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lucky 999 The injury woes at quarterback continued for the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Aidan O'Connell, who became the starter after Gardner Minshew was lost for the season in late November with a broken collarbone, was carted off the field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to a knee injury. He had an air cast placed on his left leg and was replaced by Desmond Ridder. The Raiders officially ruled O'Connell out for the remainder of the game. This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis. For more from Bleacher Report on this topic and from around the sports world, check out our B/R app , homepage and social feeds—including Twitter , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok .Tesla Stock and Gaming? What the Future HoldsThis promising trend will be key to Falcons breaking postseason drought

AS CHRISTMAS approaches, t he Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP) has launched its annual appeal for families in Limerick and the Mid-West region seeking help. SVP expects calls for help this December will exceed 25,000, which was last year’s record. This year, on the 180th anniversary of the SVP in Ireland, the annual appeal is focused on providing help and hope to struggling parents in the Mid-West and across Ireland. Regional president Teresa Ryan said: “The calls for help to our office and local conferences (branches) continue to increase. “Our theme for this year, The Wonder of Christmas, reflects the questions our volunteers face most regularly in the run-up to Christmas, including: I wonder will I have enough for food and toys? I wonder do the kids know we are struggling? I wonder If we will ever get us out of it?, among other things.” READ MORE: New look Limerick Yearbook hits the shelves across the county this week She went on to say that despite the one-off payments made by the Government coming this month and next, many people will continue to struggle to meet basic family expenses. “Those hardest hit will include one parent-families, low-income workers, households on fixed social welfare incomes, low-income households in rural areas; people with disabilities and their carers,” Ms Ryan said. “That is why we are seeking donations to help families pay for food, heat their homes and ensure their children get a decent Christmas.” Ms Ryan is appealing to businesses to support local SVP branches and for community groups and schools to take part in this year’s Gift of Choice campaign or wear a Christmas jumper for SVP. She said that the public and corporate response SVP has been “magnificent in the past” and that they are hopeful of another very positive reaction this year. “There is a warmth towards the work of the Society that is obvious and welcome” she said. Anyone finding themselves in need this Christmas in the Mid-West and anyone seeking assistance for the first time should phone 061 317327 to have their request processed.EU rules requiring all new smartphones, tablets and cameras to use the same charger came into force on Saturday, in a change Brussels said will cut costs and waste. Manufacturers are now obliged to fit devices sold in the 27-nation bloc with a USB-C, the port chosen by the European Union as the common standard for charging electronic tools. "Starting today, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, speakers, keyboards and many other electronics sold in the EU will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port," the EU Parliament wrote on social media X. The EU has said the single charger rule will simplify the life of Europeans and slash costs for consumers. By allowing consumers to purchase a new device without a new charger, it will also reduce the mountain of obsolete chargers, the bloc has argued. The law was first approved in 2022 following a tussle with US tech giant Apple. It allowed companies until December 28 this year to adapt. Makers of laptops will have extra time, from early 2026, to also follow suit. Most devices already use these cables, but Apple was more than a little reluctant. The firm said in 2021 that such regulation "stifles innovation", but by September last year it had begun shipping phones with the new port. Makers of electronic consumer items in Europe had agreed on a single charging norm from dozens on the market a decade ago under a voluntary agreement with the European Commission. But Apple, the world's biggest seller of smartphones, refused to abide by it and ditch its Lightning ports. Other manufacturers kept their alternative cables going, meaning there were about half a dozen types knocking around, creating a jumble of cables for consumers. USB-C ports can charge at up to 100 Watts, transfer data up to 40 gigabits per second, and can serve to hook up to external displays. At the time of its approval, the commission said the law was expected to save at least 200 million euros ($208 million) per year and cut more than a thousand tonnes of EU electronic waste every year. "It's time for THE charger," the European Commission wrote on X on Saturday. "It means better-charging technology, reduced e-waste, and less fuss to find the chargers you need." ub/giv

Educators, industry experts chart roadmap for boosting industry-academia collaborations in KeralaAlmost everyone who has taken a flight has experienced or witnessed a seat-swapping situation. Between airline companies overbooking their flights and customers finding it challenging to confirm seats online, it sometimes feels like it's become increasingly common to be privy to this uncomfortable request. Enter Reddit user u/Safe_Ad_9314 , who recently posted on the r/AITAH subreddit, "Am I the a**hole for not giving up my window seat on a plane to a kid just because she threw a tantrum?" Here's what happened : "At this point, the dad leaned over and asked, 'Would you mind switching seats with her? She’s just a kid.'" "I politely explained that I had booked the window seat in advance because I really wanted to enjoy the view. The dad insisted, saying it would be 'nice of me' and that 'it wouldn’t hurt' to switch. I reiterated that I understood his frustration but didn’t think his daughter’s tantrum was a valid reason for me to give up a seat I specifically reserved. He sighed and tried to push further, but I stood my ground." "The girl cried for about 10 more minutes before her mom managed to calm her down with a tablet. However, the tension lingered. Throughout the flight, I could feel the parents throwing me judgmental looks, and when we landed, I overheard the mom muttering something like, 'Some people just have no heart.'" This made me wonder if I had been too rigid. I know kids can be a handful, but I also feel like giving in would’ve taught her that throwing a tantrum gets her what she wants. Still, I can't shake off the guilt. So, am I the a**hole? A lot of the comments focused on the belief that the kid's parents needed to set better boundaries with their kid: "I am a mum of three kids. If I were in this situation, I would explain to my kid that they couldn't have that seat because it was already occupied, which would be the end of it. Then, I'd distract them with a game." — u/Sure_Freedom3 "You teach your kids how society works and that not everything is always at their disposal. If you fail as a parent for something as simple as this, you know and deal with it. Other people shouldn't suffer because you screwed up. I'm a father of a 4-year-old." — u/hierosx "I learned when my kids were toddlers that the best policy was 'we do not negotiate with tantrumists.' No matter how petty the demand is, giving them what they want when throwing a tantrum teaches that tantrums are a viable way to get what you want. If tantrums never generate positive results, people stop throwing them." — u/BeBearAwareOK Some people thought that the person sitting in the window seat should confront the parents more directly: "You could say, 'My window isn't the only window on this plane; you could have paid extra like I did and chosen any window available. Your bad decisions do not determine my actions, and your bad parenting teaching your child they can take what they want by having a tantrum doesn't work with me. If you would like to take this further, please talk to one of the flight attendants.'" — u/philmcruch Still, some people believed that the person who posted was the a**hole: "You're not the a**hole for refusing to give up your seat. But you are the a**hole for being judgemental and assuming you have a right to parent their kid. Saying, 'I feel like giving in would’ve taught her that throwing a tantrum gets her what she wants,' is not your call to make." — u/wafflingwenger "You're the a**hole. What kind of grown-a** man wouldn’t give a window seat to a little 6-year-old baby? If you had given up the seat, the child's joy would have been worth it. Shame on you." — u/Laserjay1 Do you agree with the poll's results? When is it reasonable to expect somebody to give up their seat on a flight? Or is it never a fair expectation, regardless of circumstances? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! Note: Some of this submission was edited for length and/or clarity.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- For most employees, company-backed retirement plans and affordable health insurance are perks that come with full-time work. But according to a new report by The Penny Hoarder -- a personal finance brand whose purpose is to help people make smart money decisions -- there are several big-box brands that offer generous benefit packages for their hourly part-time employees. Here’s a look at 10 companies that offer a healthy benefits package -- even for employees with flexible part-time roles -- as reported by PennyHoarder.com: 1. Costco Hourly part-time employees who work at least 24 hours per week can receive benefits from Costco once they’ve accumulated 60 days of service. Health-care coverage includes medical, vision, prescription drugs and core dental benefits. All hourly employees working at least 10 hours per week can also enroll in voluntary short-term disability insurance, which provides tax-free income replacement in the event of a non-work-related accident or illness. 2. Lowe’s Part-time employees at Lowe’s are immediately eligible for medical benefits, including prescription drugs, short-term disability, life insurance and dental and vision coverage. After one year, Lowe’s offers an employee stock purchase option to its part-time workers, as well as a 401(k) after 180 days. Eligible family members can also opt-in for group medical, dental and vision coverage and dependent life insurance. 3. Staples Staples offers its part-time associates access to dental and vision coverage, life, dependent life, accidental death and short-term disability insurance coverage. They’re also eligible for the company’s 401(k) plan. Staples also offers a 10% employee discount on online or retail items, adoption assistance and its own confidential employee counseling program. 4. Starbucks Starbucks is well-known for its benefits program for part-time employees. To be eligible, employees must work at least 240 hours over three consecutive months, then continue to average 20 hours per week. Health coverage offered by Starbucks includes routine medical visits and hospitalization along with dental, vision and life insurance coverage, as well as fertility benefits. After 90 days, employees can opt-in to Starbucks’ 401(k) plan. 5. UPS Part-time employees who work between 225 and 400 hours at UPS within a three-month period are eligible for medical and dental coverage, vision insurance, hearing, prescription drugs and an employee assistance program. Part-time employees who exceed 400 hours over three months are eligible for the same benefits as full-time employees. 6. Trader Joe’s After three months and working an average of 30 hours per week, Trader Joe’s “crew members” are eligible for medical, dental and vision coverage at a cost as low as $25 per month. Other employee benefits include a 20% store discount , scholarship programs, store tastings, employee assistance programs and paid relocation and transfers. 7. Chipotle All hourly crew members at Chipotle are eligible for its robust benefits package that includes medical, vision and dental insurance, as well as a 401(k) match after one year of employment. Part-time employees also receive a salary percentage-based bonus, mental health assistance, education assistance up to $5,250 annually, a stock purchase plan, gym membership discounts and one free meal per shift. 8. USPS The United States Postal Service hires career and non-career (temporary/seasonal) workers. Part-time career workers are eligible for its benefits package, which includes the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program -- a plan in which the federal government pays two-thirds of the health insurance premiums for employees and retirees. It also offers federal group life insurance (FGLI), and federally backed long-term care, dental and vision and a flex spending account. The USPS retirement system, also available for part-time career workers, offers a fixed annuity based on years of service, a defined contribution 401(k) THRIFT Savings Plan with a 5% employer match and Social Security. 9. Walmart RECOMMENDED • silive .com NYC opens affordable waterfront housing lottery at Lighthouse Point: Here’s how to apply Nov. 19, 2024, 8:21 a.m. New York’s home health care is changing: Here’s Gov. Hochul’s plan and a breakdown of what you need to know Nov. 21, 2024, 4:06 p.m. Part-time and temporary associates at Walmart who work an average of at least 30 hours per week over a 60-day period are eligible for benefits. These include medical, dental and vision, as well as a 6% 401(k) match after one year and a 10% in-store discount. 10. Home Depot Part-time employees at the home improvement retailer are eligible for dental and vision plans, short-term disability and life insurance.George Russell: Push for late changes as Fairfax Town Council post-election transition nears

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Scheifele notches hat trick as Jets top Maple Leafs 5-2Defiance Connective Technologies ETF ( NYSEARCA:SIXG – Get Free Report ) declared a dividend on Thursday, December 26th, NASDAQ Dividends reports. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 27th will be given a dividend of 0.0924 per share on Monday, December 30th. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 27th. Defiance Connective Technologies ETF Trading Down 1.6 % Defiance Connective Technologies ETF stock opened at $48.55 on Friday. Defiance Connective Technologies ETF has a twelve month low of $34.29 and a twelve month high of $50.09. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $46.47. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Defiance Connective Technologies ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Defiance Connective Technologies ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .WASHINGTON — 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 Mideast. Biden spoke at the White House hours after after rebel groups completed a takeover of the country after more than a dozen years of violent civil war and decades of leadership by Assad and his family. 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 at the White House. Trump said Sunday that Assad had fled his country, which his family had ruled for decades, 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 had no intention of intervening, according to Biden’s national security adviser. 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 those for troops to remain, adding that U.S. forces on Sunday conducted “dozens” of what he called “precision air strikes” on IS camps and operations in Syria. The Syrian opposition that brought down Assad is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The Biden administration has designated the group as a terrorist organization and says it has links to al-Qaida, although Hayat Tahrir al-Sham 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. 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 ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump, who takes office Jan. 20, 2025, 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 IS. 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. Trump wrote that Putin’s government “lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine” and the Republican called for an immediate ceasefire, 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.”

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The idyllic holiday scene — piles of presents, smiles all around — rarely matches reality. Who among us hasn’t faced the awkward silence of a gift that falls flat? Who hasn’t been disappointed by one we’ve received? Why then, do we get it wrong so often? Why are we so bad at giving gifts? I’ve researched these questions through the lens of social psychology, trying to understand the psychological science of gift giving in hopes of helping gift givers make better choices. And the good news is that after 10 years, we have some answers that could help every gift giver make better choices. ADVERTISEMENT The first thing to appreciate is that even though we all act as gift givers and gift recipients, we don’t typically do so at the same time: Even when exchanging gifts, we are thinking like a giver in advance, and then thinking like a recipient in the moment. This creates what is called an empathy gap. In short, when we are acting in one capacity, say as a gift giver, we typically do not consider or empathize with what it would be like to be a gift recipient. We apply a totally different psychology to gift giving than we do to gift receiving. This can be as simple as considering what matters most to gift givers and recipients. When we give gifts, what we tend to believe matters most is the moment of the gift exchange — the moment when a recipient unwraps their gift and sees it for the first time. We want that big “wow” moment where we see a huge smile and know that we’ve done a good job. The problem is that this moment, the big reveal, typically lasts for just a few seconds, but the recipient is stuck with the gift for much longer. What we know matters to the recipient, instead, is much less the moment of exchange, but rather the entirety of the gift’s ownership. Consider a novelty gift like a mug with a witty phrase like “World’s Best Procrastinator.” That’s sure to make someone chuckle when they see it, but then it’ll probably sit in their pantry collecting dust for who knows how long. Or consider a tchotchke that is intended to help decorate a home. It may spark excitement at first, but then the recipient is left with fitting it into the décor of their home ... no small task, and often an unwanted chore. Some gifts can leave a great first impression, but then fall flat later on. As gift givers, we need to think about the long-term implications of a gift, because that is what recipients truly value. As uninspired as it sounds, something like a toaster oven can be an amazing gift because it will be useful. It might not be the most exciting gift when it is opened, but your recipient will think fondly of you every time they use it. Beyond the useful, it’s important to consider that recipients care more about thoughtfulness than just about anything else. After all, what is a gift if not a way to show someone that you care about them and are thinking of them? What that implies, and what the science of gift giving endorses, is that cost is not what dictates how much a recipient loves a gift. In fact, research suggests that there is virtually no relationship between the price of a gift and how much a recipient likes it. Instead, what recipients value is something thoughtful. That can be a freshly baked batch of cookies, or a nicely framed photograph of a treasured shared past experience, or even just a sincerely written note on a holiday card. Science tells us that recipients value the care a giver puts into their gift, and not its cost. We can take this one step further and appreciate that thoughtfulness doesn’t come only on holidays and special occasions like birthdays. Instead, one can be thoughtful any day of the year! And what we’ve learned is that thoughtfulness on random days — not special occasions — is much easier to convey. A gift given out of the blue shows a recipient that they are being thought of not just on, say, their birthday, but all the time. These “just because” gifts are seen to be far more valuable to recipients than those that they receive at moments when they are expecting to be given gifts, such as holidays. Putting this all together, science shows us that the best way to give great gifts is to stop thinking like a gift giver, and instead start thinking like a gift recipient. We’ve all been in that role before, so consider what gifts worked for you and take it from there. Appreciate that being stuck with a bad gift is far from ideal and that the gifts we cherish most are the ones that make us feel cared for. If you can apply these lessons to your own gift giving, your recipients are sure to smile not just when they unwrap your gift, but when they treasure it for years to come. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .TORONTO (AP) — Mark Scheifele scored a hat trick and an assist while Kyle Connor collected two goals and an assist to spark the NHL-leading Winnipeg Jets to a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday. The Jets enter the Christmas break with back-to-back wins, while the Maple Leafs dropped their second in a row at Scotiabank Arena without wounded captain Auston Matthews, out with an upper-body injury. Gabriel Vilardi added three assists. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves. Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey had two assists to reach 30 for the season. John Tavares scored twice for the Maple Leafs, and Joseph Woll stopped 22 shots. Maple Leafs forward William Nylander extended his point streak to seven games with assists on both of Tavares' goals. Toronto: Defender Chris Tanev missed his first game this year with a lower-body ailment after skating in the pre-game warmup. Winnipeg: As impressive as the Jets (25-10-1) have played before the break, they are only one point ahead of the 36-game pace of 23-9-4 set a year ago. After Jets defenseman Neal Pionk had his shot blocked, the puck bounded to Mitch Marner for a breakaway. Pionk hustled back to lift Marner’s stick to foil his shot attempt early in the second period to preserve Winnipeg’s 2-0 lead. The Maple Leafs have gone 7-4-0 with Matthews on the sidelines this season and 42-23-2 in his career. Toronto returns to action after the holiday break on Friday, visiting the Detroit Red Wings. On Saturday, the Jets host the Ottawa Senators. AP NHL:

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DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally, Russian media said Sunday, hours after a stunning rebel advance seized control of Damascus and ended his family’s 50 years of iron rule . Thousands of Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire and waved the revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. The swiftly moving events raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. “Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East," President Joe Biden said , crediting action by the U.S. and its allies for weakening Syria’s backers — Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. He called the fall of Assad a “fundamental act of justice” but also a “moment of risk and uncertainty,” and said rebel groups are “saying the right things now” but the U.S. would assess their actions. Russia requested an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council to discuss Syria, according to Dmitry Polyansky, its deputy ambassador to the U.N., in a post on Telegram. The arrival of Assad and his family in Moscow was reported by Russian agencies Tass and RIA, citing an unidentified source at the Kremlin. A spokesman there didn't immediately respond to questions. RIA also said Syrian insurgents had guaranteed the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic posts in Syria. Earlier, Russia said Assad left Syria after negotiations with rebel groups and that he had given instructions to transfer power peacefully. The leader of Syria's biggest rebel faction, Abu Mohammed al-Golani , is poised to chart the country’s future. The former al-Qaida commander cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance. His Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the U.N. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the Umayyad Mosque and described Assad's fall as “a victory to the Islamic nation.” Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he said Assad had made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and split among armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in remote areas. Syrian state television broadcast a rebel statement saying Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been released. They urged people to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state,” and announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. An online video purported to show rebels freeing dozens of women at the notorious Saydnaya prison, where rights groups say thousands were tortured and killed . At least one small child was seen among them. “This happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where is he,” said one relative, Bassam Masr. "I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years.” Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi appeared on state TV and sought to reassure religious and ethnic minorities, saying: “Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects.” “We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did," he added. Celebrations in the capital Damascus residents prayed in mosques and celebrated in squares, calling, “God is great.” People chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. Teenage boys picked up weapons apparently discarded by security forces and fired into the air. Soldiers and police fled their posts and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Families wandered the presidential palace, walking by damaged portraits of Assad. Other parts of the capital were empty and shops were closed. “It’s like a dream. I need someone to wake me up," said opposition fighter Abu Laith, adding the rebels were welcomed in Damascus with “love.” Rebels stood guard at the Justice Ministry, where Judge Khitam Haddad said he and colleagues were protecting documents. Outside, residents sought information about relatives who disappeared under Assad. The rebels “have felt the pain of the people,” said one woman, giving only her first name, Heba. She worried about possible revenge killings by the rebels, many of whom appeared to be underage. Syria’s historically pro-government newspaper al-Watan called it “a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood.” It added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements ordered from above. A statement from the Alawite sect that formed the core of Assad's base called on young Syrians to be “calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country.” The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. In Qamishli in the northeast, a Kurdish man slapped a statue of the late leader Hafez Assad with his shoe. Calls for an orderly transition The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall within days as the Syrian army melted away. The road to Damascus from the Lebanese border was littered with military uniforms and charred armored vehicles. Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, which provided crucial support to Assad, abandoned him as they reeled from other conflicts. The end of Assad’s rule was a major blow to Iran and its proxies, already weakened by conflict with Israel . Iran said Syrians should decide their future “without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention.” The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after apparently having been abandoned. Hossein Akbari, Iran’s ambassador to Syria, said it was “effectively impossible” to help the Syrian government after it admitted the insurgents' military superiority. Speaking on Iranian state media from an undisclosed location, he said Syria's government decided Saturday night to hand over power peacefully. “When the army and the people could not resist, it was a good decision to let go to prevent bloodshed and destruction,” Akbari said, adding that some of his colleagues left Syria before sunrise. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking on state TV, said there were concerns about the “possibility of civil war, disintegration of Syria, total collapse and turning Syria into a shelter for terrorists.” Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali has said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video on Syrian opposition media showed armed men escorting him from his office to a hotel. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, has called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Turkey. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need “to engage all parties on the ground," including the HTS, and that the main concern is “stability and safe transition.” Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying it was to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned positions. Israel’s military later warned residents of five southern Syria communities to stay home for their safety, and didn’t respond to questions. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the U.S., views it as occupied, and the Arab League on Sunday condemned what it called Israel’s efforts to take advantage of Assad’s downfall to occupy more territory. Sewell reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue, Sarah El Deeb and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Samar Kassaballi, Omar Sanadiki and Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus; Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain; Josef Federman in Doha, Qatar; and Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem, contributed.

Mutual of America Capital Management LLC Decreases Position in Gentex Co. (NASDAQ:GNTX)SportsbookWire.com's Alex White already cashed her best college football bet for Saturday with Boston College (+2.5) winning outright 41-21 at home against North Carolina . She's looking to make it a 2-0 weekend with her best bet for NFL Week 12, which involves the total when the New England Patriots (3-8) visit the Miami Dolphins (4-6) Sunday in an AFC East matchup. Kickoff from Hard Rock Stadium is set for 1 p.m. ET and will be televised on CBS. The Patriots have alternated wins and losses over their last 4 games, recently falling at home to the LA Rams in Week 11. The Dolphins enter on a 2-game win streak, beating the Las Vegas Raiders 34-19 last Sunday and winning at the Rams 23-15 in Week 10. The division foes met in Week 5 at New England with Miami winning 15-10. The Dolphins covered as 1-point road favorites and the Under (37) cashed. For Sunday's matchup in South Florida, BetMGM Sportsbook has the O/U line at 46.5 (Over: -110 | Under: -110), up from 46, which it was Friday -- last updated Saturday at 5:51 p.m. ET. Listen below to why Alex likes this total as her best NFL bet for Sunday . Make sure to catch Alex on Sports By the Book Saturday 11 a.m.-noon ET, and Sunday through Wednesday noon-1 p.m. ET, and on Punch Lines every Monday and Wednesday 3 p.m.-4 p.m. ET -- live from the South Point Sportsbook in Las Vegas. Follow @alexwhitee on Twitter/X . For more sports betting picks and tips , check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW . Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook . Access more NFL coverage: BetFTW | TheHuddle Fantasy Football | BearsWire | BengalsWire | BillsWire | BroncosWire | BrownsWire | BucsWire | CardsWire | ChargersWire | ChiefsWire | ColtsWire | CommandersWire | CowboysWire | DolphinsWire | EaglesWire | FalconsWire | GiantsWire | JaguarsWire | JetsWire | LionsWire | NinersWire | PackersWire | PanthersWire | PatriotsWire | RaidersWire | RamsWire | RavensWire | SaintsWire | SeahawksWire | SteelersWire | TexansWire | TitansWire | VikingsWire | DraftWire | TouchdownWire | ListWire More NFL Picks and Predictions! Detroit Lions at Indianapolis Colts odds, picks and predictions Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Giants odds, picks and predictions New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins odds, picks and predictions