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As a result of the airstrikes, several Syrian air defense bases have been completely destroyed, and numerous military personnel have been killed or injured. The attacks have also caused significant damage to surrounding civilian areas, leading to further humanitarian concerns.

Trudeau, Carney push back over Trump’s ongoing 51st state commentsMoreover, the increased activity in the second-hand housing market indicates a maturing and evolving real estate landscape in Beijing. Buyers are becoming more discerning and selective in their choices, considering factors such as location, amenities, and investment potential when making purchasing decisions. This shift in consumer behavior highlights the importance of comprehensive market research and strategic planning for both buyers and sellers.

Google CEO Pichai struggled to navigate a pressure-filled year

As they returned home, hand in hand, the granddaughter reflected on the invaluable lessons she had learned from her grandmother. The knowledge of herbs and wild vegetables that had once seemed like mere stories had now become a lifeline, bridging the gap between generations and offering a profound sense of interconnectedness.By Abby Patkin As President-elect Donald Trump’s second term inches nearer — along with his promises of mass deportation — Somerville’s City Council is reaffirming the city’s status as a “welcoming community” for immigrants. “The national political climate remains increasingly hostile toward immigrants and refugees,” a resolution approved Tuesday notes. Trump’s return to the White House also “brings heightened risks for immigrant communities across the country, including in Somerville,” the document states. Tuesday’s resolution featured some slight changes from a version discussed at a City Council meeting earlier this month , which called on city leaders to reaffirm Somerville’s decades-old status as a “sanctuary city.” Somerville previously reaffirmed itself as a sanctuary city following Trump’s 2016 election. The new resolution pledges to “protect the safety, dignity, and rights of immigrants, migrants, asylum seekers, asylees, and refugees residing in Somerville.” It also emphasizes a commitment to support and fund resources for immigrants, including legal aid for residents facing deportation or removal. The City Council further called on the Somerville Police Department to uphold a commitment to avoid cooperation with external law enforcement agencies on matters related to immigration detainment. “Regardless of external pressures or challenges faced by sanctuary cities, the Somerville City Council remains committed to its values of inclusion, equity, and justice, and will not waver in supporting our immigrant neighbors, who are integral to the strength and diversity of our community,” the resolution states. The council approved the revised resolution following a brief discussion, with a copy sent to the Legislative Matters Committee for follow-up. Abby Patkin Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between. Boston.com Today Sign up to receive the latest headlines in your inbox each morning. Be civil. Be kind.

Chargers activate J.K. Dobbins from IR ahead of Saturday's game vs. Patriots

European Police Shut Down Underground Hacker Market Manson Market: Arrest Two Major Operators, Seize Over 250,000 EurosPHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles were an unflappable force against a pitiful rival prone to such a pummeling. They were the pillar of dependency they’ve built themselves to be. They dismantled the Dallas Cowboys in a final score so demeaning, 41-7, that future researchers will be shocked to discover the backup quarterbacks played. They secured their second division title in three seasons, officially restoring their pursuit of the Super Bowl that’s eluded this regime of coaches and players, a team that’s weighing its records and trinkets against an ultimate trophy. Advertisement Saquon Barkley sat with his NFC East Champions hat backward and askew. He wasn’t wearing the T-shirt that came with it. “I didn’t even know that was a thing, to be honest,” the running back said of the swag. It certainly wasn’t a thing during the six years he spent with the New York Giants, a miserable team that may only avoid the indignity of experiencing Barkley breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record because next week’s regular season finale has been rendered meaningless. The Eagles are the NFC’s No. 2 seed in the playoffs. The Minnesota Vikings beating the Green Bay Packers eliminated any shot the Eagles had at a wild card-round bye and home-field advantage against any opponent. In a sense, that certainty supplies those inside the NovaCare Complex an opportunity at a quasi-bye. Nick Sirianni, who’s won his second division title in his fourth season as head coach, can rest a roster that’s somewhat battered. Jalen Hurts, who missed Sunday’s game in concussion protocol, doesn’t have to rush back. Barkley, whose 314 carries embody the bulk of a historic load, can take a well-deserved breather. A string of other starters can recover. Such a decision wouldn’t diminish this team’s resonance in history. Statistics verify greatness seen with gaping eyes. Barkley has accumulated 2,005 yards rushing by leaping over a defender backward , by rampaging the Rams with two 70-yard scores , by out-dueling Derrick Henry in a battle of contenders with a retro billing . Barkley already holds the Eagles’ single-season rushing record. He’d need 101 yards against the Giants to surpass Dickerson, a status that’s mostly important because our memories are futile and our arguments fickle. There will still be those, perhaps Dickerson himself, who’d point out Dickerson rushed for 2,105 yards in one fewer game. There will be Philly fans who’d never forgive Sirianni if anything unfortunate happened to the team’s MVP candidate in a completely avoidable setting. Barkley said, “it’s up to Nick.” Sirianni said, “I’ll think about it tonight at some point.” The intimation: if there’s not a No. 1 seed to play for, Barkley ain’t playing. “I came here to do something special,” said Barkley, who, with 167 yards, fielded his 11th 100-yard game of the season. “Obviously, breaking a record is special. But I want to be part of — I want a banner up there. I think we all do.” Saquon Barkley is just the 9th player in NFL history to reach 2,000+ rushing yards!!️ @saquon | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/3o7SCoMWO0 — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 29, 2024 No, as nearly everyone in the Eagles locker room on Sunday said, their goals are so much bigger. Send in the backups in Week 18. Send in the special team role players. Send in security chief Dom DiSandro if possible. It’s still probable that such a squad can still stifle the Giants, who, at 3-13, shouldn’t be assembling any further plans to diminish their draft stock. Let a young Eagles team once again demonstrate why its depth is so valuable. Let Kenny Pickett start a second time after seizing a 24-7 lead in relief of Hurts. Let Pickett, a New Jersey native who grew up an Eagles fan, gain more experience after getting knocked out of the game with a rib injury in the third quarter. Or let Tanner McKee build on an NFL debut in which the 2023 sixth-round pick completed 3-of-4 passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns. Advertisement Hell, let McKee take his shot at a second game ball for his living room. A.J. Brown nearly lost McKee’s first by chucking the quarterback’s first-ever touchdown ball deep into the stands after a 20-yard, back-shoulder strike. Brown grinned at the mistake. He hadn’t thought about the ball’s significance until Sirianni told him on the sideline. “I felt so bad,” Brown said. With the help of DiSandro, and the willingness of the good-spirited fan who caught the ball, Brown retrieved it for McKee by exchanging his game-worn (and autographed) jersey with the fan after the game. “We’ve got great fans here,” Brown said. Lincoln Financial Field echoed “M-V-P” chants in the third quarter, when Barkley, on a 23-yard run, became the ninth running back in NFL history to surpass 2,000 yards. Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” blared from the stadium speakers. Each member of the offensive line embraced Barkley. So did Tyler Steen, a backup guard, like several backups on Sunday, fulfilled a key role in unbalanced formations that supplied another Barkley 23-yard run earlier in the third quarter Sirianni got emotional at the podium talking about the team’s depth players. Pickett. McKee. Steen. Oren Burks led the team with eight tackles after starting “Mike” linebacker Nakobe Dean was ruled inactive with an abdominal injury. Fifth-round rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. logged a half-sack. Third-round rookie Jalyx Hunt platooned significantly at edge rusher after Bryce Huff, returning from wrist surgery, exited the game with a shoulder injury. Veteran safety Avonte Maddox contributed to a second-half shutout while replacing both C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Reed Blankenship in different stages of the game — a backup role Maddox embraced after backup cornerback Isaiah Rodgers usurped his role in Dime packages that were again deployed on Sunday. “We deep,” said Milton Williams, who starts and rotates often along the defensive line. “We got guys that’s hungry, playing with a chip on their shoulder. We know what we can do.” Advertisement “I think we do have an unbelievable team,” McKee said. “Guys obviously know that it is a next-man-up mentality. Everybody has each other’s back. When I heard, ‘Hey, I’m going in,’ all those guys had a ton of confidence in me. I know we have a ton of confidence in all the other guys that are second-, third-string, whatever it is that when they get out there and when they get called on, they’re going to go out and make a play. And it’s just going to keep rolling.” GO DEEPER Eagles clinch NFC East, Barkley hits 2K yards in win vs. Cowboys: Takeaways The Eagles embody the confidence, identity and swagger they spent the offseason pursuing. They spent the last few months of last season wondering where it all went. It’s partly why general manager Howie Roseman signed Gardner-Johnson to a three-year, $27 million contract. Foremost, the 27-year-old forces the turnovers last year’s system failed to frequently produce. Gardner-Johnson intercepted Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush twice on Sunday. On the first possession of the game, Gardner-Johnson snagged a deep pass up the left seam and house it for a 69-yard pick-six. Gardner-Johnson’s six interceptions in 2024 are now tied for the career-high he set in his last stint with the Eagles, a 2022 campaign that ended in Super Bowl LVII. Only five other teams have forced more turnovers than the Eagles (25). They scored 24 points off four Cowboys turnovers. Zack Baun and Nolan Smith both forced fumbles. Gardner-Johnson’s play redeemed his ejection after two unsportsmanlike penalties last week when the Eagles blew a two-score lead to the Washington Commanders. It’s a persona the defense must learn to contain. Backup safety Sydney Brown was ejected after throwing Cowboys cornerback Troy Pride to the ground near the tunnel. Pride and wide receiver Jalen Brooks were also tossed for their involvement in the scuffle that boiled over. “I think it was a learning lesson,” Gardner-Johnson said of his ejection. “I’ve got to grow the hell up.” Maturation is arriving when the Eagles need it most. They’ve distanced themselves from worse teams. DeVonta Smith logged six catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns, often roasting a mismatch with Andrew Booth, the eighth-string cornerback for the Cowboys who’d been signed from the practice squad last week. They’ll close out 2024 against an organization nearing rock bottom. They’re aware of the more consequential factors beyond their division title that’s on their T-shirts. “It’s cool,” Barkley said. “I’m not going to downplay it. But, at the end of the day, you know, you’re not going to be remembered for being the 2024 NFC East Division champs. ... I’m happy to be a part of it, and we did it as a team. But we all know what the goal is.” (Top photo of Saquon Barkley: Bill Streicher / Imagn Images)The Reform UK leader pushed back against reports suggesting that legal action would be the next step, saying he would make a decision in the next couple of days about his response if there is no apology for the “crazy conspiracy theory”. Mr Farage also said the party has “opened up our systems” to media outlets, including The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times, in the interests of “full transparency to verify that our numbers are correct”. His remarks came after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Mr Farage of “fakery” in response to Reform claiming they had surpassed the Tories in signed-up members. Mrs Badenoch said Reform’s counter was “coded to tick up automatically”. A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year. Mr Farage, on whether he was threatening legal action or not, told the PA news agency: “I haven’t threatened anything. I’ve just said that unless I get an apology, I will take some action. “I haven’t said whether it’s legal or anything.” He added: “All I’ve said is I want an apology. If I don’t get an apology, I will take action. “I will decide in the next couple of days what that is. So I’ve not specified what it is.” Mr Farage, on the move to make membership data available to media organisations, said: “We feel our arguments are fully validated. “She (Mrs Badenoch) has put out this crazy conspiracy theory and she needs to apologise.” The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News & FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. I am now demanding @KemiBadenoch apologises. — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) December 27, 2024 On why Mrs Badenoch had reacted as she did, Mr Farage said: “I would imagine she was at home without anybody advising her and was just angry.” Mr Farage, in a statement issued on social media site X, also said: “The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. “Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News and FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. “I am now demanding Kemi Badenoch apologises.” A Conservative Party source claimed Mr Farage was “rattled” that his Boxing Day “publicity stunt is facing serious questions”. They added: “Like most normal people around the UK, Kemi is enjoying Christmas with her family and looking forward to taking on the challenges of renewing the Conservative Party in the New Year.” Mrs Badenoch, in a series of messages posted on X on Thursday, said: “Farage doesn’t understand the digital age. This kind of fakery gets found out pretty quickly, although not before many are fooled.” There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party’s leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn. Mrs Badenoch claimed in her thread that “the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election”. Elsewhere, Mr Farage described Elon Musk as a “bloody hero” and said he believes the US billionaire can help attract younger voters to Reform. Tech entrepreneur Mr Musk met Mr Farage earlier this month at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, amid rumours of a possible donation to either Mr Farage or Reform. Mr Farage told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: “The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool – Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on and, frankly, that’s only just starting. “Reform only wins the next election if it gets the youth vote. The youth vote is the key. Of course, you need voters of all ages, but if you get a wave of youth enthusiasm you can change everything. “And I think we’re beginning to get into that zone – we were anyway, but Elon makes the whole task much, much easier. And the idea that politics can be cool, politics can be fun, politics can be real – Elon helps us with that mission enormously.”

Let's explore the best ways to make your home work for you as you enjoy the stability and richness of middle age. Perhaps your space is your own again as children become more independent, or you may be welcoming relatives into your home to care for in their later years. You may even have more disposable income than you did when buying your first home and caring for a young family. WHAT TO INVEST IN Comfort and quality At this stage of life, it’s likely that you have settled into a home that you intend to live in for the long haul. Now is the time to invest in high-quality, comfortable furniture and materials that last. Splurge on that beautiful, ergonomically designed sofa or a bed that gives you the best rest of your life. Invest in high-end countertops, flooring, and tiles that bring you joy and add sophistication to your home. Well-crafted furniture and quality materials are a worthwhile long term investment which will enhance both your home and your own wellbeing. Renovations or upgrades Your needs will likely change as your family matures and your life stage evolves. If this is your long-term home, go ahead and spend on that new kitchen, bathroom, or extension that you’ve been waiting for. After all, the sooner you do it the longer you will get to enjoy it! Outdoor living In your long-term home, investing in your garden, patio, or balcony is a wonderful choice. Landscaping a garden, building a patio, setting up an outdoor kitchen, or even installing a tennis court if that’s your jam will all add to the quality of your home life. Outdoor upgrades can also enhance the value of your home, making it an investment that can pay off long term. WHERE TO SAVE Energy upgrades When you are in your forever home, a smart way to save is actually to consider upfront investments that will save your money in the medium to long term. The best place to do this in your home is to make energy upgrades. Look at better insulation, air-to-water systems, heat pumps, photo-voltaic panels, and even battery storage. With the grants available, the payoff period for many of the renewable energy upgrades has fallen to below a decade. Maintenance overheads You will know by now that home ownership is not cheap. Homes need constant maintenance, and these days good tradespeople are always in high demand in Ireland. Reduce your maintenance costs by investing in quality that will last. Poorly made items will just need to be repaired or replaced (anyone who enjoyed the Discworld series in their youth will remember the Vimes “boots” theory). Quality and savings can be found in the second-hand market if you learn what to look for. It may even be worth investing in a DIY course so that you can (safely!) take on some of your own home maintenance. MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU Privacy and independence As your family matures, consider indulging in your own needs for privacy in your home. If you’re in a high cost of living area you may have adult children that are unable to move out, or you may be caring for a relative in your home. Consider the functionality and layout that will work best for you and for anyone you may be living with so that you can all enjoy independence as needed. That may look like separate entrances, garden rooms, or turning a spare bedroom into a second living room. Smart technology I will caveat this by saying I am not all-in on smart homes, but I do feel some smart home technology is worthwhile — particularly for energy saving and home security. Smart thermostats, security cameras, smart lighting, and Wi-Fi-enabled robot vacuums are my favourite gadgets to make life easier. Consider adding motion-sensor lights in areas such as hallways or bathrooms for added convenience. Effortless entertaining We tend to host more as we mature — probably because we have nicer homes in middle age than we did when we were younger! Have fun with it. Think about setting up a home bar or bar cart, investing in a gorgeous dining table and comfortable dining chairs, and ensuring that your kitchen and dining layout make hosting easy. If you enjoy having dinner parties, stylish tableware and linens can elevate your gatherings without breaking the bank. Simple technology upgrades like smart lighting or sound systems can also make your home more enjoyable for both you and your guests.According to eyewitness accounts, the creature appeared to be disoriented and confused, as if it had lost its way. Some villagers reported that the creature seemed fearful and skittish upon encountering humans, darting away at the slightest movement or noise. Its behavior suggested a sense of vulnerability and unease, leading many to believe that it may have strayed from its natural habitat or become separated from its companions.

In the world of video games, certain characters hold a special place in the hearts of gamers. Sora, the iconic protagonist from the Kingdom Hearts series, is one such character. Known for his courage, determination, and unwavering belief in the power of friendship, Sora has become a symbol of hope and resilience for countless fans around the globe.An Israeli airstrike flattened a multistory building in central Gaza, killing at least 25 people and wounding dozens more, according to Palestinian medical officials, after strikes Thursday across the Gaza Strip killed at least 28 others. The latest deadly strike hit the urban Nuseirat refugee camp just hours after U.S. President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told reporters in Jerusalem that the recent ceasefire in Lebanon has helped clear the way for a potential deal to end the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the deadly strike in Nuseirat. Israel says it is trying to eliminate Hamas, which led the attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that sparked the war in Gaza . The Israeli military says Hamas militants hide among Gaza’s civilian population. The fighting has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis, with experts warning of famine in some of the hardest-hit parts of the territory. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and around 250 others were taken hostage. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Here's the latest: UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations chief has a message for Israel: Stop the attacks on Syria. Secretary-General António Guterres is particularly concerned about several hundred Israeli airstrikes on several Syrian locations and stresses “the urgent need to de-escalate violence on all fronts throughout the country," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Thursday. The Israeli military said Tuesday it carried out more than 350 strikes in Syria over the previous 48 hours, hitting “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country to stop them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israel also acknowledged pushing into a buffer zone inside Syria following last week’s overthrow of President Bashar Assad. The buffer zone was established after Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1973 war. Dujarric said Guterres condemns all actions violating the 1974 ceasefire agreement between the two countries that remains in force. And the U.N. chief calls on the parties to uphold the agreement and end “all unauthorized presence in the area of separation” and refrain from any action undermining the ceasefire and stability in the Golan Heights, the spokesman said. DAMASCUS, Syria — Mohammad Salim Alkhateb, an official with the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces — an internationally backed group of the opposition in exile — said his group wants to see a transitional government formed via a United Nations-backed process in the wake of Bashar Assad ouster. It is not yet clear if Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the main rebel group now in control of Syria, will pursue such a process. The insurgents have said an interim government headed by Mohammad al-Bashir, who is also the head of the “salvation government” of HTS in its former stronghold in northern Syria, will oversee the country until March but have not made clear how the transition to a new, fully empowered government would take place. “The transitional governing body should be formed in Geneva to have international legitimacy,” said Alkhateb, who is now in Damascus. “The transitional governing body, whatever its form, whether it is the ‘salvation government’ or any other, what matters is that it has international recognition.” Alkhateb said that the unexpectedly rapid fall of Damascus and departure of Assad after opposition forces launched their offensive had created confusion and a governance vacuum. A day before the insurgents pushed into Damascus, diplomats from countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Iran and Russia met in Qatar to discuss the situation in Syria. Alkhateb said that they had discussed a scenario in which the rebels would halt their advance, keeping the territory they had captured so far in the north — including Syria’s largest city, Aleppo — and the opposition and Assad’s government would go to Geneva for talks on a political settlement to the conflict. However, he noted, “there were no Syrians in that meeting.” Assad fled to Russia before the rebel forces arrived in Damascus but has not officially announced his resignation, which is “why we are living in a vacuum rather than a political transition,” Alkhateb said. He added that creating a professional army should be a priority of the transitional government. “We do not want a civilian who was trained during the revolution to carry military weapons to become the military,” he said. Israel bombed hundreds of military sites in Syria this week in a wave of airstrikes that destroyed “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the wave of airstrikes in neighboring Syria was necessary to keep the weapons from being used against Israel following the Syrian government’s stunning collapse . WASHINGTON — White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says Austin Tice, an American journalist missing in Syria for 12 years, “is a top priority for this president.” During a briefing with reporters on Thursday, Jean-Pierre said of Tice, “There is no indication that he is not alive. There’s also no indication about his location or condition.” “What our goal is, is to bring him home. And so, we hope certainly that he is alive and, as we have stated many times before, we are talking through this with the Turks and we want to do everything we can to bring him home,” she said. BEIRUT — Amnesty International said Thursday that four Israeli airstrikes between September and October that killed at least 49 civilians in Lebanon “must be investigated as war crimes.” The rights organization said in a new report that the four strikes targeted homes in the Bekaa Valley, northern and eastern Lebanon, and municipal offices in the south. “These four attacks are emblematic of Israel’s shocking disregard for civilian lives in Lebanon and their willingness to flout international law,” said Amnesty International’s Erika Guevara Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns. The rights group said this report was part of its ongoing investigation into violations of the laws of war in Lebanon. Amnesty International investigated four Israeli airstrikes, including one on Sept. 29 in al-Ain that killed all nine members of the same family. On Oct. 21, a strike in Baalbek city in eastern Lebanon killed six members of the same family. Another on Oct. 14 in the village of Aitou in northern Lebanon killed 23 displaced people, including a 5-month-old baby. A fragment from the attack site in Aitou was identified by an Amnesty weapons expert as likely part of a Mk-80 series aerial bomb, weighing at least 500 pounds. These munitions are primarily supplied to Israel by the United States, Amnesty said. The fourth strike Amnesty investigated was the strike that hit the municipal headquarters in Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon, on Oct. 16, killing 11 civilians including the mayor. “The air strike took place without warning, just as the municipality’s crisis unit was meeting to coordinate deliveries of aid, including food, water and medicine, to residents and internally displaced people who had fled bombardment in other parts of southern Lebanon,” Amnesty said. The rights group said it interviewed survivors and witnesses, examined evidence, and found no military targets near the sites of the four strikes. The Israeli military gave no warnings and did not respond to Amnesty’s inquiries, the group said. DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — An Israeli airstrike hit the central Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing at least 25 Palestinians and wounding dozens more, Palestinian medics said, just hours after President Joe Biden’s national security adviser raised hopes about a ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza. Photos from the scene of the blast that circulated on social media showed a completely collapsed building with people walking through its mangled and charred remains, smoke rising from piles of belongings strewn over the rubble. Officials at two hospitals in the Gaza Strip, al-Awda Hospital in the north and al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza, reported they received a combined total of 25 bodies from an Israeli strike on a multistory residential building in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp. Palestinian medics also reported that over 40 people, most of them children, were receiving treatment at the two hospitals. The al-Aqsa Hospital said that the Israeli attack also damaged several nearby houses in Nuseirat. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the deadly strike. Israel is trying to eliminate Hamas, which led the attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that sparked the war in Gaza . The Israeli military says Hamas militants hide among Gaza’s civilian population. Israel’s war against Hamas has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The fighting has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis, with experts warning of famine. Israel says it allows enough aid to enter and blames U.N. agencies for not distributing it. The U.N. says Israeli restrictions, and the breakdown of law and order after Israel repeatedly targeted the Hamas-run police force, make it extremely difficult to operate in the territory. UNITED NATIONS – The U.N. food agency is trying to deal with massive needs in Syria not only from escalating war-related food insecurity and an upsurge in displaced people fleeing Lebanon but also the dramatically new environment following the ouster of Bashar Assad, a senior U.N. official says. “It’s a triple crisis and the needs are going to be massive,” said Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Program, in an interview with The Associated Press late Wednesday. The WFP estimated that 3 million people in Syria were “acutely food insecure” and very hungry. However, that estimate was made before the Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon pushed many Syrian refugees back to their home country, plus the instability caused by the overthrow of Assad. Due to funding cuts, the WFP had been targeting only 2 million of those people, he said. Because WFP has been working in Syria during the 13-year civil war, he said, it has pre-positioned food in the country. It has 500 staff in seven offices nationwide and has operated across conflict lines, across borders, and with all different parties, he said. Skau said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the main rebel group now in control of Syria, has promised to provide security for WFP warehouses. Humanitarian aid supplies had been looted at U.N. warehouses in the disorder after Assad fell. “We’re not really up and running in Damascus because of the continued kind of uncertainty there,” he said. WFP initially thought of relocating non-essential staff but the situation in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, has been “quite calm and orderly," he said. In the short term, Skau said, “what we’re seeing is that markets are disrupted, the value of the currency dropped dramatically, food prices are going up, transport lines don’t work,” and it’s unclear who will stamp required papers for imports and exports. This means that a bigger humanitarian response is needed initially, he said, but in the next phase, the U,N. will be looking at contributing to Syria’s recovery, and ultimately the country will need reconstruction. Skau said he expects a new funding appeal for Syria and urged donors to be generous. JERUSALEM — President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told reporters in Jerusalem on Thursday that Israel’s ceasefire in Lebanon has helped clear the way for another deal to end the war in Gaza. He plans to travel next to Qatar and Egypt — key mediators in the ceasefire talks — as the Biden administration makes a final push on negotiations before Donald Trump is inaugurated. Sullivan said “Hamas’ posture at the negotiating table did adapt” after Israel decimated the leadership of its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon and reached a ceasefire there. “We believe it puts us in a position to close this negotiation,” he said. Sullivan dismissed speculation that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was waiting for Trump to take office to finalize a deal. He the U.S. believes there are three American hostages still alive in Gaza, but it’s hard to know for sure. He also said “the balance of power in the Middle East has changed significantly” since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, especially with the overthrow of former Syrian President Bashar Assad, a key ally of Hezbollah and Iran. “We are now faced with a dramatically reshaped Middle East in which Israel is stronger, Iran is weaker, its proxies decimated, and a ceasefire that is new and will be lasting in Lebanon that ensures Israel’s security over the long term,” he said. KHIAM, Lebanon — An Israeli strike killed at least one person Thursday in the Lebanese border town of Khiam, the Health Ministry said, less than a day after Israeli troops handed the hilltop village back to the Lebanese army in coordination with U.N. peacekeepers, Khiam is the first Lebanese town Israel has pull out of since a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah militants began two weeks ago, and marks an important test of the fragile truce . Lebanon's Health Ministry and state news agency did not provide details on who was killed, and did not report airstrikes elsewhere on Thursday. The Israeli military said the airstrike in Khiam targeted Hezbollah fighters. Lebanese troops deployed in the northern section of the town on Thursday morning and were coordinating with U.N. peacekeepers to finalize Israel’s withdrawal before fully entering into other neighborhoods. An Associated Press reporter who visited Khiam on Thursday observed widespread destruction, with most houses reduced to rubble. Entire neighborhoods were flattened, with collapsed walls and debris scattered across the streets. Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, sharply criticized Israel for striking the town less than 24 hours after the Lebanese army returned, saying it was “a violation of the pledges made by the parties that sponsored the ceasefire agreement, who must act to curb Israeli aggression.” The truce was brokered by the U.S. and France. Israel has previously said the ceasefire deal allows it to use military force against perceived violations. Near-daily attacks by Israel during the ceasefire, mostly in southern Lebanon, have killed at least 29 people and wounded 27 others. Khiam, which sits on a ridge less than 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the border with Israel, saw some of the most intense fighting during the war. The Lebanese army was clearing debris and reopening roads in the northern section of the town. Civilian access to other areas remained challenging as the army clears roads and works alongside the U.N. peacekeepers to ensure the area is free of unexploded ordnance. AQABA, Jordan -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is urging the many players in Syria to avoid taking any steps that could lead to further violence. Blinken spoke to reporters in Jordan on Thursday shortly after meeting King Abdullah II as he opened a trip in the region to discuss Syria's future after former President Bashar Assad's ouster. Blinken will next visit Turkey, a NATO ally and a main backer of Syrian rebel groups. Blinken called this “a time of both real promise but also peril for Syria and for its neighbors.” He said he was focused on coordinating efforts in the region “to support the Syrian people as they transition away from Assad’s brutal dictatorship” and establish a government that isn’t dominated by one religion or ethnic group or outside power. Blinken was asked about Israel’s incursion into a buffer zone that had been demilitarized for the past half century. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the move is temporary and defensive, but also indicated Israel will remain in the area for a long time. Blinken declined to say whether the U.S. supports the move, but said the U.S. would be speaking to Israel and other partners in the region. “I think, across the board, when it comes to any actors who have real interests in Syria, it’s also really important at this time that, we all try to make sure that we’re not sparking any additional conflicts,” he said. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, arrived in Damascus on Thursday, according to Turkish media reports. Kalin was seen arriving at the Umayyad Mosque to pray, surrounded by a large crowd, according to video shown on Turkish television. The visit is highly symbolic. Turkish officials, who supported the opposition against Syria’s government, had predicted at the start of the civil war in 2011 that President Bashar Assad’s government would fall, allowing them to pray at the Umayyad Mosque. AQABA, Jordan — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is renewing calls for Syria’s new leadership to respect women and minority rights, prevent extremists from gaining new footholds in the country and keeping suspected chemical weapons stocks secure as he makes his first visit to the Mideast since the weekend ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad . Making his 12th trip to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war erupted lasted year but amid fresh concerns about security following the upheaval in Syria, Blinken emphasized Thursday to Jordan’s King Abdullah II U.S. “support for an inclusive transition that can lead to an accountable and representative Syrian government chosen by the Syrian people,” the State Department said. Blinken also repeated the importance the outgoing Biden administration puts on respect for human rights and international law, the protection of civilians and stopping terrorist groups from reconstituting. Blinken met with the monarch and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi in Aqaba before traveling to Turkey for talks with Turkish officials on the situation in Syria and the urgency of securing a long-elusive deal to release hostages and end the fighting in Gaza that has devastated the Palestinian territory since October 2023. Abdullah told Blinken that “the first step to reach comprehensive regional calm is to end the Israeli war on Gaza." GENEVA — The U.N. envoy for Syria is calling on authorities to save evidence from detention centers that were a hub of “unimaginable barbarity” that Syrians have faced for many years and cooperate with international investigators looking into such crimes. Geir Pederson referred to new images from the notorious Saydnaya military prison north of the capital, Damascus, after President Bashar Assad fled Syria as armed groups stormed in to overthrow his government over the weekend. “The images from Saydnaya and other detention facilities starkly underscore the unimaginable barbarity Syrians have endured and reported for years,” Pedersen said in a statement. Documentation and testimonies “only scratch the surface of the carceral system’s horrors,” he added. Pedersen urged authorities to cooperate with U.N. bodies like an independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria, which was created in 2011, and an independent group known as the IIIM that was set up five years later to also compile evidence of crimes. ROME — Leaders of the Group of 7 industrialized nations offered their full support for an inclusive political transition in Syria and invited all parties to preserve the country’s territorial integrity. In a message released by Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s office, the leaders said they were ready to support a transition that “leads to a credible government, inclusive and not sectarian, that guarantees respect for the state of law, universal human rights, including rights for women, (and) the protection of all Syrians, including religious and ethnic minorities.” The leaders also underlined the importance that ousted President Bashar Assad’s government is held responsible for crimes, citing “decades of atrocities.” They said they would also cooperate with groups working to prohibit chemical weapons “to secure, declare and destroy” remaining chemical arms in Syria. Italy currently holds the rotating presidency of the G-7, which also includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United States. JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says it struck Hamas militants in two locations in the southern Gaza Strip who planned to hijack aid convoys. Palestinian Health officials had earlier said that the two strikes killed 15 men who were part of local committees established to secure aid deliveries. The committees have been organized in cooperation with the Hamas-run Interior Ministry in Gaza. It was not possible to independently confirm either account of the strikes, which occurred overnight into Thursday. Israel has long accused Hamas of hijacking humanitarian aid deliveries, while U.N. officials have said there is no systemic diversion of aid . U.N. agencies and aid groups say deliveries are held up by Israeli restrictions on the entry of aid and movement within Gaza, as well as the breakdown of law and order more than 14 months into the war between Israel and Hamas. Israel has repeatedly targeted the Hamas-run police force, which maintained internal security before the war. The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, the main aid provider in Gaza, said a U.N. convoy of 70 trucks carrying humanitarian aid in southern Gaza “was involved in a serious incident,” resulting in just one of the trucks reaching its destination. It did not provide further details on the incident but said the same route had been used successfully two days earlier. Israel’s offensive, launched after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, has caused vast destruction and displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million, leaving the territory heavily reliant on international food aid. DAMASCUS, Syria — An American who turned up in Syria on Thursday says he was detained after crossing into the country by foot on a Christian pilgrimage seven months ago. Travis Timmerman appears to have been among thousands of people released from the country’s notorious prisons after rebels reached Damascus over the weekend, overthrowing President Bashar Assad and ending his family’s 54-year rule. As video emerged online of Timmerman on Thursday, he was initially mistaken by some for Austin Tice, an American journalist who went missing in Syria 12 years ago. In the video, Timmerman could be seen lying on a mattress under a blanket in what appeared to be a private house. A group of men in the video said he was being treated well and would be safely returned home. The Biden administration is working to bring Timmerman home, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Aqaba, Jordan, without offering details, citing privacy. Timmerman later gave an interview with the Al-Arabiya TV network, saying he had illegally crossed into Syria on foot from the eastern Lebanese town of Zahle seven months ago, before being detained. He said he was treated well in detention but could hear other men being tortured. AQABA, Jordan — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Jordan on his 12th visit to the Mideast since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year and his first since the weekend ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad that has sparked new fears of instability in a region wracked by three conflicts despite a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon. Blinken was meeting in Aqaba with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday before traveling to Turkey for talks with Turkish officials on Friday. The meetings will focus largely on Syria but also touch on long-elusive hopes for a deal to end the fighting in Gaza that has devastated the Palestinian territory since October 2023. Blinken is the latest senior U.S. official to visit the Middle East in the five days since Assad was deposed as the Biden administration navigates more volatility in the region in its last few weeks in office and as President-elect Donald Trump has said the U.S. should stay out of the Syrian conflict. Other include national security adviser Jake Sullivan and a top military commander who traveled there as the U.S. and Israel have launched airstrikes to prevent the Islamic State militant group from reconstituting and prevent materiel and suspected chemical weapons stocks from falling into militant hands. Blinken “will discuss the need for the transition process and new government in Syria to respect the rights of minorities, facilitate the flow of humanitarian assistance, prevent Syria from being used as a base of terrorism or posing a threat to its neighbors, and ensure that chemical weapons stockpiles are secured and safely destroyed,” the State Department said. The U.S. would be willing to recognize and fully support a new Syrian government that met those criteria. U.S. officials say they are not actively reviewing the foreign terrorist organization designation of the main Syrian rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, known as HTS, which was once an al-Qaida affiliate, but stressed they are not barred from speaking to its members. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli forces will remain in a Syrian buffer zone until a new force on the other side of the border can guarantee security. After the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Israeli forces pushed into a buffer zone that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war. The military says it has seized additional strategic points nearby. Israeli officials have said the move is temporary, but Netanyahu’s conditions could take months or even years to fulfill as Syria charts its post-Assad future, raising the prospect of an open-ended Israeli presence in the country. Netanyahu’s office said in a statement Thursday that Assad’s overthrow by jihadi rebels created a vacuum on the border. “Israel will not permit jihadi groups to fill that vacuum and threaten Israeli communities on the Golan Heights with October 7th style attacks,” it said, referring to Hamas’ 2023 attack out of Gaza, which ignited the war there. “That is why Israeli forces entered the buffer zone and took control of strategic sites near Israel’s border.” The statement added that “this deployment is temporary until a force that is committed to the 1974 agreement can be established and security on our border can be guaranteed.” The buffer zone is adjacent to the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed. The international community, except for the United States, views the Golan as occupied Syrian territory. JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said Thursday that the attacker who fatally shot a 12-year-old Israeli boy in the occupied West Bank overnight turned himself in to authorities. The attacker opened fire on a bus near the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit, critically wounding the boy, who hospital authorities pronounced dead in the early morning. Three others were wounded in the attack, paramedics said. The shooting took place just outside Jerusalem in an area near major Israeli settlements. JAKARTA, Indonesia — The Indonesian government has evacuated 37 citizens from Syria following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government, officials said Thursday. The evacuees were taken by land from Damascus to Beirut, where they boarded three commercial flights to Jakarta, said Judha Nugraha, director of citizen protection at the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The Indonesian Embassy in Damascus said all 1,162 Indonesian citizens in Syria were safe. Indonesian Ambassador to Syria Wajid Fauzi said the situation in Syria has gradually returned to normal. “I can say that 98% of people’s lives are back to normal, shops are open, public transportation has started running,” Fauzi said, adding that most Indonesian nationals living in Syria had chosen to stay. DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian medical officials say Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 28 people in the Gaza Strip, including seven children and a woman. One of the strikes overnight and into Thursday flattened a house in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, where the casualties were taken. An Associated Press reporter saw the bodies at the hospital’s morgue. Two other strikes killed 15 men who were part of local committees established to secure aid convoys . The committees were set up by displaced Palestinians in coordination with the Hamas-run Interior Ministry. The Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis received the bodies and an AP reporter counted them. The hospital said eight were killed in a strike near the southern border town of Rafah and seven others in a strike 30 minutes later near Khan Younis. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The fighting has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis, with experts warning of famine. Israel says it allows enough aid to enter and blames U.N. agencies for not distributing it. The U.N. says Israeli restrictions, and the breakdown of law and order after Israel repeatedly targeted the Hamas-run police force, make it extremely difficult to operate in the territory.

CINCINNATI — University of Cincinnati redshirt senior offensive lineman Luke Kandra was named an honorable mention All-American by College Football Network this week. Kandra, a 2020 Elder High School graduate, was the Big 12 Conference’s highest-rated right guard by Pro Football Focus for a second straight season, according to UC. Kandra led a Bearcats offense that ranked sixth in the league in total offense (420.6 yards) and paved the way for running back Corey Kiner to rush for a second straight 1,000-yard season. Kandra will graduate with his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from UC this week. Kandra was named to the All-Big 12 First Team last week. Freshman linebacker Simeon Coleman was named to College Football Network’s Freshman All-America squad, too. Coleman was also named a Freshman All-American by On3 last week. He appeared in all 12 games for the Bearcats and recorded 32 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and two quarterback hurries. He made the first start of his collegiate career at Iowa State on Nov. 16. Coleman was one of several true freshmen to make an impact for the Bearcats. His 238 defensive snaps this season were the most among any true freshman linebacker in the Big 12, according to Pro Football Focus. His 32 tackles ranked fifth among Big 12 true freshmen. SIGN UP: Subscribe to our high school sports newsletterIn a shocking case that has sent shockwaves through the intelligence community, a former top graduate of a prestigious university has been convicted of selling highly classified national secrets to a foreign government. The individual, whose identity has not been disclosed to protect ongoing investigations, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for betraying their country and compromising national security.In summary, China's stance on China-South Korean relations is unwavering. It acknowledges and respects South Korea's domestic affairs while focusing on enhancing mutual understanding and collaboration. Through dialogue and cooperation, both countries can navigate challenges and opportunities to strengthen their relationship and contribute to regional stability and prosperity.