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Syrians are dancing in the streets of Damascus and other cities, to celebrate the collapse of the hideous regime of Bashar al-Assad, the man responsible for an estimated 600,000 dead in a 13-year-long civil war — including tens of thousands viciously tortured to death in his dungeons. Those still alive have been staggering out of liberated prisons, limping and running toward family and freedom. “This is the moment of celebration,” I was told by the University of Oklahoma’s Joshua Landis, a Syria specialist with family in the country. He told me the dispirited Syrian army had faded away and let rebels win because they had been receiving little or no pay and no further support from their Russian and Iranian backers. That’s the good news. The not so good news: No one is certain what kind of government will follow Assad in the weeks to come — whether it will help stabilize the region, including Lebanon and possibly Gaza, or further tear it apart. The critical news, which may save Syria from a relapse into violence: Assad’s flight to exile in Moscow is a body blow to Iran’s ayatollahs and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, for whom Syria had critical importance. It displays their increasing weakness and paints them as losers. It makes them more vulnerable to anyone who seeks negotiations with either. President-elect Trump, take note. The immediate post-Assad threat is that Syria might collapse into separate militia fiefs or into another civil war. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (known as HTS) — the main rebel group that toppled the government in a lightning advance from the north — was once the Syrian branch of al-Qaida. Its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, broke with the terrorist group several years ago and is trying to soften his image. But Syria’s many minorities will have doubts. “Jolani’s going to have to reach out to all these different Syrian communities,” said Landis, hopefully. I still recall my last visit inside Syria in 2012, during the Arab Spring just before the heightened civil war and Islamist kidnappings made journalistic access almost impossible. With a Syrian translator, I visited a headquarters of a group called Ahrar al-Sham, inside an abandoned school, and the aggressive hostility of the fighters was only contained when a Belgian volunteer intervened. I soon left. I also interviewed moderate, unbearded civilian fighters who had set up militias because they wanted a democracy to replace Assad’s vicious rule. How to coalesce secular Syrians, moderate Muslims, Kurds, and Christians into a government with Islamists, and whether free elections will be possible is the huge challenge Syria will face. Yet, what gives me hope is that the Iranians and Russians will no longer be able to bend Syria to their will. After a popular uprising in 2011, Assad was only able to retain power because of intervention by Tehran, and later by Moscow. Although Syria has a religiously and ethnically mixed population, including a plurality of Sunni Muslims along with Kurds, Christians and other minorities, Assad belongs to a minority Shiite sect, known as Alawites, who have controlled the country for decades. Thus he was close to the Shiite regime in Tehran. The Iranians sent thousands of fighters to Syria, comprised of their own forces along with Iraqi Shiite militias and even Afghan refugees living in Iran. Led by Iranian Revolutionary Guards officers, they were much more effective combatants than the underpaid and corrupt Syrian army. Iran’s quid pro quo was Assad’s permission to allow Iranian weapons and missiles to be trucked and flown from Tehran via Damascus to Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon to use against Israel. Syria thus became a critical element of Tehran’s effort to encircle Israel with a “ring of fire” that included Lebanon’s Hezbollah militiamen (along with Hamas in Gaza and Houthis in Yemen). With Assad gone and Sunni Syrian rebel groups in charge, Iranians are fleeing the country. No more will they be able to transport weapons to Lebanon to be used against Israel. Nor will they be able to help the Alawite minority dominate the country. Russia, for its part, sent planes in 2015 to bomb Syrian civilians and cities into rubble, just as they have done to Ukraine. Moscow was rewarded with a critical Mediterranean port in Tartus and a major airfield which helped support Putin’s expansionist ambitions. Russia will most likely lose those bases, which gave them their only access to the Mediterranean and gave Putin an important Mideast role. His global access is thus shrinking. And Syria, hopefully, will be freed from his colonial games. This means that the Islamists, and Jolani, will have to look to the moderate Sunni Arab world and to the West to help rebuild their country and resettle Syrian refugees who return. Which in turn gives those Arabs and Western leaders leverage to prevent any attempt to impose an ultraconservative religious state. If this leverage is not used wisely, Jolani could become a threat, in a country where ISIS still has cells that are in touch with their counterparts in Iraq. If used wisely, Syria could revive and rebuild its shattered society. Nothing less is owed to the thousands who died under torture during Assad’s rule.
COVINGTON, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 20, 2024-- Globalstar, Inc. (NYSE American: GSAT) (“Globalstar” or the “Company”), a next-generation telecommunications infrastructure and technology provider, held an investor day on Thursday, December 12, 2024. The Company’s executive leadership team outlined Globalstar’s strategic priorities and vision for the future by optimizing value for its core assets and providing updates to its short and long-term financial outlook. Additionally, the Company hosted several customer panels during the event, which are available for replay on Globalstar’s investor relations website under “Events and Presentations”. A summary of the event is detailed below: Terrestrial Wireless XCOM RAN Band n53 Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) Retail Consumer Commercial IoT: Government & Wholesale Consumer: Financial Performance & Outlook: About Globalstar, Inc. Globalstar empowers its customers to connect, transmit, and communicate in smarter ways – easily, quickly, securely, and affordably – offering reliable satellite and terrestrial connectivity services as an international telecom infrastructure provider. The Company’s LEO satellite constellation ensures secure data transmission for connecting and protecting assets, transmitting critical operational data, and saving lives for consumers, businesses, and government agencies across the globe. Globalstar’s terrestrial spectrum, Band 53, and its 5G variant, n53, offers carriers, cable companies, and system integrators a versatile, fully licensed channel for private networks with a growing ecosystem to improve customer wireless connectivity, while Globalstar’s XCOM RAN product offers significant capacity gains in dense wireless deployments. In addition to SPOT GPS messengers, Globalstar offers next-generation IoT hardware and software products for efficiently tracking and monitoring assets, processing smart data at the edge, and managing analytics with cloud-based telematics solutions to drive safety, productivity, and profitability. For more information, visit www.globalstar.com . Forward Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release other than purely historical information, including, but not limited to, expectations regarding future revenue, financial performance, financial condition, liquidity, projections, estimates and guidance, statements relating to our business plans, objectives and expected operating results, our anticipated financial resources, our ability to integrate the licensed technology into our current line of business, our expectations with respect to the pursuit of terrestrial spectrum authorities globally, the success of current and potential future applications for our terrestrial spectrum, our ability to meet our obligations and attain the attempted benefits under the updated services agreements, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “plan,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause or contribute to such differences include, without limitation, those described under Item 1A. Risk Factors of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and in the Company’s other filings with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to reflect actual results, future events or circumstances or changes in our assumptions, business plans or other changes. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241220677087/en/ CONTACT: Investor Contact Information: investorrelations@globalstar.com KEYWORD: LOUISIANA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MOBILE/WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY OTHER COMMUNICATIONS 5G SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS INTERNET IOT (INTERNET OF THINGS) SOURCE: Globalstar, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/20/2024 04:03 PM/DISC: 12/20/2024 04:03 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241220677087/enOrganizers behind Alameda County recalls want registrar of voters fired
In a world increasingly dominated by visual content, Google has unveiled a groundbreaking AI tool that pushes the boundaries of image generation. Dubbed “Whisk,” this experimental offering from Google Labs allows users to create images using other images as prompts, marking a significant departure from traditional text-based AI image generators. Launched in December 2024, Whisk is currently available to users in the U.S. and is powered by Imagen 3, Google’s advanced image-generation model. This innovative approach promises to make AI image generation more intuitive and accessible, particularly for those who struggle to articulate their visual ideas in words. Why is this a big deal? Imagine trying to describe your dream house to an artist. You might spend hours detailing the intricate architectural features, the specific shade of blue for the front door, and the landscaping you envision. With Whisk , you can simply show a few reference images – perhaps a Victorian facade, a Mediterranean garden, and a specific shade of blue from a favorite painting – and let the AI generate an image that captures the essence of your vision. This visual approach not only streamlines the creative process but also opens up new possibilities for those who find it challenging to translate their visual ideas into words. How does Whisk work? Whisk’s interface is surprisingly simple. Users start by uploading an image that serves as the base prompt. They can then refine their vision by adding more images, each contributing different elements or styles to the final output. For instance, you could upload a picture of a cat and then add images of a lion, a crown, and a majestic landscape. Whisk would then generate an image of a regal cat, perhaps with a lion-like mane, perched on a throne in a grand setting. While still in its experimental phase, Whisk has already garnered significant attention for its unique approach and impressive capabilities. It’s been praised for its ability to capture the “essence” of an image, allowing for rapid visual exploration and brainstorming. However, Google emphasizes that Whisk is not intended for pixel-perfect edits or precise recreations . Instead, it’s designed to facilitate creative exploration and generate new ideas based on visual inspiration. My experience with Whisk As someone who constantly seeks new ways to express creativity, I was eager to experiment with Whisk. I started with a simple image of a sunflower and then added pictures of a cityscape, a starry night sky, and a Van Gogh painting. The result was a mesmerizing image of a sunflower with swirling, vibrant petals, set against a backdrop of a cityscape merging into a starry night sky. The AI had beautifully captured the essence of each input image, creating something entirely new and unexpected. I also experimented with using Whisk to generate ideas for a logo design. I uploaded images of different geometric shapes, color palettes, and fonts. The AI generated a variety of interesting concepts, some of which I wouldn’t have thought of on my own. While I didn’t end up using any of the generated images directly, they served as valuable inspiration for my final design. What are the implications of Whisk? Whisk represents a significant step forward in AI image generation. By shifting the focus from text to images, it opens up new avenues for creative exploration and makes AI more accessible to a wider audience. This technology has the potential to revolutionize various fields, including: What are the limitations of Whisk? While Whisk is undoubtedly an impressive tool, it’s important to acknowledge its limitations. As an experimental technology, it’s still under development and may produce unexpected or unpredictable results. Additionally, Whisk’s reliance on visual prompts can sometimes lead to misinterpretations or inaccurate representations. For instance, if you upload an image of a dog and then add a picture of a bird, the AI might generate an image of a dog with wings, which may not be what you intended. The future of AI image generation Whisk provides a glimpse into the future of AI image generation, where visual prompts will likely play an increasingly important role. As AI models become more sophisticated and capable of understanding complex visual relationships , we can expect even more innovative and powerful image generation tools to emerge. These tools will not only empower us to create stunning visuals but also transform the way we interact with and perceive the world around us. Key takeaways:A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House saysTulane QB Mensah transfers to Duke
Playboi Carti’s YouTube Gets Hacked With Fake “I Am Music” Album Following Fans Mass Outrage
Sir Keir Starmer’s ‘wonderful’ brother dies aged 60 after suffering from cancerBy Funto Omojola, NerdWallet Mobile wallets that allow you to pay using your phone have been around for well more than a decade, and over those years they’ve grown in popularity, becoming a key part of consumers’ credit card usage. According to a “state of credit card report” for 2025 from credit bureau Experian, 53% of Americans in a survey say they use digital wallets more frequently than traditional payment methods. To further incentivize mobile wallet usage, some credit card issuers offer bonus rewards when you elect to pay that way. But those incentives can go beyond just higher reward rates. In fact, mobile wallets in some ways are becoming an essential part of activating and holding a credit card. For example, they can offer immediate access to your credit line, and they can be easier and safer than paying with a physical card. From a rewards perspective, it can make a lot of sense to reach for your phone now instead of your physical card. The Apple Card offers its highest reward rates when you use it through the Apple Pay mobile wallet. Same goes for the PayPal Cashback Mastercard® when you use it to make purchases via the PayPal digital wallet. The Kroger grocery store giant has a co-branded credit card that earns the most when you pay using an eligible digital wallet, and some major credit cards with quarterly rotating bonus categories have a history of incentivizing digital wallet use. But again, these days it’s not just about the rewards. Mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and PayPal can offer immediate access to your credit line while you wait for your physical card to arrive after approval. Indeed, most major issuers including Bank of America®, Capital One and Chase now offer instant virtual credit card numbers for eligible cards that can be used upon approval by adding them to a digital wallet. Additionally, many co-branded credit cards — those offered in partnership with another brand — commonly offer instant card access and can be used immediately on in-brand purchases. Credit cards typically take seven to 10 days to arrive after approval, so instant access to your credit line can be particularly useful if you need to make an urgent or unexpected purchase. Plus, they allow you to start spending toward a card’s sign-up bonus right away. As issuers push toward mobile payments, a growing number of merchants and businesses are similarly adopting the payment method. The percentage of U.S. businesses that used digital wallets increased to 62% in 2023, compared to 47% the previous year, according to a 2023 survey commissioned by the Federal Reserve Financial Services. Wider acceptance is potentially good news for the average American, who according to Experian has about four credit cards. While that won’t necessarily weigh down your wallet, it can be hard to manage multiple cards and rewards categories at once. Mobile wallets offer a more efficient way to store and organize all of your workhorse cards, while not having to carry around ones that you don’t use often. They can also help you more easily monitor your spending and rewards, and some even track your orders’ status and arrival time. Plus, paying with a digital wallet offers added security. That’s because it uses technology called tokenization when you pay, which masks your real credit card number and instead sends an encrypted “token” that’s unique to each payment. This is unlike swiping or dipping a physical card, during which your credit card number is more directly accessible. And again, because a mobile wallet doesn’t require you to have your physical cards present, there’s less chance of one falling out of your pocket or purse. More From NerdWallet Funto Omojola writes for NerdWallet. Email: fomojola@nerdwallet.com. The article Activating Your Credit Card? Don’t Skip the Mobile Wallet Step originally appeared on NerdWallet .
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Five things to know about QB Brandon Allen, the 49ers’ starter against the Packers this weekendCOVINGTON, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 20, 2024-- Globalstar, Inc. (NYSE American: GSAT) (“Globalstar” or the “Company”), a next-generation telecommunications infrastructure and technology provider, held an investor day on Thursday, December 12, 2024. The Company’s executive leadership team outlined Globalstar’s strategic priorities and vision for the future by optimizing value for its core assets and providing updates to its short and long-term financial outlook. Additionally, the Company hosted several customer panels during the event, which are available for replay on Globalstar’s investor relations website under “Events and Presentations”. A summary of the event is detailed below: Terrestrial Wireless XCOM RAN Band n53 Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) Retail Consumer Commercial IoT: Government & Wholesale Consumer: Financial Performance & Outlook: About Globalstar, Inc. Globalstar empowers its customers to connect, transmit, and communicate in smarter ways – easily, quickly, securely, and affordably – offering reliable satellite and terrestrial connectivity services as an international telecom infrastructure provider. The Company’s LEO satellite constellation ensures secure data transmission for connecting and protecting assets, transmitting critical operational data, and saving lives for consumers, businesses, and government agencies across the globe. Globalstar’s terrestrial spectrum, Band 53, and its 5G variant, n53, offers carriers, cable companies, and system integrators a versatile, fully licensed channel for private networks with a growing ecosystem to improve customer wireless connectivity, while Globalstar’s XCOM RAN product offers significant capacity gains in dense wireless deployments. In addition to SPOT GPS messengers, Globalstar offers next-generation IoT hardware and software products for efficiently tracking and monitoring assets, processing smart data at the edge, and managing analytics with cloud-based telematics solutions to drive safety, productivity, and profitability. For more information, visit www.globalstar.com . Forward Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release other than purely historical information, including, but not limited to, expectations regarding future revenue, financial performance, financial condition, liquidity, projections, estimates and guidance, statements relating to our business plans, objectives and expected operating results, our anticipated financial resources, our ability to integrate the licensed technology into our current line of business, our expectations with respect to the pursuit of terrestrial spectrum authorities globally, the success of current and potential future applications for our terrestrial spectrum, our ability to meet our obligations and attain the attempted benefits under the updated services agreements, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “plan,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause or contribute to such differences include, without limitation, those described under Item 1A. Risk Factors of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and in the Company’s other filings with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to reflect actual results, future events or circumstances or changes in our assumptions, business plans or other changes. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241220677087/en/ CONTACT: Investor Contact Information: investorrelations@globalstar.com KEYWORD: LOUISIANA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MOBILE/WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY OTHER COMMUNICATIONS 5G SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS INTERNET IOT (INTERNET OF THINGS) SOURCE: Globalstar, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/20/2024 04:03 PM/DISC: 12/20/2024 04:03 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241220677087/en
Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh was crowned Miss America in 2024. (USAF via SWNS) By Dean Murray Miss America Madison Marsh - also a U.S. Air Force 2nd lieutenant - has reflected on her year in the role. A potential Top Gun-style aviator, with a coveted place to train as a fighter pilot, the 23-year-old has had a busy 12 months since winning the title in January. The Arkansas native has spent months traveling the country inspiring women and advocating for military careers while pursuing her Master’s degree in public policy at Harvard University . However, in an interview this month, Madison has reaffirmed her heart is in the Air Force. Speaking about her early dream to be an astronaut, it was the positive influence of the Air Force that eventually enamored her to the military branch. (Miriam Thurber/USAF via SWNS) Madison said: "The thing that started it all was actually space camp. And I got to see the stars for the very first time, like without any light pollution and started talking to these people about space camp ended up going. "When I met these astronauts, I had heard so much about the military and how almost all of them were retired military fighter pilots, test pilots and I knew that was something that I wanted to do. "You know, my goals have kind of changed over the past couple of years because my entire path in entering the military started because I wanted to be an astronaut, and now I no longer want to be an astronaut. "So it always left me with the question of why am I staying? Because if that dream has changed, what am I here for? And ultimately, it was because of the people that I've gotten to have. "People are the most important thing in my entire life. And the fact that the Air Force, wherever I've gone, I have found family and friends and people that are going to take care of me. 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh, crowned Miss America 2024, poses at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Miriam Thurber/USAF via SWNS) "And to be honest, I don't really feel like that in any other job or role that I've gotten to have. The Air Force and the people in it are always going to have my back. And I think that's such a beautiful thing. "When looking at a mission that is so much bigger than yourself and also having that family component of people that are always going to have your back." From a young age, Madison had a love of science and a dream to be a pilot and astronaut. Her parents encouraged her dreams, sending her to Space Camp when she was 13 years old where she met astronauts and fighter pilots. Around that time, she learned about the United States Air Force Academy. At 15 years old, she started flying lessons earning her pilot’s license two years later and then began to work towards her goal of becoming a cadet. (Miriam Thurber/USAF via SWNS) Madison was crowned Miss Colorado in May 2023, just before graduating from the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) and commissioning as an Air Force Officer. Currently, she is in a master’s degree program at the Harvard Kennedy School through the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Civilian Institution Programs. However, Miss America still has the option to attend undergraduate pilot training once she completes her studies. Madison also honors her mother Whitney, who died from pancreatic cancer in 2018, when Madison was just 17 years old. She dedicates her time in the spotlight to raising awareness about pancreatic cancer, both through the founding of the Whitney Marsh Foundation and through supporting the PanCAN charity's initiatives.