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cockfighting origin Adele bid an emotional farewell to the Las Vegas stage she’s performed on since November 2022, which is when her two-year residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace began. “I don’t know when I’m next going to perform again,” she said to her final “Weekends With Adele” audience on Saturday night (Nov. 23), telling fans, “I will miss it terribly, and I will miss you terribly.” “I’m not doing anything else,” she added, as seen in a fan-captured clip from the concert. “I’m actually s—ing myself about what I am going to do. I don’t have any f—ing plans.” During her speech on Saturday, Adele joked, “I chose to do a residency mainly because I f—ing hate touring,” and then with tears in her eyes told the crowd she committed to Vegas to keep a stable schedule for her son: “I chose to do a residency so I could keep his life normal, and I did do that.” The “Weekends With Adele” residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace ran from November 2022 to November 2024, with two performances each weekend on her schedule. “I am emotional, but just so you know, I got closure when Celine Dion came to my show ,” she assured the audience, announcing she “cried for a whole week” after the experience. “It was just such a full-circle moment for me. Because that’s the only reason I ever wanted to be in here.” Dion — who opened The Colosseum with her first residency in 2003 — attended Adele’s Oct. 26 show with her sons. Adele, spotting the pop legend in the crowd, was brought to tears in the middle of “When We Were Young” and later wrote on social media that The Colosseum “was the only venue I wanted to play in Vegas because it was built for her. I have a picture of her right next to the stage that I touch every night before I walk on and she came to the show this weekend and it was a surprise and it was a MOMENT!!” Previously, the “Easy on Me” singer said she needs rest when her residency’s over — and that she plans to temporarily step away from music. Adele shared that she wants to take “a big break after this, and I think I want to do other creative things, just for a little while.”HOUSTON (AP) — C.J. Stroud was far from the only Houston Texan who struggled Sunday in an embarrassing loss to the Tennessee Titans. But it was the second-year quarterback who was the most vocal in taking the blame for the 32-27 defeat . “It’s no secret, I haven’t been playing well personally, for my standard,” he said. “I have a couple good drives and plays here, but it’s up and down ... I’ve got to be hard on myself and realize that games can come down to me making plays.” Stroud threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions as the Texans lost for the third time in four games after a 5-1 start. “I’ve got to just be better, and I know that,” he said. Stroud has thrown five interceptions combined in the past three games to give him nine this season after he had just five in 15 games as a rookie. The Texans (7-5) got a touchdown on an interception return by Jimmie Ward in the third quarter Sunday, but the offense managed only a field goal after halftime as the unit’s second-half struggles continued. Houston’s offense scored 10 points after halftime in a 34-10 win over the Cowboys on Monday night, but has combined for just nine points in the second half of its past three losses. RELATED COVERAGE Chiefs are no longer relishing close wins as the stress of the postseason push begins to mount Patriots heading back to the film room after their latest lopsided loss Panthers’ close call against Chiefs has coach Dave Canales excited about the direction of the team “We have to create positive plays,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Too many times, whether it’s run or pass, we have a negative play which kills our drive. First things first, how can we sustain positive plays and build drives? Too many drives were stalled out before we could even get started.” Despite the offensive struggles, the Texans still had a chance to tie the game with less than two minutes to go. But Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 28-yard field goal sailed wide left. The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . What’s working The Texans tied a franchise record with eight sacks Sunday. Danielle Hunter had a season-high three to give him 101⁄2 this season, which leads the team. Will Anderson Jr. added two in his return after missing two games with an ankle injury and has a career-high 91⁄2 this season. Houston ranks second in the NFL with 42 sacks entering Monday. What needs help Houston had just 40 yards rushing Sunday in a game where Joe Mixon had his worst performance of the season. Mixon, who ran for 109 yards and three touchdowns against the Cowboys, had a season-low 22 yards on 14 carries. “They’re a really good front, we knew that going into the game,” Ryans said. “But it doesn’t matter. Every front is good. You have to own the line of scrimmage. You have to be able to control the line of scrimmage and run the ball. We didn’t. We had too many negative plays in the running game.” The performance was Houston’s second-worst rushing game of the season after the team had 38 yards rushing in a loss to Minnesota in Week 3 when Mixon was out with an injury. Stock up Dameon Pierce had three kick returns for 135 yards Sunday, highlighted by an 80-yard return on the opening kickoff that set up Houston’s first touchdown. Stock down There have only been four missed field goals from 28 yards or closer in the NFL this season and Fairbairn has two of them. Fairbairn’s miss Sunday came after he missed a 27-yard attempt in a loss to the Jets. Injuries S Jalen Pitre left Sunday’s game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury. ... CB Ka’dar Hollman left in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. ... OT Blake Fisher missed a second straight game in the concussion protocol. Key number 23% — Houston converted just 3 of 13 third down attempts or 23% of its chances Sunday. Next steps The Texans, who lead the AFC South, will look to regroup to avoid another letdown next week when they visit the Jaguars (2-9), who have lost four in a row. “We made a lot of mistakes,” Hunter said. “We weren’t as locked in as we should have been. The biggest thing is just learning from this and just moving on to the next game.” Houston has its bye after facing Jacksonville before playing the Dolphins, Chiefs and Ravens in a 10-day stretch from Dec. 15-25. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved resolutions Wednesday demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and expressing support for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees that Israel has moved to ban. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, although they reflect world opinion. Israel has faced growing international criticism over its conduct in Gaza as it fights Hamas militants, especially when it comes to humanitarian aid for desperate people in the besieged and heavily destroyed territory. Israeli airstrikes in northern and central Gaza killed at least 33 people overnight and into Wednesday, Palestinian medical officials said. Hospital records show one Israeli strike in northern Gaza killed 19 people in a home, including a family of eight — four children, their parents and two grandparents. The Israeli military said it targeted a Hamas militant in the vicinity of the hospital, part of a blistering offensive in Gaza’s isolated and heavily destroyed north . The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people, including children and older adults. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health officials. They say women and children make up more than half the dead but do not distinguish between fighters and civilians in their count. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Here's the latest: JERUSALEM — Israeli hospital officials say a young boy is fighting for his life after a shooting attack in the occupied West Bank. An Israeli bus came under fire from a suspected Palestinian attacker late Wednesday, the military said, and Israeli forces are searching for the shooter. Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem says at least three people were wounded in the shooting, which took place just outside the city in an area near major Israeli settlements. The hospital says the boy, who is about 10, is in grave condition. It says two other people, ages 24 and 55, were also hurt. UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved resolutions Wednesday demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and backing the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees that Israel has moved to ban . The votes in the 193-nation world body were 158-9 with 13 abstentions to demand a ceasefire now and 159-9 with 11 abstentions to support the agency known as UNRWA. The votes culminated two days of speeches overwhelmingly calling for an end to the 14-month war between Israel and the militant Hamas group . General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, though they reflect world opinion. There are no vetoes in the assembly. Israel and its close ally, the United States, were in a tiny minority speaking and voting against the resolutions. BEIRUT — Israeli forces withdrew from a strategic town in southern Lebanon and handed it back to the Lebanese army in coordination with U.N. peacekeepers, the two militaries said Wednesday, marking an important test of the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah militants. It appeared to be Israel's first pullout from a Lebanese border town captured during this fall’s ground invasion, and comes as part of the initial phase of the ceasefire. The Lebanese army said Wednesday it has deployed units to five positions around the town of Khiam coinciding with the Israeli army’s withdrawal. Israel's military confirmed this was the first town it has turned over to the Lebanese army under the truce, which — if it endures — would end nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel has said the truce deal gives it the right to use military force against perceived ceasefire violations. Israel has launched near-daily strikes, mostly in southern Lebanon, that have killed at least 28 people and wounded 25 others since the ceasefire took effect on Nov. 27. Still, the shaky truce appears to be holding. Five people were killed Wednesday by at least three Israeli strikes in different towns in the southern municipality of Bint Jbeil, Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state news agency said. The Lebanese army warned civilians to stay out of Khiam until it can clear the area of any unexploded munitions. The strategic hilltop town, located less than 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the border with Israel, saw some of the most intense fighting during the war. Thousands of Lebanese displaced by the war returned home two weeks ago after a ceasefire took hold , driving cars stacked with personal belongings and defying warnings from Lebanese and Israeli troops to avoid some areas. WASHINGTON — All Russian naval ships that were docked at the Syrian port of Tartus have left and it appears Moscow is now looking for a new base along the coast now that its key ally, Bashar Assad, has been ousted a ruler of Syria, a U.S. official said. It’s not clear where the ships will go, but Russia may seek a new port on the Mediterranean Sea along the African shoreline, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss U.S. assessments. The official did not say how many vessels Russia had in Syria at the time Assad was overthrown. Moscow has dedicated the bulk of its military assets to the war in Ukraine. Asked about Tartus on Wednesday, Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said that the U.S. is seeing some Russian forces and naval vessels leaving Syria. “They just had one of their key political allies, ousted,” said Singh. “We’re seeing Russia consolidate assets.” — By Lolita C. Baldor UNITED NATIONS – The Palestinians are urging United Nations member countries to vote in favor of resolutions demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and supporting the U.N. agency helping Palestinian refugees, which Israel has moved to ban in Palestinian territories. The Palestinian mission to the United Nations issued the urgent appeal to the 193 U.N. member nations ahead of Wednesday afternoon’s votes on the resolutions in the General Assembly, whose members have has been listening to two days of speeches overwhelmingly supporting the measures. Israel and close ally the United States have spoken against the resolutions. The Palestinians and their supporters went to the General Assembly after the U.S. vetoed a Security Council resolution last month demanding an immediate ceasefire in the war in Gaza. It was supported by the 14 other Security Councilmember nations, but the U.S. objected because the resolution did not include a link to an immediate release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The General Assembly resolution being voted on Wednesday mirrors the Security Council language: It “demands an immediate, unconditional and permanent cease-fire to be respected by all parties, and further reiterates its demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.” Unlike the Security Council, there are no vetoes in the General Assembly. But while council resolutions are legally binding, assembly resolutions are not, though they do reflect world opinion. The second resolution being voted on supports the mandate of the U.N. agency caring for Palestinian refugees known as UNRWA which was established by the General Assembly in 1949. It “deplores” legislation adopted by Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, on Oct. 28 banning UNRWA’s activities in the Palestinian territories, which takes effect in 90 days. It calls on the Israeli government “to abide by its international obligations, respect the privileges and immunities of UNRWA and uphold its responsibility to allow and facilitate full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance in all its forms into and throughout the entire Gaza Strip.” JERUSALEM — Israel has lifted restrictions on public gatherings and outdoor activities in areas near the Lebanese border in the northern Golan Heights, two weeks after a ceasefire with Hezbollah. The army’s Home Front Command said it was changing its public safety guidelines to “full activity” from “partial activity.” Israel had tightened restrictions on Nov. 25, reflecting concerns that fighting could intensify ahead of any possible cease-fire between Israel and Lebanese militants. The truce went into effect on Nov. 27. In recent days, Israeli tanks and troops have advanced out of Israeli-held territory in the Golan Heights and pushed into a buffer zone inside Syria — a move Israel said it took to prevent attacks on its citizens. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally, except by the United States. BEIRUT - Syria-based Palestinian factions have formed a unified delegation to meet with the country's new rebel-led authorities. The factions said in a statement after their meeting Wednesday at the Palestinian Embassy that they stand by the side of the Syrian people. The factions condemned Israel’s airstrikes on Syria over the past few days that have destroyed much of the assets of the Syrian army. The factions decided to form a joint committee to run the affairs of Palestinians in Syria as well as to be in contact with the new insurgent-led transitional government, following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians live in Syria, many of them refugees, and the factions that have been based in Damascus were close to Assad’s government. Hamas was based in Syria until it left in 2012 a year after the county's civil war began. PRETORIA, South Africa — The United Nations chief says the fall of Syria’s authoritarian government has brought hope to the troubled Middle East, and pledged the global body’s support to the country's new leaders to ensure a smooth transition. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that the U.N. wants to see “an inclusive political process in which the rights of all minorities will be fully respected, and paving the way towards a united sovereign Syria, with its territorial integrity fully re-established.” The jihadi-led Syrian rebels took control of the capital Damascus after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving many areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. A Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed force also controls large parts of northeastern Syria. Guterres said he fully trusts the people of Syria to be able “to choose their own destiny”. “I think it is our duty to do everything to support the different Syrian leaders in order to make sure that they come together and are able to guarantee a smooth transition, an inclusive transition in which all Syrians can feel that they belong," Guterres said. “The alternative does not make any sense.” Guterres is in South Africa to discuss the country’s role as it takes over the G20 presidency, among other issues. DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — An Israeli strike in central Gaza Strip killed four people and injured 16 others Wednesday, health officials said. Those killed and injured were taken to Awda Hospital after the strike hit a house in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp, according to the press center at the hospital. Since Israel’s war in Gaza began in October last year, at least 44,805 people have been killed and 106,257 others have been injured, according to the latest update by the Gaza Health ministry. BEIRUT — The top U.S. military commander for the Middle East was in Lebanon on Wednesday meeting with the head of the Lebanese army. In the wake of shocking overthrow of the government in neighboring Syria, the two military leaders discussed the security situation in Lebanon, a statement from the country's army said. U.S. Army Gen. Erik Kurilla, who leads U.S. Central Command, met with the head of the Lebanese army Gen. Joseph Aoun to discuss ongoing American support for the implementation of the U.S.-and French-brokered ceasefire agreement, which ended more than a year of war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Israel has said the truce deal gives it the right to use military force against perceived ceasefire violations. Israel has launched near-daily strikes, mostly in southern Lebanon, that have killed at least 28 people and wounded 25 others since the ceasefire took effect on Nov. 27. Still, the shaky truce appears to be holding. Five people were killed Wednesday by at least three Israeli strikes in different towns in the southern municipality of Bint Jbeil, Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state news agency said. On Tuesday, Kurilla was in eastern Syria visiting U.S. military bases and meeting with members of a Kurdish-led Syrian force that is backed by the U.S. He was assessing what CENTCOM described as efforts to counter a resurgence of the Islamic State group. He also visited Baghdad for talks with Iraqi officials on regional security and counter-IS operations. DAMASCUS — With the fall of Damascus, security forces of the deposed Bashar Assad government and staff withdrew from the Damascus International airport, grounding flights and stranding passengers. The airport has not been functional since. Now, security members of the rebel alliance in control of Syria have taken control of the airport, hoping to restore security, a sense of confidence, and the legitimacy needed to restart flights out of the capital, and from one of the country’s three international airports. “Damascus international airport is the heart of the city because it is the gateway for international delegations and missions,” Omar al-Shami, a security official with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the faction that led the shock offensive that led to the fall of Assad, told The Associated Press, calling it "the passage for Syria to breathe.” Al-Shami said security was restored at the international airport nearly 12 hours after the fall of Damascus. The factions entered the capital before dawn, and security members of the rebel alliance took charge before sunset on Sunday. He said he hoped the airport would be operational in less than a week. On Wednesday, a handful of engineers were inspecting four planes that were on the tarmac. Cleaning staff were removing broken furniture, glass windows, and trash from ransacking by looters following the fall of Damascus. The attack, reportedly by mobs and looters from the neighboring areas, left parts of the airport halls destroyed, with smashed furniture and merchandise. “There was a lot damage in the airport’s equipment and facilities in 90% of the sections,” Anis Fallouh, the head of the airport, told the AP. Fallouh said the operations to clean up the airport aim to convince international airlines to resume their flights to Damascus. “Soon in the coming days, flights will resume when we reopen air traffic to Syria and inform countries that Damascus airport is operational. We may start with domestic or test flights to ensure that everything in the airport is operational and avoid any mistakes. Then we can resume international flights.” Engineers were inspecting the four planes on the tarmac, from two Syrian airlines. Some administrative staff were visiting the airport as the new administrators of Damascus work to convince state officials to return to their posts. “We are on the Airbus 320, the technical team. Because of the security vacuum that happened on Sunday, some ill-intentioned people tried to cause damage but thank God the plane is fine — the body, the engines and its systems. Some things are missing and we are trying to fix that,” said Bassam Radi, the engineer in charge of maintenance, said. BERLIN — German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Wednesday addressed Berlin's reservations but also willingness to work the Syrian militant group in control of Damascus, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. “Nobody overlooks the origins of HTS in the al-Qaeda ideology. It is therefore clear that we will measure HTS by its actions,” Baerbock told reporters in Berlin. “Any cooperation presupposes that ethnic and religious minorities are protected, women’s rights are respected and acts of revenge are prevented.” She said that “whether we like it or not, the HTS militia ... is one of the decisive actors for the future of Syria.” “Together with our partners, we are therefore looking for an adequate way of dealing with HTS, with whom many have had no direct contact for good reasons,” she added. Ahmad al-Sharaa, the insurgent leader also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, has renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicted himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. BEIRUT — An Israeli airstrike near the southern Lebanese town of Bin Jbeil killed one person and wounded another, the state news agency reported. National News Agency said Wednesday’s airstrike hit a home. It gave no further details and there was no immediate comment from Israeli military. More than a dozen people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes since a ceasefire went into effect on Nov. 27, ending the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war. WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is returning to the Middle East this week on his 12th visit since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year but his first since the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad . Assad's departure has sparked new fears of instability in the region now wracked by three conflicts despite a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon. Blinken will travel to Jordan and Turkey on Thursday and Friday for talks expected to focus largely on Syria but also touch on long-elusive hopes for a deal to end the fighting in Gaza that has devastated the territory since October 2023. The State Department said Blinken would meet Jordanian officials, including King Abdullah II, in the port of Aqaba on Thursday before flying to Ankara for meetings with Turkish officials Friday. Other stops in the region are also possible, officials said. Blinken “will reiterate the United States’ support for an inclusive, Syrian-led transition to an accountable and representative government,” department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. BEIRUT — Insurgents have set on fire the tomb of Syria’s former President Hafez Assad in his hometown in the northwest, a war monitor and a local journalist said Wednesday. Hafez Assad had ruled Syria for 30 years until his death in 2000, when his son, Bashar, succeeded him. Both ruled Syria with an iron fist and were blamed for crackdowns that left tens of thousands dead, mainly in the central city of Hama in 1982, and in much of the country since the civil war in 2011. Bashar Assad was ousted over the weekend and fled to Russia where he was given political asylum. Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Syrian journalist Qusay Noor told The Associated Press that the tomb was set on fire Wednesday in the town of Qardaha in Latakia province. JERUSALEM — The United Nations is asking donors for over $4 billion to fund humanitarian operations in the Palestinian territories, most of it earmarked for war-ravaged Gaza. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs also called for the “lifting all impediments to the entry of aid” in its appeal issued Wednesday. U.N. agencies say aid operations in Gaza are hindered by Israeli restrictions and the breakdown of law and order. Israel says it allows enough aid to enter and blames the U.N. for not distributing it within the territory. The appeal for 2025 includes $3.6 billion for Gaza and about $450 million for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israel’s offensive, launched after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, has destroyed vast areas of the besieged territory and displaced around 90% of its population of 2.3 million. Many have been displaced multiple times and are now crammed into squalid tent camps with little in the way of food or other essentials. Most of the population relies on international aid. JERUSALEM — The president of Paraguay addressed the Israeli parliament Wednesday ahead of the reopening of the country’s embassy in Jerusalem. The decision to reopen the embassy in Jerusalem and recognize the city as the capital of Israel is a diplomatic win for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and puts Paraguay in a small group of countries that have taken the move. Israel annexed east Jerusalem in 1967 but it wasn't recognized by the international community, and most countries run their embassies out of Tel Aviv. “Without Jerusalem, the land of Israel is a body without a soul,” President Santiago Peña said in a speech to the Knesset. “So I say here today that without an embassy in Jerusalem, diplomatic relations with Israel do not have a real heart.” He said he hoped the move would inspire other countries to do the same. The embassy is set to open Thursday. Pena’s move was welcomed by Netanyahu, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, along with other Israeli leaders. “Tomorrow we will inaugurate together the embassy of Paraguay in our eternal capital, and that will happen not for the first time, but for the second time,” Netanyahu said. Paraguay had an embassy in Jerusalem in 2018, under Former President Horacio Cartes. That embassy was moved back to Tel Aviv by Cartes’ successor, Mario Abdo Benitez, prompting Israel to close its embassy in Asuncion. Israel reopened its embassy in September. MOSCOW — Russia said Wednesday it has maintained contacts with the new authorities in Syria. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “we are monitoring most closely what is happening in Syria.” “We, of course, maintain contacts with those who are currently controlling the situation in Syria,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters. “This is necessary because our bases are located there, our diplomatic mission is located there and, of course, the issue related to ensuring the security of these facilities is extremely important and of primary significance.” Peskov wouldn’t give details of those contacts, saying only that Russia has contacted “those who are controlling the situation on the ground.” He wouldn’t give the number of Russian troops in Syria. Asked to comment about Israel’s seizure of a buffer zone on the border with Syria, Peskov called them destabilizing. “The strikes and actions in the Golan Heights area, in the buffer zone area, are unlikely to help stabilize the situation in an already destabilized Syria,” he said. Russia has granted political asylum to ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad and his family after they fled rebels who seized Damascus over the weekend. TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says the recent events in Syria, including the fall of its government, were part of a joint plan by the United States and Israel. “There should be no doubt that what has happened in Syria is the result of a joint American and Zionist plan," Khamenei said in a speech in Tehran on Wednesday that was broadcast on state TV. “We have evidence, and this evidence leaves no room for doubt.” The Supreme leader added: “A neighboring state of Syria has played a clear role in this matter, and it continues to do so. Everyone can see this.” Khamenei also rejected speculation by analysts who have said that Iran will be weakened by the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government. “Those ignorant analysts are unaware of the meaning of resistance. They think that if resistance weakens, Islamic Iran will also weaken. But I say, with the help and power of God — by the will of Almighty Allah — Iran is powerful and it will become even more powerful," he said.The Detroit Lions held a three-score lead over the Indianapolis Colts with roughly four minutes left in Sunday’s game at Lucas Oil Stadium. At that moment, chants of “Jared Goff” — a phenomenon that began during last season’s Wild Card game at Ford Field — echoed throughout the building. With the Colts’ stadium roughly a four-hour, 290-mile drive from Detroit, it was an easy trip for Lions fans, who have traveled in droves since last season’s success. Once again, they hit the road to serve as the 12th man in another team’s house.

Adele bid an emotional farewell to the Las Vegas stage she’s performed on since November 2022, which is when her two-year residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace began. “I don’t know when I’m next going to perform again,” she said to her final “Weekends With Adele” audience on Saturday night (Nov. 23), telling fans, “I will miss it terribly, and I will miss you terribly.” “I’m not doing anything else,” she added, as seen in a fan-captured clip from the concert. “I’m actually s—ing myself about what I am going to do. I don’t have any f—ing plans.” During her speech on Saturday, Adele joked, “I chose to do a residency mainly because I f—ing hate touring,” and then with tears in her eyes told the crowd she committed to Vegas to keep a stable schedule for her son: “I chose to do a residency so I could keep his life normal, and I did do that.” The “Weekends With Adele” residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace ran from November 2022 to November 2024, with two performances each weekend on her schedule. “I am emotional, but just so you know, I got closure when Celine Dion came to my show ,” she assured the audience, announcing she “cried for a whole week” after the experience. “It was just such a full-circle moment for me. Because that’s the only reason I ever wanted to be in here.” Dion — who opened The Colosseum with her first residency in 2003 — attended Adele’s Oct. 26 show with her sons. Adele, spotting the pop legend in the crowd, was brought to tears in the middle of “When We Were Young” and later wrote on social media that The Colosseum “was the only venue I wanted to play in Vegas because it was built for her. I have a picture of her right next to the stage that I touch every night before I walk on and she came to the show this weekend and it was a surprise and it was a MOMENT!!” Previously, the “Easy on Me” singer said she needs rest when her residency’s over — and that she plans to temporarily step away from music. Adele shared that she wants to take “a big break after this, and I think I want to do other creative things, just for a little while.”Torex Gold plunges after gas leak kills three at Mexican underground mineUS-Google face off as ad tech antitrust trial comes to close

Happy scores 16 as Princeton downs Portland 94-67 at Myrtle Beach InvitationalTURIN, Italy -- Manchester City are facing elimination and Pep Guardiola now looks as vulnerable and troubled as any other manager who has suffered a seventh defeat in 10 games. Both statements would have seemed unthinkable just a month ago, but after Tuesday's 2-0 Champions League loss against Juventus , the old certainties no longer apply. Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie put Juventus on course for a playoff spot and left City in 22nd position in the Champions League , a point clear of 25th place Paris Saint-Germain , currently below the cut-off point that will see teams drop out of the competition altogether. City face PSG in Paris in their next game and if they lose that, elimination from the Champions League will loom large. But while that prospect would be a humiliation for a club of City's stature and ambition -- they were Champions League winners in 2023 -- the biggest problem might just turn out to be Guardiola and whether we are witnessing the beginning of the end of his incredible eight-year reign in charge. Editor's Picks Weah, McKennie connect for historic UCL goal Champions League as it happened: Juventus shock Man City, Barca edge Dortmund Saudi Arabia 2034 World Cup explainer: Why only one bid? Winter or summer? Sportswashing? Is Guardiola's position as City manager under threat after his team's unprecedented slump? It is highly unlikely that the club's hierarchy, who were in Turin led by chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak, would be so knee-jerk as to think about dismissing the most successful manager in City's history, a man who has delivered 18 trophies since 2016, but the faith and support of his bosses is not the issue. With Guardiola cutting an unusually restrained figure on the touchline during this game in Turin -- when he wasn't slumped in his seat he stood with his hands in his pockets, barely delivering instructions to his players -- the real question is how long he will be able to sustain himself in a role when nothing is working. Guardiola has never been just another manager, one of those guys who has good days and bad days and ultimately runs out of solutions when the problems begin to mount. Yes, he has had bad results in charge of Barcelona , Bayern Munich and City, but Guardiola has never been through the kind of crisis that all other managers endure. Until now. The gilded career that has been a tale of almost unbroken success since he won the Treble with Barcelona in his first season in 2008-09 has placed the 53-year-old above the trials and tribulations of his contemporaries, but now that he is having to deal with them himself. Guardiola is failing for the first time in his career. In Turin, he watched his team struggle to overcome a Juventus side that had gone into this game with just one win from their last six games and he did virtually nothing about it. He watched Kevin De Bruyne (33) and Ilkay Gündogan (34) run out of steam in midfield and left them toiling until waiting until the 87th minute to make his first change by introducing Matheus Nunes in favour of Jack Grealish . Erling Haaland , City's goal machine, once again failed to contribute anything in a game when he doesn't score -- he managed just 18 touches all night. But again, Guardiola was unable to make the crucial tweak in his selection or system to make the difference. When asked after the game whether he was now questioning himself, Guardiola conceded he was, but with an air of defiance rather than hinting at a lack of self-confidence. "Of course I question myself and I have my thoughts," Guardiola said. "I'm stable in good moments and bad moments. I try to find a way to do it." Recap Manchester City's 2-0 loss to Juventus in the Champions League. When pushed on whether he was now experiencing the toughest challenge of his career, Guardiola insisted it was not. "My biggest challenge is to get results to continue to work in the first seasons [at Barcelona]," Guardiola said. "It's life, it happens. Sometimes you have a bad period, but I'm going to insist until we're there." When Guardiola signed a two-year contract extension last month, he said that he had begun to view this season as his last at City. "I was thinking a lot," he said. "There were some moments, I have to be honest, I thought this should be the last one. But at the same time, when the situation comes and the problems we had in the last month, I felt now is not the time to leave, I would let the club down and I had the feeling I had to do it. "Don't ask me the reason why. Maybe the four defeats were the reason why and I felt I cannot leave." Those four defeats on the spin have now become seven defeats in 10 -- one win in the same period -- so the situation has become much worse. City have had no bounce on the back of Guardiola's new deal and they are now, along with their Champions League struggles, eight points behind Premier League . And with City due to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States next summer, their season still has another seven months to run and Guardiola and his players already look to be out of energy and ideas. They have become a team of old men, with none of the vibrancy and attacking verve of Guardiola's great teams, and the manager himself is literally scratching his head for answers. What we're left with is the scenario that City might be relegated from the Champions League and Guardiola's new contract may end up being worth less than the paper it is written on. Unthinkable? Not anymore.Using AI and ML in predictive analytics for bed demand forecasting

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US-Google face off as ad tech antitrust trial comes to closeCoach Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes still have a narrow path to get into the Big 12 Conference championship game after dropping into a four-way tie for first place with BYU, Arizona State and Iowa State. There are two clear ways for them to get in with one game left in the regular season, as confirmed by the Big 12 on Sunday according to league tiebreaker rules. First the Buffs (8-3) need to beat Oklahoma State (3-8) at home in their regular-season finale on Friday at noon ET. ∎ Then they need at least two of those other three first-place teams to lose on Saturday, thereby leaving the Buffs alone or in a two-way tie atop the standings with a 7-2 league record. ∎ Or they just need BYU to lose to Houston and Texas Tech to beat West Virginia. The latter scenario would put the Buffs in a specific three-way tie for first place that would favor them under league tiebreaker rules. If one of those scenarios happens, the Buffs will play for the Big 12 title Dec. 7 in Arlington, Texas, despite suffering a damaging 37-21 loss Saturday against Kansas . If neither of those scenarios happens, the Buffs will instead next play in a non-playoff bowl game such as the Holiday or Alamo Bowl on Dec. 27 or 28. What if all four first-place Big 12 teams win? If all four teams win next weekend, Arizona State will play Iowa State for the league title. Because Colorado has not played those other four first-place teams, the tiebreaker gets complicated and involves records against common conference opponents. The four first-place teams have four common Big 12 opponents: Kansas, Kansas State, Utah and Central Florida. Arizona State is 4-0 against those teams. BYU is 3-1. Colorado is 2-2. Iowa State is 2-1 and hosts Kansas State next week. BYU hosts Houston and Arizona State plays at Arizona on Saturday. All four first-place teams have 6-2 records in league play. RECRUITING STRATEGY: Deion Sanders debuts new talk show during amid Big 12 title chase What if three teams tie for first place? The Big 12 spelled it out like this, according to which of the four first-place teams loses and leaves a three-way tie for first place. ∎ If Colorado loses vs. Oklahoma State and the other three teams win, it would be Arizona State vs. Iowa State in the league title game ∎ If Arizona State loses but the others win, it would be Iowa State vs. BYU playing for the championship. ∎ If Iowa State loses but the others win, it would be Arizona State vs. BYU. ∎ If BYU loses but the other three win, it gets even more complicated under league tiebreaker rules and involves records against the next highest placed common opponent in the league standings. If BYU loses and the other three win, Colorado needs Texas Tech to beat West Virginia in the regular-season finale. That’s because Arizona State and Iowa State both lost to Tech while Colorado beat Tech this season. Colorado would play in the Big 12 title game in that scenario against either Arizona State or Iowa State. But if West Virginia beats Tech in that scenario, Colorado is out and Arizona State would play Iowa State for the league title. What about the five teams tied for second place? Five teams are tied for second place in the league standings with 5-3 league records: Texas Tech, Baylor, TCU, West Virginia and Kansas State. The league said they must win and see at least three of the four 6-2 teams take a loss. Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboe r. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

Detailed prison blueprints have been leaked, triggering a security alert at jails in England and Wales, it has emerged. The leak, first reported by the Times , involves prison layouts being shared on the dark web in the last fortnight, prompting an investigation by the National Crime Agency. The plans are understood to detail the location of cameras and sensors, sparking fears they will be exploited by criminals to smuggle drugs and weapons into prisons or to aid escapes. The leak emerged after prison officials who work at the jails were sent an internal email titled “security alert” to inform them of the breach. However, one Whitehall source played down the significance of the breach, saying cameras were regularly moved and could already be seen by drones. They said prison blueprints had been available on the internet for years and were visible on Google Earth. In the alert, prison officers were told that the breach could affect the security of the internal fences, which have technology installed that raises the alarm if there are attempted breaches. The staff memos reported that there had been a data loss which had led to “vulnerabilities” in these security systems. This meant there was a danger that members of the public had been made aware of information that put prisons’ perimeters “at risk”. This could be from people “attempting to convey items into the establishment/aid an escape”, the email warned. A government spokesperson said: “We do not comment on security matters.” The prisons watchdog warned on Friday that security was not keeping pace with technology , saying drones could deliver guns into jails riven by drug-related gang wars amid an “inadequate” response from the Prison Service. Charlie Taylor, HM chief inspector of prisons, told the Guardian that the surge in the use of large unmanned aerial vehicles was his “number one concern” and had increased the possibility that firearms would be used to settle turf wars or attempt escapes. Dealing with the prison system in England and Wales is a top priority for the government, after it inherited a crisis of overcrowding and poor conditions from the last government. No 10 signed off on emergency measures over the summer to deal with a lack of jail places, releasing thousands of prisoners early after they had served 40% of their sentences. In September, five of the most senior former judges in England and Wales said “radical solutions” such as the earlier release of killers and rapists on licence should be considered to ease the prison overcrowding crisis. They recommended a review at the halfway stage of the determinate sentences of all prisoners serving longer than 10 years. Other proposals include the release of all prisoners serving indeterminate sentences who are over tariff, and the removal of all those who are elderly, dying or who have dementia from prison. Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, is undertaking an urgent independent review of sentencing legislation and practice.

Japanese cable maker Fujikura sees stock surge 400% on AI-fueled demandI feel like we have already seen a different Manchester United under Ruben Amorim, but some issues are going to take longer to resolve. The international break meant he only had a couple of training sessions with some of his players before facing Ipswich in his first game in charge, but there were still some patterns of play that looked promising. You could see an obvious balance to their team in Sunday's draw following the switch to his 3-4-3 system and there were certain things that he had clearly worked on and asked them to do. Amorim is trying to make United more composed and measured in possession, but there were also times when they passed forward quickly and with purpose. Overall, they looked more confident and courageous with the ball than they have done recently but, on the downside, it was still too easy to play through them when they were without it. That allowed Ipswich to grow into the game and, with the chances they had, they will probably be disappointed not to have won. Getting their wing-backs forward, like Amad Diallo did to set up their early goal, was a big part of United's attacking plan. Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho, the two players behind Marcus Rashford, were also getting into pockets of space, but were much narrower than Diallo and Diogo Dalot. Garnacho is usually a lot wider when he plays as a winger, but this was a different role for him, as I highlighted on MOTD2. The reason Amorim wants Garnacho and Fernandes in more central areas is because, as well as leaving space for the wing-backs, it also means that when they get the ball on the turn, they can run directly at goal. They did that several times in the first half, and it made United look a lot more dynamic and dangerous in attack than they did at the end of Erik ten Hag's spell as manager. It didn't last, however. I think Amorim would have expected a bit more from his side going forward after half-time, and he will be quietly disappointed they did not cause Ipswich more problems then. You have to give some credit to Ipswich's game management for that, though. They play a high-energy style and you cannot do that for 90 minutes. Their players had been working very hard when the game was more open and end-to-end, but there was a spell in the second half where they just dropped in and filled those spaces that United had utilised earlier. That settled the game down until Ipswich made changes that refreshed their front line, and United did not find a way of getting in behind them. Every system has its pros and cons and, even if this United team were used to playing 3-4-3, there are still issues that come with using that shape. While having Garnacho and Fernandes playing inside worked in an attacking sense, it meant Ipswich's full-backs could get up the pitch very easily, and double up with their wingers to give them overloads in the wide areas. The other problem with that formation is that it asks the two central midfielders to cover a lot of ground, particularly in a league as demanding as the Premier League. Casemiro and Christian Eriksen had a lot of work to do, and you could argue that the athleticism that is required is not their strongest trait. Ipswich played well and made it difficult for them, by dragging them everywhere. To play that role well, United's midfielders will need to be more than just mobile, too. They will both have to love the defensive side of the game and be able to spot danger then be fast enough to stop it. In the long run, I think Manuel Ugarte will be one of them. He needs a run of games to get his sharpness back but we have seen glimpses of how good he is, for example in the Europa League against Fenerbahce last month, and he has flourished under Amorim at Sporting before. As for who Ugarte will have alongside him, well it will probably be someone who is not at the club at the moment - there is going to have to be activity in the next couple of transfer window for them to get the type of player Amorim requires. Until that happens, United are always going to find it hard without the ball but this team is going to evolve, and so could Amorim's tactics. As I said on MOTD2, I would be amazed if United are still playing the same 3-4-3 system in a year's time because the Premier League is very different to continental leagues. If United are going to improve and become competitive for the title, I think Amorim's formation will evolve into something else but, in the meantime, at least their fans have already seen some progress. Danny Murphy was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.

US-Google face off as ad tech antitrust trial comes to closeExperts react to Bank of Canada interest rate cutOur community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Kim Kardashian has left her followers concerned after revealing she's now hobbling on crutches following a significant injury. The 44 year old mogul updated fans this evening, sharing an image of her foot in a black medical boot, with the caption: "FML. Broken my foot for the holidays." Although she kept the circumstances around her injury under wraps, Kim had been busy celebrating her son Saint's ninth birthday just the day before. Delighting her fans with a heartfelt tribute, Kim said: "My birthday boy Saint turns 9 today. I was going through my photos and most of our pics are snuggling cuddling pics. I always wanna believe that my little man will be this snuggly forever! So cheers to one of my soulmates for being the sweetest boy. Happy birthday. I love you." Just last week, Kim graced her Instagram with snapshots flaunting a fitted white ensemble paired with bold red fishnet stockings and towering heels; posing with her back to the camera and peeking over her shoulder for that perfect shot beside a tall mirror, obviously taken before the injury— yet fans took issue with another aspect of the snap. Some followers accused the reality TV star of photoshopping her photo. In the snap, which has now gone viral on forum sites like Reddit's KUWTK Snark subreddit, the celeb's bum appears curiously different in the mirror reflection beside her, reports the Mirror . One particularly eagle-eyed user quipped: "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall. Oops! She forgot to photoshop the mirror. Reality photobombed her photoshop ph**kery." They went on to add, "The mirror doesn't lie." The comment section quickly became an arena for those who relish expressing their dislikefor the star. Remarks ranged from snarky to outright harsh, with one user remarking, "'Her a** is HUGE here and she's clearly photoshopped thinner, so imagine how big it must really be now...." Another chimed in with, "She is such a joke. Everybody grab your popcorn and tune in to see how this s**t show ends." Kim has recently been busy filming for her role in Ryan Murphy's show All's Fair. She previously worked with him on American Horror Story: Delicate and returned to filming for the new series. It also stars Sarah Paulson, Glenn Close, Niecy Nash-Betts, Teyana Taylor and Naomi Watts. Details of the production are still under wraps but Kim and Sarah serve as executive producers on the upcoming series. Sarah gushed to Variety about Kim's smashing performance, exclaiming: "It's wonderful. She's incredibly present. She's fun, she's game, she's alive to the moment, she's great." The star also spilled that Kim welcomed her on set with a basket brimming with Skims goodies on day one of filming. Just five years after its launch, Kim's shapewear line has graced the figures of countless celebs.

Hollywood, CA – December 17, 2024 – Asteria, the generative AI film and animation studio, has partnered with AI research firm Moonvalley to develop “Marey,” a foundational AI model for Hollywood that relies exclusively on ethically sourced data. Named after cinema pioneer Étienne-Jules Marey, the Marey model is designed to provide filmmakers and studios with an AI tool that avoids the legal and ethical issues typically associated with AI-generated media. Moonvalley and Asteria team. The partnership between Asteria and Moonvalley marks a significant milestone for the entertainment industry, which has been grappling with the implications of AI-driven content creation. Unlike models trained on publicly scraped datasets, Marey’s data is fully owned by the company, offering an ethical alternative to widely used generative AI systems. "We recognized that Hollywood couldn't fully embrace AI without a clean model that respected creator rights," said Bryn Mooser, CEO of Asteria. "With Marey, we’re providing an option that prioritizes both artistry and integrity." Mooser, an Oscar-nominated filmmaker, also founded XTR, a documentary studio with its own streaming platform, DOCUMENTARY+. Greg Miller, Bryn Mooser and Nick Confalone in Asteria production studio. Moonvalley, led by Naeem Talukdar, recently secured $70 million in funding to accelerate its generative AI initiatives. The company has recruited researchers from top AI firms, including DeepMind, Google, and Meta. Talukdar emphasized that Marey’s clean training approach distinguishes it from existing AI models, which are often the target of legal scrutiny. "We’re building an AI company that Hollywood can trust," Talukdar stated. Mystery Drones Saga: Ohio Air Force Base Sees More Drone ‘Incursions’ (Updated) Elon Musk Xmail Teaser Poses New Threat For Billions Of Gmail Users Sydney Sweeney Bikini Photos: The Internet’s Reaction, Explained The Marey model is expected to be completed early next year, ushering in a new era for AI-driven production in film, television, and animation. As Hollywood seeks ways to integrate AI into creative workflows, the Asteria-Moonvalley partnership positions itself as a responsible leader in the space.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump doesn't think much of Joe Biden's foreign policy record. The Republican president-elect frequently casts the outgoing Democratic president as a feckless leader who shredded American credibility around the world during his four-year term. But a funny thing happened on Trump's way back to the White House: The Biden and Trump national security teams have come to an understanding that they have no choice but to work together as conflicts in Gaza , Syria and Ukraine have left a significant swath of the world on a knife's edge. It's not clear how much common ground those teams have found as they navigate crises that threaten to cause more global upheaval as Trump prepares to settle back into the White House on Jan. 20, 2025. “There is a deep conviction on the part of the incoming national security team that we are dealing with ... and on our part, directed from President Biden, that it is our job, on behalf of the American people, to make sure this is a smooth transition,” Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan said during a weekend appearance at a forum in California. “And we are committed to discharging that duty as relentlessly and faithfully as we possibly can.” To be certain, Trump and his allies haven't let up on their criticism of Biden, putting the blame squarely on the shoulders of Biden and Democrats for the series of crises around the globe. The president-elect says Biden is responsible for the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, arguing that policies under his watch led to Hamas and Russia becoming emboldened. And shortly before Syria's Bashar al-Assad's government collapsed last week, Trump blamed Biden's old boss, former President Barack Obama, for failing to enforce his own “red line” in 2013 after Assad deployed chemical weapons that killed hundreds of civilians, and laying the groundwork for Islamic militants to establish a beachhead in the country. But amid the hectoring of Biden, Trump team officials acknowledge that the Biden White House has worked diligently to keep Trump's circle apprised and help ensure there is a smooth handoff on national security matters. “For our adversaries out there that think this is a time of opportunity that they can play one administration off the other, they’re wrong, and we are — we are hand in glove," Mike Waltz, Trump's pick for national security adviser, said in a Fox News interview last month. “We are one team with the United States in this transition.” While Trump rarely has a good word for the Democratic administration, there's an appreciation in Trump world of how the Biden White House has gone about sharing critical national security information, according to a Trump transition official who was not authorized to comment publicly. The coordination is precisely how lawmakers intended for incoming and outgoing administrations to conduct themselves during a handover when they bolstered federal support for transitions. It's already the most substantive handoff process since 2009, aides to Biden and Trump acknowledged, surpassing Trump's chaotic first takeover in 2017 and his wide refusal to cooperate with the incoming Biden team in 2021. Trump's pick to serve as special envoy to the Middle East , Florida real estate developer Steve Witkoff, consulted with Biden administration officials as he recently traveled to Mideast to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly about the sensitive talks and spoke on condition of anonymity. Sullivan, who was to travel to Israel on Wednesday for talks with Netanyahu, has in turn kept Waltz in the loop about the Biden administration's efforts at getting a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza before Trump's inauguration. Biden administration officials say that the two national security teams have also closely coordinated on Ukraine and Syria, though they have provided scant detail on what that coordination has looked like. “Let me put it this way: Nothing that we’re doing and nothing that we’re saying are coming as a surprise to the incoming team,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said. "They will decide for themselves what policies they might want to keep in place, what approaches they might want to continue and which ones they won’t." Trump made clear during his campaign that he would move to end the war in Ukraine quickly once he came to office. He called on Russian leader Vladimir Putin earlier this week to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine . But the Biden White House has begun gently — and publicly — making the case for how continued support for Ukraine lines up with Trump's priorities. On Saturday, Sullivan pointed to comments made by Trump on social media to buttress the case that Biden’s push for continued support of Ukraine falls in line with the incoming president’s thinking. Trump earlier that day had noted that Assad’s rule was collapsing because Russia “lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever.” “Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success,” Trump said in the posting on Truth Social. Sullivan underscored that Biden and Trump are in agreement that there should be no American boots on the ground in Syria and that the war in Ukraine was a major factor in Assad’s fall. “I was a little bit struck by it — earlier in the post, he said part of the reason this is happening is because of Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Sullivan said of Trump. “And I think he even referenced the sheer scale of the casualties that Russia has suffered in Ukraine, and for that reason, they’re not in a position to defend their client, Assad. And on that point, we’re in vigorous agreement.” Two days later in Washington, Sullivan made the case that Trump should bolster the little-known U.S. International Development Finance Corporation that was created during the Republican’s first term. The push for reauthorizing the foreign aid agency comes as Trump has promised to make massive cuts to the federal bureaucracy. Trump signed into law the agency's authority -- tucked into a five-year reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration — to provide $60 billion in loans, loan guarantees and insurance to companies in developing nations. Sullivan called the agency an effective tool for private-public partnerships, before allowing that “maybe I shouldn’t be the one” making the case “since I’m leaving, but I will give my advice anyway.” “It was created as we’ve all noted, under the Trump administration,” Sullivan said in remarks at the agency’s annual conference. “It has been strengthened under the Biden administration. And as we look to DFC reauthorization next year, it has to remain a bipartisan priority.” After Assad's government fell, the Biden administration issued a warning to Iran not to speed up its nuclear program after one of its closest allies was toppled, declaring “that’ll never happen on our watch.” The U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive topic, hinted at coordination on the matter with the Trump team. The official said there had been “good discussions” with the incoming administration on the matter and there was an expectation the same policy would carry over. Biden has also approved a new national security memorandum that is meant to serve as a road map for the incoming Trump administration as it looks to counter growing cooperation between China, Iran, North Korea and Russia, the White House announced Wednesday. Biden administration officials began developing the guidance this summer. It was shaped to be a document that could help the next administration build its approach from Day 1 on how it will go about dealing with the tightening relationships between the United States’ most prominent adversaries and competitors, according to two other senior administration officials. One of those officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, sought to assure the incoming Trump team that the Biden White House effort “isn't trying to box them in or tilt them toward one policy option or another.” Instead, the official said, it's about helping the next administration build “capacity” as it shapes its policies on some the most difficult foreign policies it will face.AP Trending SummaryBrief at 5:36 p.m. ESTNew Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS): Progress in generative AI (GenAI) is poised to impact the procurement function globally through advancements in three areas, according to a new report. Agentic reasoning, multimodality, and AI agents are the advancements that will redefine how procurement operates and significantly impact the agendas of chief procurement officers (CPOs), said the Gartner report. According to Ryan Polk, senior director analyst in Gartner’s Supply Chain practice, agentic reasoning, multimodality, and AI agents are coming to procurement. “These advancements will usher procurement into an era where the distance between ideas, insights, and actions will shorten rapidly. Procurement leaders who build their foundation now through a focus on data quality, privacy and risk management have the potential to reap new levels of productivity and strategic value from the technology,” he stressed. Agentic reasoning in GenAI allows for advanced decision-making processes that mimic human-like cognition. This capability will enable procurement functions to leverage GenAI to analyse complex scenarios and make informed decisions with greater accuracy and speed, said the report. Multimodality refers to the ability of GenAI to process and integrate multiple forms of data, such as text, images, and audio. “This will make GenAI more intuitively consumable to users and enhance procurement's ability to gather and analyze diverse information sources, leading to more comprehensive insights and better-informed strategies,” the report mentioned. AI agents are autonomous systems that can perform tasks and make decisions on behalf of human operators. As AI agents become more integrated into procurement technology, they will shift the role of procurement professionals towards strategic decision-making, stakeholder relationship management, and innovation. According to a recent Gartner survey, 72 per cent of procurement leaders are prioritising the integration of GenAI into their strategies. This highlights the recognition of its potential to drive significant improvements in efficiency and effectiveness, as well as multiple viable use cases, including by enhancing the contract management process.Homeland Security shares new details of mysterious drone flights over New Jersey, lawmaker says A New Jersey lawmaker from part of the state where several mysterious drones have been spotted in recent week says the devices appear to avoid detection by traditional methods. Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia was among state officials who met Wednesday with representatives from the Department of Homeland Security. She says lawmakers were told the drones have dodged detection by helicopters and radio. Fantasia says DHS described the devices as up to 6 feet in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights off. The Morris County Republican made the comments in a post on X shortly after she and several other state and local lawmakers met with state police and Homeland Security officials. Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for the first time and be named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thursday's events will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has long seen praise from the business world and media as a sign of success. Four people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press that Trump was expected to be on Wall Street on Thursday to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, while a person familiar with the selection confirmed that Trump had been selected as Time's Person of the Year. Rape allegation against Jay-Z won’t impact NFL's relationship with music mogul, Goodell says IRVING, Texas (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says a rape allegation against rapper Jay-Z won’t impact the NFL's relationship with the music mogul. Jay-Z's company Roc Nation has produced some of the NFL’s entertainment presentations including the Super Bowl halftime show. A woman who previously sued Sean “Diddy” Combs alleging she was raped at an awards show after-party in 2000 amended the lawsuit Sunday to include an allegation that Jay-Z was also at the party and participated in the sexual assault. Jay-Z says the rape allegation made against him is part of an extortion attempt. The NFL teamed up with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in 2019 for events and social activism. The league and the entertainment company extended their partnership a few months ago. Ohio politician proposes make flag planting a felony after fight in Michigan rivalry game An Ohio politician has seen enough flag planting. Republican state Rep. Josh Williams said Wednesday on social media he's introducing a bill to make flag planting in sports a felony in the state. His proposal comes after the Nov. 30 fight at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry football game when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 13-10 and then attempted to plant their flag at midfield. A fight ensued and police had to use pepper spray to disperse the players. Former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield famously planted a flag in the middle of the field at Ohio State after the Sooners beat the Buckeyes in 2017. Gastineau confronts Favre in documentary for his 'dive' on Strahan's record-breaking sack Former New York Jets star Mark Gastineau confronted Brett Favre last year at a memorabilia show and angrily accused the Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback of deliberately going down on a record-breaking sack. The tense exchange is shown in the new ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “The New York Sack Exchange." It chronicles the Jets’ fearsome foursome defensive line of the 1980s that included Gastineau. Gastineau set an NFL record with 22 sacks in 1984, but Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan broke the mark when he sacked Favre in 2002 in a game between the Giants and Packers. Many have accused Favre of purposely taking the sack so Strahan could set the single-season record with 22 1/2. What happens next with Alex Jones' Infowars? No certainty yet after sale to The Onion is rejected Lawyers in the Alex Jones bankruptcy case are now in discussions on what could happen next after a federal judge in Texas rejected the auction sale of Jones’ Infowars to The Onion satirical news outlet. The next steps remained unclear Wednesday as the judge ordered the trustee who oversaw the auction to come up with a new plan. Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston rejected the bid late Tuesday, saying there was too much confusion about The Onion’s bid. The bankruptcy case was in the wake of the nearly $1.5 billion that courts have ordered Jones to pay for calling the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut a hoax. Sandy Hook families had backed The Onion’s bid. NFL and Nike extend their partnership with a 10-year deal, will focus on growing the sport globally IRVING, Texas (AP) — The NFL’s desire to become a global powerhouse is no secret. Nike is committed to helping the league continue expanding its worldwide reach. The league and the apparel giant announced Wednesday a 10-year partnership extension. The NFL and Nike will focus on working together to grow the game’s global reach, increase participation, develop new talent, and expand the football fan base. Nike, the world’s largest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel, has been the NFL’s exclusive provider of uniforms and sideline, practice and base layer apparel for all 32 NFL teams for 12 years. George Kresge Jr., who wowed talk show audiences as the The Amazing Kreskin, dies at age 89 NEW YORK (AP) — George Joseph Kresge Jr., otherwise known to TV watchers as the mesmerizing entertainer and mentalist The Amazing Kreskin, has died at age 89. Kreskin’s friend and former road manager, Ryan Galway, says he died Tuesday at his home in Caldwell, New Jersey. Kreskin launched his television career in the 1960s and remained popular for decades, appearing with everyone from Merv Griffin to Johnny Carson to Jimmy Fallon. Fans would welcome, if not entirely figure out, his favorite mind tricks — whether correctly guessing a playing card chosen at random, or, most famously, divining where his paycheck had been planted among the audience. He also hosted a show in the 1970s, gave live performances and wrote numerous books. Albertsons sues Kroger for failing to win approval of their proposed supermarket merger Kroger and Albertsons’ plan for the largest U.S. supermarket merger in history has crumbled. The two companies have accused each other of not doing enough to push their proposed alliance through, and Albertsons pulled out of the $24.6 billion deal on Wednesday. The bitter breakup came the day after a federal judge in Oregon and a state judge in Washington issued injunctions to block the merger, saying that combining the two grocery chains could reduce competition and harm consumers. Albertsons is now suing Kroger, seeking a $600 million termination fee, as well as billions of dollars in legal fees and lost shareholder value. Kroger says the legal claims are “baseless.” Keynote Selena Gomez spotlights prioritizing mental health during Academy Women's Luncheon LOS ANGELES (AP) — While surveying a room packed with Hollywood’s most influential figures, “Emilia Pérez” star Selena Gomez took center stage at the Academy Women’s Luncheon to spotlight a critical issue: Prioritizing mental health and supporting underserved communities often left behind in the conversation. The singer-actor has been public about her mental health struggles, revealing she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Gomez was the keynote speaker Tuesday at the event held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures with attendees including Ariana Grande, Olivia Wilde, Amy Adams, Pamela Anderson, Rita Wilson, Ava DuVernay and Awkwafina.

Cabinet okays changes to colonial-era CrPC Amendments stipulates that trial court would deliver its verdict within one year ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Tuesday approved the Criminal Procedure (Code of Criminal Procedure) Amendment Bill 2024 on the recommendation of the Ministry of Law and Justice. The prime minister chaired a meeting of the federal cabinet at the PM House during which several important decisions were made, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release. The bill will be sent to Parliament for its assent. Under the amendments in the Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill, the system of registering FIRs has been simplified. Use of modern technology in investigations, forensic technique and to enable the audio-video recording of witness statements would be allowed. Furthermore, the amendment bill included provisions to strengthen the role of the prosecutor during investigations. The prosecutor will be able to point out any deficiencies or flaws in the police report. Under these amendments, women, individuals under 12 years old, men over 70 years old, and persons with physical or mental disabilities will be able to record their statements at a place of their convenience. The amendments also stipulated that the trial court would deliver its verdict within one year, and in case of delay, the relevant High Court would be held accountable. Additionally, the appellate court will be required to make a decision on any appeal within six months to one year. Furthermore, in cases where the police investigation finds the accused innocent and prepares a discharge report, the accused would be entitled to bail. The meeting was informed that e-office has been fully implemented in 18 federal government divisions. It was further stated that this was the first time that such a large-scale implementation of e-office had been carried out in the federal government, marking a significant step towards a paperless economy. The meeting was also informed that if e-office was fully implemented, there was a potential saving of up to Rs230 million in stationery and fuel costs. The prime minister praised Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima and the officials of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication for their efforts. He also commended the performance of the ministers and secretaries of those divisions where e-office has been fully implemented. The federal cabinet also made several important decisions which included the approval to the National Registration and Biometrics Policy Framework 2024 on the recommendation of the Ministry of Interior. On the recommendation of the Ministry of Law and Justice, the forum approved the establishment of the Intellectual Property Tribunal in Quetta. It also approved signing the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements resulting from arbitration, based on the recommendation of the Ministry of Law and Justice, regarding December 20, 2018. It rejected the appeal of Arbab Ans manager HR of Karachi Port Trust against his dismissal. On the recommendation of the Ministry of Petroleum, the cabinet approved amendments to Form EL-01 under the Explosives Rules 2010, regarding licenses for the preparation of high-density explosive materials. It approved the transfer of the Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan, and Kolai Pallas Kohistan districts from Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) to Hazara Electric Power Company (Hepco) on the recommendation of the Ministry of Energy, Power Division. On the recommendation of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, the cabinet approved the inclusion of section related to oath of Finality of Prophethood in marriage certificates within the Islamabad Capital Territory. The cabinet was presented with reports on the implementation of Principles of Policy for federal affairs for the years 2021-22 and 2022-23 by the Cabinet Secretariat. It also received reports from the Cabinet Division regarding the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) for the past three years. These reports will now be sent to the Council of Common Interests. The federal cabinet confirmed the decisions made during the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on State Owned Enterprises held on December 4, 2024, and the meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Inter-Government Transactions held on November 20 and 21, 2024. Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz has formed a 13-member committee under Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal to ensure timely decisions regarding sugar exports. The committee’s mandate includes evaluating the accurate stock position of sugar and strengthening the monitoring system. The committee members are Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, the minister of state for finance, Ministry of Food secretary, a representative from the Intelligence Bureau, a Pakistan Sugar Mills Association representative, Land Information and Management System director-general, Federal Board of Revenue chairman, Sultan Ahmad Zafar, Dr. Abid Qayyum Suleri (Executive Director of SDPI), Dr Obaidullah Anjum (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics), Dr Bahriawar Jan (Director-General of the Trade Statistics Authority), and Ikram Ul Haq. The committee’s terms of reference have been issued. It would review all data services related to sugar production, consumption, and stocks. The committee would also investigate discrepancies in various data sources, including the underlying assumptions. It will identify those responsible for presenting incorrect data regarding sugar consumption, stocks and surpluses, which could delay decisions on potential exports.Hillcrest Energy Technologies And Systematec Gmbh Sign MOU To Expand Collaboration And Complete Distribution Agreement For European Automotive Market

One story I never tire of telling is how Channel 6 assured Philadelphia would have a Thanksgiving Day Parade, even as retailers who originally sponsored it faded from the local scene. I mention Channel 6’s place in Philadelphia Thanksgiving history annually because it marks one of the all-time greatest rescues of a local tradition by a local media giant. Thursday, that tradition continues as “The 6 ABC Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Day Parade,” begins its 105th annual march — 39th under Channel 6’s aegis — at 8:30 p.m. featuring its usual assortment of balloons, marching bands, celebrity performances and floats. Dunkin’, as in Dunkin’ Donuts, has been Channel 6’s primary partner for 14 years. Channel 6 news folk Rick Williams, Cecily Tynan, Adam Joseph, Karen Rogers and Alicia Vitarelli will serves as hosts of event: Williams and Tynan from the main Benjamin Franklin Parkway broadcasting booth, the others from the parade route which starts about 16th and the Parkway and leads to the Art Museum. Headlined guests include “Abbott Elementary’s “ Lisa Ann Walter, “Wheel of Fortune’s” Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White, “Live!’s” Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, ubiquitous TV host and panelist Carson Kressley, and “Good Morning America” weather anchor Sam Champion. Pop music acts appearing at the parade include my lifelong favorite Darlene Love, Matteo Boccelli, The Sugarhill Gang, Kathy Sledge, The Sharpe Family Singers, CeCe Peniston, The Funky Bunch, Wé Ani, and the former Ladies of Chic. Performers from Ensemble Arts Philly touring shows are featured as well as the Walnut Street Theatre’s current production of “Elf,” the Philadelphia Orchestra, just back from a tour of China, Eddie Bruce and the “No Name Pops,” and the Philadelphia Ballet, now doing their annual rendition of “The Nutcracker.” Of course, some creatures known as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Santa Claus make dramatic appearances. Until Al Blackstone was asked to choreograph a production of “Anastasia,” a full-fledged musical based on 1997 animated version, he didn’t realize how much dancing the show required. “I thought it needed a ballet scene and some period dances,” he said. “Once I began working on it, I realized everything in ‘Anastasia’ is a dance,” said Blackstone, who, at the time we spoke was heading to the final rehearsal of “Anastasia” at New Hope’s Bucks County Playhouse, where it will run through Sunday, Jan. 5. “There is so much music to work, and it’s by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, so you know it’s fabulous, but more than that, (director) Eric Rosen’s concept is the music of a memory, so dance serves to illustrate the moment and where the characters are. “It gives us liberty to invent as the show moves from Imperial Russia to Paris, to which the Russian nobility flees following the Revolution.” Russian sequences can range from folk dances to formal ballet. The Paris the refugees inhabit is one of class. Blackstone says his personal experience helped in conceiving the movement for both settings. He had worked on a production of “An American in Paris,” which though set in a later period, provided a sense of the sophisticated Parisian milieu. His grandfather had emigrated to New York from St. Petersburg, Russia, at the time of the Revolution. “I was aware of the different stations and scenarios in the characters’ lives,” Blackstone says. “There’s a lot of range because some of the emigrants are members of the aristocracy while others are from the working class. “There turns out to be so much to explore in this show, I’d like to do it a third time.” Asked whether it is more difficult to work with a vehicle that was originally an animated cartoon, Blackstone said it presents some challenges. “We ask ourselves how we deal with such a situation, dealing with what it is before us but finding an effective way to make to bring out the dramatic reality of a situation, the human reality of it.” Blackstone came to prominence as one of the choreographers on “So You Think You Can Dance,” for which he received two Emmy nominations and earned one 2020 Emmy. “So You Think You Can Dance” was all about dance. It wasn’t concerned with celebrity or the process that led to the performed dance. “The language of dance was the priority, so the show became a great place to exercise creativity,” Blackstone said. “An atmosphere was created in which anything seemed possible.” Blackstone knows a lot about performing. His parents owned a dance school near Point Pleasant, N.J. “They just closed it after 45 years. Besides all of the training, my mother would take us out of school on Wednesday afternoons, so we could go to Broadway and see all of the musicals. That, as much as anything, made me want to be involved with the theater. “I remember the first show I saw was “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamboat.’ It excited me so much, I wrote a letter to everyone in the cast. In time, I saw how dance is an integral part of storytelling.” Now in his 40s, Blackstone says dance and music remain a huge part of his life. “I don’t know how to do everything. I don’t want to do everything. I know who I am and what I’m programmed to do. And, of course, I’m still learning. “The music that interests me the most is the Great American Songbook, the wonderful songs by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and their contemporaries. Musicals are often composed with that style of music, which is why I enjoy working on them so much.” Being so used to whole series streaming at once, it is difficult to deal with waiting a full week for a new episode of a show. Peacock’s “The Day of the Jackal” is worth it. Eddie Redmayne plays a highly paid, highly talented professional assassin. Watching him set up the first kill of the series is engrossing as both actor and the situation are fraught with tension. The Jackal is the bad guy, but Redmayne’s charm and talent, and his character’s skill and poise make you root for him despite the international political mayhem he causes with each precise kill. The series is smart enough to let us see various aspects of The Jackal — as a family man, as a lover of nature — that enhance our like for him. Also, his main adversary, an MI 6 agent played by Lashana Lynch, is heavy-handed in her tactics and never becomes as likable as Redmayne, let alone becoming someone to root for. New episodes appear on Peacock every Thursday. You can binge-watch those that have aired already. Throughout the Eagles season, the post-game commentator I look most forward to hearing is former Eagle wide receiver Jason Avant, whether he’s conversing with Rob Ellis on WIP (94.1 FM) or Don Bell on Channel 3. Avant is candid and knowledgeable in a way that illuminates the game he’s s discussing, the plays he’s dissecting, and the players he’s praising or questioning. He brings a polished expert’s perspective to whatever he’s saying while being a sharp, observant, and fair critic of the game he, Ellis, or Bell is taking apart. That Rob Ellis and Don Bell, in their individual ways, rank among the best sportscasters in the market, is a head start to their success working with Avant. Ellis is always rational and, while stating opinions firmly, he listens to callers, explains his views calmly, and introduces ideas you haven’t heard all day on earlier programs. Bell is playful, the guy who applies a good-natured point of view to his reporting and is the life of the broadcasting party while remaining prepared and able to get down to business. Bell also has a worthy pre-game partner in Channel 3’s Pat Gallen, who seems nonchalant in approach but knows his topic thoroughly. Another who’s impressed recently is Channel 29 sportscaster Breland Moore. I enjoyed her take on the Eagles-Commanders game of Nov. 14. I also noticed that see chose as her “player to watch” in terms of being significant to the game at hand was a defender, Eagles safety Reed Blankenship, who came through with a timely interception of a Jayden Daniels pass.None

Soccer standouts Robin Reilly, Tyler Prex receive All-America recognition