3777x Syria's Islamist-led rebel alliance had been planning the surprise ouster of President Basher al-Assad for a year, an opposition military leader told the Guardian in an interview published Friday. The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Islamist group, which says it has moved away from its roots in Al-Qaeda, has long controlled a part of northwest Syria. After being weakened in a 2019 government operation, the group realised the "fundamental problem was the absence of unified leadership and control over battle", Abu Hassan al-Hamwi, an HTS commander and former leader of the group's military wing, told the UK daily. Correcting those mistakes, HTS began last year preparing for a retaliatory operation dubbed "Deterring Aggression" to oust Assad. It strengthened its control over opposition groups in the northwest and trained up its own militia, developing a "comprehensive military doctrine". HTS then tried to bring together rebel and jihadist forces in southern Syria, under Assad's control for the past six years, to create a "unified war room", according to the Guardian article. The "war room" convened commanders of 25 opposition groups who could steer the offensive against Assad from the south, with HTS driving in from the north, and converging in the capital and Assad's stronghold Damascus. The moment to launch the operation came in late November, with Syria's staunch allies Iran and Russia distracted by other conflicts. Over the weekend, the rebels succeeded in entering Damascus after sweeping through the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs in the north, causing Assad to flee the country and ending five decades of brutal rule by his clan. "We had a conviction, supported by historical precedent: that 'Damascus cannot fall until Aleppo falls'", Hamwi said. "The strength of the Syrian revolution was concentrated in the north, and we believed that once Aleppo was liberated, we could move southward toward Damascus," he added. The plan also involved developing better weapons to counter the technology Tehran and Moscow provided to the government forces. "We needed reconnaissance drones, attack drones and suicide drones, with a focus on range and endurance," Hamwi said, with drone production beginning as early as 2019. Hamwi named a new exploding or "suicide drone" the "Shahin" drone, meaning falcon in Arabic, which "symbolised their precision and power", the military leader said. The "Shahin" drone was deployed for the first time against Assad's forces this month, according to the Guardian, disabling artillery vehicles. HTS is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by several Western powers but has sought to reassure religious minorities and other governments since coming to power that it will usher in an inclusive leadership. "We affirm that minorities in Syria are part of the nation and have the right to practice their rituals, education, and services like every other Syrian citizen," Hamwi said. "The regime planted division, and we are trying, as much as possible, to bridge these divides," he added. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.None

“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want,” H.L. Mencken wrote a century ago , “and deserve to get it good and hard.” The American people don’t seem to know what they really want from President-elect Donald Trump’s second term. But they might get it good and hard anyway.None

By NADIA LATHAN Associated Press/Report for America Fred Harris, a former Democratic U.S. senator from Oklahoma, is being remembered by party members for his commitment to social and economic justice. Harris died Saturday at age 94. He served in Congress for eight years before mounting an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1976. The Oklahoma Democratic Party commemorated his work in the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson to investigate civil unrest. Harris chaired the Democratic National Committee from 1969 to 1970 and helped unify the party after its tumultuous national convention in 1968. The former senator appeared at the Democratic National Convention earlier this year where he spoke to the Oklahoma delegation about progress and unity. Oklahoma residents on Sunday mourned the death of former Democratic U.S. Sen. Fred Harris, a trailblazer in progressive politics in the state who ran an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1976. Harris died on Saturday at 94. Democratic Party members across Oklahoma remembered Harris for his commitment to economic and social justice during the 1960s — a period of historical turbulence. Harris chaired the Democratic National Committee from 1969 to 1970 and helped unify the party after its tumultuous national convention in 1968 when protesters and police clashed in Chicago. “Fred Harris showed us what is possible when we lead with both heart and principle. He worked to ensure everyone had a voice and a seat at the table,” said Alicia Andrews, chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party. Harris appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago earlier this year as a guest speaker for the Oklahoma delegation, where he reflected on progress and unity. “Standing alongside him in Chicago this summer was a reminder of how his legacy continues to inspire,” Andrews said. Kalyn Free, a member of the Choctaw nation of Oklahoma and the DNC, said that there is no one else in public service whom she admired more than the former senator. “He was a friend, a mentor, a hero and my True North. Oklahoma and America have lost a powerful advocate and voice,” Free said in a statement. “His work for Indian Country will always be remembered.” “Senator Harris truly was an Oklahoma treasure and was ahead of his time in so many ways,” said Jeff Berrong, whose grandfather served in the state Senate with Harris. “He never forgot where he came from and he always remained focused on building a society that would provide equality of opportunity for all.” Harris served eight years in the state Senate before he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he served another eight years before his 1976 presidential campaign. State party leaders commemorated his work on the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, or the Kerner Commission, to investigate the 1960s riots. Harris was the last surviving member of the commission. Shortly after his presidential campaign, Harris left politics and moved to New Mexico and became a political science professor at the University of New Mexico. —- Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns Current Records: Dallas 19-11, Phoenix 15-14 When: Friday, December 27, 2024 at 9 p.m. ET Where: Footprint Center -- Phoenix, Arizona TV: Arizona Family Sports Network Follow: CBS Sports App Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.) Ticket Cost: $94.00 The Mavericks have enjoyed a four-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They and the Phoenix Suns will round out the year against one another at 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday at at Footprint Center. Coming off a loss in a game the Mavericks were expected to win, they now face the more daunting task of proving themselves against unfavorable odds. The Mavericks are headed into this one after the oddsmakers set last week's over/under low at 222.5, but even that wound up being too high. They fell to the Timberwolves 105-99. Having soared to a lofty 132 points in the game before, Dallas' point total in this one was quite the letdown. The losing side was boosted by Kyrie Irving, who posted 39 points. The Mavericks are 14-3 when Irving posts 25 or more points, but 5-8 otherwise. The Mavericks struggled to work together and finished the game with only 15 assists. That's the fewest assists they've posted since back in June. Meanwhile, the Suns had to suffer through a three-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They came out on top against the Nuggets by a score of 110-100 on Wednesday. The Suns' win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Kevin Durant, who scored 27 points along with six assists and two steals. Dallas' loss dropped their record down to 19-11. As for Phoenix, they now have a winning record of 15-14. The Mavericks and the Suns were neck-and-neck in their previous meeting back in November, but the Mavericks came up empty-handed after a 114-113 defeat. Can the Mavericks avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough. Phoenix is a slight 1.5-point favorite against Dallas, according to the latest NBA odds . The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Suns as a 1-point favorite. The over/under is 225.5 points. See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now . Phoenix and Dallas both have 5 wins in their last 10 games. Nov 08, 2024 - Phoenix 114 vs. Dallas 113 Oct 26, 2024 - Phoenix 114 vs. Dallas 102 Feb 22, 2024 - Dallas 123 vs. Phoenix 113 Jan 24, 2024 - Phoenix 132 vs. Dallas 109 Dec 25, 2023 - Dallas 128 vs. Phoenix 114 Mar 05, 2023 - Phoenix 130 vs. Dallas 126 Jan 26, 2023 - Dallas 99 vs. Phoenix 95 Dec 05, 2022 - Dallas 130 vs. Phoenix 111 Oct 19, 2022 - Phoenix 107 vs. Dallas 105 May 15, 2022 - Dallas 123 vs. Phoenix 90GERMANTOWN, Tenn. , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc., or MAA (NYSE: MAA), today announced that its board of directors approved a quarterly dividend payment of $1.515 per share of common stock to be paid on January 31, 2025 , to shareholders of record on January 15, 2025 . The increase will raise the annualized dividend payment 3.1% to $6.06 per share of common stock and represents the 15 th consecutive year MAA has increased its dividend to shareholders. As established in prior quarters, the board of directors declared the quarterly common dividend in advance of MAA's earnings announcement that is expected to be made on February 5, 2025 . About MAA MAA is a self-administered real estate investment trust (REIT) and member of the S&P 500. MAA owns or has ownership interest in apartment communities primarily throughout the Southeast, Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. focused on delivering strong, full-cycle investment performance. For further details, please refer to www.maac.com or contact Investor Relations at investor.relations@maac.com . Certain matters in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended with respect to our expectations for future periods. Such statements include statements made about the payment of common dividends. The ability to meet the payment of common dividends in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements could differ materially from the projection due to a number of factors, including a downturn in general economic conditions or the capital markets, changes in interest rates and other items that are difficult to control such as increases in real estate taxes in many of our markets, as well as the other general risks inherent in the apartment and real estate businesses. Reference is hereby made to the filings of Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, reports on Form 8-K, and its annual report on Form 10-K, particularly including the risk factors contained in the latter filing. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/maa-announces-increase-to-quarterly-common-dividend-302328178.html SOURCE MAA

– Nuvo Int'l Group Ltd. Selected as Winning Bidder in Court-Supervised Sale Process, Subject to Court Approval – – Deal Includes Acquisition of Substantially All of the Company's Assets, Ensuring Business Continuity for Customers, Partners and Employees – TEL AVIV, Israel , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nuvo Group Ltd. ("Nuvo"), the maker of Invu, a pregnancy monitoring device recently named as one of Time Magazine's Best Inventions of 2024, has entered into a binding term sheet with Nuvo Int'l Group Ltd. ("Nuvo Int'l"), an acquisition company funded by Kips Bay Select LP., and selected Nuvo Int'l as the winning bidder at Nuvo's auction in its sale process under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Nuvo Int'l will acquire substantially all of the Company's assets and assume certain of its liabilities for cash and non-cash consideration. "The agreement with Nuvo Int'l marks a significant step in our financial restructuring, and when consummated will allow us to continue to deliver best-in-class pregnancy support to moms-to-be and their doctors," said Rice Powell, CEO of Nuvo. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court hearing to approve the sale is currently scheduled for December 3, 2024 . With Court approval, the transaction is expected to close in the first week of December 2024 . Nuvo is advised in this matter by Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP and Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP as legal counsel, Teneo Capital LLC as financial advisor, and Intrepid Investment Bankers LLC as investment banker. About Nuvo Nuvo is leading a transformation in pregnancy care by providing clinicians and expectant mothers with access to medically necessary remote pregnancy monitoring anytime, anywhere. Nuvo's INVUTM platform is an FDA-cleared remote pregnancy monitoring and management system. It enables the delivery of remote non-stress tests (NSTs) and maternal and fetal heart rate monitoring, while pioneering new data-driven personalized pathways that Nuvo believes can improve future health outcomes. INVU is being used by leading health providers and research institutions across the US and Israel. Nuvo plans to continue to expand the footprint of sales in the US and Israel and plans to introduce its INVU platform in Europe in 2024, subject to granting of the CE mark it filed in Europe in March 2023, to provide remote access and insights not previously deemed possible. Nuvo is led by a diverse team of experienced business, medical and technology leaders, united in the mission of breaking down barriers to pregnancy care to give every life a better beginning. For more information and complete indications, contraindications, warnings and precautions, and instructions for use, visit www.nuvocares.com . View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nuvo-group-enters-into-agreement-for-sale-of-pregnancy-support-business-302314626.html SOURCE Nuvo Group Ltd

MAA Announces Increase to Quarterly Common DividendAs it turns out, August 5 was a great day to buy bitcoin when it briefly fell below US$50,000. If you did, and held on for what turned out to be a relatively short white knuckle ride lasting exactly four months, you would have succeeded in doubling your money after bitcoin traded above US$100,000 last week to reach a new all-time high. That seems like an extraordinary outcome – and it is! Never before has the election of a US President delivered such a significant windfall to a group of investors who right now must feel like they have just experienced the trade of their lives. Since Donald Trump’s victory was confirmed one month ago, bitcoin has increased in value by an astonishing 40 percent. And bitcoin is not alone in feeling the love. Excluding stablecoins, which are designed to avoid price swings, the top 20 crypto coins have appreciated even faster, on average, than bitcoin. Dogecoin, a meme coin often promoted by Elon Musk, an ardent Trump fan-turned-adviser, has more than tripled in value since election day. It marks a stunning comeback from 2022-23, when a perfect storm sent cryptocurrencies tumbling from the peaks they had reached during the mania of 2021. Back then the US Federal Reserve was briskly raising interest rates, and in doing so cooling the speculative fever that had gripped markets in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Mismanagement and fraud caused several crypto firms once deemed above board – not least FTX, one of the largest crypto exchanges – to collapse, tainting the entire industry. Financial watchdogs were preparing to pounce and potentially regulate the sector almost out of existence. But then crypto found the perfect champion in Donald Trump, a convert who would not only preach the crypto gospel to his devoted flock in the runup to his eventual re-election but proclaim the word of crypto with messianic zeal few believers could have ever imagined. On any level none of it makes any sense. Why is something whose value can’t be measured worth 40 percent more than it was a month ago? But trying to explain the rise of bitcoin is a bit like trying to explain the existence of God to an atheist. You’re either a believer in cryptocurrencies or you’re not. And right now there will be many investors wishing they could believe, but just can’t bring themselves to convert, although judging by the numbers quite a few already have. Equally, there will be plenty of others, particularly techno loving trend loving Gen Zers, who in recent weeks just couldn’t resist joining the herd. After all, they’re the generation who love nothing more than jumping on board whenever something shiny catches their attention. And for those who did, they have been handsomely rewarded for their risk-taking. It all seems such an easy way to make money, particularly as the meme coin craze once again ignites in the same way NFTs (remember those) did in 2021. But search “is bitcoin in a bubble?” and you’ll find plenty of thought provoking commentary suggesting bitcoin is no different from many other bubbles that have formed previously in financial markets; though what makes this one different is the amount of serious money now backing bitcoin as a result of the emergence of crypto-focused exchange traded funds or ETFs. Recent studies on the determinants of speculative bubbles in the cryptocurrency market have produced varied results. Some researchers have pointed to herd behaviour as the key driver, while others have emphasized the influence of tweets from the likes of Elon Musk, or more recently those of President-elect Donald Trump. Other authors have put forth the argument of volume shocks. The debate surrounding the concept of a speculative bubble often centres on whether bubbles result from rational or irrational behaviour. According to the rationalist perspective, a speculative bubble is defined as an abnormal rise in asset prices not justified by intrinsic factors. This means that asset prices increase beyond their fundamental value due to speculative activity, while continuing to attract new investors until they reach the maximum rational anticipation level before abruptly falling to their fundamental value as a result of a bubble having formed. According to the irrationalist perspective, a speculative bubble occurs when security prices, particularly stocks, rise well above their actual value. This trend continues until there are no more potential buyers. Supply then becomes significantly greater than demand, leading to panic and causing prices to rapidly go into reverse. Investors are frequently driven by herd behaviour, where one buys because they see others buying, assuming the others possess the correct information. Given the significant amount of promotion of cryptocurrencies on social media channels by a range of high profile opinion leaders and so called ‘influencers’, it’s not hard to see why bitcoin has quickly gained the momentum it has, just as we saw a few years ago with the emergence of the GameStop phenomenon. More people jumping on board in turn attracts more people until some begin to start cashing in and so the pendulum eventually tips the other way. But while it is relatively straightforward to be able to value a share, or most other financial investments, valuing bitcoin requires the investor to buy into a belief system for an asset that itself has no underlying value at all. It simply relies on the buyer being willing to pay a higher price than the seller paid it for. That old trading adage “markets can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent” comes to mind. So could bitcoin double in value again in a years’ time? Who knows? It is just as likely to double in value as it is to halve in value. We have no idea, which indeed is the essence of its appeal to investors who love the thrill of the chase. It’s the ultimate investment for those who revel in the ‘risk-on-steroids’ aspect of bitcoin, and crypto currencies more generally. But as the value of those cryptocurrencies closes in on US$4 trillion globally, a significant correction in the price has much greater implications for global financial stability than was the case just a few years ago. It’s worth considering the global crypto market now equates to one third of the size of the entire US mortgage market and in 2008/09 we saw what happened when less than 10 percent of it went bad. Right now, it’s the believers who are calling the tune, but it may well be the non-believers who also end up paying the price for the current speculative fervour. The NZ sharemarket recorded its second biggest weekly fall for the year with the slipping almost 2 percent, following Auckland Council’s surprise decision to sell off its remaining 9.7 percent shareholding in had investors cashing up to take advantage of the unexpected buying opportunity. As the country’s only major ‘gateway’ airport, the block sale offered investors a rare chance to buy into a high quality infrastructure, with a unique monopoly, that is particularly attractive for long term fund managers. The lightening quick sale, which seemingly attracted little debate amongst Auckland’s cash-strapped councillors compared to the decision to sell the first tranche of its shareholding last year, will return at least $1.31 billion dollars for Auckland Councils Future Fund. Auckland Airport (AIA) shares ended the week up 4.6 percent at $8.12 following the completion of the sale process. Just three weeks ago AIA shares traded as low as $7.21. With its increased liquidity, AIA will now move to the number two spot on the NZX50 index from today with a weighting of 10.1 percent, while market leader , will see its weighting slightly reduced from its current 16.8 percent and will be relegated to the number 3 position with a weighting of around 9.5%. Aside from the Auckland Airport share sale, there was a noticeable weariness amongst investors at the prospect of NZ’s economic rebound potentially taking longer than had previously been expected, according to recent data. ANZ Research said the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update, which will be released on December 17, is expected to show a potential delay to achieving a surplus until 2029 at the earliest, following a more pessimistic tone from the Treasury on the economic outlook along with an expected upgrade to bond issuance guidance. Across the Tasman, Australia’s annual GDP increased 0.8 percent, below the estimate of 1.1 percent and behind the 1 percent rise in the 12 months through June. The slowing economy raised hopes that its Reserve Bank might reduce its official cash rate when it meets this week having been at a 13-year high of 4.35 percent since late last year. (THL) shares ended the week down almost 7 percent at $1.91 after announcing part of its business would be restructured. The company said it had combined the roles of chief financial and chief people officer as well as announcing the closure of its Melbourne subassembly plant with the loss of 100 jobs. THL said support office roles in the United States had also been reduced, resulting in savings of more than $500,000 a year, as part of its program of targeting $12m in cost reductions by 2027. THL continues to face difficult trading conditions in the face of a slump in recreational vehicle rentals and sales. In the US, the benchmark index closed at 6,090, yet another record high, after gaining 1 percent for the week following better than expected jobs data on Friday which showed a total of 227,000 new roles were created in November, a sharp rebound from the 12,000 positions reported in October (subsequently revised up to 36,000 in the latest release). The unemployment rate in the US rose 0.1 percent to 4.2 percent. A US appeals court on Friday upheld a law requiring TikTok’s owner ByteDance to sell the platform or face a likely ban next year in the US, dealing a major blow to the Chinese company behind the video app. The law, signed by outgoing President Joe Biden this year, orders TikTok to be banned in the country if the app does not divest from its parent by January 19 2025 — the day before Donald Trump is inaugurated as president. The unanimous ruling from the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said the law — which centres on a controversial national security issue involving China and received strong bipartisan support in Congress — was constitutional and did not violate First Amendment protections for free speech, as TikTok had claimed. The “government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States,” the panel wrote in its decision. TikTok in now left in a precarious position in one of its biggest markets, although the law’s political future is uncertain. On the campaign trail before his re-election, Trump said he opposed the platform’s ban and promised to “save” the app. In an email to staff, TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew wrote that the next step would be to “seek an injunction of the ban, pending a review by the US Supreme Court.” The law requires Apple and Google to remove the social media app, which is wildly popular among younger Generation Z users, from their app stores if a divestiture does not take place before the January deadline. It also bans the app from web-hosting services. The reported the Chinese embassy in Washington said the law would have “a serious impact on the online social platform used by half of Americans” and was a “blatant act of commercial robbery”. Before his re-election, Trump said he would not ban TikTok upon his return to the White House, in an attempt to preserve “competition” in a market dominated by Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, which the president-elect has described as an “enemy of the people”. International Migration & Travel (Oct) – Stats NZ

Kroger’s $24.6 billion merger with Albertsons blocked by judge despite vow to ‘lower prices’ as concerns revealed

Fox News AI Newsletter: DC air defense gets major upgrade4 easy, comforting bean dishes for fall