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The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world as he sweeps across the earth, delivering presents and defying time. Related Articles Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more , from English to Japanese. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens , such as last year’s . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” “There are screams and giggles and laughter,” said Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, “Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early.” NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa has endured since , predating and . The tradition continues regardless of government shutdowns, such as , and . Here’s how it began and why the phones keep ringing. It started with a child’s accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy’s mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80 foot (18-by-24 meter) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from “those who do not believe in Christmas.” Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup’s story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy’s call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child’s call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. “When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,’” Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. “People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” NORAD’s tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa’s story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada —- known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That’s when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, mountain standard time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time.iFixit now sells Xbox Series replacement parts, motherboards, power supplies and more

Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreamsMELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia's House of Representatives passes bill banning children younger than age 16 from social media.None

The Nasdaq Composite is a tech-centric index that tracks the performance of more than 3,000 stocks listed on the exchange. Just this week, the Nasdaq, the S&P 500 , and the Dow Jones Industrial Average all climbed to record heights, the latest in a long line of all-time highs hit this year. The ongoing rally has a great many stocks at or near new record highs, leaving some investors to wonder whether there's still upside ahead. Those concerns are unfounded, according to Wall Street, which remains remarkably bullish. As we close out the year, forecasts for 2025 continue to ratchet higher. While these targets are focused on the broader S&P 500, they can be instructive. Analysts at Goldman Sachs predict the S&P 500 will hit 6,500 in December 2025, representing gains of roughly 7% compared to Thursday's closing price. Not to be outdone, Bank of America issued a year-end price target of 6,666 for 2025, or upside of 10% from its current level. Just this week, Wells Fargo issued the most bullish forecast yet, calling for the benchmark index to hit 7,007 next year, representing potential gains of about 15%. Despite the recent run-up, opportunities abound. Let's take a look at two Nasdaq stocks with additional upside of up to 115%, according to certain Wall Street analysts. Sirius XM Holdings: Implied upside of 59% The first Nasdaq stock with significant potential upside is Sirius XM Holdings ( SIRI 4.58% ) . The company dominates satellite radio services in North America, with 34 million paying subscribers. Its customer base jumps to 150 million when you include its ad-supported Pandora music streaming service, so its audience is unmatched. However, the recent economic downturn and a complicated merger took a toll. Decades-high inflation forced cash-strapped consumers to make difficult choices with their limited disposable income. Some, understandably, chose to let their SiriusXM subscription lapse. There was also a fundamental misunderstanding of its recent merger, the reverse stock split , and the resulting complicated accounting transactions, which weighed on its results. These combined to drag the stock down 51% so far this year -- but things aren't as bad as they might seem at first glance. In the third quarter, Sirius' revenue slipped 4% year over year to $2.17 billion while reporting a loss per share of $8.74, compared to diluted EPS of $0.82 in the prior year quarter -- but that needs context. The company took a one-time, non-cash impairment charge of $3.36 billion to goodwill related to its acquisition of Liberty Sirius XM tracking stock. Had it not been for that one-time charge, Sirius would have delivered EPS of roughly $1.17, an increase of 43%. At the same time, paid subscribers increased by 14,000, resulting from lower churn . Paid promotional subscribers, which declined by 114,000 as automakers transitioned to shorter or unpaid plans, further weighed on the results. Some on Wall Street believe the selling has simply gone too far. Included among their ranks is Benchmark analyst Matthew Harrigan. He maintains a buy rating on Sirius XM, with a price target of $43. That represents upside potential of 59% compared to Thursday's closing price. The analyst cites an investor disconnect surrounding the recent merger. He also believes that management's "strategic initiatives" will take hold. Furthermore, the lower stock price represents a compelling opportunity for savvy investors, including Warren Buffett, who has been loading up on the stock. Sirius XM is currently selling for roughly 8 times earnings, with almost no future growth baked into the stock price -- and therein lies the opportunity. I believe that, given the steadily improving economic conditions, churn will continue to slow, and subscriber growth will gradually return, which would be just the spark needed to send Sirius XM stock higher. Symbotic: Implied upside of 115% One consequence of the rise of online retail has been a rush to bring warehouse automation into the 21st century. That's where Symbotic ( SYM 0.14% ) comes in. The company created artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to automate the processing of individual cases and full pallets to use every inch of available warehouse space. Symbotic developed advanced algorithms that control a legion of smart robots that work in concert to stock pallets, load and unload trucks, and isolate and handle individual crates. In doing so, the company can squeeze more inventory into less space, saving customers money. By increasing efficiency, reducing labor costs, and slashing operating and delivery expenses, Symbotic's systems pay for themselves in short order. The company estimates that each "module" can pay for itself several times over during its useful life, saving companies tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars. The results speak for themselves. In its fiscal 2024 fourth quarter (ended Sep. 28), Symbotic generated revenue that grew 47% year over year to $577 million while delivering EPS of $0.05, swinging from a sizable loss in the prior-year quarter. After announcing a restatement of earlier 2024 quarterly financial reports, management noted these resulted from timing differences with "no impact to full-year fiscal year 2024 results." On Thursday, Symbotic filed its annual report with no additional changes, removing the final overhang from the stock. In the wake of the company's quarterly results, Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Derek Soderberg reiterated his overweight (buy) rating and $60 price target on the stock, which represents potential upside of 115% compared to Thursday's closing price. The bullish take came after the analyst quizzed management about its recent international expansion agreement with Walmex and the state of its warehouse-as-a-service joint venture . Similar to many early-stage, high-growth stocks, Symbotic stock carries a bit of additional risk, so any position should be sized accordingly. On the bright side, after its recent sell-off, Symbotic is selling for a song at just 1.5 times sales. I would suggest that's an attractive price to pay for a leader in an emerging AI-fueled industry.

Man smuggled weapons to North Korea after coming to California as student, feds sayIsraeli drone strikes hit Kamal Adwan Hospital on Tuesday, wounding three medical staff at one of the few hospitals still partially operating in the northernmost part of Gaza , the facility’s director said. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya said the drones were dropping bombs, spraying shrapnel at the hospital. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. In Lebanon, a tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has held despite Israeli forces carrying out several new drone and artillery strikes on Tuesday, killing a shepherd in the country's south. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed keep striking “with an iron fist” against perceived Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire. Hezbollah began launching rockets, drones and missiles into Israel last year in solidarity with Hamas militants who are fighting in the Gaza Strip. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,500 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war in Gaza has destroyed vast areas of the coastal enclave and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times . Here's the Latest: WASHINGTON — U.S. forces conducted a self-defense strike Tuesday in the vicinity of Mission Support Site Euphrates, a U.S. base in eastern Syria, against three truck-mounted multiple rocket launchers, a T-64 tank and mortars that Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said presented “a clear and imminent threat” to U.S. troops. The self-defense strike occurred after rockets and mortars were fired that landed in the vicinity of the base, Ryder said. The Pentagon is still assessing who was responsible for the attacks — that there are both Iranian-backed militias and Syrian military forces that operate in the area. Ryder said the attack was not connected to the offensive that is ongoing in Aleppo, where Syrian jihadi-led rebels have advanced and taken over the country’s capital city. The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria to conduct missions to counter the Islamic Stage group. CAIRO — Israeli drone strikes hit the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza on Tuesday, wounding three medical personnel, the facility’s director said. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya said the drones were dropping bombs, spraying shrapnel at the hospital, located in the town of Beit Lahiya. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. In comments released by Gaza’s Health Ministry, Abu Safiya said one of the injured was in critical condition and was undergoing a complex surgery. “The situation has become extremely dangerous,” he said. “We are exhausted by the ongoing violence and atrocities.” Kamal Adwan Hospital has been struck multiple times over the past two months as Israeli forces have waged a fierce offensive in the area, saying they are rooting out Hamas militants who regrouped there. In October, Israeli forces raided the hospital, saying that militants were sheltering inside and arrested a number of people, including some staff. Hospital officials denied the claim. Abu Safiya was wounded in his thigh and back by an Israeli drone strike on the hospital last month. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli court has ordered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take the stand next week in his long-running corruption trial, ending a long series of delays. Netanyahu’s lawyers had filed multiple requests to put off the testimony, arguing first that the war in Gaza prevented him from properly preparing for his testimony, and later that his security could not be guaranteed in the court chamber. In Tuesday’s decision, judges in the Jerusalem district court said that following a security assessment, his testimony will be moved to the Tel Aviv district court. Israeli media said the session would take place in an underground chamber. His testimony in the trial, which began in 2020, is expected to begin on Dec. 10 and to last at least several weeks. Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate scandals involving powerful media moguls and wealthy associates. He denies wrongdoing. NABATIYEH, Lebanon — In destroyed areas of southern Lebanon, residents clearing away rubble on Tuesday said they didn’t trust Israel to abide by the week-old ceasefire with Hezbollah. “The Israelis are breaching the ceasefire whenever they can because they are not committed,” said Hussein Badreddin, a vegetable seller in the southern city of Nabatiyeh, which was pummeled by Israeli airstrikes over several weeks. “This means that they (can) breach any resolution at any time.” Since it began last Wednesday, the U.S.- and French-brokered 60-day ceasefire has been rattled by near daily Israeli strikes, although Israel has been vague about the purported Hezbollah violations that prompted them. Imad Yassin, a trader who owns a clothing shop in Nabatiyeh, said Israel was constantly breaching the ceasefire because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to continue the displacement of residents of southern Lebanon. “The Israeli enemy was defeated and the truth is that he is trying to get revenge. Netanyahu is trying to displace us as citizens of southern Lebanon,” Yassin said. They spoke as bulldozers cleared streets strewn with rubble and debris from destroyed buildings. Electricians worked to fix power lines in an effort to restore electricity to the city. Both men were displaced by the war and returned to Nabatiyeh on Wednesday, the day the ceasefire went into effect. Yassin found his clothing shop had been destroyed. He said he would wait to see if the state will dispense compensation funds so that he can repair and reopen his business. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Two separate Israeli airstrikes killed at least nine people in Gaza City on Tuesday, Palestinian medical authorities said. Six people, including two children, who were killed when an Israeli strike hit a school sheltering displaced people Tuesday afternoon in the Zaytoun neighborhood, according to the Health Ministry’s emergency services. A second strike hit a residential building in the Sabra neighborhood, killing at least three people, the services said. Israeli forces have almost completely isolated northernmost Gaza since early October, saying they’re fighting regrouped Hamas militants there. That has pushed some families south to Gaza City, while hundreds of thousands more live in the territory's center and south in squalid tent camps, where they rely on international aid. JERUSALEM — Israel's military confirmed it killed a senior member of Hezbollah responsible for coordinating with Syria's army on rearming and resupplying the Lebanese militant group. Syrian state media said a drone strike on Tuesday hit a car in a suburb of the capital Damascus, killing one person, without saying who was killed. Israel's military said he was Salman Nemer Jomaa, describing him as “Hezbollah’s representative to the Syrian military,” and that killing him “degrades both Hezbollah’s presence in Syria and Hezbollah’s ongoing force-building efforts.” Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of war-torn Syria in recent years. Israel rarely acknowledges its actions in Syria, but it has said that it targets bases of Iran-allied militant groups. Iran supports both Hezbollah and the Syrian government of President Bashar Assad, which is currently fighting to push back jihadi-led insurgents who seized the country’s largest city of Aleppo . TUBAS, West Bank — Israeli soldiers opened fire inside a hospital in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday during a raid to seize the bodies of alleged militants targeted in earlier airstrikes, a Palestinian doctor working at the hospital told The Associated Press. Soldiers entered the Turkish Hospital complex in Tubas after the bodies of two Palestinians killed and one wounded in airstrikes in the northern West Bank on Tuesday were brought there, said Dr. Mahmoud Ghanam, who works in the hospital’s emergency department. The troops briefly handcuffed and arrested Ghanam and another doctor. “The army entered in a brutal way, and they were shooting inside the emergency department,” said Ghanam. “They handcuffed us and took me and my colleague.” The military confirmed that its troops were operating around the hospital searching for those targeted in the airstrikes, which they said had hit a militant cell near the Palestinian town of Al-Aqaba in the Jordan Valley. It denied that troops had entered the hospital building or fired gunshots inside. The soldiers left after learning that the wounded man had been transferred to another hospital, Ghanam said. The soldiers wanted to take the bodies of the two men killed in the strike, but the hospital’s manager refused to hand over the bodies, Ghanam said. Israeli raids on hospitals in the West Bank are rare but have grown more common since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. In Gaza, Israeli troops have systematically besieged, raided and damaged many hospitals. About 800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza ignited the war there. Israel has carried out near-daily military raids in the West Bank that it says are aimed at preventing attacks on Israelis — attacks which have also been on the rise. Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek all three territories for an independent state. CAIRO — Palestinian officials say Fatah and Hamas are closing in on an agreement to appoint a committee of politically independent technocrats to administer the Gaza Strip after the war . It would effectively end Hamas’ rule and could help advance ceasefire talks with Israel. The rival factions have made several failed attempts to reconcile since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007. Israel has meanwhile ruled out any postwar role in Gaza for either Hamas or Fatah, which dominates the Western-backed Palestinian Authority . A Palestinian Authority official on Tuesday confirmed that a preliminary agreement had been reached following weeks of negotiations in Cairo. The official said the committee would have 12-15 members, most of them from Gaza. It would report to the Palestinian Authority, which is headquartered in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and work with local and international parties to facilitate humanitarian assistance and reconstruction. A Hamas official said that Hamas and Fatah had agreed on the general terms but were still negotiating over some details and the individuals who would serve on the committee. The official said an agreement would be announced after a meeting of all Palestinian factions in Cairo, without providing a timeline. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media on the talks. There was no immediate comment from Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is dismantled and scores of hostages are returned. He says Israel will maintain open-ended security control over Gaza , with civilian affairs administered by local Palestinians unaffiliated with the Palestinian Authority or Hamas. No Palestinians have publicly volunteered for such a role, and Hamas has threatened anyone who cooperates with the Israeli military. The United States has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern both the West Bank and Gaza ahead of eventual statehood. The Israeli government is opposed to Palestinian statehood. Associated Press writers Samy Magdy in Cairo and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed. NUSEIRAT REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip — Palestinians lined up for bags of flour distributed by the U.N. in central Gaza on Tuesday morning, some of them for the first time in months amid a drop in food aid entering the territory. The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, gave out one 25-kilogram flour bag (55 pounds) to each family of 10 at a warehouse in the Nuseirat refugee camp, as well as further south in the city of Khan Younis. Jalal al-Shaer, among the dozens receiving flour at the Nuseirat warehouse, said the bag would last his family of 12 for only two or three days. “The situation for us is very difficult,” said another man in line, Hammad Moawad. “There is no flour, there is no food, prices are high ... We eat bread crumbs.” He said his family hadn’t received a flour allotment in five or six months. COGAT, the Israeli army body in charge of humanitarian affairs, said it facilitated entry of a shipment of 600 tons of flour on Sunday for the World Food Program. Still, the amount of aid Israel has allowed into Gaza since the beginning of October has been at nearly the lowest levels of the 15-month-old war. UNRWA’s senior emergency officer Louise Wateridge told The Associated Press that the flour bags being distributed Tuesday were not enough. “People are getting one bag of flour between an entire family and there is no certainty when they’ll receive the next food,” she said. Wateridge added that UNRWA has been struggling like other humanitarian agencies to provide much needed supplies across the Gaza Strip. The agency this week announced it was stopping delivering aid entering through the main crossing from Israel, Kerem Shalom, because its convoys were being robbed by gangs. UNRWA has blamed Israel in large part for the spread of lawlessness in Gaza. The International Criminal Court is seeking to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over accusations of using “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel rejects the allegations and says it has been working hard to improve entry of aid. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the war isn't over against Hezbollah and vowed to use "an iron fist" against the Lebanese militant group for any perceived violations of a week-old ceasefire. “At the moment we are in a ceasefire, I note — a ceasefire, not the end of the war," Netanyahu said at the start of the government meeting Tuesday. He said the military would retaliate for “any violation — minor or major.” Netanyahu also thanked U.S. President-elect Donald Trump for his recent demands for Hamas to release the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza. Trump posted on social media Monday that if the hostages are not freed before he takes office in January there would be “HELL TO PAY.” Netanyahu convened Tuesday's meeting in northern Israel, where around 45,000 Israelis had been displaced by the war as of last week, according to the prime minister’s office. Netanyahu said the government was focused on getting them back in their homes and rehabilitating the area. BERLIN — German authorities have arrested a Lebanese man accused of being a member of Hezbollah and working for groups controlled by the militant organization in Germany. Federal prosecutors said the suspect, identified only as Fadel R. in line with German privacy rules, was arrested in the Hannover region on Tuesday. The man is suspected of membership in a foreign terrorist organization and is not accused of direct involvement in any violence. Prosecutors said he joined Hezbollah in the summer of 2008 or earlier and took part in leadership training courses in Lebanon. From 2009, he allegedly had leadership duties in two groups controlled by Hezbollah in the Hannover area, organizing appearances by preachers close to the militants. According to prosecutors, he was briefly a correspondent for a Hezbollah media outlet in 2017 and was tasked with coordinating building work at a mosque. Germany is a staunch ally of Israel. It is also home to a Lebanese immigrant community of more than 100,000. BEIRUT — The Lebanese army is looking for more recruits as it beefs up its presence in southern Lebanon after the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. Lebanon’s army is a respected national institution that kept to the sidelines during the nearly 14-month conflict. During an initial 60-day truce, thousands of Lebanese troops are supposed to deploy in southern Lebanon, where U.N. peacekeepers also have a presence. Hezbollah militants are to pull back from areas near the border as Israel withdraws its ground forces. The army said those interested in joining up have a one-month period to apply, starting Tuesday. The Lebanese army has about 80,000 troops, with around 5,000 of them deployed in the south. DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria’s state news agency says a drone strike hit a car in a suburb of the capital, Damascus, killing one person. The agency did not give further details or say who was killed. It said the attack occurred Tuesday on the road leading to the Damascus International Airport south of the city. The area is known to be home to members of Iran-backed militant groups. Israel is believed to have carried out a number of strikes in the area in recent months as it has battled Iran-backed Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon. Israeli officials rarely acknowledge such strikes. JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister warned that if the shaky ceasefire with Hezbollah collapses, Israel will widen its strikes and target the Lebanese state itself. He spoke the day after Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes that killed nearly a dozen people. Those strikes came after the Lebanese militant group fired a volley of projectiles as a warning over what it said were previous Israeli violations. Speaking to troops on the northern border Tuesday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said any violations of the agreement would be met with “a maximum response and zero tolerance.” He said if the war resumes, Israel will widen its strikes beyond the areas where Hezbollah’s activities are concentrated, and “there will no longer be an exemption for the state of Lebanon.” During the 14-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which came to an end last week with a ceasefire brokered by the United States and France, Israel largely refrained from striking critical infrastructure or the Lebanese armed forces, who kept to the sidelines . When Israeli strikes killed or wounded Lebanese soldiers, the Israeli military said it was accidental . The ceasefire agreement that took effect last week gives 60 days for Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and for Hezbollah militants to relocate north of the Litani River. The buffer zone is to be patrolled by Lebanese armed forces and U.N. peacekeepers. Israel has carried out multiple strikes in recent days in response to what it says are violations by Hezbollah. Lebanon’s parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, accused Israel of violating the truce more than 50 times in recent days by launching airstrikes, demolishing homes near the border and violating Lebanon’s airspace. Berri, a Hezbollah ally, had helped mediate the ceasefire. JERUSALEM — Palestinian officials say an Israeli airstrike in the northern West Bank has killed two Palestinians. Israel’s military said it struck a militant cell near the town of Al-Aqaba, in the Jordan Valley. It did not immediately give more details. The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the two deaths and said a third person was moderately wounded. About 800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza ignited the war there. Israel has carried out near-daily military raids in the West Bank that it says are aimed at preventing attacks on Israelis, which have also been on the rise. Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories for an independent state. BEIRUT — Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon made his first public appearance in Beirut since he was wounded in an attack involving exploding pagers in mid-September. Mojtaba Amani, who returned to Lebanon over the weekend after undergoing treatment in Iran, visited on Tuesday the scene south of Beirut where Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sept. 27. Speaking about the airstrike that destroyed six buildings and killed Nasrallah and others, Amani said Israel should get for its act “the highest medal for sabotage, terrorism, blood and killing civilians.” Amani suffered serious injuries in his face and hands when a pager he was holding exploded in mid-September. The device was one of about 3,000 pagers that exploded simultaneously, killing and wounding many Hezbollah members. A day after the pager attack, a similar attack struck walkie-talkies. In total, the explosions killed at least 37 people and wounded more than 3,000, many of them civilians. Last month, a spokesperson for the office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pager attack was approved by Netanyahu.“Victories, defeats - good performances, bad performances” — Vincent Kompany gives brief summary of his first six months at Bayern Munich, looking forward to next sixIsraeli drone strikes hit Kamal Adwan Hospital on Tuesday, wounding three medical staff at one of the few hospitals still partially operating in the northernmost part of Gaza , the facility’s director said. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya said the drones were dropping bombs, spraying shrapnel at the hospital. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. In Lebanon, a tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has held despite Israeli forces carrying out several new drone and artillery strikes on Tuesday, killing a shepherd in the country's south. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed keep striking “with an iron fist” against perceived Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire. Hezbollah began launching rockets, drones and missiles into Israel last year in solidarity with Hamas militants who are fighting in the Gaza Strip. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,500 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war in Gaza has destroyed vast areas of the coastal enclave and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times . Here's the Latest: WASHINGTON — U.S. forces conducted a self-defense strike Tuesday in the vicinity of Mission Support Site Euphrates, a U.S. base in eastern Syria, against three truck-mounted multiple rocket launchers, a T-64 tank and mortars that Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said presented “a clear and imminent threat” to U.S. troops. The self-defense strike occurred after rockets and mortars were fired that landed in the vicinity of the base, Ryder said. The Pentagon is still assessing who was responsible for the attacks — that there are both Iranian-backed militias and Syrian military forces that operate in the area. Ryder said the attack was not connected to the offensive that is ongoing in Aleppo, where Syrian jihadi-led rebels taken over the country’s largest city. The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria to conduct missions to counter the Islamic Stage group. CAIRO — Israeli drone strikes hit the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza on Tuesday, wounding three medical personnel, the facility’s director said. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya said the drones were dropping bombs, spraying shrapnel at the hospital, located in the town of Beit Lahiya. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. In comments released by Gaza’s Health Ministry, Abu Safiya said one of the injured was in critical condition and was undergoing a complex surgery. “The situation has become extremely dangerous,” he said. “We are exhausted by the ongoing violence and atrocities.” Kamal Adwan Hospital has been struck multiple times over the past two months as Israeli forces have waged a fierce offensive in the area, saying they are rooting out Hamas militants who regrouped there. In October, Israeli forces raided the hospital, saying that militants were sheltering inside and arrested a number of people, including some staff. Hospital officials denied the claim. Abu Safiya was wounded in his thigh and back by an Israeli drone strike on the hospital last month. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli court has ordered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take the stand next week in his long-running corruption trial, ending a long series of delays. Netanyahu’s lawyers had filed multiple requests to put off the testimony, arguing first that the war in Gaza prevented him from properly preparing for his testimony, and later that his security could not be guaranteed in the court chamber. In Tuesday’s decision, judges in the Jerusalem district court said that following a security assessment, his testimony will be moved to the Tel Aviv district court. Israeli media said the session would take place in an underground chamber. His testimony in the trial, which began in 2020, is expected to begin on Dec. 10 and to last at least several weeks. Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate scandals involving powerful media moguls and wealthy associates. He denies wrongdoing. NABATIYEH, Lebanon — In destroyed areas of southern Lebanon, residents clearing away rubble on Tuesday said they didn’t trust Israel to abide by the week-old ceasefire with Hezbollah. “The Israelis are breaching the ceasefire whenever they can because they are not committed,” said Hussein Badreddin, a vegetable seller in the southern city of Nabatiyeh, which was pummeled by Israeli airstrikes over several weeks. “This means that they (can) breach any resolution at any time.” Since it began last Wednesday, the U.S.- and French-brokered 60-day ceasefire has been rattled by near daily Israeli strikes, although Israel has been vague about the purported Hezbollah violations that prompted them. Imad Yassin, a trader who owns a clothing shop in Nabatiyeh, said Israel was constantly breaching the ceasefire because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to continue the displacement of residents of southern Lebanon. “The Israeli enemy was defeated and the truth is that he is trying to get revenge. Netanyahu is trying to displace us as citizens of southern Lebanon,” Yassin said. They spoke as bulldozers cleared streets strewn with rubble and debris from destroyed buildings. Electricians worked to fix power lines in an effort to restore electricity to the city. Both men were displaced by the war and returned to Nabatiyeh on Wednesday, the day the ceasefire went into effect. Yassin found his clothing shop had been destroyed. He said he would wait to see if the state will dispense compensation funds so that he can repair and reopen his business. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Two separate Israeli airstrikes killed at least nine people in Gaza City on Tuesday, Palestinian medical authorities said. Six people, including two children, who were killed when an Israeli strike hit a school sheltering displaced people Tuesday afternoon in the Zaytoun neighborhood, according to the Health Ministry’s emergency services. A second strike hit a residential building in the Sabra neighborhood, killing at least three people, the services said. Israeli forces have almost completely isolated northernmost Gaza since early October, saying they’re fighting regrouped Hamas militants there. That has pushed some families south to Gaza City, while hundreds of thousands more live in the territory's center and south in squalid tent camps, where they rely on international aid. JERUSALEM — Israel's military confirmed it killed a senior member of Hezbollah responsible for coordinating with Syria's army on rearming and resupplying the Lebanese militant group. Syrian state media said a drone strike on Tuesday hit a car in a suburb of the capital Damascus, killing one person, without saying who was killed. Israel's military said he was Salman Nemer Jomaa, describing him as “Hezbollah’s representative to the Syrian military,” and that killing him “degrades both Hezbollah’s presence in Syria and Hezbollah’s ongoing force-building efforts.” Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of war-torn Syria in recent years. Israel rarely acknowledges its actions in Syria, but it has said that it targets bases of Iran-allied militant groups. Iran supports both Hezbollah and the Syrian government of President Bashar Assad, which is currently fighting to push back jihadi-led insurgents who seized the country’s largest city of Aleppo . TUBAS, West Bank — Israeli soldiers opened fire inside a hospital in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday during a raid to seize the bodies of alleged militants targeted in earlier airstrikes, a Palestinian doctor working at the hospital told The Associated Press. Soldiers entered the Turkish Hospital complex in Tubas after the bodies of two Palestinians killed and one wounded in airstrikes in the northern West Bank on Tuesday were brought there, said Dr. Mahmoud Ghanam, who works in the hospital’s emergency department. The troops briefly handcuffed and arrested Ghanam and another doctor. “The army entered in a brutal way, and they were shooting inside the emergency department,” said Ghanam. “They handcuffed us and took me and my colleague.” The military confirmed that its troops were operating around the hospital searching for those targeted in the airstrikes, which they said had hit a militant cell near the Palestinian town of Al-Aqaba in the Jordan Valley. It denied that troops had entered the hospital building or fired gunshots inside. The soldiers left after learning that the wounded man had been transferred to another hospital, Ghanam said. The soldiers wanted to take the bodies of the two men killed in the strike, but the hospital’s manager refused to hand over the bodies, Ghanam said. Israeli raids on hospitals in the West Bank are rare but have grown more common since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. In Gaza, Israeli troops have systematically besieged, raided and damaged many hospitals. About 800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza ignited the war there. Israel has carried out near-daily military raids in the West Bank that it says are aimed at preventing attacks on Israelis — attacks which have also been on the rise. Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek all three territories for an independent state. CAIRO — Palestinian officials say Fatah and Hamas are closing in on an agreement to appoint a committee of politically independent technocrats to administer the Gaza Strip after the war . It would effectively end Hamas’ rule and could help advance ceasefire talks with Israel. The rival factions have made several failed attempts to reconcile since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007. Israel has meanwhile ruled out any postwar role in Gaza for either Hamas or Fatah, which dominates the Western-backed Palestinian Authority . A Palestinian Authority official on Tuesday confirmed that a preliminary agreement had been reached following weeks of negotiations in Cairo. The official said the committee would have 12-15 members, most of them from Gaza. It would report to the Palestinian Authority, which is headquartered in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and work with local and international parties to facilitate humanitarian assistance and reconstruction. A Hamas official said that Hamas and Fatah had agreed on the general terms but were still negotiating over some details and the individuals who would serve on the committee. The official said an agreement would be announced after a meeting of all Palestinian factions in Cairo, without providing a timeline. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media on the talks. There was no immediate comment from Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is dismantled and scores of hostages are returned. He says Israel will maintain open-ended security control over Gaza , with civilian affairs administered by local Palestinians unaffiliated with the Palestinian Authority or Hamas. No Palestinians have publicly volunteered for such a role, and Hamas has threatened anyone who cooperates with the Israeli military. The United States has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern both the West Bank and Gaza ahead of eventual statehood. The Israeli government is opposed to Palestinian statehood. Associated Press writers Samy Magdy in Cairo and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed. NUSEIRAT REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip — Palestinians lined up for bags of flour distributed by the U.N. in central Gaza on Tuesday morning, some of them for the first time in months amid a drop in food aid entering the territory. The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, gave out one 25-kilogram flour bag (55 pounds) to each family of 10 at a warehouse in the Nuseirat refugee camp, as well as further south in the city of Khan Younis. Jalal al-Shaer, among the dozens receiving flour at the Nuseirat warehouse, said the bag would last his family of 12 for only two or three days. “The situation for us is very difficult,” said another man in line, Hammad Moawad. “There is no flour, there is no food, prices are high ... We eat bread crumbs.” He said his family hadn’t received a flour allotment in five or six months. COGAT, the Israeli army body in charge of humanitarian affairs, said it facilitated entry of a shipment of 600 tons of flour on Sunday for the World Food Program. Still, the amount of aid Israel has allowed into Gaza since the beginning of October has been at nearly the lowest levels of the 15-month-old war. UNRWA’s senior emergency officer Louise Wateridge told The Associated Press that the flour bags being distributed Tuesday were not enough. “People are getting one bag of flour between an entire family and there is no certainty when they’ll receive the next food,” she said. Wateridge added that UNRWA has been struggling like other humanitarian agencies to provide much needed supplies across the Gaza Strip. The agency this week announced it was stopping delivering aid entering through the main crossing from Israel, Kerem Shalom, because its convoys were being robbed by gangs. UNRWA has blamed Israel in large part for the spread of lawlessness in Gaza. The International Criminal Court is seeking to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over accusations of using “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel rejects the allegations and says it has been working hard to improve entry of aid. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the war isn't over against Hezbollah and vowed to use "an iron fist" against the Lebanese militant group for any perceived violations of a week-old ceasefire. “At the moment we are in a ceasefire, I note — a ceasefire, not the end of the war," Netanyahu said at the start of the government meeting Tuesday. He said the military would retaliate for “any violation — minor or major.” Netanyahu also thanked U.S. President-elect Donald Trump for his recent demands for Hamas to release the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza. Trump posted on social media Monday that if the hostages are not freed before he takes office in January there would be “HELL TO PAY.” Netanyahu convened Tuesday's meeting in northern Israel, where around 45,000 Israelis had been displaced by the war as of last week, according to the prime minister’s office. Netanyahu said the government was focused on getting them back in their homes and rehabilitating the area. BERLIN — German authorities have arrested a Lebanese man accused of being a member of Hezbollah and working for groups controlled by the militant organization in Germany. Federal prosecutors said the suspect, identified only as Fadel R. in line with German privacy rules, was arrested in the Hannover region on Tuesday. The man is suspected of membership in a foreign terrorist organization and is not accused of direct involvement in any violence. Prosecutors said he joined Hezbollah in the summer of 2008 or earlier and took part in leadership training courses in Lebanon. From 2009, he allegedly had leadership duties in two groups controlled by Hezbollah in the Hannover area, organizing appearances by preachers close to the militants. According to prosecutors, he was briefly a correspondent for a Hezbollah media outlet in 2017 and was tasked with coordinating building work at a mosque. Germany is a staunch ally of Israel. It is also home to a Lebanese immigrant community of more than 100,000. BEIRUT — The Lebanese army is looking for more recruits as it beefs up its presence in southern Lebanon after the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. Lebanon’s army is a respected national institution that kept to the sidelines during the nearly 14-month conflict. During an initial 60-day truce, thousands of Lebanese troops are supposed to deploy in southern Lebanon, where U.N. peacekeepers also have a presence. Hezbollah militants are to pull back from areas near the border as Israel withdraws its ground forces. The army said those interested in joining up have a one-month period to apply, starting Tuesday. The Lebanese army has about 80,000 troops, with around 5,000 of them deployed in the south. DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria’s state news agency says a drone strike hit a car in a suburb of the capital, Damascus, killing one person. The agency did not give further details or say who was killed. It said the attack occurred Tuesday on the road leading to the Damascus International Airport south of the city. The area is known to be home to members of Iran-backed militant groups. Israel is believed to have carried out a number of strikes in the area in recent months as it has battled Iran-backed Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon. Israeli officials rarely acknowledge such strikes. JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister warned that if the shaky ceasefire with Hezbollah collapses, Israel will widen its strikes and target the Lebanese state itself. He spoke the day after Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes that killed nearly a dozen people. Those strikes came after the Lebanese militant group fired a volley of projectiles as a warning over what it said were previous Israeli violations. Speaking to troops on the northern border Tuesday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said any violations of the agreement would be met with “a maximum response and zero tolerance.” He said if the war resumes, Israel will widen its strikes beyond the areas where Hezbollah’s activities are concentrated, and “there will no longer be an exemption for the state of Lebanon.” During the 14-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which came to an end last week with a ceasefire brokered by the United States and France, Israel largely refrained from striking critical infrastructure or the Lebanese armed forces, who kept to the sidelines . When Israeli strikes killed or wounded Lebanese soldiers, the Israeli military said it was accidental . The ceasefire agreement that took effect last week gives 60 days for Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and for Hezbollah militants to relocate north of the Litani River. The buffer zone is to be patrolled by Lebanese armed forces and U.N. peacekeepers. Israel has carried out multiple strikes in recent days in response to what it says are violations by Hezbollah. Lebanon’s parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, accused Israel of violating the truce more than 50 times in recent days by launching airstrikes, demolishing homes near the border and violating Lebanon’s airspace. Berri, a Hezbollah ally, had helped mediate the ceasefire. JERUSALEM — Palestinian officials say an Israeli airstrike in the northern West Bank has killed two Palestinians. Israel’s military said it struck a militant cell near the town of Al-Aqaba, in the Jordan Valley. It did not immediately give more details. The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the two deaths and said a third person was moderately wounded. About 800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza ignited the war there. Israel has carried out near-daily military raids in the West Bank that it says are aimed at preventing attacks on Israelis, which have also been on the rise. Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories for an independent state. BEIRUT — Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon made his first public appearance in Beirut since he was wounded in an attack involving exploding pagers in mid-September. Mojtaba Amani, who returned to Lebanon over the weekend after undergoing treatment in Iran, visited on Tuesday the scene south of Beirut where Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sept. 27. Speaking about the airstrike that destroyed six buildings and killed Nasrallah and others, Amani said Israel should get for its act “the highest medal for sabotage, terrorism, blood and killing civilians.” Amani suffered serious injuries in his face and hands when a pager he was holding exploded in mid-September. The device was one of about 3,000 pagers that exploded simultaneously, killing and wounding many Hezbollah members. A day after the pager attack, a similar attack struck walkie-talkies. In total, the explosions killed at least 37 people and wounded more than 3,000, many of them civilians. Last month, a spokesperson for the office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pager attack was approved by Netanyahu.

By N. Rahul Hyderabad : There have been about 40 alleged police encounters with armed cadres of the banned CPI (Maoist), resulting in the killing of nearly 100 ‘comrades’ since the formation of Telangana State in 2014. But, what is intriguing is that the latest one that took place in the dense forest of Eturnagaram village, in Mulugu district in December, is that it had the highest casualty — seven in all. The previous highest, six, took place barely three months ago in the forest of Karakagudem in the Bhadradri-Kothagudem area. Both the incidents took place in the Congress regime which completed one year in office on Saturday (December 7). Not surprisingly, the Maoist party has held the Congress government and the party leaders responsible for the incidents. A press release of Jagan, official spokesman of Telangana State committee of CPI (Maoist), said the Congress government had targeted the party as it was leading the people’s struggles against obstacles to the anti-people policies of the regime. In protest against the alleged brutalities unleashed by the Congress in Telangana, the CPI (Maoist) gave a call for a State bandh on Monday (December 9). Incidentally, the alleged encounter at Eturnagaram took place a day ahead of the 24th anniversary of the launch of the People’s Liberation Guerilla Army, the commando force of Maoists. The police are known to step up vigil around the week-long celebrations held by Maoists every year on suspicion that the cadre will step up violence. Not belying the expectations, the Maoists killed two alleged police informants in Wajedu mandal of Mulugu district a few days ago. This was followed by an encounter in Eturnagaram on November 30 where the seven armed Maoists, including state committee member Kurusam Mangu alias Bhadranna and a divisional committee member Egolapu Mallaiah, were killed. They were said to have ordered food from a ‘trusted’ registered medical practitioner in a village who was renegade in the hands of the police. A sedative was mixed in the food, upon which they fell unconscious and landed up in the clutches of police only to be killed in cold blood next morning, the release of Jagan added. Senior police officers led by Mulug Superintendent of Police P. Shabarish put out a version given in such incidents that the police opened fire in self-defense when the Maoists rained bullets. Ilamma, the wife of Mallaiah who was among those killed, filed a petition in the High Court alleging ante-mortem injuries on her husband’s body. She said he was tortured and shot dead from close quarters like the six others. The incident led to wild protests by civil rights organisations amidst concern that encounters had raised their head again during the Congress regime. N. Narayan Rao, president of the Telangana Civil Liberties Committee, said 17 Maoists were killed in encounters after the Congress came to power. A comparison between the Congress government and the previous Bharat Rashtra Samiti rule suggested the situation was no less brutal in the latter. Take the case of the killing of a post-graduate engineering student Shruti, 23, and Vidyasagar Reddy, 32, who were killed in an encounter in Mulug in September 2015 during BRS (then TRS) rule. Chikkudu Prabhakar, Convener, Telangana Democratic Forum, said the body of Shruti bore injuries caused by hitting her private parts with the butt of a rifle. She had reportedly joined the Maoist party to realise her dream of an egalitarian society in separate Telangana. The former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had promised that the agenda of TRS would be no different from Maoists. The civil liberties committee led by Narayan Rao took up a campaign with the dead body of Shruti which aroused a lukewarm response from the government. Rao’s daughter and then MP Kavitha promised that there would be no more encounters in the State. The promise was kept, Narayan Rao said. He suggested that the government invite democrats to peace talks on the issue. However, the talks on the previous occasion during the Chief Ministership of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had dealt an irrecoverable blow to the Maoists because their hideous were exposed, leading to police closing in on them after they retreated into the forest. The Maoist party later said it had committed a major blunder by agreeing to the talks. Narayan Rao felt at least the rights activists enjoyed the freedom to sensitise people about the cruelty of the government during the BRS rule. But, the government of the day gave no such concession. He recalled that a Maoist Vijayender who was not even able to walk due to poor health was caught from a house in Bhadrachalam and killed by police after inflicting serious injuries in July last. A fact-finding team of the civil liberties committee which was on its way to probe the killing of Vijayender was intercepted by police and driven to Aswaraopet police station where it was detained for hours and sent back, Narayan Rao added. Prabhakar said the Congress had promised to restore democratic rule and eliminate feudal culture in the state. However, it has used the constitution as a weapon to gain power, he alleged. All democratic norms have been flouted.

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• Hedges high inflation, interest Outperforming the average returns at the Nigerian stock market and the entire financial services sector, the share value of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has delivered an impressive 375 per cent capital gains to investors in nearly five years. Data from the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) at the weekend indicated that investors in UBA have continued to earn an average annual return of about 75 per cent over some five-year period, highlighting UBAs impressive records as a high-yielding, inflation-hedging stock. Nigeria’s benchmark interest rate- Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) stands at 27.25 per cent. The inflation rate stands at 33.88 per cent, according to the October 2024 Consumer Price Index (CPI) report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Basically, analysis of trading reports for the period between December 31, 2019, and December 06, 2024, indicated that UBA recorded a cumulative capital gain of 374.83 per cent during the period, representing an average annual gain of 74.97 per cent. Putting this into perspective, this implies that an investor who had invested N500,000 in the shares of UBA at the year’s opening price for 2020, now has a real, immediate market value of more than N2.374 million, due to accumulated capital gains. This excludes accrued cash dividends over the five years. With an average year-to-date return of 35.26 per cent, UBA is ahead of the market by more than twice the average year-to-date return of 15.53 per cent for the banking sector. Also, UBA is ahead as the average year-to-date return for the benchmark index, the All-Share-Index (ASI) of equities on NGX which closed the weekend at 31.34 per cent. UBAs share price had opened 2020 at N7.15 per share, its closing price for December 31, 2019. It closed the weekend at N33.95 per share, 35.26 per cent above its 2024s opening price of N25.10 per share, its closing price for December 30, 2023. The three-digit capital gain highlights UBA as a major driver of the bullish trend in the Nigerian stock market, which has sustained five years of consecutive positive returns. As an investor-friendly stock in terms of consistent and above-average cash dividend payment, UBA is reputed to pay dividends twice a year, an interim dividend and a final dividend. It recently paid an interim dividend of N2 per share on its first half of 2024 results, the highest payout by any bank and one of the three highest yields in the entire stock market. Such an investor who had invested N500,000 at the 2020s opening price would have received a cash dividend of some N139,860 as an interim dividend for the 2024 business year, more than a quarter of his initial investment. UBA is currently offering existing shareholders exclusive opportunities to increase their shareholdings in the bank with its ongoing N239.4 billion rights issue. The pan-African banking group is offering 6.84 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each to existing shareholders at N35 per share. The rights issue is pre-allotted on the basis of one new ordinary share of 50 kobo each to every five ordinary shares held as at November 05, 2024. The rights issue is scheduled to close on December 24, 2024. Shareholders have hailed the decision on a rights issue as a deliberate incentive. In a survey, minority retail shareholders, who constitute nearly three-quarters of UBAs nearly 280,000 shareholders, were excited about the rights issue, with most indicating the possibility of applying for more than their pre-allotted shares. Extant rules in the Nigerian market allow shareholders to apply for more shares and also for the company to consider such requests for additional shares. Shareholders can also trade their rights on the stock market. Shareholders said UBAs track records of solid financial performance, dividend policy and capital gain were competitive advantages for the pan-African banking group. Speaking, a longstanding UBAs shareholder and Founder of the Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Sir Sunny Nwosu, said “UBA has proven to be dependable and resilient, attributes that have endeared the stock to all cadres of investors. “The bank is doing well, so also are its subsidiaries. From whatever angle you look at it, UBA is a good buy. And I’m talking as a long-time shareholder. It is one bank that prioritises shareholders’ happiness. Go down the lane and check the bank’s dividend history and critical decisions when it comes to shareholders’ issues. “Its a bank one can rest on, so, I’m advising other shareholders to pick up their rights, it’s an opportunity. We are picking up ours and even asking for more.” Another major UBA shareholder and President, Association for the Advancement of Rights of Nigerian Shareholders (AARNS), Dr Faruk Umar described UBA as a solid bank with a lot more to offer the shareholders in the future. “I strongly advise shareholders to pick up their rights as I am very hopeful the price will go up after the rights offer is concluded. All members of our Association are going to buy their rights as we strongly believe in the quality of the board, management, and staff of the bank,” Umar said. Market analysts are unanimous that share prices are illustrative of the fundamental values of quoted companies. For the nine-month ended September 30, 2024, UBA reported 83.2 per cent growth in gross earnings to N2.398 trillion, almost a double of N1.308 trillion recorded in the third quarter of 2023. Operating income rose from N1.02 trillion in the third quarter of 2023 to N1.54 trillion in the third quarter of 2024, an increase of about 51 per cent. Profit before tax increased to N603.48 billion compared with N502.09 billion recorded in the third quarter of 2023. After taxes, net profit also rose from N449.26 billion in the third quarter of 2023 to N525.31 billion in the third quarter of 2024. Earnings per share thus improved from N12.93 to N14.78. Group balance sheet size expanded by 54 per cent to N31.80 trillion by September 2024 as against N20.653 trillion recorded at the end of December 2023. The bank benefitted largely from its technology-led initiatives targeted at improving customer experience over the past few years, with total deposits rising to N26.50 trillion, representing a 52.7 per cent rise from N17.355 trillion at the end of December 2023. The deposit base was driven by increased brand appeal across the retail and corporate markets. Customer deposits had jumped from N14.8 trillion to N22.97 trillion while deposits from banks increased from N2.46 trillion to N3.53 trillion. Loans and advances to customers grew by 46.8 per cent from N5.23 trillion in December 2023 to N7.68 trillion in September 2024. While the paid-up share capital remained unchanged at N17.10 billion, total equity jumped by 76.8 per cent from N2.03 trillion in December 2023 to N3.59 trillion in September 2024. Managing Director, Arthur Steven Asset Management, Mr. Olatunde Amolegbe, said share pricing at the stock market thrives on a concept of forward-pricing mechanism, where investors take into consideration the potential future return based on available track records and emerging developments. Managing Director, of HighCap Securities Limited, Mr. David Adonri, said share price is a reflection of the market value for a company, comprising both past performances and future expectations. ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE Get real-time news updates from Tribune Online! Follow us on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive stories and interviews, and much more. Join our WhatsApp Channel nowSyrians poured into streets in celebration on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule . Russian state news agencies were reporting that President Bashar Assad and his family had arrived in Moscow and were given asylum. Russia said Assad left the country after negotiations with rebel groups and that he had given instructions to transfer power peacefully. Joyful crowds gathered in central squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag. Others ransacked the presidential palace and residence. Abu Mohammed al-Golani , a former al-Qaida commander who cut ties with the group years ago leads the biggest rebel faction in Syria and is poised to chart the country’s future. He made his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, at the capital’s sprawling Umayyad Mosque, and called himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa. He said Assad’s fall was “a victory to the Islamic nation.” The rapidly developing events have shaken the region. Lebanon said it was closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for one that links Beirut with Damascus. Jordan closed a border crossing with Syria, too. Israel has issued warnings to villages in southern Syria and its forces seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights. Here's the Latest: Russian state news agencies reported that ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad has arrived in Moscow with his family and been given asylum. The agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source. The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports but had contacted the Kremlin for comment. CAIRO — The Arab League on Sunday condemned Israel for taking advantage of Syrian President Bashar Assad's downfall by moving into more Syrian territory. Hours after Assad’s overthrow, Israel announced it had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights that was established by a cease-fire agreement with Syria in 1974. In a statement, the Arab League said Israel illegally sought to occupy more territories. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the 50-year-old agreement regarding Syrian territory had collapsed and that Syrian troops had abandoned their positions, necessitating Israel taking over as a “temporary defensive position.” UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations secretary-general is marking the “fall of the dictatorial regime” in Syria and says the future of the country is “is a matter for the Syrians to determine.” A statement by Antonio Guterres also called for calm and the protection of the rights of all Syrians as well as of diplomatic and consular facilities in Syria. He said there is much work ahead to ensure an “orderly political transition to renewed institutions,” and he called on the international community to ensure that “any political transition is inclusive and comprehensive and that it meets the legitimate aspirations of the people of Syria, in all their diversity.” KYIV, Ukraine - Ukraine’s top diplomat on Sunday responded to Assad’s ouster by describing him as a “dictator” who relied on Russia to prop up his rule - a reference to the military campaign Moscow has waged in Syria since September 2015, teaming up with Iran to allow Assad’s government to fight armed opposition groups and reclaim control over most of the country. "Assad has fallen. This has always been and will be the case with all dictators who bet on Putin. He always betrays those who rely on him,” foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said in a post on X. In a separate update on the social network, Sybiha said Kyiv was ready to take steps towards restoring relations with Syria, severed months into Russia’s full-scale invasion of the neighboring state. Kyiv broke off diplomatic ties after Damascus in June 2022 recognized Kremlin-occupied parts of eastern Ukraine as independent territories, in a move welcomed by Moscow and decried by the West as a clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty. JERUSALEM — The Israeli military has issued a warning to residents of five villages and towns in southern Syria to stay inside their homes for their safety. “The fighting in your area is forcing the IDF to act,” the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman said on X. The military didn’t respond to questions. Earlier, Israel said its troops had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying it was to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned their positions. Defense Minister Israel Katz said on X that the IDF has been instructed to “seize the buffer zone and control points to ensure the protection of all Israeli communities in the Golan Heights – Jewish and Druze – so that they are not exposed to threats from the other side.” 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. BEIRUT - The leader of the largest insurgent group in Syria visited the Syrian capital’s sprawling Umayyad Mosque and declared that the victory against President Bashar Assad “is a victory to the Islamic nation.” Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, made his first public appearance and remarks since fighters entered Damascus. He told hundreds of people at the historic mosque that Assad had made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” He added that Assad made Syria a base for the illegal amphetamine Captagon that brought cash to Assad’s circles. Al-Sharaa, the leader of the jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, said Sunday that the victory was achieved because of “God and the blood of martyrs.” He said that he left Syria 20 years ago and since then his heart has longed for this movement. LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the end of Assad’s rule as he called for peace and the protection of civilians. “The Syrian people have suffered under Assad’s barbaric regime for too long and we welcome his departure,” Starmer said. He said the U.K. was focused on a political solution to restore peace and stability. “We call on all sides to protect civilians and minorities and ensure essential aid can reach the most vulnerable in the coming hours and days,” he said. AMMAN, Jordan — The vast majority of the Jordanian people are welcoming the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the success of the Syrian revolution. “There is no doubt that I felt overwhelming joy at the fall of the Assad regime," said Badi Al-Rafaia, Engineer, union activist and member of the Islamic Action Front. "There is no doubt that we are happy with what happened in Syria, happy with the success of the revolution, happy with the Syrian people getting rid of an oppressor and criminal who treated the Syrian people and made the Syrian state a failed state.” Al-Rafaia said that Jordan is benefiting from what happened in Syria, and "we hope that Jordan will help the revolution succeed and not work against it.” Amman resident Muhab al-Majali said the fall of the Assad regime is “The end of every unjust and tyrannical rule, and more than that, it mortgaged the country and its people to the Iranians, who abandoned it in minutes... I believe that the future is beautiful and prosperous for the Syrians.” BERLIN — The International Committee of the Red Cross is calling for safe humanitarian access and protection of civilians in Syria after the fall of Bashir Assad’s government. “Our teams in Syria, including in Damascus, have been closely monitoring the fast-evolving security and humanitarian situation in coordination with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent,” the ICRC’s head of delegation in Syria, Stephan Sakalian, said in a written statement Sunday. The ICRC is “responding wherever possible, with further efforts underway, as hundreds of thousands of people need care and humanitarian assistance,” he said. Sakalian called “on all parties to urgently enable safe and unhindered access for medical and humanitarian workers to reach those in need, to protect civilians, and to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law.” BAGHDAD — The Iraqi government said in a statement Sunday that it “supports all international and regional efforts seeking to open a dialogue” for Syria “leading to the adoption of a pluralistic constitution that preserves the human and civil rights of Syrians, and supports cultural, ethnic and religious diversity.” The statement from government spokesperson Bassem al-Awadi, said that Iraq understands “the necessity of respecting the free will of all Syrians, and stresses that the security of Syria, the unity of its territories, and the preservation of its independence are of utmost importance, not only for Iraq but also for its connection to the security and stability of the region.” It cautioned against “interfering in Syria’s internal affairs, or supporting one party for the benefit of another.” Iraq, which has a close relationship with Iran - once a strong ally of former Syrian President Bashar Assad - has taken in some 2,000 Syrian army soldiers who fled the country amid the advance of armed opposition groups. CAIRO — The head of Yemen’s internationally recognized government welcomed the fall of the government of President Bashar Assad of Syria. “It’s a historic moment,” Rashad al-Alimi, who chairs the ruling presidential council, wrote on X platform of Assad’s downfall. “It’s time for the Iranian regime to stop meddling in Yemen, respect its sovereignty and identity.” Al-Alimi, who is backed by Saudi Arabia, was referring to Iran’s support of Houthi rebels who are at war with Yemen’s internationally recognized government for a decade. DAMASCUS — Families wandered through the high-ceilinged halls of the presidential palace in Damascus on Sunday, along with some armed men. Some paused to take family portraits or selfies on the few remaining couches against the backdrop of mosaiced walls, while others walked out with chairs and other items under their arms. On the massive parking lot out front, cars drove in circles honking ecstatically. In central Damascus’ Umayyad Square, drivers passing by also honked jubilantly, while young men piled onto a tank abandoned in the square. But for some the celebration was bittersweet. “I am very happy, but this happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of the prison and know where is he is,” said Damascus resident Bassam Masr. “I have been searching for him for two hours - he has been detained for 13 years.” TEHRAN, Iran — Iran says the Syrian people should decide their country’s future “without destructive, coercive foreign intervention.” The Foreign Ministry statement issued Sunday marked Iran’s first official reaction to the overthrow of President Bashar Assad, who it had strongly backed through nearly 14 years of civil war. Assad’s government was a close ally of Iran that served as a crucial conduit between it and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The rebels who toppled Assad view Iran as a hostile foreign influence, and the abandoned Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked as they entered the city. The Foreign Ministry statement said Iran supports Syria’s unity and national sovereignty, and hopes to see “the end of military conflicts, the prevention of terrorist activities and the start of a national dialogue” with the participation of all groups. “It is expected that the wise and farsighted relations of the two nations will continue based on mutual ties and interests,” the statement said. TEL AVIV, Israel – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israeli forces have seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established by a 1974 ceasefire agreement with Syria. He spoke from an overlook near the border between Syria and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, after Syrian rebels tore through the country and dramatically ended Assad’s rule on Sunday morning. Netanyahu said the 50-year-old agreement had collapsed and that Syrian troops had abandoned their positions, necessitating the Israeli takeover as a “temporary defensive position.” Israel captured the Golan Heights in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied Syrian territory. Satellite images analyzed by the Associated Press show that as early as September, Israel began construction of what could possibly be a new road right along the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syria . The United Nations confirmed that Israeli troops entered the demilitarized zone during the work. The United Nations maintains a peacekeeping force in the demilitarized zone called the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, or UNDOF, with around 1,100 peacekeepers from Fiji, India, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Uruguay. After the 1973 Mideast war, the U.N. Secretary Council voted to create UNDOF to patrol a roughly 400 square kilometer (155 square mile) demilitarized zone and maintain the peace there. MASNAA, Lebanon — At Lebanon’s Masnaa crossing into Syria, the mood was festive Sunday with some local Lebanese residents handing out congratulatory sweets to Syrians lined up to return to their country. Sami Abdel-Latif, a refugee from Hama who was heading to Syria to join his wife and four children, said while the future in Syria is still uncertain, “anything is better than Bashar.” He said he expected some chaos initially but that eventually the situation would settle down. “Look at Aleppo now,” he said, referring to the first major city taken over by opposition forces more than a week ago, where life has continued more or less as normal. Abdel-Latif, a construction worker, said he is also hoping that there will now be plentiful work in Syria to rebuild. Malak Matar, who was preparing to return to Damascus, said, “This is a feeling we’ve been waiting 14 years for. “You feel yourself psychologically free - you can express yourself,” he said. “The country is free and the barriers have been broken down.” Now, he said, “Syrians have to create a state that is well-organized and take care of their country. It’s a new phase.” DAMASCUS, Syria — An Associated Press journalist in Damascus reported airstrikes in the area of the Mezzeh military airport, southwest of the capital Sunday. The airport has previously been targeted in Israeli airstrikes, but it was not immediately clear who launched Sunday's strike. The Israeli military refused to comment on the airport strike. Israel often does not publicly claim responsibility for attacks in Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, reported that Israeli warplanes also targeted warehouses belonging to the Syrian army’s Fourth Division and another former military site outside of Damascus Sunday. On Saturday and Sunday, the Israeli military sent additional troops to the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights to bolster Israel’s presence along the border between Israel and Syria. Agricultural areas along the border were declared closed military zones and some schools shifted to online classes in anticipation of unrest. MOSCOW — Russia’s Foreign Ministry claimed Sunday that Bashar Assad had left Syria after negotiations with rebel groups, and gave “instructions” to “transfer power peacefully.” In a post on the Telegram messaging app on Sunday, the ministry said Moscow had not directly participated in these talks. It also said it has been following the “dramatic events” in Syria “with extreme concern." It also said Russian troops stationed in Syria have been put on high alert and that as of early afternoon Sunday, there was “no serious threat” to the security of Russia’s military bases there. Russia has waged a military campaign in Syria since September 2015, teaming up with Iran to allow Assad’s government to fight armed opposition groups and reclaim control over most of the country. While Russia now concentrates the bulk of its military resources in Ukraine, it has maintained a military foothold in Syria and keeps troops at its bases there.Valladolid loses again and Getafe ends winless run in La Liga MADRID (AP) — Getafe scored twice in three minutes midway through the second half to beat struggling Valladolid 2-0 and record only its second win in La Liga on Friday. Canadian Press Nov 22, 2024 3:03 PM Nov 22, 2024 3:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message MADRID (AP) — Getafe scored twice in three minutes midway through the second half to beat struggling Valladolid 2-0 and record only its second win in La Liga on Friday. The victory ended Getafe’s five-game winless run and lifted it into 15th place in the 20-team standings. Valladolid remained second to last. In the buildup to the match, Getafe sporting director Rubén Reyes described the game as a final but his team was lucky not to go behind as Valladolid created more of the early chances. However, the home side took control in the 69th minute when substitute Álvaro Rodríguez got the opener. Three minutes later, man of the match Allan Nyom made it 2-0. “There’s been a lot of games where we’ve run and fought but lost or drawn,” Nyom, the veteran Cameroon full back, said. “A game that reflects the effort we’ve put in in training is very welcome.” Adding to Valladolid’s woes, coach Paulo Pezzolano was sent off before halftime. The Uruguayan has the league’s worst disciplinary record, with seven yellow cards before Friday’s red. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Soccer Kane hat trick against Augsburg hides Bayern's concerning lack of goals Nov 22, 2024 2:58 PM Harry Kane becomes the fastest player to score 50 goals in the Bundesliga Nov 22, 2024 2:37 PM Marta's magic helped get the Pride to Saturday's NWSL title game against the Washington Spirit Nov 22, 2024 2:25 PM

A federal judge has refused to endorse the Jefferson County sheriff's request to immediately appeal a claim brought against her for a detainee's death, allegedly caused by the constitutional violations of the jail's private medical provider. Earlier this year, U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney permitted a lawsuit to proceed against contractor Wellpath. She explained the company's own policies and its employees' failure to properly treat Abby Angelo's illness in the Jeffco jail amounted to violations of her constitutional rights, if proven true. Sweeney further concluded Sheriff Reggie Marinelli, as a stand-in for the county, could be held liable for Wellpath's constitutional violations under the theory that the sheriff could not delegate to a third party her ultimate obligation to provide adequate medical care. The principle that governments cannot contract out their responsibilities and avoid legal liability is known as the "non-delegable duty doctrine." Marinelli quickly moved to appeal Sweeney's conclusion to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, arguing the appellate court has never adopted the doctrine and it should have the chance to clarify whether it is a valid legal theory. On Nov. 15 , Sweeney declined to give her blessing to Marinelli's request for a mid-case appeal. Sweeney acknowledged the 10th Circuit has not "formally ruled" on whether to accept the non-delegable duty doctrine, but there was seeming consensus elsewhere that local governments may be held liable when they delegate their authority to a contractor who acts unconstitutionally. "No circuit court has rejected the nondelegable duty doctrine as an acceptable avenue for municipal liability in the context of counties delegating their duty to provide adequate medical care to private prison health care providers," she wrote. Therefore, "there is no substantial ground for difference of opinion." Attorney {span}David Gartenberg applauds for U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney at a legal event in Denver on July 21, 2023.{/span} In the underlying case, Angelo entered the Jeffco jail on June 19, 2021 following her arrest. Nine days later, deputies found her unresponsive. Her cause of death was allegedly tricuspid valve endocarditis, a heart infection that may not have been fatal had Angelo received antibiotics or even surgery. Angelo's surviving child and her mother sued Wellpath, as well as the five nurses who interacted with Angelo in the days leading up to her death. The plaintiffs alleged the defendants were liable for failing to provide medical care in violation of Angelo's constitutional rights, as well as negligence and wrongful death. Sweeney largely sided against the defendants in their attempt to dismiss the lawsuit. Among other things, she found the allegations sufficient that Jeffco contracted with Wellpath to provide medical care at the jail, subjecting Marinelli to liability for any unconstitutional policies and customs by the company. Marinelli then asked Sweeney to certify an immediate appeal to the 10th Circuit. She argued circuit courts around the country disagreed about the validity of the non-delegable duty doctrine and that an answer from the Denver-based appeals court would apply to at least 10 other cases currently pending in Colorado. Although federal judges in Colorado have predominantly backed the idea that local governments may be held liable for their contractors' unconstitutional practices, Marinelli cited the one judge who has separated himself from the pack. In a pair of orders in March and July, both involving a plaintiff who suffered illness or death in jail, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico rejected the idea that counties are "automatically liable for any unconstitutional actions that a contractor might take." Domenico, a rumored candidate for the 10th Circuit under a Republican administration, suggested instead that a government may be liable if it "knowingly takes on a risk that its contractor is likely to violate constitutional rights." colorado politics file The Byron White U.S. Courthouse in downtown Denver houses the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The plaintiffs in Angelo's case responded that Domenico's beliefs aside, the "overwhelming body of law" in Colorado, plus other circuit courts' approval of the non-delegable duty doctrine, provided no basis to immediately ask for the 10th Circuit's intervention. Sweeney agreed that Marinelli's request did not meet the criteria for a detour to the appeals court. In addition to finding a consensus among other courts, Sweeney noted an immediate appeal would still mean the claims against Wellpath would move forward. And if the 10th Circuit ultimately agreed with her, she added, "litigation would be complicated by an appeals process with the same result as in the original order." The case is Estate of Angelo et al. v. The Board of County Commissioners et al.

Valladolid loses again and Getafe ends winless run in La LigaPep Guardiola claims three-quarters of the Premier League want to see Manchester City relegated over financial irregularities. But the City boss has vowed to stay on and lift the club back to the top even if they are sent all the way down to the National League. Guardiola ended speculation over his immediate future this week by extending his contract, which had been due to expire at the end of the season, through to the summer of 2027. That has given the club some stability at a time of great uncertainty as they fight 115 charges related to alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations. City have denied all wrongdoing but their punishment if found guilty could be severe, with demotion even a possibility. Guardiola has strongly defended the club in the past and is happy to continue doing so. The Spaniard said: “I don’t enjoy it, I prefer not to be in that position, but once it’s there I love it because, when you believe in your club, and the people there – I believe what they say to me and the reasons why. “I cannot say yet because we’re awaiting the sentence in February or March – I don’t know when – but at the same time, I like it. “I read something about the situation and how you need to be relegated immediately. Seventy-five per cent of the clubs want it, because I know what they do behind the scenes and this sort of stuff. “I said when all the clubs accused us of doing something wrong, (and people asked) what happens if we are relegated, (I said) I will be here. “Next year, I don’t know the position of the Conference they are going to (put) us, (but) we are going to come up and come up and come back to the Premier League. I knew it then and I feel it now.” The immediate priority for Guardiola, who said his contract negotiations were completed in “just two hours”, is to arrest a run of four successive defeats in all competitions. Yet, ahead of their return to action against Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, the champions continue to grapple with a lengthy injury list. Mateo Kovacic is their latest casualty after sustaining a knock on international duty that could keep him out for up to a month. On the positive side, defenders Nathan Ake, John Stones and Manuel Akanji could feature and Jack Grealish is also closing in on a return after a month out. Much to Guardiola’s frustration, Grealish was called up by England for their recent Nations League games, although he later withdrew. Guardiola said: “I want the best for Jack and I want the best for Jack with the national team but the doctor said to me that he was not ready to play. “I know (England) want him but they have 200 players to select from and Jack was not fit. He had to recover from many things.” Kyle Walker played for England against both Greece and the Republic of Ireland despite limited game time since suffering injury in the October international break. Guardiola said: “If he is fit I like him to play in the national team. It is not a problem, don’t misunderstand me. “Kyle has a dream to make 100 caps for the national team. Do I want to cancel this dream? Absolutely not. “But if you are not fit, if you cannot play here, you cannot play for the national team. It is quite obvious.”

Konkatsu: A Look Into Japan’s Spouse Hunting PartiesThe 2024 season hasn’t finished. There are still conference championship games to play, an expanded College Football Playoff to look forward to and bowl season in the near future. However, the first important date for the 2025 season is here. “Signing day is the fourth, portal opens on the ninth,” coach Jedd Fisch said on Nov. 25. "I'm sure there's going to be a ton of discussions, and at that point in time we can really visit what it's going to look like in the future, what's the 2025 calendar year going to look like and what's this team going to look like moving forward." Fisch and the Huskies will have their first chance to sign high school recruits for the 2025 season when the three-day early signing period begins on Wednesday. Washington currently holds commitments from 28 high school football players from across the country, and 247Sports composite ratings ranks UW’s 2025 recruiting class No. 19 nationally. UW has 16 offensive recruits, 11 defensive prospects and one specialist committed. California is home to 11 of them, five are from Washington, three from Oregon, two from Arizona, while Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, North Dakota and Texas each have one representative. The Division I Council previously voted to eliminate the 25-player limit on football recruiting classes on Oct. 4, 2023. The limit was initially suspended for two years starting in 2021 because of questions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, this signing period is almost three weeks earlier than its past iterations. The Collegiate Commissioners Association, which oversees and administers the National Letter of Intent program, announced the change back in March. The early signing period was initially introduced in 2017. Moving the early signing period forward helped reduce the stress of an overcrowded December recruiting calendar. During the past few seasons, the early signing period and the transfer portal overlapped. This year, however, the early signing period will end on Friday, while the portal won’t officially open until Dec. 9. New dates aren’t the only changes to the early signing period. In October, the NCAA Division I Council announced the elimination of the NLI program, which was first established in 1964. Instead, high school recruits will sign aid agreements on Wednesday, which serve a similar purpose. The agreements bind players to their chosen school unless they officially enter the transfer portal, while also prohibiting recruitment communications with other programs. They also may contain contracts for revenue sharing, which the House v. NCAA settlement allows starting next season. Fifth-year linebacker Carson Bruener and junior running back Jonah Coleman earned third-team All-Big Ten honors when the conference announced its end-of-season awards on Tuesday. Bruener was a consensus selection by the coaches and the media. The Woodinville native and UW captain has 93 tackles, two tackles for a loss, a forced fumble, three interceptions, and five pass breakups during his final season in purple and gold. Bruener was an All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2023. Coleman, who was chosen by the media, has 1,011 yards on 184 carries and 10 touchdowns in his debut season with Washington. He’s averaging 5.5 yards per attempt and 84.3 rushing yards per game. Coleman, who was an All-Pac-12 honorable mention at Arizona in 2023, also has 22 catches for 170 yards. The Big Ten coaches chose Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson instead of Coleman for the third-team running back spot, choosing the Washington running back as an honorable mention instead. Additionally, sophomore wide receiver Denzel Boston was a consensus All-Big Ten honorable mention. The coaches also selected senior tight end Keleki Latu, sixth-year linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala, senior defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez and senior cornerback Thaddeus Dixon as All-Big Ten honorable mentions. Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel was named the conference’s offensive player of the year, while Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter was the defensive player of the year. Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith earned freshman of the year honors while Indiana’s Curt Cignetti was named coach of the year by both the coaches and the media. Washington endured its second transfer portal defection on Tuesday, as junior edge rusher Maurice Heims announced he will depart the team after four years on Montlake. “Thank you for making the last four years here some of the best of my life,” Heims wrote in a post on his social media accounts. Heims, a 6-foot-5, 263-pound pass rusher from Hamburg, Germany, played in 30 games at Washington after arriving before the 2021 season. He registered nine tackles, two tackles for a loss and one sack. Heims was mostly a special-teams player this season. He has one season of eligibility remaining. “As a kid from Hamburg, Germany that was completely new to this beautiful sport and this city, you have made every moment amazing,” Heims wrote. “Whether win or loss, y’all have always had our back and you are what makes this place truly special.”

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