The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become the largest investor in new businesses in Africa , raising hopes of a promising future for emerging technologies on the continent. Between 2019 and 2023, Emirati companies invested £88 billion in the continent, with the vast majority of these coming in renewable energy . The figure is more than double the investment made by more traditional investors such as the UK, France and China who have all scaled back investment following a series of project which failed to produce the expected returns, according to the Financial Times. African countries had hoped for around £1 trillion to be pledged to fight climate change on the continent at the recent COP conference but were left disappointed when that figure ended up being around £270 million. But whilst the investment promises a bright future for the continents green energy sectors, there are fears that the Emirati’s poor history with regards to workers’ rights could see African workers exploited. Ahmed Aboudouh is an associate fellow at the Chatham House thinktank who believes that Emirati investment comes with risk. He said: “African countries are in dire need of this money [for] their own energy transitions. And they plug huge holes, the Emirati investors, that the west failed to. “But at the same time they come in with less attention to labour rights, to environmental standards.” Ken Opalo, an associate professor at Georgetown University agrees: “African countries need all the financing and trade they can get, however, there is also the opportunity for the attention to breed criminality – like we are seeing in the gold sector.” The UAE has long been a big player in North Africa and the Horn of Africa where it has been accused of fuelling conflicts in countries such as Libya and Sudan . But its expansion deeper into the continent is seen as an attempt to diversify its economy from oil and gas and open up now markets such as copper and lithium, both crucial to the production of electric vehicles. Aside from green initiatives, UAE companies have also invested in areas such as telecoms and agriculture with the Dubai royal Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook al-Maktoum recently agreeing a deal which will see him sell carbon credits from forests covering a fifth of Zimbabwe , 10% of Liberia, 10% of Zambia and 8% of Tanzania . Other investments have seen the Gulf state purchase significant holdings in many of the continent’s mining conglomerates.Ole Miss to play Duke in the Gator Bowl; LSU draws Baylor in Texas BowlNone
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Adobe Stock image Seniors Helping Seniors, a Pennsylvania-based company founded in 1998 that provides in-home senior care, has come to the Central Valley with a more personalized way of giving support to older family members. The new franchise was started by Susan Delaney earlier this year after 25 years in the cybersecurity industry. It hires seniors to act as caregivers for other seniors. After becoming dissatisfied with the corporate world, Delaney searched for a way to use her skills to have a direct impact on the local community. “I remember doing a double take. Not only do I get to help seniors live independently in their homes that they love, but I also get to provide employment to those folks that the corporate world no longer saw value in,” Delaney said. Her grandmother was one of the largest contributors to her decision to pursue this new line of work. According to Delaney, her grandmother was an “icon of kindness and compassion” when living with her family and volunteering in her local community and the Salvation Army. “She quickly deteriorated there. And I believe, in part, it’s because she wasn’t around her family. She was in a strange place.” Delaney said. During her visits to her grandmother, Delaney noticed the toll the environment took on her childhood hero, showing her the importance of community for this neglected part of our society. Services can be tailored to each senior. Home care is targeted at every day, casual support including housekeeping, personal care and pet care. While providers are not required to have any medical certifications, they’ve received the basic training required by the Department of Social Services. But what is most important to Delaney is the compatibility between the seniors. “There’s a real special thing that happens between the two seniors because they have that peer-to-peer care experience,” Delaney said. The current goals for Seniors Helping Seniors are to add 100 more caregiving seniors and grow their client base by at least 80. “I think we have the right recipe. I’m just really stoked to get started now,” Delaney said. Contact Seniors Helping Seniors at shsgreaterfresno.com or by phone at (559) 500-3070. Seniors Helping Seniors, a Pennsylvania-based company founded in 1998 that California's poultry and dairy industries are being slammed by rampant Craig Castro, who has served nearly 23 of his 40-year Two Fresno physicians have agreed to pay a combined $2.43Often imitated but never duplicated, Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin is one of a kind when it comes to how he handles the media. And after yet another drama-filled game from WR George Pickens , many are starting to wonder when Coach T steps in, if he hasn't already. Well according to him, that's none of you, I, or anyone else's business: Mike Tomlin Keeping Pickens Disclipine In-House "I'm not going to give you any detail about what goes on behind the scenes in terms of his growth and development," said Coach Tomlin when asked about disciplining Pickens. "You know that's my style, and I'm gonna be really consistent in it. Being transparent with you guys doesn't necessarily help or accelerate the growth process, and that's my agenda, not necessarily feeding the beast... "...If it is, or isn't I wouldn't tell you to be quiet honest with you," added coach Tomlin when asked if he was concerned that Pickens penalties are becoming costly." After recording not one, not two, but three personal fouls against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday it's safe to say George Pickens is unhinged at this point , or at least from a behavioral standpoint. George Pickens called for another unsportsmanlike conduct for this celebration. #steelers pic.twitter.com/G8yBc6yYZe "Yeah, they said they got the gesture wrong," said Pickens when asked about his pointing to the stands in his postgame presser. "You know what I mean? [The refs] thought it was something else. You know, you can't hurt the team. I never intend to hurt the team. But he just thought the gesture was different. I'm not sure [why] I was doing the first down. He said he thought [it was] something else." Whether he meant anything by it or not, where there's smoke there tends to be fire with George Pickens . He has already been fined for three separate incidents this season, and the NFL let him off easy after last week's fight on the last play of the game against the Cleveland Browns . 'He's just gotta grow up," said Tomlin when asked about George Pickens penalties during the Bengals game. "This is an emotional game man. "These divisional games are big. He's got a target on his back because he's George. He understands that, but he's got to grow up. He's got to grow up in a hurry." This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a "tragic incident" following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people, but stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible. Putin's apology came as allegations mounted that Russian air defenses shot down the plane while attempting to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya. Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videoconference Saturday at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. Sergei Ilyin, Sputnik/Kremlin Pool An official Kremlin statement issued Saturday said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny airport as the airliner "repeatedly" attempted to land there on Wednesday. It did not explicitly say one of these hit the plane. The statement said Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev "for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace." People are also reading... The readout said Russia has launched a criminal probe into the incident, and Azerbaijani state prosecutors have arrived in Grozny to participate. The Kremlin also said that "relevant services" from Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are jointly investigating the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. The plane was flying from Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, to Grozny when it turned toward Kazakhstan, hundreds of miles across the Caspian Sea from its intended destination, and crashed while attempting to land. There were 29 survivors. According to a readout of the call provided by Aliyev's press office, the Azerbaijani president told Putin that the plane was subject to "external physical and technical interference," though he also stopped short of blaming Russian air defenses. Part of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane lies on the ground Thursday near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan. Administration of Mangystau Region Aliyev noted the plane had holes in its fuselage and the occupants sustained injuries "due to foreign particles penetrating the cabin mid-flight." He said that a team of international experts began a probe of the incident at Azerbaijan's initiative, but provided no details. Earlier this week, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's office confirmed that investigators from Azerbaijan are working in Grozny. On Friday, a U.S. official and an Azerbaijani minister made separate statements blaming the crash on an external weapon, echoing those made by aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defense systems responding to a Ukrainian attack. U.S. President Joe Biden, responding Saturday to a reporter asking whether he thought Putin should take responsibility for the crash, said: "Apparently he did but I haven't spoken to him." Biden made the comment after leaving church in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Passengers and crew members who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it circled over Grozny. Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, said Friday that as the plane was preparing to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones were targeting the city, prompting authorities to close the area to air traffic. Yadrov said after the captain made two unsuccessful attempts to land, he was offered other airports but decided to fly to Aktau. People attend a funeral Saturday for Mahammadali Eganov, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's airport of Aktau at the age of 13, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Associated Press Earlier this past week, Rosaviatsia cited unspecified early evidence as showing that a bird strike led to an emergency on board. In the days following the crash, Azerbaijan Airlines blamed "physical and technical interference" and announced the suspension of flights to several Russian airports. It didn't say where the interference came from or provide any further details. If proven that the plane crashed after being hit by Russian fire, it would be the second deadly civil aviation accident linked to fighting in Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed with a Russian surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 people aboard, as it flew over the area in eastern Ukraine controlled by Moscow-backed separatists in 2014. Russia denied responsibility but a Dutch court in 2022 convicted two Russians and a pro-Russia Ukrainian man for their role in downing the plane with an air defense system brought into Ukraine from a Russian military base. The grave of Mahammadali Eganov, 13, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's Aktau airport, is seen Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan. Associated Press Following Wednesday's suspension of flights from Baku to Grozny and nearby Makhachkala, Azerbaijan Airlines announced Friday that it would also halt service to eight more Russian cities. Several other airlines made similar announcements since the crash. Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air on Friday said it would stop flying from Astana to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains for a month. Turkmenistan Airlines, the Central Asian country's flagship carrier, on Saturday halted flights to Moscow for at least a month, citing safety concerns. Earlier this past week, Israel's El Al carrier suspended service from Tel Aviv to the Russian capital, citing "developments in Russia's airspace." Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!Dallas Mavericks sharpshooter Klay Thompson recently caught some heat for snubbing his former teammate, Stephen Curry , from his rightful title as the greatest shooter ever. At the time, Thompson said Reggie Miller was the best, but he has since clarified his stance in response to a fan on social media . Fan: "We love you in the Bay, Steph the greatest shooter of all time, you know that bruh!" Klay Thompson: "My man lemme clarify. I wrote this caption with my childhood in mind. At the time Reggie was the standard for off-guards and ball movement along with shot-making. We all know 30 is the GOAT shooter." Warriors fans felt betrayed when Klay alluded to Reggie as the greatest shooter ever , but Thompson didn't mean it as they thought. Growing up in the 90s, Klay didn't get to watch guys like Stephen Curry or Damian Lillard flash their ridiculous range. Instead, it was people like Reggie Miller , Glen Rice , and Mitch Richmond who dominated from the perimeter. Over his 18 years in the NBA, Reggie Miller set the ultimate standard for three-point shot-making with averages of 18.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game on 47.1% shooting. He made 2,560 threes in his career and shot a respectable 39.5%. In those days, perimeter play wasn't nearly as developed and three-pointers were usually taken in moderation throughout the games. Miller broke all the norms at the time by not only shooting with high volume but also knowing them down consistently enough to be effective on the court. Recently, after passing Miller on the All-Time threes list (Thompson is now 5th all-time with 2,563), he felt compelled to honor the legend in some way, which is why he wrote that caption calling him the greatest shooter. In reality, we all know that title belongs to Curry. As his teammate for 11 years, Thompson knows that more than anyone and he's standing by it today. Besides being first on the NBA's all-time threes list (3,849), Curry boasts an impressive career stat line of 24.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game on 47.2% shooting. As a 10x All-Star, 10x All-NBA player, 4x champion, 2x scoring leader, and 2x MVP, Steph is undoubtedly one of the greatest point guards ever, and his mastery of the three-pointer has changed the game to a massive degree. From 2015-2019, Curry and Thompson dominated the league together as a ridiculous shooting tandem. They formed a dynasty with Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr, who helped lead the team to four championships in eight seasons, including five consecutive Finals appearances. Today, at 36 years old, Curry is still making his mark, even if it's without his longtime Splash Bro. In 24 games this season, No. 30 is averaging 22.5 points, 6.5 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game on 44.4% shooting. He's single-handedly keeping the Warriors afloat, who currently rank 11th in the West at 15-15. Tonight, the Warriors have a matchup against the Phoenix Suns at 8:30 PM EST at Footprint Center. On Monday, December 30th, they play the Cleveland Cavaliers at Chase Center before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at home again on Thursday, January 2nd, at 10:00 PM EST. This article first appeared on Fadeaway World and was syndicated with permission.Dick's Sporting Goods director Larry Fitzgerald Jr. buys $49,462 in stock
Lautaro Martinez ends goal drought as Inter keep pressure on Serie A leaders
Just because it’s Christmas (and at Christmas you tell the truth), Kylie Kelce and Jason Kelce are sharing their daughter Elliotte ’s honest reaction to Love Actually . And it appears the 3-year-old has a crush on Thomas Brodie-Sangster ’s character Sam (the stepson of Liam Neeson ’s recently widowed Daniel). "The cutest thing about watching was that Ellie was watching at the end of the movie and got blushed on the cheeks, was so excited,” Kylie recalled on the Dec. 24 episode of Jason and his brother Travis Kelce ’s podcast New Heights . “And then the next day she told me, 'Mom, that cute boy that played the drums, will you show me a picture of him?' And then I had to Google 'Sam from Love Actually ,' and she was giggling." Indeed, the former Philadelphia Eagles player said Ellie “was feeling her some Sam.” And while he said their 5-year-old daughter Wyatt was also giggling too, Kylie didn’t think too much of her reaction. “Wyatt loves every boy that comes up on the TV,” the Not Gonna Lie podcaster said, before her husband agreed, “That’s true. Anybody that kisses [she’s like], 'Oh my gosh!'" Although, Kylie and Jason, who are also parents to 22-month-old daughter Bennett , added that they didn't show their kids the entire movie. “They only saw the end,” she said before noting they fast-forwarded through the more adult scenes. “They almost saw the boobs, but I warned Jason. He sped it up.” Soon, the Kelces will have one more for their family movie nights. In November, Kylie and Jason announced they’re expecting baby No. 4 and posted a picture on Instagram that “captured a very accurate representation of how each of the girls feel about getting another sister .” “When I tell you that Benny feels deeply and personally victimized by the fact that we chose to give her another sibling, I mean that with my whole chest,” the 32-year-old added on a Dec. 5 episode of Not Gonna Lie . “When other babies or little kids come over and they try to sit in my lap, she physically removes them. So, we are about to ruin her day.” But after the baby arrives, Kylie doesn’t have any plans to grow their family team . "I think it might get shut down after this one," she added on a Dec. 19 episode of her show. "We're gonna have this next kid, and I'm gonna be like, 'Don't even look at me.’” To see photos Jason and Kylie have shared of their family, keep reading. Love at First Sight After a not-so-smooth first date, Jaso Kelce and Kylie Kelce would hit off when they went out again, with the two making their relationship Instagram official in November 2015. Total Touchdown After tying the knot in 2018, Kylie reflected on celebrating the wins in life alongside her now-husband. "This off-season was my favorite yet," she wrote in a social media post that July. "It was short but oh so sweet. I am so incredibly proud to call this man my husband, and I can’t wait to watch his hard work and dedication through another season." Baby on Board By October 2019, the couple expanded their family, welcoming baby Wyatt into the world. Family of Four Two years later, their second daughter Elliotte , joined her big sister. Party of Five Just one year later, Kylie shared that " another Kelce lady " would be added to the bunch with an adorable set of photos. Baby Bennett In February 2023, the couple welcomed their third child, with her arrival coming nearly two weeks after Jason faced off against brother Travis Kelce at the 2023 Super Bowl . Golden Girls The NFL star shared a glimpse at his oldest daughters holding a huge prize in May 2023, writing on Instagram, "Never in a million years did I think I’d hold the Larry O’Brien trophy, let alone that it would be in my house!! Unbelievable honor to see it in person. The size is incredible, looks so small when NBA players are holding it, but it’s actually massive!! The girls were very interested in it." Perfect Teammates The couple shared a look at the family of five while on the field that August, joking in a joint Instagram post, "Here for the Rita’s and obstacle courses with dad after practice." Fly, Eagles Fly The family rang in Wyatt's fourth birthday in October 2023 on the Philadelphia Eagles' home turf, with Kylie quipping on Instagram, "We were celebrating a 4th birthday when the Birds went 4-0." Lucky Charms Kylie shared this pic of her and Jason's daughters Wyatt, Elliotte and Bennett on Instagram in June 2024, writing, "Parents know... 2 out of 3 isn’t bad!" Jason and brother Travis Kelce 's mom Donna Kelce commented, "The cutest beautiful bunch of 'lucky charms' under that rainbow!!!!None
Arne Slot has said Liverpool will not get carried away with being tagged title favourites given the fine margins in the Premier League and Manchester City’s track record of reeling in rivals. Liverpool before the international break and have made their best start to a Premier League season since winning the title in 2019-20. Opta now gives Liverpool a 60.3% chance of winning this season’s championship but Slot, whose side visit the bottom club, Southampton, on Sunday, insists recent history shows the reigning champions can never be written off. Arsenal held an eight-point lead over City on 1 April 2023. Liverpool were three points clear of City in April of this year. Pep Guardiola’s team won the title on both occasions. “I don’t talk about favourites,” Slot said. “It is boring but I just talk about the next game, which is a challenge in itself. In the Premier League the margins are very small. That is true all season. I have followed the league and there was a moment when City were eight points behind Arsenal, so there is no use in getting carried away at all at this moment in time. “These teams like City, Arsenal and Chelsea, even [Manchester] United and all the others, are able to put together a run of games like we did. So we are not getting carried away at all and looking at it in terms of favourites. The players know what they have to do to win a game, and it’s a lot. If they could give 50% less and still win, maybe we would think we have 50% extra in the tank and not need to give our maximum for results. But we know it has been a close call in many games.” Slot concedes that Liverpool’s remarkable start – nine wins in 11 league games, 15 wins in 17 matches in all competitions – has helped eradicate any concerns the players might have had over him replacing Jürgen Klopp in the summer. “It is completely normal they thought that. They didn’t just have nine years with the former manager, they had nine successful years,” he said. “Then you always wonder, ‘Are things going to change?’ In the summer we didn’t bring in that many new players so then it is quite normal, if you look at the teams we are competition with who did bring in players, to think, ‘What is going to happen this season?’ Especially because nearly all of them were on holiday two weeks before the season started. “That is why it was really helpful we got results from the start and they saw from the start the playing style didn’t change that much. So that combination of things helped.” Liverpool will be without Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa at St Mary’s. Of the injured quartet, only Alexander-Arnold has not been ruled out of next week’s Champions League game against Real Madrid.
POLITICAL parties will ramp up coalition talks this week in case Fianna Fail and Fine Gael fail to agree on policy and leave the door open for rivals. The Dail is set to meet on December 18 however it is unlikely that political talks will have agreed a new coalition government by then. Fianna Fail was the clear winner of the recent poll, securing 48 of 174 seats, ahead of Sinn Fein on 39 and Fine Gael on 38. The result left a greater imbalance of power than in the last government, with FF expecting their greater numbers to be reflected in Cabinet seats and crucially in the length of time Micheal Martin gets in the Taoiseach hot seat. Fianna Fail TD Mary Butler said she understands her party leader and Tanaiste Martin is set to meet with Fine Gael leader Simon Harris today. She insists she is hoping for a “strong, stable and secure government”, adding she will be “quite happy to work with my Fine Gael colleagues again”. She said: “I’ve worked with them for the last four-and-a-half years and we worked very, very well together, we delivered the majority of our programme for government . “We’re just starting into the talks now, my understanding is that the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste are going to meet tomorrow.” She said her party is very proud to have seen 48 TDs elected, but added to RTE : “The important thing is we enter these talks with an open mind, and we respect each other, and I have no doubt that what the people voted for was a strong effective government that will be able to withstand any of the shocks that might come our way in the time to come.” Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon says his party “can’t be taken for granted” in terms of its manifesto pledges. He said the work done now on agreeing policies between parties will be the “bedrock for how successful the next government will be”. He added: “That’s what matters to Fine Gael, that’s our clear focus.” He said Mr Harris is set to meet with the eight independent TDs and Labour leader Ivana Bacik on Monday. “I’m sure he’ll talk to Fianna Fail later in the week as well,” Mr Heydon added. “There was some informal discussion there last week, briefly between himself and the Tanaiste.” He also reiterated that his party does not intend to form a government with Sinn Fein . Sinn Fein TD Louise O’Reilly said Fianna Fail “is in the driving seat”, and Mr Martin “seems hellbent and intent on putting Simon Harris back at the Cabinet table and bringing Fine Gael in as their junior partner”. She added: “I wouldn’t downplay the numbers that the left have within the Dail, you’re talking about 66 TDs elected - that is a very large bloc, that is a bloc that will make sure that their voices are heard.” Meanwhile Michael Collins of Independent Ireland said the group he has joined with the two Healy-Rae brothers and Paul Gogarty, have not received a call from anyone yet. Simon Harris - Fine Gael- 2024 Leo Varadkar - Fine Gael - 2022 - 2024 Micheal Martin - Fianna Fail - 2020 - 2022 Leo Varadkar - Fine Gael - 2017 - 2020 Enda Kenny - Fine Gael - 2011 - 2017 Brian Cowen - Fianna Fail - 2008 - 2011 Bertie Ahern - Fianna Fail - 1997 - 2008 John Burton - Fine Gael - 1994 - 1997 Albert Reynolds - Fianna Fail - 1992 - 1994 Charles Haughey - Fianna Fail - 1987 -1992 Garret FitzGerald - Fine Gael - 1982 - 1987 Charles Haughey - Fianna Fail - 1982 Garret FitzGerald - Fine Gael - 1981 - 1982 Charles Haughey - Fianna Fail - 1979 - 1981 Jack Lynch - Fianna Fail - 1977 - 1979 Liam Cosgrave - Fine Gael - 1973 - 1977 Jack Lynch - Fianna Fail - 1966 - 1973 Sean F. Lemass - Fianna Fail - 1959 - 1966 Eamon de Valera - Fianna Fail - 1957 - 1959 John Costello - Cumann na nGaedheal - 1954 - 1957 Eamon de Valera - Fianna Fail - 1951 - 1954 John Costello - Cumann na nGaedheal - 1948 - 1951 Eamon de Valera - Fianna Fail - 1932 - 1948 William Thomas Cosgrave - Cumann na nGaedheal - 1922 - 1932None
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russian state news agencies are reporting that ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad has arrived in Moscow with his family and given asylum. The agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source. The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports but has contacted the Kremlin for comment. RIA also cited an anonymous Kremlin source that Moscow had received guarantees from Syrian insurgents of the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic posts in Syria. The report did not give further details. Assad reportedly left Syria early Sunday. Syrians have been pouring into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule . THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule but raising questions about the future of the country and the wider region. Joyful crowds gathered in squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. Others gleefully ransacked the presidential palace and residence after President Bashar Assad and other top officials vanished, their whereabouts unknown. Russia, a close ally, said Assad left the country after negotiations with rebel groups and had given instructions to transfer power peacefully. Abu Mohammed al-Golani , a former al-Qaida commander who cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance, leads the biggest rebel faction and is poised to chart the country's future. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the sprawling Umayyad Mosque and called Assad's fall “a victory to the Islamic nation.” Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he told hundreds of people that Assad had made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and still split among armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in some remote areas. Syrian state television broadcast a rebel statement early Sunday saying Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been released. They called on people to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state.” The rebels later announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. The rebels said they freed people held at the notorious Saydnaya prison, where rights groups say thousands were tortured and killed . A video circulating online purported to show rebels breaking open cell doors and freeing dozens of female prisoners, many of whom appeared shocked. At least one small child was seen among them. “This happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where is he,” said one relative, Bassam Masr. "I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years.” Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi later appeared on state TV and sought to reassure Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, saying: “Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects.” “We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did," he added. Celebrations in the capital Damascus residents prayed in mosques and celebrated in squares, calling, “God is great.” People chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. Teenage boys picked up weapons apparently discarded by security forces and fired into the air. Revelers filled Umayyad Square, where the Defense Ministry is located. Some waved the three-starred Syrian flag that predates the Assad government and was adopted by the revolutionaries. Elsewhere, many parts of the capital were empty and shops were closed. Soldiers and police left their posts and fled, and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Videos showed families wandering the presidential palace, some carrying stacks of plates and other household items. “It’s like a dream. I need someone to wake me up," said opposition fighter Abu Laith, adding the rebels were welcomed in Damascus with “love.” At the Justice Ministry, where rebels stood guard, Judge Khitam Haddad said they were protecting documents from the chaos. Outside, some residents sought information about relatives who disappeared under Assad. The rebels “have felt the pain of the people,” said one woman, giving only her first name, Heba. She worried about possible revenge killings by the rebels, many of whom appeared to be underage. Syria’s al-Watan newspaper, which was historically pro-government, wrote: “We are facing a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood.” It added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements, saying it “only carried out the instructions.” A statement from the Alawite sect that has formed the core of Assad's base called on young Syrians to be “calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country.” The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. In Qamishli in the northeast, a Kurdish man slapped a statue of the late leader Hafez Assad with his shoe. Assad's whereabouts are unknown Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video shared on Syrian opposition media showed armed men escorting him from his office and to the Four Seasons hotel on Sunday. Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told The Associated Press that Assad, 59, took a flight early Sunday from Damascus. A senior diplomat from the United Arab Emirates, which had sought to rehabilitate Assad's image and has welcomed high-profile exiles in recent years, declined to comment on his whereabouts. Anwar Gargash said Assad's destination at this point is a “footnote in history,” comparing it to the long exile of German Kaiser Wilhelm II after World War I. Calls for an orderly transition The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall within days as the Syrian army melted away. Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, which provided crucial support to Assad throughout the uprising, abandoned him as they reeled from other conflicts. The end of Assad’s rule was a major blow to Iran and its allies, already weakened by conflict with Israel . Iran, which had strongly backed him throughout the civil war, said Syrians should decide their future “without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention.” The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after apparently having been abandoned. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said Israeli troops had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying it was to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned positions. Israel's military later warned residents of five southern Syria communities to stay home for their safety, and didn’t respond to questions. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied, and the Arab League on Sunday condemned what it called Israel’s efforts to take advantage of Assad’s downfall occupy more territory. The rebels are led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS , which has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations. Al-Golani, has sought to recast the group as a moderate and tolerant force. “Golani has made history and sparked hope among millions of Syrians," said Dareen Khalifa, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group. "But he and the rebels now face a formidable challenge ahead.” The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called Saturday for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday. They included Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Turkey. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need “to engage all parties on the ground," including the HTS, and that the main concern is “stability and safe transition.” ___ Sewell reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue, Sarah El Deeb and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Samar Kassaballi, Omar Sanadiki and Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus; Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain; Josef Federman in Doha, Qatar; and Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem, contributed. Abdulrahman Shaheen And Abby Sewell, The Associated PressMy garden’s power of resilience was tested to the extreme on Jan. 12, 2024, when the temperature plummeted to minus 12 C. It was so cold that my hummingbird feeders froze in spite of the heat lamps underneath. I feared the worst, especially for some of the plants that had been in the garden since I started tending it fifteen years ago. My old rosemary bush had already lost several of its limbs in the freezes of previous years, on top of which its condition had been aversely affected by the teeter-tottering of warm-cold-warm-cold in a recent winter and spring. One of its limbs looked so miserable that I decided it would be an act of mercy to remove it entirely. Then I noticed something interesting. The limb had been trailing along the driveway for a few years, and in the blanket of leaves that I always keep around and under the bush, it had made lots of roots. They looked desiccated, but they were roots all the same. I decided to find out if they could be put to work and keep the amputated limb of rosemary alive. The limb was an awkward shape, like a sickle with the rooted part longer than the other, but I found a space for it along one side of a new garden bed in the front yard. Close by was a young rosemary, brought home from a nursery. I’m persuaded plants communicate (in ways we can’t yet fathom) and I hoped the old, gnarled limb and the young plant would somehow bond. I feel sure they tried their best, but a Coreopsis Grandiflora had grown between them. It must have been a seed, dropped by a bird, which hadn’t yet revealed its true nature when I planted the little rosemary. By summer, when the young rosemary was trying to soak up the sunlight, the Coreopsis had become exuberant (from the Latin exuberare , grow luxuriously). The rosemary didn’t have a chance, and today, at the start of winter, it looks stunted and its leaves are sparse. But the old, gnarled limb fared better. It grew as exuberantly as the Coreopsis over the summer and even made a few flowers. In another bed in the front yard I’d planted two more young rosemaries. They, too, are showing exuberance. Their stems have grown strong, increased in number, and are thickly clad with leaves. I’d panicked at the beginning of 2024 because I thought my grand old rosemary bush was doomed and I wanted to make sure there were successors. So now, unless we’re served another onslaught of violent, freezing weather, the garden should be well stocked with this herb. Its flowers are beloved by bees, hummingbirds and all other pollinators that visit. Hot lips sage had become a favourite of mine ever since I saw the immense bush dotted with red and white flowers that grew in a neighbour’s backyard. She gave me a cutting and it did well. But it didn’t survive past its second year. Still, I was determined not to give up. This spring I bought two young plants to grow in a new garden bed laid out in a location chosen especially for them. To begin with, the young hot lips bided their time. I worried and added other plants behind and around them. Maybe that spurred them on. By late summer they’d stretched so far upwards and sideways that they managed to obscure all traces of the plants I’d added a couple of months earlier. They ended up making masses of flowers and, to my amazement, have continued to bloom past the winter solstice, over a month longer than is normal. In 2023 I grew Matucana sweet peas for the first time. They’re an heirloom variety noted for their stunning deep violet and red colours and their intoxicating scent. They didn’t last as long as I would have liked and didn’t grow as tall as promised, but I was drawn to their colours and scent and saved the seeds. I ended up with so many Matucana seeds that this year I decided to spread them throughout the garden. The ones growing at the designated sweet pea trellis didn’t fare well (partly thanks to inquisitive squirrels), but the ones that grew in other spots performed beyond all expectations. I’d planted several to climb up the mesh on the exterior of the outdoor garden room that my handyman David had built in the backyard. The garden room is dedicated to Pomona, the Roman goddess of gardens, who must have developed a special feeling for the Matucana sweet peas because they are still, at the end of December, putting out new flowers! I’ve never seen anything like it! Now I’m bidding Pomona to let her beneficial influence extend beyond the walls of the garden room. So what’s my garden’s final report card for 2024? Well, it’s hard to imagine that it could be any more glowing. Sabine Eiche is a local writer and art historian with a PhD from Princeton University. Her passions are writing for children and protecting nature. Her columns deal with a broad range of topics and often include etymology in order to shed extra light on the subject. 📣 Got an opinion on this story or any others in Richmond? Send us a letter or email your thoughts or story tips to [email protected] . 📲 To stay updated on Richmond news, sign up for our daily headline newsletter . 💬 Words missing in article? Your adblocker might be preventing hyperlinked text from appearing.
Geoffrey Hinton says he doesn’t regret the work he did that laid the foundation for artificial intelligence, but wishes he thought of safety sooner. The British-Canadian computer scientist says the technology has now progressed so fast that he thinks it could achieve superintelligence in the next five to 20 years. Superintelligence is intelligence that surpasses even the smartest humans. When superintelligence happens, Hinton says humanity will have to seriously worry about how it can stay in control. His remarks came at a press conference in Stockholm, where Hinton is due to a receive the Nobel Prize in psychics on Tuesday. Hinton and co-laureate John Hopfield are being given the prize because they developed some of the underpinnings of machine learning, a computer science that helps AI mimic how humans learn. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 8, 2024.Sarah Latifa had feared that her Christian community in Syria may struggle to celebrate its first Christmas since Islamist-led rebels toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad earlier this month. But at a church in Damascus's historic centre, surrounded by some 500 faithful who were singing psalms on Christmas Eve on Tuesday, she could breathe a sigh of relief. "It wasn't easy to come together in the current circumstances and to joyfully pray, but thank God, we did it," Latifa told AFP at mass at the capital's Syriac Orthodox cathedral of Saint George. Syria's rulers who toppled Assad's government on December 8 have since sought to assure religious and ethnic minorities that their rights would be upheld. But for some in the Christian community of several hundred thousands, the promises made by the new Islamist leadership have done little to soothe their fears in a country scarred by years of civil war. Hundreds took to the streets of Damascus on Tuesday to demand their rights be respected, after a Christmas tree was set ablaze in a town in central Syria. A video on social media showed hooded fighters setting fire to the tree in the Christian-majority town of Suqaylabiyah, near Hama. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said they were foreign jihadists. A local religious leader from Syria's victorious Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) condemned the torching. At the Saint George Cathedral, Latifa said that even though the road towards a new Syria may seem "tumultuous or uncertain", the future can be better "if we walk hand in hand". - 'We don't belong' - Before the war began in 2011, Syria was home to about one million Christians, or about five percent of the population, according to analyst Fabrice Balanche. Now, he told AFP, only up to 300,000 of them are still in the country. Assad, who hails from the Alawite minority and ruled with an iron fist, had long presented himself as a protector of minority groups in Syria, whose population is majority Sunni Muslim. The new administration appointed by HTS -- a group which is rooted in Syria's branch of Al-Qaeda -- has adopted an inclusive discourse, seeking to reassure groups in the multi-confessional and multi-ethnic country. In this transformed political landscape, Syrian Christians are determined to make their voices heard. In an overnight protest over the Christmas tree burning, Georges, who only gave his first name, condemned "sectarianism" and "injustice against Christians". "If we're not allowed to live our Christian faith in our country, as we used to, then we don't belong here anymore," he said. In his first sermon in Damascus since Assad's fall, John X, the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Antioch, expressed his hope that a new constitution would be drawn up with the participation of "all parts of the Syrian mosaic". - 'Afraid of the unknown' - In Bab Touma, a Christian-majority neighbourhood of Damascus, carols rang out from a cafe which was festively decorated and lit, and fitted with a Christmas tree. Owner Yamen Basmar, 45, said that some people "are afraid" of the new situation. "Many come to ask me whether I still sell alcohol, or if we still organise events," he said. "In reality, nothing has changed," Basmar stressed, even though he said sales have gone down by 50 percent because "people are afraid anyway". Last Christmas, "we closed at 3:00 am. Now we close at 11:00 pm," Basmar said. One Damascus restaurant held a Christmas party, attended by dozens of people, Christians and Muslims alike. "The party was really nice, not what we had imagined," said 42-year-old Emma Siufji. "As Christians this year, we're afraid of the unknown." Her only wish this holiday season, Siufji told AFP, was that no Syrian would have to leave the country, as happened to millions during the war. "No one would want to be forced to leave." (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
YAKUTAT, Alaska — Forget the open-air sleigh overloaded with gifts and powered by flying reindeer. Santa and Mrs. Claus took supersized rides to southeast Alaska this week in a C-17 military cargo plane and a camouflaged Humvee as they delivered toys to the Tlingit village of Yakutat, northwest of Juneau. The visit was part of this year's Operation Santa Claus, an outreach program of the Alaska National Guard to largely Indigenous communities in the nation's largest state. Each year, the Guard picks a village that has suffered recent hardship — in Yakutat's case, a massive snowfall that threatened to buckle buildings in 2022. "This is one of the funnest things we get to do, and this is a proud moment for the National Guard," Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard, said Wednesday. Saxe wore a Guard uniform and a Santa hat that stretched his unit's dress regulations. People are also reading... Muskogee board rejects Matt Hennesy's return as Roughers' head football coach The 12 best new restaurants of 2024 Berry Tramel: Barry Switzer's 1980s players salute their lion-in-winter coach. Read their letter Mike Gundy appears headed for complete turnover among coaching staff Daughter of country music star Wynonna Judd pleads guilty to drug, theft charges Where to eat on Christmas Day Berry Tramel: Another OU-Navy game and another historically inept Sooner offense Four northeastern Oklahoma educators' teaching certificates suspended Loren Montgomery: An inside look at Bixby's record-setting football coach OU releases depth chart for Armed Forces Bowl vs. Navy; Here are notable changes Tulsa school board votes to proceed with Jennettie Marshall, E’Lena Ashley lawsuit Muskogee board set to vote on Wagoner's Dale Condict as head football coach Bible, Christianity feature heavily in proposed social studies standards for students Gov. Kevin Stitt orders state agencies to end most remote work Sink your teeth into 20 of Tulsa's best sandwiches The Humvee caused a stir when it entered the school parking lot, and a buzz of "It's Santa! It's Santa!" pierced the cold air as dozens of elementary school children gathered outside. In the school, Mrs. Claus read a Christmas story about the reindeer Dasher. The couple in red then sat for photos with almost all of the 75 or so students and handed out new backpacks filled with gifts, books, snacks and school supplies donated by the Salvation Army. The school provided lunch, and a local restaurant provided the ice cream and toppings for a sundae bar. Student Thomas Henry, 10, said while the contents of the backpack were "pretty good," his favorite item was a plastic dinosaur. Another, 9-year-old Mackenzie Ross, held her new plush seal toy as she walked around the school gym. "I think it's special that I have this opportunity to be here today because I've never experienced this before," she said. Yakutat, a Tlingit village of about 600 residents, is in the lowlands of the Gulf of Alaska, at the top of Alaska's panhandle. Nearby is the Hubbard Glacier, a frequent stop for cruise ships. Some of the National Guard members who visited Yakutat on Wednesday were also there in January 2022, when storms dumped about 6 feet of snow in a matter of days, damaging buildings. Operation Santa started in 1956 when flooding severely curtailed subsistence hunting for residents of St. Mary's, in western Alaska. Having to spend their money on food, they had little left for Christmas presents, so the military stepped in. This year, visits were planned to two other communities hit by flooding. Santa's visit to Circle, in northeastern Alaska, went off without a hitch. Severe weather prevented a visit to Crooked Creek, in the southwestern part of the state, but Christmas was saved when the gifts were delivered there Nov. 16. "We tend to visit rural communities where it is very isolated," said Jenni Ragland, service extension director with the Salvation Army Alaska Division. "A lot of kids haven't traveled to big cities where we typically have Santa and big stores with Christmas gifts and Christmas trees, so we kind of bring the Christmas program on the road." After the C-17 Globemaster III landed in Yakutat, it quickly returned to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, an hour away, because there was nowhere to park it at the village's tiny airport. Later it returned to pick up the Christmas crew. Santa and Mrs. Claus, along with their tuckered elves, were seen nodding off on the flight back.
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