rate saw a two-tenths of a percentage point increase from October, according to a release from the state. Data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development showed that Tennessee employers added 56,000 nonfarm jobs over the past year. Between October and November 2024, nonfarm employment increased by 6,300 jobs. The health care and social assistance sectors made up the biggest gains, followed by the professional, scientific, technical services and local government sectors, the release states. Unemployment rates The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November was 3.5%, consistent with November 2023’s rate as well. Despite an increase in the unemployment rate over the past month, Tennessee’s rate is still considered seven-tenths of a percentage point below the national rate of 4.2%. This year had three consecutive months with a record-low unemployment rate of 3% for Tennessee, the release states. Unemployment rate data broken down by county will be released by the state of Tennessee at 2:30 EST on Dec. 26. To see TDLWD’s analysis of the November 2024 unemployment data, visit https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/workforce/general-resources/major-publications0/major-publications-redirect/public-reports-redirect/economic-analysis.html .

Nordstrom, Inc. JWN shares are trading lower. The company on Monday announced that the Nordstrom Family and Liverpool will acquire all outstanding common shares of Nordstrom . What To Know: Nordstrom said it signed a definitive agreement under which Erik, Pete, Jamie, other members of the Nordstrom family and Liverpool will acquire all shares not already owned by the parties in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $6.25 billion on an enterprise basis. Under terms of the agreement, Nordstrom shareholders will receive $24.25 per share in cash, representing a premium of approximately 42% over the company’s share price as of March 18. Nordstrom said March 18 was the last day its stock traded unaffected by media speculation. The deal will also include a special dividend of up to 25 cents per share contingent on the transaction’s closing. The acquisition will result in Nordstrom becoming a private company. Following the close, the Nordstrom Family will own 50.1% of the company, with Liverpool holding 49.9%. The Nordstrom Board has unanimously approved the proposed transaction upon the unanimous recommendation of a special committee of independent and disinterested directors that led the review and negotiation of this transaction. “Following a rigorous and independent evaluation and consultation with outside financial and legal advisors, the special committee unanimously concluded that this transaction offers greater value for all public shareholders at a significant premium to the unaffected share price,” said Eric Sprunk , chairman of the special committee. JWN Price Action: Nordstrom shares were down 1.55% at $24.15 at the time of publication Monday, according to Benzinga Pro. Read Next: AMD and Micron Are Top Analyst Picks for AI and Next-Gen Tech Growth Photo: Shutterstock. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Jimmy Carter, the 39th U.S. president, has died at 100

Iran restores access to WhatsApp and Google Play after they were banned amid protestsSarah Latifa had feared that her Christian community in Syria may struggle to celebrate its first Christmas since Islamist-led rebels toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad earlier this month. But at a church in Damascus's historic centre, surrounded by some 500 faithful who were singing psalms on Christmas Eve on Tuesday, she could breathe a sigh of relief. "It wasn't easy to come together in the current circumstances and to joyfully pray, but thank God, we did it," Latifa told AFP at mass at the capital's Syriac Orthodox cathedral of Saint George. Syria's rulers who toppled Assad's government on December 8 have since sought to assure religious and ethnic minorities that their rights would be upheld. But for some in the Christian community of several hundred thousands, the promises made by the new Islamist leadership have done little to soothe their fears in a country scarred by years of civil war. Hundreds took to the streets of Damascus on Tuesday to demand their rights be respected, after a Christmas tree was set ablaze in a town in central Syria. A video on social media showed hooded fighters setting fire to the tree in the Christian-majority town of Suqaylabiyah, near Hama. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said they were foreign jihadists. A local religious leader from Syria's victorious Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) condemned the torching. At the Saint George Cathedral, Latifa said that even though the road towards a new Syria may seem "tumultuous or uncertain", the future can be better "if we walk hand in hand". -'We don't belong' Before the war began in 2011, Syria was home to about one million Christians, or about five percent of the population, according to analyst Fabrice Balanche. Now, he told AFP , only up to 300,000 of them are still in the country. Assad, who hails from the Alawite minority and ruled with an iron fist, had long presented himself as a protector of minority groups in Syria, whose population is majority Sunni Muslim. The new administration appointed by HTS -- a group which is rooted in Syria's branch of Al-Qaeda -- has adopted an inclusive discourse, seeking to reassure groups in the multi-confessional and multi-ethnic country. In this transformed political landscape, Syrian Christians are determined to make their voices heard. In an overnight protest over the Christmas tree burning, Georges, who only gave his first name, condemned "sectarianism" and "injustice against Christians". "If we're not allowed to live our Christian faith in our country, as we used to, then we don't belong here anymore," he said. In his first sermon in Damascus since Assad's fall, John X, the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Antioch, expressed his hope that a new constitution would be drawn up with the participation of "all parts of the Syrian mosaic". 'Afraid of the unknown' In Bab Touma, a Christian-majority neighbourhood of Damascus, carols rang out from a cafe which was festively decorated and lit, and fitted with a Christmas tree. Owner Yamen Basmar, 45, said that some people "are afraid" of the new situation. "Many come to ask me whether I still sell alcohol, or if we still organise events," he said. "In reality, nothing has changed," Basmar stressed, even though he said sales have gone down by 50 percent because "people are afraid anyway". Last Christmas, "we closed at 3:00 am. Now we close at 11:00 pm," Basmar said. One Damascus restaurant held a Christmas party, attended by dozens of people, Christians and Muslims alike. "The party was really nice, not what we had imagined," said 42-year-old Emma Siufji. "As Christians this year, we're afraid of the unknown." Her only wish this holiday season, Siufji told AFP, was that no Syrian would have to leave the country, as happened to millions during the war. "No one would want to be forced to leave." Published - December 25, 2024 01:51 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Syria / christianity / christmasJimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’