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Blowout loss to Packers leaves the 49ers on the playoff brinkFor years, patients in the U.S. health care system have grown frustrated with a bureaucracy they don’t understand . Doctors are included in an insurer’s network one year but not the next. Getting someone on the phone to help can be next to impossible. Coverage of care and prescriptions is often unceremoniously denied. This week’s fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has unleashed a wave of public feeling — exasperation, anger, resentment, helplessness — from Americans sharing personal stories of interactions with insurance companies, often seen as faceless corporate giants. In particular, the words written on ammunition found at the shooting scene — “delay,” “deny” and “depose,” echoing a phrase used to describe how insurers dodge claim payouts — amplified voices that have long been critical of the industry. “All of a sudden, I am fired up again,” said Tim Anderson, describing how his wife, Mary, had to deal with UnitedHealthcare coverage denials before she died from Lou Gehrig’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in 2022. Anderson said they couldn’t get coverage for machines to help his wife breathe or talk — toward the end, she communicated by blinking when he showed her pictures. The family had to rely on donations from a local ALS group, he said. “The business model for insurance is don’t pay,” said Anderson, 67, of Centerville, Ohio. “When Mary could still talk, she said to me to keep fighting this,” he added. “It needs to be exposed.” For Anderson and others, Thompson's death and the message left at the scene have created an opportunity to vent their frustrations. Conversations at dinner tables, office water coolers, social gatherings and on social media have pivoted to the topic, as police efforts to find the gunman keep the case in the news. Hans Maristela said he understands why the chatter is bubbling up. The 54-year-old caregiver in California was moved to comment on Facebook about UnitedHealthcare's reputation of denying coverage. As a Catholic, he said, he grieves Thompson's death and feels for his family, especially with the holidays around the corner. But he sees frustration with insurers even among his clients, most of them wealthy older people who've not been shielded from high out-of-pocket costs. “And then you know the CEO of this company you pay a lot of money to gets $10 million dollars a year, you won’t have a lot of sympathy for the guy," Maristela said, citing Thompson's compensation package that included base pay and stock options. “Health care is a business, I understand, but the obsession with share price, with profit, has to be reevaluated.” University of Pennsylvania researcher Michael Anne Kyle said she's not surprised by the growth of conversation around insurers. “People are often struggling with this by themselves, and when you see someone else talk about it, that may prompt you to join the conversation,” she said. Kyle studies how patients access care and said she's seen frustration with the system build for years. Costs are rising, and insurers are using more controls such as prior authorizations and doctor networks to manage them. Patients are often stuck in the middle of disputes between doctors and insurers. “Patients are already spending a lot of money on health care, and then they’re still facing problems with the service,” she said. Insurers often note that most of the money they bring in goes back out the door to pay claims, and that they try to corral soaring costs and the overuse of some care. In Ohio, Anderson said his initial reaction to the CEO shooting was to question whether it was connected to a coverage denial, like the ones he'd experienced with his wife. “I definitely do not condone killing people,” he said. “But I read it and said, 'I wonder if somebody had a spouse whose coverage was denied.’” It's something Will Flanary, a Portland-based ophthalmologist and comedian with a large social media following, saw online a lot in the shooting's immediate aftermath and found very telling. “It’s zero sympathy,” he said. “And the lesson to take away from that is not, ‘Let’s shame people for celebrating a murder.’ No, it’s: ‘Look at the amount of anger that people have toward this system that’s taken advantage of people and do something to try to fix that.’” Flanary's content, published under the name Dr. Glaucomflecken, started out as niche eye doctor jokes and a way to cope with his own experiences with two cancer diagnoses and a sudden cardiac arrest. But it has evolved, featuring character skits that call attention to and satirize the decisions of large health insurers, including UnitedHealthcare. He said he's never seen conversations around health insurance policy take off the way they did this week — and he hopes these new voices can help bring about change. “I’m always talking about how powerful social media can be with advocacy," he said, "because it really is the only way to put a significant amount of pressure on these corporations who are doing bad things for patients.” The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Caribbean Small Island Developing States (CSIDS) have indicated their concerns, on the forecasted threats of droughts and drought-like conditions within the region, making a plea for financing, capacity building and access to data to adapt and mitigate against the threat. Ministers responsible for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) from the CSIDS, expressed their concerns at the 16th Conference of Parties (COP16), in Riyadh Saudi Arabia, on 3 December, as they engaged a team from United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), during a CSIDS High-Level Dialogue on Drought. “These conditions can only make matters for us worse; we must identify drought and flooding as a priority, as SIDS are vulnerable to the impacts of Climate Change,” explained Hon. Alfred Prospere, Chairman of the PISLM Ministerial Council. While the meeting provided a forum for ministers to indicate their concerns over the forecasted threat, it also presented the opportunity for them to request collaborations with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Bahamas Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources-Hon. Vaughn Miller echoed the sentiments of his regional counterpart. According to him, “There is still a dire need for degradation neutrality financing, and the challenges for Caribbean SIDS to access meaningful finance to achieve degradation neutrality are forever widening.” Relating experiences from Grenada, Minister for Economic Development and Planning, Agriculture and Lands, Forestry and Marine Resources Hon. Lennox Andrews related experiences from his country that testifies the impact of climate change and land degradation. He explained that, “This year alone, Grenada endured a severe drought, a Category 4 hurricane, and flash flooding, all of which severely impacted food production, infrastructure and ecosystems.” The meeting with the FAO representatives also sought to explore the development of a regional drought initiative for the Caribbean that can be funded through the Land Degradation GEF STAR 9 allocations. With this meeting being the largest one in the history of the UNCCD and the first to be held in the Middle East, Minister of Public Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, Domestic Transport, ICT and Posts in the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis Hon. Konris Maynard believes that this must be “A point of relief and it must bring some justice for SIDS.” He said that like other Small Island Developing States that are being impacted by Climate Change, there must be increased funding and partnerships to protect the future of the land. The CSIDS High-Level Ministerial Dialogue on drought was facilitated by the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM), led by its Executive Director, Calvin James. The Food and Agriculture Organization team comprised Jeffrey Gaskin, Executive Coordinator of the GEF Unit, and Li Lifeng Director of the Water Division. PISLMNewsom wants CA consumers to pay to replace $7,500 federal EV credit, Tesla excluded

European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde said Europe’s continuing struggle to innovate and the souring geopolitical backdrop make it even more imperative to unite its capital markets. Addressing the Frankfurt European Banking Congress yesterday, she said the region’s inaction has cost it valuable time since she appeared at that same event in 2023 with much the same message. “Since last year, Europe’s declining innovation position has come more clearly to light,” she said. “The technology gap between the United States and Europe is now unmistakable. The geopolitical environment has also become less favourable, with growing threats to free trade from all corners of the world.” Since that 2023 speech, Donald Trump has regained the White House, while repeated European Union efforts to revive its longstanding initiative for a Capital Markets Union have effectively stalled. Now both its two biggest economies, Germany and France, face political stasis, with Berlin inching toward elections early next year. “The urgency to integrate our capital markets has risen,” Lagarde said. “This growing urgency has not been matched by tangible progress.” She recounted a tale of Brussels quagmire over the project, with “55 regulatory proposals and 50 non-legislative initiatives” devoted to the matter since 2015. “Breadth has come at the expense of depth,” she said. “It has allowed CMU to be picked apart by national vested interests that see one or another initiative as a threat.” This sentiment was echoed later at the same event by Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel. “While I know the devil is in the detail here, it is still frustrating to see how slow progress has been,” he said, criticising “member states’ reluctance to subordinate national interests to the common cause.” “We have to overcome this mindset and tear down the invisible walls obstructing financial market integration,” he said. The current backdrop is one where Europeans still save about a third of their total financial assets, compared with a 10th in the US, making them “much less wealthy than they could be,” Lagarde said. The region’s financial markets are “extraordinarily fragmented,” she observed, noting that last year the EU had 295 trading venues. The ECB president showed a map of them to leaders at a recent summit. “Some of them were flabbergasted,” she said. “If leaders can bypass the vested interests that are protected like a fortress in the ancient ages, we might have a chance.” Alongside creating a “European SEC,” Lagarde said that regulatory fixes could emulate the two-tier supranational approach adopted for competition or banking supervision. Another option would be to create “a separate EU legal regime that firms can opt into sitting alongside the various national regimes.” Nagel and Bank of France Governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau also wrote a joint op-ed for the Friday editions of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Le Monde to urge action in Europe. Lagarde also said that Europe needs to “fully harness the potential of our public development banks, especially the European Investment Bank, to pool risks and crowd in private capital.” “More can be done to unlock the EIB’s potential and enable us to catch up with our peers faster,” she said. “In particular, the EIB should be allowed to use its resources more effectively and provide a wider variety of instruments to support breakthrough innovations, especially when it comes to supporting early-stage startups.”Pep Guardiola has pledged to step aside if he fails to turn around Manchester City’s poor run of form. The City boss is enduring the worst run of his glittering managerial career after a six-game winless streak featuring five successive defeats and a calamitous 3-3 draw in a match his side had led 3-0. The 53-year-old, who has won 18 trophies since taking charge at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, signed a contract extension through to the summer of 2027 just over a week ago. Yet, despite his remarkable successes, he still considers himself vulnerable to the sack and has pleaded with the club to keep faith. “I don’t want to stay in the place if I feel like I’m a problem,” said the Spaniard, who watched in obvious frustration as City conceded three times in the last 15 minutes in a dramatic capitulation against Feyenoord in midweek. “I don’t want to stay here just because the contract is there. “My chairman knows it. I said to him, ‘Give me the chance to try come back’, and especially when everybody comes back (from injury) and see what happens. “After, if I’m not able to do it, we have to change because, of course, (the past) nine years are dead. “More than ever I ask to my hierarchy, give me the chance. “Will it be easy for me now? No. I have the feeling that still I have a job to do and I want to do it.” City have been hampered by a raft of injuries this term, most pertinently to midfield talisman and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri. The Euro 2024 winner is expected to miss the remainder of the season and his absence has been keenly felt over the past two months. Playmaker Kevin De Bruyne has also not started a match since September. The pressure continues to build with champions City facing a crucial trip to title rivals and Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday. Defeat would leave City trailing Arne Slot’s side by 11 points. “I don’t enjoy it at all, I don’t like it,” said Guardiola of his side’s current situation. “I sleep not as good as I slept when I won every game. “The sound, the smell, the perfume is not good enough right now. “But I’m the same person who won the four Premier Leagues in a row. I was happier because I ate better, lived better, but I was not thinking differently from who I am.” Guardiola is confident his side will not stop battling as they bid to get back on track. He said: “The people say, ‘Yeah, it’s the end of that’. Maybe, but we are in November. We will see what happens until the end. “What can you do? Cry for that? You don’t stay long – many, many years without fighting. That is what you try to look for, this is the best (way). “Why should we not believe? Why should it not happen with us?”Pep Guardiola is in the unprecedented position of having lost five games in a row, so all eyes will be on Tuesday’s Champions League match at the Etihad Stadium. This guide explains how to watch Manchester City vs Feyenoord live streams wherever you are in the world. The match kicks off on Tuesday, November 26 at 8.00pm GMT . That’s 3.00pm ET / 12.00pm PT in the US and 7.00am AEDT (Wednesday) in Australia. Amazon Prime Video have first pick of Tuesday night Champions League games and this week they’ve chosen this Man City vs Feyenoord live stream. In the US you can watch every Champions League match on Paramount+, while Aussie fans can tune in on Stan Sport. Overseas on Tuesday? Don’t forget that you can use a VPN to watch your usual UCL live stream from abroad. Find out more below. These are strange times in the blue half of Manchester, as City haven’t recorded a win since beating Premier League strugglers Southampton on October 26. Having lost to Sporting Lisbon on their previous European outing and sitting in 10th place in the Champions League table, Pep Guardiola ( ranked at no.5 in FourFourTwo 's list of the greatest managers ever ) could really do with a win. Dutch opponents Feyenoord (managed by Liverpool boss Arne Slot until last season) are currently 10 places behind City in the expanded Champion League. At any other time you’d expect City to win this game comfortably, but based on current form, all usual bets are off. This article explains how to watch Man City vs Feyenoord live streams. Looking for another UCL match? Check out our guide to watching the Champions League in 2024/25 . Watch Man City vs Feyenoord on Prime Video in the UK If you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber you can watch Man City vs Feyenoord live streams on Prime Video as part of your subscription. The tech giants have the rights to show 17 matches up to and including the 2024/25 season’s semi-final stage, and have their first pick of Tuesday night fixtures – so far they’ve been prioritising matches involving English teams and we expect that to continue throughout the tournament. You can sign up to Prime for £8.99 per month, and new subscribers can take advantage of a 30-day free trial. TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) and Discovery+ are showing the 187 Champions League matches that aren’t on Prime Video this season. A Discovery+ Premium subscription will set you back £30.99, but you also have the option to add TNT Sports to existing Sky, BT, EE or Virgin Media packages (prices vary). Highlights will also be available on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Where else can I watch Champions League games on Prime Video? Amazon Prime Video customers in Germany and Italy can also watch selected UCL matches via Prime Video. If you’re not already a subscriber you can take advantage of the 30-day free trial. Check your country’s Prime Video homepage for more information. Use a VPN to watch from anywhere If you’re overseas when Man City vs Feyenoord kicks off on Tuesday, annoyingly your usual on-demand services won’t work. That’s because your IP address tells the broadcaster you’re in another country, and you’ll subsequently be blocked from tuning in – not ideal if you’ve already paid up for a subscription service you’re not able to use. Thankfully there is another option that doesn’t involve resorting to one of those illegal feeds on Reddit. All you need is a VPN (Virtual Private Network), a handy piece of software which can make it look like your device is still back at home. Assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs, you can use a VPN to create a private connection between your device and choice and the internet, meaning the streamer can’t work out where you are and won't automatically block the service you've paid for. All the info going between is also entirely encrypted – and that's a result. There are plenty of good-value options out there, but FourFourTwo’s brainy office mates TechRadar are big fans of NordVPN: Watch Man City vs Feyenoord live streams in the US Paramount+ has the rights to show every Champions League match in the US – including Tuesday’s Man City vs Feyenoord live stream. The Paramount+ Essential package costs $7.99 per month or $59.99 per year, while Paramount+ with Showtime (which allows you to stream over 40,000 movies and TV episodes without ads) costs $12.99 per month or $119.99 per year. Champions League soccer is available with both deals. Watch Man City vs Feyenoord in Ireland Subscription service Premier Sports has the rights to show several Champions league matches this season – including the Man City vs Feyenoord live stream. You can subscribe to Premier Sports through Sky, Now and Virgin Media. Irish fans will also be able to watch a selection of matches for free. Virgin Media TV has the rights to show several games every match week – some of which will air on the free-to-air Virgin Media Two and its Virgin Media Play streaming service. (Other games will be available on Virgin Media More, which is exclusive to Virgin Media customers.) You’ll also be able to watch matches on the free-to-air RTÉ 2 and its RTÉ Player . Other games will be covered by subscription service TNT Sports. Want to know which channel each match is on? Check out our guide to watching the Champions League 2024/25 wherever you are. Watch Man City vs Feyenoord in Australia Aussies can watch Man City vs Feyenoord live streams on Stan Sport in the early hours of Wednesday morning, along with every other Champions League match this season. It costs $15 per month to add Stan Sport to your standard Stan subscription. Watch Man City vs Feyenoord live streams in South Africa Soccer fans in South Africa can watch Tuesday’s UCL action on subscription service SuperSport through DStv.

Opposition fighters are closing in on Syria’s capital in a swiftly developing crisis that has taken much of the world by surprise. Syria’s army has abandoned key cities in the west and south with little resistance. Nervous residents in Damascus describe security forces on the streets. The state news agency has been forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad has left the country. Who are these ? If they enter Damascus after taking , what then? Here’s a look at the stunning reversal of fortune for Assad and his government in just the past 10 days, and what might lie ahead as Syria’s 13-year . The aim? Overthrow the government This is the first time that opposition forces have reached the outskirts of the Syrian capital since 2018, when the country’s troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The approaching fighters are led by the most powerful insurgent group in Syria, , or HTS, along with an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Both have been entrenched in the northwest. They launched the shock offensive on Nov. 27 with gunmen capturing Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, and the central city of Hama, the fourth largest. The HTS has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. But the group said in recent years it cut ties with al-Qaida, and HTS has sought to remake itself in recent years by focusing on promoting civilian government in their territory as well as military action. HTS leader Abu told CNN in an exclusive interview Thursday from Syria that the aim of the offensive is to overthrow Assad’s government. Possible rifts ahead The HTS and Syrian National Army have been allies at times and rivals at times, and their aims might diverge. The Turkish-backed militias also have an interest in creating a buffer zone near the Turkish border to keep away Kurdish militants at odds with Ankara. has been a main backer of the fighters seeking to overthrow Assad but more recently has urged reconciliation, and Turkish officials have strongly rejected claims of any involvement in the current offensive. Whether the HTS and the Syrian National Army will work together if they succeed in overthrowing Assad or turn on each other again is a major question. Others take advantage While the flash offensive against Syria’s government began in the north, armed opposition groups have also mobilized elsewhere. The southern areas of Sweida and Daraa have both been taken locally. Sweida is the heartland of Syria’s Druze religious minority and had been the site of regular anti-government protests even after Assad seemingly consolidated his control over the area. Daraa is a Sunni Muslim area that was widely seen as the cradle of the uprising against Assad’s rule that erupted in 2011. Daraa was recaptured by Syrian government troops in 2018, but rebels remained in some areas. In recent years, Daraa was in a state of uneasy quiet under a Russian-mediated ceasefire deal. And much of Syria’s east is controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led group backed by the United States that in the past has clashed with most other armed groups in the country. Syria’s government now controls just four of 14 provincial capitals. What’s next? Much depends on Assad’s next moves and his forces’ will to fight. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces have started carrying out the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces and are sending reinforcements to Homs. If that city is captured, the link would be cut between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where he enjoys wide support. “Homs to the coastal cities will be a very huge red line politically and socially. Politically, if this line is crossed, then we are talking about the end of the entire Syria, the one that we knew in the past,” said a Damascus resident, Anas Joudeh. Assad appears to be as allies Russia and Iran are distracted by other conflicts and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah has been weakened by its war with Israel, now under a fragile ceasefire. The U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, is calling for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition,” saying the situation is changing by the minute. He met with foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran on the sidelines of the Doha Summit. President-elect Donald Trump in his on the developments in Syria said the besieged Assad didn’t deserve U.S. support to stay in power. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,” Trump posted on social media.The House committee on land, natural resources and the environment has summoned the interior and transport ministers to provide more information on the Khao Kradong land controversy on Wednesday. According to Poonsak Chanchampi, a committee member and People's Party MP, the ministers were called on to provide more information relating to the dispute, as they oversee the Department of Land (DoL) and State Railway of Thailand (SRT) -- the parties involved in the dispute. He said the House committee also wants to hear from the transport minister how the SRT plans to proceed to reclaim the plots, which span 5,083 rai in the Khao Kradong area in Buri Ram's Muang district. The rail agency has accused the DoL of wrongfully issuing land titles to individuals who are illegally occupying the plots. The Supreme Court ruled in favour of the SRT in the dispute, and the Administrative Court has also ordered the DoL to work with the rail agency to review the plots' boundaries. However, the DoL's land committee, which was formed under Section 61 of the Land Code to probe the issuing of land papers for the disputed plots, decided against revoking the land titles. The SRT is appealing its decision. Mr Poonsak said the House committee will review the decision of the DoL's land committee to determine whether the land committee has the power to suspend the revocation of land ownership despite the court ruling. He said the House committee is aware of public concerns about intervention by local officials to protect the interests of an influential political clan in Buri Ram, so the committee will also look into possible violations of the law, such as abuse of power. Mr Poonsak said the disputed plots should be returned to the state to comply with the Supreme Court's ruling, which said the land belongs to the SRT and the occupants can continue using the plots by making lease payments to the SRT. He said while the SRT can file a lawsuit against each occupant to reclaim the land, the process will be too lengthy. It is reported that about 900 people are living on the land. Poonsak: Aware of public concerns

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Tel Aviv, Dec 10 (AP) The dramatic downfall of Syrian President Bashar Assad presents possible danger, and an opening for neighbouring Israel. After fighting wars on multiple fronts for months, Israel is now concerned that unrest in Syria could spill over into its territory. Israel also views the end of the Assad regime as a chance to disrupt Iran's ability to smuggle weapons through Syria to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Also Read | George Soros Row: BJP Says 'Allegations on OCCRP Based on French Media Report, US Should Clarify Stand on Soros'. The Israeli military over the weekend began seizing control of a demilitarised buffer zone in Syria created as part of a 1974 ceasefire between the countries. It said the move was temporary and meant to secure its border. But the incursion sparked condemnation, with critics accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire and possibly exploiting the chaos in Syria for a land grab. Israel still controls the Golan Heights that it captured from Syria during the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed — a move not recognized by most of the international community. Also Read | India, Australia CECA Stocktake Visit Concludes in Delhi; Both Nations Affirm Commitment To Realise Benefits of Economic Cooperation (See Pics). Here's a look at recent developments along the Syrian frontier. Where are the Israeli troops? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israeli forces were moving to control a roughly 400-square-kilometer (155-square-mile) demilitarized buffer zone in Syrian territory. The buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights was created by the UN after the 1973 Mideast war. A UN force of about 1,100 troops has patrolled the area since then. On a visit Sunday to a Golan Heights hilltop overlooking Syria, Netanyahu said that because Syrian troops had abandoned their positions, Israel's move into the buffer zone was necessary as a "temporary defensive position”. “The peacekeepers at (the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, or UNDOF) informed the Israeli counterparts that these actions would constitute a violation of the 1974 disengagement agreement, that there should be no military forces or activities in the area of separation,” said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. He added that the buffer zone was calm and UNDOF peacekeepers remained in their position. The Security Council is scheduled to meet for special consultations called by Russia to discuss the buffer zone issue. The rebels who ousted Assad and now control much of Syria are led by a former senior al-Qaida militant, although he severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. On Monday evening, Netanyahu said Assad's fall is the “direct result of the heavy blows we landed on Hamas, on Hezbollah and on Iran”. He added that Israel would occupy the summit of Mount Hermon, which is within the buffer zone on the Syria-Lebanon border, and at 2,814 metres (9,232 feet) is the highest peak in the eastern Mediterranean coast. Israel has sent both ground and air troops into the buffer zone, including on the Syrian side of snow-dusted Mount Hermon, which is divided between the Golan Heights, Lebanon, and Syria. Only the United States recognises Israel's control of the Golan Heights. How long will Israeli troops be in the buffer zone? Israeli troops began moving into the buffer zone on Saturday. Also on Saturday, armed men attacked UN forces near the border with Israel, according to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. “(The Israeli military) took targeted and temporary control of certain areas near the border to prevent an October 7 scenario from Syria,” Saar said, referring to Hamas' surprise 2023 attack into Israel from the Gaza Strip. Many in the region condemned the move. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry accused Israel of “exploiting the power vacuum ... to occupy more Syrian territories and create a fait accompli in violation of international law”. This isn't the first time Israel has entered the buffer zone this year. An Associated Press report last month examining satellite imagery found that Israel had been working on a construction project, possibly a new road, along the border with Syria from as early as July, and had in some cases entered the buffer zone during construction. Following the AP report, UN forces warned that the Israeli military has committed “severe violations” of its ceasefire deal with Syria. Is Israel invading Syria? Israeli political and military leaders have stressed that the seizure of the buffer zone is temporary and not a prelude to entering other parts of Syrian territory. “The plan at the moment is that this is a temporary step to make sure stability is kept in the border, making sure the buffer zone is kept, and the UN forces can stay,” said a military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines. The official noted that in 2014, UN peacekeepers fled the buffer zone after al-Qaida-linked Syrian rebels attacked their encampments. After armed men attacked UN forces over the weekend, Israel wanted to ensure the situation did not repeat itself, the official said. Israel isn't currently trying to change the border or prepare for an invasion into Syria, said Carmit Valensi, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think-tank. “Right now, it's a tactical operation, not a long-term strategy, in response to the dynamic situation in Syria,” she said. With the collapse of the Syrian army, Israel wants to protect its borders until the situation stabilizes, she said. What are Israel's interests? Israel says its immediate goal is to prevent the instability in Syria from spreading into the border region. Defence Minister Israel Katz on Monday laid out Israel's plans for the border area. He said that after completing the takeover of the buffer zone, Israel would create a “security zone” beyond it by destroying heavy artillery across Syria and preventing Iran from smuggling weapons through Syria into Lebanon. Foreign Minister Saar said Monday that Israel has struck multiple sites holding chemical weapons and long-range missiles to prevent them from falling into the hands of hostile actors. Saar did not say when the strikes occurred. Analysts said Israel is likely to continue carrying out strikes against targets across Syria. Israel is planning outreach to Syria's Druze population, a close-knit religious minority that also lives in Israel, Jordan and Lebanon and has maintained some ties across borders. Israel is also trying to open lines of communication with Syrian rebel groups, to help ensure Iranian-backed factions don't reclaim any territory, according to Valensi. For many years, Israel quietly provided food, medicine, clothing and other assistance to war-ravaged southern Syria through “Operation Good Neighbour”, which ended in 2018. More than 4,000 wounded and sick Syrians received medical treatment in Israel or in Israeli field hospitals, and those non-diplomatic connections could now prove crucial. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)

Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. A civil jury in Ireland ruled that Conor McGregor sexually assaulted a woman in a penthouse after a night of partying in 2018. The woman who claimed the UFC fighter "brutally raped and battered" her in a Dublin hotel penthouse was awarded nearly 250,000 Euros ($257,000) on Friday. The woman had to take several breaks in her emotional testimony as she said that McGregor had threatened to kill her during the encounter. The defense said the woman had never told investigators that McGregor had threatened her life. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Conor McGregor leaves the court, as the court breaks for the jury's decision in the civil action case, P Ní Laimhin v. McGregor & Anor, in High Court 24 at Chancery Place in Dublin. (David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images) A paramedic who examined the woman the next day testified that she hadn’t seen someone with that intensity of bruising. McGregor put her in a chokehold several times and later told her, "Now you know how I felt in the octagon where I tapped out three times," referring to an Ultimate Fighting Championship when he had to admit defeat, she said. She feared she would die and never see her daughter again. "He let me go, and I remember saying I was sorry, as I felt that I did something wrong, and I wanted to reassure him that I wouldn’t tell anyone so he wouldn’t hurt me again," she said. She said she then let him do what he wanted, and he had sex with her. Conor McGregor attends the "Road House" New York premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on March 19, 2024, in New York City. (Manoli Figetakis/WireImage) UFC PRESIDENT DANA WHITE DONE WITH POLITICS FOR GOOD AFTER TRUMP VICTORY: ‘IT’S DISGUSTING’ McGregor said the two had sex that was athletic and vigorous, but not rough. He said "she never said ‘No’ or stopped" and testified that everything she said was a lie. "It is a full-blown lie among many lies," he said when asked about the chokehold allegation. "How anyone could believe that me, as a prideful person, would highlight my shortcomings." They also showed surveillance video in court that they said appeared to show the woman kiss McGregor’s arm and hug him after they left the hotel room. Farrell said she looked "happy, happy, happy." McGregor added he would appeal the decision. "I am disappointed that the jury did not hear all the evidence that the DPP reviewed. I am with my family now, focused on my future. Thank you to all my support worldwide," he wrote on X . McGregor previously was accused of sexually assaulting someone in a bathroom at an NBA Finals game in 2022, but he avoided charges. Conor McGregor of Ireland prepares to fight Dustin Poirier during the UFC 264 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 10, 2021, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP McGregor, who hasn't fought since 2021, was set to return to the ring at UFC 303, but his injury kept him away from the Octagon. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter .

Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire slammed the College Football Playoff selection committee on Saturday for snubbing the Big 12 in the latest playoff rankings. "It's absolutely embarrassing what they're doing to this conference," McGuire said on Saturday. "If they look at it that way, if they sit there and say who's playing the best football, who's the most competitive conference, who week in and week out, what you see on tape and the games that you've got to play, I think the Big 12 should be in, the Big 12 champion should be in the Final Four." McGuire added: "I think it's absolutely ridiculous what is happening at that level, with that committee." Boise State is ranked above every Big 12 team at No. 11 in the Week 13 CFP rankings and could beat out the conference for a first-round bye. This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis. For more from Bleacher Report on this topic and from around the sports world, check out our B/R app , homepage and social feeds—including Twitter , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok .

President-elect Donald Trump's designees for national intelligence, defense secretary, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation faced tough questioning from senators on Monday. Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is Trump's pick for the director of national intelligence. The Democrat-turned-Republican is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and a decorated combat veteran. In 2022, Gabbard said the Ukraine war could have been avoided, "if Biden Admin/NATO had simply acknowledged Russia's legitimate security concerns." Gabbard also faced scrutiny for a secret 2017 meeting with now-exiled Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. "It does call into question whether a person who held those outrageous views could suddenly be sitting next to the president of the United States and have the last word as he makes decisions about how the U.S. should respond to a situation like this," said Rep. Dan Kildee, a Michigan Democrat. Trump tapped loyalist Kash Patel to lead the FBI. Patel pledged to radically transform the law enforcement agency, including shutting down the D.C. headquarters. "I'd take the 7,000 employees that work in that building and send them across America to chase down criminals, go be cops," said Patel during an interview on the Shawn Ryan Show. Democrats say Patel could weaponize the agency. Patel previously talked about going after his and Trump’s perceived enemies. "They have literally published an enemies list," said Rep. Brendan Boyle, a Pennsylvania Democrat. Republicans dismissed Patel's rhetoric after meeting with him on Monday. "I interpret that as hyperbole," said Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican. Trump, on Meet the Press Sunday, said he won’t direct the FBI to investigate his political enemies, but he believes Patel will do "what he thinks is right."Brainy, 'normal guy': the suspect in US insurance CEO's slaying

Netanyahu to take the stand in his corruption trial for the first timeOur community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Celtic produced a five-star performance to see off Ross County. But Hoops ace Luke McCowan says Brendan Rodgers ’ side just want to Netflix and THRILL rather than look at the Premiership table. The Parkhead midfielder put on a stunning show against the Staggies as the champions stretched their lead over Aberdeen to five points. McCowan was given a start by Rodgers and repaid his gaffer’s faith with a goal and three assists. Liam Scales, Paulo Bernardo, Callum McGregor and Adam Idah also got in on the act. And if Celtic beat Dons at Pittodrie on Wednesday night there will be daylight between themselves and the chasing pack. But McCowan says the players are more interested in watching basketball series Starting 5 on Netflix. Asked if the players had discussed stretching their lead, he said: “No, we’re not talking about that. We talk about what we’re watching on Netflix. We’re watching Starting 5 so, no, the boys don’t look at tables or think about it.” McCowan hasn’t been a regular this season but when called on he hasn’t let his manager down. And ahead of a huge fortnight for the club, which also includes a Champions League away game at Dinamo Zagreb and an Old Firm cup final, McCowan is determined to play his part. He said: “It was probably my best performance so far. I want to help the team as much as I can no matter the game time I’m getting. I just want to impact games. Getting a goal and three assists is good. Will I stay in the team for Wednesday? That’s not my decision and the squad has unbelievable quality. “No matter if I’m starting or not, I’m ready to play and help the team. If you’re not playing you can’t have a petted lip. You need to be ready for every game even when you’ve not played in a while.” Rodgers reckons his relentless side are ready for a decisive December as they look to progress in three competitions. The hectic run of games could have a major impact on their season as they look to pick up silverware, qualify for the next stage in Europe – and stretch their lead at the top. And Rodgers said: “It’s a massive part of the campaign but we’re really excited by it. We’re trying to develop a team able to challenge on all fronts and that’s the confidence I have in them. What we saw today is the humility of the team. We made changes, players came in and worked tirelessly in the structure we wanted. In all of the games coming up we’ll need that.” Rodgers tinkered with his side against County, leaving out six players who started against Club Brugge in midweek. And the gaffer heaped praise on his players for their performance. He said: “That was everything you’d want as a coach. We had to attack the game and you saw the hunger of the players. Scalesy got us off to a great start and we were relentless after that We played equally well in the second half but you have to give credit to their keeper (Jack Hamilton) who made brilliant saves. We hit the post, the bar and I was impressed with the mentality of the team.” Rodgers played his fringe men but says EVERY member of his squad is capable of starting. He said: “The players who came in are all starters. They know I trust them and they know the demands here. Luke has been unlucky not to play more. But he’s ingrained in the touch-pass tempo we play. He was brilliant out there.” Now, Rodgers wants a repeat display on Wednesday night against nearest league challengers Aberdeen at Pittodrie. He said: “It’s a great challenge but we’ll go with a fresh, confident squad. WLukee know we’ll have to work hard to get a result.”

The 49ers had a big win on Sunday against the Bears, but 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel did not have a big game. Samuel was held to two catches for 22 yards, continuing a disappointing season in which he’s averaging career-lows in catches per game and yards per game. But Samuel took to social media on Monday afternoon to say nothing is wrong. “Not struggling at all just not getting the ball!!!!!!!” Samuel wrote . A comment like that could be portrayed as a complaint that Samuel has been surpassed in the 49ers’ wide receiver pecking order by Jauan Jennings, who has more targets, more catches, more yards and more touchdowns than Samuel this season. But Samuel quickly added in another post that he’s not in any way criticizing his teammates. “Just cause I voice my opinions mean I’m hating on any of my teammates!! Be Fr,” Samuel wrote . It’s been a disappointing season in San Francisco, both for the 49ers and for Samuel individually. And there’s little doubt that Samuel is disappointed he’s not getting the ball more.

In keeping with a long-standing Thanksgiving tradition, President Joe Biden recently pardoned a pair of turkeys . During a ceremony at the White House, the birds — named Peach and Blossom — were spared from the dinner table and given a new lease on life. While it was an act of pure political pageantry, it highlights the president’s expansive pardon powers — which could be used liberally during his final two months in office. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest news, sports, weather and more delivered right to your inbox.

Varsity Maine football poll – Nov. 25, 2024NSW Premier Chris Minns has called for a review of laws to prevent the targeting of places of worship following the heinous firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne. The firebombing of the Melbourne synagogue led to former treasurer Josh Frydenberg demanding Prime Minister Anthony Albanese take action on rampant antisemitism in the country by declaring the attack on Friday a terrorist event. Mr Minns has affirmed the Melbourne synagogue attack as “an act of terrorism”. On Wednesday, at least 70 pro-Palestinian activists gathered outside Sydney's Great Synagogue calling for sanctions against Israel, while members of the Jewish community were locked inside. The NSW Premier’s intention to look at law reforms to protect places of worship is in its early stages after he asked state Attorney-General Michael Daley to consider options. Mr Minns said he was “horrified” by the attack at the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, as well as the “recent sight of protests” outside the Grand Synagogue in Sydney. “I’ve asked the Attorney-General and the cabinet office to look at ways we can better protect places of worship from protests and provide reform options to the government,” he said. “Being heckled on the way in to observe your faith is not consistent with the principles of a multicultural, multifaith community where all are protected by law from someone stopping them from prayer. “It is the bedrock of our multicultural state. People have the right to feel safe in their own city, in their own churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship.” The potential laws would regulate protesting outside of religious institutions which seeks to intimidate worshippers. The Premier said “holding the line” was no longer feasible and the government needed to make sure the freedom of religion was “protected”. Mr Minns’ strong stance on antisemitism has been praised by the Jewish community, with The Australian revealing on Monday that Rabbi Benjamin Elton, a chief minister at Sydney’s Great Synagogue, called the NSW Premier “extraordinarily strong” on the issue. Last month, Mr Minns admitted he was concerned about further anti-Israel incidents against Sydney's Jewish community leading up to Christmas after two assailants targeted residents in Woollahra, in the city's eastern suburbs, defacing almost a dozen cars and homes with “f*k Israel". The Premier visited Emanuel Synagogue in Woollahra, spoke with Jewish leaders and insisted no one should be attacked based on their religion or race or feel harassed or intimidated in their home. "I know that members of the Jewish community since the horrifying terrorist attacks on October 7 have felt unsafe in their own town and I’m deeply sorry for that," he said. Mr Minns appeared angry as he stressed police and the NSW government would "throw the book" at anyone who made antisemitic acts of violence against the public. "We are taking these violent criminal acts very seriously. They are motivated by hate, they are hateful acts on members of our community and this police force is working incredibly hard to track down those who have committed this horrifying act," he said.