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w777 slot Emboldened by the view from the top of the NFC North, the Detroit Lions are out to eliminate nightmare holiday gatherings when the Chicago Bears come to town Thursday for a lunchtime division duel. The Lions (10-1) are streaking one direction, the Bears (4-7) the other in the first matchup of the season between teams on opposite ends of the division. Riding a nine-game winning streak, their longest since a 10-game streak during their first season in Detroit in 1934, the Lions are burdened by losses in their traditional Thanksgiving Day game the past seven seasons. Three of the defeats are courtesy of Chicago. The Bears and Lions get together for the 20th time on Thanksgiving -- the Bears have 11 wins -- this week in the first of two meetings between the teams in a 25-day span. Detroit goes to Soldier Field on Dec. 22. "I think there's two things," Campbell said of the Thanksgiving losing streak. "Number one -- Get a W. And it's a division win that's why this huge. Number two is because the players are going to get a couple of days off. So, they have family, friends in, it'd be nice to feel good about it when you're with everybody because it's just not real fun. It's not real fun to be around." Detroit (10-1) owns the best record in the NFC but the Lions aren't even assured of a division title. Minnesota sits one game behind them and Green Bay is two games back. The Bears (4-7) sit in last place and would likely need to run the table to have any chance of making the playoffs. The Lions have been dominant in all phases and haven't allowed a touchdown in the past 10 consecutive quarters. Detroit's offense ranks first in points per game (32.7) and second in total yardage (394.3) The Lions defense has not given up a touchdown in the last 10 quarters. Rookie placekicker Jake Bates has made all 16 of his field goal attempts, including four from 50-plus yards over the past three games. Chicago shows up in a foul mood. The Bears are saddled with a five-game losing streak and Chicago's defense has been destroyed for nearly 2,000 total yards in the last four games. The Bears failed to reach the 20-point mark four times in five outings since they last won a game. In their latest defeat, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the offense perked up but they lost to Minnesota in overtime, 30-27. "We have to play complementary football for us to be able to win these games," coach Matt Eberflus said. "The games we have won, we have done that. The games we have been close we've missed the mark a little bit. Over the course of the year, it's been one side or the other, this side or that side. In this league you have to be good on all sides to win. That's what we are searching for." Williams threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. The wide receiver trio of DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Romeo Odunze combined for 21 receptions and two touchdowns while tight end Cole Kmet caught seven passes. "What I've been impressed with is just how he has grown," Campbell said. "He has grown every game but these last two I really feel like he's taken off and what they're doing with him has been really good for him and he just looks very composed. He doesn't get frazzled, plays pretty fast, and he's an accurate passer, big arm, and he's got some guys that can get open for him." Detroit's banged-up secondary could be susceptible against the Bears' veteran receivers in their bid to pull off an upset on Thursday. The Lions put two defensive backs on injured reserve in the past week and top cornerback Carlton Davis isn't expected to play due to knee and thumb injuries. Detroit offensive tackle Taylor Decker (knee) and top returner Kalif Raymond (foot) are also expected to miss the game, though Campbell expressed optimism that running back David Montgomery (shoulder), formerly of the Bears, would play. Bears safety Elijah Hicks was listed as a DNP for Tuesday's walkthrough. --Field Level Media

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One Tech Tip: How to protect your communications through encryptionThe Kings headed into Saturday’s rubber match of their three-game homestand with serious concerns about their power play as well as some individual offensive performers that they hoped to get back afloat against the surging Seattle Kraken. They disposed of the dead-tired Detroit Red Wings to kick off the homestand – which is part of nine straight games to be played in California – but were shut out for the first time this season by the Buffalo Sabres Wednesday. The black and silver became the not-so-proud owners of the NHL’s worst power play since Nov. 10 – they’ve scored no power-play goals since Nov. 9 and that one was an empty-netter – and have the fourth-worst conversion rate over all of 2024-25. Their 0-for-5 performance as they were bageled 1-0 by Buffalo was their third such display this season, including an 0-for-6 showing in a loss to lowly San Jose . They’ve gone 0 for 4 on four other occasions, and went without a power-play goal in 13 of their 20 games so far. Their newly assembled top unit of five forwards has had the vibe of Dean Smith’s four-corner offense at times and, at its best, has produced nothing but near misses. The second unit’s struggles have been season-long, with the ineffectual play of both groups rendering meaningless the Kings’ numerous bromides about “looks” and “movement.” Their struggles haven’t been limited to the power play either. Overall, they’ve lost four of their past six games, and in those defeats they’ve managed a meager 1.25 goals per game. Forward Quinton Byfield signed a lucrative extension this summer with the expectation that he’d push upward into the top tier of the Kings’ scoring leaderboard. But instead of chasing captain Anže Kopitar, Byfield’s production has more closely mirrored that of checker Trevor Lewis. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft surmounted several setbacks: a broken ankle and not one but two viral illnesses, one of which robbed him of about 25 pounds. Last season, he appeared poised for a breakout, but mixed form, tentativeness and tough luck have inhibited him in the first quarter of this campaign. “He’s had tough stretches before that he’s come out of,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said. “If anybody’s faced adversity, it’s been him through the first run of his career here. So, he’s been through that, he’ll get through it.” Hiller remarked that Byfield “wasn’t alone” among players who could not convert Wednesday. He also wasn’t unaccompanied in a crowd of slumping Kings. Winger Kevin Fiala has gone pointless in six straight games and defenseman Jordan Spence has spent much of the season turning the puck over as if he were cooking it on a grill. Meanwhile, Brock Faber, whom the Kings dealt along with a first-round pick for Fiala, has been the No. 1 defenseman for the West’s second-best team to date, the Minnesota Wild. Even the Kings’ early-season scorchers have cooled significantly. Brandt Clarke has been held scoreless in four straight games and six of his past seven. In his last two games, he and the top power-play unit have clearly missed each other. Alex Laferriere remained in that grouping, but his production continued to sag. After a torrid stretch of eight goals in 10 games, he has one goal in his last eight appearances and no points in his four most recent outings. Slumping totals and shoulders alike will have to straighten up against leading scorer Jared McCann and Seattle, which rebounded from a four-game winless skid to capture five of its past six decisions. The Kraken have killed 90% of its penalties during their ascent, good for sixth in the NHL, and allowed a miserly 1.67 goals per game, the fourth-best mark in the league during that span. Seattle at Kings When: 1 p.m. Saturday Where: Crypto.com Arena How to watch: FDSNW

SAN ANTONIO – For most of the players on the Colorado football team, participating in the Valero Alamo Bowl was never a question. When head coach Deion Sanders told the Buffs that their two biggest stars – quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter – would also be playing, though, that provided a jolt of energy. Shedeur and Hunter are both projected as top-five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft and in recent years, the top NFL prospects have often opted out of bowl games, but that won’t be the case when the 20th-ranked Buffs (9-3) face No. 17 BYU on Saturday at the Alamodome (5:30 p.m. MT, ABC). “I think that was the really cool part,” safety Ben Finneseth said. “I was talking to my family about that the other day, and how much we appreciated Coach Prime for saying that these guys were going to be playing. And, you know, the fact that we all get to go out the right way. We started the season together, let’s finish it all together. That’s the best part.” On Monday night, after the team’s arrival to the hotel in preparation for Saturday’s game against BYU, Coach Prime and athletic director Rick George announced that CU has secured disability insurance for the players, with Shedeur and Hunter getting the largest insurance policies ever given to college athletes. In addition to the star players planning to participate, the Buffs have been able to bring more players than usual on a road trip. During the regular season, travel rosters are limited by numbers, but the entire team was able to come to San Antonio. “It is really cool ... having all the guys of the team come and seeing guys that normally don’t travel to some away games due to that limited number,” running back Charlie Offerdahl said. “It’s going to be a pretty special experience, having them all here.” Finneseth added: “Obviously, we couldn’t have gotten here without all guys on this team.” Positive thinking Since winning the Heisman Trophy on Dec. 14, Hunter’s relationship with his fiancé has been the target of some on social media. Coach Prime often refers to nonsense as “bull junk,” and when asked about the bull junk Hunter has dealt with, Coach Prime focused on positives. “I don’t know about the bull junk,” he said. “I think everything is great. He has a Heisman Trophy at the crib. He’s projected to be the first or second pick, no later than the third. I don’t know where the bull junk comes in at. I think it’s all a blessing. Things that you may count as stressing is still a blessing. And I think he’s headed in the right direction. “He loves the game of football. I’m always focused on the positive, not the negative. ... Why would you focus on that when the positive is right there in front of you? So, I love this young man. I love what he stands for. I love him like he’s a son. He’s exceeded expectations. He’s exceeded everything we asked of him, academically as well as athletically. So I’m happy for what he’s going to do in this particular game.” Notable Coach Prime said Monday that 100-year-old superfan Peggy Coppom is planning to be at the game on Saturday. “I think she’s starting as well,” he joked. “She’s in the starting lineup, but she will be here.” ... CU freshman walk-on linebacker Gage Goldberg was one player local media was looking forward to seeing on Tuesday. Goldberg graduated from Champion High School in Boerne, located about 25 miles from San Antonio. His father, pro wrestling superstar Bill Goldberg, was on hand for practice. ... Receiver LaJohntay Wester, who has worn No. 10 all season, has switched to No. 1 this week. Coach Prime gave Wester a No. 1 jersey earlier this season, but Wester had to take care of some academic priorities before earning the right to wear it on the field.White House urges crackdown on US telecoms after massive Chinese hackAustralia passed its first-ever Cyber Security Act on Nov. 25, introducing various measures to strengthen the nation’s defenses. Among its key provisions is a requirement that organisations report to the government if they pay ransomware criminals — a practice that has become widespread globally . The Cyber Security Act follows Australia’s Cyber Security Strategy 2023-2030. The strategy, designed to position Australia as a leader in cyber resilience, foreshadowed several measures in the law, including creating a National Cyber Security Coordinator to oversee a cohesive national cyber response. In a media release , Australia’s Minister for Cyber Security Tony Burke said the Act was “a key pillar in our mission to protect Australians from cyber threats” and that it “forms a cohesive legislative toolbox for Australia to move forward with clarity and confidence in the face of an ever-changing cyber landscape. Experts have urged IT and security leaders to update their cyber security incident response plans to consider the legislative changes, which may require them to communicate with the government in new ways in the confusing midst of a cyber security attack or crisis. How will Australia’s new cyber security law affect organisations? The two main changes impacting Australian organisations are creating a mandatory obligation to report any ransomware payments and a new voluntary reporting regime for cyber incidents. Mandatory ransomware payment reporting The government will require organisations of a certain size to report ransomware payments. While the size threshold has yet to be determined, local Australian law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth said the mandate will likely apply to businesses with a turnover above AUD $3 million. Reports must be made to the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Signals Directorate within 72 hours of a ransomware payment. If organisations fail to report these payments, they could be charged a civil penalty, which Corrs said is currently valued at AUD $93,900. SEE: The alarming state of Australian data breaches in 2024 Corrs notes that, despite the new obligation, the government’s policy is still that organisations should not pay ransoms. The government believes that paying ransoms only feeds the business model of cybercrime gangs — and there is no guarantee organisations will actually recover their data or keep it confidential. Voluntary reporting of new cyber incidents The new Act commenced a new framework for the voluntary reporting of cyber incidents . The measure is designed to encourage more free information sharing when parties suffer a cyber attack so that other private and public sector organisations and the community can benefit. Overseen by the NCSC, any organisations doing business in Australia can report incidents while being protected somewhat by a “limited use” obligation, restricting what the NCSC can do with the information. For example, reporting a significant cyber security incident will allow the NCSC, under the law, to use the information for purposes including preventing or mitigating risks to critical infrastructure or national security and supporting intelligence or enforcement agencies, Corrs said. Further measures included with Australia’s new laws IT and security pros will be impacted by several other measures included in the legislative package. IoT device security in focus Australia’s government will now have the power to enforce security standards for any Internet of Things devices . Once these standards are stipulated in legislative rules, any global suppliers must comply if they want to continue supplying to the Australian market, Corrs explained. Cyber Incident Review Board Significant cyber incidents in Australia are now likely to be reviewed by a newly enfranchised Cyber Incident Review Board. The CIRB will conduct no-fault and post-incident reviews, provide recommendations, and have the power to compel entities to provide information. Other cyber security legislation The Cyber Security Act is part of a broader legislative package, including updates to Australia’s Security Of Critical Infrastructure Act 2019 . The SOCI Act has been updated to classify data storage systems that hold business-critical data as critical infrastructure assets, among other changes. IT and security urged to review cyber incident response plans IT and security teams should review their cyber security incident response plans and integrate changes to them where necessary. This would accommodate the new mandatory ransomware payment reporting obligations and engagement with the National Cyber Security Coordinator. SEE: Australian government proposes mandatory guardrails for AI The new regulatory obligations will require organisations to adjust their plans to ensure compliance. CISOs and security teams will be key in adjusting plans and integrating these changes into future cyber security tabletop exercises. Corrs noted that the trigger for an organisation to report a ransomware payment is the payment itself rather than any receipt of a demand for payment. This will impact both how organisations manage these cyber decisions and when they choose to communicate them. Organisations may also have overlapping reporting requirements with different timelines under Australia’s privacy laws and SOCI Act if they are designated critical infrastructure companies, in addition to continuous disclosure obligations if they are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.

Vanquishing Bears, Thanksgiving losing streak tops Lions' holiday list

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Seven of the league's ten most-viewed players will take the court on Christmas Day, with LeBron James and Steph Curry still holding down their roles as the NBA's surefire superstars . As they continue to shoulder the responsibility of being deemed the face of the league face for over the past decade, Ja Morant and Victor Wembanyama have emerged as the likely new faces based on popularity. The NBA is leaning heavily into this star power for its Christmas Day schedule, which begins with Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs traveling to Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Knicks . The MSG stage is fitting for the former No. 1 pick and one of the most hyped rookies in decades, whose mix of size, skill, and social media appeal has already earned him a top-three spot in the NBA's most-viewed players list above Curry . The festivities continue for the second game, which pits Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks . Fresh off his FIBA World Cup breakout, Edwards continues to carve his path as one of the league’s next big stars, while Doncic continues to be a global icon and a perennial MVP candidate . Ironically, neither player was featured on the NBA list as official criteria for the "most-viewed" players list remains unknown. Wild Joel Embiid ejected and restrained after screaming in female referee's face Trinity Rodman comparison of LeBron James and legendary dad speaks volumes In the afternoon, the reigning champion Boston Celtics face the Philadelphia 76ers in a classic Atlantic Division rivalry. Jayson Tatum , the ninth player on the list, will look to outshine the 2023 MVP in Joel Embiid , who was also a glaring omission from the list. The real fireworks come in the primetime matchup, where LeBron's Lakers face Curry's Warriors. The night concludes with the Denver Nuggets [5th in Western Conference] hosting the Phoenix Suns. The Suns are in 11th place with an even 14-14 record, with fifth place just two games away. While the Grizzlies won't play on Christmas, Morant’s status as the second-most viewed player on social media guarantees the league's change to go viral will spill into Memphis' Dec 26 primetime matchup against the Toronto Raptors. The electrifying guard is the only player in Memphis history to record a triple-double in 30 minutes or less, and he's done it two times. The NBA noted that Morant's past two 360 layups from the Grizzlies-Nets game generated over 170 million views across NBA socials, which remains a league record. Morant reproduced the same athletic aerial move against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, spreading the clip aggressively across social platforms. LeBron James [Los Angeles Lakers]: 623 million Ja Morant [Memphis Grizzles]: 538 million Victor Wembanyama [San Antonio Spurs]: 402 million Stephen Curry [Golden State Warriors]: 350 million LaMelo Ball [Charlotte Hornets]: 237 million Giannis Antetokounmpo [Milwaulkee Bucks]: 227 million Klay Thompson [Dallas Mavericks]: 189 million Nikola Jokic [Denver Nuggets]: 182 million Jayson Tatum [Boston Celtics]: 175 million Anthony Davis [Los Angeles Lakers]: 169 millionUSC vs. UCLA odds, picks and predictions for college football game

Thousands of Syrians gathered in Damascus’ main square and a historic mosque for the first Muslim Friday prayers since former President Bashar Assad was overthrown , a major symbolic moment for the country’s dramatic change of power. The rebels are now working to establish security and start a political transition after seizing the capital on Sunday. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Friday, pressing ahead with efforts to unify Middle East nations in support of a peaceful political transition in Syria. It’s part of Blinken’s 12th trip to the Mideast since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year in Gaza but his first after Assad was ousted. The U.S. is also making a renewed push for an ceasefire in Gaza, where the war has plunged more than 2 million Palestinians into a severe humanitarian crisis. Israel’s war against Hamas has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The October 2023 attack by Hamas in southern Israel that sparked the war killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and around 250 others were taken hostage. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Here's the latest: WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has transported out of Syria an American who disappeared seven months ago into former President Bashar Assad’s notorious prison system and was among the thousands released this week by rebels, a U.S. official said Friday. Travis Timmerman was flown out of Syria on a U.S. military helicopter, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing operation. Timmerman, 29, told The Associated Press he had gone to Syria on a Christian pilgrimage and was not ill-treated while in Palestine Branch, a notorious detention facility operated by Syrian intelligence. He said he was freed by “the liberators who came into the prison and knocked the door down (of his cell) with a hammer.” Timmerman said he was released Monday morning alongside a young Syrian man and 70 female prisoners, some of whom had their children with them. He had been held separately from Syrian and other Arab prisoners and said he didn’t know of any other Americans held in the facility. — By Lolita C. Baldor THE HAGUE, Netherlands — A Dutch court on Friday rejected a bid from human rights groups to block weapons exports to Israel and trading with the occupied territories, after finding there were sufficient checks already in place to comply with international law. The ten organizations told The Hague District Court last month that they thought the Netherlands was in violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention, drawn up following World War II, by continuing to sell weapons to Israel more than a year into the conflict in Gaza. “The government uses my own tax money, that I pay, to kill my own family. I’ve lost 18 members of my own family,” Ahmed Abofoul, a legal adviser for the pro-Palestinian organization Al-Haq, one of the groups involved in the lawsuit, told the court during a hearing in November . The court ruling said that “it is not up to the interim relief judge to order the state to reconsider government policy. That is primarily a political responsibility.” Lawyers for the government argued it wasn’t up to a judge to decide foreign policy for the Netherlands. The activist groups pointed to several emergency orders from another court, the International Court of Justice, as confirming the obligation to stop weapons sales. In January, the top U.N. court said it was plausible Palestinians were being deprived of some rights protected under the Genocide Convention. The coalition said it will review the court’s ruling and is considering an appeal. CAIRO — Israeli attacks in and around a hospital in northern Gaza wounded three medical staff overnight into Friday and caused damage to the isolated medical facility, according to its director. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya said Israeli quadcopter drones carrying explosives deliberately targeted the emergency and reception area of Kamal Adwan Hospital, where one doctor was wounded for a third time. Abu Safiya said “relentless” drone and artillery strikes throughout the night exploded “alarmingly close” to the hospital, heavily damaging nearby buildings and destroying most of the water tanks on the hospital’s roof and blowing out doors and windows. Kamal Adwan Hospital in the town of Beit Lahiya has been hit multiple times over the past two months since Israel launched a fierce military operation against Hamas in northern Gaza. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the strikes. “We demand international protection for the hospital and its staff,” Abu Safiya said in a statement released via the U.K.-based aid group Medical Aid for Palestinians, “as well as the entry of delegations with surgical expertise, medical supplies, and essential medications to ensure we can adequately serve the people we are treating.” Abu Safiya said there were 72 wounded patients at the hospital, one of the few medical facilities left in northern Gaza. He said he expected Israeli forces would allow a World Health Organization aid convoy to bring supplies to the hospital on Friday or Saturday, as well as a team of doctors from Indonesia. Israel has allowed almost no humanitarian or medical aid to enter the three besieged communities in northern Gaza — Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun and the urban Jabaliya refugee camp — and ordered tens of thousands to flee to nearby Gaza City. Israeli officials have said the three communities are mostly deserted, but the United Nations humanitarian office said Tuesday it believes around 65,000 to 75,000 people are still there, with little access to food, water, electricity or health care. Experts have warned that the north may be experiencing famine . BAGHDAD — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced stop in Iraq on Friday on his latest visit to the Middle East aimed at stabilizing the situation in Syria to prevent further regional turmoil. Blinken met in Baghdad with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani as part of the hastily arranged trip, his 12th to the region since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year but his first since the weekend ouster of Syrian strongman Bashar Assad. Blinken has already been to Jordan and Turkey on his current tour and will return to Jordan for urgent meetings on Saturday with Arab foreign ministers to try to unify support for an inclusive post-Assad transition that does not allow the Islamic State group to take advantage of the political vacuum in Syria and secures suspected chemical weapons stocks. In Baghdad, Blinken “will underscore U.S. commitment to the U.S.-Iraq strategic partnership and to Iraq’s security, stability, and sovereignty,” the State Department said. “He will also discuss regional security opportunities and challenges, as well as enduring U.S. support for engagement with all communities in Syria to establish an inclusive transition,” it said in a statement. His trip comes as the Biden administration winds down with just over a month left before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump has been highly critical of Biden’s approach to the Middle East and skeptical of the U.S. military presence in both Iraq and Syria. The U.S. and Iraq agreed in September to wrap up U.S.-led military operations against the Islamic State in Iraq next year, although Assad’s ouster and the potential for the group taking advantage of a political vacuum in Syria could complicate the timing of the withdrawal, according to American officials. DAMASCUS — The kingdom of Bahrain sent a message Friday to Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It said Bahrain is “fully prepared to consult with you continuously and to provide support in regional and international organizations to achieve what is in the interest of the brotherly Syrian people.” It added, “We look forward to Syria regaining its authentic role in the Arab League.” Bahrain is the current head of the Arab summit. Syria was readmitted to the Arab League last year after 12 years of ostracization. It is still unclear how the international community will deal officially with the new interim government in Syria. JERUSALEM - Israel’s defense minister told troops to prepare to remain through the winter months on the peak of Mount Hermon, Syria’s highest point, located in a swath of southern Syria that Israeli troops moved into after the fall of Damascus to insurgents. The comments by Defense Minister Israel Katz signaled that the military will extend its occupation of the zone along the border, which Israel says it seized to create a buffer zone. In a statement Friday, Katz said that holding the peak was of major importance for Israel’s security and that it would be necessary to build facilities there to sustain troops through the winter. The summit of Mount Hermon, the highest peak on the eastern Mediterranean coast at 2,814 meters (9,232 feet), gives a commanding view over the plains of southern Syria. It also positions Israeli troops about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the center of Damascus. The mount is divided between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Lebanon and Syria. Only the United States recognizes Israel’s control of the Golan Heights. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israeli troops would remain in the zone until another force across the border in Syria could guarantee security. Israeli troops moved into the zone -– set as a demilitarized area inside Syrian territory under truce deals that ended the 1973 Mideast war -- after the regime of Bashar al-Assad fell last weekend. ANKARA, Turkey -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the United States on what they would like to see in Syria following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. “There’s broad agreement on what we would like to see going forward, starting with the interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria’s neighbors,” Blinken said in joint statements with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The insurgent groups that toppled Assad in Syria have not made clear their policy or stance on Israel, whose military in recent days has bombed sites all over the country, saying it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands. Blinken also said it was crucial to keep the Islamic State group under control. “We also discussed the imperative of continuing the efforts to keep ISIS down. Our countries worked very hard and gave a lot over many years to ensure the elimination of the territorial caliphate of ISIS to ensure that that threat doesn’t rear its head again,” Blinken said. The Turkish foreign minister said the two discussed ways of establishing prosperity in Syria and ending terrorism in the country. “Our priority is establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren’t dominant,” Fidan said, in a reference to the banned Kurdistan Workers Party. Blinken said: “We’re very focused on Syria, very focused on the opportunity that now is before us and before the Syrian people to move from out from under the shackles of Bashar al-Assad to a different and better future for the Syrian people, one that the Syrian people decide for themselves.” Blinken and Fidan said they had also discussed a ceasefire for Gaza. “We’ve seen in the last couple of weeks more encouraging signs that (a ceasefire) is possible,” Blinken said. Blinken, who is making his 12th trip to the Mideast since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year but first since the weekend ouster of Assad, met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late Thursday. The outgoing Biden administration is particularly concerned that a power vacuum in Syria could exacerbate already heightened tensions in the region, which is already wracked by multiple conflicts, and create conditions for the Islamic State group to regain territory and influence. Later Friday, Blinken is to return to Jordan for meetings on Saturday with Arab foreign ministers and senior officials from the European Union, the Arab League and the United Nations. ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkey has appointed a temporary charge d’affaires to reopen its embassy in Syria, Turkey’s state-run news agency reported. The Turkish Embassy in Damascus had suspended operations in 2012 due to the escalating security problems during the Syrian civil war and embassy staff and their families were recalled to Turkey. The Anadolu Agency said late Thursday that Turkey appointed Burhan Koroglu, its ambassador in Mauritania, to the post. UNITED NATIONS- – Two U.N. aid convoys were violently attacked in Gaza, making it virtually impossible for humanitarian agencies to operate without putting staff and civilians at risk, the U.N. food agency says. On Wednesday, a 70-truck convoy from Kerem Shalom was waiting for personnel to safeguard the food and other aid destined for central Gaza when there were reported attacks by Israeli forces in the nearby humanitarian zone, the U.N. World Food Program said Thursday. More than 50 people are now estimated to have died in the attacks, including civilians and local security personnel who had been expected to ensure the convoy’s safety, WFP said. The Rome-based agency said the convoy was forced to proceed from Kerem Shalom to central Gaza without any security arrangements, using the Philadelphi corridor, an Israeli-controlled route that had been recently approved and successfully utilized twice. On the way, WFP said, conflict and insecurity led to a loss of communication with the convoy for more than 12 hours. ”Eventually, the trucks were found but all food and aid supplies were looted,” the U.N. agency said. In a second incident, Israeli soldiers approached a WFP convoy moving out of the Kissufim crossing into central Gaza, fired warning shots, conducted extensive security checks, and temporarily detained drivers and staff, the agency said. “As the trucks were delayed, four out of the five trucks were lost to violent armed looting,” WFP said. UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations chief has a message for Israel: Stop the attacks on Syria. Secretary-General António Guterres is particularly concerned about several hundred Israeli airstrikes on several Syrian locations and stresses “the urgent need to de-escalate violence on all fronts throughout the country," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Thursday. The Israeli military said Tuesday it carried out more than 350 strikes in Syria over the previous 48 hours, hitting “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country to stop them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israel also acknowledged pushing into a buffer zone inside Syria following last week’s overthrow of President Bashar Assad. The buffer zone was established after Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1973 war. Dujarric said Guterres condemns all actions violating the 1974 ceasefire agreement between the two countries that remain in force. And the U.N. chief calls on the parties to uphold the agreement and end “all unauthorized presence in the area of separation” and refrain from any action undermining the ceasefire and stability in the Golan Heights, the spokesman said.

Kings’ slumbering offense needs a jolt against SeattleSANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — De'Vondre Campbell's decision to quit on his team in the middle of a game overshadowed the bigger issues for the San Francisco 49ers. An offense that was one of the most dynamic in the NFL during a run to the Super Bowl last season has been just ordinary for most of 2024 and was downright bad in a 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night that just about ended San Francisco's playoff hopes. San Francisco (6-8) was held to its fewest yards (191) in a regular-season game in eight seasons under coach Kyle Shanahan and its fewest points since Shanahan's debut in 2017 on a rainy night that will be remembered mostly for Campbell walking off the field in the middle of the game with a towel draped over his head. The game also featured San Francisco going three-and-out on four drives as Brock Purdy struggled to connect with his receivers. Deebo Samuel dropped a potential touchdown pass after complaining earlier in the week about a lack of touches. Purdy then missed Ricky Pearsall on an underthrown deep shot in the fourth quarter before throwing an interception into the end zone that ended the Niners' comeback attempt. “I just feel like I had a lot of plays left out there that I could have made for our team,” Purdy said. “I thought the defense and special teams played so good. That’s what’s hurting me is I just feel like I failed the team. I could have been better for our offense and we could have put up more points.” Scoring has been an issue this season for the 49ers, who have been missing key playmakers like Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk for much of the season. San Francisco is scoring 8.5 fewer points per game on offense than the Niners did through 14 games last season. What’s working Red-zone defense. After allowing touchdowns on 13 consecutive red-zone drives over the previous four games, the 49ers kept the Rams out of the end zone on all three drives that went inside the 20. What needs help Receivers. The 49ers failed to get much production from their wide receivers with Purdy going 6 for 20 for 63 yards with an INT and a 19.4 rating when targeting wideouts. Samuel had 16 yards on seven targets with the key drop. Jauan Jennings had two drops and was the target on the interception. Pearsall had one catch for 16 yards on four targets. Stock up LB Dre Greenlaw returned for the first time since tearing his left Achilles tendon in last season's Super Bowl. Greenlaw had eight tackles in the first half as he brought needed intensity and physical play that had been missing for much of the season. Stock down Campbell. The 49ers are deciding whether to waive or suspend Campbell, who lost his starting job when Greenlaw returned and then refused to play when he was needed. “His actions from the game just is not something you can do to your team or your teammates and still expect to be a part of our team,” Shanahan said. “We’re working through exactly the semantics of it right now, but we’ll handle the situation appropriately.” Injuries Greenlaw came out of the game feeling OK after leaving with soreness in his knee and Achilles tendon. He is day to day. ... S Ji’Ayir Brown (groin) and LB Dee Winters (neck) are also day to day. ... LT Trent Williams (ankle) is still trying to get back to play after missing the last four games. Shanahan said Williams' recovery has been "a lot slower than anticipated.” Key number 0 — The Niners didn't reach the red zone once all game, with their deepest penetration into Rams territory being when they reached the 27 on a third-quarter field goal drive. This marked the first time since Week 11 in 2010 that the 49ers didn't run a single play inside the opponent's 25. What’s next The 49ers visit Miami on Dec. 22. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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