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Chargers focused on avoiding a letdown and not a potential playoff berth in matchup with Patriots
Syria's embassy in Lebanon suspends services as Lebanon hands over former Syrian army officersOusted Syrian leader Assad flees to Moscow after fall of Damascus, Russian state media say DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russia media say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad has fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally. The reports came hours after a stunning rebel advance swept into Damascus to cheers and ended the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. Thousands of Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire, joyful after a stifling, nearly 14-year civil war. But the swiftly moving events raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country still split among armed factions. One rebel commander said “we will not deal with people the way the Assad family did." Analysis: Collapse of Syria's Assad is a blow to Iran's 'Axis of Resistance' MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — For Iran’s theocratic government, it keeps getting worse. Its decadeslong strategy of building an “Axis of Resistance” supporting militant groups and proxies around the region is falling apart. Hamas has been batttered by Israel's campaign in Gaza. In Lebanon, Israeli bombardment has crippled Iran’s most powerful ally, Hezbollah, even as Israel has launched successful airstrikes openly inside of Iran for the first time. And now Iran’s longtime stalwart ally and client in Syria, President Bashar Assad, is gone. Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? BEIRUT (AP) — Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters. He renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicts himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. The extent of that transformation from jihadi extremist to would-be state builder is now put to the test. The 42-year-old al-Golani is labeled a terrorist by the United States. He has not appeared publicly since Damascus fell early Sunday. But he and his insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stand to be a major player in whatever comes next. Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” The hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's elusive killer yields new evidence, but few answers NEW YORK (AP) — Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a targeted attack, not a random one. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of a backpack found in Central Park that they believe was carried by the killer. Thompson was shot and killed Wednesday outside of a hotel in Manhattan. Trump calls for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and says a US withdrawal from NATO is possible WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is pushing Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine. Trump describes it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO. Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the U.S. national security community. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says any deal would have to pave the way to a lasting peace. The Kremlin's spokesman says Moscow is open to talks with Ukraine. Gaza health officials say latest Israeli airstrikes kill at least 14 including children DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials say Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza have killed at least 14 people including children, while the bombing of a hospital in northern Gaza has wounded a half-dozen patients. Israel’s military continues its latest offensive against Hamas militants in northern Gaza, whose remaining Palestinians have been almost completely cut off from the rest of the territory amid a growing humanitarian crisis. One airstrike flattened a residential building in the urban Bureij refugee camp Sunday afternoon. That's according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, where the casualties were taken. South Korea's democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere? SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A short-lived martial law decree by South Korea's leader last week raised worries about budding authoritarianism around the world. In the end, though, democracy prevailed. President Yoon Suk Yeol announced that he was declaring martial law and giving his government sweeping powers to crack down on protesters, ban political parties and control the media. Members of the military blocked lawmakers from using the legislature's constitutional power to cancel the power grab. But the National Assembly within hours unanimously voted to do so. Trump's return may be a boon for Netanyahu, but challenges abound in a changed Middle East TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is jubilant about President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House. Trump's first term policies skewed heavily in favor of Israel, and he has picked stalwart Israel supporters for key positions in his administration. But much has transpired since Trump left office in early 2021. The turmoil in the Middle East, the lofty ambitions of Netanyahu’s far-right governing coalition and Netanyahu’s own personal relationship with the president-elect could dampen that enthusiasm and complicate what on the surface looks like a seamless alliance. College Football Playoff's first 12-team bracket is set with Oregon No. 1 and SMU in, Alabama out SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs, losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama of the SEC but one fewer loss. The inaugural 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta.
Kinzinger has ‘absolutely no worries’ Trump will try to put him in jailPittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens had a rough ending to his team's 24-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night, and could soon end up paying for it. Pickens got into a scuffle with Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II during a final Hail Mary attempt from the Steelers that fell incomplete, with game officials and stadium security needing to step in to break it up. Pickens could likely be in line for punishment from the NFL, which has explicit rules against fighting during games and lists $39,501 as a fine for a first offense. Though neither Pickens nor Newsome were flagged on the play, the league regularly goes back and issues punishment for actions that didn't catch the attention of officials. The Steelers wide receiver could also face a potential fine from his postgame comments criticizing officials, saying they missed a pass interference penalty on Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. during a third-down pass attempt in the fourth quarter. "That's what I'm saying," Pickens told reporters after the game, via ESPN . "The conditions and away game refs." Pickens said he believed the Steelers were the better team, but the Browns benefited from the calls and sloppy field conditions as snow began to rapidly accumulate throughout the game. "Conditions played a huge, huge part in today's game," Pickens said. "I don't really think the Cleveland Browns are a good team at all. I think the conditions kind of saved them today." Pickens said the heavy snowfall was a contributing factor on a potential touchdown pass from quarterback Russell Wilson that sailed incomplete. "The snow, the conditions were so bad," he said. "I don't even think the QB could see sometimes. And when you got conditions like that, at the opponents' home field, it kind of plays in their favor." George Pickens fighting Greg Newsome during the Hail Mary LMFAO pic.twitter.com/1QT1sN1w5o Pickens was also on the receiving end of a play that could lead to a fine for the Browns. Safety Grant Delpit was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct earlier in the game for snatching Pickens' mouthpiece off his helmet and throwing it to the ground. Related: George Pickens Assigns Blame After 'Thursday Night Football' LossPeople’s Bank Aranayaka branch relocates to new premises
You can call Jennifer Love Hewitt the tween whisperer. The I Know What You Did Last Summer actress gave fans a peek into her relationship with son Atticus , sharing a rare video of the 9-year-old as she attempted to have a special family moment. "When you want to bond with your kids but they are watching the I pad!" Jennifer wrote on Instagram Dec. 26 , alongside a video of the duo. "Take what you can get!" In the video, the 45-year-old—who also shares children Autumn , 10, and Aiden , 3, with husband Brian Hallisay —could be seen getting close to Atticus' face and singing along to a popular internet version of the Golden Girls theme song "Thank You for Being a Friend." Atticus was clearly doing his best to ignore his mother's antics, holding back a laugh and chomping on pretzel sticks. Jennifer ended the video by giving her son a huge, motherly kiss on the cheek. And fans were obsessed with the look into Jennifer's life, with one writing in the comments, "Awwwww he looks just like you. so adorable to see you both like this." Another added, "Atticus is the cutest & you made me smiiiile!!!" While Jennifer has largely kept Atticus and his siblings off her social media pages, she did include her brood in her recently-released Lifetime movie The Holiday Junkie . The film—directed by Jennifer and costarring her husband Brian—allowed their daughter Autumn to dip her toes in acting after she expressed an interest in pursuing a Hollywood career. "Our big thing with her is, even though my experience as a kid actor was very positive, I think we've both sort of said, 'Stay in school, do that,'" Jennifer recently told E! News about Autumn's ambitions. "'Grow up. Wait until you're a little bit older. Don't take all of this on quite yet.'" Brian agreed with his wife's sentiments, saying, "I am a proponent of Autumn going to school and sort of growing up and figuring out who she is before she does all that as a kid." He added, "Because if it's something that you want to do, you have to work hard at it, and it's not easy."Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic 's home was burglarized Friday night, the latest in a series of break-ins at the homes of high-profile athletes, his business manager Lara Beth Seager confirmed to ESPN. "No one was home at the time and thankfully Luka and his family are safe," Seager said. "Luka has filed a police report and an investigation is ongoing." The burglary added to a difficult week for Doncic, who suffered a strained left calf during the Mavs' Christmas Day loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves . That injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for at least a month, sources told ESPN. Editor's Picks Luka (calf) out at least a month, sources say 2d Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon NBA follows NFL in warning players on burglaries 36d NBA reporter Marc Stein first reported the burglary. The homes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were broken into in October . Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow 's Ohio home was broken into while he was playing in a Dec. 9 road game against the Dallas Cowboys . In the NBA, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis had his home broken into Nov. 2 , and Timberwolves guard Mike Conley 's home was burglarized on Sept. 15 while he was at a Minnesota Vikings game. Portis had offered a $40,000 reward for information. The NFL and NBA issued security alerts to players after those break-ins, urging them to take additional precautions to secure their homes. In league memos previously obtained by The Associated Press, the NFL said homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become "increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups." The NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to "transnational South American Theft Groups" that are "reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices." Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.We all love the occasional DIY project, but did you know some DIY projects can cause more harm than good? While some DIY mistakes are harmless, others can cause injury or costly repairs. In fact, some pros have told us they often see people spending more money to fix a mistake than it would have cost to hire a professional in the first place. Here’s a look at some home projects you should never do yourself: 1. Plumbing While you can DIY a clogged drain or faucet replacement, you should leave more complicated plumbing work to the pros. Home plumbing systems run on a complicated ecosystem of flow, gravity, venting and air pressure to send everything where it’s supposed to go. It takes an expert eye to add onto or try to repair that system. And if water damage gets out of control — as it can very easily — you can rack up a lot of repair bills quickly. People are also reading... Consider leaving complicated plumbing work to the pros. Adobe Stock 2. Electrical Never attempt to do electrical work yourself. You can either injure yourself or you could cause a fire. Even for the smallest electrical jobs, I would encourage you to bring in a professional. Most electrical jobs require specific training and certification and many larger ones require that permits be pulled as well. Even if you do the job correctly, the lack of a permit could come up during an inspection when it’s time to sell the house. 3. Gas appliances Natural gas is an incredibly useful tool; it also can pose one of the most hazardous home problems. Stay away from any projects that involve gas lines, such as repairs on your gas appliances, and leave that work to qualified professionals. 4. Structural work If your project involves structural work, like moving a load-bearing wall, you always want to bring in a contractor. That is not something you want to do yourself because you could damage your home and put your family at risk. Quite often, even an experienced contractor will turn to a structural engineer to be sure they know they’re doing it correctly. Roofing experts have the training to perform a dangerous job safely. Adobe Stock 5. Roofing Roofing projects are inherently dangerous, and professionals use a variety of tools and training to prevent slips and falls while they’re on top of your home. You’re putting yourself at risk if you try to do this yourself. Also, roofing work is important and delicate. Even a small leak can cause a lot of water damage. 6. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning You also should leave HVAC work to the pros. These are some of the most intricate systems in your home, and even minor errors can lead to catastrophic results. For example, air conditioning refrigerant is dangerous to handle, and the work involved with ductwork is very intricate. All this is best left to a professional. Are scented candles bad for you? Here's what the science says Turning dusty attic treasures into cash can yield millions for some and disappointment for others Make your house a homeChicago's top 10 news stories of 2024