big fish casino poker Chandigarh Lit Fest kicks off with launch of book on Ratan Tata, talks on freedom struggleUnexpected: Kharge, Rahul on Maha poll resultsFBI Director Christopher Wray announced he will resign in advance of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration — meaning he will depart from the bureau about three years before his term ends. Wray’s decision, which was revealed on Dec. 11, came shortly after Trump nominated Kash Patel — a strong supporter of his — to lead the FBI. “In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work,” Wray, who was nominated by Trump in 2017, told his colleagues, according to The Associated Press. Trump celebrated the move, writing in a post on Truth Social that Wray’s resignation “is a great day for America as it will end the Weaponization of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice.” Amid these developments, here is what to know about FBI directors and their tenureships. Who appoints the FBI director? During the early years of the FBI, the attorney general was charged with choosing the bureau’s director, who was not constrained by term limits . However, in 1968, Congress passed a law establishing that the president would appoint the director, who would require Senate confirmation. “By that point the FBI was considered important enough to warrant an executive appointment,” Douglas Charles, a history professor at Pennsylvania State University Greater Allegheny, who researches the FBI, told McClatchy News. “Before then, attorneys general hired and fired them.” How long is the FBI director’s term? In 1976, Congress passed a law permitting the FBI director to serve one 10-year term. The law “stemmed directly from the fact that J. Edgar Hoover was entrenched as director for 48 years,” Charles said. Hoover led the intelligence agency from 1924 to 1972 , during which time he amassed significant powers, he said. As a result, the law sought to prohibit anyone else from following in his footsteps. Hoover wasn’t the only impetus for the term limit, though. “This law came, as well, in the wake of Watergate where President Nixon tried to have his own man, his own lackey, L. Patrick Gray, become FBI director,” Charles said. So, the law “sought to isolate the FBI from White House political influence.” Do most directors stay on for 10 years? There have been 12 directors — including acting directors — since the 10-year term limit was established, and nearly all of them left office before their term ended, according to FBI records. For example, Clarence Kelley , who was nominated by Nixon, led the agency for about five years between 1973 and 1978. Similarly, Louis Freeh , who was nominated by President Bill Clinton, helmed the agency for about eight years between 1993 and 2001. The only director to stay on for a full term was Robert Mueller , who was in office for 12 years. President George W. Bush nominated Mueller to head the FBI in 2001, and in 2011, before his term ended, President Barack Obama asked Congress to pass legislation extending his term for two more years — which it did. “The United States faces ongoing threats from terrorists intent on attacking us both at home and abroad, and it is crucial that the FBI have sustained, strong leadership to confront that threat,” Attorney General Eric Holder said at the time. “There is no better person for that job than Bob Mueller.” More politics news → How does Senate confirmation process work? What to know as Trump makes Cabinet picks → Trump to return to White House after 4 years. Only one past president has done that → How did LGBT Americans vote in election? Exit poll finds significant shift from 2020 Have any FBI directors been fired? “Only two FBI directors were outright fired,” Charles said. The first was William Sessions, whom Clinton dismissed in 1993 after learning the director had been accused of misusing FBI resources. Specifically, he had been accused of using a government airplane for personal reasons, installing a fence around his house using government funds and failing to pay taxes on an FBI limousine, according to ABC News. Twenty-four years later, in 2017, Trump fired FBI Director James Comey amid a bureau investigation into whether Trump’s campaign had colluded with the Russian government. At the time, Trump said Comey’s ouster was required to bring back “public trust and confidence” in the FBI, according to The Associated Press. “There have been other FBI directors who resigned in the past after improprieties or scandals surfaced,” Charles said. “I call these Washington, D.C., ‘firings’ where they were quietly asked to resign or just stepped aside.” One of these was L. Patrick Gray, who became acting director following the death of Hoover in 1972. He resigned in 1973 after it was disclosed that he had destroyed incriminating White House documents related to the Watergate scandal , according to The Guardian. Gray’s successor, Kelley, also left office early following a scandal. Following the election in 1976, it was revealed that FBI carpenters did construction on his home, costing a total of $355, Charles said. “In the wake of Hoover and Watergate this was seen as a scandal,” he said. “By our standards today it is small potatoes.” President Jimmy Carter, who was inaugurated in 1977, ended up making a deal with Kelley, in which he would step down after one year, Charles said. Who do Americans trust for health information? Poll finds gap between FDA and RFK Jr. Most Americans approve of Trump transition phase, poll finds. What about past presidents? Can Donald Trump actually end birthright citizenship? Legal experts weigh in50 EH/s expansion accelerated to H1 2025 Focused on alternative funding instruments Potential for investor distributions in 2025 Transition to U.S. domestic issuer SYDNEY, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IREN IREN (together with its subsidiaries, "IREN" or "the Company"), today reported its financial results for the first quarter ended September 30, 2024. All $ amounts are in United States Dollars ("USD") unless otherwise stated. "We are pleased to report our Q1 FY25 results and reiterate our focus on low-cost Bitcoin mining, operating cashflows and shareholder returns," said Daniel Roberts, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of IREN. "We are just weeks away from achieving our 31 EH/s milestone and are excited to announce the acceleration of our growth trajectory to 50 EH/s in H1 2025, which was previously H2 2025. Our funding program is focused on alternative funding instruments and the strong operating cashflows we expect to generate enhances our flexibility to support potential distributions in 2025." Business Update Bitcoin Mining 21 EH/s installed, on-track for 31 EH/s next month Accelerating expansion to 50 EH/s in H1 2025 Previously H2 2025 Single site expansion at Childress S21 Pro miners previously secured (fixed price, $18.9/TH) Institutional-grade mining exposure Vertically integrated, large scale and low-cost producer ~$29k all-in cash cost per Bitcoin 1 Non-HODL approach and prudent capital stewardship through the cycle Commitment to 100% renewable energy, supporting energy grids and local communities AI/HPC Update AI Cloud Services 1,896 NVIDIA H100 & H200 GPUs Focus on measured growth, only in response to customer demand Other Continuing to advance negotiations with parties on a range of structures in relation to IREN sites – any transaction would need to reflect strategic value of IREN assets Installing liquid cooling infrastructure at Childress and Prince George to support NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs Power & Land IREN 1.4GW Sweetwater site located 60 miles from Abilene, Texas Procurement underway to support IREN-owned 1.4GW substation energization by April 2026 Construction planning for multiple pathways Continuing to prioritize development activities for >1GW pipeline Corporate & Funding Focused on alternative funding instruments Strong operating cashflows to support potential investor distributions in 2025 Transition to U.S. domestic issuer status in 2025 (including U.S. GAAP reporting) The Q1 FY25 Results webcast will be recorded, and the replay will be accessible shortly after the event at https://iren.com/investor/events-and-presentations First Quarter FY25 Results Bitcoin mining revenue of $49.6 million, as compared to $54.3 million in Q4 FY24, driven by increase in network difficulty and lower Bitcoin prices, offset by growth in operating hashrate during the month of September 2024 28% increase in AI Cloud Services revenue of $3.2 million, as compared to $2.5 million in Q4 FY24, driven by revenue for additional GPU's commissioned in April 2024 Adjusted EBITDA of $2.6 million, as compared to $12.2 million in Q4 FY24 2 813 Bitcoin mined, as compared to 821 Bitcoin in Q4 FY24, driven primarily by increase in network difficulty and halving event in Q4 FY24 Net electricity costs 3 of $28.7 million, as compared to $24.1 million in Q4 FY24, primarily driven by an increase in operating capacity Successful transition to spot electricity pricing at Childress from August 1, 2024 One-off cost of $7.2 million to close out August and September 2024 hedges Other costs of $21.4 million, as compared to $20.5 million in Q4 FY24 4 Reflects a business today that is delivering significant growth, and projecting continued expansion over the coming years Includes $2.7 million provision for Canadian non-refundable sales tax, as compared to $2.0 million in Q4 FY24. Net loss after income tax of $51.7 million, as compared to a loss of $27.1 million in Q4 FY24 Q1 FY25 Operating cash outflow of $3.8 million, as compared to cash inflow of $4.8 million in Q4 FY24 Cash and cash equivalents of $98.6 million as of September 30, 2024 and no debt facilities, increasing to $182.4 million as of October 31, 2024 5 Assumptions and Notes All-in cash cost per Bitcoin at 31 EH/s reflects total net electricity costs, overheads and Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) cash costs and includes benefit of $32m illustrative contribution from AI Cloud Services, on a per Bitcoin mined basis. Calculations assume hardware operates at 100% uptime, nameplate fleet efficiency of 15 J/TH, weighted average power cost of $0.036, overheads of $81m, REC costs of $9m, power consumption of 484MW, network hashrate of 732 EH/s, block reward of 3.125 BTC per block, transaction fees of 0.1 BTC per block, pool fees of 0.15%. $32m illustrative contribution from AI Cloud Services calculated as illustrative revenue less assumed electricity costs (excludes all other site, overhead and REC costs) and assumes hardware is fully utilized by customers and operating at 100% uptime, 1.25kW power draw per GPU, $0.045/kWh electricity costs and $2.00 per GPU hour revenue assumption. REC costs at 31 EH/s assume $3/MWh pricing based on historical purchases. Weighted average power cost assumption reflects $0.045/kWh costs in British Columbia and $0.0325/kWh costs in Texas - latter in line with actual net electricity costs of $0.031, $0.032 and $0.0306 in Aug, Sep and Oct 2024, respectively. Historical power prices achieved and power price assumptions may or may not materialize in the future. This press release should be read strictly in conjunction with the forward-looking statements disclaimer on page 6. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are non-IFRS metrics. See page 4 for a reconciliation to the nearest IFRS metric. Net electricity cost is a non-IFRS metric. See page 5 for a reconciliation to the nearest IFRS metric. Other costs exclude one-off other expense items. See page 4 for a reconciliation to the nearest IFRS metric. Reflects USD equivalent, unaudited cash and cash equivalents as of September 30, 2024 and October 31, 2024 respectively. Non-IFRS metric reconciliation Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation (USD$m) 1 3 months ended Sep 30, 2024 3 months ended June 30, 2024 Bitcoin mining revenue 49.6 54.3 AI cloud service revenue 3.2 2.5 Net electricity costs 2 (28.7) (24.1) Other costs 3 (21.4) (20.5) Adjusted EBITDA 2.6 12.2 Adjusted EBITDA Margin 5 % 21 % Reconciliation to consolidated statement of profit or loss Add/(deduct): Unrealized loss on financial asset - (2.1) Share-based payment expense - $75 exercise price options (3.1) (2.9) Share-based payment expense - other (5.1) (3.1) Impairment of assets (9.5) - Foreign exchange loss 1.2 (7.0) Gain on disposal of property, plant and equipment 0.8 0.0 Other expense items 4 (5.6) (0.1) EBITDA (18.6 ) (3.0 ) Finance expense (0.1) (0.1) Interest income 2.3 3.0 Depreciation (34.0) (26.8) Loss before income tax expense for the period (50.4 ) (26.9 ) Income tax expense (1.3) (0.2) Loss after income tax expense for the period (51.7 ) (27.1 ) 1) For further detail, see our unaudited interim financial statements for the period ended September 30, 2024, included in our Form 6-K filed with the SEC on November 26, 2024. 2) Net electricity cost is a non-IFRS metric. See below table for a reconciliation to the nearest IFRS metric. 3) Other costs include employee benefits expense, professional fees, site expenses, Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and other operating expenses excluding one-off other expenses. 4) Other expense items include, a one-off liquidation payment incurred in August 2024 resulting from the transition to spot pricing at the Group's site at Childress, the reversal of the unrealized loss recorded on fixed price contracted amounts outstanding at June 30, 2024, professional fees incurred in relation to the securities class action and loss due to theft of mining hardware in transit. Reconciliation of Electricity charges to Net electricity costs (USD$m) 3 months ended Sep 30, 2024 3 months ended June 30, 2024 Electricity charges (29.8) (25.7) Add/(deduct) the following: - Realized gain/(loss) on financial asset (4.2) 1.0 One off liquidation payment (included in Realized gain/(loss) on financial asset) 1 7.2 - Reversal of unrealized loss (included in Realized gain/(loss) on financial asset) 2 (3.4) - ERS revenue (included in Other income) 1.6 0.6 ERS fees (included in Other operating expenses) (0.1) (0.0) Net electricity costs 3 (28.7 ) (24.1 ) 1) One-off liquidation payment includes the amount paid to exit positions previously entered into under a fixed price and fixed quantity contract, on transition to a spot price and actual usage contract. 2) Reversal of unrealized loss is calculated as the unrealized loss on financial asset as at June 30, 2024. 3) Net electricity costs exclude the cost of RECs. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or IREN's future financial or operating performance. For example, forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the Company's business strategy, expected operational and financial results, and expected increase in power capacity and hashrate. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "may," "can," "should," "could," "might," "plan," "possible," "project," "strive," "budget," "forecast," "expect," "intend," "target", "will," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "scheduled" or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology, but the absence of these words does not mean that statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements or information that refer to expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, performance or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause IREN's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward looking statements, including, but not limited to: Bitcoin price and foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; IREN's ability to obtain additional capital on commercially reasonable terms and in a timely manner to meet its capital needs and facilitate its expansion plans; the terms of any future financing or any refinancing, restructuring or modification to the terms of any future financing, which could require IREN to comply with onerous covenants or restrictions, and its ability to service its debt obligations, any of which could restrict its business operations and adversely impact its financial condition, cash flows and results of operations; IREN's ability to successfully execute on its growth strategies and operating plans, including its ability to continue to develop its existing data center sites and to diversify and expand into the market for high performance computing ("HPC") solutions it may offer (including the market for AI Cloud Services); IREN's limited experience with respect to new markets it has entered or may seek to enter, including the market for HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services); expectations with respect to the ongoing profitability, viability, operability, security, popularity and public perceptions of the Bitcoin network; expectations with respect to the profitability, viability, operability, security, popularity and public perceptions of any current and future HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services) that IREN offers; IREN's ability to secure and retain customers on commercially reasonable terms or at all, particularly as it relates to its strategy to expand into markets for HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services); IREN's ability to manage counterparty risk (including credit risk) associated with any current or future customers, including customers of its HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services) and other counterparties; the risk that any current or future customers, including customers of its HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services), or other counterparties may terminate, default on or underperform their contractual obligations; Bitcoin global hashrate fluctuations; IREN's ability to secure renewable energy, renewable energy certificates, power capacity, facilities and sites on commercially reasonable terms or at all; delays associated with, or failure to obtain or complete, permitting approvals, grid connections and other development activities customary for greenfield or brownfield infrastructure projects; IREN's reliance on power and utilities providers, third party mining pools, exchanges, banks, insurance providers and its ability to maintain relationships with such parties; expectations regarding availability and pricing of electricity; IREN's participation and ability to successfully participate in demand response products and services and other load management programs run, operated or offered by electricity network operators, regulators or electricity market operators; the availability, reliability and/or cost of electricity supply, hardware and electrical and data center infrastructure, including with respect to any electricity outages and any laws and regulations that may restrict the electricity supply available to IREN; any variance between the actual operating performance of IREN's miner hardware achieved compared to the nameplate performance including hashrate; IREN's ability to curtail its electricity consumption and/or monetize electricity depending on market conditions, including changes in Bitcoin mining economics and prevailing electricity prices; actions undertaken by electricity network and market operators, regulators, governments or communities in the regions in which IREN operates; the availability, suitability, reliability and cost of internet connections at IREN's facilities; IREN's ability to secure additional hardware, including hardware for Bitcoin mining and any current or future HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services) it offers, on commercially reasonable terms or at all, and any delays or reductions in the supply of such hardware or increases in the cost of procuring such hardware; expectations with respect to the useful life and obsolescence of hardware (including hardware for Bitcoin mining as well as hardware for other applications, including any current or future HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services) IREN offers); delays, increases in costs or reductions in the supply of equipment used in IREN's operations; IREN's ability to operate in an evolving regulatory environment; IREN's ability to successfully operate and maintain its property and infrastructure; reliability and performance of IREN's infrastructure compared to expectations; malicious attacks on IREN's property, infrastructure or IT systems; IREN's ability to maintain in good standing the operating and other permits and licenses required for its operations and business; IREN's ability to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce its intellectual property rights and confidential information; any intellectual property infringement and product liability claims; whether the secular trends IREN expects to drive growth in its business materialize to the degree it expects them to, or at all; any pending or future acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures or other strategic transactions; the occurrence of any environmental, health and safety incidents at IREN's sites, and any material costs relating to environmental, health and safety requirements or liabilities; damage to IREN's property and infrastructure and the risk that any insurance IREN maintains may not fully cover all potential exposures; ongoing proceedings relating in part to the default, and any future litigation, claims and/or regulatory investigations, and the costs, expenses, use of resources, diversion of management time and efforts, liability and damages that may result therefrom; IREN's failure to comply with any laws including the anti-corruption laws of the United States and various international jurisdictions; any failure of IREN's compliance and risk management methods; any laws, regulations and ethical standards that may relate to IREN's business, including those that relate to Bitcoin and the Bitcoin mining industry and those that relate to any other services it offers, including laws and regulations related to data privacy, cybersecurity and the storage, use or processing of information and consumer laws; IREN's ability to attract, motivate and retain senior management and qualified employees; increased risks to IREN's global operations including, but not limited to, political instability, acts of terrorism, theft and vandalism, cyberattacks and other cybersecurity incidents and unexpected regulatory and economic sanctions changes, among other things; climate change, severe weather conditions and natural and man-made disasters that may materially adversely affect IREN's business, financial condition and results of operations; public health crises, including an outbreak of an infectious disease (such as COVID-19) and any governmental or industry measures taken in response; IREN's ability to remain competitive in dynamic and rapidly evolving industries; damage to IREN's brand and reputation; expectations relating to Environmental, Social or Governance issues or reporting; the costs of being a public company; the increased regulatory and compliance costs of IREN ceasing to be a foreign private issuer and an emerging growth company, as a result of which we will be required, among other things, to file periodic reports and registration statements on U.S. domestic issuer forms with the SEC commencing with our next fiscal year, prepare our financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP rather than IFRS, and to modify certain of our policies to comply with corporate governance practices required of U.S. domestic issuers; and other important factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in IREN's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on August 28, 2024 as such factors may be updated from time to time in its other filings with the SEC, accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of IREN's website at https://investors.iren.com . These and other important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this investor update. Any forward-looking statement that IREN makes in this investor update speaks only as of the date of such statement. Except as required by law, IREN disclaims any obligation to update or revise, or to publicly announce any update or revision to, any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Non-IFRS Financial Measures This press release includes non-IFRS financial measures, including Net electricity costs, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin. We provide these measures in addition to, and not as a substitute for, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. There are a number of limitations related to the use of Net electricity costs, Adjusted EBTIDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin. For example, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate these measures differently. The Company believes that these measures are important and supplement discussions and analysis of its results of operations and enhances an understanding of its operating performance. EBITDA is calculated as our IFRS profit/(loss) after income tax expense, excluding interest income, finance expense and non-cash fair value loss and interest expense on hybrid financial instruments, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, which are important components of our IFRS profit/(loss) after income tax expense. Further, "Adjusted EBITDA" also excludes share-based payments expense, which is an important component of our IFRS profit/(loss) after income tax expense, foreign exchange gains and losses, impairment of assets, certain other non-recurring income, loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment, gain on disposal of subsidiaries, unrealized fair value gains and losses on financial assets and certain other expense items. Net electricity costs is calculated as our IFRS Electricity charges net of Realized gain/(loss) on financial asset, ERS revenue (included in Other income) and ERS fees (included in Other operating expenses), and excludes the cost of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). About IREN IREN is a leading data center business powering the future of Bitcoin, AI and beyond utilizing 100% renewable energy. Bitcoin Mining: providing security to the Bitcoin network, expanding to 50 EH/s in H1 2025. Operations since 2019. AI Cloud Services: providing cloud compute to AI customers, 1,896 NVIDIA H100 & H200 GPUs. Operations since 2024. Next-Generation Data Centers : 360MW of operating data centers, expanding to 810MW in H1 2025. Specifically designed and purpose-built infrastructure for high-performance and power-dense computing applications. Technology : technology stack for performance optimization of AI Cloud Services and Bitcoin Mining operations. Development Portfolio: 2,310MW of grid-connected power secured across North America, >1,000 acre property portfolio and additional development pipeline. 100% Renewable Energy (from clean or renewable energy sources or through the purchase of RECs) : targets sites with low-cost & underutilized renewable energy, and supports electrical grids and local communities. Contacts Media Investors Jon Snowball Sodali & Co +61 477 946 068 Lincoln Tan IREN +61 407 423 395 lincoln.tan@iren.com Danielle Ghigliera Aircover Communications +1 510 333 2707 To keep updated on IREN's news releases and SEC filings, please subscribe to email alerts at https://iren.com/investor/ir-resources/email-alerts . © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

North Dakota regulators OK underground storage for proposed Midwest carbon dioxide pipelineSYRIA | UNDER SIEGE BEIRUT — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs. The government denied rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus, the capital, and Syria's coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader's base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM news outlet reported that government forces took positions outside Syria's third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The insurgency announced later Saturday that it had taken over Homs. The city's capture is a major victory for the rebels, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama, as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said rebel control of Homs would be a game-changer. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. For the first time in the country's long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. 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. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The rapid rebel gains, coupled with the lack of support from Assad's erstwhile allies, posed the most serious threat to his rule since the start of the war. The U.N.'s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, 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." In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Roddy Gayle Jr. scores 16 to lead Michigan to 72-49 victory over Tarleton StateHow will the pharmaceuticals and healthcare industry change in 2025? One of the key advances in 2024 – artificial intelligence – is set to further disrupt healthcare into the new year. Digital Journal heard from Ryan Brown , Regional VP, Trial Landscape at H1 , a provider of global data on healthcare professionals, clinical insights, and research. Using AI to Combat Rare Diseases With nearly 1,000 AI-enabled devices approved , the U.S. FDA has strongly supported the use of AI in medicine. According to Brown: “In 2025, we will see AI leveraged for faster, more accurate diagnoses in rare disease cases, reducing the rate of more than a quarter of rare disease patients who spend 7+ years until they receive a correct diagnosis (up from 15 percent from 30 years ago). By connecting symptom patterns and medical histories across dispersed datasets, clinicians will identify rare conditions sooner, reducing the time to diagnosis by years and drastically improving outcomes.” Brown expands on the potentials of AI further: “Beyond diagnosis, AI will predict treatment responses, personalize therapies, and uncover new disease patterns. And, in rare diseases where patient populations are limited, AI’s ability to streamline trial design and identify patients most likely to benefit from specific therapies will further accelerate rare disease treatment.” Clinical Trial Diversity: Global Shift to Inclusive, Start-to-Finish Diversity in Clinical Trials In 2025, diversity will be a core consideration of clinical trial design from the outset, not just in later stages. Brown foresees: “Unlike the FDA’s guidance on diversity action plans, the U.K.’s draft Inclusion and Diversity Plan guidance pushes pharmaceutical companies to consider a wider range of factors beyond race and ethnicity, beginning at early-phase trials. This approach will influence global standards, and it won’t be long before the U.S. and other countries follow suit.” As to what is likely to happen: “This shift will push the industry to take a more granular approach to collecting and analyzing patient diversity data so trials reflect real-world populations from the start. For example, capturing detailed, region-specific nuances such as ethnic subgroups, transient populations, transgendered populations, religious sects, neurodiversity, rural populations, and other social determinants of health (SDoH).” Brown thinks: “This will stimulate advancements in clinical trial technology. AI and machine learning will be integral for capturing and analyzing this data to identify ideal trial candidates, and we’ll likely see new tools to track SDoH and applications that increase trial accessibility, especially for rural and underrepresented populations.” Novel Site Collaborations to Depoliticize Trial-Level DEI and Drive Culturally Compassionate Care With clinical trials,Brown predicts: “In the evolving landscape of clinical trials, the push for greater diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has often been fraught with political undertones that can overshadow the genuine need for culturally compassionate care. Emerging models of site collaboration, however, are paving the way to reframe DEI beyond compliance mandates, fostering genuine, inclusive partnerships that resonate with the communities they aim to serve.” Brown adds: “By cultivating collaborations rooted in mutual respect and understanding, clinical trial sites are becoming hubs of inclusive health practices– reflected in their increasingly diverse workforce, ability to obtain novel data points from underserved communities to better inform AI models, and unique localized partnerships that support greater patient engagement. These novel approaches not only depoliticize DEI but also ensure that diverse populations receive care that reflects their unique cultural contexts, ultimately driving better trial outcomes and fostering trust within underrepresented communities.” Brown concludes: “This new era of site collaboration holds the promise of reimagining patient-centricity by focusing on what truly matters—health equity that transcends political divides, transforming trials into instruments of compassionate, culturally attuned care.” Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.Fair Isaac Co. (NYSE:FICO) Shares Purchased by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans

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Sudan army says recaptures key state capitalCompeting Visions: Gwadar and Chabahar in Regional and Global RivalriesThe announcement caps a turbulent eight-day period in which Trump sought to capitalize on his decisive election win to force Senate Republicans to accept provocative selections like Gaetz, who had been investigated by the Justice Department before being tapped last week to lead it. The decision could heighten scrutiny on other controversial Trump nominees, including Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth , who faces sexual assault allegations that he denies. “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz, a Florida Republican who one day earlier met with senators in an effort to win their support, said in a statement. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1," he added. Trump, in a social media post, said: “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!” He did not immediately announce a new selection. Last week, he named personal lawyers Todd Blanche, Emil Bove and D. John Sauer to senior roles in the department. Another possible contender, Matt Whitaker, was announced Wednesday as the U.S. ambassador to NATO. The withdrawal, just a week after the pick was announced, averts what was shaping up to be a pitched confirmation fight that would have tested how far Senate Republicans were willing to go to support Trump’s Cabinet picks. The selection of the fierce Trump ally over well-regarded veteran lawyers whose names had circulated as possible contenders stirred concern for the Justice Department's independence at a time when Trump has openly threatened to seek retribution against political adversaries. It underscored the premium Trump places on personal loyalty and reflected the president-elect's desire to have a disruptor lead a Justice Department that for years investigated and ultimately indicted him. In the Senate, deeply skeptical lawmakers sought more information about Justice Department and congressional investigations into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls, which Gaetz has denied. Meanwhile, Justice Department lawyers were taken aback by the pick of a partisan lawmaker with limited legal experience who has echoed Trump's claims of a weaponized criminal justice system. As Gaetz sought to lock down Senate support, concern over the sex trafficking allegations showed no signs of abating. In recent days, an attorney for two women said his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman. One of the women testified she saw Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old at a party in Florida in 2017, according to the attorney, Joel Leppard. Leppard has said that his client testified she didn’t think Gaetz knew the girl was underage, stopped their relationship when he found out and did not resume it until after she turned 18. The age of consent in Florida is 18. "They’re grateful for the opportunity to move forward with their lives,” Leppard said Thursday of his clients. “They’re hoping that this brings final closure for all the parties involved.” Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. The Justice Department’s investigation ended last year with no charges against him. Gaetz’s political future is uncertain. He had abruptly resigned his congressional seat upon being selected as attorney general, a move seen as a way to shut down the ethics investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. He did win reelection in November for the new Congress, which convenes Jan. 3, 2025, but he said in his resignation letter last week to House Speaker Mike Johnson that he did not intend to take the oath of office. He transmitted a similar letter to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the state launched a special election process to fill the vacancy. Republicans on the House Ethics Committee declined this week to release the panel's findings, over objections from Democrats in a split vote. But the committee did agree to finish its work and is scheduled to meet again Dec. 5 to discuss the matter. As word of Gaetz's decision spread across the Capitol, Republican senators seemed divided. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who served with Gaetz in the House, called it a “positive move." Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Gaetz “put country first and I am pleased with his decision.” Others said they had hoped Gaetz could have overhauled the department. Florida Sen. Rick Scott, a close ally of Trump, said he was “disappointed. I like Matt and I think he would have changed the way DOJ is run.” Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said he hoped that Trump will pick someone “equally as tenacious and equally as committed to rooting out and eliminating bias and politicization at the DOJ.” Gaetz is not the only Trump pick facing congressional scrutiny over past allegations. A detailed investigative police report made public Wednesday shows that a woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth, the former Fox News host now tapped to lead the Pentagon, after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave. “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared,” Hegseth told reporters Thursday at the Capitol, where he was meeting with senators to build support for his nomination. Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price, Lisa Mascaro, Mary Clare Jalonick and Adriana Gomez Licon contributed to this report.Jonah Goldberg Among elites across the ideological spectrum, there's one point of unifying agreement: Americans are bitterly divided. What if that's wrong? What if elites are the ones who are bitterly divided while most Americans are fairly unified? History rarely lines up perfectly with the calendar (the "sixties" didn't really start until the decade was almost over). But politically, the 21st century neatly began in 2000, when the election ended in a tie and the color coding of electoral maps became enshrined as a kind of permanent tribal color war of "red vs. blue." Elite understanding of politics has been stuck in this framework ever since. Politicians and voters have leaned into this alleged political reality, making it seem all the more real in the process. I loathe the phrase "perception is reality," but in politics it has the reifying power of self-fulfilling prophecy. Like rival noble families in medieval Europe, elites have been vying for power and dominance on the arrogant assumption that their subjects share their concern for who rules rather than what the rulers can deliver. Political cartoonists from across country draw up something special for the holiday In 2018, the group More in Common published a massive report on the "hidden tribes" of American politics. The wealthiest and whitest groups were "devoted conservatives" (6%) and "progressive activists" (8%). These tribes dominate the media, the parties and higher education, and they dictate the competing narratives of red vs. blue, particularly on cable news and social media. Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority of Americans resided in, or were adjacent to, the "exhausted majority." These people, however, "have no narrative," as David Brooks wrote at the time. "They have no coherent philosophic worldview to organize their thinking and compel action." Lacking a narrative might seem like a very postmodern problem, but in a postmodern elite culture, postmodern problems are real problems. It's worth noting that red vs. blue America didn't emerge ex nihilo. The 1990s were a time when the economy and government seemed to be working, at home and abroad. As a result, elites leaned into the narcissism of small differences to gain political and cultural advantage. They remain obsessed with competing, often apocalyptic, narratives. That leaves out most Americans. The gladiatorial combatants of cable news, editorial pages and academia, and their superfan spectators, can afford these fights. Members of the exhausted majority are more interested in mere competence. I think that's the hidden unity elites are missing. This is why we keep throwing incumbent parties out of power: They get elected promising competence but get derailed -- or seduced -- by fan service to, or trolling of, the elites who dominate the national conversation. There's a difference between competence and expertise. One of the most profound political changes in recent years has been the separation of notions of credentialed expertise from real-world competence. This isn't a new theme in American life, but the pandemic and the lurch toward identity politics amplified distrust of experts in unprecedented ways. This is a particular problem for the left because it is far more invested in credentialism than the right. Indeed, some progressives are suddenly realizing they invested too much in the authority of experts and too little in the ability of experts to provide what people want from government, such as affordable housing, decent education and low crime. The New York Times' Ezra Klein says he's tired of defending the authority of government institutions. Rather, "I want them to work." One of the reasons progressives find Trump so offensive is his absolute inability to speak the language of expertise -- which is full of coded elite shibboleths. But Trump veritably shouts the language of competence. I don't mean he is actually competent at governing. But he is effectively blunt about calling leaders, experts and elites -- of both parties -- stupid, ineffective, weak and incompetent. He lost in 2020 because voters didn't believe he was actually good at governing. He won in 2024 because the exhausted majority concluded the Biden administration was bad at it. Nostalgia for the low-inflation pre-pandemic economy was enough to convince voters that Trumpian drama is the tolerable price to pay for a good economy. About 3 out of 4 Americans who experienced "severe hardship" because of inflation voted for Trump. The genius of Trump's most effective ad -- "Kamala is for they/them, President Trump is for you" -- was that it was simultaneously culture-war red meat and an argument that Harris was more concerned about boutique elite concerns than everyday ones. If Trump can actually deliver competent government, he could make the Republican Party the majority party for a generation. For myriad reasons, that's an if so big it's visible from space. But the opportunity is there -- and has been there all along. Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch: thedispatch.com . Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!