NoneAt least eight people were killed by Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank around the city of Tulkarem on Tuesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, including three people it said were killed by Israeli airstrikes. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of some uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. Elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian city of Bethlehem was marking a second somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of the war in Gaza, with most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent. Israel's bombardment and ground invasion in Gaza has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel in October 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage by Palestinian militants. Around 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza , although only two thirds are believed to still be alive. Here’s the latest: NUR SHAMS REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank — The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least eight people were killed by Israeli military operations in and around the city of Tulkarem in the northern West Bank on Tuesday. The ministry reported three of the dead were killed by airstrikes. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of some uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. An Associated Press photojournalist captured images of Israeli forces detonating an explosive device planted by Palestinian militants during a raid in the Nur Shams refugee camp. Israel has carried out several large-scale raids in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza, ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. While airstrikes were once rare in the West Bank, they have grown more common since the outbreak of war as Israeli forces clamp down, saying they aim to prevent attacks on their citizens. Israeli fire has killed at least 800 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since October 2023, Palestinian health officials say. In that time, Palestinian militants have launched a number of attacks on soldiers at checkpoints and within Israel. SAYDNAYA, Syria — A large crowd of Syrians gathered near a historic monastery in Saydnaya on Christmas Eve to witness the lighting of a towering tree adorned with glowing green lights. Tuesday's celebration offered a rare moment of joy in a city scarred by over a decade of war and an infamous prison , where tens of thousands were held. Families and friends stood beneath the illuminated tree — some wearing Santa hats, others watching from rooftops — while a band played festive music and fireworks lit up the sky “This year is different, there’s happiness, victory and a new birth for Syria and a new birth for Christ,” said Houssam Saadeh, one attendee. Another, Joseph Khabbaz, expressed hope for unity across all sects and religions in Syria, dismissing recent Christmas tree vandalism as “isolated incidents.” Earlier in the afternoon, pilgrims visited the historic Our Lady of Saydnaya Monastery, one of the world’s oldest Christian monasteries, believed to be built in the sixth century. In Homs, a similarly grand Christmas tree was illuminated as security officers patrolled the area to ensure a safe and peaceful gathering, according to Syria’s state media. UNITED NATIONS -- Recent attacks on hospitals in North Gaza, where Israel is carrying out an offensive, are having a devastating impact on Palestinian civilians still in the area, the U.N. humanitarian office says. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs expressed deep concern at reports that the Israeli military entered the Indonesian Hospital on Tuesday, forcing its evacuation. The humanitarian office, known as OCHA, also expressed deep concern at attacks reported in recent days in and around the two other hospitals in North Gaza that are minimally functioning – Al Awda and Kamal Adwan. OCHA said the Israeli siege on Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia and parts of Jaballiya in North Gaza continued for a 79th day on Tuesday, and while the U.N. and its partners have made 52 attempts to coordinate humanitarian access to besieged areas in December 48 were rejected by Israel. While four missions were approved, OCHA said the U.N. and its partners faced impediments as a result of Israeli military operations and “none of the U.N.-coordinated attempts to access the area have been fully facilitated.” Throughout the Gaza Strip, OCHA said that Israeli authorities facilitated just 40% of requests for humanitarian movements requiring their approval in December. WASHINGTON — A leading global food crisis monitor says deaths from starvation will likely pass famine levels in north Gaza as soon as next month. The U.S.-created Famine Early Warning System Network says that’s because of a near-total Israeli blockade of food and other aid in that part of Gaza. The finding, however, appears to have exposed a rift within the Biden administration over the extent of starvation in northern Gaza. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, disputes part of the data used in reaching the conclusion and calls the intensified famine warning “irresponsible.” Northern Gaza has been one of the areas hardest-hit by fighting and Israel’s restrictions on aid throughout its 14-month war with Hamas militants. UNITED NATIONS — Israel’s foreign minister has requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to condemn recent missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and to condemn the group's Iranian allies for allegedly providing the group with weapons. Gideon Saar said in a letter Tuesday to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the United States, which holds the council presidency this month, that the Houthis are violating international law and council resolutions. “This Iranian-backed terrorist group continues to endanger Israel’s and other nations’ security, as well as the freedom of maritime navigation, in flagrant violation of international law,” Saar said. “All of this malign activity is done as part of a broader strategy to destabilize the region.” The U.S. Mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to an email asking when the council meeting will be held. The Houthis have said they launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea – and on Israel -- with the aim of ending Israel’s devastating air and ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli war in Gaza followed Hamas’ deadly October 2023 attacks in southern Israel. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli military investigation has concluded that the presence of troops inadvertently contributed to the deaths of six hostages killed by their Hamas captors in Gaza. The hostages' bodies were discovered in a tunnel in late August, an event that shook Israel and sparked some of the largest anti-war protests since the war began. The investigation found that the six hostages were killed by multiple gunshots from their captors after surviving for nearly 330 days. The Israeli military’s “ground activities in the area, although gradual and cautious, had a circumstantial influence on the terrorists’ decision to murder the six hostages,” the report found. According to the investigation, the Israeli military began operating in the area where the hostages were being held in southern Gaza about two weeks before their discovery, under the assumption that the chances of hostages in the area was medium to low. On August 27, hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi was found alone in a tunnel , causing the Israeli military to halt operations for 24 hours to determine if there could be other hostages in the area. The military discovered the opening leading to the tunnel where the bodies of the six hostages were located on August 30. A pathological report estimated the six hostages were killed on August 29. The six hostages killed were Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin , whose American-Israeli parents became some of the most recognized spokespeople pleading for the hostages’ release, including addressing the Democratic National Convention days before their son’s killing. “The investigation published tonight proves once again that the return of all hostages will only be possible through a deal,” the Hostages Families Forum said in response to the investigation. “Every passing moment puts the hostages’ lives in immediate danger.” JERUSALEM — The Israeli negotiating team working on a ceasefire returned from Qatar to Israel on Tuesday, the prime minister’s office said, after what it called “a significant week” of talks. After months of deadlock, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt resumed their mediation efforts in recent weeks and reported greater willingness by the warring sides to reach a deal. According to Egyptian and Hamas officials, the proposed agreement would take place in phases and include a halt in fighting, an exchange of captive Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and a surge in aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. Israel says Hamas is holding 100 hostages, over one-third of whom are believed to be dead. On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was “some progress” in efforts to reach a deal, but added he did not know how long it would take. CAIRO — Israeli soldiers took control of a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Tuesday. Some of the patients had to walk to another hospital while others were driven by paramedics, according to Health Ministry spokesperson Zaher al-Wahidi. He did not specify how many patients had evacuated. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. The army later said its soldiers had left the hospital. The military said it had assisted with evacuating the patients and had not ordered the hospital closed. However, al-Wahidi said only one doctor and maintenance person were left behind. The Indonesian Hospital is one of three hospitals left largely inaccessible in the northernmost part of Gaza because Israel has imposed a tight siege there since launching an offensive in early October. The Israeli army said Tuesday’s operation at the Indonesian Hospital came after militants carried out attacks from the hospital for the past month, including launching anti-tank missiles and planting explosive devices in the surrounding area. The Health Ministry accused Israel of “besieging and directly targeting” the three hospitals in northern Gaza. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, said Israeli drones detonated explosives near the hospital and that 20 people were wounded, including five medical staff. The Israeli military declined to comment on the operation around the hospital. DAMASCUS — Scores of Syrian Christians protested in the capital Damascus on Tuesday, demanding greater protections for their religious minority after a Christmas tree was set on fire in the city of Hama a day earlier. Many of the insurgents who now rule Syria are jihadis, although Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the main rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and spent years depicting himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. It remains unclear who set the Christmas tree on fire Monday, which was condemned by a representative of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham who visited the town and addressed the community. “This act was committed by people who are not Syrian, and they will be punished beyond your expectations," the HTS representative said in a video widely shared on social media. "The Christmas tree will be fully restored by this evening.” On Tuesday, protesters marched through the streets of Bab Touma in Damascus, shouting slogans against foreign fighters and carrying large wooden crosses. “We demand that Syria be for all Syrians. We want a voice in the future of our country,” said Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church as he addressed the crowd in a church courtyard, assuring them of Christians’ rights in Syria. Since HTS led a swift offensive that overthrew President Bashar Assad earlier this month, Syria’s minority communities have been on edge, uncertain of how they will be treated under the emerging rebel-led government. “We are here to demand a democratic and free government for one people and one nation,” another protester said. “We stand united — Muslims and Christians. No to sectarianism.” DOHA — Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that ceasefire negotiations to end the war in Gaza were ongoing in Doha in cooperation with Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediators. “We will not leave any door unopened in pursuit of reaching an agreement,” said Majid al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday. Al Ansari added that rumors the ceasefire would be reached before Christmas are “speculation.” The ceasefire negotiations come at a time when winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. Families of the approximately 100 hostages who have been held for 445 days in Gaza are also worried their loved ones will not survive another winter. In a press conference, al-Ansari also called on the international community to lift sanctions on Syria as quickly as possible on Tuesday. “The reason was the crimes of the previous regime, and that regime, with all of its authority, is no longer in place, therefor the causes for these sanctions no longer exist today,” he said. DAMASCUS, Syria — American journalist Austin Tice is believed to be still alive, according to the head of an international aid group. Nizar Zakka, who runs the Hostage Aid Worldwide organization, said there has never been any proof that Tice, who has been missing since 2012, is dead. Zakka told reporters in Damascus on Tuesday that Tice was alive in January and being held by the authorities of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad. He added that U.S. President Joe Biden said in August that Tice was alive. Zakka said he believes Tice was transferred between security agencies over the past 12 years, including in an area where Iranian-backed fighters were operating. Asked if it was possible Tice had been taken out of the country, Zakka said Assad most likely kept him in Syria as a potential bargaining chip. Biden said Dec. 8 that his administration believed Tice was alive and was committed to bringing him home, although he also acknowledged that “we have no direct evidence” of his status. TEL AVIV, Israel — Hannah Katzir, an Israeli woman who was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, and freed in a brief ceasefire last year, has died. She was 78. The Hostages Families Forum, a group representing the families of people taken captive, confirmed the death Tuesday but did not disclose the cause. Her daughter, Carmit Palty Katzir, said in a statement that her mother’s “heart could not withstand the terrible suffering since Oct. 7.” Katzir’s husband, Rami, was killed during the attack by militants who raided their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her son Elad was also kidnapped and his body was recovered in April by the Israeli military, who said he had been killed in captivity. She spent 49 days in captivity and was freed in late November 2023. Shortly after Katzir was freed, her daughter told Israeli media that she had been hospitalized with heart issues attributed to “difficult conditions and starvation” while she was held captive. TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel's military said the projectile was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory, but it set off air raid sirens overnight in the country's populous central area, sending residents looking for cover. Israel’s rescue service Magen David Adom said a 60-year-old woman was seriously wounded after being hurt on her way to a protected space. There was no immediate comment from Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. It was the third time in a week that fire from Yemen set off sirens in Israel. On Saturday, a missile slammed into a playground in Tel Aviv, injuring 16, after Israel’s air defense system failed to intercept it. Earlier last week, Israeli jets struck Yemen’s rebel-held capital and a port city, killing nine. Israel said the strikes were in response to previous Houthi attacks.Global Robotic Waste Sorting Industry Poised for Steady Growth at 3.8% CAGR Through 2034 | TMR Study
Air Products Files Investor Presentation Highlighting Successful Two-Pillar Strategy to Deliver Superior Shareholder Value
Eastman Chemical CEO Mark Costa sells $1.9 million in stockJUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canoo Inc. (Nasdaq: GOEV), a high-tech advanced mobility company today announced the company has furloughed 82 employees, both salaried and hourly, and idling its factories in Oklahoma while it works to finalize securing the capital necessary to move forward with its operations. The company is in advanced discussions with various capital sources. Canoo said, “We regret having to furlough our employees, especially during the holidays, but we have no choice at this point. We are hopeful that we will be able to bring them back to work soon.” About Canoo Founded in 2017, Canoo Inc. (NASDAQ: GOEV) is an automotive tech company that manufactures electric cargo vehicles, built to deliver, for large commercial, government and fleet customers globally. The company has developed design-forward innovative electric vehicles with steer-by-wire technology on its common modular platform with end-to-end software plus power solutions. Canoo’s platform is purpose-built to maximize the vehicle interior space and is customizable to support a wide range of business and government applications. Headquartered in Justin, Texas, Canoo has teams located in California, Michigan and Oklahoma with world-class vehicle and battery facilities in Oklahoma City. For more information please visit www.canoo.com and investors.canoo.com . Forward-Looking Statements The information in this press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward- looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "target" or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, expectations and objectives with respect to the results and timing of the reverse stock split and the effect the reverse stock split will have on the Company’s ability to regain compliance with the Nasdaq Listing standards. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of Canoo's management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of Canoo. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; Canoo's ability to access future capital, via debt or equity markets, or other sources; the rollout of Canoo's business and the timing of expected business milestones and commercial launch; future market adoption of Canoo's offerings; risks related to Canoo's go-to-market strategy and manufacturing strategy; the effects of competition on Canoo's future business, and those factors discussed under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in Canoo's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on April 1, 2024, as well as its past and future Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the SEC, copies of which may be obtained by visiting Canoo's Investors Relations website at investors.canoo.com or the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that Canoo does not presently know or that Canoo currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect Canoo's expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. Canoo anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause Canoo's assessments to change. However, while Canoo may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Canoo specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Canoo's assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements. Media Contact press@canoo.com Investor Relations Contact IR@canoo.comClark up for new challenge in Woods and McIlroy's indoor golf league
Music filled void for departed Beatle John Lennon's sonBengaluru, Nov 30 (IANS): Reacting to the Karnataka police notice summoning him for questioning over his demand for disenfranchisement of Muslims, Vokkaliga seer Chandrashekaranatha Swami stated on Saturday that he was ready to go to jail and had left the matter to God. The seer told the media on Saturday, "I am ready to go to jail if they want me to. I had taken part in the pro-farmer protest and spoken against the alleged snatching of their lands by the Waqf Board. I can't go to the police station for questioning. If they come to my mutt, I will give clarification for my statement." "The statement against Muslims was a slip of the tongue. It was not intentional. Expressing regret, I had made the statement the very next day. Let's leave the matter here," he stated. "Our Mutt has Muslim devotees too. I also attend marriage functions of the Muslim community. I don't understand why the complaint was registered against me," the seer stated. "I don't know about the notice issued by the police summoning me for questioning. I am not in a good state of health. Many leaders have met me and expressed their solidarity with me. I am not bothered about consequences," the seer maintained. "I have never stated anything regarding banning of the Waqf Board. I have demanded that farmers’ lands must not be taken away. Why is the government acting in such a fashion? The appeasement of one community by the government is not good," he opined. “Many statements were made earlier. My statement won't make a difference and there is a Constitution. My whole intention is the farmers should not be exploited. Let me see the legal consequences," the seer maintained. Swami heads the Vishwa Vokkaligara Mahasamsthana Mutt and the statements were made at a protest on Tuesday in Bengaluru, organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, a farmers’ organisation linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to condemn the Waqf Board’s alleged move to take away farmers’ lands. Swami stated, “Politicians indulge in vote bank politics and appeasement of Muslims. Hence, Muslims should be deprived of exercising their voting powers. This should be done and the end of vote bank politics would help the progress of the country.” Upparpet police have registered a FIR against the seer following the complaint in this regard. The police have lodged an FIR under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the seer. The complaint stated that the statement by the seer was provocative and threatens to disturb communal harmony in society. The filing of the FIR against him has taken a serious political turn with a Karnataka BJP delegation visiting him on Friday and warning of “serious consequences” if he was booked by the police. The BJP delegation’s visit to the powerful Vokkaliga seer was headed by Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka and former Deputy CM and BJP MLA C.N. Ashwath Narayan.
In fitting style for an extrovert with enviably boundless energy, Georgie Parker isn’t just throwing a party for her upcoming 60th birthday. Instead she will mark the milestone with something more akin to a festival. “I’m having lots of little parties because I have a lot of different groups of friends, and I don’t want to have a party where I can’t talk to everyone,” the Home And Away actor enthuses to Stellar. “That way we can all have a chat and have an experience.” While she loves performing on stage and has been a fixture on Australian television screens for more than 35 years, Parker insists she doesn’t actually want to be the centre of attention. “But I often am,” she concedes with a laugh. “I’m naturally enthusiastic, or as [Home And Away co-star] Ray Meagher would say, exuberant. I have a lot of energy, so you end up getting a lot of attention. But that’s not what I’m after. I’m after just having a good time and hanging with my friends – and if everyone else manages to have a good time, too, then that’s great.” Picture: Steven Chee for Stellar Although Parker insists that she’s nothing like the procession of likeable ladies she has played, she imbues them all with her own optimistic spirit. “Lucy in A Country Practice was quite eccentric,” she says fondly of the breakthrough role that saw her bounding on to screens with a rooster under her arm in 1988. “Terri [of All Saints] was the good girl who tried to save her whole family by becoming a nun. She was a really interesting character, very different from me. I just loved finding her.” As for Roo Stewart, the character she’s played on Home And Away since 2010, Parker says she’s “kind of a rough diamond”, adding that she’s stayed in that role longer than any other as it not only allows her to express her creativity as an actor but also to come home to her family at night. “I love the crew, many of whom [worked on A Country Practice and] I’ve worked with since I was 22. It’s a very happy, tight-knit family, and that makes it incredibly enjoyable.” Picture: Steven Chee for Stellar Thousands of Australians have grown up watching the double Gold Logie winner’s work, but Parker isn’t a fan of seeing herself on screen. “You can get too caught up in your head about how you look,” she explains of her decision not to watch herself in shows. “That’s the last thing you want to be doing as an actor. You just don’t want to be thinking about how you’re looking.” Which is partly why she feels so at peace about turning 60 on December 16, which she will celebrate while on a tour of Europe with Holly, the 24-year-old daughter she shares with her husband, screenwriter Steve Worland (he’s staying home to mind the cat). For more from Stellar, listen to the podcast Something To Talk About: “I love getting older. I’ve never felt weird about it even though women are encouraged not to embrace their age or to lie about it. I’ve never understood that,” she says. “I didn’t use anything on my face until I had to when I was 22. That idea of having a youth where you’re rolling around on bikes and falling over and scraping up your knees and all of that, it just doesn’t happen anymore. And that’s OK, every generation has their thing. But I think the current [generation] is missing out on being young and not having the idea of presenting yourself for approval.” Picture: Steven Chee for Stellar Parker adds that social media “has shifted the dialogue around women and their independence.” Conceding that it helps some find a community or a space to voice their opinions, she says the counterpoint to having that forum is there being “a lot more misogyny”. “In my youth, in the 1970s, even though there was more of a glass ceiling, there was greater freedom for women to be who they wanted to be and express themselves,” she says. “Now I think women are held accountable for how they express themselves through social media. A lot of women, and I’m speaking very generally here, seem to be falling into: ‘I have to look like this’, and ‘I have to present myself like this’ through this platform.” Furthermore, Parker is frustrated that women remain far more defined by their age than men. “There seems to be a whole different rhetoric around men ageing and women ageing,” she says. “But it all means the same thing. We all end up in the same place.” Parker, who has been married to Worland for 25 years, says she isn’t envious of actors such as Robert De Niro and Al Pacino who are welcoming children well into their 70s and 80s. “God, who would want that?” she says, scoffing. Read the full story inside the new issue of Stellar. Parker credits her pragmatism to being diagnosed, at 13, with scoliosis (curvature of the spine), and put in a back brace. “I had to learn, or rather embrace, very early on, that how I looked was only the tip of the iceberg. And so I just sort of followed along that train of thinking my whole life.” At the time, doctors told her she would have to abandon her plans to become a ballet dancer. Rather than wallow, Parker decided to try acting. “Being told ‘no’ helped me strategise,” she says. “When they say you can’t do that anymore, I’ll go: that’s all right. I’ll find something else that I want to do. It just helps you become more flexible and more open to adapting.” Her condition hasn’t just affected her mindset; it’s also had an ongoing impact on her physical health. She has undergone a double hip replacement and now has an 80-degree curvature of the spine. “It’s something I have to deal with every day, and it’s ongoing,” she explains. “I can’t say it hasn’t been difficult, but I wouldn’t change it.” On the Logies red carpet. Picture: NewsWire/ Monique Harmer With Home And Away co-stars Emily Symons, far left, and Ray Meagher (centre). Picture: NewsWire/ Monique Harmer While she hasn’t let scoliosis slow her down and is still maintaining a frenetic pace – she’s set to star in two theatre productions next year in addition to shooting Home And Away – Parker accepts that the progressively debilitating condition will one day impact her working life. But until then, she’s doing things her way. “I just do what I can, and when I can’t do what I’m doing now, I’ll change what I want to do,” she says with a grin. And she intends to have a good time along the way, just like her similarly young-at-heart parents. “My mum has just turned 90 and Dad is 94, and they defy what it is to be any age,” she says proudly. “It really does come down to the person.” Home And Away returns to Seven Network and 7plus on January 13, 2025. See the full shoot with Georgie Parker in the latest issue of Stellar, out on Sunday via The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), Sunday Herald Sun (VIC), Sunday Mail (QLD) and The Sunday Mail (SA). For more from Stellar and the podcast Something To Talk About, click here . More Coverage Exclusive: Lindy Klim breaks silence on marriage rumours Angela Mollard for Stellar Cher blasts critics: ‘I don’t give a sh*t’ Nicholas Fonseca Originally published as ‘I’ve never felt weird about getting older’: Georgie Parker muses about her career-defining roles as she marks her 60th birthday Stellar Don't miss out on the headlines from Stellar. Followed categories will be added to My News. More related stories Stellar ‘I don’t get it’: Robert Irwin on ‘sex symbol’ status After breaking the internet with his first Stellar shoot, Robert Irwin is back on the cover talking about ambition and being a heart-throb as he turns 21-years-old. Read more Stellar Kate Langbroek’s love letter to summer As summer heralds its return, radio and TV personality Kate Langbroek has some thoughts about the seasonal equivalent of ‘bare shoulders and sticky kisses’. Read moreArkansas WR Andrew Armstrong declares for NFL draft, skipping bowlNYK to Integrate Two of Its Research and Technical SubsidiariesAaron Judge wins second AL MVP in 3 seasons. Shohei Ohtani expected to win NL honor
(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Thursday, Dec. 19 COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) 5 p.m. ESPNU — Chris Paul HBCU Challenge: Norfolk St. vs. Alabama St., Uncasville, Conn. 7:30 p.m. ESPNU — Chris Paul HBCU Challenge: Delaware St. vs. Grambling St., Uncasville, Conn. COLLEGE FOOTBALL 7 p.m. ESPN2 — The R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston St., New Orleans COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S) 6:30 p.m. ESPN — NCAA Tournament: Louisville vs. Pittsburgh, Semifinal, Louisville, Ky. 9 p.m. ESPN — NCAA Tournament: Penn St. vs. Nebraska, Semifinal, Louisville, Ky. GOLF 3:30 a.m. GOLF — DP World Tour: The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, First Round, Mont Choisy Le Golf, Grand-Baie, Mauritius 3:30 a.m. (Friday) GOLF — DP World Tour: The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, Second Round, Mont Choisy Le Golf, Grand-Baie, Mauritius NBA BASKETBALL 7 p.m. TNT — Oklahoma City at Orlando TRUTV — Oklahoma City at Orlando (DataCast) 9:30 p.m. TNT — New York at Minnesota TRUTV — New York at Minnesota (DataCast) NBA G-LEAGUE BASKETBALL Noon ESPNU — Winter Showcase: Greensboro vs. South Bay, Orlando, Fla. 1 p.m. NBATV — Winter Showcase: Stockton vs. Iowa, Orlando, Fla. 2:30 p.m. ESPNU — Winter Showcase: Grand Rapids vs. Oklahoma City, Orlando, Fla. 3:30 p.m. NBATV — Winter Showcase: Raptors 905 vs. Rio Grande Valley, Orlando, Fla. 5 p.m. ESPNEWS — Winter Showcase: Capital City vs. Sioux Falls, Orlando, Fla. 7:30 p.m. ESPNEWS — Winter Showcase: Valley vs. Memphis, Orlando, Fla. NFL FOOTBALL 8:15 p.m. PRIME VIDEO — Denver at L.A. Chargers SOCCER (MEN’S) 3 p.m. CBSSN — UEFA Conference League: HJK Helsinki at Real Betis TENNIS 6 a.m. TENNIS — Next Gen ATP Finals: Round Robin 11 a.m. TENNIS — Next Gen ATP Finals: Round Robin 6 a.m. (Friday) TENNIS — Next Gen ATP Finals: Round Robin The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .According to ground tests, this novel technology boosts the efficiency of afterburning to 99 per cent, matching the fuel efficiency of long-distance cruising conditions. It also reduces engine vibration by 80 per cent under maximum operational loads, thereby minimising the risk of aircraft damage. To address these challenges, the team of researchers led by engineer Wang Shiqi invented an innovative fuel nozzle. Pulsed fuel travels along a Z-shaped path within the nozzle and is ejected at different angles. This design ensures that fuel droplets form a fan shape, enabling better mixing with air.Susan Shelley: The mundane reality of UFOs
South Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers reject military ruleAt least eight people were killed by Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank around the city of Tulkarem on Tuesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, including three people it said were killed by Israeli airstrikes. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of some uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. Elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian city of Bethlehem was marking a second somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of the war in Gaza, with most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent. Israel's bombardment and ground invasion in Gaza has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel in October 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage by Palestinian militants. Around 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza , although only two thirds are believed to still be alive. Here’s the latest: NUR SHAMS REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank — The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least eight people were killed by Israeli military operations in and around the city of Tulkarem in the northern West Bank on Tuesday. The ministry reported three of the dead were killed by airstrikes. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of some uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. An Associated Press photojournalist captured images of Israeli forces detonating an explosive device planted by Palestinian militants during a raid in the Nur Shams refugee camp. Israel has carried out several large-scale raids in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza, ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. While airstrikes were once rare in the West Bank, they have grown more common since the outbreak of war as Israeli forces clamp down, saying they aim to prevent attacks on their citizens. Israeli fire has killed at least 800 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since October 2023, Palestinian health officials say. In that time, Palestinian militants have launched a number of attacks on soldiers at checkpoints and within Israel. SAYDNAYA, Syria — A large crowd of Syrians gathered near a historic monastery in Saydnaya on Christmas Eve to witness the lighting of a towering tree adorned with glowing green lights. Tuesday's celebration offered a rare moment of joy in a city scarred by over a decade of war and an infamous prison , where tens of thousands were held. Families and friends stood beneath the illuminated tree — some wearing Santa hats, others watching from rooftops — while a band played festive music and fireworks lit up the sky “This year is different, there’s happiness, victory and a new birth for Syria and a new birth for Christ,” said Houssam Saadeh, one attendee. Another, Joseph Khabbaz, expressed hope for unity across all sects and religions in Syria, dismissing recent Christmas tree vandalism as “isolated incidents.” Earlier in the afternoon, pilgrims visited the historic Our Lady of Saydnaya Monastery, one of the world’s oldest Christian monasteries, believed to be built in the sixth century. In Homs, a similarly grand Christmas tree was illuminated as security officers patrolled the area to ensure a safe and peaceful gathering, according to Syria’s state media. UNITED NATIONS -- Recent attacks on hospitals in North Gaza, where Israel is carrying out an offensive, are having a devastating impact on Palestinian civilians still in the area, the U.N. humanitarian office says. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs expressed deep concern at reports that the Israeli military entered the Indonesian Hospital on Tuesday, forcing its evacuation. The humanitarian office, known as OCHA, also expressed deep concern at attacks reported in recent days in and around the two other hospitals in North Gaza that are minimally functioning – Al Awda and Kamal Adwan. OCHA said the Israeli siege on Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia and parts of Jaballiya in North Gaza continued for a 79th day on Tuesday, and while the U.N. and its partners have made 52 attempts to coordinate humanitarian access to besieged areas in December 48 were rejected by Israel. While four missions were approved, OCHA said the U.N. and its partners faced impediments as a result of Israeli military operations and “none of the U.N.-coordinated attempts to access the area have been fully facilitated.” Throughout the Gaza Strip, OCHA said that Israeli authorities facilitated just 40% of requests for humanitarian movements requiring their approval in December. WASHINGTON — A leading global food crisis monitor says deaths from starvation will likely pass famine levels in north Gaza as soon as next month. The U.S.-created Famine Early Warning System Network says that’s because of a near-total Israeli blockade of food and other aid in that part of Gaza. The finding, however, appears to have exposed a rift within the Biden administration over the extent of starvation in northern Gaza. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, disputes part of the data used in reaching the conclusion and calls the intensified famine warning “irresponsible.” Northern Gaza has been one of the areas hardest-hit by fighting and Israel’s restrictions on aid throughout its 14-month war with Hamas militants. UNITED NATIONS — Israel’s foreign minister has requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to condemn recent missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and to condemn the group's Iranian allies for allegedly providing the group with weapons. Gideon Saar said in a letter Tuesday to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the United States, which holds the council presidency this month, that the Houthis are violating international law and council resolutions. “This Iranian-backed terrorist group continues to endanger Israel’s and other nations’ security, as well as the freedom of maritime navigation, in flagrant violation of international law,” Saar said. “All of this malign activity is done as part of a broader strategy to destabilize the region.” The U.S. Mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to an email asking when the council meeting will be held. The Houthis have said they launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea – and on Israel -- with the aim of ending Israel’s devastating air and ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli war in Gaza followed Hamas’ deadly October 2023 attacks in southern Israel. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli military investigation has concluded that the presence of troops inadvertently contributed to the deaths of six hostages killed by their Hamas captors in Gaza. The hostages' bodies were discovered in a tunnel in late August, an event that shook Israel and sparked some of the largest anti-war protests since the war began. The investigation found that the six hostages were killed by multiple gunshots from their captors after surviving for nearly 330 days. The Israeli military’s “ground activities in the area, although gradual and cautious, had a circumstantial influence on the terrorists’ decision to murder the six hostages,” the report found. According to the investigation, the Israeli military began operating in the area where the hostages were being held in southern Gaza about two weeks before their discovery, under the assumption that the chances of hostages in the area was medium to low. On August 27, hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi was found alone in a tunnel , causing the Israeli military to halt operations for 24 hours to determine if there could be other hostages in the area. The military discovered the opening leading to the tunnel where the bodies of the six hostages were located on August 30. A pathological report estimated the six hostages were killed on August 29. The six hostages killed were Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin , whose American-Israeli parents became some of the most recognized spokespeople pleading for the hostages’ release, including addressing the Democratic National Convention days before their son’s killing. “The investigation published tonight proves once again that the return of all hostages will only be possible through a deal,” the Hostages Families Forum said in response to the investigation. “Every passing moment puts the hostages’ lives in immediate danger.” JERUSALEM — The Israeli negotiating team working on a ceasefire returned from Qatar to Israel on Tuesday, the prime minister’s office said, after what it called “a significant week” of talks. After months of deadlock, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt resumed their mediation efforts in recent weeks and reported greater willingness by the warring sides to reach a deal. According to Egyptian and Hamas officials, the proposed agreement would take place in phases and include a halt in fighting, an exchange of captive Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and a surge in aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. Israel says Hamas is holding 100 hostages, over one-third of whom are believed to be dead. On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was “some progress” in efforts to reach a deal, but added he did not know how long it would take. CAIRO — Israeli soldiers took control of a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Tuesday. Some of the patients had to walk to another hospital while others were driven by paramedics, according to Health Ministry spokesperson Zaher al-Wahidi. He did not specify how many patients had evacuated. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. The army later said its soldiers had left the hospital. The military said it had assisted with evacuating the patients and had not ordered the hospital closed. However, al-Wahidi said only one doctor and maintenance person were left behind. The Indonesian Hospital is one of three hospitals left largely inaccessible in the northernmost part of Gaza because Israel has imposed a tight siege there since launching an offensive in early October. The Israeli army said Tuesday’s operation at the Indonesian Hospital came after militants carried out attacks from the hospital for the past month, including launching anti-tank missiles and planting explosive devices in the surrounding area. The Health Ministry accused Israel of “besieging and directly targeting” the three hospitals in northern Gaza. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, said Israeli drones detonated explosives near the hospital and that 20 people were wounded, including five medical staff. The Israeli military declined to comment on the operation around the hospital. DAMASCUS — Scores of Syrian Christians protested in the capital Damascus on Tuesday, demanding greater protections for their religious minority after a Christmas tree was set on fire in the city of Hama a day earlier. Many of the insurgents who now rule Syria are jihadis, although Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the main rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and spent years depicting himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. It remains unclear who set the Christmas tree on fire Monday, which was condemned by a representative of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham who visited the town and addressed the community. “This act was committed by people who are not Syrian, and they will be punished beyond your expectations," the HTS representative said in a video widely shared on social media. "The Christmas tree will be fully restored by this evening.” On Tuesday, protesters marched through the streets of Bab Touma in Damascus, shouting slogans against foreign fighters and carrying large wooden crosses. “We demand that Syria be for all Syrians. We want a voice in the future of our country,” said Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church as he addressed the crowd in a church courtyard, assuring them of Christians’ rights in Syria. Since HTS led a swift offensive that overthrew President Bashar Assad earlier this month, Syria’s minority communities have been on edge, uncertain of how they will be treated under the emerging rebel-led government. “We are here to demand a democratic and free government for one people and one nation,” another protester said. “We stand united — Muslims and Christians. No to sectarianism.” DOHA — Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that ceasefire negotiations to end the war in Gaza were ongoing in Doha in cooperation with Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediators. “We will not leave any door unopened in pursuit of reaching an agreement,” said Majid al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday. Al Ansari added that rumors the ceasefire would be reached before Christmas are “speculation.” The ceasefire negotiations come at a time when winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. Families of the approximately 100 hostages who have been held for 445 days in Gaza are also worried their loved ones will not survive another winter. In a press conference, al-Ansari also called on the international community to lift sanctions on Syria as quickly as possible on Tuesday. “The reason was the crimes of the previous regime, and that regime, with all of its authority, is no longer in place, therefor the causes for these sanctions no longer exist today,” he said. DAMASCUS, Syria — American journalist Austin Tice is believed to be still alive, according to the head of an international aid group. Nizar Zakka, who runs the Hostage Aid Worldwide organization, said there has never been any proof that Tice, who has been missing since 2012, is dead. Zakka told reporters in Damascus on Tuesday that Tice was alive in January and being held by the authorities of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad. He added that U.S. President Joe Biden said in August that Tice was alive. Zakka said he believes Tice was transferred between security agencies over the past 12 years, including in an area where Iranian-backed fighters were operating. Asked if it was possible Tice had been taken out of the country, Zakka said Assad most likely kept him in Syria as a potential bargaining chip. Biden said Dec. 8 that his administration believed Tice was alive and was committed to bringing him home, although he also acknowledged that “we have no direct evidence” of his status. TEL AVIV, Israel — Hannah Katzir, an Israeli woman who was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, and freed in a brief ceasefire last year, has died. She was 78. The Hostages Families Forum, a group representing the families of people taken captive, confirmed the death Tuesday but did not disclose the cause. Her daughter, Carmit Palty Katzir, said in a statement that her mother’s “heart could not withstand the terrible suffering since Oct. 7.” Katzir’s husband, Rami, was killed during the attack by militants who raided their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her son Elad was also kidnapped and his body was recovered in April by the Israeli military, who said he had been killed in captivity. She spent 49 days in captivity and was freed in late November 2023. Shortly after Katzir was freed, her daughter told Israeli media that she had been hospitalized with heart issues attributed to “difficult conditions and starvation” while she was held captive. TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel's military said the projectile was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory, but it set off air raid sirens overnight in the country's populous central area, sending residents looking for cover. Israel’s rescue service Magen David Adom said a 60-year-old woman was seriously wounded after being hurt on her way to a protected space. There was no immediate comment from Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. It was the third time in a week that fire from Yemen set off sirens in Israel. On Saturday, a missile slammed into a playground in Tel Aviv, injuring 16, after Israel’s air defense system failed to intercept it. Earlier last week, Israeli jets struck Yemen’s rebel-held capital and a port city, killing nine. Israel said the strikes were in response to previous Houthi attacks.
AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:11 p.m. ESThas reignited a longstanding debate by suggesting the should lower its rims to increase viewership and revenue. A'ja Wilson blocks Shaq's WNBA rim proposal The recently took to Instagram to reiterate his belief that adjusting the rim height could make the league more exciting by encouraging more dunks. wrote. He also proposed testing the idea during the , claiming it would "send ratings through the roof." This is not the first time has voiced such opinions. In 2021, he made a similar argument on Inside the , suggesting that lowering the rims-akin to adjustments seen in other sports like volleyball and track and field-would level the playing field and attract casual fans. However, 2024 and star is not convinced. During a recent appearance on The Roommates Show, dismissed the idea, emphasizing the disruptive impact it could have on players' training and shooting mechanics. asked. "I would much rather just gear my offseason to, 'Okay, vertical, maxing it out, let's focus on this jumping,' versus lowering it an inch. That could change all of our shots. Do y'all not understand that?" concerns are rooted in the precision required for basketball at the professional level. Changing the rim height, she argues, could undermine years of muscle memory and practice. Critics of idea also point out that the WNBA's growing popularity is being driven by players like , whose skillful play has captivated fans without relying on dunks. As the league continues to evolve, perspective highlights the importance of maintaining the integrity of the game while pursuing new ways to grow its fan base.
Jinnah and Iqbal: Bridging Islamic principles with progressive statecraftAt least eight people were killed by Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank around the city of Tulkarem on Tuesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, including three people it said were killed by Israeli airstrikes. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of some uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. Elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian city of Bethlehem was marking a second somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of the war in Gaza, with most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent. Israel's bombardment and ground invasion in Gaza has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel in October 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage by Palestinian militants. Around 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza , although only two thirds are believed to still be alive. Here’s the latest: NUR SHAMS REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank — The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least eight people were killed by Israeli military operations in and around the city of Tulkarem in the northern West Bank on Tuesday. The ministry reported three of the dead were killed by airstrikes. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of some uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. An Associated Press photojournalist captured images of Israeli forces detonating an explosive device planted by Palestinian militants during a raid in the Nur Shams refugee camp. Israel has carried out several large-scale raids in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza, ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. While airstrikes were once rare in the West Bank, they have grown more common since the outbreak of war as Israeli forces clamp down, saying they aim to prevent attacks on their citizens. Israeli fire has killed at least 800 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since October 2023, Palestinian health officials say. In that time, Palestinian militants have launched a number of attacks on soldiers at checkpoints and within Israel. SAYDNAYA, Syria — A large crowd of Syrians gathered near a historic monastery in Saydnaya on Christmas Eve to witness the lighting of a towering tree adorned with glowing green lights. Tuesday's celebration offered a rare moment of joy in a city scarred by over a decade of war and an infamous prison , where tens of thousands were held. Families and friends stood beneath the illuminated tree — some wearing Santa hats, others watching from rooftops — while a band played festive music and fireworks lit up the sky “This year is different, there’s happiness, victory and a new birth for Syria and a new birth for Christ,” said Houssam Saadeh, one attendee. Another, Joseph Khabbaz, expressed hope for unity across all sects and religions in Syria, dismissing recent Christmas tree vandalism as “isolated incidents.” Earlier in the afternoon, pilgrims visited the historic Our Lady of Saydnaya Monastery, one of the world’s oldest Christian monasteries, believed to be built in the sixth century. In Homs, a similarly grand Christmas tree was illuminated as security officers patrolled the area to ensure a safe and peaceful gathering, according to Syria’s state media. UNITED NATIONS -- Recent attacks on hospitals in North Gaza, where Israel is carrying out an offensive, are having a devastating impact on Palestinian civilians still in the area, the U.N. humanitarian office says. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs expressed deep concern at reports that the Israeli military entered the Indonesian Hospital on Tuesday, forcing its evacuation. The humanitarian office, known as OCHA, also expressed deep concern at attacks reported in recent days in and around the two other hospitals in North Gaza that are minimally functioning – Al Awda and Kamal Adwan. OCHA said the Israeli siege on Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia and parts of Jaballiya in North Gaza continued for a 79th day on Tuesday, and while the U.N. and its partners have made 52 attempts to coordinate humanitarian access to besieged areas in December 48 were rejected by Israel. While four missions were approved, OCHA said the U.N. and its partners faced impediments as a result of Israeli military operations and “none of the U.N.-coordinated attempts to access the area have been fully facilitated.” Throughout the Gaza Strip, OCHA said that Israeli authorities facilitated just 40% of requests for humanitarian movements requiring their approval in December. WASHINGTON — A leading global food crisis monitor says deaths from starvation will likely pass famine levels in north Gaza as soon as next month. The U.S.-created Famine Early Warning System Network says that’s because of a near-total Israeli blockade of food and other aid in that part of Gaza. The finding, however, appears to have exposed a rift within the Biden administration over the extent of starvation in northern Gaza. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, disputes part of the data used in reaching the conclusion and calls the intensified famine warning “irresponsible.” Northern Gaza has been one of the areas hardest-hit by fighting and Israel’s restrictions on aid throughout its 14-month war with Hamas militants. UNITED NATIONS — Israel’s foreign minister has requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to condemn recent missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and to condemn the group's Iranian allies for allegedly providing the group with weapons. Gideon Saar said in a letter Tuesday to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the United States, which holds the council presidency this month, that the Houthis are violating international law and council resolutions. “This Iranian-backed terrorist group continues to endanger Israel’s and other nations’ security, as well as the freedom of maritime navigation, in flagrant violation of international law,” Saar said. “All of this malign activity is done as part of a broader strategy to destabilize the region.” The U.S. Mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to an email asking when the council meeting will be held. The Houthis have said they launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea – and on Israel -- with the aim of ending Israel’s devastating air and ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli war in Gaza followed Hamas’ deadly October 2023 attacks in southern Israel. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli military investigation has concluded that the presence of troops inadvertently contributed to the deaths of six hostages killed by their Hamas captors in Gaza. The hostages' bodies were discovered in a tunnel in late August, an event that shook Israel and sparked some of the largest anti-war protests since the war began. The investigation found that the six hostages were killed by multiple gunshots from their captors after surviving for nearly 330 days. The Israeli military’s “ground activities in the area, although gradual and cautious, had a circumstantial influence on the terrorists’ decision to murder the six hostages,” the report found. According to the investigation, the Israeli military began operating in the area where the hostages were being held in southern Gaza about two weeks before their discovery, under the assumption that the chances of hostages in the area was medium to low. On August 27, hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi was found alone in a tunnel , causing the Israeli military to halt operations for 24 hours to determine if there could be other hostages in the area. The military discovered the opening leading to the tunnel where the bodies of the six hostages were located on August 30. A pathological report estimated the six hostages were killed on August 29. The six hostages killed were Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin , whose American-Israeli parents became some of the most recognized spokespeople pleading for the hostages’ release, including addressing the Democratic National Convention days before their son’s killing. “The investigation published tonight proves once again that the return of all hostages will only be possible through a deal,” the Hostages Families Forum said in response to the investigation. “Every passing moment puts the hostages’ lives in immediate danger.” JERUSALEM — The Israeli negotiating team working on a ceasefire returned from Qatar to Israel on Tuesday, the prime minister’s office said, after what it called “a significant week” of talks. After months of deadlock, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt resumed their mediation efforts in recent weeks and reported greater willingness by the warring sides to reach a deal. According to Egyptian and Hamas officials, the proposed agreement would take place in phases and include a halt in fighting, an exchange of captive Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and a surge in aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. Israel says Hamas is holding 100 hostages, over one-third of whom are believed to be dead. On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was “some progress” in efforts to reach a deal, but added he did not know how long it would take. CAIRO — Israeli soldiers took control of a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Tuesday. Some of the patients had to walk to another hospital while others were driven by paramedics, according to Health Ministry spokesperson Zaher al-Wahidi. He did not specify how many patients had evacuated. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. The army later said its soldiers had left the hospital. The military said it had assisted with evacuating the patients and had not ordered the hospital closed. However, al-Wahidi said only one doctor and maintenance person were left behind. The Indonesian Hospital is one of three hospitals left largely inaccessible in the northernmost part of Gaza because Israel has imposed a tight siege there since launching an offensive in early October. The Israeli army said Tuesday’s operation at the Indonesian Hospital came after militants carried out attacks from the hospital for the past month, including launching anti-tank missiles and planting explosive devices in the surrounding area. The Health Ministry accused Israel of “besieging and directly targeting” the three hospitals in northern Gaza. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, said Israeli drones detonated explosives near the hospital and that 20 people were wounded, including five medical staff. The Israeli military declined to comment on the operation around the hospital. DAMASCUS — Scores of Syrian Christians protested in the capital Damascus on Tuesday, demanding greater protections for their religious minority after a Christmas tree was set on fire in the city of Hama a day earlier. Many of the insurgents who now rule Syria are jihadis, although Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the main rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and spent years depicting himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. It remains unclear who set the Christmas tree on fire Monday, which was condemned by a representative of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham who visited the town and addressed the community. “This act was committed by people who are not Syrian, and they will be punished beyond your expectations," the HTS representative said in a video widely shared on social media. "The Christmas tree will be fully restored by this evening.” On Tuesday, protesters marched through the streets of Bab Touma in Damascus, shouting slogans against foreign fighters and carrying large wooden crosses. “We demand that Syria be for all Syrians. We want a voice in the future of our country,” said Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church as he addressed the crowd in a church courtyard, assuring them of Christians’ rights in Syria. Since HTS led a swift offensive that overthrew President Bashar Assad earlier this month, Syria’s minority communities have been on edge, uncertain of how they will be treated under the emerging rebel-led government. “We are here to demand a democratic and free government for one people and one nation,” another protester said. “We stand united — Muslims and Christians. No to sectarianism.” DOHA — Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that ceasefire negotiations to end the war in Gaza were ongoing in Doha in cooperation with Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediators. “We will not leave any door unopened in pursuit of reaching an agreement,” said Majid al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday. Al Ansari added that rumors the ceasefire would be reached before Christmas are “speculation.” The ceasefire negotiations come at a time when winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. Families of the approximately 100 hostages who have been held for 445 days in Gaza are also worried their loved ones will not survive another winter. In a press conference, al-Ansari also called on the international community to lift sanctions on Syria as quickly as possible on Tuesday. “The reason was the crimes of the previous regime, and that regime, with all of its authority, is no longer in place, therefor the causes for these sanctions no longer exist today,” he said. DAMASCUS, Syria — American journalist Austin Tice is believed to be still alive, according to the head of an international aid group. Nizar Zakka, who runs the Hostage Aid Worldwide organization, said there has never been any proof that Tice, who has been missing since 2012, is dead. Zakka told reporters in Damascus on Tuesday that Tice was alive in January and being held by the authorities of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad. He added that U.S. President Joe Biden said in August that Tice was alive. Zakka said he believes Tice was transferred between security agencies over the past 12 years, including in an area where Iranian-backed fighters were operating. Asked if it was possible Tice had been taken out of the country, Zakka said Assad most likely kept him in Syria as a potential bargaining chip. Biden said Dec. 8 that his administration believed Tice was alive and was committed to bringing him home, although he also acknowledged that “we have no direct evidence” of his status. TEL AVIV, Israel — Hannah Katzir, an Israeli woman who was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, and freed in a brief ceasefire last year, has died. She was 78. The Hostages Families Forum, a group representing the families of people taken captive, confirmed the death Tuesday but did not disclose the cause. Her daughter, Carmit Palty Katzir, said in a statement that her mother’s “heart could not withstand the terrible suffering since Oct. 7.” Katzir’s husband, Rami, was killed during the attack by militants who raided their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her son Elad was also kidnapped and his body was recovered in April by the Israeli military, who said he had been killed in captivity. She spent 49 days in captivity and was freed in late November 2023. Shortly after Katzir was freed, her daughter told Israeli media that she had been hospitalized with heart issues attributed to “difficult conditions and starvation” while she was held captive. TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel's military said the projectile was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory, but it set off air raid sirens overnight in the country's populous central area, sending residents looking for cover. Israel’s rescue service Magen David Adom said a 60-year-old woman was seriously wounded after being hurt on her way to a protected space. There was no immediate comment from Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. It was the third time in a week that fire from Yemen set off sirens in Israel. On Saturday, a missile slammed into a playground in Tel Aviv, injuring 16, after Israel’s air defense system failed to intercept it. Earlier last week, Israeli jets struck Yemen’s rebel-held capital and a port city, killing nine. Israel said the strikes were in response to previous Houthi attacks.
Some elite US universities favor wealthy students in admissions decisions, lawsuit allegesSubscribe to our newsletter Privacy Policy Success! Your account was created and you’re signed in. Please visit My Account to verify and manage your account. An account was already registered with this email. Please check your inbox for an authentication link. Support Independent Arts Journalism As an independent publication, we rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, consider becoming a member today . Already a member? Sign in here. We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, please join us as a member . LOS ANGELES — The Autry Museum of the American West is often tinted in washed out hues of gold, brown, and sage, painting a romantic image of the Wild West. Out of Site: Survey Science and the Hidden West , however, trades these colors for silver and black, conjuring a dark atmosphere that illustrates the sinister undertones of the art. This exhibition, part of Getty PST: Art + Science Collide , focuses on the scientific tools that have been used to map the West’s resource-rich landscape, and grapples with how those technologies have been turned into forces of destruction. The terrain that became actor Gene Autry’s jubilant Hollywood playground bears the scars of genocide, extraction, and ecological damage from military testing. The exhibition immediately puts visitors in an uncomfortable position by projecting their image, captured via an infrared camera mounted to a perforated metal sculpture of a drone, right onto the entrance wall. This establishes the show’s through line, a linkage of the words “survey” and “surveillance,” which share the same French root word, “sur,” meaning over. Yet Out of Site is more concerned with what’s under — natural gas in the ground, uranium hidden in mountains, and the people below those faceless military drones buzzing through the skies. Get the latest art news, reviews and opinions from Hyperallergic. Daily Weekly Opportunities Many historic works incidentally depict the resources that made the West ripe for plunder. Thomas Moran’s gold-framed “Hot Springs of the Yellowstone” (1872) is a warm field study of the landscape’s geothermal pools. In the painting’s background, a rainbow emerges from a cloudy sky, heralding the promise and potential of the newfound territory. But the natural gas that made these pools so beautiful to paint is also why the land was forcibly wrested from Indigenous people, then plundered to generate energy in an industrializing country. As a sharp contrast to Moran’s painting, Julie Shafer’s silver gelatin pinhole negative, “Conquest of the Vertical: 300 Miles to Eureka! (no. 3)” (2013), is a black and white image of a mining site. The color inversion of the negative transforms the objects into ghostly forms, making the small pool of water appear eerie and unsettling. Shafer’s decision to use a developing process that incorporates silver salts is notable, as they were among the elements extracted from the West. In addition to mining, the US government’s misconception that the West was empty of human life made it a military testing ground. Perhaps the most famous example of this is nuclear testing, which was most active between the 1950s and ’60s. Most nuclear weapon studies in the Southwest took place after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The military did not know the full health impacts of these weapons, yet still dropped them on Native lands for decades. Significant documentation of the bombs dropped in Nevada and New Mexico exists, and Yulia Pinkusevich rendered these explosions in otherworldly charcoal drawings in her Nuclear Sun series (2010). Nine drawings depict the mushroom clouds from an unusual, fisheye perspective, making them appear like tumors caught in an ultrasound. Pinkusevich’s drawings refer to images captured by Harold E. Edgerton’s “Mirror Sphere” (1954), a silvery ball that made it easier to photograph the explosions from a 180 degree view; it is on display next to the drawings. The military also used the West as a place to test surveillance technology. In “Calibration Mark AF49 with Satellites” (2015), from Julie Anand and Damon Sauer’s Ground Truth photography series, four trapezoidal concrete tiles form a sort of starburst pattern. They look like land art, but are in fact calibration markers for surveillance satellites that were active in the Cold War. The artists added crisscrossing white lines to the sky, which trace the routes of the satellites. In modern times, it is drones that fly overhead, mostly tracking people crossing borders so that law enforcement can apprehend them. Out of Site is a surprisingly bleak exhibition for an art institution that usually dwells on associations between the West and popular entertainment, but it’s important that the Autry Museum confronts the darker histories lurking beneath the buttes, arches, and canyons of the stolen frontier. Out of Site: Survey Science and the Hidden West continues at the Autry Museum of the American West (4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, Los Angeles) through January 5, 2025. The exhibition was curated by Amy Scott. We hope you enjoyed this article! Before you keep reading, please consider supporting Hyperallergic ’s journalism during a time when independent, critical reporting is increasingly scarce. Unlike many in the art world, we are not beholden to large corporations or billionaires. Our journalism is funded by readers like you , ensuring integrity and independence in our coverage. We strive to offer trustworthy perspectives on everything from art history to contemporary art. We spotlight artist-led social movements, uncover overlooked stories, and challenge established norms to make art more inclusive and accessible. With your support, we can continue to provide global coverage without the elitism often found in art journalism. If you can, please join us as a member today . Millions rely on Hyperallergic for free, reliable information. By becoming a member, you help keep our journalism free, independent, and accessible to all. Thank you for reading. Share Copied to clipboard Mail Bluesky Threads LinkedIn Facebook2024 Fourth Quarter Highlights– comparisons to the prior year quarter Net earnings per diluted share of $4.06 ( $4.03 , excluding mark-to-market gains on technology investments) Net earnings of $1.1 billion New orders decreased 3% to 16,895 homes; new orders dollar value decreased 1% to $7.2 billion Backlog of 11,633 homes with a dollar value of $5.4 billion Deliveries decreased 7% to 22,206 homes Total revenues of $9.9 billion Homebuilding operating earnings of $1.5 billion Gross margin on home sales of 22.1% S,G&A expenses as a % of revenues from home sales of 7.2% Net margin on home sales of 14.9% Financial Services operating earnings of $154 million Multifamily operating loss of $0.2 million Lennar Other operating earnings of $0.5 million Homebuilding cash and cash equivalents of $4.7 billion Years supply of owned homesites of 1.1 years and controlled homesites of 82% No outstanding borrowings under the Company's $2.9 billion revolving credit facility Homebuilding debt to total capital of 7.5% Repurchased 3 million shares of Lennar common stock for $521 million In November 2024 , the Company entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Rausch Coleman Homes , a residential homebuilder, which is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025 2024 Fiscal Year Highlights - comparisons to prior year Net earnings per diluted share of $14.31 ( $13.86 , excluding mark-to-market gains and other one-time items, (collectively, "adjustments")) Net earnings of $3.9 billion ( $3.8 billion excluding adjustments) New orders increased 11% to 76,951 homes Deliveries increased 10% to 80,210 homes Total revenues of $35.4 billion Gross margin on home sales of 22.3%; net margin of 14.9% Redeemed/repurchased $554 million of senior notes Repurchased 13.6 million shares of Lennar common stock for $2.1 billion Homebuilding return on inventory of 29.2% MIAMI , Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lennar Corporation LEN , one of the nation's largest homebuilders, today reported results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended November 30, 2024 . Fourth quarter net earnings attributable to Lennar in 2024 were $1.1 billion , or $4.06 per diluted share, compared to $1.4 billion , or $4.82 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2023. Excluding mark-to-market gains on technology investments, fourth quarter net earnings attributable to Lennar in 2024 were $1.1 billion , or $4.03 per diluted share, compared to fourth quarter net earnings attributable to Lennar in 2023 of $1.5 billion , or $5.17 per diluted share, excluding mark-to-market losses on technology investments and other one-time items (collectively, "adjustments"). Net earnings attributable to Lennar for the year ended November 30, 2024 were $3.9 billion , or $14.31 per diluted share, compared to $3.9 billion , or $13.73 per diluted share for the year ended November 30, 2023 . Excluding adjustments, net earnings attributable to Lennar for the year ended November 30, 2024 were $3.8 billion , or $13.86 per diluted share, compared to $4.1 billion , or $14.25 per diluted share for the year ended November 30, 2023 . Stuart Miller , Executive Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Lennar, said, "In the course of our fourth quarter, the housing market that appeared to be improving as the Fed cut short-term interest rates, proved to be far more challenging as mortgage rates rose almost 100 basis points through the quarter. Even while demand remained strong, and the chronic supply shortage continued to drive the market, our results were driven by affordability limitations from higher interest rates." "Accordingly, in our fourth quarter, sales pace lagged expectations as interest rates climbed and our new orders fell short of expectations to 16,895 homes vs the low end of our guidance of 19,000 homes. Consistent with our strategy of matching sales pace with production, we adjusted sales price, incentives, and margin in order to re-ignite sales and actively manage inventory levels. We ended the quarter with two completed, unsold homes per community, which was within our historical range." "In the fourth quarter, earnings were $1.1 billion , or $4.06 per diluted share. We delivered 22,206 homes in the quarter and our average sales price, net of incentives, per home delivered was $430,000 in the fourth quarter, slightly down from last year. Our homebuilding gross margin in the fourth quarter was 22.1%, with SG&A expenses of 7.2%, resulting in a 14.9% net margin." "Driven by our consistent focus on cash flow, we constructively allocated capital while we continued to strengthen and fortify our balance sheet. During the quarter, we repurchased $521 million of our common stock, had no outstanding borrowings on our $2.9 billion revolving credit facility and cash of $4.7 billion , ending the quarter with homebuilding debt to total capital of 7.5%. With cash on hand exceeding our debt, and with overall liquidity of approximately $7.6 billion , our balance sheet remains extremely strong." "Against this backdrop, we continue to remain focused on our volume-based strategy of driving sales and cash flow while using margin as a shock absorber as we continue to migrate to an asset-light, land-light business model. This strategy is reflected in both the public filing of a registration statement on Form S-11 for the planned spin-off of Millrose Properties, Inc., as well as our previously announced acquisition of Rausch Coleman Homes as we focus on growing to drive affordability and fill the supply gap that is reflected in the marketplace." Jon Jaffe , Co-Chief Executive Officer and President of Lennar, said, "Operationally, our starts pace and sales pace were 4.6 homes and 4.2 homes per community in the fourth quarter, respectively, as we continue to move closer to an even flow operating model. Our cycle time was down to 138 days, or 14% lower year over year, as our production first focus has positively impacted our production times, while our inventory turn improved to 1.6 times reflecting broader efficiencies. Concurrently, the Lennar Marketing and Sales Machine continued to carefully match our sales pace to our production pace using our digital marketing and dynamic pricing models." "During the quarter, we continued the migration to our land light strategy. This was evidenced by our years supply of owned homesites improving to 1.1 years from 1.4 years last year and our controlled homesite percentage increasing to 82% from 76% year over year, resulting in a return on inventory of 29.2%." Mr. Miller concluded, "As we look ahead, we expect to deliver between 17,000 and 17,500 homes for the first quarter of 2025 and between 86,000 and 88,000 homes for the full year 2025, including the impact of the Rausch Coleman acquisition. While we remain optimistic that margins will normalize as affordability normalizes and our cost structure benefits from our volume, we expect our gross margin in the first quarter to be between 19.0% and 19.25%, and at this time, we will not guide to full year gross margin until we have a better sense of market conditions as the year unfolds." RESULTS OF OPERATIONS THREE MONTHS ENDED NOVEMBER 30, 2024 COMPARED TO THREE MONTHS ENDED NOVEMBER 30, 2023 Homebuilding Revenues from home sales decreased 9% in the fourth quarter of 2024 to $9.5 billion from $10.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023. Revenues were lower primarily due to a 7% decrease in the number of home deliveries and a 3% decrease in the average sales price of homes delivered. New home deliveries decreased to 22,206 homes in the fourth quarter of 2024 from 23,795 homes in the fourth quarter of 2023. The average sales price of homes delivered was $430,000 in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $441,000 in the fourth quarter of 2023. The decrease in average sales price of homes delivered in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year was primarily due to pricing to market through an increased use of incentives and product mix. Gross margins on home sales were $2.1 billion , or 22.1%, in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $2.5 billion, or 24.2%, in the fourth quarter of 2023. During the fourth quarter of 2024, gross margins decreased primarily because revenue per square foot decreased while land costs increased year over year, which was partially offset by a decrease in costs per square foot due to lower costs of materials as the Company continued to focus on construction cost savings. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $682 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $688 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. As a percentage of revenues from home sales, selling, general and administrative expenses increased to 7.2% in the fourth quarter of 2024, from 6.6% in the fourth quarter of 2023, primarily due to less leverage as a result of both lower volume and average sales price. Financial Services Operating earnings for the Financial Services segment were $154 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $168 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. The decrease in operating earnings was primarily due to lower profit per loan in the Company's mortgage business. Other Ancillary Businesses Operating loss for the Multifamily segment was $0.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to operating loss of $12 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Operating earnings for the Lennar Other segment were $0.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to an operating loss of $125 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. The Lennar Other operating earnings for the fourth quarter of 2024 were primarily due to positive mark-to-market adjustments of $13 million on the Company's publicly traded technology investments, which was partially offset by other operating losses. The Lennar Other operating loss for the fourth quarter of 2023 was primarily due to negative mark-to-market adjustments of $36 million on the Company's publicly traded technology investments and a $65 million write-off of one of the Company's non-public technology investments. Tax Rate For the quarters ended November 30, 2024 and 2023, the Company had a tax provision of $358 million and $417 million , which resulted in an overall effective income tax rate of 24.6% and 23.4%, respectively. For both periods, the Company's effective income tax rate included state income tax expense and non-deductible executive compensation, partially offset by tax credits. The increase in the effective tax rate from the prior year for the three months ended November 30, 2024 was primarily due to additional state income tax expense. OTHER TRANSACTIONS Credit Facility In November 2024 , the Company amended and restated the credit agreement governing its unsecured revolving credit facility (the "Credit Facility") to, among other things, increase the lenders' commitments to $2.875 billion until May 2027 when this amount will be reduced to $2.650 billion until final maturity in November 2029 . As of November 30, 2024 , there were no outstanding borrowings under the Credit Facility. Share Repurchases During the fourth quarter of 2024, the Company repurchased 3 million shares of its common stock for $521 million at an average per share price of $173.79 . Liquidity At November 30, 2024, the Company had $4.7 billion of Homebuilding cash and cash equivalents and no outstanding borrowings under its $2.9 billion Credit Facility, thereby providing approximately $7.6 billion of available capacity. Guidance The following are the Company's expected results of its homebuilding and financial services activities: First Quarter 2025 New Orders 17,500 - 18,000 Deliveries 17,000 - 17,500 Average Sales Price $410,000 - $415,000 Gross Margin % on Home Sales 19.0% - 19.25% S,G&A as a % of Home Sales 8.7% - 8.8% Financial Services Operating Earnings $100 million - $110 million About Lennar Lennar Corporation, founded in 1954, is one of the nation's leading builders of quality homes for all generations. Lennar builds affordable, move-up and active adult homes primarily under the Lennar brand name. Lennar's Financial Services segment provides mortgage financing, title and closing services primarily for buyers of Lennar's homes and, through LMF Commercial, originates mortgage loans secured primarily by commercial real estate properties throughout the United States . Lennar's Multifamily segment is a nationwide developer of high-quality multifamily rental properties. LEN X drives Lennar's technology, innovation and strategic investments. For more information about Lennar, please visit www.lennar.com . Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Some of the statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements relating to the homebuilding market and other markets in which we participate, as well as our expected results and guidance. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. Rather, forward-looking statements relate to anticipated or expected events, activities, trends or results. Accordingly, these forward-looking statements should be evaluated with consideration given to the many risks and uncertainties inherent in our business that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. We wish to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and speak only as of the date made. Important factors that could cause differences between anticipated and actual results include slowdowns in real estate markets in regions where we have significant Homebuilding or Multifamily development activities; decreased demand for our homes, or for Multifamily rental apartments or single family homes; the potential impact of inflation; the impact of increased cost of mortgage financing for homebuyers, increased or continued high interest rates or increased competition in the mortgage industry; supply shortages and increased costs related to construction materials, including lumber, and labor; the possibility that increased tariffs will increase the cost of production materials; cost increases related to real estate taxes and insurance; the effect of increased interest rates with regard to our funds' borrowings on the willingness of the funds to invest in new projects; reductions in the market value of our investments in public companies; natural disasters or catastrophic events for which our insurance may not provide adequate coverage; our inability to successfully execute our strategies and our planned spin-off on the timelines expected or at all; a decline in the value of the land and home inventories we maintain and resulting possible future writedowns of the carrying value of our real estate assets; the forfeiture of deposits related to land purchase options we decide not to exercise; the effects of public health issues such as a major epidemic or pandemic that could have a negative impact on the economy and on our businesses; possible unfavorable outcomes in legal proceedings; conditions in the capital, credit and financial markets; harm to our business from information technology failures and data security breaches; changes in laws, regulations or the regulatory environment affecting our business; policy changes that may be introduced by the new administration that could affect economic conditions, tax regimes and regulatory frameworks, and the other risks and uncertainties described in our filings from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those included under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on January 26, 2024 , as amended by our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed on April 25, 2024 , and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. A conference call to discuss the Company's fourth quarter earnings will be held at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday , December 19, 2024. The call will be broadcast live on the internet and can be accessed through the Company's website at investors.lennar.com. If you are unable to participate in the conference call, the call will be archived at investors.lennar.com for 90 days. A replay of the conference call will also be available later that day by calling 203-369-0176 and entering 5723593 as the confirmation number. LENNAR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES Selected Revenues and Operating Information (In thousands, except per share amounts) (unaudited) Three Months Ended Years Ended November 30, November 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Revenues: Homebuilding $ 9,548,684 10,516,050 33,906,426 32,660,987 Financial Services 304,550 304,693 1,109,263 976,859 Multifamily 88,917 140,824 411,537 573,485 Lennar Other 4,737 6,616 14,226 22,035 Total revenues $ 9,946,888 10,968,183 35,441,452 34,233,366 Homebuilding operating earnings $ 1,495,383 1,912,639 5,342,252 5,527,707 Financial Services operating earnings 154,476 169,130 577,184 509,461 Multifamily operating earnings (loss) (160) (12,155) 42,635 (50,651) Lennar Other operating earnings (loss) 450 (125,414) (47,967) (209,788) Corporate general and administrative expenses (170,011) (136,336) (648,986) (501,338) Charitable foundation contribution (22,206) (23,795) (80,210) (73,087) Earnings before income taxes 1,457,932 1,784,069 5,184,908 5,202,304 Provision for income taxes (358,058) (416,780) (1,217,253) (1,241,013) Net earnings (including net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests) 1,099,874 1,367,289 3,967,655 3,961,291 Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests 3,660 6,002 35,122 22,780 Net earnings attributable to Lennar $ 1,096,214 1,361,287 3,932,533 3,938,511 Basic and diluted average shares outstanding 267,262 279,438 272,019 283,319 Basic and diluted earnings per share $ 4.06 4.82 14.31 13.73 Supplemental information: Interest incurred (1) $ 29,254 41,434 129,310 187,640 EBIT (2): Net earnings attributable to Lennar $ 1,096,214 1,361,287 3,932,533 3,938,511 Provision for income taxes 358,058 416,780 1,217,253 1,241,013 Interest expense included in: Costs of homes sold 39,513 69,859 160,848 240,871 Costs of land sold 29 156 373 1,588 Homebuilding other income, net 4,472 4,525 18,771 15,434 Total interest expense 44,014 74,540 179,992 257,893 EBIT $ 1,498,286 1,852,607 5,329,778 5,437,417 (1) Amount represents interest incurred related to Homebuilding debt. (2) EBIT is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as earnings before interest and taxes. This financial measure has been presented because the Company finds it important and useful in evaluating its performance and believes that it helps readers of the Company's financial statements compare its operations with those of its competitors. Although management finds EBIT to be an important measure in conducting and evaluating the Company's operations, this measure has limitations as an analytical tool as it is not reflective of the actual profitability generated by the Company during the period. Management compensates for the limitations of using EBIT by using this non-GAAP measure only to supplement the Company's GAAP results. Due to the limitations discussed, EBIT should not be viewed in isolation, as it is not a substitute for GAAP measures. LENNAR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES Segment Information (In thousands) (unaudited) Three Months Ended Years Ended November 30, November 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Homebuilding revenues: Sales of homes $ 9,500,991 10,442,850 33,778,149 32,459,129 Sales of land 39,568 63,501 93,384 109,963 Other homebuilding 8,125 9,699 34,893 91,895 Total revenues 9,548,684 10,516,050 33,906,426 32,660,987 Homebuilding costs and expenses: Costs of homes sold 7,400,266 7,919,724 26,255,353 24,900,470 Costs of land sold 30,162 39,413 73,802 92,142 Selling, general and administrative 682,003 687,774 2,480,309 2,231,033 Total costs and expenses 8,112,431 8,646,911 28,809,464 27,223,645 Homebuilding net margins 1,436,253 1,869,139 5,096,962 5,437,342 Homebuilding equity in earnings (loss) from unconsolidated entities 12,410 9,223 66,448 (3,886) Homebuilding other income, net 46,720 34,277 178,842 94,251 Homebuilding operating earnings $ 1,495,383 1,912,639 5,342,252 5,527,707 Financial Services revenues $ 304,550 304,693 1,109,263 976,859 Financial Services costs and expenses 150,074 135,563 532,079 467,398 Financial Services operating earnings $ 154,476 169,130 577,184 509,461 Multifamily revenues $ 88,917 140,824 411,537 573,485 Multifamily costs and expenses 101,875 130,589 521,455 573,658 Multifamily equity in earnings (loss) from unconsolidated entities and other income, net 12,798 (22,390) 152,553 (50,478) Multifamily operating earnings (loss) $ (160) (12,155) 42,635 (50,651) Lennar Other revenues $ 4,737 6,616 14,226 22,035 Lennar Other costs and expenses 26,390 8,255 79,495 27,681 Lennar Other equity in earnings (loss) from unconsolidated entities and other 9,395 (87,783) (7,878) (153,980) Lennar Other unrealized gains (losses) from technology investments (1) 12,708 (35,992) 25,180 (50,162) Lennar Other operating earnings (loss) $ 450 (125,414) (47,967) (209,788) (1) The following is a detail of Lennar Other unrealized gains (losses) from mark-to-market adjustments on technology investments: Three Months Ended Years Ended November 30, November 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Blend Labs (BLND) $ 3,553 230 9,474 (130) Hippo (HIPO) 39,448 (4,277) 73,243 (19,210) Opendoor (OPEN) 3,569 (16,697) (12,587) 21,762 SmartRent (SMRT) 597 (2,305) (11,609) 5,914 Sonder (SOND) (67) (151) 15 (700) Sunnova (NOVA) (34,392) (12,792) (33,356) (57,798) $ 12,708 (35,992) 25,180 (50,162) LENNAR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES Summary of Deliveries, New Orders and Backlog (Dollars in thousands, except average sales price) (unaudited) Lennar's reportable homebuilding segments and all other homebuilding operations not required to be reported separately have divisions located in: East: Alabama, Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania Central: Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia Texas: Texas West: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington Other: Urban divisions For the Three Months Ended November 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 2024 2023 Deliveries: Homes Dollar Value Average Sales Price East 5,593 6,446 $ 2,279,183 2,735,523 $ 408,000 424,000 Central 6,035 6,030 2,377,184 2,419,976 394,000 401,000 Texas 4,845 5,160 1,215,228 1,363,557 251,000 264,000 West 5,721 6,145 3,682,454 3,976,322 644,000 647,000 Other 12 14 5,354 8,412 446,000 601,000 Total 22,206 23,795 $ 9,559,403 10,503,790 $ 430,000 441,000 Of the total homes delivered listed above, 112 homes with a dollar value of $58 million and an average sales price of $522,000 represent home deliveries from unconsolidated entities for the three months ended November 30, 2024, compared to 139 home deliveries with a dollar value of $61 million and an average sales price of $438,000 for the three months ended November 30, 2023. At November 30, For the Three Months Ended November 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 2024 2023 2024 2023 New Orders: Active Communities Homes Dollar Value Average Sales Price East 347 305 3,791 4,690 $ 1,522,100 1,931,297 $ 402,000 412,000 Central 404 323 4,254 3,932 1,665,471 1,537,804 392,000 391,000 Texas 285 246 4,158 4,185 1,044,596 1,070,282 251,000 256,000 West 409 384 4,689 4,549 2,944,098 2,738,131 628,000 602,000 Other 2 2 3 10 2,898 6,495 966,000 649,000 Total 1,447 1,260 16,895 17,366 $ 7,179,163 7,284,009 $ 425,000 419,000 Of the total new orders listed above, 81 homes with a dollar value of $41 million and an average sales price of $512,000 represent new orders in 11 active communities from unconsolidated entities for the three months ended November 30, 2024, compared to 69 new orders with a dollar value of $36 million and an average sales price of $516,000 in five active communities for the three months ended November 30, 2023. For the Years Ended November 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 2024 2023 Deliveries: Homes Dollar Value Average Sales Price East 21,325 20,266 $ 8,623,347 8,805,485 $ 404,000 434,000 Central 19,084 16,809 7,617,693 7,041,528 399,000 419,000 Texas 18,844 16,591 4,763,692 4,692,906 253,000 283,000 West 20,914 19,388 12,938,104 12,052,131 619,000 622,000 Other 43 33 21,739 23,236 506,000 704,000 Total 80,210 73,087 $ 33,964,575 32,615,286 $ 423,000 446,000 Of the total homes delivered listed above, 383 homes with a dollar value of $186 million and an average sales price of $487,000 represent home deliveries from unconsolidated entities for the year ended November 30, 2024, compared to 340 home deliveries with a dollar value of $156 million and an average sales price of $459,000 for the year ended November 30, 2023. For the Years Ended November 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 2024 2023 New Orders: Homes Dollar Value Average Sales Price East 18,205 18,685 $ 7,420,362 7,931,099 $ 408,000 424,000 Central 19,018 15,403 7,558,829 6,324,097 397,000 411,000 Texas 19,019 15,789 4,804,674 4,331,763 253,000 274,000 West 20,668 19,199 12,874,054 11,897,996 623,000 620,000 Other 41 35 20,562 23,600 502,000 674,000 Total 76,951 69,111 $ 32,678,481 30,508,555 $ 425,000 441,000 Of the total new orders listed above, 315 homes with a dollar value of $176 million and an average sales price of $558,000 represent new orders from unconsolidated entities for the year ended November 30, 2024, compared to 321 new orders with a dollar value of $153 million and an average sales price of $476,000 for the year ended November 30, 2023. At November 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 2024 2023 Backlog: Homes Dollar Value Average Sales Price East 3,460 6,580 $ 1,513,713 2,708,322 $ 437,000 412,000 Central 3,097 3,163 1,316,754 1,375,617 425,000 435,000 Texas 2,070 1,895 525,299 475,941 254,000 251,000 West 3,005 3,251 2,016,669 2,072,342 671,000 637,000 Other 1 3 349 1,528 349,000 509,000 Total 11,633 14,892 $ 5,372,784 6,633,750 $ 462,000 445,000 Of the total homes in backlog listed above, 79 homes with a backlog dollar value of $64 million and an average sales price of $807,000 represent the backlog from unconsolidated entities at November 30, 2024, compared to 147 homes with a backlog dollar value of $74 million and an average sales price of $507,000 at November 30, 2023. LENNAR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (In thousands, except per share amounts) (unaudited) November 30, 2024 2023 ASSETS Homebuilding: Cash and cash equivalents $ 4,662,643 6,273,724 Restricted cash 11,799 13,481 Receivables, net 1,053,211 887,992 Inventories: Finished homes and construction in progress 10,884,861 10,455,666 Land and land under development 4,750,025 4,904,541 Inventory owned 15,634,886 15,360,207 Consolidated inventory not owned 4,084,665 2,992,528 Inventory owned and consolidated inventory not owned 19,719,551 18,352,735 Deposits and pre-acquisition costs on real estate 3,625,372 2,002,154 Investments in unconsolidated entities 1,344,836 1,143,909 Goodwill 3,442,359 3,442,359 Other assets 1,734,698 1,512,038 35,594,469 33,628,392 Financial Services 3,516,550 3,566,546 Multifamily 1,306,818 1,381,513 Lennar Other 894,944 657,852 Total assets $ 41,312,781 39,234,303 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Homebuilding: Accounts payable $ 1,839,440 1,631,401 Liabilities related to consolidated inventory not owned 3,563,934 2,540,894 Senior notes and other debts payable, net 2,258,283 2,816,482 Other liabilities 3,201,552 2,739,217 10,863,209 9,727,994 Financial Services 2,140,708 2,447,039 Multifamily 181,883 278,177 Lennar Other 105,756 79,127 Total liabilities 13,291,556 12,532,337 Stockholders' equity: Preferred stock — — Class A common stock of $0.10 par value 25,998 25,848 Class B common stock of $0.10 par value 3,660 3,660 Additional paid-in capital 5,729,434 5,570,009 Retained earnings 25,753,078 22,369,368 Treasury stock (3,649,564) (1,393,100) Accumulated other comprehensive income 7,529 4,879 Total stockholders' equity 27,870,135 26,580,664 Noncontrolling interests 151,090 121,302 Total equity 28,021,225 26,701,966 Total liabilities and equity $ 41,312,781 39,234,303 LENNAR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES Supplemental Data (Dollars in thousands) (unaudited) November 30, 2024 2023 Homebuilding debt $ 2,258,283 2,816,482 Stockholders' equity 27,870,135 26,580,664 Total capital $ 30,128,418 29,397,146 Homebuilding debt to total capital 7.5 % 9.6 % Homebuilding debt $ 2,258,283 2,816,482 Less: Homebuilding cash and cash equivalents 4,662,643 6,273,724 Net homebuilding debt $ (2,404,360) (3,457,242) Net homebuilding debt to total capital (1) (9.4) % (15.0) % (1) Net homebuilding debt to total capital is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as net homebuilding debt (homebuilding debt less homebuilding cash and cash equivalents) divided by total capital (net homebuilding debt plus stockholders' equity). The Company believes the ratio of net homebuilding debt to total capital is a relevant and a useful financial measure to investors in understanding the leverage employed in homebuilding operations. However, because net homebuilding debt to total capital is not calculated in accordance with GAAP, this financial measure should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to financial measures prescribed by GAAP. Rather, this non-GAAP financial measure should be used to supplement the Company's GAAP results. Contact: Ian Frazer Investor Relations Lennar Corporation (305) 485-4129 View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lennar-reports-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-2024-results-302335463.html SOURCE Lennar Corporation © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
INDIANAPOLIS — It was just a 10-yard completion, easy to overlook in the wake of a record-setting rushing day and easy to dismiss as one of just 11 pass attempts throughout the Indianapolis Colts’ 38-30 victory Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. But Anthony Richardson’s third-and-8 pass to wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. just after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter was pivotal to holding off the visitors’ late rally. If the Colts were forced to punt in that situation, a defense that had allowed touchdowns on three consecutive drives — of 70, 55 and 71 yards — would be back on the field with tremendous pressure to prevent the game going to overtime. Richardson was cold and out of rhythm. He’d been sacked on his most recent pass attempt — on third-and-9 with 6:51 remaining — and he hadn’t gotten a pass off since throwing an incompletion intended for wide receiver Josh Downs at the 11:20 mark. With the dual-threat quarterback and running back Jonathan Taylor combining for 270 of Indianapolis’ single-game franchise-record 335 rushing yards, Richardson had not completed a pass since the 8:33 mark of the third quarter, and he was just 1-for-2 in the second half. Still, he was calm and composed on the crucial third down — hitting Pittman on a simple out pattern to move the chains and keep the clock moving. When the Colts finally did punt the ball back to Tennessee, there were only three seconds remaining for the Titans to work with, It was a forgettable play in the grand scheme of the game, but it was also the most recent evidence of the 22-year-old quarterback’s ability to raise his level of play in the clutch. He’s 3-2 as a starter since taking the role back from veteran Joe Flacco, and the other two victories featured game-winning touchdown drives in the fourth quarter. “I think that’s a special trait — obviously as a young player — that he doesn’t flinch in those times, to lead those comebacks,” Colts head coach Shane Steichen said. “Obviously, the (New York) Jets, the New England (Patriots) game, I mean, those are big-time drives to go win games. “You want that out of young players, especially (when) you see the veteran guys do it around the league all the time, but to do it as a young player speaks volumes of the person that he is.” Despite Richardson’s up-and-down season, Indianapolis has maintained steadfast belief in his potential. Even when he was benched for Flacco, the organization repeatedly stated it was not giving up on the quarterback as its future leader. There’s still plenty of work to be done. Richardon has completed just 47.7% of his passes, and he’s thrown 12 interceptions in 11 starts. His rushing ability again was evident Sunday, and he’s set franchise single-season records for a quarterback with 499 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. And he has proven his big-play ability with a league-leading 14.4 yards per completion. The Colts still believe improved consistency will come with increased reps, and they hold out hope the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft can still become the long-term answer at the game’s most important position. For now, Richardson’s late-game heroics offer the most compelling argument in his favor. “I think it’s just me just playing all the way until the clock hits zero,” Richardson said of his mindset. “I never think about fourth quarter moments or anything like that. I just try to play until the game’s over. And it just happens sometimes that most of it happens in the fourth quarter. So I just try to play through the whistle and just play through the whole game.” After rushing for 218 yards and three touchdowns against the Titans – both the second-highest single-game totals of his career – Taylor has been named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week. It was a major bounce-back performance after Taylor’s unforced fumble just short of the goal line cost the Colts dearly in a pivotal loss against the Denver Broncos a week prior. “It’s always exciting to see that dude just do what he does,” Richardson said. “It’s fascinating, honestly, just to see him hit a gap and just take it to the house. It’s just amazing, especially thinking about what happened in the Denver game. It honestly like wiped my mind. I wasn’t even thinking about it until people were talking about him coming back and having the game he did. “It’s like ‘OK, that’s the type of player he is, the type of person he is.’ He always wants to do better for the team and for himself. And just to see him do that and get what he did on Sunday is just a blessing.” The Colts officially signed right guard Mark Glowinski to the 53-man roster Tuesday after he’d been called up for game day in each of the past three weeks. Guard Antonio Mafi was re-signed to the practice squad after being released from the 53-man roster Monday.Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), withdrew his name from consideration on Tuesday. In a post on X, Chronister described the nomination as "the honor of a lifetime." "Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration. There is more work to be done for the citizens of Hillsborough County and a lot of initiatives I am committed to fulfilling," Chronister continued. "I sincerely appreciate the nomination, outpouring of support by the American people, and look forward to continuing my service as Sheriff of Hillsborough County." Following Chronister’s withdrawal, rumors began circulating on social media that his nomination was suggested by Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick for attorney general. "I have a feeling Pam Bondi was part of this recommendation to Trump. She should be pulled as well if that is true," one person claimed on X. Another wrote, "Potential that Pam Bondi recommended him. If true, not a good look for her." A third person commented, "Pam Bondi needs to have her nomination withdrawn over that recommendation." As of now, these rumors remain unconfirmed. Pam Bondi replaced Matt Gaetz as Trump's attorney general nominee after Gaetz withdrew his candidacy. A former Florida attorney general, Bondi is the first woman to hold that role in the state. Announcing her nomination, Trump said, "For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans - Not anymore. "Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again. I have known Pam for many years - She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!" Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US News, World and around the world.