DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule but raising questions about the future of the country and the wider region. Syrian opposition fighters celebrate Sunday after the Syrian government collapsed in Damascus, Syria. Joyful crowds gathered in central squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. Others gleefully ransacked the presidential palace and residence after President Bashar Assad and other top officials vanished, their whereabouts unknown. A man tries to take a lamp Sunday as people search for belongings in the ransacked private residence of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the Malkeh district of Damascus, Syria. Russia, a close ally, said Assad left the country after negotiations with rebel groups and gave instructions to transfer power peacefully. Abu Mohammed al-Golani , a former al-Qaida commander who cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance, leads the biggest rebel faction and is poised to chart the country's future. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the capital’s sprawling Umayyad Mosque and said Assad's fall was “a victory to the Islamic nation.” Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he told hundreds of people that Assad made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and still split among different armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in some remote areas. Syrian opposition fighters remove a government Syrian flag from an official building Saturday in Salamiyah, east of Hama, Syria. Syrian state television broadcast a video statement early Sunday by a group of rebels saying that Assad was overthrown and all prisoners were released. They called on people to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state.” The rebels later announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. The rebels said they freed people held at the notorious Saydnaya prison, where rights groups say thousands were tortured and killed . A video circulating online purported to show rebels breaking open cell doors and freeing dozens of female prisoners, many of whom appeared shocked and confused. At least one small child could be seen among them. Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi, who appeared on state TV later in the day, sought to reassure Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, saying: “Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects.” “We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did," he added. People gather Sunday in Manbij, Syria, to celebrate the fall of the Syrian government. Celebrations in the capital Residents of Damascus gathered to pray at mosques and to celebrate in squares, chanting, “God is great.” People also chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. Teenage boys picked up weapons apparently discarded by security forces and fired into the air. Revelers filled central Umayyad Square, where the Defense Ministry is located. Men fired celebratory gunshots and some waved the three-starred Syrian flag that predates the Assad government and was adopted by the revolutionaries. Syrians gather Sunday to celebrate the arrival of opposition fighters in Damascus, Syria. “I cannot express my happiness," said Bassam Masr. “But this happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where is he. I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years.” Soldiers and police left their posts and fled, and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Videos showed families wandering into the presidential palace, with some emerging carrying stacks of plates and other household items. “Victory to Syria. Syria remains and Assad to hell, to the dustbin of history,” said a man exploring the palace. A man walks by a broken portrait of the late Syrian President Hafez Assad as people search for belongings Sunday in the ransacked private residence of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the Malkeh district of Damascus, Syria. Syria’s al-Watan newspaper, which was historically pro-government, wrote: “We are facing a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood. We believe and trust that Syria will be for all Syrians.” The newspaper added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements, saying: “We only carried out the instructions and published the news they sent us.” A statement from the Alawite sect — to which Assad belongs and which formed the core of his base — called on young Syrians to be “calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country.” The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. In Qamishli in the northeast, a Kurdish man slapped a statue of the late leader Hafez Assad with his shoe. An opposition fighter steps on a broken bust of the late Syrian President Hafez Assad on Sunday in Damascus, Syria. Assad reportedly in Russia Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said in a video statement that the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video shared on Syrian opposition media showed a group of armed men escorting him out of his office and to the Four Seasons hotel Sunday. Syrian President Bashar Assad listens May 19, 2023, during the Arab summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told The Associated Press that Assad took a flight Sunday from Damascus. Russian state news agencies reported that Assad arrived in Moscow with his family and was given asylum. The agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source. The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports but has contacted the Kremlin for comment. A senior diplomat from the United Arab Emirates, which sought to rehabilitate Assad's image and welcomed high-profile exiles in recent years, declined to comment on his whereabouts when asked by reporters at a conference in Bahrain. Anwar Gargash said Assad's destination at this point is a “footnote in history,” comparing it to the long exile of German Kaiser Wilhelm II after World War I. Assad was accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war, including a 2013 chemical weapons attack on the outskirts of the capital. Opposition fighters burn down a military court Sunday in Damascus, Syria. Calls for an orderly transition The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall in a matter of days as the Syrian army melted away. Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, which provided crucial support to Assad throughout the uprising, abandoned him in the final days as they reeled from other conflicts. The end of Assad’s rule deals a major blow to Iran and its allies, already weakened by over a year of conflict with Israel . Iran, which had strongly backed Assad throughout the civil war, said Syrians should decide their future “without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention.” Syrian opposition fighters take a selfie Sunday at the damaged entrance of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria. The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after apparently having been abandoned. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said Israeli troops had temporarily seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying the move was taken to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned their positions. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied. Israeli soldiers walk Sunday near armored vehicles parked along the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria. The rebels are led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS , which has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations. Its head, al-Golani, has sought to recast the group as a moderate and tolerant force. HTS set up a “salvation government” in 2017 to administer a large region in northwestern Syria under its control. “Golani has made history and sparked hope among millions of Syrians," said Dareen Khalifa, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group and an expert on Syrian groups. "But he and the rebels now face a formidable challenge ahead. One can only hope they rise to the occasion.” People gather Sunday in Manbij, Syria, to celebrate the fall of the Syrian government. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called Saturday for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday. The participants included Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Turkey. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need “to engage all parties on the ground," including the HTS, and that the main concern is “stability and safe transition.” Sewell reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue, Sarah El Deeb and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Samar Kassaballi, Omar Sanadiki and Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus; Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain; Josef Federman in Doha, Qatar; and Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem contributed. People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Members of the Syrian community in Finland wave a Syrian flag and celebrate in Helsinki, Finland, Dec. 8, 2024. (Roni Rekomaa/Lehtikuva via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Syrians wave opposition flags and give out sweets during a spontaneous rally in Wuppertal, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa/dpa via AP) Syrians celebrate the fall of the Assad regime in Syria at a demonstration in Stockholm, Sweden, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Jonas Ekstroemer/TT News Agency via AP) A Syrian man waves a flag during a spontaneous demonstration celebrating the fall of the Assad regime, in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Syrians wave Syrian opposition flags at a rally in Wuppertal, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa/dpa via AP) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) Syrians living in France gather on Republique square after the Syrian government fell early today in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A Syrian man waves a flag during a spontaneous demonstration celebrating the fall of the Assad regime in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
Title: Media: French Team is Not a Shelter for Mbappé, Comfort Zone is a Thing of the Past
(The Center Square) – Paula Scanlan is hopeful the narrative around gender ideology is shifting, especially as Republicans prepare for majorities in both chambers of the 119th Congress and a seat in the White House. “I am hopeful that with the majorities now that we will be able to get across the finish line,” Scanlan told The Center Square on Thursday, speaking of more legislation on the way to protect women's spaces. “Obviously, this goes beyond sports ... So ideally, I think that the biggest thing would be to federally pass something that says this is what a woman is.” Scanlan a day earlier was part of a panel where U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., announced that Republicans plan to soon introduce legislation to “protect children from transgender medical procedures.” A report from the advocacy group Do No Harm released four weeks before Election Day included documented evidence of such activity being performed on a 7-year-old . “We’ll be introducing the STOP Act soon,” said Marshall . “We are going to use the Commerce Act to punish people who perform any type of surgery, or who use any type of medications on minors.” STOP is an acronym for Safeguarding the Overall Protection of Minors. The panel said that the legislation is an important and necessary step to protect children. Scanlan and Marshall, a host with the American Principles Project, were on the panel alongside U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.; U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill.; Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project; and Sarah Parshall Perry, senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation. “We all know by now that so-called gender affirming care is anything but caring,” Tuberville said. “It is pure insanity and has caused irreversible damage to countless children. This isn’t about politics, this is about good and evil.” Scanlan is an ambassador for Independent Women's Voice and a former collegiate swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania. Swimming for the Quakers, she and teammates endured being not only on the same team but in the same locker room as a swimmer who for the first three years swam on the men's team. “I was a swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania and the administration, the university and the NCAA said , ‘Here's a man who wants to swim on your team, please accept him,’” she explained during the panel. “This entire situation really made all female athletes feel isolated and alone, and like they know where to go.” Scanlan said that it wasn’t just competing that isolated the female athletes. “Eighteen times per week, my teammates and I were forced to undress next to a 6-foot-4, fully-intact male,” Scanlan said. “As a female athlete, this was just something I couldn't even imagine. It was something I never imagined would happen to me when I went off to college.” The STOP Act is one of a few beginnings. U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., has proposed legislation seeking to protect women’s spaces on all federal property nationwide. This would include bathrooms, locker rooms and prisons. Scanlan said this shows that public opinion is on the side of her and the panel. “This is really the first time we're seeing more of these people in power stepping up and actually doing the right thing and saying enough is enough” she said. “Now, we are looking at entire teams that are feeling empowered to be able to boycott ... or object to competing against males. It's widespread.” A notable case of that is San Jose State, where Blaire Fleming's participation has led to seven opponents forfeiting rather than playing a women's team that includes a man saying he is a woman. Tuberville and Marshall emphasized they believe the majority of Americans would agree with the proposed legislation. "The American people are sick of this nonsense," Tuberville said . "It’s time we restore some sanity and get common sense back in this country." Scanlan said that while she supports the national legislation Republicans are considering, it is important for states to also continue to pass legislation. “I always remind people who are really excited about having a presidency that we don't know what might happen in four years," she said. "So, of course, it's also important to codify this in states. We are going to continue our efforts. There's still a lot of work to be done, and I don't really see it as a win until we've finished this on the state level.”
The decision to put the game on hiatus and make the fourth season the final update was not taken lightly by the development team behind "Suicide Squad." In a statement released by the studio, they explained that the decision was made in order to focus their resources on new and exciting projects that they believe will bring fresh and innovative experiences to players."Marvel's Avengers" IGN 8 Points: A Contender for the Crown Among Similar GamesAfter 10 straight wins, Lions face Packers with much to accomplish
The moment the needle touches their skin, the baby's face contorts into pain. A sharp cry escapes their lips, and tears well up in their eyes. It is a heartbreaking sight to witness, as their tiny bodies experience a moment of discomfort. As a parent, you may feel a surge of helplessness, wishing you could take away their pain in that instant. The baby's pain quickly shifts to fear, as they look to you for comfort and reassurance. Their eyes search for familiar faces, seeking solace in the midst of the unfamiliar surroundings.
Stay tuned for updates on the TGA awards ceremony and be sure to watch the live broadcast to see which games and creators will be crowned as the best of the best in the gaming world. The winners will be decided by a combination of fan voting and industry experts, ensuring that the awards reflect the diverse and evolving landscape of gaming.
Furthermore, the rise of automation and artificial intelligence is also contributing to the challenges faced by individuals seeking passive income. As technology advances and replaces human labor in various industries, the opportunities for earning passive income through traditional means such as rental properties or freelance work are diminishing. This leaves individuals with fewer options for generating income without actively working.
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Is Canada running out of time to make its buildings net zero?Multiple wings of the South Korean military apparatus assured the public on Friday that President Yoon Suk-yeol would not attempt to impose martial law for a second time this week, responding to spreading rumors that Yoon may attempt to exercise that power before an impeachment vote scheduled for Saturday. A senior army official, Commander Kwak Jong-keun, went further, telling lawmakers on Friday that, even if Yoon attempted to decree martial law, the Army Special Warfare Command would ignore him, according to the Korea JoongAng Daily . An unnamed top official in the Defense Ministry issued the same promise to disregard presidential orders should they come to impose military rule on the country. Some members of the left-wing Democratic Party and a group called the Center for Military Human Rights Korea suggested on Friday that Yoon may attempt to declare military rule a second time before he was impeached, prompting the multiple denials and assurances that, even if Yoon tries, the military would not follow his orders. “If there ever is a call for declaring martial law once again, the Defense Ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff will not allow it,” the news agency Yonhap quoted a Defense Ministry official as saying. Yonhap added that the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) itself also said it would not obey a martial law order, but emphasized, “there will not be a second declaration.” Acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho said at an emergency press conference on Friday that “rumors ... on signs of another martial law declaration are not true.” “Even if there is an order for martial law issuance, the defense ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) will never accept it,” he promised . Kim Seon-ho took over from Yoon’s longstanding defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun, on Thursday, after he tendered his resignation . Kim Yong-hyun, a high school classmate of Yoon’s, is rumored to have been the only cabinet official informed of the martial law plans before they were enacted; some reports suggested that Kim may have even been the originator of the idea. Yoon, a conservative, appeared on television and declared martial law late on Tuesday, a shocking announcement that almost no one in the nation expected or had previous knowledge of, including many in Yoon’s inner circle. Yoon claimed the martial law decree was necessary to combat leftist obstructionism in the National Assembly and alleged that the government had been infiltrated by “North Korean communist forces” and “unscrupulous pro-Pyongyang anti-state forces,” but never named any of the alleged infiltrators or offered evidence for these claims. The declaration prompted disgust and opposition from every sector of South Korean politics, including Yoon’s own People Power Party (PPP), which moved rapidly to distance itself from the announcement. Lawmakers stormed the National Assembly to use their constitutional power to vote against martial law, forcing their way through a column of soldiers dispatched to enforce a ban on political action. The Assembly unanimously voted against martial law and Yoon rescinded the order a few minutes later. Yoon has not addressed the public since. Even in obeying this order, the military appeared not to enforce the ban on entering the National Assembly with much force, as unarmed lawmakers in suits managed to keep throngs of young, heavily armed soldiers from breaking up the vote against martial law. Kwak, the army commander, said on Friday that he refused to follow the orders to break up the meeting. “I judged that dragging out lawmakers was clearly illegal, and so though it would be considered disobedience I did not follow orders,” he asserted. Yoon is scheduled to face an impeachment vote on Saturday. To pass, and to oust him from power, two-thirds of the National Assembly must vote in its favor, which would require eight members of the PPP to vote to expel their own president. The PPP initially opposed impeachment, proposing instead to pass a constitutional amendment to shorten term limits and in that way get rid of Yoon before the end of his tenure. By Friday, however, at least one PPP assemblyman said he would vote for impeachment and the party leader, Han Dong-hoon, told reporters Yoon needs to vacate the presidency as soon as possible. “Although it would be hard to change the party’s stance on Yoon’s impeachment vote, my opinion is that Yoon should be suspended from duty,” Han said , according to the Korea JoongAng Daily, stating that he “had not heard any remarks to reverse a judgment of suspending Yoon Suk Yeol from presidential duty.” Han made the comments after meeting with Yoon on Friday – and after reports surfaced that Yoon had ordered Han’s arrest on Tuesday, among other political leaders. In addition to impeachment, Yoon is facing a police investigation into criminal charges of treason for the martial law order. The Rebuilding Korea party filed criminal charges against Yoon this week; police have confirmed an investigation into whether Yoon acted outside of his constitutional authority in a criminal fashion or not is underway. Follow Frances Martel on Facebook and Twitter.
Lebanon is closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with the Syrian capital Damascus, the General Security Directorate said Friday. The decision came hours after an Israeli airstrike damaged a border crossing in northern Lebanon just days after it was reopened. Separately, Jordan’s interior minister said the Naseeb border crossing with Syria had been closed because of the security situation on the Syrian side. He spoke after Syrian opposition activists said insurgents had captured the main border crossing with Jordan, forcing the Syrian authorities to leave. Israel’s military said it planned to reinforce its positions in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights and near the border with Syria. Israel said it was “monitoring developments and is prepared for all scenarios, offensive and defensive alike.” Meanwhile, Syrian insurgents entered the central towns of Rastan and Talbiseh early Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer Syria’s third largest city, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media both reported. The breakthrough came a day after jihiadi-led opposition fighters captured the central city of Hama , Syria’s fourth largest. In other developments, a Hamas official said international mediators have resumed negotiations with the Palestinian militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war is within reach. Israel's war against Hamas has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel in October 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,600 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Here's the Latest: DEIR AL-Balah, Gaza Strip — An Israeli strike hit a residential building in central Gaza's Nuseirat refugee camp on Friday evening, killing at least 12 people, including six children and four women, according to officials at Awda Hospital. The strike wounded at least 46 others, including 13 children and 12 women, and damaged several neighboring houses, the hospital said. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,600 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. CAIRO — Israel said Friday that “thousands of food packages and sacks of flour” were delivered to the isolated northernmost reaches of Gaza, where hunger experts warn famine could be underway. The delivery would mark one of the first successful convoys to the area, which is besieged by Israeli troops that have mounted a fierce offensive in Gaza’s north since early October. COGAT, the Israeli military agency that controls the border crossings into Gaza, said the aid was delivered to the town of Beit Hanoun. Israeli authorities did not publicly say who delivered the aid, and did not provide details on the exact amount of aid involved. COGAT released photos of flatbed trucks driving past rubble, some carrying what appeared to be 25-kilogram (55 pound) sacks of aid and others with cargo covered under tarps. The U.N. has struggled to deliver aid to the area in recent weeks. Alia Zaki, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, told The Associated Press that nearly no food has entered the area for two months, and that the agency’s daily requests to enter the area have been denied by Israel. Of two missions that have been approved since Oct. 6, Zaki said, only two trucks of aid were delivered to a shelter that Israeli soldiers ordered to evacuate soon after and then burned. The situation in northern Gaza has prompted hunger experts to warn that famine is either near or may already be underway. BEIRUT — A Kurdish-led force in Syria that's backed by the United States says it has taken positions along the border with Iraq, replacing Syrian government forces. The move by the Syrian Democratic Forces to capture areas on the west bank of the Euphrates River is likely to cut the land line that links Iran with the Mediterranean coast. The SDF said in a statement that its fighters were deployed in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour and west of the Euphrates for the safety of civilians. “Our primary objective is to protect our security and the security of our people,” it said about the deployment. SDF spokesman Farhad Shami told The Associated Press that their fighters are not in control of the Boukamal border crossing with Iraq. Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said Iran-backed fighters have evacuated the border crossing point of Boukamal and the SDF is expected to control it later. The Boukamal border crossing has been a main supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah, who had opened the corridor that links Iran with the Mediterranean in 2017. The developments come as jihadi-led insurgents in northwestern Syria have made stunning advances over the past week that have so far met little resistance from government troops. KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Crowds of displaced Palestinians, some carrying cooking pots and crying children, gathered at an aid kitchen in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Friday, but many left with nothing. “The food ran out,” said Adel Mohammad, who was hoping to get a meal of rice – the only food being served — for his children. “At night they wake up hungry.” After the kitchen shut down, children used their hands to scoop bits of rice left in large empty cooking pots. The World Food Program has warned that the humanitarian response in Gaza is “nearing collapse as famine looms.” The U.N. agency says Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries, along with the breakdown of law and order in Gaza, has made it difficult for aid convoys to reach displaced Palestinians. Concerns are growing with the onset of another winter of war. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, many displaced repeatedly by Israeli attacks, are living in tent camps, reliant on international aid. Experts have already warned of famine in northern Gaza, which Israeli forces have almost completely isolated since early October. BEIRUT -- Lebanon’s General Security Directorate said Friday the country is closing all land border crossing with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with the Syrian capital Damascus. The decision by the security agency in charge of border crossings came hours after an Israeli airstrike damaged the Arida border crossing with Syria in north Lebanon, days after it was reopened. “Border crossings will be closed until further notice for the safety of travelers,” the agency said in a statement posted on X. It said that the only border crossing that will be kept open is Masnaa in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley. Lebanon’s state news agency said Friday the airstrike on the Arida crossing caused heavy material damage and cut the road. The Israeli military said fighter jets attacked the border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, adding that they were used to transfer munitions for Lebanon’s Hezbollah group. BEIRUT - Syrian opposition activists say insurgents have captured a main border crossing with Jordan forcing Syrian authorities to leave it. Shortly afterward, Jordan’s Interior Minister al-Frayeh said the Naseeb border crossing with Syria had been closed because of the security situation on the Syrian side. Story continues below video Opposition activists posted videos online showing people storming the border crossing with Jordan, which was in rebel hands until government forces regained control of it in 2018. Ahmad al-Masalmeh, an opposition activist based in France who covers events in southern Syria, told The Associated Press that local gunmen have captured the Naseeb crossing as well as several other areas in the southern province of Daraa where the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011. Syrian troops have evacuated checkpoints in several areas including the villages of Inkhil, Nawa and Jassem, he added. JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said on Friday that it planned to reinforce its forces stationed in the Golan Heights and near the border with Syria, where civil war has reignited between the government and rebel groups. The Israeli military said in a statement that it was “monitoring developments and is prepared for all scenarios, offensive and defensive alike.” After 13 years of civil war, Syrian insurgents are gaining ground, first taking cities in the country’s north and on Friday entering cities in central Syria. It comes as rebel groups mount new challenges to Russia- and Iran-backed Syrian forces, including in Aleppo, the country’s largest city. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has intermittently struck areas in Syria seen as strongholds of Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group it is at war with in Lebanon. The advances of the Syrian insurgents adds new instability on Israel’s northern border, two months after it invaded neighboring Lebanon. Israel’s defense minister and military chief of staff met to discuss the situation Thursday. Israeli media reported there is concern in the country’s security establishment that the rebels would advance until they reached the Golan Heights, territory occupied by Israel, gaining control of Syrian weapons stockpiles along the way. Writing in the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahoronoth Friday, veteran military correspondent Ron Ben-Yishai wrote that Israel may “prefer” to destroy the weapons storehouses so they won’t fall into the hands of the rebels. Israel seized control of the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war. Syria has constantly accused Israel of launching attacks against it from territory it occupies in the Golan Heights. Israel has frequently struck Syria over the years. BEIRUT — Syrian insurgents entered two central towns early Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer Syria’s third largest city, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media both reported. The break into Rastan and Talbiseh came a day after opposition gunmen captured the central city of Hama , Syria’s fourth largest, after the Syrian army said it withdrew to avoid fighting inside the city and spare the lives of civilians. The insurgents, led by the jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have said that they will march to Homs and Damascus, President Bashar Assad’s seat of power. The city of Homs, parts of which were controlled by insurgents until 2014, is a major intersection point between the capital, Damascus, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus where Assad enjoys wide support. Homs province is Syria’s largest in size and borders Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan. Insurgents are now 5 kilometers (3 miles) away from Homs, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor. “The battle of Homs is the mother of all battles and will decide who will rule Syria,” said Rami Abdurrahman, the Observatory’s chief. MANAMA, Bahrain — Iran said Friday it conducted a successful space launch, the latest for its program the West alleges improves Tehran’s ballistic missile technology. Iran conducted the launch using its Simorgh program , a satellite-carrying rocket that had had a series of failed launches, at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport in rural Semnan province. That’s the site of Iran’s civilian space program. The Simorgh carried what Iran described as an “orbital propulsion system,” as well as two research systems to a 400-kilometer (250-mile) orbit above the Earth. A system that could change the orbit of a spacecraft would allow Iran to geo-synchronize the orbits of its satellites. Tehran has long sought that ability. Iran also put the payload of the Simorgh at 300 kilograms (660 pounds), heavier than its previous successful launches. There was no immediate independent confirmation the launch was successful. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The announcement comes as heightened tensions grip the wider Middle East over Israel’s continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip and as an uneasy ceasefire holds in Lebanon. MELBOURNE, Australia — Arsonists extensively damaged a Melbourne synagogue on Friday in what Australia’s prime minister condemned as an antisemitic attack on Australian values. The blaze in the Adass Israel Synagogue is an escalation in targeted attacks in Australia since the war began between Israel and Hamas last year. Cars and buildings have been vandalized and torched around Australia in protests inspired by the war. A witness who had come to the synagogue to pray saw two masked men spreading a liquid accelerant with brooms inside the building at 4:10 a.m., officials said. About 60 firefighters with 17 fire trucks responded to the blaze, which police said caused extensive damage. Investigators have yet to identify a motive, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese blamed antisemitism. “This was a shocking incident to be unequivocally condemned. There is no place in Australia for an outrage such as this,” Albanese told reporters. “To attack a place of worship is an attack on Australian values. To attack a synagogue is an act of antisemitism, is attacking the right that all Australians should have to practice their faith in peace and security,” he added. ISTANBUL — A Hamas official says international mediators have resumed negotiating with the militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war was within reach. Ceasefire negotiations were halted last month when Qatar suspended talks with mediators from Egypt and the United States because of frustration over a lack of progress between Israel and Hamas. But there has been a “reactivation” of efforts in recent days to end the fighting, release hostages from Gaza and free Palestinian prisoners in Israel, according to Bassem Naim, an official in Hamas’ political bureau who spoke with The Associated Press in Turkey on Thursday. Another official familiar with the talks confirmed the return of Qatari mediators. The official spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations with the media. Since the talks broke down, there have been significant shifts in the global and regional landscape. Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election, and a ceasefire was declared last week between Israel and Hamas ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump is a staunch supporter of Israel, but Naim said he believes the incoming administration could “affect the situation positively” given that Trump had made halting wars in the region part of his campaign platform. Trump this week called for the release of all hostages held in Gaza by the time he takes office on Jan. 20, saying there would be “hell to pay” if that doesn’t happen. WASHINGTON -- Three U.S. service members were being evaluated for potential traumatic brain injuries following an attack near a base in eastern Syria this week, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday. Ryder said U.S. Central Command is still evaluating who was behind the attack near Mission Support Site Euphrates, which prompted the U.S. to conduct counter strikes on Tuesday. At the time, the Pentagon said rockets and mortars had landed in the vicinity of the base. The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria to conduct missions to counter the Islamic Stage group. By Lolita BaldorThe Global Store division allows customers in China to purchase products directly from international sellers through Amazon's platform. This initiative not only provides Chinese consumers with a diverse range of options but also opens up new opportunities for international sellers to reach the Chinese market effectively. By establishing a physical presence in Nanjing, Amazon aims to better understand the needs and preferences of its Chinese customers while streamlining its operations to deliver a seamless shopping experience.