Nov. 29 sports tv skedDue to President-elect Donald Trump nominating veteran Pete Hegseth as the Secretary of Defense, the country is once again revisiting the conversation about military readiness and its recruitment problem. The Atlantic , a leftist rag if there ever was one, spent precious time and publishing space to claim that Hegseth’s comments about the negative effects of women in combat were wrong. They argue that Hegseth is unfairly lumping female military service members into a broader conversation about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Pete Hegseth has said that women should no longer have combat roles in the military. His comments reflect a broader tendency among Trump and his allies to treat every evolution in social norms as a DEI project gone awry, @juliettekayyem writes: https://t.co/GVYYRsPJpu — The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) November 23, 2024 “These comments reflect a broader tendency among Trump and his allies to treat every evolution in social norms as a triumph of ‘wokeness’—a DEI project gone awry,” The Atlantic wrote. “Men with higher ranks and much greater responsibility than Hegseth long ago recognized that ending combat exclusion wasn’t primarily a matter of women’s equality, but of military readiness.” Hegseth made headlines when an interview he did with podcast host Shawn Ryan went viral. In it, he argued that women shouldn’t be placed in combat roles because it affects the lethality and readiness of our military. (ROOKE: ‘Fighting For Women’s Rights’ Is What Got Us Into Transgender Bathroom Mess In The First Place) “Everything about men and women serving together makes the situation more complicated,” he said. “And complication in combat means casualties are worse.” Of course, Hegseth is correct. It doesn’t take an expert in military command to know this. You just have to be a serious person who understands the uniqueness that divides the sexes and how men and women interact in society to see that problems will arise when men and women are forced into the same box. Feminists would like to believe that women and men are the same. But they are not — just ask the Marine Corps. In 2015, the Marine Corps spent $36 million to study the military readiness of mixed-sex units versus those made up of all males. The results found that mixed-sex ground combat teams underperformed in almost every area compared to the all-male teams. “ Data collected during a monthslong experiment showed Marine teams with female members performed at lower overall levels, completed tasks more slowly and fired weapons with less accuracy than their all-male counterparts. In addition, female Marines sustained significantly higher injury rates and demonstrated lower levels of physical performance capacity overall,” The Marine Corps Times reported. Also, there is an anecdotal thread from X in which current and former service members recount their experience deploying to combat zones and completing basic training in mixed-sex units. 3. Females breaking down crying on training ruck marches in good conditions. This is common. — Paulos (@myth_pilot) November 14, 2024 5. Females getting special treatment for basically everything. Preferential admission for schools and training, females being hand-held through Ranger School, females being prioritized for career advancement in order to satisfy diversity targets. — Paulos (@myth_pilot) November 14, 2024 Bonus Round stories from friends: 16. “The FET (Female Engagement Team) attached to my platoon once wandered off during a patrol, because their E5 NCOIC fancied herself just the same as a maneuver unit, I noticed but it was too late they were inside some house of the village... — Paulos (@myth_pilot) November 14, 2024 23: The reality behind behind the first “female Marine infantry.” Alcohol issues, routinely excused from duty, failing to meet standards. The Marine Corps made a museum exhibit dedicated to these women: “Your thread on women in the military is incredible. I was on Camp Lejeune... — Paulos (@myth_pilot) November 15, 2024 The Atlantic decided not to mention the Marine Corps study in its piece. Instead, it focused on comments from the current ineffective leadership who made this integration possible. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, for example, said women “make us stronger. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley said that the enemy doesn’t recognize whether a male or female is firing the round that kills him. Maybe the latter is true, but Austin and Milley are ignoring a larger problem that could explain in some way why the military has suffered to bolster recruitment numbers for decades. 🚨Mark “White Rage” Milley really wants your daughters to fight in military combat: “Don’t lecture me about women in combat. Women have been in combat and it doesn’t matter if that 762 hits you in the chest, no one gives a sh*t if it’s a woman or guy who pulled the trigger. If... pic.twitter.com/0er9zlqa9B — Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) November 22, 2024 There is little discussion about whether the man in the foxhole next to the woman (who has apparently failed physical tasks repeatedly) feels safe going into battle with her or whether having a woman deploy with a man creates romantic complications. Not to mention that the direct result of emphasizing female empowerment over qualified candidates ensures that men are discouraged from joining. While this may hurt the feelings of someone suffering from Girl Boss Syndrome, it dramatically affects the performance capabilities of our military if its members have little faith in their counterparts. (ROOKE: Corporate Media Carries Out Anti-Christian Smear Campaign Against Pete Hegseth) The left believes that the answer to the military’s recruitment problem is to continue filling the gaps with women, even in places like submarines. Hegseth suggests that the military return to its original mission, which was to be a lethal defense system to protect our citizens. They’re attacking Pete Hegseth for saying women shouldn’t be in combat with men. As a woman who has a combat action ribbon & was in Fallujah, Iraq, when we attacked Fallujah in 2004, I couldn’t agree more with Pete. I did masonry & carpentry & was one of only two women who did my... — Mrs. Dirty Driver (@guntotinchick) November 21, 2024 Still, our country is drunk on feminism, which clouds our judgment. This is why The Atlantic writes unironically about how the change in military rules reflects “how military personnel operate in the real world.” As we’ve seen in the real world, when war comes to your borders, the government’s first move is not toward female soldiers. While I’ve seen several terrifying videos of Ukranian subscription officers rounding up military-aged civilian men to be forced into serving on the frontlines, there hasn’t been one showing females being dragged away from their families. Like the generations before us, they come for their men. Whether the Pentagon (or the left) will admit it, we need men to protect us. It’s not a patriarchal appreciation thing but a reality. Men are stronger, faster and more violent, making them uniquely more capable of military service. Fixing our recruitment problem hinges on activating American men to pick up their swords. At some point, we either realize that having women in combat is antithetical to that mission, or our country is going to learn the hard way through death and humiliation at the hands of our enemies.
49ers QB Brock Purdy resumes throwing but status for this week remains unknownFeds suspend ACA marketplace access to companies accused of falsely promising ‘cash cards’
BEIRUT — Israel's military launched airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, unleashing explosions throughout the country and killing at least 31 while Israeli leaders appeared to be closing in on a negotiated ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group. Israeli strikes hit commercial and residential buildings in Beirut as well as in the port city of Tyre. Military officials claimed they targeted areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. They issued evacuation orders for Beirut's southern suburbs, and strikes landed across the city, including meters from a Lebanese police base and the city's largest public park. The barrage came as officials indicated they were nearing agreement on a ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Security Cabinet prepared to discuss an offer on the table. Bulldozers remove the rubble of a destroyed building Monday that was hit in an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations also expressed cautious optimism Monday about possible progress on a ceasefire. People are also reading... “Knock on wood,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said as he opened the Group of Seven meeting outside Rome. “We are perhaps close to a ceasefire in Lebanon," he said. "Let's hope it's true and that there's no backing down at the last-minute.” A ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon was foremost on the agenda of the G7 meeting in Fiuggi, outside Rome, that gathered ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, in the last G7 encounter of the Biden administration. For the first time, the G7 ministers were joined by their counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as the Secretary General of the Arab League. Thick smoke, flames and debris erupt Monday from an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Tayouneh, Beirut, Lebanon. Meanwhile, massive explosions lit up Lebanon's skies with flashes of orange, sending towering plumes of smoke into the air as Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut's southern suburbs Monday. The blasts damaged buildings and left shattered glass and debris scattered across nearby streets. Some of the strikes landed close to central Beirut and near Christian neighborhoods and other targets where Israel issued evacuation warnings, including in Tyre and Nabatiyeh province. Israeli airstrikes also hit the northeast Baalbek-Hermel region without warning. Lebanon's Health Ministry said Monday that 26 people were killed in southern Lebanon, four in the eastern Baalbek-Hermel province and one in Choueifat, a neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs that was not subjected to evacuation warnings on Monday. The deaths brought the total toll to 3,768 killed in Lebanon throughout 13 months of war between Israel and Hezbollah and nearly two months since Israel launched its ground invasion. Many of those killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah have been civilians, and health officials said some of the recovered bodies were so severely damaged that DNA testing would be required to confirm their identities. Israel claims to have killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Lebanon's Health Ministry says the war has displaced 1.2 million people. Destroyed buildings stand Monday in the area of a village in southern Lebanon as seen from northern Israel. Israeli ground forces invaded southern Lebanon in early October, meeting heavy resistance in a narrow strip of land along the border. The military previously exchanged attacks across the border with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group that began firing rockets into Israel the day after the war in Gaza began last year. Lebanese politicians have decried the ongoing airstrikes and said they are impeding ceasefire negotiations. The country's deputy parliament speaker accused Israel of ramping up its bombardment to pressure Lebanon to make concessions in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah. Elias Bousaab, an ally of the militant group, said Monday that the pressure has increased because "we are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire." Israeli officials voiced similar optimism Monday about prospects for a ceasefire. Mike Herzog, the country's ambassador to Washington, earlier in the day told Israeli Army Radio that several points had yet to be finalized. Though any deal would require agreement from the government, Herzog said Israel and Hezbollah were "close to a deal." "It can happen within days," he said. Israeli officials have said the sides are close to an agreement that would include withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and a pullback of Hezbollah fighters from the Israeli border. But several sticking points remain. A member of the Israeli security forces inspects an impact site Sunday after a rocket fired from Lebanon hit an area in Rinatya, outskirts of Tel Aviv, Israel. After previous hopes for a ceasefire were dashed, U.S. officials cautioned that negotiations were not yet complete and noted that there could be last-minute hitches that either delay or destroy an agreement. "Nothing is done until everything is done," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Monday. The proposal under discussion to end the fighting calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. The withdrawals would be accompanied by an influx of thousands more Lebanese army troops, who have been largely sidelined in the war, to patrol the border area along with an existing U.N. peacekeeping force. Western diplomats and Israeli officials said Israel demands the right to strike in Lebanon if it believes Hezbollah is violating the terms. The Lebanese government says such an arrangement would authorize violations of the country's sovereignty. Shoppers say they want eco-friendly products, so why aren't they buying them? Shoppers say they want eco-friendly products, so why aren't they buying them? On paper, being more sustainable and eco-friendly while shopping sounds great—so why don't more people do it? There is growing consumer consciousness about the environmental impact of where people choose to shop and the sustainability of the products they buy. According to McKinsey, over 60% of individuals surveyed in 2020 said they would be willing to pay more for a product that is packaged in an eco-friendly way. Since 2019, products marketed as being environmentally sustainable have seen a 28% growth in revenue compared to 20% for products with no such marketing, a 2023 McKinsey and NielsenIQ report found. Much of this is thanks to the preferences and attitudes of Gen Z, who, on average, care more than their older counterparts about being informed shoppers. The younger generation also has more social justice and environmental awareness altogether. Shoppers are willing to spend around 9.7% more on a product they know is sourced or manufactured sustainably, with 46% saying they would do so explicitly because they want to reduce their environmental footprint, according to a 2024 PwC report. Sustainable practices consumers look for from companies include production methods, packaging, and water conservation. But despite the growing consciousness around being more environmentally responsible, consumer actions don't always align with their values. In psychology, this is defined as the "say-do gap": the phenomenon wherein people openly express concern and intention around an issue, but fail to take tangible action to make a change. According to the Harvard Business Review in 2019, most consumers (65%) say they want to buy from brands that promote sustainability, but only 1 in 4 follow through. So why don't people actually shop sustainably, despite how much they express a preference for eco-friendly products—and how can we close the gap? The RealReal examined reports from the Harvard Business Review and other sources to explore why some shoppers want to buy sustainably but struggle to follow through. This lack of action isn't due to a lack of caring—in many cases, it's hard to know how to be a sustainable consumer and other factors are often outside of shoppers' control. But the more people shop sustainably, the easier and more accessible that market will be for everyone—making it much easier for folks to buy aligned with their values. Barriers to sustainable shopping There are many obstacles preventing shoppers from upholding eco-friendly habits as much as they may want to—but not all of these barriers are necessarily real, or accurately understood. Shopping sustainably simply isn't convenient or accessible for many. Those who live in apartment buildings are 50% less likely to recycle , according to Ipsos. Reasons for this can vary from lack of space to buildings being excluded altogether because of recycling contamination issues. Many believe that sustainable products are too expensive or of a lower quality. The former is often true, which does create a hurdle for many: The manufacturing processes and materials for sustainable products are pricey. For instance, organic cotton requires an intensive production process free of certain chemicals or pesticides; by definition, true eco-friendly products can't be mass-produced, further upping their price tag. Using recycled materials for packaging, or obtaining an eco certification, can also be expensive. However, although the narrative of eco-friendly products being more expensive is true, there is often more of an effort to use better quality materials that last longer than their noneco-friendly counterparts. This could end up saving consumers money in the long run: By paying more upfront, they can get more wear out of sustainable fashion, for instance. There is also undeniable political rhetoric surrounding eco-friendly products—however, despite many Conservative politicians decrying sustainable products, members of all generations are increasingly choosing to prioritize shopping sustainably regardless of their political affiliation, according to research from NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business . This finding shows a trend toward seeing sustainability as a nonpartisan subject everyone can benefit from, no matter where they lie on the political spectrum. Some might think eco-friendly clothing, in particular, is not fashion-forward; after all, many of the top clothing retailers in the world partake in fast fashion. However, brands are increasingly being recognized as 'cool' and 'trendy' for supporting environmentally ethical practices, particularly as younger generations prioritize sustainability, as noted before. Many increasingly popular online stores are taking advantage of this paradigm shift by offering secondhand shopping options that are not only fashionable, but also more affordable, like ThredUp or Poshmark. Additionally, many legacy large-name brands are hopping on the sustainability movement and are gaining appreciation from loyal customers. Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly program partners with third-party certification bodies to make it easier for shoppers to identify eco-friendly products as they browse the website. H&M's newly launched H&M Rewear program debuts a resale platform that allows the resale of all clothing brands—not just their own. Similarly, Patagonia's Worn Wear program allows shoppers to trade in and buy used gear and clothing. The federal government is also working to close this gap. The Environmental Protection Agency's Safer Choice program is attempting to make sustainable shopping easier for consumers and companies alike. It includes a directory of certified products, a list of safer chemicals to look out for on labels, a "Safer Choice" label that products can earn to denote they are eco-friendly, and resources for manufacturers looking to adopt more sustainable practices. Most of all, though, the biggest way shoppers can shift toward sustainable shopping is through their behaviors and attitudes amongst their peers and communities. Studies show that humans largely care what others think of their actions; the more shoppers make environmentally conscious shopping the norm, the more others will follow suit. From an economic perspective, the more consumers shop eco-friendly, the more affordable and accessible these products will become, too: Sustainable products are currently more expensive because they are not in high demand. Once demand rises, production rates and prices can lower, making these products more accessible for all. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. This story originally appeared on The RealReal and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!A healthful and shelf-staple plant food — they last for years when dried — beans have been among a home cook’s most reliable pantry items for a very long time.
Adams has 19 as CSU Northridge defeats Denver 89-60
Special counsel moves to abandon election interference and classified documents cases against Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors have moved to abandon two criminal cases against Donald Trump, acknowledging that Trump’s return to the White House will preclude attempts to federally prosecute him for retaining classified documents or trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat. In court filings on Monday, the prosecutors cited longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. The decision by special counsel Jack Smith, who had sought to hold Trump criminally accountable for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, represented the end of the federal effort against the former president who firmly won election this month despite the election-related cases and multiple other unrelated criminal charges against him. Israel launches new airstrikes on Lebanon as leaders draw closer to a ceasefire with Hezbollah BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli airstrikes are hitting Lebanon with airstrikes as negotiations progress toward a ceasefire between the country and Lebanon-based Hezbollah militants. Lebanon reported that at least 12 people were killed Monday as explosions lit up the sky and airstrikes hit targets in Beirut and Tyre, a southern port city. After about a year of exchanging low-level attacks across the Israel-Lebanon border with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, Israeli troops launched a ground invasion of Lebanon in October. More than 3,700 people have been killed and 1.2 million displaced since. The fighting has amplified worries about direct conflict between Israel and Iran. International mediators are seeking to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah to end the fighting. What's blocking a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah? BEIRUT (AP) — Diplomats and other officials say there have been several sticking points in ceasefire talks in the war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, even as conditions for an agreement appear to be ripe. Israel’s military has killed nearly all of the militant group’s top leaders. Tens of thousands of Israelis who were evacuated from the border months ago are pressuring their government to go home. And the world wants to stop regional conflict from spreading after more than a year of fighting. But there remain sticking points over how Hezbollah’s withdrawal from the border area will be monitored and whether Israel will have freedom to strike the militants. Thanksgiving Travel Latest: Airport strike, staff shortages and weather could impact holiday travel Airports and highways are expected to be jam-packed during Thanksgiving week, a holiday period likely to end with another record day for air travel in the United States. AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday, most of them by car. However, travelers could be impacted by ongoing weather challenges and those flying to their destinations could be grounded by delays brought on by airline staffing shortages and an airport service workers strike. White Florida woman sentenced to 25 years in prison for shooting Black neighbor in lengthy dispute A white Florida woman who fatally shot a Black neighbor through her front door during an ongoing dispute has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for her manslaughter conviction. Susan Lorincz was sentenced Monday. The 60-year-old was convicted in August of killing 35-year-old Ajike “A.J.” Owens by firing a single shot from her .380-caliber handgun in June 2023. The shooting was the culmination of a long-running argument between the two neighbors over Owens’ children playing in a grassy area near both of their houses in Ocala. Lorincz told detectives that she feared for her life. Jurors did not agree with her self-defense claim. Judge in LA delays until January decision on resentencing Menendez brothers LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge has delayed until January his decision on whether to resentence Erik and Lyle Menendez for killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion 35 years ago. Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic said he needed time to review 17 boxes of documents. Still he let the brothers' aunts take the stand. They both testified on their behalf as the brothers seek to have their 1989 convictions reexamined in the shotgun murders of their parents Jose and Kitty Menendez. They argued the convictions should be reexamined because of new evidence of sex abuse by the brothers' father. The brothers were sentenced to life without parole. Supreme Court won’t hear challenge to graphic cigarette warning labels WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court won’t hear a challenge to a federal requirement that cigarette packages and advertising include graphic images demonstrating the effects of smoking. The high court declined to hear the case in a brief written order handed down Monday. The warnings include pictures of smoke-damaged lungs and feet blackened by diminished blood flow. Nearly 120 countries around the world have already adopted graphic warning labels. It’s not clear when new labels might appear in the U.S., however. Some legal claims remain and the FDA has said it doesn’t plan to enforce any new requirements until December 2025. Russia reportedly captures a Briton fighting for Ukraine as Russian troops advance Reports say the Russian military has captured a Briton fighting with Ukrainian troops who have occupied part of Russia’s Kursk region. Russia also began launching daylight drone attacks on civilian areas of Ukraine and its ground forces accelerated gains along parts of the front line. Russian state news agency Tass says the captured fighter was in the British army for four years and then joined the International Legion of Ukraine, formed early on in the nearly 3-year-old war. On the battlefield, a think tank says Russian forces recently have gained ground at “a significantly quicker rate” than they did in the whole of last year. Judge rejects request to sideline a San Jose State volleyball player on grounds she’s transgender A judge has rejected a request to block a San Jose State women’s volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she’s transgender. Monday’s ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player to continue competing in the Mountain West Conference women’s championship in Las Vegas this week. His order also upholds the seedings and pairings in the tournament. The ruling comes after a lawsuit was filed by nine current players against the Mountain West Conference challenging the league’s policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. So you're gathering with relatives whose politics are different. Here are some tips for the holidays NEW YORK (AP) — There’s no place like home for the holidays. And that may not necessarily be a good thing. In the wake of the presidential election, the upcoming marking of Thanksgiving and the ramp-up of the holiday season could be a boon for some - a respite from the events of the larger world in the gathering of family and loved ones, hours and even days spent with people who have played the largest roles in our lives, another chapter in a lifetime of memories.For others, though, that same scenario, particularly because of the polarizing presidential campaign, is something to dread, with the likelihood of disagreements, harsh words and raised voices looming large.
Cavaliers' unexpected 17-1 start to season also produces unexpected star: reserve guard Ty JeromeDonald J. Trump Avenue is one vote away from joining the Miami-Dade County road mapCalls Mount For Arch Manning to Replace Quinn Ewers Amid Injury Concerns
Lebanon said Israeli strikes Thursday on the country's east and south killed 52 people, as raids also hit south Beirut and Hezbollah claimed its deepest attack on Israel in over a year. More than 11 months of cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah over the Gaza conflict escalated into all-out war in September, with Israel conducting an extensive bombing campaign, primarily targeting Hezbollah strongholds, and sending ground troops into southern Lebanon. "Israeli enemy strikes that targeted the Baalbek district" in east Lebanon's Bekaa Valley left "40 dead and 52 wounded", a health ministry statement said, listing tolls for 10 different locations. Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said a couple and their four children were killed in a strike on a house in the village of Maqneh, while another couple and their young daughter were among 11 people killed in a raid on nearby Nabha. The ministry also reported "seven dead and 24 wounded" in "Israeli enemy strikes" on south Lebanon's Nabatiyeh district, and "five dead and 26 wounded" in strikes elsewhere in south Lebanon. In Israel, first responders said a man was killed after rocket fire from Lebanon hit the Galilee region in the country's north. In Beirut's southern suburbs, the NNA reported at least 12 strikes throughout Thursday, after relative calm while US envoy Amos Hochstein visited earlier this week, seeking to broker an end to the Israel-Hezbollah war. Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee on social media platform X issued several rounds of evacuation warnings for Beirut's southern suburbs, as well as areas in and around the southern coastal city of Tyre, but none for east Lebanon. AFPTV footage showed columns of smoke rising from the southern suburbs, usually a densely populated residential district but now largely emptied. Khiam Adraee said on X that the Israeli military "targeted a weapons depot, a command headquarters and terrorist infrastructure" belonging to Hezbollah in south Beirut. Amid a series of attack claims, Hezbollah said its fighters targeted "the Hatzor air base" near Israel's southern city of Ashdod, around 150 kilometres (90 miles) from Lebanon's southern border, "with a missile salvo" -- its deepest target in more than a year of hostilities. In 10 separate statements, Iran-backed Hezbollah said its fighters also targeted Israeli troops in and near the south Lebanon town of Khiam, including with artillery, rockets and drones. The NNA said "the enemy army" was "blowing up homes and residential buildings during its incursion into the town". Lebanon's official news agency and Hezbollah have reported fighting and air strikes in the Khiam area ever since Israeli ground troops first entered Lebanon on September 30. Earlier Thursday, United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert visited Baalbek's UNESCO-listed archaeological area, after the UN's cultural body this week granted more than 30 heritage sites in Lebanon "provisional enhanced protection" amid the war. Lebanon's health ministry said Thursday that at least 3,583 people had been killed in the violence since October 2023. Most of the deaths have been since September this year. The Israeli military said Wednesday that three soldiers were killed in south Lebanon, bringing to 52 the number killed in Lebanon since the start of ground operations. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the worldOntario passes divisive bill to remove, block certain bike lanes
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden kicked off his final holiday season at the White House on Monday by issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in southern Minnesota. Biden welcomed 2,500 guests to the South Lawn under sunny skies as he cracked jokes about the fates of “Peach” and “Blossom” and sounded wistful tones about the last weeks of his presidency after a half-century in Washington power circles. “It’s been the honor of my life. I’m forever grateful,” Biden said, taking note of his impending departure on Jan. 20, 2025. That's when power will transfer to Republican President-elect Donald Trump, the man Biden defeated four years ago and was battling again until he was pressured to bow out of the race amid concerns about his age and viability. Biden is 82. Until Inauguration Day, the president and first lady Jill Biden will continue a busy run of festivities that will double as their long goodbye. The White House schedule in December is replete with holiday parties for various constituencies, from West Wing staff to members of Congress and the White House press corps. Biden relished the brief ceremony with the pardoned turkeys, named for the official flower of the president's home state of Delaware. “The peach pie in my state is one of my favorites,” he said during remarks that were occasionally interrupted by Peach gobbling atop the table to Biden's right. “Peach is making a last-minute plea,” Biden said at one point, drawing laughter from an overflow crowd that included Cabinet members, White House staff and their families, and students from 4H programs and Future Farmers of America chapters. Biden introduced Peach as a bird who “lives by the motto, ‘Keep calm and gobble on.’” Blossom, the president said, has a different motto: “No fowl play. Just Minnesota nice.” Peach and Blossom came from the farm of John Zimmerman, near the southern Minnesota city of Northfield. Zimmerman, who has raised about 4 million turkeys, is president of the National Turkey Federation, the group that has gifted U.S. presidents Thanksgiving turkeys since the Truman administration after World War II. President Harry Truman, however, preferred to eat the birds. Official pardon ceremonies did not become an annual White House tradition until the administration of President George H.W. Bush in 1989. With their presidential reprieve, Peach and Blossom will live out their days at Farmamerica, an agriculture interpretative center near Waseca in southern Minnesota. The center's aim is to promote agriculture and educate future farmers and others about agriculture in America. Separately Monday, first lady Jill Biden received the official White House Christmas tree that will be decorated and put on display in the Blue Room. The 18.5 foot (5.64 meters) Fraser fir came from a farm in an area of western North Carolina that recently was devastated by Hurricane Helene . Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm lost thousands of trees in the storm “but this one remained standing and they named it ‘Tremendous’ for the extraordinary hope that it represents,” Jill Biden said at the event. The Bidens also traveled to New York City on Monday for an evening “Friendsgiving” event at a Coast Guard station on Staten Island. Biden began his valedictory calendar Friday night with a gala for hundreds of his friends, supporters and staff members who gathered in a pavilion erected on the South Lawn, with a view out to the Lincoln Memorial. Cabinet secretaries, Democratic donors and his longest-serving staff members came together to hear from the president and pay tribute, with no evidence that Biden was effectively forced from the Democratic ticket this summer and watched Vice President Kamala Harris suffer defeat on Nov. 5. “I’m so proud that we’ve done all of this with a deep belief in the core values of America,” said Biden, sporting a tuxedo for the black-tie event. Setting aside his criticisms of Trump as a fundamental threat to democracy, Biden added his characteristic national cheerleading: “I fully believe that America is better positioned to lead the world today than at any point in my 50 years of public service.” The first lady toasted her husband with a nod to his 2020 campaign promise to “restore the soul of the nation,” in Trump’s aftermath. With the results on Election Day, however, Biden’s four years now become sandwiched in the middle of an era dominated by Trump's presence on the national stage and in the White House. Even as the first couple avoided the context surrounding the president's coming exit, those political realities were nonetheless apparent, as younger Democrats like Maryland Gov. Wes Moore , Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Biden's Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg not only raised their glasses to the president but held forth with many attendees who could remain in the party's power circles in the 2028 election cycle and beyond. ___ Associated Press writer Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed to this report.General's promotion blocked in first sign of Trump retaliation for Afghanistan pulloutLefkosa.com.tr Expands Its Reach as Northern Cyprus's Premier Digital Platform