Syrian rebels said they seized control of the southern city of Daraa on Saturday, the birthplace of a 2011 uprising against President Bashar al-Assad and the fourth city his forces have lost in a week. Rebel sources said the military agreed to make an orderly withdrawal from Daraa under a deal giving army officials safe passage to the capital Damascus, about 100 km (60 miles) north. Social media videos showed rebels on motorcycles and others mingling with residents on the streets. People fired shots into the air at the city's main square in celebration, according to the videos. There was no immediate comment from the military or Assad's government, and Reuters could not independently verify the rebels' claim. With the fall of Daraa, Assad's forces have surrendered four important centres to the insurgents in a week. Daraa, which had a population of more than 100,000 before the civil war began 13 years ago, holds symbolic importance as the cradle of the uprising. It is the capital of a province of about 1 million people, bordering Jordan. Daraa's seizure followed the rebels' claim late on Friday that they had advanced to the edge of the central city of Homs, a key crossroads between the capital and the Mediterranean coast. Capturing Homs would cut off Damascus from the coastal stronghold of Assad's minority Alawite sect, and from a naval base and air base of his Russian allies there. "Our forces have liberated the last village on the outskirts of the city of Homs and are now on its walls," the Syrian faction leading the sweeping assault said on the Telegram messaging app. A coalition of rebel factions that include the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) made a last call on forces loyal to Assad's government in Homs to defect. Ahead of the rebel advance, thousands of people fled Homs towards the coastal regions of Latakia and Tartus, strongholds of the government, residents and witnesses said. ASSAD REGIME UNDER THREAT A U.S.-backed alliance led by Syrian Kurdish fighters captured Deir el-Zor, the government's main foothold in the vast eastern desert, on Friday, three Syrian sources told Reuters. The rebels seized Aleppo and Hama in the northwest and centre earlier in the lightning offensive that began on Nov. 27. In another ominous sign for Assad in the east, the Syrian Kurdish force said Islamic State - a jihadist group that imposed martial law under its harsh rule before its defeat by a U.S.-led coalition in 2017 - had taken control of some areas in eastern Syria. Aron Lund, a fellow at think-tank Century Foundation, said Assad's government was "fighting for their lives at this point". It was possible the government could hold Homs, "but given the speed at which things have moved so far, I wouldn't count on it", he said on Friday. Syrian state TV reported Russian-Syrian airstrikes targeting rebel headquarters in the countryside of Hama, Idlib and Aleppo killed at least 200 insurgents on Friday, citing the Russian Coordination Centre in Syria. A Syrian army source said Iran-backed Hezbollah forces were positioned to bolster government defences in and near Homs. Syrian state media reported dozens of rebels were killed in the Homs countryside on Friday in an operation by Syrian and Russian air forces, artillery, missiles and armoured vehicles. Capturing Homs would solidify a chain of powerful positions under the Islamic insurgents' control from Aleppo on the Turkish border in the north to Daraa on the Jordanian border to the south. Gaining Homs would also increase the rebels' chances of isolating the seat of Assad's regime in Damascus with the ability to block the route northwest from the capital to the sea. REBELS REENERGISED As the rebels pressed their offensive, Russia and Jordan on Friday urged their nationals to leave Syria. After years locked behind frozen front lines, rebel forces have burst out of their northwestern Idlib bastion to achieve the swiftest battlefield advance by either side since a street uprising against Assad mushroomed into civil war 13 years ago. Syria's conflict killed more than 305,000 people between 2011 and 2021, the United Nations Human Rights Office said in 2022. Assad regained control of most of Syria after key allies - Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah - came to his rescue. But all have recently been weakened and diverted by other crises, giving Sunni Muslim militants a window to fight back. Tehran, which has been focussed on tensions with arch-foe Israel since the Gaza war began last year, began to evacuate its military officials and personnel from Syria on Friday, a sign of Iran's inability to keep Assad in power, the New York Times reported, citing regional officials and three Iranian officials. The head of the main rebel faction HTS, Abu Mohammed Al-Golani, vowed in a separate interview with the New York Times published on Friday that the insurgents could end Assad's rule. "This operation broke the enemy," he said of the rebels' lightning offensive. (This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)'Absolutely crucial': Alberta plans to open new addiction recovery centre for youth in Edmonton remand centre
Things to watch this week in the Southeastern Conference. No. 7 Alabama (No. 7 CFP) at Oklahoma, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC) It's the first regular-season meeting since 2003 between traditional college football heavyweights who have combined for 25 national titles and usually face off in January bowl games with championship implications. Another fun fact: They've only played once each on the other's home field in six lifetime matchups, with the Sooners winning that showdown 20-13 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Alabama won the most recent postseason meeting, 45-34, at the Orange Bowl in the 2018 College Football Playoff semifinal before falling to Clemson in the championship. Another berth in the 12-team playoff is at stake for the visiting Crimson Tide (8-2, 4-2 SEC, No. 7 CFP), which trails No. 3 Texas and No. 15 Texas A&M by a game in the standings and is among four two-loss teams trying to stay within reach and possibly get to next month's championship in Atlanta. Alabama has won three in a row overall including last week's 52-7 rout of Mercer, rolling up 508 yards on offense. Heisman Trophy candidate Jalen Milroe passed for 186 of his 229 yards from scrimmage and two of his three touchdowns. Milroe's 32 total TDs lead the SEC and he's second with 17 rushing scores. Rather than contending as hoped, SEC newcomer Oklahoma (5-5, 1-5) is instead playing spoiler after four losses in five games, against ranked league foes Texas, No. 19 South Carolina and No. 9 Ole Miss. The Sooners scored two late fourth-quarter touchdown to lead Missouri 23-16 two weeks ago before the host Tigers scored two TDs in the final 1:07 seconds for a 30-23 victory. Alabama is a 14-point favorite according to BetMGM. No. 9 Ole Miss (8-4, 4-2, No. 9 CFP) at Florida (5-5, 3-4), Saturday, Noon ET (ABC) The Rebels have won three in a row since falling at LSU and four of five overall. They're coming off a bye after beating then-No. 3 Georgia 28-10 on Nov. 9 and look to stay within reach of first place and remain in the CFP discussion. Florida upended No. 21 LSU 27-16 on Saturday to earn a signature win for embattled coach Billy Napier and reach the cusp of bowl eligibility after finishing 5-7 last fall. Also worth a look: Vanderbilt (6-4, 3-3) at LSU (6-4, 3-3). Both are bowl eligible, but the Commodores can clinch their first .500 SEC finish since going 4-4 in 2013 and help coach Clark Lea match his win total for the past two seasons combined. The Tigers look to regroup from the Florida loss. No. 15 Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed. Reed is 4-1 as a starter for an Aggies team that visits Auburn hoping to stay in the playoff hunt before the regular season finale against in-state rival Texas. Reed has passed for 1,129 yards and nine touchdowns against two interceptions. He has run for 375 yards and six scores. The Tigers have had some struggles against dual-threat quarterbacks like Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia and Arkansas' Taylen Green. Vanderbilt will play in LSU's Tiger Stadium for the first time since 2009, having played in Nashville three times since. The Commodores' last win over LSU came in 1990 and they haven't won in Baton Rouge since 1951. ... First-year Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer is 34-2 in the month of November, including a 10-0 mark since 2022. ... Kentucky's 107th-ranked offense (340.5 yards per game) faces Texas's No. 1-ranked defense, which is giving up just 249 yards a game. ... Texas A&M has held opponents to 100 or fewer rushing yards in five of the last seven games, including holding LSU to 24 yards on 23 attempts. ... Auburn QB Payton Thorne has only three touchdown passes in his last four SEC games. ... Mississippi State's Isaac Smith leads the SEC and is tied for seventh nationally with 101 total tackles. ... Kentucky is 3-0 in nonconference games after shellacking in-state foe Murray State 48-3, which followed four SEC home losses. AP Sports Writer John Zenor contributed to this report. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
The Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) will look to break a 10-game losing streak when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11) on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024 at Allegiant Stadium. What channel is Raiders vs. Jaguars on? What time is Raiders vs. Jaguars? The Raiders and the Jaguars play at 4:25 p.m. ET. NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more. Raiders vs. Jaguars betting odds, lines, spread Raiders vs. Jaguars recent matchups Raiders schedule Jaguars schedule NFL week 16 schedule This content was created for Gannett using technology provided by Data Skrive.
MINISTERS sparked fury over plans to pay millions in legal aid to “leftie" asylum lawyers. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood is preparing to announce extra funding to represent the migrants to speed up the processing backlog. Court delays are thwarting efforts to get them out of hotels and on return flights — or to be given leave to stay. But the plan has sparked fury for spending even more taxpayer cash. Tory MP Nick Timothy said: “The public want the Channel crossings stopped and illegal immigrants deported. “Yet Labour’s latest big idea is to throw yet more public money at claimant lawyers who will do anything to keep illegal immigrants in the country. READ MORE ON MIGRANT CRISIS "It says everything about their completely wrongheaded priorities.” Reform UK deputy Richard Tice added: “This needs to be called out for what it is. "This is a left wing Government funding lefty lawyers to game the legal system so that those who arrive here illegally can stay in the country.”
Australia Senate committee backs bill to ban social media for children
Former Congresswoman and current South Dakota governor, Kristi Noem , was announced as Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Here's a look at Noem's finances and wealth. Trump's Pick: Since winning the 2024 presidential election, Trump has started announcing who he will be nominating for Cabinet positions. While many of the picks await official nomination and Congressional approval, Trump has been busy assembling his team. Noem served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019 and has been governor of South Dakota since 2019. The governor was on the shortlist of candidates that were expected to be named as Trump's vice-presidential pick for the 2024 election, even being one of the betting favorites at prediction market Polymarket for some time. A controversy involving Noem's newest book saying that her 14-month-old family hunting dog was shot by the politician may have led to her falling out as a top pick for the vice president role. Did You Know? Congress Is Making Huge Investments. Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool Noem's Finances: As governor of South Dakota, Noem collects an annual salary of $121,578 as reported by Ballotpedia . While in Congress, Noem collected a salary of $174,000 annually. If elected to Trump's cabinet, Noem will collect an annual salary of $246,400. A recent 2023 financial disclosure form filed in South Dakota showed that Noem has financial interest in Noem Insurance, run by her husband Byron Noem , and several small businesses. Noem also listed cash rent from pastures as a source of income and has previously declared a family ranch in financial disclosures. The ranch was inherited when her father passed away and is co-owned with her mother and siblings. The South Dakota governor has authored two books, which she lists as a source of income for royalties. The autobiography books are "Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland" and "No Going Back," which were published in 2022 and 2024, respectively. Noem's most recent disclosure from 2023 is easy to find and read on the South Dakota Secretary of State website. Older disclosures don't load as images. Estimates on Noem's wealth have varied greatly over the years based on some of the questions about her disclosures. An estimate from OpenSecrets in 2017 listed Noem's wealth at $2.35 million. Money listed her wealth at $4.5 million in a 2023 article using financials from 2021. Energy Investment: Also listed on Noem's financial disclosures is an investment in Granite Falls Energy, which she has declared income from previously. Noem disclosed that she made between $25,006 and $70,000 in dividends from the investment from her first Congressional run in 2010 through early 2019, as reported by South Dakota Searchlight. South Dakota disclosures do not require Noem to list the amount of income received, only the sources of income. The report linked the energy company as a partner to Summit Carbon Solutions, a company that had proposed a carbon pipeline in South Dakota. South Dakota Searchlight said the financial interest in the proposed pipeline raised questions about Noem's lack of support for anti-pipeline legislation in the state. A spokesperson for Noem told the media outlet that the governor "invested in Granite Falls many years ago and has always appropriately disclosed her finances." The pipeline has struggled to gain voter support in South Dakota. If elected into Trump's cabinet, Noem's past interest in and investments in energy pipelines could be worth monitoring by investors. Several pipeline ETFs like the Alerian MLP ETF AMLP and Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF MLPX could benefit from having Noem, a pro-pipeline investor, in the Trump White House administration. Noem's son-in-law Kyle Peters is a registered lobbyist for Gevo Inc GEVO , a biofuels company, that could benefit from pipelines and energy investments in South Dakota. Read Next: Donald Trump’s Personnel Picks: New Poll Finds Elon Musk With Highest Approval By Voters, Matt Gaetz With Highest Disapproval Photo: Maxim Elramsisy via Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
HAMDEN, Conn. (AP) — Amarri Tice scored 20 points and Paul Otieno added six in the overtime as Quinnipiac defeated Hofstra 75-69 on Sunday. Tice added 11 rebounds and three blocks for the Bobcats (6-7). Otieno scored 17 points and added 14 rebounds. Jaden Zimmerman shot 4 of 8 from the field, including 1 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 1 for 5 from the free-throw line to finish with 10 points. Jean Aranguren led the Pride (8-5) in scoring, finishing with 23 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals. Cruz Davis added 14 points and two steals for Hofstra. Michael Graham had eight points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Quinnipiac entered halftime up 36-32. Tice paced the team in scoring in the first half with 10 points. Quinnipiac was outscored by four points in the second half and the teams finished regulation tied 63-63 after two free throws by Aranguren with 38 seconds remaining. Otieno shot 2 of 3 from the field on the way to their six points in the overtime. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .