#jiliko
2025-01-10
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NEW YORK — Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, is rolling back its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, joining a list of major corporations that have been under pressure by conservative activists. The company confirmed on Monday to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. That would include chest binders intended for youth who are going through a gender change, the company said. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer will also be reviewing grants to Pride events to make sure it is not financially supporting sexualized content targeting kids. For example, the company wants to makes sure a family pavilion is not next to a drag show at a Pride event, the company said. Walmart will also no longer consider race and gender as a way to increase diversity when it offers supplier contracts. The company said it didn't have quotas and will not do so going forward. It will stop collecting demographic data when determining financing eligibility for those grants. “We’ve been on a journey and know we aren’t perfect, but every decision comes from a place of wanting to foster a sense of belonging, to open doors to opportunities for all our associates, customers and suppliers and to be a Walmart for everyone,” the company said in a statement. Stay in the know on jobs, retail and all things business across Long Island. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . Walmart confirmed the changes after conservative political commentator and anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck posted on X that he was in touch with the retailer about a story he was doing about “wokeness” and he said he ended up having "productive conversations” with Walmart. "This is the biggest win yet for our movement to end wokeness in corporate America," wrote Starbuck, who has gone after companies including Deere & Co., Lowe's, Tractor Supply and Boeing.STEVE FLOWERS: Alabama is one big front porch
HUNDREDS of people have staged a demonstration in Dublin in “utter solidarity” with Nikita Hand, who won a civil case against MMA fighter Conor McGregor. Ms Hand, who accused Mr McGregor of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her claim against him for damages in a civil case at the High Court in the Irish capital on Friday. She was described as “incredibly brave” and celebrated for “standing up for survivors” of assault by those who attended the demonstration in Dublin. Mr McGregor has said in social media posts that he intends to appeal against the decision. Monday’s protest march was organised by the socialist feminist movement group Rosa to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Participants chanted “stand with Nikita” and “no more fear, no more shaming – we reject your victim blaming” as they carried signs and banners through the capital’s streets. The demonstration was bookended by speeches from attendees including organisers Ruth Coppinger , a councillor and general election candidate for People Before Profit in Dublin West, and Natasha O’Brien , who became a national figure in activism on violence against women after a soldier received a suspended sentence for assaulting her. Ms Coppinger told the crowd that Ms Hand , who she characterised as “an incredibly brave woman”, was watching live video of the event remotely. She said Ms Hand was not attending personally as she needed time to recover after the civil case. She said the “overwhelming support of the Irish public is definitely with Nikita”. On a cold night in Dublin, Ms O’Brien was cheered as she told those gathered that she was “in awe” of Ms Hand’s courage. She said Ireland let out a collective “sigh of relief” after the jury in the civil case found in favour of Ms Hand in her case against Mr McGregor. “But, for me – it was a split second because in came all these questions flooding in: Why did Nikita have to fight alone?” She added: “This really hits home for me, it is like a kick in the guts.” She said she had cried “so many tears” over the weeks of the trial. Ms O’Brien said Ms Hand had refused to be ignored. Mr McGregor had faced an accusation that he “brutally raped and battered” Ms Hand at a hotel in south Dublin in December 2018. The Irish sports star previously told the court he had consensual sex with Ms Hand in a penthouse at the Beacon Hotel. Ms Hand was taken in an ambulance to the Rotunda Hospital the following day where she was assessed in the sexual assault treatment unit (SATU). A paramedic who examined Ms Hand the day after the assault had told the court she had not seen “someone so bruised” in a long time. Ms Hand broke down several times as she gave evidence for almost three days and sought a number of breaks. The jury had been told Ms Hand had to leave her job as a hairdresser and has not been able to work since, because of her mental health, that her relationship with her partner ended months after the incident, she had to move out of her home in Drimnagh, and her mortgage is now in arrears. After eight days of evidence and three days listening to closing speeches and the judge’s charge, the jury of eight women and four men spent six hours and 10 minutes deliberating before returning their verdict. The total amount of damages awarded to Ms Hand by the jury was €248,603.60. Speaking outside court on Friday, Ms Hand said she hoped her case would remind victims of assault to keep “pushing forward for justice”. She added: “I hope my story is a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be, speak up, you have a voice and keep on fighting for justice.”The latest episodes focus on the importance of mental health resources for the next generation of collegiate athletes ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics will record the finale of the third season of its "Transparent Conversations" podcast this week in Louisville as the NCAA crowns this year's women's volleyball champion. "Transparent Conversations" is aimed at sharing powerful conversations about the unique mental health issues facing today's student-athletes. The season finale, which is set to tape during the NCAA women's volleyball championship this week in Louisville , will focus on building stronger support for student-athletes' mental health. In this episode, LG takes a closer look at how we can better support the mental health of student-athletes. From schools to home to online and everywhere in between, we'll explore practical ways to create a caring, connected community that helps them thrive. Social media has played a significant role in amplifying the visibility of women's sports, allowing athletes and teams to build personal brands, reach larger audiences and inspire new generations of fans. However, navigating social media is often challenging for athletes due to the pressure to maintain a positive image, increased scrutiny and frequent exposure to criticism and harassment. This constant connectivity and potential for negative feedback have been linked to heightened mental health struggles, making it a double-edged sword for many athletes – especially in the new world of name, image and likeness (NIL). That's why, says podcast host Taylor Rooks , it's important we create safe spaces where athletes feel comfortable talking about their challenges. "Open and honest communication is the key," she said. "Being able to discuss the issues that weigh heavily on your mind is crucial, especially for these athletes who are juggling the pressures of sports, academics, family relationships and friendships. The addition of NIL is yet another layer." Rooks will welcome Victoria Garrick Browne , a USC alum and volleyball player who's gone on to play semi-pro volleyball and has become an advocate for mental health and positive body image. She shares her insights and stories via her podcast "The Hidden Opponent" and on stage at TED Talks. Joining her will be Eric Gross , a mental health therapist at the University of Louisville , who provides therapy, group and team meetings, as well as education to the coaches and staff. The final episode of "Transparent Conversations" will tape from the floor of this year's NCAA Women's Volleyball finals on Sunday, Dec. 22 and will be available in mid-January wherever you get your podcasts. The most recent episodes have tackled topics such as the importance of resilience, overcoming setbacks and balancing the entrepreneurial nature of NIL contracts and have been recorded at Rutgers University , The Ohio State University and the University of Tennessee . These episodes and others are live on Spotify and Apple Podcasts . To learn more about LG's partnership with the NCAA or listen to the "Transparent Conversations" podcast, visit www.lg.com/ncaa and www.lg.com/us/transparent-conversations. About LG Electronics USA LG Electronics USA , Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. , is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $60-billion -plus global innovator in technology and manufacturing. In the United States , LG sells a wide range of innovative home appliances, home entertainment products, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and vehicle components. LG is an 11-time ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year. www.LG.com . Media Contacts: LG Electronics USA Chris De Maria christopher.demaria@lge.com 908-548-4515 Kristi Hubert Kristi.hubert@LG-One.com 630-995-5444 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/championing-mental-health-for-ncaa-student-athletes-lg-electronics-concludes-3rd-season-of-transparent-conversations-podcast-302334207.html SOURCE LG Electronics USA
How Labour's new green drive will cost you £32,000: JEFF PRESTRIDGE's guide to protect YOUR cash from the eco-zealotsWaltham, Mass., Dec. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nano Dimension Ltd. (Nasdaq: NNDM) (“Nano” or the “Company”), a supplier of Additive Manufacturing solutions, today announced changes in the composition of its Board of Directors (the “Board”). Nano’s Board currently consists of four members: Messrs. Ofir Baharav, Robert Pons, Dr. Joshua Rosensweig and Kenneth Traub. Mr. Baharav has been appointed as Chairman of the Board. Dr. Joshua Rosensweig will serve as the Chairman of the Company’s Audit Committee and Mr. Robert Pons will serve as the Chairman of the Company’s Compensation Committee. In light of the previously announced results of the Company’s 2024 annual general meeting of shareholders, dated December 6, 2024 (the "AGM") and the previously announced ruling of the Israeli central region district court in Lod, dated November 21, 2024 (the "Court Ruling") regarding Nano’s extraordinary general meeting of shareholders held on March 20, 2023 (the “EGM”), Dr. Yoav Nissan-Cohen, Messrs. Eitan Ben-Eliahu, Oded Gera, Roni Kleinfeld, Chris Moran and Mrs. Georgette Mosbacher have resigned from the Board, effective immediately. Messrs. Baharav and Pons were elected to the Board following the AGM results and replaced the seats formerly occupied by Messrs. Yoav Stern and Michael X. Garrett. Messrs. Rosensweig and Traub were elected to the Board at the EGM, but since the Company had contested the legality of the EGM, they joined the Board immediately after the Court Ruling, which determined, among other matters, that the EGM was duly held and the vote that elected them to the Board was consequently valid. The Board commented that: “As a newly reconstituted Board, we are committed to strong corporate governance and executing plans to maximize long-term value for shareholders.” Biographies Ofir Baharav Mr. Baharav is a seasoned senior executive with a career spanning more than two decades in product development for the technology and 3D printing sector. In his various executive roles, he has focused on M&A, operational improvements, corporate governance and enhancing shareholder value. Mr. Baharav previously served as Chairman of the Board from 2019 to 2021 and as a director in the Company from 2015 to 2021. Prior to Nano, from 2014 to 2015, Mr. Baharav was the VP of Product Management of Stratasys Ltd.. In 1999, Mr. Baharav founded RelayHealth Corporation and served as their Chief Executive Officer until it was acquired by McKesson Corp. in 2006. Mr. Baharav currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Maxify Solutions, Inc., which he founded in 2022 to acquire the assets of Breezer Holdings LLC and SimiGon Inc.. Robert (Bob) Pons Mr. Pons has over four decades of experience as a Chief Executive Officer and senior executive in high growth companies. He brings significant corporate governance expertise, having served on the boards of more than sixteen publicly traded companies. Mr. Pons previously served as the President and the Chief Executive Officer of Spartan Advisors, Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in telecom and technology companies. Prior to that, Mr. Pons served as the Executive Vice President of PTGi-ICS, a wholly owned subsidiary of HC2 Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded holding company operating subsidiaries in infrastructure, telecom, construction, energy, technology, gaming and life sciences. Pons’ public board experience includes roles as Executive Chairman of SeaChange International, Inc. as well as Director at CCUR Holdings, Inc., Alaska Communications, Inc., Inseego Corp. and MRV Communications, Inc.. Dr. Joshua Rosensweig Dr. Rosensweig has over four decades of experience as a legal professional, with significant experience in corporate governance and enhancing shareholder value as an executive and director at Israel-based public companies. Dr. Rosensweig is the founder and senior partner of Rosensweig & Co., a boutique law firm based in Tel Aviv. Between 2012 and 2013, Dr. Rosensweig was head of the tax department at Agmon & Co., and from 1999 until 2005, he served as a senior partner at Gornitzky & Co., where he led the international transactions and taxation practices. Since 2017, Dr. Rosensweig has been serving as a member of the board of directors of Israel Corporation. Previously, Dr. Rosensweig served on the board of directors of Bezeq Israel Telecommunication Corp. from 2010 until 2018. Additionally, Rosensweig served on the board of Alrov Properties and Lodgings Ltd. from 2010 until 2018 and has held leadership positions as Chairman of the board of directors of First International Bank of Israel from 2003 until 2006 and of Poalim IBI in 2013. Kenneth H. Traub Mr. Traub is a visionary and transformational corporate leader with a successful track record of building sustainable shareholder value. Mr. Traub has over 30 years of experience as a Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, director and active investor with a demonstrated record of accomplishment in driving strategic, financial, operational and governance improvements. Mr. Traub currently serves as the Executive Chairman of Comtech Telecommunications Corp, non-executive Chairman of Edgio, Inc, and Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee of the board of directors of Tidewater, Inc. Mr. Traub also served as the Managing Partner of Delta Value Advisors, a strategic consulting and investment advisory firm specializing in corporate governance and turnarounds, since 2019. Mr. Traub previously served as an independent director on the board of directors of numerous public companies, including DSP Group, Inc., an Israeli based manufacturer of multimedia chipsets for converged communications; MRV Communications, Inc., a telecommunications company with principal manufacturing facilities in Israel; Vitesse Semiconductor, Inc., a fabless semiconductor developer; Xyratex Ltd, a data storage company; MIPS Technologies, Inc., a semiconductor technology company; Intermolecular, Inc., a semiconductor materials supplier; and Phoenix Technologies, Inc., a leading supplier of firmware for computers, among others. Mr. Traub received the NACD Directorship Certification, which is awarded to directors who meet the highest standards of corporate governance according to the National Association of Corporate Directors. Mr. Traub received a BA from Emory College in 1983 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1988. About Nano Dimension Ltd. Nano Dimension (Nasdaq: NNDM) offers a variety of Digital Manufacturing technologies serving customers across vertical target markets such as aerospace and defense, advanced automotive, high-tech industrial, specialty medical technology, R&D and academia. With its suite of digital manufacturing technologies, Nano Dimension is enabling its customers with prototyping and high-mix-low-volume production, along with IP security, design-for-manufacturing capabilities, and more sustainable means of fabrication. For more information, please visit https://www.nano-di.com/ Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For example, Nano is using forward-looking statements in this press release when it discusses executing plans to maximize long-term value for shareholders. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding Nano’s future growth, strategic plan and value to shareholders, and all other statements other than statements of historical fact that address activities, events or developments that Nano intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Such statements are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions made based on information currently available to management. When used in this communication, the words “outlook,” “guidance,” “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “should,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” “intends,” “projects,” “could,” “would,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “plan,” “target,” or the negative of these words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company’s actual results and performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, we caution you that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions, estimates and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on the current expectations of Nano, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Further, actual results, performance, or achievements of Nano could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this communication. The forward-looking statements contained or implied in this communication are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Nano’s annual report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 21, 2024, and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, Nano undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this communication. Nano is not responsible for the contents of third-party websites. Nano Dimension Contacts Investor: Julien Lederman, VP Corporate Development ir@nano-di.com Media: Kal Goldberg / Bryan Locke / Kelsey Markovich | NanoDimension@fgsglobal.comBello's 20 lead Purdue Fort Wayne past Drexel 87-81Stock market today: Nasdaq hits a record as Wall Street drifts ahead of Federal Reserve's meeting
Nikki Kaye, former MP for Auckland Central died after a long battle with cancer. Kaye, 44, was a former deputy leader of the National Party and served as a Minister in John Key’s Government. She revealed in September 2016 that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and returned to work the following year. Kaye announced in July 2020 that she was leaving politics at that year’s general election. Former National Party Minister Nikki Kaye has died at age 44. It’s understood she died at the weekend after a long battle with cancer. She was diagnosed with cancer in 2016. Her former colleague, Maggie Barry, posted on Facebook a short time ago a picture of the pair with the caption “farewell my friend”. Friends told NZME she was in great health up until a few months ago, when her health went downhill very suddenly. A funeral notice would be shared by family tomorrow. STORY CONTINUES AFTER LIVEBLOG STORY CONTINUES Former National Party leader Todd Muller said he will miss her dearly. “A beautiful soul with a deeply caring heart fueled by a ferocious energy to serve her party, community and country often at the expense of her own health. “I will miss her dearly. Rest in peace Nikki” A beautiful soul with a deeply caring heart fueled by a ferocious energy to serve her party, community and country often at the expense of her own health. I will miss her dearly. Rest in peace Nikki Another colleague, Judith Collins, a Government Minister, said Kaye died “far too young and far too early”. I am so sorry to hear this. Far too young and far too early. RIP Nikki. Former National Party Minister Nikki Kaye has died https://t.co/mpDtJ3PjlH Kaye served as an MP for the Auckland Central electorate from 2008, when she entered Parliament at age 28, until 2020. In two races for the Auckland Central seat, she beat Jacinda Ardern. She had to fight for her seat in every election. Auckland Central is seen as one of the most marginal seats in the country, courtesy of the ever-changing population of students and apartment dwellers. In January 2013, she was appointed to Cabinet by Prime Minister John Key with the portfolios of Food Safety, Civil Defence, and Youth Affairs, and Associate Minister of Education and Immigration. In September 2016 she took sick leave from the House for breast cancer treatment. She returned to Parliament in early 2017, resuming full duties. She served as Deputy Leader of the National Party and Deputy Leader of the Opposition from May 2020 to July 2020. After retiring from parliament in 2020, Kaye spent time at former Prime Minister John Key’s holiday home in Maui. She told the Herald’s senior political correspondent Audrey Young a year later she had travelled to San Francisco and London and spent time on Great Barrier Island. She had joined the board of AUT Ventures, the commercial arm of the Auckland University of Technology. She did some work for the OECD and the Government of Bahrain, presenting to a virtual conference around 21st century education systems. She visited technology companies in California and friends in Britain before getting a ballot spot to return to MIQ. All up she spent five months overseas, before setting up her base on Great Barrier Island. Kaye was also wanting to make a contribution in the field of digital education in New Zealand and the United States and got herself a three-year visa to do so. She was also committed to helping breast cancer charities. Kaye was also a keen sportswoman. In 2020, she completed the Coast to Coast – a 243km running, cycling and kayaking race from Kumara’s Serpentine Beach to Christchurch’s New Brighton Beach. Speaking to Women’s Weekly in 2022, Kaye spoke candidly about her desire to find balance and time to look after herself. ”There’s this thing burning in me that loves to help people. There are always people who need help and if you’re someone who cares a lot, like I do, then you can never shut off,” she said at the time. ‘One of the bravest Parliamentarians NZ has seen’ The Prime Minister and Finance Minister have paid tribute to Nikki Kaye, described as a “cherished colleague, friend, and former Minister, Deputy Leader and Member of Parliament for Auckland Central”. Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister and National Party leader, said her contribution “to our party, her community, and New Zealand has left an indelible mark”. “Her tireless dedication, sharp intellect, and tenacity earned her the respect of people across the political spectrum,” Luxon said. ”Nikki was a remarkable person and a crusader for what she believed in, and her contribution has left our country in a better place.” - More to come Share this article Copy Link Email Facebook Twitter/X LinkedIn RedditTracing fentanyl’s path into the US starts at this port. It doesn’t end there.
FAIRFIELD, Conn. (AP) — Nyle Ralph-Beyer's 20 points helped Sacred Heart defeat Division III-member Manhattanville 100-60 on Sunday. Ralph-Beyer also had five rebounds for the Pioneers (5-8, 1-1 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). Anquan Hill scored 18 points and added seven rebounds. Griffin Barrouk had 16 points and went 5 of 8 from the field (4 for 7 from 3-point range). Andrew Saint-Louis led the Valiants in scoring, finishing with 26 points. John Ranaghan added 10 points for Manhattanville. Don Mays Jr. also had eight points. Sacred Heart hosts Canisius in its next matchup on Sunday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
A ceasefire deal that could end more than a year of cross-border fighting between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group has won the backing of Israeli leaders, raising hopes and renewing difficult questions in a region gripped by conflict. Hezbollah leaders also signalled tentative backing for the US-brokered deal, which offers both sides an off-ramp from hostilities that have driven more than 1.2 million Lebanese and 50,000 Israelis from their homes. An intense bombing campaign by Israel has killed more than 3,700 people, many of them civilians, Lebanese officials say. But while the deal, set to take effect early Wednesday, could significantly calm the tensions that have inflamed the region, it does little directly to resolve the much deadlier war that has raged in Gaza since the Hamas attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that killed 1,200 people. Hezbollah, which began firing scores of rockets into Israel the following day in support of Hamas, has previously said it would keep fighting until there was a stop to the fighting in Gaza. Here’s what to know about the tentative ceasefire agreement and its potential implications: The agreement reportedly calls for a 60-day halt in fighting that would see Israeli troops retreat to their side of the border while requiring Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swathe of southern Lebanon. Us President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that the deal is set to take effect at 4am local time on Wednesday. Under the deal, thousands of Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers are to deploy to the region south of the Litani River. An international panel lead by the US would monitor compliance by all sides. Mr Biden said the deal “was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Israel has demanded the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations. Lebanese officials have rejected writing that into the proposal. Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, insisted on Tuesday that the military would strike Hezbollah if the UN peacekeeping force, known as Unifil, does not provide “effective enforcement” of the deal. A Hezbollah leader said the group’s support for the deal hinged on clarity that Israel would not renew its attacks. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Qatari satellite news network Al Jazeera. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state” of Lebanon, he said. The European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said on Tuesday that Israel’s security concerns had been addressed in the deal also brokered by France. After months of cross-border bombings, Israel can claim major victories, including the killing of Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah, most of his senior commanders and the destruction of extensive militant infrastructure. A complex attack in September involving the explosion of hundreds of walkie-talkies and pagers used by Hezbollah was widely attributed to Israel, signalling a remarkable penetration of the militant group. The damage inflicted on Hezbollah has come not only in its ranks, but to the reputation it built by fighting Israel to a stalemate in the 2006 war. Still, its fighters managed to put up heavy resistance on the ground, slowing Israel’s advance while continuing to fire scores of rockets, missiles and drones across the border each day. The ceasefire offers relief to both sides, giving Israel’s overstretched army a break and allowing Hezbollah leaders to tout the group’s effectiveness in holding their ground despite Israel’s massive advantage in weaponry. But the group is likely to face a reckoning, with many Lebanese accusing it of tying their country’s fate to Gaza’s at the service of key ally Iran, inflicting great damage on a Lebanese economy that was already in a grave condition. Until now, Hezbollah has insisted that it would only halt its attacks on Israel when it agreed to stop fighting in Gaza. Some in the region are likely to view a deal between the Lebanon-based group and Israel as a capitulation. In Gaza, where officials say the war has killed more than 44,000 Palestinians, Israel’s attacks have inflicted a heavy toll on Hamas, including the killing of the group’s top leaders. But Hamas fighters continue to hold scores of Israeli hostages, giving the militant group a bargaining chip if indirect ceasefire negotiations resume. Hamas is likely to continue to demand a lasting truce and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in any such deal. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas offered a pointed reminder on Tuesday of the intractability of the war, demanding urgent international intervention. “The only way to halt the dangerous escalation we are witnessing in the region, and maintain regional and international stability, security and peace, is to resolve the question of Palestine,” he said in a speech to the UN read by his ambassador.Hezbollah leaders also signalled tentative backing for the US-brokered deal, which offers both sides an off-ramp from hostilities that have driven more than 1.2 million Lebanese and 50,000 Israelis from their homes. An intense bombing campaign by Israel has killed more than 3,700 people, many of them civilians, Lebanese officials say. But while the deal, set to take effect early Wednesday, could significantly calm the tensions that have inflamed the region, it does little directly to resolve the much deadlier war that has raged in Gaza since the Hamas attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that killed 1,200 people. Hezbollah, which began firing scores of rockets into Israel the following day in support of Hamas, has previously said it would keep fighting until there was a stop to the fighting in Gaza. Here’s what to know about the tentative ceasefire agreement and its potential implications: – The terms of the deal The agreement reportedly calls for a 60-day halt in fighting that would see Israeli troops retreat to their side of the border while requiring Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swathe of southern Lebanon. Us President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that the deal is set to take effect at 4am local time on Wednesday. Under the deal, thousands of Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers are to deploy to the region south of the Litani River. An international panel lead by the US would monitor compliance by all sides. Mr Biden said the deal “was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Israel has demanded the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations. Lebanese officials have rejected writing that into the proposal. Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, insisted on Tuesday that the military would strike Hezbollah if the UN peacekeeping force, known as Unifil, does not provide “effective enforcement” of the deal. – Lingering uncertainty A Hezbollah leader said the group’s support for the deal hinged on clarity that Israel would not renew its attacks. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Qatari satellite news network Al Jazeera. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state” of Lebanon, he said. The European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said on Tuesday that Israel’s security concerns had been addressed in the deal also brokered by France. – Where the fighting has left both sides After months of cross-border bombings, Israel can claim major victories, including the killing of Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah, most of his senior commanders and the destruction of extensive militant infrastructure. A complex attack in September involving the explosion of hundreds of walkie-talkies and pagers used by Hezbollah was widely attributed to Israel, signalling a remarkable penetration of the militant group. The damage inflicted on Hezbollah has come not only in its ranks, but to the reputation it built by fighting Israel to a stalemate in the 2006 war. Still, its fighters managed to put up heavy resistance on the ground, slowing Israel’s advance while continuing to fire scores of rockets, missiles and drones across the border each day. The ceasefire offers relief to both sides, giving Israel’s overstretched army a break and allowing Hezbollah leaders to tout the group’s effectiveness in holding their ground despite Israel’s massive advantage in weaponry. But the group is likely to face a reckoning, with many Lebanese accusing it of tying their country’s fate to Gaza’s at the service of key ally Iran, inflicting great damage on a Lebanese economy that was already in a grave condition. – No answers for Gaza Until now, Hezbollah has insisted that it would only halt its attacks on Israel when it agreed to stop fighting in Gaza. Some in the region are likely to view a deal between the Lebanon-based group and Israel as a capitulation. In Gaza, where officials say the war has killed more than 44,000 Palestinians, Israel’s attacks have inflicted a heavy toll on Hamas, including the killing of the group’s top leaders. But Hamas fighters continue to hold scores of Israeli hostages, giving the militant group a bargaining chip if indirect ceasefire negotiations resume. Hamas is likely to continue to demand a lasting truce and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in any such deal. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas offered a pointed reminder on Tuesday of the intractability of the war, demanding urgent international intervention. “The only way to halt the dangerous escalation we are witnessing in the region, and maintain regional and international stability, security and peace, is to resolve the question of Palestine,” he said in a speech to the UN read by his ambassador.
East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr., a potential first-round pick, declared for the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday. Revel, who sustained a torn left ACL in practice in September, had one season of eligibility remaining. "After an incredible journey at East Carolina, I am officially declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft," the senior posted on social media. "... Pirates nation, thank you for your unwavering energy and support every game. Representing ECU is an honor, and I look forward to continuing to do so on Sundays!" Revel recorded two interceptions in three games this season, returning one 50 yards for a touchdown on Sept. 14 against Appalachian State. Over three seasons with the Pirates, Revel had three interceptions, 15 passes defensed and 70 tackles in 24 games. He was a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection last season. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Revel as the No. 2 cornerback and No. 23 overall prospect in the 2025 draft class. --Field Level MediaWhat We Know About Luigi Mangione: Suspected CEO Shooter Charged With First-Degree Murder
NFL history made as Malik Nabers and Brock Bowers help 2024 NFL Draft class do what no group have done beforeBy Mead Gruver and Amy Beth Hanson, The Associated Press A judge on Monday rejected a request to block a San Jose State women’s volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she is transgender. Monday’s ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player, who has played all season, to compete in the Mountain West Conference women’s championship opening this week in Las Vegas. The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by nine current players against the Mountain West Conference challenging the league’s policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans woman volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not commented publicly on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player. Crews' ruling referred to the athlete as an “alleged transgender” player and noted that no defendant disputed that the San Jose State roster includes a transgender woman player. San Jose State will “continue to support its student-athletes and reject discrimination in all forms,” the university said in a statement, confirming that all its student-athletes are eligible to participate under NCAA and conference rules. “We are gratified that the Court rejected an eleventh-hour attempt to change those rules. Our team looks forward to competing in the Mountain West volleyball tournament this week.” The conference did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The players filed a notice for emergency appeal with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Crews said the players who filed the complaint could have sought relief much earlier, noting the individual universities had acknowledged that not playing their games against San Jose State this season would result in a loss in league standings. He also refused a request to re-seed the tournament without the forfeited losses. The judge said injunctions are meant to preserve the status quo. The conference policy regarding forfeiting for refusing to play against a team with a transgender player had been in effect since 2022 and the San Jose State player has been on the roster since 2022 -– making that the status quo. The player competed at the college level three previous seasons, including two for San Jose State, drawing little attention. This season’s awareness of her reported identity led to an uproar among some players, pundits, parents and politicians in a major election year. Crews' ruling also said injunctions are meant to prevent harm, but in this case, he argued, the harm has already occurred. The games have been forfeited, the tournament has been seeded, the teams have made travel plans and the participants have confirmed they’re playing. The tournament starts Wednesday and continues Friday and Saturday. Colorado State is seeded first and San Jose State, second. The teams split their regular-season matches and both get byes into Friday’s semifinals. The conference tournament winner gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. San Jose State coach Todd Kress, whose team has not competed in the national tournament since 2001, has said his team has been getting “messages of hate” and that has taken a toll on his players. Several teams refused to play against San Jose State during the season, earning losses in the official conference standings. Boise State and Wyoming each had two forfeits while Utah State and Nevada both had one. Southern Utah, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, was first to cancel against San Jose State this year. Nevada’s players stated they “refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes,” without elaborating. Nevada did not qualify for the conference tournament. The nine current players and others now suing the Mountain West Conference, the California State University Board of Trustees and others include San Jose State senior setter and co-captain Brooke Slusser. The teammate Slusser says is transgender hits the volleyball with more force than others on the team, raising fear during practices of suffering concussions from a head hit, the complaint says. The Independent Council on Women’s Sports is funding a separate lawsuit against the NCAA for allowing transgender women to compete in women’s sports. Both lawsuits claim the landmark 1972 federal antidiscrimination law known as Title IX prohibits transgender women in women’s sports. Title IX prohibits sexual discrimination in federally funded education; Slusser is a plaintiff in both lawsuits. Several circuit courts have used a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to conclude that discriminating against someone based on their transgender status or sexual orientation is sex-based discrimination, Crews wrote. That means case law does not prove the “likelihood of success” needed to grant an injunction. An NCAA policy that subjects transgender participation to the rules of sports governing bodies took effect this academic year. USA Volleyball says a trans woman must suppress testosterone for 12 months before competing. The NCAA has not flagged any issues with San Jose State. The Republican governors of Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming have made public statements in support of the team cancellations, citing fairness in women’s sports. President-elect Donald Trump likewise has spoken out against allowing transgender women to compete in women’s sports. Crews was a magistrate judge in Colorado’s U.S. District Court for more than five years before President Joe Biden appointed him as a federal judge in January. Gruver reported from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Hanson from Helena, Montana. More in Nation-World News Iconic guitar maker trying to put a stop to Trump-themed offering Dow hits another record as stocks continue to rise This American corporation is cutting 2,000 employees five days before Christmas
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ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died. He was 100 years old . The Carter Center said the 39th president died Sunday afternoon, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died in November 2023, lived most of their lives. The center said he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others. “To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility,” Biden said in a statement. “He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.” Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. A moderate Democrat, Carter ran for president in 1976 as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad grin, effusive Baptist faith and technocratic plans for efficient government. His promise to never deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter said. Carter’s victory over Republican Gerald Ford, whose fortunes fell after pardoning Nixon, came amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over race, women’s rights and America’s role in the world. His achievements included brokering Mideast peace by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David for 13 days in 1978. But his coalition splintered under double-digit inflation and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His negotiations ultimately brought all the hostages home alive, but in a final insult, Iran didn’t release them until the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, who had trounced him in the 1980 election. Humbled and back home in Georgia, Carter said his faith demanded that he keep doing whatever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. He and Rosalynn co-founded The Carter Center in 1982 and spent the next 40 years traveling the world as peacemakers, human rights advocates and champions of democracy and public health. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter helped ease nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiate cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, the center had monitored at least 113 elections around the world. Carter was determined to eradicate guinea worm infections as one of many health initiatives. Swinging hammers into their 90s, the Carters built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The common observation that he was better as an ex-president rankled Carter. His allies were pleased that he lived long enough to see biographers and historians revisit his presidency and declare it more impactful than many understood at the time. Propelled in 1976 by voters in Iowa and then across the South, Carter ran a no-frills campaign. Americans were captivated by the earnest engineer, and while an election-year Playboy interview drew snickers when he said he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times,” voters tired of political cynicism found it endearing. The first family set an informal tone in the White House, carrying their own luggage, trying to silence the Marine Band’s traditional “Hail to the Chief" and enrolling daughter, Amy, in public schools. Carter was lampooned for wearing a cardigan and urging Americans to turn down their thermostats. But Carter set the stage for an economic revival and sharply reduced America's dependence on foreign oil by deregulating the energy industry along with airlines, trains and trucking. He established the departments of Energy and Education, appointed record numbers of women and nonwhites to federal posts, preserved millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness and pardoned most Vietnam draft evaders. Emphasizing human rights , he ended most support for military dictators and took on bribery by multinational corporations by signing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He persuaded the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties and normalized relations with China, an outgrowth of Nixon’s outreach to Beijing. But crippling turns in foreign affairs took their toll. When OPEC hiked crude prices, making drivers line up for gasoline as inflation spiked to 11%, Carter tried to encourage Americans to overcome “a crisis of confidence.” Many voters lost confidence in Carter instead after the infamous address that media dubbed his “malaise" speech, even though he never used that word. After Carter reluctantly agreed to admit the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979. Negotiations to quickly free the hostages broke down, and then eight Americans died when a top-secret military rescue attempt failed. Carter also had to reverse course on the SALT II nuclear arms treaty after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Though historians would later credit Carter's diplomatic efforts for hastening the end of the Cold war, Republicans labeled his soft power weak. Reagan’s “make America great again” appeals resonated, and he beat Carter in all but six states. Born Oct. 1, 1924, James Earl Carter Jr. married fellow Plains native Rosalynn Smith in 1946, the year he graduated from the Naval Academy. He brought his young family back to Plains after his father died, abandoning his Navy career, and they soon turned their ambitions to politics . Carter reached the state Senate in 1962. After rural white and Black voters elected him governor in 1970, he drew national attention by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Carter published more than 30 books and remained influential as his center turned its democracy advocacy onto U.S. politics, monitoring an audit of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. After a 2015 cancer diagnosis, Carter said he felt “perfectly at ease with whatever comes.” “I’ve had a wonderful life,” he said. “I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Sanz is a former Associated Press reporter.
The Wide Angle: Contentment is a couch and catsIsrael has agreed to a ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon that will take effect at 4 a.m. Wednesday. Moments after U.S. President Joe Biden announced the ceasefire deal , which Israel's Cabinet approved late Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike slammed into the Lebanese capital. Residents of Beirut and its southern suburbs have endured the most intense day of Israeli strikes since the war began nearly 14 months ago, as Israel's nationwide onslaught of bombings signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah before the ceasefire is set to take hold. At least 42 people have killed by Israeli strikes across Lebanon on Tuesday, according to local authorities. Hezbollah also fired rockets into Israel on Tuesday, triggering air raid sirens in the country’s north. An Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza. Hezbollah began attacking Israel a day after Hamas’ attack. The fighting in Lebanon escalated into all-out war in September with massive Israeli airstrikes across the country and an Israeli ground invasion of the south. In Gaza, more than 44,000 people have been killed and more than 104,000 wounded in the nearly 14-month war between Israel and Hamas, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Here's the Latest: Israeli strikes in Lebanon kill at least 42 people in the final day before a ceasefire with Hezbollah BEIRUT — The Health Ministry in Lebanon says 18 more people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes across the country, bringing the total death toll on Tuesday to at least 42 people. Eleven people were killed by Israeli bombing in eastern Lebanon, four were killed by strikes on border crossings between northern Lebanon and Syria, and three people were killed in southern Lebanon, the Health Ministry said early Wednesday. In the hours before a ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel launched its most intense wave of strikes on the capital Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict. Strikes have targeted what Israel said were Hezbollah-related targets in several other parts of the country as well. Israel’s military issued a record number of evacuation warnings in Beirut, sending people fleeing from their homes. Hezbollah also fired rockets into Israel on Tuesday, triggering air raid sirens across the country’s north. UN chief welcomes ceasefire in Lebanon UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations chief welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, and hopes it can end the violence and suffering of people in both countries, the U.N. spokesman says. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Israel and Hezbollah to swiftly implement all commitments under the agreement, and take immediate steps toward fully implementing the 2006 U.N. Security Council resolution that ended the last Israel-Hezbollah war, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said late Tuesday. Resolution 1701 called for the deployment of Lebanese forces throughout the south, which borders Israel and is now mainly controlled by Hezbollah, and it calls for all armed groups including Hezbollah to be disarmed. Neither has happened in the past 17 years. Dujarric said U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon “both stand ready to support the implementation of this agreement, in line with their respective mandates.” Trump team was kept in the loop as negotiations unfolded, Biden administration official says WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump’s senior national security team was briefed by the Biden administration as negotiations unfolded, according to the senior U.S. official. The official, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity in a White House-organized call, added that the incoming Trump administration officials were not directly involved in the talks, but that it was important that the incoming administration knew “what we were negotiating and what the commitments were.” The official said “all fire will stop from all parties” at 4 a.m. local time. The next step would be what the official described as a “phased withdrawal” by the Israeli military. As the Israelis pull back, Lebanese national forces will occupy the territories. The process is slated to finish within 60 days. Lebanese forces is supposed to patrol the area and remove Hezbollah weaponry and infrastructure there. “Hezbollah is incredibly weak at this moment, both militarily and politically,” the official said. “And this is the opportunity for Lebanon to re-establish its sovereignty over its territory.” The official said the ceasefire agreement will strengthen what’s known as the “tripartite mechanism” by including the United States and France. The goal is to address violations of the ceasefire without a return to hostilities. Top UN envoy for Lebanon welcomes Lebanon ceasefire UNITED NATIONS – The top U.N. envoy for Lebanon welcomed the ceasefire announcement and urged Israel and Hezbollah militants to take concrete actions to fully implement the 2006 agreement that ended their last war. U.N. Special Coordinator Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said the agreement “marks the starting point of a critical process” that must see both sides fully implement U.N. Security Council resolution 1701. It called for the deployment of Lebanese armed forces in the south bordering Israel and the disarmament of all armed groups including Hezbollah – neither of which has happened in the past 17 years. “Nothing less than the full and unwavering commitment of both parties is required,” Hennis-Plasschaert said. “Neither side can afford another period of disingenuous implementation under the guise of ostensible calm.” She commended the parties for “seizing the opportunity to close this devastating chapter,” stressing that “Now is the time to deliver, through concrete actions, to consolidate today’s achievement.” Palestinian president urges action to halt the war in Gaza UNITED NATIONS — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is calling for urgent international intervention to stop what he described as “an ongoing genocidal war” in Gaza. Abbas heads the Palestinian Authority which has limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, but not Gaza, which has been controlled by Hamas. The U.S. and others want a reinvigorated Palestinian Authority to run Gaza when the war ends. In a speech on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Abbas accused Israel of repeating what happened to the Palestinians in 1948 and 1967 – displacing them and seizing their land and resources. Abbas demanded to know how long the world will remain silent and refuse to compel Israel to abide by international law. The speech to U.N. member nations was read by Palestinian U.N. ambassador Riyad Mansour. “The only way to halt the halt the dangerous escalation we are witnessing in the region, and maintain regional and international stability, security and peace, is to resolve the question of Palestine,” Abbas' speech said. This must be done in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolutions which call for a two-state solution, he said. Lebanon’s prime minister welcomes Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire BEIRUT -- Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hezbollah, describing it as a crucial step toward stability, the return of displaced people to their homes and regional calm. Mikati made these comments in a statement issued just after U.S. President Joe announced the truce deal. Mikati said he discussed the ceasefire agreement with Biden by phone earlier Tuesday. The prime minister reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to implementing U.N. resolution 1701, strengthening the Lebanese army’s presence in the south, and cooperating with the U.N. peacekeeping force. He also called on Israel to fully comply with the ceasefire and withdraw from southern Lebanon in accordance the U.N. resolution. Netanyahu’s office says his security Cabinet has approved ceasefire deal with Hezbollah JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security Cabinet has approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah, clearing the way for the truce to take effect. Netanyahu’s office said the plan was approved by a 10-1 margin. The late-night vote came shortly before President Joe Biden was expected to announced details of the deal in Washington. Earlier, Netanyahu defended the ceasefire, saying Israel has inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah and could now focus its efforts on Hamas militants in Gaza and his top security concern, Iran. Netanyahu vowed to strike Hezbollah hard if it violates the expected deal. Trump's pick for key adviser credits the president-elect with helping cement Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire WASHINGTON — Rep. Mike Waltz, President-elect Donald Trump’s designate to be national security adviser, credited Trump’s victory with helping bring the parties together toward a ceasefire in Lebanon. “Everyone is coming to the table because of President Trump,” he said in a post on X on Tuesday. “His resounding victory sent a clear message to the rest of the world that chaos won’t be tolerated. I’m glad to see concrete steps towards deescalation in the Middle East.” He added: “But let’s be clear: The Iran Regime is the root cause of the chaos & terror that has been unleashed across the region. We will not tolerate the status quo of their support for terrorism.” Israel airstrikes keep pounding Lebanese capital in the war's biggest wave of attacks BEIRUT — Israeli jets targeted a building in a bustling commercial area of Beirut for the first time since the start of the 13-month war between Hezbollah and Israel. The strike on Hamra is around 400 meters (yards) from the country’s central bank. A separate strike hit the Mar Elias neighborhood in the country’s capital Tuesday. There was no immediate word on casualties from either strike, part of the biggest wave of attacks on the capital since the war started. Residents in central Beirut were seen fleeing after the Israeli army issued evacuation warnings for four targets in the city. Meanwhile, the Israeli army carried out airstrikes on at least 30 targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday, including two strikes in the Jnah neighborhood near the Kuwaiti Embassy. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that 13 people were injured in the strikes on the southern suburbs. Hezbollah official says the group hasn't seen a final ceasefire agreement BEIRUT — Hezbollah has said it accepts the ceasefire proposal with Israel, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state.” of Lebanon, he said. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Among the issues that may remain is an Israeli demand to reserve the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations under the emerging deal. The deal seeks to push Hezbollah and Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon. Netanyahu recommends his Cabinet approve a Hezbollah cease-fire proposal JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that he would recommend his Cabinet adopt a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, as Israeli warplanes struck across Lebanon, killing at least 23 people. The Israeli military also issued a flurry of evacuation warnings — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah down to the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. For the first time in the conflict, Israeli ground troops reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River, a focal point of the emerging deal. In a televised statement, Netanyahu said he would present the ceasefire to Cabinet ministers later on Tuesday, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting. Netanyahu said the vote was expected later Tuesday. It was not immediately clear when the ceasefire would go into effect, and the exact terms of the deal were not released. The deal does not affect Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which shows no signs of ending. Israeli strikes in Lebanon’s south and east kill at least 13 people BEIRUT — Lebanon’s state media said Israeli strikes on Tuesday killed at least 10 people in Baalbek province the country’s east. At least three people were killed in the southern city of Tyre when Israel bombed a Palestinian refugee camp, said Mohammed Bikai, a representative of the Fatah group in the area. He said several more people were missing and at least three children were among the wounded. He said the sites struck inside the camp were “completely civilian places” and included a kitchen that was being used to cook food for displaced people. Israelis protest for a Gaza hostage release deal JERUSALEM — Dozens of Israeli protesters took to a major highway in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening to call for the return of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, as the country awaited news of a potential ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. Protesters chanted “We are all hostages,” and “Deal now!” waving signs with faces of some of the roughly 100 hostages believed to be still held in Gaza, at least a third of whom are thought to be dead. Most of the other hostages Hamas captured in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack were released during a ceasefire last year. The prospect of a ceasefire deal in Lebanon has raised desperation among the relatives of captives still held in Gaza, who once hoped that the release of hostages from Gaza would be included. Instead of a comprehensive deal, the ceasefire on the table is instead narrowly confined to Lebanon. Dozens of Israelis were also demonstrating against the expected cease-fire, gathering outside Israel’s military headquarters in central Tel Aviv. One of the protesters, Yair Ansbacher, says the deal is merely a return to the failed 2006 U.N. resolution that was meant to uproot Hezbollah from the area. “Of course that didn’t happen,” he says. “This agreement is not worth the paper it is written on.” G7 leaders endorse Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire and insist Israel follow international law FIUGGI, Italy — Foreign ministers from the world’s industrialized countries said Tuesday they strongly supported an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and insisted that Israel comply with international law in its ongoing military operations in the region. At the end of their two-day summit, the ministers didn’t refer directly to the International Criminal Court and its recent arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over crimes against humanity . Italy had put the ICC warrants on the official meeting agenda, even though the G7 was split on the issue. The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, isn’t a signatory to the court and has called the warrants “outrageous.” However, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell said all the other G7 countries were signatories and therefore obliged to respect the warrants. In the end, the final statement adopted by the ministers said Israel, in exercising its right to defend itself, “must fully comply with its obligations under international law in all circumstances, including international humanitarian law.” And it said all G7 members — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – “reiterate our commitment to international humanitarian law and will comply with our respective obligations.” It stressed that “there can be no equivalence between the terrorist group Hamas and the State of Israel.” The ICC warrants say there's reason to believe Netanyahu used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny. Israel strikes in central Beirut kill at least 7 people and wound 37 BEIRUT — An Israeli strike on Tuesday levelled a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded in Beirut, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. It was not immediately clear if anyone in particular was targeted, though Israel says its airstrikes target Hezbollah officials and assets. The Israeli military spokesman issued a flurry of evacuation warnings for many areas, including areas in Beirut that have not been targeted throughout the war, like the capital’s commercial Hamra district, where many people displaced by the war have been staying. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks in Lebanon during the final hours before a ceasefire is reached, sparked panic and sent residents fleeing in their cars to safer areas. In areas close to Hamra, families including women and children were seen running away toward the Mediterranean Sea’s beaches carrying their belongings. Traffic was completely gridlocked as people tried to get away, honking their car horns as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. The Israeli military also issued warnings for 20 more buildings in Beirut’s suburbs to evacuate before they too were struck — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah in the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. Independent Israeli commission blames Netanyahu and others for October 2023 attack TEL AVIV, Israel — The independent civilian commission of inquiry into the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel has found Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly responsible for the failures leading up to the attack, alongside former defense ministers, the army chief and the heads of the security services. The civil commission presented its findings today after a four-month probe in which it heard some 120 witnesses. It was set up by relatives of victims of the Hamas attack, in response to the absence of any state probe. The commission determined that the Israeli government, its army and security services “failed in their primary mission of protecting the citizens of Israel.” It said Netanyahu was responsible for ignoring “repeated warnings” ahead of Oct. 7, 2023 for what it described as his appeasing approach over the years toward Hamas, and for “undermining all decision-making centers, including the cabinet and the National Security Council, in a way that prevented any serious discussion” on security issues. The commission further determined that the military and defense leaders bear blame for ignoring warnings from within the army, and for reducing the army’s presence along the Gaza border while relying excessively on technological means. On the day of the Hamas attack, the report says, the army’s response was both slow and lacking. The civil commission called for the immediate establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 attack. Netanyahu has opposed launching a state commission of inquiry, arguing that such an investigation should begin only once the war is over. Israeli ground troops in Lebanon reach the Litani River JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military says its ground troops have reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River — a focal point of the emerging ceasefire. In a statement Tuesday, the army said it had reached the Wadi Slouqi area in southern Lebanon and clashed with Hezbollah forces. Under a proposed ceasefire, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is some 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the Israeli border. The military says the clashes with Hezbollah took place on the eastern end of the Litani, just a few kilometers (miles) from the border. It is one of the deepest places Israeli forces have reached in a nearly two-month ground operation. The military says soldiers destroyed rocket launchers and missiles and engaged in “close-quarters combat” with Hezbollah forces. The announcement came hours before Israel’s security Cabinet is expected to approve a ceasefire that would end nearly 14 months of fighting. Israeli airstrikes hit buildings near Beirut airport BEIRUT — Israeli jets Tuesday struck at least six buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday, including one that slammed near the country’s only airport. Large plumes of smoke could be seen around the airport near the Mediterranean coast, which has continued to function despite its location beside the densely populated suburbs where many of Hezbollah’s operations are based. The strikes come hours before Israel’s cabinet was scheduled to meet to discuss a proposal to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The proposal 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. There were no immediate reports of casualties from Tuesday’s airstrikes. EU top diplomat calls for urgent aid to Gaza FIUGGI, Italy — EU top diplomat Josep Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. (edited)
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