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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: 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.” 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. 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. 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.” 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. 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. 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. 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.The Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Karachi, Yang Yundong Wednesday stated that under the guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperation will continue to deepen KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Nov, 2024) The Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Karachi, Yang Yundong Wednesday stated that under the guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperation will continue to deepen. He said the recent visit to Pakistan by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, following Prime Minister Shehbaz's visit to Beijing, exemplifies this high-level cooperation. During media briefing at Chinese Consulate, here, Yang Yundong said currently, China-Pakistan iron-clad friendship is everlasting and ever-refreshing. The Pakistan-China relationship is of strategic significance and both sides firmly support each other’s core interests and development paths, the China-Pakistan relationship has always been a priority in China’s foreign relations. Any attempt to disrupt or undermine Pakistan-China cooperation would be failed, he added. Chinese CG said the two sides will continuously strengthen practical cooperation across various fields, jointly upgrade the CPEC and accelerate the construction of major projects in railways, highways, and ports. Following the important common understanding between leaders of the two countries, both sides are ready to advance the upgradation of ML-1, and agreed to build Karachi-Hyderabad section in line with the modality of implementing in a phased manner. He said the two sides will work together to refine and optimize the construction plan of Karachi-Hyderabad section and formulate financing and implementation plans that are feasible and sustainable at the earliest. He said the two countries will actively seek financial support for the Karakoram Highway (Raikot-Thakot) realignment project under the terms of the Framework Agreement of the project, and facilitate the project’s early execution. He said Pakistan and China will speed up the development of the auxiliary infrastructure of the Gwadar Port, steadily attract more cargo shipments to the port, find a solution to inadequate water and power supply at an early date, accelerate the development of the port’s industrial zone, and solidly enhance connectivity between the port and other parts of Pakistan. The New Gwadar International Airport project aided by China has been completed. Yang said we are also deepening cooperation in agriculture, mining, information technology, energy, trade, and culture. China supports its companies to invest in Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones in line with the market and commercial principles. It is expected that the Pakistani side will improve its business environment and provide a favorable policy framework for Chinese investment. He said China will continue support Pakistan to improve the well-being of its people, aiming to ensure that development benefits reach all regions and communities. Under the framework of the CPEC Working Group on Socio-Economic Cooperation, and added that the two sides will strengthen their cooperation particularly in areas like healthcare, agriculture, education, climate response, and disaster prevention, while continuing to promote projects that improve people’s livelihoods. He said his country firmly supports Pakistan’s efforts in combating terrorism and asks Pakistan to take targeted security measures to comprehensively safeguard the safety and security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan, so as to create a safe and secure environment for the cooperation between our two countries. He stressed that media cooperation was an important part of China-Pakistan relations as it plays a crucial role in advancing people-to-people exchanges, promoting mutual understanding and enriching the content of bilateral relations. He hoped that the media friends will continue to report extensively and positively on China's economic and social development, China's foreign policy as well as China-Pakistan relations and the construction of the CPEC and make more positive contribution to the enhancement of mutual understanding between the people of our two countries and the deepening of the development of bilateral relations. He expressed hope that the media of the two countries strengthen communication and exchanges and push forward practical cooperation. The Consulate General of China in Karachi is willing to play the role of a bridge to actively provide assistance and will continue to invite the media friends to visit China to experience China's development and progress by yourselves and the profound friendship between the Chinese and Pakistani people. Elaborating China's 75 years journey, especially after launch of the reform and opening up policy in 1978, China has achieved remarkable economic and social development. China has maintained an average annual economic growth rate of 8.9% for 45 consecutive years, increasing its economic scale by 47 times. It has become the world’s largest industrial manufacturer, largest trading nation, largest foreign exchange reserve holder, and the second-largest economy, he added. Yang Yundong said China now has built the most complete modern industrial system in the world and has realized industrialization in just a few decades, which took developed Western countries several centuries. At the same time, China's system and capacity for governance have been further modernized. China now has put in place the world’s biggest systems of education, social security, medical care and community-based institutions of democracy, has become one of the safest and most orderly countries in the world, and the happiness index of the Chinese people is constantly improving. Referring to the report of 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, he said report clearly stated that China is a large developing country and is still in the primary stage of socialism. No matter how China’s economy develops or how its international status rises, China will always be a member of the developing world, striving for common rights and interests and safeguarding shared benefits with the vast number of developing countries. He said as a large developing country and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China has made positive and significant contributions to world peace and development over the past several decades. In the 1960s and 1970s, despite its own limited wealth and resources, China helped build some major infrastructure projects like Karakoram Highway and Tanzania Zambia Railway, which vividly illustrated the “true friendship in times of need” between China and Pakistan, as well as other countries. He said from 1979 to 2023, China contributed 24.8% annually to global economic growth, ranking first in the world. It has taken the lead in achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and has contributed over 70% to global poverty reduction. He said in 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and more than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations have signed the BRI cooperation agreements with China for now. Over the past 10 years, under the principles of “extensive consultation”“joint contribution” and “shared benefit”, the BRI has mobilized nearly one trillion U.S. dollars in investments worldwide, initiated over 3,000 cooperative projects and created 420,000 jobs for BRI partner countries. According to the World Bank, the BRI has led to a 4.1% increase in trade, a 5% increase in foreign investment, and a 3.4% rise in GDP for low-income countries, Chinese Consul General said and hoped that by 2030, the BRI is expected to generate 1.6 trillion U.S. dollars in global benefits annually, accounting for 1.3% of global GDP, helping nearly 40 million people get rid of poverty around the world. The BRI has become a platform for global cooperation and a breakthrough for the world economy to overcome low growth. He said China is one of the most peace-loving countries in the world. For a long time in human history, China was one of the most powerful countries in the world, but it has left no record of colonization and invasion of other countries. China's adherence to the path of peaceful development is an inheritance and development of the peace-loving cultural tradition of the Chinese nation over thousands of years. Yang Yundong said since its founding, the People's Republic of China has remained firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace, and has always been committed to emphasizing its foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development. Even as China grows stronger today, it has no intention of turning itself into an American-Soviet-style super-hegemony. He said China does not pursue the path of great power rivalry, nor does it follow the traditional approach of emerging nations challenging established powers. It does not engage in colonialism, or enslave underdeveloped countries. It does not undermine the existing international political structure, challenge the international order, or pursue spheres of influence. Instead, China advocates for the principle of peaceful coexistence and strives to live in harmony and develop together with all countries in the world. He said nowadays, China will work with all countries in the world to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and implement the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, and actively advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. He also outlined China’s eight actions for global development, including : on top of RMB 700 billion yuan added financing windows and an additional RMB 80 billion yuan injection into the Silk Road Fund, China is moving ahead with the development of the multidimensional Belt and Road connectivity network to build a green Silk Road and empower a digital Silk Road. Implement the Global Development Initiative, build the Global South research center, and put to good use of the 20 billion US dollars of development funds to support developing countries. Join theGlobal Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty and support the G20 in continuing to convene the Development MinisterialMeeting, and will stay a committed host of the International Conference on Food Lossand Waste. From now to 2030, China’s imports from other developing countries are likely to top 8 trillion US dollars. Author of the book 'China Leads' Dr Junaid Ahmad, former Vice Chancellor Sindh Madressatul Islam University Professor Muhammad Ali Shaikh also spoke on the occasion and shed light on all weather friendship of China and Pakistan.Broncos waive CB Levi Wallace after 13 games, RB Tyler Badie returns to practice

Turkey Hair Transplant Cost Guide: Affordable ExcellenceEnergy stocks as a whole delivered an underwhelming performance in 2025. The average one in the S&P 500 has only managed to eke out a small gain (the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund -- an ETF that tracks energy stocks in the S&P 500 -- is only up about 1% on the year). Meanwhile, the S&P 500 has rallied more than 25%. A few Fool.com contributors expect a better performance from energy stocks next year. Chevron ( CVX 0.01% ) , Enterprise Products Partners ( EPD -0.23% ) , and Occidental Petroleum ( OXY 0.75% ) top their lists as the best ones to buy in the new year. Here's why they expect these energy companies to deliver a strong performance in 2025. Chevron has you covered through the energy cycle Reuben Gregg Brewer (Chevron): Energy stocks can be volatile, given that oil and natural gas prices are notoriously volatile. So you have to go in ready to handle the inherent ups and downs of the industry, regardless of whether you buy at the top of the energy cycle or the bottom. Chevron is built to ride the wave -- and keep paying you well throughout. The proof is in the $250 billion market cap energy giant's 37-year streak of annual dividend increases. There are a couple of important reasons for this reliable performance. First off, as an integrated energy company, Chevron has exposure across the energy sector, including the upstream (energy production), midstream ( pipelines ), and downstream (chemicals and refining). Each of the sectors operates a little differently from the others and, as such, having all three in the portfolio helps to soften the broader industry's peaks and valleys. CVX Debt to Equity Ratio data by YCharts Then there's Chevron's rock-solid balance sheet , with a debt-to-equity ratio that's a very low 0.2. That would be low for any company, but it gives Chevron the leeway to take on leverage during energy downturns so it can continue to support its business and dividend until the energy sector recovers, as it always has before. Add in an attractive 4.5% dividend yield , and there's even more reason to buy Chevron right now. Dual drivers should fuel more growth in 2025 Matt DiLallo (Enterprise Products Partners ): Midstream giant Enterprise Products Partners had a very solid year in 2024. The master limited partnership ( MLP ) grew its distributable cash flow by 5% in the third quarter. Meanwhile, it has increased its distribution payment by 5% over the past year. The company benefited from recently completed organic expansion projects, which supplied it with new sources of cash flow . That momentum should continue in 2025. The midstream company has several more organic expansion projects in the pipeline that should enter commercial service over the next year. Those projects will supply more sources of cash flow growth next year. In addition, Enterprise Products Partners will get a boost from its recently closed acquisition of Pinon Midstream. The $950 million deal will be highly accretive to its cash flow. The MLP expects it to add $0.03 per unit in 2025, with further upside potential from commercial and operating synergies. Those visible growth drivers should give the MLP the fuel to continue increasing its distribution in 2025. That would extend its growth streak, which reached 26 years in 2024. Its payout currently yields a very attractive 6.8%, putting it much higher than average (the S&P 500's dividend yield is around 1.2%). Enterprise Products Partners' lucrative income stream and visible growth drivers should give it the fuel to produce a solid return in 2025. That low-risk probability of earning a solid return makes it stand out as a top energy stock to buy for the next year. A compelling bounce-back candidate for 2025 Neha Chamaria (Occidental Petroleum): Occidental Petroleum stock turned out to be one of the largest underperforming large-cap energy stocks of 2024, losing 19% of its value in the year as of this writing. While falling oil prices in the second half of the year hit several oil stocks, Occidental Petroleum stock took a bigger hit partly because of debt, which zoomed after its multibillion-dollar CrownRock acquisition in August. At this point, however, Occidental Petroleum looks like the kind of energy stock you'd want to buy for 2025 for one big reason: Management is laser-focused on cutting down debt. Occidental announced a target of reducing debt by at least $4.5 billion within 12 months of closing the CrownRock acquisition. The company, however, hit 90% of its goal in less than three months, driven by strong cash flow generation in its third quarter. During its third-quarter earnings conference call, management stated that Occidental Petroleum has enough cash to repay debt maturing in 2025, and that it should be able to pare debt further next year even in a low-oil price environment. Meanwhile, CrownRock's key assets in the Permian Basin are already contributing to Occidental's production and cash flows, as was evidenced in the third quarter. Occidental also has other growth catalysts, such as its low-carbon ventures business and its chemicals business, called OxyChem. Given the backdrop, Occidental Petroleum looks like a value stock worth betting on for 2025 .

'Conservative' Outfits Are 'Scouring' Because Journalists Won't

Thousands Still Queuing To Vote After Namibia Polls CloseAlaskans saved ranked-choice voting (RCV) this month at the same time they elected a conservative Republican to Congress. In so doing, they undercut the accusation that the instant-runoff system mostly helps Democrats, the most politically potent argument for opposing it. And they offered a glimmer of hope that RCV and other worthwhile voting reforms are not passing fads.Rumble Sues California Over Censorship Law

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DENVER (AP) — Amid renewed interest in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! DENVER (AP) — Amid renewed interest in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? DENVER (AP) — Amid renewed interest in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. JonBenet Ramsey, who competed in beauty pageants, was found dead in the basement of her family’s home in the college town of Boulder the day after Christmas in 1996. Her body was found several hours after her mother called 911 to say her daughter was missing and a ransom note had been left behind. The details of the crime and video footage of JonBenet competing in pageants propelled the case into one of the highest-profile mysteries in the United States. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation, a month before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet’s killing. Police said they released it a little earlier due to the increased attention on the case, apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey.” In a video statement, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said the department welcomes news coverage and documentaries about the killing of JonBenet, who would have been 34 this year, as a way to generate possible new leads. He said the department is committed to solving the case but needs to be careful about what it shares about the investigation to protect a possible future prosecution. “What I can tell you though, is we have thoroughly investigated multiple people as suspects throughout the years and we continue to be open-minded about what occurred as we investigate the tips that come into detectives,” he said. The Netflix documentary focuses on the mistakes made by police and the “media circus” surrounding the case. JonBenet was bludgeoned and strangled. Her death was ruled a homicide, but nobody was ever prosecuted. Police were widely criticized for mishandling the early investigation into her death amid speculation that her family was responsible. However, a prosecutor cleared her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and brother Burke in 2008 based on new DNA evidence from JonBenet’s clothing that pointed to the involvement of an “unexplained third party” in her slaying. The announcement by former district attorney Mary Lacy came two years after Patsy Ramsey died of cancer. Lacy called the Ramseys “victims of this crime.” John Ramsey has continued to speak out for the case to be solved. In 2022, he supported an online petition asking Colorado’s governor to intervene in the investigation by putting an outside agency in charge of DNA testing in the case. In the Netflix documentary, he said he has been advocating for several items that have not been prepared for DNA testing to be tested and for other items to be retested. He said the results should be put through a genealogy database. In recent years, investigators have identified suspects in unsolved cases by comparing DNA profiles from crime scenes and to DNA testing results shared online by people researching their family trees. In 2021, police said in their annual update that DNA hadn’t been ruled out to help solve the case, and in 2022 noted that some evidence could be “consumed” if DNA testing is done on it. Last year, police said they convened a panel of outside experts to review the investigation to give recommendations and determine if updated technologies or forensic testing might produce new leads. In the latest update, Redfearn said that review had ended but that police continue to work through and evaluate a “lengthy list of recommendations” from the panel. ____ Amy Beth Hanson contributed to this report from Helena, Montana. Advertisement AdvertisementCanadiens veteran Brendan Gallagher has learned to adapt his gameFamiliar faces, familiar places: The latest from Capitol Hill

The Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has promised to make the country peaceful if confirmed by the National Assembly. The Army Chief, who was appointed in an acting capacity following the recent death of Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, made the pledge when he appeared on Wednesday before the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Defence and Army at the National Assembly Complex. He called for partnerships and cooperation with neighbouring countries to address insecurity and make the countries safer for habitation. He said, “I am honoured this evening (Wednesday) to be considered worthy to play a part in these efforts, and I look forward to contributing my utmost best by working with the National Assembly and other stakeholders in bringing lasting peace to the length and breadth of our dear country, Nigeria. “I humbly appear before you today to be confirmed as the 24th Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army simply because tragedy befell our Army and Armed Force when the 23rd Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, passed after a brief illness. “Although before his passing, I had been appointed by Mr President, His Excellency Bola Tinubu to act in his place pending his expected full recovery and resumption of duty as the Chief of Army Staff then. “After Lieutenant General Lagbaja’s demise and state funeral on November 15, 2024, Mr President, in his wisdom, found me worthy to fully continue the excellent job the Army has been doing here and get confirmed by the National Assembly.” Taking a trip down memory lane, the army boss recalled his journey in the military profession. “I have served this great nation as an officer of the Nigerian Army for over 30 years. My exposure to national security issues at the junior, middle, and senior cadres of the military profession has prepared me adequately for the assignment I am being screened for here today. “In the past five years or thereabout, I have operated at the senior operational and management levels of the Nigerian Army, and I have been somewhat involved in running the service in its entirety. Related News Senate screens acting COAS behind closed doors Reps summon CBN gov, banks’ CEOs over unverified POS operators Reps pass 2025-2027 MTEF/FSP ahead of 2025 budget presentation “Thus, I cannot completely distance myself from the successes or setbacks of our great army in the past couple of years. However, I see my nomination as the Chief of Army Staff as a privileged opportunity to be in the driver’s seat and bring about more positive changes to the Nigerian Army to enable it to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities. “Thus, if confirmed by this joint committee and given the common mandate to lead the Nigerian Army during this period, I promise to do my best to justify the confidence imposed in me by the appointing authority, which is His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the confirming authority which is you members of the National Assembly and the generality of Nigerians.” To combat the challenges of insecurity, the Nigerian Army, he said, requires aircraft for its operations. The Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson, said Nigeria has what it takes to address her sundry security challenges. “The current dynamics of global security demand innovative and adaptive strategies. Threats are no longer confined to traditional battlefields; they now extend to cyberspace, economic domains and even the socio-political fabric of nations. “In light of this, we must prioritise a forward-looking approach to national defence, ensuring that our military is well-equipped and adequately trained to address both conventional and emerging threats,” he said. Benson said the House will continue to provide the necessary legal frameworks and champion adequate funding of the armed forces to enhance its operations. He charged Oluyede to make professionalism his watchword, stressing that his assignment carries a deep and heavy responsibility. “If confirmed, you will be expected to foster synergy among security agencies, prioritise the welfare of troops and uphold the trust of Nigerians. This committee will ask questions that reflect the concerns of our constituents and the nation as a whole,” he added.