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olympic sports Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Pope Francis opens a "Holy Door" at St Peter's Basilica to mark the start of the Jubilee Year of Mercy. Photo by VINCENZO PINTO The unlocking of the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica on Christmas Eve by Pope Francis — the event that kicked off the 2025 Jubilee — heralded the start of a historic event taking place every 25 years and that will end with the closing of the door on January 6, 2026. The opening of the Holy Door, watched on screens by thousands of faithful outside in St Peter's Square, means that during the next 12 months Catholic pilgrims from around the world will be able to pass through the door that is walled at all other times to get a "plenary indulgence," which means forgiveness for their sins. Other Holy Doors in Rome's three major basilicas and in Catholic churches around the world are also being opened. During the year-long Vatican Jubilee , a church tradition dating back to the 15th century encouraging the faithful to make pilgrimages to Rome, and amid serious security fears by authorities, millions of worshippers from around the world are expected to descend upon Italy’s capital and other Catholic landmarks around Italy to seek indulgence. The Jubilee 2025 logo Pope Francis Jubilee And Pilgrims By The Millions More than 35 million attendees are expected in Rome alone, according to Italy’s National Tourist Research Institute — nearly three times the numbers recorded in 2023. “Pilgrimage,” as explained by Pope Francis, is “fundamental” during jubilees: “Setting out on a journey is traditionally associated with our human quest for meaning in life. A pilgrimage on foot is a great aid for rediscovering the value of silence, effort and simplicity of life.” For the Jubilee 2025 celebration, Rome has been prepared to sparkle and shine with key projects only finished in the last few days following months of work that turned much of the city into a building site. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said it had taken a "little civil miracle" to get the project finished in time. Well-known sites and artworks in Rome and at the Vatican including St. Peter’s Basilica have been restored. Also buffed up are Michelangelo’s Pietà, Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona and Bernini’s angels on the Ponte Sant’Angelo. Monuments such as the Trevi Fountain and the Ponte Sant'Angelo have been cleaned up and roads redesigned to improve the flow of traffic. Religious souvenirs and prayer cards featuring Pope Francis (Papa Francesco) displayed near Vatican City in preparation for the 2025 Jubilee Year Security Efforts And Worries As preparation get underway in the “eternal city,” not everyone is happy: “Romans are gesticulating in overdrive and griping in snarled traffic as the Eternal City overhauls piazzas, fountains, bridges and tunnels,” the Washington Post reports. “Even more are ranting about surging rents and greedy landlords poised to cash in on a coming tsunami of tourists.” Some 700 security officers are being deployed around the Vatican and Rome. Still, many residents worry about how the Eternal City is going to cope with millions more visitors at sites that are already overcrowded and with public transport jammed and unreliable. Piazza Navona Square during renovation works for the Jubilee of the year 2025 The Sites To Visit Among the sites most visited by Jubilee visitors will be the Christian catacombs and seven major pilgrim churches that are popular destinations among Catholics since St. Philip Neri in the 16th century made his 15-mile walk: the basilicas of St. Peter, St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. Lawrence, Holy Cross and St. Sebastian. Another 12 churches around Rome have been designated “Jubilee churches” and are included in the itinerary. Given the massive numbers of visitors, anyone planning to visit Rome is advised to make advance reservations for accommodations, tickets and transport. An increase in tourists tax is also expected. Hope And Patience The Jubilee is intended as a period of reflection and penance and organized around the theme “Pilgrims of Hope,” with the concepts of hope and patience placed at the center of the celebration and primarily aimed at the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. “Everyone knows what it is to hope,” Pope Francis wrote. “In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring.” Pope Francis also described patience as a “virtue closely linked to hope,” yet can feel elusive in “our fast-paced world where we are used to wanting everything now.” Faithful gather in front of the basilica at St Peter's square during the Christmas Eve mass launching Jubilee 2025. Photo by Alberto Pizzoli The Reward: Indulgence For those pilgrims following the Catholic church’s commandments for the 2025 Jubilee, there are spiritual rewards that include the granting of indulgences. The sacrament of Confession in Catholicism is one way to get sins pardoned, releasing the sinner from eternal punishment. Indulgences permit the removal of “the temporal punishment of sin that may remain and the consequence of the wrongdoing that might disrupt the sinner’s relationships with others.” Catholics, as reported by the Associated Press, can obtain an indulgence if they: — Undertake a pious pilgrimage, participating in Masses and other sacraments, at any of the four papal basilicas in Rome or the Holy Land, or other sacred Jubilee sites “so as to manifest the great need for conversion and reconciliation.” — Participate in works of charity, mercy or penance, such as visiting prisoners, sick people or elderly people or undertaking corporal works of mercy “to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, heal the sick, visit the imprisoned and bury the dead.” — Abstain, in a spirit of penance, for at least one day of the week from “futile distractions” such as social media or from “superfluous consumption” such as fasting; or donating the proportionate sum to the poor or to help migrants. Most Important Events For Jubilee 2025 Among the main events scheduled throughout the year are a long list of cultural and religious meetings including masses, exhibitions, conferences and concerts. Also central to the celebration are Jubilee gatherings with liturgies, speakers and papal audiences for different groups: For example: From January 24-26, the Jubilee of the World of Communications; on February 8 and 9, the Jubilee of the Armed Forces, Police and Security Personnel; from February 15-18, Jubilee for artists; from February 21-23 for deacons; from May 10-11 for marching bands; from April 25-27, Jubilee of Teenagers; and from July 28-August 3, Jubilee of Young People. Along with the special gatherings, there will be canonisations and the celebration of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, from which Christians received the Nicene Creed. The Jubilee Year concludes with the closing of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica on January 6, 2026. Other major basilicas will close on December 28, 2025. MORE FROM FORBES Editorial Standards Forbes Accolades Join The Conversation One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. Forbes Community Guidelines Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space. In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's Terms of Service. We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain: False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author Content that otherwise violates our site's terms. User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk Actions that otherwise violate our site's terms. So, how can you be a power user? Stay on topic and share your insights Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view. Protect your community. Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules. Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's Terms of Service.Chiefs earned a rest after their third win in 11 days. For some, the rest could be 24 daysNone

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has hinted he could take legal action against Conservative leader after she accused his party of showing of the Tories. Ms Badenoch said the digital counter on Reform’s website was “ ” when it recorded membership on morning ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party earlier this year. She accused Reform UK of “fakery”. Demanding an apology from Ms Badenoch for what he said were “disgraceful accusations of fraud and dishonesty”, he vowed to take some action in the next two days. “I’m going to take some action in the next couple of days, and I’ve got to decide exactly what it is, but I’m certainly not going to take it lying down,” he said after being asked if he would sue the Tory leader, according to . “I think it’s an absolutely outrageous thing for her to have said. “I know she’s got a very bad temper. I know she’s well known for lashing out at people, but I am not at all happy, and I’m going to take some action.” He said he would confirm within two days what the action would be if she did not apologise for the “intemperate outburst”. It’s the latest twist in the spat between the two parties on the right of UK politics. Despite the dispute, with Reform UK’s ticker showing 143,968 members on Friday night. Labour is the UK’s biggest political party, with 370,450 at the end of last year. As Ms Badenoch made her claim about the Reform UK figure being false, she also suggested the ’ own membership figures had risen in recent weeks, writing on social media: “For a party that pretends to hate the establishment so much, they are copying and pasting the fake Tony Blair/Alister [sic] Campbell’s spin book. “How do I know for certain the Reform announcement is not true? Because the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election. But we don’t shout about it...we are building quietly and steadily on principles and values, not gimmicks.” Mr Farage said he would gladly invite a firm to audit Reform UK’s membership numbers if the Conservatives did the same. “We understand you are bitter, upset and angry that we are now the second biggest party in British politics, and that the Conservative brand is dying under your leadership,” he wrote on social media. “However, this not an excuse to accuse us of committing fraud.”

Some tech industry leaders are pushing the incoming Trump administration to increase visas for highly skilled workers from other nations. Related Articles National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families National Politics | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National Politics | New 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns National Politics | Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen National Politics | Exhausted by political news? TV ratings and new poll say you’re not alone The heart of the argument is, for America to remain competitive, the country needs to expand the number of skilled visas it gives out. The previous Trump administration did not increase the skilled visa program, instead clamping down on visas for students and educated workers, increasing denial rates. Not everyone in corporate America thinks the skilled worker program is great. Former workers at IT company Cognizant recently won a federal class-action lawsuit that said the company favored Indian employees over Americans from 2013 to 2022. A Bloomberg investigation found Cognizant, and other similar outsourcing companies, mainly used its skilled work visas for lower-level positions. Workers alleged Cognizant preferred Indian workers because they could be paid less and were more willing to accept inconvenient or less-favorable assignments. Question: Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? Caroline Freund, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy YES: Innovation is our superpower and it relies on people. Sourcing talent from 8 billion people in the world instead of 330 million here makes sense. Nearly half our Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. Growing them also relies on expanding our skilled workforce. The cap on skilled-worker visas has hardly changed since the computer age started. With AI on the horizon, attracting and building talent is more important than ever. Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: After years of openly allowing millions of undocumented entrants into the country, why is there controversy over legally increasing somewhat the number having desirable skills? Undocumented immigration significantly impacts lower skill level jobs and wages competing with domestic workers at every skill level. Why should special cases be made against those having higher skills? Could they just not walk across the border anyway, why make it more inconvenient to those with desirable skills? James Hamilton, UC San Diego YES: Knowledge and technology are key drivers of the U.S. economy. Students come from all over the world to learn at U.S. universities, and their spending contributed $50 billion to U.S. exports last year. Technological advantage is what keeps us ahead of the rest of the world. Highly skilled immigrants contribute much more in taxes than they receive in public benefits. The skills immigrants bring to America can make us all better off. Norm Miller, University of San Diego YES: According to Forbes, the majority of billion-dollar startups were founded by foreigners. I’ve interviewed dozens of data analysts and programmers from Berkeley, UCSD, USD and a few other schools and 75% of them are foreign. There simply are not enough American graduates to fill the AI and data mining related jobs now exploding in the U.S. If we wish to remain a competitive economy, we need highly skilled and bright immigrants to come here and stay. David Ely, San Diego State University YES: Being able to employ highly skilled workers from a larger pool of candidates would strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. companies by increasing their capacity to perform research and innovate. This would boost the country’s economic output. Skilled workers from other nations that cannot remain in the U.S. will find jobs working for foreign rivals. The demand for H-1B visas far exceeds the current cap of 85,000, demonstrating a need to modify this program. Phil Blair, Manpower YES: Every country needs skilled workers, at all levels, to grow its economy. We should take advantage of the opportunity these workers provide our employers who need these skills. It should be blended into our immigration policies allowing for both short and long term visas. Gary London, London Moeder Advisors YES: San Diego is a premiere example of how highly skilled workers from around the globe enrich a community and its regional economy. Of course Visa levels need to be increased. But let’s go further. Tie visas and immigration with a provision that those who are admitted and educated at a U.S. university be incentivized, or even required, to be employed in the U.S. in exchange for their admittance. Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates NO: While attracting high-skilled immigrants can fill critical gaps in sectors like technology, health care and advanced manufacturing, increasing high-skilled immigration could displace American workers and drive down wages in certain industries. There are already many qualified American workers available for some of these jobs. We should balance the need for specialized skills with the impact on the domestic workforce. I believe we can begin to increase the number of visas after a careful review of abuse. Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth YES: We should expand skilled visas to drive innovation and economic growth. Individuals who perform high-skilled work in labor-restricted industries or graduate from respected colleges with relevant degrees should be prioritized for naturalization. We depend on immigration for GDP growth, tax revenue, research, and so much more. Despite the abhorrent rhetoric and curtailing of visas in the first term, I hope the incoming administration can be persuaded to enact positive changes to a clearly flawed system. Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health YES: But it should be based upon need, not politics. There are several industries that have or could have skilled workforce shortages, especially if the next administration tightens immigration as promised and expected. Over the years, there have been nursing shortages that have been met partially by trained and skilled nurses from other countries. The physician shortage is expected to get worse in the years to come. So, this visa program may very well be needed. Jamie Moraga, Franklin Revere NO: While skilled immigration could boost our economy and competitiveness, the U.S. should prioritize developing our domestic workforce. Hiring foreign nationals in sensitive industries or government-related work, especially in advanced technology or defense, raises security concerns. A balanced approach could involve targeted increases in non-sensitive high-demand fields coupled with investment in domestic STEM education and training programs. This could address immediate needs while strengthening the long-term STEM capabilities of the American workforce. Not participating this week: Alan Gin, University of San DiegoHaney Hong, San Diego County Taxpayers AssociationRay Major, economist Have an idea for an Econometer question? Email me at phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com . Follow me on Threads: @phillip020Goldman Sachs Asset Management Announces Liquidation of Three Exchange-Traded Funds

Mangaluru: Sindhoora Raja , 16, a science enthusiast and innovator from Ullal, currently pursuing her education in Bengaluru, was awarded the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, India's highest civilian award for children, on Thursday. She received the award for Innovation from President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. She also had an opportunity to interact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sindhoora is the daughter of Raja T and Shibani Raja. According to her mother, she earned numerous accolades for herself and the country. She was named a World Science Scholar for her scientific pursuits, during which she took courses and worked on projects under Nobel laureates and Breakthrough Prize winners. She also interacted with scientists at the World Science Festival held in New York in May 2024, claimed Shibani. She later collaborated with Johns Hopkins University and Wolfram Research on a project involving the pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans. This fungus affects immunocompromised individuals, causing 200,000 deaths globally. Her research focused on how calcium interactions within the sugar capsule of yeast enable it to evade the immune system. Her study also examines structural preferences in these sugars and provides insights into antifungal therapeutic strategies. This research won her a grand award at the IRIS (Innovation for Research and Innovation in STEM) National Fair, earning her a spot to represent India at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, known as the Olympics of Science, in Columbus, Ohio, USA, in May 2025, conducted by the Society for Science, she said. Sindhoora also developed a brain-age prediction model that calculates the risk of developing dementia using structural and cerebrovascular features, a novel and previously unexplored aspect. This work won her first prize and a 2,000 Euro grant at the Future Port Awards in Prague, Czech Republic. She was also awarded the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Ignited Mind Award 2024 in recognition of her achievements and was acknowledged in the ATL Marathon. Additionally, she received a fellowship from the Motwani-Jadeja Foundation to travel to Mexico to represent India at the FAB24 conference, conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Centre for Bits and Atoms and the FAB Foundation, she said. Moreover, Sindhoora discovered an asteroid named OG15-2023 in collaboration with NASA, which was mapped by the Minor Planet Center. As part of CSIR-Jigyasa, she worked at CSIR-Fourth Paradigm Institute on a holistic approach to Parkinson's disease. She also won a bronze medal at the International Mathematical Championship conducted by the European Mathematical Society, Shibani said. The Union ministry of women and child development celebrated and commemorated ‘Veer Bal Diwas' and distributed ‘Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar'. The President conferred the award on 17 children from 14 states/ UTs for exceptional achievements in seven categories: Art & Culture, Bravery, Innovation, Science & Technology, Social Service, Sports, and Environment. Sindhoora is an alumna of New Horizon Public School, Indiranagar and subsequently joined National Public School, Indiranagar. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , Location Guesser and Mini Crossword .7 tips to prepare for next year’s taxes now

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TOKIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--dic. 12, 2024-- La División Biomédica de PHC Corporation (sede central: Chiyoda-ku, Tokio, Japón; presidente: Nobuaki Nakamura) recibió el Premio a la Innovación 2024 de The Analytical Scientist 1 por su analizador metabólico de células vivas, LiCellMo TM. LiCellMo, que se lanzó en el mes de septiembre en Japón para su uso en investigación y en octubre en Estados Unidos, Reino Unido, la UE, China y otros países asiáticos 2, proporciona datos medidos de forma continua sobre las principales rutas metabólicas celulares 3, lo que ofrece a los investigadores una imagen precisa de los cambios en el estado de las células a lo largo del tiempo, hasta ahora inobservables, y les permite tomar decisiones de investigación más informadas. Ello contribuirá a la obtención de nuevos resultados de investigación e importantes avances terapéuticos. Está diseñado para revelar mecanismos metabólicos celulares y mejorar la reproducibilidad y calidad de los cultivos celulares en el desarrollo de procesos de fabricación de productos de terapia celular y génica. Este comunicado de prensa trata sobre multimedia. Ver la noticia completa aquí: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241211460969/es/ *For research purposes only. (Graphic: Business Wire) The Analytical Scientist se centra en las personas, la tecnología y las innovaciones que dan forma a la ciencia de la medición. La publicación publica anualmente sus Premios a la Innovación para reconocer los avances técnicos que están en posición de abrir puertas en las ciencias analíticas. En la investigación de nuevas terapias celulares y génicas (CGT), es esencial evaluar el estado de las células y crear un entorno de cultivo celular óptimo. LiCellMo permite a los investigadores visualizar los cambios metabólicos en los cultivos celulares en tiempo real, proporcionando una imagen más completa de la actividad celular para usos de investigación en CGT. En lugar de requerir que los investigadores tomen muestras periódicas del medio de cultivo para evaluar el metabolismo celular, lo que puede dificultar el seguimiento de los cambios en las condiciones celulares a lo largo del tiempo y conlleva el riesgo de contaminación, LiCellMo proporciona mediciones minuto a minuto de los niveles de glucosa y lactato en el medio de cultivo. LiCellMo puede instalarse fácilmente en una incubadora de CO 2 compatible ya existente en un laboratorio, sin modificar el entorno habitual de cultivo. Ofrece a los investigadores una solución flexible a los retos que plantean los métodos convencionales de cultivo celular. PHC Corporation es una filial de PHC Holdings Corporation (TOKYO: 6523), un grupo mundial de empresas del sector sanitario al que se denomina colectivamente PHC Group. La tecnología de monitorización en línea 4 de LiCellMo se basa en la tecnología patentada de un sensor de monitorización de glucosa en sangre desarrollado por otra parte de PHC Corporation, la División de Diagnóstico In Vitro (IVD). Chikara Takauo, director de PHC Corporation y jefe de la División Biomédica, manifestó lo siguiente: "Creemos que LiCellMo dará a los investigadores la oportunidad de adquirir nuevos conocimientos sin precedentes sobre el metabolismo celular, especialmente en los campos de la inmunología del cáncer y la investigación de células madre, y de avanzar en el proceso de fabricación de nuevos tratamientos en esos campos. Este premio es un reconocimiento tanto de la contribución inmediata de LiCellMo en los laboratorios de investigación como de su promesa de apoyar el desarrollo de futuras terapias". 1 theanalyticalscientist.com/techniques-tools/the-analytical-scientist-innovation-awards-2024-10 2 www.phchd.com/global/phc/news/2024/0904 3 Serie de reacciones bioquímicas dentro de las células cultivadas que producen la energía necesaria para las funciones celulares y la supervivencia. 4 Una tecnología que permite la medición continua de metabolitos celulares en el medio de cultivo sin necesidad de realizar el muestreo, lo que se consigue manteniendo una inmersión constante en el medio. Acerca de la División Biomédica de PHC Corporation Fundada en 1969, PHC Corporation es una filial japonesa de PHC Holdings Corporation (TOKYO: 6523), una empresa mundial de atención sanitaria que desarrolla, fabrica, vende y ofrece soluciones para el control de la diabetes, soluciones sanitarias, ciencias de la vida y diagnóstico. La División Biomédica apoya a la industria de las ciencias de la vida y ayuda a investigadores y proveedores de atención sanitaria en unos 110 países y regiones a través de su laboratorio de la marca PHCbi y de equipos y servicios que incluyen incubadoras de CO 2 y congeladores de temperatura ultrabaja. www.phchd.com/global/phc Acerca de PHC Holdings Corporation (PHC Group) PHC Holdings Corporation (TOKYO: 6523) es una empresa global de asistencia sanitaria cuya misión es contribuir a la salud de la sociedad mediante soluciones sanitarias que tengan un impacto positivo y mejoren la vida de las personas. Sus filiales (denominadas colectivamente PHC Group) incluyen PHC Corporation, Epredia, Ascensia Diabetes Care, LSI Medience Corporation, Mediford y Wemex. Todas juntas, estas empresas desarrollan, fabrican, venden y brindan servicios de soluciones para el control de la diabetes, soluciones sanitarias, ciencias de la vida y diagnóstico. Las ventas netas consolidadas del PHC Group en el ejercicio fiscal de 2023 fueron de 353.900 millones de yenes, con una distribución mundial de productos y servicios en más de 125 países. www.phchd.com El texto original en el idioma fuente de este comunicado es la versión oficial autorizada. Las traducciones solo se suministran como adaptación y deben cotejarse con el texto en el idioma fuente, que es la única versión del texto que tendrá un efecto legal. Vea la versión original en businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241211460969/es/ CONTACT: Contacto para preguntas de los medios de comunicación: Julia Cottrill PHC Holdings Corporation Correo electrónico:julia.cottrill@phchd.comContacto para los productos y servicios: Departamento de Marketing, División Biomédica de PHC Corporation Correo electrónico:masayo.okada@phchd.com KEYWORD: EUROPE JAPAN UNITED KINGDOM ASIA PACIFIC INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE MANUFACTURING PUBLISHING TECHNOLOGY STEM CELLS PHARMACEUTICAL COMMUNICATIONS ONCOLOGY MEDICAL DEVICES GENETICS OTHER MANUFACTURING SCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY HEALTH RESEARCH SOURCE: PHC Corporation Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/12/2024 05:22 PM/DISC: 12/12/2024 05:22 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241211460969/es

NoneAQABA, Jordan (AP) — Top U.S. officials were in the Middle East on Thursday, pushing for stability in Syria and an end to Israel’s 14-month war in the Gaza Strip in a last-ditch diplomatic push by the outgoing Biden administration before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in a few weeks. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Jordan and Turkey for talks on how to ensure a peaceful transition of power in Syria following the ouster of longtime President Bashar Assad , while White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan was in Israel in a bid to wrap up a ceasefire with Hamas militants. A ceasefire would give President Joe Biden a final diplomatic victory after a turbulent term in which his administration has been unable to halt a brutal war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives in Gaza and plunged the territory into a humanitarian crisis. Trump has demanded the immediate release of hostages , threatening on social media that otherwise there would be “HELL TO PAY,” and has urged the U.S. not to get involved in Syria , where some 900 troops are based to combat the Islamic State militant group. Speaking to reporters in Tel Aviv, Sullivan expressed cautious optimism that conditions were ripe for halting the long-running conflict before the Biden administration leaves office. “I wouldn’t be here now if I didn’t think this thing was just waiting until after January 20,” he said of when Trump will be inaugurated. The war erupted with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack, in which militants killed some 1,200 people in Israel and took 250 others hostage. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed nearly 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza health officials, caused widespread displacement and led to severe hunger across the territory. U.S.-led ceasefire efforts have repeatedly faltered throughout the war, with the warring sides blaming each other for the failure. Israel has said it is seeking the destruction of Hamas’ governing and military capabilities, at times pressing ahead with the offensive in the face of U.S. calls for restraint. Hamas, meanwhile, has stuck to its demands that any ceasefire include a permanent end to the fighting and full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The U.S. has backed Israel with key military and diplomatic support. But at times, it also has appeared helpless in urging Israel to minimize civilian casualties and to enable the delivery of more humanitarian aid into Gaza . Sullivan said the rapid-fire changes across the region have improved the chances for success. He said Israel’s ceasefire with Hezbollah last month, ending more than a year of fighting, the collapse of Syria’s government and the heavy blow Israel has inflicted on Hamas have all changed the negotiating climate. He also said there has been good cooperation with the incoming Trump administration , with widespread agreement between them. “The surround sound of these negotiations is different today than it has been in the past,” Sullivan told reporters after meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I got the sense from the prime minister that he’s ready to do the deal,” Sullivan added. “We see movement from Hamas.” Sullivan is now scheduled to head to Qatar and Egypt, which have served as mediators throughout the war. Any deal would include the release of hostages held by Hamas, an exchange of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and a surge in badly needed humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel says Hamas is holding about 100 hostages — at least one-third of whom are believed to have died. As Sullivan was in Israel, Blinken met with Jordanian and Turkish leaders to push for a peaceful transition of power in post-Assad Syria. “We’re back in the region at a time of both real promise but also peril for Syria and for its neighbors,” Blinken told reporters in Aqaba, Jordan, after meeting with King Abdullah II. He said the U.S. was working with its regional partners to help Syria “transition away from Assad’s brutal dictatorship” and toward a new government that isn’t dominated by any single religious or ethnic group, by an outside power or the Islamic State militant group. “We’re determined to do everything we can, working in close coordination with partners, to help the Syrian people realize that aspiration,” Blinken said. Syria is home to an array of armed groups with competing interests and allies. In northern Syria, U.S.-backed Kurdish separatists are battling to fend off fighters supported by Turkey. In the country’s center and northeast, the extremist Islamic State group maintains a presence that generates concern for the U.S. And the rebels, hailing mainly from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, face the daunting task of creating a transitional government for the war-ravaged country. The leader of Syria’s biggest rebel faction is a former al-Qaida commander whose Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group is poised to chart the country’s future. The U.S. and the U.N. have designated the hardline Sunni Islamist group a terrorist organization. The goal of creating a free and pluralistic Syria will be a challenge given the bad blood stretching across Syria’s sectarian lines after over half a century of Assad family rule and more than 13 years of civil war that claimed an estimated 500,000 lives. Blinken started his trip in Jordan, a close U.S. ally whose fragile economy has been strained over the years by an influx of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees. He then went to Turkey — a backer of Sunni rebels but a foe of the Kurds. In a late-night meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a VIP lounge at Ankara’s airport, Blinken pressed the importance of keeping up the fight against IS. Officials called it an effort to urge the Turks not to launch military operations against U.S.-backed Kurdish rebels who Washington believes have been critical to battling IS. Blinken “emphasized the need to ensure the coalition to defeat ISIS can continue to execute its critical mission,” the State Department said, using another acronym for the Islamic State group. Israel, meanwhile, has sent troops into Syria — its northern neighbor — and seized a former buffer zone that had been demilitarized since a 1974 truce. Israel has described it as defensive, meant to protect its border and prevent armed groups from seizing weapons left behind by Assad’s army. Netanyahu said Thursday that the move was temporary. But he said Israel would remain inside Syria until another party can secure the border, raising the likelihood of a prolonged and open-ended presence. Sullivan tried to play down the Israeli move, noting that Assad was toppled just days ago and it is too early to jump to any conclusions. But Blinken was more cautious as he called for restraint by all regional players with interests in Syria. He said the U.S. is “already talking to Israel” and others about the future of Syria. “Across the board, when it comes to any actors who have real interests in Syria, it’s also really important at this time that we all try to make sure that we’re not sparking any additional conflicts,” he said. Federman reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Chris Megerian contributed from Washington.

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