Ruben Amorim says Manchester United are a massive club but not a massive team as he continues to try and turn around a group that need to “run like mad dogs” if they are to become winners. A poor start to Erik ten Hag’s third season in charge last month led the Red Devils to turn to the 39-year-old, who immediately lifted the mood after swapping Sporting for Old Trafford. Amorim followed a draw at Ipswich in his opening match with entertaining wins against Bodo/Glimt and Everton, yet he repeatedly attempted to manage expectations. The Portuguese said United would “suffer for a long period” and then warned a “storm will come” ahead of Wednesday’s 2-0 loss at Arsenal – a reality check before hosting Nottingham Forest on Saturday. “I think that is very clear,” Amorim said of the scale of the job. “We are a massive club, but we are not a massive team, and we know it. It’s no problem to say it. “So, we want to improve, we are in a different moment from Arsenal, but you could feel it during the game. “I think we have to believe more because we were not dominant in the game, but we had control in the game. “Not so many chances for Arsenal – of course a lot of set pieces – but we were OK, especially in the first half. We had some good things in that moment, but you could feel that there’s so much to do. “We need to be better in the final third, we have to create more danger, they have to feel it. “I felt that Arsenal had problems to block our build up but then when they were defending the goal it was quite comfortable for them, so we are learning these things and trying to improve in two days.” United’s problems mean they enter the weekend 13th in the Premier League standings – quite the sight for fans of a club who have won an English record 20 league titles. Asked if perceptions around the club need to change, Amorim said: “That will not change because this club has glories in the past. “Our players have to understand that this is a very difficult position, so we are not (one of) the best teams in the league, and we have to say that and to think that clearly. “But our past, our club is maybe the best one in the league, so we have here a problem, but we have to focus on the little things, the little details. “If you think in everything, it will be a problem. Let’s focus on the small details and then we will improve it as a team.” Amorim has had precious little time to work on such details having started during an international break followed by a relentless winter schedule. Saturday’s home game against Forest is United’s third of nine matches in December and came with a demand for effort on top of technical quality. “It’s impossible to win the Premier League without a team like that – that every moment runs back, runs forward,” Amorim said. “It is impossible to win. If you want to win, we have to do it. “Even with the best starting XI in the planet without running they will not win nothing, so that is very clear. “If we want to win the Premier League, we have to run like mad dogs. If not, we are not going to win.” Interestingly, Amorim’s comments come six years after compatriot Jose Mourinho spoke about United’s lack of “mad dogs” following a December draw at Southampton. “It doesn’t matter about the system,” the former United manager said. “It has to do with the characteristics of the players and we don’t have many, with all the respect, mad dogs – the ones who bite the ball all the time and press all the time. We don’t have many with that spirit.” Amorim will hope not to be feeling similar after facing Forest, having previously said he needs to improve the “physical aspect of the team”. “The problem to be fit enough is if they can cope with that,” United’s head coach said. “If they are used to do that in training, they will do that in games. “So, they are professional athletes, they can improve this. You cannot be faster, but you can run more with training. We are in that path.”Insurgents reach gates of Syria’s capital, threatening to upend decades of Assad ruleThe 18-team conference had three of the top-four teams in the AP poll this week — No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 4 Penn State. A one-loss Indiana team is ranked 10th but is still very much a contender to make the playoff, given how many Southeastern Conference teams have three defeats or more. Indiana's rise has been perhaps the Big Ten's biggest story this season. Much of the spotlight was on newcomers Oregon, Southern California, UCLA and Washington, but aside from the top-ranked Ducks, that foursome has struggled to impress. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers won their first 10 games under new coach Curt Cignetti before losing at Ohio State last weekend. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 back in October, and if the Buckeyes beat rival Michigan this weekend, they'll earn a rematch with the Ducks for the Big Ten title. And it's entirely possible another matchup between those two teams awaits in the CFP. Star power Dillon Gabriel has quarterbacked Oregon to an unbeaten record, throwing for 3,066 yards and 22 touchdowns in 11 games. But don't overlook Iowa's Kaleb Johnson and his 21 rushing TDs, and quarterback Kurtis Rourke has been a big part of Indiana's improvement. Penn State's Abdul Carter has eight sacks and two forced fumbles and could be one of the top edge rushers drafted this year. Going bowling Oregon (11-0, 8-0), Ohio State (10-1, 7-1), Penn State (10-1, 7-1), Indiana (10-1, 7-1), Illinois (8-3, 5-3), Iowa (7-4, 5-3), Michigan (6-5, 4-4), Minnesota (6-5, 4-4), Washington (6-5, 4-4), Southern California (6-5, 4-5), Nebraska (6-5, 3-5) and Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) have already reached the six-win mark for bowl eligibility. Michigan State (5-6, 3-5) and Wisconsin (5-6, 3-5) can join them. Hot seats There may not be many firings in general at the top level of college football. The prospect of sharing revenue with athletes in the future might lead schools to be more judicious about shedding one coach and hiring a new one. Who should be most worried in the Big Ten? Well, Lincoln Riley is struggling to stay above .500 in his third season at USC. Purdue is 1-10, but coach Ryan Walters is only in his second season. Maryland's Mike Locksley has been there six years and his Terrapins are 4-7, but this was his first real step backward after guiding the team to three straight bowl wins. Cignetti has shown it is possible for a coaching change to push a previously moribund program to some impressive heights in a short amount of time — but the improvement has been more incremental at Michigan State following Jonathan Smith's arrival. Sherrone Moore wasn't a completely unknown commodity at Michigan after he won some massive games in place of a suspended Jim Harbaugh last year. But in his first season completely at the helm, the Wolverines have declined significantly following their national title a season ago. Youth movement The Big Ten is home to one of the most dynamic freshmen in the country in Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith. He has 52 catches for 899 yards and nine touchdowns. Highly touted quarterback Dylan Raiola has teamed up with fellow freshman Jacory Barney (49 catches) to lead Nebraska to bowl eligibility. Recruiting watch Ohio State is on track to land the Big Ten's top class, according to 247 Sports, but the big news recently was quarterback Bryce Underwood flipping from LSU to Michigan. If the Wolverines do in fact keep Underwood in his home state, that would be a big development for Moore.
Harris scores 16 as South Carolina Upstate beats Western Carolina 74-68
Bucks snap a 2-game skid with a 118-113 victory over the NetsWhat happens when 'The Simpsons' join 'Monday Night Football'? Find out during Bengals-Cowboys
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Syrian opposition fighters have reached the suburbs of the capital, Damascus, and government forces abandoned the central city of Homs as the rebels' surprising offensive picks up speed. President Bashar Assad's whereabouts are unknown. Homs is an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces that are the Syrian leader’s base of support. In Damascus, residents described a city on edge, with security forces on the streets and many shops running out of staple foods. The rapidly developing events have shaken the region. Lebanon said 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. Eight key countries gathered with the U.N. special envoy on Syria on the sidelines of the Doha Summit for two hours of discussions Saturday night, and more will follow. The U.N. envoy seeks urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Here's the Latest: The Syrian insurgency announced Saturday that it has taken over Homs, following reports of government forces withdrawing from the strategic city. This latest development in the rebels’ swift shock offensive in the war-torn country has left embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad effectively in control of the capital Damascus and two other cities where his key support base among the Alawite Muslim population are based. Homs is an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces that are the Syrian leader’s base of support. Syrian opposition fighters have reached the suburbs of the capital, Damascus as the rebels’ offensive picks up speed. President Bashar Assad’s whereabouts are unknown. The mother of an Israeli man held hostage in Gaza and seen in a newly released video by Hamas says “enough with the games” and calls for more pressure on the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Einav Zangauker told a demonstration in Tel Aviv on Saturday night that like her son Matan, “there are a few dozen who are currently alive. Don’t allow them to be brought back dead in bags. Take to the streets.” Matan Zangauker, speaking under duress, appealed to the public to protest in front of Netanyahu’s home and “not let him sleep even for a minute.” Zangauker also referred to 420 days of being held by Hamas militants and said “isolation is killing us.” Police used a water cannon on the demonstrators as thousands took to the streets for the weekly anti-government protests. Two officials with Iran-backed Iraqi militias in Syria say the militias are monitoring the situation and have not made a decision to enter in support of Iran’s ally, Syrian President Bashar Assad. One of the officials said Iranian militias had withdrawn to Iraq from their positions in Syria. “All the militias are waiting to see what Bashar Assad will do in Damascus. If he resists and does not allow Damascus to fall, it is possible that the Iraqi factions will intervene for the purpose of support,” he said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter. -- Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad Multi-country discussions on Syria have ended on the sidelines of the Doha Summit. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein says the countries will issue a statement, and there will be follow-up talks “taking into consideration the practical and real situation on the ground.” He said the talks, which lasted over two hours Saturday evening, focused on how to stop the fighting. Eight key countries including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran gathered with the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen. When asked where Syrian President Bashar Assad is, Iraq's foreign minister replied, “I don’t know.” He declined to speculate on whether Assad would be overthrown. Opposition fighters have reached the Damascus suburbs. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s Health Ministry says two Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday killed six people and wounded five others. The ministry said an airstrike on the village of Beit Leif killed five people and wounded five, while a drone strike on the village of Deir Serian killed one person. Israel’s military said it was looking into the report. Despite a ceasefire that went into effect on Nov. 27 to end the 14-month fighting between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah militants that had escalated into all-out war, violations of the truce have continued. The director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza says the facility came under heavy Israeli bombardment again on Saturday and three medical staff were killed. Dr. Hussam Abu Safia in a statement posted by Gaza’s Health Ministry said the hospital was hit by over 100 projectiles and bombs, and electricity was cut off. He said the surgery department and neonatal unit were hit, and he pleaded for “immediate coordination for repair operations.” Kamal Adwan is one of the last remaining hospitals in northern Gaza. Israeli forces are pressing an offensive that has almost completely sealed off the area from humanitarian aid for two months. Israel’s military said it wasn’t aware of any attack Saturday. The hospital director on Friday said Israeli strikes had killed at least 29 people including four medical staff. Israeli Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi says the military is monitoring the Syrian border to make sure that “local factions do not direct actions towards us,” adding that Israel is not intervening in the events in Syria. Israel’s military has said it is reinforcing its deployment along the border with Syria. Halevi said if “confusion” arises and actions are directed toward Israel by “local factions” taking control of parts of Syria, Israel has a strong “offensive response.” The United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Syria says the U.N. is relocating non-critical staff outside the country. Adam Abdelmoula in a statement Saturday called it a precautionary measure to protect U.N. teams. “Let me emphasize—this is not an evacuation and our dedication to supporting the people of Syria remains unwavering,” Abdelmoula said. The statement did not say how many U.N. staffers were leaving Syria as opposition fighters reached the suburbs of Syria’s capital, Damascus. The statement said the fighting in Syria has displaced over 370,000 people as the humanitarian situation deteriorates, “with many seeking refuge in the northeast and others trapped in frontline areas, unable to escape.” Foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran have gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit along with the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, to discuss the situation in Syria. The talks continued late Saturday and no details were immediately available. Qatar, Jordan and Iraq also were part of the discussions as opposition fighters closed in on the Syrian capital, Damascus. BAGHDAD — An Iraqi government spokesperson says about 2,000 Syrian army soldiers have crossed into Iraq seeking refuge as opposition forces advance in Syria. Bassem al-Awadi said the soldiers’ equipment and weapons were registered and taken into custody by the Iraqi army. “We dealt with them according to the principle of good neighborliness and humanity,” he said Saturday. Al-Awadi also said Iraqi officials are concerned about the security of the al-Hol camp and other facilities in northeast Syria where suspected Islamic State group members and their families are detained. The facilities are guarded by U.S.-backed Kurdish forces. Al-Awadi said there is “high security coordination” between Iraqi officials and those forces to “prevent the prisoners from escaping.” Syria's army says it is fortifying its positions in the suburbs of Damascus and in the country’s south, as opposition fighters close in on the capital. The army statement on Saturday also asserted that Syria is being subjected to a “terrorist” and propaganda campaign aiming to destabilize and spread chaos. The statement also said the military is continuing with operations in areas including the central provinces of Hama and Homs, and that it has killed and wounded hundreds of opposition fighters. At least two people were wounded in a car-ramming attack in the West Bank on Saturday, according to the Israeli army and rescue services. The army said the attack took place in the area of the Fawwar refugee camp, near the city of Hebron. It said a soldier was severely wounded, and security forces were looking for the attacker. Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said another man in his 40s suffered light injuries from shrapnel. The West Bank has seen a surge in violence since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza sparked the war there. Israel has intensified its military raids in the West Bank, targeting what it says are militants planning attacks, and there has also been a rise in Palestinian attacks on Israelis. The Israeli military says it is helping United Nations forces to head off an attack on a U.N. position in Syria close to the Israeli border. The army said in a statement Saturday that an attack was carried out by “armed individuals” on a U.N. post near the Syrian town of Hader and it was “assisting U.N. forces in repelling the attack.” On Friday, Israel’s military said it would reinforce its forces in the Golan Heights and near the border with Syria, where civil war has reignited between the government and opposition fighters. Hamas has released a video showing Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker making an emotional plea for his release and describing the conditions he and other hostages face in Gaza after being seized in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel. His mother, Einav, has become a symbol of the fight to bring back the hostages and is an outspoken critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Matan Zangauker, speaking under duress, appealed to the public to protest in front of Netanyahu’s home and “not let him sleep even for a minute.” Zangauker also referred to 420 days of being held by Hamas militants. “We want to return before we go crazy. Isolation is killing us, and the darkness here is frightening,” he said, describing having little food and medicine and “undrinkable” water. President-elect Donald Trump has made his first extensive comments on dramatic advances by opposition fighters in Syria, saying the besieged President Bashar Assad didn’t deserve U.S. support to stay in power. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,” Trump posted on the Truth Social platform on Saturday. Syrian opposition activists and regional officials have been watching closely for any indication from both the Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration of how the U.S. would handle the sudden advances against Syria’s Russian- and Iranian-allied leader. Trump condemned the overall U.S. handling of the 13-year civil war in Syria, but spoke favorably of the routing of Assad and Russian forces. ISTANBUL — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that there was “now a new reality in Syria” following the rapid advance of rebel forces. Speaking in Gaziantep, a city less than 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the Syrian border, Erdogan said that “increasing attacks on civilians” in Syria’s northwest Idlib province “triggered the latest events like the straw that broke the camel’s back.” It was not possible for Turkey to ignore developments in a country with which it shares a lengthy border and it would not allow any threats to its national security, he added in a televised speech. “Our wish is for our neighbor Syria to attain the peace and tranquility it has been longing for for 13 years,” he told a rally of supporters. “We want to see a Syria where different identities live side by side in peace. We hope to see such a Syria in the very near future.” Erdogan claimed President Bashar Assad had erred in rebuffing Turkey’s previous efforts to establish relations, saying Damascus “could not appreciate the value of the hand Turkey extended.” Ankara has supported anti-Assad rebel groups since the early months of the conflict and hosts 3 million refugees dislodged by the fighting. While Turkey lists HTS, the group leading the latest offensive, as a terrorist organization, the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army has worked alongside it. BEIRUT — A resident of the Syrian capital of Damascus says the city is very tense as troops and members of security agencies are deployed on main streets and intersections. The resident told The Associated Press that many shops are closed and those that are open have run out of main commodities such as sugar. He added that if food products are available, some shops are selling them for a price three times higher than usual. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said on condition of anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” — Bassem Mroue in Beirut DOHA, Qatar — Russia’s foreign minister says he has met his Turkish and Iranian counterparts in Doha and that all three countries were calling for an “immediate end to hostile activities” in Syria. Russia and Iran are the chief supporters of Syria’s government, while Turkey backs opposition fighters trying to remove President Bashar Assad from power. Speaking at the annual Doha Forum, Sergey Lavrov said Russia continues to help the Syrian army confront insurgents, military via airstrikes. Asked whether Assad’s rule is threatened by the fast-moving rebel offensive, he said, “We are not in the business of guessing what’s gong to happen.” He blamed the United States and the West for the events in Syria and said, “We are very sorry for the Syrian people who became a subject of another geopolitical experiment. “We are doing everything we can not to make terrorists prevail, even if they say they are not terrorists,” Lavrov said, referring to the de facto leader of the Syrian insurgents, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who says he has cut links with al-Qaida. His group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and United Nations. He said Russia, Iran and Turkey want the full implementation of a U.N. resolution, which endorsed a road map to peace in Syria. Resolution 2254 was adopted unanimously in December 2015. The measure called for a Syrian-led political process, starting with the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Lavrov also downplayed reports that Moscow had withdrawn ships from Russia’s base in Syrian city of Tartus, saying that the vessels had left to take part in naval exercises in the Mediterranean. DOHA, Qatar — The U.S. envoy who brokered the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah says the deal has created a new opportunity for Lebanon to reshape itself. Amos Hochstein told the Doha Forum that the weakness of Hezbollah after nearly 14 months of fighting along, along with blows to its Syrian and Iranian allies, give the Lebanese military and government a chance to reassert itself. “Now is the moment with this ceasefire to rebuild Lebanon again for a much more prosperous future and stronger state institutions,” Hochstein told The Associated Press on the sidelines of the conference. He said Lebanon needs “to do its part” by rebuilding its economy, choosing a president after years of delays and strengthening its central government to attract investors. “And the international community has a requirement and a responsibility to support Lebanon after this devastating conflict and after years of Hezbollah control,” he said. Hochstein told the conference that the turning point in ceasefire efforts was Hezbollah dropping its pledge to keep fighting as long as the war in Gaza continues. He said the change in position was the result of the heavy losses inflicted on Hezbollah, and Lebanese public opinion in favor of delinking the two conflicts. He said key tests for the ceasefire will be whether Israel carries out its promised phased withdrawal from southern Lebanon over the coming two months and whether the Lebanese army is able to move into those areas. BEIRUT — Insurgents and a war monitor say opposition fighters are taking over military posts evacuated by Syrian government forces in the country’s south, bringing them closer to the capital, Damascus. An insurgent official known as Maj. Hassan Abdul-Ghani posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition fighters are now in the town of Sanamein, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the southern outskirts of Damascus, President Bashar Assad’s seat of power. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said insurgents have entered the town of Artouz, which is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of Damascus. Opposition fighters have captured wide parts of Syria, including several provincial capitals, since they began their offensive on Nov. 27. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s government has approved a plan to deploy more troops along the border with Israel, part of the ceasefire deal that ended the Israel-Hezbollah war. In a rare Cabinet meeting outside of Beirut, held Saturday at a military base in the southern port city of Tyre, the government also approved a draft law to reconstruct buildings destroyed during the Israel-Hezbollah war that broke out in October 2023 and ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire last week. Information Minister Ziad Makary told reporters after the meeting that the committee whose job is to monitor the ceasefire that went into effect on Nov. 27 will hold its first meeting on Monday. The committee is made up of military officials from the U.S., France, Israel and Lebanon as well as the U.N. peacekeeping force deployed along the border. As part of the ceasefire deal, during the first 60 days Israeli troops will have to withdraw from Lebanon, while Hezbollah will have to pull its heavy weapons away from the border area to north of the Litani river. The Lebanese army said this week it will begin recruiting more soldiers, apparently to deploy them along the border with Israel. BEIRUT — The Syrian army withdrew from much of southern Syria on Saturday, leaving more areas of the country, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters, the military and an opposition war monitor said. The redeployment away from the provinces of Daraa and Sweida came as Syria’s military sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts. The rapid advances by insurgents are a stunning reversal of fortunes for Syria’s President Bashar Assad , who appears to be largely on his own, with erstwhile allies preoccupied with other conflicts. His chief international backer, Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine, and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up his forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran, meanwhile, has seen its proxies across the region degraded by Israeli regular airstrikes. JERUSALEM — Israeli security forces killed a Palestinian man after he attacked them at a border crossing in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Saturday morning, police said. The man shot firecrackers at security forces at the checkpoint and threatened them with a knife, the police statement said. The man wore a t-shirt emblazoned with a symbol of the Islamic State militant group, according to an Associated Press reporter Israeli fire has killed at least 700 Palestinians in the West Bank since the Israel-Hamas war began last year, Palestinian health officials said. In that time, Palestinian militants have launched a number of attacks on soldiers at checkpoints and within Israel. DOHA, Qatar — The prime minister of Qatar says he has seen new momentum in Gaza ceasefire efforts since the U.S. presidential election, with the incoming Trump administration seeking an end to the conflict before it takes office. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, a key mediator in the ceasefire efforts, declined to give specifics of the negotiations but told an international conference in Doha that the gaps between the sides are not large. Qatar, which has served as a mediator throughout the 14-month war, suspended its efforts last month in frustration over the lack of progress. But Sheikh Mohammed said his government has re-engaged in recent days after determining a new willingness by both parties to reach a deal. ’We have sensed after the election that the momentum is coming back,” he told the Doha Forum on Saturday. He said has been in touch with both the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration and found that while there are some differences in approach, both are committed to the same goal of ending the war. ’We have seen a lot of encouragement from the incoming administration in order to achieve a deal, even before the president comes to the office,” Sheikh Mohammed said. He declined to discuss details, saying he wanted to “protect the process,” but expressed hope for a deal “as soon as possible.” ’If you look at the gaps and the disagreements, they are not something substantial that really affects the agreement,” he said. CAIRO — At least 29 people were killed, including four medical staff, when Israeli strikes pummeled the area around one of the last remaining hospitals in northern Gaza, Palestinian officials said. The situation in and around the Kamal Adwan hospital is “catastrophic,” according to Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, the director of the hospital. The dead included five children and five women, according to the hospital casualty list, which was obtained by The Associated Press. Friday’s strikes also wounded 55 people including six children and the five women, according to the hospital. Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya is one of the few hospitals still partially operating in the Gaza’s northernmost province , where Israeli forces are pressing an offensive that has almost completely sealed off the area from humanitarian aid for two months. Israel’s military denied that its forces had struck the hospital or operated inside it. The army said that in the past few weeks, “coordinated efforts with international organizations have been underway in order to transfer patients, companions, and medical staff to other hospitals.” An Indonesian medical team which had been assisting in Kamal Adwan for the past week was forced to evacuate on foot after the area was surrounded by Israeli soldiers, according to a statement from the team. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the medical team’s expulsion. Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, the World Health Organization representative in the Palestinian territories, said an Israeli tank approached the hospital at around 4 a.m. Friday. Although no official Israeli evacuation order was issued, “people started to climb the wall to escape, and this panic attracted IDF (Israeli) fire,” he said. He spoke by video from Gaza to journalists in Geneva. Kamal Adwan Hospital has been struck multiple times over the past two months since Israel launched a fierce military operation in northern Gaza against Hamas militants. In October, Israeli forces raided the hospital, saying that militants were sheltering inside and arrested a number of people, including some staff. Hospital officials denied the claim. MANAMA, Bahrain — Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister has reiterated the kingdom’s call for an end to the war in the Gaza Strip. Prince Faisal bin Farhan described Israel as acting with “impunity and is getting away without punishment” in its war on Hamas there. The prince said that any permanent solution requires a two-state solution, with the Palestinians having east Jerusalem as their capital. After the speech, Prince Turki al-Faisal, a prominent royal in the kingdom who led Saudi intelligence for more than two decades and served as ambassador to the U.S. and Britain, took the stage. He harshly criticized Israel’s conduct in the wars. “Israel has become an apartheid, colonial and genocidal state,” Prince Turki said. “It is about time for the world to address that issue and take the necessary steps to bring those who are thus charged by the International Criminal Court to justice.” Israeli officials could not be immediately reached for comment on Prince Turki’s remarks. The Saudis spoke at the International Institute for Security Studies’ Manama Dialogue in Bahrain.
The mainstream newsrooms buried the good news and magnified the bad in last week’s national accounts. Alan Austin reports. THE CASE is strengthening that Australia has the worst economic reporters and the most hypocritical Opposition in the democratic world today. The appalling commentary on last week’s national accounts bolsters this view. In Logan last Thursday , Treasurer Jim Chalmers opened the fifth Medicare mental health clinic, one of 19 planned for Queensland and 61 nationwide. This landmark reform will benefit millions of citizens. The first question to the Treasurer from the gaggle of “journalists” was: “Treasurer, do you acknowledge Australia is in a people’s recession when accounting for economic growth per capita, that many people are thousands of dollars worse off than they were when Labor first came into office?” That was a regurgitation of one of several factually false narratives of the Liberal Party and the Institute for Public Affairs ( IPA ) and a smarmy attempt at a gotcha question. Australia sets impressive trade records which newsrooms refuse to report Recent World Bank data provides another endorsement of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s economy. The IPA wailed last Wednesday that ‘Australians are deep in recession — record seventh consecutive quarter of per capita GDP decline’ and ‘This means Australians today are $4,310 per annum worse off due to this personal recession’ . That is ridiculously false. All economic datasets show some citizens remain in poverty, but fewer as a proportion of the population than in any previous period. Those not in poverty are richer than ever. The latest data is from the National Debt Hotline ( NDH ) which reports at the beginning of each month the number of calls for emergency assistance for the previous month. This is the best real-time indicator of hardship increasing or decreasing. Last Monday’s number for November was 12,230, a decline from the October tally of 12,979 calls and below the average of the first ten months of the year, which was 12,607. The strongest evidence that poverty is easing, however, is comparing calls now with past years, before the recent inflation surge. Calls in November 2017, the first year of NDH records, numbered 14,829. This increased in November 2018 to 15,741, then declined in 2019 to 14,196. If we regard the pre-COVID period from 2017 to 2019 as fairly normal times, then the situation today appears unusually benign. (Yes, this is only one source. But this is consistent with all the others .) Meeting the global challenges Last Wednesday’s national accounts show Australia recorded positive quarterly GDP growth for the 12th consecutive quarter. The only other wealthy members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development ( OECD ) to achieve this are Belgium, Spain and Costa Rica. None of these has an economy anywhere near as strong as Australia’s. They all have worse inflation , much higher jobless rates, lower wealth per person, more than double the debt to GDP , are all in budget deficits and none has triple-A credit ratings . ‘Labor big spenders’ myth can finally be laid to rest Substantial evidence from independent agencies last week has affirmed the Albanese Government’s economic credentials. Australia’s 0.33% growth is above the September OECD average , which is 0.25%, now ranking 13th among all 38 member countries. That’s up from 35th in September 2020 and 36th in September 2021 under the Coalition. Australia’s economy overall, given global conditions, is the envy of the world. Workers’ well-being advancing apace Other good news items in last Wednesday’s accounts include real net national disposable income growing by 0.4% for the year to September 2024, the household savings ratio lifting to 3.2% and the share of national income going to employees continuing to rise. The workers' share is now 53.5%, up from 49.3% under the Coalition. That’s the highest since September 2016. See chart below. (Data source: ABS ) Commensurately, the percentage going to corporate profits has declined from 33.0% when Labor took office to 27.9% in September. The false mantra of the per capita recession Disappointing outcomes in the September accounts include that productivity remains stalled; commodity prices have been declining; wage growth continued to grow faster than the CPI, but not as fast as earlier in the year; and that economic growth of 0.33% was below population growth of 0.61%. It is true that GDP per person has been declining, as in most advanced economies. But that does not mean anyone is experiencing lower living standards. Consider a family of four – two parents and two kids – with a house, two cars and other assets valued at $1,000,000. That means each family member is worth $250,000. If they have another child, bringing the family to five, wealth per person drops to $200,000. Simple arithmetic. Does this mean that Mum, Dad and the first two kids have lost $50,000 each and now must live in far deeper poverty? Of course not. Families don’t work like that. Neither do nations. No one will be deprived of essentials because of population expansion. It is a trade-off in which the social benefits outweigh the financial adjustments. Australia’s aggregate wealth increased through the September quarter. That it increased slightly below the rate of population growth is an interesting observation, but does not affect anyone’s standard of living. Business is booming — defying newsroom doom and gloom Australian businesses have had a highly profitable year. Thanks, Jim, thanks, Albo. Coalition cant and hypocrisy Responding to last week’s national accounts, Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor asserted that ‘Australians’ living standards have fallen off a cliff — the largest fall on record’ . This is manifestly false, as shown above. He added: ‘The Treasurer’s addiction to spending is keeping inflation in Australia higher for longer.’ The biggest spend was on defence, required to meet foolish and unnecessarily costly commitments made by the corrupt and incompetent Coalition. Inflation when Labor took over was 6.12%. It is now 2.15%. The Coalition parties, the IPA and their spruikers in the mainstream newsrooms are craven liars seeking political gain by fomenting needless anxiety, depression and anger — the very evils the current Government’s mental health initiatives are striving to eliminate. Alan Austin is an Independent Australia columnist and freelance journalist. You can follow him on Twitter @alanaustin001 . This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License Support independent journalism Subscribe to IA. 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Sur La Table Black Friday 2024: Get Ina Garten's fave Le Creuset for $150 offRevolutionary Adaptive Wear Diaper Transforms Personal Care for Special Needs Community 12-06-2024 09:06 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: Authority Titans Image: https://www.getnews.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1733504976.jpg Bronx, NY - In the ever-evolving world of personal care, one product is setting a new standard-the Adaptive Wear Diaper. Created by visionary Jamaican mother and entrepreneur Racquel Johnson, this groundbreaking innovation promises to redefine comfort, dignity, and confidence for individuals with special needs. Born from a deep well of personal grief and determination, the Adaptive Wear Diaper is more than just a product; it's a solution crafted with empathy, care, and a commitment to improving the lives of those who rely on adaptive wear every day. Racquel's journey into the world of adaptive wear began in 2016, when she tragically lost her special needs daughter. This heartbreaking experience ignited a powerful desire in Racquel to make a difference for others facing similar challenges. In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she took her first steps towards realizing her vision by opening a clothing store in the Bronx, NY, dedicated to the special needs community. Though the store faced challenges and ultimately had to close, Racquel's passion for helping others remained undeterred. The closure of the store became the catalyst for her next venture-the creation of the Adaptive Wear Diaper. The Adaptive Wear Diaper is a testament to Racquel's resilience and unwavering commitment to improving the lives of individuals with special needs. Designed with comfort in mind, this innovative diaper is made from luxurious, hypoallergenic materials that prioritize the wearer's comfort. The advanced design incorporates cutting-edge absorption technology to ensure moisture is effectively managed, keeping skin dry and fresh throughout the day. Whether for individuals with disabilities or those managing incontinence, this diaper is engineered for long-lasting comfort, offering peace of mind to both caregivers and users alike. One of the standout features of the Adaptive Wear Diaper is its customizability. The diaper's adjustable tabs and flexible waistband ensure a personalized fit for users of all body types. This adaptability guarantees maximum security, preventing leaks while providing a high level of comfort. The diaper's sleek and discreet design allows wearers to move freely and with confidence, knowing they have a reliable product that doesn't compromise on dignity. In a world where personal care often feels impersonal, the Adaptive Wear Diaper prioritizes individuality and comfort, allowing users to maintain their independence while addressing their personal needs. Image: https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXesRKcM0KgzW91lGcSt11nbWyYacky3RGPzue1qUfFu2NqovRaEjSrmIhw_igPSeRMfIE_kFep--fJIRspxuq1A4Ptt22GKU11oIWpr2_8gu_TIaqDPC_Y7i_N6fNnr-Wev6yA?key=6B5sSQKg83Jhxxm5bnA8_hDt Photo Courtesy: KMJGLOBELOVE For caregivers, the Adaptive Wear Diaper offers an invaluable solution to a common challenge: finding a product that meets the unique needs of each individual while offering ease of use. Whether it's for children, adults, or the elderly, this diaper is more than just functional-it's a compassionate solution that enhances quality of life and restores confidence. As the demand for innovative adaptive wear continues to rise, the Adaptive Wear Diaper is poised to become the gold standard in personal care. Its combination of luxury, functionality, and compassion ensures that it will transform the way we think about adaptive wear. Racquel Johnson's journey from grief to innovation is a reminder that even in the most challenging of times, creativity and determination can lead to products that change lives. Join us in celebrating the future of adaptive wear-a product that puts comfort, dignity, and confidence first. The Adaptive Wear Diaper is not just a product; it's a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of innovation to improve lives. Media Contact Company Name: KMJ LOVE LLC Contact Person: Racquel Johnson Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=revolutionary-adaptive-wear-diaper-transforms-personal-care-for-special-needs-community ] Phone: (929) 402 - 6087 Country: United States Website: https://kmjlove.com/ This release was published on openPR.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa wouldn't want to repeat everything that was said in the Miami Dolphins' huddle Sunday when they trailed the New York Jets in the fourth quarter. “Just know we were getting after everyone inside the huddle," Tagovailoa said, "to make sure you're blocking the way you need to block, you're running the routes the way you need to be — you need to be in the right spots." Whatever was said helped keep Miami's slim playoff hopes alive as the Dolphins (6-7) overcame 8- and 3-point fourth-quarter deficits, as well as one of Aaron Rodgers' best games in years, to beat the Jets 32-26. Tagovailoa sealed it with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jonnu Smith in overtime to help the Dolphins spoil Rodgers' first 300-yard passing game in nearly three years and beat the Jets for the ninth straight time in Miami. After Jason Sanders tied it with 7 seconds left in regulation with a 42-yard field goal, Tagovailoa quickly moved the Dolphins down the field. That came after Anders Carlson gave the struggling Jets (3-10) — who were eliminated from postseason contention for the 14th straight year — the lead with a 42-yarder with 52 seconds remaining. But Malik Washington put the Dolphins in great position to help set up Sanders' field goal with a 45-yard kickoff return to Miami's 46-yard line. “It was one of those moments where you make a split (second)- decision and just take it and see what happens next," the rookie Washington said, "and be a football player.” Tagovailoa was 33 of 47 for 331 yards and two TDs. He had just one incompletion on Miami's eight-play, 70-yard scoring drive that was capped by Smith's fourth touchdown of the season. Smith didn’t have a reception before catching three passes for 44 yards on the winning drive. “A win means a lot,” said Tagovailoa, who has 300 yards passing in three straight games. “It means a lot because we have no room for error to lose another game." Rodgers was 27 of 39 for 339 yards, ending a drought of 34 regular-season games without a 300-yard passing game — dating to Dec. 12, 2021, while with Green Bay — and had a TD pass to Davante Adams. But Rodgers could only watch from the sideline in overtime as the Jets never got the ball after blowing a second straight second-half lead. “A lot of different ways we’ve lost these games,” Rodgers said. “Everybody has some skin on that, but we had opportunities on offense. Whatever happens on defense doesn’t matter. We got to get to 30 (points). We didn’t do it.” Rodgers and Adams connected for a 3-yard score in the third quarter, the pair's 79th touchdown in the regular and postseason. They passed Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown for the fourth-most by a quarterback-receiver duo in NFL history. Adams finished with nine catches and 109 yards. Down 8 at the start of the fourth, Tagovailoa found Tyreek Hill for a 4-yard touchdown, and Jaylen Waddle caught the two-point conversion to tie it at 23. Hill caught 10 passes for 115 yards, and Waddle added 99 yards on nine catches. The Jets had taken a 20-15 lead in the third on Adams' touchdown that was set up by a 42-yard pickup by Garrett Wilson, who beat cornerback Jalen Ramsey on a double move to get open. A 40-yard field goal by Carlson later stretched New York's lead to 8 after the Dolphins went scoreless in the quarter. “Actually, when we were down 23-15, when we were trotting back on the field, everybody knew what was at stake at that moment,” Hill said. “We know if we lose, it’s over. Our season is over.” The matchup pitted the Jets' No. 2-ranked pass defense against Tagovailoa, the NFL's most accurate passer, and Miami's No. 9-ranked pass defense against the four-time MVP Rodgers who has had a subpar season. Both quarterbacks were strong and the teams played rather evenly at first, with each scoring on their first three possessions. The first punt of the game was on Miami's first drive of the second half, and the Jets scored on their first five possessions. Tagovailoa had just three incompletions in the first half and was 3 for 3 on Miami's final drive of the second quarter, moving the Dolphins into field goal range in 45 seconds to set up a 57-yarder by Sanders, which tied the kicker's career best. Sanders also made kicks of 39 and 24 yards, and De'Von Achane had a 2-yard touchdown run on Miami's opening possession. Rodgers moved the Jets inside Miami's 20 three times in the first half. Isaiah Davis ran for a 17-yard score, and Carlson made field goals of 28 and 30 yards. Wilson caught seven passes for 114 yards. Jets: RT Morgan Moses injured his wrist during pregame warmups. He started, but was replaced during the game by Max Mitchell. ... WR Irvin Charles left with a knee injury. Dolphins: LT Terron Armstead left early after apparently tweaking the knee that sidelined him this week in practice. ... WR Dee Eskridge (knee) and LB Anthony Walker Jr (hamstring) were also injured. Jets: At Jacksonville next Sunday. Dolphins: At Houston next Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
NEW YORK (AP) — Giannis Antetkounmpo had 34 points, 11 rebounds and four assists and the Milwaukee Bucks snapped a two-game skid with a 118-113 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. Damien Lillard had 15 points and 11 assists and Bobby Portis added 23 points and five rebounds off the bench. The Bucks won for the 10th time in 13 games. Dennis Schroder had 34 points and 10 assists, Cam Johnson scored 26 points and Nic Claxton added 21 points and nine rebounds as the Nets lost for the fourth time in five games, falling to 4-13 against Eastern Conference foes. Takeaways Milwaukee: Lillard’s streak of six straight 25-point games ended. Antetokounmpo had his NBA-best 14th game with at least 30 points. Brooklyn: Schroder led Brooklyn in scoring for the fourth time this season, surpassing 30 points for the third time. He is averaging 31.5 points in two games against Milwaukee this season and has 493 points in 31 career games against the Bucks. Key moment Brooklyn led 108-104 after Schroder's jumper with 3:08 left, but Milwaukee countered by scoring 15 of the game’s final 20 points. Bucks forward Khris Middleton, playing in just his third game this season while recovering from bilateral ankle surgery, scored seven points in the fourth quarter. Portis put Milwaukee ahead for good, 109-108, with a 3-pointer with 2:08 left. Key stat Brooklyn snapped Milwaukee’s 15-game streak of holding opponents to below 50% shooting. The Nets were just the fourth team to make more than 50% of its field goals against the Bucks. Milwaukee improved to 1-3 in games in which it allows a team to shoot better than 50%. After making just 8 of 22 field goals (36.4%) in the first quarter, the Nets shot 56% over the final 36 minutes. Up next Milwaukee hosts Orlando in an NBA Cup quarterfinal Tuesday. Brooklyn is at Memphis on Friday. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
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