2mfODP8D The road to hell is paved with good intentions — and so is the path to a potential surveillance state. After losing its high-profile case in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia last week, TikTok is now one step closer to being outright banned in this country. If the Chinese-owned app fails to find a political ally in the incoming Trump administration by Jan. 19 (or new domestic ownership), mind-numbing scroll sessions and moronic viral stunts will soon be unavailable for its 170 million American users. While many may view the Biden administration’s actions as overreach, a ban on TikTok would be an act many American parents are desperate to see: the restriction of social media for their children. The harmful effects of predatory algorithms on young people are now as obvious as the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer. Last year, the US Surgeon General warned the nation that young people who engaged in “more than 3 hours per day on social media faced double the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes including symptoms of depression and anxiety.” However, protecting our children from Silicon Valley (and China) isn’t as simple as banning cancerous apps. It’s a reality being demonstrated right now in Australia. Late last month, the Land Down Under passed ground-breaking legislation to outright ban social media for anyone under 16. The new rules toss TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, and Instagram onto barbie and fine those companies up to $50 million AUD (about $33 million) for failing to restrict kids from their content. Parents cheered the law, with polls showing that 77% of Australians approve of the government’s new rules. In theory, I do, too. I immigrated to Australia from the US in 2022 and am now the father of a true-blue Aussie ’roo. Like many parents, my wife and I began planning our family’s approach to “screen time” at conception — and a world where scrolling is simply not an option seems like a better one. Unfortunately, Australia’s “fair dinkum” (or cynically political) attempts to woo parents like me are not as straightforward as they might seem. And they won’t be in the US, either. “I think many parents are struggling,” says Lisa Given, an information studies scholar at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. “They see [the ban] as the government trying to do something. But at the end of the day, the question is, ‘How is this going to be policed?’ “ In fact, no one knows how Australia’s ban will function in practice once it begins in the coming year. All social media users could now be asked to log on with a government-issued ID such as a driver’s license (which the government has said it won’t require). Or worse still, and perhaps even more likely, social media companies will begin using facial recognition or biometrics to confirm a user’s age (although initial reports suggest this approach is less successful for kids who are not Caucasian ). The third approach is “pattern recognition” — tracking a user’s overall internet activity to make a guess at their age. That would require a high level of general internet surveillance and open the doors to privacy issues a la mode. Welcome to China. “I don’t think this will be successful if you are thinking about it as a way to protect children from harm,” says Given. “Many children will still be able to access content, whether they’re using a technical workaround like a VPN, or just a shared device in the home . . . What we actually need to combat are things like image-based abuse, we need to target the algorithms.” And, of course, where there is a will, there’s a way: Teens still vape, they still sneak booze and they’ll still find a way to meme dankly. It’s hard to believe the ban isn’t, on some level, subterfuge to monitor and censor every Australian’s internet activity. Even if it isn’t, the ban leaves the door wide open to government snooping. Worse still, we already know that there is a better way: Tech companies have the ability to modify their algorithms so that they aren’t force-feeding negative content to their users. But they won’t if the government, namely the US government, doesn’t force them. Otherwise, it’s business as usual, greed over good. Sorry Australia, the dingo ate your baby.Judge rejects request to sideline SJSU volleyball player on grounds she's transgenderaaa jili slot game 。

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks rode their dominant defense to a big win over a division rival to vault into first place in the NFC West. No, it isn’t 2013. These are the 2024 Seahawks, who, after struggling mightily against the run earlier this season, held the visiting Arizona Cardinals to 49 rushing yards in Sunday's 16-6 victory . The defensive line kept Kyler Murray under consistent pressure thanks to a dominant performance from Leonard Williams, the secondary flew around to smack away passes, and safety Coby Bryant scored on a 69-yard pick-6. Sunday's defensive performance was reminiscent of the Seahawks of a decade ago and a promising sign that first-year coach Mike Macdonald’s system is starting to click. Macdonald, who coordinated Baltimore's NFL-best defense last year, was leading one of the worst rush defenses in the league earlier this season. But Seattle consistently stuffed the Cardinals, who came in as the fifth-best running team in the league at 149.4 yards per game. “Three games in a row now we played pretty decent on defense,” Macdonald said. “There is an expectation and standard here throughout the course of our Seahawks history that we’re trying to live up to and build on. So that’s the idea.” At 6-5, the Seahawks drew even with the Cardinals in the tightly bunched division. The teams play each other again in two weeks at Arizona. What’s working Last month's trade for linebacker Ernest Jones IV has clearly paid off. Seattle hasn't allowed a running back to rush for more than 79 yards since its Week 8 loss to Buffalo, which was Jones' first game in a Seahawks uniform. He has led the team in tackles in every game he's played and has helped resurrect the run defense. What needs help The Seahawks' run game continues to underperform. Seattle got 65 yards on the ground Sunday, with the Cardinals holding Kenneth Walker III to 41 yards on 16 attempts. Zach Charbonnet had 22 yards on six carries. Walker hasn’t topped 100 yards since Week 1. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb needs to think of something different to get the running backs involved. Stock up Williams single-handedly disrupted the Cardinals with 2 1/2 sacks, four quarterback hits, three tackles for loss and one pass defensed. “I thought he was dominant,” Macdonald said. “I knew he played great and then I looked at the stat line and he played out of his mind.” The Seahawks finished with five sacks, seven quarterback hits, five tackles for loss and six pass deflections against the Cardinals, shutting down a team that had averaged 29.3 points over its previous three games. Stock down Geno Smith finished with 254 yards passing and a touchdown, but he threw another momentum-stalling interception. Smith was picked off on a third-and-6 play on the Arizona 18-yard line at the start of the fourth quarter, ending an 11-play, 73-yard drive. Smith has an NFL-most 12 interceptions this season, more than in either of his previous two seasons as the Seahawks' full-time starter. “That was a huge drive for us. ... Obviously made a terrible mistake down there, something I got to clean up,” Smith said. “But it was a big drive. We wanted to put the game ahead at least two scores.” The offensive line has contributed to the problem. Guard Anthony Bradford left with an ankle injury, and the line struggled to protect Smith, who was sacked five times. Injuries Macdonald said Bradford is expected to miss next week's game. Key number 77 — Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the team with six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, marking the fourth consecutive game that Smith-Njigba has led the team in receptions. He topped 100 yards receiving in the previous two games. “He’s getting open,” Smith said. “He’s catching the ball. He’s doing a great job in the screen game. All-around great player. I just think the way that teams are playing us coverage-wise, I feel like it’s the ultimate sign of respect.” Up next The Seahawks play at the struggling New York Jets on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflWalk & Knock collects 210,000 pounds of food for 40th year of food drive

Nathan Ake calls on Man City to show character after latest setback

Modi Arrives In Kuwait, First Indian PM To Do So In 43 Yrs

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) has intensified its operations along South Africa's border with Mozambique amid the unrest in that country. The government said in a statement it was actively engaging the Mozambique government at a bilateral level to address the concerns prompted by the unrest and explore sustainable solutions. Natjoints co-chairperson Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili said the government has noted with concern the ongoing protests in parts of Mozambique and reports of prisoners escaping from a maximum-security prison during the unrest. “These developments have understandably raised apprehensions among South African citizens regarding the potential cross-border implications. “South Africa remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of its citizens and upholding regional stability,” said Mosikili. She said these operation measures aim to prevent and combat any opportunistic crimes that may arise as a result of the unrest, both during and after the protests. She said b oth nations are leveraging their strong diplomatic ties to ensure that appropriate measures are implemented to restore order and enhance security in the affected regions. “These engagements reflect the spirit of co-operation and mutual respect that underpin the relationship between South Africa and Mozambique.” South Africa recognises the interconnected nature of regional security and is determined to uphold its responsibilities in fostering peace and stability in Southern Africa, restoring peace and stability and ensuring safety for everyone. President Cyril Ramaphosa sent Prof Sydney Mufamadi as a special envoy to engage all relevant stakeholders to find an amicable solution. The government has urged South Africans to remain calm and to refrain from spreading unverified information that may lead to unnecessary panic. Mosikili said the relevant authorities are monitoring the situation closely and will provide timely updates as new information becomes available. “Citizens are encouraged to direct any concerns or enquiries to the appropriate channels to ensure accurate and constructive communication,” she said. TimesLIVE Would you like to comment on this article? Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now. Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.US stocks rally despite Trump tariff threat but European stocks fall

Voice Evacuation Systems Market to Grow by USD 1.1 Billion (2024-2028), Real Estate and Construction Boosts Growth, AI Impact on Trends - TechnavioAfter rough start under coach Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks’ defense has become a strength

More than 25 years after a woman’s skeletal remains were discovered in Clatsop County, the Oregon State Police has released a facial illustration in the hopes of jogging someone’s memory. On Nov. 3, 1999, mushroom pickers reported finding human skeleton remains in a wooded area off of U.S. 26 near milepost 29. An initial forensic examination revealed that the remains belonged to a woman between 16 and 30 years of age, about 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing between 108 and 117 pounds. Forensic anthropologists believed the woman had given birth some time prior. For decades, all law enforcement had to work with was a pencil drawing of what they believed the woman looked like. But a recent collaboration between Parabon NanoLabs and Oregon State Police forensic anthropologist Nici Vance highlighted the ability to use the individual’s genetic phenotype to construct the new illustration. “This has been a case that we’ve been working on since 1999, and it’s very near and dear to my heart, because I was actually out there in Astoria and I helped recover her,” Vance said. Over the years, Vance and her colleagues had been applying various innovative DNA techniques to the remains. They uploaded the remains to the national DNA database to try and find any genetic association with reported missing persons, which yielded no results. “In 2019, when we partnered with Parabon NanoLabs, they performed investigative genetic genealogy on the remains, which is, you know, this great technique now that can find family members as well as the family trees of some of our unidentified decedents,” she said. Again, there were no leads. But the collaboration was not entirely fruitless. Oregon State Police asked the lab to create the new illustration based on her genetics, drawing renewed interest in the case through a recent alert sent out with the image attached. “And so the picture you see that was added to the alert from Oregon State Police this afternoon is what her genetics predict her facial features would look like,” Vance said. “And so those features are defaulted to the age right around 25, so we think she was between the ages of 20 and 35 when she died. So we think this is probably a pretty accurate way of what she looked like when she was alive.” Using the technology, Parabon NanoLabs and Oregon State Police have collaborated to identify over 30 previously unidentified individuals found in Oregon. They continue to track cold cases, some as old or older than this one, for several reasons. “She deserves a name,” Vance said. “And also, we assume someone is looking for her, someone is missing her. She’s probably someone’s mother or sister. She’s definitely someone’s daughter ... Every case is different, but these are some of the reasons why we continue to look for the names and identities of these unknown people that we’ve had at our medical examiner facility for decades.” There is also the hope that the new rendering of the woman’s face will spark a memory for someone. Vance said that while it’s not quite a shot in the dark, it is a long shot, given that it’s been over 25 years. But to her, it’s still worth a try. “Maybe these very accurate facial predictions might jog someone’s memory,” she said. “Maybe they saw her in a convenience store in Clatsop County. Maybe they’re reminded of, you know, a college roommate that they haven’t heard from for years and years. “Or maybe someone recognizes them in, you know, any suspicious context — a girlfriend who had a boyfriend who wasn’t very nice to her. Any kind of context that might jog someone’s memory in regards to seeing her or knowing her will help facilitate investigative leads, will help our cold case detectives follow up on potential avenues that might lead to her identification. It’s all valuable.” ___ (c)2024 The Daily Astorian, Ore. Visit The Daily Astorian, Ore. at www.dailyastorian.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

QTM Day 2: Focus on impact of technology on tourism sectorSEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean officials are struggling to determine what caused a deadly plane crash that killed 179 people, with the nation saddened, shocked and ashamed over the country's worst aviation disaster in decades. Many observers also worry how effectively the South Korean government will handle the aftermath of Sunday's crash as it grapples with a leadership vacuum following the recent successive impeachments of President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minster Han Duck-soo, the country’s top two officials, amid political tumult caused by Yoon’s brief martial law introduction earlier this month. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Index revised for January-June 2024 period; new additions and removals reflect updated market dynamics The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) has finalized the semi-annual reconstitution of the KSE-Meezan 30 Index (KMI-30) for the period from January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024. The recomposition, effective Monday, December 30, 2024, involves the inclusion of seven companies while removing an equal number based on the established selection criteria. The new additions to the KMI-30 Index are Oil & Gas Development Co. Ltd (OGDC), Sazgar Engineering Works (SAZEW), Pak Elektron Limited (PAEL), Honda Atlas Cars (HCAR), Fauji Foods Limited (FFL), K-Electric Limited (KE), and Dawood Hercules Corporation Limited (DAWH). These entrants represent a mix of energy, engineering, automotive, and consumer sectors. On the other hand, the index will bid farewell to Cherat Cement Company Limited (CHCC), Dolmen City REIT (DCR), Interloop Limited (ILP), NetSol Technologies Limited (NETSOL), Nishat Mills Limited (NML), Shell Pakistan Limited (SHELL), and TPL Properties Limited (TPLP), which will no longer feature in the revised list. The index committee has also outlined a contingency plan regarding potential developments involving Engro Corporation (ENGRO), which faces a possible trading suspension or delisting due to its arrangement with Dawood Hercules Corporation. Should this scenario materialize, the next eligible company will be inducted into the index in accordance with prescribed rules. The KMI-30 Index reconstitution reflects the PSX’s commitment to maintaining a benchmark that accurately represents market trends while adhering to Shariah-compliant standards. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );Nasdaq closes above 20,000 for the first time as CPI data cements Fed rate cut betsBiden opens final White House holiday season with turkey pardons and first lady gets Christmas tree WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has kicked off his final holiday season at the White House, issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in Minnesota. The president welcomed 2,500 guests under sunny skies as he cracked jokes about the fates of “Peach” and “Blossom.” He also sounded wistful tones about the last weeks of his presidency. Separately, first lady Jill Biden received the delivery of the official White House Christmas tree. And the Bidens are traveling to New York later Monday for an early holiday celebration with members of the Coast Guard. Couple charged in ring suspected of stealing $1 million in Lululemon clothes MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Connecticut couple has been charged in Minnesota with being part of a shoplifting ring suspected of stealing around $1 million in goods across the country from upscale athletic wear retailer Lululemon.Jadion Anthony Richards and Akwele Nickeisha Lawes-Richards, both of Danbury, Connecticut, were charged this month with one felony count of organized retail theft. Both went free last week after posting bail bonds of $100,000 for him and $30,000 for her. They're also suspected in thefts from Lululemon stores in Colorado, Utah, New York and Connecticut. They're due back in court next month. Formula 1 expands grid to add General Motors' Cadillac brand and new American team for 2026 season LAS VEGAS (AP) — Formula 1 will expand the grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors. The approval ends years of wrangling that launched a federal investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti, who has since stepped aside. The 11th team will be called Cadillac F1 and be run by new Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter. The team will use Ferrari engines its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season. US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is retiring from international soccer U.S. women’s national team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is retiring from international soccer. Naeher is on the team’s roster for a pair of upcoming matches in Europe but those will be her last after a full 11 years playing for the United States. Naeher was on the U.S. team that won the Women’s World Cup in 2019 and the gold medal at this year's Olympics in France. She’s the only U.S. goalkeeper to earn a shutout in both a World Cup and an Olympic final. Bah, humbug! Vandal smashes Ebenezer Scrooge's tombstone used in 'A Christmas Carol' movie LONDON (AP) — If life imitates art, a vandal in the English countryside may be haunted by The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Police in the town of Shrewsbury are investigating how a tombstone at the fictional grave of Ebenezer Scrooge was destroyed. The movie prop used in the 1984 adaption of Charles Dickens' “A Christmas Carol” had become a tourist attraction. The film starred George C. Scott as the cold-hearted curmudgeon who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve who show him what will become of his life if he doesn’t become a better person. West Mercia Police say the stone was vandalized in the past week. Megachurch founder T.D. Jakes suffers health incident during sermon at Dallas church DALLAS (AP) — The founder of Dallas-based megachurch The Potter's House, Bishop T.D. Jakes, was hospitalized after suffering what the church called a “slight health incident.” Jakes was speaking to churchgoers after he sat down and began trembling as several people gathered around him Sunday at the church. Jakes' daughter Sarah Jakes Roberts and her husband Touré Roberts said in a statement on social media late Sunday that Jakes was improving. The 67-year-old Jakes founded the non-denominational The Potter's House in 1996 and his website says it now has more than 30,000 members with campuses in Fort Worth and Frisco, Texas; and in Denver. At the crossroads of news and opinion, 'Morning Joe' hosts grapple with aftermath of Trump meeting The reaction of those who defended “Morning Joe” hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski for meeting with President-elect Trump sounds almost quaint in the days of opinionated journalism. Doesn't it makes sense, they said, for hosts of a political news show to meet with such an important figure? But given how “Morning Joe” has attacked Trump, its viewers felt insulted. Many reacted quickly by staying away. It all reflects the broader trend of opinion crowding out traditional journalist in today's marketplace, and the expectations that creates among consumers. By mid-week, the show's audience was less than two-thirds what it has typically been this year. Pilot dies in plane crash in remote woods of New York, puppy found alive WINDHAM, N.Y. (AP) — Authorities say a pilot and at least one dog he was transporting died when a small plane crashed in the snowy woods of the Catskill Mountains, though a puppy on the flight was found alive with two broken legs. The Greene County sheriff’s office says Seuk Kim of Springfield, Virginia, was flying from Maryland to Albany, New York, when the plane crashed at about 6:10 p.m. Sunday in a remote area. Officials believe the pilot died from the impact. The surviving dog was hospitalized, while a third dog was not located. The flight was connected with a not-for-profit group that transports rescue animals. Warren Buffett gives away another $1.1B and plans for distributing his $147B fortune after his death OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Investor Warren Buffett renewed his Thanksgiving tradition of giving by handing out more than $1.1 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock to four of his family's foundations Monday, and he offered new details about who will be handing out the rest of his fortune after his death. Buffett has said previously that his three kids will distribute his remaining $147.4 billion fortune in the 10 years after his death, but now he has also designated successors for them because it’s possible that Buffett’s children could die before giving it all away. Buffett said he has no regrets about his decision to start giving away his fortune in 2006. Pop star Ed Sheeran apologizes to Man United boss Ruben Amorim for crashing interview MANCHESTER, England (AP) — British pop star Ed Sheeran has apologized to Ruben Amorim after inadvertently interrupting the new Manchester United head coach during a live television interview. Amorim was talking on Sky Sports after United’s 1-1 draw with Ipswich on Sunday when Sheeran walked up to embrace analyst Jamie Redknapp. The interview was paused before Redknapp told the pop star to “come and say hello in a minute.” Sheeran is a lifelong Ipswich fan and holds a minority stake in the club. He was pictured celebrating after Omari Hutchinson’s equalizing goal in the game at Portman Road.

Ransomware attack on software supplier disrupts operations for Starbucks and other retailersDEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza City (AP) — For Gaza’s women, the hardships of life in the territory’s sprawling tent camps are compounded by the daily humiliation of never having privacy. Women struggle to dress modestly while crowded into tents with extended family members, including men, and with strangers only steps away in neighboring tents. Access to menstrual products is limited, so they cut up sheets or old clothes to use as pads. Makeshift toilets usually consist of only a hole in the sand surrounded by sheets dangling from a line, and these must be shared with dozens of other people. Alaa Hamami has dealt with the modesty issue by constantly wearing her prayer shawl, a black cloth that covers her head and upper body. “Our whole lives have become prayer clothes, even to the market we wear it,” said the young mother of three. “Dignity is gone.” Normally, she would wear the shawl only when performing her daily Muslim prayers. But with so many men around, she keeps it on all the time, even when sleeping — just in case an Israeli strike hits nearby in the night and she has to flee quickly, she said. Israel’s 14-month-old campaign in Gaza has driven more than 90% of its 2.3 million Palestinians from their homes. Hundreds of thousands of them are now living in squalid camps of tents packed close together over large areas. Sewage runs into the streets , and food and water are hard to obtain. Winter is setting in. Families often wear the same clothes for weeks because they left clothing and many other belongings behind as they fled. Everyone in the camps searches daily for food, clean water and firewood. Women feel constantly exposed. Gaza has always been a conservative society. Most women wear the hijab, or head scarf, in the presence of men who are not immediate family. Matters of women’s health — pregnancy, menstruation and contraception — tend not to be discussed publicly. “Before we had a roof. Here it does not exist,” said Hamami, whose prayer shawl is torn and smudged with ash from cooking fires. “Here our entire lives have become exposed to the public. There is no privacy for women.” Wafaa Nasrallah, a displaced mother of two, says life in the camps makes even the simplest needs difficult, like getting period pads, which she cannot afford. She tried using pieces of cloth and even diapers, which have also increased in price. For a bathroom, she has a hole in the ground, surrounded by blankets propped up by sticks. The U.N. says more than 690,000 women and girls in Gaza require menstrual hygiene products, as well as clean water and toilets. Aid workers have been unable to meet demand, with supplies piling up at crossings from Israel. Stocks of hygiene kits have run out, and prices are exorbitant. Many women have to choose between buying pads and buying food and water. Doaa Hellis, a mother of three living in a camp, said she has torn up her old clothes to use for menstrual pads. “Wherever we find fabric, we tear it up and use it.” A packet of pads costs 45 shekels ($12), “and there is not even five shekels in the whole tent,” she said. Anera, a rights group active in Gaza, says some women use birth control pills to halt their periods. Others have experienced disruptions in their cycles because of the stress and trauma of repeated displacement. The terrible conditions pose real risks to women’s health, said Amal Seyam, the director of the Women’s Affairs Center in Gaza, which provides supplies for women and surveys them about their experiences. She said some women have not changed clothes for 40 days. That and improvised cloth pads “will certainly create” skin diseases, diseases related to reproductive health and psychological conditions, she said. “Imagine what a woman in Gaza feels like, if she’s unable to control conditions related to hygiene and menstrual cycles,” Seyam said. Hellis remembered a time not so long ago, when being a woman felt more like a joy and less like a burden. “Women are now deprived of everything, no clothes, no bathroom. Their psychology is completely destroyed,” she said. Seyam said the center has tracked cases where girls have been married younger, before the age of 18, to escape the suffocating environment of their family’s tents. The war will “continue to cause a humanitarian disaster in every sense of the word. And women always pay the biggest price,” she said. Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, over half of them women and children, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. Its count does not differentiate between combatants and civilians. Israel launched its assault in retaliation for the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on southern Israel, in which militants killed some 1,200 people and abducted around 250 others. With large swaths of Gaza’s cities and towns leveled, women wrestle with reduced lives in their tents. Hamami can walk the length of her small tent in a few strides. She shares it with 13 other people from her extended family. During the war, she gave birth to a son, Ahmed, who is now 8 months old. Between caring for him and her two other children, washing her family’s laundry, cooking and waiting in line for water, she says there’s no time to care for herself. She has a few objects that remind her of what her life once was, including a powder compact she brought with her when she fled her home in the Shati camp of Gaza City. The makeup is now caked and crumbling. She managed to keep hold of a small mirror through four different displacements over the past year. It’s broken into two shards that she holds together every so often to catch a glimpse of her reflection. “Previously, I had a wardrobe that contained everything I could wish for,” she said. “We used to go out for a walk every day, go to wedding parties, go to parks, to malls, to buy everything we wanted." Women “lost their being and everything in this war," she said. "Women used to take care of themselves before the war. Now everything is destroyed.” Associated Press writer Fatma Khaled in Cairo contributed to this report.SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks rode their dominant defense to a big win over a division rival to vault into first place in the NFC West. No, it isn’t 2013. These are the 2024 Seahawks, who, after struggling mightily against the run earlier this season, held the visiting Arizona Cardinals to 49 rushing yards in Sunday's 16-6 victory . The defensive line kept Kyler Murray under consistent pressure thanks to a dominant performance from Leonard Williams, the secondary flew around to smack away passes, and safety Coby Bryant scored on a 69-yard pick-6. Sunday's defensive performance was reminiscent of the Seahawks of a decade ago and a promising sign that first-year coach Mike Macdonald’s system is starting to click. Macdonald, who coordinated Baltimore's NFL-best defense last year, was leading one of the worst rush defenses in the league earlier this season. But Seattle consistently stuffed the Cardinals, who came in as the fifth-best running team in the league at 149.4 yards per game. “Three games in a row now we played pretty decent on defense,” Macdonald said. “There is an expectation and standard here throughout the course of our Seahawks history that we’re trying to live up to and build on. So that’s the idea.” At 6-5, the Seahawks drew even with the Cardinals in the tightly bunched division. The teams play each other again in two weeks at Arizona. What’s working Last month's trade for linebacker Ernest Jones IV has clearly paid off. Seattle hasn't allowed a running back to rush for more than 79 yards since its Week 8 loss to Buffalo, which was Jones' first game in a Seahawks uniform. He has led the team in tackles in every game he's played and has helped resurrect the run defense. What needs help The Seahawks' run game continues to underperform. Seattle got 65 yards on the ground Sunday, with the Cardinals holding Kenneth Walker III to 41 yards on 16 attempts. Zach Charbonnet had 22 yards on six carries. Walker hasn’t topped 100 yards since Week 1. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb needs to think of something different to get the running backs involved. Stock up Williams single-handedly disrupted the Cardinals with 2 1/2 sacks, four quarterback hits, three tackles for loss and one pass defensed. “I thought he was dominant,” Macdonald said. “I knew he played great and then I looked at the stat line and he played out of his mind.” The Seahawks finished with five sacks, seven quarterback hits, five tackles for loss and six pass deflections against the Cardinals, shutting down a team that had averaged 29.3 points over its previous three games. Stock down Geno Smith finished with 254 yards passing and a touchdown, but he threw another momentum-stalling interception. Smith was picked off on a third-and-6 play on the Arizona 18-yard line at the start of the fourth quarter, ending an 11-play, 73-yard drive. Smith has an NFL-most 12 interceptions this season, more than in either of his previous two seasons as the Seahawks' full-time starter. “That was a huge drive for us. ... Obviously made a terrible mistake down there, something I got to clean up,” Smith said. “But it was a big drive. We wanted to put the game ahead at least two scores.” The offensive line has contributed to the problem. Guard Anthony Bradford left with an ankle injury, and the line struggled to protect Smith, who was sacked five times. Injuries Macdonald said Bradford is expected to miss next week's game. Key number 77 — Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the team with six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, marking the fourth consecutive game that Smith-Njigba has led the team in receptions. He topped 100 yards receiving in the previous two games. “He’s getting open,” Smith said. “He’s catching the ball. He’s doing a great job in the screen game. All-around great player. I just think the way that teams are playing us coverage-wise, I feel like it’s the ultimate sign of respect.” Up next The Seahawks play at the struggling New York Jets on Sunday. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Shane Lantz, The Associated Press

Those questions about which ACC men’s basketball team might be third-best behind Duke and North Carolina received an early — but by no means definitive — answer Monday when the Panthers were ranked 25th in the USA Today Coaches Poll. No. 10 Duke (4-1), No. 13 North Carolina (3-1) and Pitt (6-1) were the only ACC teams in the Top 25. The Panthers earned a spot in the poll for the first time since week 17 of the 2022-2023 season. Pitt ranked 27th in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, also released Monday, with 62 voting points, behind No. 25 Mississippi State (86) and No. 26 BYU (70). The Panthers also rank high in several early season computer metrics, including KenPom net rating (No. 17), adjusted offensive efficiency (No. 20) and adjusted defensive efficiency (No. 17), plus ESPN’s BPI (No. 25). Pitt guards Ishmael Leggett and Jaland Lowe have led the team through the first month of the season, with Leggett averaging a team-high 18 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Lowe is the only player in the country averaging at least 15 points, six rebounds, 5.5 assists, and two steals. So far, Lowe has met three of those standards precisely while averaging 5.7 assists. Also, forward Cam Corhen has scored in double figures in all seven games and is averaging 13.3 points and 5.6 rebounds while leading the ACC with a 70.7% field goal percentage. Pitt is off before visiting Ohio State on Friday and traveling to Mississippi State on Dec. 4.

NYT photo The rebels who are now Syria's de facto rulers have started to make their mark on the country's govt. They took control of Aleppo just two weeks ago, but already police officers are in the streets sporting new uniforms, administrators are busy in the halls of govt and there are posters on lampposts with QR codes directing people to updates on govt policy. Gone are the ubiquitous photos of ousted president Bashar al-Assad , whose visage, like that of his father before him, had dominated the city. The Assad regime controlled the country for decades, then crumbled in days. It has been replaced by rebel factions led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham . With all eyes on the rebels' plans for the future, Aleppo offers early hints on how the group might approach governance - at least in the immediate future. The group is vowing to maintain security and continuity, aiming to avoid the kind of power vacuum that has followed other Arab revolutions or regime changes. Over the past week, there have been flashes of normalcy in the city, residents said, expressing some hope for the future. The rebels took over much of the city on Nov 27. After capturing Aleppo, the fighters moved on, leaving the city in the hands of its bureaucrats to preserve govt institutions, said HTS chief Abu Mohammad al-Jolani. In Aleppo, new billboards have quickly appeared. On one, the new justice minister, Shadi Muhammad al-Waisi, proclaimed the era of oppression was over. Once Syria's commercial hub, Aleppo's factories and businesses were largely destroyed during the civil war. "Justice and equality are the rulers after today," the billboard read. Another billboard featured the finance minister: "Be assured people of Aleppo," the banner reads, "your property and your money are protected." On Monday in Aleppo, an administrator with the rebel group asked members of the city council if they were ready to continue to do their work. They all appeared willing. In the immediate days after the rebels captured Aleppo, the city remained stunned and quiet. But within days, prices at shops, on public transportation and at the gas pump skyrocketed. The price of a minibus ride quadrupled from 1,000 Syrian pounds to 4,000, or about $1.60. But residents said some costs have levelled off, and though there were reports of theft, many said they were starting to feel more secure. A resident of Sulaymaniyah, a Christian neighbourhood, said owners of liquor stores feared their stocks would be destroyed. But the rebels didn't comes near the shops, he said. Christians account for about 5% of Syria's population. On the day rebels captured Aleppo, some rebels reportedly went to homes in Christian neighbourhoods to reassure them of their safety, residents said. Analysts say rebels' treatment of minorities could be a harbinger of how they will expand from their corner of the country to the rest of Syria.