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( MENAFN - Jordan Times) AMMAN - Jordan's basketball team plays Palestine in Jeddah on Monday in its second match of window 2 of Group D qualifiers for the 31st FIBA Asia Cup 2025. Jordan tops Group D after overcoming Iraq 73-64 on Friday as Saudi Arabia beat Palestine 73-66 to maintain second spot ahead of their home match against Iraq. The Kingdom has an unbeaten streak after scoring two wins in window 1, when they beat Palestine 73-46 and Saudi Arabia 79-64. In other matches, Iraq beat Palestine 75-72 while Saudi Arabia overcame Iraq 64-58. Window 3 will be played in February 2025 -- Jordan vs Saudi on February 21 and Jordan vs Iraq on February 24. Jordan lately won 12th edition of the King Abdullah Cup (The King's Cup) as part of preparations for the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, beating beat Palestine, Syria and Qatar to retain the title. A total of 24 teams are playing Round 1 qualification matches for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in three windows, while also battling for qualifying spots for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup alongside hosts Qatar who automatically advanced. The top two teams of each qualifying group move to the FIBA Asia Cup and the six third-placed teams will play another qualifying round for the final four places. The 31st FIBA Asia Cup will be hosted in Saudi Arabia from August 5-17, 2025. Jordan previously qualified to the FIBA Asia Cup (formerly FIBA Asia Championship) 16 times with their best position finishing runner-up in 2011. In 2023, Jordan won a historic first ever team medal when they won silver at the Asian Games. In addition, they played at the FIBA World Cup for the third time after earlier playing in 2010 and 2019. Alongside the junior men's team in 1995 and 2025, basketball has been the only Jordanian team to reach a World Cup in a team sport. MENAFN27112024000028011005ID1108934484 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.BEIRUT — Israel's military launched airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, unleashing explosions throughout the country and killing at least 31 while Israeli leaders appeared to be closing in on a negotiated ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group. Israeli strikes hit commercial and residential buildings in Beirut as well as in the port city of Tyre. Military officials said they targeted areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. They issued evacuation orders for Beirut's southern suburbs, and strikes landed across the city, including meters from a Lebanese police base and the city's largest public park. The barrage came as officials indicated they were nearing agreement on a ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's Security Cabinet prepared to discuss an offer on the table. Bulldozers remove the rubble of a destroyed building Monday that was hit in an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations also expressed cautious optimism Monday about possible progress on a ceasefire. “Knock on wood,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said as he opened the Group of Seven meeting outside Rome. “We are perhaps close to a ceasefire in Lebanon," he said. "Let's hope it's true and that there's no backing down at the last-minute.” A ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon was foremost on the agenda of the G7 meeting in Fiuggi, outside Rome, that gathered ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, in the last G7 encounter of the Biden administration. For the first time, the G7 ministers were joined by their counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as the Secretary General of the Arab League. Thick smoke, flames and debris erupt Monday from an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Tayouneh, Beirut, Lebanon. Meanwhile, massive explosions lit up Lebanon's skies with flashes of orange, sending towering plumes of smoke into the air as Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut's southern suburbs Monday. The blasts damaged buildings and left shattered glass and debris scattered across nearby streets. Some of the strikes landed close to central Beirut and near Christian neighborhoods and other targets where Israel issued evacuation warnings, including in Tyre and Nabatiyeh province. Israeli airstrikes also hit the northeast Baalbek-Hermel region without warning. Lebanon's Health Ministry said Monday that 26 people were killed in southern Lebanon, four in the eastern Baalbek-Hermel province and one in Choueifat, a neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs that was not subjected to evacuation warnings on Monday. The deaths brought the total toll to 3,768 killed in Lebanon throughout 13 months of war between Israel and Hezbollah and nearly two months since Israel launched its ground invasion. Many of those killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah have been civilians, and health officials said some of the recovered bodies were so severely damaged that DNA testing would be required to confirm their identities. Israel claims to have killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Lebanon's Health Ministry says the war has displaced 1.2 million people. Destroyed buildings stand Monday in the area of a village in southern Lebanon as seen from northern Israel. Israeli ground forces invaded southern Lebanon in early October, meeting heavy resistance in a narrow strip of land along the border. The military previously exchanged attacks across the border with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group that began firing rockets into Israel the day after the war in Gaza began last year. Lebanese politicians have decried the ongoing airstrikes and said they are impeding ceasefire negotiations. The country's deputy parliament speaker accused Israel of ramping up its bombardment to pressure Lebanon to make concessions in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah. Elias Bousaab, an ally of the militant group, said Monday that the pressure has increased because "we are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire." Israeli officials voiced similar optimism Monday about prospects for a ceasefire. Mike Herzog, the country's ambassador to Washington, earlier in the day told Israeli Army Radio that several points had yet to be finalized. Though any deal would require agreement from the government, Herzog said Israel and Hezbollah were "close to a deal." "It can happen within days," he said. Israeli officials have said the sides are close to an agreement that would include withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and a pullback of Hezbollah fighters from the Israeli border. But several sticking points remain. A member of the Israeli security forces inspects an impact site Sunday after a rocket fired from Lebanon hit an area in Rinatya, outskirts of Tel Aviv, Israel. After previous hopes for a ceasefire were dashed, U.S. officials cautioned that negotiations were not yet complete and noted that there could be last-minute hitches that either delay or destroy an agreement. "Nothing is done until everything is done," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Monday. The proposal under discussion to end the fighting calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. The withdrawals would be accompanied by an influx of thousands more Lebanese army troops, who have been largely sidelined in the war, to patrol the border area along with an existing U.N. peacekeeping force. Western diplomats and Israeli officials said Israel demands the right to strike in Lebanon if it believes Hezbollah is violating the terms. The Lebanese government says such an arrangement would authorize violations of the country's sovereignty. There are many obstacles preventing shoppers from upholding eco-friendly habits as much as they may want to—but not all of these barriers are necessarily real, or accurately understood. Shopping sustainably simply isn't convenient or accessible for many. Those who live in apartment buildings are 50% less likely to recycle , according to Ipsos. Reasons for this can vary from lack of space to buildings being excluded altogether because of recycling contamination issues. Many believe that sustainable products are too expensive or of a lower quality. The former is often true, which does create a hurdle for many: The manufacturing processes and materials for sustainable products are pricey. For instance, organic cotton requires an intensive production process free of certain chemicals or pesticides; by definition, true eco-friendly products can't be mass-produced, further upping their price tag. Using recycled materials for packaging, or obtaining an eco certification, can also be expensive. However, although the narrative of eco-friendly products being more expensive is true, there is often more of an effort to use better quality materials that last longer than their noneco-friendly counterparts. This could end up saving consumers money in the long run: By paying more upfront, they can get more wear out of sustainable fashion, for instance. There is also undeniable political rhetoric surrounding eco-friendly products—however, despite many Conservative politicians decrying sustainable products, members of all generations are increasingly choosing to prioritize shopping sustainably regardless of their political affiliation, according to research from NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business . This finding shows a trend toward seeing sustainability as a nonpartisan subject everyone can benefit from, no matter where they lie on the political spectrum. Some might think eco-friendly clothing, in particular, is not fashion-forward; after all, many of the top clothing retailers in the world partake in fast fashion. However, brands are increasingly being recognized as 'cool' and 'trendy' for supporting environmentally ethical practices, particularly as younger generations prioritize sustainability, as noted before. Many increasingly popular online stores are taking advantage of this paradigm shift by offering secondhand shopping options that are not only fashionable, but also more affordable, like ThredUp or Poshmark. Additionally, many legacy large-name brands are hopping on the sustainability movement and are gaining appreciation from loyal customers. Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly program partners with third-party certification bodies to make it easier for shoppers to identify eco-friendly products as they browse the website. H&M's newly launched H&M Rewear program debuts a resale platform that allows the resale of all clothing brands—not just their own. Similarly, Patagonia's Worn Wear program allows shoppers to trade in and buy used gear and clothing. The federal government is also working to close this gap. The Environmental Protection Agency's Safer Choice program is attempting to make sustainable shopping easier for consumers and companies alike. It includes a directory of certified products, a list of safer chemicals to look out for on labels, a "Safer Choice" label that products can earn to denote they are eco-friendly, and resources for manufacturers looking to adopt more sustainable practices. Most of all, though, the biggest way shoppers can shift toward sustainable shopping is through their behaviors and attitudes amongst their peers and communities. Studies show that humans largely care what others think of their actions; the more shoppers make environmentally conscious shopping the norm, the more others will follow suit. From an economic perspective, the more consumers shop eco-friendly, the more affordable and accessible these products will become, too: Sustainable products are currently more expensive because they are not in high demand. Once demand rises, production rates and prices can lower, making these products more accessible for all. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. This story originally appeared on The RealReal and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. On paper, being more sustainable and eco-friendly while shopping sounds great—so why don't more people do it? There is growing consumer consciousness about the environmental impact of where people choose to shop and the sustainability of the products they buy. According to McKinsey, over 60% of individuals surveyed in 2020 said they would be willing to pay more for a product that is packaged in an eco-friendly way. Since 2019, products marketed as being environmentally sustainable have seen a 28% growth in revenue compared to 20% for products with no such marketing, a 2023 McKinsey and NielsenIQ report found. Much of this is thanks to the preferences and attitudes of Gen Z, who, on average, care more than their older counterparts about being informed shoppers. The younger generation also has more social justice and environmental awareness altogether. Shoppers are willing to spend around 9.7% more on a product they know is sourced or manufactured sustainably, with 46% saying they would do so explicitly because they want to reduce their environmental footprint, according to a 2024 PwC report. Sustainable practices consumers look for from companies include production methods, packaging, and water conservation. But despite the growing consciousness around being more environmentally responsible, consumer actions don't always align with their values. In psychology, this is defined as the "say-do gap": the phenomenon wherein people openly express concern and intention around an issue, but fail to take tangible action to make a change. According to the Harvard Business Review in 2019, most consumers (65%) say they want to buy from brands that promote sustainability, but only 1 in 4 follow through. So why don't people actually shop sustainably, despite how much they express a preference for eco-friendly products—and how can we close the gap? The RealReal examined reports from the Harvard Business Review and other sources to explore why some shoppers want to buy sustainably but struggle to follow through. This lack of action isn't due to a lack of caring—in many cases, it's hard to know how to be a sustainable consumer and other factors are often outside of shoppers' control. But the more people shop sustainably, the easier and more accessible that market will be for everyone—making it much easier for folks to buy aligned with their values. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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Biden says Assad's fall in Syria is a 'fundamental act of justice,' but 'a moment of risk'Published 5:23 pm Wednesday, November 27, 2024 By Staff Reports By Phill Casaus Special to the Democrat After half a century of journalism excellence, one of Natchez’s best Ollie Reed Jr. died Tuesday, Nov. 19, in New Mexico. He is survived by his sister Patricia Yost of Louisiana and brother Rick Reed of Alabama. Ollie Reed Jr. was a 1966 graduate of Cathedral High School, where he was active in Cathedral track, basketball and football. His classmate Charles Garrity remembers Ollie Reed Jr. as a “quiet, not outgoing but not shy gentleman who would do anything for anybody.” “I never thought of him going into journalism,” Garrity said. “He put others ahead of himself and he was a good Christian person. He lived out those Christian values all his life.” According to his brother Rick, they both worked at The Natchez Democrat. Rick Reed worked as an advertising artist when Ollie Reed Jr. began his Journalism career at his hometown newspaper in 1973. In 1976 he was lured to the Southwest by The Albuquerque Tribune, where through the years he served as a City Hall beat reporter, sports writer, theater critic, columnist, arts editor and we-need-a-great-story specialist until the afternoon daily closed in February 2008. Following The Trib’s demise, Reed was out of journalism for seven years until he hooked on with the Journal, where his work chronicled New Mexico’s dual personalities: the easily understood and the absolutely inexplicable. Ollie Reed Jr.’s writing was never so coarse. His work brought to mind an earthy elegance that was as illuminating and true as a north star in the New Mexico night. Reed, who covered the good, bad and beautiful in the state for more than 40 years and as recently as Sunday offered an incisive look into his own love of journalism, was found dead Tuesday at his home in Corrales. He was 76. He could’ve passed for 55. Those who knew Reed — and given the longevity of his career at two Albuquerque newspapers, that number is incalculable — were crushed by the news. Friends said he’d been ill in recent days but declined to visit a doctor. When he didn’t report for work Tuesday, a friend checked in on him and found his body. Journal assistant managing editor Donn Friedman, in a memo to staff sent out Tuesday by new executive editor Jay Newton-Small, said Reed “will be missed for his insight and his humor in both the written word and the spoken story. If there ever was a true cowboy poet of the newspaper heyday, it was Ollie Reed Jr.” “He was one of the finest feature writers this state has ever been blessed to have, and an incredibly nice man — a quality that shone through in every story he wrote,” longtime Journal sports writer Rick Wright wrote on Facebook. “He’ll be missed on so many levels.” His cheerful, earnest personality disarmed even the toughest of subjects, some who hated nosy reporters but loved the guy with the syrupy Mississippi Delta accent and trademark cowboy boots. The footwear was not an affectation: Reed loved the West, particularly the cowboy culture, and did some of his best writing on the subject. For many years at the Trib he penned “Trail Tales” — stories about a disappearing or, in many locales, never-known way of life. Reed could have reinforced one of the walls in his home with the state and regional award plaques he’d won through the years; he was a study in no-sweat newspaper versatility. Late in his career, he evocatively wrote about adventures taken with his brother Rick in places as varied as Mississippi and Montana. Though his features were a treat to read, he also covered some of New Mexico’s biggest stories. When the Cerro Grande Fire in 2000 nearly leveled the town of Los Alamos, he was there. More than two decades later, he was on the scene at the massive Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak blaze — interviewing survivors, writing about their lives, offering a 20/20 look into how disaster can change a future. His readers will miss his writing. But his friends said that pales in comparison to how much they’ll miss the man. “The thought of no longer hearing his laugh bounce off the newsroom walls is only softened by the fact that we were all so blessed to have him around while we did,” wrote the Journal’s Matthew Reisen. To most, he was a mononym — neither Ollie nor Reed but OllieReed. The very mention was a code word for civility. He mentored green reporters, interviewed wary sources and endured know-it-all editors with a kindness not universally found in newsrooms. “He is one of my dearest friends, but the thing is, everybody who knew him called him their dearest friend,” said Joline Gutierrez Krueger, a colleague of Reed’s at both the Journal and Tribune. “People in our orbit would come and go, but they would always keep in touch with Ollie. He was our touchstone.” Having seen so many changes in newspapers throughout his career — he preceded cellphones, computers, the internet — Reed took a keen interest in the evolution of the craft. He wrote about the thrill of reporting in Sunday’s Journal, looking back on the Watergate scandal that was revealed by two tough Washington Post staffers. And in 2023, spurred by an Albuquerque Museum exhibit about local journalism in the 1970s, he wrote about the business he entered and the one that now exists. “In 1974, confronted by truth uncovered by newspaper reporters, a U.S. president resigned from office,” Reed wrote. “Now, if people don’t like the truth as printed by newspapers, they go to the internet to find narratives better suited to their views. “The people who work for newspapers are as dedicated and hard working as they ever have been. There are fewer of us now. “But we’re still here because there is only one truth, and it’s our job to report it, to provide news for the people.” The style is unmistakable — clean, telling, genuine. Very OllieReed — a timeless original whose humanity said it all. Editor’s note: Phill Casaus is the former editor of The Albuquerque Tribune and worked with Reed for 11 years. He is currently the executive director of communications and engagement at Albuquerque Public Schools. Casaus also was a longtime staff writer and sports reporter for the Albuquerque Journal.

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“It can’t be bargained with. It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop.” That famous quote from is actually a pretty compelling ad for hiring a robot, if you’re the kind of person who’d hire a terminator. It also reminds us of a startup’s that suggests companies replace human workers with bots. ... is a San Francisco-based software startup that offers AI-powered business development representatives, which it calls “Artisans.” Many other companies also sell AI chatbots designed to help sales employees with their workflows, but Artisan deployed a marketing campaign across San Francisco with posters of Ava, one of its chatbot avatars, and lines like: “Stop hiring humans” “Artisans won’t complain about work-life balance” “Artisan’s Zoom cameras will never ‘not be working’ today” Many have mocked the billboards, that we could also replace partners and children with bots, while others have expressed anger. But is it working? Artisan CEO Jaspar Carmichael-Jack to that the ads are “somewhat dystopian, but so is AI” and claimed that they have increased brand awareness and sales leads. That doesn’t necessarily imply that more people are “hiring” Ava or that Artisan’s bots have or even could fully replace humans, despite not needing to do things like eat or sleep. What we do know is that people are increasingly worried about layoffs amid economic uncertainty and AI’s rise — and it’s not entirely unfounded: In April, there were ~65k layoffs in the US, of which were attributed to AI. Experts have said we’ll need social safety nets in place for people who lose their jobs due to AI, but we don’t have them yet. So this marketing campaign succeeded in that it sure has people talking, but we’ll see if that’s a good thing for Artisan.