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At least eight people were killed by Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank around the city of Tulkarem on Tuesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, including three people it said were killed by Israeli airstrikes. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of some uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. Elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian city of Bethlehem was marking a second somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of the war in Gaza, with most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent. Israel's bombardment and ground invasion in Gaza has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel in October 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage by Palestinian militants. Around 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza , although only two thirds are believed to still be alive. Here’s the latest: Israeli raid and airstrikes kill at least 8 Palestinians in West Bank, health officials say NUR SHAMS REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank — The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least eight people were killed by Israeli military operations in and around the city of Tulkarem in the northern West Bank on Tuesday. The ministry reported three of the dead were killed by airstrikes. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of some uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. An Associated Press photojournalist captured images of Israeli forces detonating an explosive device planted by Palestinian militants during a raid in the Nur Shams refugee camp. Israel has carried out several large-scale raids in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza, ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. While airstrikes were once rare in the West Bank, they have grown more common since the outbreak of war as Israeli forces clamp down, saying they aim to prevent attacks on their citizens. Israeli fire has killed at least 800 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since October 2023, Palestinian health officials say. In that time, Palestinian militants have launched a number of attacks on soldiers at checkpoints and within Israel. Syrians celebrate Christmas and dream of ‘a new birth for Syria’ SAYDNAYA, Syria — A large crowd of Syrians gathered near a historic monastery in Saydnaya on Christmas Eve to witness the lighting of a towering tree adorned with glowing green lights. Tuesday's celebration offered a rare moment of joy in a city scarred by over a decade of war and an infamous prison , where tens of thousands were held. Families and friends stood beneath the illuminated tree — some wearing Santa hats, others watching from rooftops — while a band played festive music and fireworks lit up the sky “This year is different, there’s happiness, victory and a new birth for Syria and a new birth for Christ,” said Houssam Saadeh, one attendee. Another, Joseph Khabbaz, expressed hope for unity across all sects and religions in Syria, dismissing recent Christmas tree vandalism as “isolated incidents.” Earlier in the afternoon, pilgrims visited the historic Our Lady of Saydnaya Monastery, one of the world’s oldest Christian monasteries, believed to be built in the sixth century. In Homs, a similarly grand Christmas tree was illuminated as security officers patrolled the area to ensure a safe and peaceful gathering, according to Syria’s state media. UN says Israeli attacks on North Gaza have a devastating impact on Palestinian civilians UNITED NATIONS -- Recent attacks on hospitals in North Gaza, where Israel is carrying out an offensive, are having a devastating impact on Palestinian civilians still in the area, the U.N. humanitarian office says. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs expressed deep concern at reports that the Israeli military entered the Indonesian Hospital on Tuesday, forcing its evacuation. The humanitarian office, known as OCHA, also expressed deep concern at attacks reported in recent days in and around the two other hospitals in North Gaza that are minimally functioning – Al Awda and Kamal Adwan. OCHA said the Israeli siege on Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia and parts of Jaballiya in North Gaza continued for a 79th day on Tuesday, and while the U.N. and its partners have made 52 attempts to coordinate humanitarian access to besieged areas in December 48 were rejected by Israel. While four missions were approved, OCHA said the U.N. and its partners faced impediments as a result of Israeli military operations and “none of the U.N.-coordinated attempts to access the area have been fully facilitated.” Throughout the Gaza Strip, OCHA said that Israeli authorities facilitated just 40% of requests for humanitarian movements requiring their approval in December. Global monitor says famine is weeks away in north Gaza. A US diplomat calls the warning ‘irresponsible’ WASHINGTON — A leading global food crisis monitor says deaths from starvation will likely pass famine levels in north Gaza as soon as next month. The U.S.-created Famine Early Warning System Network says that’s because of a near-total Israeli blockade of food and other aid in that part of Gaza. The finding, however, appears to have exposed a rift within the Biden administration over the extent of starvation in northern Gaza. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, disputes part of the data used in reaching the conclusion and calls the intensified famine warning “irresponsible.” Northern Gaza has been one of the areas hardest-hit by fighting and Israel’s restrictions on aid throughout its 14-month war with Hamas militants. Israel wants UN Security Council to condemn recent attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels UNITED NATIONS — Israel’s foreign minister has requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to condemn recent missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and to condemn the group's Iranian allies for allegedly providing the group with weapons. Gideon Saar said in a letter Tuesday to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the United States, which holds the council presidency this month, that the Houthis are violating international law and council resolutions. “This Iranian-backed terrorist group continues to endanger Israel’s and other nations’ security, as well as the freedom of maritime navigation, in flagrant violation of international law,” Saar said. “All of this malign activity is done as part of a broader strategy to destabilize the region.” The U.S. Mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to an email asking when the council meeting will be held. The Houthis have said they launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea – and on Israel -- with the aim of ending Israel’s devastating air and ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli war in Gaza followed Hamas’ deadly October 2023 attacks in southern Israel. Israeli military says troops' presence inadvertently contributed to Hamas killing 6 hostages in August TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli military investigation has concluded that the presence of troops inadvertently contributed to the deaths of six hostages killed by their Hamas captors in Gaza. The hostages' bodies were discovered in a tunnel in late August, an event that shook Israel and sparked some of the largest anti-war protests since the war began. The investigation found that the six hostages were killed by multiple gunshots from their captors after surviving for nearly 330 days. The Israeli military’s “ground activities in the area, although gradual and cautious, had a circumstantial influence on the terrorists’ decision to murder the six hostages,” the report found. According to the investigation, the Israeli military began operating in the area where the hostages were being held in southern Gaza about two weeks before their discovery, under the assumption that the chances of hostages in the area was medium to low. On August 27, hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi was found alone in a tunnel , causing the Israeli military to halt operations for 24 hours to determine if there could be other hostages in the area. The military discovered the opening leading to the tunnel where the bodies of the six hostages were located on August 30. A pathological report estimated the six hostages were killed on August 29. The six hostages killed were Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin , whose American-Israeli parents became some of the most recognized spokespeople pleading for the hostages’ release, including addressing the Democratic National Convention days before their son’s killing. “The investigation published tonight proves once again that the return of all hostages will only be possible through a deal,” the Hostages Families Forum said in response to the investigation. “Every passing moment puts the hostages’ lives in immediate danger.” Israeli ceasefire negotiators are returning from Qatar after ‘a significant week,’ prime minister’s office says JERUSALEM — The Israeli negotiating team working on a ceasefire returned from Qatar to Israel on Tuesday, the prime minister’s office said, after what it called “a significant week” of talks. After months of deadlock, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt resumed their mediation efforts in recent weeks and reported greater willingness by the warring sides to reach a deal. According to Egyptian and Hamas officials, the proposed agreement would take place in phases and include a halt in fighting, an exchange of captive Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and a surge in aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. Israel says Hamas is holding 100 hostages, over one-third of whom are believed to be dead. On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was “some progress” in efforts to reach a deal, but added he did not know how long it would take. Israeli soldiers force patients to evacuate a hospital in northern Gaza, some on foot, Palestinian health officials say CAIRO — Israeli soldiers took control of a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Tuesday. Some of the patients had to walk to another hospital while others were driven by paramedics, according to Health Ministry spokesperson Zaher al-Wahidi. He did not specify how many patients had evacuated. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. The army later said its soldiers had left the hospital. The military said it had assisted with evacuating the patients and had not ordered the hospital closed. However, al-Wahidi said only one doctor and maintenance person were left behind. The Indonesian Hospital is one of three hospitals left largely inaccessible in the northernmost part of Gaza because Israel has imposed a tight siege there since launching an offensive in early October. The Israeli army said Tuesday’s operation at the Indonesian Hospital came after militants carried out attacks from the hospital for the past month, including launching anti-tank missiles and planting explosive devices in the surrounding area. The Health Ministry accused Israel of “besieging and directly targeting” the three hospitals in northern Gaza. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, said Israeli drones detonated explosives near the hospital and that 20 people were wounded, including five medical staff. The Israeli military declined to comment on the operation around the hospital. Syrian Christians protest to demand greater protections after a Christmas tree is burned DAMASCUS — Scores of Syrian Christians protested in the capital Damascus on Tuesday, demanding greater protections for their religious minority after a Christmas tree was set on fire in the city of Hama a day earlier. Many of the insurgents who now rule Syria are jihadis, although Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the main rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and spent years depicting himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. It remains unclear who set the Christmas tree on fire Monday, which was condemned by a representative of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham who visited the town and addressed the community. “This act was committed by people who are not Syrian, and they will be punished beyond your expectations," the HTS representative said in a video widely shared on social media. "The Christmas tree will be fully restored by this evening.” On Tuesday, protesters marched through the streets of Bab Touma in Damascus, shouting slogans against foreign fighters and carrying large wooden crosses. “We demand that Syria be for all Syrians. We want a voice in the future of our country,” said Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church as he addressed the crowd in a church courtyard, assuring them of Christians’ rights in Syria. Since HTS led a swift offensive that overthrew President Bashar Assad earlier this month, Syria’s minority communities have been on edge, uncertain of how they will be treated under the emerging rebel-led government. “We are here to demand a democratic and free government for one people and one nation,” another protester said. “We stand united — Muslims and Christians. No to sectarianism.” Qatar says Gaza ceasefire negotiations are ongoing DOHA — Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that ceasefire negotiations to end the war in Gaza were ongoing in Doha in cooperation with Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediators. “We will not leave any door unopened in pursuit of reaching an agreement,” said Majid al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday. Al Ansari added that rumors the ceasefire would be reached before Christmas are “speculation.” The ceasefire negotiations come at a time when winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. Families of the approximately 100 hostages who have been held for 445 days in Gaza are also worried their loved ones will not survive another winter. In a press conference, al-Ansari also called on the international community to lift sanctions on Syria as quickly as possible on Tuesday. “The reason was the crimes of the previous regime, and that regime, with all of its authority, is no longer in place, therefor the causes for these sanctions no longer exist today,” he said. US journalist missing in Syria since 2012 is believed to be alive, says aid group DAMASCUS, Syria — American journalist Austin Tice is believed to be still alive, according to the head of an international aid group. Nizar Zakka, who runs the Hostage Aid Worldwide organization, said there has never been any proof that Tice, who has been missing since 2012, is dead. Zakka told reporters in Damascus on Tuesday that Tice was alive in January and being held by the authorities of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad. He added that U.S. President Joe Biden said in August that Tice was alive. Zakka said he believes Tice was transferred between security agencies over the past 12 years, including in an area where Iranian-backed fighters were operating. Asked if it was possible Tice had been taken out of the country, Zakka said Assad most likely kept him in Syria as a potential bargaining chip. Biden said Dec. 8 that his administration believed Tice was alive and was committed to bringing him home, although he also acknowledged that “we have no direct evidence” of his status. A former Israeli hostage dies TEL AVIV, Israel — Hannah Katzir, an Israeli woman who was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, and freed in a brief ceasefire last year, has died. She was 78. The Hostages Families Forum, a group representing the families of people taken captive, confirmed the death Tuesday but did not disclose the cause. Her daughter, Carmit Palty Katzir, said in a statement that her mother’s “heart could not withstand the terrible suffering since Oct. 7.” Katzir’s husband, Rami, was killed during the attack by militants who raided their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her son Elad was also kidnapped and his body was recovered in April by the Israeli military, who said he had been killed in captivity. She spent 49 days in captivity and was freed in late November 2023. Shortly after Katzir was freed, her daughter told Israeli media that she had been hospitalized with heart issues attributed to “difficult conditions and starvation” while she was held captive. Israeli air defense system intercepts projectile launched from Yemen TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel's military said the projectile was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory, but it set off air raid sirens overnight in the country's populous central area, sending residents looking for cover. Israel’s rescue service Magen David Adom said a 60-year-old woman was seriously wounded after being hurt on her way to a protected space. There was no immediate comment from Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. It was the third time in a week that fire from Yemen set off sirens in Israel. On Saturday, a missile slammed into a playground in Tel Aviv, injuring 16, after Israel’s air defense system failed to intercept it. Earlier last week, Israeli jets struck Yemen’s rebel-held capital and a port city, killing nine. Israel said the strikes were in response to previous Houthi attacks.A look at how some of Trump's picks to lead health agencies could help carry out Kennedy's overhaulOn the other hand, Muani, once a rising star in the business world, has faced a series of setbacks that have led to a significant drop in his net worth. Known for his bold and unconventional approach to investments, Muani's recent ventures seem to have fallen short of expectations, resulting in the 10 million euro decrease in his assets. Despite his recent downturn, Muani remains a figure to watch, as his resilience and determination have proven to be assets in navigating the unpredictable world of high finance.sports day 。

William Blair downgrades Ulta on concerns over beauty category recoveryIn conclusion, the recent fire at Alibaba's cloud computing data center had no impact on its cloud services, thanks to the company's proactive and effective response. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of robust disaster preparedness measures in safeguarding critical infrastructure and ensuring the continuity of operations. Alibaba continues to uphold the highest standards of security and reliability in its cloud services, reaffirming its position as a trusted provider of cutting-edge technology solutions.

As the season progresses, it will be fascinating to see how Udinese and AC Milan fare in their upcoming matches and whether Udinese can maintain their newfound momentum and close the gap on the league leaders. With both teams hungry for success and eager to make their mark on the Serie A landscape, the competition is set to intensify in the coming weeks.

In addition to its engrossing storyline, "Empresses in the Palace" is also praised for its lavish production values and exquisite costumes. The sets, costumes, and cinematography transport viewers back to the opulent and decadent world of the Qing dynasty, immersing them in a visually stunning and historically accurate portrayal of imperial China. The attention to detail and the grandeur of the palace settings add an extra layer of authenticity and allure to the drama, making it a feast for the eyes as well as the mind.None

Enthusiast cars tend to be quite divisive for one reason or another. Gearheads tend to be pretty specific with their tastes, which often leads to certain cars having cult followings and other cars being highly criticized for many reasons, from not living up to expectations to not having the specific engine that a small subset of cars people want. There's also enthusiast car royalty. These cars are constantly in the spotlight for a multitude of reasons, and enthusiasts can't seem to get enough of them. In the same way that gearheads have strong negative opinions about some of these cars, they also have quite the strong positive opinions about others. Indeed, some of these cars deserve the hype, and are as good as car people make them out to be. Sometimes, however, this transcends anything related to hype or simply being fans of a certain car, and it has led to a lot of enthusiast cars that are absurdly and bizarrely overrated. Technically, the Lamborghini Urus is supposed to be an enthusiast car, a more practical SUV from an enthusiast brand commonly known for its involvement in the supercar business. The Urus is not Lambo's first production SUV, but it is the first one that isn't a nightmare to own. In many respects, the Urus is an impressive car. The original version packed 641 horsepower from its turbo V8, and the latest Urus SE plug-in hybrid pushes well over 800 horsepower. It takes less than four seconds to reach 60 mph, it drives pretty well for what it is, and it tops out at 190 mph, which is not something a lot of SUVs can brag about. However, in the few years that the Urus has been with us, it has become somewhat of a hype car. People can't seem to stop posting it all over social media, and it got lost in this thick fog of hype, even though it was always planned to be just the Lamborghini of SUVs. It's also not the best looking, which is another way of saying that it's hideously overstyled and a little ungainly. There are many overrated cars, but few can quite claim to be on the same level of overrated as the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R. This was the final generation of the iconic performance car to use the Skyline nameplate, and it was sold only in Japan throughout the late 90s and the early 2000s. It would be silly to dispute that the Skyline GT-R is an impressive car because it undeniably is. The RB26DETT engine is fantastic in stock form, but it gets even better when you add more power. Combined with AWD and incredible chassis tuning, the R34 was very difficult to beat for the standards at the time. Then, "2 Fast 2 Furious" happened. Despite its comparative lack of screen time in that movie, the Skyline GT-R quickly became the absolute king of the Japanese car community. Combined with the unfortunate passing of Paul Walker , who actually owned several of these in real life, we are now living in a time where people are justifying spending $300,000 on what is, ostensibly, a late 90s Nissan. For that money, you can have about six used R35 GT-Rs in good condition, and the R35 GT-R is faster, more powerful, and handled even better. It was officially sold in North America, making it much easier to source. In the world of Japanese car fandom, if you're not in camp R34, then you are definitely in camp Mk4 Supra. Launched in the early 90s, the A80 Toyota Supra was the final generation of Toyota's flagship grand touring sports car, at least before the excellent GR Supra, co-developed with BMW, appeared at the end of the previous decade. Powering the A80 Supra was the iconic 2JZ six-cylinder engine, which was either naturally aspirated or turbocharged. Obviously, this engine is known for taking a beating when it comes to tuning and for being ultra-reliable, and we're not gonna sit here and explain how the 2JZ wasn't a very good engine. The Supra was, at its core, a grand tourer. It was heavy, approaching the weight of a modern Camry, and while it was good to drive, it was never all that special. But again, its appearance in various media franchises means a pristine Mk4 Supra is now worth six figures. For comparison's sake, you can quite easily buy any other 90s Toyota with 200,000 miles on the odometer off Craigslist for whatever small amount of cash you currently have in your wallet. Over a decade ago, we would have said that the Mazda Miata deserves the hype, including the original NA Miata. However, these days, it's absolutely out of control. We're not disputing the Miata's contribution to the world of sports cars because it is truly a massive one. Taking inspiration from British roadsters of the 60s and 70s, the Miata was conceived as a modern interpretation with limited power, RWD, a manual transmission, and a removable roof. It was an absolute smash hit, and it continues to be the best-selling small sports car of all time. While the Miata is a great car in just about every way, the hype surrounding it is absolutely crazy. You can't go more than a few minutes on social media without seeing an NA Miata flexing its pop-up headlights, or some bizarre modifications that include mounting a tongue and teeth to the grille to make it look like it has a face. Good car? Yes. Completely overhyped nowadays? Absolutely yes. With the refresh of the Challenger back in 2015, Dodge decided to shoot for the stars and create the most powerful muscle car in history. Enter the Hellcat, which initially featured the namesake 6.2-liter supercharged V8 with an incredible 707 horsepower. From 2015 to the present day, this engine was pushed to well over 1,000 horsepower, allowing the Challenger to obliterate multiple production car records, including 0-60 and 1⁄4 mile times. The obscene power combined with the old-school muscle car feel contribute to the Hellcat being a special car. With the demise of the Hellcat powertrain and the LX platform vehicles, the Challenger Hellcat has started to garner quite the reputation in the car community. In actuality, the Hellcat's competitors will run rings around it on the race track. Let's face the facts: the Hellcat is a bit of a one-trick pony — just one that persistently has yellow front splitter guards. It's not really a precision tool. The Tesla Model S is more than a decade old now, and we can't deny the influence the Model S has had on the automotive industry as a whole. In fact, it might even be the most influential car of the past decade due to its contribution to the industry shift towards electrification. A couple of years ago, Tesla gave the Model S a thorough refresh, including revised exterior styling and a completely overhauled interior. As part of this refresh, the top-of-the-line Plaid model was introduced, with a 1,020 horsepower tri-motor setup, a claimed 0-60 time of less than two seconds, and a top speed of 200 mph. Indeed, along with all of that, the Model S Plaid does have some other cool features, too. Sure, the Model S Plaid's acceleration is very, very impressive, and even the most jaded of drivers and passengers will be shocked. However, at the end of the day, it's a decade-old car with quality control issues, a really high sticker price, and it doesn't even have a proper steering wheel.Like all other Teslas, it isn't that good of a car in the long run. You're better off spending your money on a Lucid Air Sapphire, and if electric isn't a requirement, Bob's your uncle. Don't worry — even though you can have multiple R35 GT-Rs for the price of a single R34, that doesn't mean the R35 is any less overrated. When the R35 GT-R arrived back in the late 2000s, it was the first Nissan with a GT-R badge to be sold globally, and initially, it was a very impressive car. Despite having "only" a twin-turbo V6 under the hood, the GT-R could easily keep up with and surpass a lot of the very best supercars and sports cars of its day. As time went on, the competition caught up, and the GT-R became an ancient veteran that just didn't perform as well in comparison. Nissan stubbornly continued making the GT-R, finally ending the obscenely long production run after model year 2024. The GT-R might have been the supercar killer once, but by the mid-2010s, it lost the magic when it became the must-have car for YouTube daily vloggers. Nobody believed that Volkswagen could actually do it, but as soon as it bought Bugatti back in the early 2000s, it promised that it would build the fastest production car in the world. Launched in the mid-2000s, the original Veyron 16.4 was exactly that: shortly after its launch, became the fastest production car in the world, reaching 253 mph. Later versions of the Veyron achieved even higher speeds, and Bugatti became the first automaker to break the 300 mph barrier with a modified Chiron. The Veyron was a special car, sure, but over the past few years, the magic has been somewhat lost. For one, you can get more power and better acceleration from an electric sedan nowadays. Veyrons are incredibly expensive and difficult to own, and it's no fun owning a car that you're too scared to drive. While the Veyron's speed record was and still is impressive, the McLaren F1 is the more special of the two: it's the fastest naturally aspirated production car in the world, and not a single car has dethroned it since.

However, their upcoming opponents are no pushovers. The challengers have been in top form, displaying formidable skills and a resilient spirit. Their recent victories have boosted their confidence, and they will undoubtedly be a tough nut to crack for Real Madrid. The clash of these two football powerhouses promises to be a spectacle filled with intensity, drama, and breathtaking moments.