Syrian insurgents reach the capital's suburbs. Worried residents flee and stock up on supplies BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria gained speed on Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and with the government forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. Bassem Mroue And Zeina Karam, The Associated Press Dec 7, 2024 9:22 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Defectors line-up to register their details with Syrian insurgents in Aleppo, Syria, Thursday Dec. 5, 2024. As insurgents consolidate their hold of Aleppo, which they overran last week, they issued a call to government soldiers and security agencies to defect, granting them what they called "protection cards," which offer them some sort of amnesty and assurances that they won't be hunted down.(AP Photo/Omar Albam) BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria gained speed on Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and with the government forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by an opposition war monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. As they have advanced, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands rushed the Syria border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those that remained open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some shops were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reach the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. Assad's status Amid the developments, Syria’s state media denied rumors flooding social media that Assad has left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. Assad's 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 regular Israeli airstrikes. Pedersen said a date for the talks in Geneva on the implementation of U.N. Resolution 2254 would be announced later. The resolution, adopted in 2015, 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. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were also marching from eastern Syria toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. Syria’s military, meanwhile, sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama, the country’s fourth largest city. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told CNN in an interview Thursday from Syria that the aim is to overthrow Assad’s government. The Britain-based Observatory said Syrian troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces and are sending reinforcements to Homs, where a battle is looming. If the insurgents capture Homs, they would cut the link between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where the president enjoys wide support. The Syrian army said in a statement Saturday that it has carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists.” The army said it is setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remained in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. Tartus is home to the only Russian naval base outside the former Soviet Union while Latakia is home to a major Russian air base. Diplomacy in Doha In the gas-rich nation of Qatar, the foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey met to discuss the situation in Syria. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remained in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. On Friday, U.S.-backed fighters of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces captured wide parts of the eastern province of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq as well as the provincial capital that carries the same name. The capture of areas in Deir el-Zour is a blow to Iran’s influence in the region as the area is the gateway to the corridor linking the Mediterranean to Iran, a supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah. With the capture of a main border crossing with Iraq by the SDF and after opposition fighters took control of the Naseeb border crossing to Jordan in southern Syria, the Syrian government's only gateway to the outside world is the Masnaa border crossing with Lebanon. ____ Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report. Bassem Mroue And Zeina Karam, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? 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The Washington Commanders released 2023 first-rounder Emmanuel Forbes on Saturday, cutting ties with another high draft pick from the previous regime. All of previous coach Ron Rivera's first-rounders — including edge rusher Chase Young in 2020, linebacker Jamin Davis in ‘21 and wide receiver Jahan Dotson in '22 — are now gone. Forbes never showed progress to the new staff led by coach Dan Quinn and was a healthy scratch twice this season and did not play in two other games during which the 23-year-old was in uniform. It's unclear if Forbes' release means anything about the status of cornerback Marshon Lattimore , the Commanders' trade deadline pickup in early November who still has not played for them because of a hamstring injury. Lattimore was listed as doubtful for Washington's home game Sunday against Tennessee. The Commanders (7-5) also put running back Austin Ekeler on injured reserve because of a concussion . They elevated kicker Zane Gonzalez and defensive tackle Carl Davis from the practice squad in preparation for facing the Titans (3-8). Washington has lost three in a row to fall from first place in the NFC East to the conference’s final wild-card spot. The most recent loss, last weekend against division rival Dallas, came when Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game, which would have tied it with 21 seconds left. Seibert went on IR earlier in the week with a groin injury that Quinn said the kicker reported Monday. While injuries have piled up as the Commanders await their late bye week, the choice of Forbes has been second-guessed since the moment Rivera's front office chose the 166-pound Mississippi State defensive back with the 16th pick over Christian Gonzalez and others. Gonzalez was selected next, by New England, and has started 16 games for the Patriots. Forbes was benched last season by Rivera, who was in charge when Washington selected Davis ahead of offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw in '21 and traded down to take Dotson the following year instead of safety Kyle Hamilton or receiver Chris Olave. Forbes has two interceptions and 12 passes defensed in 20 games. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflRelmada seeking strategic options after failed study
Syrian government services come to ‘complete halt’ as workers stay at homeNoneRenuka Rayasam | (TNS) KFF Health News In April, just 12 weeks into her pregnancy, Kathleen Clark was standing at the receptionist window of her OB-GYN’s office when she was asked to pay $960, the total the office estimated she would owe after she delivered. Clark, 39, was shocked that she was asked to pay that amount during this second prenatal visit. Normally, patients receive the bill after insurance has paid its part, and for pregnant women that’s usually only when the pregnancy ends. It would be months before the office filed the claim with her health insurer. Clark said she felt stuck. The Cleveland, Tennessee, obstetrics practice was affiliated with a birthing center where she wanted to deliver. Plus, she and her husband had been wanting to have a baby for a long time. And Clark was emotional, because just weeks earlier her mother had died. “You’re standing there at the window, and there’s people all around, and you’re trying to be really nice,” recalled Clark, through tears. “So, I paid it.” On online baby message boards and other social media forums , pregnant women say they are being asked by their providers to pay out-of-pocket fees earlier than expected. The practice is legal, but patient advocacy groups call it unethical. Medical providers argue that asking for payment up front ensures they get compensated for their services. How frequently this happens is hard to track because it is considered a private transaction between the provider and the patient. Therefore, the payments are not recorded in insurance claims data and are not studied by researchers. Patients, medical billing experts, and patient advocates say the billing practice causes unexpected anxiety at a time of already heightened stress and financial pressure. Estimates can sometimes be higher than what a patient might ultimately owe and force people to fight for refunds if they miscarry or the amount paid was higher than the final bill. Up-front payments also create hurdles for women who may want to switch providers if they are unhappy with their care. In some cases, they may cause women to forgo prenatal care altogether, especially in places where few other maternity care options exist. It’s “holding their treatment hostage,” said Caitlin Donovan, a senior director at the Patient Advocate Foundation . Medical billing and women’s health experts believe OB-GYN offices adopted the practice to manage the high cost of maternity care and the way it is billed for in the U.S. When a pregnancy ends, OB-GYNs typically file a single insurance claim for routine prenatal care, labor, delivery, and, often, postpartum care. That practice of bundling all maternity care into one billing code began three decades ago, said Lisa Satterfield, senior director of health and payment policy at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists . But such bundled billing has become outdated, she said. Previously, pregnant patients had been subject to copayments for each prenatal visit, which might lead them to skip crucial appointments to save money. But the Affordable Care Act now requires all commercial insurers to fully cover certain prenatal services. Plus, it’s become more common for pregnant women to switch providers, or have different providers handle prenatal care, labor, and delivery — especially in rural areas where patient transfers are common. Some providers say prepayments allow them to spread out one-time payments over the course of the pregnancy to ensure that they are compensated for the care they do provide, even if they don’t ultimately deliver the baby. “You have people who, unfortunately, are not getting paid for the work that they do,” said Pamela Boatner, who works as a midwife in a Georgia hospital. While she believes women should receive pregnancy care regardless of their ability to pay, she also understands that some providers want to make sure their bill isn’t ignored after the baby is delivered. New parents might be overloaded with hospital bills and the costs of caring for a new child, and they may lack income if a parent isn’t working, Boatner said. In the U.S., having a baby can be expensive. People who obtain health insurance through large employers pay an average of nearly $3,000 out-of-pocket for pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, according to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker . In addition, many people are opting for high-deductible health insurance plans, leaving them to shoulder a larger share of the costs. Of the 100 million U.S. people with health care debt, 12% attribute at least some of it to maternity care, according to a 2022 KFF poll . Families need time to save money for the high costs of pregnancy, childbirth, and child care, especially if they lack paid maternity leave, said Joy Burkhard , CEO of the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, a Los Angeles-based policy think tank. Asking them to prepay “is another gut punch,” she said. “What if you don’t have the money? Do you put it on credit cards and hope your credit card goes through?” Calculating the final costs of childbirth depends on multiple factors, such as the timing of the pregnancy , plan benefits, and health complications, said Erin Duffy , a health policy researcher at the University of Southern California’s Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. The final bill for the patient is unclear until a health plan decides how much of the claim it will cover, she said. But sometimes the option to wait for the insurer is taken away. During Jamie Daw’s first pregnancy in 2020, her OB-GYN accepted her refusal to pay in advance because Daw wanted to see the final bill. But in 2023, during her second pregnancy, a private midwifery practice in New York told her that since she had a high-deductible plan, it was mandatory to pay $2,000 spread out with monthly payments. Daw, a health policy researcher at Columbia University, delivered in September 2023 and got a refund check that November for $640 to cover the difference between the estimate and the final bill. “I study health insurance,” she said. “But, as most of us know, it’s so complicated when you’re really living it.” While the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover some prenatal services, it doesn’t prohibit providers from sending their final bill to patients early. It would be a challenge politically and practically for state and federal governments to attempt to regulate the timing of the payment request, said Sabrina Corlette , a co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. Medical lobbying groups are powerful and contracts between insurers and medical providers are proprietary. Because of the legal gray area, Lacy Marshall , an insurance broker at Rapha Health and Life in Texas, advises clients to ask their insurer if they can refuse to prepay their deductible. Some insurance plans prohibit providers in their network from requiring payment up front. If the insurer says they can refuse to pay up front, Marshall said, she tells clients to get established with a practice before declining to pay, so that the provider can’t refuse treatment. Related Articles Health | Which health insurance plan may be right for you? Health | California case is the first confirmed bird flu infection in a US child Health | Your cool black kitchenware could be slowly poisoning you, study says. Here’s what to do Health | Does fluoride cause cancer, IQ loss, and more? Fact-checking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claims Health | US towns plunge into debates about fluoride in water Clark said she met her insurance deductible after paying for genetic testing, extra ultrasounds, and other services out of her health care flexible spending account. Then she called her OB-GYN’s office and asked for a refund. “I got my spine back,” said Clark, who had previously worked at a health insurer and a medical office. She got an initial check for about half the $960 she originally paid. In August, Clark was sent to the hospital after her blood pressure spiked. A high-risk pregnancy specialist — not her original OB-GYN practice — delivered her son, Peter, prematurely via emergency cesarean section at 30 weeks. It was only after she resolved most of the bills from the delivery that she received the rest of her refund from the other OB-GYN practice. This final check came in October, just days after Clark brought Peter home from the hospital, and after multiple calls to the office. She said it all added stress to an already stressful period. “Why am I having to pay the price as a patient?” she said. “I’m just trying to have a baby.” ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The May 9 accused have now all been sentenced; except the mastermind At one level, the table is being cleared before the talks between the PTI and the government. AAt another level, PTI founder Imran Khan is having his patience tested. With the conviction and sentencing of 85 of those accused of involvement in the attacks on 9 May 2023, the courts martial have carried out the permission given by the Supreme Court to carry out the trials, which had earlier been stopped. However, it is not to be assumed that the last has been heard of the matter, for the establishment wants the ‘mastermind’ of these attacks tried. The material which has come out so far has indicated that the May 9 attacks were actually carefully planned, and designed to have led to a coup. That ‘mastermind’ is supposed to be Mr Khan, and though he has been nominated in cases related to May 9, none of those cases lies with a military court, and he has been bailed in those cases by the concerned anti-terrorism courts. With the PTI saying it intends to appel these convictions, it is almost as it the legal battle hs just been joined. However, if there was any attempt to try him, it would lead, perhaps irretrievably, to breakdown of the talks process. The limit to which the PTI leader is being tested is by the 10-year sentence handed down to Mr Khan’s nephew, Hassan Niazi. While Mr Niazi made himself prominent by waving around the trousers of the Corps Commander Lahore, he also focused the attention of investigators on himself. While his conviction and sentence will demonstrate to the military that justice has been done, it will also show Mr Khan what could happen to him. It should not be forgotten that not only are there still May 9 charges he must answer, but the verdict in the Al-Qadir Trust case has been reserved, with the court having postponed pronouncing it twice. There can be no justification for the desecration of military symbols on May 9. Punishment and trial should not simply become a political tool, and should not be used to make one side talk. Forcing any side to talks is always counterproductive. Holding a Damocles’ sword over anyone’s head never yields the results sought after. If Mr Khan should be tried, he should be. If not, he should not. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );Activists train guns on Bahadur K CETPsSimone Biles is rocking with a new ‘do. “I cut my hair,” Biles, 27, captioned a Saturday, November 30, Instagram Story mirror selfie. In the snap, the Olympian posed for a pic with husband Jonathan Owens , as they both dressed casually in neutral-colored sweatpants and long-sleeved shirts. Biles, for her part, showed off her hair transformation. She wore her locks down in a bob chopped to her chin and curled at the edges. Days earlier, Biles wore her long tresses in a high pony for Owens’ Thanksgiving Day football game between his Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions. After the Bears lost 20-23, the 29-year-old NFL safety and Biles traveled home to Chicago for a belated Thanksgiving meal. “Holidays are revolving around sports right now, especially in the football world with them sometimes playing,” Biles exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month. “We’ll just have a chef come and cook. I think some of his teammates will come through and grab a plate, especially if they don’t have family in the area. It is a little bit more difficult, but it is kind of nice that we can just relax. It will be prepared by the time we get home.” You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News Biles has been a staple at Owens’ Bears games throughout the 2024-2025 season, often wearing her hair down in braids or in a tight ponytail. No matter which hairstyle Biles chose, she’s learned to accept the way it looked. “I used to worry about [my hair being considered] not professional,” she told Elle earlier this year. But I’m not embarrassed about it anymore. Most of the backlash we get is from our own community, which is unfortunate. I don’t really care if my edges aren’t smooth.” She added, “We’ve been able to take care of our hair better and take care of our beauty routines better. ... I understand and realize I have to take care of my physical appearance as well as my mental. I’m finally learning to love my hair and the texture that I have and the styles that I can do.”
The Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Birmingham Chapter Mr. Prince Kwadwo Osei, has praised the leadership of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) for selecting Berekum Holy Family Hospital in the Bono Region as one of the facilities offering free dialysis sessions under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). In a statement issued from his base in Birmingham, Mr. Osei lauded the initiative ledChief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), led by Dr. DaCosta Aboagye, describing it as both strategic and timely. He highlighted the significance of the decision, emphasizing that it would alleviate the burden on patients with renal issues in the Bono Region who previously had to travel to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in the Ashanti Region for treatment. “The proximity of Berekum to Sunyani, the Bono Regional capital, makes this choice an excellent one, as it will serve patients not only within Bono but also in parts of the Ahafo and Northern Regions,” he noted. Mr. Osei, affectionately known as One-in-Town, acknowledged that when Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia announced the free dialysis policy under the NHIS, many dismissed it as mere campaign rhetoric. However, he pointed out that its successful implementation on December 1, 2024, demonstrates the government’s commitment to delivering on its promises. He further credited Dr. Bawumia’s leadership and vision, stating, “Social intervention policies like this are among the reasons why Dr. Bawumia stands out as the best choice for Ghana. His track record as the most performing Vice President in Ghana’s political history, coupled with his unblemished integrity, makes him the ideal candidate for the December 7, 2024, general elections.” Mr. Osei also confirmed that free dialysis sessions commenced smoothly at the Berekum Holy Family Hospital, with officials from the NHIA’s national office present to oversee the rollout. “This marks a significant milestone and the icing on the cake,” he remarked. He expressed optimism that such policies would continue to enhance healthcare accessibility and improve the lives of Ghanaians across the country.2024 just the latest in a long string of late-season Steelers collapses under Mike TomlinOdronextamab ASH Presentations Underscore Impressive Potential in Earlier Lines of Treatment ...
DEM Party expected to hold face-to-face meeting with Abdullah Ocalan, who has been in prison for 25 years. Turkiye will allow parliament’s pro-Kurdish party to visit the jailed founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) on his island prison, setting up the first such visit in nearly a decade. The Justice Ministry approved a request by the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) to meet Abdullah Ocalan, who is serving life in solitary confinement, a DEM spokesperson said late on Friday. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc confirmed the move in remarks to the TGRT news channel. “We responded positively to DEM’s request for a meeting. Depending on the weather conditions, they will go to Imrali tomorrow [Saturday] or Sunday,” he said, referring to the prison island where Ocalan has been held for 25 years. Friday’s decision came after DEM requested the visit last month, soon after a key ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expanded on a proposal to end the 40-year-old conflict between the state and Ocalan’s outlawed PKK. Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, made the call a month after suggesting that Ocalan announce an end to the rebellion in exchange for the possibility of his release. Erdogan described Bahceli’s initial proposal as a “historic window of opportunity”. After the latest call last month, Erdogan said he was in complete agreement with Bahceli on every issue and that they were acting in harmony and coordination. “To be frank, the picture before us does not allow us to be very hopeful,” Erdogan said in parliament. “Despite all these difficulties, we are considering what can be done with a long-range perspective that focuses not only on today but also on the future.” Bahceli regularly condemns pro-Kurdish politicians as tools of the PKK, which they deny. Regional changes DEM’s predecessor party was involved in peace talks between Ankara and Ocalan a decade ago, last meeting him in April 2015. The peace process and a ceasefire collapsed soon after, unleashing the most deadly phase of the conflict. DEM MPs Sirri Sureyya Onder and Pervin Buldan, who both met Ocalan as part of peace talks at the time, will travel to Imrali island to meet him this weekend, the party said. Turkiye and its Western allies designate the PKK as a “terrorist group”. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the fighting, which in the past was focused in the mainly Kurdish southeast but is now centred on northern Iraq, where the PKK is based. Growing regional instability and changing political dynamics are seen as factors behind the bid to end the conflict with the PKK. The chances of success are unclear as Ankara has given no clues on what it may entail. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria this month, Ankara has repeatedly insisted that the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia, which it sees as an extension of the PKK, must disband, asserting that the group has no place in Syria’s future. The YPG is the main component of the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). SDF commander Mazloum Abdi (also known as Mazloum Kobani) acknowledged the presence of PKK fighters in Syria for the first time last week, saying they had helped fight ISIL (ISIS) fighters and would return home if a total ceasefire was agreed upon with Turkiye, a core demand from Ankara. Authorities in Turkiye have continued to crack down on alleged PKK activities. Last month, the government replaced five pro-Kurdish mayors in southeastern cities for suspected PKK ties, in a move that drew criticism from DEM and others.