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how to register milyon88 online casino Deal on Elgin Marbles ‘still some distance’ away, says George OsborneDAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russian state news agencies are reporting that ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad has arrived in Moscow with his family and given asylum. The agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source. The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports but has contacted the Kremlin for comment. RIA also cited an anonymous Kremlin source that Moscow had received guarantees from Syrian insurgents of the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic posts in Syria. The report did not give further details. Assad reportedly left Syria early Sunday. Syrians have been pouring into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule . THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule but raising questions about the future of the country and the wider region. Joyful crowds gathered in squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. Others gleefully ransacked the presidential palace and residence after President Bashar Assad and other top officials vanished, their whereabouts unknown. Russia, a close ally, said Assad left the country after negotiations with rebel groups and had given instructions to transfer power peacefully. Abu Mohammed al-Golani , a former al-Qaida commander who cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance, leads the biggest rebel faction and is poised to chart the country's future. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the sprawling Umayyad Mosque and called Assad's fall “a victory to the Islamic nation.” Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he told hundreds of people that Assad had made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and still split among armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in some remote areas. Syrian state television broadcast a rebel statement early Sunday saying Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been released. They called on people to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state.” The rebels later announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. The rebels said they freed people held at the notorious Saydnaya prison, where rights groups say thousands were tortured and killed . A video circulating online purported to show rebels breaking open cell doors and freeing dozens of female prisoners, many of whom appeared shocked. At least one small child was seen among them. “This happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where is he,” said one relative, Bassam Masr. "I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years.” Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi later appeared on state TV and sought to reassure Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, saying: “Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects.” “We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did," he added. Celebrations in the capital Damascus residents prayed in mosques and celebrated in squares, calling, “God is great.” People chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. Teenage boys picked up weapons apparently discarded by security forces and fired into the air. Revelers filled Umayyad Square, where the Defense Ministry is located. Some waved the three-starred Syrian flag that predates the Assad government and was adopted by the revolutionaries. Elsewhere, many parts of the capital were empty and shops were closed. Soldiers and police left their posts and fled, and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Videos showed families wandering the presidential palace, some carrying stacks of plates and other household items. “It’s like a dream. I need someone to wake me up," said opposition fighter Abu Laith, adding the rebels were welcomed in Damascus with “love.” At the Justice Ministry, where rebels stood guard, Judge Khitam Haddad said they were protecting documents from the chaos. Outside, some residents sought information about relatives who disappeared under Assad. The rebels “have felt the pain of the people,” said one woman, giving only her first name, Heba. She worried about possible revenge killings by the rebels, many of whom appeared to be underage. Syria’s al-Watan newspaper, which was historically pro-government, wrote: “We are facing a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood.” It added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements, saying it “only carried out the instructions.” A statement from the Alawite sect that has formed the core of Assad's base called on young Syrians to be “calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country.” The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. In Qamishli in the northeast, a Kurdish man slapped a statue of the late leader Hafez Assad with his shoe. Assad's whereabouts are unknown Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video shared on Syrian opposition media showed armed men escorting him from his office and to the Four Seasons hotel on Sunday. Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told The Associated Press that Assad, 59, took a flight early Sunday from Damascus. A senior diplomat from the United Arab Emirates, which had sought to rehabilitate Assad's image and has welcomed high-profile exiles in recent years, declined to comment on his whereabouts. Anwar Gargash said Assad's destination at this point is a “footnote in history,” comparing it to the long exile of German Kaiser Wilhelm II after World War I. Calls for an orderly transition The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall within days as the Syrian army melted away. Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, which provided crucial support to Assad throughout the uprising, abandoned him as they reeled from other conflicts. The end of Assad’s rule was a major blow to Iran and its allies, already weakened by conflict with Israel . Iran, which had strongly backed him throughout the civil war, said Syrians should decide their future “without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention.” The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after apparently having been abandoned. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said Israeli troops had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying it was to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned positions. Israel's military later warned residents of five southern Syria communities to stay home for their safety, and didn’t respond to questions. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied, and the Arab League on Sunday condemned what it called Israel’s efforts to take advantage of Assad’s downfall occupy more territory. The rebels are led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS , which has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations. Al-Golani, has sought to recast the group as a moderate and tolerant force. “Golani has made history and sparked hope among millions of Syrians," said Dareen Khalifa, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group. "But he and the rebels now face a formidable challenge ahead.” The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called Saturday for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday. They included Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Turkey. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need “to engage all parties on the ground," including the HTS, and that the main concern is “stability and safe transition.” ___ Sewell reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue, Sarah El Deeb and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Samar Kassaballi, Omar Sanadiki and Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus; Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain; Josef Federman in Doha, Qatar; and Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem, contributed. Abdulrahman Shaheen And Abby Sewell, The Associated PressDAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russian state news agencies are reporting that ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad has arrived in Moscow with his family and given asylum. The agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source. The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports but has contacted the Kremlin for comment. RIA also cited an anonymous Kremlin source that Moscow had received guarantees from Syrian insurgents of the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic posts in Syria. The report did not give further details. Assad reportedly left Syria early Sunday. Syrians have been pouring into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule . THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule but raising questions about the future of the country and the wider region. Joyful crowds gathered in squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. Others gleefully ransacked the presidential palace and residence after President Bashar Assad and other top officials vanished, their whereabouts unknown. Russia, a close ally, said Assad left the country after negotiations with rebel groups and had given instructions to transfer power peacefully. Abu Mohammed al-Golani , a former al-Qaida commander who cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance, leads the biggest rebel faction and is poised to chart the country's future. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the sprawling Umayyad Mosque and called Assad's fall “a victory to the Islamic nation.” Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he told hundreds of people that Assad had made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and still split among armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in some remote areas. Syrian state television broadcast a rebel statement early Sunday saying Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been released. They called on people to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state.” The rebels later announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. The rebels said they freed people held at the notorious Saydnaya prison, where rights groups say thousands were tortured and killed . A video circulating online purported to show rebels breaking open cell doors and freeing dozens of female prisoners, many of whom appeared shocked. At least one small child was seen among them. “This happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where is he,” said one relative, Bassam Masr. "I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years.” Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi later appeared on state TV and sought to reassure Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, saying: “Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects.” “We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did," he added. Damascus residents prayed in mosques and celebrated in squares, calling, “God is great.” People chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. Teenage boys picked up weapons apparently discarded by security forces and fired into the air. Revelers filled Umayyad Square, where the Defense Ministry is located. Some waved the three-starred Syrian flag that predates the Assad government and was adopted by the revolutionaries. Elsewhere, many parts of the capital were empty and shops were closed. Soldiers and police left their posts and fled, and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Videos showed families wandering the presidential palace, some carrying stacks of plates and other household items. “It’s like a dream. I need someone to wake me up," said opposition fighter Abu Laith, adding the rebels were welcomed in Damascus with “love.” At the Justice Ministry, where rebels stood guard, Judge Khitam Haddad said they were protecting documents from the chaos. Outside, some residents sought information about relatives who disappeared under Assad. The rebels “have felt the pain of the people,” said one woman, giving only her first name, Heba. She worried about possible revenge killings by the rebels, many of whom appeared to be underage. Syria’s al-Watan newspaper, which was historically pro-government, wrote: “We are facing a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood.” It added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements, saying it “only carried out the instructions.” A statement from the Alawite sect that has formed the core of Assad's base called on young Syrians to be “calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country.” The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. In Qamishli in the northeast, a Kurdish man slapped a statue of the late leader Hafez Assad with his shoe. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video shared on Syrian opposition media showed armed men escorting him from his office and to the Four Seasons hotel on Sunday. Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told The Associated Press that Assad, 59, took a flight early Sunday from Damascus. A senior diplomat from the United Arab Emirates, which had sought to rehabilitate Assad's image and has welcomed high-profile exiles in recent years, declined to comment on his whereabouts. Anwar Gargash said Assad's destination at this point is a “footnote in history,” comparing it to the long exile of German Kaiser Wilhelm II after World War I. The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall within days as the Syrian army melted away. Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, which provided crucial support to Assad throughout the uprising, abandoned him as they reeled from other conflicts. The end of Assad’s rule was a major blow to Iran and its allies, already weakened by conflict with Israel . Iran, which had strongly backed him throughout the civil war, said Syrians should decide their future “without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention.” The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after apparently having been abandoned. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said Israeli troops had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying it was to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned positions. Israel's military later warned residents of five southern Syria communities to stay home for their safety, and didn’t respond to questions. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied, and the Arab League on Sunday condemned what it called Israel’s efforts to take advantage of Assad’s downfall occupy more territory. The rebels are led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS , which has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations. Al-Golani, has sought to recast the group as a moderate and tolerant force. “Golani has made history and sparked hope among millions of Syrians," said Dareen Khalifa, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group. "But he and the rebels now face a formidable challenge ahead.” The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called Saturday for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday. They included Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Turkey. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need “to engage all parties on the ground," including the HTS, and that the main concern is “stability and safe transition.” Sewell reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue, Sarah El Deeb and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Samar Kassaballi, Omar Sanadiki and Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus; Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain; Josef Federman in Doha, Qatar; and Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem, contributed.

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A deal which could see the Elgin Marbles returned to Greece is “still some distance” away, George Osborne has signalled. The former Tory chancellor, now chairman of the British Museum, suggested Sir Keir Starmer had contributed to a warmer spirit of the negotiations over the famous ancient artworks. Greece has long called for the return of the Marbles, also known as the Parthenon sculptures, and maintains they were illegally removed from Athens’ acropolis during a period of foreign occupation. The British Museum – where they are currently on display – is forbidden by law from giving away any of its artefacts, and the Government has no plans to change the law to permit a permanent move. But under Mr Osborne’s leadership, the museum is negotiating the possibility of a long-term loan of the sculptures, in exchange for rolling exhibitions of famous artworks. No 10 has indicated the Prime Minister is unlikely to stand in the way of such a deal. Speaking on Political Currency, the podcast he hosts alongside former Labour politician Ed Balls, Mr Osborne said the museum was “looking to see if we can come to some arrangement where at some point some of the sculptures are in Athens, where, of course, they were originally sited”. He added: “And in return, Greece lends us some of its treasures, and we made a lot of progress on that, but we’re still some distance from any kind of agreement.” The Greek government has suggested negotiations with the museum have taken a warmer tone since Labour came to power in the summer. Mr Osborne appeared to concur with this view and praised Sir Keir’s hands-off approach, adding: “It is not the same as Rishi Sunak, who refused to see the Greek prime minister, if you remember, he sort of stood him up. “So it seems to me a more sensible and diplomatic way to proceed.” Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek premier, discussed the Elgin Marbles with Sir Keir when they met on Tuesday morning at Downing Street, he said after returning to Athens. Mr Mitsotakis has signalled his government is awaiting developments on the negotiations. A diplomatic spat between the Greek leader and Mr Sunak emerged last year when the then-prime minister refused to meet his counterpart. Mr Mitsotakis had compared splitting the Elgin Marbles from those still in Athens to cutting the Mona Lisa in half. The marble statues came from friezes on the 2,500-year-old Parthenon temple and have been displayed at the British Museum for more than 200 years. They were removed by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century when he was British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Some of the remaining temple statues are on display in the purpose-built Acropolis Museum in Athens, and Greece has called for the collections to be reunited.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Kind of a weird week in the Big 12, yeah? One of the conference’s former flagship programs (Texas) is playing for the SEC championship in its first season away from the Big 12. One team it passed over (SMU) is ranked higher than any of its current members and will contend for an ACC championship. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark publicly squabbled with the College Football Playoff committee and Group of Five competition on two separate occasions. Saturday’s conference championship game at AT&T Stadium yielded an announced attendance of 55,889, which, outside of the COVID-19-impacted 2020 season, was the lowest in the event’s 28-year history; last year’s, between Texas and Oklahoma State, drew a record 84,523 for what it’s worth. The secondary ticket market get-in price for the Big 12 championship game was as low as $16 on Saturday morning, according to Vivid Seats, and their cheapest SEC championship game tickets started at $110. And, yet, Arizona State gave the Big 12 a reason to cheer. The Sun Devils (11-2) throttled Iowa State, 45-19, to win the Big 12 championship in their first season as a member after the Pac-12 folded. Senior running back Cam Skattebo (208 total yards, 3 touchdowns) rumbled up and down the field, paced a blowout and helped give the Big 12 exactly what it needs: a team that looks like it might be worthy of a top-four playoff seed. “We’re 11-1 with our starting quarterbacking, having beat four ranked teams, having won the Big 12 championship,” head coach Kenny Dillingham said. “I think there should be a real chance we get a first-round bye, and I definitely think we should host a game.” Wouldn’t that be something? Yormark, before Saturday’s game, said that the conference is “building something special.” He talked up the conference’s “magical” November in which half the league remained in contention for a title game berth and a four-way tiebreaker (which also included BYU and Colorado) was called upon to decide Saturday’s matchup. Still, the Big 12 lacked a marquee contender this season. The kind that looks like a legitimate perennial postseason player. Like, say, a Texas or Oklahoma. The Longhorns and Sooners combined for five of the Big 12′s six playoff appearances under the original four-team format before they jumped to the SEC prior to this season. Texas will play for a top-four playoff seed on Saturday against Georgia in the SEC championship game. Oklahoma is, well, at least in better shape than their in-state rival Oklahoma State still in the Big 12. Internally, BYU had a chance to plant its flag this season but floundered late; Colorado has star power, a baseline of success but no serious postseason berth to show for it; TCU could’ve been in the driver’s seat after its CFP berth two years ago but is just 13-11 since. “I think, within time, you’re going to find that certain schools will distance themselves from others,” Yormark said. “I think that’s the evolution we’re going to go through. Parity and depth right now is what I’m selling, candidly, but moving forward I think it might be a little different.” Arizona State, in Year 1 of the new-look Big 12 and the expanded playoff, might’ve been the first to raise its hand. The Sun Devils were picked to finish dead last in the conference’s preseason poll but won five straight games to finish the regular season and force their way to JerryWorld. Dillingham, 34, is a rising star. Freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt (219 yards, 4 total touchdowns) is too. Skattebo — who surpassed 2,000 scrimmage yards on Saturday — is “the best player in the nation,” according to his quarterback. Their collective performance Saturday left no doubt that they belong in the CFP. It’s just a matter of whether they’ve done enough to convince the committee that they belong in that cushy top four where Yormark believes they do. The Sun Devils, ranked No. 15 in last Tuesday’s playoff poll, could certainly still be seeded No. 12 in Sunday’s final playoff bracket as the fifth highest-ranked conference champion. The four highest-ranked conference champions — who, according to the most recent rankings, are the winners of the SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Boise State of the Mountain West — will receive first-round byes. Boise State (No. 10) beat UNLV in the MWC championship game on Friday night to secure safe passage into the playoff. Yormark teed off on the selection committee on Wednesday and argued that no Group of Five team should be ranked higher than the Big 12 champion. He doubled down on Saturday, referenced his conference’s strength of schedule and claimed that there’s “no comparison” between the Big 12 and “any G5 conference champion.” The Sun Devils might have a chance to prove that a truth. If they remain the No. 12 seed and if Boise State remains the No. 4 seed, the two would be in line to meet in the quarterfinals if Arizona State wins its first-round game on the road. If their blowout win versus Iowa State sways the committee enough to move them above Boise State and into a top-four seed in Sunday’s final rankings, that same aforementioned quarterfinal Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Skattebo rank No. 1 and No. 2 in all-purpose yards per game this season. Jeanty is a Heisman Trophy candidate, though Yormark said Saturday that he doesn’t think “there’s any competition” for the award with Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter also a finalist. Yeah, if you hadn’t noticed, he’s not too fond of anything that has to do with the Group of Five right now. He’ll see which side of the argument the playoff committee falls on come Sunday. The Sun Devils, at least, made it interesting. “I do think we need to have a really thoughtful conversation [about] the selection committee and how the ranking is being done,” Yormark said. “Again, look at resumes. Look at data. The data doesn’t lie. So we’ll see where that goes.” ©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Visit dallasnews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Retired FBI agent Scott Duffey breaks down the UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect's missteps that have helped build a criminal case for law enforcement to investigate. Although authorities have witnesses, ample street footage and even DNA evidence , the nationwide manhunt for the gunman who fatally shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is fraught with challenges for law enforcement as it stretches into its fourth day. Since the attack at 6:46 a.m. Wednesday, details have come more clearly into focus. The assailant arrived in New York City on a bus from Atlanta Nov. 24, stayed at an AYH Hostel on the Upper West Side and likely fled the city via the Port Authority bus station. The FBI has joined local police in the hunt, and a relatively clear photo of the suspect has been distributed so the public can do the same. Here are the breadcrumbs of evidence investigators are following. WHO WAS UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO SHOOTING SUSPECT ON THE PHONE WITH MOMENTS BEFORE SHOOTING? A map shows the known locations of the suspected killer of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare. (Fox News) 1. A backpack discarded in Central Park NYPD investigators found a backpack in Central Park West on Friday that they believe belonged to the suspect who killed Thompson. A law enforcement source told Fox News Digital it will be taken to a lab in Queens for forensic testing. Retired FBI agent Scott Duffey explained the backpack will undergo "trace evidence processing." REWARD MONEY FOR INFO ON UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO'S KILLER NOW UP TO $60K BETWEEN FBI, NYPD A Peak Designs backpack found by the NYPD in a leaf pile in Central Park Friday, Dec. 6, 20204. The bag appears to match the description of the one worn by the gunman who killed United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson Wednesday morning. (Obtained by New York Post) "[It's] a process for hair, fibers [and] DNA," Duffey said Saturday. "If he holds his hand against the strap and tightens the buckle like most of us do, that is where DNA most likely can be found. And zippers." 2. A water bottle dropped at the scene After ambushing Thompson outside the Hilton Midtown at 57th Street and 6th Avenue, the gunman took off down an alleyway. Investigators are now testing a water bottle they believe he dropped there for DNA evidence. Still, Duffey said DNA will only be immediately useful if the killer has already been arrested within the United States and is in the national Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). "If CODIS is not a match, then that DNA means nothing until you have someone in custody [to compare it against]," Duffey said. UNITEDHEALTH CEO ASSASSIN LEFT MESSAGE BEHIND TO 'MAKE A STATEMENT' OR 'THROW OFF POLICE': DETECTIVES Surveillance footage released by the NYPD shows the alleged suspect wanted in the shooting death of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (NYPD) A genealogical DNA profile could be set up to run against existing DNA profiles submitted to ancestry websites, but the time-consuming process could take too long to catch a killer at large. "If there's a genetic match, it's going to give you a family profile, but an investigator will [then] need drivers' licenses, photos, criminal backgrounds," Duffey said. A genealogical profile, Duffey said, likely won't come into play unless the other leads go cold. "But let's just say that the family match that comes up is in Atlanta. That could be a start because we believe the bus arrived from Atlanta," Duffey said. 3. A discarded cellphone A cellphone, believed to belong to the gunman, was also found in the alleyway he used to escape. Video has also emerged of the unidentified man with a cellphone to his ear less than 15 minutes before he opened fire. "If indeed he was on a phone call right then — his phone was live — you can [collect data from] the cell tower. You are going to need the search warrant for that, and it’s a ton of data," former NYPD inspector and Fox News contributor Paul Mauro previously told Fox News Digital . This undated photo provided by UnitedHealth Group shows UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/UnitedHealth Group ) "You've got the video. You have a pretty good place and time. So, what that does [is] it places that phone inside a particular cell grid, and you look in the data around when the call appears to have been made. And you look at the phone calls that were made there, and, by process of elimination, you are going to get not only the phone number that was assigned to that phone. You are going to get who he called," Mauro added. "And now you got a real data point." But cracking into a cellphone can take anywhere from seconds to weeks, Duffey said. Some devices can be unlocked quickly using technology like Cellebrite, which plugs into a phone and "allows everything in that phone to be downloaded in a fantastic, readable, usable product," Duffey said. But in other cases, like when biometric security is difficult to bypass, law enforcement needs to contact the service provider, which lengthens the process. Duffey said certain companies are more receptive to law enforcement than others because some prioritize their reputation for security and the integrity of their security measures over investigations. 4. Shell casings with a message Three shell casings with the words "deny," "depose" and "delay," similar to a popular phrase within the health care industry — "delay, deny, defend" — were left behind at the scene. These casings could be scoured for DNA evidence, and the message left on them could point to a motive. An NYPD detective told Fox News Digital Thursday the words were "clearly intentionally left to make a statement." Bullets on the sidewalk outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan where Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (Stefan Jeremiah/AP) "This will help identify a motive and eventually the suspect," the detective said. Alternatively, former Washington, D.C., homicide detective Ted Williams told Fox News Digital the message could have been left behind to "throw investigators off." 5. A flirtatious exchange caught on camera A clear image of the suspect was captured at the AYH Hostel where he stayed Nov. 24-27. Although others in the hostel said the man wore his mask at all times, only pulling it aside to eat, he allegedly pulled it aside and smiled while chatting with a receptionist. Although facial recognition software has come a long way in the past two decades, Duffey said, the image is likely not clear enough to get a reasonably small pool of matches. "Still shots are easily distorted from what that person really looks like," Duffey, who used earlier versions of facial recognition a decade ago in bank robbery cases, told Fox News Digital. "There could be if there's the slightest bit of a distortion because that's not a good video shot." A screenshot from surveillance footage released by the NYPD shows a person of interest wanted in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (NYPD Crime Stoppers ) Duffey said there are certain "points" needed to match a photo to an existing driver's license or passport photo. He said that is why travelers can no longer smile in their passport photos. "If you took a high school yearbook photo and submitted it, no glasses on, no covering, I guarantee that will hit off if that person has a driver's license or a passport photo in a state that allows law enforcement to use facial recognition technology," he said. "Now you're taking a grainy photo. It's just not enough." However, he said, the image is likely good enough that a member of the public who recognizes the gunman could come forward. A screenshot from surveillance footage released by the NYPD shows a person of interest wanted in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (NYPD Crime Stoppers ) 6. Surveillance footage The NYPD has access to more than 18,000 security cameras through its Domain Awareness System. But combing through that footage — in addition to pulling additional surveillance from businesses on the killer's path — could be a Herculean task. "Digital video recovery teams [are] detectives that train, go out, collect all the surveillance video from doorbells, cameras, all the cameras by the city [to gather evidence] with whatever equipment they have. They're able to download it quickly, put it onto their forensic thumb drive, bring it back to a police department and have a quick and easy upload," Duffey said. A screenshot from surveillance footage released by the NYPD shows a person of interest wanted in the shooting death of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (NYPD Crime Stoppers) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "That is tedious," he said. "I've been a part of that, [and] you have to dedicate a full team that's watching [footage] probably 24/7." Duffey said investigators are likely searching for footage of the assailant when he first arrived in the city about ten days before the shooting in case there is a clearer image of his face. Christina Coulter is a U.S. and World reporter for Fox News Digital. Email story tips to christina.coulter@fox.com .

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump said he can't guarantee that his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won't raise prices for American consumers and he suggested once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect, in a wide-ranging interview with NBC's “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday, also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” A look at some of the issues covered: Trump has threatened broad trade penalties, but said he didn’t believe economists' predictions that added costs on those imported goods for American companies would lead to higher domestic prices for consumers. He stopped short of a pledge that U.S. an households won't be paying more as they shop. “I can’t guarantee anything. I can’t guarantee tomorrow,” Trump said, seeming to open the door to accepting the reality of how import levies typically work as goods reach the retail market. That's a different approach from Trump's typical speeches throughout the 2024 campaign, when he framed his election as a sure way to curb inflation. In the interview, Trump defended tariffs generally, saying that tariffs are "going to make us rich.” He has pledged that, on his first day in office in January, he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada unless those countries satisfactorily stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. He also has threatened tariffs on China to help force that country to crack down on fentanyl production. ”All I want to do is I want to have a level, fast, but fair playing field,” Trump said. He offered conflicting statements on how he would approach the justice system after winning election despite being convicted of 34 felonies in a New York state court and being indicted in other cases for his handling of national security secrets and efforts to overturn his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden. “Honestly, they should go to jail,” Trump said of members of Congress who investigated the Capitol riot by his supporters who wanted him to remain in power. The president-elect underscored his contention that he can use the justice system against others, including special prosecutor Jack Smith, who led the case on Trump’s role in the siege on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump confirmed his plan to pardon supporters who were convicted for their roles in the riot, saying he would take that action on his first day in office. As for the idea of revenge driving potential prosecutions, Trump said: “I have the absolute right. I’m the chief law enforcement officer, you do know that. I’m the president. But I’m not interested in that." At the same time, Trump singled out lawmakers on a special House committee who had investigated the insurrection, citing Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. “Cheney was behind it ... so was Bennie Thompson and everybody on that committee,” Trump said. Asked specifically whether he would direct his administration to pursue cases, he said, “No,” and suggested he did not expect the FBI to quickly undertake investigations into his political enemies. But at another point, Trump said he would leave the matter up to Pam Bondi, his pick as attorney general. “I want her to do what she wants to do,” he said. Such threats, regardless of Trump's inconsistencies, have been taken seriously enough by many top Democrats that Biden is considering issuing blanket, preemptive pardons to protect key members of his outgoing administration. Trump did seemingly back off his campaign rhetoric calling for Biden to be investigated, saying, “I’m not looking to go back into the past.” Trump repeatedly mentioned his promises to seal the U.S.-Mexico border and deport millions of people who are in the U.S. illegally through a mass deportation program. “I think you have to do it,” he said. He suggested he would try to use executive action to end “birthright” citizenship under which people born in the U.S. are considered citizens — although such protections are spelled out in the Constitution. Asked specifically about the future for people who were brought into the country illegally as children and have been shielded from deportation in recent years, Trump said, “I want to work something out,” indicating he might seek a solution with Congress. But Trump also said he does not “want to be breaking up families” of mixed legal status, “so the only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back.” Long a critic of NATO members for not spending more on their own defense, Trump said he “absolutely” would remain in the alliance “if they pay their bills.” Pressed on whether he would withdraw if he were dissatisfied with allies’ commitments, Trump said he wants the U.S. treated “fairly” on trade and defense. He waffled on a NATO priority of containing Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Trump suggested Ukraine should prepare for less U.S. aid in its defense against Putin’s invasion. “Possibly. Yeah, probably. Sure,” Trump said of reducing Ukraine assistance from Washington. Separately, Trump has called for an immediate cease-fire . Asked about Putin, Trump said initially that he has not talked to the Russian leader since Election Day last month, but then hedged: “I haven’t spoken to him recently.” Trump said when pressed, adding that he did not want to “impede the negotiation.” The president-elect said he has no intention, at least for now, of asking Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to step down before Powell's term ends in 2028. Trump said during the campaign that presidents should have more say in Fed policy , including interest rates. Trump did not offer any job assurances for FBI Director Christopher Wray, whose term is to end in 2027. Asked about Wray, Trump said: “Well, I mean, it would sort of seem pretty obvious” that if the Senate confirms Kash Patel as Trump's pick for FBI chief, then “he’s going to be taking somebody’s place, right? Somebody is the man that you’re talking about.” Trump promised that the government efficiency effort led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will not threaten Social Security. “We're not touching Social Security, other than we make it more efficient,” he said. He added that “we're not raising ages or any of that stuff.” He was not so specific about abortion or his long-promised overhaul of the Affordable Care Act. On abortion, Trump continued his inconsistencies and said he would “probably” not move to restrict access to the abortion pills that now account for a majority of pregnancy terminations, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights. But pressed on whether he would commit to that position, Trump replied, “Well, I commit. I mean, are -- things do -- things change. I think they change.” Reprising a line from his Sept. 10 debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump again said he had “concepts” of a plan to substitute for the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which he called “lousy health care.” He added a promise that any Trump version would maintain insurance protections for Americans with preexisting health conditions. He did not explain how such a design would be different from the status quo or how he could deliver on his desire for “better healthcare for less money.” Barrow reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Adriana Gomez Licon in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Jill Colvin and Michelle L. Price in New York contributed to this report.

PARIS — Howling winds couldn’t stop Notre Dame’s heart from beating again. With three resounding knocks on its doors by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, wielding a crosier carved from fire-scorched beams, the cathedral roared back to life Saturday evening. For the first time since a blaze engulfed it in 2019, the towering Gothic masterpiece reopened for worship. Unusually fierce December winds whipping across the Île de la Cité, flanked by the River Seine, forced all the events inside. Yet the occasion lost none of its splendor. Inside the nave, choirs sang psalms, and the cathedral’s mighty organ thundered back to life in a triumphant interplay of melodies. The evening’s celebration, attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump , Britain’s Prince William and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, underscored Notre Dame’s role as spiritual and cultural beacon. For President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious restoration timeline, it was a rare moment of unity amid profound political crises and threats to his presidential legacy. Amid global unrest, with wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East , the cathedral’s resurrection emerged as a symbol of resilience and unity. “Notre Dame is not just a French monument — it is a magnificent sign of hope,” said its rector, the Rev. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas. “What seemed impossible has become possible.” Ukrainian pastor Andriy Morkvas, attending his first Mass at Notre Dame in more than a decade, found hope in the cathedral’s rebirth. “God is powerful; he can change things,” he said. “I hope Notre Dame and Mary will help resolve our conflict.” Guests entered through Notre Dame’s iconic western façade, whose arched portals adorned with biblical carvings were once a visual guide for medieval believers. Above the central Portal of the Last Judgment, the Archangel Michael is depicted weighing souls, as demons attempt to tip the scales. In the restoration, more than 50,000 square yards of stonework — an area equal to six soccer fields — were cleaned, revealing luminous limestone and intricate carvings long cloaked in soot. Above the nave, 2,000 oak beams, nicknamed “the forest,” were used to rebuild the spire and roof, restoring the cathedral’s iconic silhouette. The ceremony began with Ulrich symbolically reopening Notre Dame’s grand wooden doors, tapping them three times with his fire-scarred crosier. A prerecorded concert featured luminaries such as pianist Lang Lang, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and soprano Pretty Yende. Their performances offered a message of harmony, celebrating the cathedral’s role as a sanctuary of faith and art. Personal stories of faith punctuated the evening. Huguette Euphrasie, attending with her cancer-stricken mother, gazed at the cathedral’s illuminated towers. “It has huge spiritual value for me,” she said. “It’s very moving.” For Patricia and Cyrille Brenner, who traveled overnight from Cannes, the reopening felt like a pilgrimage. “The fire was a call to renew our faith,” Cyrille said. For Macron, the reopening offered a rare reprieve from political turmoil. Just days earlier, his government collapsed in a historic no-confidence vote, plunging France into uncertainty. The achievement of restoring Notre Dame within five years — a timeline dismissed as overly ambitious by many — was a political win for Macron. Macron described the reopening as “a jolt of hope.” Security was tight, with police vans and soldiers in body armor patrolling embankments, while a special detail followed President-elect Donald Trump. Public viewing areas along the Seine accommodated 40,000 spectators, who watched the ceremonies unfold on large screens. After the reopening, the cathedral is expected to welcome 15 million visitors annually, up from 12 million before the fire. As the evening drew to a close, the cathedral stood as a testament to what collective will and faith can achieve. “It’s the soul of Paris,” Dumas said. “And tonight, its heart beats again.” Adamson and Leicester write for the Associated Press. AP journalists Sylvie Corbet, Yesica Brumec, Marine Lesprit and Mark Carlson in Paris contributed to this report .Investors seek 750 mn euros in damages over Wirecard collapse