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Matthew Rosenberg, Local Democracy reporter A wizard with a history of dabbling in local politics has had an epiphany: Invercargill doesn’t deserve him. Noel Peterson is the “green wizard” of Bluff, a man with a reputation for championing environmental causes and bringing good cheer to community events. But in recent years, Peterson has taken a step back from his wizardly duties after a bitter local election defeat.49ers QB Brock Purdy, DE Nick Bosa out, Brandon Allen to start at Green Bay
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Opposition fighters are at Damascus' gates. Who are they and what now?
The White House has identified a ninth U.S. telecom network that Chinese state hackers have compromised, a senior official said on Dec. 27. Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, revealed the new information in a press briefing as officials continue to assess the scope of the cybersecurity breach from China’s state-backed Salt Typhoon hacking group, which has carried out a wide-ranging espionage campaign since 2022. “Our understanding is that a large number of individuals were geolocated in the Washington DC, Virginia area,” she said. Only a fraction of them had their communications affected, Neuberger said, as the hackers are more interested in eavesdropping on U.S. government officials. “The scale we’re talking about is far larger on the geolocation, probably less than 100 on the actual individuals,” she said. Shortly after the briefing, the Justice Department issued a final rule naming China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela as countries of concern over their ambitions to exploit sensitive U.S. personal and government-related data by bulk. Under the rule, certain individuals and groups whom authorities deemed as threat actors are barred from transactions involving six types of U.S. data, including certain personal identifiers such as social security numbers or government identification numbers, precise geolocation data, biometric identifiers, human genetic or molecular data, personal health data, and personal financial data. The regulation applies to entities over which China has an ownership of 50 percent or more, those that principally conduct business in China or are organized under Chinese law, their contractors and employees, and foreign individuals who primarily reside in China. The Department of Health and Human Services on Dec. 27 also proposed a rule to protect the U.S. health care system from cyberattacks. The proposed measure would modify the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, making the first change to the act’s security rule in 11 years, according to a statement. It would mandate stepped-up protection for personal health information by health plans and health care clearinghouses, as well as most health care providers and their business associates. The department’s Office for Civil Rights said the number of individuals impacted by large health care breaches soared more than tenfold between 2018 and 2023, and is likely to grow. The hacking group has targeted now-Vice President-elect JD Vance and now-president-elect Donald Trump, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris. To deter Chinese hacking attempts, Neuberger said, the first step is to build a “defensible infrastructure.” “We wouldn’t leave our homes, our offices unlocked, and yet our critical infrastructure, the private companies owning and operating our critical infrastructure often do not have the basic cybersecurity practices in place,” she said in the press call. Authorities are also scrutinizing government contracts to enforce stricter cybersecurity practices, Neuberger said. In doing so, she said, the United States is following in the footsteps of Australia and the UK. “The nation’s secrets, the nation’s economy, lies on our telecommunications sector,” she said. “When I talked with our UK colleagues and I asked, ‘Do you believe your regulations would have prevented the Salt Typhoon attack?’ their comment to me was, we would have found it faster, we would have contained it faster.” Neuberger said it was a “powerful message.” “Those networks are not as defensible as they need to be to defend against a well resourced, capable offensive cyber actor like China,” Neuberger said. In assessing the Salt Typhoon breach, she said, authorities have found one administrator account that had access to more than 100,000 routers. “So when the Chinese compromised that account, they gained that kind of broad access across the network,” she said. Neuberger said officials are looking to segment the telecom networks so that in the event of a cyber attack, the potential damage could be contained. The Federal Communications Commission on Dec. 5 proposed cybersecurity rules requiring communications service providers to certify annually that they have a plan to protect against cyberattacks. The rule is waiting for a vote by Jan. 15, Neuberger said, noting that they are eager to see bipartisan support across the commission to see it through. The Chinese were “very careful about their techniques. They erased logs,” she said. And as “we will never know regarding the scope and scale of this,” she said, the United States is “looking forward.” Neuberger said more actions will be coming out in the next few months. “Let’s lock down this infrastructure. And frankly, let’s hold the Chinese accountable for this,” she said.
PHILADELPHIA — The Magic received a gut-wrenching injury update upon their return to Orlando early Saturday morning. Magic forward Franz Wagner has been diagnosed with a torn right oblique, the Orlando Sentinel learned. Wagner, who suffered the injury during the Magic’s 102-94 loss against the 76ers on Friday night, will be out indefinitely and his return to play will depend on how he responds to treatment. He will be re-evaluated in four weeks, president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman announced, confirming the Sentinel’s reporting. ESPN first shared word of the injury. It’s also the same torn right abdominal injury Wagner’s star counterpart Paolo Banchero suffered at Chicago on Oct. 30. Banchero has missed the last 20 games and Wagner had stepped up in his absence while playing at an All-Star level. On Friday, he recorded 30-plus points for the third straight and eighth contest of the season. Orlando had gone on two separate six-game win streaks in the time since Banchero suffered his injury. Now coach Jamahl Mosley will have to navigate a challenging stretch of the season without his two top players available. The Magic host Phoenix on Sunday. ©2024 Orlando Sentinel. Visit orlandosentinel.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.The stage is set for the counting of votes in the 2024 Jharkhand Assembly Elections, marking the culmination of a heated electoral battle. The process kicks off today at 8 am with the counting of postal ballots, and initial trends are expected by 9 am. This election could decide whether the BJP-led NDA can wrest power from the JMM-led INDIA bloc or if the ruling coalition retains its hold. This year's voter turnout hit a record-breaking 67.74%, the highest since the state was formed in 2000. Elaborate arrangements have been made at all counting centers, with observers deployed for every assembly constituency. “Preparations are on for the counting day on November 23. Each table will be headed by an ARO to ensure fair counting of postal ballots,” an Election Commission official stated. “The entire process will take place in a transparent manner under the full glare of the media and candidates or their agents.” Fierce Battle Between Key Alliances The elections, held in two phases on November 13 and 20, saw a strong voter turnout across the state's 81 constituencies. In the first phase, 43 seats were contested, followed by 38 in the second phase. The contest has been fierce, with the NDA targeting corruption and governance issues under the JMM-led alliance and the INDIA bloc highlighting welfare schemes and accusing the BJP-led Centre of political vendetta. Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who contested from Barhait, faces challenges not only from the BJP but also from allegations linked to corruption and governance lapses. “The opposition party spent over ₹500 crore on malicious campaigns against me,” Soren alleged during the campaign. His wife, Kalpana Soren, also contested from Gandey. Other key candidates include BJP's Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri from Chandankiyari and Congress’s Deepika Pandey Singh from Mahagama. Prominent Leaders and High-Stakes Races The polls also saw participation from political heavyweights like BJP’s Babulal Marandi in Dhanwar and Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato (JMM) in Nala. AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto contested from Silli, while former Chief Minister Champai Soren ran from Seraikela. Campaigning featured prominent leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren. BJP’s rallies heavily criticized the ruling coalition, focusing on corruption and alleged infiltration. “Ek rahenge toh safe rahenge (if we remain united, we will be safe),” was a key slogan for the NDA, while INDIA bloc leaders emphasized promises of inclusive development and welfare programs. Reserved Seats and Changing Dynamics Of the 81 assembly seats, 28 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and nine for Scheduled Castes (SC). In the 2019 elections, the JMM won 19 ST seats, while the BJP secured two. On SC seats, the BJP won six, with the JMM and RJD taking two and one seat, respectively. This year, the NDA has fielded candidates in 68 seats, while allies AJSU Party, JD(U), and LJP(RV) contest 10, two, and one seat each. On the INDIA bloc side, JMM has fielded candidates in 43 seats, Congress in 30, RJD in six, and CPI(ML) in four. What to Expect The state’s political landscape hangs in the balance, with exit polls predicting a tight race. According to CNN-News18 Poll of Polls, the NDA is projected to win around 40 seats, while the INDIA bloc is forecasted to secure 37. Others are expected to win four seats. Security has been heightened at counting centers, with strong rooms fortified with surveillance and security personnel. “Observers have been appointed for each constituency, and candidates or their agents are encouraged to keep a close watch on the process,” an Election Commission official added. The results will not only shape the future of Jharkhand’s governance but also reflect broader political trends as India approaches the 2024 general elections. Stay tuned for live updates as the votes are counted and the winners are declared. With inputs from PTI
Now, Rocky Mittal sings for Badal SrIndependent candidate Lloyd 'Mozy' Gillings is predicting history will be created in today's by-election in Trelawny Southern, with him securing 3,500 votes to win the seat and send the Jamaica Labour Party's Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert into political retirement. Gillings, who won two local elections in the Albert Town division on the JLP ticket before defecting to the People's National Party, cast his ballot at the Albert Town Primary School on Friday morning. “History will be created in South Trelawny today, and I am confident that I will win the seat safely,” Gillings said. According to him, his opponent, Dalrymple-Philibert, has done a disservice to the people of Trelawny Southern, having walked away from the constituency only to seek re-election. “I think it is unfair for South Trelawny for her to just walk out of the seat and walk back in,” said Gillings, who lost to Dalrymple-Philibert in the 2020 general elections. Dalrymple-Philibert resigned as the constituency's member of parliament at the same time she stepped down as Speaker of the House of Representatives in September 2023 amid a damning Integrity Commission report. Just over 25,000 electors are eligible to cast their ballots in 96 polling stations across the Trelawny Southern constituency. In the September 3, 2020 general elections Dalrymple-Philibert polled 7, 109 votes; Gillings received 3, 025; and Richard Sharpe, an Independent candidate polled 25 votes. - Albert Ferguson Follow The Gleaner on X and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com .IRVING, Texas (AP) — The NFL will consider expanding replay assist to include facemask penalties and other plays. Officials have missed several obvious facemask penalties this season, including two in a three-week span during Thursday night games. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week
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Hollywood star reveals curious reason she wants to talk to Trump about his motherClemenger BBDO has added a bit of cheekiness into building the long-term brand platform for Carlton & United Breweries’ Hard Rated alcoholic lemon premix. To bring Born Cheeky’s mischievous campaign to life across OOH, film, audio and social, the creative agency developed a bold and brazen little character that lurks within all of us, laying low as we go about our laundry and dishes. But every so often, when an opportunity arises, the “Inner Cheeky” pops up to encourage us to have a bit of fun. The creative celebrates cheeky acts, like using a run club as a dating app or making a full meal from cheese tasting samples in a supermarket deli. In the films, we see an ‘inner cheeky’ rise from the mischief-maker’s head after they’ve broken an unwritten rule. After applauding the ballsy move, the ‘inner cheeky’ sits on their ‘outwardly cheeky’ human’s shoulder as the pair celebrate by cracking open a Hard Rated. “Hard Rated’s classic lemon taste and refreshingly low-fizz liquid has appealed across demographics, establishing the brand as a juggernaut,” said Amy Pollock-Hall , Hard Rated marketing manager. “This campaign layers mischievous intent to celebrate cheekiness in all forms and build meaning beyond the liquid.” Clemenger BBDO executive creative director Ant Phillips said: “Hard Rated has naturally found its way into Australian culture as the drink that is a little bit cheeky. Now we want to bring that cheekiness out in everything we do with the brand. And by that, I mean we literally want to bring it out of the top of people’s heads .” The campaign launched on Sunday 1 December 2024 running across OOH, film, audio and social. CREDITS Client – Carlton & United Breweries Head of RTDs and Cider – Sarah Wilcox Marketing Manager – Hard Rated and Good Tides – Amy Pollock-Hall Creative Agency – Clemenger BBDO Chief Creative Officer – Adrián Flores Executive Creative Director – Ant Phillips Executive Creative Director – Richard Williams Creative Director – Derek Anderson Art Director – Ben Bryan Copywriter – Tom Vizard Copywriter – Riana McKenzie Copywriter – Talia Stone Chief Strategy & Experience Officer – Simon Wassef Strategy Partner – Brooke Thompson Managing Partner – Jason Melhuish Group Business Director – Sam Siddons Business Director – Lauren Mayne Business Manager – Mack Horton Producer – Amalia Markis Head of Studio – Matt Gauci Retouching – Sam Tsui Production Company – Hooves Director- Ayappa Executive Producer – John Pace Producer – Renae Begent Offline Editor- Jack Hutchings @ The Editors Grade – Martin Greer Online and VFX – Pancho Sound design – Liam Annert @ Rumble Studios Media Agency – PHD Keep on top of the most important media, marketing, and agency news each day with the Mediaweek Morning Report – delivered for free every morning to your inbox.Giants receiver Malik Nabers could miss Saints game after MRI confirms hip flexor
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WASHINGTON D.C., DC — President Joe Biden said Sunday that the sudden collapse of the Syrian government under Bashar Assad is a “fundamental act of justice” after decades of repression, but it was “a moment of risk and uncertainty” for the Middle East. Biden spoke at the White House hours after after rebel groups completed a takeover of the country following more than a dozen years of violent civil war and decades of leadership by Assad and his family . Biden said the United States was monitoring reports of the whereabouts of Assad, with Russian state media saying he had fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally. The outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trump were working to make sense of new threats and opportunities across the Middle East. Biden credited action by the U.S. and its allies for weakening Syria's backers — Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. He said “for the first time” that they could no longer defend Assad's grip on power. “Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East," Biden said, after a meeting with his national security team. Trump said Sunday that Assad had fled because close ally Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, “was not interested in protecting him any longer.” Those comments on Trump's social media platform came a day after he used another post to decry the possibility of the U.S. intervening militarily in Syria to aid the rebels, declaring, “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT." The Biden administration said it had no intention of intervening. The U.S has about 900 troops in Syria, including forces working with Kurdish allies in the opposition-held northeast to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State group. Biden said he intended for those troops to remain, adding that U.S. forces on Sunday conducted “precision air strikes" on IS camps and operations in Syria. U.S. Central Command said the operation hit more than 75 targets. “We’re clear-eyed about the fact that ISIS will try and take advantage of any vacuum to reestablish its credibility, and create a safe haven," Biden said, using a different acronym for the group. "We will not let that happen.” The Syrian opposition that brought down Assad is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham , which the U.S. says is a terrorist organization with links to al-Qaida, although the group says it has since broken ties with al-Qaida. “We will remain vigilant,” Biden said. “Make no mistake, some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human rights abuses.” He added that the groups are “saying the right things now.” “But as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words, but their actions,” Biden said. A senior Biden administration official, when asked about contact with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leaders after Assad's departure, said Washington was in contact with Syrian groups of all kinds. The official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the situation and spoke on condition of anonymity, also said the U.S. has focused over the past several days on chemical weapons that had been controlled by the Assad government, aiming to ensure they were secured. Still, Assad's fall adds to an already tense situation throughout much of region on many fronts — including Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza and its fragile cease-fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Like Biden, Trump, who takes office in five-plus weeks, made a connection between the upheaval in Syria and Russia's war in Ukraine , noting that Assad's allies in Moscow, as well as in Iran, the main sponsor of Hamas and Hezbollah, “are in a weakened state right now.” Vice President-elect JD Vance , a veteran of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, wrote on own social media Sunday to express skepticism about the insurgents. “Many of ‘the rebels’ are a literal offshoot of ISIS. One can hope they’ve moderated. Time will tell,” he said, using another acronym for the group. Trump has suggested that Assad's ouster can advance the prospects for an end to fighting in Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in February 2022. The president-elect wrote that Putin's government “lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine” and the Republican called for an immediate cease-fire, a day after meeting in Paris with the French and Ukrainian leaders . Daniel B. Shapiro, a deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, said the American military presence will continue in eastern Syria but was “solely to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS and has nothing to do with other aspects of this conflict.” “We call on all parties in Syria to protect civilians, particularly those from Syria’s minority communities to respect international military norms and to work to achieve a resolution to include the political settlement,” Shapiro said. “Multiple actors in this conflict have a terrible track record to include Assad’s horrific crimes, Russia’s indiscriminate aerial bomb bombardment, Iranian-back militia involvement and the atrocities of ISIS," he added. Shapiro, however, was careful not to directly say Assad had been deposed by the insurgents. “If confirmed, no one should shed any tears over the Assad regime,” he said. As they pushed toward the Syrian capital of Damascus, the opposition freed political detainees from government prisons. The family of missing U.S. journalist Austin Tice renewed calls to find him. “To everyone in Syria that hears this, please remind people that we’re waiting for Austin,” Tice’s mother, Debra, said in comments that hostage advocacy groups spread on social media. "We know that when he comes out, he’s going to be fairly dazed & he’s going to need lots of care & direction. Direct him to his family please!” Tice disappeared in 2012 outside Damascus, amid intensification of what became a civil war stretching more than a decade. "We’ve remained committed to returning him to his family,” Biden said at the White House. "We believe he’s alive, we think we can get him back but we have no direct evidence to that yet. And Assad should be held accountable.” The president added: “We have to identify where he is." The U.S. has no new evidence that Tice is alive but continues to operate under the assumption that he is, according to a U.S. official. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly, added that the U.S. will continue to work to identify Tice's whereabouts and to try to bring him home . ___ Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain, and Aamer Madhani and AP White House Correspondent Zeke Miller contributed to this report.
By BASSEM MROUE and ZEINA KARAM BEIRUT (AP) — The Syrian government fell early Sunday in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family after a sudden rebel offensive sprinted across government-held territory and entered the capital in 10 days. Syrian state television aired a video statement by a group of men saying that President Bashar Assad has been overthrown and all detainees in jails have been set free. The man who read the statement said the Operations Room to Conquer Damascus, an opposition group, called on all opposition fighters and citizens to preserve state institutions of “the free Syrian state.” The statement emerged hours after the head of a Syrian opposition war monitor said Assad had left the country for an undisclosed location, fleeing ahead of insurgents who said they had entered Damascus following the remarkably swift advance across the country. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. “I am in my house and I have not left, and this is because of my belonging to this country,” Jalili said in a video statement. He said he would go to his office to continue work in the morning and called on Syrian citizens not to deface public property. He did not address reports that Assad had fled. Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told The Associated Press that Assad took a flight Sunday from Damascus. State television in Iran, Assad’s main backer in the years of war in Syria, reported that Assad had left the capital. It cited Qatar’s Al Jazeera news network for the information and did not elaborate. There was no immediate statement from the Syrian government. As daylight broke over Damascus, crowds gathered to pray in the city’s mosques and to celebrate in the squares, chanting “God is great.” People also chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. In some areas, celebratory gunshots rang out. Soldiers and police officers left their posts and fled, and looters broke into the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense. “My feelings are indescribable,” said Omar Daher, a 29-year-old lawyer. “After the fear that he (Assad) and his father made us live in for many years, and the panic and state of terror that I was living in, I can’t believe it.” Daher said his father was killed by security forces and his brother was in detention, his fate unknown. Assad “is a criminal, a tyrant and a dog,” he said.” “Damn his soul and the soul of the entire Assad family,” said Ghazal al-Sharif, another reveler in central Damascus. “It is the prayer of every oppressed person and God answered it today. We thought we would never see it, but thank God, we saw it.” The police headquarters in the capital appeared to be abandoned, its door left ajar with no officers outside. An Associated Press journalist shot footage of an abandoned army checkpoint where uniforms were discarded on the ground under a poster of Assad’s face. Footage broadcast on opposition-linked media showed a tank in one of the capital’s central squares. It was the first time opposition forces had reached Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured areas on the outskirts of the capital following a yearslong siege. The pro-government Sham FM radio reported that the Damascus airport had been evacuated and all flights halted. The insurgents also announced they had entered the notorious Saydnaya military prison north of the capital and “liberated” their prisoners there. The night before, opposition forces took the central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as government forces abandoned it. The city stands at an important intersection between Damascus, the capital, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The rebels had already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama , as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said rebel control of Homs would be a game-changer. The rebels’ moves into Damascus came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were by far 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. In their push to overthrow Assad’s government, 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, called Saturday 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. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad’s chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people.” In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria’s border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Lebanese border officials closed the main Masnaa border crossing late Saturday, leaving many stuck waiting. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad’s status Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he was performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia is busy with its war in Ukraine . Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad’s forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria . Separately, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser said the Biden administration had no intention of intervening there. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation of a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015 and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. In a statement, the participants affirmed their support for a political solution to the Syrian crisis “that would lead to the end of military activity and protect civilians.” The insurgents’ march 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. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. 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. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. 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. ____ Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Abdulrahman Shaheen and Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria; Abby Sewell in Beirut; Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad; Josef Federman and Victoria Eastwood in Doha, Qatar; and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington contributed to this report.NFL will consider replay assist for facemask penalties and other playsTENNIS players born male should only compete with men, Judy Murray has said — risking the wrath of trans rights activists. Wimbledon icon Andy’s mum spoke out after recent controversies over transgender competitors in women’s sport . 1 Judy Murray has said she thinks that those born male should only compete with men Credit: Andrew Barr Judy, 65, explained: “I’m all for inclusivity in sport but we’ve always had categories for a reason, to make it fair and to keep it safe. "And the most obvious categories are men and women .” The tennis coach insisted the two sexes are “physically and emotionally different”. The mother of two added: “I’m more than aware that when children reach puberty, the boys begin to pull away from the girls hugely because they obviously become bigger, stronger and faster. READ MORE TENNIS MUZZ BE CAREFUL Murray tells off Djokovic after spotting him with star of different sport 'I WAS TERRIBLE' Andy Murray delivers brutal verdict on his big tennis return “Usually boys are more competitive too and more robust than girls in general. "Those born male should only compete in male categories. "I feel the same way about our spaces in general.” The former Strictly contestant admitted she will undoubtedly be accused of transphobia, adding “which I’m certainly not”. Most read in Sport FIGHTER MOURNED Tommy Fury's ex-opponent Genadij Krajevskij dies at 37 as tributes pour in NEW BALL GAME Postecoglou told he's not playing 'Kilmarnock or St Mirren' by pundit 'YOU'RE CRAZY' Rangers star's DAD parties with fans during Ross County win CRY BHOY CRY Ex-Celtic star suffers cup final heartbreak as teammates left in TEARS She said: "As soon as you speak out about this you get jumped on by some trans activists who will accuse you of being transphobic, which I’m certainly not. “It does feel to me now as though the tide is turning. Jamie Murray breaks down in tears as he reacts to Andy Murray's retirement in emotional video with wife Kim and mum Judy “I think it’s a challenge for any woman in the public eye to speak about this and in sport it’s usually the old guard who are speaking out about it. “This is because they’ve gained maturity and don’t have anything to lose any more. “They have the accumulated wisdom that comes from experience. “Younger female athletes, understandably, are very cautious about this because of the social media onslaught that can come with it, and how it could affect sponsorship and team funding. “And it doesn’t matter what the topic is: if it’s something that’s considered divisive – and you see this in politics with female politicians – you’re left asking whatever happened to common sense and sensible debate? “What happened to the concept of listening to other people’s opinions and trying to devise fair solutions? Read more on the Scottish Sun 'vicious circle' I live in Scotland's benefits hotspot -I've only worked 4 years of my life SPLIT THE PACK I'm one of the best ever snooker stars but I wouldn't be if I was born later “If you’re a woman, you need to be a very strong personality now to withstand the criticism that comes with speaking out for something you believe in. “It’s really sad.”
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