File photo: US President-elect Donald Trump (Picture credit: AP) US President-elect Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Brics member countries and their allies, threatening to impose 100 per cent tariffs if they proceed with plans to introduce or support a currency to replace the US dollar in international trade. Trump's statement was made on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Saturday, targeting the bloc's ongoing efforts to challenge the dominance of the dollar. Trump demanded a formal assurance from the Brics nations, which include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, alongside newer members such as Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE. He stated, “We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new Brics Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty US Dollar, or they will face 100 per cent Tariffs." He further warned that any such move would result in the countries losing access to the US economy, saying, “They should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful US Economy." Trump dismissed the possibility of the Brics nations successfully challenging the dollar's dominance, adding, “There is no chance that the Brics will replace the US Dollar in International Trade, and any Country that tries should wave goodbye to America.” The Brics bloc has been exploring ways to reduce dependency on the US dollar, discussing the creation of a shared currency to facilitate trade among member nations. This initiative has been viewed as a direct challenge to the dollar’s supremacy in global trade and finance. Proponents argue that such a currency would protect their economies from the volatility of US sanctions and monetary policies.PH to achieve UMIC status in 2025

Rosen Law Firm Encourages Winnebago Industries, Inc. Investors to Inquire About Securities Class Action Investigation - WGO

Surprise? See how Coldwater shocked Kirtland, 31-7, for a state football title (video)Herculean task: If students do not have a bank account to receive welfare assistance, schools are required to open a post office account for them. Without the Aadhaar or other documents of identity, opening a post office account is impossible. | Photo Credit: C. VENKATACHALAPATHY Teachers have been asking R. Mikkel, a Class V student of a government school in Chennai, to get an Aadhaar card for the past four years. It would help him complete his admission formalities and open a bank account to receive scholarships that the Tamil Nadu government offers. However, Mikkel does not have a birth certificate, which is mandatory for getting an Aadhaar card. Mikkel’s parents are daily wage labourers from Bihar who do odd jobs in Chennai. “We have asked the parents to get the birth certificate from Bihar so that we can get an Aadhaar ready for him. It would help to complete his admission process. This would show him to be a student of the school, allowing him to further his education,” says Mikkel’s teacher. But his parents are reluctant to go home and finish the formalities. “It will mean losing my salary. The salary helps us sustain our lives. How can we skip work to get a document? Who will pay us?” says Ram S., Mikkel’s father. Mikkel’s story is not an isolated one. With no Aadhaar card or other identity documents, teachers are having hard time enrolling children of migrant workers in government schools. In 2019, the School Education Department mandated that every student’s Aadhaar number be linked to the Educational Management Information System (EMIS). Although admitting a student under the Right to Education (RTE) Act of 2009 does not require certificates, the EMIS requires schools to upload documents such as Aadhaar, community certificate, nativity certificate, and birth certificate, besides maintaining attendance and the prizes won in the Kalaithiruvizha competitions. A completed profile means that a student is successfully enrolled. “But most students do not have Aadhaar cards and some don’t have birth certificates either. This means we can’t complete the admission formalities. We get four or more calls a day from the department asking us to enter the Aadhaar details,” says a teacher of a government school in Mogappair, Chennai. The case of the twins A 12-year-old girl turns to Vaishnavi S., pointing to a Tamil word in her notebook and asking her to help pronounce it. “That’s Ooru [place],” replies Vaishnavi, a Class IV student of a government school in Chennai. Vaishnavi and Bhavani, both aged 12, are twins. Their father has been trying to get Aadhaar cards for both of them for three years now, but the problem is that the twins do not have birth certificates. Though their father’s family members have been living in Chennai for years, their mother moved to the city from Uttar Pradesh after marriage. So, she went back to her parents’ home in Uttar Pradesh for delivery. “We didn’t get a birth certificate. So, when the school told us that an Aadhaar card was required for the children to complete admission, we knew we had to visit our village. This we can’t do because my husband cannot leave his daily wage job as painter,” says their mother Rindha Devi. So the school gave them a bonafide certificate stating that the students were residents of Tamil Nadu and studying in the school. Their father was expected to take leave later and get the Aadhaar cards for them. “Earlier this year, the application went through. But only Vaishnavi got her Aadhaar card. Bhavani didn’t. The officials suspected that we were creating a duplicate Aadhaar because most of the details were the same and they had identical faces. So Bhavani does not have a card. They are no longer accepting a bonafide certificates either. We are tired of running from pillar to post,” Ms. Rindha Devi says. In June this year, the department started the Aadhaar through Schools initiative to ensure that every child in the school system gets the Aadhaar card and opens a bank account linked to the former. However, most children of migrant workers could not do so owing to various reasons — missing documents, no digital copy of birth certificates, different addresses, and wrong pincodes. Linkage crucial A bank account is crucial for students to receive welfare benefits — be it the ₹500 given to students of Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities from Class III or the ₹1,000 given a month to a higher secondary student under the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Talent Search Exam. However, it is mandatory to link the bank account with the Aadhaar. “My child, Umang, was born at Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. Through the initiative, we decided to get the Aadhaar card for Umang. The official denied us an Aadhaar card because my child’s name was written in Hindi in the birth certificate. All other details on the birth certificate were in English except his name. He asked me to get the card from my village,” says Sonam Pandey, mother of the Class III student. Deepak Guhain from Assam has been working in Chennai for the past two years. He has been trying to get an Aadhaar card for his son, but officials insisted on a digital copy of the birth certificate. “I cannot afford to miss work to go back to Assam to get it. I don’t know what to do,” he says. Teachers in trouble “We tried counselling the parents and consistent follow-up to ensure that every student completed the formalities; but, as they are daily wage labourers, it is difficult. If they were born here, we would help,” says a teacher of the government school at Mogappair. Teachers say they would give a bonafide certificate so that a child could pursue further education. “But this certificate cannot be used any more. The formalities [such as uploading of Aadhaar] should be completed as proof of student strength of a school. We have over 20 children of migrant workers in our school, but we cannot provide proof of enrolment on the EMIS. This would prompt the department to assume that we have poor student strength and our teachers can be moved out,” says a teacher of a government school at Shenoy Nagar, Chennai. When the child enters Class X, the teacher has to follow up continuously to ensure that they can sit for the exam. In 2018, the Supreme Court directed that the Aadhaar could not be made mandatory for writing exams or enrolment. However, teachers say this has not been the case in Tamil Nadu. While no student has been denied the welfare benefits, education, or their right to sit for exams, the road leading to all of them has been anything but smooth. “In a primary school, the teacher might have just marked zero in the Aadhaar card field to make a valid entry into the EMIS. A student automatically makes it to Class X. Then the real task begins. Last year, a teacher travelled with some students to their birthplace to get the birth certificates and then made sure that they got their Aadhaar cards. Only then were the students able to write the exam,” says a teacher of a government school at Puzhal, Chennai. S. Rakesh, a migrant labour from Bihar, has settled at Periyar Pudur in Salem. He says, “With the help of house owners, we were able to get the LPG cylinder bill. Using it, we are changing our address in Aadhaar and it is also used for our children to get Aadhaar cards,” he says. Casual labourers entering the State find it tough to get the Aadhaar cards for their children to get admission in a primary school. “They do not have proof of address because they stay in small houses provided in the factory. As they are new to work, the owners do not help them either,” adds Mr. Rakesh. A task for schools “The schools can compile the list of students who don’t have the documents and take it up with the Collector and the Revenue Department to ensure that they get their Aadhaar cards. We are ensuring that school students have their Aadhaar cards linked to the EMIS because it would help them get scholarships in Class VI and IX. We have covered 30 lakh children so far and hope to complete the process by January,” says a senior official of the School Education Department. Subulakshmi, a field worker of Social Awareness and Voluntary Education (SAVE), a non-governmental organisation in Tiruppur, visits 75 children of migrant workers at Koilvazhi in Tiruppur district almost every day. Their parents are employed with the Tiruppur Corporation. They are all from the areas along the Karnataka-Maharashtra border. “The elders go to work early in the morning and return home by 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. They cannot take a day off or skip work to get an Aadhaar card for the children,” says Ms. Subulakshmi. SAVE founder A. Aloysius says parents lack awareness of the need for Aadhaar to register the children at school. “They will have the card, but will not share the details; they may have left the cards at home; they will not even remember whether they have secured the Aadhaar card for a child; they will not have proper identity papers to get it here. There is a sense of fear and uncertainty among them always,” he says. “So, these children remain excluded from the education system.” A universal problem Getting an Aadhaar card is difficult not only for children of migrant workers but also for some local residents and nomadic tribes. A government higher secondary school teacher at Nagapattinam says, “We receive children from the Adhiyan community, known as Boom Boom Mattukarar. As they do not have community certificates, they could not access education and jobs. As their families move from one district to another to sell toys and bangles, they take their children along. When they attempt to admit their children to a government school, it becomes impossible because they lack the Aadhaar, birth, caste, and nativity certificates.” If students do not have a bank account, the EMIS requires the school to open a post office account for them. Without the Aadhaar or other documents of identity, opening a post office account is impossible. A minimum deposit of ₹200 is required too. “If it is for one child, it’s manageable. But how many children can I support,” asks the headmaster of a school in a Cauvery delta district. A teacher from Karur helped a student from the Kallodar community to enrol. This community is largely engaged in rock-cutting. Since the student’s parents did not have a mobile phone, she gave her own number for Aadhaar verification. (With inputs from M. Soundariya Preetha from Coimbatore, M. Sabari from Salem and Nacchinarkkiniyan M. from Tiruchi.) Published - December 01, 2024 12:06 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp RedditANOKA, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 25, 2024-- Vista Outdoor Inc. (“Vista Outdoor”, the “Company”) (NYSE: VSTO) today announced that its stockholders voted to approve the sale of The Kinetic Group to Czechoslovak Group a.s. (“CSG”) (the “CSG Transaction”) at its special meeting of stockholders held earlier today. Vista Outdoor and CSG have received all regulatory approvals required under the merger agreement for the CSG Transaction and intend to close the CSG Transaction on November 27, 2024. Under the terms of the CSG Transaction, Vista Outdoor stockholders will receive $25.75 in cash and one share of Revelyst common stock for each share of Vista Outdoor common stock they hold. “We are thrilled to have received overwhelming support from our stockholders for the compelling transaction with CSG,” said Michael Callahan, Chairman of the Vista Outdoor Board of Directors. “The CSG transaction maximizes value for our stockholders, while also providing an ideal home for our leading ammunition brands and significant opportunities for our employees.” Based on the vote count from the special meeting of stockholders, approximately 97.89% of votes cast were in favor of the CSG Transaction, representing approximately 82.57% of all outstanding shares. The final voting results will be reported in a Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Following the closing of the CSG Transaction, Revelyst will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker “GEAR”. Subject to the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions, funds managed by Strategic Value Partners, LLC (“SVP”) will subsequently acquire Revelyst in an all-cash transaction based on an enterprise value of $1.125 billion (the “SVP Transaction”), subject to a net cash adjustment. At the closing of the SVP Transaction, Revelyst stockholders will receive an estimated $19.25 in cash per share of Revelyst common stock 1. The SVP Transaction is on track to close by January 2025. No separate approval of the SVP Transaction by Vista Outdoor stockholders is required. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is acting as sole financial adviser to Vista Outdoor and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is acting as legal adviser to Vista Outdoor. Moelis & Company LLC is acting as sole financial adviser to the independent directors of Vista Outdoor and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is acting as legal adviser to the independent directors of Vista Outdoor. Vista Outdoor (NYSE: VSTO) is the parent company of more than three dozen renowned brands that design, manufacture and market sporting and outdoor products. Brands include Bushnell, CamelBak, Bushnell Golf, Foresight Sports, Fox Racing, Bell Helmets, Camp Chef, Giro, Simms Fishing, QuietKat, Stone Glacier, Federal Ammunition, Remington Ammunition and more. Our reporting segments, Outdoor Products and Sporting Products, provide consumers with a wide range of performance-driven, high-quality and innovative outdoor and sporting products. For news and information, visit our website at Some of the statements made and information contained in this press release, excluding historical information, are “forward-looking statements,” including those that discuss, among other things: Vista Outdoor Inc.’s (“Vista Outdoor”, “we”, “us” or “our”) plans, objectives, expectations, intentions, strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; projections with respect to future revenues, income, earnings per share or other financial measures for Vista Outdoor; and the assumptions that underlie these matters. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “aim,” “should” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. To the extent that any such information is forward-looking, it is intended to fit within the safe harbor for forward-looking information provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from the expectations described in such forward-looking statements, including the following: risks related to the previously announced transaction among Vista Outdoor, Revelyst, Inc., CSG Elevate II Inc., CSG Elevate III Inc. and CZECHOSLOVAK GROUP a.s. (the “CSG Transaction”) and risks related to the previously announced transaction among Vista Outdoor, Revelyst, Olibre LLC and Cabin Ridge, Inc. (the “SVP Transaction”) including (i) the possibility that any or all of the various conditions to the consummation of the CSG Transaction or the SVP Transaction may not be satisfied or waived, including the failure to receive any required regulatory approvals from any applicable governmental entities (or any conditions, limitations or restrictions placed on such approvals), (ii) the possibility that competing offers or acquisition proposals may be made, (iii) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement relating to the CSG Transaction or the SVP Transaction, including in circumstances which would require Vista Outdoor or Revelyst, as applicable, to pay a termination fee, (iv) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the CSG Transaction or the SVP Transaction on our ability to attract, motivate or retain key executives and employees, our ability to maintain relationships with our customers, vendors, service providers and others with whom we do business, or our operating results and business generally, (v) risks related to the CSG Transaction or the SVP Transaction diverting management’s attention from our ongoing business operations, (vi) that the CSG Transaction or the SVP Transaction may not achieve some or all of any anticipated benefits with respect to either business segment and that the CSG Transaction or the SVP Transaction may not be completed in accordance with our expected plans or anticipated timelines, or at all, and (vii) that the consideration paid to Revelyst stockholders in connection with the SVP Transaction cannot be determined until the consummation of the SVP Transaction as it is subject to certain adjustments related to the net cash of Revelyst as of the closing of the SVP Transaction and the management team’s current estimate of the consideration may be higher or lower than the actual consideration paid to Revelyst stockholders in connection with the SVP Transaction due to the actual cash flows prior to the closing of the SVP Transaction or other factors; impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic on our operations, the operations of our customers and suppliers and general economic conditions; supplier capacity constraints, production or shipping disruptions or quality or price issues affecting our operating costs; the supply, availability and costs of raw materials and components; increases in commodity, energy, and production costs; seasonality and weather conditions; our ability to complete acquisitions, realize expected benefits from acquisitions and integrate acquired businesses; reductions in or unexpected changes in or our inability to accurately forecast demand for ammunition, accessories, or other outdoor sports and recreation products; disruption in the service or significant increase in the cost of our primary delivery and shipping services for our products and components or a significant disruption at shipping ports; risks associated with diversification into new international and commercial markets, including regulatory compliance; our ability to take advantage of growth opportunities in international and commercial markets; our ability to obtain and maintain licenses to third-party technology; our ability to attract and retain key personnel; disruptions caused by catastrophic events; risks associated with our sales to significant retail customers, including unexpected cancellations, delays, and other changes to purchase orders; our competitive environment; our ability to adapt our products to changes in technology, the marketplace and customer preferences, including our ability to respond to shifting preferences of the end consumer from brick and mortar retail to online retail; our ability to maintain and enhance brand recognition and reputation; our association with the firearms industry, others’ use of social media to disseminate negative commentary about us, our products, and boycotts; the outcome of contingencies, including with respect to litigation and other proceedings relating to intellectual property, product liability, warranty liability, personal injury, and environmental remediation; our ability to comply with extensive federal, state and international laws, rules and regulations; changes in laws, rules and regulations relating to our business, such as federal and state ammunition regulations; risks associated with cybersecurity and other industrial and physical security threats; interest rate risk; changes in the current tariff structures; changes in tax rules or pronouncements; capital market volatility and the availability of financing; our debt covenants may limit our ability to complete acquisitions, incur debt, make investments, sell assets, merge or complete other significant transactions; foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations in those rates; general economic and business conditions in the United States and our markets outside the United States, including as a result of the war in Ukraine and the imposition of sanctions on Russia, the conflict in the Gaza strip, the COVID-19 pandemic or another pandemic, conditions affecting employment levels, consumer confidence and spending, conditions in the retail environment, and other economic conditions affecting demand for our products and the financial health of our customers. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements we make, which are based only on information currently available to us and speak only as of the date hereof. A more detailed description of risk factors that may affect our operating results can be found in Part 1, Item 1A, Risk Factors, of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2024, and in the filings we make with the SEC from time to time. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as otherwise required by law. 1 Based on management estimates, including an assumption the SVP Transaction closes on December 31, 2024. View source version on : CONTACT: Investor: Tyler Lindwall Phone: 612-704-0147 Email:investor.relations@vistaoutdoor.comMedia: Eric Smith Phone: 720-772-0877 Email:media.relations@vistaoutdoor.com KEYWORD: MINNESOTA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: RETAIL OTHER CONSUMER CONSUMER OTHER RETAIL MANUFACTURING OTHER MANUFACTURING SOURCE: Vista Outdoor Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/25/2024 04:01 PM/DISC: 11/25/2024 04:01 PM

South Korea's embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law, as most ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify public protests calling for Yoon's ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president's impeachment. Yoon's martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party, but it is also determined to oppose Yoon's impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. After the motion fell through, members of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party rallied inside the National Assembly, chanting slogans calling for Yoon's impeachment or resignation. The party's floor leader, Park Chan-dae, said it will soon prepare for a new impeachment motion. "We'll surely impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who is the greatest risk to Republic of Korea," party leader Lee Jae-myung said. "We'll surely bring back this country to normal before Christmas Day or year's end." RELATED STORY | South Korean parliament defies president by lifting declaration of martial law Despite escaping the impeachment attempt, many experts worry Yoon won't be able to serve out his remaining 2 1⁄2 years in office. They say some ruling party lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties' efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. The ruling party risks "further public outrage and national confusion if they don't find a formula fast for Yoon's departure," said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Center for a New American Security in Washington. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people densely packed several blocks of roads leading up to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP's headquarters near the Assembly, angrily shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon's supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied in separate streets in Seoul, decrying the impeachment attempt they saw as unconstitutional. Impeaching Yoon required support from 200 of the National Assembly's 300 members. The Democratic Party and five other small opposition parties, which filed the motion, have 192 seats combined. But only three lawmakers from PPP participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn't reach 200. RELATED STORY | Family of kidnapped American reporter still believes his is alive in Syria National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the result "very regrettable" and an embarrassing moment for the country's democracy that has been closely watched by the world. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued a public apology over the martial law decree, saying he won't shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose martial law. He said would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country's political turmoil, "including matters related to my term in office." "The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologize to the people who must have been shocked a lot," Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a "den of criminals" bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate "shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces." The turmoil resulting from Yoon's bizarre and poorly-thought-out stunt has paralyzed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the U.S. and Japan. "Yoon's credibility overseas has been undermined by declaring martial law, so he won't be able to exercise leadership in his foreign policies especially when his days are numbered," Kim, the analyst, said. "Its government bureaucracy will need to continue business as usual for existing alliance and foreign policy initiatives as best it can because there is a lot of important work to do globally." Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircling the parliament building and army helicopters hovering over it, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon's martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. PPP later decided to oppose Yoon's impeachment motion. Yoon's speech fueled speculation that he and his party may push for a constitutional amendment to shorten his term, instead of accepting impeachment, as a way to ease public anger over the marital law and facilitate Yoon's early exit from office. Lee told reporters that Yoon's speech was "greatly disappointing" and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment. His party called Yoon's martial law "unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup." Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon's wife. On Friday, PPP chair Han Dong-hun, who criticized Yoon's martial law declaration, said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Yoon ordered the country's defense counterintelligence commander to arrest unspecified key politicians based on accusations of "anti-state activities." Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea's spy agency, told lawmakers Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians including Han, Lee and Woo. The Defense Ministry said Friday it suspended three military commanders including the head of the defense counterintelligence unit over their involvement in enforcing martial law. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho has told parliament that Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim resigned Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him.None

None

Trump and Republicans in Congress eye an ambitious 100-day agenda, starting with tax cutsBeware the Scott Bessent bump in marketsLAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) — Christian Shumate's 22 points helped McNeese defeat NCAA Division-member LeTourneau 103-69 on Saturday night. Shumate also contributed five rebounds for the Cowboys (5-4). Quadir Copeland added 20 points while shooting 7 of 8 from the field and 6 for 6 from the line while they also had nine rebounds, 11 assists, and three steals. Sincere Parker had 16 points and went 7 of 11 from the field. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The stakes were higher for Iowa State, and the outcome was the same as the first for the Cyclones in their second trip to the Big 12 championship game. And the 112-year wait for a conference title will go on. No. 16 Iowa State was playing for a spot in the College Football Playoff in a 45-19 loss to 12th-ranked Arizona State on Saturday, unlike four years ago when the Cyclones fell to Oklahoma . The Sun Devils (No. 15 CFP) are in the expanded 12-team format, possibly as the 12th seed with their conference's automatic bid. In the COVID-19-altered 2020 season, neither Iowa State nor the Sooners had a realistic path into the four-team tournament before Oklahoma's 27-21 victory. “I think those things sting for sure,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said. “You remember the losses way more than you remember the wins, and especially when you don’t play to what you’re capable of playing. Those things will haunt you and the reality is it’s still what drives you, what wakes you up every day to come in and be your absolute best.” Brock Purdy threw three interceptions in Iowa State’s 2020 loss, when he was still a year away from being Mr. Irrelevant as the last pick in the NFL draft and eventually helping San Francisco reach a Super Bowl. This time, any hope of a rally from a two-touchdown deficit at halftime ended with Abu Sama III's lost fumble five plays into the third quarter and Rocco Becht's interception not too long after that. Those turnovers resulted in touchdown catches for Xavier Guillory, putting the Sun Devils up 38-10 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. Another Abu fumble on the next possession just made it worse, with Cam Skattebo taking a short pass 33 yards for a touchdown to go with his 170 yards and two TDs rushing. What would have been a fourth consecutive giveaway was overturned when a hit by Shamari Simmons forced a fumble from Becht but was overturned on review. Simmons was called for targeting instead as Becht stayed down and exited the game. He returned on Iowa State's next possession. “We’re a second-half team, and today it just wasn’t clicking on all cylinders for us,” said Becht, who was 21 of 35 for 214 yards with two touchdowns and the pick. “We had everything in our hands and we just needed to execute. At the end of the day, we just didn’t.” Iowa State (No. 16 CFP), which is 10-3 in the first 10-win season in the program's 133-year history, actually led 7-3 when Becht extended his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass to 17 with a 3-yarder to Carson Hansen. But the only quarterback in the nation with a pair of 1,000-yard receivers couldn't get much production out of either before the outcome was settled. When Arizona State extended its lead to 45-10 in the third quarter, Jayden Higgins had four catches for 58 yards and Jaylin Noel just two for 25. Higgins finished with 115 yards, while Noel scored a touchdown and had 64 yards. The Cyclones are still trying to win their first conference title since 1912, when they went 2-0 in the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association as part of a 6-2 season. That was a year after a 2-0-1 record won the Missouri Valley title in a 6-1-1 season. “The reality from our end is we had some opportunities late in the season to put ourselves probably in the best situation,” Campbell said. “Those are great lessons learned, and we’ll grow with it. Young football team that’s got the ability to grow forward for sure.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Hampers packed for women and children in need this ChristmasBEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The capture of Homs is a major victory for insurgents, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama , as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said Homs falling into rebel hands would be a game-changer. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. For the first time in the country’s long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The rapid rebel gains, coupled with the lack of support from Assad's erstwhile allies, posed the most serious threat to his rule since the start of the war. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad's chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people.” In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad's status Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine . Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad's forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015, and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. In a statement issued late Saturday, the participants affirmed their support for a political solution to the Syrian crisis “that would lead to the end of military activity and protect civilians.” They also agreed on the importance of strengthening international efforts to increase aid to the Syrian people. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama , the country’s fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists." The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. ____ Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria; Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad; and Josef Federman and Victoria Eastwood in Doha, Qatar, contributed to this report. Bassem Mroue And Zeina Karam, The Associated PressHarris puts up 24, Southern Miss defeats Milwaukee 66-65

The Best Deals In Target's Black Friday Sale