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DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria's prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers were back at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad , but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the country's public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt." Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighboring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Assad's brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said Monday they would not tell women how to dress. “It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women’s dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty,” the command said in a statement on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services had shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the U.N. official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was long known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met for the first time with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali, who stayed in Syria when Assad fled. “You will see there are skills" among the rebels, al-Sharaa said in a video shared on a rebel messaging channel. Israel said it carried out airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets to keep them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israel also seized a buffer zone inside Syria after Syrian troops withdrew. In northern Syria, Turkey said allied opposition forces seized the town of Manbij from Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States, a reminder that even after Assad's departure, the country remains split among armed groups that have fought in the past. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Assad , a decision made by President Vladimir Putin . Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence though in some areas, small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets. Across swathes of Syria, families are now waiting outside prisons , security offices and courts, hoping for news of loved ones who were imprisoned or who disappeared. Just north of Damascus in the feared Saydnaya military prison, women detainees, some with their children, screamed as rebels broke locks off their cell doors. Amnesty International and other groups say dozens of people were secretly executed every week in Saydnaya, and they estimate that up to 13,000 Syrians were killed between 2011 and 2016. “Don’t be afraid," one rebel said as he ushered women from packed cells. "Bashar Assad has fallen!” In southern Turkey , Mustafa Sultan was among hundreds of Syrian refugees waiting at border crossings to head home. He was searching for his older brother, who was imprisoned under Assad. “I haven’t seen him for 13 years," he said. "I am going to go see whether he’s alive.” Prime minister says government is operational, but UN official says it's paralyzed Jalali, the prime minister, has sought to project normalcy since Assad fled. “We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth,” he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation had already improved from the day before. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said Sunday that judges were ready to resume work quickly. “We want to give everyone their rights,” Haddad said outside the courthouse. “We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods.” But a U.N. official said some government services had been paralyzed as worried state employees stayed home. The public sector “has just come to a complete and abrupt halt," said U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Adam Abdelmoula, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies had been put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. “This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonized by the public media are now in charge in the nation’s capital,” Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. "I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again.” Britain, U.S. considering removing insurgent group from terror list Britain and the U.S. are both considering whether to remove the main anti-Assad rebel group from their lists of designated terrorist organizations. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham began as an offshoot of al-Qaida but cut ties with the group years ago and has worked to present a more moderate image. The group's leader, al-Sharaa, “is saying some of the right things about the protection of minorities, about respecting people’s rights,” British Cabinet minister Pat McFadden said, adding that a change would be considered “quite quickly.” But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking later during a visit to Saudi Arabia, said it was "far too early” to make that decision. In Washington, a Biden administration official noted that HTS will be an “important component” in Syria's future and that the U.S. needs to “engage with them appropriately.” Another administration official said the U.S. remains in a “wait and see” mode on whether to remove the designation. Both officials requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing internal deliberations. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters that such designations are constantly under review. Even while it is in place, the designation does not bar U.S. officials from speaking with members or leaders of the group, he said. The U.S. also announced it was sending its special envoy for hostage affairs to Beirut to seek information about the whereabouts of Austin Tice, a journalist who vanished in Syria 12 years ago and who President Joe Biden has said is believed to be alive. Israel confirms it struck suspected chemical weapons and rockets Israelis welcomed the fall of Assad, who was a key ally of Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, while expressing concern over what comes next. Israel says its forces temporarily seized a buffer zone inside Syria dating back to a 1974 agreement after Syrian troops withdrew in the chaos. “The only interest we have is the security of Israel and its citizens," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told reporters Monday. Saar did not provide details about the targets, but the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said they included weapons warehouses, research centers, air defense systems and aircraft squadrons. Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria in recent years, targeting what it says are military sites related to Iran and Hezbollah . Israeli officials rarely comment on individual strikes. Syria agreed to give up its chemical weapons stockpile in 2013, after the government was accused of launching an attack near Damascus that killed hundreds of people . But it is widely believed to have kept some of the weapons and was accused of using them again in subsequent years. Turkey says its allies have taken northern town Officials in Turkey, which is the main supporter of the Syrian opposition to Assad, say its allies have taken full control of the northern Syrian city of Manbij from a U.S.-supported and Kurdish-led force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. The SDF said a Turkish drone struck in the village of al-Mistriha in eastern Syria, killing 12 civilians, including six children. Turkey views the SDF, which is primarily composed of a Syrian Kurdish militia, as an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency in Turkey. The SDF has also been a key ally of the United States in the war against the Islamic State group. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday warned against allowing Islamic State or Kurdish fighters to take advantage of the situation, saying Turkey will prevent Syria from turning into a “haven for terrorism.” ___ Mroue reported from Beirut and Goldenberg from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, Mehmet Guzel at the Oncupinar border crossing in Turkey, Jamey Keaten in Geneva, and Aamer Madhani and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow the AP's Syria coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/syria Sarah El Deeb, Bassem Mroue And Tia Goldenberg, The Associated PressMy Retirement Goal: Live Off Passive Recurrent Incomecasino slots sites 。

Plans to bring Clover Sports and Social Club (including grounds of almost ten acres, sports pitches and a social club) in Ferrybank in South Kilkenny back into community use are advancing. Over the years, with the demise of the Clover Meats company and a dwindling membership of the social club, the facilities of the club had fallen into disuse. Some time ago, the trustees of the facility made an approach to officials of Kilkenny County Council and the latter agreed in principle to take possession of the facility. READ ALSO: Mixed views on plans for static speed camera in Kilkenny The use of the facilities for the recreational use of the community is a condition of that transfer. At present this site is zoned as ‘Active Open Space’ in the Ferrybank-Belview Local Area Plan 2017. Work on a masterplan for the Clover Sports and Social Centre and its grounds is expected to proceed in parallel with the new Ferrybank-Belview Local Area Plan. That Clover Centre masterplan and extensive public consultation on same is expected in 2025. FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HEREDAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria's prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers were back at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad , but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the country's public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt." Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighboring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Assad's brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said Monday they would not tell women how to dress. “It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women’s dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty,” the command said in a statement on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services had shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the U.N. official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was long known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met for the first time with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali, who stayed in Syria when Assad fled. “You will see there are skills" among the rebels, al-Sharaa said in a video shared on a rebel messaging channel. Israel said it carried out airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets to keep them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israel also seized a buffer zone inside Syria after Syrian troops withdrew. In northern Syria, Turkey said allied opposition forces seized the town of Manbij from Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States, a reminder that even after Assad's departure, the country remains split among armed groups that have fought in the past. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Assad , a decision made by President Vladimir Putin . Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence though in some areas, small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets. Across swathes of Syria, families are now waiting outside prisons , security offices and courts, hoping for news of loved ones who were imprisoned or who disappeared. Just north of Damascus in the feared Saydnaya military prison, women detainees, some with their children, screamed as rebels broke locks off their cell doors. Amnesty International and other groups say dozens of people were secretly executed every week in Saydnaya, and they estimate that up to 13,000 Syrians were killed between 2011 and 2016. “Don’t be afraid," one rebel said as he ushered women from packed cells. "Bashar Assad has fallen!” In southern Turkey , Mustafa Sultan was among hundreds of Syrian refugees waiting at border crossings to head home. He was searching for his older brother, who was imprisoned under Assad. “I haven’t seen him for 13 years," he said. "I am going to go see whether he’s alive.” Prime minister says government is operational, but UN official says it's paralyzed Jalali, the prime minister, has sought to project normalcy since Assad fled. “We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth,” he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation had already improved from the day before. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said Sunday that judges were ready to resume work quickly. “We want to give everyone their rights,” Haddad said outside the courthouse. “We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods.” But a U.N. official said some government services had been paralyzed as worried state employees stayed home. The public sector “has just come to a complete and abrupt halt," said U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Adam Abdelmoula, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies had been put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. “This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonized by the public media are now in charge in the nation’s capital,” Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. "I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again.” Britain, U.S. considering removing insurgent group from terror list Britain and the U.S. are both considering whether to remove the main anti-Assad rebel group from their lists of designated terrorist organizations. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham began as an offshoot of al-Qaida but cut ties with the group years ago and has worked to present a more moderate image. The group's leader, al-Sharaa, “is saying some of the right things about the protection of minorities, about respecting people’s rights,” British Cabinet minister Pat McFadden said, adding that a change would be considered “quite quickly.” But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking later during a visit to Saudi Arabia, said it was "far too early” to make that decision. In Washington, a Biden administration official noted that HTS will be an “important component” in Syria's future and that the U.S. needs to “engage with them appropriately.” Another administration official said the U.S. remains in a “wait and see” mode on whether to remove the designation. Both officials requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing internal deliberations. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters that such designations are constantly under review. Even while it is in place, the designation does not bar U.S. officials from speaking with members or leaders of the group, he said. The U.S. also announced it was sending its special envoy for hostage affairs to Beirut to seek information about the whereabouts of Austin Tice, a journalist who vanished in Syria 12 years ago and who President Joe Biden has said is believed to be alive. Israel confirms it struck suspected chemical weapons and rockets Israelis welcomed the fall of Assad, who was a key ally of Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, while expressing concern over what comes next. Israel says its forces temporarily seized a buffer zone inside Syria dating back to a 1974 agreement after Syrian troops withdrew in the chaos. “The only interest we have is the security of Israel and its citizens," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told reporters Monday. Saar did not provide details about the targets, but the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said they included weapons warehouses, research centers, air defense systems and aircraft squadrons. Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria in recent years, targeting what it says are military sites related to Iran and Hezbollah . Israeli officials rarely comment on individual strikes. Syria agreed to give up its chemical weapons stockpile in 2013, after the government was accused of launching an attack near Damascus that killed hundreds of people . But it is widely believed to have kept some of the weapons and was accused of using them again in subsequent years. Turkey says its allies have taken northern town Officials in Turkey, which is the main supporter of the Syrian opposition to Assad, say its allies have taken full control of the northern Syrian city of Manbij from a U.S.-supported and Kurdish-led force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. The SDF said a Turkish drone struck in the village of al-Mistriha in eastern Syria, killing 12 civilians, including six children. Turkey views the SDF, which is primarily composed of a Syrian Kurdish militia, as an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency in Turkey. The SDF has also been a key ally of the United States in the war against the Islamic State group. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday warned against allowing Islamic State or Kurdish fighters to take advantage of the situation, saying Turkey will prevent Syria from turning into a “haven for terrorism.” ___ Mroue reported from Beirut and Goldenberg from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, Mehmet Guzel at the Oncupinar border crossing in Turkey, Jamey Keaten in Geneva, and Aamer Madhani and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow the AP's Syria coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/syria Sarah El Deeb, Bassem Mroue And Tia Goldenberg, The Associated PressNEW YORK , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report with the AI impact on market trends - The global personalized gifts market size is estimated to grow by USD 14.98 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 8.35% during the forecast period. Continuous development and introduction of new products is driving market growth, with a trend towards rising popularity of eco-friendly personalized gifts. However, seasonal nature of demand for personalized gift products poses a challenge.Key market players include American Greetings Corp., American Stationery Co. Inc., CafePress Inc., Card Factory Plc, Chococraft Creations Pvt. Ltd., Cimpress Plc, ESCO Technologies Inc., Etsy Inc., Fat Brain Toys LLC., Ferns N Petals Pvt. Ltd., funkypigeon.com Ltd., Giftiliya, Gifto Graphics, Godiva Chocolatier Inc., Hallmark Card Inc., Personal Creations, Pinnacle Promotions, Redbubble Ltd., Shutterfly Inc., Signature Gifts Inc., Spencer Gifts LLC, The Walt Disney Co., and Zazzle Inc.. AI-Powered Market Evolution Insights. Our comprehensive market report ready with the latest trends, growth opportunities, and strategic analysis- View Free Sample Report PDF Forecast period 2024-2028 Base Year 2023 Historic Data 2018 - 2022 Segment Covered Product (Non-photo personalized gifts and Photo personalized gifts), Distribution Channel (Online and Offline), and Geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa) Region Covered North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Key companies profiled American Greetings Corp., American Stationery Co. Inc., CafePress Inc., Card Factory Plc, Chococraft Creations Pvt. Ltd., Cimpress Plc, ESCO Technologies Inc., Etsy Inc., Fat Brain Toys LLC., Ferns N Petals Pvt. Ltd., funkypigeon.com Ltd., Giftiliya, Gifto Graphics, Godiva Chocolatier Inc., Hallmark Card Inc., Personal Creations, Pinnacle Promotions, Redbubble Ltd., Shutterfly Inc., Signature Gifts Inc., Spencer Gifts LLC, The Walt Disney Co., and Zazzle Inc. Key Market Trends Fueling Growth The personalized gifts market is thriving, with trends like handcrafted gifts, eco-friendly personalized items, and experiential gifting leading the way. Friends, family, and relatives continue to be the primary buyers, but businesses like Roc Nation, Archies Limited, Redbubble, Spencer Gifts, and Personalization Mall are expanding their client base. Smartphone usage and digitization have increased the demand for personalized phone cases, accessories, and digital archives. Handmade gifts, chocolate platters, diaries, and desk accessories remain popular. Non-store-based platforms offer user-submitted artwork, while store-based retailers focus on photo personalized gifts. Peer-to-peer collaborative platforms provide bespoke updates. New trends include 3D printing, personalized clothing, and face masks. Trade tensions and the risk of recession may impact the market, but social media influencers continue to drive sales. Non-photo personalized gifts are gaining traction. Overall, the market is diverse, catering to women, unisex, kids, and men. Vendors in the personalized gifts market are prioritizing the production of eco-friendly gifts. These gifts, made from organic and natural materials, offer several advantages. They are biodegradable, allowing them to decompose without harming the environment. Additionally, they are crafted from non-toxic raw materials, ensuring they do not cause allergies or side effects for recipients. As a result, eco-friendly personalized gifts are gaining popularity due to their health and environmental benefits. This trend is expected to boost the global personalized gifts market, particularly in the baby product sector. By focusing on eco-friendly and non-toxic materials, vendors are addressing consumer concerns and reducing the environmental impact of their products. Insights on how AI is driving innovation, efficiency, and market growth- Request Sample! Market Challenges Insights into how AI is reshaping industries and driving growth- Download a Sample Report Segment Overview This personalized gifts market report extensively covers market segmentation by 1.1 Non-photo personalized gifts- The personalized gifts market encompasses a wide range of non-photo gift categories, including wearables and accessories, decorations, stationery and greeting cards, sports equipment and toys, food and beverages, and pet care, as well as bed and bath gifts. Cimpress Plc, CafePress, Inc., and others are prominent vendors offering non-photo personalized gifts. The wearables and accessories segment includes personalized clothing, footwear, and accessories, such as shirts, t-shirts, bodysuits, bibs, intimate apparel, neckties, hats, footwear, and others. Personalized decoration gifts consist of personalized wall art, home furnishings, and outdoor and garden gifts, including canvas prints, wood wall art, wall plaques and signs, wall decals, growth charts, canvas tiles, sports prints, garden mats, garden flags, garden stones, flowerpots, wind chimes, and others. Personalized stationery gifts and greeting cards include greeting cards, notepads, pens, and others. Personalized greeting cards are popular for various festive or personal occasions, while personalized stationery gifts can be customized in terms of design, background color, background image, and size. The sports equipment and toys segment includes personalized toys, games, and sports equipment, such as personalized golf balls, personalized baseballs, and personalized whistles. Personalized educational gifts and toys for kids are also available. The food and beverages segment consists of personalized confectionery gifts and personalized wine and champagne. Customizations include custom text on confectionery bars or boxes and custom gift messages, as well as the choice of chocolate type for confectionery gifts and personalized wine bottles for wine lovers. Vendors are focusing on offering unique and customizable products to drive market growth, such as Pinnacle Promotions' City Bonfires Smores Night Pack featuring a portable fire pit with a custom lid label and custom box label. These customizations make personalized gifts a popular and unique gift option for various occasions. Download complimentary Sample Report to gain insights into AI's impact on market dynamics, emerging trends, and future opportunities- including forecast (2024-2028) and historic data (2018 - 2022) Research Analysis The personalized gifts market is thriving as people seek unique and thoughtful presents for friends, family, and relatives. Handcrafted gifts, such as jewelry and home decor, continue to be popular choices. However, the market is also embracing digitization, with 3D printing and smartphone usage playing key roles in creating customized items. Eco-friendly personalized gifts are gaining traction as consumers prioritize sustainability. Brands like Roc Nation have entered the market, expanding its reach and increasing competition. Non-photo personalized gifts, like bespoke updates and digital archives, are also growing in popularity. The market's client base is diverse, with expansions into stores and contracts with larger corporations. Peer-to-peer collaborative platforms, like Etsy, offer a competitive edge for small businesses. Despite challenges such as trade tensions, risk of recession, and zero-Covid policies, the market's competitiveness remains strong. Market Research Overview The personalized gifts market is thriving as people seek unique and thoughtful presents for friends, family, and relatives. Handcrafted gifts, such as personalized clothing, accessories, diaries, and desk accessories, continue to be popular choices. The trend towards digitization and 3D printing has opened up new possibilities for personalized items, including eco-friendly options. Non-photo personalized gifts, like face masks and greeting cards, are also gaining traction. Brands like Roc Nation and Archies Limited, as well as non-store-based retailers like Redbubble and Personalization Mall, are expanding their offerings to cater to this demand. User-submitted artwork and bespoke updates are driving innovation, while experiential gifting and social media influencers add excitement. However, trade tensions and the risk of recession may impact the market's growth. The market encompasses a wide range of products for women, men, kids, and unisex, sold both in stores and online. Non-photo personalized gifts, such as digitally printed face masks, are becoming increasingly popular. With the rise of peer-to-peer collaborative platforms and digital archives, the future of personalized gifts looks bright. Table of Contents: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Company Landscape 11 Company Analysis 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/personalized-gifts-market-to-grow-by-usd-14-98-billion-2024-2028-driven-by-new-product-innovations-ai-driving-market-transformation---technavio-302313582.html SOURCE Technavio

BEIRUT — Syria’s embassy in Lebanon suspended consular services Saturday, a day after two relatives of deposed Syrian President Bashar Assad were arrested at the Beirut airport with allegedly forged passports. Also on Saturday, Lebanese authorities handed over dozens of Syrians — including former officers in the Syrian army under Assad — to the new Syrian authorities after they were caught illegally entering Lebanon, a war monitor and Lebanese officials said. The embassy announced on its Facebook page that consular work was suspended “until further notice” at the order of the Syrian foreign ministry. The announcement did not give a reason for the suspension. Two Lebanese security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said the suspension was ordered because the passports belonging to Assad’s relatives — the wife and daughter of one of his cousins — were believed to have been forged at the embassy. Assad’s uncle, Rifaat Assad — who has been indicted in Switzerland on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity — had flown out the day before on his real passport and was not stopped, the officials said. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Saturday that 70 Syrians, including former army officers, were handed over by a Lebanese security delegation to the security forces of the new Syrian government, led by the former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. Three Lebanese judicial officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the report. Regional countries have been quick to establish ties with Syria’s new rulers. Delegations of Libyan and Bahraini officials arrived in Damascus on Saturday on official visits. HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, has largely succeeded in calming fears within and outside of Syria that his group would unleash collective punishment against communities that supported Assad’s rule or attempt to impose strict Islamic law on the country’s religious minorities. However, in recent days, sporadic clashes have broken out between the HTS-led security forces and pro-Assad armed groups. The country’s new security forces have launched a series of raids targeting officials affiliated with Assad and have set up checkpoints in areas with significant populations of the Alawite religious minority to which the former president belongs to search for weapons. There have also been ongoing tensions and clashes in northeastern Syria between Kurdish-led forces and armed groups backed by Turkey. Many Kurds have viewed the new order in Damascus, which appears to have strengthened Turkey’s hand in Syria, with anxiety. Ankara sees the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces — a key U.S. ally in the fight against the Islamic State group — as an affiliate of its sworn enemy, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which it classifies as a terrorist organization. The U.S. State Department said Saturday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had spoken with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to “discuss the latest developments in Syria.” “Secretary Blinken emphasized the need to support a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process that upholds human rights and prioritizes an inclusive and representative government,” the statement said, adding that they “also discussed the shared goal of preventing terrorism from endangering the security” of Turkey and Syria. On Saturday, hundreds of protesters convened by Kurdish women’s groups participated in a demonstration in the northeastern city of Hasaka to demand women’s rights in the new Syria. Perishan Ramadan, a participant from Hasaka, said the new government “is worse than Bashar” and that its leaders are Islamist extremists who “don’t accept any role for women.” While the country’s new leaders have not attempted to impose Islamic dress or other conventions, it remains to be seen what role women will have in the new order and whether they will hold political or government positions. “Women must be present in the new constitution for Syria,” said Rihan Loqo, spokeswoman for the Kongra Star women’s organization. “... Women’s rights should not be ignored.” Associated Press writers Hogir Abdo in Hasaka, Syria, and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington contributed to this report.

New Delhi, Dec 28 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister on Saturday lauded the growing involvement of parents in their children's education, saying "It's encouraging to see parents actively engaging." The Delhi Government organised 'Mega Parents-Teacher Meetings' (Mega PTMs) across all 1,500 governmnet schools. Despite rain, the event witnessed significant parent participation, a statement issued here said. The chief minister visited Sarvodaya Co-ed School in Kalkaji, highlighting the increased confidence among students in Delhi Government schools with many now fluent in English. "Parents are thrilled that the quality of education once limited to top private schools is now available in Delhi Government schools," she said. Atishi also praised the rising awareness among parents emphasising that collaboration between teachers and parents plays a key role in children's progress, the statement said. Parents attending the PTM expressed their satisfaction with improvements in education and infrastructure in Delhi Government schools, it said. Parent of a Class 10 student said, "Teachers go above and beyond, even helping children after regular school hours." AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who also attended the Mega PTM, interacted with parents and students and stressed on the importance of parental involvement. "When parents are engaged, children perform better," he said. Students also shared their aspirations with Kejriwal. A Class 12 student, Aashna, who wants to pursue an information technology course, expressed an interest in a career in the stock markets. Aashna's mother said once hesitant in mentioning that their children attended government schools they now take pride in the education their children are receiving. Manish Sisodia, senior AAP leader wrote about the event in a post on X, saying, "The changes happening in education are not just about buildings but also about touching hearts and dreams." (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)Judge rejects request to sideline a San Jose State volleyball player on grounds she’s transgender

New Delhi: In what may send alarm bells ringing in the Indian establishment Pakistan Army for the first time since 1971 has reached an agreement with Bangladesh to train its Army beginning February 2025. ET Year-end Special Reads Take That: The gamechanger weapon's India acquired in 2024 10 big-bang policy moves Modi government made in 2024 How governments tried to rein in the social media beast The training will be conducted in four cantonments of Bangladesh Army beginning with Mymensingh cantonment in February, ET has reliably learnt. Mymensingh houses training and doctrine command headquarters of the Bangladesh Army. Sources alleged that Maj Gen rank officers from Pakistan may train Bangladesh Army officers. The agreement for cooperation between Armies of Pakistan and Bangladesh was reached in the backdrop of the Yunus regime's effort to improve ties with Islamabad. The first training module guided by the Pakistan Army could last for a year. The proposal to Bangladesh was offered by Pakistan Army's Joint Chief of Staff Committee chairman Gen S Samshad Mirza. This has raised apprehensions of indoctrination of Bangladesh Army with anti-India ideology that was diluted over the years following the induction of officers born in Bangladesh and under the Awami League rule. Pakistan trained officers continued to hold leadership positions in the Bangladesh Army for the first two decades after the country's independence. The list included Gen Ziaur Rahman and Lt Gen HM Ershad both of whom went on to become Presidents. That exercise ensured anti-India doctrine being advocated by the Bangladesh Army till it got diluted. Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Ershad, however, was also an alumni of India's National Defence College and maintained cordial links with the political leadership here. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )

French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962CAMPBELL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 4, 2024-- Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CHPT) (“ChargePoint”), a leading provider of networked solutions for charging electric vehicles (EVs), today reported results for its third quarter of fiscal year 2025 ended October 31, 2024. “We are encouraged by record EV sales in the industry, and we continue to see network utilization driving the need for more charging infrastructure,” said Rick Wilmer, CEO of ChargePoint. “Our third quarter results exceeded our expectations, and demonstrate that our strategy, focus on operational excellence, and rigorous cash management are translating to tangible results.” For reconciliation of GAAP and non-GAAP results, please see the tables below. For the fourth fiscal quarter ending January 31, 2025, ChargePoint expects revenue of $95 million to $105 million. The Company is concentrating on returning to growth and streamlining operations to continue on its path to positive non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA, which is targeted for a quarter in fiscal year 2026. ChargePoint is not able to present a reconciliation of its forward-looking non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA goal to the corresponding GAAP measure because certain potential future adjustments, which may be significant and may include, among other items, stock-based compensation expense, are uncertain or out of its control, or cannot be reasonably predicted without unreasonable effort. The actual amounts of such reconciling items could have a significant impact on ChargePoint's GAAP Net Loss. ChargePoint will host a webcast today at 1:30 p.m. Pacific / 4:30 p.m. Eastern to review its third quarter fiscal 2025 financial results. Investors may access the webcast, supplemental financial information and investor presentation at ChargePoint’s investor relations website ( ) under the “Events and Presentations” section. A replay will be available after the conclusion of the webcast and archived for one year. ChargePoint is creating a new fueling network to move people and goods on electricity. Since 2007, ChargePoint has been committed to making it easy for businesses and drivers to go electric with one of the largest EV charging networks and a comprehensive portfolio of charging solutions. The ChargePoint cloud subscription platform and software-defined charging hardware are designed to include options for every charging scenario from home and multifamily to workplace, parking, hospitality, retail and transport fleets of all types. Today, one ChargePoint account provides access to hundreds of thousands of places to charge in North America and Europe. For more information, visit the , the , or contact the or or . This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions including statements regarding our projected revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025 and our goal to achieve positive non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA. There are a significant number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made in this press release, including: macroeconomic trends including changes in or sustained inflation, interest rate volatility, or other events beyond our control on the overall economy which may reduce demand for our products and services, geopolitical events and conflicts, adverse impacts to our business and those of our customers and suppliers, including due to supply chain disruptions, tariffs, component shortages, and associated logistics expense increases; our limited operating history as a public company; our ability as an organization to successfully acquire, integrate or partner with other companies, products or technologies in a successful manner; our dependence on widespread acceptance and adoption of EVs, including auto manufacture's plans and strategies to transition to predominately manufacture EV and any corresponding increased demand for installation of charging stations; our current dependence on sales of charging stations for most of our revenues; overall demand for EV charging and the potential for reduced demand for EVs if governmental rebates, tax credits and other financial incentives are reduced, modified or eliminated or governmental mandates to increase the use of EVs or decrease the use of vehicles powered by fossil fuels, either directly or indirectly through mandated limits on carbon emissions, are reduced, modified or eliminated; our ability, and our reliance on our customers, to successfully implement, construct and manage National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) grant opportunities in accordance with the respective terms of the NEVI program in order to validly secure and obtain awarded funding and win additional NEVI grant opportunities; our reliance on contract manufacturers, including those located outside the United States, may result in supply chain interruptions, delays and expense increases which may adversely affect our sales, revenue and gross margins; our ability to expand our operations and market share in Europe; the need to attract additional fleet operators as customers; potential adverse effects on our revenue and gross margins due to delays and costs associated with new product introductions, inventory obsolescence, component shortages and related expense increases; adverse impact to our revenues and gross margins if customers increasingly claim clean energy credits and, as a result, they are no longer available to be claimed by us; the effects of competition; risks related to our dependence on our intellectual property; and the risk that our technology could have undetected defects or errors. Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect our financial results are included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on September 9, 2024, which is available on our website at and on the SEC’s website at . Additional information will also be set forth in other filings that we make with the SEC from time to time. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and we do not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by applicable law. ChargePoint has provided financial information in this press release that has not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). ChargePoint uses these non-GAAP financial measures internally in analyzing its financial results. ChargePoint believes that the use of these non-GAAP financial measures is useful to investors to evaluate ongoing operating results and trends and believes they provide meaningful supplemental information to investors regarding ChargePoint’s underlying operating performance because they exclude items the Company believes are unrelated to, and may not be indicative of, its core operating results. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable GAAP financial measures and should be read only in conjunction with ChargePoint’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of ChargePoint’s historical non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures has been provided in the financial statement tables included in this press release, and investors are encouraged to review these reconciliations. ChargePoint defines non-GAAP gross profit as gross profit excluding stock-based compensation expense, amortization expense of acquired intangible assets and restructuring costs for severances and employment-related termination costs, facility and other contract terminations. Non-GAAP gross margin is non-GAAP gross profit as a percentage of revenue. ChargePoint defines non-GAAP cost of revenue and operating expenses as cost of revenue and operating expenses excluding stock-based compensation expense, restructuring costs for severances and employment-related termination costs, facility and other contract terminations, amortization expense of acquired intangible assets, non-cash charges related to tax liabilities and litigation settlements, including associated non-recurring legal expenses and professional service fees related to the modification of the convertible debt. ChargePoint defines non-GAAP net loss as net loss excluding stock-based compensation expense, restructuring costs for severances and employment-related termination costs, facility and other contract terminations, amortization expense of acquired intangible assets, non-cash charges related to tax liabilities and litigation settlements, including associated non-recurring legal expenses and professional service fees related to the modification of the convertible debt. These amounts reflect the impact of any related tax effects. Non-GAAP pre-tax net loss is non-GAAP net loss adjusted for provision for income taxes. . ChargePoint defines non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA loss as net loss excluding stock-based compensation expense, restructuring costs for severances and employment-related termination costs, facility and other contract terminations, amortization expense of acquired intangible assets, non-cash charges related to tax liabilities and litigation settlements, including associated non-recurring legal expenses, professional service fees related to the modification of the convertible debt, and further adjusted for provision of income taxes, depreciation, interest income and expense, and other income and expense (net). Investors are cautioned that there are a number of limitations associated with the use of non-GAAP financial measures to analyze financial results and trends. In particular, many of the adjustments to ChargePoint’s GAAP financial measures reflect the exclusion of items that are recurring and will be reflected in its financial results for the foreseeable future, such as stock-based compensation, which is an important part of ChargePoint’s employees’ compensation and impacts hiring, retention and performance. Furthermore, these non-GAAP financial measures are not based on any standardized methodology prescribed by GAAP, and the components that ChargePoint excludes in its calculation of non-GAAP financial measures may differ from the components that other companies exclude when they report their non-GAAP results. In the future, ChargePoint may also exclude other expenses it determines do not reflect the performance of ChargePoint’s operating results. CHPT-IR Networked charging systems $ 52,662 $ 73,893 $ 182,182 $ 286,788 Subscriptions 36,417 30,559 106,053 86,935 Other 10,533 5,831 26,959 17,084 Total revenue 99,612 110,283 315,194 390,807 Networked charging systems 52,852 109,452 173,152 317,335 Subscriptions 17,512 19,999 53,812 53,495 Other 6,462 4,778 16,249 12,263 Total cost of revenue 76,826 134,229 243,213 383,093 22,786 (23,946 ) 71,981 7,714 Research and development 38,299 56,524 110,861 165,563 Sales and marketing 34,678 39,834 106,376 116,545 General and administrative 17,975 33,463 52,794 82,627 Total operating expenses 90,952 129,821 270,031 364,735 (68,166 ) (153,767 ) (198,050 ) (357,021 ) Interest income 1,604 1,868 6,930 6,168 Interest expense (9,315 ) (3,820 ) (22,486 ) (9,673 ) Other income (expense), net (202 ) (2,815 ) (1,090 ) (2,173 ) (76,079 ) (158,534 ) (214,696 ) (362,699 ) Provision for (benefit from) income taxes 1,511 (315 ) 3,567 162 $ (77,590 ) $ (158,219 ) $ (218,263 ) $ (362,861 ) Net loss per share, basic and diluted $ (0.18 ) $ (0.43 ) $ (0.51 ) $ (1.01 ) Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted 435,331,445 376,182,783 428,757,738 360,818,131 Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 219,409 $ 327,410 Restricted cash 400 30,400 Accounts receivable, net 111,854 124,049 Inventories 221,988 198,580 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 66,467 62,244 Total current assets 620,118 742,683 Property and equipment, net 37,909 42,446 Intangible assets, net 71,662 80,555 Operating lease right-of-use assets 14,782 15,362 Goodwill 214,303 213,750 Other assets 7,564 8,567 Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 74,056 $ 71,081 Accrued and other current liabilities 143,163 159,104 Deferred revenue 102,787 99,968 Total current liabilities 320,006 330,153 Deferred revenue, noncurrent 134,056 131,471 Debt, noncurrent 299,410 283,704 Operating lease liabilities 16,019 17,350 Deferred tax liabilities 10,343 11,252 Other long-term liabilities 5,523 1,757 Total liabilities 785,357 775,687 Stockholders' equity: Common stock 44 42 Additional paid-in capital 2,028,722 1,957,932 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (15,150 ) (15,926 ) Accumulated deficit (1,832,635 ) (1,614,372 ) Total stockholders' equity 180,981 327,676 Net loss $ (218,263 ) $ (362,861 ) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 22,205 21,160 Non-cash operating lease cost 2,700 3,257 Stock-based compensation 61,083 91,946 Amortization of deferred contract acquisition costs 2,388 2,112 Inventory impairment — 70,000 Non-cash interest expense 12,750 — Reserves and other 17,104 7,486 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable, net 6,267 8,693 Inventories (24,207 ) (183,569 ) Prepaid expenses and other assets (6,250 ) (6,135 ) Accounts payable, operating lease liabilities, and accrued and other liabilities (25,291 ) 31,738 Deferred revenue 5,249 28,685 Net cash used in operating activities (144,265 ) (287,488 ) Purchases of property and equipment (10,136 ) (14,671 ) Maturities of investments — 105,000 Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities (10,136 ) 90,329 Debt issuance costs related to the revolving credit facility — (2,853 ) Proceeds from the issuance of common stock under employee equity plans, net of tax withholding 7,742 10,957 Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ATM offerings, net of issuance costs 2,970 287,198 Change in driver funds and amounts due to customers 5,681 8,935 Settlement of contingent earnout liability — (3,537 ) Net cash provided by financing activities 16,393 300,700 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 7 (691 ) Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash (138,001 ) 102,850 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period 357,810 294,562 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period $ 219,809 $ 397,412 Stock-based compensation expense (1,260 ) (1,847 ) (3,870 ) (4,780 ) Amortization of intangible assets (774 ) (759 ) (2,301 ) (2,291 ) Restructuring costs (1) (961 ) (996 ) (961 ) (996 ) Stock-based compensation expense 1,260 1,847 3,870 4,780 Amortization of Intangible Assets 774 759 2,301 2,291 Restructuring costs (1) 961 996 961 996 Stock-based compensation expense (9,831 ) (14,451 ) (28,864 ) (39,804 ) Restructuring costs (1) (2,867 ) (4,183 ) (2,867 ) (4,183 ) Stock-based compensation expense (4,518 ) (6,467 ) (14,422 ) (17,393 ) Amortization of intangible assets (2,304 ) (2,249 ) (6,829 ) (6,794 ) Restructuring costs (1) (5,067 ) (1,343 ) (5,067 ) (1,343 ) Stock-based compensation expense (5,107 ) (10,118 ) (13,927 ) (29,969 ) Restructuring costs (1) (933 ) (9,079 ) (933 ) (9,079 ) Other adjustments (2) (1,728 ) (788 ) (5,729 ) (893 ) Stock-based compensation expense (19,456 ) (31,036 ) (57,213 ) (87,166 ) Amortization of intangible assets (2,304 ) (2,249 ) (6,829 ) (6,794 ) Restructuring costs (1) (8,867 ) (14,605 ) (8,867 ) (14,605 ) Other adjustments (2) (1,728 ) (788 ) (5,729 ) (893 ) Stock-based compensation expense 20,716 32,883 61,083 91,946 Amortization of intangible assets 3,078 3,008 9,130 9,085 Restructuring costs (1) 9,828 15,601 9,828 15,601 Other adjustments (2) 1,728 788 5,729 893 Provision for (benefit from) income taxes 1,511 (315 ) 3,567 162 Depreciation 4,230 4,135 13,074 12,076 Interest income (1,604 ) (1,868 ) (6,930 ) (6,168 ) Interest expense 9,315 3,820 22,486 9,673 Other expense (income), net 202 2,815 1,090 2,173 (1) (2) View source version on : CONTACT: Investor Relations Nandan Amladi Vice President, Finance and Investor Relations John Paolo Canton Vice President, Communications Gosselin Director, Corporate Communications KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY ALTERNATIVE VEHICLES/FUELS EV/ELECTRIC VEHICLES AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOFTWARE ENERGY BATTERIES SOURCE: ChargePoint Holdings, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/04/2024 04:10 PM/DISC: 12/04/2024 04:17 PM

Cam Carter put LSU ahead for good with a jumper 1:08 into the third overtime and the Tigers came away with a wild 109-102 win over UCF on Sunday in the third-place game of the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. Carter's make sparked a 5-0 spurt for LSU (5-1), which mounted a ferocious second-half rally that began after Darius Johnson drilled a 3-pointer to put the Knights up 52-34 with 12:57 to play in regulation. UCF (4-2) got back within two in the third overtime, but it never found a way to draw even. Vyctorius Miller and Jordan Sears sealed the victory, combining for three buckets down low that gave the Tigers a 106-99 cushion with 17 seconds remaining. Carter was the late-game hero for LSU, scoring the final four points of regulation to forge a 70-70 tie. He also knocked down a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:19 left in the first extra session to give the Tigers a 76-75 advantage. Sears gave LSU a four-point edge with a triple of his own with 2:10 to go, but the Tigers failed to stay in front, and UCF's Keyshawn Hall kept the game going by sinking two free throws with six seconds remaining to make it 82-82. Neither team led by more than three in the second overtime, with Hall again coming to the Knights' rescue. He made two layups in the final 52 seconds of the frame to knot things at 93 and send the teams to a third OT. Few could have predicted 15 minutes of extra basketball after UCF put together a 25-3 first-half run that lifted it to a 38-18 advantage with 2:12 left until the break. LSU responded with seven unanswered points, but the Knights still led comfortably, 40-25, at intermission. Sears finished with a game-high-tying 25 points to go along with nine boards, while Jalen Reed recorded a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double for the Tigers. Carter netted 20 points, Miller had 16 and Dji Bailey chipped in 14. Johnson collected 25 points, six rebounds, eight assists and five steals for UCF. Hall totaled 21 points and 10 boards, and Jordan Ivy-Curry supplied 20 points. LSU outshot UCF 43.2 percent to 40.7 percent and had narrow advantages from behind the arc (12 made shots to 10) and the free-throw line (21-18). --Field Level MediaVANCOUVER — Taylor Swift's three-night run at BC Place, closing out the pop star's global Eras Tour, generated daily economic impact for Vancouver that could rival the 2010 Olympics and smashed data streaming records, industry figures say. The CEO of the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association, Ian Tostenson, said the shows that ended Sunday had an effect that went far beyond other concert or sporting events in the city. Tostenson said Monday that his group estimates there was a $25 million boost for Metro Vancouver’s establishments for each of the three show days. In comparison, a sold-out, highly anticipated Vancouver Canucks playoff game brings an estimated $3 million a day in economic impact, Tostenson said. “In the context of comparing to anything else, it’s not even believable almost — it’s such a huge impact,” Tostenson said. “I was out a little bit on Friday and Saturday, and every place I went to was absolutely lined up and packed.” Tostenson said the concerts rivalled the Olympics in drawing fans from regions far beyond what a typical playoff hockey game would, and while it is difficult to compare the 2010 Winter Games to the Taylor Swift weekend, the events were in the same magnitude in daily impact on restaurants. “The financial impact of the Olympics was massive, (but) it was spread out over a couple weeks in different venues and stuff,” he said. “So, you didn't sort of feel this concentration that you saw with Taylor Swift.” Tostenson also said Swifties bumped up business across Metro Vancouver all weekend, with one major restaurant owner with multiple locations reporting full capacity not just at its downtown location but also in North Vancouver and Olympic Village. He credits the festive mood brought by fans that had an emotional effect on people in general, which in turn has a major impact on restaurants, an industry built largely on discretionary spending. People consume more when the mood is right, he said. “From a financial point of view, the Olympics probably had a bigger impact,” Tostenson said. “But ... I'm going to venture to estimate that this, on a daily basis compared to the Olympics, was stronger.” Telecommunications giant Rogers said data used during the last show was enough to stream Swift's entire music catalogue 9,450 times. It said in a statement that fans on the company's network set a Canadian record when they used more than 11 terabytes of mobile data in just a few hours at BC Place. The company's chief technology officer Mark Kennedy said Monday that is the equivalent of uploading 307,000 photos and 2,180 hours of video streaming. The previous record was set Nov. 21, when fans at Swift's concert in Toronto used 7.4 terabytes of data on the Rogers network. Music industry publication Pollstar also said Monday that Swift's 149-show worldwide tour brought in revenue of US$2.2 billion in its 20-month run. Vancouver Police thanked residents and visitors for a "safe and memorable weekend." Const. Tania Visintin said in a social media post that police spent months preparing for the shows. "We've had so much fun meeting people of all ages from all around the world, trading friendship bracelets and showing what a great city it can really be when we all look out for one another," she said. Thirteen Swift-themed lighting installations were set up at locations around the city to celebrate the singer's arrival. Suzanne Walters, a spokeswoman for Destination Vancouver, said most of the lit-up letters will be coming down over the next few days, but the “Swiftcouver” display downtown will stay until Dec. 13 — Swift’s birthday. Walters said the letters will be reused for holiday displays over the month of December and then be part of a pool of rentable supplies. Swift told the 60,000 fans in BC Place at Sunday's show that they were part of a tour seen by 10 million people, and that it was the most thrilling chapter of her life to date. She said the legacy of the tour will be "a space of joy and togetherness and love" that the fans have created. Swiftie Alaina Robertson echoed Swift's sentiments after the show, saying she shed lots of tears watching the "once in a lifetime" spectacle. Robertson — who travelled from Camas, Wash., for the show and wore a "Reputation" inspired outfit along with a temporary silver bedazzled snake tattoo — said she doesn't think any other concert will be able to compare. "It's going to be hard to beat," she said of the show. "She's changing the world of music. She's changing entertainment entirely, and to be at the tour with the crowd here, getting to do the friendship bracelets, getting to get dressed up — it's just love and joy and friendship, and it's been really magical to be a part of it." Fan accounts on social media platform X have posted photos showing a number of television and music stars at BC Place Sunday night, including actors Jenna Fischer, Aubrey Plaza and Jesse Tyler Ferguson as well as Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. — With files from Ashley Joannou, Brieanna Charlebois and The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2024. Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes rose to more records Wednesday after tech companies talked up how much of a boost they’re getting from the artificial-intelligence boom. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% to add to what’s set to be one of its best years of the millennium. It’s the 56th time the index has hit an all-time high this year after climbing in 11 of the last 12 days . The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 308 points, or 0.7%, while the Nasdaq composite added 1.3% to its own record. Salesforce helped pull the market higher after delivering stronger revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its profit fell just short. CEO Mark Benioff highlighted the company’s artificial-intelligence offering for customers, saying “the rise of autonomous AI agents is revolutionizing global labor, reshaping how industries operate and scale.” The stock price of the company, which helps businesses manage their customers, jumped 11%. Marvell Technology leaped even more after delivering better results than expected, up 23.2%. CEO Matt Murphy said the semiconductor supplier is seeing strong demand from AI and gave a forecast for profit in the upcoming quarter that topped analysts’ expectations. All the optimistic talk helped Nvidia , the company whose chips are powering much of the move into AI, rally 3.5%. It was the strongest force pushing upward on the S&P 500 by far. They helped offset an 8.9% drop for Foot Locker, which reported profit and revenue that fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Mary Dillon said the company is taking a more cautious view, and it cut its forecasts for sales and profit this year. Dillon pointed to how keen customers are for discounts and how soft demand has been outside of Thanksgiving week and other key selling periods. Retailers overall have offered mixed signals about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain. Their spending has been one of the main reasons the U.S. economy has avoided a recession that earlier seemed inevitable after the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates to crush inflation. But shoppers are now contending with still-high prices and a slowing job market . This week’s highlight for Wall Street will be Friday’s jobs report from the U.S. government, which will show how many people employers hired and fired last month. A narrower report released Wednesday morning suggested employers in the private sector increased their payrolls by less last month than economists expected. Hiring in manufacturing was the weakest since the spring, according to Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP. The report strengthened traders’ expectations that the Fed will cut its main interest rate again when it meets in two weeks. The Fed began easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high in September, hoping to offer more support for the job market. The central bank had appeared set to continue cutting rates into next year, but the election of Donald Trump has scrambled Wall Street’s expectations somewhat. Trump’s preference for higher tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , which could alter the Fed’s plans . Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that the central bank can afford to cut rates cautiously because inflation has slowed from its peak two years ago and the economy remains sturdy. A separate report on Wednesday said health care, finance and other businesses in the U.S. services sector are continuing to grow, but not by as much as before and not by as much as economists expected. One respondent from the construction industry told the survey from the Institute for Supply Management that the Fed’s rate cuts haven't pulled down mortgage rates as much as hoped. Plus, “the unknown effect of tariffs clouds the future.” In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.18% from 4.23% late Tuesday. On Wall Street, Campbell’s sank 6.2% for one of the S&P 500’s sharper losses despite increasing its dividend and reporting a stronger profit than analysts expected. Its revenue fell short of Wall Street’s expectations, and the National Football League’s Washington Commanders hired Campbell’s CEO Mark Clouse as its team president. Gains for airline stocks helped offset that drop after JetBlue Airways said it saw stronger bookings for travel in November and December following the presidential election. It also said it’s benefiting from lower fuel prices, as well as lower costs due to improved on-time performance. JetBlue jumped 8.3%, while Southwest Airlines climbed 3.5%. All told, the S&P 500 rose 36.61 points to 6,086.49. The Dow climbed 308.51 to 45,014.04, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 254.21 to 19,735.12. In stock markets abroad, South Korea’s Kospi sank 1.4% following a night full of drama in Seoul. President Yoon Suk Yeol was facing possible impeachment after he suddenly declared martial law on Tuesday night, prompting troops to surround the parliament. He revoked the martial law declaration six hours later. In the crypto market , bitcoin climbed near $99,000 after Trump said he would nominate Paul Atkins , a cryptocurrency advocate, to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.

Aaron Cohen, Brooke Goldstein and Rabbi Chaim Mentz discuss the ICC arrest warrants against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. President-elect Trump will take office just as Iran has the potential to become the world’s 10th nuclear-armed state, and it’s unclear if either side knows how it will approach the other. Judging by Trump’s last time in office, it would suggest he would come out the gate with a combative tone — having instituted a "maximum pressure" campaign to "bankrupt" the regime. His secretary of state pick , Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has been an unyielding Iran hawk in the Senate. After the regime fired 200 missiles toward Tel Aviv last month, Rubio said: " Only threatening the survival of the regime through maximum pressure and direct and disproportionate measures has a chance to influence and alter their criminal activities." That could reinstate — and eliminate — any waivers for oil sanctions. It could mean threatening not to conduct business with countries that buy Iranian fuel products. Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., Trump’s pick for national security adviser, is of a similar mind. Last month, when the Biden administration urged Israel to keep its counterstrikes "proportional," Waltz slammed President Biden for pressuring Israel "once again to do less than it should." A big banner depicting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is placed next to a ballistic missile in Baharestan Square in Tehran, Iran. (Hossein Beris/Middle East Images/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images) He suggested Israel strike oil facilities on Kharg Island and Iran’s nuclear plants in Natanz, a move the Biden team feared Iran would deem escalatory. Last month, Trump appeared to rule out the U.S. getting involved in any effort to take out Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khameini and his government. "We can’t get totally involved in all that. We can’t run ourselves, let’s face it," he said. "I would like to see Iran be very successful. The only thing is, they can't have a nuclear weapon." Trump has said he does not want Iran to have nuclear weapons , but has not laid out how he would stop it from doing so. "I'm not looking to be bad to Iran, we're going to be friendly, I hope, with Iran, maybe, but maybe not. But we're going to be friendly, I hope, we're going to be friendly, but they can't have a nuclear weapon," he said at a New Jersey press conference in August. Last month, Trump suggested Israel strike Iran’s nuclear facilities. Following the Iranian missile attacks, he suggested Israel should "hit the nuclear first and worry about the rest later." On Thursday, Iran said it was activating "advanced" centrifuges after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors censured it for failing to cooperate with the U.N. nuclear watchdog. Without cooperation, the world is in the dark about how quickly Iran is advancing its technological capabilities to use its uranium fuel for a bomb. "We will significantly increase enrichment capacity," Behrouz Kamalvandi, Iran's atomic energy organization spokesman, said after the censure. IRAN HIDING MISSILE, DRONE PROGRAMS UNDER GUISE OF COMMERCIAL FRONT TO EVADE SANCTIONS What’s standing between Iran and a fully formed nuclear weapon is both a political and a technological question. While the nation has enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon, the process of turning that into a warhead could take anywhere from six to 12 months, according to Nicole Grajewski, nuclear policy expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "That’s when Iran would be most vulnerable to attack," she said. "Iran could probably make a dirty bomb from its current stockpile." Over the years, Iran’s nuclear progress has been set back by international sanctions, COVID-19, high-profile assassinations of its nuclear scientists and attacks and sabotage on its nuclear facilities led by Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad. And announcing they have a nuclear weapon could threaten Iran’s longtime goal of regional hegemony. "Iran is less isolated than it was four years ago, but it’s still pretty isolated. Announcing they are nuclear would trigger an arms race in the Middle Eas t," predicted Simone Leeden, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East. "Saudi Arabia and the UAE would decide they will pursue nuclear weapons the minute Iran declares it has its own. Another action they could and would take is deepening ties with Israel." IRAN VASTLY INCREASED NUCLEAR FUEL STOCKPILE AHEAD OF TRUMP RETURN, UN AGENCY FINDS Iran also understands that producing a nuclear bomb would likely evoke a military response from Israel and the U.S. under Trump. Heavy weapons, including ballistic missiles, air defense systems and unmanned aerial vehicles, are displayed at Baharestan Square in Tehran, Iran on Sept. 26, during the 44th anniversary of the eight-year war with Iraq. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images) After years of trying to assassinate Trump, the Iranians don’t seem to have figured out whether to approach the U.S. relationship under Trump with a combative or diplomatic tone. Just last month, they told President Biden they would not make any efforts to kill the president-elect going forward. "I think that there's been a lot of mixed signaling from the kind of Trump transition team is, you know, you see Brian Hook being appointed, who was behind this maximum pressure and sanctions," said Grajewski. But then, on the other hand, Trump envoy Elon Musk reportedly met with Iranian officials to discuss how the two nations could dial back tensions. "I think that he is being opaque on purpose," said Leeden. "I don't think he wants to show his cards as a negotiator." "In all likelihood, maximum pressure is going to be restored," said Behnam Taleblu, Iran expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "U.S. partners are asking now, to what end? Is it towards regime collapse? Is it towards a deal? What if the Iranians don't negotiate in good faith?" Former Israeli officials have suggested Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be emboldened to strike Iranian nuclear facilities with the go-ahead from the Trump administration. But a lot of Iran’s centrifuge and enrichment facilities are deep underground, complicating a bombing campaign against them. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. (Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Image) To get to them, Israel would need the U.S.' Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOP), or "bunkbuster bombs." "It would require U.S. involvement — either the direct transfer of this, which is currently not really discussed — that would be pretty escalatory — or Israel getting the United States to also conduct this mission," said Grajewski. The Trump team will also place a high priority on bringing Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords, solidifying the Sunni Muslim alliance against Iran. But the Saudis have insisted the U.S. and Israel must recognize a Palestinian state for such a deal to get done. "The incoming administration wants to quiet down this kinetic energy in the Middle East quickly, because we have bigger fish to fry as a country," said Leeden. CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The U.S. has long looked to pivot its military focus away from the Middle East and toward the Indo-Pacific . The outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas after Oct. 7 tore that focus back to the Arab world.The Houston Texans lost their Week 12 matchup 32-27 to the Tennessee Titans. It was a surprising loss, considering Houston is viewed as a legitimate playoff contender, while Tennessee managed to earn its third win on the season on Sunday. It was a back-and-forth game throughout, with CJ Stroud playing well for the most part. However, the Titans' defense did manage to force him to throw two interceptions on the day. The 23-year-old quarterback finished the day with 247 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions while throwing a 60.6% completion percentage. Houston falls to a 7-5 record on the season and still holds a two-game lead over the second-placed Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South. Despite that, all of the attention is on Stroud after the second-year quarterback made a total blunder of a play to lose the game. Backed in his own end zone, Stroud dropped back to pass with just over a minute left to play. However, the Titans' pass rush got in the backfield and forced Stroud to scramble. While scrambling, the Texans' quarterback stepped out of the back of the end zone, resulting in a safety . Tennessee scored two points and got the ball back before kneeling out the clock. Did CJ Stroud run out the back of the end zone, or get sacked out the back or the end zone? 😳😳😳 @danorlovsky7 , obviously you are the ultimate arbitrator. pic.twitter.com/f7voVjXbiB The play is reminiscent of a safety former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky made during his playing days in the league. During a 2008 game between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, Orlovsky notoriously ran out of bounds in his own end zone as the quarterback for the Lions. However, Orlovsky's mishap was noticeably worse . For Stroud, at least, it's arguable a Titans defender tackled him out of bounds. SAI Flashback: October 12, 2008 Dan Orlovsky ran out of the back of his own end zone and didn’t even realize it at first pic.twitter.com/1AWXkNmn0s Regardless, sports fans hopped on social media to point out Stroud's mistake. Many of them compared the Texans quarterback to Orlovsky's blunder from 2008. Meanwhile, others criticize Stroud for taking a step back in production during his second year in the NFL. © Troy Taormina-Imagn Images "CJ Stroud, the back of the end zone is bad!" Stated Big Cat from Barstool Sports . One fan claimed , "Dan Orlovsky will tell ya it’s not good!" "What in the world has happened to CJ Stroud....? Legit looks like an average QB at best week in and week out," claimed another fan . NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe asked , "What's happened [to] CJ Stroud? He looks and plays like a totally different player. Is it me or is he different?" "CJ Stroud turned into Dan Orlovsky before he made a second year leap," said one individual . The Texans have five games remaining on the schedule before the regular season ends. They'll be taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 13 to try and get back in the win column. Related: C.J. Stroud is grateful to have Nico Collins back from injured reserve

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