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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. Syrians protest after Christmas tree burned 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.” Germans mourn after Christmas market attack 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. Heavy snow hits the Balkans 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.” Planes grounded in the United States 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. Spanish ministries bring seafarers holiday cheer 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. Jalal Bwaitel, The Associated Press

West Virginia knocks off No. 4 Gonzaga in overtimeA judge on Monday granted a request by prosecutors to dismiss the election subversion case against Donald Trump because of a Justice Department policy of not prosecuting a sitting president. Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed to the request by Special Counsel Jack Smith to dismiss the case against the president-elect "without prejudice," meaning it could potentially be revived after Trump leaves the White House four years from now. "Dismissal without prejudice is appropriate here," Chutkan said, adding in the ruling that "the immunity afforded to a sitting President is temporary, expiring when they leave office." Trump, 78, was accused of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden and removing large quantities of top secret documents after leaving the White House, but the cases never came to trial. Smith also moved on Monday to drop his appeal of the dismissal of the documents case filed against the former president in Florida. That case was tossed out earlier this year by a Trump-appointed judge on the grounds that Smith was unlawfully appointed. The special counsel paused the election interference case and the documents case this month after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 presidential election. Smith cited the long-standing Justice Department policy of not indicting or prosecuting a sitting president in his motions to have the cases dismissed. "The Government's position on the merits of the defendant's prosecution has not changed," Smith said in the filing with Chutkan. "But the circumstances have." "It has long been the position of the Department of Justice that the United States Constitution forbids the federal indictment and subsequent criminal prosecution of a sitting President," Smith said. "As a result this prosecution must be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated." In a separate filing, Smith said he was withdrawing his appeal of the dismissal of the classified documents case against Trump but pursuing the case against his two co-defendants, Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said the cases were "empty and lawless, and should never have been brought." "Over $100 Million Dollars of Taxpayer Dollars has been wasted in the Democrat Party's fight against their Political Opponent, ME," he said. "Nothing like this has ever happened in our Country before." Trump was accused of conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding -- the session of Congress called to certify Biden's win, which was violently attacked on January 6, 2021 by a mob of the then-president's supporters. Trump was also accused of seeking to disenfranchise US voters with his false claims that he won the 2020 election. The former and incoming president also faces two state cases -- in New York and Georgia. He was convicted in New York in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election to stop her from revealing an alleged 2006 sexual encounter. However, Judge Juan Merchan has postponed sentencing while he considers a request from Trump's lawyers that the conviction be thrown out in light of the Supreme Court ruling in July that an ex-president has broad immunity from prosecution. In Georgia, Trump faces racketeering charges over his efforts to subvert the 2020 election results in the southern state, but that case will likely be frozen while he is in office. cl/sms

Coach Prime, CU Buffs focused on ending regular season on high note

Uber Technologies Inc UBER has turned profits as of late, helped in part by its “Uber One” subscription. However, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is reportedly investigating the company over an alleged breach of consumer protection laws. What Happened: The FTC opened the investigation earlier this year, according to Bloomberg, citing documents it obtained. The investigation focuses on customer complaints about being enrolled in the Uber One subscription without their consent. Customers have also raised concerns that canceling the subscription is unnecessarily difficult. Uber One is a $9.99 monthly subscription that provides discounts on rides and Uber Eats. The regulatory agency has previously pursued cases against Amazon.com Inc , Adobe Inc and others for similar cancelation practices. The FTC sent a complaint to Uber shortly following Donald Trump ‘s election win on Nov. 5 seeking a monetary settlement, Bloomberg reports. Uber rejected the FTC’s offer, alleging the agency attempted to fast-track a resolution before Trump took office. In the waning days of the Biden Administration , the FTC has accelerated several of its investigations. Why it Matters: The company announced in October that Uber One had over 25 million subscribers. It has also recently expanded to India, according to the Times of India. The ongoing FTC probe is not the first time Uber has caught the attention of regulators. Uber and the FTC settled a lawsuit in 2018 over allegations that the San Francisco, California-based company exaggerated driver compensation in advertising. As part of the settlement, Uber refunded an average $222.96 to affected drivers. In September, Forbes columnist Len Sherman called for regulators to investigate the company for anti-competitive behavior. Also Read: Stocks Fall, Yen Eyes Best Day In 2 Months, Bitcoin Rebounds Above $96,000: What’s Driving Markets Wednesday? Photo: Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

BERN, Switzerland : Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini put his side's recent impressive form down to a mix of confidence, self-belief and the continued development of his squad, following their dominant Champions League win over Young Boys on Tuesday. Atalanta, led by a superb performance from two-goal Charles De Ketelaere, schooled Swiss side Young Boys as they claimed a 6-1 win to secure the Bergamo club's largest margin of victory in a major European match. Gasperini's side are fourth in the Champions League table and also on a seven-match winning streak in Serie A that has left them second in the Italian top flight, a point behind leaders Napoli. "We are in a good period of form in Italy and Europe, I’m happy with the performances and results we are getting,” Gasperini told Sky Sport Italia. "Winning the Europa League last season helped us to grow in confidence, self-belief and then many new players arrived too who are improving. This is what’s behind the impressive form." Gasperini admitted that Atalanta's development has been remarkable. "There are some players who have been here so long and know us so well that they are coaches on the field, I could easily just leave them to it," Gasperini said with a smile. "But there are others who need to get to know the movements, the chain reactions, the timing. On top of that, we have always had a very strong locker room atmosphere where the behaviour and attitude is always based on values."

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Trump transition team ethics pledge appears to exclude president-elect

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- eGain (Nasdaq: EGAN), the AI Knowledge Management platform for business, announced today that its Board of Directors approved an extension to the stock repurchase program from November 14, 2024, until the earlier of (i) the date the aggregate amount of shares that can be repurchased under the stock repurchase program have been repurchased and (ii) November 14, 2025. "This extension underscores our belief that our shares are undervalued and reinforces our confidence in the significant growth potential of the AI knowledge market. With our strong balance sheet, we believe we are well-positioned to expand our market presence in knowledge management while delivering value to shareholders through our ongoing buyback program," said Ashu Roy, eGain's CEO. As of November 15, 2024, eGain has repurchased approximately $27.6 million of shares of its common stock under its stock repurchase program, leaving approximately $12.4 million of shares of its common stock available for repurchase after the increase. Under the stock repurchase program, eGain may purchase shares of common stock on a discretionary basis from time to time through open market transactions or privately negotiated transactions at prices deemed appropriate by eGain. In addition, at the discretion of eGain, open market repurchase of common stock may also be made under a Rule 10b5-1 plan, which would permit common stock to be repurchased when eGain might otherwise be precluded from doing so under insider trading laws or self-imposed trading restrictions. The timing and number of shares repurchased will be determined based on an evaluation of market conditions and other factors, including stock price, trading volume, general business and market conditions, and capital availability. The stock repurchase program does not obligate eGain to acquire a specified number of shares and may be modified, suspended, or discontinued at any time at eGain's discretion without notice. The stock repurchase program will be funded using existing cash or future cash flows. About eGain eGain AI Knowledge Hub helps businesses improve experience and reduce cost by delivering trusted, consumable answers. Visit www.egain.com for more info. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including without limitation: statements regarding the timing, scope, and funding of our stock repurchase program; our belief that our shares are undervalued; our belief that we are well-positioned to expand our market presence; our focus, growth potential and market opportunity; and the expected benefits of our products. The achievement or success of the matters covered by such forward-looking statements involves risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond our control. If any such risks or uncertainties materialize or if any of the assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results could differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements we make. The risks and uncertainties referred to above include, but are not limited to: risks to our business, operating results, and financial condition; the pace of technological advancements in generative AI and the adaptability of our services to incorporate these advancements; market demand for AI-enabled solutions; risks associated with new product releases and new services and products features; risks that customer demand may fluctuate or decrease; risks that we are unable to collect unbilled contractual commitments, particularly in the current economic environment; risks that our lengthy sales cycles may negatively affect our operating results; currency risks; our ability to capitalize on customer engagement; risks related to our reliance on a relatively small number of customers for a substantial portion of our revenue; our ability to compete successfully and manage growth; our ability to develop and expand strategic and third party distribution channels; risks related to our international operations; our ability to continue to innovate; our strategy of making investments in sales to drive growth; general political or destabilizing events, including war, intensified international hostilities, conflict or acts of terrorism; the effect of legislative initiatives or proposals, statutory changes, governmental or other applicable regulations and/or changes in industry requirements, including those addressing data privacy, cyber-security and cross-border data transfers; and other risks detailed from time to time in eGain's public filings, including eGain's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2024, and subsequent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available on the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation and do not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. eGain, the eGain logo, and all other eGain product names and slogans are trademarks or registered trademarks of eGain Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other company names and products mentioned in this release may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies. MKR Investor Relations Todd Kehrli or Jim Byers Phone: 323-468-2300 Email: [email protected]