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sports eyeglasses Authored by Jeffrey Sachs via CommonDreams.org, When a nation is very sick, we need multiple and overlapping remedies... America is a country of undoubted vast strengths—technological, economic, and cultural—yet its government is profoundly failing its own citizens and the world. Trump’s victory is very easy to understand. It was a vote against the status quo. Whether Trump will fix—or even attempt to fix—what really ails America remains to be seen. The rejection of the status quo by the American electorate is overwhelming. According to Gallup in October 2024, 52% of Americans said they and their families were worse off than four years ago, while only 39% said they were better off and 9% said they were about the same. An NBC national news poll in September 2024 found that 65% of Americans said the country is on the wrong track, while only 25% said that it is on the right track. In March 2024, according to Gallup , only 33% of Americans approved of Joe Biden’s handling of foreign affairs. At the core of the American crisis is a political system that fails to represent the true interests of the average American voter. The political system was hacked by big money decades ago, especially when the U.S. Supreme Court opened the floodgates to unlimited campaign contributions. Since then, American politics has become a plaything of super-rich donors and narrow-interest lobbies, who fund election campaigns in return for policies that favor vested interests rather than the common good. Two groups own the Congress and White House: super-rich individuals and single-issue lobbies. The world watched agape as Elon Musk, the world’s richest person (and yes, a brilliant entrepreneur and inventor), played a unique role in backing Trump’s election victory, both through his vast media influence and funding. Countless other billionaires chipped into Trump’s victory. Many (though not all) of the super-rich donors seeks special favors from the political system for their companies or investments, and most of those desired favors will be duly delivered by the Congress, the White House, and the regulatory agencies staffed by the new administration. Many of these donors also push one overall deliverable: further tax cuts on corporate income and capital gains. Many business donors, I would quickly add, are forthrightly on the side of peace and cooperation with China, as very sensible for business as well as for humanity. Business leaders generally want peace and incomes, while crazed ideologues want hegemony through war. There would have been precious little difference in all of this with a Harris victory. The Democrats have their own long list of the super-rich who financed the party’s presidential and Congressional campaigns. Many of those donors too would have demanded and received special favors. Tax breaks on capital income have been duly delivered by Congress for decades no matter their impact on the ballooning federal deficit, which now stands at nearly 7 percent of GDP, and no matter that the U.S. pre-tax national income in recent decades has shifted powerfully towards capital income and away from labor income. As measured by one basic indicator, the share of labor income in GDP has declined by around 7 percentage points since the end of World War II. As income has shifted from labor to capital, the stock market (and super-wealth) has soared, with the overall stock market valuation rising from 55% of GDP in 1985 to 200% of GDP today! The second group with its hold on Washingtons is single-issue lobbies. These powerful lobbies include the military-industrial complex, Wall Street, Big Oil, the gun industry, big pharma, big Ag, and the Israel Lobby. American politics is well organized to cater to these special interests. Each lobby buys the support of specific committees in Congress and selected national leaders to win control over public policy. The economic returns to special-interest lobbying are often huge: a hundred million dollars of campaign funding by a lobby group can win a hundred billion of federal outlays and/or tax breaks. This is the lesson, for example, of the Israel lobby, which spends a few hundred million dollars on campaign contributions, and harvests tens of billions of dollars in military and economic support for Israel. These special-interest lobbies do not depend on, nor care much about, public opinion. Opinion surveys show regularly that the public wants gun control, lower drug prices, an end of Wall Street bailouts, renewable energy, and peace in Ukraine and the Middle East. Instead, the lobbyists ensure that Congress and the White House deliver continued easy access to handguns and assault weapons, sky-high drug prices, coddling of Wall Street, more oil and gas drilling, weapons for Ukraine, and wars on behalf of Israel. These powerful lobbies are money-fueled conspiracies against the common good. Remember Adam Smith’s famous dictum in the Wealth of Nations (1776): "People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices." The two most dangerous lobbies are the military-industrial complex (as Eisenhower famously warned us in 1961) and the Israel lobby (as detailed in a scintillating new book by historian Ilan Pappé). Their special danger is that they continue to lead us to war and closer to nuclear Armageddon . Biden’s reckless recent decision to allow U.S. missile strikes deep inside Russia, long advocated by the military-industrial complex, is case in point. The military-industrial complex aims for U.S. “full-spectrum dominance.” It’s purported solutions to world problems are wars and more wars, together with covert regime-change operations, U.S. economic sanctions, U.S. info-wars, color revolutions (led by the National Endowment for Democracy), and foreign policy bullying. These of course have been no solutions at all. These actions, in flagrant violation of international law, have dramatically increased U.S. insecurity. The military-industrial complex (MIC) dragged Ukraine into a hopeless war with Russia by promising Ukraine membership in NATO in the face of Russia’s fervent opposition, and by conspiring to overthrow Ukraine’s government in February 2014 because it sought neutrality rather than NATO membership. The military-industrial complex is currently—unbelievably—promoting a coming war with China. This will of course involve a huge and lucrative arms buildup, the aim of the MIC. Yet it will also threaten World War III or a cataclysmic U.S. defeat in another Asian war. While the Military-Industrial Complex has stoked NATO enlargement and conflicts with Russia and China, the Israel Lobby has stoked America’s serial wars in the Middle East. Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, more than any U.S. president, has been the lead promoter of America’s backing of disastrous wars in Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Syria. Netanyahu’s aim is to keep the land that Israel conquered in the 1967 war, creating what is called Greater Israel, and to prevent a Palestinian State. This expansionist policy, in contravention of international law, has given rise to militant pro-Palestinian groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Netanyahu’s long-standing policy is for the U.S. to topple or help to topple the governments that support these resistance groups. Incredibly, the Washington neocons and the Israel Lobby actually joined forces to carry out Netanyahu’s disastrous plan for wars across the Middle East. Netanyahu was a lead backer of the War in Iraq. Former Marine Commander Dennis Fritz has recently described in detail the Israel Lobby’s large role in that war. Ilan Pappé has done the same. In fact, the Israel Lobby has supported U.S.-led or U.S.-backed wars across the Middle East, leaving the targeted countries in ruins and the U.S. budget deep in debt. In the meantime, the wars and tax cuts for the rich, have offered no solutions for the hardships working-class Americans. As in other high-income countries , employment in U.S. manufacturing fell sharply from the 1980s onward as assembly-line workers were increasingly replaced by robots and “smart systems.” The decline in the labor share of value in the U.S. has been significant, and once again has been a phenomenon shared with other high-countries. Yet American workers have been hit especially hard. In addition to the underlying global technological trends hitting jobs and wages, American workers have been battered by decades of anti-union policies, soaring tuition and healthcare costs, and other anti-worker measures. In high-income countries of northern Europe, “social consumption” (publicly funded healthcare, tuition, housing, and other publicly provided services) and high levels of unionization have sustained decent living standards for workers. Not so in the United States. Yet this was not the end of it. Soaring costs of health care, driven by the private health insurers, and the absence of sufficient public financing for higher education and low-cost online options, created a pincer movement, squeezing the working class between falling or stagnant wages on the one side and rising education and healthcare costs on the other side. Neither the Democrats nor Republicans did much of anything to help the workers. Trump’s voter base is the working class, but his donor base is the super-rich and the lobbies. So, what will happen next? More of the same—wars and tax cuts—or something new and real for the voters? Trump’s purported answer is a trade war with China and the deportation of illegal foreign workers, combined with more tax cuts for the rich. In other words, rather than face the structural challenges of ensuring decent living standards for all, and face forthrightly the staggering budget deficit, Trump’s answers on the campaign trail and in his first term were to blame China and migrants for low working-class wages and wasteful spending for the deficits. This has played well electorally in 2016 and 2024, but will not deliver the promised results for workers in the long run. Manufacturing jobs will not return in large numbers from China since they never went in large numbers to China. Nor will deportations do much to raise living standards of average Americans. This is not to say that real solutions are lacking. They are hiding in plain view—if Trump chooses to take them, over the special interest groups and class interests of Trump’s backers. If Trump chooses real solutions, he would achieve a strikingly positive political legacy for decades to come. The first is to face down the military-industrial complex. Trump can end the war in Ukraine by telling President Putin and the world that NATO will never expand to Ukraine. He can end the risk of war with China by making crystal clear that the U.S. abides by the One China Policy, and as such, will not interfere in China’s internal affairs by sending armaments to Taiwan over Beijing’s objections, and would not support any attempt by Taiwan to secede. The second is to face down the Israel lobby by telling Netanyahu that the U.S. will no longer fight Israel’s wars and that Israel must accept a State of Palestine living in peace next to Israel, as called for by the entire world community. This indeed is the only possible path to peace for Israel and Palestine, and indeed for the Middle East. The third is to close the budget deficit, partly by cutting wasteful spending —notably on wars, hundreds of useless overseas military bases, and sky-high prices the government pays for drugs and healthcare—and partly by raising government revenues. Simply enforcing taxes on the books by cracking down on illegal tax evasion would have raised $625 billion in 2021, around 2.6% of GDP. More should be raised by taxation of soaring capital incomes. The fourth is an innovation policy (aka industrial policy) that serves the common good . Elon Musk and his Silicon Valley friends have succeeded in innovation beyond the wildest expectations. All kudos to Silicon Valley for bringing us the digital age. America’s innovation capacity is vast and robust and an envy of the world. The challenge now is innovation for what? Musk has his eye on Mars and beyond. Captivating, yet there are billions of people on Earth that can and should be helped by the digital revolution in the here and now. A core goal of Trump’s industrial policy should be to ensure that innovation serves the common good, including the poor, the working class, and the natural environment. Our nation’s goals need to go beyond wealth and weapons systems. As Musk and his colleagues know better than anybody, the new AI and digital technologies can usher in an era of low-cost, zero-carbon energy; low-cost healthcare; low-cost higher education; low-cost electricity-powered mobility; and other AI-enabled efficiencies that can raise real living standards of all workers. In the process, innovation should foster high-quality, unionized jobs—not the gig employment that has sent living standards plummeting and worker insecurity soaring. Trump and the Republicans have resisted these technologies in the past. In his first term, Trump let China take the lead in these technologies pretty much across the board. Our goal is not to stop China’s innovations, but to spur our own. Indeed, as Silicon Valley understands while Washington does not, China has long been and should remain America’s partner in the innovation ecosystem. China’s highly efficient and low-cost manufacturing facilities, such as Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai, put Silicon Valley’s innovations into worldwide use ... when America tries. All four of these steps are within Trump’s reach, and would justify his electoral triumph and secure his legacy for decades to come. I’m not holding my breath for Washington to adopt these straightforward steps. American politics has been rotten for too long for real optimism in that regard, yet these four steps are all achievable, and would greatly benefit not only the tech and finance leaders who backed Trump’s campaign but the generation of disaffected workers and households whose votes put Trump back into the White House.One of the key highlights of JHU's 3DGS is its lightning-fast rendering speed, which is a thousand times faster than existing solutions on the market. This dramatic improvement is made possible by leveraging advanced algorithms and optimized processing techniques, which significantly reduce the time required to render complex scenes with HDR lighting effects.

In conclusion, Guangsha's performance in the league so far has been nothing short of outstanding. With a super relaxing schedule on the horizon, they have a golden opportunity to further solidify their position at the top. The road ahead may be challenging, but with their talent, determination, and unwavering support, Guangsha is well-equipped to handle whatever comes their way and continue leading the charge towards victory.In a world where superficial relationships often dominate, Xue Jiating and Zhao Lusi's bond was a shining example of true friendship. They supported each other unconditionally, celebrated each other's successes, and lent a listening ear during challenging times. Their connection was built on trust, respect, and a shared love for their craft.

Another round of stimulus policies on the horizon following another leak from the closed-door meeting at the Great Wall Investment Bank? Speculations are mounting in the financial sector as rumors swirl of a potential second wave of economic stimulus measures in the wake of the recent Economic Summit. FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys ' injury-plagued 2024 season took another turn on Thursday with the team announcing they are shutting down All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb for the team's final two games. His AC joint sprain in the right shoulder continued to devolve to the point to where it wasn't worth the risk to have him out on the field given Dallas (7-8) is eliminated from postseason contention. Lamb's teammates marveled at his toughness and will to power through an injury that bothered the wideout so much Lamb said he was seriously focused on "keeping my shoulder attached to my body." "I know his shoulder has been bothering him, but I think for CeeDee (what) was so impressive -- and he might be the best player that I've seen with my own eyes -- is that man ... he just loves the game of football," Cowboys three-time All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons said Thursday. "I don't think anyone should ever question how much CeeDee brings to the team, or his factor. He's QB proof." Lamb registered 935 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns on 74 receptions as a rookie in 2020 when Dak Prescott went down with a season-ending ankle injury before ripping off 1,000 or more yards receiving in each of his last four NFL seasons. He led the entire league with 135 receptions while ranking second in receiving yards (1,749) in 2023, which led to him earning first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career. His 496 career receptions are the second most through a player's first five seasons in NFL history, just 14 behind former New Orleans Saints Pro Bowler Michael Thomas ' record of 510 set in the 2016 through 2020 seasons. "I've seen him get 1,000 [receiving yards] with Andy Dalton [in 2020]," Parsons said. "I've seen him get 1,000 with Dak Prescott [from 2021-2023]. I've seen him get 1,000 with Cooper Rush [in 2024]. At one point, you give grace to all these other wide receivers and say 'Oh, they're not producing because they don't got their quarterback.' But CeeDee has shown time and time again that he can do it with anyone throwing him the rock. He can find a way to get open. He's competitive. He's a dog ... when it comes to what he's going fight through, man, I just don't think he's comparable. That's why I think he's the best." Cowboys fill-in starting quarterback Cooper Rush was asked on Thursday what he would miss the most if Lamb were to be out for the team's final two regular season games. "Obviously his production," Rush said. He called Lamb "a warrior" after his Week 17 performance against Tampa Bay in which Lamb caught seven passes for 105 yards receiving. "He's a warrior," Rush said of Lamb postgame on Sunday night. "That guy is as tough as they come. He's out there, moving him around, throwing it to him or handing it to him. It felt real good to get him down the field tonight. He's been doing a lot of shorter stuff, throwing screens, yards after catch and tonight he showed what he can do down the field, too." During the end of the first half of that game, Lamb landed hard on his shoulder, which left him officially questionable to return. Almost right after the announcement was made, Lamb returned to action, and he caught a 10-yard pass that came up just an inch short of a touchdown. Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott bulldozed into the end zone to give Dallas a 20-7 lead on the very next play with under two minutes left in the second quarter. "I really scored," Lamb said postgame Sunday night with a smile. "But yeah, my shoulder is out of whack. Bro, I'm not even going to even lie to you. I'm just out there battling and doing what I do. Yeah, bro, it's not fun." Dallas is now without the following Week 1 starters: quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring tear), wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (AC joint sprain in shoulder), right guard Zack Martin (ankle), edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence (foot), linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (knee) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee). Earlier on Thursday, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy made it clear no player would be forced to suit up the final two games of the season if they weren't healthy, and that's clearly the case given the announcement about Lamb. Dallas has two games remaining in their 2024 season at the Philadelphia Eagles (12-3) in Week 17 and home versus the Washington Commanders (10-5) in Week 18. "There's a lot that goes into this, but the players are not forced to play," McCarthy said on Thursday. "That's why you have the return to practice group, the rehab group, so there's a process. There's protocols in place to ensure that because I think it's even been heightened even more with the 17-game season and so forth. That part hasn't changed because of our record. We'll go through the week, and the 48 players we feel give us the best chance to win the game that are healthy, will play."

ALBANY — New York state government agencies will have to conduct reviews and publish reports that detail how they’re using artificial intelligence software, under a new law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Hochul, a Democrat, signed the bill last week after it was passed by state lawmakers earlier this year. The law requires state agencies to perform assessments of any software that uses algorithms, computational models or AI techniques, and then submit those reviews to the governor and top legislative leaders along with posting them online. It also bars the use of AI in certain situations, such as an automated decision on whether someone receives unemployment benefits or child care assistance, unless the system is being consistently monitored by a human. State workers would also be shielded from having their hours or job duties limited because of AI under the law. State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, a Democrat who sponsored the bill, called the law an important step in setting up some guardrails in how the emerging technology is used in state government.It didn't take Syracuse first-year coach Fran Brown long to figure out the key matchup for Saturday afternoon's Atlantic Coast Conference game visiting Miami. "Syracuse has a really good quarterback," Brown said of Kyle McCord, "and Miami has a really good quarterback (Cam Ward)." With a win on Saturday, the No. 6 Hurricanes (10-1, 6-1 ACC) can clinch a berth in the league championship game against SMU. Miami is a 10 1/2-point favorite for Saturday's game. Syracuse (8-3, 4-3) has reached eight wins for just the fourth time since 2002, going 8-5 in 2010 and 2012 and 10-3 in 2018. However, the Orange haven't defeated a Top-10 team since knocking off Clemson in 2017. Miami leads the nation in scoring (44.7), and the Hurricanes will count on perfect passing conditions in Syracuse's dome. That could be huge for Ward, who leads the nation with 34 touchdown passes, ranking second in passing yards (3,774) and fourth in passing efficiency. Ward's top target is wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, who needs just 21 yards to reach 1,000 for the second straight season. Restrepo also ranks tied for seventh in the nation with 10 TD receptions. Ward has some other top targets, including 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end Elijah Arroyo, who is a walking mismatch because of his size and speed. He leads Miami with 18.5 yards per reception. Hurricanes wide receivers Isaiah Horton and Jacolby George have combined for 12 TD passes, and Sam Brown has added two more. Each of them has more than 500 receiving yards this season. Miami's running game features battering ram Damien Martinez (739 yards, 5.5 average, eight TDs); versatile Mark Fletcher Jr. (499 yards, 5.7 average, six TDs); and game-breaking freshman Jordan Lyle (361 yards, 8.6 average, four TDs). Defensively, Miami's big-play man is safety Mishael Powell, who ranks second in the ACC with five interceptions. "He's all about winning," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said of Powell. "He's a smart, self-starting team player." On special teams, Miami kicker Andres Borregales ranks second in the ACC with 97 points. He is 52-for-52 on extra points and 15-for-16 on field goals. Meanwhile, McCord ranks No. 1 in the nation in passing yards (3,946) and tied for seventh in TD passes (26). McCord, a transfer from Ohio State, has also set Syracuse's single-season record for passing yards. In last week's 31-24 win over Connecticut, McCord passed for a career-high 470 yards. However, McCord is just 46th in the nation in passing efficiency, due in part to his high total of interceptions (12). Syracuse also has three of the top six pass-catchers in the ACC in terms of yards: tight end Oronde Gadsden II (810) and wide receivers Jackson Meeks (801) and Trebor Pena (743). Gadsden, who is from the greater Miami area, has had three straight 100-yard games. He is the son of former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Oronde Gadsden. Syracuse's run game is led by LeQuint Allen, who has rushed for 819 yards, a 4.3 average and 12 TDs. The issue for Syracuse could be its defense, which ranks 13th in the ACC in points allowed (27.8). Miami's defense is fourth (22.3). Even so, Syracuse coach Brown said he's excited about this matchup. "I heard Miami is going to come deep," Brown said of Miami fans. "It's going to be intense in the stands. It's going to be intense on the field. I think this is a game everyone wants to see." --Field Level MediaPrincely Umanmielen’s return to the Swamp ends with a loss and a police escort

Furthermore, critics argue that deporting millions of illegal immigrants would be logistically difficult and costly, requiring a massive allocation of resources and personnel. They also point out that such actions could have negative consequences for the economy, as many industries rely on immigrant labor to fill essential roles.Savvy investments in the stock market could pave the way to incredible wealth accumulation. Take Nvidia , for example. If you invested $10,000 in Nvidia a decade ago, you would be sitting on over $3 million today. Archer Aviation ( ACHR 4.50% ) is an innovative flying taxi company that could revolutionize urban travel. Imagine effortlessly soaring over city traffic in an electric drone-like aircraft, whisked away to your destination in record time. It's the future and could be closer than you think. According to Morgan Stanley , the urban air travel industry could grow into a $9 trillion market by 2050. As cities grow and traffic congestion worsens, demand for aerial transportation will inevitably surge. The question is: Can Archer Aviation seize this opportunity and provide life-changing wealth? Let's examine the company to find out. Archer Aviation looks to reimagine transportation with its Midnight aircraft Archer is one of the leading companies working on electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL). These aircraft hover vertically and can operate in small spaces. Also, their electric motors are powered by modern battery technology, allowing them to operate quieter than helicopters with less pollution, making them ideal for urban transportation. Archer has been developing its aircraft since 2018 and has made huge strides in getting them commercially operational. Earlier this year, its flagship Midnight aircraft performed a successful transition flight , where it soared vertically, then transitioned from hovering to flying like a typical fixed-wing aircraft. After reaching speeds of over 100 miles per hour, it returned for a smooth vertical landing. What's next for Archer Several steps are left before eVTOL operators achieve commercial operations and, more importantly, start producing steady revenue. Archer is making significant strides in its certification process, having completed three of the four required steps. This certification is crucial, since it will confirm that the Midnight eVTOL has met rigorous safety standards and will pave the way for commercial flight operations. The company anticipates receiving the certification by late 2025. In addition to type certification, Archer is also pursuing production certification, which will enable the large-scale manufacturing of its Midnight aircraft. With a factory in Georgia, Archer plans to produce up to 650 aircraft annually, with production projected to commence in 2025. The preparation for air taxis is underway. Archer is partnering with Southwest Airlines to map out electric air taxi networks at California airports served by Southwest. And it is collaborating with Signature Aviation to electrify 200 airports across the U.S. Archer expects to roll out its Los Angeles air mobility network by 2026 while also seeking international expansion, with operations in the United Arab Emirates set to begin as early as 2025. Can Archer Aviation set you up for life? Archer's innovative aircraft could revolutionize urban transportation. As a pioneer in the industry, Archer stands to benefit from a first-mover advantage as it transitions from concept to manufacturing and eventually to large-scale commercial operations. However, the company is still pre-revenue, and positive cash flow is years away. The growth story will take years or even decades to play out, making it best for extremely patient investors with a long time horizon. Its significant upside potential comes with a lot of execution risk around this new form of travel that may take time before it has mainstream acceptance, leaving the stock vulnerable to volatility along the way. If you're looking to build a position in Archer today, a wise approach is to start small and gradually add to it over time , making sure it is part of a well-diversified portfolio . In this scenario, you could benefit from the company's potentially explosive growth. And if it fails to take flight, at least you'll have your other investments to fall back on.Liverpool dealt major double injury blow before Manchester City visit

Pepsi-Cola has recently partnered with the highly anticipated action-adventure game "Black Myth: Wukong" to release a special limited-edition cola. Priced at $46 for a pack of 12 bottles, this unique collaboration has stirred up quite a buzz among gamers and cola enthusiasts alike. The product is set to be exclusively available on JD.com, China's leading e-commerce platform. The question remains: Would you buy it?Donal Ryan has come out on top again at this year’s Irish Book Awards. Heart, Be at Peace , described as a “companion” to his Book of the Year-winning 2012 debut, The Spinning Heart , has won this year’s Novel of the Year Award. He also won in 2020 with Strange Flowers . “Ryan gets the tricky act of the sequel just right,” The Irish Times review said, admiring how his 21 characters’ storylines “dovetail to an absorbing, empathetic story of a community in trouble”, the crisis this time caused by drugs, not the financial crash. This could be the year of the sequel. Roddy Doyle’s The Women Behind the Door , the third in a trilogy, and Colm Tóibín’s Long Island , his follow-up to Brooklyn, also made the shortlist for Novel of the Year. Long Island is neck and neck with Claire Keegan’s Small Things Like These , published first in 2022, to be Ireland’s bestselling book of 2024. Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo is in third place. Rooney won this year’s Author of the Year Award. Clair Wills’s exploration of her family’s and Irish society’s guilty secrets – Missing Persons, or My Grandmother’s Secrets – is 2024′s Non-Fiction Book of the Year. The Irish Times review called it an “utterly engaging, fearless and acute memoir”. Former Irish rugby captain Johnny Sexton won Sports Book of the Year with his autobiography, Obsessed , pipping Conor Niland to the post, despite the former tennis player having just won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year for his memoir, The Racket . Jane Casey won Crime Fiction Book of the Year for her latest Maeve Kerrigan mystery, A Stranger in the Family , while Alan Murrin won newcomer of the year for his debut novel, The Coast Road , set in the run-up to the 1995 divorce referendum, about women searching for independence in a claustrophobic society that sought to limit it. “The An Post Irish Book Awards has firmly become a cornerstone of the Irish literary landscape and we’re incredibly proud of the collaboration and passion that has driven its success,” said Larry Mac Hale, chairperson of the An Post Irish Book Awards. “This past year has seen an exciting array of Irish books published, showcasing not only the voices of renowned authors, but also introducing fresh, exceptional talent who are enriching Ireland’s literary tradition.” Author Paul Howard, best known for his Ross O’Carroll-Kelly series, was given a Special Recognition Award to acknowledge his contribution to the Irish publishing industry over the past 25 years. His Ross books have sold more than 1.5 million copies. While Don’t Look Back in Ongar is the last of the series, his popular character lives on in his Irish Times column every Saturday. A four-time Irish Book Award winner, Howard has also ghostwritten a number of autobiographies and co-wrote Roddy Collins’s memoir The Rodfather . Martin Waddell received the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award. The first children’s writer to receive the award, he is best known for Owl Babies, illustrated by Patrick Benson, and the Little Bear books, illustrated by Barbara Firth. He joins distinguished recipients including Anne Enright , Sebastian Barry , Eavan Boland and Colm Tóibín. This year’s An Post Irish Book of the Year, selected by judges Maria Dickenson (chair), Madeleine Keane, Cyril McGrane, Elaina Ryan and Alex Clark, will be revealed during a one-hour television special, hosted by Oliver Callan, on RTÉ One on December 19th.

As the temperature begins to drop, the city of Beijing is once again preparing for snowfall. The weather forecast predicts that snow is on the way, with the cold north wind following close behind. In addition to targeted assistance and financial support, the document also calls for the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation system to track the effectiveness of employment assistance programs. By collecting and analyzing data on employment trends and outcomes, policymakers will be better informed to make adjustments and improvements to existing initiatives.

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Title: Xue Jia Ning Visits Zhao Lu Si Again: Netizens Say Good Friends Being Together is Truly BeautifulAs the cold air collides with the warmer surface of the lakes, it picks up moisture and creates perfect conditions for heavy snowfall. The sudden onset of snowstorms can result in whiteout conditions, making travel treacherous and prompting local authorities to issue warnings and advisories urging residents to stay safe indoors.

Sources close to the summit have hinted at a consensus among attendees regarding the necessity of additional stimulus measures to prop up the economy in the face of mounting challenges. With slowing growth rates, rising unemployment, and the looming threat of a new recession on the horizon, there is a growing sense of urgency among decision-makers to take decisive action to prevent further economic downturn.BPSC aspirants continue their protest in Patna's Gandhi MaidanNvidia, known for its cutting-edge graphics processing units (GPUs) and artificial intelligence technologies, has been under scrutiny by regulatory authorities for alleged anti-competitive practices. The EU Commission, responsible for enforcing competition law in the region, has raised concerns about Nvidia's recent acquisitions and partnerships that may have a detrimental impact on market competition.

Thousands of displaced people started returning to their homes in southern Lebanon on Wednesday in the first hours of a ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group , defying a warning from the Israeli military to stay away from previously evacuated areas. The ceasefire brought relief across the Mediterranean nation after days of some of the most intense Israeli airstrikes and clashes during nearly 14 months of fighting. However, many wondered if the agreement would hold, and Israel has said it will attack if Hezbollah breaks the ceasefire. The truce marks the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, but it does not address the devastating war in Gaza. Israeli strikes overnight on two schools-turned-shelters in Gaza City killed 11 people, including four children, according to hospital officials. Israel said one of the strikes targeted a Hamas sniper and the other targeted militants hiding among civilians. In Gaza, more than 44,000 people have been killed and more than 104,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel has destroyed large parts of Gaza and displaced nearly all of its 2.3 million people Here's the Latest: JERUSALEM — Israel's army and Hezbollah's militant leaders are both claiming success on the battlefield after the sides entered into a ceasefire Wednesday. Israel said it degraded Hezbollah's capabilities and decapitated its senior leadership , while the Lebanese militant group said it put up a stiff defense to Israel's ground invasion “in support of the steadfast Palestinian people.” Iran-backed Hezbollah claimed “victory” over Israeli forces and said its fighters were “fully prepared” to counter any future Israeli actions. "Their hands will remain on the trigger, in defense of Lebanon’s sovereignty,” the statement from Hezbollah's operations center said Wednesday, its first public comments since the ceasefire took effect. Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the army had weakened Hezbollah's ability to launch rockets and drones into Israel, and targeted its ability to resupply and manufacture weapons. “We are also preparing for the possibility of returning to intense combat,” Hagari said in a video statement Wednesday. He said that throughout the nearly 14 months of fighting, Israel struck 12,500 targets across Lebanon, including around 360 targets in Beirut's southern suburb of Dahiyeh. It was not possible to independently confirm battlefield claims by either side. The ceasefire agreement gives Israel and Hezbollah militants 60 days to withdraw from areas of southern Lebanon near the border. JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says it shot down a drone that had crossed into Israel from Egypt. It says the drone brought down on Wednesday was carrying “four rifles, five cartridges and hundreds of bullets.” It did not provide further details, saying the weapons were being investigated. Israel has long accused Hamas of smuggling weapons into the Gaza Strip from Egypt through tunnels beneath the Gaza-Egypt border, which Israeli forces seized in May . Egypt says it destroyed the tunnels from its side years ago. Egypt was the first Arab country to make peace with Israel, and they have close security ties, but relations have been strained by the ongoing war in Gaza. DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Hundreds more Palestinians have fled from war-ravaged northern Gaza as Israel presses ahead with a weeks-old offensive against Hamas militants. The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group leaves the nearly 14-month war in Gaza unresolved . Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and most of the Palestinian population has been displaced inside the besieged and heavily destroyed territory. Many of those fleeing Wednesday had crowded onto donkey carts with their belongings in their arms. Others walked on foot, some holding the hands of their small children. “We left, and here we are sitting, with no shelter or food, and we do not know where to go,” said Umm Saleh al-Adham, one of the women who fled the northern town of Beit Lahiya. She said Israeli troops separated the men from the women and allowed the latter to travel onward to Gaza City. “Here we are, sitting, waiting for God’s mercy,” she said. Israel launched a major offensive in northern Gaza on Oct. 6, saying Hamas had regrouped there. It has isolated Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun and the Jabaliya refugee camp, allowing almost no humanitarian aid to reach the area, which experts say might be experiencing famine . The Israeli military has called for a wholesale evacuation. The United Nations estimates that up to 131,000 people have fled the area, with up to 75,000 remaining. The Israeli military said Wednesday that its troops raided a school in northern Gaza overnight and battled Hamas militants there. It said it facilitated the evacuation of thousands of civilians while detaining dozens of suspected militants who were taken to Israel for questioning. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to local health officials, who do not differentiate between fighters and civilians in their toll. The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Israel has filed an appeal with the International Criminal Court in a bid to halt its arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza. The court last week issued the arrest warrants, accusing Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of war crimes for actions during Israel’s war in Gaza. Both men have condemned the decision and accused the court of anti-Israeli bias and undermining Israel’s right to self-defense. Netanyahu said Wednesday he discussed the matter with Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who is seeking sanctions against the court and countries cooperating with it. Netanyahu's office said it also informed the ICC on Wednesday of “its intention to appeal to the court along with a demand to delay implementation of the arrest warrants.” Later, it filed appeals to two decisions granting the court jurisdiction over the case. Israel is not a member of the ICC and says the court has no jurisdiction. The actual warrants cannot be appealed or suspended, said Tom Dannenbaum, associate professor of international law at Tufts University. “None of this challenges the substance of the warrants at this point in the process,” said Dannenbaum. The court cannot make arrests on Israeli territory. But both men could be subject to arrest if they enter any of the court’s member states, which include allies like the U.K., France and Italy. The court said there was reasonable grounds to believe the two leaders bear responsibility for using “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid to Gaza and have intentionally targeted civilians. -- By Molly Quell in the Hague and Josef Federman in Jerusalem JERUSALEM — Israeli authorities say they seized a large cache of weapons originating in Iran and bound for Palestinian militants in the West Bank. A joint statement from the military and Israel’s Shin Bet internal security agency on Wednesday said the cache included rockets, explosives, mortar launchers, sniper rifles and other weapons. They released photos purporting to show the weapons. The statement did not say where the seizure took place, and the military did not respond to a request for comment. The statement identified two units of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, one purportedly based in Syria, that it said were responsible for the smuggling, and named their commanders. It did not provide further evidence of Iran’s involvement. Israel has carried out near-daily military raids in the occupied West Bank in recent years, targeting what it says are militants planning attacks. The violence spiked after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack ignited the war in the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Health Ministry says nearly 800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since then. There has also been a rise in Palestinian attacks on Israelis. Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, territories the Palestinians want for a future state. JERUSALEM — Israel says its troops arrested four Hezbollah operatives, including a local commander, when they entered what it described as a restricted area in southern Lebanon. The two sides entered into a ceasefire early Wednesday that appears to be holding, but Israel has said it will strike the militant group in response to any violations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced the arrests in a statement. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah. The statement said Israeli troops have been ordered to prevent people from returning to villages near the border, where the forces are still deployed. The ceasefire agreement gives Israel and Hezbollah militants 60 days to withdraw from areas of southern Lebanon near the border. Thousands of Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers will patrol the area, and an international committee will monitor compliance. WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s national security adviser is pushing back on the incoming Donald Trump administration for taking credit for the Lebanon ceasefire coming together. “I would just point out that you know you’ve done a really good thing when other people take credit for it,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a CNN interview on Wednesday. The comments came after Trump’s pick to serve as his national security adviser, Rep. Mike Waltz, in a posting on X on Tuesday said his boss is the reason the two sides came reached the long-sought after agreement. “Everyone is coming to the table because of President Trump,” Waltz noted. Sullivan in the deal came together because Israel achieved its military objectives in Lebanon and the stakeholders in Lebanon didn’t want war anymore. He also credited the “relentless American diplomacy” of Biden and White House senior adviser Amos Hochstein. Sullivan also confirmed that he had briefed Waltz on the negotiations as they unfolded. AINATA, Lebanon — In the southern Lebanon border villages of Bint Jbeil and Ainata, where fierce fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants took place, rescuers used excavators to search for bodies under the rubble. A woman in Ainata wrapped in black cried as she held a portrait her grandson, a Hezbollah fighter, who was killed in the fighting, as she waits for rescuers to recover his body from a destroyed home. The smell of death filled the air and several dead bodies could be seen inside houses and between trees. In the town of Kfar Hammam, rescuers recovered four bodies, according to Lebanese state media. JERUSALEM — Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham says Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates should lead efforts to rebuild the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. Israel’s nearly 14-month offensive has devastated large parts of Gaza and displaced nearly all of its 2.3 million people. With the war still raging, Israel has not announced a clear postwar plan. But reconstruction is expected to take years and cost billions of dollars. Speaking in Jerusalem, Graham said Wednesday that eventually someone will have to rebuild Gaza and “create an entity in the Palestinian world that would live in peace with Israel.” “The only group that I think has a chance of doing that is the Arab world, led by the (Saudi) Crown Prince and the UAE,” he said. Israel and the UAE established ties in 2020, while Israel had been pursuing a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia before the war against Hamas erupted. Both Arab countries have linked any future reconstruction aid for Gaza to a settlement that includes a path to Palestinian independence. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his hard-line government opposes Palestinian statehood. Meanwhile, Graham said he would work with the incoming Trump administration to sanction “any country” that has targeted Israel in the International Criminal Court. The court last week issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity for actions in the Gaza war. “It’s one thing to sanction the court. We will do that,” he said. “But that’s not enough. If you want to stop the spread of this absurdity, you have to put the civilized world on notice that if you choose the rogue ICC, you do so at your own peril.” BEIRUT — The Lebanese army said it was moving additional troops into the country's south on Wednesday to extend state authority in coordination with the U.N. peacekeeping mission there. “The concerned military units are moving from several areas to the South Litani Sector, where they will be stationed in the locations designated for them,” the Lebanese military said in its first statement since the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire went into effect. Under the ceasefire deal, Israeli troops would pull out of Lebanon and Hezbollah is required to move its forces north of the Litani River, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border. The ceasefire agreement gives Israel and Hezbollah militants 60 days to withdraw from areas of southern Lebanon near the border. Thousands of Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers will patrol the area, and an international committee will monitor compliance. The Lebanese army has largely stood on the sidelines during the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah, although dozens of its soldiers have been killed amid the fighting. BAALBEK, Lebanon — Beside the graves of Hezbollah fighters in eastern Lebanon's Baalbek region, families with tears in their eyes paid respects to the dead and celebratory gunshots could be heard in the background Wednesday, the first day of a ceasefire between the militant group and Israel. “The resistance (Hezbollah) will stay to defend Lebanon,” Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Mokdad told reporters while visiting the graves. “We tell the enemy that the martyrs thwarted their plans for the Middle East.” Several other Hezbollah members of parliament were present. In addition to being an armed group, Hezbollah is also a political party and provides extensive social services. DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli strikes on two schools-turned-shelters in Gaza City killed 11 people, including four children, hospital officials said. One strike hit the Tabeen School, killing nine, and another targeted Al-Hureyah School, leaving two dead. Both were sheltering hundreds of displaced people. The Israeli military said it struck Mumin Al-Jabari, a senior fighter with Hamas’ sniper unit. It said he had operated in a room inside the Tabeen School, without providing evidence. The military had no immediate comment on claims that it struck the second school. The military said Al-Jabari carried out attacks against Israeli troops in Gaza and had stored weapons in the room he was operating from. At Al-Ahli Hospital, Saeed Abu Salah, who sought shelter in Tabeen School, said the airstrike killed his daughter and granddaughter. He had already lost four of his children since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023, including two whose bodies were still under rubble. “For the millionth time, the Israeli occupation commits crimes against innocent civilians,” he said. Abu Salah held his granddaughter wrapped in a white shroud, while a crying mother nearby held the body of her dead child in her arms. Associated Press footage on Wednesday showed the collapsed roof at the Tabeen School. Dozens gathered outside, some using equipment and bare hands to pull out bodies from under the rubble. One man carried a dead child covered in a blanket. The Israeli military said the strike on the Al-Hureyah School targeted Hamas militants hiding among civilians, without providing evidence. BEIRUT — International aid groups welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah and urge donors to provide funding to help rebuild parts of Lebanon and assist the displaced. The aid groups are concerned about the aftershocks of the war on Lebanon’s already struggling economy. With more than 1.2 million people displaced, they warned that the damage would leave many struggling and without homes. More than 100,000 homes have been either partially or fully destroyed across southern Lebanon, Bekaa and Beirut, the International Rescue Committee said. Mercy Corps said that half of Lebanon’s population now lives below the poverty line. It called on donors to fulfill pledges to support immediate humanitarian efforts and the long-term recovery. “There will undoubtedly be a great deal of grief and trauma. Many will have no homes to return to, no schools for their children, and livelihoods destroyed,” Norwegian Refugee Council Secretary-General Jan Egeland said. MASNAA BORDER CROSSING — Among the Lebanese hoping to return home following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah are thousands who had fled the war to Syria. Families with hastily packed belongings on Wednesday crossed under heavy rain from Syria into eastern Lebanon. The road, heavily damaged by Israeli airstrikes, is under repair. Mariam Mawla, from Bazouria in southern Lebanon, was thrilled to be returning home after two months in Syrian capital Damascus. As she waited in traffic at the crossing, she told The Associated Press that she hoped to find her house intact. “I heard that there might be some damage, but no matter what, we thank God that we are returning home,” Mawla said. PARIS — France says it “intends to continue to work in close collaboration” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu despite the arrest warrant issued for him by the world’s top war-crimes court. Since the International Criminal Court issued warrants last week, French officials have replied vaguely to questions about whether France would arrest Netanyahu should he visit the country. Prime Minister Michel Barnier told parliament this week that France would “rigorously” respect its obligations according to international law. The position was echoed by France’s foreign minister in a broadcast interview Wednesday morning. But in a subsequent statement, the French Foreign Ministry argued that Netanyahu and others affected by the court warrants benefit from immunity because Israel is not a member of the court. It said this would be “taken into consideration if the ICC was to ask us for their arrest and handing over.” The statement cited “the historic friendship that links France and Israel” and described them as “two democracies committed to the rule of law and respect for professional and independent justice.” TEL AVIV, Israel — As a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah appears to hold in Lebanon, fighting raged on in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. The Gaza Health Ministry said 33 bodies had been brought to hospitals over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll in the nearly 14-month-long war to 44,282. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count but says more than half of the dead are women and children. The Israeli military said it struck dozens of Hamas sites in hard-hit northern Gaza, including weapons storage facilities and military structures. It said it warned civilians to evacuate the area beforehand. The military has battled for weeks a resurgence of Hamas in the area, which was an early target of Israel’s offensive. The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire has no direct bearing on the conflict in Gaza, where international mediators have struggled to secure a truce. JERUSALEM — An Israeli security official says Israeli forces remain in their positions hours after a ceasefire took place and will only gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon. The official, speaking Wednesday on condition of anonymity under military briefing rules, would not say when troops would begin the withdrawal but said it would be completed during the 60-day period laid out in the ceasefire agreement. He said the pace of the withdrawal and the scheduled return of Lebanese civilians to their homes would depend on whether the deal is implemented and enforced by all sides. “We need to see the mechanism is working,” he said. “It’s a gradual agreement. It’s a gradual withdrawal.” The official said Israeli soldiers were responding to an immediate threat when they opened fire earlier Wednesday at several vehicles approaching a restricted area in Lebanon. There were no reports on casualties. The official said that Israel was prepared to do so again if troops were at risk. “We will fire when our forces are threatened,” he said. He said non-immediate threats would be reported to the international monitoring committee, but that if no action is taken, “we will enforce it.” — By Josef Federman CAIRO — Hamas says it’s ready to cooperate with any effort to bring about a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, after Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah reached a truce to end months of fighting. The deal does not address the war in Gaza. International mediators have repeatedly failed to bring Israel and Hamas to a deal that would end the brutal, 13-month-long war. In a statement, Hamas repeated it would seek the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the return of displaced Palestinians and a “real and complete prisoner exchange deal.” Israel has refused to commit to ending the war under any ceasefire deal and some members of the Israeli government have balked over freeing large number of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the roughly 100 hostages still held by militants in Gaza. President Joe Biden said Tuesday he hoped for a renewed international push for negotiations in coming days. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s caretaker government on Wednesday approved a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between the militant Hezbollah group and Israel. The move was largely a formality but also signaled the government’s commitment to its part in the deal, including deploying Lebanese soldiers along the border with Israel and cooperating with United Nations peacekeepers. “Today is a new day, where we hope it carries with it peace and stability,” caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said in a statement following the morning meeting. The agreement is an implementation plan for U.N. Security Council resolution 1701, which was passed in 2006 to end the last Israel-Hezbollah war but never was fully carried out. Its goal was for the Lebanese military to be the exclusive armed presence in southern Lebanon alongside U.N. peacekeepers, and for Hezbollah and Israeli forces to withdraw from the area. According to a copy of the ceasefire agreement provided by the Lebanese government, the Lebanese military would gradually deploy in the south and dismantle unauthorized military infrastructure and weapons production facilities. The United States and France, in addition to UNIFIL peacekeepers, will monitor violations and support the process. BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has expressed relief over the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire and called on both sides to stick to the agreement. “Finally, Hezbollah and Israel have agreed on a ceasefire in Lebanon, brokered by our partners USA and France,” Scholz wrote Wednesday on X. “It is important that everyone sticks to what has been agreed, so that people on both sides of the border can live in safety again.” Germany is a staunch ally of Israel, but at the same time home to a Lebanese immigrant community of more than 100,000. BEIRUT — The speaker of Lebanon’s parliament called for another effort to fill the country’s long-vacant presidency just hours after a ceasefire to halt hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel went into effect. Lebanon has been without a president since October 2022, as its deeply divided parliament has been unable to elect a new head of state. The last effort to elect a president was more than a year ago. Speaker Nabih Berri called for political parties to come together to elect a president “who unites rather than divides.” “I call upon you because a moment of truth in which we must unite for the sake of Lebanon has arrived,” Berri said in a televised address. “This is a test for how we can save Lebanon. How we can build it and how we can bring back life for its constitutional institutions.” The war compounded Lebanon’s economic troubles and worsened tensions between political groups allied and opposed to Hezbollah. Berri spearheaded Lebanon’s negotiation efforts for a U.S.-brokered ceasefire to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah. He’s a top Shiite politician and a key ally of Hezbollah. BAGHDAD — One of the most powerful Iran-backed factions in Iraq said it would continue its operations in support of Gaza despite the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. Iraqi militias have repeatedly launched attacks on Israel from Iraq in the nearly 14 months since the Israel-Hamas war broke out. In a statement, the Kataib Hezbollah group said that the ceasefire would not have been possible without the “resilience of Hezbollah fighters and the failure of the Zionists to achieve their objectives, making the decision solely Lebanese.” The group said that a pause by one member of the so-called Axis of Resistance, which includes Iran-backed groups from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, would not undermine the broader “unity of fronts” strategy. The militia also said the U.S. had been Israel’s partner “in all acts of betrayal, killing, destruction and displacement,” and said it “will eventually have to pay for its actions.” TYRE, Lebanon — Mohammed Kaafarani has lived through multiple conflicts with Israel. But he says the past two months were the worst of them all. “They were a nasty and ugly 60 days,” said Kaafarani, 59, who was displaced from the Lebanese village of Bidias, near the southern port city of Tyre. Thousands of displaced people poured into the city Wednesday after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect. Kaafarani said the latest war was the most difficult because the bombardment was so intense. “We reached a point where there was no place to hide. Even buildings were destroyed.” He said Tyre was left almost empty as most of its residents fled. Kaafarani said he hopes his children and grandchildren will have a better future without wars because “our generation suffered and is still suffering.” “The last two months were way too long,” said Kaafarani, whose home was badly damaged in the fighting. He vowed to fix it and continue on with life. HAIFA, Israel — Some people in Israel who have been displaced by fighting with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah say the ceasefire deal doesn’t make them feel secure enough to go home. Some 50,000 people have been displaced from a string of cities, towns and villages along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. Those communities have been pummeled by Hezbollah rocket and drone fire for 13 months, with dozens of houses damaged and in need of rebuilding or rehabilitation. Noy Friedman, who was displaced from the town of Shlomi to the city of Haifa, said she wouldn’t feel safe in her hometown. “I am also not ready for my family to return to Shlomi,” said Friedman. Many displaced Israelis have been living in hotels since the fighting began in Oct. 2023 or have tried to reestablish their lives in new areas far from the fighting. Returning could take months because of the damage caused to the communities, but also because of the fears many of the displaced still feel. On a cold, rainy Wednesday morning, the hard-hit Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona was quiet. A handful of people milled about, inspecting damage from rocket attacks, including to the roof of a bus. The town’s shopping mall, which had been hit before, appeared to have new damage. A rocket was seen stuck in the ground next to an apartment building. “I am against the ceasefire,” said Eliyahu Maman, a Kiryat Shmona resident displaced to Haifa who feared Hezbollah could still attack from southern Lebanon. “I am not ready to return to Kiryat Shmona.” AMMAN, Jordan — Jordan on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, saying it should be followed by an international effort to wind down the war in Gaza. In a statement, Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the ceasefire “an important step.” But it said “Israeli aggression on Gaza” must be stopped. Jordan expressed support for Lebanon and stressed the importance of fully implementing the ceasefire. Jordan is a close Western ally that made peace with Israel in 1994. But Israel’s devastating offensive in the Gaza Strip, launched after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack, has strained relations. The country has a large Palestinian population which has demonstrated regularly against the war in Gaza. KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Palestinians said Wednesday they hoped there would be a ceasefire in Gaza now that Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah agreed to a truce. But some feared that Israel would be more heavy handed with Gaza now that its forces were freed up from the fighting against Hezbollah. “The situation will be worse, because the pressure will be more on Gaza,” said Mamdouh Yonis, a man currently living in Khan Younis after being displaced from the southern city of Rafah, told The Associated Press. Palestinians in Gaza are desperately waiting for a ceasefire agreement that would end the war between Hamas and Israel. It’s already killed over 44,000 people according to local authorities, who don’t distinguish between combatants and civilians in their count. The war was sparked when Hamas raided southern Israel in Oct. 2023, killing 1,200 and kidnapping 250, about 100 of whom remain in Gaza. International mediation efforts meant to clinch a deal have faltered repeatedly, and the war is now in its 14th month with no end in sight. “They agree to a ceasefire in one place and not in the other? Have mercy on the children, the elderly and the women. We are sitting in tents and now it is winter,” said Ahlam Abu Shalabi, a woman displaced from Gaza City. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey welcomed the ceasefire reached between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, expressing hope that it would lead to a lasting truce. In a statement issued Wednesday, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry also called on the international community to exert pressure on Israel to force it to “strictly comply with the ceasefire and compensate for the damage it has caused in Lebanon.” The ministry also urged the establishment of “permanent and comprehensive” ceasefire in Gaza, calling on Israel to “end its aggressive policies.” TEL AVIV, Israel — The Israeli military said Wednesday that its forces opened fire in Lebanon on a number of cars that approached an area it said was restricted, as a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah appeared to take hold. The military said the vehicles drove away. It was not immediately clear if there were any injuries as a result. The Israeli military has warned residents of previously evacuated areas of Lebanon that had been evacuated, but displaced people have been streaming south to their homes. The military said soldiers remained in position in southern Lebanon and that the air force was ready to act if needed. It said Israel’s aerial defense array was also at the ready for any ceasefire violations. PARIS — France’s foreign minister underlined his country’s role in brokering an agreement that ended fighting between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group alongside the U.S., saying the deal wouldn’t have been possible without France’s special relationship with its former protectorate. “It’s a success for French diplomacy and we can be proud,” said the minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, speaking hours after the ceasefire went into effect Wednesday. “It is true that the United States have a privileged relationship with Israel. But with Lebanon, it’s France that has very old ties, very close ties,” the minister added. “It would not have been possible to envisage a ceasefire in Lebanon without France being involved on the front line.” France will be involved in monitoring the ceasefire, Barrot noted, with 700 French soldiers deployed as part of the 10,000-strong United Nations peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, that has been patrolling the border area between Lebanon and Israel for nearly 50 years. The minister said France will also work to strengthen Lebanese troops that will deploy in the south of the country as part of the ceasefire, although he didn’t specify what that might include. BEIRUT — The Lebanese military asked displaced people returning to southern Lebanon to avoid frontline villages and towns near the border where the Israeli military is still present until the troops withdraw. Thousands of people have been returning to other previously evacuated areas in south Lebanon in defiance of an Israeli warning to avoid all previously evacuated areas. Many of those areas were hit by strikes just hours before the ceasefire took effect. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Tehran's main militant partner in the Mideast. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei praised the ceasefire in a statement Wednesday morning. Baghaei said that Iran still sought a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. But like Hezbollah, it's dropped the demand that a ceasefire also take place at the same time in the Gaza Strip. He also called for the International Criminal Court to try the “criminals of the occupying regime,” referring to Israel. The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s former defense minister. TYRE, Lebanon — Displaced people started returning to the coastal city of Tyre on motorcycles and in cars early Wednesday, defying an Israeli military warning to stay away from previously evacuated areas. Ahmad Husseini said returning to southern Lebanon was an “indescribable feeling” and praised Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, who led Lebanon’s negotiations with Washington. “He made us and everyone proud.” Husseini, who earlier fled a town near the coastal city, spoke to The Associated Press while in his car with family members. Meanwhile, sporadic celebratory gunfire could be heard at a main roundabout in the city, as people returning honked the horns of cars — some piled with mattresses — and residents cheered. A couple of men shouted slogans praising slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in September. Hussein Sweidan said he sees the ceasefire as a victory for Hezbollah. “This is a moment of victory, pride and honor for us, the Shia sect, and for all of Lebanon,” he said. BEIRUT — As dawn broke in Beirut, plumes of smoke were visible rising from places hit by Israeli strikes before the ceasefire took effect at 4 a.m. Residents of Lebanon’s capital and its southern suburbs endured the most intense day of strikes since the war began on Tuesday. BEIRUT — As the ceasefire went into effect early Wednesday, much of Lebanon was quiet for the first time since late September, following weeks of intense overnight strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon. Some celebratory gunshots could be heard in parts of Beirut’s southern suburbs, battered over the past two months. Israel’s Arabic military spokesperson Avichay Adraee has warned displaced Lebanese not to return to their villages in southern Lebanon, but some videos circulating on social media show displaced Lebanese defying these calls and returning to villages in the south near the coastal city of Tyre. Israeli troops are still present in parts of southern Lebanon after Israel launched a ground invasion in October. Lebanese have also been displaced from other parts of the country, notably the southern Beirut suburbs and the eastern Bekaa province. It’s unclear how long it will take cash-strapped Lebanon to rebuild these bombarded neighborhoods. The war has displaced some 1.2 million people, according to the Lebanese government. JERUSALEM — As the ceasefire took effect early Wednesday, Israel’s military warned people with homes in areas of south Lebanon that it ordered evacuated to stay away for now. Israeli military spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee issued the warning on the social platform X. “You are prohibited from heading towards the villages that the IDF has ordered to be evacuated or towards IDF forces in the area,” Adraee wrote, using an acronym for the Israeli military. “For your safety and the safety of your family members, refrain from moving to the area.” There were no immediate signs of renewed fighting as the ceasefire took hold early Wednesday morning. The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants has begun as a region on edge wonders whether it will hold. The ceasefire announced Tuesday is a major step toward ending nearly 14 months of fighting sparked by the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Israel has said it will attack if Hezbollah breaks the ceasefire agreement. The ceasefire calls for an initial two-month halt to fighting and requires Hezbollah to end its armed presence in southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops are to return to their side of the border. An international panel led by the United States will monitor compliance. The ceasefire began at 4 a.m. Wednesday, a day after Israel carried out its most intense wave of airstrikes in Beirut since the start of the conflict that in recent weeks turned into all-out war. Read more here.Literacy Capital (LON:BOOK) Shares Up 1% – What’s Next?

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