super ace secret

super ace secret Georgia's Dasha Vidmanova, Columbia's Michael Zheng win NCAA singles titles

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem marked another somber Christmas Eve on Tuesday in the traditional birthplace of Jesus under the shadow of war in Gaza . The excitement and cheer that typically descends on the West Bank during Christmas week were nowhere to be found. The festive lights and giant tree that normally decorate Manger Square were missing, as were the throngs of foreign tourists that usually fill the square. Palestinian scouts marched silently through the streets, a departure from their usual raucous brass marching band. Security forces arranged barriers near the Church of the Nativity, built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The cancellation of Christmas festivities is a severe blow to the town's economy. Tourism accounts for an estimated 70% of Bethlehem’s income — almost all from the Christmas season. Salman said unemployment is hovering around 50% — higher than the 30% unemployment across the rest of the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Finance Ministry. Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, noted the shuttered shops and empty streets and expressed hope that next year would be better. “This has to be the last Christmas that is so sad,” he told hundreds of people gathered in Manger Square, where normally tens of thousands would congregate. Pizzaballa held a special pre-Christmas Mass in the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City. Several Palestinian Christians told the Associated Press that they have been displaced in the church since the war began in October of last year with barely enough food and water. “We hope by next year at the same day we’d be able to celebrate Christmas at our homes and go to Bethlehem,” said Najla Tarazi, a displaced woman. “We hope to celebrate in Jerusalem ... and for the war to end. This is the most important thing for us and the most important demand we have these days because the situation is really hard. We don’t feel happy.” Bethlehem is an important center in the history of Christianity, but Christians make up only a small percentage of the roughly 14 million people spread across the Holy Land. There are about 182,000 in Israel, 50,000 in the West Bank and Jerusalem and 1,300 in Gaza, according to the U.S. State Department. The number of visitors to the town plunged from a pre-COVID high of around 2 million per year in 2019 to fewer than 100,000 in 2024, said Jiries Qumsiyeh, the spokesperson for the Palestinian Tourism Ministry. After nightfall, the golden walls of the Church of the Nativity were illuminated as a few dozen people quietly milled about. A young boy stood holding a pile of balloons for sale, but gave up because there were no customers to buy them. The war in Gaza has deterred tourists and has prompted a surge of violence in the West Bank , with more than 800 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire and dozens of Israelis killed in militant attacks. Palestinian officials do not provide a breakdown of how many of the deceased are civilians and how many are fighters. Since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that sparked the war , access to and from Bethlehem and other towns in the West Bank has been difficult, with long lines of motorists waiting to pass through Israeli military checkpoints. The restrictions have prevented some 150,000 Palestinians from leaving the territory to work in Israel, causing the economy there to contract by 25%. In the Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel, Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took more than 250 Israeli hostages. Israeli officials believe that around 100 hostages remain in captivity in the Gaza Strip. Elsewhere, Christmas celebrations were also subdued. Scores of Syrian Christians protested Tuesday in Damascus, demanding protection after the burning of a Christmas tree in Hama the day before. Videos and images shared on social media showed the large, decorated tree burning at a roundabout in Suqalabiyah, a town in the Hama countryside. It remains unclear who was responsible for setting the tree on fire. In a video that circulated on social media, a representative of Syria’s new leadership, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, could be seen visiting the site and addressing the community. He said: “This act was committed by people who are not Syrian, and they will be punished beyond your expectations.” German celebrations were darkened by a car attack on a Christmas market on Friday that left five people dead and 200 people injured. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier rewrote his annual recorded Christmas Day speech to address the attack. He plans to acknowledge that “there is grief, pain, horror and incomprehension over what took place in Magdeburg,” while urging Germans to “stand together,” according to an early copy of the speech. A snowstorm in the Balkans stranded drivers and downed power lines, but some saw the beauty in it. “I’m actually glad its falling, especially because of Christmas,” said Mirsad Jasarevic in Zenica, Bosnia. “We did not have snow for Christmas for 17 years here, and now is the time for wonderful white Christmas.” American Airlines briefly grounded flights across the U.S. on Tuesday due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive. Winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that 1,447 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed Tuesday, with 28 flights canceled. In the port of Barcelona, Spain, volunteers from the faith-based ministry Stella Maris visited seven ships docked there on Christmas Eve to deliver Nativity scenes and the local specialty of turrón (nougat candy) to seafarers. The volunteers met seafarers from India, the Philippines, Turkey and elsewhere, said Ricard Rodríguez-Martos, a Catholic deacon and former merchant marine captain who leads Stella Maris in this major Mediterranean harbor. Associated Press writers Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City and Giovanna Dell’Orto in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

FALLS VILLAGE – Authors Kurt Andersen and William Cohan didn’t hold back when talking about how the country will be negatively affected by the election of President-elect Donald Trump. The two were the guest speakers at Friday’s Salisbury Forum in a presentation titled “Following the Money: What Will Become of America.” The newly renovated auditorium at Housatonic Valley Regional High School was packed. Andersen began by stating the election was not, as many claim, a mandate for Trump, noting a 1.7% vote margin is very low. “The only mandate is that the Democrats did so much worse getting the vote out. The Republicans had no mandate but to please their leader.” The two speculated on why certain excessively wealthy people became such strong supporters of Trump, but concluded they just didn’t understand their motivation. Perhaps it was their stand on Israel, or maybe the desire to rub elbows with Elon Musk. When Andersen said so many of them know nothing about history, politics and culture and are “shockingly dumb” about such topics, Cohan said, “They get rich and think they know about everything. The X landscape allows them to do that.” Both acknowledged Trump’s constant references to “the evil media.” When asked, Cohan said Jeff Bezos’s decision not to endorse a presidential candidate in The Washington Post wasn’t about the practice being old-fashioned and ineffectual, but because he didn’t want to anger someone who could be the next president. “When we were growing up, newspapers took pride in their endorsements,” he said. “I don’t understand why he did that. It’s very disturbing.” Cohan sardonically said he was looking forward to seeing retribution to investigative journalists. “Don’t joke about that,” responded Andersen. With Trump in the middle of picking his cabinet members and other positions to be part of his administration, the two agreed it has become a “clown show.” Cohan said, “I like the ‘Star Wars’ bar metaphor better.” Both repeated that they cannot even begin to figure out Trump’s thinking. Andersen termed Scott Bessent, the secretary of treasury pick, “a buffoon” and Marco Rubio, named to be secretary of state, was labeled by Trump “Little Marco” and he still comes back for more. Andersen said “If you keep going lower and lower on his list of appointments and they get more insane, the ones at the top don’t look so bad.” Touching on Robert Kennedy, Jr. as being named to head the Department of Health and Human Services, Cohan said the stocks of some pharmaceutical companies are tumbling as a result. “He’s committed every felony. Trump likes him because he’s done worse things than Trump. Kennedy’s father and uncle must be rolling over in their graves.” Andersen doesn’t believe that Trump will follow through on his promise of mass deportation. He said of the 11 million undocumented, 8 million are in the workforce, holding jobs in farming, hospitality and landscaping. “He can’t risk losing all those employees,” he said. But Cohan brought up the bipartisan immigration bill that Trump, as a private citizen, was able to quash. As for the tariffs Trump proposes to install, Cohan said they could increase costs to consumers, causing inflation to spike and the economy to tank. Sounding deflated, Cohan said, “I’m tired of speculating on this guy. I don’t know if he’s capable of moderating his views. He may think of ways to repeal the 22nd Amendment, so I’m not sure this is his last rodeo. He’s the luckiest guy on earth. He’s not going to jail. He’s a masterful politician; I’ll give him that.” Contact Ruth Epstein at kcsruthe @ aol.com.

Israeli food technology can help boost Thailand's agriculture sector and the two countries can together help strengthen global food security, said the Israeli Ambassador Orna Sagiv. During the "Savor the Future of Food: Satisfy Your Hunger with Israel's Innovation" event in Bangkok last week, Ms Sagiv emphasised Thailand's reputation as the "kitchen of the world", saying the country has been playing a major role in producing and supplying food for the global population. She said Thailand has a strong agricultural sector, which will be crucial in resolving the world's food crisis. Israel's innovative agricultural solutions and food technology would support Thailand in strengthening its own agriculture and food sectors, she said. She sees a bilateral collaboration between Thailand and Israel on food technology as a win-win situation. Ms Sagiv said Israel regards Thailand as a gateway into Southeast Asia and the greater Asian region. This year has seen growing mutual interest between big Thai companies and Israeli startups, especially in food tech ventures, seeking solutions for tomorrow, she said. While Israeli startups are equipped with advanced innovation they have little power to access larger markets, and would welcome assistance in improving their market management capacity. On the other hand, the Thai conglomerate food companies have the experience, access and ability to localise Israeli products in a Southeast Asian context. "The cooperation will create a solution, not only for two countries but for the world in terms of food security," she said.

None

Uber’s Hidden Game? Stock Price Future Lies in AI and GamingAt age 32, we’d like to suggest is aging like fine wine. “I don’t know. I’m not a big wine guy,” the Canadiens’ winger said after Friday morning’s practice at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard. “I’m more a beer guy. “There’s been times where I haven’t played good hockey,” Gallagher continued. “There’s been times where I’ve played good hockey and been rewarded. Played poor hockey and got rewarded. Over the course of your career I think it all evens out. You put in the time in the summer, you take care of yourself and put in the work, you hope it pays off. But it’s too early in the year to be thinking like that. I feel confident. I feel comfortable. There’s still areas of my game where I’d like to improve and find ways to contribute a little bit more.” Heading into Saturday night’s Bell Centre match against the Vegas Golden Knights Gallagher has through 19 games. Only Cole Caufield, with 12 goals, has lit the lamp more. Gallagher signed a in October 2020. Perhaps this is just a continuation of last season’s late resurgence, when Gallagher scored five goals and added three assists over Montreal’s final five games, giving him 16 goals and 31 points in 77 contests. The 5-foot-9, 185-pounder has made a career from parking his body in front of the net, and has the bumps and bruises to show for his conviction. He’s now in his 13th season with the Canadiens, is the team’s longest-serving member, and understands better than anyone the rich tradition associated with the organization and its rabid fan base. Gallagher also seems to have found a comfort level with linemates Josh Anderson and Christian Dvorak. “Pucks are just finding a way to go in right now,” Gallagher said. “There’s times when they’re not. That’s why I look at my game in other regards. There’s other things I measure and like to do on the ice. Right now, I feel like I’m doing them and am being rewarded. But there’s times where that hasn’t been the case. “All I’m trying to do is be consistent for my coaches and my teammates. Be relied upon and hopefully be there every night. Every once in a while they go in. Everyone wants to contribute. There’s lots of ways to contribute. You can contribute to a team’s success in a lot of different ways. Sometimes it’s not always recognized or measured.” It certainly hasn’t hurt Gallagher’s cause that he has recovered from his litany of injuries. From the fractured jaw he suffered during the 2020 playoffs — while playing with a tear in his hip — to twice breaking his hand and twice fracturing his ankle, limiting him to 37 games during the 2022-23 season, Gallagher has paid the price for his style of play. In the past, Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis has expressed a desire to have Gallagher re-wire his approach to the game, relying on his experience and acumen to prosper rather than draining his physical energy. If the message has been slow to resonate, St. Louis has no qualms with the veteran’s play, suggesting he has improved his “software.” “It’s never too late,” St. Louis said, making an analogy to new and improved versions of Apple iPhones. “When you improve the software, you have more options. I know Gally’s really good in front of the net, but that’s not all he’s doing now. He’s doing way more. When you’re constantly battling with somebody in front of the net, it takes a toll and you’re probably prone to more injuries when that’s all you’re doing. “He understands ... sometimes it’s his turn to go. But it’s not his only job on the ice. He’s playing the whole game more. I think he’s having fun playing. Obviously he’s getting some results, which makes it fun. But it’s not luck.” The Canadiens will attempt to for the first time this season on Saturday — something they accomplished only once in 2023-24 in late March, defeating Seattle, Colorado and Philadelphia on the road. Montreal has been idle since Monday, while the Golden Knights will be playing their third road game in four nights. “We should come out with some good energy,” St. Louis said. “I think our start is very, very important.” Patrik Laine, recovering from an exhibition game knee injury, practised at full speed with his teammates and didn’t seem affected. He wasn’t made available to the media.Before being elected as the first transgender woman to the US Congress, 34-year-old Sarah McBride said she expected hostility. A harsh national spotlight has fallen swiftly upon her. "They may try to misgender me, they may try to say the wrong name, they will do what we can predictably assume they might do," she told the TransLash podcast last month ahead of her resounding election victory on November 5. "They are going to do that to get a rise out of me and my job will be to not give them the response they want," the Democrat from Delaware explained. Ahead of her arrival in the House of Representatives on January 3, McBride was targeted by a resolution this week from a right-wing Republican colleague that would ban transgender women from women's toilets in the Capitol. "Just because a Congressman wants to wear a mini skirt doesn’t mean he can come into a women’s bathroom," South Carolina firebrand Nancy Mace wrote on social media as she led a highly personal campaign against McBride. House Speaker Mike Johnson, after initially seeking to buy time to debate the issue, came out in support of a ban, saying that all single-sex facilities would be "reserved for individuals of that biological sex." McBride -- who wears knee-length dresses, not miniskirts -- issued a statement saying that she said would respect the rules "even if I disagree with them." "I'm not here to fight about bathrooms," said the politician and activist, who transitioned as a 21-year-old and told her parents on Christmas Day 2011. Donald Trump repeatedly raised transgender issues in the closing stages of his presidential campaign, with aides noting how questions around trans identity struck a nerve with swing voters. Two of the biggest issues -- at the heart of ongoing "culture wars" between conservatives and progressives -- are whether transgender women should be allowed in women's toilets and be admitted in women's sport. Mocking transgender athletes and "woke ideology," Trump promised to get "transgender insanity the hell out of our schools, and we will keep men out of women’s sports." McBride has long been an advocate for trans rights and she helped campaign for a law banning gender discrimination in her home state of Delaware, during which she was publicly called a "freak" and the "devil incarnate". "Listening to that was demeaning and dehumanizing for my child," her mother Sally told The Washington Post in a 2018 profile. "I still have a hard time coping with that." Undeterred, McBride rode the blows and was elected as the first US transgender state senator in 2020. She has been open about her mental health struggles growing up as a boy named Tim and the personal tragedy that has marked her life since, writing a memoir called "Tomorrow Will Be Different" in 2018. "I remember as a child praying in my bed at night that I would wake up the next day and be a girl," she told a TED talk in 2016. She first gathered major public attention with an open letter while a student leader at American University in Washington that announced her transition. She went on to encounter President Joe Biden and his family, also Delaware natives, when she became active in grassroots politics there. After interning at the White House under President Barack Obama, she secured an invitation to speak at the 2016 Democratic Party convention. The White House was also the scene of her first encounter with her late husband, Andrew Cray, a transgender man and LGTBQ+ activist. They married two years later shortly before Cray died from cancer. Knowing the attention she is destined for in the US Congress, she says her aim is to be an effective congresswoman focused on everyday voter priorities such as housing and inflation. But she knows she will be constantly pushed to be a spokeswoman -- and defender -- of the trans community. "I can't do right by the trans community if I'm not being the best member of Congress that I can be for Delaware," she told TransLash. "It's the only way that people will see that trans people can be good doctors, can be good lawyers, good educators, good members of Congress. I can't be there to put out a press release and tweet every time someone says something." adp/bgs

None

MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) – Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany said he had yet to fully understand how the new Champions League format worked after his team earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paris St Germain on Tuesday to improve their chances of reaching the knockout stage. Bayern needed a first-half goal from defender Kim Min-jae to battle past 10-man PSG and claim a third win in five matches. “I don’t look at the table because, honestly. I don’t yet understand it,” Kompany told a press conference. “It will look good if we win a few more matches.” The Bavarians climbed to 11th with nine points from five games, a point off the top eight places that bring automatic qualification for the last 16. PSG are 26th on four, outside the playoff spots with three matches remaining in the first phase. In the new 36-team league format this season, teams face eight teams instead of meeting three opponents twice. They play half of those games at home and half away. The top eight sides advance directly to the last 16, while those finishing ninth to 24th enter a two-legged playoff for a chance to secure a spot in the next stage. “What’s important is to reach our goal. If we win our remaining games we have a chance to make the top eight,” Belgian Kompany, in his first season in charge at Bayern, said. “I’m obviously happy. Our pressing in the first half was very good. The discipline was there. We could have scored perhaps one or two more goals, but the result is good.” “We are on the right track but working to become even better,” he added. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibilty for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );None

Israel has agreed to a ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon that will take effect at 4 a.m. Wednesday. Moments after U.S. President Joe Biden announced the ceasefire deal , which Israel's Cabinet approved late Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike slammed into the Lebanese capital. Residents of Beirut and its southern suburbs have endured the most intense day of Israeli strikes since the war began nearly 14 months ago, as Israel's nationwide onslaught of bombings signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah before the ceasefire is set to take hold. At least 42 people have been killed by Israeli strikes across Lebanon on Tuesday, according to local authorities. Hezbollah also fired rockets into Israel on Tuesday, triggering air raid sirens in the country’s north. An Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza. Hezbollah began attacking Israel a day after Hamas’ attack. The fighting in Lebanon escalated into all-out war in September with massive Israeli airstrikes across the country and an Israeli ground invasion of the south. In Gaza, more than 44,000 people have been killed and more than 104,000 wounded in the nearly 14-month war between Israel and Hamas, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Here's the Latest: PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah marked a “new page” for Lebanon and called on its leaders to elect a president “without delay.” In a video message on X, Macron said restoring Lebanon’s sovereignty depends on ending the presidential vacuum. “It is the responsibility of Lebanese authorities and all those in senior political roles,” he said. BEIRUT — Ahmad Khateeb, a musician and artist who performs in a renowned theater in Beirut’s Hamra neighborhood, fled to the city’s seaside promenade with seven members of his family after the Israeli army issued evacuation warnings for four targets in central Beirut, including one close to his area. “This is the first time this area in Ras Beirut, Hamra, has received such a threat. This neighborhood has historically been a refuge for everyone,” Khateeb told The Associated Press. Outside the American University of Beirut Medical Center in Hamra, dozens of people sought refuge, hoping the hospital would not be targeted. Among them was Rima Abdkhaluk, who sat on a sidewalk with a backpack at her side. “I was at home having lunch when I received a call from (relatives) in Syria telling me they were about to hit Hamra,” she said. She quickly packed her belongings and left with her mother. She convinced the hospital’s staff to allow her mother inside while she waited outside on a piece of cardboard. Israeli jets struck Beirut’s Mar Elias neighborhood as Abdkhaluk was speaking to The Associated Press. She held her hands tightly together and prayed. “I just need to see where they hit,” she started saying frantically. Asked about the expected ceasefire, Abdkhaluk was skeptical. “I don’t believe it. Israel can’t be trusted.” BEIRUT — The Health Ministry in Lebanon says 18 more people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes across the country, bringing the total death toll on Tuesday to at least 42 people. Eleven people were killed by Israeli bombing in eastern Lebanon, four were killed by strikes on border crossings between northern Lebanon and Syria, and three people were killed in southern Lebanon, the Health Ministry said early Wednesday. In the hours before a ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel launched its most intense wave of strikes on the capital Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict. Strikes have targeted what Israel said were Hezbollah-related targets in several other parts of the country as well. Israel’s military issued a record number of evacuation warnings in Beirut, sending people fleeing from their homes. Hezbollah also fired rockets into Israel on Tuesday, triggering air raid sirens across the country’s north. UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations chief welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, and hopes it can end the violence and suffering of people in both countries, the U.N. spokesman says. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Israel and Hezbollah to swiftly implement all commitments under the agreement, and take immediate steps toward fully implementing the 2006 U.N. Security Council resolution that ended the last Israel-Hezbollah war, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said late Tuesday. Resolution 1701 called for the deployment of Lebanese forces throughout the south, which borders Israel and is now mainly controlled by Hezbollah, and it calls for all armed groups including Hezbollah to be disarmed. Neither has happened in the past 17 years. Dujarric said U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon “both stand ready to support the implementation of this agreement, in line with their respective mandates.” WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump’s senior national security team was briefed by the Biden administration as negotiations unfolded, according to the senior U.S. official. The official, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity in a White House-organized call, added that the incoming Trump administration officials were not directly involved in the talks, but that it was important that the incoming administration knew “what we were negotiating and what the commitments were.” The official said “all fire will stop from all parties” at 4 a.m. local time. The next step would be what the official described as a “phased withdrawal” by the Israeli military. As the Israelis pull back, Lebanese national forces will occupy the territories. The process is slated to finish within 60 days. Lebanese forces is supposed to patrol the area and remove Hezbollah weaponry and infrastructure there. “Hezbollah is incredibly weak at this moment, both militarily and politically,” the official said. “And this is the opportunity for Lebanon to re-establish its sovereignty over its territory.” The official said the ceasefire agreement will strengthen what’s known as the “tripartite mechanism” by including the United States and France. The goal is to address violations of the ceasefire without a return to hostilities. UNITED NATIONS – The top U.N. envoy for Lebanon welcomed the ceasefire announcement and urged Israel and Hezbollah militants to take concrete actions to fully implement the 2006 agreement that ended their last war. U.N. Special Coordinator Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said the agreement “marks the starting point of a critical process” that must see both sides fully implement U.N. Security Council resolution 1701. It called for the deployment of Lebanese armed forces in the south bordering Israel and the disarmament of all armed groups including Hezbollah – neither of which has happened in the past 17 years. “Nothing less than the full and unwavering commitment of both parties is required,” Hennis-Plasschaert said. “Neither side can afford another period of disingenuous implementation under the guise of ostensible calm.” She commended the parties for “seizing the opportunity to close this devastating chapter,” stressing that “Now is the time to deliver, through concrete actions, to consolidate today’s achievement.” UNITED NATIONS — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is calling for urgent international intervention to stop what he described as “an ongoing genocidal war” in Gaza. Abbas heads the Palestinian Authority which has limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, but not Gaza, which has been controlled by Hamas. The U.S. and others want a reinvigorated Palestinian Authority to run Gaza when the war ends. In a speech on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Abbas accused Israel of repeating what happened to the Palestinians in 1948 and 1967 – displacing them and seizing their land and resources. Abbas demanded to know how long the world will remain silent and refuse to compel Israel to abide by international law. The speech to U.N. member nations was read by Palestinian U.N. ambassador Riyad Mansour. “The only way to halt the halt the dangerous escalation we are witnessing in the region, and maintain regional and international stability, security and peace, is to resolve the question of Palestine,” Abbas' speech said. This must be done in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolutions which call for a two-state solution, he said. BEIRUT -- Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hezbollah, describing it as a crucial step toward stability, the return of displaced people to their homes and regional calm. Mikati made these comments in a statement issued just after U.S. President Joe announced the truce deal. Mikati said he discussed the ceasefire agreement with Biden by phone earlier Tuesday. The prime minister reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to implementing U.N. resolution 1701, strengthening the Lebanese army’s presence in the south, and cooperating with the U.N. peacekeeping force. He also called on Israel to fully comply with the ceasefire and withdraw from southern Lebanon in accordance the U.N. resolution. JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security Cabinet has approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah, clearing the way for the truce to take effect. Netanyahu’s office said the plan was approved by a 10-1 margin. The late-night vote came shortly before President Joe Biden was expected to announced details of the deal in Washington. Earlier, Netanyahu defended the ceasefire, saying Israel has inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah and could now focus its efforts on Hamas militants in Gaza and his top security concern, Iran. Netanyahu vowed to strike Hezbollah hard if it violates the expected deal. WASHINGTON — Rep. Mike Waltz, President-elect Donald Trump’s designate to be national security adviser, credited Trump’s victory with helping bring the parties together toward a ceasefire in Lebanon. “Everyone is coming to the table because of President Trump,” he said in a post on X on Tuesday. “His resounding victory sent a clear message to the rest of the world that chaos won’t be tolerated. I’m glad to see concrete steps towards deescalation in the Middle East.” He added: “But let’s be clear: The Iran Regime is the root cause of the chaos & terror that has been unleashed across the region. We will not tolerate the status quo of their support for terrorism.” BEIRUT — Israeli jets targeted a building in a bustling commercial area of Beirut for the first time since the start of the 13-month war between Hezbollah and Israel. The strike on Hamra is around 400 meters (yards) from the country’s central bank. A separate strike hit the Mar Elias neighborhood in the country’s capital Tuesday. There was no immediate word on casualties from either strike, part of the biggest wave of attacks on the capital since the war started. Residents in central Beirut were seen fleeing after the Israeli army issued evacuation warnings for four targets in the city. Meanwhile, the Israeli army carried out airstrikes on at least 30 targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday, including two strikes in the Jnah neighborhood near the Kuwaiti Embassy. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that 13 people were injured in the strikes on the southern suburbs. BEIRUT — Hezbollah has said it accepts the ceasefire proposal with Israel, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state.” of Lebanon, he said. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Among the issues that may remain is an Israeli demand to reserve the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations under the emerging deal. The deal seeks to push Hezbollah and Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that he would recommend his Cabinet adopt a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, as Israeli warplanes struck across Lebanon, killing at least 23 people. The Israeli military also issued a flurry of evacuation warnings — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah down to the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. For the first time in the conflict, Israeli ground troops reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River, a focal point of the emerging deal. In a televised statement, Netanyahu said he would present the ceasefire to Cabinet ministers later on Tuesday, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting. Netanyahu said the vote was expected later Tuesday. It was not immediately clear when the ceasefire would go into effect, and the exact terms of the deal were not released. The deal does not affect Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which shows no signs of ending. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s state media said Israeli strikes on Tuesday killed at least 10 people in Baalbek province the country’s east. At least three people were killed in the southern city of Tyre when Israel bombed a Palestinian refugee camp, said Mohammed Bikai, a representative of the Fatah group in the area. He said several more people were missing and at least three children were among the wounded. He said the sites struck inside the camp were “completely civilian places” and included a kitchen that was being used to cook food for displaced people. JERUSALEM — Dozens of Israeli protesters took to a major highway in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening to call for the return of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, as the country awaited news of a potential ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. Protesters chanted “We are all hostages,” and “Deal now!” waving signs with faces of some of the roughly 100 hostages believed to be still held in Gaza, at least a third of whom are thought to be dead. Most of the other hostages Hamas captured in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack were released during a ceasefire last year. The prospect of a ceasefire deal in Lebanon has raised desperation among the relatives of captives still held in Gaza, who once hoped that the release of hostages from Gaza would be included. Instead of a comprehensive deal, the ceasefire on the table is instead narrowly confined to Lebanon. Dozens of Israelis were also demonstrating against the expected cease-fire, gathering outside Israel’s military headquarters in central Tel Aviv. One of the protesters, Yair Ansbacher, says the deal is merely a return to the failed 2006 U.N. resolution that was meant to uproot Hezbollah from the area. “Of course that didn’t happen,” he says. “This agreement is not worth the paper it is written on.” FIUGGI, Italy — Foreign ministers from the world’s industrialized countries said Tuesday they strongly supported an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and insisted that Israel comply with international law in its ongoing military operations in the region. At the end of their two-day summit, the ministers didn’t refer directly to the International Criminal Court and its recent arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over crimes against humanity . Italy had put the ICC warrants on the official meeting agenda, even though the G7 was split on the issue. The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, isn’t a signatory to the court and has called the warrants “outrageous.” However, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell said all the other G7 countries were signatories and therefore obliged to respect the warrants. In the end, the final statement adopted by the ministers said Israel, in exercising its right to defend itself, “must fully comply with its obligations under international law in all circumstances, including international humanitarian law.” And it said all G7 members — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – “reiterate our commitment to international humanitarian law and will comply with our respective obligations.” It stressed that “there can be no equivalence between the terrorist group Hamas and the State of Israel.” The ICC warrants say there's reason to believe Netanyahu used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny. BEIRUT — An Israeli strike on Tuesday levelled a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded in Beirut, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. It was not immediately clear if anyone in particular was targeted, though Israel says its airstrikes target Hezbollah officials and assets. The Israeli military spokesman issued a flurry of evacuation warnings for many areas, including areas in Beirut that have not been targeted throughout the war, like the capital’s commercial Hamra district, where many people displaced by the war have been staying. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks in Lebanon during the final hours before a ceasefire is reached, sparked panic and sent residents fleeing in their cars to safer areas. In areas close to Hamra, families including women and children were seen running away toward the Mediterranean Sea’s beaches carrying their belongings. Traffic was completely gridlocked as people tried to get away, honking their car horns as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. The Israeli military also issued warnings for 20 more buildings in Beirut’s suburbs to evacuate before they too were struck — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah in the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. TEL AVIV, Israel — The independent civilian commission of inquiry into the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel has found Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly responsible for the failures leading up to the attack, alongside former defense ministers, the army chief and the heads of the security services. The civil commission presented its findings today after a four-month probe in which it heard some 120 witnesses. It was set up by relatives of victims of the Hamas attack, in response to the absence of any state probe. The commission determined that the Israeli government, its army and security services “failed in their primary mission of protecting the citizens of Israel.” It said Netanyahu was responsible for ignoring “repeated warnings” ahead of Oct. 7, 2023 for what it described as his appeasing approach over the years toward Hamas, and for “undermining all decision-making centers, including the cabinet and the National Security Council, in a way that prevented any serious discussion” on security issues. The commission further determined that the military and defense leaders bear blame for ignoring warnings from within the army, and for reducing the army’s presence along the Gaza border while relying excessively on technological means. On the day of the Hamas attack, the report says, the army’s response was both slow and lacking. The civil commission called for the immediate establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 attack. Netanyahu has opposed launching a state commission of inquiry, arguing that such an investigation should begin only once the war is over. JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military says its ground troops have reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River — a focal point of the emerging ceasefire. In a statement Tuesday, the army said it had reached the Wadi Slouqi area in southern Lebanon and clashed with Hezbollah forces. Under a proposed ceasefire, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is some 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the Israeli border. The military says the clashes with Hezbollah took place on the eastern end of the Litani, just a few kilometers (miles) from the border. It is one of the deepest places Israeli forces have reached in a nearly two-month ground operation. The military says soldiers destroyed rocket launchers and missiles and engaged in “close-quarters combat” with Hezbollah forces. The announcement came hours before Israel’s security Cabinet is expected to approve a ceasefire that would end nearly 14 months of fighting. BEIRUT — Israeli jets Tuesday struck at least six buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday, including one that slammed near the country’s only airport. Large plumes of smoke could be seen around the airport near the Mediterranean coast, which has continued to function despite its location beside the densely populated suburbs where many of Hezbollah’s operations are based. The strikes come hours before Israel’s cabinet was scheduled to meet to discuss a proposal to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The proposal calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. There were no immediate reports of casualties from Tuesday’s airstrikes. FIUGGI, Italy — EU top diplomat Josep Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. (edited)SHAREHOLDER ACTION REMINDER: Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Investigates Claims on Behalf of Investors of Humacyte

Just when it looked like being a fairly regulation Champions League night, Manchester City delivered yet again. City’s late capitulation at home to Feyenoord was the shock result as the group stage entered its fifth round of matches. There were 40 goals in nine games, a few thrashings and contrasting fortunes for two of Europe’s most prolific strikers. Here at the big talking points from Tuesday night. Pep Guardiola marked by Manchester City collapse Isn’t it amazing how a few defeats can lead to utterly scrambled minds. Manchester City may have ended their five-game losing run with a 3-3 draw against Feyenoord but the rueful, sad smile on Pep Guardiola’s face at full-time reflected another humiliating night that may have actually been the worst result of their horrific recent run. Advertisement This was arguably the most un-City-like thing to have happened in the last month. Being 3-0 up and absolutely cruising with 16 minutes to go...they just don’t throw away leads like this. In fact, no one does. No team in Champions League history has ever had a three-goal lead that late in a game and not gone on to win. The reasons and excuses are running out. This was nothing to do with injuries and judging on the red marks on his forehead Guardiola was literally left scratching his head. Josko Gvardiol started the panic with another error (he contributed to two of Tottenham Hotspur ’s goals on Sunday), sending a terrible, bouncing back-pass too short for Ederson , gobbled up by Anis Hadj-Moussa. Guardiola put his head in his hands and looked bereft. Perhaps he knew what was coming. Thereafter, City’s game management was found wanting. At 3-2 up with a couple of minutes to go they were still taking quick free-kicks and defending on the halfway line, allowing a ball over the top which led to David Hancko ’s dramatic equaliser. Video for UK readers INCREDIBLE SCENES AT THE ETIHAD! 😳 From 3-0 down, Feyenoord are now DRAWING 3-3 with Man City! #UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/pMUCrA0jLD — Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) November 26, 2024 Video for U.S. readers FEYENOORD COME BACK FROM 3-0 DOWN TO STUN MANCHESTER CITY 😱 pic.twitter.com/HWB2NGMOjN — CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 26, 2024 It was the 14th goal they have conceded in just four matches. Feyenoord brutally exposed the fragility, nervousness and lack of confidence of a team which has won every trophy imaginable in the last three years but has forgotten how to win football matches. Next up? Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday. Toothless PSG are not helping themselves We are used to Paris Saint-Germain not converting their domestic dominance into Champions League success, but at least they always get out of the group stage. PSG have been in the competition exclusively since 2012 (winning 10 of 12 Ligue 1 titles in that time) and have progressed to at least the last 16 in every season. Advertisement However after yet another defeat in the revamped group stage, losing 1-0 away at Bayern Munich , PSG are now in real danger of not even reaching the play-offs for the last 16. They currently sit 26th in the table on four points from five matches (scoring just three goals) and still have to face Manchester City (home) and Stuttgart (away) in their final three fixtures. Although to be fair that City game looks pretty easy right now. Luis Enrique is building a long-term project in Paris, moving away from the galacticos era and trying to create a young, cohesive team with and without the ball. They were also hampered by having to play most of the second half with 10 men after Ousmane Dembele’s red card. But he’s not helping himself with some odd decisions, like keeping Gianluigi Donnarumma out the team in favour of Matvey Safonov who was at fault for the winning goal in Munich (Donnarumma has had his issues with set pieces too, it must be said). Video for UK readers Kim Min-jae puts Bayern ahead against PSG! PSG get it all wrong from the corner 😬 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/cF38X8Ld0A — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 26, 2024 Video for U.S. readers Right place, right time as Kim Min-jae heads it home 💥 pic.twitter.com/o5p2blYEk2 — CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 26, 2024 Enrique deserves leeway because of PSG’s new long-term approach but with the talent they still have it would be a disaster if they finished outside the top 24 in the group stage. Perhaps PSG just don’t have enough match-winners. Bradley Barcola epitomises their contrasting form at home and abroad, with 10 goals in 12 Ligue 1 appearances and not a goal or assist to speak of in the Champions League. Sporting feel the No-Amorim Effect On the night that one of the new kings of European football was all set to ascend to his throne, it was left to an old stager to show him how it was done. Viktor Gyokeres hasn’t had many off-nights lately. In 25 matches this season Gyokeres had only failed to score in six of them, netting 33 goals and leading to suggestions he could break Lionel Messi ’s record for the most goals in a campaign. Advertisement Well, against one of the best centre-back pairings in Europe in Gabriel and William Saliba , Gyokeres endured a frustrating night, only managing a couple of attempts in what was a dreadful night for a Sporting team very much missing their old manager Ruben Amorim. Video for UK readers What a start for Arsenal 👏 Bukayo Saka puts it on a plate for Kai Havertz to extend the Gunners' lead ⭐ 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/Xpm3Vp8vRp — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 26, 2024 Video for U.S. readers The nutmeg assist from Bukayo Saka was COLD 🥶 pic.twitter.com/0exJSacKOt — CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 26, 2024 It ended 5-1 to serene Arsenal , who picked up where they left off against Nottingham Forest at the weekend with some sublime goals, carving through Sporting at will. Gabriel even mugged Gyokeres off by copying his celebration after scoring the third. Gyokeres is good, but he has an awful long way to go to reach the standard set by someone like Robert Lewandowski, whose two goals in Barcelona ’s breezy 3-0 victory at home to Brest saw the Pole reach a new landmark. He is just the third player to reach 100 Champions League goals, after Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo , and he helped put Barcelona in a dominant position in second place with 12 points. They are also the top scorers in the competition with 18 goals from five matches. USMNT’s Pulisic joins Champions League’s form players Who are the most in-form players in the group stage so far? Raphinha is up there, so too Gyokeres, Lewandowski, Harry Kane , Jonathan David and Vinicius Junior . Christian Pulisic is definitely in the conversation too for a return of three goals and one assist from his five appearances, adding to five goals and four assists in Serie A so far this season. Advertisement On the day a trailer dropped for a new documentary series about America’s captain/Captain America, featuring contributions from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Jurgen Klopp, imaginatively titled ‘Pulisic’, the 26-year-old continued his fine recent form by giving AC Milan the lead in Bratislava. To the relief of Tim Howard and AC Milan’s media team, no, he didn’t do the Trump dance. Video for UK readers Pulisic opens the scoring for Milan! A lovely run and finish after Abraham plays him through 🤝 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/x4u6TkeROx — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 26, 2024 Video for U.S. readers Christian Pulisic with pace to burn 🔥 Another Champions League goal for Milan's in-form man ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/DP1l96qWLR — CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 26, 2024 Milan weren’t all that convincing against the second-worst team in the competition (Bratislava have lost all five games, conceding 18 goals) but edged through 3-2 thanks to further goals from substitute Rafael Leao and Tammy Abraham. That victory at Real Madrid earlier this month has transformed Milan’s Champions League campaign and, despite losing their first two matches, they could well nick an automatic qualifying spot for the last 16 if they win their next two games, both at home to Red Star Belgrade and Girona . If they keep Pulisic and Leao fit and firing in the second half of the season, Milan could be ones to watch. Tuesday’s results What’s next? The remaining nine fixtures for match-week five of the eight-round league phase take place on Wednesday. (Top image: Amazon)Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams

They were all exceptional – Mikel Arteta loved seeing Arsenal run riot in Lisbon