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Paul Keating has emerged as a significant winner from the sale of Boost Mobile, with the former prime minister set to pocket at least $40 million from the telco tie-up. Telstra on Monday announced it would acquire Boost Mobile in a deal understood to be worth just under $140 million in cash, a move that will enable Telstra to spruik low-cost prepaid plans amid an ongoing cost-of-living crunch. Former prime minister Paul Keating was the initial funder of Boost Mobile. Credit: Louie Douvis Keating holds a 29 per cent stake in Boost Mobile and remains one of the company’s largest shareholders. He was the sole investor when he co-founded the business in 2000 with entrepreneur Peter Adderton, who retains a 32 per cent stake. Other shareholders include skateboarder Peter Hill and his brother Stephen Hill, as well as former Boost Mobile chief executive Paul O’Neile. The acquisition, expected to be completed this month, will see Boost Mobile employees integrated into Telstra and no changes for Boost’s thousands of prepaid customers. The companies had been partnered for 13 years, with Telstra responsible for most of the operational parts of Boost’s business, including network access and customer service, while Boost was responsible for branding and marketing. “Boost Mobile has been a fantastic partner of Telstra, this acquisition cements just how much we value the Boost brand,” Telstra executive Brad Whitcomb said. Boost Mobile chairman Peter Adderton owns about a third of the company he founded with Keating in 2000. “We know Boost branded products are a fantastic option for those seeking more affordable mobile connectivity, and we are committed to providing that choice in the market.” Boost Mobile chairman Peter Adderton, who owned about a third of the company he founded in 2000, said the acquisition was a natural evolution for his brand. “I am excited to see how the brand will continue to grow under Telstra’s ownership,” he said. “The team at Boost are the best in the business and I wish them all well on the next part of Boost Mobile’s journey.” More to come The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning .None
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BEIRUT (AP) — Thousands of Syrian insurgents took over most of Aleppo on Saturday, establishing positions in the country’s largest city and controlling its airport before expanding their shock offensive to a nearby province. They faced little to no resistance from government troops, according to fighters and activists. A war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the insurgents led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham seized control of Aleppo International airport, the first international airport to be controlled by insurgents. The fighters claimed they seized the airport and postefd pictures from there. Thousands of fighters also moved on, facing almost no defense from government forces, to seize towns and villages in northern Hama, a province where they had a presence before being expelled by government troops in 2016. They claimed Saturday evening to have entered Hama city. The swift and surprise offensive is a huge embarrassment for Syria’s President Bashar Assad and raised questions about his armed forces’ preparedness. The insurgent offensive launched from their stronghold in the country’s northwest appeared to have been planned for years. It also comes at a time when Assad’s allies were preoccupied with their own conflicts. Turkey, a main backer of Syrian opposition groups, said its diplomatic efforts had failed to stop government attacks on opposition-held areas in recent weeks, which were in violation of a de-escalation agreement sponsored by Russia, Iran and Ankara. Turkish security officials said a limited offensive by the rebels was planned to stop government attacks and allow civilians to return, but the offensive expanded as Syrian government forces began to retreat from their positions. The insurgents, led by the Salafi jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and including Turkey-backed fighters, launched their shock offensive on Wednesday. They first staged a two-pronged attack in Aleppo and the Idlib countryside, entering Aleppo two days later and securing a strategic town that lies on the highway that links Syria’s largest city to the capital and the coast. By Saturday evening, they seized at least four towns in the central Hama province and claimed to have entered the provincial capital. The insurgents staged an attempt to reclaim areas they controlled in Hama in 2017 but failed. Syria’s armed forces said in a statement Saturday that to absorb the large attack on Aleppo and save lives, it redeployed troops and equipment and was preparing a counterattack. The statement acknowledged that insurgents entered large parts of the city but said they have not established bases or checkpoints. Later on Saturday, the armed forces sought to dispel what it said were lies in reference to reports about its forces retreating or defecting, saying the general command was carrying out its duties in “combatting terrorist organizations.” The return of the insurgents to Aleppo was their first since 2016, following a grueling military campaign in which Assad’s forces were backed by Russia, Iran and its allied groups. The 2016 battle for Aleppo was a turning point in the war between Syrian government forces and rebel fighters after 2011 protests against Assad’s rule turned into an all-out war. After appearing to be losing control of the country to the rebels, the Aleppo battle secured Assad’s hold on strategic areas of Syria, with opposition factions and their foreign backers controlling areas on the periphery. The lightning offensive threatened to reignite the country’s civil war, which had been largely in a stalemate for years. Late on Friday, witnesses said two airstrikes hit the edge of Aleppo city, targeting insurgent reinforcements and falling near residential areas. The Observatory said 20 fighters were killed. Insurgents were filmed outside police headquarters, in the city center, and outside the Aleppo citadel, the medieval palace in the old city center, and one of the largest in the world. They tore down posters of Assad, stepping on some and burning others. The push into Aleppo followed weeks of simmering low-level violence, including government attacks on opposition-held areas. The offensive came as Iran-linked groups, primarily Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which has backed Syrian government forces since 2015, have been preoccupied with their own battles at home. A ceasefire in Hezbollah’s two-month war with Israel took effect Wednesday, the same day that Syrian opposition factions announced their offensive. Israel has also escalated its attacks against Hezbollah and Iran-linked targets in Syria during the last 70 days. Speaking from the heart of the city in Saadallah Aljabri square, opposition fighter Mohammad Al Abdo said it was his first time back in Aleppo in 13 years, when his older brother was killed at the start of the war. “God willing, the rest of Aleppo province will be liberated” from government forces, he said. There was light traffic in the city center on Saturday. Opposition fighters fired in the air in celebration but there was no sign of clashes or government troops present. Journalists in the city filmed soldiers captured by the insurgents and the bodies of others killed in battle. Abdulkafi Alhamdo, a teacher who fled Aleppo in 2016 and returned Friday night after hearing the insurgents were inside, described “mixed feelings of pain, sadness and old memories.” “As I entered Aleppo, I kept telling myself this is impossible. How did this happen?” Alhamdo said he strolled through the city at night visiting the Aleppo citadel, where the insurgents raised their flags, a major square and the university of Aleppo, as well as the last spot he was in before he was forced to leave for the countryside. “I walked in (the empty) streets of Aleppo, shouting, ‘People, people of Aleppo. We are your sons,’” he told The Associated Press in a series of messages. Aleppo residents reported hearing clashes and gunfire but most stayed indoors. Some fled the fighting. Schools and government offices were closed Saturday as most people stayed indoors, according to Sham FM radio, a pro-government station. Bakeries were open. Witnesses said the insurgents deployed security forces around the city to prevent any acts of violence or looting. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Friday Aleppo’s two key public hospitals were reportedly full of patients while many private facilities closed. In social media posts, the insurgents were pictured outside of the citadel, the medieval palace in the old city center, and one of the largest in the world. In cellphone videos, they recorded themselves having conversations with residents they visited at home, seeking to reassure them they will cause no harm. The Syrian Kurdish-led administration in the country’s east said nearly 3,000 people, most of them students, had arrived in their region after fleeing the fighting in Aleppo, which has a sizeable Kurdish population. State media reported that a number of “terrorists,” including sleeper cells, infiltrated parts of the city. Government troops chased them and arrested a number who posed for pictures near city landmarks, they said. On a state TV morning show Saturday, commentators said army reinforcements and Russia’s assistance would repel the “terrorist groups,” blaming Turkey for supporting the insurgents’ push into Aleppo and Idlib provinces. Russia’s state news agency Tass quoted Oleg Ignasyuk, a Russian Defense Ministry official coordinating in Syria, as saying that Russian warplanes targeted and killed 200 militants who had launched the offensive in the northwest on Friday. It provided no further details. Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone. Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. ___ Associated Press writer Albert Aji in Damascus contributed to this report. Related From Our PartnerCan a Muscle Car be electric?
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On Wednesday at around 6pm, thousands of social media users in parts of the UK reported an outage with Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The social media giant reported that a “technical issue” had left users unable to access its services. DownDetector, a website that monitors social media outages, says the three cities hit worst by the outage were London, Manchester and Glasgow. Other major cities hit hard by the blackout were Cardiff, Nottingham and Birmingham. Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. We apologize to those who’ve been affected by the outage. — Meta (@Meta) December 11, 2024 By around 10pm on Wednesday, DownDetector UK said there had been 23,445 reports of Facebook outages, 11,466 Instagram outages and 18,646 on WhatsApp across Britain. In an update issued at 10.26pm on X, Meta said the problem was now nearly resolved. A spokesperson said: “Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. “We apologise to those who’ve been affected by the outage.” Other parts of the world affected include Europe, Asia, South America and Australia, according to DownTracker. To find out if your area is affected, visit: downdetector.co.uk/status/facebook/map .
Costco will stop selling these popular items
Lewandowski joins Ronaldo and Messi in Champions League 100-goal club. Haaland nets 2 but City draws"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.
The Last of Us Part 1 Gets Surprising New PS5 Update
Virginia’s comprehensive approach to tackling the challenge of the deadly drug fentanyl has resulted in a 23% decline in fentanyl overdose deaths, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Tuesday. That’s a sharper drop than the national average of 14.5%, he said. But, he added, “it’s nowhere near good enough.” Youngkin Margo Wagner Virginia will continue to push a multipronged approach to the epidemic of fentanyl abuse and death, Youngkin said. “That starts with interdicting and arresting the drug trade itself. Our most recent operation, which ran for 47 days, saw us seize over 550 pounds of fentanyl — that’s enough to kill every Virginian eight times over. And we have to continue this,” he said. One form of help came with legislation this year sponsored by state Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, that makes it a crime punishable by up to five years in prison to possess or sell a device to make pills out of illegal drugs, except for manufacturers with permits. “It’s incredibly important for us to hold the distribution and the manufacturing of these of drugs laced with fentanyl accountable,” Youngkin said, adding: “I am not happy that we have not been able to pass a full charge of felony homicide for someone who, in fact, manufactures and distributes fentanyl that results in a death, and we will go back again” in the 2025 General Assembly session. Murder charge for overdose bill to come before Virginia lawmakers again State Sen. Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, has filed Senate Bill 746 , under which selling hard drugs that turn out to be a fatal dose would be considered felony homicide — basically, accidentally causing death while engaged in a crime. The legislation has been a priority for Youngkin, who was visibly infuriated with a committee that rejected the idea in 2023. Youngkin highlighted the measure as a priority in his State of the Commonwealth speeches in 2023 and 2024. A statewide education push, led by first lady Suzanne Youngkin’s “It only takes one” campaign, highlights the point that one pill can kill a person — and that sometimes, one person’s attention and care, perhaps a parent, a teacher or coach, can keep another from resorting to a potentially deadly pill. “And then finally, we have had a massive push to equip people with both the skills and the supplies to revive someone who is suffering from an overdose, and the Naloxone supply has been comprehensive, but we need to continue to do this,” Youngkin said. He said he believes President-elect Donald Trump’s border security policies will be a big help going forward.SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s federal police on Thursday formally accused former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup to keep him in office after his defeat in the 2022 elections. Police said their sealed findings were being delivered Thursday to Brazil’s Supreme Court, which will refer them to Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who decides either to formally charge Bolsonaro and put him on trial, or toss the investigation. Bolsonaro told the website Metropoles that he was waiting for his lawyer to review the accusation, reportedly about 700 pages long. But he said he would fight the case and dismissed the investigation as being the result of “creativity.” The former right-wing president has denied all claims he tried to stay in office after his narrow electoral defeat in 2022 to his rival, leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has faced a series of legal threats since then. Police said in a brief statement that the Supreme Court had agreed to reveal the names of all 37 people who were accused “to avoid the dissemination of incorrect news.” Dozens of former and current Bolsonaro aides also were accused, including Gen. Walter Braga Netto, who was his running mate in the 2022 campaign; former Army commander Gen. Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira; Valdemar Costa Neto, the chairman of Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party; and his veteran former adviser, Gen. Augusto Heleno. Other investigations produced formal accusations of Bolsonaro’s roles in smuggling diamond jewelry into Brazil without properly declaring them and in directing a subordinate to falsify his and others’ COVID-19 vaccination statuses. Bolsonaro has denied any involvement in either. Another probe found that he had abused his authority to cast doubt on the country’s voting system, and judges barred him from running again until 2030. Still, he has insisted that he will run in 2026, and many in his orbit were heartened by the recent U.S. election win of Donald Trump, despite his own swirling legal threats. But the far-reaching investigations already have weakened Bolsonaro’s status as a leader of Brazil’s right wing, said Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo. “Bolsonaro is already barred from running in the 2026 elections,” Melo told the The Associated Press. “And if he is convicted he could also be jailed by then. To avoid being behind bars, he will have to convince Supreme Court justices that he has nothing to do with a plot that involves dozens of his aides. That’s a very tall order,” Melo said. A formal accusation of an attempted coup means the investigation has gathered indications of “a crime and its author,” said Eloísa Machado de Almeida, a law professor at Getulio Vargas Foundation, a university in Sao Paulo. She said she believed there was enough legal grounds for the prosecutor-general to file charges. Bolsonaro’s allies in Congress have been negotiating a bill to pardon individuals who stormed the Brazilian capital and rioted on Jan. 8, 2023 in a failed attempt to keep the former president in power. Analysts have speculated that lawmakers want to extend the legislation to cover the former president himself. However, efforts to push a broad amnesty bill may be “politically challenging” given recent attacks on the judiciary and details emerging in investigations, Machado said. On Tuesday, Federal Police arrested four military and a Federal Police officer, accused of plotting to assassinate Lula and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes as a means to overthrow the government following the 2022 elections. And last week, a man carried out a bomb attack in the capital Brasilia . He attempted to enter the Supreme Court and threw explosives outside, killing himself.Cardinals are average through 12 games and the frustration is it feels as if they could be betterBrazil’s Bolsonaro planned and participated in a 2022 coup plot, unsealed police report says