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Azealia Banks issues cease & desist letter against The 1975’s Matty Healy and demands $1million in damages after “threats of violence”(Reuters) – Apple on Wednesday started integrating OpenAI’s ChatGPT into its devices, delivering on a long-awaited feature that investors hope will help drive sales of its latest iPhones. The rollout is part of a wider deployment of artificial intelligence-powered tools in the latest updates to the operating systems for iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. The ChatGPT integration, announced in June as part of the Apple Intelligence unveil, will allow the company’s Siri voice assistant to tap the chatbot’s expertise including on user queries about photos and documents such as presentations. Users can also ask ChatGPT to create written content in any app that supports the new Writing Tools feature. They can use the chatbot’s image generation capabilities to add images. The move comes during the peak holiday shopping season, the company’s most lucrative sales period of the year. The slow rollout of Apple Intelligence features so far has raised some investor worries about the strength of the iPhone 16 sales cycle. The AI features will be available on the latest iPhone series, as well as the Pro and Pro Max versions of the previous iPhone 15 line-up. Users of iPad with A17 Pro or M1 chips and later, and Mac with M1 chips and later can also access the tools.
Okanagan Sun head coach Travis Miller was struck by a vehicle in Kelowna's Glenmore neighbourhood on Tuesday, Dec. 10. Kelowna RCMP have confirmed the incident, stating the pedestrian was struck when crossing the road in the crosswalk. The Sun confirmed in a social media post stating the pedestrian was Miller, who had just finished his last recruiting meeting of the day. According to RCMP, Miller was taken to Kelowna General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and the extent of the injuries are unknown. Meanwhile, the Sun said Miller underwent surgery and both his feet were crushed in the incident. “The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated with police,” said Kelowna RCMP media relations officer Sgt. Laura Pollock. “There was no indication the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol and speed does not appear to be a factor.” RCMP are still investigating the incident and are asking anyone who witnessed the crash or anyone with dashcam footage in the area from 5:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. to step forward and reach out to police at 250-762-3300 with the file number 2024-72174. Miller has been the Sun's head coach since Apr. 2, 2022.
Scholastic Corporation Announces Third Quarter DividendThe TOI Entertainment Desk is a dynamic and dedicated team of journalists, working tirelessly to bring the pulse of the entertainment world straight to the readers of The Times of India. No red carpet goes unrolled, no stage goes dark - our team spans the globe, bringing you the latest scoops and insider insights from Bollywood to Hollywood, and every entertainment hotspot in between. We don't just report; we tell tales of stardom and stories untold. Whether it's the rise of a new sensation or the seasoned journey of an industry veteran, the TOI Entertainment Desk is your front-row seat to the fascinating narratives that shape the entertainment landscape. Beyond the breaking news, we present a celebration of culture. We explore the intersections of entertainment with society, politics, and everyday life. Read More Anju Kurian’s blissful pictures 10 times Shweta Tiwari beat daughter Palak Tiwari in saree draping Govt policies for senior citizens to get a makeover: Key points 8 Christmas plants that are poisonous to pet cats and dogs How to make South Indian Podi Idli at home 8 health benefits of having peanuts in winters Shine like Raveena Tandon this wedding season with her glamorous style 8 saag varieties from across India and their benefits 9 benefits of consuming Pomegranate peel regularly
Homeland Security shares new details of mysterious drone flights over New Jersey A New Jersey lawmaker from part of the state where several mysterious drones have been spotted in recent week says the devices appear to avoid detection by traditional methods. Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia was among state officials who met Wednesday with representatives from the Department of Homeland Security. She says lawmakers were told the drones have dodged detection by helicopters and radio. Fantasia says DHS described the devices as up to 6 feet in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights off. The Morris County Republican made the comments in a post on X shortly after she and several other state and local lawmakers met with state police and Homeland Security officials. Juan Soto gets free luxury suite and up to 4 premium tickets for home games in $765M Mets deal DALLAS (AP) — Juan Soto gets free use of a luxury suite and up to four premium tickets behind home plate for regular-season and postseason New York Mets home games as part of his record $765 million, 15-year contract. The Mets agreed to provide personal team security for the All-Star outfielder and his family at the team’s expense for all spring training and regular-season home and road games, according to details of the agreement obtained by The Associated Press. New York agreed to assist Soto’s family for in-season travel arrangements, guaranteed he gets uniform No. 22 and included eight types of award bonuses. Rape allegation against Jay-Z won’t impact NFL's relationship with music mogul, Goodell says IRVING, Texas (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says a rape allegation against rapper Jay-Z won’t impact the NFL's relationship with the music mogul. Jay-Z's company Roc Nation has produced some of the NFL’s entertainment presentations including the Super Bowl halftime show. A woman who previously sued Sean “Diddy” Combs alleging she was raped at an awards show after-party in 2000 amended the lawsuit Sunday to include an allegation that Jay-Z was also at the party and participated in the sexual assault. Jay-Z says the rape allegation made against him is part of an extortion attempt. The NFL teamed up with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in 2019 for events and social activism. The league and the entertainment company extended their partnership a few months ago. Ohio politician proposes make flag planting a felony after fight in Michigan rivalry game An Ohio politician has seen enough flag planting. Republican state Rep. Josh Williams said Wednesday on social media he's introducing a bill to make flag planting in sports a felony in the state. His proposal comes after the Nov. 30 fight at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry football game when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 13-10 and then attempted to plant their flag at midfield. A fight ensued and police had to use pepper spray to disperse the players. Former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield famously planted a flag in the middle of the field at Ohio State after the Sooners beat the Buckeyes in 2017. Gastineau confronts Favre in documentary for his 'dive' on Strahan's record-breaking sack Former New York Jets star Mark Gastineau confronted Brett Favre last year at a memorabilia show and angrily accused the Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback of deliberately going down on a record-breaking sack. The tense exchange is shown in the new ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “The New York Sack Exchange." It chronicles the Jets’ fearsome foursome defensive line of the 1980s that included Gastineau. Gastineau set an NFL record with 22 sacks in 1984, but Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan broke the mark when he sacked Favre in 2002 in a game between the Giants and Packers. Many have accused Favre of purposely taking the sack so Strahan could set the single-season record with 22 1/2. What happens next with Alex Jones' Infowars? No certainty yet after sale to The Onion is rejected Lawyers in the Alex Jones bankruptcy case are now in discussions on what could happen next after a federal judge in Texas rejected the auction sale of Jones’ Infowars to The Onion satirical news outlet. The next steps remained unclear Wednesday as the judge ordered the trustee who oversaw the auction to come up with a new plan. Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston rejected the bid late Tuesday, saying there was too much confusion about The Onion’s bid. The bankruptcy case was in the wake of the nearly $1.5 billion that courts have ordered Jones to pay for calling the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut a hoax. Sandy Hook families had backed The Onion’s bid. NFL and Nike extend their partnership with a 10-year deal, will focus on growing the sport globally IRVING, Texas (AP) — The NFL’s desire to become a global powerhouse is no secret. Nike is committed to helping the league continue expanding its worldwide reach. The league and the apparel giant announced Wednesday a 10-year partnership extension. The NFL and Nike will focus on working together to grow the game’s global reach, increase participation, develop new talent, and expand the football fan base. Nike, the world’s largest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel, has been the NFL’s exclusive provider of uniforms and sideline, practice and base layer apparel for all 32 NFL teams for 12 years. George Kresge Jr., who wowed talk show audiences as the The Amazing Kreskin, dies at age 89 NEW YORK (AP) — George Joseph Kresge Jr., otherwise known to TV watchers as the mesmerizing entertainer and mentalist The Amazing Kreskin, has died at age 89. Kreskin’s friend and former road manager, Ryan Galway, says he died Tuesday at his home in Caldwell, New Jersey. Kreskin launched his television career in the 1960s and remained popular for decades, appearing with everyone from Merv Griffin to Johnny Carson to Jimmy Fallon. Fans would welcome, if not entirely figure out, his favorite mind tricks — whether correctly guessing a playing card chosen at random, or, most famously, divining where his paycheck had been planted among the audience. He also hosted a show in the 1970s, gave live performances and wrote numerous books. Albertsons sues Kroger for failing to win approval of their proposed supermarket merger Kroger and Albertsons’ plan for the largest U.S. supermarket merger in history has crumbled. The two companies have accused each other of not doing enough to push their proposed alliance through, and Albertsons pulled out of the $24.6 billion deal on Wednesday. The bitter breakup came the day after a federal judge in Oregon and a state judge in Washington issued injunctions to block the merger, saying that combining the two grocery chains could reduce competition and harm consumers. Albertsons is now suing Kroger, seeking a $600 million termination fee, as well as billions of dollars in legal fees and lost shareholder value. Kroger says the legal claims are “baseless.” Keynote Selena Gomez spotlights prioritizing mental health during Academy Women's Luncheon LOS ANGELES (AP) — While surveying a room packed with Hollywood’s most influential figures, “Emilia Pérez” star Selena Gomez took center stage at the Academy Women’s Luncheon to spotlight a critical issue: Prioritizing mental health and supporting underserved communities often left behind in the conversation. The singer-actor has been public about her mental health struggles, revealing she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Gomez was the keynote speaker Tuesday at the event held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures with attendees including Ariana Grande, Olivia Wilde, Amy Adams, Pamela Anderson, Rita Wilson, Ava DuVernay and Awkwafina.NICE Recovery Systems Partners With Norwegian Alpine Ski Team - Team Telenor To Elevate Performance And Recovery On The World Stage
Cheers and beers for Ruud van Nistelrooy as Leicester reign starts with win
BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria gained speed on Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and with the government forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by an opposition war monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. As they have advanced, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands rushed the Syria border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those that remained open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some shops were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reach the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. Amid the developments, Syria’s state media denied rumors flooding social media that Assad has left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. Assad's chief international backer, Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine, and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up his forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran, meanwhile, has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. Pedersen said a date for the talks in Geneva on the implementation of U.N. Resolution 2254 would be announced later. The resolution, adopted in 2015, called for a Syrian-led political process, starting with the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were also marching from eastern Syria toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. Syria’s military, meanwhile, sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama, the country’s fourth largest city. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told CNN in an interview Thursday from Syria that the aim is to overthrow Assad’s government. The Britain-based Observatory said Syrian troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces and are sending reinforcements to Homs, where a battle is looming. If the insurgents capture Homs, they would cut the link between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where the president enjoys wide support. The Syrian army said in a statement Saturday that it has carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists.” The army said it is setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remained in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. Tartus is home to the only Russian naval base outside the former Soviet Union while Latakia is home to a major Russian air base. In the gas-rich nation of Qatar, the foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey met to discuss the situation in Syria. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remained in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. On Friday, U.S.-backed fighters of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces captured wide parts of the eastern province of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq as well as the provincial capital that carries the same name. The capture of areas in Deir el-Zour is a blow to Iran’s influence in the region as the area is the gateway to the corridor linking the Mediterranean to Iran, a supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah. With the capture of a main border crossing with Iraq by the SDF and after opposition fighters took control of the Naseeb border crossing to Jordan in southern Syria, the Syrian government's only gateway to the outside world is the Masnaa border crossing with Lebanon. Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report.
Google Unveils AI Agent That Can Use Websites on Its Own
$1000 Invested In United Therapeutics 20 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much TodayWhat happens next with Alex Jones' Infowars? No certainty yet after sale to The Onion is rejected
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House prices will continue to rise until 2029 if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael return to power, Sinn Fein’s housing spokesperson has said. Eoin O Broin urged voters to end the two Civil War parties’ “stranglehold” on housing policy and called for a greater focus on social and affordable home delivery. “The reason homelessness is rising is because Simon Harris is Taoiseach, Micheal Martin is Tanaiste and Darragh O’Brien is minister for housing,” Mr O Broin said at an event at the Teachers Club in Dublin on Saturday. “If we want to end homelessness, we’ve got to end their stranglehold on housing policy.” The housing spokesperson said that the proportion of young people who own their home has collapsed compared to the 1990s, from 60% to 30%, and that this was forcing young people to either emigrate or stay at home with their parents. He also said the rise in house prices since the government formed in 2020 had been “astronomical”, and claimed that average house prices in Dublin had increased by 125,000 euro. Sinn Fein’s Housing for All plan pledges to deliver 31,500 affordable homes through local government housing bodies at prices of 250,000 euro “or slightly above that”, he said. Sinn Fein is also vowing to phase out schemes for first-time buyers – the Help to Buy and the First Home schemes – arguing that they are adding to house prices. The government parties have said the schemes are vital for helping first-time buyers afford to buy a home amid inflated prices – with the latest figures showing prices are increasing by 10% a year. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have also questioned Sinn Fein’s housing plan, which includes a proposal to build affordable homes through the state retaining ownership of the land on which the houses are built. The two main coalition parties have questioned the practicality of this and whether removing the first-time buyers’ grants would “pull the rug” from under young people. Mr O Broin said that projections by the Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Mr Harris and the Tanaiste and Fianna Fail leader Mr Martin on when house prices would fall “shows the extent to which neither Micheal Martin nor Simon Harris understand anything about housing”. Mr Harris said on Friday that house prices would become more affordable or fall when “50,000-60,000 homes a year” are being built, while Mr Martin has said house prices would begin to moderate when 45,000-50,000 homes a year are being built, estimating this would be around 2027 or 2028. Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said he did not disagree with the assessment of Mr Martin, his party leader, but was wary of making predictions. Mr O Broin said of the predictions: “If you go back to the Celtic Tiger, 2006, 90,000 homes were built that year, highest number of homes in the history of the state – house prices kept rising. “This idea that housing delivery, in and of itself, will bring down prices is simply not the case. “In fact, the vast majority of housing economists and housing policy experts around the world tell us that what you have to do is not only increase the number of homes but it’s the type of homes and the price of the homes that is key.” “My view is if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are left in government for the next five years, house prices will rise throughout that period, as they have done not just throughout the last five years but since 2011.” He added: “One of the reasons why homelessness has continued to rise over the last two to three years is because exits from emergency accommodation into the private rental sector have collapsed, and the government’s delivery of new social homes hasn’t been sufficient. “Fine Gael is proposing to keep the target at about 10,000 a year out to 2030, maybe have about 12,000 then. Fianna Fail is suggesting maybe an average of 12,000. “At an absolute minimum, we need to get an average of 15,000 – that would mean by 2027, 2028, you’re hitting 16,000, 17,000, 18,000 new-build social homes a year.” Asked about how fast a change in housing there would be if Sinn Fein were in the next government, Mr O Broin said “things can be done at pace”. “We will be delivering affordable homes for working people to purchase at a price of 250,000, 260,000, 270,000 in year one, as well as two, three and four, ramping up to that 32,000 (affordable homes) over the six years.” “We’ve set out very clearly how you could end homelessness for the over-55s in one year, and year on year dramatically reduce the number of families with children in emergency accommodation. “So things may not be done overnight, but things can be done at pace and at that speed, but only if you have the political will,” he said.
Maresca led the Foxes to the Sky Bet Championship title last season before joining Chelsea over the summer. Leicester famously toasted their improbable Premier League success in 2016 with an impromptu bash at Vardy’s house. But the venue for last April’s party was not at the striker’s abode, but at Maresca’s house when the players turned up unannounced at 2am. Maresca recalled: “The best present I had from last season was when we got promoted and they arrived at my home. All the team. “This showed the connection between the players; they could go for a party at a different place but they all arrived at my home. It was a fantastic connection and I will always be thankful for them. “I was at home celebrating with my staff and my family and about two o’clock in the morning all the squad was there. We celebrated all together. Last night at Enzo’s 🏡 💙 pic.twitter.com/dqP8BFsDn3 — Leicester City (@LCFC) April 27, 2024 “When I was a player and I won things I never thought to go to the manager’s home. That shows the connection.” Similarly to when they clinched the Premier League crown, Leicester were not actually playing when they found out they were promoted after Leeds lost at QPR. “To be honest I was at home watching the game and when it finished all the staff came over – and later the players,” added the Italian. “They didn’t knock on the door, they were in the garden and knocked on the window. What time did they leave? I don’t remember.” Vardy might not be having a party at the end of this season but he is still banging in the goals at 37 and Maresca rates the striker even more highly than England’s two top goalscorers – Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney. “People don’t realise how good he is,” added Maresca. “I know England have been quite lucky because of Kane and Rooney, this type of striker, they are fantastic. “But Jamie is, if you ask me, the best one.” Maresca returns to the King Power Stadium for the first time with Chelsea on Saturday, but he will be without captain Reece James due to a hamstring problem.Founder of failed crypto lending platform Celsius Network pleads guilty to fraud chargesGaming wish granted for Nanaimo teen living with muscular dystrophy
Disability ministers will ‘champion’ inclusion and accessibility, says TimmsCARSON — It was the perfect start to the perfect end of the 2024 season for the Galaxy. Within the first 15 minutes, just barely enough time after the pregame festivities, the Galaxy seized control, first with Joseph Paintsil’s opening goal, followed by Dejan Joveljic for a quick two-goal lead. From there, the Galaxy, who had been known to run up the scoreboard, dug in and eventually saw a 2-1 win, claiming the club’s sixth MLS Cup title, Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park in front of 26,812. This was the Galaxy’s first MLS Cup appearance since 2014. After going unbeaten at home in the regular season, the Galaxy is now unbeaten (4-0) at home in MLS Cups. Last year at this time, the Galaxy was well into their offseason rebuilding project. The 2023 regular season was dismal, finishing in 13th place in the Western Conference, but before contending for the MLS Cup, the Galaxy had to win its offseason. And that’s what they did, with the acquisitions of goalkeeper John McCarthy and defender John Nelson and the signings of Designated Players Paintsil and Gabriel Pec. The moves, coupled with the re-emergence of Joveljic and fiery Riqui Puig paid dividends during the season. One question for Saturday was how the Galaxy would replace Puig, who suffered an ACL injury in last week’s conference final win against Seattle. In stepped Gaston Brugman, who hadn’t appeared in the starting lineup since Oct. 5 and had just three starting assignments since September. Brugman assisted on Paintsil’s opening goal, slotting a ball from midfield through the defense right to Paintsil in the ninth minute. Joveljic made it 2-0 in the 13th minute. The Red Bulls received a lifeline in the 28th minute on Sean Nealis’ goal after the Galaxy failed to clear a corner kick. The Red Bulls had a stretch of four consecutive corner kicks later in the half to test the Galaxy’s structure, but weren’t able to break through. The Red Bulls, seeking their first MLS title, received a bit of bad news before the game as center back Andres Reyes was removed from the starting lineup due to an illness. This was the first MLS Cup appearance for the Red Bulls since 2008. The Red Bulls were the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and recorded three consecutive upsets to advance, knocking second-seeded Columbus in the first round, sixth-seeded New York City FC in the conference semifinal and third-seeded Orlando City in the conference final. More to come on this story.
NoneThe Onion's rejected purchase of Infowars in an auction bid supported by families of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting dealt them a new setback Wednesday and clouded the future of Alex Jones' conspiracy theory platform, which is now poised to remain in his control for at least the near future. What's next for Infowars and Sandy Hook families' long-sought efforts to hold Jones accountable over calling one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history a hoax was unclear, after a federal judge in Houston late Tuesday rejected The Onion's winning bid for the site . U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston said he did not want another auction but offered no roadmap over how to proceed. One possibility includes ultimately allowing Sandy Hook families — who comprise most of Jones' creditors — to return to state courts in Connecticut and Texas to collect on the nearly $1.5 billion in defamation and emotional distress lawsuit judgments that Jones was ordered to pay them. “Our hope is that when this process ends, and it will end, and it will end sooner rather than later, is that all assets that Alex Jones has available are paid to the families, and that includes Infowars, and that as a result of that process Alex Jones is deprived of the ownership and control of the platform that he’s used to hurt so many people,” Christopher Mattei, an attorney for the Sandy Hook families, said in a phone interview Wednesday. The families, meanwhile, were preparing the mark the 12th anniversary of the Dec. 14 shooting. The sale of Infowars is part of Jones’ personal bankruptcy case , which he filed in late 2022 after he was ordered to pay the $1.5 billion. Jones was sued for repeatedly saying on his show that the 2012 massacre of 20 first graders and six educators was staged by crisis actors to spur more gun control. Lopez said there was a lack of transparency in the bidding process and too much confusion about The Onion's bid. He also said the amount of money offered in the only two bids was too low and there needed to be more effort to try to raise as much money possible from the selling of Infowars' assets. The Onion's parent company, Global Tetrahedron, submitted a $1.75 million cash offer with plans to kick Jones out and relaunch Infowars in January as a parody . The bid also included a deal with many of the Sandy Hook families for them to forgo $750,000 of their auction proceeds and give it to other creditors. Lopez called it a complex arrangement that led to different interpretations of the bid's actual value as well as last-minute changes to a proposed sale order. The other bidder was First United American Companies, which runs a website in Jones’ name that sells nutritional supplements and planned to let Jones stay on the Infowars platforms. It offered $3.5 million in cash and later, with Jones, alleged fraud and collusion in the bidding process. Lopez rejected the allegations, saying that while mistakes were made there was no wrongdoing. Christopher Murray, the trustee who oversaw the auction, said he picked The Onion and its deal with the Sandy Hook families because it would have provided more money to Jones' other creditors. The next steps remained unclear Wednesday. The judge directed Murray to come up with a new plan to move forward. Murray and representatives of The Onion did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The judge said there was a possibility there could be a trial in 2025 to settle Jones' bankruptcy. He said Murray could try to sell the equity in Infowars' parent company. He also said Murray could abandon the efforts, which could allow the Sandy Hook families to return to the state courts where they won their lawsuits against Jones and begin collection proceedings against him. The judge said he wanted to hear back from Murray and others involved in the bankruptcy within 30 days on a plan to move forward. Mattei, who represented the Sandy Hook families in the Connecticut lawsuit, said everyone is waiting to see what plan the trustee comes up with. Jones, meanwhile, continued to allege fraud and collusion on his show Wednesday and threatened legal action over what he called an attempted “rigged auction.” On the social media platform X, he called the judge's ruling a “Major Victory For Freedom Of The Press & Due Process." “I don’t want to have to go after these people, lawsuit-wise, but we have to because if you don’t then you’re aiding and abetting and they do it to other people. They made some big mistakes," he said. It's a solemn and heartbreaking week for relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The 12th anniversary is Saturday, and some of the victims' relatives were traveling to Washington, D.C., to attend the annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence on Wednesday evening. The families usually mark the anniversary out of the public eye. Many of the families said their lawsuits against Jones bought back the unbearable pain of losing their loved ones, as well as the trauma of being harassed and threatened by believers of Jones' hoax conspiracy. Relatives said they have been confronted in public by hoax believers and received death and rape threats. Robbie Parker, whose 6-year-old daughter Emilie was killed, testified at the Connecticut lawsuit trial in 2022 that the decade of abuse his family suffered made them move across the country to Washington state, and even there he was accosted in person. The families have not received any money from Jones since winning the trials. Jones has been appealing the $1.5 billion in judgments, and has since conceded that the shooting did happen. Last week, a Connecticut appeals court upheld most of the judgment in that state but reduced it by $150 million. Associated Press writer Juan A. Lozano in Houston contributed to this report.
Rebels celebrate near the Damascene Sword Monument after taking over Damascus (Image: EPA/BILAL AL HAMMOUD) HAYAT TAHRIR AL-SHAM SWEEPS DAMASCUS Russian state media has reported that ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has arrived in Moscow having fled as rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) swept into the capital Damascus this weekend. The BBC says Russian media reports, citing sources in the Kremlin, have claimed Assad and his family have been granted asylum by Russia. Russia’s foreign ministry said earlier on Sunday Assad had resigned as president and left Syria, The New York Times reports, adding that his departure “after rebels opposed to his rule swept through the country in a lightning offensive was an earthshaking moment in the history of Syria ... it marked a dramatic breakthrough for rebel factions in Syria that have been trying to unseat him for more than a decade, much of which was marked by a devastating civil war”. The secretary general of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres , is quoted congratulating the Syrian people, saying: “After 14 years of brutal war and the fall of the dictatorial regime, today the people of Syria can seize an historic opportunity to build a stable and peaceful future.” The paper adds, however, that there is uncertainty over who will lead Syria next with fears of a power vacuum. The BBC reports rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani addressed crowds at Umayyad Mosque on Sunday and accused Assad’s regime of imprisoning “thousands of its own citizens unjustly and without any crime”. “Today, we are rewarded with this victory. This victory is for all Syrians,” he is quoted as saying. The Associated Press recalls how Assad’s fall has brought to a dramatic close his struggle to hold onto control “as his country fragmented in a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers”. The newswire flags the war, during which Assad received support from allies such as Iran and Russia, has killed nearly half a million people and displaced half of the country’s pre-war population of 23 million. The BBC’s Middle East correspondent Lina Sinjab reported earlier on Sunday that the presidential palace in Damascus had been almost completely emptied by people storming the building. Her eyewitness account is worth flagging: “Members of rebel group the HTS have arrived to control the situation — they have said this is not acceptable. “I’ve lived in Syria for 10 years and have never been into this street. I can see people rushing into this place in revenge and also with lots of happiness that they’ve managed to break in. “The scenes are very chaotic inside. There has been looting in other government buildings but this is a different situation. People are going in, posing for pictures while taking what they can. They are taking revenge for years of oppression and poverty because of Assad and his father.” She also said it was the first time she had crossed into the country “without fear of detention, without fear of arrest”. Her video report is here . MELBOURNE SYNAGOGUE FIRE In domestic news, federal and state counter-terrorism units are set to meet later today to discuss the investigation into the arson attack at the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea, Melbourne on Friday. The AAP reports Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Victorian and federal police would also discuss whether or not it could be classified as a terrorism incident. Speaking to reporters in Perth on Sunday, Albanese said: “If you want my personal view, quite clearly, terrorism is something that is aimed at creating fear in the community. And the atrocities that occurred at the synagogue in Melbourne clearly were designed to create fear in the community, and therefore, from my personal perspective, certainly fulfil that definition of terrorism.” The newswire said police confirmed they are also investigating reports of a bullet found on a footpath near the synagogue on Saturday. The ABC flags Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said yesterday the chief commissioner told her there had been “progress” in the investigation. Police are yet to make any arrests. The broadcaster also said more than 1,000 members of the Jewish community gathered at a vigil near the Adass Israel synagogue on Sunday. Synagogue board member Benjamin Klein is quoted by AAP as saying: “We’ll come back bigger and better. The building will be a beautiful jewel in the crown once again. There’ll be a huge rebuilding campaign, which we’re running at the moment.” The newswire also flags cabinet Minister Murray Watt accusing Opposition Leader Peter Dutton of politicising the incident. The workplace relations minister rejected the Coalition leader’s claims the prime minister had not done enough to address antisemitism and that the government had made Australia less safe for Jewish people, AAP said. Guardian Australia flags Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has linked the attack on Friday to Australia’s support for a UN resolution calling for an end to Israel’s occupation of Gaza. Dutton has been making headlines for numerous reasons over the weekend with the Nine papers and many others flagging the CSIRO has declared nuclear power is around 50% more expensive than renewables. With Dutton apparently set to finally reveal his nuclear costings this week, The Sydney Morning Herald says “the report found the lowest cost projections for nuclear power would only match the highest projections for renewable energy, a major challenge to Dutton’s claim that nuclear is needed to cut electricity bills.” That conclusion came “even after the science organisation changed its modelling to accommodate criticism from the Peter Dutton -led Coalition that it had unfairly favoured wind and solar energy sources”, the paper said. Elsewhere, the ABC flags Dutton has said the Coalition will not set a target for net migration before the next election. The opposition leader refused to recommit to the target he previously set of 160,000 a year, telling Sky News on Sunday: “We’ll have a look at the economic settings when we come to government.” The Saturday Paper reports the New Zealand-founded advertising agency Topham Guerin, best known for its involvement with Scott Morrison and Boris Johnson’s election victories in 2019, has been hired to work on Dutton’s campaign. Finally, the latest Newspoll for The Australian continues the trend it has shown over the last few weeks and months, namely that voters aren’t that impressed with Albanese and Dutton’s popularity is growing. The paper declares: “Voters consider Anthony Albanese the weakest prime minister in decades, with Peter Dutton widening his lead as the stronger and more decisive leader, despite a two-party contest that has the Coalition and Labor back to a neck-and-neck race to the election.” The Australian says Dutton currently has the highest score for an opposition leader since Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull more than 10 years ago. The Sydney Morning Herald also has a survey which reports 56% of voters have rejected Albanese’s new slogan “We have your back”. The paper says 59% of voters believe they are worse off than when Labor came to power and only 13% feel better off. “Voters have slashed their core support for federal Labor to a new low of 27% amid a deepening dispute over the cost of living, backing the Coalition to deliver more help to households over the next three years,” the paper declares. ON A LIGHTER NOTE... Someone spent US$28 million (A$44 million) on a pair of ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz on Saturday. The BBC reports the slippers sold for significantly more than their expected sale price of US$3 million (A$4.7 million) and Heritage Auctions reckons they are now the most valuable movie memorabilia ever sold at auction. The broadcaster says while Garland wore several pairs of the shoes during filming, only four pairs are known to have survived. This particular pair was stolen in 2005 while being loaned to the Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota. Professional thief Terry Jon Martin pleaded guilty to stealing them in 2023, at which point he was in his 70s and was sentenced to time served. Say What? Good man, this one. Donald Trump The US President-elect had four words to sum up the British heir to the throne, Prince William . The pair caught up during the ceremonial reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris at the weekend. CRIKEY RECAP Who was Australia’s biggest shitstirrer in 2024? Help Crikey figure it out CAM WILSON Who is the biggest shitstirrer of the year? (Image: Private Media) There’s the Power List, the Top 100 Innovators, the Rich List, 30 under 30. The list(s) go on. Each one is more sycophantic than the last. For people unfamiliar with what it’s like to run a news outlet in 2024, we’ll let you in on a secret: these lists mostly exist to convince the elites who have shrinking reasons to deal with the mainstream media to please, please, please give us access through obsequious flattery. In return, the Fourth Estate is reduced to doing PR for the people it is supposed to hold to account. It publishes fawning hagiographies that bear even less resemblance to reality than the glossy, edited images from the photoshoots that accompany them. Us? Crikey does not respect money or status. There is only one thing — a value, an essence, a vibe — that we value here at Crikey HQ. The highest, most noble honour that we can bestow on anyone is considering them a shitstirrer. Shitstirrer has a handful of slightly different definitions. Crikey ’s version is someone who is a nuisance to powerful people. But it has a few other elements, too. Vote now for Crikey’s prestigious Arsehat of the Year CHARLIE LEWIS What a year! We’re as tired as you dear reader, but using our last gasp of energy to list some of the people who might be responsible for that beaten-down feeling 2024 has left us with. Direct your disappointment! Vote now in Crikey’s prestigious Arsehat of the Year award and remember you can add your own nomination if none of these options float your boat. Who was your Person of the Year? It is time to vote! CHARLIE LEWIS As 2024 drifts to a close and we reflect on its many disappointments and outrages, it’s equally important to remember figures who offered, sometimes imperfectly, a genuine alternative to the general sense of degradation in public life. READ ALL ABOUT IT Ukrainian war dead reaches 43,000, Zelenskyy says in rare update (BBC) Trump calls for immediate Ukraine ceasefire (Reuters) Rough sleeping surges as homelessness crisis worsens (Australian Associated Press) NYPD releases two new photos of suspect in Brian Thompson killing (The Guardian ) Barry Keoghan deactivates Instagram account due to ‘lies’ and ‘disgusting commentary’ about his family: ‘Too many lines being crossed’ (Variety) For Taylor Swift, it’s the end of the ‘Eras’ ( The New York Times ) ($) THE COMMENTARIAT The ABC has lost its curiosity. Joe Rogan can help Kim Williams recover it — Parnell Palme McGuinness ( The Sydney Morning Herald ): The worst sin of the ABC is, therefore, not that it is biased. It is that it has become so dull it is no longer worth tuning into. Chairman Kim Williams is focused on the need for objectivity, but emphasising journalistic dispassion is only part of the solution. With the exception of a small number of programs, most relegated to minor time slots and barely promoted, the ABC has become incurious. Topics covered by the ABC’s flagship shows have been narrowing and perspectives on the remaining topics are predictable. Politicians deliver their talking points. A narrow range of experts delivers a narrow range of perspectives (somehow the ethnic and gender diversity emphasised by the ABC never seems to equate to a wider range of ideas). Advocates call for more government funding. The presenters sigh sympathetically. I sigh in frustration. The formula is tiresome. Australians, including this long-time loyal listener and viewer, switch off. Bland and fake: Why the electorate has given up listening to politicians — Annika Smethurst ( The Age ): This is not a dig at Allan. It’s part of a broader problem, where politicians have become trained not to say anything controversial, qualifying every point and sticking to the safety of engineered answers to the point the electorate has given up listening. This trend has coincided with a demonisation of political imagination. Where candidates and ministers are selected for being a “safe pair of hands” rather than inspiring or interesting. For Labor, this has resulted in a generation of politicians who have never spent any substantive time in blue-collar jobs but rather worked in offices for the right law firms, trade unions or ministers. The Liberals are no longer dominated by small-business owners and working professionals but by former political staffers who dutifully serve time working for MPs in between stints at a suitable think tank or lobby group. None of this should disqualify a candidate from being elected — it can be a great training ground — but nor should it be the only measure.