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NEW YORK (AP) — The leaders of presidential campaign insist they simply didn’t have enough time to execute a winning strategy against , pointing to “ferocious” political headwinds that were ultimately too much to overcome in the 107-day period after . Harris’ leadership team, speaking on the “Pod Save America” podcast that aired on Tuesday, defended over the campaign’s closing days, some of which have faced scrutiny in the weeks since . Specifically, they defended Harris’ outreach to Republican voters, her from Biden, her silence on and her inability to schedule an interview with popular podcaster Joe Rogan. “In a 107-day race, it is very difficult to do all the things you would normally do in a year and a half, two years,” said Harris campaign senior adviser Jen O’Malley Dillon. David Plouffe, another senior adviser, added, “There was a price to be paid for the short campaign.” The pointed reflections on Harris’ loss came just before she was scheduled to host a conference call with supporters as the party begins a painful process of self-examination. Trump won every swing state and traditionally aligned with Democrats — young voters and voters of color, among them. Harris’ team did not question the legitimacy of Trump’s victory. “We lost,” O’Malley Dillon said. But none of the Harris’ advisers acknowledged any mistakes during the wide-ranging podcast interview hosted by former Democratic operatives. Instead, they indicated that Harris had few options given the compressed timeframe and the broad anti-incumbent headwinds that have challenged elected officials across the world. They also gave Trump’s team some credit. They specifically pointed to Trump’s closing attack ad, which highlighted Harris’ support for taxpayer-funded sex reassignment surgeries for transgender prisoners. “Obviously, it was a very effective ad at the end,” said Harris deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks. “I think that it made her seem out of touch.” The campaign tested several potential response ads but, in the end, decided it was best to avoid a specific rebuttal. “There’s no easy answers to this,” O’Malley Dillon said. Plouffe said he thought the Trump attack ad against “Bidenomics” was even more effective, but he acknowledged that the transgender attacks were not helpful. “She was on tape,” he said. “Surgery for trans people who want to transition in prison was part of the Biden-Harris platform in 2020. It was part of what the administration did, right?” And while the campaign has faced lingering questions about its media strategy, Harris’ team said she actually wanted to participate in a podcast with Rogan, who is among the world’s most popular podcasters and ultimately endorsed Trump. Stephanie Cutter, another Harris senior adviser, said the campaign wasn’t able to “find a date” to make it work. “We had discussions with Joe Rogan’s team. They were great. They wanted us to come on. We wanted to come on,” she said. “Will she do it sometime in the future? Maybe. Who knows. But it didn’t ultimately impact the outcome one way or the other.” Plouffe noted that the campaign offered to do the Rogan podcast on the road in Austin, Texas. with Rogan in the podcaster’s studio. Harris’ campaign brass also defended her decision to court moderate Republicans in the campaign’s closing days. The decision has drawn ire from some progressives, who believe Harris should have worked harder to turn out more traditional Democratic voters. “This political environment sucked, OK? We were dealing with ferocious headwinds,” Plouffe said. “So we had a complicated puzzle to put together here in terms of the voters.” He acknowledged some “drift” toward Trump among non-college-educated voters, particularly voters of color, which made Harris’ outreach to moderate voters even more important. “Yes, of course you have to maximize your turnout and your vote share amongst liberal voters if you’re a Democrat. That was a huge focus,” he said. He added, “You’ve got to couple that with dominating in the middle. Not just winning it a little. We have to dominate the moderate vote.” Steve Peoples, The Associated Press
Jefferies on tanker stocks following U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil exportsAn Ontario city is lowering the fees it charges developers to build new housing “dramatically,” in a move local and provincial politicians hope will help to boost the number of homes built. Vaughan, located directly north of Toronto, announced the move this week, lowering development charges for all new homes back to their 2018 rates — and keeping them at that rate for at least the next five years. The move means developers will pay the city less to build. Homebuilders have long asked for a reduction in the fees they pay, claiming the charges levelled by municipalities to pay for infrastructure and local amenities are prohibitively high. Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca appears to agree. “Development charges have become an unfair tax burden on homebuyers,” he said in a statement announcing the development charge drop. “Too many of our residents, in particular young families in our community, have seen their dream of buying a home close to where they grew up disappear completely as housing prices have spiraled out of control. We have a housing affordability crisis and it’s time for us to get real about the solutions needed to solve it.” The move was praised by the Building Industry and Land Development Association, a developer lobby group, which has been calling for an overhaul of the fees its members pay. “This will enhance the financial viability of future projects, unlocking potential investment and stimulating supply,” BILD president Dave Wilkes said in a statement. The fee drop for builders comes as towns and cities province-wide struggle to get housing projects off the ground, leaving the Ford government’s plan to build 1.5 million new homes by 2031 in danger of failure. Recently, the Financial Accountability Officer of Ontario found housing starts were down 17 per cent year-on-year over the summer, with development of single-family homes heading for a 69-year low. That followed equally disappointing projections in the government’s Fall Economic Statement predicting the province would fail its annual housing goals every year until at least 2027. Ontario Housing Minister Paul Calandra told Global News Vaughan was making the right decision by cutting development charges. “It’s a really great first step for Vaughan, it had some of the highest – if not the highest — DCs in the country,” he said. “They will start to see the fruits of this — it will start to pay off for them.” Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles, whose party recently unveiled its vision of a new deal for municipalities, said the decision to cut development charges had been brought on by provincial neglect. “We hear from developers certainly that development charges remain a concern,” she said. “I think cities are trying to come up with solutions to get building happening and what’s missing here is the province. The province is not at the table with solutions and housing starts are down... we’ve never seen anything like this.”Alvin Bragg trying to 'strong-arm' Daniel Penny jury into deciding on negligent homicide: Andy McCarthy
NoneThe rumor mill is churning with exciting news for Apple enthusiasts! Leaks suggest that Apple is poised to launch its slimmest iPhone yet, tentatively named the iPhone 17 Air. This new model is expected to redefine smartphone design with its incredibly thin profile, potentially measuring between 5mm and 6mm. To put that into perspective, the current iPhone 16 Pro measures 8.25mm thick, and the thinnest iPhone to date, the 2014 iPhone 6, was 6.9mm thick. This development marks a significant shift in Apple’s design philosophy, pushing the boundaries of engineering and aesthetics. The “Air” moniker, synonymous with lightweight and sleek design in Apple’s product line (think MacBook Air and iPad Air), hints at the company’s ambition to achieve a new level of portability and elegance in its smartphones. But this ambitious design reportedly comes with some trade-offs, including potential compromises on battery life, camera capabilities, and connectivity. A New Era of Slim If the leaks are accurate, the iPhone 17 Air will be drastically thinner than any previous iPhone model. This radical reduction in thickness is generating considerable buzz among tech enthusiasts and raising questions about how Apple plans to achieve this feat without sacrificing functionality. Here’s what we’ve gathered from various sources: Design Challenges and Potential Trade-offs Creating an ultra-thin smartphone like the rumored iPhone 17 Air presents significant engineering challenges. Fitting all the necessary components – battery, processor, camera modules, and more – into such a slim profile requires innovative design and space optimization. Here are some potential challenges and trade-offs Apple might face: What About the Features? While the focus is on the iPhone 17 Air’s thin design, we can anticipate that Apple will still pack it with powerful features. Expected features include: My Thoughts Personally, I’m intrigued by the idea of an ultra-thin iPhone . I’ve always valued sleek and lightweight devices, and the iPhone 17 Air seems to take this to the extreme. However, I’m also cautious about the potential compromises. Battery life is crucial for me, and I wouldn’t want to sacrifice it for a thinner phone. I’m also curious to see how Apple addresses the challenges related to camera technology and speaker quality. I remember when the iPhone 6 came out, and how its thin design was a major selling point. But it also faced criticism for its susceptibility to bending. I hope Apple has learned from that experience and will ensure the iPhone 17 Air is durable enough for everyday use. The iPhone 17 Air is still shrouded in speculation, and we’ll have to wait for official announcements from Apple to confirm the final design and features. However, the leaks have certainly sparked excitement and anticipation among iPhone users. If Apple can successfully navigate the design challenges and deliver a truly compelling ultra-thin iPhone without significant compromises, the iPhone 17 Air could be a game-changer in the smartphone market. What do you think about the prospect of an ultra-thin iPhone? Are you excited about the potential design or concerned about the possible trade-offs? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Mark Shaheel Lal has become the first person since 2015 in Fiji to publicly declare his status as a person living with HIV. He came forward at a World Aids Day celebration in Nadi yesterday. In a social media post, he stated for too long, he has lived in silence. “But today, I am stepping out of that silence and into the light. I am the first Indian gay man in my community to come out as HIV positive, and it is with great pride that I share this truth with you,” Mr Lal said. “HIV is not a death sentence; it is not a mark of shame, and it certainly does not define me. I am not my diagnosis. I am my courage, my love, my strength.” “For every tear I’ve shed, for every fear I’ve faced, I have emerged stronger, more whole. I stand tall today, not in spite of HIV, but because of it. It has been the fire that forged me, the storm that shaped me.” Country Director Fiji and the Pacific for UNAIDS, Renata Ram also praised Mr Lal for speaking out. “Mark, your bravery and strength in putting a human face to this epidemic is nothing short of extraordinary. Your voice will inspire hope, challenge stigma, and ignite change. I am incredibly proud of you and deeply grateful for your courage,” she said.BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents’ stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus, the capital, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM news outlet reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The insurgency announced later Saturday that it had taken over Homs. The city’s capture is a major victory for the rebels, who have already seized the cities of and , as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said rebel control of Homs would be a game-changer. The rebels’ moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. For the first time in the country’s long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad’s government, the insurgents, led by the group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The rapid rebel gains, coupled with the lack of support from Assad’s erstwhile allies, posed the most serious threat to his rule since the start of the war. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad’s chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people.” In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria’s border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad’s status Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia, is busy with its . Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad’s forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015, and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. In a statement issued late Saturday, the participants affirmed their support for a political solution to the Syrian crisis “that would lead to the end of military activity and protect civilians.” They also agreed on the importance of strengthening international efforts to increase aid to the Syrian people. The insurgents’ march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the , the country’s fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists.” The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar’s top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. ____ Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria; Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad; Josef Federman and Victoria Eastwood in Doha, Qatar; and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington contributed to this report. Bassem Mroue And Zeina Karam, The Associated Press
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