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slots bonus no deposit Bruce Cassidy became the eighth active coach in the NHL to hit the 400-win mark on Thursday when his Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights held on for a 3-2 victory at Ottawa on Thursday. But the Ottawa native had little time to celebrate. The Golden Knights jumped on a train for Montreal shortly after the contest and will continue a season-long five-game road trip against the resurgent Canadiens on Saturday night. "It feels great," Cassidy said of hitting the 400-win milestone. "You never know where your numbers are going to end up but I'm going to tell you that in this business I'm just worried about No. 401 right now." The win over the Senators was the second game of a back-to-back that began with the team's first shutout loss since early January, 3-0, at Toronto on Wednesday. It was just the fourth road victory in 10 games (4-4-2) for Vegas, which improved 6-0-1 all-time at the Canadian Tire Centre. Ilya Samsonov made 38 saves, including 16 in the final period when the Senators outshot the Golden Knights, 18-5, and Pavel Dorofeyev scored his team-leading 10th goal midway through the third period for what proved to be the game-winner as Vegas snapped a two-game losing streak. "We managed to get it to the finish line," Cassidy said. "That's a good win for the team even though it got a little hectic there but you've got to find ways to win. There are no easy wins in this league, so good on the guys." Now the Golden Knights play a Montreal team that has won two straight and three of its last four games and is coming off an impressive 3-0 blanking of Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. Sam Montembeault made 30 saves for his second shutout of the season, Jake Evans had a goal and an assist and Brendan Gallagher and Kaiden Guhle also scored to lead the Canadiens. "I'm just really proud of the way we played tonight," Montembeault said after posting his third career shutout. "The last few games we took a really good step in the right direction defensively and now we've just got to be more consistent with it." Montembeault is 3-1-0 with a 0.93 goals-against average and .966 save percentage and a shutout in his last four games. Montreal outscored Columbus and Edmonton, 8-1, in the two wins but still has allowed an Atlantic Division-high 71 goals this season and is minus-17 in goal differential. "The win was great," Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. "Obviously the result. But to me it's how we won that galvanized the group. ... To me, it's how we did it, not so much the result. I feel, right now, we're in a good place to reinforce the stuff that's working." It will be the third game in four nights for the Golden Knights while Montreal is enjoying a rare four-day break. Montreal held team practices on three of those days. "We should come out with some good energy (Saturday)," St. Louis said. "I think our start is (going to be) very, very important." This article first appeared on Field Level Media and was syndicated with permission.NEW YORK , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is driving market transformation - The global electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) market size is estimated to grow by USD 92.31 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 30.8% during the forecast period. Favorable government policies and subsidies is driving market growth, with a trend towards deployment of smart grids for EVS. However, lack of standardization of ev charging poses a challenge. Key market players include ABB Ltd., Alfen NV, Blink Charging Co., BP Plc, ChargePoint Holdings Inc., Chroma ATE Inc., Comeca Group, Delta Electronics Inc., Eaton Corp. Plc, Efacec Power Solutions SGPS SA, Enphase Energy Inc., E.ON SE, Leviton Manufacturing Co. Inc., LS Power Development LLC, Phihong USA Corp., Schneider Electric SE, Shell plc, Siemens AG, Webasto SE, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View Free Sample PDF Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (Evse) Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period 2018 - 2022 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 30.8% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 92309 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 29.01 Regional analysis APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 46% Key countries China, US, France, Germany, and The Netherlands Key companies profiled ABB Ltd., Alfen NV, Blink Charging Co., BP Plc, ChargePoint Holdings Inc., Chroma ATE Inc., Comeca Group, Delta Electronics Inc., Eaton Corp. Plc, Efacec Power Solutions SGPS SA, Enphase Energy Inc., E.ON SE, Leviton Manufacturing Co. Inc., LS Power Development LLC, Phihong USA Corp., Schneider Electric SE, Shell plc, Siemens AG, Webasto SE, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG Market Driver The Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) market is experiencing significant growth as the shift towards electric vehicles (EVs) continues. Charging stations and docks are essential for EVs, requiring electrical conductors and related equipment to transfer electric power to the vehicle's batteries. EVSE systems adhere to various communications protocols, such as DC Fast Chargers, and are used by major stakeholders like auto manufacturers, electric utilities, commercial fleets, public transit, retail establishments, seaports, airports, bus depots, hotels, parks, highways, corporate offices, homes, and more. NEMA Members are involved in the development of codes, rating systems, and standards for EVSE infrastructure. Contractors and installers require training programs to ensure proper installation. Incentives like tax benefits and subsidies encourage EV adoption. IEA reports show electric car sales increasing, with passenger car sales from automobile manufacturers being impacted by the shutdown of operations due to liquidity issues and carbon emission concerns. Smart cities aim to reduce reliance on non-renewable sources like crude oil and CO2 emission, leading to the growth of the EVSE market. Charging station finance, types like normal charging, supercharging, and inductive charging, and installation types like fixed chargers and portable chargers, are key areas of focus. The novel coronavirus pandemic has affected import-export and the workforce, leading to a supply-demand gap. Future estimations indicate investment pockets in EVSE market, especially in charging infrastructure development. The Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) market is witnessing significant growth due to the increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and the deployment of advanced charging infrastructure, specifically smart grids. Smart grids enable real-time communication between EV charging stations and the power grid, providing crucial information on load requirements and power quality. This data supports the integration of variable generation technologies and serves as a foundation for Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) infrastructure, which includes grid applications like smart energy meters, SCADA systems, IT, and communication networks. The implementation of smart grids is expanding rapidly in countries such as China , the US, India , Spain , Germany , and France . For instance, in August 2021 , Singapore Power initiated a V2G pilot project to explore the potential of EVs as small energy storage systems, addressing renewable energy's intermittency. Request Sample of our comprehensive report now to stay ahead in the AI-driven market evolution! Market Challenges Discover how AI is revolutionizing market trends- Get your access now! Segment Overview This electric vehicle supply equipment (evse) market report extensively covers market segmentation by 1.1 Level 2- Level 2 charging refers to the electric vehicle supply equipment that delivers power at a higher voltage (240 volts, AC) and amperage than a standard household power outlet. This infrastructure caters to both residential and commercial applications, providing a convenient and reliable charging solution for electric vehicle owners. Level 2 charging stations are commonly found in parking garages, workplaces, public locations like shopping centers, universities, and hotels. These charging stations offer faster and more efficient charging, enabling EV owners to charge their vehicles while they park, work, or engage in daily activities. Companies and parking garage operators recognize the growing demand for EV charging and are installing level 2 charging stations to accommodate their customers and employees. Homeowners can also install level 2 charging stations in their garages or driveways for a convenient and fast charging solution. The increasing popularity of level 2 charging infrastructure is expected to fuel the growth of the level 2 segment in the global electric vehicle supply equipment market. Download a Sample of our comprehensive report today to discover how AI-driven innovations are reshaping competitive dynamics Research Analysis The Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) market refers to the infrastructure required to charge electric vehicles (EVs), including charging stations, charging docks, and related equipment. These systems facilitate the transfer of electric power from the grid to the vehicle's batteries. EVSE systems consist of electrical conductors and other necessary components. EVSE is essential for various sectors such as Bus depots, Hotels, Parks, Highways, Corporate offices, Homes, and more. Batteries are an integral part of the EV ecosystem, and EVSE plays a crucial role in their charging. Governments and organizations offer incentives like tax benefits to promote the adoption of EVs and EVSE. EVSE includes different charging technologies like Supercharging, Inductive charging, Fixed chargers, and Portable chargers. The EVSE market has been impacted by the Novel Coronavirus pandemic, with import-export and non-essential items facing disruptions. The workforce involved in EVSE manufacturing and installation has also been affected. Market Research Overview The Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) market refers to the infrastructure required to charge electric vehicles (EVs), including charging stations, charging docks, and related equipment. EVSE systems utilize electrical conductors and communications protocols to transfer electric power from the grid to the vehicle's batteries. DC Fast Chargers are a popular type of EVSE, providing quick charging solutions for long-distance travel. NEMA Members and major stakeholders, such as auto manufacturers, electric utilities, commercial fleets, public transit, retail establishments, seaports, airports, bus depots, hotels, parks, highways, corporate offices, homes, and batteries, are major players in the EVSE infrastructure development. Incentives like tax benefits, subsidies, and codes and rating systems are crucial for the growth of the EVSE market. EVSE standards and training programs for contractors and installers ensure safe and efficient installation and maintenance. Major challenges include the supply-demand gap, liquidity issues, and the shift from ICE vehicles to EVs. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the EVSE market, affecting import-export and non-essential items. The future of the EVSE market depends on the continued growth of electric car sales, the transition away from non-renewable sources like crude oil, and the development of smart cities. Table of Contents: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Company Landscape 11 Company Analysis 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/electric-vehicle-supply-equipment-evse-market-to-grow-by-usd-92-31-billion-from-2024-2028--driven-by-favorable-government-policies-and-ai-powered-market-evolution---technavio-302322433.html SOURCE Technavio

NEW YORK — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery's podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young wrote. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. In 1983, Woolery began an 11-year run as host of TV’s “Love Connection,” for which he coined the phrase, “We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds,” a two-fingered signature dubbed the “2 and 2.” In 1984, he hosted TV’s “Scrabble,” simultaneously hosting two game shows on TV until 1990. “Love Connection,” which aired long before the dawn of dating apps, had a premise that featured either a single man or single woman who would watch audition tapes of three potential mates and then pick one for a date. A couple of weeks after the date, the guest would sit with Woolery in front of a studio audience and tell everybody about the date. The audience would vote on the three contestants, and if the audience agreed with the guest’s choice, “Love Connection” would offer to pay for a second date. Woolery told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003 that his favorite set of lovebirds was a man aged 91 and a woman aged 87. "She had so much eye makeup on, she looked like a stolen Corvette. He was so old he said, ‘I remember wagon trains.’ The poor guy. She took him on a balloon ride.” Other career highlights included hosting the shows “Lingo," “Greed” and “The Chuck Woolery Show,” as well as hosting the short-lived syndicated revival of “The Dating Game” from 1998 to 2000 and an ill-fated 1991 talk show. In 1992, he played himself in two episodes of TV’s “Melrose Place.” Woolery became the subject of the Game Show Network’s first attempt at a reality show, “Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned,” which premiered in 2003. It shared the title of the pop song in 1968 by Woolery and his rock group, the Avant-Garde. It lasted six episode and was panned by critics. Woolery began his TV career at a show that has become a mainstay. Although most associated with Pat Sajak and Vanna White, “Wheel of Fortune” debuted Jan. 6, 1975, on NBC with Woolery welcoming contestants and the audience. Woolery, then 33, was trying to make it in Nashville as a singer. “Wheel of Fortune” started life as “Shopper’s Bazaar,” incorporating Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel. After Woolery appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show” singing “Delta Dawn,” Merv Griffin asked him to host the new show with Susan Stafford. “I had an interview that stretched to 15, 20 minutes,” Woolery told The New York Times in 2003. “After the show, when Merv asked if I wanted to do a game show, I thought, ‘Great, a guy with a bad jacket and an equally bad mustache who doesn’t care what you have to say — that’s the guy I want to be.’” NBC initially passed, but they retooled it as “Wheel of Fortune” and got the green light. After a few years, Woolery demanded a raise to $500,000 a year, or what host Peter Marshall was making on “Hollywood Squares.” Griffin balked and replaced Woolery with weather reporter Pat Sajak. “Both Chuck and Susie did a fine job, and ‘Wheel’ did well enough on NBC, although it never approached the kind of ratings success that ‘Jeopardy!’ achieved in its heyday,” Griffin said in “Merv: Making the Good Life Last,” an autobiography from the 2000s co-written by David Bender. Woolery earned an Emmy nod as host. Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Woolery served in the U.S. Navy before attending college. He played double bass in a folk trio, then formed the psychedelic rock duo The Avant-Garde in 1967 while working as a truck driver to support himself as a musician. The Avant-Garde, which toured in a refitted Cadillac hearse, had the Top 40 hit “Naturally Stoned,” with Woolery singing, “When I put my mind on you alone/I can get a good sensation/Feel like I’m naturally stoned.” After The Avant-Garde broke up, Woolery released his debut solo single “I’ve Been Wrong” in 1969 and several more singles with Columbia before transitioning to country music by the 1970s. He released two solo singles, “Forgive My Heart” and “Love Me, Love Me.” Woolery wrote or co-wrote songs for himself and everyone from Pat Boone to Tammy Wynette. On Wynette’s 1971 album “We Sure Can Love Each Other,” Woolery wrote “The Joys of Being a Woman” with lyrics including “See our baby on the swing/Hear her laugh, hear her scream.” After his TV career ended, Woolery went into podcasting. In an interview with The New York Times, he called himself a gun-rights activist and described himself as a conservative libertarian and constitutionalist. He said he hadn’t revealed his politics in liberal Hollywood for fear of retribution. He teamed up with Mark Young in 2014 for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and soon became a full supporter of Donald Trump while arguing minorities don’t need civil rights and causing a firestorm by tweeting an antisemitic comment linking Soviet Communists to Judaism. “President Obama’s popularity is a fantasy only held by him and his dwindling legion of juice-box-drinking, anxiety-dog-hugging, safe-space-hiding snowflakes,” he said. Woolery also was active online, retweeting articles from Conservative Brief, insisting Democrats were trying to install a system of Marxism and spreading headlines such as “Impeach him! Devastating photo of Joe Biden leaks.” During the early stages of the pandemic, Woolery initially accused medical professionals and Democrats of lying about the virus in an effort to hurt the economy and Trump’s chances for reelection to the presidency. “The most outrageous lies are the ones about COVID-19. Everyone is lying. The CDC, media, Democrats, our doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust. I think it’s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I’m sick of it,” Woolery wrote in July 2020. Trump retweeted that post to his 83 million followers. By the end of the month, nearly 4.5 million Americans had been infected with COVID-19 and more than 150,000 had died. Just days later, Woolery changed his stance, announcing his son had contracted COVID-19. “To further clarify and add perspective, COVID-19 is real and it is here. My son tested positive for the virus, and I feel for of those suffering and especially for those who have lost loved ones,” Woolery posted before his account was deleted. Woolery later explained on his podcast that he never called COVID-19 “a hoax” or said “it’s not real,” just that “we’ve been lied to.” Woolery also said it was “an honor to have your president retweet what your thoughts are and think it’s important enough to do that.” In addition to his wife, Woolery is survived by his sons Michael and Sean and his daughter Melissa, Young said.

Scott Bessent a credible, safe pick for Treasury: expertsHUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — Jonah Pierce had 20 points in Presbyterian's 67-42 win against Youngstown State on Friday night. Pierce added nine rebounds for the Blue Hose (4-3). Kory Mincy scored 12 points, shooting 5 for 11, including 2 for 5 from beyond the arc. Kobe Stewart had 11 points and finished 4 of 9 from the field. The Penguins (2-3) were led by Ty Harper, who posted 12 points. EJ Farmer added 10 points and three steals for Youngstown State. Nico Galette also had five points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

The collapse of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime sparked nationwide celebrations, as scenes of jubilation and chaos unfolded across the country. In the early hours of December 8, videos emerged on social media showing groups of people gathering on Umayyad Square in Damascus, a key landmark in the capital. Thousands more joined them throughout the day, with some participants climbing atop a tank. Social media footage verified by RFE/RL showed people exiting the central bank building in Damascus carrying bags and boxes. Looting was reported in the capital and in other cities across the country, according to multiple eyewitness accounts. At the gates of the presidential palace in Damascus, video footage captured jubilant men cheering and firing weapons into the air. People were seen entering the palace freely throughout the day after Assad fled the country. Russian state media reported later on December 8 that he and his family had arrived in Moscow and been granted asylum. Video footage from inside the palace showed crowds milling around, as well as people carrying out furniture and valuables, leaving trashed rooms behind them. Verified video footage obtained by RFE/RL also showed the building of the Syrian Interior Ministry's immigration and passport department ablaze in Damascus. Statues of Assad's late father, Hafez al-Assad, who created the authoritarian system his son inherited, were dismantled nationwide after a lightning-fast rebel offensive. On Arwad Island, off the coast of Tartus and around 10 kilometers from a Russian naval base, jubilant crowds toppled a statue of the elder Assad, who died in 2000, and climbed onto the monument in celebration. In Latakia, a coastal town that was a stronghold of the Assad family, another statue of Hafez al-Assad was torn down and dragged through the streets behind a truck as revelers rode atop it. Images also showed the aftermath of the storming of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, which appeared to have been abandoned earlier on December 8. Iranian media reported that diplomats had already evacuated the premises. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family have arrived in Moscow, Russian state media reported, as rebels have taken control of the Syrian capital, Damascus, bringing to an end the brutal, half-century rule of the Assad family. According to Russian media reports, Assad and his family have been granted asylum by Moscow. Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Assad "decided to resign" after "negotiations" with a "number of participants in the armed conflict" and left office "giving instructions for a peaceful transfer of power." "Russia did not participate in these negotiations," the ministry added. Russia has been a longstanding ally of Syria, providing significant military and political support to Assad's regime, especially during the Syrian civil war, which began in 2011. The Russian Foreign Ministry's statement came as the rebels said in a statement aired on state TV that Damascus is "now free of Assad," whose family ruled the country with an iron fist since 1971. Many Syrians across the country took to the streets to celebrate Assad's ouster, pulling down statues and ransacking government buildings. Social media footage shows crowds of men entering the presidential place in Damascus, with reports of looting. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali said in a video that the government is "ready to cooperate with any leadership chosen by the people." "We believe that Syria is for all Syrians and that it is the country of all its sons and that this country can be a normal state that builds good relations with its neighbors and the world without entering into any regional alliances and blocs," Jalali said. He was later seen leaving his home on December 8, escorted by armed men, reportedly to meet the leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Sunni rebel group that led the current offensive against the Assad regime. HTS is a U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist organization. In recent years, the Islamist militant group severed ties with Al-Qaeda and sought to remake itself as a pragmatic alternative to the Syrian government. But concerns remain over its alleged rights abuses and ties to terrorist groups. Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the leader of the HTS, has sought to reassure Shi'ite Alawites and other Syrian minorities, including Christians. In Washington, President Joe Biden said the United States "will engage with all Syrian groups" as the country transitions to a post-Assad government. He warned that some of the rebel groups that helped overthrow Assad "have their own grim record" of human rights abuses even though they have been "saying the right things" in recent days. "As they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words but their actions," Biden said in a televised address from the White House on December 8. He said the United States will be closely watching the activities of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, which could seek to use the power vacuum in Syria to again establish rule. Biden said the United States conducted a dozen precision strikes on IS positions in Syria earlier in the day. Setback For Russia Experts have said the fall of the Assad regime represents a major geopolitical setback for the Kremlin, which, along with Tehran, has supported the Syrian government through many years of civil war. The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that Russia and Iran did not appear to bolster the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), which was rapidly collapsing, by rushing in additional forces. Russia has an estimated 7,500 troops and multiple military sites in Syria, including an air base at Hmeimim and strategic naval facilities at Tartus, which are also used to support the Kremlin's actions in North and Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the Russian RIA Novosti news agency, the leaders of the armed Syrian opposition "have guaranteed security to the Russian military bases and diplomatic establishments in Syria." RFE/RL can not confirm those reports. Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declined to comment on the fate of the Russian bases, saying he "wasn't in the business of guessing." Konstantin Kosachyov, deputy chairman of Russia's upper house of parliament, said on December 8 that Syrians will have to cope with a full-scale war alone, but he suggested Moscow was ready to support the Syrian people in certain circumstances. The ISW said Moscow had not yet begun to evacuate the naval base, "but it remains unclear whether Russia will keep its vessels at the port as Syrian rebels continue to advance swiftly across regime-held territory." Ruslan Suleymanov, a Russian expert on the Middle East, told RFE/RL that Moscow would "cooperate with the rebels" if they take power in Damascus and that HTS too has "claimed previously that it was ready to negotiate" with the Kremlin. "Putin wants to save his military presence in the region. In any case, to do that, he has to make concessions -- both to jihadists and to [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan who supports [the rebels]," Suleymanov said. The surprise offensive began on November 27 during which a coalition of rebel groups led by HTS captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's second largest. Since then, they moved on to take other major cities with Assad's forces providing little resistance. Besides HTS, the fighters include forces of an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Turkey has denied backing the offensive, though experts say insurgents would not have launched it without the country's consent. The United Nations said on December 6 that almost 300,000 people in Syria had already been displaced since late November by the fighting, and that up to 1.5 million could be forced to flee as the rebels advance and inflict losses on Assad, as well as his Russian and Iranian allies. Assad has relied on Iran and Russia to remain in power since the conflict erupted in 2011. Neighbors, World Powers React The developments in Damascus prompted Syria's neighbors to take urgent measures, with Lebanon announcing it was closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for one that links Beirut with Damascus. Jordan closed a border crossing with Syria, too. Israel said on December 8 it has deployed forces in a demilitarized buffer zone along its northern border with Syria and sent troops "other places necessary for its defense." The Israeli military said the deployment was meant to provide security for residents of the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. The United States said it will maintain its presence in eastern Syria and will take measures necessary to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State (IS) in the region. The United States has about 900 soldiers in Syria. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Daniel Shapiro said Washington is "aware that the chaotic and dynamic circumstances on the ground in Syria could give [IS] space to find the ability to become active, to plan external operations." Speaking at a security conference in Bahrain on December 8, Shapiro said the United States is determined to work with its partners to "continue to degrade [IS] capabilities." "[We're determined] to ensure [IS's] enduring defeat, to ensure the secure detention of IS fighters and the repatriation of displaced persons," Shapiro added. UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen described the latest developments as a "watershed moment in Syria's history" and urged all armed actors in the country to maintain law and order and preserve pubic institutions. Speaking in Doha on December 8, Pedersen also said he has no information on Assad's whereabouts. Tom Fletcher, head of the UN humanitarian aid agency, warned about the plight of the millions of Syrians displaced by nearly 14 years of the country’s civil war. Now many more are in danger, Fletcher said. “We will respond wherever, whenever, however we can, to support people in need, including reception centers -- food, water, fuel, tents, blankets,” he said. British Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner called for a "political solution" while the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement it was time in Syria for unity, a peaceful political transition, and for fighting to end. President-elect Donald Trump said Russia and Iran are in a "weakened state" and called on Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin to end the nearly three-year war in Ukraine. Trump made the comments in a post on Truth Social on December 8 as Syrian rebels captured Damascus , ending the half-century rule of the Russia- and Iran-backed Assad family. The incoming U.S. president said Russia and Iran couldn't come to the support of Syrian dictator Assad because they were in a "weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success." Russia has lost about 600,000 soldiers since invading Ukraine in February 2022, Trump said, adding that Ukraine has lost about 400,000 defending its territory. "There should be an immediate cease-fire and negotiations should begin," Trump said. "I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The world is waiting!" The Kremlin did not immediately respond to Trump's comment. Paris Meeting Trump said in the post that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy "would like to make a deal." Trump held talks with Zelenskiy and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on December 7 to discuss the war. Zelenskiy called the trilateral talks "good and productive" and said the leaders discussed the potential for "a just peace." Trump and Zelenskiy were among world leaders who gathered in Paris on December 7 to mark the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. "We talked about our people, the situation on the battlefield, and a just peace for Ukraine. We all want to end this war as quickly and fairly as possible," Zelenskiy said in a December 7 post on Telegram . "President Trump, as always, is determined. We are thankful for that," he added. Macron said , "Let us continue joint efforts for peace, security." Trump , who will take office on January 20, has criticized the tens of billions of dollars the United States has poured into Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion. He has claimed he could end the war within 24 hours of retaking the White House, a statement that has been interpreted as meaning that Ukraine would have to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. Experts say it will be difficult to hammer out a peace deal quickly because there are so many aspects, including security guarantees for Ukraine and sanctions relief for Russia. In the meantime, the outgoing Biden administration has been accelerating weapons shipments to Ukraine ahead of the transfer of power to Trump to bolster its defenses. Washington said on December 7 that it is preparing a $988 million package of arms and equipment to Ukraine, funds taken from the remaining $2.21 billion available in the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. The funds will be used to buy precision missiles for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), and for drones, the Pentagon said. European countries are also stepping up aid in case the Trump administration ends U.S. support for Kyiv. Zelenskiy announced on December 7 that Ukraine had received a second shipment of sophisticated F-16 fighter jets from Denmark. Copenhagen announced last year it would deliver a total of 19 aircraft to Ukraine. "The second batch of F-16s for Ukraine from Denmark is already in Ukraine. This is the leadership in protecting life that distinguishes Denmark," he wrote on Telegram . When Vladimir Putin took the reins of power in a post-Soviet Russia in shambles a quarter-century ago, he immediately set about restoring Moscow's status as a global power. It took 15 years, but Russia heralded its military intervention in the Syrian civil war as proof of its return as a force to be reckoned with on the international stage. Moscow leveraged that image to expand its influence throughout the Middle East and beyond as a counterweight to the West. Now, the fall of the government of President Bashar al-Assad, a key ally of Moscow, has dealt a serious blow to Russia's great-power ambitions. "Putin's military adventure in Syria was designed to demonstrate that Russia is a great power and can project its influence abroad," said Phillip Smyth, a Middle East expert. "Losing Syria is a huge slap in the face for Putin." Assad's ouster represents not only a reputational hit to Russia but likely a major strategic setback. Syria is home to two major Russia military installations: an air base in Hmeimim and a naval base in Tartus. The latter is Russia's only warm-water naval base outside the former Soviet Union and provides Moscow access to the Mediterranean Sea. "Russia has used its bases in Syria to project its power both into the eastern Mediterranean and into the broader Middle East," said Smyth. High-Maintenance Asset Russia's military intervention in Syria in 2015 changed the tide of the war. Moscow's devastating aerial campaigns against rebel positions helped the Syrian Army regain swaths of territory and keep Assad in power. Moscow's Syria campaign came a year after its invasion of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula as well as its support for separatist forces in Ukraine's east. Moscow capitalized on its involvement in both Syria and Ukraine to sell itself as a power capable of challenging the United States, NATO, and the West in general while expanding its global reach from the Mediterranean to Africa and Latin America. Following Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Syria became more of an asset for Moscow, experts say, while also presenting the challenge of maintaining military campaigns on two fronts. With the anticipated fall of Russian military assets in Syria, following the collapse of Assad's government, the task has become even more daunting. Russia is already heavily invested in a major counteroffensive to regain captured territory in its southwestern Kursk region that it lost to Ukraine, to the point that it is relying on help from North Korean troops. At the same time, it is trying to take as much territory as it can in Ukraine's east before possible peace talks. Russia military facilities along the Mediterranean coast in western Syria could be overrun by militants led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, and its allies. Aaron Zelin, senior fellow at the Washington Institute, said Russia simply does not have the same firepower at its disposal to protect its assets in Syria. "It is important to remember that Russia has to deal with its larger war in Ukraine now compared to when they first went in Syria in 2015," said Zelin. "Russia also has its assets fighting in sub-Saharan Africa, too. And unlike a decade ago, when Russia had the Wagner Group led by [the deceased Yevgeny] Prigozhin ... Russia doesn't have the same level of capacity or capability to deal with this now in the same way." Zelin said losing the Tartus naval base, in particular, would be an "extremely huge loss for Russia." "It's Russia's only warm-water port that it can use for its naval activities and power projection," he said. "Losing it would essentially cut Russia out of the core of the Middle East." Moscow did not send ground troops to help Damascus, which fell to the HTS and its allies on December 8. Russia conducted dozens of air strikes since the militants launched their offensive against Assad's forces in late November, but Moscow's limited intervention did little to stop the rebel advance. Russia will pay a huge price for its failure in Syria, experts say. The fall of Assad is a "major blow to Russia's claim of still being a global power in terms of sustaining military and political influence abroad," said Hamidreza Azizi, fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. From there, actors in other regions such as Latin America and Africa might "start rethinking their ties and their reliance on Russia as well," he said. Syrian rebels led by Islamist militants have entered the central city of Homs as they close in on Damascus while the country’s main allies -- Russia and Iran -- scrambled to protect the regime of authoritarian President Bashar al-Assad and their own assets in the country. Abu Mohammad al-Golani, a leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group, said late on December 7 that the insurgent fighters were "in the final moments of liberating" Homs, a city of 775,000 people. HTS is considered a terrorist group by the United States, Britain, Canada, and the European Union. Experts said the future of the Assad regime was hanging in the balance -- and that, if it fell, it would also represent a major geopolitical setback for the Kremlin which, along with Tehran, has supported the Syrian government through many years of civil war. Media reports said many residents of Damascus were stocking up on supplies as thousands were attempting to leave the country through the border with Lebanon -- itself a war-torn nation in the increasingly chaotic Middle East. As fighting on the ground and rebel gains intensified, the foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, and Turkey held emergency talks in Doha, Qatar, on December 7 calling for an end to hostilities in the most serious challenge to Assad’s rule in years. The U.S. State Department told RFE/RL that Washington was closely monitoring the situation on the ground in Syria. A spokesperson said the United States and its partners and allies urged that civilians, including members of minority groups, be protected. The spokesperson said it was time to negotiate an end to the Syrian conflict consistent with principals established in UN Security Council Resolution 2254. The spokesperson added that the refusal of the Assad regime to engage in the process has directly led to the current situation. The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War ( ISW ) said that “Assad regime forces have collapsed and Assad’s backers do not appear willing to bolster the Syrian Arab Army by rapidly deploying additional forces.” Russia has multiple military sites in Syria, including an air base at Hmeimim and strategic naval facilities at Tartus, which are also used to support the Kremlin’s actions in Africa. The ISW said that Moscow had not yet begun to evacuate the base, “but it remains unclear whether Russia will keep its vessels at the port as Syrian rebels continue to advance swiftly across regime-held territory.” The American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats blog said the Assad regime “faces an existential threat given the widespread collapse of regime forces and lack of sufficient external backing to bolster these forces.” It added that “Russia will face logistic challenges that will undermine its Africa operations if it loses its footprint in Syria.” Mark Katz, a professor emeritus at George Mason University who focuses on Russia and the Middle East, told RFE/RL that the Kremlin risks losing its air assets in Syria if it can’t agree with Turkey on the use of its airspace. “In one sense, the Turkish government might be happy to grant permission as the more the Russian Air Force is out of Syria, the happier Ankara will be,” he said. "Russia would also face difficulties relocating its warships because they would need Turkey's permission to get into the Black Sea. They would have to go through NATO waters," he added. Meanwhile, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said the United States “should have nothing to do” with the war in Syria, where a small contingent of U.S. forces remain deployed in some areas. "Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT,” he wrote on the Truth Social platform. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” Fast-moving developments on the ground were difficult to confirm, but media outlets quoted witnesses as well as rebel and Syrian army sources as saying militant fighters were continuing to make large gains on December 7 in their effort to topple Assad. Some reported signs of panic in Damascus, with shortages of critical supplies, although the government said Assad was at work as usual in the capital. Government forces and their Russian allies appear to have failed in their attempt to halt the rebel push toward Homs, which stands at an important intersection between the capital, Damascus, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus. Homs is 140 kilometers from the capital. Witnesses and army sources told Reuters and other news agencies that rebels had entered Homs amid reports that government forces had pulled out. Celebrations were reported in some areas of the city. Homs Province is Syria’s largest in size and borders Lebanon, Iraq, and Jordan. The city is also home to one of Syria’s two state-run oil refineries. The AFP news agency quoted security sources as saying hundreds of Syrian government troops, some injured, had fled across the border into Iraq. The surprising offensive was launched last week by a coalition of rebel groups led by the Islamist HTS faction. Besides HTS, the fighters include forces of an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Turkey has denied backing the offensive, though experts say insurgents would not have launched it without the country's consent. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said civilians were fleeing from Homs toward the Mediterranean coastal regions of Latakia and Tartus, strongholds of the government and the site of the Russian air and naval bases. Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declined to comment on the fate of the Russian bases, saying he “wasn’t in the business of guessing.” The United Nations said on December 6 that almost 300,000 people in Syria had already been displaced since late November by the fighting, and that up to 1.5 million could be forced to flee as the rebels advance and inflict losses on Assad, as well as his Russian and Iranian allies. Assad has relied on Iran and Russia to remain in power since the conflict erupted in 2011. Following the foreign ministers' meeting in Doha, Lavrov said -- referring to HTS rebels -- that it was "inadmissible to allow terrorist groups" to take control of Syrian territory and that Russia would oppose them with all means possible. Since the rebels seized control of Aleppo a week ago, they have moved on to capture other major cities with Assad’s forces providing little resistance. Besides capturing Aleppo in the north, Hama in the center, and Deir al-Zor in the east, rebels rose up in southern Suweida and Deraa, saying on December 6 they had taken control of the two cities and posting videos showing insurgent celebrations there. Taking Deraa and Suweida in the south could allow a concerted assault on the capital, Damascus, the seat of Assad's power, military sources said. Video posted online showed protesters in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana chanting and tearing down a statue of Assad’s father, Hafez al-Assad, who ruled Syria from 1971 until his death in 2000, when his son took power. Golani, the HTS leader, told CNN in an exclusive interview on December 5 from Syria that Assad’s government was bound to fall, propped up only by Russia and Iran. “The seeds of the regime’s defeat have always been within it,” he said. “But the truth remains, this regime is dead.” Russian forces bombed a key bridge and highway to try and slow a lightning advance by rebels toward the Syrian city of Homs as thousands fled the area. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said civilians were fleeing from Homs towards the Mediterranean coastal regions of Latakia and Tartus, strongholds of the government and the site of Russian air and naval bases. The United Nations said on December 6 that almost 300,000 people in Syria had already been displaced since late November by the fighting, and that up to 1.5 million could be forced to flee as the rebels advance and deal losses to the country's president, Bashar al-Assad, as well as his allies in Russia and Iran. Assad has relied on Iran and Russia to remain in power since the conflict erupted in 2011. A Syrian Army officer was quoted by Reuters as saying that Russian bombing overnight had destroyed the Rastan bridge along the key M5 highway linking Homs to Hama, another city the rebels captured a day earlier. The rebels, led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have made major advances over the past several days, including the capture of Aleppo, the country's largest city, as well as 14 central villages and towns, and gotten as close as 35 kilometers from the Russian-operated Khmeimim air base. HTS is considered a terrorist group by the United States, Britain, Canada, and the European Union. Hama, Syria's fourth-largest city, is key to the defense of Damascus and the gateway to the coastal cities of Tartus and Latakia, the former being home to a strategic Russian naval base. In his first media interview in several years, Abu Muhammad al-Julani, the group's leader, told CNN the goal "remains to overthrow the Bashar al-Assad regime, and it is our right to use all available means to achieve this goal." Besides HTS, the rebels also include an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. The foreign ministers of Iraq, Syria, and Iran were to meet on December 6 to discuss the situation, while Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the top diplomats from Moscow, Tehran, and Ankara will meet in Qatar on December 7. The state news agency TASS reported on December 6 that Russia's embassy in Syria had urged Russian nationals to leave the country due to the situation. Militants have seized control of a second major city in Syria in what experts say is a turning point in the country’s 13-year civil war. The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militant group and its allies captured the key city of Hama on December 5, just days after taking over the country's second city, Aleppo. The lightning advance is a significant blow to President Bashar al-Assad, who has relied on key allies Iran and Russia to remain in power since the conflict erupted in 2011. The fall of Hama "illustrates that this offensive has staying power and is not just a blitzkrieg," said Aaron Zelin, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute. Hama is key to the defense of the capital, Damascus, and the gateway to Syria's coastal cities -- the heartland of the Alawites, the sect of Shi’ite Islam to which Assad and many of his supporters belong. The coast is also home to a strategic Russian naval base and air base. "It makes it easier [for the militants] to potentially take over Damascus," Zelin said. Phillip Smyth, an expert on Iranian proxies and Shi'ite militias, said the fall of Hama was a "game-changer," with the militants "demonstrating that the Assad military machinery is a shell." Still, despite losing two key cities in little over a week, Assad is not yet facing an existential crisis, experts say. Syrian government forces -- who suffer from low morale and poor pay as well as dysfunction in the chain of command -- still control Homs, the country’s third city, and the capital. As the militants push further south to "the core territories of the regime," Zelin said, they will face stiffer resistance. Assad has relied heavily on Tehran and Moscow to shore up his forces. But both countries have been distracted by their own crises. Since 2013, Iran deployed hundreds of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) officers to recruit and train tens of thousands of local and foreign Shi'ite fighters. Russia’s aerial campaigns against rebel positions since 2015 helped the Syrian Army and Iran-backed militias regain swaths of territory. Moscow is preoccupied with its war in Ukraine. Iran has been focused on other conflicts in the Middle East, including in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, another key player in the Syrian conflict and ally of Damascus, has been severely weakened after a yearlong war with Israel. Moscow and Tehran have been slow in getting more support to Assad. Russia has intensified air strikes on militant-held areas and Iran-backed Shi’ite militias have headed to the front lines. But it is unclear if that will be enough to stop the advance of the HTS, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, and its allies. "Iran requires air support for its militias and recruits, but Russia is having trouble providing it due to Ukraine," Smyth said. "Additionally, the Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah war had been extraordinarily costly for Iran's command and control apparatus in Syria that relied on Hezbollah. It will be a slower-burning process than before." The Syrian Army said it was redeploying troops "to preserve civilians lives and prevent urban combat" after Islamist-led rebels entered the key city of Hama, another loss for the country's president, Bashar al-Assad, as well as his allies in Russia and Iran. "Over the past few hours, with the intensification of confrontations between our soldiers and terrorist groups...these groups were able to breach a number of axes in the city and entered it," a Syrian Army statement said on December 5. Hama, Syria's fourth-largest city, is key to the defense of Damascus and the gateway to the coastal cities of Tartus and Latakia, the former being home to a strategic Russian naval base. Syrian and Russian forces had shelled the rebels a day earlier and used air strikes to try and stop their advance. "With that (advance in Hama), Assad's in real trouble. Homs is next & its countryside is FAR more amenable to facilitating an opposition advance," Charles Lister, a senior fellow and the director of the Syria and Countering Terrorism & Extremism programs at the Middle East Institute, wrote on X. The rebels, led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have made major advances over the past several days, including the capture of Aleppo, the country's largest city, as well as 14 central villages and towns, and gotten as close as 35 kilometers from the Russian-operated Khmeimim air base. Syria turned over the air base to Russia in 2015 as Moscow moved in to help Damascus turn the tide of a four-year civil war in its favor. Besides HTS, the rebels also include an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. The United Nations has said tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced by the fighting. The footage is striking, stark -- and familiar -- from both Syria and Ukraine. In Syria’s Idlib Province, one man sprays foam on a tangle of flaming wreckage as others run down a rubble-strewn street and into a heavily damaged hospital corridor. At a camp for displaced people, a resident says he pulled the dead bodies of five people from the debris after what he says was a Russian air strike. “May God accept them as martyrs,” he said of the victims in a video filmed by the Associated Press. In 2015, when Russia intervened in the civil war in Syria, its air strikes were the most crucial part of a campaign that was instrumental in averting a potential government defeat and keeping President Bashar al-Assad in power. In addition to propping up an ally, Russia’s first major military foray outside the former Soviet Union in decades increased Moscow’s clout in the Middle East and beyond. It was a slap in the face of the United States and the West, which despised Assad for his human rights record and wanted him out. Those gains for Russian President Vladimir Putin came at an enormous cost for Syrian civilians , who were often the victims of the devastating air strikes despite Moscow’s claim that it only targets what it calls “terrorists.” Estimates of overall civilian deaths since the war began in 2011 range from more than 300,000 to over 600,000. Now, it’s happening again, as Assad’s government and Russia scramble to stop a surprise offensive led by the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. The HTS and allied groups have captured most of Aleppo, Syria’s second city, in the biggest push by government opponents since a cease-fire brokered by Russia and Turkey in 2020 led to a relative lull in the war. “Russia presided over very extensive civilian damage in Syria in the past, and there is no reason to believe that it will be any different this time,” Jenny Mathers, an expert on Russian politics and security and a senior lecturer at Aberystwyth University, said in written comments to RFE/RL. Accounts and images from Idlib -- a rebel and militant stronghold in northwestern Syria -- and elsewhere since the offensive began late November appear to bear that out. Russian air strikes damaged a cluster of four hospitals and a health administration building in Idlib on December 2, according to the White Helmets, a rescue organization operating in opposition-held parts of Syria. Photos and footage showed burning vehicles, clouds of smoke, buildings damaged inside and out, and streets strewn with dust and debris. “Most of the strikes have seemed to be directed at assets which may be considered crucial to [Russia’s] operational objectives,” Nicole Grajewski, fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said in written comments to RFE/RL. “However, Russia has never shown a real particular concern for civilian casualties, especially in rebel-held areas,” she added. In part, that’s because Russia’s air forces are “not amazing at dynamic targeting,” Grajewski wrote. But she suggested that Russia has also shown a lack of concern for civilian life with its “prior siege tactics in eastern Ghouta and Aleppo during the earlier stages of the campaign -- not to mention Ukraine.” 'An Ad Hoc Response' Since Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian forces have frequently hit apartment buildings, private homes, and public places such as supermarkets and shopping malls in cities and towns across the country. The missile and drone attacks have killed and wounded civilians daily. Russia has also targeted crucial civilian facilities , such as power plants and other energy infrastructure. Mark Galeotti, an expert on Russian politics and security, said that for the most part, Russia “neither deliberately targets civilians nor avoids them: if they are in the way of a strike deemed operationally necessary, so be it.” “That said, sometimes they do deliberately target civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, power stations and water plants, in order to drive people out of areas they wish to depopulate,” he added in written comments. But he said that in terms of tactics and aims, the current Russian bombings in Syria differ from its air campaign against Ukraine. In Syria, “this is an ad hoc emergency response to a crisis, in Ukraine, a deliberate strategy of degrading the critical national infrastructure,” said Galeotti, who is an honorary professor at the UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies. “However, they certainly reflect a common doctrine, a way of war that regards civilian casualties as inevitable -- and sometimes necessary,” he added. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed the need for diplomacy to resolve the conflict in northern Syria in a phone call on December 3 to discuss the renewed fighting. A statement from Erdogan’s office after the call said Syria should not become a source of greater instability. "President Erdogan emphasized that while Turkey continues to support the territorial integrity of Syria, it also strives for a just and permanent solution in Syria," Erdogan told Putin in their conversation on December 3, according to the statement from Erdogan's office posted on X. He also said it is important to open more space for diplomacy in the region and the Syrian regime must engage in the political solution process, according to the statement. Erdogan vowed Turkey will maintain its determined stance on the fight against the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been designated as a terrorist group by Turkey and the United States, and its "extensions,” who are trying to take advantage of the recent developments in Syria, the statement said. Erdogan and Putin spoke as Syrian rebels advanced against government forces after capturing Aleppo last week. The rebels pushed close on December 3 to the major city of Hama, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the rebels said. The Syrian Observatory said on December 3 that the toll from the rebel offensive in the north had risen to 602 dead, including 104 civilians. An attack on Hama would ramp up pressure on Assad, whose Russian and Iranian allies have scrambled to support him against the revived rebellion. The city has remained in government hands since civil war erupted in 2011. A statement from Syria's army command said its forces were striking "terrorist organizations" in north Hama and Idlib provinces with Russian air support. The Kremlin said Putin stressed the need for a "speedy end to the terrorist aggression against the Syrian state by radical groups." Both leaders noted the importance of further close coordination between Russia, Turkey, and Iran on the matter, a Kremlin statement said. "The two presidents will continue to be in contact with each other in the context of seeking steps to de-escalate the crisis," the statement said. The Syrian civil war had been mostly dormant for years until a major offensive by militants in northwestern Syria revived the conflict. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies last week seized control of most of Aleppo and the surrounding countryside, marking the biggest offensive in years. HTS is a militant Islamist group that seeks to establish a state in Syria governed by Islamic law. The U.S.-designated terrorist organization has between 5,000 and 10,000 fighters, according to U.S. intelligence estimates. The conflict has pitted Moscow and Tehran against Turkey, which supports armed groups involved in the HTS-led offensive. Russia's ambassador to the United Nations late on December 3 accused Ukrainian intelligence services of aiding the HTS. Rebels fighting with HTS are "openly flaunting" that they are supported by Ukraine, Vasily Nebenzya told the UN Security Council. The envoy said there was an "identifiable trail" showing Ukraine's GUR military intelligence service was "providing weapons to fighters" and claimed Ukrainian military instructors from the GUR are training HTS fighters for combat operations, including against Russian troops in Syria. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said earlier that Russia and Iran "bear the main responsibility" for the recent escalation in fighting. It also noted Ukrainians were being targeted on a nightly basis by Iranian-designed drones. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies in Iran "continue to make every effort not to lose control over the puppet Syrian regime, which is associated by the majority of Syrians with inhuman cruelty, tyranny, and crimes," the ministry said on December 2. There are indications the conflict could escalate. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on December 3 in an interview with a Qatari news outlet that Tehran would consider sending troops to Syria if Damascus asked. Iraqi Prime Minister Shia al-Sudani said Baghdad would not be "a mere spectator" in Syria and blamed Israeli military strikes on the Syrian government for the rebel advance, his office said. Compounding Assad's problems, fighters from a U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led coalition battled government forces in the northeast, both sides said, opening a new front along a vital supply route. Syria's devastating 13-year civil war was mostly dormant for years. But a major offensive by militants in northwestern Syria has revived the conflict and dragged in regional powers, including Russia. Since late November, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies have seized control of most of Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city, and the surrounding countryside. The offensive poses a major threat to President Bashar al-Assad, who has maintained his grip on power with the backing of key allies Russia and Iran. The conflict has pitted Moscow and Tehran against Turkey, which supports armed groups involved in the HTS-led offensive. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham HTS is a militant Islamist group that seeks to establish a state in Syria governed by Islamic law. Many of its members are followers of Salafism, an ultraradical sect under Sunni Islam. The group first appeared in 2012 under the name Jabhat al-Nusra, or the Nusra Front, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda. Based in the northwestern province of Idlib, it later changed its name several times and distanced itself from Al-Qaeda. In 2017, it merged with other opposition groups to form HTS. A U.S.-designated terrorist organization since 2018, the HTS has between 5,000 and 10,000 fighters, according to U.S. intelligence estimates . HTS is allied with several smaller militant Islamist groups, including Faylaq al-Sham, Jaysh al-Izza, Harakat Ahrar al-Sham, and the Turkistan Brigade. The latter is made up of foreign fighters from China and Central Asia. Turkey-Backed Syrian National Army Turkey, Syria's northern neighbor, is a major player in the conflict. Ankara supports the Syrian National Army (SNA), a rebel group involved in the ongoing offensive in northern Syria. Turkey also has some influence over HTS, experts say. The main target of the SNA has been the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SNA recently seized control of Tel Rifaat, a predominately Kurdish town in northern Syria. The Kurds are a long-oppressed ethnic minority in Arab-majority Syria. Since 2016, Turkey has launched several cross-border ground operations against the SDF, a key Western ally in the campaign against the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. The SDF is a coalition that includes the Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG. Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey and the United States. The United States maintains around 900 troops in southeastern Syria along the border with Jordan and Iraq. Iran Iran has a longstanding relationship with Syria, where it has significantly boosted its influence since the civil war erupted in 2011. Tehran intervened militarily in 2013 and played a key role in shoring up Assad's forces. It deployed hundreds of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) officers to recruit and train tens of thousands of local and foreign Shi'ite fighters. For Iran, Syria provides a crucial land corridor to the Levant that is considered the logistical backbone of the so-called axis of resistance, Tehran's loose network of regional allies and proxies. Syria is the only other state actor in the axis. Hamidreza Azizi, fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said ensuring Assad stays in power is "even more important now for Iran than it was before." That is because Tehran intends to use the land corridor through Syria to rearm and resupply its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, whose military capabilities were degraded following the recent war with Israel, said Azizi. Iran has spent billions of dollars to keep Assad in power and is unlikely to ditch its investment, experts say. Russia Russia's military intervention in Syria's civil war in 2015 changed the tide of the war. Moscow's aerial campaigns against rebel positions helped the Syrian Army and pro-Iran militias regain swaths of territory but also caused widespread civilian casualties. "When Russia first intervened in Syria's civil war, it was mainly about supporting an ally in the region, wanting to shore up an existing regime and avoiding instability that would follow its collapse, and wanting to push back against terrorism," said Jenny Mathers, senior lecturer on Russian politics at Aberystwyth University. But now it is also a matter of pride, Mathers said, because Moscow would "lose face" if the Assad government were to fall after years of Russian support. Russia has two major military installations in Syria: an air base in Khmeimim and a naval base in Tartus, which provides Moscow access to the Mediterranean Sea. Experts say losing an ally in Syria would be a blow to Russia's prestige on the international stage and its regional ambitions. Since the HTS and its allies launched their surprise offensive, Russia has launched dozens of air strikes in areas under the militants' control. The leader of Hezbollah has claimed that its cease-fire deal with Israel is a "divine victory" for the Lebanese political party and militant group. In his first address since the cease-fire took effect on November 27, Naim Qassem said on November 29 that the Iran-backed group had "won because we prevented the enemy from destroying Hezbollah" and weakening the Lebanese "resistance." Hezbollah, which controls much of southern Lebanon and has representatives in parliament, is designated in its entirety by the U.S. as a terrorist organization but the EU has blacklisted only its military wing. The cease-fire ended nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel ramped up the pressure by launching a ground offensive in southern Lebanon in October and carrying out massive aerial bombardments of Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut and elsewhere. The truce ends the presence of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Israel, too, must withdraw its ground forces from Lebanon within 60 days of the deal going into force. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on November 26 warned Hezbollah that Israel would take action if it suspected that Hezbollah had violated the agreement. On November 29, hours before Qassem made his speech, Israel said it had struck a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon after detecting militant activity. The United States and France are overseeing the implementation of the truce, which includes provisions for thousands of Lebanese soldiers moving into southern Lebanon to work with UN peacekeepers and keep Hezbollah away from the Israeli border. Hezbollah had been launching rockets at northern Israel since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023. It said it would stop its attacks only after Israel ended its war in Gaza. Over the past 14 months, Israel killed nearly the entirety of Hezbollah's leadership, including Qassem's predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah , and decimated the group's military arsenal. Israel has vowed to ensure Iran cannot continue to fund and arm the group, and has warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against facilitating Iranian aid for Hezbollah. A U.S.-brokered deal to end hostilities in Lebanon is a significant win for Israel, which achieved its key war aims , experts say. The cease-fire agreement that came into effect on November 27 ended nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group and political party. Israel has eroded Hezbollah as a military power as well as a political and economic force in Lebanon. Israel has also succeeded in decoupling Hezbollah's rocket and missile attacks on Israel from the Gaza war. The Iran-backed group had vowed to continue its attacks until Israel ended its ongoing yearlong war in the Palestinian enclave. The truce will also end the presence of Hezbollah -- a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, although the EU has only blacklisted its armed wing -- in southern Lebanon, its stronghold. Israel, too, must withdrawal its ground forces from Lebanon. "Israel got the deal it wanted," said Michael Horowitz, head of intelligence at the Bahrain-based Le Beck International consultancy. "Some are arguing in Israel that it would have been better to continue the war and aim for Hezbollah's full defeat, but the deal Israel achieved is as good as it could have hoped for," he added. Don't Underestimate Hezbollah Israel's devastating aerial bombardment of Lebanon decimated Hezbollah's leadership and military arsenal. But experts say it is too early to write off the group, which has representatives in parliament and retains support among the Shi'ite Muslim community in Lebanon. "Hezbollah is now a shadow of its former self, but it remains dangerous -- both to Israel and its many opponents in Lebanon," said Matthew Levitt of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Still, the war has shattered the armed group's narrative that it is Lebanon's protector against Israel, experts say. Hezbollah vowed to continue attacking Israel until it ended its war in Gaza. But the group was forced to drop that demand. The Israel-Hezbollah conflict killed over 3,600 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and displaced over 1 million people. Large areas of southern Lebanon and parts of the capital, Beirut, lie in ruins. "Not only was it not able to defend Lebanon, but it dragged it into a conflict for reasons outside of Lebanese interests, and now effectively gave up on this very narrative -- as it decoupled from Gaza," said Horowitz. "The group will face a legitimacy crisis, and will have to re-invent itself, and it will have to do so with a far less intelligent and politically shrewd leadership at its helm," he added. Hezbollah has not publicly commented on the cease-fire deal. But Hassan Fadlallah, a Lebanese lawmaker and member of Hezbollah, insists that the group will stay armed. "A lot of political groups in Lebanon will oppose this," Assaad Bechara, a political analyst based in Lebanon, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda. "Hezbollah will not be present in Lebanon's southern borders and will not face Israel, so their weapons will be aimed [at Lebanon]. Lebanon's transition phase will be very difficult and precarious." The Iran Angle Hezbollah has long been the crown jewel within Iran's loose network of regional allies and proxies known as the "axis of resistance." It also served as Iran's first and most formidable line of defense against Israel. Iran will try to use the respite afforded by the cease-fire to help Hezbollah "rehabilitate and reestablish its rank and file," said Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Azizi added that Iran and its allies view the cease-fire agreement as a "temporary respite until the next phase of confrontation with Israel." Under the terms of the cease-fire deal, thousands of Lebanese soldiers will be stationed in southern Lebanon along with a UN peacekeeping force. The United States will provide military support to the Lebanese Army and will ensure the implementation of the deal along with France. The presence of the West will likely be a major source of concern for Iran, which has long exerted its influence in Lebanon through Hezbollah, experts say. Tehran will see this as an attempt to bolster Hezbollah's domestic political rivals and " erode the potential for Hezbollah to remain active in Lebanese politics," Azizi said. A cease-fire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah has come into effect in southern Lebanon after almost 14 months of fighting that triggered concerns of a wider conflict in the region. After the cease-fire kicked off at 4 a.m. local time, the Israeli military warned civilians not to return to their homes in south Lebanon yet and not to approach Israeli positions. However, convoys of civilians crossed into southern Lebanon, defying the both the Israeli warning and appeal by the Lebanese Army, which is set to deploy to the area to replace the Israeli forces. Hezbollah is designated a terrorist organization by the United States and its military wing is blacklisted by the European Union. The cease-fire was overwhelmingly approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet, Netanyahu’s office said on November 26, marking a major development toward peace between Israel and Hezbollah militants. The move was immediately welcomed by U.S. President Joe Biden, who said it represents a fresh start for Lebanon and shows that peace is possible after nearly 14 months of cross-border fighting that forced tens of thousands of Israelis to flee and killed thousands of Lebanese. Netanyahu’s office said the plan was approved by a 10-1 margin. Earlier, Netanyahu defended the cease-fire agreement as he recommended his security cabinet adopt the plan, vowing to strike Hezbollah hard if it violates the deal. In the hours leading up to the meeting, Israel carried out its most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs and issued a record number of evacuation warnings, while Hezbollah said it launched drones toward Israel amid cross-border fire. In a televised address, Netanyahu did not say how long the truce would last but noted that the length of the cease-fire "depends on what happens in Lebanon." He added: "If Hezbollah violates the agreement and attempts to rearm, we will strike. If they try to renew terror activities near the border, we will strike. If they launch a rocket, dig a tunnel, or bring in a truck with missiles, we will strike." The cease-fire marks the first major step toward ending the violence triggered by the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, by Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. However, the truce will not apply directly to Israel's ongoing war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Shortly after the cease-fire took effect, Hamas said it was also "ready" for a truce. Earlier, Netanyahu said on November 26 that Israel would now focus its efforts on Hamas and releasing the hostages seized by the militants on October 7. "From Day 2 of the war, Hamas was counting on Hezbollah to fight by its side. With Hezbollah out of the picture, Hamas is left on its own," he said. "We will increase our pressure on Hamas and that will help us in our sacred mission of releasing our hostages." Biden said that Israel reserved the right to resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce. "This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities," Biden said at the White House shortly after Netanyahu announced the security cabinet approval of the truce. If any party breaks the terms of the deal, "Israel retains the right to self-defense." He said that over the next 60 days civilians on both sides will be able to safely return to their own communities. The deal requires Israeli troops to withdraw from south Lebanon and Lebanon's army to deploy some 5,000 troops in the region, while Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the border south of the Litani River. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the cease-fire and said it was a "fundamental step towards establishing calm and stability in Lebanon." The war has killed at least 3,799 people in Lebanon since October 2023, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. On the Israeli side, the hostilities have killed at least 82 soldiers and 47 civilians, authorities say. The war in Lebanon escalated after nearly a year of limited cross-border exchanges of fire initiated by Hezbollah. Separately, Syria's Defense Ministry said six people were killed in Israeli strikes on border crossings with Lebanon just after midnight on November 27, hours before the cease-fire took effect. Yemen's Huthi rebels have attacked international shipping and fired on U.S. naval forces in the Red Sea for over a year. The Huthis' missile and drone attacks have disrupted a key global trade route and triggered retaliatory strikes by the United States and Britain. Now, U.S. media reports suggest that Russia has been helping the rebels pick their targets -- most of them commercial ships owned or operated by Western companies or vessels heading to or coming from Israel. Experts say Russia is expanding its cooperation with the Huthis, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization that is backed by Iran, including by sharing intelligence. Moscow could even supply the Huthis with advanced arms in response to Washington loosening restrictions on Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied weapons. "It sends a message to the United States that Russia could make life very painful if it wants to, and it's a not-so-veiled threat that could be construed as retaliation for Washington's assistance to Ukraine," said Colin Clarke, director of policy and research at the New York-based Soufan Group intelligence consultancy. Enemy Of My Enemy The Huthis have said their attacks on Western and Israeli targets in the Red Sea are in response to Israel's devastating yearlong war in the Gaza Strip. The rebels have vowed to continue their attacks, which include direct missile and drone attacks on Israel, until a cease-fire is reached in the Palestinian enclave. The Gaza war has pitted Israel against Iran's so-called axis of resistance, a loose network of state and nonstate actors that include the Huthis, Hamas, Hezbollah, and Shi'ite militias in Iraq and Syria. Experts say Russia's support for the Huthis aligns with the Kremlin's narratives about opposing the West and empowering anti-Western armed groups globally. "The Kremlin is interested in having friends who can test the nerves of Moscow's enemies in the Red Sea or anywhere in the Middle East," Ruslan Suleymanov, an academic and oriental studies expert, told Current Time. He added Russia also wants to be seen supporting any group that "stands up to the West." U.S. media reports and intelligence in recent months suggest that Russia is providing intelligence , including satellite data, to the Huthis to attack commercial ships in the Red Sea. Since July, reports have said the Kremlin even threatened to transfer anti-ship missiles to the Huthis, but that the United States and Saudi Arabia dissuaded Russia . Experts say that could change after Washington on November 17 reportedly allowed Ukraine to use longer-range U.S. Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to strike inside Russia. "The Russian consideration of arming the Huthis has been directly related to what [Russian President] Vladimir Putin perceives as U.S. escalation against Russia in progressively loosening restrictions on Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied weaponry," said Kenneth Katzman, former senior Middle East analyst for the U.S. Congress. In addition to disrupting shipping in the Red Sea, Russia is reportedly using the Huthis to recruit fighters from Yemen to join the war against Ukraine. Moscow is also ensuring that Russian ships can safely transit the Red Sea. The Huthis have wrested control of Yemen's northwest and Red Sea coastline since the country's devastating civil war erupted in 2014. Boon For The Huthis Experts say the Huthis stand to gain by expanding their relations with Russia. Clarke of the Soufan Group said Russian intelligence helped the rebels more accurately target Western vessels in the Red Sea. It also shows that the Huthis are not an "uncontrollable gang of terrorists," he said. "On the contrary, they are a rational actor, a highly capable organization that is becoming an even bigger player in the Middle East and doing so through asymmetric means," Clarke added. Iran is the Huthis' main military backer, supplying them with weapons technology and missile components, according to U.S. intelligence. Experts say the rebels would benefit significantly from Russian missile technology, which Katzman said was "far more precise and effective" than the arms provided by Tehran. This could lessen the group's dependence on Iran, an ally of Russia. "The Russian weaponry might even enable the Huthis to successfully strike U.S. and coalition warships, which could escalate the Red Sea conflict enormously, were the Huthis to actually strike a U.S. naval vessel," Katzman said. The United Arab Emirates on November 25 disclosed the names of three suspects detained in the killing of a 28-year-old Israeli-Moldovan ultra-Orthodox rabbi saying they were Uzbek nationals. The suspects were arrested a day earlier after the body of Zvi Kogan, who ran a Kosher grocery store in Dubai and was also a representative of the Orthodox Jewish group Chabad, was discovered by security services. U.A.E. authorities identified the suspects as Mahmudjon Abdurahim, 28, Olimboi Tohirovich, 28, and Azizbek Kamilovich, 33, apparently giving patronymic names of the last two men instead their last names. They did not say if official charges have been filed against the suspects. "Hate has no place in our world. Our thoughts are with his family, the Jewish community, and all who grieve. We are in contact with Israel and the U.A.E.," Moldovan President Maia Sandu said in a statement . Kogan had been reported missing on November 22. His body was found later in the city of Al Ain. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the killing of Kogan, calling it a "heinous anti-Semitic terrorist act." While Israeli officials have not publicly accused archrival Iran for the deadly attack, analysts noted that Tehran has been threatening retaliation against Israel for recent air strikes it carried out on Iranian soil after Iran launched a missile attack against Israel. Tehran has denied any involvement in the murder of Kogan. The Muslim-majority Gulf state with an overwhelmingly expatriate population prides itself on its safety, stability, and religious tolerance. The Chabad Hasidic movement is known for its outreach efforts worldwide. The U.A.E. normalized relations with Israel in 2020 alongside Bahrain and Morocco in a series of U.S.-brokered agreements known as the Abraham Accords. There is no figure for the number of Jews in the U.A.E., but an Israeli official has told AFP there were about 2,000 Israelis in the Gulf country, with the Jewish community estimated to be up to twice that figure. The White House also condemned the killing on November 24. "This was a horrific crime against all those who stand for peace, tolerance, and coexistence. It was an assault as well on U.A.E. and its rejection of violent extremism across the board," the White House said in a statement on November 24. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes against humanity during the conflict in Gaza are "not enough." Khamenei told a gathering of the Basij volunteer corps on November 25 that the two Israeli leaders should face the death penalty. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan issued the warrant and judges said there were "reasonable grounds" to believe Netanyahu and Gallant "intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival" as part of a "widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Gaza." Israel has called the warrants "absurd." The current war in the Gaza Strip was sparked by an attack on Israel by Iran-backed Hamas, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the EU. Some 1,200 people died in the attack, with around 240 more taken hostage back to Gaza. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here . Authorities in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) on November 24 said three suspects have been arrested in the killing of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi in an assault that Israel called an anti-Semitic "terrorist attack." The victim, who was reported missing on November 22, was identified as Zvi Kogan, who worked in the U.A.E. for the Orthodox Jewish group Chabad, which supports Jewish visitors and residents in the country. His body was found in the city of Al Ain near the Omani border, but it was not clear where he had been killed. The U.A.E. Interior Ministry did not provide further details on the suspects held in the matter. It's not clear if Benjamin Netanyahu will ever face prosecution after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. But even if he never appears before The Hague, the charges and the stigma they carry promise to dog the embattled Israeli prime minister. Netanyahu has defended himself against the charges related to Israel's ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, and Israel does not recognize the Netherlands-based court's jurisdiction. But there is no question that carrying out his duties as prime minister just became more difficult for Netanyahu. Bound By Rome Anthony Dworkin, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told RFE/RL that while Israel is not a party to the Rome Statute that established the ICC, "there are 124 countries around the world that are." Those states now "all have a legal obligation to arrest Netanyahu" if he enters their territory, Dworkin said, and that is going to impose "far-reaching limitations on the countries that he'll be able to go to." As precedent, Dworkin pointed to the complications Russian President Vladimir Putin has encountered since the ICC issued an arrest warrant against him in March 2023 related to alleged war crimes against Ukraine. "He's had to change his travel plans pretty significantly," Dworkin said, singling out what was called a mutual decision for him not to attend the BRICS summit in South Africa in July 2023. This September, ICC member Mongolia faced immense pressure to arrest Putin upon his arrival for a visit. It failed to heed the calls, in a move that was seen as exposing the limits of the court responsible for prosecuting individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression. The ICC announcement on November 21 came six months after the court's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, first announced he was seeking warrants not only against Netanyahu, but against former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Muhammad Deif, a military commander of the U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist group Hamas whom Israel claimed in July to have killed. Deif is accused of crimes connected to Hamas's assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, that killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Netanyahu and Gallant are charged in relation to Israel's retaliatory invasion of Gaza, where more than 43,000 people have been killed, according to Palestinian officials. Rejecting Israel's challenges to the charges on November 21, the ICC announced that it was issuing warrants against all three, working from the assumption that Deif may still be alive. Depending On Cooperation The ICC has no powers to enforce its warrant accusing Netanyahu of criminal responsibility for war crimes, including starvation as a method of warfare, and crimes against humanity including "murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.” Relying on cooperation, Khan has urged all the court's member states to act on the warrants and for nonmembers to work toward "upholding international law." Among the latter would be the United States, a key Israeli ally that does not recognize the ICC's jurisdiction over this matter and which "fundamentally" rejected the court's decision to issue the warrant. All European Union states are ICC members, however. Dworkin noted that "European countries have been quite divided" in responding to Israel's actions in the Palestinian enclave, most of which is in ruins after a year of relentless Israeli air and ground operations. "Some countries have been increasingly critical of Israel's actions," Dworkin said, while "other countries have tried to walk more of a middle path, criticizing some aspects but broadly supporting Israel." Now, even a vocal Israel supporter like Germany will have to weigh its support with its commitments to the rule of law. "We will see a difference in the way that countries look at him, talk about him, and so on," Dworkin said. Israel has already canceled a visit next week by Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp following his assurances that the Netherlands would uphold the ICC warrants. France has said it supports ICC prosecutor Khan's actions, and Italy has said it would have to arrest Netanyahu if he arrived in the country. The Outliers At the same time, the ruling could have some unintended ramifications. Viktor Orban -- the prime minister of EU-member Hungary who is often at odds with Brussels on hot-button topics such as relations with Putin -- has already positioned itself as an outlier. On November 22, Orban accused the ICC of “interfering in an ongoing conflict for political purposes” and said that its warrant against Netanyahu undermined international law. Orban said he would defy the warrant by inviting Netanyahu to Hungary. The ICC could also face more backlash in the United States from the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, who has cast himself as a greater ally to Israel than outgoing President Joe Biden. Trump's nominee to serve as his national security adviser, Republican congressman Mike Waltz, on November 21 warned that "you can expect a strong response to the anti-Semitic bias of the ICC" when Trump takes office on January 20. Netanyahu's office, too, has denounced the ICC's decision to issue the warrants as "anti-Semitic," and some observers say Netanyahu could ride such sentiment to get a political boost at home. Support for Netanyahu and his right-wing government fell sharply following the October 7 attack, but has recently improved, according to opinion polls. "There's universal condemnation across the political spectrum in Israel, so it doesn't hurt him domestically at all," Khaled Elgindy, an analyst at the Middle East Institute in Washington, told RFE/RL. "Maybe [it] helps him a little bit, because people will rally around the flag." Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has invited his Israeli counterpart to visit Hungary, defying an arrest warrant for issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Benjamin Netanyahu that other European states say they will honor. Orban, speaking during his regular weekly interview with Hungarian state radio, said on November 22 that the ICC's decision a day earlier to issue the warrant accusing Netanyahu of "crimes against humanity and war crimes" committed during the war in Gaza was "outrageously brazen" and "cynical." The ICC issued similar arrest warrants for former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and a Hamas military leader who Israel claims to have killed but whose death the U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist group has not officially acknowledged. The ICC said Netanyahu and Gallant were suspected of using "starvation as a method of warfare" by restricting humanitarian aid while targeting civilians in Israel's war in Gaza -- charges Israeli officials deny. Orban said the ICC move against Netanyahu "intervenes in an ongoing conflict...dressed up as a legal decision, but in fact for political purposes." "Later today, I will invite the Israeli prime minister, Mr. Netanyahu, to visit Hungary, where I will guarantee him, if he comes, that the judgment of the ICC will have no effect in Hungary, and that we will not follow its terms," he added. "There is no choice here, we have to defy this decision," Orban said. Shortly after the ICC decision was announced, the European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said ICC decisions "are binding on all states party to the Rome Statute, which includes all EU member states." However, the EU's most powerful members, Germany and France, on November 22 reacted with restraint to the ICC warrants. A spokesman said the German government will refrain from any moves until a visit to Germany by Netanyahu is planned. "I find it hard to imagine that we would make arrests on this basis," Steffen Hebestreit said on November 22, adding that legal questions had to be clarified about the warrant. In Paris, Foreign Ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine only said that France acknowledged the ICC's move and voiced its support for the ICC's independence. "France takes note of this decision. True to its long-standing commitment to supporting international justice, it reiterates its attachment to the independent work of the court, in accordance with the Rome Statute," Lemoine said. Hungary, a NATO and European Union member state, has signed and ratified the 1999 document. However, it has not published the statute's associated convention and therefore argues that it is not bound to comply with ICC decisions. Netanyahu on November 22 thanked Orban for his show of "moral clarity." "Faced with the shameful weakness of those who stood by the outrageous decision against the right of the State of Israel to defend itself, Hungary" is "standing by the side of justice and truth," Netanyahu said in a statement. A right-wing nationalist in power since 2010, Orban has maintained close relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has voiced opposition to the EU's sanctions imposed on Moscow after its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Orban has previously said that Hungary would not arrest Putin either, despite the ICC arrest warrant issued on the Russian leader's name for war crimes for his role in deporting Ukrainian children. Furthermore, he flew to Moscow in July immediately after Hungary took over the EU's rotating six-month presidency to meet with Putin, in defiance of the fellow members of the bloc. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Muhammad Deif, a military commander in the Iran-backed group Hamas, alleging they committed crimes against humanity in the ongoing Gaza war. All three are accused of committing war crimes connected to the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas, an EU- and U.S-designated terrorist organization that is part of Tehran's network of proxies in the Middle East, and Israel's subsequent military intervention in the Gaza Strip. Iran's backing of Hamas and Hezbollah, another Iran-supported militant group and political party that controls much of the southern part of Israel's neighbor, Lebanon, has sparked fears that the war in the Gaza Strip will engulf the Middle East. Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollah’s political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament. The court said the warrants had been classified as "secret" to protect witnesses and to safeguard the conduct of the investigations. Israel, which claims it killed Deif in July, blasted the move as "a dark moment for the ICC." Hamas, which has never officially acknowledged Deif's death, called the warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant an "important step toward justice." The ICC said it had issued the arrest warrant for Deif as the prosecutor had not been able to determine whether he was dead. His warrant shows charges of mass killings during the October 7 attack on Israel that left some 1,200 dead, as well as charges of rape and the taking of around 240 hostages in the attack. "The Chamber considered that there are reasonable grounds to believe that both [Israeli] individuals intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity, from at least 8 October 2023 to 20 May 2024," the ICC said in a statement . "This finding is based on the role of Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant in impeding humanitarian aid in violation of international humanitarian law and their failure to facilitate relief by all means at its disposal," it said. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar called the move against Netanyahu and Gallant "absurd" in a post on X, saying it was an attack of Israel's right to self-defense. "A dark moment for the ICC in The Hague, in which it lost all legitimacy for its existence and activity," Sa'ar said. Tehran has yet to comment publicly on the warrants. Neither the United States nor Israel have recognized the ICC's jurisdiction. A U.S. National Security Council spokesperson said Washington "fundamentally rejects" the issuance of the arrest warrants and "the troubling process errors that led to this decision. Meanwhile, the EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said in a post on X that ICC decisions "are binding on all states party to the Rome Statute, which includes all EU Member States." The court said Israel's acceptance of the court's jurisdiction was not required. However, the court itself has no law enforcement levers to enforce warrants and relies on cooperation from its member states. The general chief of staff of Saudi Arabia's armed forces, Fayyad al-Ruwaili, met his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Baqeri, in Tehran during a rare visit on November 10. Iran's official IRNA news agency said they discussed the development of defense diplomacy and bilateral cooperation without offering any details. Iranian media said Baqeri had discussed regional developments and defense cooperation with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman al-Saud last year. Ruwaili is only the second high-profile Saudi official to travel to Tehran since Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to restore diplomatic relations after seven years following Chinese-brokered talks in March 2023. Previously, Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan visited Iran in June 2023. Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia severed ties with Shi'a-dominated Iran in 2016 after its diplomatic compounds in Tehran and Mashhad were attacked by protesters over Riyadh's execution of Shi'ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr. The trip comes days after the election of Donald Trump, whose second term as U.S. president begins in January. He has pledged to bring peace to the Middle East, where U.S. ally Israel is engaged in wars against Iranian-backed groups in Gaza and Lebanon. Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said the timing of the trip was significant because it comes as various countries are preparing for a second Trump presidency. He said the Saudis' decision to send their top military official to Tehran "is a signal that they are committed" to the detente process that started last year and that "they don't want Trump's election to jeopardize the recently improving relations with Iran." Separately, Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman on the phone and discussed expanding bilateral relations, according to Pezeshkian's office. Trump had good relations with Persian Gulf Arab states in his first tenure in office and worked on normalizing relations between Arab states and Iran's archfoe, Israel. Saudi Arabia has not normalized relations with Israel but Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is said to have discussed the possibility of normalization with Saudi Arabia since 2021. In another sign of warming relations, Saudi Arabia announced last month that it held military drills with Iran in the Sea of Oman. Israel sent several chartered planes to Amsterdam to bring back Israeli soccer fans after they were attacked following a match on November 7 by what Mayor Femke Halsema described as "anti-Semitic hit-and-run squads." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the incidents "anti-Semitic attacks" as his office announced that the Israeli airlines El Al and Israir have set up special flights for free on November 8 and 9 to do the job. El Al said it was sending six planes to bring the fans home, and Israeli airport authorities said later on November 8 that the first plane had landed. Amsterdam police said that 62 people were detained following the violence, with 10 in custody on November 8 in connection with the clashes -- which left five people hospitalized -- in the center of Amsterdam between young locals and Israeli supporters who had come to watch Maccabi Tel Aviv's game against Ajax Amsterdam in the Europa League competition. "This is a very dark moment for the city, for which I am deeply ashamed," Halsema told a news conference. "Anti-Semitic criminals attacked and assaulted visitors to our city, in hit-and-run actions," she said. Dutch authorities said there was no concrete threat to Israeli soccer fans before the game and that it was not clear how or precisely when the violence began. Peter Holla, the city's acting police chief, told a news conference that the Israeli fans were "willfully attacked." U.S. President Joe Biden condemned "anti-Semitic" violence against Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam, calling the attacks "despicable" throwbacks to dark moments in history. "The anti-Semitic attacks on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam are despicable and echo dark moments in history when Jews were persecuted," Biden said on X. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and other world leader joined Biden in condemning the violence. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attacks as "vile" and said she discussed them with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof. "Outraged by last night's vile attacks targeting Israeli citizens in Amsterdam," von der Leyen said in a post on X. "I strongly condemn these unacceptable acts. Antisemitism has absolutely no place in Europe. And we are determined to fight all forms of hatred." Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar flew to Amsterdam for impromptu meetings with the Dutch government and far-right leader Geert Wilders, and Amsterdam banned demonstrations for three days. Police said fans had left the stadium on November 7 without incident after the game was won 5-0 by Ajax, but various clashes in the city center were reported during the night. Video posted online also purported to show Israeli fans chanting anti-Arab slogans in the streets ahead of the game. Maccabi fans are known to have used similar chants in Israel at recent matches there. Earlier, a pro-Palestinian protest against Maccabi's visit scheduled to take place near the stadium was banned by Dutch authorities for security reasons amid rising tensions in the Middle East. Anti-Israeli protests have been held in various parts of the world, including in Western Europe amid Israel's war in the Gaza Strip against Iran-backed Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist group by the United States and the EU, following the group's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed some 1,200 people. The conflict has spilled outside of Gaza and into southern Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah -- designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollah’s political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament. Schoof said he was "horrified" by the incidents. which he called "completely unacceptable." He said he told Netanyahu that those who are guilty would be "identified and prosecuted." Netanyahu told Schoof that he "views the premeditated anti-Semitic attack against Israeli citizens with the utmost seriousness and requested increased security for the Jewish community in the Netherlands," the Israeli prime minister's office said. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he had talked to Dutch King Willem-Alexander on the phone, who had voiced "deep horror and shock over the criminal acts committed." The Israeli Embassy in the United States said on X that "hundreds" of Maccabi fans were "ambushed and attacked in Amsterdam tonight as they left the stadium following a game against Ajax." "The mob who targeted these innocent Israelis has proudly shared their violent acts on social media," the embassy said in its message accompanied by a video of violent clashes in the city. Israel also said it had banned members of its military from traveling to the Netherlands.ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan gave athletic director Warde Manuel a five-year contract extension Thursday on the heels of the Wolverines' upset over rival Ohio State and a strong start to the basketball season. Manuel, who has held the position since 2016, signed through June 30, 2030, the school announced. Manuel is also chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee. “During Warde’s tenure as director, Athletics has put a structure in place where our student-athletes compete for Big Ten and national championships, excel in the classroom, and proudly graduate with their University of Michigan degrees,” university President Santa J. Ono said in the announcement. Michigan had a disappointing football season, finishing 7-5 (5-4 Big Ten), but a 13-10 win over then-No. 2 Ohio State took some pressure off of the program. The Buckeyes were favored by 21 points, the widest point spread for the rivalry since 1978, according to ESPN Stats and Info. The Wolverines won the national championship last year in their final season led by coach Jim Harbaugh, whose tenure at the school involved multiple NCAA investigations for recruiting and sign-stealing allegations. Manuel supported Harbaugh through those processes. In basketball, the women's team made its season debut (No. 23) in the AP Top 25 this week. The men are 7-1 a season after firing coach Juwan Howard, who lost a school-record 24 games in 2023-24 as Michigan plummeted to a last-place finish in the Big Ten for the first time since 1967. Michigan has won 52 Big Ten championships since 2020. “Every day, I am thankful to work at this great institution and to represent Michigan Athletics," Manuel said in a statement. "I especially want to thank the student-athletes, coaches and staff who compete for each of our teams and who have helped us achieve unparalleled success athletically and academically. I am excited to continue giving back to a university that has provided me with so much over my career.” 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-footballThe holiday season isn't prime time for the housing market. Fewer people buy and sell homes in the winter months, leading to a decline in home loan applications. Furthermore, mortgage rates have reached their highest levels in weeks. Following the Federal Reserve's third interest rate cut at its December policy meeting, the average 30-year fixed rate jumped back up to its November high of around 7%. Though the Fed influences the direction of overall borrowing rates, it doesn't directly control the mortgage market . Mortgage rates are driven by investor expectations and move with the yield on the 10-year Treasury, with numerous factors affecting the bond market. For mortgage rates to reverse their upward trend, bond market investors would have to be convinced that the economy is cooling. Until there's proof that inflation is easing and the job market is softening, mortgage rates will stay elevated in the near term. The Fed is projecting a slower pace of rate cuts over the course of 2025 , which will likely keep average rates somewhat volatile, fluctuating between 5.75% on the low end and 7.25% on the high end, according to HousingWire's 2025 forecast . Read more : 2025 Mortgage Rate Forecast Why are mortgage rates higher after the Fed's rate cut? The recent surge in longer-term Treasury yields and home loan rates was due in large part to the Fed's newly updated Summary of Economic Projections , outlining expectations for just two 0.25% interest rate cuts in 2025, down from four previously. To maintain maximum employment and contain inflation, the Fed assesses economic data to determine whether to raise or lower its benchmark short-term interest rate. Investors care about the Fed's future outlook for rate adjustments because it determines their trading strategy and risk assessment. This month, markets heavily weighed Fed Chair Jerome Powell's concerns about inflation reigniting and President-elect Donald Trump's tax and tariff proposals . Powell conveyed a more conservative tone about future policy changes: "When the path is uncertain, you go a little bit slower." Taking cues from "a more hawkish Fed," prices in the bond and stock market quickly plunged, according to Matt Graham of Mortgage News Daily. Hawkish monetary policy tends to be more restrictive, relying on higher interest rates to keep inflation in check. Though the Fed pivoted to cutting interest rates back in September, it's wary of easing them too quickly only to see progress on inflation stall or reverse course entirely. Experts say the Fed is likely to hold off on additional reductions until March or even later. Where are mortgage rates going in 2025? Although experts optimistically predicted rates would fall close to 6% by the end of 2024, projections have changed significantly. Fannie Mae now expects average 30-year fixed mortgage rates to hold above 6.5% until early 2025. "If the Fed does end up only cutting twice next year, it's possible mortgage rates will stay pretty similar to where they are now," said Chen Zhao , head of economic research at Redfin. Aside from the normal day-to-day volatility, mortgage rates will stay above 6% for a while. That may seem high compared with the recent 2% rates of the pandemic era. But experts say getting below 3% on a 30-year fixed mortgage is unlikely without a severe economic downturn. Since the 1970s, the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage has been around 7%. Given a new administration, changes in the geopolitical outlook and a risk of inflation rebounding, forecasts could change again over the coming months. Future rate movement depends on an array of factors, including: Trump's economic policies: Trump's proposals for tax cuts and tariffs are a big wild card for mortgage rates. Experts say such moves could stimulate demand, increase deficits and push inflation back up. That could prompt the Fed to delay future rate reductions, which in turn would keep home loan rates high. 10-year Treasury yields: Average 30-year fixed mortgage rates closely track bond yields, specifically 10-year Treasury yields. If inflation and labor data continues to be strong, bond yields and mortgage rates will go up. The opposite will happen if unemployment rises or inflation cools and the Fed continues cutting rates. Geopolitical situations: Mortgage rates are also impacted by geopolitical events, including military conflicts and elections. Political instability can lead to economic uncertainty, which can result in more volatility with bond yields and mortgage rates. Potential curveballs: Bond investors often act in anticipation of what they believe will happen in the economy. For example, if the expectation is for unemployment to increase, bond yields and mortgage rates will fall. But if the outcome doesn't match market expectations, yields can quickly swing higher or lower. Other unknowns: Though Trump's policies have led to expectations of higher inflation and budget deficits, there's still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the timing and substance of economic changes. Campaign promises rarely mirror the policies that end up being implemented, and it's impossible for investors to predict how big the gap between the two will be. What else is happening in the housing market? Today's unaffordable housing market results from high mortgage rates, a long-standing housing shortage , expensive home prices and a loss of purchasing power due to inflation. 🏠 Low housing inventory : A balanced housing market typically has five to six months of supply. Most markets today average around half that amount. Although we saw a surge in new construction in 2022, according to Zillow , we still have a shortage of around 4.5 million homes. 🏠 Elevated mortgage rates : At the start of 2022, mortgage rates were near historic lows of around 3%. As inflation surged and the Fed began hiking interest rates to tame it, mortgage rates roughly doubled within a year. In 2024, mortgage rates are still high, effectively pricing millions of prospective buyers out of the housing market. That's caused home sales to slow , even during typically busy home-buying months, like the spring and early summer. 🏠 Rate-lock effect : Since the majority of homeowners are locked into mortgage rates below 6%, with some as low as 2% and 3%, they're reluctant to sell their current homes since it would mean buying a new home with a significantly higher mortgage rate. Until mortgage rates fall below 6%, homeowners have little incentive to list their homes for sale, leaving a dearth of resale inventory. 🏠 High home prices : Although home buying demand has been limited in recent years, home prices remain high because of a lack of inventory. The median US home price was $434,568 in September, up 5.1% on an annual basis, according to Redfin. 🏠 Steep inflation : Inflation increases the cost of basic goods and services, reducing our purchasing power. It also impacts mortgage rates: When inflation is high, lenders typically set interest rates on consumer loans to compensate for the loss of purchasing power and ensure a profit. Should you wait or buy now? It's never a good idea to rush into buying a home without knowing what you can afford, so establish a clear homebuying budget. Here's what experts recommend before purchasing a home: 💰 Build your credit score . Your credit score is one of the main factors lenders consider when determining whether you qualify for a mortgage and at what interest rate. Working toward a credit score of 740 or higher will help you qualify for a lower rate. 💰 Save for a bigger down payment . A larger down payment will allow you to take out a smaller mortgage and get a lower interest rate from your lender. If you can afford it, making a down payment of at least 20% will also eliminate the need for private mortgage insurance. 💰 Shop around for mortgage lenders . Comparing loan offers from multiple mortgage lenders can help you negotiate a better rate . Experts recommend you get at least two to three loan estimates from different lenders before making a decision. 💰 Consider the rent vs. buy equation . Choosing to rent or buy a home isn't just comparing monthly rent to a mortgage payment. Renting offers flexibility and lower upfront costs, but buying allows you to build wealth and have more control over your housing costs. The best choice depends on your finances, lifestyle and how long you plan to stay in one place. 💰 Consider mortgage points . One way to get a lower mortgage rate is to buy it down using mortgage points . One mortgage point equals a 0.25% decrease in your mortgage rate. Generally, each point will cost 1% of the total loan amount. More on today's housing market

Writer-director Marielle Heller has a gift for making familiar emotions, characters, and situations feel fresh. Whether she’s dealing with a type as well known as the embittered failed writer (Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? ) or an icon as universal as Mr. Rogers (Tom Hanks in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood ), her movies lend them additional dimension and nuance. That’s true of her new dark-comedy sort-of-a-werewolf-film Nightbitch as well. Here, the lead character is so subsumed into her new-parent identity that she’s never even named: Mother (Amy Adams) is a former artist now working as a stay-at-home mom in the suburbs because Husband (Scoot McNairy) has the more consistent, higher-paying job. For a while, it seems like Heller will bring her attentive eye to detail to this well-worn setup, even when Nightbitch appears to be leaning toward obvious tropes. Early on, the film establishes a running motif based around a fairly hoary comic concept: that editing trick where it appears a character has said or done something genuinely provocative, upending social order in response to another person’s dumb question or galling action... until a cut back in time reveals that she was only imagining that cathartic action, and she actually responds meekly or politely, keeping her true feelings bottled inside. In theory, that’s hacky stuff. But Heller holds the camera on Adams in these moments — in her imagined honesty and her deflated real-world lack of it. And what lingers afterward isn’t necessarily frustration that Mother hasn’t told anyone off. Instead, it’s a pervasive feeling of loneliness. A sitcom-level gag becomes, on Adams’ face, an ineffable feeling of loss. That articulation of disappointment is exactly what many full-time parents feel they must lose in order to get through the day. Nightbitch gets plenty of other things right about the messiness of motherhood and the sometimes-conflicting primal instincts that accompany it. For example, Mother’s toddler actually behaves like a real 2-year-old. This may sound like a minor concern, but most movies throw up their hands at the prospect of distinguishing between kids between the ages of 0 and 6. Heller, by contrast, takes care to capture the beautiful, maddening strangeness of a toddler. There’s a small moment when Mother carries her child into a library for storytime, and the kid semi-nonsensically murmurs “They can’t stop us” about the woman at the desk. If this isn’t a real toddler’s ad-lib, it sure sounds like one, and Heller smartly leaves it in the movie. The film, based on Rachel Yoder’s 2021 novel of the same name, isn’t purely observational, however. When Mother is left even more on her own by Husband’s business trips (and his general fecklessness), she starts feeling a transformation into a more instinctive, animalistic version of herself. Eating in public, she wolfs down her food with utensils-free abandon, and encourages her young son to do the same, regardless of the gawking they receive. She notices hairs growing in odd places, initially assuming it’s just one more post-pregnancy indignity. At the park, she discovers a newfound kinship with roving, seemingly ownerless dogs. Eventually, she’s running with them at night. Yes, Nightbitch is a werewolf story — sort of. Whether trying to keep the story grounded or Mother’s transformation ambiguous (does she literally shape-shift, or just tap into primal urges?), Heller treats the story’s body-horror elements gingerly, cautiously. She also has the misfortune to do so just months after moviegoers fell in love with the unapologetic wildness of The Substance . That movie similarly illustrates something many people already understood about the female experience: Women are valued and commodified for their bodies, then heartlessly discarded when they show normal human signs of aging. The thrills in The Substance come from the zeal writer-director Coralie Fargeat poured into her ideas, physicalizing them into memorable grotesquerie. For all Heller’s scrupulous dedication to the realities of parenthood — Mother’s worn body, the inevitable imbalances, the absolute rage with no easy target — she doesn’t seem interested in going for broke in the same way, particularly around her central conceit. Obviously, Heller’s movie has no formal connection to The Substance , was completed before The Substance was released, and aims for a completely different tone. It’s not that Nightbitch cries out to be remodeled as an arch, gory, knowingly broad satire crammed with body horror. But the movie tantalizingly promises weirdness growing from within, then wilts into domestic melodrama. The female dog, with its name claimed as a common slur and its combination of wildness and domestication, has a lot of metaphorical potential. So why does Heller insist on shoving all that to one side to focus on marital problems and possible reconciliations that both emerge too easily? Nightbitch ’s final half hour or so is especially baffling. After concluding that there are no easy solutions to the push-pull between a mother’s parenting instincts and her autonomy, the movie proceeds to make up a bunch of them anyway, with a decisiveness that I fear is supposed to read as empowering. That’s especially disappointing given Amy Adams’ fiercely committed, vanity-free performance as Mother. Alternately playing with and against her image as an essentially sunny, optimistic throwback star, she’s the perfect performer to embody the contradictions of motherhood: utterly warm and dedicated to her son, yet pointedly and productively lacking the righteousness of a true believer. She’s too hyper-aware of what she’s lost by focusing on parenthood. Unfortunately, the movie seems to think that stranding Adams in the movie will cleverly evoke Mother’s loneliness, meaning that McNairy and the rest of the supporting cast (Zoë Chao, Mary Holland, and Ella Thomas as younger fellow moms; the original 1977 Suspiria ’s Jessica Harper as a librarian) are given nothing roles. Nightbitch has an ample supply of sharp observations, but it retracts its claws too soon and too easily. It becomes a text on self-help — something The Substance clearly, and thrillingly, portrays as out of reach. Nightbitch debuts in theaters on Dec. 6. Entertainment Horror Movies Reviews

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Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel gets 5-year contract extension

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Nationally prominent investors from television's “Shark Tank” vetted pitches from local entrepreneurs based at Florida Atlantic University in a live competition for financial backing at the school's Boca Raton campus.Kathmandu, Nov 23: The Group of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), including Nepal have expressed reservation over the draft of climate finance provisions unveiled in the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG). The dissatisfaction has been articulated noting the draft unveiled in the 29th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) underway in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, did not explicitly manifest the agendas such as increasing the volume of climate finance. Though COP29 was scheduled to conclude on Friday itself, lobbying from the LDCs was still going on today since all the points of their 'agenda' have yet to be agreed upon. The Group of LDCs, G77 and China are currently pressing on rich and developed countries to implement the NCQG agenda. Chief of the Climate Management Division under the Ministry of Forest and Environment, Dr Sindhu Prasad Dhungana, who is attending the climate summit in Baku, said that some of the points unveiled regarding the NCQG were not clear. "There has been a demand from the LDCs and other Groups that the rich and developing countries should increase the size of climate finance to 250 billion annually after 2026. But, the draft of the NCQG has mentioned the timeline up to 2035. Is it going to increase after 2034? The draft does not say clearly stipulate how much money will be raised", he commented. Advocacy is constantly going on in the COP pilling pressure on the developed countries to expand the size of climate finance, Dhungana said, adding some positive results are expected by tonight. Dhungana shared that inclusion of NCQG in the COP agenda, especially mountain-based work, and the global stock-take process of reviewing efforts made to prevent climate change around the world in line with the Paris Agreement are some positive aspects of the COP29. In a press release, LDCs Group Chair Evans Njewa stated that financial support was not at the level of necessary ambition. "This undermines the current commitment of developed nations and does not reflect the ambition needed for global climate actions. Our group is disappointed to see that the draft does not reflect our hard work of three years". He went on saying that it does not take into account the issues of the most vulnerable countries, especially least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing countries (LIDS). The proposed climate finance volume is far below the requirement and does not ensure minimum funding for the LDC, and the draft does not include new targets to address climate-related damage and damage, the LDC said.(RSS)US journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared in Syria in 2012, believed to be alive: Biden

Fans of ITV's Who Wants to be a Millionaire "switched off" as they complained that a festive episode was "painful" to watch. Host Jeremy Clarkson welcomed a number of celebrity faces to the show as they tested their general knowledge skills in a bid to win up to £1 million. First up in the hot seat was English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer and television presenter, Jools Holland . However, he proved that his general knowledge skills were not as strong as his musical skills as he struggled to answered questions without help. Very early on in the game he had already used most of his lifelines, meaning that he got stuck on one of the lower amount questions. Playing for £16,000 - where he set his safety net - Jools was asked: The 'Football for Sale' investigation by the Telegraph newspaper led to the resignation of which England manager? The optional answers were Fabio Capello, Roy Hodgson, Sven-Goran Eriksson and Sam Allardyce. Working through the answers, Jools said: "Well, football isn't really my specialist subject but I remember Sven having to leave. "I don't know if it was this. So I'm going to try and go for C - because I seem to remember him having to leave. And that is my final answer." Unfortunately for Jools, Jeremy told the star guest that it was the incorrect answer as he revealed Sam Allardyce to be correct. The musician dropped his head in disappointment as he realised that he was out of the game. Consoling the star, Jeremy said: "If it makes you feel any better, I wouldn't have known that." Jools responded saying: "Oh, well that does make me feel better." He added: "Could I ask this - did anyone in the audience know that?" The audience replied with a choir of "yes". Despite the loss, Jools was leaving the ITV quiz show with £16,000 for his chosen charities - He had been playing for The Princes Trust & Caring Hands. While he secured a respectable amount for his charities, fans on social media were less than impressed. Posting to X (formerly Twitter), one user wrote: "God this is painful, it’s starting to irritate me. Switching off. #WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire." Another added: "Jools Holland proving to be detached from the real world here. #WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire," with a third saying: "A safety net at 16k Jules Holland is terrible at this game. #WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire." "I expected more of #JoolsHolland ... #whowantstobeamillionaire," one more noted while someone else shared: "Wow. It’s a good job Jools can play the piano well because he’s bloody useless at this.... #whowantstobeamillionaire."Women's Top 25 roundup: No. 23 Michigan fends off Northwestern

Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel gets 5-year contract extension