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BEIRUT — Israel's military launched airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, unleashing explosions throughout the country and killing at least 31 while Israeli leaders appeared to be closing in on a negotiated ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group. Israeli strikes hit commercial and residential buildings in Beirut as well as in the port city of Tyre. Military officials claimed they targeted areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. They issued evacuation orders for Beirut's southern suburbs, and strikes landed across the city, including meters from a Lebanese police base and the city's largest public park. The barrage came as officials indicated they were nearing agreement on a ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Security Cabinet prepared to discuss an offer on the table. Bulldozers remove the rubble of a destroyed building Monday that was hit in an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations also expressed cautious optimism Monday about possible progress on a ceasefire. “Knock on wood,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said as he opened the Group of Seven meeting outside Rome. “We are perhaps close to a ceasefire in Lebanon," he said. "Let's hope it's true and that there's no backing down at the last-minute.” A ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon was foremost on the agenda of the G7 meeting in Fiuggi, outside Rome, that gathered ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, in the last G7 encounter of the Biden administration. For the first time, the G7 ministers were joined by their counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as the Secretary General of the Arab League. Thick smoke, flames and debris erupt Monday from an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Tayouneh, Beirut, Lebanon. Meanwhile, massive explosions lit up Lebanon's skies with flashes of orange, sending towering plumes of smoke into the air as Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut's southern suburbs Monday. The blasts damaged buildings and left shattered glass and debris scattered across nearby streets. Some of the strikes landed close to central Beirut and near Christian neighborhoods and other targets where Israel issued evacuation warnings, including in Tyre and Nabatiyeh province. Israeli airstrikes also hit the northeast Baalbek-Hermel region without warning. Lebanon's Health Ministry said Monday that 26 people were killed in southern Lebanon, four in the eastern Baalbek-Hermel province and one in Choueifat, a neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs that was not subjected to evacuation warnings on Monday. The deaths brought the total toll to 3,768 killed in Lebanon throughout 13 months of war between Israel and Hezbollah and nearly two months since Israel launched its ground invasion. Many of those killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah have been civilians, and health officials said some of the recovered bodies were so severely damaged that DNA testing would be required to confirm their identities. Israel claims to have killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Lebanon's Health Ministry says the war has displaced 1.2 million people. Destroyed buildings stand Monday in the area of a village in southern Lebanon as seen from northern Israel. Israeli ground forces invaded southern Lebanon in early October, meeting heavy resistance in a narrow strip of land along the border. The military previously exchanged attacks across the border with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group that began firing rockets into Israel the day after the war in Gaza began last year. Lebanese politicians have decried the ongoing airstrikes and said they are impeding ceasefire negotiations. The country's deputy parliament speaker accused Israel of ramping up its bombardment to pressure Lebanon to make concessions in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah. Elias Bousaab, an ally of the militant group, said Monday that the pressure has increased because "we are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire." Israeli officials voiced similar optimism Monday about prospects for a ceasefire. Mike Herzog, the country's ambassador to Washington, earlier in the day told Israeli Army Radio that several points had yet to be finalized. Though any deal would require agreement from the government, Herzog said Israel and Hezbollah were "close to a deal." "It can happen within days," he said. Israeli officials have said the sides are close to an agreement that would include withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and a pullback of Hezbollah fighters from the Israeli border. But several sticking points remain. A member of the Israeli security forces inspects an impact site Sunday after a rocket fired from Lebanon hit an area in Rinatya, outskirts of Tel Aviv, Israel. After previous hopes for a ceasefire were dashed, U.S. officials cautioned that negotiations were not yet complete and noted that there could be last-minute hitches that either delay or destroy an agreement. "Nothing is done until everything is done," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Monday. The proposal under discussion to end the fighting calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. The withdrawals would be accompanied by an influx of thousands more Lebanese army troops, who have been largely sidelined in the war, to patrol the border area along with an existing U.N. peacekeeping force. Western diplomats and Israeli officials said Israel demands the right to strike in Lebanon if it believes Hezbollah is violating the terms. The Lebanese government says such an arrangement would authorize violations of the country's sovereignty. On paper, being more sustainable and eco-friendly while shopping sounds great—so why don't more people do it? There is growing consumer consciousness about the environmental impact of where people choose to shop and the sustainability of the products they buy. According to McKinsey, over 60% of individuals surveyed in 2020 said they would be willing to pay more for a product that is packaged in an eco-friendly way. Since 2019, products marketed as being environmentally sustainable have seen a 28% growth in revenue compared to 20% for products with no such marketing, a 2023 McKinsey and NielsenIQ report found. Much of this is thanks to the preferences and attitudes of Gen Z, who, on average, care more than their older counterparts about being informed shoppers. The younger generation also has more social justice and environmental awareness altogether. Shoppers are willing to spend around 9.7% more on a product they know is sourced or manufactured sustainably, with 46% saying they would do so explicitly because they want to reduce their environmental footprint, according to a 2024 PwC report. Sustainable practices consumers look for from companies include production methods, packaging, and water conservation. But despite the growing consciousness around being more environmentally responsible, consumer actions don't always align with their values. In psychology, this is defined as the "say-do gap": the phenomenon wherein people openly express concern and intention around an issue, but fail to take tangible action to make a change. According to the Harvard Business Review in 2019, most consumers (65%) say they want to buy from brands that promote sustainability, but only 1 in 4 follow through. So why don't people actually shop sustainably, despite how much they express a preference for eco-friendly products—and how can we close the gap? The RealReal examined reports from the Harvard Business Review and other sources to explore why some shoppers want to buy sustainably but struggle to follow through. This lack of action isn't due to a lack of caring—in many cases, it's hard to know how to be a sustainable consumer and other factors are often outside of shoppers' control. But the more people shop sustainably, the easier and more accessible that market will be for everyone—making it much easier for folks to buy aligned with their values. There are many obstacles preventing shoppers from upholding eco-friendly habits as much as they may want to—but not all of these barriers are necessarily real, or accurately understood. Shopping sustainably simply isn't convenient or accessible for many. Those who live in apartment buildings are 50% less likely to recycle , according to Ipsos. Reasons for this can vary from lack of space to buildings being excluded altogether because of recycling contamination issues. Many believe that sustainable products are too expensive or of a lower quality. The former is often true, which does create a hurdle for many: The manufacturing processes and materials for sustainable products are pricey. For instance, organic cotton requires an intensive production process free of certain chemicals or pesticides; by definition, true eco-friendly products can't be mass-produced, further upping their price tag. Using recycled materials for packaging, or obtaining an eco certification, can also be expensive. However, although the narrative of eco-friendly products being more expensive is true, there is often more of an effort to use better quality materials that last longer than their noneco-friendly counterparts. This could end up saving consumers money in the long run: By paying more upfront, they can get more wear out of sustainable fashion, for instance. There is also undeniable political rhetoric surrounding eco-friendly products—however, despite many Conservative politicians decrying sustainable products, members of all generations are increasingly choosing to prioritize shopping sustainably regardless of their political affiliation, according to research from NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business . This finding shows a trend toward seeing sustainability as a nonpartisan subject everyone can benefit from, no matter where they lie on the political spectrum. Some might think eco-friendly clothing, in particular, is not fashion-forward; after all, many of the top clothing retailers in the world partake in fast fashion. However, brands are increasingly being recognized as 'cool' and 'trendy' for supporting environmentally ethical practices, particularly as younger generations prioritize sustainability, as noted before. Many increasingly popular online stores are taking advantage of this paradigm shift by offering secondhand shopping options that are not only fashionable, but also more affordable, like ThredUp or Poshmark. Additionally, many legacy large-name brands are hopping on the sustainability movement and are gaining appreciation from loyal customers. Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly program partners with third-party certification bodies to make it easier for shoppers to identify eco-friendly products as they browse the website. H&M's newly launched H&M Rewear program debuts a resale platform that allows the resale of all clothing brands—not just their own. Similarly, Patagonia's Worn Wear program allows shoppers to trade in and buy used gear and clothing. The federal government is also working to close this gap. The Environmental Protection Agency's Safer Choice program is attempting to make sustainable shopping easier for consumers and companies alike. It includes a directory of certified products, a list of safer chemicals to look out for on labels, a "Safer Choice" label that products can earn to denote they are eco-friendly, and resources for manufacturers looking to adopt more sustainable practices. Most of all, though, the biggest way shoppers can shift toward sustainable shopping is through their behaviors and attitudes amongst their peers and communities. Studies show that humans largely care what others think of their actions; the more shoppers make environmentally conscious shopping the norm, the more others will follow suit. From an economic perspective, the more consumers shop eco-friendly, the more affordable and accessible these products will become, too: Sustainable products are currently more expensive because they are not in high demand. Once demand rises, production rates and prices can lower, making these products more accessible for all. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. This story originally appeared on The RealReal and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
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By HALELUYA HADERO, Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case and was written by D. John Sauer, Trump’s choice for solicitor general. Related Articles The argument submitted to the court is the latest example of Trump inserting himself in national issues before he takes office. The Republican president-elect has already begun negotiating with other countries over his plans to impose tariffs, and he intervened earlier this month in a plan to fund the federal government, calling for a bipartisan plan to be rejected and sending Republicans back to the negotiating table. He has been holding meetings with foreign leaders and business officials at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida while he assembles his administration, including a meeting last week with TikTok CEO Shou Chew. Trump has reversed his position on the popular app, having tried to ban it during his first term in office over national security concerns. He joined the TikTok during his 2024 presidential campaign and his team used it to connect with younger voters, especially male voters, by pushing content that was often macho and aimed at going viral. He said earlier this year that he still believed there were national security risks with TikTok, but that he opposed banning it. The filings Friday come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The law was was signed by President Joe Biden in April after it passed Congress with broad bipartisan support. TikTok and ByteDance filed a legal challenge afterwards. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute , leading TikTok to appeal the case to the Supreme Court. The brief from Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.” In their brief to the Supreme Court on Friday, attorneys for TikTok and its parent company ByteDance argued the federal appeals court erred in its ruling and based its decision on “alleged ‘risks’ that China could exercise control” over TikTok’s U.S. platform by pressuring its foreign affiliates. The Biden administration has argued in court that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its connections to China. Officials say Chinese authorities can compel ByteDance to hand over information on TikTok’s U.S. patrons or use the platform to spread or suppress information. But the government “concedes that it has no evidence China has ever attempted to do so,” TikTok’s legal filing said, adding that the U.S. fears are predicated on future risks. In its filing Friday, the Biden administration said because TikTok “is integrated with ByteDance and relies on its propriety engine developed and maintained in China,” its corporate structure carries with it risk.Todd Bowles Details Bucs' Recent Pass Rush SuccessThis season has gone exceedingly well for the Minnesota Vikings . Despite incredibly lackluster projections, they have surpassed those feelings just halfway through the year. Kevin O’Connell could have his team picking up their ninth win of the season Sunday against Chicago. That doesn’t mean everyone believes in them, and Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio has had enough. Minnesota Vikings can’t convince Mike Florio they are good Although Mike Florio is a prominent national voice, he’s also a Minnesota Vikings fan. He routinely appears on KFAN to talk with Paul Allen , and there will always be a level of fandom to his assessment of the team. That means he has also experienced plenty of heartbreak over the years. It seems pretty evident that is holding back his feelings regarding this current iteration. “The past two games, the past three games have been so fricken boring. There’s no excitement in watching the Vikings play. There’s something missing. I think it’s because they’re playing teams that they should be kicking the sh-t out of and they’re not. It makes me wonder what happens when they come up against a really good team. I mean, look at the Jaguars. 12-7. They the go to Detroit and it was the worst attack by a lions since Montecore. 52-6. Worst loss in franchise history for the Jaguars. Biggest win in franchise history for the Lions. They don’t screw around. I feel like the Vikings can’t deliver the knockout blow. It’s just hang on, and hang on, and hang on. It’s just not fun to watch games like that where there’s never that uprising. It’s just like, there’s a lead, can they hold it?” There are plenty of times where Florio’s opinions can be dismissed as overblown, but it’s hard to suggest he’s wrong here. This isn’t like when he was calling for Minnesota to trade Sam Darnold for Matthew Stafford . This isn’t an overreaction. The Vikings have played two bottom-feeders in recent weeks, and they largely failed to put them away. 98 YARDS TO THE HOUSE!!!!!!! : Watch #MINvsTEN on @NFLonCBS stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/y8RseU8zPy When Minnesota goes to Chicago this weekend, they have another chance to make a statement. This Bears team isn’t good, and even in making coaching changes, Caleb Williams still has yet to prove anything. The offensive line gives up sacks in bunches, and Brian Flores should put him on his back often. Ultimately though, Florio doesn’t see that happening either. “This feels like a Chicago win. They’re better than 4-6, and the Vikings don’t deserve to be 9-2. The Bears’ offense has improved, and Sam Darnold can be counted on to make a mistake or two.” #Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell says despite an 8-2 record, “I still believe a total, complete team performance is out there for us. That’s what we’re trying to work towards.” @FOX9 pic.twitter.com/7CL9OLrAek There’s always something to happen at Soldier Field. The playing surface is a mess and the Vikings have struggled to complete season sweeps. They did win on the road last season , and they need to grab another divisional victory on Sunday. Maybe if Minnesota can put up the all around performance that O’Connell Minnesota is closing in on the end of their three-game road stretch. It would be great to seem them make a statement before they return home against the Arizona Cardinals. This article first appeared on Minnesota Sports Fan and was syndicated with permission.‘Life-threatening emergencies take priority’: Over 100 people left waiting on ambulances across NI
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Kaduna health college to sponsor 1,000 free circumcisionUS President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by January 19 while the government emphasised its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Mr Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case. The filings come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for January 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute, leading TikTok to appeal to the Supreme Court. The brief from Mr Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office”.
How to Choose the Best Gaming Monitor for Your PC SetupMedical Properties Trust, Inc. ( NYSE:MPW – Get Free Report ) SVP Rosa Handley Hooper sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $3.67, for a total transaction of $11,010.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 356,600 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,308,722. This trade represents a 0.83 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Medical Properties Trust Trading Down 0.8 % Shares of MPW opened at $3.73 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 2.38, a quick ratio of 2.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69. The stock has a market cap of $2.24 billion, a PE ratio of -0.88, a PEG ratio of 0.62 and a beta of 1.29. Medical Properties Trust, Inc. has a 1 year low of $2.92 and a 1 year high of $6.55. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $4.32 and a 200-day simple moving average of $4.72. Medical Properties Trust Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 9th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 12th will be paid a dividend of $0.08 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 12th. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 8.58%. Medical Properties Trust’s dividend payout ratio is currently -7.58%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Medical Properties Trust Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Truist Financial reduced their target price on shares of Medical Properties Trust from $6.00 to $4.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. Colliers Securities raised Medical Properties Trust from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $6.50 price objective on the stock in a report on Friday, September 13th. Mizuho lowered their price objective on Medical Properties Trust from $6.00 to $5.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. Finally, Wolfe Research raised Medical Properties Trust to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, September 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Medical Properties Trust currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $4.92. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on MPW About Medical Properties Trust ( Get Free Report ) Medical Properties Trust, Inc is a self-advised real estate investment trust formed in 2003 to acquire and develop net-leased hospital facilities. From its inception in Birmingham, Alabama, the Company has grown to become one of the world's largest owners of hospital real estate with 441 facilities and approximately 44,000 licensed beds as of September 30, 2023. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Medical Properties Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Medical Properties Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
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Gear Energy Ltd. ( TSE:GXE – Get Free Report ) Senior Officer Stephen Power acquired 157,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 27th. The shares were bought at an average price of C$0.49 per share, with a total value of C$76,387.50. Gear Energy Stock Performance Shares of Gear Energy stock opened at C$0.49 on Friday. Gear Energy Ltd. has a 52 week low of C$0.45 and a 52 week high of C$0.80. The stock’s fifty day moving average is C$0.52 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$0.61. The company has a market capitalization of C$127.84 million, a PE ratio of 9.70 and a beta of 3.52. The company has a quick ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.26. Gear Energy ( TSE:GXE – Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 7th. The company reported C$0.03 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of C$0.04 by C($0.01). Gear Energy had a net margin of 9.65% and a return on equity of 5.36%. The business had revenue of C$38.82 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of C$38.70 million. As a group, analysts expect that Gear Energy Ltd. will post 0.1399549 earnings per share for the current year. Gear Energy Announces Dividend Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Separately, Atb Cap Markets downgraded shares of Gear Energy from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 15th. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Gear Energy About Gear Energy ( Get Free Report ) Gear Energy Ltd., an exploration and production company, engages in the acquiring, developing, and holding of interests in petroleum and natural gas properties and assets in Canada. The company's oil properties are located in Central Alberta, West Central Saskatchewan, and Southeast Saskatchewan. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Gear Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Gear Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .The White House has identified a ninth U.S. telecom network that Chinese state hackers have compromised, a senior official said on Dec. 27. Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, revealed the new information in a press briefing as officials continue to assess the scope of the cybersecurity breach from China’s state-backed Salt Typhoon hacking group, which has carried out a wide-ranging espionage campaign since 2022. “Our understanding is that a large number of individuals were geolocated in the Washington DC, Virginia area,” she said. Only a fraction of them had their communications affected, Neuberger said, as the hackers are more interested in eavesdropping on U.S. government officials. “The scale we’re talking about is far larger on the geolocation, probably less than 100 on the actual individuals,” she said. Shortly after the briefing, the Justice Department issued a final rule naming China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela as countries of concern over their ambitions to exploit sensitive U.S. personal and government-related data by bulk. Under the rule, certain individuals and groups whom authorities deemed as threat actors are barred from transactions involving six types of U.S. data, including certain personal identifiers such as social security numbers or government identification numbers, precise geolocation data, biometric identifiers, human genetic or molecular data, personal health data, and personal financial data. The regulation applies to entities over which China has an ownership of 50 percent or more, those that principally conduct business in China or are organized under Chinese law, their contractors and employees, and foreign individuals who primarily reside in China. The Department of Health and Human Services on Dec. 27 also proposed a rule to protect the U.S. health care system from cyberattacks. The proposed measure would modify the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, making the first change to the act’s security rule in 11 years, according to a statement. It would mandate stepped-up protection for personal health information by health plans and health care clearinghouses, as well as most health care providers and their business associates. The department’s Office for Civil Rights said the number of individuals impacted by large health care breaches soared more than tenfold between 2018 and 2023, and is likely to grow. The hacking group has targeted now-Vice President-elect JD Vance and now-president-elect Donald Trump, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris. To deter Chinese hacking attempts, Neuberger said, the first step is to build a “defensible infrastructure.” “We wouldn’t leave our homes, our offices unlocked, and yet our critical infrastructure, the private companies owning and operating our critical infrastructure often do not have the basic cybersecurity practices in place,” she said in the press call. Authorities are also scrutinizing government contracts to enforce stricter cybersecurity practices, Neuberger said. In doing so, she said, the United States is following in the footsteps of Australia and the UK. “The nation’s secrets, the nation’s economy, lies on our telecommunications sector,” she said. “When I talked with our UK colleagues and I asked, ‘Do you believe your regulations would have prevented the Salt Typhoon attack?’ their comment to me was, we would have found it faster, we would have contained it faster.” Neuberger said it was a “powerful message.” “Those networks are not as defensible as they need to be to defend against a well resourced, capable offensive cyber actor like China,” Neuberger said. In assessing the Salt Typhoon breach, she said, authorities have found one administrator account that had access to more than 100,000 routers. “So when the Chinese compromised that account, they gained that kind of broad access across the network,” she said. Neuberger said officials are looking to segment the telecom networks so that in the event of a cyber attack, the potential damage could be contained. The Federal Communications Commission on Dec. 5 proposed cybersecurity rules requiring communications service providers to certify annually that they have a plan to protect against cyberattacks. The rule is waiting for a vote by Jan. 15, Neuberger said, noting that they are eager to see bipartisan support across the commission to see it through. The Chinese were “very careful about their techniques. They erased logs,” she said. And as “we will never know regarding the scope and scale of this,” she said, the United States is “looking forward.” Neuberger said more actions will be coming out in the next few months. “Let’s lock down this infrastructure. And frankly, let’s hold the Chinese accountable for this,” she said.
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Haiti’s armed-gang crisis just got worse — and even more complicated. A new report by the United Nations’ leading child welfare agency, UNICEF, says the number of children being recruited by the country’s violent gangs has soared by 70% in the last year. The unprecedented spike, registered between the second quarter of 2023 and this year, is yet another example of how children in Haiti, already kept out of school due to violence and rape by gangs, are increasingly being robbed of their childhood. “Children in Haiti are trapped in a vicious cycle — recruited into the very armed groups that are fueling their desperation, and the numbers are growing,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “This unacceptable trend must be reversed by ensuring children’s safety and welfare are prioritized by all parties.” As many as half of all members of armed gangs in Haiti are children, the U.N. said. This revelations come as Haiti sees an escalation in violence by armed groups and rising vigilantism by residents desperate to protect their neighborhoods from being overtaken. A separate report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime says that as the country finds itself trapped between escalating violence and political paralysis, criminal groups are taking advantage of the institutional collapse and political vacuum to expand their territories. “In a political-institutional vacuum, the gangs have weaponized violence to exert pressure on the system,” the report said. Last week, dozens of suspected gang leaders were killed by police and residents during an attempt to invade the upscale community of Pétion-Ville in the capital. While police put the official death toll at 28, Haiti’s National Human Rights Defense Network said the actual number killed after police intercepted three vehicles on Tuesday was 90. Overall, at least 108 people were killed over a three-day span of violence involving gangs and communities fighting back. In one of the photos of the Tuesday incident, the charred body of a young child could be seen in the back of a vehicle. A 43-year-old resident in the Bourdon community of the capital, who spoke to the Miami Herald on condition of anonymity out of fear for his safety, said that among three armed gang members he saw running through the community fleeing police was a boy around 12 years old toting an automatic rifle and wearing flip flops. “A 12-year-old child with a huge Galil in his hands, that is sad,” said the man, who like most people in the Port-au-Prince neighborhood was awakened by the sounds of gunfire and screams as police attempted to capture the invaders. “These children are the most dangerous.” A father of three between the ages of 4 and 18, the man said he is still shaken by the site of the heavily armed child, who was lost inside the community and trying to find his way out. “Children should not be living these kinds of things,” he said, blaming the recruitment of children by armed gangs on the government, which has failed to protect children and for years ignored an epidemic of street kids who have presumably been recruited into the armed groups. “The state has not taken responsibility.” UNICEF says that the rise in child recruitment by armed groups has been fueled by escalating violence, pervasive poverty, lack of education and near collapse of critical infrastructure and social services in Haiti. “Children are often coerced into joining to support their families, or under threats to their safety,” the agency said in a statement. “Many are recruited after being separated from their caretakers, stripped of protection and survival options.” The recruitment of kids, as well as the rape of girls in Haiti by armed gangs, is a grave violation of children’s rights, said UNICEF, calling on Haitian authorities to prioritize the protection of children. In Port-au-Prince, 1.2 million children live under the threat of armed violence. An estimated 25% of the more than 703,000 internally displaced people — of whom 365,000 are children — are currently in the city living under dire conditions and exposed to multiple threats. “Children in many parts of Haiti are subjected to atrocities no child should ever have to experience, leaving them with psychological and emotional scars that might haunt them for a lifetime,” Russell said. “Chaos and horror have become part of daily life.” ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and a Hamas military leader, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The announcement came as health officials in the Gaza Strip said the death toll from the 13-month-old war between Israel and Hamas has surpassed 44,000. The warrant marked the first time that a sitting leader of a major Western ally has been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by a global court of justice. The ICC panel said there were reasonable grounds to believe that both Netanyahu and his ex-defense minister bear responsibility for the war crime of starvation and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts. Israel’s war has caused heavy destruction across Gaza, decimated parts of the territory and driven almost the entire population of 2.3 million people from their homes, leaving most dependent on aid to survive. Israel launched its war in Gaza after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250 . Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Here’s the Latest: UNITED NATIONS -- Syria is being battered by regional conflicts and increasing attacks within the country which will likely make 2024 its most violent year since 2020, the U.N. deputy special envoy says. At the the U.N. Security Council on Thursday, Najat Rochdi urged all countries and parties with influence “to prevent Syria being further swept into a broader conflagration.” In the current escalating climate, Rochdi said, “Once again, Israeli airstrikes on Syria have increased significantly, both in frequency and scope.” He pointed to Wednesday’s strike near Palmyra that killed dozens, which was “likely the deadliest Israeli strike in Syria to date.” Israel says its targets are linked to militants from Lebanon’s Hezbollah or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, but Rochdi said there have been civilian casualties. He said Israeli strikes on residential areas in the capital Damascus as well as on bridges, roads and border crossings have further hindered civilians fleeing the war in Lebanon and disrupted essential imports and exports. Edem Wosornu, the U.N. humanitarian office’s operations director, said that since late September 540,000 people have arrived in Syria from Lebanon, an estimated two-thirds of them Syrians. In parallel, Rochdi said, the United States struck what it said were Iran-backed militias in response to armed drone attacks on its bases in northeast Syria. He said northeast Syria has also seen “its most serious escalation during 2024” from Turkish airstrike against what Ankara said were Kurdish militant targets which resulted in civilian casualties. They followed an Oct. 23 terrorist attack in Ankara. In rebel-controlled northwest Syria, Rochdi said there has been “a worrying uptick in pro-government drone and artillery attacks” alongside attacks involving the main insurgent group in the region, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Najat said fighters from the Islamic State extremist group have also been increasing attacks in the central desert region. BEIRUT — Israeli strikes killed at least 51 people on Thursday in towns and villages across Lebanon, according to the country's Health Ministry. In eastern Lebanon, intensified Israeli airstrikes killed 40 people in 10 different towns in Baalbek province, the ministry said. Rescuers were searching under the rubble of destroyed buildings, said Gov. Bachir Khodr, calling it “a very violent day” in his province. In southern Lebanon, five people were killed by an Israeli strike in Tyre province, and seven others were killed by a strike in Nabatiyeh province, the Health Ministry said. As of Thursday, the Health Ministry has recorded at least 3,583 people killed and 15,244 wounded in Lebanon during the 13-month war between Hezbollah and Israel, with the majority of casualties taking place after Israel’s escalation and ground offensive in late September. UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. humanitarian chief for Gaza is warning that the delivery of critical food, water, fuel and medical supplies is grinding to a halt throughout the territory and “the survival of two million people hangs in the balance.” Muhannad Hadi said in a statement Thursday that Israeli authorities have been banning commercial imports for more than six weeks and at the same time thefts from humanitarian convoys by armed individuals have surged. “In 2024, U.N. trucks have been looted 75 times –- including 15 such attacks since Nov. 4 alone –- and armed people have broken into U.N. facilities on 34 occasions,” he said. Last week, one driver was shot in the head and hospitalized along with another truck driver, Hadi said. And on Saturday 98 trucks were looted in a single attack which saw the vehicles damaged or stolen. The Gaza humanitarian coordinator said bakeries are closing because of lack of flour or fuel to operate generators. “Palestinian civilians are struggling to survive under unlivable conditions, amid relentless hostilities,” Hadi said. He demanded the immediate improvement of security and conditions throughout Gaza to allow the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid “through lawful means.” Israel says it puts no limit on the supplies permitted into Gaza, and it blames the U.N. distribution system. But Israel’s official figures show the amount of aid it has let in has plunged since the beginning of October. The U.N has blamed Israeli military restrictions, along with widespread lawlessness that has led to theft of aid shipments. WASHINGTON — The White House fundamentally rejects the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday. She said the Biden administration was “deeply concerned by the prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision.” The Biden administration has increased its warnings and appeals to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do more to spare civilians in airstrikes and other attacks, and to allow more aid to reach Gaza. However, a 30-day Biden administration deadline came and went earlier this month for Israel to meet specific U.S. targets to improve its treatment of Palestinian civilians in Gaza trapped in the war. U.S. demands included that Israel lift a near-total ban on delivery of aid to hard-hit north Gaza for starving civilians there. KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — The three children were playing outside a cluster of tents housing displaced people in the Gaza Strip when an Israeli airstrike killed them, along with six other people. It’s become a grim, near-daily ritual more than 13 months into the Israel-Hamas war, which local health authorities said Thursday has killed over 44,000 Palestinians. Israel carries out frequent strikes against what it says are militants hiding in civilian areas, and women and children are nearly always among the dead. Wednesday’s strike killed Hamza al-Qadi, 7, his brother Abdulaziz, 5, and their sister Laila, 4, in a tent camp in the southern city of Khan Younis. Areej al-Qadi, their mother, says they were playing outside when they were killed. “All that’s left of them are their notebooks, their books and a blood-stained jacket,” she said as she broke into tears. “They were children who did nothing.” The Israeli military did not comment on the specific strike, saying it follows international law and tries to avoid harming civilians. Gaza’s Health Ministry said Thursday that 44,056 Palestinians have been killed and 104,268 wounded since the start of the war, which was ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack into Israel. Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people that day, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 people. The Health Ministry does not say how many of those killed in Gaza were fighters but says women and children make up more than half the fatalities. Israel, which rarely comments on individual strikes, says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Hours after the ministry announced the latest toll, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and a Hamas military leader. Mahmoud bin Hassan, the children’s father, said he buried them on Thursday. He asked when the international community would take action to stop the war. “When the entire Palestinian population has been killed?” he said. NEW YORK — Human Rights Watch applauded the International Criminal Court's arrest warrants issued Thursday against both Israeli and Hamas officials. The warrants “break through the perception that certain individuals are beyond the reach of the law,” the associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch, Balkees Jarrah, said in a statement. The New York-based rights group earlier this month released a report saying Israel has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, including massive forced displacements that amount to ethnic cleansing. JERUSALEM — Israeli prosecutors have charged a former aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with leaking classified documents to international media, apparently to protect the Israeli leader from criticism as a hostage deal was collapsing. Eli Feldstein, a former media adviser to Netanyahu, was charged Thursday with leaking classified information with the intent of harming state security and obstruction of justice. The leaked documents are said to have formed the basis of a widely discredited article in the London-based Jewish Chronicle — which was later withdrawn — suggesting Hamas planned to spirit hostages out of Gaza through Egypt, and an article in Germany’s Bild newspaper that said Hamas was drawing out the hostage talks as a form of psychological warfare on Israel. Critics say the leaks were aimed at giving Netanyahu political cover as the case-fire talks ground to a halt. Some have accused Netanyahu of resisting a deal in to preserve his governing coalition, which includes hard-line members who have threatened to bring down the government if he makes concessions to Hamas. The leaks came at a time of public uproar over the deaths of six hostages who were killed by their Hamas captors as Israeli soldiers were closing in. The indictment said the leaks were meant “to create media influence on the public discourse in Israel in regards to the handling of the hostage situation, after the news of the murder of six hostages.” The indictment identified two other Netanyahu aides as being connected to the scheme, but only Feldstein and an unidentified reservist in Israeli military intelligence were charged. Netanyahu, who denies the accusations, has not been identified as a suspect in the burgeoning investigation. Israeli media say if convicted, Feldstein could potentially face life in prison. JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military has launched an investigation into the death of a 70-year-old Israeli man who entered Lebanon with Israeli forces and was killed in a Hezbollah ambush. Investigators are trying to determine, among other things, who allowed Zeev Erlich into the combat zone with the forces and why he was permitted to enter. According to Israeli media reports, Erlich was not on active duty when he was shot, but was wearing a military uniform and had a weapon. The army said he was a reservist with the rank of major and identified him as a “fallen soldier” when it announced his death. Story continues below video Erlich was a well-known West Bank settler and researcher of Jewish history. Media reports said Erlich was permitted to enter Lebanon to explore a local archaeological site. The army said a 20-year-old soldier was killed in the same incident, while an officer was badly wounded. The army announced Thursday that the chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, has appointed a team of experts “to examine and strengthen operational discipline and military culture” following the incident. It said its commander for northern Israel, Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, would launch a separate “command inquiry,” while Israeli military police conduct a separate probe. Such investigations can lead to criminal charges. BEIRUT — At least 29 people were killed Thursday in Israeli strikes on different towns and villages across Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state-run media. In eastern Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes killed 26 people in six different towns in Baalbek province, the health ministry and the National News Agency said. In Tyre province, southern Lebanon, three people were killed in an Israeli strike, the health ministry said. The health ministry Wednesday said that over 3,550 people have been killed in the 13-month war between Hezbollah and Israel, the majority following Israel’s escalation in late September. The European Union's foreign policy chief has underlined that the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas officials are a legal and not political matter, and that they are binding on all 27 EU member countries and other signatories to the ICC to implement. “The tragedy in Gaza has to stop," Josep Borrell told reporters during a visit to Jordan. “It is not a political decision. It is the decision of an international court of justice, and the decision of the court has to be respected, and implemented.” “This decision is a binding decision on all state parties of the court, which include all members of the European Union," he added. ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling partyhas welcomed the decision by the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamn Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, calling it a judgement made for the sake of “humanity.” Omer Celik, spokesman for the Erdogan’s party, said on the social media platform X that Netanyahu and Gallant would “eventually be held accountable for genocide.” Celik also criticised Israeli officials who described the ICC decision as antisemitic. Turkey is among the most vocal critics of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and has submitted a formal request to join a genocide case that South Africa has filed against Israel at the U.N.’s International Court of Justice. Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp, whose country hosts the International Criminal Court, has confirmed The Netherlands would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he arrived on Dutch soil. “The line from the government is clear. We are obliged to cooperate with the ICC ... we abide 100% by the Rome Statute,” he said in response to a question in parliament Thursday. Other European officials were more cautious. In France, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said he supported the International Criminal Court's prosecutor but declined to comment when asked more specifically if France would arrest Netanyahu if he were to step on French soil. “Today, combating impunity is our priority. We ratified the ICC Statute in 2000 and have consistently supported the court’s actions. Our response will align with these principles,” Christophe Lemoine told reporters at a press conference. Lemoine added that the warrants were “a complex legal issue ... It’s a situation that requires a lot of legal precautions.” In Italy, the foreign and justice ministries didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment about whether Italy, an ICC member which hosted the Rome conference that gave birth to the court, would honor the arrest warrant. Premier Giorgia Meloni hosted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in March 2023 and has strongly supported Israel since Oct. 7, while providing humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza. JERUSALEM — Israel’s mostly ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, has called the International Criminal Court's arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “a dark day for justice. A dark day for humanity.” In a post on X, he said the international court “has chosen the side of terror and evil over democracy and freedom, and turned the very system of justice into a human shield for Hamas’ crimes against humanity." Israel Katz, Israel’s new defense minister, said the decision was “a moral disgrace, entirely tainted by antisemitism, and drags the international judicial system to an unprecedented low.” He said it “serves Iran, the head of the snake, and its proxies.” Benny Gantz, a retired general and political rival to Netanyahu, also condemned the decision, saying it showed “moral blindness” and was a “shameful stain of historic proportion that will never be forgotten.” Hamas has welcomed the decision by the International Criminal Court to issue warrants against Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant, calling it an “important and historic precedent” after what it said was decades of injustice at the hands of a “fascist occupation.” The statement did not refer to the warrants issued for the militant group’s own leaders. Hamas called on all nations to “cooperate with the court in bringing the Zionist war criminals, Netanyahu and Gallant, to justice, and to work immediately to stop the crimes of genocide against innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip.” DEIR AL-BALAH, The Gaza Strip — Bakeries have reopened in the central Gaza Strip after being closed for several days because of flour shortages. The shortages appear to have been linked to the looting of nearly 100 truckloads of aid by armed men in southern Gaza last weekend. Associated Press footage showed a crowd of hundreds pushing and shouting outside a bakery in the central city of Deir al-Balah on Thursday. The day before the reopening, the price of a bag of 15 loaves of pita bread had climbed above $13. “In my house, there is not a morsel of bread, and the children are hungry,” said Sultan Abu Sultan, who was displaced from northern Gaza during the war. The amount of aid entering Gaza plunged in October as Israel launched a major offensive in the isolated north, where experts say famine may be underway . Hunger is widespread across the territory, even in central Gaza where aid groups have more access. Humanitarian organizations say Israeli restrictions, ongoing fighting and the breakdown of law and order make it difficult to deliver assistance. Israel’s offensive, launched after Hamas’ October 2023 attack, has displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people. Hundreds of thousands are crammed into tent camps with little in the way of public services and are reliant on international food aid. NICOSIA — The president of Cyprus says the European Union must play a bigger role in the Middle East as it can no longer stand by as an observer. President Nikos Christodoulides said the 27-member bloc needs to establish closer ties with countries that bolster regional stability like Egypt, Jordan and the Gulf states. “The conflict in the Middle East is taking place on the EU’s doorstep, in an area of vital interest to the bloc’s interests, where any escalation or regional spillover will have significant consequences on its security and stability,” Christodoulides told an Economist conference in the Cypriot capital. Christodoulides said EU member Cyprus for years has tried to get this message across to Brussels. The island nation earlier this year was the staging ground for a maritime corridor delivering some 20,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The EU is wracked by members’ divisions over how peace should come about in the Middle East THE HAGUE — The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the war in Gaza and the October 2023 attacks that triggered Israel’s offensive in the Palestinian territory. The decision turns Netanyahu and the others into internationally wanted suspects and is likely to further isolate them and complicate efforts to negotiate a cease-fire to end the 13-month conflict. But its practical implications could be limited since Israel and its major ally, the United States, are not members of the court and several of the Hamas officials have been subsequently killed in the conflict. Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders have previously condemned ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan’s request for the warrants as disgraceful and antisemitic. U.S. President Joe Biden also blasted the prosecutor and expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas. Hamas also slammed the request. The death toll in the Gaza Strip from the 13-month-old war between Israel and Hamas has surpassed 44,000, local health officials said Thursday. The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, but it has said that more than half of the fatalities are women and children. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The Health Ministry said 44,056 people have been killed and 104,268 wounded since the start of the war. It has said the real toll is higher because thousands of bodies are buried under rubble or in areas that medics cannot access. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250 . Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Most of the rest were released during a cease-fire last year. Around 90% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million people have been displaced, often multiple times, and hundreds of thousands are living in squalid tent camps with little food, water or basic services. Israel says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames their deaths on Hamas because the militants operate in residential areas, where they have built tunnels, rocket launchers and other military infrastructure. JERUSALEM — A rocket fired from Lebanon killed a man and wounded two others in northern Israel on Thursday, according to the Magen David Adom rescue service. The service said paramedics found the body of the man in his 30s near a playground in the town of Nahariya, near the border with Lebanon, after a rocket attack on Thursday. Israel meanwhile struck targets in southern Lebanon and several buildings south of Beirut, the Lebanese capital, after warning people to evacuate.
'Remarkable' Olivia Hussey who has died aged 73 faced rape, beatings, infidelity and cancer after shooting to fame at just 15 as Zeffirelli's Juliet Olivia Hussey played lead in Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 classic film Romeo and Juliet READ MORE: Olivia Hussey dead at 73: Golden Globe winning star of Romeo And Juliet passes away 'peacefully' at home By MARIA CHIORANDO FOR MAILONLINE Published: 11:47 EST, 28 December 2024 | Updated: 12:00 EST, 28 December 2024 e-mail 10 shares View comments Olivia Hussey - who rose to fame starring in Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 film Romeo And Juliet - died at the age of 73 on Friday, December 27. Her loved ones announced the late star's passing on her main Instagram page, sharing that she passed away 'peacefully at home' just two days after Christmas . Alongside a throwback image of the actress, the family labelled her a 'remarkable person' who had 'lived a life full of passion.' Olivia catapulted to fame when she was cast in the adaptation of William Shakespeare's beloved play when she was just 15-years-old - but winning the role would go on to be a blessing and a curse for the young Argentinian actress. She made appearances in over 50 projects in the span of six decades, such as in Black Christmas (1974) and Death On The Nile (1978). The caption of the post shared by her loved ones read: 'It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Olivia Hussey Eisley, who went peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones on December 27th.' 'Olivia was a remarkable person whose warmth, wisdom, and pure kindness touched the lives of all who knew her. Born on April 17th, 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Olivia lived a life full of passion, love, and dedication to the arts, spirituality, and kindness towards animals,' they continued. Her family added that the late actress 'leaves behind a loving family - her children, Alex, Max, and India , her husband of 35 years David Glen Eisley, and grandson, Greyson, and a legacy of love that will forever be cherished in our hearts.' Actress Olivia Hussey, who has died at the age of 73, is pictured playing Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 film Romeo And Juliet 'As we grieve this immense loss, we also celebrate Olivia's enduring impact on our lives and the industry.' Her loved ones concluded with, 'We thank you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time and ask for privacy as we mourn the loss of a truly special soul.' While Olivia enjoyed immense success throughout her life, she also battled multiple difficulties. The role of Juliet would be the defining one of her career, however, while the film's success introduced her to fame and glamour, it also exposed her to terrible grief and self-doubt with two tumultuous marriages, a crippling case of agoraphobia, neurotic panic attacks, food compulsions, pot smoking, drinking and pills. Olivia was born on April 17, 1951, in Buenos Aires, Argentina - and was notably the daughter of Argentine opera singer Andrés Osuna. When she was a young girl, Hussey moved to London with her mother - who was from England - and her brother. In the city, she studied drama at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts for five years. During an interview with The Guardian in 2018, she recalled discovering her interest for acting at a young age. 'I used to walk around the house with a towel on my head pretending to be a nun. 'One day I just said, "I don't know about being a nun. I like pretending to be a nun. Maybe if I was an actress, I could pretend to be a nun and still be me."' In her 2018 memoir, Olivia claimed she was raped and abused by her ex Christopher Jones (left), before her husband Dino Martin cheated on her whilst she was pregnant (right) Winning the role of Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet was a blessing and a curse for 15-year-old Argentinian actress Olivia Hussey (pictured in 2018) At the age of 13, the star continued to pursue her passion and began acting on the stage. In 1966, she appeared in the London production of The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie alongside actress Vanessa Redgrave. Her role in the stage play prompted her to be scouted for the Paramount movie, Rome And Juliet (1968) - which was directed by Franco Zeffirelli. She starred alongside Leonard Whiting, who played Romeo. The movie was a box office success at the time of its release in theatres, and garnered around $38.9 million on a budget of $850K. Read More Romeo and Juliet stars in 1968 film get second verdict in Paramount suit over underage nude scene It also received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. It ended up winning two for Best Costume Design and Best Cinematography. Olivia received a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer - Female, and was also honoured with the David di Donatello Award for her performance. However, in late 2022, both Hussey and her co-star Whiting sued Paramount over underage nude scenes in Romeo And Juliet. In the lawsuit, the two stars claimed that they had been misled by the director to disrobe for nude scenes that were shown in the final cut of the film. Hussey and Whiting said Zeffirelli originally told them there would not be any nudity in the film. However, on the last day of filming, they claim he said the film 'would fail' unless they performed a scene nude while wearing body makeup. 'What they were told and what went on were two different things,' said Tony Marinozzi, a business manager for the actors, in a statement at the time. A judge dismissed the case who found the claims that the movie depicts sexual acts as a 'gross mischaracterisation.' Director Franco Zeffirelli passed away in 2019, and his son Pippo Zeffirelli responded to the lawsuit last year in January, per Deadline. Alongside a throwback image of the actress, the family labeled her a 'remarkable person' who had 'lived a life full of passion' 'It is embarrassing to hear that today, 55 years after filming, two elderly actors who owe their notoriety essentially to this film wake up to declare that they have suffered an abuse that has caused them years of anxiety and emotional discomfort.' Olivia and Leonard filed another lawsuit, but a few months earlier in October of this year, the case was dismissed a second time in the Los Angeles Superior Court. During her past interview with The Guardian in 2018, Hussey reflected on her role in the 1968 film. 'I loved playing Juliet,' she expressed. 'The only part I didn't like was all the PR. It was exhausting, and I was this wild little thing.' In addition, the intoxicating spotlight that overnight celebrity ushered in – something the young girl had dreamed of since age four - also brought on a weight gain that required diet pills morning and night making her hyper and stressed out. The studio demanded she see a specialist for being 'plump', something that had never bothered her - but it did the studio. 'I began to hate my body and this warped body image would turn into a compulsion,' Hussey wrote in her memoir, The Girl on the Balcony. 'Where once I saw food as a great joy, I now began to see it as an enemy. I have never really had a slim body type. It's more buxom or curvy,' Hussey writes, and quotes Sophia Loren who once said, 'Everything you see I owe to pasta'. Hussey's mother quickly put an end to the pills and specialists but 'a seed had been planted'. With all this attention while filming Romeo and Juliet in the Roman countryside and being looked after by a chaperone, Hussey admits she was 'budding into a little diva.' 'I loved playing Juliet,' she expressed. 'The only part I didn't like was all the PR. It was exhausting, and I was this wild little thing'; seen in 2007 in L.A. The movie was released in 1968 to critical acclaim and earned Zeffirelli an Academy Award nomination for Best Director, but the two co-stars claimed they were misled by the director to disrobe for nude scenes that were shown in the final cut of the film and tried to bring legal action in 2022 - but it was thrown out by the judge The once, sweet and shy teenager was no more. She became petulant, a brat, opinionated and quick to judge others as well as taking no advice. Before filming actually began, Olivia says she felt severe cramping and sudden stabbing pains through her whole body, 'lightning bolts of pain' that had been brought on by stress or too much food. It was something she had experienced before – rumbling appendicitis – but the director wanted her appendix out without delay. Olivia was terrified – this far from home and alone. 'After a terrible night of self-recrimination and pain, I woke up feeling better. 'Whether the problem had been stress, exhaustion, or too much focaccia, I didn't know. All I cared about was that I was finally well enough. I could be Juliet', she writes. Filming began in a small town in Tuscany with Hussey wearing what became the staple of her wardrobe, a 'dreaded bodice', so tight that it had to unlaced down the back after takes to allow her to breathe. But it pushed up her breasts and made her look voluptuous. Zeffirelli would take her hands and say, 'Oh, my little Boobs O'Mina', something Hussey hated. But her breasts attracted her Romeo and an intimacy developed between Olivia and her co-star, Leonard Whiting. But the actress writes that she did not sleep with him. They got drunk together and kissed but he was busy dating every Italian girl between 18 and 35 while she drank gin and tonics and intoxicatingly danced the night away in discos in Rome. The London opening of Romeo And Juliet was a Royal Command Performance before the Queen and royal family at the London Palladium leaving the actress nervous over etiquette for the royal introduction The role catapulted Olivia to global fame, but she was left feeling overwhelmed by the exposure and suffered crippling anxiety The movie was released in 1968 to critical acclaim and earned Zeffirelli an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. However, despite the film's success, Hussey realised she didn't know how to cultivate relationships and had no one she could ask for advice. She turned down many viable projects, never learning how to network. The London opening of the film was a Royal Command Performance before the Queen and royal family at the London Palladium leaving the actress nervous over etiquette for the introduction. She broke out into a fit of giggles, walked onstage with Zeffirelli and Leonard and peed on the spot. 'Years later, I would be diagnosed with a severe form of agoraphobia: large crowds, open spaces, and uncontrollable social situations fill me with dread', wrote Hussey in her memoir. She waved politely at the late Queen Elizabeth II seated below and escaped for a wardrobe change. Sitting next to the then-Prince Charles at a long dining table, she complained about how much her feet hurt. After Romeo & Juliet was released, Olivia didn't act for two years - however she later appeared in a number of programmes and films, including The Bastard (pictured, in 1978) The actress had not appeared on screen since 2015, when she appeared in the British film Social Suicide, based on Romeo and Juliet 'Oh, dear. Well, you must go ahead and rest them on my knees, then', the royal replied and they carried on talking about films. It was a year and a half before she accepted another film offer due to her struggle with agoraphobia. However, she was meeting actors and connected with actor Christopher Jones, hot off the film, Wild in the Streets, and being talked about as the next James Dean. Hussey accepted a lunch date that morphed into a romance as well as what she describes as one of the darkest periods of her life. She had been warned by Jones's manager, Rudy Altobelli, that Jones might not be the right guy for her, but she read that as Altobelli flirting. Jones was having a breakdown on the set of Ryan's Daughter in Ireland, distressing cast and crew. He would sit staring off and then abruptly accuse a member of the film crew of stealing from him. His attacks turned on Hussey, who was 17 at the time, in love and trying to understand her boyfriend. One night while talking in bed, he allegedly punched her in the stomach and then held her close and apologised. The production company decided to medicate him and it was up to Hussey to mix it in his morning oatmeal. His mood swings calmed down on some days, other days he figured he was being poisoned because he felt too good. Once, Jones threw the bowl of oatmeal at Olivia, insisting she eat it and laughed ghoulishly before running off. When filming was over, Hussey wanted nothing more to do with the actor and in 1969, she moved to Los Angeles . First stop, Altobelli's home on the infamous Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon, just north of Beverly Hills and the very site of the Charles Manson murder spree earlier that summer. 'The whole time I lived at Cielo Drive there was nothing strange or macabre about it. I was still very young, and by the time I arrived, all traces of the crime had been erased' – but for the fact that Altobelli had allowed Christopher to live in the back house temporarily. The ground rules were she would never be left alone with him and Jones understood they were no longer a couple. Hussey was now caught up in the Hollywood scene of glamorous parties, and meeting big stars. She writes she never considered accepting any job offers. She wasn't feeling anxiety or pressure and just settling into 'this new, sunnier way of living'. She met Dino Martin, son of singer Dean Martin and his wife Jeanne. Dino was considered a golden boy, nonchalant about his famous family. Dino romanced Olivia, took her to all the famous Hollywood restaurants, introduced her to stars and his best friend, Desi Arnaz, Jr., son of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. The scene at Rudy's was also exciting with stars dropping by. Sally Kellerman, John Savage, Jack Nicholson even came to smoke a joint. Olivia then began a short-lived affair with Terry Melcher, Doris Day's son, a record producer. Rudy loved smoking dope and Olivia joined him becoming more paranoid throughout the day. Dino would join them and they'd head off to satisfy their munchies. But then some dark sinister force brought Christopher Jones into her bedroom one night at Cielo Drive. Hussey thought one of Rudy's dogs had pushed open the door but then the door closed. Jones was hallucinating and hearing voices, twitching while whispering sweetly but incoherently and then he was suddenly punching and beating Olivia for an hour 'all the while grinding his teeth and snarling, his spittle spraying me', she writes. 'Then he raped me'. In 1980 she married a Japanese singer Akira Fuse with whom she had a baby boy before divorcing in 1989. Living between Japan and Hollywood took its toll on Olivia and Akira's relationship and although they remained friends, they later divorced 'In some way, I had always know that it would come to this; that it was only a matter of time before the dam broke and all of Chris's anger washed over me', writes Hussey. She called Dino whose first words were 'I'm going to have him killed'. Olivia's lip was split open. There was dark bruising around her eyes and on the side of her head. He had pulled out a clump of her hair and her nose was bloodied. She didn't leave the Cielo Drive house for two months but Dino visited every day. When she recovered, she went to the gynecologist who confirmed she was pregnant. Conferring with Dino, Rudy, and a psychiatrist, Olivia decided to abort the baby. While lying in a bed in Cedar-Sinai hospital before the abortion, when Dino left, Christopher walked in. He apologised and pleaded with her to keep the baby. She said she couldn't and that he must never come near her again or she'd reveal that he had viciously raped her. She rang the nurse's bell and Christopher exited. Hussey never saw him again. Jones died in 2014 of complications from gallbladder cancer – after three marriages and seven children. Dino had been there to support Olivia throughout her ordeal and she fell in love with him. 'Out of that horror came some of the brightest, happiest days of my life. I was very much in love', writes Hussey. She also adored Dino's family. They tied the knot in Vegas and Olivia was so into the marriage, she even learned to cook. When Desi Jr. started dating Liza Minelli, she and Olivia became close friends as well as the godmother of Olivia's first child. The two couples spent a lot of time together, flying to Vegas and back the same night, getting tipsy on Saturday nights at Madeo's, a hot Beverly Hills restaurant, and Sunday morning hitting tennis balls to dispel hangovers. 'I lived in a strange kind of balance between my newfound love of domestic life and the still-surreal glamour of Hollywood, and it was never boring'. When the offer came in to work on the film, Summertime Killer, starring Christopher Mitchum and Karl Malden on location in Spain for six weeks, Hussey jumped at it. Her contract included special lunches to ensure she stay on a diet. When the movie wrapped in Madrid, Barcelona was the next shoot and her diet included one plate of pasta a day and hours at the hotel pool working on her tan. Once back in LA, she had the taste to work on a bigger film and beat out Natalie Wood for the role of Maria in the big budget film, Lost Horizon. The location was the Warner Bros. Studio lot. A day after signing, she learned she was pregnant. She confided her condition to the costume designer who promised to keep it a secret and keep making her wardrobe bigger. She and Dino had a beautiful baby boy, Alexander Gunther Martin but the marriage turned out to be a flop, as did the film. Dino had begun cheating on her when Olivia was seven months pregnant. 'A light had gone out and we both knew it. If we'd been older, perhaps we'd have gone to counselling,' she wrote. However, she and Liza fell out after they both tried out for the lead role in the film Camille. The glory days were over. Dino was arrested for an illegal gun collection. They sold their house, split the money and went their separate ways. Binge eating, booze, diet pills, sleeping pills washed down with white wine spritzers –all became routine – until Hussey was introduced to Swami Muktananda, a gentle Indian guru who now became the center of her life and helped lead her out of her misery. She still had panic attacks and trouble getting outside of her own head. She met and married a Japanese singer, Akira Fuse, had a baby boy before a third marriage to 'stone-cold rock star hunk', David Glenn Eisley, in 1991. Olivia was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in the summer of 2008. However she opted not to pursue chemotherapy or radiation and instead underwent a double mastectomy to treat the cancer. A decade later, she found the breast cancer had returned when a small tumour was discovered growing between her heart and lungs. Hussey, who is survived by her third husband David Eisely (pictured),was described as a 'remarkable' person by her family when they announced she had died Hussey had been married to David Eisley since 1991. The two shared a daughter, India Eisley (right) who had a role in The Secret Life of the American Teenager In 2018, the actress released her memoir titled The Girl On The Balcony and told People at the time, 'It's been quite a life. I feel grateful that I survived it all'; seen in 1968 She opted to use radiation and chemotherapy to treat the tumour, stating: 'I'd refused chemotherapy and radiation treatment 10 years ago, wanting to avoid those poisons, but last year I had no choice, and they saved my life. 'The tumour shrank, I'm hoping to the size of a pea, and I'm doing well now. I'm healthy and happy.' She last appeared on screen since 2015, when she appeared in the British film Social Suicide, based on Romeo and Juliet. In 2021, she revealed to DailyMail she was 'broke', saying: 'I've had terrible luck...I went from being comfortable to being overdrawn.' Olivia is survived by her husband David Glen Eisley, her three children, Alex, Max, and India, as well as her grandson Greyson. Share or comment on this article: 'Remarkable' Olivia Hussey who has died aged 73 faced rape, beatings, infidelity and cancer after shooting to fame at just 15 as Zeffirelli's Juliet e-mail 10 shares Add comment
Nottingham Forest rise to second after win at EvertonA majority of the Texas State Board of Education gave final approval Friday to a state-authored curriculum under intense scrutiny in recent months for its heavy inclusion of biblical teachings. Eight of the 15 board members voted to approve Bluebonnet Learning, the elementary school curriculum proposed by the Texas Education Agency earlier this year. The curriculum will become available in the spring, with schools that choose to adopt the materials expected to begin using them at the start of the 2025-26 school year. The curriculum was designed with a cross-disciplinary approach that uses reading and language arts lessons to advance or cement concepts in other disciplines, such as history and social studies. Critics, which included religious studies scholars, say the curriculum’s lessons allude to Christianity more than any other religion, which they say could lead to the bullying and isolation of non-Christian students, undermine church-state separation and grant the state far-reaching control over how children learn about religion. They also questioned the accuracy of some lessons. The curriculum’s defenders say that references to Christianity will provide students with a better understanding of the country’s history. Texas school districts have the freedom to choose their own lesson plans, so the choice to adopt the materials will remain with them. But the state will offer an incentive of $60 per student to districts that adopt the lessons, which could appeal to some as schools struggle financially after several years without a significant raise in state funding. Three Republicans — Evelyn Brooks, Patricia Hardy and Pam Little — joined the board’s four Democrats in opposition to the materials. Leslie Recine — a Republican whom Gov. Greg Abbott appointed to temporarily fill the State Board of Education’s District 13 seat vacated by former member Aicha Davis, a Democrat who ran successfully for a Texas House seat earlier this year — voted for the curriculum. Abbott handpicked Recine, who was the deciding vote on the materials, to fill the seat through the end of the year days before the general election, bypassing Democrat Tiffany Clark. A majority of District 13 residents voted this election for Clark to represent them on the board next year. She ran unopposed. Board members who expressed support for the curriculum said during the week they believed the materials would help students improve their reading and understanding of the world. Members also said politics in no way influenced their vote and that they supported the materials because they believed it would best serve Texas children. “In my view, these stories are on the education side and are establishing cultural literacy,” Houston Republican Will Hickman said. “And there's religious concepts like the Good Samaritan and the Golden Rule and Moses that all students should be exposed to.” The proposed curriculum prompts teachers to relay the story of The Good Samaritan — a parable about loving everyone, including your enemies — to kindergarteners as an example of what it means to follow the Golden Rule. The story comes from the Bible, the lesson explains, and “was told by a man named Jesus” as part of his Sermon on the Mount, which included the phrase, “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” Many other religions have their own version of the Golden Rule. Brooks, one of the Republicans who opposed the materials, noted this week that the Texas Education Agency is not a textbook publishing company and said treating it like such has created an uneven playing field for companies in the textbook industry. Brooks also said she has yet to see evidence showing the curriculum would improve student learning and that she was opposed to the state using Texas schoolchildren as “experiments.” Hardy, a Fort Worth Republican who also opposed the materials, said she did so without regard for the religious references. She expressed concern about the curriculum’s age appropriateness and her belief that it does not align with state standards on reading and other subjects. Little, a Fairview Republican, expressed concern on Friday that the state would have no way to see its “return on investment” with the materials, considering schools have wide latitude to adopt lessons as they see fit — meaning districts could pair Bluebonnet Learning with other learning materials, making the effectiveness of Bluebonnet as a standalone curriculum unclear. Little said on social media earlier in the week that she supports “the teaching of biblical values in education” but criticized the curriculum for some of its teaching methods, which she said leave “little time for students to practice reading and develop critical skills like fluency and comprehension.” Meanwhile, some of the Democrats who voted against the curriculum said they worried the materials would inappropriately force Christianity on public school children. Others cited concerns about Texas violating the Establishment Clause, which prohibits states from endorsing a particular religion. “If this is the standard for students in Texas, then it needs to be exactly that,” said Staci Childs, a Houston Democrat. “It needs to be high quality, and it needs to be the standard, free of any establishment clause issues, free of any lies, and it needs to be accurate.” The state had until late Wednesday to submit revisions in response to concerns raised by board members and the general public before the official vote took place Friday. Democratic members said Friday, however, that their concerns still remained. Childs, who is also an attorney, said she believes if someone were to sue the state for a violation of the Establishment Clause, they would likely succeed. San Antonio Democrat Marisa B. Pérez-Diaz said she found value in the materials but that the Christian bias kept her from supporting it. Rebecca Bell-Metereau, a San Marcos Democrat, said that although the curriculum attempts to reference faith traditions other than Christianity, she doesn't feel the state did so in a meaningful way. “It seems to me like it is trying to place a Band-Aid on a gaping wound,” Bell-Metereau said. In a statement Friday, Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath said the approval of Bluebonnet Learning “means that an important, optional new resource will be available for students, teachers and schools.” “These materials were developed using the best evidence on how to teach reading and math with extensive feedback from teachers and parents to construct a product that is effective, engaging and grade-level appropriate,” Morath said. “Bluebonnet Learning provides Texas teachers with textbooks and instructional materials that are of the highest quality, aligned to our state’s standards and foundational for student success.” Abbott called the State Board of Education’s approval of the materials “a critical step forward to bring students back to the basics of education and provide the best education in the nation.” In contrast, the approval drew immediate criticism from both national and local organizations. Americans United for Separation of Church and State said in a statement that “Texas’ new Bible-infused elementary curriculum is part of the nationwide effort by Christian Nationalists to impose their religious beliefs on public school students.” The Texas American Federation of Teachers blasted the state for infusing school lessons with “Bible-based references more appropriate for Sunday Schools than public schools.” “We can anticipate what will come next, whether that’s the erasure of contributions of marginalized populations in social studies or the minimization of climate change in science,” the union said. Meanwhile, conservative organizations like the Texas Public Policy Foundation, which helped develop the materials, applauded education officials for taking “the next big step toward dramatically improving the quality of education in Texas.” “Teachers will be able to spend more of their time doing the critical job of teaching and evaluating students, rather than spending their nights and weekends searching for lesson plans,” said Greg Sindelar, the organization’s CEO. “And parents will get to follow along as their children learn thanks to the online resources that come with the lessons.” More than 100 Texans signed up Monday to speak for and against the state-authored curriculum. Courtnie Bagley, education director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, told board members that the Texas Education Agency has made every effort to respond to concerns from the public. She said rejecting the lessons would give other materials not owned by the state an unfair advantage. “It would create a double standard, as Bluebonnet Learning has been held to a different and more stringent review process than other materials under consideration,” Bagley said. Opponents argued that revisions did not go far enough, and some questioned whether the state’s intentions with crafting a curriculum that leans heavily on Christianity are political. “I am a Christian, and I do believe that religion is a part of our culture, but our nation does not have a religion. We're unique in that,” said Mary Lowe, co-founder of Families Engaged for an Effective Education. “So I do not think that our school districts should imply or try to overtly impress to young impressionable children that the state does have a state religion.” Education officials say references to Christianity will provide students with a better understanding of the country’s history, while other supporters have stated their belief that the use of religious references does not violate the U.S. Constitution’s Establishment Clause. Legal experts note that recent rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority have eroded decades of precedent and made it unclear what state actions constitute a violation of the Establishment Clause. State leaders also say the materials cover a broad range of faiths and only make references to religion when appropriate. Education Commissioner Mike Morath has said the materials are based on extensive cognitive science research and will help improve student outcomes. Of 10 people appointed to an advisory panel by the Texas Education Agency to ensure the materials are accurate, age-appropriate and free from bias, at least half of the members have a history of faith-based advocacy. The Texas Tribune recently reported how parents, historians and educators have criticized the ways the materials address America’s history of racism, slavery and civil rights. In public input submitted in response to the curriculum and in interviews with the Tribune, they have said the materials strip key historical figures of their complexities and flaws while omitting certain context they say would offer children a more accurate understanding of the country’s past and present. Bell-Metereau and other Texans referenced the Tribune’s reporting during public testimony on Monday. In response to those concerns, the Texas Education Agency has said the lessons will provide students with “a strong foundation” to understand more complex concepts as they reach later grades. State officials have also said those materials are written in an age-appropriate manner. Disclosure: Texas Public Policy Foundation has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
BEIRUT — Israel's military launched airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, unleashing explosions throughout the country and killing at least 31 while Israeli leaders appeared to be closing in on a negotiated ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group. Israeli strikes hit commercial and residential buildings in Beirut as well as in the port city of Tyre. Military officials claimed they targeted areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. They issued evacuation orders for Beirut's southern suburbs, and strikes landed across the city, including meters from a Lebanese police base and the city's largest public park. The barrage came as officials indicated they were nearing agreement on a ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's Security Cabinet prepared to discuss an offer on the table. Bulldozers remove the rubble of a destroyed building Monday that was hit in an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations also expressed cautious optimism Monday about possible progress on a ceasefire. “Knock on wood,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said as he opened the Group of Seven meeting outside Rome. “We are perhaps close to a ceasefire in Lebanon," he said. "Let's hope it's true and that there's no backing down at the last-minute.” A ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon was foremost on the agenda of the G7 meeting in Fiuggi, outside Rome, that gathered ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, in the last G7 encounter of the Biden administration. For the first time, the G7 ministers were joined by their counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as the Secretary General of the Arab League. Thick smoke, flames and debris erupt Monday from an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Tayouneh, Beirut, Lebanon. Meanwhile, massive explosions lit up Lebanon's skies with flashes of orange, sending towering plumes of smoke into the air as Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut's southern suburbs Monday. The blasts damaged buildings and left shattered glass and debris scattered across nearby streets. Some of the strikes landed close to central Beirut and near Christian neighborhoods and other targets where Israel issued evacuation warnings, including in Tyre and Nabatiyeh province. Israeli airstrikes also hit the northeast Baalbek-Hermel region without warning. Lebanon's Health Ministry said Monday that 26 people were killed in southern Lebanon, four in the eastern Baalbek-Hermel province and one in Choueifat, a neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs that was not subjected to evacuation warnings on Monday. The deaths brought the total toll to 3,768 killed in Lebanon throughout 13 months of war between Israel and Hezbollah and nearly two months since Israel launched its ground invasion. Many of those killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah have been civilians, and health officials said some of the recovered bodies were so severely damaged that DNA testing would be required to confirm their identities. Israel claims to have killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Lebanon's Health Ministry says the war has displaced 1.2 million people. Destroyed buildings stand Monday in the area of a village in southern Lebanon as seen from northern Israel. Israeli ground forces invaded southern Lebanon in early October, meeting heavy resistance in a narrow strip of land along the border. The military previously exchanged attacks across the border with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group that began firing rockets into Israel the day after the war in Gaza began last year. Lebanese politicians have decried the ongoing airstrikes and said they are impeding ceasefire negotiations. The country's deputy parliament speaker accused Israel of ramping up its bombardment to pressure Lebanon to make concessions in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah. Elias Bousaab, an ally of the militant group, said Monday that the pressure has increased because "we are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire." Israeli officials voiced similar optimism Monday about prospects for a ceasefire. Mike Herzog, the country's ambassador to Washington, earlier in the day told Israeli Army Radio that several points had yet to be finalized. Though any deal would require agreement from the government, Herzog said Israel and Hezbollah were "close to a deal." "It can happen within days," he said. Israeli officials have said the sides are close to an agreement that would include withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and a pullback of Hezbollah fighters from the Israeli border. But several sticking points remain. A member of the Israeli security forces inspects an impact site Sunday after a rocket fired from Lebanon hit an area in Rinatya, outskirts of Tel Aviv, Israel. After previous hopes for a ceasefire were dashed, U.S. officials cautioned that negotiations were not yet complete and noted that there could be last-minute hitches that either delay or destroy an agreement. "Nothing is done until everything is done," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Monday. The proposal under discussion to end the fighting calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. The withdrawals would be accompanied by an influx of thousands more Lebanese army troops, who have been largely sidelined in the war, to patrol the border area along with an existing U.N. peacekeeping force. Western diplomats and Israeli officials said Israel demands the right to strike in Lebanon if it believes Hezbollah is violating the terms. The Lebanese government says such an arrangement would authorize violations of the country's sovereignty. On paper, being more sustainable and eco-friendly while shopping sounds great—so why don't more people do it? There is growing consumer consciousness about the environmental impact of where people choose to shop and the sustainability of the products they buy. According to McKinsey, over 60% of individuals surveyed in 2020 said they would be willing to pay more for a product that is packaged in an eco-friendly way. Since 2019, products marketed as being environmentally sustainable have seen a 28% growth in revenue compared to 20% for products with no such marketing, a 2023 McKinsey and NielsenIQ report found. Much of this is thanks to the preferences and attitudes of Gen Z, who, on average, care more than their older counterparts about being informed shoppers. The younger generation also has more social justice and environmental awareness altogether. Shoppers are willing to spend around 9.7% more on a product they know is sourced or manufactured sustainably, with 46% saying they would do so explicitly because they want to reduce their environmental footprint, according to a 2024 PwC report. Sustainable practices consumers look for from companies include production methods, packaging, and water conservation. But despite the growing consciousness around being more environmentally responsible, consumer actions don't always align with their values. In psychology, this is defined as the "say-do gap": the phenomenon wherein people openly express concern and intention around an issue, but fail to take tangible action to make a change. According to the Harvard Business Review in 2019, most consumers (65%) say they want to buy from brands that promote sustainability, but only 1 in 4 follow through. So why don't people actually shop sustainably, despite how much they express a preference for eco-friendly products—and how can we close the gap? The RealReal examined reports from the Harvard Business Review and other sources to explore why some shoppers want to buy sustainably but struggle to follow through. This lack of action isn't due to a lack of caring—in many cases, it's hard to know how to be a sustainable consumer and other factors are often outside of shoppers' control. But the more people shop sustainably, the easier and more accessible that market will be for everyone—making it much easier for folks to buy aligned with their values. There are many obstacles preventing shoppers from upholding eco-friendly habits as much as they may want to—but not all of these barriers are necessarily real, or accurately understood. Shopping sustainably simply isn't convenient or accessible for many. Those who live in apartment buildings are 50% less likely to recycle , according to Ipsos. Reasons for this can vary from lack of space to buildings being excluded altogether because of recycling contamination issues. Many believe that sustainable products are too expensive or of a lower quality. The former is often true, which does create a hurdle for many: The manufacturing processes and materials for sustainable products are pricey. For instance, organic cotton requires an intensive production process free of certain chemicals or pesticides; by definition, true eco-friendly products can't be mass-produced, further upping their price tag. Using recycled materials for packaging, or obtaining an eco certification, can also be expensive. However, although the narrative of eco-friendly products being more expensive is true, there is often more of an effort to use better quality materials that last longer than their noneco-friendly counterparts. This could end up saving consumers money in the long run: By paying more upfront, they can get more wear out of sustainable fashion, for instance. There is also undeniable political rhetoric surrounding eco-friendly products—however, despite many Conservative politicians decrying sustainable products, members of all generations are increasingly choosing to prioritize shopping sustainably regardless of their political affiliation, according to research from NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business . This finding shows a trend toward seeing sustainability as a nonpartisan subject everyone can benefit from, no matter where they lie on the political spectrum. Some might think eco-friendly clothing, in particular, is not fashion-forward; after all, many of the top clothing retailers in the world partake in fast fashion. However, brands are increasingly being recognized as 'cool' and 'trendy' for supporting environmentally ethical practices, particularly as younger generations prioritize sustainability, as noted before. Many increasingly popular online stores are taking advantage of this paradigm shift by offering secondhand shopping options that are not only fashionable, but also more affordable, like ThredUp or Poshmark. Additionally, many legacy large-name brands are hopping on the sustainability movement and are gaining appreciation from loyal customers. Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly program partners with third-party certification bodies to make it easier for shoppers to identify eco-friendly products as they browse the website. H&M's newly launched H&M Rewear program debuts a resale platform that allows the resale of all clothing brands—not just their own. Similarly, Patagonia's Worn Wear program allows shoppers to trade in and buy used gear and clothing. The federal government is also working to close this gap. The Environmental Protection Agency's Safer Choice program is attempting to make sustainable shopping easier for consumers and companies alike. It includes a directory of certified products, a list of safer chemicals to look out for on labels, a "Safer Choice" label that products can earn to denote they are eco-friendly, and resources for manufacturers looking to adopt more sustainable practices. Most of all, though, the biggest way shoppers can shift toward sustainable shopping is through their behaviors and attitudes amongst their peers and communities. Studies show that humans largely care what others think of their actions; the more shoppers make environmentally conscious shopping the norm, the more others will follow suit. From an economic perspective, the more consumers shop eco-friendly, the more affordable and accessible these products will become, too: Sustainable products are currently more expensive because they are not in high demand. Once demand rises, production rates and prices can lower, making these products more accessible for all. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. This story originally appeared on The RealReal and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Get local news delivered to your inbox!LONDON -- Here was something Arsenal sorely needed at the start of the all too lengthy absence of Bukayo Saka , something managers crave most of all at this stage of the season: an extended workout, a prolonged session of at least 45 minutes to start smoothing out the issues that cannot run for over two months. That is not written to denigrate Ipswich Town, whose battling second half gave their hosts something to think about, at least briefly. What they did not do, however, was capitalize on the moments where Arsenal chose to mess about and find out. At the death, Ipswich might even have got something (with their third shot of the game, one that sent their xG soaring from 0.04 to 0.16). Kieran McKenna's side organized themselves excellently, kept the space between the lines at a premium and approached every challenge with gusto. In the second half they even managed to push up towards the Arsenal penalty area. They just are not quite good enough to test the Premier League's best. In that sense, they are exactly what Arsenal would want to test out an attack that must go through its second identity shift of the season. No Saka means no leading shooter, no chief chance creator, no number one method of ball progression. In short, it means a lot of adjustments on the fly. From the outset Arteta lent into much the same approach he took when Martin Odegaard missed two months early in the season. Without a guy to run play through, fluidity would be the name of the game. "The replacement of Saka is going to be the team," said Arteta. "Having minutes together, asking different things. There were moments it flowed really well, there were moments where we can improve it and adapt to the qualities of the individuals. I'm certain we're going to do that." The team sheet might have had you believe that Gabriel Jesus would lead the line, flanked by Leandro Trossard on his left and Gabriel Martinelli on his right. For the most part that was how Arsenal landed, but there was not quite the static look of this team when Saka and Odegaard are doing their thing on the right hand side. The opening attack of the game saw Trossard move infield, Jesus looking to drift in off the left too while Kai Havertz pushed up to form a front two. Before the half was out Martinelli, who began with plenty of temptingly hit crosses from the right, had drifted infield with the aim of chasing long balls over the top of the Ipswich line. The common denominator was greater pressure on the penalty area, Havertz's presence as the left eight meaning this was an XI with as much goal threat as Arteta could muster without Saka and Raheem Sterling. When it worked, Arsenal had just enough. A low cross from Trossard and Jesus was attacking the near post, Havertz the back. It came to the German and Arsenal had their goal. It would be all they needed, but they could have had more. Havertz could have done better in the 75th minute. A patchy display from Odegaard still saw him beat three men and rasp a rising shot against the fingertips of Arijanet Muric. Substitute Mikel Merino curled temptingly wide. Most shockingly of all, king of set pieces Gabriel managed to head wide from three yards out. It wasn't particularly exhilarating, at times in the second half it was outright cumbersome. Certainly, they need more options for Arteta to turn to on a bench that contained four left backs and no real forward. Still, however, Arsenal worked the chances to win this game more tidily without their most reliable shot creator and taker. Meanwhile, they blot out the sun at the other end. That no hitter game where their opponent doesn't get a shot remains tantalizingly out of reach — Kalvin Phillips, did you have to hit one from there — but this is a backline that routinely gives David Raya nothing to do. Even when he and William Saliba decided to turn the second half kick off into a high farce, they managed to turn what promised to be a straight run at goal for Sammie Szmodics into a no shot situation. Since the last international break they have given up less xG than Tottenham allowed Liverpool on Sunday and the margin isn't even that close. If your attack is going to be a Saka-free zone, at least your defense is replete with William Salibas, Gabriels and even Myles Lewis-Skellys, the latter as cool under pressure as he is ready to scrap when someone threatens his team mate. "We should have scored more, but it's the consistency," said Arteta. "The team conceded nothing. The defensive behaviors were again outstanding. That's something that's always going to give us the chance to win games." And that probably is who Arsenal are going to need to be if they are to stay in the hunt for silverware over the two plus months they are without Saka, a side that gives up so little at their own end that they can cope without a top two or three forward in the Premier League this season. The attack might need time to work out how to thrive without the star man playing on the right. Happily for Arteta, however, the defense looks primed to give that to them.
Football season may be over for Rogers County schools, but the gridiron excitement is far from done. Claremore and Catoosa have been selected as host sites for several high-stakes semifinal games, bringing some of Oklahoma’s best teams to the area. The semifinal games offer local fans a chance to witness top-tier Oklahoma football and provide a boost to the Rogers County communities hosting these pivotal matchups. Claremore will host both Class 6A-I semifinal matchups on Friday, Nov. 29 at Lantow Field. At 1 p.m., perennial powerhouse Jenks (8-3) will face undefeated Owasso (11-0) in a clash of eastside titans. Later that evening, at 7 p.m., Bixby (9-2) will take on Edmond Memorial (9-2), with both teams aiming for a spot in the state championship. The Rams defeated the Trojans 42-24 on Sept. 6, but Jenks has been peaking as of late, outscoring its past five opponents 203-21. Meanwhile, Owasso hasn't looked as dominant, winning its past four games by an average of 16 points, including close games against Edmond Santa Fe (31-27) and Norman North (64-54), which went a combined 5-17 this season. In the other semifinal, the Spartans are looking to advance to the championship game for an 11th-straight year while the Bulldogs are aiming for a title-game berth for the first time in school history. This will be the first meeting between the teams. According to Claremore athletic director Brian Young, he has already confirmed many volunteers for the Black Friday matchups and reserved two helicopters to drop off the game balls. “It’s pretty big, and we’re going to be ready,” Young said. “I’m assuming some of the larger schools didn’t want to host, so (the OSSAA) called me and asked if I’d be willing to host, and I said yes. Monetarily, we don’t make much off that at all, but think about the 16,000-plus human beings it’s going to bring into Claremore, spending their money at our businesses and buying gas. And it showcases our school — that’s the only reason I’m doing it. “We’re going to try to make it fun and eventful so when people leave Claremore, they’re like, ‘Wow, Claremore can put on a football game.’” Catoosa will also welcome its share of semifinal action at Frank McNabb Stadium, starting with the Class 6A-II semifinal on Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. when unbeaten reigning champion Muskogee (11-0) squares off against Stillwater (9-2) in what promises to be a thrilling rematch of last year's state championship game. The Roughers and Pioneers met twice in 2023, with Stillwater winning the regular-season matchup 30-20 before dropping the championship tilt 28-26 less than a month later. The football festivities in Catoosa continue into December, with a Class A-II semifinal slated for Friday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. Regent Prep (11-1) will face Woodland (12-0) in a marquee small-school showdown. Catoosa athletic director Courtne St. Clair could not be reached for comment before deadline.
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