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30jili Syrian government forces have lost control of Daraa city, a war monitor said, in another stunning blow for President Bashar al-Assad's rule after rebels wrested other key cities from his grip. Daraa was dubbed "the cradle of the revolution" early in Syria's civil war, after activists accused the government of detaining and torturing a group of boys for scribbling anti-Assad graffiti on their school walls in 2011. While Aleppo and Hama, the two other main cities taken from government control in recent days, fell to an Islamist-led rebel alliance, Daraa fell to local armed groups, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. "Local factions have taken control of more areas in Daraa province, including Daraa city... they now control more than 90 percent of the province, as regime forces successively pulled out," the Britain-based Observatory said late Friday, which relies on a network of sources around Syria. Daraa province borders Jordan. Despite a truce brokered by Assad ally Russia, it has been plagued by unrest in recent years, with frequent attacks, clashes and assassinations. - Waves of violence - Syria's civil war, which began with Assad's crackdown on democracy protests, has killed more than 500,000 people and forced more than half the population to flee their homes. Never in the war had Assad's forces lost control of so many key cities in such a short space of time. Since a rebel alliance led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched its offensive on November 27, the government has lost second city Aleppo and subsequently Hama in central Syria. The rebels were on Friday at the gates of Homs, Syria's third city, as the government pulled out its troops from Deir Ezzor in the east to redeploy towards to the centre. In an interview published on Friday, the leader of HTS, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, said the aim of the offensive was to overthrow Assad. "When we talk about objectives, the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of this regime. It is our right to use all available means to achieve that goal," Jolani told CNN. HTS is rooted in the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda. Proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Western governments, it has sought to soften its image in recent years. According to Fabrice Balanche, a lecturer at France's Lumiere Lyon 2 university, HTS now controls 20,000 square kilometres (more than 7,700 square miles) of territory, nearly seven times as much as it did before the offensive started. - Sudden withdrawal - As the army and its Iran-backed militia allies pulled out of Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria, Kurdish-led forces said they crossed the Euphrates and took control of the territory that had been vacated. The Observatory said government troops and their allies withdrew "suddenly" from the east and headed towards the oasis town of Palmyra on the desert road to Homs. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, who are backed by the United States, expressed readiness for dialogue with both Turkey and the rebels, saying the offensive heralded a "new" political reality for Syria. The rebels launched their offensive the same day a ceasefire took effect in neighbouring Lebanon in the war between Israel and Hezbollah. The Lebanese militant group has been an important Assad ally, alongside Russia and Iran. Turkey, which has backed the opposition, said it would hold talks with Russia and Iran in Qatar this weekend. Ahead of the talks, the top diplomats of Iran, Iraq and Syria met in Baghdad, where Syria's Bassam al-Sabbagh accused the government's enemies of seeking to "redraw the political map". Iran's Abbas Araghchi pledged to provide Assad's government with "whatever (support) is needed". - Fear - In Homs, scene of some of the war's deadliest violence, tens of thousands of members of Assad's Alawite minority were fleeing, fearing the rebels' advance, residents and the Britain-based Observatory said. Syrians who were forced out of the country years ago by the initial crackdown on the revolt were glued to their phones as they watched current developments unfold. "We've been dreaming of this for more than a decade," said Yazan, a 39-year-old former activist who now lives in France. Asked whether he was worried about HTS's Islamist agenda, he said: "It doesn't matter to me who is conducting this. The devil himself could be behind it. What people care about is who is going to liberate the country." On the other side of the sectarian divide, Haidar, 37, who lives in an Alawite-majority neighbourhood, told AFP by telephone that "fear is the umbrella that covers Homs now". The army shelled the advancing rebels as Syrian and Russian aircraft struck from the skies. At least 20 civilians, including five children, were killed in the bombardment, the war monitor added. - 'Massive blow' - At least 826 people, mostly combatants but also including 111 civilians, have been killed since the offensive began last week, according to the Observatory's figures, while the United Nations said the violence has displaced 280,000 people. Many of the scenes witnessed in recent days would have been unimaginable earlier in the war. In Hama, an AFP photographer saw residents set fire to a giant poster of Assad on the facade of city hall. "Our joy is indescribable, and we wish this for every honourable Syrian to experience these happy moments that we have been deprived of since birth," said Hama resident Ghiath Suleiman. Online footage verified by AFP showed residents toppling a statue of Assad's father Hafez, under whose brutal rule the army carried out a massacre in the city in the 1980s. Aron Lund, a fellow of the Century International think tank, called the loss of Hama "a massive, massive blow to the Syrian government". Should Assad lose Homs, it wouldn't mean the end of his rule, Lund said, but "with no secure route from Damascus to the coast, I'd say it's over as a credible state entity". bur-ser/rscTidewater Midstream and Infrastructure Ltd. (OTCMKTS:TWMIF) Short Interest UpdateNone

Little hope in Gaza that arrest warrants will cool Israeli onslaughtVan Nistelrooy’s first game in charge ended with a 3-1 win over West Ham, thanks to goals from Jamie Vardy, Bilal El Khannouss and Patson Daka. The Dutchman, who was out of work for just two weeks following his four-game spell as Manchester United interim boss, only started on Sunday so was happy to end a hectic three days in style. “It has been very busy getting to know everyone, start working together,” he said. “Everybody was involved with that and helping, it was busy, long days, but worth it. I was focused on the game and what the game needed, the subs, the half-time talk, so focused on the moment, so I am going to get myself a little beer and reflect on the last three days.” He endured a dream start as Vardy scored after just 98 seconds with El Khannouss and Daka adding second-half goals. It was by no means one-way traffic, though, as West Ham – who scored a consolation through Niclas Fullkrug at the death – had 30 shots on goal. But Van Nistelrooy saw enough to think he can deliver on his objective of keeping the Foxes in the Premier League. “I am very happy, if you look at the result – and it is about the result – it was a great night, three points, three good goals and also very effective. Ruud at the wheel 🛞 pic.twitter.com/eVgIwWAcYw — Leicester City (@LCFC) December 3, 2024 “Overall the game of course we have seen and how dominant West Ham were at certain stages and what they created, that is a fact and something we have to look at. “Overall, what I expected of the players going forward was togetherness and hunger, energy and spirit in this team that is fighting for every inch. “Eleven players on the pitch who are fighting as a foundation to play the rest of the Premier League. I saw that completely with every single player that started and came on. “That’s the foundation we have to build on, without that it will be impossible to get where we want to go. I am very happy about that.” West Ham’s hierarchy will have seen what impact a managerial change can have as the jury remains out on Julen Lopetegui, with away fans making their feelings clear by chanting “You’re getting sacked in the morning”. Lopetegui expects to keep his job but forthcoming games against his former club Wolves, Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton could determine the Spaniard’s future. “The only thing that I am worried about is to go to training session tomorrow and stand up the players and prepare the next challenge,” he said. “We have one month of December with a lot of matches and I am sure with this attitude we are going to achieve many more points. “I believe in the players. I am confident that tomorrow we are going to be ready to prepare the next match. “Understanding the question, but at the end of the season maybe we talk in another way. There are a lot of matches and points, a lot of things can happen. “I believe in these players and team, I am sure the position is going to be much better. They are only words but we have to work a lot to achieve this.”

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When it comes to Jerry Jones, you've got to take anything he says with a grain of salt. After all, the Dallas Cowboys owner recently described the team as a 365-day soap opera and to keep the drama going, he's got a knack for dropping the right quotes at the right time. You can argue about how good he is in the football business. But there's no denying what he's capable of when it comes to shaping narratives and getting people talking. And yet... like, come on, now. He's totally running it back with Mike McCarthy, isn't he? Just check out what he had to say about the Cowboys head coach on 105.3 The Fan. "I can't tell you how proud I am of the way the coaching staff, led by Mike McCarthy, the way that the leadership on this team, and really proud of these young players," Jones said on the radio. "They just are growing mentally and physically by leaps and bounds, makes me think we've got an outstanding future ahead of us." Makes me think we've got an outstanding future ahead of us, is the key part here. The quote literally makes no sense unless McCarthy gets a contract extension ahead of the 2025 NFL season. For a coach whose team was eliminated from playoff contention before the Cowboys even played in Week 16, Jones' comments sure will make McCarthy's Christmas Eve brighter. McCarthy and Jones were caught on camera in the locker room exchanging a hug, followed by some words from the Cowboys owner. Though the audio isn't available, the interaction is visibly positive. Jerry Jones and Mike McCarthy in the locker room after tonight’s win pic.twitter.com/zPfti4P31i Chances are we won't know for sure what's ahead for McCarthy until a couple of weeks after the regular season is over. But make no mistake about it, the coach's stock is rising in the eyes of the front office. This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

THE WOODLANDS, Texas , Dec. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TETRA Technologies, Inc. ("TETRA" or the "Company") (NYSE: TTI ) today announced the commercial launch of TETRA Oasis TDS, an end-to-end water treatment and desalination technology for beneficial re-use and mineral extraction applications for oil and gas well produced water. TETRA also recently completed a commercial pilot project for the desalination of Delaware Basin produced water for a major North America oil and gas operator. The desalinated water was tested against published Texas Railroad Commission ("TRRC") standards for beneficial re-use water at both TETRA's laboratory and an independent third-party laboratory. Subsequently, the treated water was sent to a third party for Whole Effluent Toxicity ("WET") testing where it successfully passed all test parameters. WET testing is a method used to measure the combined toxic effects of all pollutants on aquatic organisms and involves exposing aquatic organisms to treated wastewater samples and observing how the organisms respond. The tests can be acute or chronic and measure different aspects of the organisms' health. WET testing is a vital component to implementing water quality standards under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System ("NPDES") permits program. Brady Murphy , TETRA's President and Chief Executive Officer said, "For several years we have been working to leverage our deep brine chemistry expertise, our US onshore water treatment resources, and our customer network and relationships to address the sizeable industry challenge surrounding treatment of oil and gas produced water for beneficial re-use purposes. By combining our existing expertise in produced water recycling for frac re-use to pre-treat the feed water for two unique membrane technologies, we have developed a high-quality, cost-effective solution. Our first field pilot program successfully treated produced water where we achieved 92% recovery rate of desalinated water with total dissolved solids levels ranging from 40 parts per million ("ppm") to 200 ppm, which are better than the average municipal drinking water standards. In our latest pilot test of more challenging Delaware Basin produced water, we are very pleased to announce that our TETRA Oasis TDS resulted in high-quality desalinated water that not only met or exceeded all customer KPIs but passed all third-party WET testing. Given the importance of WET testing standards for the regulatory agencies, we believe this is an important step for future beneficial re-use project permitting. This is a rapidly evolving market, and the need for cost effective technology to address produced water volumes continues to grow. TETRA see significant opportunity in the space and continue to engage high quality customers to address their water challenges and disposal restrictions due to seismicity events with seven NDA's in place and ongoing negotiations with others to discuss the proprietary details of our TETRA Oasis TDS." Despite U.S. land oil and gas well frac and completion activity declining throughout 2024, produced water volumes continue to increase. Rystad Energy estimates Permian Basin produced water volumes of 8.3 billion barrels in 2024, up 5% from 2023. In Rystad Energy's fourth quarter 2024 Water Management report, they estimate that a 20% reduction in Permian Basin disposal well capacity due to regulatory restrictions would result in up to 4 million barrels of produced water per day as the available market for beneficial re-use. A recent Houston Chronicle article referenced a study that the handling and treating of produced water is a $4 billion annual market opportunity in the Permian Basin, making this one of the fastest growing market opportunities in the oil and gas industry. TETRA Oasis TDS TETRA Oasis TDS is a proprietary end-to-end offering that involves a variety of processing stages starting with operator's oil and gas well produced water as feed brine for a pre-treatment step. TETRA has developed extensive experience and expertise over the past six years in the treatment and recycling of produced water for frac re-use, as demonstrated by having treated in the fourth quarter, 2024 a record peak volume of over 800,000 bbl/day. This experience has advanced TETRA's chemistry know-how in addressing a wide variability of produced water constituents, including dealing with organic compounds that would otherwise be destructive to membranes used in other industries to desalinate water. The critical pre-treatment first step is followed by the desalination stage through two technologies licensed exclusively to TETRA for oil and gas produced water applications, KMX Technologies Inc., ("KMX") Vacuum Membrane Distillation ("VMD") or Hyrec Holdings Company W.L.L. ("Hyrec") Osmotically Assisted Reverse Osmosis ("OARO"), or a combination of both. The selection of which technology or combination thereof depends, in part, on the total dissolved solids of the feed water, the end use application, and optimizing both the capital and operating costs of the process. The final stage is a post-treatment process designed to meet customer water specifications and may involve extraction of minerals, which TETRA's chemical business has been doing for many years, and potentially significantly improving the economic benefits. TETRA Oasis TDS was successfully proven in the field to deliver a water quality that achieves or exceeds regulatory requirements in a cost-effective manner for multiple beneficial re-use applications, including potential surface irrigation and industrial uses. TETRA recently completed an equity investment in KMX Technologies Inc. Details on TETRA Oasis TDS can be found on the following website link: https://onetetra.com/energy-services/water-management/produced-water-desalination/ Investor Contact For further information, please contact Elijio Serrano , CFO, TETRA Technologies, Inc. at (281) 367-1983 or via email at [email protected] . Company Overview TETRA Technologies, Inc. is an energy services and solutions company focused on developing environmentally conscious services and solutions that help make people's lives better. With operations on six continents, the Company's portfolio consists of Energy Services, Industrial Chemicals, and Critical Minerals. In addition to providing products and services to the oil and gas industry and calcium chloride for diverse applications, TETRA is expanding into the low-carbon energy market with chemistry expertise, key mineral acreage, and global infrastructure, helping to meet the demand for sustainable energy in the twenty-first century. Visit the Company's website at www.onetetra.com for more information. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements This news release includes certain statements that are deemed to be forward-looking statements. Generally, the use of words such as "may," "see," "expectation," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "projects," "anticipate," "believe," "assume," "could," "should," "plans," "targets" or similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events, activities, expectations or outcomes identify forward-looking statements that TETRA intends to be included within the safe harbor protections provided by the federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding TETRA's beliefs, expectations, plans, goals, future events and performance, and other statements that are not purely historical. These forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by TETRA in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Such statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of TETRA. Factors which may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: changes adversely affecting the business in which we are engaged; our ability to forecast trends accurately; our ability to develop efficient water treatment processes to scale and to forecast related costs and efficiencies accurately; fluctuations in our revenue and operating results; competition from existing or new competitors; future relationships between parties; risks associated with security breaches in our information technology systems; risks related to legal proceedings or claims; risks associated with changes in federal, state, or local laws; risks associated with potential costs of regulatory compliance; risks associated with changes to U.S. trade policies; and risks related to adverse changes in general economic conditions. Moreover, TETRA operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment, and new risks and uncertainties may emerge that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and, except as required by law, TETRA assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to additional risks, uncertainties, and factors, including those more fully described in TETRA's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including TETRA's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. SOURCE TETRA Technologies, Inc.Van Nistelrooy’s first game in charge ended with a 3-1 win over West Ham, thanks to goals from Jamie Vardy, Bilal El Khannouss and Patson Daka. The Dutchman, who was out of work for just two weeks following his four-game spell as Manchester United interim boss, only started on Sunday so was happy to end a hectic three days in style. “It has been very busy getting to know everyone, start working together,” he said. “Everybody was involved with that and helping, it was busy, long days, but worth it. I was focused on the game and what the game needed, the subs, the half-time talk, so focused on the moment, so I am going to get myself a little beer and reflect on the last three days.” He endured a dream start as Vardy scored after just 98 seconds with El Khannouss and Daka adding second-half goals. It was by no means one-way traffic, though, as West Ham – who scored a consolation through Niclas Fullkrug at the death – had 30 shots on goal. But Van Nistelrooy saw enough to think he can deliver on his objective of keeping the Foxes in the Premier League. “I am very happy, if you look at the result – and it is about the result – it was a great night, three points, three good goals and also very effective. Ruud at the wheel 🛞 pic.twitter.com/eVgIwWAcYw — Leicester City (@LCFC) December 3, 2024 “Overall the game of course we have seen and how dominant West Ham were at certain stages and what they created, that is a fact and something we have to look at. “Overall, what I expected of the players going forward was togetherness and hunger, energy and spirit in this team that is fighting for every inch. “Eleven players on the pitch who are fighting as a foundation to play the rest of the Premier League. I saw that completely with every single player that started and came on. “That’s the foundation we have to build on, without that it will be impossible to get where we want to go. I am very happy about that.” West Ham’s hierarchy will have seen what impact a managerial change can have as the jury remains out on Julen Lopetegui, with away fans making their feelings clear by chanting “You’re getting sacked in the morning”. Lopetegui expects to keep his job but forthcoming games against his former club Wolves, Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton could determine the Spaniard’s future. “The only thing that I am worried about is to go to training session tomorrow and stand up the players and prepare the next challenge,” he said. “We have one month of December with a lot of matches and I am sure with this attitude we are going to achieve many more points. “I believe in the players. I am confident that tomorrow we are going to be ready to prepare the next match. “Understanding the question, but at the end of the season maybe we talk in another way. There are a lot of matches and points, a lot of things can happen. “I believe in these players and team, I am sure the position is going to be much better. They are only words but we have to work a lot to achieve this.”Ultralight and Light Aircraft Market worth $17.29 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 11.2%

Stock market today: Nasdaq hits a record as Wall Street drifts ahead of Federal Reserve's meetingTwo years ago, Colorado athletic director Rick George hired Deion Sanders in an effort to bring life back to the football program. So far, it’s been an unquestioned success, to the point that national pundits often talk about Sanders being a great fit for jobs at other schools, or even the NFL. George, however, is confident Sanders will be in Boulder for a while. Two years removed from a 1-11 season, CU (9-3, 7-2 Big 12) is ranked No. 23 in the College Football Playoff Top 25, No. 20 in the Associated Press Top 25, and awaiting Sunday’s bowl selections to find out where they’ll play next. CU is 13-11 in Sanders’ two seasons. “Everybody talks about all these rumors and all these other things, and I kind of tune out that noise,” George said in an interview with BuffZone. “I know who Deion is, and I know what he represents and I believe he wants to be here for the long haul. We’ve supported all the initiatives that he’s embraced and we’ll continue to do that. My expectation is that he’ll be here and he can write some of our record books moving forward.” How long Sanders coaches in Boulder isn’t known, of course. He still has three years remaining on the five-year, $29.5-million contract he signed two years ago and there have been discussions about an extension. “Coach and I have talked about this three different times and we’ll continue to have discussions about it and that’s kind of where I’m at,” George said, while adding that Sanders doesn’t want to be distracted with contract talks until after the season. Sanders’ base and supplemental salary was $5.7 million this year and he will add $600,000 in bonuses for getting to nine regular season wins and a bowl game. Per the terms of his current deal, Sanders will receive $200,000 raises each season, which means he has $18.3 million left on his deal. Since being introduced as head coach on Dec. 4, 2022, Coach Prime has resuscitated the program. Considered the worst Power 5 conference program at the time, the Buffs improved to 4-8 a year ago (with five one-score losses) and vaulted to 9-3 this year. Led by Coach Prime’s son, Shedeur, at quarterback and dynamic cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter, the Buffs were in the race for the Big 12 title game until the final moments of the regular season last week. CU has been one of the most watched teams in the country, both on social media and on TV. And, of the 24 games CU has played under Coach Prime, 20 have been in sold-out stadiums, including 10 of 12 at Folsom Field. “I’m incredibly happy on where we are today,” George said. “We’ve got another game left, so we can still get to that 10th win, which was the high number that I thought this year that we could get to.” Adding to CU’s profile and Sanders’ coaching resume is that Hunter is the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy, while Shedeur Sanders has a shot to be invited to New York as a finalist, as well. (Finalists will be announced Monday). Yet, even with Hunter and Shedeur heading off to the NFL, George said, “I think our best days are ahead of us. “I think what excites me is the recruiting class that he just had, and getting (five-star quarterback) JuJu Lewis is a really important factor in that. There’s a lot of people to build around that I think are going to be here for a while. I like his coaching staff a lot. I like his coordinators. ... And, coach has kind of proven over two years that he can reassemble a roster and get them working together and playing together to compete for a championship.” Coach Prime has often said 2023 was about instilling hope and 2024 was about expectations. George added to that, saying, “I’m sure the third year is going to be even higher expectations on where we think we can go. ... We gotta keep his coaching staff intact and if we do that, with his leadership, I think we’ll have a really good year.” George feels the future is so bright, in fact, that me might consider extending his own time at CU. In September of 2021, he signed a five-year deal that runs through June 30, 2026. In the summer of 2023, George, 64, told BuffZone he didn’t see himself working past then. That could change, however. “I’m contemplating that,” said George, who is in his 11th school year as the Buffs’ AD. “I’m not ready to say, ‘OK, I’ll definitely be done in two years. ... Talking with the family and all that, it’s fun to win again and I like what coach is doing. We have a good relationship and he’s great to work with, so that’s a factor for sure. I think coach and I from the start have had a really good relationship and it seems to get better and better as we go.”

The year in review: Influential people who died in 2024

Larry Wilson: The lost art of college students talking to each otherSouth Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday said he would lift martial law just hours after he imposed it, in a brief and confusing episode in which he blasted the opposition as "anti-state forces" threatening the country's democracy. The unexpected move from Yoon -- the first time martial law had been declared in South Korea in more than four decades -- alarmed the United States and the country's other allies. What do we know about the imposition, its lifting and what might come next? In a dramatic, late-night emergency television address to the nation, Yoon announced that he was imposing martial law, as he accused the opposition of paralysing the government with "anti-state activities". A six-point decree from the new martial law commander, army chief General Park An-su swiftly followed, banning political activities and parties, "false propaganda", strikes and "gatherings that incite social unrest". The order also brought all media outlets under the authority of martial law and directed all medical staff, including striking doctors, to return to work within 48 hours. Security forces sealed the National Assembly, helicopters landed on the roof and troops entered the building for a short time, seemingly in a bid to prevent lawmakers from getting inside. But 190 lawmakers managed to enter and voted unanimously to reject Yoon's declaration and call for martial law to be lifted. Outside, hundreds of protesters gathered, many raising chants calling for Yoon to be arrested. Following the lawmakers' vote, Yoon backed down. His cabinet additionally approved the motion to lift the order, Yonhap news agency reported. "Just a moment ago, there was a demand from the National Assembly to lift the state of emergency, and we have withdrawn the military that was deployed for martial law operations," Yoon said in a televised address around 4:30 am (1930 GMT Tuesday). Under South Korea's constitution, the parliamentary vote to lift martial law has to be respected. Yoon said he was acting to safeguard his country's liberal democracy from "anti-state elements" and "threats posed by North Korea" -- but gave little detail. While unexpected, the announcement came in the context of a festering budget row between Yoon and the opposition Democratic Party. The opposition has slashed around 4.1 trillion won ($2.8 billion) from Yoon's proposed 677 trillion won budget for next year, prompting the president to complain that "all key budgets essential to the nation's core functions" were being cut. "What is clear is that Yoon has been a deeply unpopular, ineffectual leader and he is having a hard time getting any kind of public support for anything he's trying to do," said Alan Yu, a former US diplomat in Asia now at the Center for American Progress. "The use of martial law feels almost like a desperation move to try to break out, both in a political and policy sense, but it is really poorly played on both fronts." Domestically, pressure has only grown further on Yoon after his late-night bombshell. South Korea's main opposition party has demanded that Yoon step down, accusing him of "insurrection". The country's main labour union group has also called an "indefinite general strike" until he resigns over the "irrational and anti-democratic measure". Yoon's own People Power Party described his attempt at imposing martial law as "tragic" and demanded that those involved be held accountable. South Korea is a key Western ally in Asia, seen as an important democratic bulwark in a region dominated by authoritarian regimes, and the drama is being watched with concern. Washington said it was "relieved President Yoon has reversed course" on his martial law order. Earlier, Britain and Germany both said they were closely following developments. China, a key ally of nuclear-armed North Korea, urged its citizens to exercise caution, while Russia -- itself increasingly close to Pyongyang -- called the situation "alarming". burs-pdw-bfm-hmn/cwl

The iPhone 16/16 Pro’s new Camera Control button is almost as polarizing as politics. Some people love it; they think it makes it easier to photograph on the fly rather than unlocking the iPhone with Face ID and launching the camera app. The button also provides quick access to Visual Intelligence in the latest iOS 18 update and can serve as an accessibility tool for people who struggle with mobility. Other people hate the Camera Control button enough to call it the worst feature Apple has added to the iPhone. That’s way harsh, Tai , but you can understand the point once you start using the Camera Control button for yourself. The button is toward the lower bottom half of the iPhone, so you’ll have to carefully balance the device with your index finger and thumb while pressing down to snap a photo. If you don’t have the mechanism down in your wrist, it causes the phone to shake quite a bit—the complete antithesis of how you want a phone moving when trying to snap a photo. Apple has algorithms that help with some of the shakiness due to the Camera Control, but there’s still some cognitive dissonance. How am I supposed to believe the picture I took was steady when I can feel the iPhone shake as I do it? If you’re new to the iPhone 16/16 Pro, you’re probably wondering about the utility of a button that nobody has asked for. My job is to give you instructions after using the product myself, so at least you can derive some use from a function that no one was clamoring for. As I said, the Camera Control button is helpful for rapidly taking photos. But it can do a few other things if you decide the old way of snapping pictures on the iPhone still suits you better than this newfangled thing. Press to shoot The Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro is a physical button with the DNA of a MacBook trackpad. Press it down hard, like you would with the power or volume buttons, or press down lightly for a soft press. The button area is capacitive, so you can control the interface by sliding your finger. Double-press the Camera Control button to bring up the iPhone viewfinder. You can press again to snap a photo or long-press to start recording a video. If you don’t press down at all, by default, you can use the Camera Control button to zoom in and out between the camera lenses, including that 5x telephoto that Apple included for both sizes of the iPhone 16 Pro . You can lightly tap the Camera Control button twice to cycle through other settings, including exposure, depth, and the iPhone 16’s new Photographic styles. The soft-press-and-slide mechanism was super confusing at first. It took me a while to understand what a soft press was with the Camera Control button and to recognize iOS’s interface animations when activated. I have an easier time using the phone’s sliding mechanism if I’m stabilizing it with my other hand. If you’ve updated to iOS 18.2 , Apple lets you control the exposure and focus lock with the Camera Control slider. It’s easy to set up in the Settings app, though you’ll need to do all that before you take a photo. Customize the Camera Control button I’m an Android user most of the time , and my favorite shortcut for accessing the camera app is double-pressing the power button. To that end, I didn’t mind that the Camera Control button requires a double-press before it’s activated, either. But I went for the faster shortcut to launch it after one click. Apple lets you do that from Settings . Under Camera Control , tap to choose between a single or double click to launch the camera. The Camera Control button can also be adjusted or used as an accessibility tool for people with accessibility needs. Under Settings > Accessibility > Camera Control , you can adjust the firmness of the button’s soft and hard presses and even select how forceful the press should be. You don’t even have to use it You don’t have to use the Camera Control button to launch the iPhone’s camera app. If you dig back into the iOS settings panel, under Camera Control settings, you can program it to launch something else despite limited options. You can choose between the built-in QR code scanner, the magnifier for zooming into real-life tiny text, or any third-party apps that have implemented the new hardware. You can also turn off the Camera Control button entirely if it interferes with the rest of your iPhone experience.Heavy travel day off to rough start after American Airlines briefly grounds all flights

Ruud van Nistelrooy treated himself to a beer after enjoying a perfect start to his reign as Leicester manager. Van Nistelrooy’s first game in charge ended with a 3-1 win over West Ham, thanks to goals from Jamie Vardy, Bilal El Khannouss and Patson Daka. The Dutchman, who was out of work for just two weeks following his four-game spell as Manchester United interim boss, only started on Sunday so was happy to end a hectic three days in style. “It has been very busy getting to know everyone, start working together,” he said. “Everybody was involved with that and helping, it was busy, long days, but worth it. I was focused on the game and what the game needed, the subs, the half-time talk, so focused on the moment, so I am going to get myself a little beer and reflect on the last three days.” He endured a dream start as Vardy scored after just 98 seconds with El Khannouss and Daka adding second-half goals. It was by no means one-way traffic, though, as West Ham – who scored a consolation through Niclas Fullkrug at the death – had 30 shots on goal. But Van Nistelrooy saw enough to think he can deliver on his objective of keeping the Foxes in the Premier League. “I am very happy, if you look at the result – and it is about the result – it was a great night, three points, three good goals and also very effective. Ruud at the wheel 🛞 pic.twitter.com/eVgIwWAcYw — Leicester City (@LCFC) December 3, 2024 “Overall the game of course we have seen and how dominant West Ham were at certain stages and what they created, that is a fact and something we have to look at. “Overall, what I expected of the players going forward was togetherness and hunger, energy and spirit in this team that is fighting for every inch. “Eleven players on the pitch who are fighting as a foundation to play the rest of the Premier League. I saw that completely with every single player that started and came on. “That’s the foundation we have to build on, without that it will be impossible to get where we want to go. I am very happy about that.” West Ham’s hierarchy will have seen what impact a managerial change can have as the jury remains out on Julen Lopetegui, with away fans making their feelings clear by chanting “You’re getting sacked in the morning”. Lopetegui expects to keep his job but forthcoming games against his former club Wolves, Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton could determine the Spaniard’s future. “The only thing that I am worried about is to go to training session tomorrow and stand up the players and prepare the next challenge,” he said. “We have one month of December with a lot of matches and I am sure with this attitude we are going to achieve many more points. “I believe in the players. I am confident that tomorrow we are going to be ready to prepare the next match. “Understanding the question, but at the end of the season maybe we talk in another way. There are a lot of matches and points, a lot of things can happen. “I believe in these players and team, I am sure the position is going to be much better. They are only words but we have to work a lot to achieve this.”

Jinnah and Iqbal: Bridging Islamic principles with progressive statecraft Jinnah adhered to Islamic principles to guide creation of welfare state, blending idealism with practicality Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah said on November 8, 1945, “Personally, I believe that in modern times, essential key industries ought to be controlled and managed by the state.” Jinnah envisioned a welfare state founded on Islamic principles, which emphasise social justice and equality. In Muslim Modernism: The Case for Naya Pakistan,«Nadeem Farooq Paracha argues that the progressive and modern elements of Islam, combined with political philosophy, resonate with modern skills and techniques. Muhammad Ali Jinnah adhered to Islamic principles to guide the creation of a welfare state, blending idealism with practicality. A welfare state undertakes all essential responsibilities for its citizens, ensuring that all are treated equally. Addressing the All-India Muslim League (AIML) Planning Committee in Delhi on November 5, 1944, he said, “It is not our purpose to make the rich richer and to accelerate the process of the accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few individuals. Our ideal should not be capitalistic but Islamic.” Jinnah speaks of the Islamic ideals, which mean basic social protections which Islam provides to its citizens. Mustafa Abdullah Kuyateha argues in “Islam and Social Welfarism: The Role of Islamic Social Interventions,” “The ‘theory of infaq’ emphasises spending one’s wealth and resources in the course of Allah.” This epitomises the Islam that Jinnah spoke about when he said that the Pakistan movement is not directed at making the rich richer but at fostering equality, with accumulation strictly banned. Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah bridged idealism and practicality to achieve the goal of a welfare state. Recorded on February 26, 1948, in his speech to the people of America, Jinnah pointed out some basic social principles of Islam that would form the foundation of Pakistan. First, he believed that democracy is the basis of the Islamic political system. Social justice is the cornerstone of the Islamic welfare state, along with justice and fair play for everybody. Jinnah said, “In any case, Pakistan is not going to be a theocratic state to be ruled by priests with a divine mission. We have many non-Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and Parsees, but they all are Pakistanis.” Jinnah stressed and focused on the practicality of Islam’s ideal principles. Even in the same speech, Jinnah said that the tenets of Islam, though 1300 years old, are still applicable. Muhammad Ali Jinnah believed that Pakistan would be a Muslim state guided by Islamic principles. Jinnah’s approach in this regard is ideal. However, when one studies Allama Iqbal’s explanation of a Muslim state, it becomes clear that Jinnah’s understanding of political Islam was closely aligned with the concept of a modernist or progressive state. This is because Allama Iqbal considered Ijtihad the essence of movement and reform. In Arshia Javed’s The Need of Ijtihad for Sustainable Development in Islam, it is stated, “Ijtihad is the key to providing an Islamic interpretation of modern developments and circumstances.” Allama Iqbal believed that without Ijtihad, the Muslim political system would stagnate and fail to meet modern challenges. In his book The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, Allama Iqbal emphasises the significance of Ijtihad in Islam. Muhammad Ali Jinnah echoed similar thought in his vision of political Islam for Pakistan. Allah says in the Holy Quran: “Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Quran 13:11). Allama Iqbal further elaborated, “The teaching of the Quran that life is a process of progressive creation necessitates that each generation, guided but unhampered by the work of its predecessors, should be permitted to solve its problems.” Pakistan is not merely a country but a vision or program that Jinnah aimed to direct toward a state that would revive the genuine principles of Islam. It is now upto new generations of politicians to turn his vision into reality.WASHINGTON – After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks through Senate confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Recommended Videos Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump's picks. Vance is taking on an atypical role as Senate guide for Trump nominees The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect's golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Mar-a-Lago scene is a far cry from Vance's hardscrabble upbringing Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It's a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time "with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” Vance is making his voice heard as Trump stocks his Cabinet While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump's “border czar.” In another sign of Vance's influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance will draw on his Senate background going forward Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump's first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships," he said. "But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he's not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. ___ Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.