7xm asia login registration

7xm asia login registration Kolkata, Dec 15 (PTI) IT industry veteran and Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy on Sunday emphasised the need for using advanced technologies, including Artificial intelligence (AI), in India, stating that technology is a "great leveller". Technology can help reduce the gap between the well-to-do and the not-so-well people, Murthy said while speaking at the centenary celebration of the Indian Chamber of Commerce here. Also Read | EVM Tampering Row: Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah Tells Congress To Accept Poll Results, Stop Whinging About Electronic Voting Machines. "Technology is about reducing cost. It's about increasing revenues and profitability. So technology has a lot of value. It also does something that most people don't realise. Technology is a great leveller. So we need technology in India if we want to reduce the gap between the well-to-do and the not-so-well. That's what financial inclusion has done," he said. "My personal view is there are areas where we cannot do without AI," Murthy said. Also Read | AAP vs BJP Flashpoint: Delhi High Court To Hear on December 16 Plea Against 'Suppression of CAG Reports' by CM Atishi. He said AI can be used in areas like automatic cars, precision operations, disease detection and hazardous operations in which human beings may be exposed to high risk. Murthy stressed the need for hard work and performance to earn respect for oneself and for the country. "I urge the youngsters to understand that we have a great responsibility to fulfil the pledge of our founding fathers (of the nation). We have greater responsibility as enunciated by scriptures. We have to show fairness and justice to create opportunities for the less fortunate one. That is why we have to work hard," he said. Murthy also asked entrepreneurs to embrace "compassionate capitalism" which is practising capitalism while combining it with the best aspect of liberalism and the best aspect of socialism. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)

Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president who inherited power in 2000 with promises of reform, only to brutally suppress his opponents in a war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, has been toppled in a lightning rebel advance. Assad fled Damascus as Islamist-led opposition forces entered the capital and put an end to more than half-a-century of his family’s rule. Assad and his family arrived in Moscow, where they were granted asylum by the Russian government, Russian state agency TASS reported Sunday. Once courted by European governments, Assad’s transformation from a potential Western ally to a ruler who responded ruthlessly to peaceful protests against his rule took many by surprise. From using chemical weapons against civilians to widespread torture, Assad faced grave accusations during the Syrian war, but managed to survive the unrest thanks to strong support from Moscow and Tehran. During his last days in power, Assad’s backers were unwilling or unable to support him in the face of a shock military advance Syrian rebels embarked on just about 10 days earlier. Unlikely ruler Bashar Hafez Al-Assad was born on Sept. 11, 1965, in Damascus, the third child and second son of Hafez al-Assad and Aniseh Makhlouf. The family’s roots were in the minority Alawite sect, a small part of the Shiite school of Islam. Assad’s father was an air force officer who helped lead the 1963 takeover of government by the socialist Baath Party before seizing power himself in a bloodless military coup in 1970. Assad grew up in the capital and graduated from medical school at Damascus University in 1988, according to his official biography. Fluent in English, he was getting advanced training as an ophthalmologist in London in 1994 when Bassel, his father’s first choice for president, died. Assad went back home to be groomed to lead Syria. Taking over the authoritarian government at age 34, the tall and soft-spoken Assad pledged to pursue a path of reform and economic liberalization. Youthful image Many Syrians, and Arab and Western leaders, were willing to give him a chance partly because he projected a youthful image willing to loosen the government’s grip. Assad crossed sectarian lines to marry Asma al-Akhras, a Sunni Muslim and the daughter of Syrian expatriates who grew up in Britain. They had two sons, Hafez, born in 2001, and Kareem, born in 2004, and a daughter, Zein, born in 2003. The couple’s populist touch contrasted with Hafez’s remote and austere approach. At home, Asma, a graduate of King’s College London who worked for New York-based JPMorgan Chase & Co. for three years, championed women’s rights and education. Abroad, the Assads were given red-carpet welcomes on official visits to Arab and European countries. In his first months as president in 2000, Assad ordered the release of 600 political prisoners, some of whom were members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist group. Assad said Syria needed constructive criticism, a radical notion at the time in a country that jailed political opponents. Intellectuals openly called for greater civil liberties and democratic reform. The first months of Assad’s rule were optimistically dubbed the Damascus Spring. Changing tone About a year into his presidency, however, the government snuffed out the pro-democracy movement, throwing its leaders in jail. Charges ranged from attempting to change the constitution to inciting sectarian conflicts. In 2005, opposition groups came together to issue a declaration demanding free parliamentary elections, a national conference on democracy and an end to emergency laws and other forms of political repression. Assad responded by imprisoning its leading signatories. Then began the street protests of early 2011 at the onset of the Arab Spring. Around that time, Arab heads of state in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen succumbed to uprisings that swept through North Africa and the Middle East. Assad’s violent reaction to the demonstrators escalated the conflict into a prolonged civil war and emboldened radical groups, including the Islamic State, or ISIS. Determined not to join the list of deposed Arab rulers, Assad opted to use brutal force including barrel bombs, torture and chemical weapons, to quash dissent, according to the U.S. and other Western nations. He benefited from the fact that the opposition was fragmented into hundreds of mainly Islamist groups, which the U.S. and its allies supported only warily. Former President Barack Obama and his successor, Donald Trump, ordered waves of airstrikes against Assad strongholds but had little appetite for deeper intervention. Chemical weapons In 2013, the U.S. blamed Assad for the death of more than 1,400 people near Damascus in an attack using the nerve agent sarin. The Assad government blamed the assault on Islamic extremists, but agreed to a U.S.-Russian plan for international monitors to take control of Syria’s chemical weapons. Meanwhile, Iran and Russia propped Assad up with money, personnel and weapons. A turning point in the war came in 2015, when Russia joined on Assad’s behalf and, along with Iranian forces, helped Assad halt the advance of opposition troops and begin to recapture territory. Forces loyal to Assad, with the help of Russia, Iran and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, had managed by 2020 to confine the territory held by militant groups to less than half of the country, replacing all-out war with sporadic fighting. In 2021, Assad secured a fourth term as president in an election that international observers considered neither free nor fair. The insurgent threat to Assad’s rule erupted again suddenly at the end of last month, starting with a surprise advance by opposition fighters on the city of Aleppo. The rebellion was led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former affiliate of al-Qaeda that’s designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and others. “Our goal is to liberate Syria from this oppressive regime,” Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the leader of the group also known as HTS, told the New York Times. He occasionally goes by his real name, Ahmed Al-Sharaa. During his last days in power, Assad ordered his army to fall back to defend Damascus, essentially ceding much of the country to the insurgents. His last-ditch attempts to remain in power included indirect diplomatic overtures to the U.S. and President-elect Trump. Iran and Hezbollah, which had reinforced the regime earlier in the civil war, were now significantly weakened by strikes carried out by Israel in its conflict with Iran. Assad’s downfall ultimately eliminates one of Iran’s main allies in the Middle East and represents a big blow to Tehran’s influence in the region. Many in neighboring Lebanon blamed Assad for his support of Hezbollah and alleged him of playing a role in the killing of top officials, including former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005. A displaced society More than 600,000 people had been killed in Syria’s civil war as of March 2024, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based group that closely monitors the conflict. More than half of the prewar population of 23 million had been displaced, either to other regions inside Syria or to other countries, according to the United Nations. That made it one of the gravest refugee crises since World War II. “Assad is the man who presided over the end of modern Syria,” said Paul Salem, president of the Washington-based Middle East Institute. “The ferocious attacks on the protesters forced it from a discussion about political reform into a shooting war, forcing people to pick up arms and giving advantage to the radicals who have vast experience in warfare,” he said. (With assistance from Dana Khraiche, Dan Williams, Mike Cohen, Chris Miller, Laurence Arnold and Donna Abu-Nasr.) ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Kash Patel, the Deep State and journalists

Sandra Murillo, with the Warranty and Service Department at EGS, works at her desk. Chuck Thompson | Sampson Independent New owners of EGS Cabinets make their mark on the custom world Morris Edge, former owner of EGS Cabinets, still puts some hours at the company now. Chuck Thompson | Sampson Independent Chuck Thompson | Sampson Independent ‘The Bus’ the new owners bought that delivered much needed supplies to the people of western North Carolina. Chuck Thompson | Sampson Independent EGS Cabinets was sold earlier this year, getting a new look, with the same quality service and knowledge. Pictured, from left, are owners, Tyler Baxter, Phillip Andrews, and General Manager Jack Gunnells. Courtesy photos EGS staffer Donnie Warren looks over information for a customer’s specs. Chuck Thompson | Sampson Independent Everything from animal food to diapers were delivered from Colorado, for people impacted by Hurricane Helene. Everything from animal food to diapers were delivered from Colorado, for people impacted by Hurricane Helene. Custom is a popular word in the cabinet world. For many, their kitchen, and other rooms or outside areas, define their style, comfort, and personality. EGS, Inc. is a retailer, installer and supplier of custom wood, plastic, and stone countertops, manufactured casework, servicing seven states, and located right here in Sampson County. It’s been in business for about 50 years, but now has transgressed into the current age, with a fresh look, experienced help, and a dedication to deliver exactly what every customer wants. EGS Cabinets is a top shelf custom service, in an age when personalizing and face-to-face service seem to be sliding away with the past. Earlier this year, when EGS was placed for sale, as the former owners made plans to slow down and retire, a group of young, enthusiastic entrepreneurs came calling – and one, literally, was called to join the team. Clinton native Jack Gunnells was working in a pharmacy when he received a call from his cousin, Phillip Andrews. “He called me one night and said, ‘hey man, here’s what I’m thinking about doing...’ and I said I think it’s a great idea,” Gunnells explained. “A day or so later he called me back and invited me to talk with Mr. Morris about the business.” So, that’s what they did. Gunnells, now general manager of operations, got on board with the new buyers, Tyler Baxter and Andrews, and talk edto Morris Edge about buying the business. Both Baxter and Andrews had full-time careers and couldn’t run the daily business, so Gunnells dropped everything, almost immediately, and stepped into the role of general manager. Baxter and Phillips put Gunnells in charge of daily operations, and Edge stayed on to provide expertise, and guide them along the way. In March of this year, EGS was under new ownership, and on its way to making waves in the cabinetry business. In the first month, they painted the outside of the building, created a new logo, and started spreading the word. “We wanted to rebrand it, but with the respected name,” Gunnells explained, noting it was just time to give it a new look to represent new owners, as businesses do when they change hands. “We needed a rebranding, and we rebranded everything.” And rebranding and remodeling is what they did, adding a conference room, moving the showroom to the front of the building, and designing a new layout of the office space area. With all the aesthetic changes they were making, they kept the same vendors, building new relationships with old businesses. “We immediately said, ‘hey we’re new and want to introduce ourselves and meet our vendors, so we can actually say that we know our vendors,’ and that means a lot to our customers,” Gunnells said. Trust and relationships with customers is what is the driving force behind EGS. Also transparency and an understanding that no job is too big or too small. “What we want to do, is to grow is locally,” added Gunnells. “There might be a perception that EGS Cabinets only does large projects, like apartment complexes, planned neighborhoods and townhomes, but we don’t — we do everything. Any home, any size. We just want everyone to know that they shouldn’t feel like just one new small cabinet, or one small countertop isn’t for us – it’s all for us. Again, we do everything – every size.” “Every cabinet is a custom cabinet,” he said. “I’m going to your house and measure your kitchen and get specks built for your needs; doesn’t matter how small.” Gunnells elaborated by adding that someone might want a cabinet 3 inches deep, 5 feet wide and a specific color. “It might not be built by us, but it’s custom fit by us, completely, installed by us and the care put into it is what we specialize in doing” He said there’s different levels of cabinet costs, from apartment grade, spec grade, existing home, and custom new built home, which they can accommodate for any size and shape and style home. These custom accommodations are made easier with technology, which is used to see what type of cabinets will fit into the existing space, based on what type of cabinets are picked by a customer. The cabinets and the footage area of each space is put into a 3-D computer rendition, thus allowing the customer to see it, and make any changes they see fit to the layout. Then the fabrication begins. They might not make the cabinets but they do custom fit them, which does happen at ESG. Fabrication involves cutting stone, granite marble quartz — all countertop material is cut to custom form on-site at EGS. Gunnells said they will let customers go pick out what they want from any local stone company and they will pick it up. Sometimes, Gunnells actually goes with customers to pick out stone, for the customer’s benefit, and for EGS’ customer satisfaction. Gunnells explained, “When it comes to special stone, sometimes there’s a dip in the stone and you have to decide if that’s something you can live with or keep looking, so picking out the right top is very important which we’re happy to do with customers, when possible” Reputation is important, especially being Sampson County locals, and Gunnells said that even though they have customers in seven states, it’s important to be here for their local customers. “We want to people to make sure that we serve the county, the people of Sampson County. There’s no job too small, or too big,” he said, “but if it’s something out of our wheelhouse, we will be honest and let you know.” Gunnells added, “The fact that all of us live in Clinton, it’s important to uphold a reputation because it’s very important to us that when people see us out and about around Clinton, or anywhere, we are standing behind our name and serve the people that we’re servicing to 100 percent.” And, in the nine months Baxter, Andrews, and Gunnells have been at the helm of EGS, they’ve already made a good name for themselves as people who care about others. A few months ago, the trio decided to purchase a 40-foot mobile showroom, to take it around, directly to customers. “If we have a client that calls and can’t get here due to health, or distance, we firmly believe in taking care of people,” explained Gunnells. “If you take care of your customer, they’ll be good to you.” Their care for the customer actually caused a chain reaction, of sorts, that brought even greater good to the people of western North Carolina. “When we bought this thing, we had no idea this would happen, but sometimes things happen – good things just by one decision,” Gunnells said, laughing in amazement. The company purchased a mobile truck and trailer to showcase their products from Corey and Carrie Messick, in Colorado. During this time, right before delivery, Hurricane Helene ravaged the southeast, devastating western North Carolina. The sellers of the mobile showcase called to arrange a delivery time. “Phillip (Andrews) and Tyler (Baxter) were in the mountains when the Meesicks called, and from that little phone call, the sellers of the truck decided to fill up the truck with donations” The Messicks had the idea to fill up “The Bus,” as the EGS team calls it, and bring much need supplies to the people in the mountains. The Messicks not only drove it from Grand Junction, Co, but they also brought his own closed-in trailer full of Bibles, money, generators, dog food cattle feed, baby formula, “whatever was needed I guarantee it was in there,” said Gunnells. “What an awesome thing. Truly awesome.” They’ve kept in touch with the Messicks to tell them what items went where, and also just to keep in touch because of their willingness to help. “That was a total act of kindness by the Messicks,” Gunnells reiterated. “What did they get out of it? They didn’t have to do that, but they did. Complete kindness on their behalf.” Now, Gunnells said they are looking towards the future, keeping in mind the kindness strangers showed to the people of western N.C. “Everyone is so important in this business, on an equal footing. The remodel of one kitchen is just as important as the developer of an apartment building,” Gunnells explained. He said it doesn’t matter if it’s only four cabinets or 40 apartments, Gunnells insists every customer is as equally as important as the other. “Anybody that needs cabinets we want to be there for them. I want people to know they can come to us and get a great product and perfect service,” he said.Scottie Scheffler ends dominant year with Hero World Challenge successHumacyte (NASDAQ:HUMA) Shares Up 6% – What’s Next?

Interchange Capital Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Amazon.com, Inc. ( NASDAQ:AMZN – Free Report ) by 3.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 24,778 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock after acquiring an additional 728 shares during the period. Amazon.com makes up about 1.6% of Interchange Capital Partners LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 9th biggest position. Interchange Capital Partners LLC’s holdings in Amazon.com were worth $4,618,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. PayPay Securities Corp lifted its stake in Amazon.com by 64.6% during the 2nd quarter. PayPay Securities Corp now owns 163 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 64 shares during the period. Hoese & Co LLP acquired a new stake in Amazon.com during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Bull Oak Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Amazon.com during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $45,000. Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc increased its holdings in shares of Amazon.com by 650.0% during the 2nd quarter. Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc now owns 300 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $58,000 after purchasing an additional 260 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Values First Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Amazon.com during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $56,000. 72.20% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Amazon.com Trading Up 2.9 % NASDAQ AMZN opened at $227.03 on Friday. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $197.39 and its two-hundred day moving average is $188.12. Amazon.com, Inc. has a 12 month low of $143.64 and a 12 month high of $227.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 1.09 and a quick ratio of 0.87. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.39 trillion, a P/E ratio of 48.61, a PEG ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 1.16. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Amazon.com news, CEO Douglas J. Herrington sold 3,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $210.00, for a total transaction of $735,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 524,567 shares in the company, valued at $110,159,070. This represents a 0.66 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . Also, Director Daniel P. Huttenlocher sold 1,237 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $199.06, for a total transaction of $246,237.22. Following the sale, the director now owns 24,912 shares in the company, valued at $4,958,982.72. This trade represents a 4.73 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders have sold 6,030,183 shares of company stock worth $1,252,883,795 over the last three months. Company insiders own 10.80% of the company’s stock. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Wedbush lifted their target price on shares of Amazon.com from $225.00 to $250.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $230.00 target price on shares of Amazon.com in a report on Monday, October 7th. Pivotal Research assumed coverage on shares of Amazon.com in a report on Friday, October 11th. They set a “buy” rating and a $260.00 target price for the company. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and set a $197.00 target price on shares of Amazon.com in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on shares of Amazon.com from $224.00 to $245.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, forty-one have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $236.20. Get Our Latest Analysis on Amazon.com Amazon.com Profile ( Free Report ) Amazon.com, Inc engages in the retail sale of consumer products, advertising, and subscriptions service through online and physical stores in North America and internationally. The company operates through three segments: North America, International, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). It also manufactures and sells electronic devices, including Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TVs, Echo, Ring, Blink, and eero; and develops and produces media content. Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Amazon.com 3 Grocery Stocks That Are Proving They Are Still Essential Fast-Growing Companies That Are Still Undervalued The 3 Best Fintech Stocks to Buy Now Top Cybersecurity Stock Picks for 2025 Why Are These Companies Considered Blue Chips? Archer or Joby: Which Aviation Company Might Rise Fastest? Receive News & Ratings for Amazon.com Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amazon.com and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Wall Street gets back to climbing, and the Nasdaq tops 20,000

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Has $613.24 Million Stock Position in JPMorgan BetaBuilders Emerging Markets Equity ETF (BATS:BBEM)Omg! FUTA's top graduate reveals strategies behind his outstanding academic success

Super Micro Computer Sank Amid Financial Reporting Troubles in Recent Months. Could the Stock Become the Biggest Recovery Story of 2025?

Biden says Assad's fall in Syria is a 'fundamental act of justice,' but 'a moment of risk'Zain offered latest 5G solutions for an innovative home experience

Ulster’s Harry Sheridan tries to block Antoine Dupont’s kick during the province’s defeat to Toulouse Quite a hefty dose of reality, wasn’t it? What was on view at Stade Ernest-Wallon were two sides playing the same game but in totally different ways. Frankly, more of the same could be coming our way on Saturday when Bordeaux-Begles hit town with what we expect to be their star-laden squad, Louis Bielle-Biarrey stepping up to somewhere near where we found the peerless Antoine Dupont last Sunday.

Kash Patel, the Deep State and journalists

New Zealand start-ups may be missing out on about $100 million in funding annually, according to the partner of an early stage fund who leads investments alongside entrepreneurs Sir Peter Beck and Sean Simpson. “I think we could absorb about another $100m a year in that sort of high-risk capital,” Outset Ventures partner Angus Blair told Markets with Madison at its deep technology hub in Auckland that’s home to 20 start-ups. “If we don’t have that, or worse yet, go backwards, and half the funds under management in the next few years, we’re not going to be maximising our chance to get really lucky and find the next Rocket Lab.” The venture capital fund he leads alongside Beck and Simpson was about to close its second raise, collecting at least $30m from investors, including high net worth individuals and family offices. Its last raise invested in four start-ups, including Wellington’s nuclear fusion start-up OpenStar Technologies.

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad fled to Moscow on Sunday, Russian media reported, hours after a stunning rebel advance took over the capital of Damascus and ended the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. The Russian agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source on Assad and his family being given asylum in Moscow, his longtime ally and protector. The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports but contacted the Kremlin for comment. RIA also said Moscow had received guarantees from Syrian insurgents of the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic posts in Syria. Assad reportedly left Syria early Sunday, and Syrians have been pouring into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. The swiftly moving events have raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. Russia has requested an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council discuss the situation in Syria, Russia’s first deputy permanent representative to the U.N., Dmitry Polyansky, posted on Telegram. Joyful crowds gathered in squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. Others gleefully ransacked the presidential palace and residence after Assad and other top officials vanished. Abu Mohammed al-Golani, a former al-Qaida commander who cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance, leads the biggest rebel faction and is poised to chart the country’s future. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the sprawling Umayyad Mosque and called Assad’s fall “a victory to the Islamic nation.” Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he told hundreds of people that Assad had made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and still split among armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in some remote areas. Syrian state television broadcast a rebel statement early Sunday saying Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been released. They called on people to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state.” The rebels later announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. The rebels said they freed people held at the notorious Saydnaya prison, where rights groups say thousands were tortured and killed. A video circulating online purported to show rebels breaking open cell doors and freeing dozens of female prisoners, many of whom appeared shocked. At least one small child was seen among them. “This happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where is he,” said one relative, Bassam Masr. “I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years.” Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi later appeared on state TV and sought to reassure Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities, saying: “Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects.” “We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did,” he added. Damascus residents prayed in mosques and celebrated in squares, calling, “God is great.” People chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. Teenage boys picked up weapons apparently discarded by security forces and fired into the air. Revelers filled Umayyad Square, where the Defense Ministry is located. Some waved the three-starred Syrian flag that predates the Assad government and was adopted by the revolutionaries. Elsewhere, many parts of the capital were empty and shops were closed. Soldiers and police left their posts and fled, and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Videos showed families wandering the presidential palace, some carrying stacks of plates and other household items. “It’s like a dream. I need someone to wake me up,” said opposition fighter Abu Laith, adding the rebels were welcomed in Damascus with “love.” At the Justice Ministry, where rebels stood guard, Judge Khitam Haddad said they were protecting documents from the chaos. Outside, some residents sought information about relatives who disappeared under Assad. The rebels “have felt the pain of the people,” said one woman, giving only her first name, Heba. She worried about possible revenge killings by the rebels, many of whom appeared to be underage. Syria’s al-Watan newspaper, which was historically pro-government, wrote: “We are facing a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood.” It added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements, saying it “only carried out the instructions.” A statement from the Alawite sect that has formed the core of Assad’s base called on young Syrians to be “calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country.” The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. In Qamishli in the northeast, a Kurdish man slapped a statue of the late leader Hafez Assad with his shoe. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video shared on Syrian opposition media showed armed men escorting him from his office and to the Four Seasons hotel on Sunday. Anwar Gargash said Assad’s destination at this point is a “footnote in history,” comparing it to the long exile of German Kaiser Wilhelm II after World War I. The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall within days as the Syrian army melted away. Russia, Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, which provided crucial support to Assad throughout the uprising, abandoned him as they reeled from other conflicts. The end of Assad’s rule was a major blow to Iran and its allies, already weakened by conflict with Israel. Iran, which had strongly backed him throughout the civil war, said Syrians should decide their future “without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention.” The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after apparently having been abandoned. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said Israeli troops had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying it was to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned positions. Israel’s military later warned residents of five southern Syria communities to stay home for their safety, and didn’t respond to questions. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied, and the Arab League on Sunday condemned what it called Israel’s efforts to take advantage of Assad’s downfall occupy more territory. The rebels are led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, which has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations. Al-Golani, has sought to recast the group as a moderate and tolerant force. “Golani has made history and sparked hope among millions of Syrians,” said Dareen Khalifa, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group. “But he and the rebels now face a formidable challenge ahead.” The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called Saturday for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday. They included Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Turkey. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need “to engage all parties on the ground,” including the HTS, and that the main concern is “stability and safe transition.” ___ Sewell reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue, Sarah El Deeb and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Samar Kassaballi, Omar Sanadiki and Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus; Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain; Josef Federman in Doha, Qatar; and Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem, contributed. To remove this article -‘Schoolboy’ Marc Cucurella in boots mishap after gifting Tottenham two goalsBOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 8, 2024-- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced longer-term data for CASGEVYTM (exagamglogene autotemcel) from global clinical trials in people with severe sickle cell disease (SCD) or transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT). CASGEVY is the first and only approved CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited therapy. The results, presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, continue to demonstrate the transformative, durable clinical benefits of CASGEVY. The longest follow up for both SCD and TDT patients now extends more than 5 years, with a median of 33.2 months and 38.1 months, respectively. “These comprehensive data provide additional evidence of the benefits of eradicating transfusion requirements for people with transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia and vaso-occlusive crises for those with sickle cell disease,” said Franco Locatelli, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Pediatrics at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Rome, Director of the Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Chair of Vertex’s TDT Program Steering Committee, and Presenting Author of the CASGEVY clinical data at ASH. “With median follow-up around three years there is strong evidence for the durability of these beneficial effects following treatment with CASGEVY.” “CASGEVY is changing the outlook for people living with sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia, with these data reinforcing the immense clinical value a durable one-time therapy can provide to patients,” said Carmen Bozic, M.D., Executive Vice President, Global Medicines Development and Medical Affairs, and Chief Medical Officer at Vertex. “We have a strong commitment to build on our progress in bringing CASGEVY to patients around the world.” New long-term follow-up data presented from the CASGEVY trials Vertex had seven abstracts accepted at the ASH annual meeting as outlined below: Progress in bringing CASGEVY to patients around the world CASGEVY is approved for both SCD and TDT in the U.S., the European Union, Great Britain, Canada, Switzerland, Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Vertex plans to make submissions in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. More than 45 authorized treatment centers have been activated globally to support the delivery of CASGEVY, and more than 40 patients have had a first cell collection. Vertex is continuing to work with reimbursement authorities to secure sustainable access for patients. Through this work, Vertex has agreements to provide CASGEVY in multiple countries, including the U.S., England (TDT), Austria, Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and continues to make strong progress in others, including positive Health Technology Assessments (HTAs) in Canada for both diseases and advancing access negotiations for SCD patients in England. In the U.S., Vertex recently secured an industry-first, voluntary agreement with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on a single outcomes-based arrangement available to all state Medicaid programs to ensure broad and equitable access to CASGEVY. To support this progress on patient access and growing patient demand, Vertex has received approval for a third manufacturing facility for CASGEVY with our partner Lonza. About Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) SCD is a debilitating, progressive and life-shortening disease. SCD patients report health-related quality of life scores well below the general population, and the lifetime health care costs in the U.S. of managing SCD for patients with recurrent VOCs is estimated between $4 and $6 million. SCD is an inherited blood disorder that affects the red blood cells, which are essential for carrying oxygen to all organs and tissues of the body. SCD causes severe pain, organ damage and shortened life span due to misshapen or “sickled” red blood cells. The clinical hallmark of SCD is VOCs, which are caused by blockages of blood vessels by sickled red blood cells and result in severe and debilitating pain that can happen anywhere in the body at any time. SCD requires a lifetime of treatment and results in a reduced life expectancy. In the U.S., the median age of death for patients living with SCD is approximately 45 years. A cure for SCD today is a stem cell transplant from a matched donor, but this option is only available to a small fraction of patients living with SCD because of the lack of available donors. About Transfusion-Dependent Beta Thalassemia (TDT) TDT is a serious, life-threatening genetic disease. TDT patients report health-related quality of life scores below the general population and the lifetime health care costs in the U.S. of managing TDT are estimated between $5 and $5.7 million. TDT requires frequent blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy throughout a person’s life. Due to anemia, patients living with TDT may experience fatigue and shortness of breath, and infants may develop failure to thrive, jaundice and feeding problems. Complications of TDT can also include an enlarged spleen, liver and/or heart, misshapen bones and delayed puberty. TDT requires lifelong treatment and significant use of health care resources, and ultimately results in reduced life expectancy, decreased quality of life and reduced lifetime earnings and productivity. In the U.S., the median age of death for patients living with TDT is 37 years. Stem cell transplant from a matched donor is a curative option but is only available to a small fraction of people living with TDT because of the lack of available donors. About CASGEVYTM (exagamglogene autotemcel [exa-cel]) CASGEVYTM is a non-viral, ex vivo CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited cell therapy for eligible patients with SCD or TDT, in which a patient’s own hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells are edited at the erythroid specific enhancer region of the BCL11A gene through a precise double-strand break. This edit results in the production of high levels of fetal hemoglobin (HbF; hemoglobin F) in red blood cells. HbF is the form of the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin that is naturally present during fetal development, which then switches to the adult form of hemoglobin after birth. CASGEVY has been shown to reduce or eliminate VOCs for patients with SCD and transfusion requirements for patients with TDT. CASGEVY is approved for eligible SCD and TDT patients 12 years and older by multiple regulatory bodies around the world. About the CLIMB Trials The ongoing Phase 1/2/3 open-label trials, CLIMB-111 and CLIMB-121, are designed to assess the safety and efficacy of a single dose of CASGEVY in patients ages 12 to 35 years with TDT or with SCD and recurrent VOCs. The trials are closed for enrollment. Patients will be followed for approximately two years after CASGEVY infusion in these trials. Each patient will be asked to participate in the ongoing long-term, open-label trial, CLIMB-131. CLIMB-131 is designed to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of CASGEVY in patients who received CASGEVY, including those in other CLIMB trials. The trial is designed to follow patients for up to 15 years after CASGEVY infusion. U.S. INDICATIONS AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR CASGEVY (exagamglogene autotemcel) WHAT IS CASGEVY? CASGEVY is a one-time therapy used to treat people aged 12 years and older with: • sickle cell disease (SCD) who have frequent vaso-occlusive crises or VOCs • beta thalassemia (β-thalassemia) who need regular blood transfusions CASGEVY is made specifically for each patient, using the patient’s own edited blood stem cells, and increases the production of a special type of hemoglobin called hemoglobin F (fetal hemoglobin or HbF). Having more HbF increases overall hemoglobin levels and has been shown to improve the production and function of red blood cells. This can eliminate VOCs in people with sickle cell disease and eliminate the need for regular blood transfusions in people with beta thalassemia. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about CASGEVY? After treatment with CASGEVY, you will have fewer blood cells for a while until CASGEVY takes hold (engrafts) into your bone marrow. This includes low levels of platelets (cells that usually help the blood to clot) and white blood cells (cells that usually fight infections). Your doctor will monitor this and give you treatment as required. The doctor will tell you when blood cell levels return to safe levels. You may experience side effects associated with other medicines administered as part of the treatment regimen for CASGEVY. Talk to your physician regarding those possible side effects. Your healthcare provider may give you other medicines to treat your side effects. How will I receive CASGEVY? Your healthcare provider will give you other medicines, including a conditioning medicine, as part of your treatment with CASGEVY. It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of all medicines involved in your treatment. After receiving the conditioning medicine, it may not be possible for you to become pregnant or father a child. You should discuss options for fertility preservation with your healthcare provider before treatment. STEP 1: Before CASGEVY treatment, a doctor will give you mobilization medicine(s). This medicine moves blood stem cells from your bone marrow into the blood stream. The blood stem cells are then collected in a machine that separates the different blood cells (this is called apheresis). This entire process may happen more than once. Each time, it can take up to one week. During this step rescue cells are also collected and stored at the hospital. These are your existing blood stem cells and are kept untreated just in case there is a problem in the treatment process. If CASGEVY cannot be given after the conditioning medicine, or if the modified blood stem cells do not take hold (engraft) in the body, these rescue cells will be given back to you. If you are given rescue cells, you will not have any treatment benefit from CASGEVY. STEP 2: After they are collected, your blood stem cells will be sent to the manufacturing site where they are used to make CASGEVY. It may take up to 6 months from the time your cells are collected to manufacture and test CASGEVY before it is sent back to your healthcare provider. STEP 3: Shortly before your stem cell transplant, your healthcare provider will give you a conditioning medicine for a few days in hospital. This will prepare you for treatment by clearing cells from the bone marrow, so they can be replaced with the modified cells in CASGEVY. After you are given this medicine, your blood cell levels will fall to very low levels. You will stay in the hospital for this step and remain in the hospital until after the infusion with CASGEVY. STEP 4: One or more vials of CASGEVY will be given into a vein (intravenous infusion) over a short period of time. After the CASGEVY infusion, you will stay in hospital so that your healthcare provider can closely monitor your recovery. This can take 4-6 weeks, but times can vary. Your healthcare provider will decide when you can go home. What should I avoid after receiving CASGEVY? What are the possible or reasonably likely side effects of CASGEVY? The most common side effects of CASGEVY include: Your healthcare provider will test your blood to check for low levels of blood cells (including platelets and white blood cells). Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms: These are not all the possible side effects of CASGEVY. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. General information about the safe and effective use of CASGEVY Talk to your healthcare provider about any health concerns. Please see full Prescribing Information including Patient Information for CASGEVY. About Vertex Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. The company has approved medicines that treat the underlying causes of multiple chronic, life-shortening genetic diseases — cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia — and continues to advance clinical and research programs in these diseases. Vertex also has a robust clinical pipeline of investigational therapies across a range of modalities in other serious diseases where it has deep insight into causal human biology, including acute and neuropathic pain, APOL1-mediated kidney disease, IgA nephropathy, primary membranous nephropathy, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, type 1 diabetes and myotonic dystrophy type 1. Vertex was founded in 1989 and has its global headquarters in Boston, with international headquarters in London. Additionally, the company has research and development sites and commercial offices in North America, Europe, Australia, Latin America and the Middle East. Vertex is consistently recognized as one of the industry's top places to work, including 15 consecutive years on Science magazine's Top Employers list and one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. For company updates and to learn more about Vertex's history of innovation, visit www.vrtx.com or follow us on LinkedIn , Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and X . (VRTX-GEN) Vertex Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, the statements by Franco Locatelli, M.D., Ph.D. and Carmen Bozic, M.D., in this press release, and statements regarding expectations for the anticipated transformative, durable clinical benefits of CASGEVY, plans to continue working with reimbursement authorities to secure sustainable access for patients, including our expectations for progress in Canada and England, and our plans for and design of the CLIMB studies. While we believe the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are accurate, these forward-looking statements represent the company's beliefs only as of the date of this press release and there are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, that eligible patient access to CASGEVY may not be achieved on the anticipated timeline, or at all, that data from the company's development programs may not support registration or further development of its compounds due to safety, efficacy, and other reasons, and other risks listed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Vertex's most recent annual report and subsequent quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov and available through the company's website at www.vrtx.com . You should not place undue reliance on these statements, or the scientific data presented. Vertex disclaims any obligation to update the information contained in this press release as new information becomes available. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241206536804/en/ CONTACT: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated Investors: InvestorInfo@vrtx.comMedia : mediainfo@vrtx.com or International: +44 20 3204 5275 or U.S.: 617-341-6992 or Heather Nichols: +1 617-839-3607 KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS EUROPE UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BIOTECHNOLOGY PHARMACEUTICAL HEALTH CLINICAL TRIALS SOURCE: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/08/2024 12:52 PM/DISC: 12/08/2024 12:50 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241206536804/enThe statement made by Union External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar on December 3, 2024 was his first substantive statement in Parliament on developments in India-China relations since the Chinese intrusions in Eastern Ladakh in the summer of 2020. His remarks offer clarity on some issues, but many questions remain unanswered. The Minister’s statement There are several takeaways from the Minister’s statement. First, the Minister recalled the amassing of troops by China, India’s forceful counter deployment, and protracted negotiations, resulting in a disengagement of forces. However, the statement is economical in giving details of the arrangements for disengagement from “friction points” (a recent and inapt coinage in India-China border negotiations to describe areas of Chinese transgressions across the Line of Actual Control, or LAC). Without using the term “buffer zones”, the Minister alluded to the construct when he remarked that in a few places where “friction” occurred in 2020, “steps of a temporary and limited nature were worked out, based on local conditions, to obviate the possibility of further friction”. He said, “This ... applies to both sides and can be revisited as the situation demands.” He flagged disengagement of troops as “an immediate priority”, but no such urgency has been attached to the termination of “steps of a temporary and limited nature”. Second, even while stating that the immediate priority of disengagement has been achieved, he made it clear that more work remains to be done on “de-escalation as well as effective management of our activities in the border areas”. He reiterated India’s consistent position that “the maintenance of peace and tranquility in border areas is a pre-requisite for the development of our ties”, a critical linkage China has sought to disavow in recent years. Mr. Jaishankar did not suggest that the border areas have returned to a state of normalcy. That cannot be the case when there is continued large-scale deployment of troops of both countries for the fifth consecutive winter season in forbidding terrain. Third, he did not suggest a major forward movement in overall relations, indicating instead that recent developments have set our ties in the direction of “some improvement” and adding that the conclusion of the disengagement phase “allows us to consider other aspects of our bilateral engagement in a calibrated manner, keeping our national security interests first and foremost”. The Minister has done well to pour cold water on the suggestion from certain quarters about a “reset” in India-China relations. It is naive to think of any major improvement in bilateral ties as long as the borders remain abnormal and a host of structural challenges in the relationship persist. It is intriguing that even some senior government functionaries are proposing integration with Chinese supply chains, disregarding the imperative of economic security vis-à-vis a country with a track-record of weaponising economic dependencies, which unfortunately abound in India’s engagement with China. Key questions The statement in Parliament leaves several core questions unanswered. First, while disengagement is pronounced as completed, India does not have any definitive information on the terms of this exercise. The statement mentions that the “resumption of patrolling to the traditional areas is underway” in Depsang and Demchok. Will this involve Indian troops getting unhindered access to five traditional patrolling points beyond Y-Junction in Depsang Plains? In Demchok, will they be able to resume patrolling to Charding La and Charding Nala – Nilung Nala (CNN) junction which they were visiting earlier? How deep on the Indian our side of the LAC will the Chinese patrols be allowed to come? There is talk of “coordinated patrolling”, which is a new and undefined concept in India-China border management. Will there be restrictions on the size and frequency of India’s patrols? What are “steps of a temporary and limited nature” agreed to elsewhere, in the Galwan Valley, Hot Spring, Gogra and the Pangong Lake area? How many of India’s traditional patrolling points are no longer accessible to its troops (and grazing grounds to Indians graziers) because of these “temporary steps”? These are legitimate questions awaiting answer. Second, the Minister has underlined that the Indian side “would not countenance any attempts to change the status quo unilaterally”. However, has not the status quo along the borders been changed by China since April 2020? In the absence of facts being shared in the public domain, we can only speculate. This writer’s discussions with retired senior military officials who have served in Eastern Ladakh suggest that there is denial of access to several traditional patrolling points under new arrangements. The statement referred to earlier governments having agreed to several steps to defuse situations, including offers to create demilitarised zones (DMZ), limited non-patrolling zones, and so on. The point to note is that the way India and China look at the LAC has changed. Under President Xi Jinping, China considers the LAC within the construct of sovereignty and the mindset of not losing an inch of territory, though the concept of the LAC was agreed to without prejudice to the respective positions of India and China on the boundary question. Unfortunately, this alteration of the LAC by China or through “temporary steps” has territorial implications for India. We will, therefore, be well-advised to terminate the so-called “buffer zones” at the earliest and keep insisting on the restoration of status quo ante in patrolling and grazing activities as a matter of high priority. Besides, there was no understanding on establishing a DMZ either in Barahoti or in Sumdorong Chu Valley as suggested elsewhere. This writer was the Indian lead in the Diplomatic and Military Experts Group which negotiated the disengagement in Sumdorong Chu Valley in 1995. We did not agree to any DMZ or restrictions on Indian patrolling. Earlier, on Barahoti, the two sides could not agree on the extent of the area where a DMZ was proposed by China in 1956. Third, there are reports in credible media outlets (including The Hindu) about Chinese troops being allowed to patrol Yangtse in Arunachal Pradesh. Earlier reports had cited “government sources” as saying that the Chinese demands for patrolling Yangtse were “unreasonable” and “devoid of logic”. Chinese troops have repeatedly attempted to access the Yangtse area but their efforts have been foiled by Indian forces, the last reported instance being in December 2022. If there is no quid pro quo in the Eastern Sector, it must be denied authoritatively. Fourth, the Chief of Army Staff has reiterated even after the announcement of the understanding on disengagement in Depsang and Demchok on October 21 that “we want to go back to status quo of April 2020”. However, the Ministry of External Affairs no longer refers to the restoration of the status quo ante. If we acquiesce in facts on the ground changed to the advantage of China, this will be another example of a successful deployment of the Chinese playbook of grey zone operations which involves making incremental gains while staying under the threshold of an outright military conflict. Bridge the political divide Greater transparency on the part of the government on the one hand and the need for the Opposition resisting the temptation to score points on a sensitive issue affecting our core interests on the other will leave us in a better place in India’s border negotiations with China. This writer recalls that after India had completed negotiations on the Agreement on Confidence Building Measures in the Military Field (November 1996) and the Agreement on the Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question (April 2005), he was instructed to brief key Opposition leaders in confidence. Not only was the confidence thus reposed not breached by those leaders, but they also appreciated the government’s gesture, understood the rationale of those sensitive agreements and supported them after they were signed. Can we make an honest attempt to pivot towards a broad consensus on India’s China challenge, even while leaving room for articulation of differences? Ashok K. Kantha is a former Ambassador of India to China, now associated with think-tanks Published - December 09, 2024 12:16 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit India / China / India-China / diplomacy / unrest, conflicts and war / ministers (government) / government / Parliament proceedings / political parties / armed Forces / economy (general) / Ladakh / Arunachal Pradesh

The hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's elusive killer yields new evidence, but few answers

Everyone wants a place to call home, and a group of parents who have adult daughters with special needs is fundraising in hopes of unlocking the door to a future for their aging children. Peterborough resident Jane Bischoff, founder and chairperson of Our Daughters’ Home, has banded together with others who have the common goal of purchasing a home that their seven daughters can make their own. But they need the community’s support to help make it happen. This holiday season, Our Daughters’ Home is inviting the community to help create a safe and supportive future for women with developmental disabilities by donating to the cause. In partnership with Habitat For Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region, Our Daughters’ Home is appealing for support as it is working to fund a duplex to be built on Sophia Street in Peterborough’s East City, scheduled for completion in December 2025. “Our hope for the campaign is to reduce the mortgage for the girls,” Bischoff told kawarthaNOW. “The home will cost approximately $1 million to build and we’d like to try and raise as much money as we can towards that purchase price. We don’t want to leave our daughters with a huge mortgage when we are gone.” Our Daughters’ Home was formed in July 2023 by a group of parents and the non-profit organization is dedicated to building permanent, inclusive housing for their seven adult daughters, who are currently either living at home with their parents or in group homes. “Our daughters are aging, and so are we,” Bischoff said in a media release. “There are no appropriate public housing options for them, so we’re taking action to ensure their futures are secure. This is more than a home — it’s about giving them safety, independence, and a chance to thrive.” Once the duplex is built and the seven girls have moved in, the parents envision them living there happily with 24/7 staff. Some women have higher needs than others, Bischoff noted. Her own daughter Jenny is diagnosed with moderate autism. “My vision is for my daughter to always be social because she loves to interact with people,” Bischoff said. “If I keeled over the day after she moved in, I could rest assured that Jenny would be taken care of for the rest of her life, without worrying about relatives stepping up to the plate.” Bischoff, a 67-year-old nutritionist, hopes to still be actively involved with Jenny when the move is completed. She expects she would still like to take her daughter out maybe weekly, whatever works best for them. “As for the rest of the girls in Ontario whose parents are in the same boat as I am, I would like to provide a template or contact network of some sort so that no parent ever has to worry about what will happen to their daughter as they get older,” Bischoff said. “It’s a terrible feeling to think that you have nowhere to turn to. Someone told me the wait time to get into a mixed group home is 20 to 30 years. We don’t have time for that.” The need for a safe and supportive living environment for the seven women is urgent, according to Our Daughters’ Home. Women with developmental disabilities are at least five times more likely to experience sexual assault than those without disabilities. Those living in mixed-group or institutionalized settings face even greater risks, often at the hands of caregivers or others in positions of trust. “These statistics highlight the critical importance of creating safe, community-integrated housing like Our Daughters’ Home, where residents are protected and supported,” the group said. To make a donation and receive a tax receipt, visit habitatpeterborough.ca/donate/ and designate the gift to go to the “Our Daughters’ Home – Sophia Street Build” fund. If a tax receipt isn’t required, e-transfers can be directly sent to Our Daughters’ Home at ourdaughtershome@gmail.com . Once their vision comes to life, Bischoff said, “I’m sure all the parents will be there (at their daughters’ new home) on a regular basis, and there will be guilt for a while at having done this. But it will be peace of mind for myself, for Jenny, and the rest of my family. This is the legacy that I hope to leave.” For more information about Our Daughters’ Home, visit www.ourdaughtershome.ca .FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he is appointing one of his defense attorneys in the New York hush money case as counselor to the president. Alina Habba, 40, defended Trump earlier this year, also serving as his legal spokesperson. Habba has been spending time with the president-elect since the election at his Florida club Mar-a-Lago. “She has been unwavering in her loyalty and unmatched in her resolve — standing with me through numerous ‘trials,’ battles and countless days in Court," Trump posted on his social network Truth Social. “Few understand the Weaponization of the ‘Injustice’ System better than Alina.” Trump became the first former American president to be convicted of felony crimes when a New York jury in May found him guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. In Trump's first term, the position of counselor was held by Republican strategist Kellyanne Conway. Habba has Iraqi ancestry and is Chaldean, which is Iraq’s largest Christian denomination and one of the Catholic Church’s Eastern rites. Get the latest breaking news as it happens. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . Habba frequently accompanied Trump on the campaign trail and was one of the speakers at the late October rally in New York's Madison Square Garden. On Sunday, Trump also announced he is bringing back former staffer Michael Anton to serve as director of policy planning at the State Department. Anton served as the National Security Council spokesman from 2017 to 2018. Trump said he also will be appointing Michael Needham, a former chief of staff for Sen. Marco Rubio, as counselor of the State Department. The Florida senator was chosen by Trump to be his next secretary of state.