NoneCsb bancorp CEO Eddie Steiner acquires $58,375 in common stock
Paratroopers with the IDF deployed to Syria to conduct "defense activities" following the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad. The fall of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, the culmination of years of civil war, has given way to a power vacuum with different factions protecting their own interests – and vying for power in the Middle Eastern nation. The U.S., worried about the resurgence of an ISIS stronghold, has struck targets associated with the Islamic State in central Syria. Turkey, which controls a zone of Syria on its northern border, has continued to attack U.S.-backed Kurdish forces. Both work with different proxy groups. Here’s a look at the different forces vying for control in the region: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has fled the country. (Getty Images) Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) HTS was the key faction behind the fall of Damascus and the fleeing of Assad, and now controls the capital city. But the Islamist militant group is far from a U.S. ally – its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, has a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head and has been designated a terrorist since 2013. The group governed just a sliver of northwest Syria in Idlib. ISRAEL DEPLOYS PARATROOPERS TO SYRIA IN 'DEFENSE ACTIVITIES' AFTER FALL OF ASSAD The group, founded as an al Qaeda affiliate, still remains largely aligned with al Qaeda but focuses on establishing fundamentalist Islamic rule in Syria rather than a global caliphate. The U.N., U.S. and Turkey all designate HTS as a terrorist organization. The group, in recent years, has worked to soften its image and lobbied to be delisted as a terrorist group, highlighting its government services in Idlib and promising to protect religious and cultural sites, even churches, in Aleppo. Experts believe Turkey, which has long looked to topple Assad, may have been at play in HTS’ offensive. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham chief Abu Mohammed al-Golani has a $10 million bounty on his head. Syrian government forces Syria’s forces loyal to Assad have staved off coup attempts since 2011, often through violent crackdowns on protests and rebellion. By 2020, government troops backed by Iran, Russia and Lebanese Hezbollah had pushed rebel forces back to the northwest corner of Syria. In the waning days of November, rebel factions swiftly overpowered government troops, seizing control of Aleppo – a city previously reclaimed by Assad's forces in 2016. Eight days later, the insurgents successfully captured not only Aleppo, but also Hama, Homs and Damascus. On Monday, HTS granted Assad’s forces "a general amnesty for all military personnel conscripted under compulsory service." "Their lives are safe and no one may assault them," the group said in a statement. HTS jihadists fight against government forces in Aleppo. (Bakr Alkasem/AFP via Getty Images) Syrian National Army (SNA) The SNA is a loosely bound coalition of Turkish-backed forces primarily intent on fighting Kurdish forces. But the coalition, which carries out Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s anti-Assad efforts, was also involved in the fall of Damascus. The groups have – in the past – also battled HTS and other Islamic State terrorists. The SNA coalition believes U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in Syria to be linked to Turkey’s Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a militant group that has launched Kurdish nationalist attacks in Turkey. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) SDF is a coalition of U.S.-backed Kurdish forces, centered in northeastern Syria. They have long worked alongside the U.S. in battling Islamic State forces in Syria. In addition to fighting the Islamic State, they’ve been fending off attacks from Turkish-backed fighters. US STRIKES DOZENS OF ISIS CAMPS AND OPERATIVES IN SYRIA AMID ASSAD'S DOWNFALL Kurdish forces were not involved in the offensive that toppled Assad, but they hailed the offensive campaign. "In Syria, we are living through historic moments as we witness the fall of the authoritarian regime in Damascus. This change presents an opportunity to build a new Syria based on democracy and justice that guarantees the rights of all Syrians," said Mazlum Abdi, the commander of the SDF, on Sunday morning. Turkey After relatively friendly relations with Syria throughout the early 2000s, Turkey condemned Assad over the violent 2011 crackdown on protesters. While Turkey and the U.S. are allies – bound to protect each other through NATO – they are on opposing sides in Syria, even as both celebrated Assad's downfall. The Turkish military fired on U.S.-backed forces in Syria over the weekend, where fighting erupted between rebel groups in Manbij, a Kurdish-controlled city near Syria's border with Turkey. Turkey has long had a goal of pushing the Kurds away from its border, and is looking to use the current turmoil to capture control along the border and decimate the Kurdish population there. Kurdish separatists have fought Turkey for years, looking to carve out their own autonomous nation. Russia Russia has long propped up the Assad regime, and days ago granted the ousted leader asylum. Since 2015, Russia has effectively acted as Assad’s air force, but its capacity to intervene on the dictator’s behalf has diminished since resources were needed for the war with Ukraine. Opposition fighters remove a government flag from an official building in Salamiyah, east of Hama, Syria, Saturday Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed) Iran Iran was Assad’s biggest supporter, providing arms and military advice and directing its proxy Lebanese Hezbollah to fight the insurgents. But Hezbollah had to direct its troops back to Lebanon to fight Israel, leaving Assad’s forces in a weakened position. HTS leader al-Golani lamented in a speech on Sunday that Syria had become "a playground for Iranian ambitions." Israel Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu credited his forces’ weakening of Hezbollah for playing a key role in the fall of Assad. Israel has consistently launched strikes against Syria with the strategic aim of disrupting the channels Iran uses to supply arms to Hezbollah. After Assad’s fall, Israel, on Sunday, struck Assad’s chemical weapons facilities within Syria, for fear of what hands they may fall into in his absence. Israel also captured control of a buffer zone within the Golan Heights, the first time they’ve captured territory in Syria since the war in 1973. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) moved in on Sunday and told residents to remain in their homes until further notice. They said they needed to capture the territory to ensure border security. They also captured Mount Hermon – the highest point on the border between the two countries and a blind spot in their defenses that Iran had been exploiting to send low-flying drones. The entrance of the Kweyris military airfield in the eastern part of Aleppo province on Dec. 3, 2024, where a portrait of President Bashar al-Assad and a national flag had been tossed in the garbage. (Rami Al-Sayed/AFP via Getty Images) U.S. Some 900 U.S. troops remain in Syria, where they are partnered with the SDF to fight ISIS. On Sunday, President Biden said U.S. troops would remain there to "ensure stability." The U.S. carried out dozens of precision strikes on more than 75 ISIS targets in central Syria over the weekend to prevent the terrorist group from exploiting the unrest to rebuild. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "We're clear-eyed about the fact that ISIS will try to take advantage of any vacuum to re-establish its capability to create a safe haven," Biden said. "We will not let that happen." Biden said the U.S. would support Syria's neighbors – Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Israel – "should any threat arise from Syria during this transition." The president added that the fall of Assad created a "historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria."Fushi Technology to Launch AI Agent Industry Vertical Applications, Accelerating Southeast Asia Market Expansion 12-23-2024 07:52 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: LeadPRwire Online On December 20th, it was reported that Fushi Technology is set to launch its AI Agent industry vertical applications in the Southeast Asia region to help businesses improve efficiency and optimize operations. According to public information, Fushi Technology is an investment of Hong Kong-listed company Yeahka Limited (9923.HK). In 2024, Fushi already expanded its client base in Southeast Asia, including over 200 global and regional brands such as Starbucks, MUJI, Pizza Hut, New Balance, Levi's, KOI, and Mr. Coconut, covering markets in Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia, with over 20,000 stores in total. Fushi's achievements can be attributed to two key drivers: The first driver is the synergies created by its partnership with Yeahka. Leveraging the payment technology, service expertise, and applied artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that are already validated in China, Fushi provides more attractive business empowerment solutions for merchants across the Asia-Pacific region. The second key driver is that Fushi itself places great importance on the localization of its SaaS product development and operations functionalities. By continually harnessing the market attributes and customer preferences in different vertical industries overseas, Fushi has enriched its in-house product portfolio and greatly improved service efficiency, enhancing the breadth and depth of its business empowerment capabilities for clients, while also increasing customer retention. The launch of Fushi's AI Agent industry vertical application is also driven by the needs of those overseas clients outside of China. Currently, Fushi's AI Agent primarily targets the food and beverage industry. Customers can use conversational natural language, either through voice or text, on the brand's official app or website to inquire about various information related to restaurants and food, as well as place orders and make payments. This will significantly enhance the customer experience and improve order conversion rates. In the future, Fushi will also collaborate with Ascentis, a leading CRM company in Singapore that Fushi recently acquired, to develop a marketing AI agent, allowing businesses to automatically plan and execute marketing campaigns and manage customer relationships through natural language. AI Agents are intelligent entities based on large language models (LLMs) that can autonomously understand, plan, make decisions, and perform complex tasks. Unlike traditional large models, AI Agents not only tell you "how to do" something, but also help you "do it." According to Deloitte, AI Agents are reshaping industries in unprecedented ways. They not only expand the application scope of generative AI but also enhance AI capabilities through multi-agent AI systems. For example, after launching the AI-driven AXON2.0 advertising marketing engine, Applovin saw an increase in advertising monetization rates, with third-quarter revenue rising by 39% year-on-year and net profit growing by 300% year-on-year. As of December 20th, Applovin's stock price has increased by over 700% this year. With AI Agents reshaping traditional industries and technologies, more industry disruptors are expected to emerge. Jared, a partner at Y Combinator and a senior investor, recently analyzed the market, predicting that vertical AI Agents could become a new market that is 10 times larger than SaaS, potentially creating technology giants with market values exceeding $300 billion each. With China's expansion into overseas markets, Fushi is poised to seize new market opportunities, thanks to its long-standing experience in serving merchants in combination with the addition of proprietary AI Agents. Media Contact Company Name: Shenzhen Fushi Technology Co., Ltd Contact Person: Isabel LIU Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=fushi-technology-to-launch-ai-agent-industry-vertical-applications-accelerating-southeast-asia-market-expansion ] City: Shenzhen Country: China Website: http://www.fushi-tech.com This release was published on openPR.Donald Trump is returning to the world stage. So is his trolling
A probate court has ruled against in a petition to change the terms of his succession plan to ensure that his eldest son Lachlan remains in charge of his conservative media empire after his death, , citing a sealed document. A Nevada commissioner on Saturday found that Murdoch acted in “bad faith” in attempting to change the terms of the irrevocable family trust — the instrument through which he controls News Corp. and Fox, according to the report. As currently constructed, the trust gives equal voting shares to his four eldest children. Although Lachlan is currently chair of News Corp., he could be stripped of his title by his siblings, largely seen as more politically moderate and have banded together to oppose revisions to the trust. Edmund J. Gorman Jr. concluded that the legal maneuver initiated by Murdoch is a “carefully crafted charade” to cement Lachlan’s control. He ruled against Murdoch that maintaining Fox as a conservative political media force by ensuring that Lachlan’s brothers and sisters won’t be able to wrest control of the company from him and moderate its coverage is in the best interest of all of the media juggernaut’s beneficiaries. Lawyers for Murdoch and James, Elisabeth and Prudence didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Adam Streisand, representing Murdoch, told the that an appeal is planned. The case now moves to a district court, which will decide whether to accept a recommended resolution by the commissioner. More litigation could follow. A two-week saga in a Nevada court, which kept the proceedings and filings under seal, examined proposed changes to the trust. It was revealed that Lachlan initiated plans to change the trust when he began to suspect that James, who’s no longer with the company, was planning to oust him after their father’s death. He allegedly introduced the plan last year at a special meeting of the trust. “Today is about Dad’s wishes and confirming all of our support for him and for his wishes,” he wrote in a text message to Elisabeth the day of the meeting, reported the . “It shouldn’t be difficult or controversial. Love you, Lachlan.” To solidify Lachlan as his successor, Murdoch had to prove that the changes are being implemented in good faith, with the purpose of benefiting all of the trust’s members. James, who at one point was seen as the heir apparent to his father’s media empire but lost a power struggle to his brother, has taken aim at his family’s business. He stepped down from the News Corp. board in 2020 due to “disagreements over certain editorial content published by the company’s news outlets.” He could have been alluding to Fox’s coverage that the election was stolen, which has led to at least three against the board, plus a $787.5 million payout to Dominion Voting Systems. Voting technology company Smartmatic continues to pursue a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against the network. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day More from The Hollywood ReporterSteelers WR George Pickens returns to practice, hopeful to play against Chiefs
Steelers WR George Pickens returns to practice, hopeful to play against Chiefs PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was a full participant in practice on Monday, opening the door for him to return from a three-game absence on Wednesday when Pittsburgh hosts the Kansas City Chiefs. Canadian Press Dec 23, 2024 2:01 PM Dec 23, 2024 2:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens walks on the field as teammates work out prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was a full participant in practice on Monday, opening the door for him to return from a three-game absence on Wednesday when Pittsburgh hosts the Kansas City Chiefs. Pickens hasn't played since tweaking his hamstring earlier this month. The Steelers (10-5) have struggled to generate much in their passing game with their leading receiver watching from the sideline in sweatpants. Though Monday's practice was a walkthrough, Pickens said he felt good and hopes he'll be able to face the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. The 23-year-old was going through post-practice drills on Dec. 6 when he felt his hamstring tighten up, forcing him to miss the first games of his three-year career. Pittsburgh has gone 1-2 in his absence, including back-to-back losses to Philadelphia and Baltimore in which Russell Wilson passed for just 345 yards while missing one of the NFL's top downfield threats. Wilson is encouraged by the way the sometimes mercurial Pickens — who has been flagged and fined multiple times this season for infractions ranging from facemasks to unsportsmanlike conduct — has remained engaged. “He’s been great in the midst of his little trial here over the past few weeks,” Wilson said. “And so we’re excited to have him back if that’s the case fully and let him do his thing.” Safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring) and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (groin) were also listed as full participants on Tuesday. Neither veteran has played since getting hurt against Cleveland on Dec. 8. While Pickens, Elliott and Ogunjobi could be available as Pittsburgh tries to hold off Baltimore for the AFC North lead, cornerback Joey Porter (knee) and WR Ben Skowronek (hip) are likely out after missing practice for a second straight day. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Bills offense is 'Cooking,' with running game adding a powerful new dimension Dec 23, 2024 1:43 PM Titans keep losing as coach Brian Callahan tries to show some progress Dec 23, 2024 1:31 PM Heavy ground game gives Anthony Richardson a chance to shine in Colts' latest victory Dec 23, 2024 1:29 PM
Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next
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Daily Post Nigeria Tinubu didn’t seek NASS approval for N150m presidential jet — Abaribe Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport News Tinubu didn’t seek NASS approval for N150m presidential jet — Abaribe Published on November 25, 2024 By Seun Opejobi Abia South senator, Enyinnaya Abaribe, on Monday said President Bola Tinubu never sought the approval of the National Assembly before purchasing a new presidential jet. Abaribe said he never saw any document from the presidency seeking the National Assembly’s approval for a new presidential jet. In August, President Tinubu acquired a new presidential jet and this was confirmed by his senior aide, Bayo Onanuga. The Airbus A330 procured at the rate of N150 billion replaced the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 acquired under former President Olusegun Obasanjo. However, featuring on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Abaribe said: ”Nobody brought anything to the National Assembly to say ‘Please, approve this for purchase of a new plane’. I say it was done without my knowledge. I never saw any document.” Related Topics: abaribe NASS Tinubu Don't Miss Demsa Traditional Council hosts Adamawa Quranic recitation competition You may like ‘Releasing Nnamdi Kanu will make you hero’ – Ohanaeze chieftain writes Tinubu Improved funding for National Space Programme fundamental to economic wellbeing – Tinubu to NASS Umahi explains why President Tinubu prioritises legacy projects Tinubu: Northern youths give ACF 7 days to lift suspension on chairman, Osuman Why I met with Plateau NASS members – Gov Mutfwang Tinubu a reformer, not accidental president – Presidency replies Bishop Kukah Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media Ltd