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BEIRUT — Insurgents’ stunning march across Syria gained speed on Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and with the government forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The rebels’ moves around Damascus, reported by an opposition war monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. Rapid Advances by Opposition Forces The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. As they have advanced, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. For the first time in the country’s long-running civil war, the government now has control of only four of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Homs, Latakia and Tartus. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad’s chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people.” Related Story: Panic in Damascus as Insurgents Approach In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to the Syria border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those that remained open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Related Story: Assad’s Status and International Response Amid the developments, Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine. Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad’s forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran, meanwhile, has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump posted on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation of U.N. Resolution 2254 would be announced later. The resolution, adopted in 2015, called for a Syrian-led political process, starting with the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later in the day, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. No details were immediately available. The Insurgents’ March and Military Response Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were also marching from eastern Syria toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. Syria’s military, meanwhile, sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama, the country’s fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that insurgents had entered the historic central town of Palmyra, home to invaluable archaeological sites, a day earlier. Palmyra had been in government hands since it was taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. Related Story: To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told CNN in an interview Thursday from Syria that the aim is to overthrow Assad’s government. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces and are sending reinforcements to Homs, where a battle loomed. If the insurgents capture Homs, they would cut the link between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where the president enjoys wide support. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists.” The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar’s top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process.

A shoplifted Snoop Dogg toy. A shaming online post. And then a surpriseNumber of women who are state lawmakers inches up to a record high

LENS, France (AP) — Pierre-Emile Højbjerg scored after VAR came to the rescue for Marseille to beat Lens 3-1 in the French league on Saturday. The Denmark midfielder struck in the 89th minute with a free kick awarded when Rémy Labeau-Lascary had what would have been a late equalizer ruled out for a foul by Angelo Fulgini in the buildup. The decision prompted a chorus of whistles from the home fans, who were further riled to see former Lens player Elye Wahi go on for the visitors. Valentin Rongier fired Marseille ahead early in the second half, set up by Neal Maupay, who had been played into the danger area by a good ball from Mason Greenwood. Brazilian forward Luis Henrique made it 2-0 on a counterattack in the 57th. Fulgini pulled one back from close range in the 80th after M’Bala Nzola had two efforts blocked on the line, and Labeau-Lascary thought he’d equalized in the 86th, only for Fulgini’s shove to prove decisive at the other end. The win helped Marseille consolidate third place after its third successive win away from home. Roberto De Zerbi’s team has failed to win any of its last three home games. Following a serious illness, former Lens president Gervais Martel kicked the ball in a symbolic gesture ahead of the actual kickoff. The 70-year-old was visibly moved by the reception he received from fans who displayed a giant banner thanking him for his leadership, and from players who lined up with his name on their jerseys. Benjamin Bouchouari's strike from distance after a botched clearance was enough for Saint-Etienne to beat last-place Montpellier 1-0 at home. It was the visitors' ninth defeat from 12 games, and sixth consecutive on the road. Lyon visited Reims later Saturday. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerThe Long, Slow Defeat of Pennsylvania’s Sen. Bob CaseyBEAVER CREEK, Colo. (AP) — As the situation stands, snowboarder/ski racer Ester Ledecka has two Olympic races on the same day in 2026, at nearly the same time and in Italian mountain towns hours apart. The Czech Republic standout simply can’t make both starting gates. So she may have a big decision to make on Feb. 8, 2026 — race in the women's downhill at the Milan-Cortina Games or go for a three-peat in snowboarding’s parallel giant slalom. Unless, of course, her lobbying efforts pay off. Ledecka said she's going through her country's Olympic committee to reach out and see if one of the events can be switched. The Winter Games schedule was just recently released. “It’s like someone has broken your dream,” the 29-year-old Ledecka said after a training run in Beaver Creek as she prepares for a World Cup downhill and super-G this weekend. “So please change it. Please, please, please. It’s my biggest dream to do both. I can create a great show for people.” Ledecka is the rare athlete to do both winter sports at such a gold medal-winning level. Nearly seven years ago, Ledecka was a surprise winner in the super-G at the Pyeongchang Games — from bib No. 26, no less. A week later, she captured gold in the parallel GS (PGS). At the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, she defended her PGS crown along with finishing fifth in the super-G, 27th in the downhill and fourth in the Alpine combined. To amend an Olympic schedule would not be unprecedented. Before the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, the International Olympic Committee and the governing body for track and field accommodated a request from Allyson Felix to go for a 200-400 double. She earned a silver in the 400. In 1996, the schedule was shifted so American sprinter Michael Johnson could run in the 200 and 400 at the Atlanta Games. He won gold in both. “I would appreciate it,” said Ledecka, who started skiing at 2 years old and snowboarding three years later. “They’re fighting (for it) right now.” The current schedule has snowboarding parallel giant slalom holding a qualifying round from 9 a.m. to 11 on Feb. 8 in Livigno, Italy. The final is set for 1 p.m. Meanwhile, the women's downhill is set to take place in Cortina at 11:30 a.m. It's about a 4-hour drive between the two events. For now, she's leaning toward snowboarding. Only because a few days later she could ski race in a super-G. “I was quite sad about that fact,” Ledecka said of the conflict between events. "We'll see. It’s still quite far away.” Ledecka has 88 World Cup starts in skiing, with 10 podium finishes and four wins. She has 63 World Cup starts in snowboarding, featuring 39 podium finishes and 25 wins. “I don’t know how she does it,” said American ski racer Jacqueline Wiles, who dabbled in snowboarding as a kid. “It’s absolutely insane.” Ledecka enjoys both sports for different reasons. In skiing, it's for the speed. For snowboarding, it's the execution of a turn. It's not always easy splitting her time between the two sports, fitting in training around events. She won a PGS race on Nov. 30 in China before arriving in Beaver Creek. After this, it's off to St. Moritz, Switzerland, for more ski racing. She's currently traveling with eight snowboards and 20 pairs of skis. “You cannot believe how stacked the ski room is right now,” Ledecka cracked. “I really admire my tech guy and how he's handling it all. I’m very happy to have my team help me do this, my dream, of going from the snowboard World Cup to the ski World Cup. I'm having a lot of fun.” Notes: Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland had the fastest time in the second training run Thursday. Italians racers Sofia Goggia and Federica Brignone were both within a second. ... Lindsey Vonn is not expected to forerun before the third and final training session Friday. The 40-year-old Vonn still plans on testing out the course before this weekend's races on the Birds of Prey course. AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

GREEN LAKE, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin man who faked his own drowning this summer and left his wife and three children has been located in Eastern Europe and is communicating with law enforcement, but he has not committed to returning home, authorities said. Ryan Borgwardt began communicating with authorities Nov. 11, after they tracked him down, Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll said Thursday. The sheriff showed a video that Borgwardt sent police that day from an undisclosed location. The sheriff said no charges have been filed and that he doesn't think they will be necessary while authorities “keep pulling at his heartstrings” to come home. Here are some things to know about Borgwardt and his disappearance: Borgwardt, who is in his mid-40s, lived with his wife and children in Watertown, a city of about 23,000 people northwest of Milwaukee that is known for its German heritage, parochial schools and two dams on the Rock River. The sheriff has said his department was told Aug. 12 that Borgwardt had not been heard from since the previous day, when he traveled about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from home to Green Lake to go kayaking. Borgwardt’s wife said he texted her at 10:49 p.m. to say he was heading to shore. Deputies found Borgwardt’s vehicle and trailer near Green Lake. His kayak was discovered on the lake, overturned and with a life jacket attached to it, in an area where the water is about 200 feet (60 meters) deep. An angler later found Borgwardt’s fishing rod. The search for his body continued for more than 50 days, with divers scouring the lake on several occasions. Clues — including that he reported his passport lost or stolen and obtained a new one a few months before he disappeared — led investigators to speculate that he made it appear that he had drowned to go meet a woman he had been communicating with in the Central Asian country of Uzbekistan. Podoll declined to comment when asked what he knew about the woman, but he said law enforcement contacted Borgwardt “through a female that spoke Russian.” His identity was confirmed through asking him questions that the sheriff said only Borgwardt would know and by a video he made and sent them Nov. 11. He has spoken with someone from the sheriff's department almost daily since. However Podoll said Thursday that Borgwardt's exact location in Eastern Europe was not known. Podoll said Chief Deputy Matt Vande Kolk has been the one communicating with Borgwardt and their conversations have all taken place via email. Vande Kolk told The Associated Press in an email Friday that authorities are trying to determine Borgwardt's exact location. But that might not be easy even with modern surveillance technology. Scott Shackelford, executive director of the Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research at Indiana University, said authorities should be able to locate Borgwardt through his device's internet protocol address, a unique number assigned to every device connected to the internet. But he said it's very easy to mask an IP address and make it appear as if the device is in one country when it's really in another. Software exists that can route your IP address across the globe, Shackelford said. Police may not have the expertise, the manpower or any interest in digging through multiple layers of cyber deception, he said. Wearing an orange T-shirt, Borgwardt, unsmiling, looks directly at the camera, apparently filmed on a cellphone. Borgwardt says he is in his apartment and briefly pans the camera, but mostly shows a door and bare walls. “I’m safe and secure, no problem,” he says. Borgwardt has told authorities he overturned his kayak on the lake, dumped his phone in it and paddled an inflatable boat to shore. He told authorities he chose Green Lake because it is Wisconsin's deepest at 237 feet (over 72 meters). He then rode an electric bike stashed by a boat launch about 70 miles (110 kilometers) through the night to Madison, the sheriff said. From there, by Borgwardt's account, he traveled by bus to Detroit and then Canada, where he boarded a plane. Police are still verifying Borgwardt’s description of what happened, Podoll said. Borgwardt faked his death and fled because of “personal matters,” thinking it was the right thing to do, the sheriff said. Investigators found that he took out a $375,000 life insurance policy in January for his family. “He was just going to try and make things better in his mind, and this was the way it was going to be,” Podoll said. Borgwardt has not yet decided to return home, and if he does it will be of his own free will, according to Podoll. Deputies are stressing to him the importance of returning home and cleaning up the mess he made. The sheriff suggested that Borgwardt could be charged with obstructing the investigation into his disappearance, but so far no counts have been filed. The search for Borgwardt, which lasted more than a month, is said to have cost at least $35,000. Borgwardt told authorities that he did not expect the search to last more than two weeks, Podoll said, and his biggest concern is how the community will react to him if he returns. This story was updated to correct the spelling of Scott Shackelford’s last name, which had been misspelled “Shackleford.” Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!

Borussia Monchengladbach will hope to stay within touching distance of the Bundesliga 's European qualification places when they welcome strugglers Holstein Kiel to Borussia Park on Saturday. Die Fohlen are 11th with 18 points after 13 matchweeks and drew 1-1 with Borussia Dortmund on December 7, whereas their opponents are second last in 17th place with just five points and lost 2-0 against RB Leipzig last Saturday. The hosts' match against Dortmund was a game of few opportunities, with each side creating just one big chance, and it should be noted that Borussia Monchengladbach's only big chance came from the penalty spot in the 71st minute. Manager Gerardo Seoane was happy with his side's defensive display but lamented his players' performances in the final third, telling reporters: "I don't really have any complaints about how we defended. I'm less happy with our attacking performance; we made too many technical mistakes and failed to take advantage of good situations." Die Fohlen are three points from sixth-placed Borussia Dortmund and fifth-placed Wolfsburg, who occupy the division's Conference League and Europa League qualification spots respectively. Seoane's team are winless in their last two, but they have only lost once in their five most recent outings, winning two while scoring eight and conceding five. It should be said that Borussia Monchengladbach boast a strong home record, with the club having won four and drawn one of their past five matches at Borussia Park. Meanwhile, Holstein Kiel failed to take advantage of a struggling RB Leipzig side, who had lost three of their prior four league games, squandering their two big chances and 17 attempts from inside the box against Die Roten Bullen. Boss Marcel Rapp will no doubt be concerned that his team have already conceded 33 goals in the Bundesliga, the second-worst defensive record in the top flight. Holstein Kiel are already five points behind 16th-placed Heidenheim - who are in the league's relegation playoff spot - and are six points from 15th-placed St Pauli. Rapp's side are in poor form, with the club having lost seven and triumphed in just one of their eight most recent outings. The visitors' record on the road is also alarming given they have lost their last four, and drew two and lost one of the prior three fixtures away from home. Borussia Monchengladbach have two confirmed injury absentees, with midfielder Florian Neuhaus and Grant-Leon Ranos ruled out, though the former is nearing a return. Tim Kleindienst is almost certain to start as a striker, while Rocco Reitz and Philipp Sander are likely to partner each other in midfield given Julian Weigl is suspended. Winger Tomas Cvancara is also suspended, and considering defender Luca Netz is a doubt, perhaps Joseph Scally , Nico Elvedi , Ko Itakura and Lukas Ullrich will be chosen to start in the back four. Holstein Kiel centre-backs Colin Kleine-Bekel and Marco Komenda , as well as wing-back Timo Becker will not be available on Saturday. Fellow defender Patrick Erras is unlikely to be involved as a result of a concussion, and their absences could lead Rapp to select Marko Ivezic , Marvin Schulz and Max Geschwill in a back three. Lasse Rosenboom and Finn Porath may be fielded as wing-backs, with Armin Gigovic , Magnus Knudsen and Nicolai Remberg candidates to start in the middle of the pitch. Borussia Monchengladbach possible starting lineup: Nicolas; Scally, Elvedi, Itakura, Ullrich; Reitz, Sander; Honorat, Stoger, Plea; Kleindienst Holstein Kiel possible starting lineup: Weiner; Ivezic, Schulz, Geschwill; Rosenboom, Gigovic, Knudsen, Remberg, Porath; Machino, Harres Bochum have been poor defensively this season, and it is difficult to see how they can keep a clean sheet on Saturday. Additionally, Borussia Monchengladbach's impressive form at home should make them strong favourites ahead of their relegation-threatened opponents. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here .

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Michelin yesterday announced the sale of its Sri Lanka-based Midigama Tyre Division and Casting Product Division plants that manufacture bias tires and tracks for compact construction equipment, to the CEAT group, a recognised player that is a better fit for these activities. In addition to the production facilities, the sale will also include the Camso brand, a renowned brand in these segments, at the end of a three-year licensing period. The high level of performance and engagement of employees, and the quality of the production facilities, has greatly contributed to making this a successful transaction. In full agreement with CEAT, it preserves jobs and ensures business continuity for Michelin customers worldwide. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals from the relevant authorities. Michelin and CEAT are committed to working hand in hand to ensure a smooth transition for all employees, customers and suppliers. Michelin said the Group will focus on its most value accretive offers for construction application. These include radial tires, solid tires and assemblies. Michelin will thus exit from its activities related to compact line bias tires and construction tracks. The group also intends to continue its other manufacturing activities in Sri Lanka. The country remains important for Michelin, where the company plans to continue modernising its production facilities alongside improving performance – as everywhere in the group. With this operation, Michelin and CEAT are aligned and do not intend any layoffs at either of the two plants. Michelin and CEAT will work together to implement appropriate measures for all 1,587 employees at the Midigama Tyre Division and Casting Product Division plants and the related support functions, creating the right conditions for a smooth handover between the two companies. Michelin will continue to support all its teams in Sri Lanka to help ensure that activities there remain competitive. Michelin and CEAT will make every effort to ensure business continuity for customers and suppliers. Further to this announcement, the two groups will pay particular attention to providing seamless support for all their partners. Michelin Senior Vice President – Beyond Road Business Line Nour Bouhassoun said: “Michelin firmly believes that CEAT is the right fit to carry on our bias tires and tracks for compact construction equipment business. Both our companies are fully committed to ensuring a smooth transition for our employees and business continuity for our customers and suppliers. With this operation, Michelin is continuing to reshape its Beyond Road business, in line with the group’s sustainable growth strategy.” CEAT Managing Director and CEO Arnab Banerjee said: “The Camso brand is an excellent fit with the growth strategy of CEAT’s Off-Highway tire business, thereby improving our margin profile. Access to the most premium customers, a high-quality brand and a qualified workforce is what excites us the most about this acquisition. The track segment is a technologically superior segment with a limited number of global players. We also found high synergies between the two brands, CEAT and Camso, and are confident that both will benefit tremendously from their complimentary capabilities and positioning.” Michelin is building a world-leading manufacturer of life-changing composites and experiences. Pioneering engineered materials for more than 130 years, Michelin is uniquely positioned to make decisive contributions to human progress and to a more sustainable world. Drawing on its deep know-how in polymer composites, Michelin is constantly innovating to manufacture high-quality tires and components for critical applications in demanding fields as varied as mobility, construction, aeronautics, low-carbon energies, and healthcare. The care placed in its products and deep customer knowledge inspire Michelin to offer the finest experiences. This spans from providing data- and AI-based connected solutions for professional fleets to recommending outstanding restaurants and hotels curated by the MICHELIN Guide.An archbishop's knock formally restores Notre Dame to life as winds howl and heads of state look on

A new report made in consultation with people who use drugs calls for federal decriminalization, expanded access to overdose prevention sites and several other measures designed to mitigate and eventually end the toxic drug crisis. Seven calls for action are laid out by the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, which over three years held 13 public consultations. The coalition said nearly 800 people were included in the meetings. Beeta Senedjani, the coalition's community policy and network co-ordinator, hopes the report will provide Canadians — and, crucially, policy makers — insight into the damage the crisis and a lack of available services are inflicting on communities. “I believe that in terms of the general public, there's a misunderstanding that what is happening is an increase in substance use, whereas really it’s the supply that's creating such devastating consequences. That's a nuance that I think is not fully understood.” The toxic drug supply, poisoned by an influx of fentanyl, has killed over 15,000 British Columbians since the provincial government declared a crisis in 2016, as well as over 47,000 Canadians. Data released by Statistics Canada on Dec. 4 shows in 2023, followed by Alberta and Saskatchewan. But the coalition's report also comes as federal and provincial governments backtrack from programs meant to confront the crisis. The B.C. NDP ended its decriminalization pilot program due to public outcry, and last month closed the addictions ministry while making the crisis the responsibility of . Premier David Eby has also by former chief coroner Lisa Lapointe to add non-prescription drugs to its safe supply program. A has led to the closure of social sites such as Nelson's Coordinated Access Hub earlier this year. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has also promised to end funding for safe supply programs in favour of expanded treatment facilities if he is elected prime minister in next year's federal election. Senedjani criticized the politicization of the drug crisis. The coalition's report, she said, offers evidence instead of rhetoric. “Whenever the most marginalized people in our community are being targeted by politicians, we need to ask ourselves why, and really look at that with a critical view, because usually it's not in our best interest as a collective.” The report features 87 recommendations under seven calls to action. They include: 1. The collection of disaggregated statistics for drug fatalities and hospitalizations to better show how the crisis is impacting diverse communities such as Indigenous, African, Caribbean and Black peoples. Senedjani said current reporting typically focuses on age and gender, and doesn't include more specific demographics for communities that can be used to show how they are being impacted by the crisis in ways that differ from the rest of Canada. 2. Expansion of access to harm reduction services, which are designed for public use and don't feature specialized supports for racialized, Indigenous or LGBTQ2 peoples. Vancouver's SisterSpace, an overdose prevention site exclusive to women, is a model for how other services might cater to certain demographics. “We don't want to then further marginalize people who have multiple marginalized identities in being able to access services that are already so hard to access.” 3. Decriminalization of all criminal penalties for substance use. Senedjani said feedback heard during the consultations included people who were unable to receive healthcare because they had been labelled as seeking drugs by medical professionals, which also dismissed the validity of their health concerns. 4. The displacement of the toxic drugs with increased access to safe supply that includes drugs of known content and dosage. B.C.'s safe supply program distributes pharmaceutical opioids, which have been criticized as ineffective substitutes for alternatives such as lab-tested heroin. “We need to think about alternatives, and we need to think about ways to make this make sense and have this meet the needs of the devastating issue that we're facing today.” 5. Meaningful consultation, and compensation, with people who use drugs when developing policy. As an example, Senedjani referred to Reclaim Collection, an advocacy group made up of people with lived experience. 6. Expanded affordable housing availability as well as a more diverse range of options for people in need of services. Senedjani said the drug and housing crises in Canada are intertwined. “I think that people as individuals are being blamed for a housing crisis and a toxic drug crisis, when really these are structural, systemic issues that are happening clean across the country, and they require work at the same time on both of those prongs in order to improve social wellness and improve our communities well across the country.” 7. Expanded harm reduction services in housing and shelter settings. The consultations heard from shelter workers who were traumatized by finding people poisoned to death by drugs at their facilities. Senedjani said Toronto's Integrated Prevention and Harm Reduction Initiative, which was designed to address drug deaths in city shelters by including supervised consumption and mental health case management, is a model that other municipalities should consider. “It's important for shelter providers to look at developing proper harm reduction policies, because whether they like it or not it's going to happen, and so they might as well make it safe for everyone involved, including the person accessing the service and the people who are supporting them and trying to do their jobs in a in a proper way.”Is this the end of Christmas cards? 5 creative ways to spread holiday cheer without the mailbox

GSA Capital Partners LLP cut its position in shares of UGI Co. ( NYSE:UGI – Free Report ) by 53.2% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 11,254 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 12,795 shares during the quarter. GSA Capital Partners LLP’s holdings in UGI were worth $282,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of UGI. Whittier Trust Co. raised its stake in shares of UGI by 99.7% in the second quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 1,198 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 598 shares during the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. bought a new stake in UGI in the second quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Concord Wealth Partners lifted its holdings in UGI by 100.0% during the third quarter. Concord Wealth Partners now owns 1,274 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 637 shares in the last quarter. Duncker Streett & Co. Inc. bought a new stake in UGI during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. bought a new stake in UGI in the 2nd quarter valued at $40,000. 82.34% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have recently commented on UGI. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of UGI from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Mizuho upgraded shares of UGI from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their price target for the company from $27.00 to $30.00 in a research note on Friday, November 15th. StockNews.com cut shares of UGI from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 6th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on UGI in a report on Friday. They set a “buy” rating and a $28.00 target price on the stock. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $28.33. UGI Stock Performance Shares of UGI stock opened at $28.50 on Friday. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $24.40 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $24.10. UGI Co. has a fifty-two week low of $21.51 and a fifty-two week high of $28.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.00 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.34, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.71. UGI Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.375 per share. This represents a $1.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.26%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 16th. UGI’s payout ratio is 120.97%. UGI Profile ( Free Report ) UGI Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, distributes, stores, transports, and markets energy products and related services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: AmeriGas Propane, UGI International, Midstream & Marketing, and UGI Utilities. It distributes propane to approximately 1.3 million residential, commercial/industrial, motor fuel, agricultural, and wholesale customers through 1,400 propane distribution locations. Further Reading Five stocks we like better than UGI 3 Healthcare Dividend Stocks to Buy Vertiv’s Cool Tech Makes Its Stock Red-Hot There Are Different Types of Stock To Invest In MarketBeat Week in Review – 11/18 – 11/22 The 3 Best Fintech Stocks to Buy Now 2 Finance Stocks With Competitive Advantages You Can’t Ignore Want to see what other hedge funds are holding UGI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for UGI Co. ( NYSE:UGI – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for UGI Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for UGI and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

SHAREHOLDER INVESTIGATION: Halper Sadeh LLC Investigates LBRDA, CFB, NBR on Behalf of Shareholders