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QBs headline Packers-Dolphins Thanksgiving night matchupRupert Murdoch's audacious bid to cement his eldest son's control over one of the world's most influential media empires has failed, a US report said Monday. The first family of news -- commanding a stable that includes Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and a host of British and Australian media -- had been the inspiration for the hit TV series "Succession." Like the fictional version, this real-life fight pitted the children of a powerful patriarch against each other for who should be the face and the voice of the empire after the old man dies. Murdoch, now 93, had long intended that his children inherit the empire, and jointly decide its direction. The eldest daughter, Prudence, has had little involvement in the family business, but at various times the other three -- Lachlan, James and Elisabeth -- have all been considered as successors. But in recent years Murdoch senior had reportedly grown concerned that Fox News -- the crown jewels of the collection -- might drift away from its lucrative right-wing moorings after his death, to reflect the more centrist views of James and Elisabeth. He had therefore sought to designate Lachlan -- who currently heads Fox News and News Corp -- as the controlling player in the wider business. That had required rewriting the terms of an irrevocable trust that passed power to the four siblings jointly, stripping three of them of voting power, while allowing them to continue to benefit financially. Rupert Murdoch had argued that giving control to Lachlan -- who is understood to share his father's worldview -- was in the financial interests of the whole brood. - 'Carefully crafted charade' - The family intrigue played out behind closed doors in a Nevada courtroom, where Murdoch senior and his four children were understood to have given several days' evidence in September. In a decision filed at the weekend, probate commissioner Edmund J. Gorman Jr. said the father and son had acted in "bad faith" in trying to rewrite the rules, The New York Times reported, citing a copy of the sealed court document. The plan to alter the trust's structure was a "carefully crafted charade" to "permanently cement Lachlan Murdoch's executive roles." "The effort was an attempt to stack the deck in Lachlan Murdoch's favor after Rupert Murdoch's passing so that his succession would be immutable," the Times cited the ruling as saying. "The play might have worked; but an evidentiary hearing, like a showdown in a game of poker, is where gamesmanship collides with the facts and at its conclusion, all the bluffs are called and the cards lie face up. "The court, after considering the facts of this case in the light of the law, sees the cards for what they are and concludes this raw deal will not, over the signature of this probate commissioner, prevail." Murdoch's lawyer, Adam Streisand, did not immediately reply to an AFP request for comment. The ruling is not final, and must now be ratified or rejected by a district judge. That ruling could be challenged, perhaps provoking another round of legal arguments. The complicated structure of the irrevocable trust reflects the colourful familial relationships that shaped Rupert Murdoch's life as he built the multibillion-dollar empire. The trust was reported to have been the result of a deal agreed with his second wife -- mother of Lachlan, Elisabeth and James -- who wanted to ensure her offspring would not be disenfranchised by children Murdoch had with his third wife, Wendi Deng. The Murdoch empire has transformed tabloid newspapers, cable TV and satellite broadcasting over the last few decades while facing accusations of stoking populism across the English-speaking world. Brexit in Britain and the rise of Donald Trump in the United States are credited at least partly to Murdoch and his outlets. hg/nroFranklin Resources Inc. lifted its position in shares of Vicor Co. ( NASDAQ:VICR – Free Report ) by 40.1% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 36,756 shares of the electronics maker’s stock after purchasing an additional 10,526 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. owned about 0.08% of Vicor worth $1,529,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company increased its position in Vicor by 4.8% during the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 12,021 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $399,000 after buying an additional 552 shares during the period. Headlands Technologies LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vicor by 98.8% in the second quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC now owns 1,147 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 570 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in shares of Vicor by 202.4% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,001 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 670 shares during the last quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Vicor by 146.2% in the 3rd quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. now owns 1,162 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $49,000 after acquiring an additional 690 shares during the period. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. raised its position in Vicor by 10.5% in the 2nd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 8,482 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $281,000 after purchasing an additional 808 shares during the last quarter. 47.45% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Vicor Stock Down 3.7 % Shares of NASDAQ:VICR opened at $49.88 on Friday. Vicor Co. has a fifty-two week low of $30.90 and a fifty-two week high of $61.05. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $52.54 and its 200-day simple moving average is $42.58. The company has a market cap of $2.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 103.92 and a beta of 1.49. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, Director Estia J. Eichten sold 8,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.51, for a total transaction of $444,080.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 230,267 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $12,782,121.17. The trade was a 3.36 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link . Also, VP Alex Gusinov sold 856 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.01, for a total value of $50,512.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 16,018 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $945,222.18. The trade was a 5.07 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . 31.00% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts have issued reports on VICR shares. Craig Hallum raised their price objective on shares of Vicor from $35.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Vicor in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on VICR About Vicor ( Free Report ) Vicor Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and markets modular power components and power systems for converting electrical power in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company offers a range of brick-format DC-DC converters; complementary components provide AC line rectification, input filtering, power factor correction, and transient protection; and input and output voltage, and output power products, as well as electrical and mechanical accessories. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Vicor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vicor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) on Wednesday said there’s “no greater hypocrite’ in New York politics than Gov. Kathy Hochul — after her campaign ripped the congressman as a flip-flopper. “New York politics has no greater hypocrite than Kathy Hochul, who was for congestion pricing before she was against it before she was for it,” Torres said in an extraordinary broadside leveled against the sitting governor by a fellow Democrat. “Hochul was for the NRA before she was against it. Even though New Yorkers give Hochul a failing grade, the NRA gave her an ‘A,'” Torres — who is eying a run to challenge Hochul in the 2026 Democratic primary election for governor — said in a statement on X. Hochul championed congestion pricing, but in June suspended the new $15 toll because she said it was too costly for struggling New Yorkers. Many opponents suspected she “paused” the program to aid Democrats in the November election. About a week after the election, she announced a revised $9 toll — which the MTA is scheduled to implement on Jan. 5 ahead of President-elect Donald Trump , a congestion pricing opponent, taking office on Jan. 20. The National Rifle Association endorsed Hochul in her 2012 run for Congress, but as governor she has backed stricter gun control measures. Torres was responding to criticism from the Hochul camp mentioned in a story in Tuesday’s Post revealing hard-left positions taken by the Bronx Democrat in a 2022 endorsement questionnaire filled out for the Jim Owles Liberal LGBT Democratic Club. Torres, in an interview with The Post, distanced himself from some of the lefty views he previously endorsed — including support of amnesty for illegal immigrants. The pol said his views have evolved since the migrant crisis erupted, and that he’s now “pro-border” security as well as “pro-immigration,” and supports the deportation of illegal aliens who are criminals. He also pivoted away from other answers given in the questionnaire, such as decriminalizing prostitution and government-supervised “safe consumption” sites for addicts and vowing to refuse to take campaign donations from police and correction officers’ unions. But Hochul’s camp called Torres out as a “hypocrite.” “Unfortunately for his constituents, Ritchie Torres has proven to be a pandering hypocrite who is out of touch with New Yorkers on critical issues like immigration and public safety,” said Hochul campaign spokeswoman Jen Goodman. “Good luck trying to sell this extremist record to the people of New York.” Hochul’s campaign repeated its criticism of Torres Wednesday in response to his blistering response on X, noting that the congressman had removed some of his policy statements from a campaign website. “Ritchie can cowardly blame his staff, delete the issues page from his website to cover his tracks, or wildly flip-flop on positions he held less than two years ago, but the Congressman’s record remains clear and shockingly out of step with New Yorkers,” said Goodman, the Hochul rep. Torres, a former councilman first elected to Congress in 2020, also slammed Hochul in a Tuesday press conference in City Hall Park. He pointed to billions of dollars in lost revenue from fare evasion and rise in crime as examples of bad governance. Hochul held a press conference on Tuesday with Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announcing a major bust of an online shopping theft ring. “Governor Hochul is fundamentally ineffective at governing. She arbitrarily and abruptly cancelled congestion pricing and then reversed herself after the election,” said Torres, who supports the first-in-the-nation tolling program. “And this, to me, reflects the kind of chaotic, erratic governance that one would expect from a Trump presidency,” he added.The Iranian regime has “intensified” its secretive development of nuclear detonators at covert facilities, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) revealed, citing intelligence that exposes alarming advancements in weaponization technologies. The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) issued a stark warning during a Thursday press conference, revealing the Islamic regime’s escalated efforts to advance nuclear weapon technologies. This includes significant developments at the METFAZ facility, a critical division of the Organization for Advanced Defense Research (SPND). According to the NCRI’s report , these efforts focus on nuclear detonators, specifically Exploding Bridgewire (EBW) devices, crucial for triggering nuclear explosions. The report highlights that METFAZ’s operations are centered at the newly renamed Meshkat Complex in Sanjarian, a heavily guarded site located roughly 25 miles east of Tehran. It further outlines that the facility is central to manufacturing high-explosive materials under the guise of oil industry research conducted by the Arvin Kimia Abzar company, which NCRI asserts is a covert front for military purposes. The prominent Iranian opposition group’s officials identified key figures in this program, including Saeed Borji, chairman of Arvin Kimia Abzar, and CEO Akbar Motallebizadeh. Both are high-ranking experts in SPND with extensive histories in nuclear weapons projects, including EBW detonators. Borji’s involvement with explosive technologies dates back to his training with Ukrainian scientist Vyacheslav V. Danilenko, highlighting international dimensions to Iran’s nuclear efforts. “Transparency is non-existent in the regime’s nuclear program,” said Alireza Jafarzadeh, Deputy Director of NCRI’s Washington Office, as he stressed the need for immediate International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections of the Meshkat Complex and other critical sites. He elaborated: Specifically, I think the one area that we need to focus [on] is the nuclear weapons program of the regime. I think out of all the other various threats of the regime, whether it’s their proxies and their activities in the region, their warmongering, they have received major blows in those areas. The one area that they’re counting on– and it is crucial for the survival of the regime is their nuclear weapons program of Iran. And that’s where I think the focus should be. They’re more dangerous there than they have ever been. They will go head-on as they are doing. They may avoid taking some precautionary measures that they used to make because they feel like this is the last round. And that’s why I think everyone should be concerned, whether it is the capitals in Europe or right here in Washington. That’s where you want to focus. You wanna make sure that the Iran regime doesn’t get the bomb. He also warned of the regime’s secrecy and the proliferation of “unknown sites” that complicate oversight. “But, in reality, there’s so much unknown; there’s so many different unknown sites, that there is really only one sure way to end the threat of the nuclear weapons program of the Iran regime — and that’s ending the rule of the mullahs in Iran,” he added. The NCRI, which has been instrumental in exposing Iran’s clandestine nuclear activities for over two decades, first revealed the Natanz uranium enrichment site in 2002, leading to international inspections. Their latest revelations spotlight Iran’s continuing nuclear ambitions despite global sanctions and diplomatic efforts to curb weaponization. The SPND, established under the late Brigadier General Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, is central to these activities. Its subdivisions, including METFAZ, have systematically advanced weaponization components while evading oversight by the IAEA. During the press conference, the NCRI called for immediate action, including: IAEA Inspections: Unrestricted access to the Meshkat Complex and related facilities. Reinstatement of Sanctions: Use of the UN Security Council’s snapback mechanism to restore comprehensive sanctions on Iran. Increased Scrutiny of Weaponization: Focus on weaponization, not just uranium enrichment levels, in international negotiations. In a statement to Breitbart News, Jafarzadeh emphasized the secretive nature of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “There is not a single instance where the Iranian regime has voluntarily come forward and said, ‘This is what we’re doing; this is our activity; this is our program.’ None of that. It has always been covert, and it will always remain covert,” he said. “However, the level of escalation we are witnessing, along with the resources they are now allocating, is a clear indication that they are intensifying their efforts.” “The regime is focusing on building a bomb as the only means for its survival,” he added. Soona Samsami, NCRI’s U.S. representative, emphasized the regime’s reliance on deception to obstruct verification efforts by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). “While global attention remains fixated on uranium enrichment levels, the Iranian regime is covertly advancing the weaponization aspect of its nuclear program,” she noted. Maryam Rajavi, NCRI’s President-elect, reiterated the importance of a non-nuclear Iran, emphasizing that regime change through internal resistance offers the only sustainable solution. The revelations underscore the urgent need for the international community to prevent the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons and address its longstanding policy of denial and deception. The events come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Iranians to rise up against their government, amid reports of Israeli plans to target Iran’s nuclear program following the collapse of the Assad regime and its air defenses. Massive protests that erupted in Iran in 2022, have led to documented abuses by the regime, growing international criticism, and support for a democratic republic, highlighted by a bipartisan U.S. resolution endorsing Rajavi’s “Ten Point Plan” for a free, secular, and non-nuclear Iran. The NCRI has long warned that Iran — the largest state sponsor of terrorism worldwide — is witnessing a revolution “in the making,” with the Islamic Republic no longer capable of containing widespread dissent. In October, hundreds of prominent world leaders and legislators convened at the NCRI headquarters on the outskirts of Paris to attend the group’s 2024 Free Iran World Summit and express support for the organization’s efforts in support of a free Iran. Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein .MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) — The Marrakech International Film Festival bestowed its top prize Friday on “Happy Holidays,” a Palestinian drama set in Israel whose screenplay won an award at the Venice Film Festival in September. The film, directed by Scandar Copti, follows Israeli and Palestinian characters facing familial and societal pressures in present-day Haifa and stars both professional and non-professional actors. It is the first Palestinian film to win Marrakech’s Etoile D’Or award. Screenwriter Mona Copti in an acceptance speech said the film team’s joy at winning was tempered by war in the Middle East and she denounced what she called the dehumanization of Palestinians Eight features, each a director’s first or second film, competed in the festival. The winning films tackled social issues through the lens of family, a theme that the festival’s artistic director Remi Bonhomme underlined at its opening. The festival awarded its jury prize to two additional films from Somalia and Argentina. The nine-member jury awarded Mo Harawe’s “The Village Next to Paradise” — a story about a family living under the threat of drone strikes dreaming of a better life — and Silvina Schnicer’s “The Cottage” about children who commit an unspeakable act at a rich family’s summer vacation home. “The Village Next to Paradise” participated last year in the Marrakech festival’s Atlas Workshops, an initiative to develop filmmakers from Morocco, the Middle East and Africa and promote their work. In his acceptance speech, Harawe lauded the film’s Somali cast and crew and highlighted the significance of the award for Somalia. Cecilia Rainero, the lead actor of “The Cottage,” thanked the jury and said it was meaningful amid Argentinian President Javier Milei’s moves to defund the country’s film industry. The Associated Press
Letters for Dec. 10: Declining a reelection bid is President Biden’s defining legacy in office
Brazil's top court takes on regulation of social mediaIsraeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 22 as Vatican envoy visits Christians in the territory
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Election results on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean have set the background for the final stretch of campaigning for Irish parties ahead of polling day on Friday. Donald Trump’s presidential election victory in the US has brought heightened concern that his administration’s proposals around corporation tax and tariffs would significantly impact Ireland’s economic model. Mr Harris, leader of Fine Gael, has argued Ireland and other EU countries need to prepare for the possibility of trade shocks as he criticised the scale of Sinn Fein’s spending pledges as well as their saving plans. He said: “I think that is irresponsible, I think it is dangerous and I think it is reckless.” He accused Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald of not being able to say what her party was prepared to do in the event of an economic crash, adding that Fine Gael would borrow and stop putting money towards a rainy-day fund. Asked if the party was engaging in “project fear” to dissuade voters against Sinn Fein, Mr Harris said: “I call it ‘project truth’. It’s telling people what’s being discussed right across European capitals.” Ms McDonald told an RTE interview on Wednesday morning that a Sinn Fein government would also be prepared to start borrowing in the event of an economic downturn. Both Mr Harris and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, who were partners in the last coalition government in Ireland, have made clear they will not countenance Sinn Fein as a potential partner in the next administration in Dublin. One day after the only three-way debate featuring the leaders of the main parties, Mr Martin accused Sinn Fein of being “dishonest” about how they will fund their manifesto plans. Speaking in Dublin on Wednesday, he said he is anxious to get clarity on the issue. “I think Sinn Fein have been very dishonest, frankly, in terms of the funds, because if you go through their figures, and this is a matter of fact, not opinion, they’re predicting a surplus of a billion in 2026, a billion in 2027. “Even in 2025, they’re talking about a mini budget, which would mean reducing the surplus that we’re anticipating in 2025. “There’s a legislative obligation now on any new government to put 0.8% of GDP to one side, and into the funds. There’s no way you can do that with a surplus of a billion in 2026 or 2027, and we would argue they would not have enough funds next year either to put into the funds.” He added: “It means they have no room to manoeuvre if things go wrong, if there’s headwinds come externally, or there are shocks internationally, Sinn Fein is not allowing any headroom at all in terms of room to respond or to move it.” Ms McDonald accused the other two parties of conspiring to keep Sinn Fein out of government and prevent change in Ireland. She said the two men were now “indistinguishable” from each other as she claimed they were suffering “acute amnesia” in regard to their records in government. On a visit to Naas fire station in Co Kildare, she said: “To listen to them, you’d imagine they had just arrived on the scene and that they were going to come up with all of these solutions. “They have had ample chances, ample opportunity, to make things better, and they have failed, and in between the two of them I make the case that now we ask for our chance, with our plans, with our team, to demonstrate how change can happen, how your community, your family, yourself, can be supported when the government is actually on your side.” Mr Martin’s and Mr Harris’ coalition partner Roderic O’Gorman, the leader of the Greens, issued a warning to the public over a future government without his party. On Wednesday, he said it is looking likely that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will be returned to government – but cautioned they may not want the Greens to continue “fighting hard” on policies. He told reporters: “My sense is certainly the mood music from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael is that they’d like an easier life in the next government – and my concern is they use these small populist parties and right-wing independents.” Mr O’Gorman argued that the Greens could continue to provide stability to government at a time when economic shocks may be around the corner. As the Green leader suggested that relying on independents would be unstable, Mr Martin has also argued that “too much fragmentation would lead to incoherence in government”. Reflecting on Tuesday night’s debate, the Fianna Fail leader said the race remained “too close to call” while Mr Harris said it is “all to play for”. The leaders of Ireland’s three main political parties clashed on housing, healthcare and financial management in the last televised debate before Friday’s General Election. The tetchy debate, which was marked by several interruptions, saw the parties set out their stalls in a broadcast that commentators said did little to move the dial before polling day. The latest opinion poll on Wednesday put the parties in a tight grouping, with Fianna Fail slightly ahead of Sinn Fein and Fine Gael in joint second. After the 2020 general election delivered an inconclusive result, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, two parties forged from opposing sides of Ireland’s Civil War of the 1920s, agreed to set aside almost a century of animosity and share power – with the Greens as a junior partner. From 2016 to 2020, Fianna Fail had supported Fine Gael in power through a confidence-and-supply arrangement from the Opposition benches in the Dail parliament. Sinn Fein won the popular vote in 2020 but a failure to run enough candidates meant it did not secure sufficient seats in the Dail to give it a realistic chance of forming a government.Reader Opinion: Getting rich with other people's money
9 Cheap European Stocks That Increased Dividends in 2024Syria’s prime minister said that most cabinet ministers were back at work on Monday after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad. However, 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 neighbouring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Mr 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 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 UN official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali for the first time. Mr Jalali stayed in Syria when Mr Assad fled and has sought to project normalcy since. “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 that judges were ready to resume work quickly. “We want to give everyone their rights,” Mr Haddad said outside the courthouse. “We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods.” But a UN official said some government services had been paralysed as worried state employees stayed at home. The public sector “has just come to a complete and abrupt halt,” said Adam Abdelmoula, UN resident and humanitarian co-ordinator for Syria, 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 demonised by the public media are now in charge in the nation’s capital,” Mr 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.” In a video shared on a rebel messaging channel, Mr al-Sharaa said: “You will see there are skills” among the rebels. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Mr Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Mr Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Mr 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.