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Flag football scours nation with talent camps to uncover next wave of starsFrom Adanna Nnamani, Abuja Former Group Managing Directors (GMDs) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) have defended the ongoing overhaul of the Port Harcourt Refinery, dismissing criticisms as misguided. During an inspection of the refinery as part of the Former NNPC GCEOs Forum in Port Harcourt, the former leaders praised the efforts of the current management team, led by Mr. Mele Kyari, calling the rehabilitation a “magical” achievement. Dr. Jackson Gaius-Obaseki, who served as GMD from 1999 to 2003, spoke on behalf of the group, explaining that many critics failed to grasp the scope of the work undertaken. He clarified that the overhaul was not a routine Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) but a comprehensive rehabilitation, modernising the 1965-built facility into a state-of-the-art plant by 2024 standards. The former GMDs noted that the refinery’s modernisation was a monumental task that involved significant technological upgrades and infrastructure improvements. They also addressed concerns over petrol pricing, reiterating that pump prices are largely influenced by fluctuating crude oil prices and urging the public to better understand the complexities of the oil market. “Some of those who criticise do not understand the extent of the work carried out. They mistake it for the usual Turnaround Maintenance. This is a complete rehabilitation—transforming a plant built in 1965 into a modern one in 2024. We appreciate the effort,” Dr. Obaseki stated. On petroleum pricing, he emphasised that petrol pump prices are influenced by crude oil prices and called for public understanding. He hailed the achievement as a testament to courage and dedication, urging the GCEO, Mr. Mele Kyari, to remain focused on delivering value to Nigerians. Other former GMDs present at the meeting included Chamberlain Oyibo, Funsho Kupolokun, and Andrew Yakubu, who collectively lauded the success of the project.Salesforce drops Agentforce 2.0, brings reasoning AI to enterprise
Syrian insurgents said early Sunday they had entered Damascus, capping a stunning advance across the country, as residents of the capital reported sounds of gunfire and explosions. There was no immediate official statement from the Syrian government. The pro-government Sham FM radio reported that Damascus airport was evacuated and all flights halted. The insurgents also announced they had entered the notorious Saydnaya military prison north of the capital and “liberated our prisoners” there. The night before, opposition forces had taken the central city of Homs, Syria's third largest, as government forces abandoned it. The government denied rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs represented a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus, the capital, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Homs without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies withdrew from the city, adding that rebels entered parts of it. The insurgency announced later Saturday that it had taken over Homs. The city's capture was a major victory for the rebels, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama, as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said rebel control of Homs would be a game-changer. Syrian opposition fighters ride along the streets in the aftermath of the opposition's takeover of Hama, Syria, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed) The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. Should Damascus fall to the opposition forces, the government would have control of only two of 14 provincial capitals: Latakia and Tartus. The advances in the past week were by far the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The rapid rebel gains, coupled with the lack of support from Assad's erstwhile allies, posed the most serious threat to his rule since the start of the war. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called Saturday for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad's chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people.” In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad's status Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he was performing his duties in Damascus. A boy steps over pictures of Syrian President Bashar Assad and his late father, Hafez Assad, right, Salamiyah, east of Hama, Syria, Saturday Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed) He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia is busy with its war in Ukraine. Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad's forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Separately, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser said the Biden administration had no intention of intervening there. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation of a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015 and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. In a statement, the participants affirmed their support for a political solution to the Syrian crisis “that would lead to the end of military activity and protect civilians.” They also agreed on the importance of strengthening international efforts to increase aid to the Syrian people. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. Residents leave the city carrying their belongings in the aftermath of the opposition's takeover of Hama, Syria, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed) The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama, the country’s fourth-largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra, including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists." The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. Syrian opposition fighters drive past a damaged government vehicle south of Hama, Syria, on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed) The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. __ Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria; Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad; Josef Federman and Victoria Eastwood in Doha, Qatar; and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington contributed to this report.
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Arkansas WR Andrew Armstrong declares for NFL draft, skipping bowlAnna Prezio, a 73-year-old California mother of three, shares her love for Italian cooking with the world as "That Lady Anna" on social media. Here she cooks gnocchi. John Tinniswood, who had a brief stint as the world's verified oldest man, died on Monday at the age of 112, his family told media in the United Kingdom. Tinniswood spent his final years in a care home in Southport, England, according to the Guinness World Records website. His cause of death was not reported. "His last day was surrounded by music and love," a family statement said, which included thanks to the people who cared for him during the 13 years he spent in a care home. WEDDING MISHAP AS COUPLE FORCED TO ORDER FISH-AND-CHIP DINNERS FOR 110 GUESTS AFTER CATERER BAILS Born on Aug. 26, 1912, in Liverpool, Tinniswood could not pinpoint any particular reason he had outlived so many other people. "It’s pure luck. You either live long or you live short, and you can't do much about it," he told the publication at the time he was crowned the world's oldest man. John Alfred Tinniswood poses for a photo on April 4, 2024, after being crowned the "Oldest Living Man" by Guinness World Records. (Guinness World Records via AP) Additionally, Tinniswood was the world's oldest surviving male World War II veteran . Tinniswood assumed the title of "Oldest Living Man" on April 3, 2024, following the death of Venezuela's Juan Vicente Pérez on April 2 at the age of 114 years and 311 days, according to Guinness World Records. While other centenarians have credited various foods or drinks for their longevity – 105-year-old Brit Kathleen Hennings said a daily pint of Guinness beer kept her going – Tinniswood had no such thing. PIZZA PRETZELS ARE A 'CROWD FAVORITE' AND FUN TWIST ON A CLASSIC SNACK "I eat what they give me and so does everybody else," he told Guinness World Records in April. "I don't have a special diet." He did, however, eat a classic British meal every Friday, according to Guinness World Records: fish and chips. Tinniswood enjoyed a meal of fish and chips every Friday before his death on Monday at the age of 112. (iStock) Other than his Friday treat, Tinniswood stuck to moderation in all aspects of his life. He did not smoke and rarely drank , according to Guinness World Records. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER "If you drink too much or you eat too much or you walk too much — if you do too much of anything, you're going to suffer eventually," Tinniswood said. On his 112th birthday in August, Tinniswood again told Guinness World Records that he could not explain just why he had lived for so long. Tinniswood was born in Liverpool. He is survived by a daughter, Susan, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. (iStock) "I can't think of any special secrets I have. I was quite active as a youngster; I did a lot of walking. But to me, I'm no different [to anyone]. No different at all," he said. Tinniswood was predeceased by his wife, Blodwen, to whom he was married until her death in 1986, according to Guinness World Records. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP He is survived by a daughter, Susan, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle Guinness World Records did not yet name the new holder of the record for oldest living man. Christine Rousselle is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital.How fighter frustrations brought back the old UFC gloves
Canadian freestyle ski star Mikael Kingsbury seeks to extend record
By Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald (TNS) MIAMI — As her students finished their online exam, Arlet Lara got up to make a cafe con leche . Her 16-year-old son found her on the kitchen floor. First, he called Dad in a panic. Then 911. “I had a stroke and my life made a 180-degree turn,” Lara told the Miami Herald, recalling the medical scare she experienced in May 2020 in the early months of the COVID pandemic. “The stroke affected my left side of the body,” the North Miami woman and former high school math teacher said. Lara, an avid runner and gym goer, couldn’t even walk. “It was hard,” the 50-year-old mom said. After years of rehabilitation therapy and a foot surgery, Lara can walk again. But she still struggles with moving. This summer, she became the first patient in South Florida to get an implant of a new and only FDA-approved nerve stimulation device designed to help ischemic stroke survivors regain movement in their arms and hands. This first procedure was at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Lara’s rehab was at at the Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, part of a partnership between Jackson Health System and UHealth. Every year, thousands in the United States have a stroke , with one occurring every 40 seconds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of strokes are ischemic, often caused by blood clots that obstruct blood flow to the brain. For survivors, most of whom are left with some level of disability, the Vivistim Paired VNS System, the device implanted in Lara’s chest, could be a game changer in recovery, said Dr. Robert Starke, a UHealth neurosurgeon and interventional neuroradiologist. He also serves as co-director of endovascular neurosurgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital, part of Miami-Dade’s public hospital system. The Vivistim Paired VNS System is a small pacemaker-like device implanted in the upper chest and neck area. Patients can go home the same day. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the stroke rehabilitation system in 2021 to be used alongside post-ischemic stroke rehabilitation therapy to treat moderate to severe mobility issues in hands and arms. Lara’s occupational therapist can activate the device during rehabilitation sessions to electrically stimulate the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain down to the abdomen and regulates various parts of the body’s nervous system. The electrical stimulation rewires the brain to improve a stroke survivor’s ability to move their arms and hands. Lara also has a magnet she can use to activate the device when she wants to practice at home. Her therapy consists of repetitive tasks, including coloring, pinching cubes and grabbing and releasing cylindrical shapes. After several weeks of rehabilitation therapy with the device, Lara has seen improvement. “Little by little, I’m noticing that my hand is getting stronger. I am already able to brush my teeth with the left hand,” she told the Miami Herald in September. Since then, Lara has finished the initial six-week Vivitism therapy program, and is continuing to use the device in her rehabilitation therapy. She continues to improve and can now eat better with her left hand and can brush her hair with less difficulty, according to her occupational therapist, Neil Batungbakal. Lara learned about the device through an online group for stroke survivors and contacted the company to inquire. She then connected them with her Jackson medical team. Now a year later, the device is available to Jackson patients. So far, four patients have received the implant at Jackson. Starke sees the device as an opportunity to help bring survivors one step closer to regaining full mobility. Strokes are a leading cause of disability worldwide. While most stroke survivors can usually recover some function through treatment and rehabilitation, they tend to hit a “major plateau” after the first six months of recovery, he said. Vivistim, when paired with rehabilitation therapy, could change that. Jackson Health said results of a clinical trial published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet in 2021 showed that the device, “when paired with high-repetition, task-specific occupational or physical therapy, helps generate two to three times more hand and arm function for stroke survivors than rehabilitation therapy alone.” The device has even shown to benefit patients 20 years from their original stroke, according to Starke. “So now a lot of these patients that had strokes 10-15 years ago that thought that they would never be able to use their arm in any sort of real functional way are now able to have a real meaningful function, which is pretty tremendous,” Starke said. Vivistim’s vagus-nerve stimulation technology was developed by researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas’ Texas Biomedical Device Center and is being sold commercially by Austin-based MicroTransponder, a company started by university graduates. Similar devices are used to treat epilepsy and depression . For Lara, the device is a new tool to help her recovery journey. “Everything becomes a challenge so we are working with small things every day because I want to get back as many functions as possible,” Lara said. Patients interested in Vivistim should speak with their doctor to check their eligibility. The FDA said patients should make sure to discuss any prior medical history, including concurrent forms of brain stimulation, current diathermy treatment, previous brain surgery, depression, respiratory diseases and disorders such as asthma, and cardiac abnormalities. “Adverse events included but were not limited to dysphonia (difficulty speaking), bruising, falling, general hoarseness, general pain, hoarseness after surgery, low mood, muscle pain, fracture, headache, rash, dizziness, throat irritation, urinary tract infection and fatigue,” the FDA said. MicroTransponder says the device is “covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance with prior authorization on a case-by-case basis.” To learn more about the device, visit vivistim.com. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Live updates from District 3 football championship games: Exeter, Wyomissing go titles tonightArizona junior tight end Keyan Burnett is entering the transfer portal, he announced on his social media accounts Saturday afternoon. Burnett will enter the transfer portal after three seasons at Arizona. Burnett entered the portal in January after the UA hired head coach Brent Brennan, but withdrew his name. Burnett signed with Arizona as a four-star prospect in 2022 out of Servite High School in Anaheim, California. The 6-6, 248-pound Burnett was one of four Servite players to sign with Arizona in '22, along with wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, quarterback Noah Fifita and linebacker Jacob Manu. Burnett is the son of former Arizona linebacker and "Desert Swarm" member Chester Burnett, who was a Second-Team All-Pac-10 selection in 1996. Arizona tight end Keyan Burnett (88) looks up field for room to run after making a catch over the middle against Texas Tech in the third quarter. The younger Burnett played his first two seasons behind Tanner McLachlan, who was Arizona's most productive tight end since Rob Gronkowski. After McLachlan went on to play in the NFL, Burnett had a productive spring and fall training camp and appeared due for a breakout junior season, but injuries hindered Burnett throughout the season. In eight games this season, Burnett had a career-high 18 catches for 217 yards and a touchdown. His only touchdown as a Wildcat was the 35-yard dagger score in Arizona's upset win over 10th-ranked Utah in Salt Lake City. Burnett joins offensive lineman Wendell Moe, quarterback Brayden Dorman, tight end Dorian Thomas, running back Rayshon Luke, wide receiver AJ Jones and running back Brandon Johnson as players entering the transfer portal. The transfer portal officially opens on Monday. Contact Justin Spears, the Star's Arizona football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com . On X(Twitter): @JustinESports Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sports Reporter
