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Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul Ghany said in a social media post on Thursday that his forces have entered the city of Hama, a strategically vital position south of the previous insurgent conquest, Aleppo. The rebels appeared to control much of the city by Thursday afternoon. The rebel offensive reached Hama on Tuesday, engaging in heavy combat with the Syrian army and its Iran-backed militia allies. Syrian state media insisted the attack on Hama was repelled, but Syrian media said the same about Aleppo until rebel occupation of the city could no longer be denied, and there was soon little doubt that insurgents were in control of the city. Hama is a major milestone for the insurgency because the regime of Bashar Assad kept it under control throughout the entire Syrian Civil War, which began in 2011. The civil war arguably began in Hama when Assad brutally suppressed protests against his rule, but rebels were never before able to capture the city. Conquering Hama would put the insurgents about a third of the way to reaching the capital, Damascus. The next major stop on the way to Damascus would be the crossroads city of Homs. Hama is also important because it lies near three major minority populations: the Christians of Muhrada, the Ismaili Muslims of Salamiya, and the Alawites. The Ismaili are a small sect of Shia Islam that was brutalized by the Islamic State. The Alawites are the Shiite sect from which Bashar Assad and much of the Syrian ruling elite hail. The insurgent offensive is led by Hayat Tharir al-Sham (HTS), a jihadi offshoot of al-Qaeda. HTS leaders have promised to protect religious minorities in conquered territory, but there is not much faith in their promises. They might prove especially hostile to Assad’s Alawites, who are a major source of political support for the dictator. Christian leaders are already sounding alarms about the dangers facing Syria’s Christian community. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Julani declared on Thursday that Hama was fully under the control of rebel forces. Footage broadcast by Al Jazeera News showed rebel forces moving freely through Hama and speaking with civilian residents. Al Jazeera reported that a “significant” number of Hama residents fled after rebels penetrated the city. The report also said the insurgents have captured the military airport in Hama, which has been used by the Syrian military to launch airstrikes against rebel forces. Julani issued a statement warning Iran-backed Iraqi militias, sent into Syria to support the Assad regime, to stay away from Hama. The rebel leader advised Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sundai to “keep Iraq away from entering into the flames of a new war tied to what is happening in Syria.” The Syrian army admitted later on Thursday it had withdrawn its forces from the city to “preserve civilian lives and prevent urban combat,” but claimed it was preparing to launch a counterattack. “I think it’s going to be very hard for the Russians and the Syrians to be able and regain momentum immediately, because now that the opposition is gaining control of Hama, they’re going to be launching a major offensive on Homs,” Royal United Services Institute associate fellow Samuel Ramani told Al Jazeera. “If Homs is taken, Damascus is under serious threat,” he added. “At the moment, we are closely monitoring what is happening in Syria. We are in constant dialogue with our Syrian friends, with Damascus,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. “Depending on the assessment of the situation, we will be able to talk about the degree of assistance that is needed by the Syrian authorities to cope with the militants and eliminate this threat,” Peskov said.NASA's stuck astronauts hit 6 months in space. Just 2 more to goFranklin Resources Inc. stock underperforms Tuesday when compared to competitors
All the hard work the Vikings put in on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field almost fell by the wayside after they failed to recover an onside kick in the final minute. That paved the way for Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos to send the game into overtime with a 48-yard field goal as time expired. As proud as head coach Kevin O’Connell was that the Vikings still managed to escape with a 30-27 overtime win, he also was irked that lack of execution on the onside kick nearly cost them. What went wrong? Though it looked like nothing more than a fluky bounce, it was actually a misread by tight end Johnny Mundt that resulted in the ball hitting him. Asked about the particular play, special teams coordinator Matt Daniels said as soon as Mundt realized it was going to be a watermelon kick, he should’ve attacked the ball rather than engaged in a block. “He’s got to have some awareness right there,” Daniels said. “He didn’t see where the ball was at.” The use of the watermelon kick has become much more common across the NFL over the past few seasons. It’s executed by placing the ball on its side and kicking the point to create a spinning motion. The hope is to create enough spin with the watermelon kick that the ball travels the required 10 yards. The only issue? The rules say the kicking team can’t touch any member of the receiving team on an onside kick until the ball crosses 10 yards. That’s why Daniels has stressed to his players the importance of attacking the ball in those situations. “That’s the No. 1 thing,” Daniels said. “As soon as we see it’s a watermelon kick, we are going to go get the ball.” After suffering a hamstring injury over the weekend, linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. has been placed on injured reserve. As a result, he will have to miss at least the next month, with the Vikings hoping he can be ready to return by the time the playoffs roll around. It’s a tough blow for the Vikings heading into the home stretch as Pace has developed into a key contributor on defense. As a way to add some depth amid the loss, the Vikings signed linebacker Jamin Davis to their active roster, poaching him from the Green Bay Packers, who had signed him to their practice squad. There might be some untapped potential in Davis considering the Washington Commanders selected him in the first round of the 2021 draft. He has totaled 282 tackles, seven sacks, an interception and a pair of forced fumbles across 50 NFL games. Additionally, the Vikings also activated edge rusher Gabe Murphy from injured reserve. The benefit of having veteran left tackle David Quessenberry on the roster is that he has proven capable of going into a game on short notice. After stepping up last month when star left tackle Christian Darrisaw went down with a knee injury, Quessenberry had his number called over the weekend when veteran left tackle Cam Robinson left the game with a foot injury. Though there were some ups and downs for Quessenberry in the game, his presence allowed the Vikings to continue to run their offense. “I thought he came in and played really well,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said. “The left side really wasn’t an issue with him in there. We weren’t thinking like, ‘Oh god. We’ve got to get chips over there. We’ve got to try to formation these things where we can help him out every play.’ We felt pretty comfortable with him felling in and playing that role.” After being cut by the Vikings over the weekend, cornerback Akayleb Evans was claimed off waivers by the Carolina Panthers. It will be a fresh start for Evans as he looks to get his career back on track. Though he started 15 games for the Vikings last season, Evans barely played at all on defense this season. He was buried on the depth chart behind veteran cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore, Byron Murphy Jr., and Shaq Griffin. Why didn’t it work out for Evans? “Sometimes it becomes a numbers situation,” defensive coordinator Brian Flores said. “He’s a talented player who has a place in this league. I wish him all the best in Carolina. He’s going to do a great job for them.”Bieber re-signs with Guardians
NEW DELHI, India (AP) — A 13-year-old cricketer from India’s northern state of Bihar could become the sport's latest Twenty20 batting sensation. The Rajasthan Royals think so highly of Vaibhav Suryavanshi that they paid $130,000 in the Indian Premier League's mega auction for his services, making him the youngest ever to be selected. Suryavanshi came to the limelight last month when he scored a century against Australia's under-19 team off just 58 balls before he got out for 104. At the age of 13 years and 187 days, Suryavanshi broke the record of Bangladesh’s present test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who at the age of 14 years and 241 days held the previous record of scoring a century at youth level. The Delhi Capitals also showed interest when the bid for Suryavanshi started at his base price of $35,500. “He’s been to our high performance center in Nagpur, he had trials there and really impressed our coaching set-up there,” Rajasthan CEO Jake Lush McCrum said after the auction ended Monday. “He’s an incredible talent and of course you've got to have the confidence so he can step up to the IPL level.” McCrum described Suryavanshi as a “hell of a talent” and hoped lots of work will go into the coming months before the IPL begins on March 14 with former Indian captain Rahul Dravid among the coaching panel of the franchise. Suryavanshi idolizes legendary West Indian batter Brian Lara and often gets tips from former India batter Wasim Jaffer, with whom he met during an under-19 tournament in Bangladesh last year. Suryavanshi's father, Sanjiv, is his coach and has worked with him since his son showed interest in the game at an early age. “He is not just my son now, but entire Bihar’s son," the elder Suryavanshi told Press Trust of India. "My son has worked hard.” The IPL does not have a formal minimum age requirement, but in 2020 the International Cricket Council set the minimum age of 15 for players to compete internationally. However, the game’s governing body also said at that time that cricket boards can request permission to allow players under 15 to represent their country. Prayas Ray Barman held the previous record of youngest player to win an IPL contract. He was 16 in 2019 when the Royal Challengers Bengaluru spent about $200,000 for him. But the wrist spinner faded away after playing just one match. Pakistani batter Hasan Raza holds the record of youngest cricketer to make his test debut — the five-day cricket format — at the age of 14 years and 227 days in 1996. ___ AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket The Associated PressThe Atlanta Hawks were fined $100,000 by the NBA on Tuesday after a league investigation into star guard Trae Young missing an NBA Cup game two weeks ago. The NBA found the Hawks violated the league's Player Participation Policy when the 26-year-old American missed a November 12 contest at Boston. The probe, which included a review by an independent physician, determined the Hawks held Young out of a game, in which he could have played, under the medical standard clause of the policy, which is aimed at having top NBA talent play in regular-season contests. The Hawks, who beat Boston 117-116, said Young was unavailable due to tendinitis in his right Achilles tendon. Three-time NBA All-Star Young, who has not missed another game this season, has averaged 21.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and an NBA-best 11.9 assists so far this season. At 7-11, the Hawks are 11th in the Eastern Conference. The NBA also fined Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown $35,000 for aggressively pursuing a referee during his team's 108-103 home loss to Brooklyn on Sunday. The Kings are 8-10, 12th in the Western Conference after dropping four games in a row. js/bspMeghan McCain says she voted for late father in 2024 presidential election
Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul Ghany said in a social media post on Thursday that his forces have entered the city of Hama, a strategically vital position south of the previous insurgent conquest, Aleppo. The rebels appeared to control much of the city by Thursday afternoon. The rebel offensive reached Hama on Tuesday, engaging in heavy combat with the Syrian army and its Iran-backed militia allies. Syrian state media insisted the attack on Hama was repelled, but Syrian media said the same about Aleppo until rebel occupation of the city could no longer be denied, and there was soon little doubt that insurgents were in control of the city. Hama is a major milestone for the insurgency because the regime of Bashar Assad kept it under control throughout the entire Syrian Civil War, which began in 2011. The civil war arguably began in Hama when Assad brutally suppressed protests against his rule, but rebels were never before able to capture the city. Conquering Hama would put the insurgents about a third of the way to reaching the capital, Damascus. The next major stop on the way to Damascus would be the crossroads city of Homs. Hama is also important because it lies near three major minority populations: the Christians of Muhrada, the Ismaili Muslims of Salamiya, and the Alawites. The Ismaili are a small sect of Shia Islam that was brutalized by the Islamic State. The Alawites are the Shiite sect from which Bashar Assad and much of the Syrian ruling elite hail. The insurgent offensive is led by Hayat Tharir al-Sham (HTS), a jihadi offshoot of al-Qaeda. HTS leaders have promised to protect religious minorities in conquered territory, but there is not much faith in their promises. They might prove especially hostile to Assad’s Alawites, who are a major source of political support for the dictator. Christian leaders are already sounding alarms about the dangers facing Syria’s Christian community. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Julani declared on Thursday that Hama was fully under the control of rebel forces. Footage broadcast by Al Jazeera News showed rebel forces moving freely through Hama and speaking with civilian residents. Al Jazeera reported that a “significant” number of Hama residents fled after rebels penetrated the city. The report also said the insurgents have captured the military airport in Hama, which has been used by the Syrian military to launch airstrikes against rebel forces. Julani issued a statement warning Iran-backed Iraqi militias, sent into Syria to support the Assad regime, to stay away from Hama. The rebel leader advised Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sundai to “keep Iraq away from entering into the flames of a new war tied to what is happening in Syria.” The Syrian army admitted later on Thursday it had withdrawn its forces from the city to “preserve civilian lives and prevent urban combat,” but claimed it was preparing to launch a counterattack. “I think it’s going to be very hard for the Russians and the Syrians to be able and regain momentum immediately, because now that the opposition is gaining control of Hama, they’re going to be launching a major offensive on Homs,” Royal United Services Institute associate fellow Samuel Ramani told Al Jazeera. “If Homs is taken, Damascus is under serious threat,” he added. “At the moment, we are closely monitoring what is happening in Syria. We are in constant dialogue with our Syrian friends, with Damascus,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. “Depending on the assessment of the situation, we will be able to talk about the degree of assistance that is needed by the Syrian authorities to cope with the militants and eliminate this threat,” Peskov said.Hundreds pack Union Station for 9th annual tree lighting ceremony
BMW praises Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology on social mediaNEW ORLEANS -- A scruffy little fugitive is on the lam again in New Orleans, gaining fame as he outwits a tenacious band of citizens armed with night-vision binoculars, nets and a tranquilizer rifle. Scrim, a 17-pound mutt that's mostly terrier, has become a folk hero, inspiring tattoos, T-shirts and even a ballad as he eludes capture from the posse of volunteers. And like any antihero, Scrim has a backstory: Rescued from semi-feral life at a trailer park and adopted from a shelter, the dog broke loose in April and scurried around the city until he was cornered in October and brought to a new home. Weeks later, he'd had enough. Scrim leaped out of a second-story window, a desperate act recorded in a now-viral video. Since then, despite a stream of daily sightings, he's roamed free. The dog’s fans include Myra and Steve Foster, who wrote “Ode to Scrim” to the tune of Ricky Nelson’s 1961 hit, “I’m a Travelin’ Man.” Leading the recapture effort is Michelle Cheramie, a 55-year-old former information technology professional. She lost everything — home, car, possessions — in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in the aftermath, found her calling rescuing pets. “I was like, ‘This is what I should be doing,’” Cheramie said. “I was born to rescue.” She launched Zeus’ Rescues, a nonprofit shelter that now averages 600 cat and dog adoptions a year and offers free pet food to anyone who needs it. She helped Scrim find the home he first escaped from. It was Cheramie's window Scrim leaped from in November. She's resumed her relentless mission since then, posting flyers on telephone poles and logging social media updates on his reported whereabouts. She's invested thousands of dollars on wildlife cameras, thermal sensors and other gear. She took a course offered by the San Diego Zoo on the finer points of tranquilizing animals. And she's developed a network of volunteers — the kind of neighbors who are willing to grid-search a city at 3 a.m. People like writer David W. Brown, who manages a crowd-sourced Google Map of all known Scrim sightings. He says the search has galvanized residents from all walks of life to come together. As they search for Scrim, they hand out supplies to people in need. “Being a member of the community is seeing problems and doing what you can to make life a little better for the people around here and the animals around you,” Brown said. And neighbors like Tammy Murray, who had to close her furniture store and lost her father to Parkinson's disease. This search, she says, got her mojo back. “Literally, for months, I’ve done nothing but hunt this dog,” said Murray, 53. “I feel like Wile E. Coyote on a daily basis with him.” Murray drives the Zeus' Rescues' van towards reported Scrim sightings. She also handles a tactical net launcher, which looks like an oversized flashlight and once misfired, shattering the van's window as Scrim sped away. After realizing Scrim had come to recognize the sound of the van's diesel engine, Murray switched to a Vespa scooter, for stealth. Near-misses have been tantalizing. The search party spotted Scrim napping beneath an elevated house, and wrapped construction netting around the perimeter, but an over-eager volunteer broke ranks and dashed forward, leaving an opening Scrim slipped through. Scrim's repeated escapades have prompted near-daily local media coverage and a devoted online following. Cheramie can relate. “We’re all running from something or to something. He's doing that too,” she said. Cheramie's team dreams of placing the pooch in a safe and loving environment. But a social media chorus growing under the hashtag #FreeScrim has other ideas — they say the runaway should be allowed a life of self-determination. The animal rescue volunteers consider that misguided. “The streets of New Orleans are not the place for a dog to be free,” Cheramie said. “It’s too dangerous.” Scrim was a mess when Cheramie briefly recaptured him in October, with matted fur, missing teeth and a tattered ear. His trembling body was scraped and bruised, and punctured by multiple projectiles. A vet removed one, but decided against operating to take out a possible bullet. The dog initially appeared content indoors, sitting in Cheramie's lap or napping beside her bed. Then while she was out one day, Scrim chewed through a mesh screen, dropped 13 feet to the ground and squeezed through a gap in the fence, trotting away. Murray said Cheramie's four cats probably spooked him. “I wholeheartedly believe the gangster-ass cats were messing with him,” Murray said. Cheramie thinks they may have gotten territorial. Devastated but undeterred, the pair is reassessing where Scrim might fit best — maybe a secure animal sanctuary with big outdoor spaces where other dogs can keep him company. Somewhere, Murray says, “where he can just breathe and be.” ___ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96
Goalie Thatcher Demko poised to make first Canuck start of the seasonSaudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. But when exactly?MONTVALE, N.J., Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Balchem Corporation BCPC today announced that on December 9, 2024, its Board of Directors declared a dividend on its shares of common stock equal to $0.87 per share on the Company's issued and outstanding Common Stock, to be payable on January 17, 2025 to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 26, 2024. This dividend represents an 10.1% increase over last year's annual dividend. Ted Harris, Balchem's Chairman, President and CEO, said, "Balchem has a long-standing commitment to an annual dividend and we are pleased to announce the continuation of that commitment. This dividend represents the sixteenth consecutive increase in our annual dividend, reflecting both the consistently outstanding financial performance the company has delivered and the Board's continued confidence in our long-term strategies." About Balchem Corporation Balchem Corporation develops, manufactures and markets specialty ingredients that improve and enhance the health and well-being of life on the planet, providing state-of-the-art solutions and the finest quality products for a range of industries worldwide. The company reports three business segments: Human Nutrition & Health; Animal Nutrition & Health; and Specialty Products. The Human Nutrition & Health segment delivers customized food and beverage ingredient systems, as well as key nutrients into a variety of applications across the food, supplement and pharmaceutical industries. The Animal Nutrition & Health segment manufactures and supplies products to numerous animal health markets. Through Specialty Products, Balchem provides specialty-packaged chemicals for use in healthcare and other industries, and also provides chelated minerals to the micronutrient agricultural market. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect Balchem's expectation or belief concerning future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Balchem can give no assurance that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements will prove correct and various factors could cause results to differ materially from Balchem's expectations, including risks and factors identified in Balchem's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and other factors that may be identified in our other SEC filings. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the above cautionary statement. Balchem assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as of any future date. Contact: Jacqueline Yarmolowicz Balchem Corporation (Telephone: 845-326-5600) © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul Ghany said in a social media post on Thursday that his forces have entered the city of Hama, a strategically vital position south of the previous insurgent conquest, Aleppo. The rebels appeared to control much of the city by Thursday afternoon. The rebel offensive reached Hama on Tuesday, engaging in heavy combat with the Syrian army and its Iran-backed militia allies. Syrian state media insisted the attack on Hama was repelled, but Syrian media said the same about Aleppo until rebel occupation of the city could no longer be denied, and there was soon little doubt that insurgents were in control of the city. Hama is a major milestone for the insurgency because the regime of Bashar Assad kept it under control throughout the entire Syrian Civil War, which began in 2011. The civil war arguably began in Hama when Assad brutally suppressed protests against his rule, but rebels were never before able to capture the city. Conquering Hama would put the insurgents about a third of the way to reaching the capital, Damascus. The next major stop on the way to Damascus would be the crossroads city of Homs. Hama is also important because it lies near three major minority populations: the Christians of Muhrada, the Ismaili Muslims of Salamiya, and the Alawites. The Ismaili are a small sect of Shia Islam that was brutalized by the Islamic State. The Alawites are the Shiite sect from which Bashar Assad and much of the Syrian ruling elite hail. The insurgent offensive is led by Hayat Tharir al-Sham (HTS), a jihadi offshoot of al-Qaeda. HTS leaders have promised to protect religious minorities in conquered territory, but there is not much faith in their promises. They might prove especially hostile to Assad’s Alawites, who are a major source of political support for the dictator. Christian leaders are already sounding alarms about the dangers facing Syria’s Christian community. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Julani declared on Thursday that Hama was fully under the control of rebel forces. Footage broadcast by Al Jazeera News showed rebel forces moving freely through Hama and speaking with civilian residents. Al Jazeera reported that a “significant” number of Hama residents fled after rebels penetrated the city. The report also said the insurgents have captured the military airport in Hama, which has been used by the Syrian military to launch airstrikes against rebel forces. Julani issued a statement warning Iran-backed Iraqi militias, sent into Syria to support the Assad regime, to stay away from Hama. The rebel leader advised Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sundai to “keep Iraq away from entering into the flames of a new war tied to what is happening in Syria.” The Syrian army admitted later on Thursday it had withdrawn its forces from the city to “preserve civilian lives and prevent urban combat,” but claimed it was preparing to launch a counterattack. “I think it’s going to be very hard for the Russians and the Syrians to be able and regain momentum immediately, because now that the opposition is gaining control of Hama, they’re going to be launching a major offensive on Homs,” Royal United Services Institute associate fellow Samuel Ramani told Al Jazeera. “If Homs is taken, Damascus is under serious threat,” he added. “At the moment, we are closely monitoring what is happening in Syria. We are in constant dialogue with our Syrian friends, with Damascus,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. “Depending on the assessment of the situation, we will be able to talk about the degree of assistance that is needed by the Syrian authorities to cope with the militants and eliminate this threat,” Peskov said.NASA's stuck astronauts hit 6 months in space. Just 2 more to goFranklin Resources Inc. stock underperforms Tuesday when compared to competitors
All the hard work the Vikings put in on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field almost fell by the wayside after they failed to recover an onside kick in the final minute. That paved the way for Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos to send the game into overtime with a 48-yard field goal as time expired. As proud as head coach Kevin O’Connell was that the Vikings still managed to escape with a 30-27 overtime win, he also was irked that lack of execution on the onside kick nearly cost them. What went wrong? Though it looked like nothing more than a fluky bounce, it was actually a misread by tight end Johnny Mundt that resulted in the ball hitting him. Asked about the particular play, special teams coordinator Matt Daniels said as soon as Mundt realized it was going to be a watermelon kick, he should’ve attacked the ball rather than engaged in a block. “He’s got to have some awareness right there,” Daniels said. “He didn’t see where the ball was at.” The use of the watermelon kick has become much more common across the NFL over the past few seasons. It’s executed by placing the ball on its side and kicking the point to create a spinning motion. The hope is to create enough spin with the watermelon kick that the ball travels the required 10 yards. The only issue? The rules say the kicking team can’t touch any member of the receiving team on an onside kick until the ball crosses 10 yards. That’s why Daniels has stressed to his players the importance of attacking the ball in those situations. “That’s the No. 1 thing,” Daniels said. “As soon as we see it’s a watermelon kick, we are going to go get the ball.” After suffering a hamstring injury over the weekend, linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. has been placed on injured reserve. As a result, he will have to miss at least the next month, with the Vikings hoping he can be ready to return by the time the playoffs roll around. It’s a tough blow for the Vikings heading into the home stretch as Pace has developed into a key contributor on defense. As a way to add some depth amid the loss, the Vikings signed linebacker Jamin Davis to their active roster, poaching him from the Green Bay Packers, who had signed him to their practice squad. There might be some untapped potential in Davis considering the Washington Commanders selected him in the first round of the 2021 draft. He has totaled 282 tackles, seven sacks, an interception and a pair of forced fumbles across 50 NFL games. Additionally, the Vikings also activated edge rusher Gabe Murphy from injured reserve. The benefit of having veteran left tackle David Quessenberry on the roster is that he has proven capable of going into a game on short notice. After stepping up last month when star left tackle Christian Darrisaw went down with a knee injury, Quessenberry had his number called over the weekend when veteran left tackle Cam Robinson left the game with a foot injury. Though there were some ups and downs for Quessenberry in the game, his presence allowed the Vikings to continue to run their offense. “I thought he came in and played really well,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said. “The left side really wasn’t an issue with him in there. We weren’t thinking like, ‘Oh god. We’ve got to get chips over there. We’ve got to try to formation these things where we can help him out every play.’ We felt pretty comfortable with him felling in and playing that role.” After being cut by the Vikings over the weekend, cornerback Akayleb Evans was claimed off waivers by the Carolina Panthers. It will be a fresh start for Evans as he looks to get his career back on track. Though he started 15 games for the Vikings last season, Evans barely played at all on defense this season. He was buried on the depth chart behind veteran cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore, Byron Murphy Jr., and Shaq Griffin. Why didn’t it work out for Evans? “Sometimes it becomes a numbers situation,” defensive coordinator Brian Flores said. “He’s a talented player who has a place in this league. I wish him all the best in Carolina. He’s going to do a great job for them.”Bieber re-signs with Guardians
NEW DELHI, India (AP) — A 13-year-old cricketer from India’s northern state of Bihar could become the sport's latest Twenty20 batting sensation. The Rajasthan Royals think so highly of Vaibhav Suryavanshi that they paid $130,000 in the Indian Premier League's mega auction for his services, making him the youngest ever to be selected. Suryavanshi came to the limelight last month when he scored a century against Australia's under-19 team off just 58 balls before he got out for 104. At the age of 13 years and 187 days, Suryavanshi broke the record of Bangladesh’s present test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who at the age of 14 years and 241 days held the previous record of scoring a century at youth level. The Delhi Capitals also showed interest when the bid for Suryavanshi started at his base price of $35,500. “He’s been to our high performance center in Nagpur, he had trials there and really impressed our coaching set-up there,” Rajasthan CEO Jake Lush McCrum said after the auction ended Monday. “He’s an incredible talent and of course you've got to have the confidence so he can step up to the IPL level.” McCrum described Suryavanshi as a “hell of a talent” and hoped lots of work will go into the coming months before the IPL begins on March 14 with former Indian captain Rahul Dravid among the coaching panel of the franchise. Suryavanshi idolizes legendary West Indian batter Brian Lara and often gets tips from former India batter Wasim Jaffer, with whom he met during an under-19 tournament in Bangladesh last year. Suryavanshi's father, Sanjiv, is his coach and has worked with him since his son showed interest in the game at an early age. “He is not just my son now, but entire Bihar’s son," the elder Suryavanshi told Press Trust of India. "My son has worked hard.” The IPL does not have a formal minimum age requirement, but in 2020 the International Cricket Council set the minimum age of 15 for players to compete internationally. However, the game’s governing body also said at that time that cricket boards can request permission to allow players under 15 to represent their country. Prayas Ray Barman held the previous record of youngest player to win an IPL contract. He was 16 in 2019 when the Royal Challengers Bengaluru spent about $200,000 for him. But the wrist spinner faded away after playing just one match. Pakistani batter Hasan Raza holds the record of youngest cricketer to make his test debut — the five-day cricket format — at the age of 14 years and 227 days in 1996. ___ AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket The Associated PressThe Atlanta Hawks were fined $100,000 by the NBA on Tuesday after a league investigation into star guard Trae Young missing an NBA Cup game two weeks ago. The NBA found the Hawks violated the league's Player Participation Policy when the 26-year-old American missed a November 12 contest at Boston. The probe, which included a review by an independent physician, determined the Hawks held Young out of a game, in which he could have played, under the medical standard clause of the policy, which is aimed at having top NBA talent play in regular-season contests. The Hawks, who beat Boston 117-116, said Young was unavailable due to tendinitis in his right Achilles tendon. Three-time NBA All-Star Young, who has not missed another game this season, has averaged 21.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and an NBA-best 11.9 assists so far this season. At 7-11, the Hawks are 11th in the Eastern Conference. The NBA also fined Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown $35,000 for aggressively pursuing a referee during his team's 108-103 home loss to Brooklyn on Sunday. The Kings are 8-10, 12th in the Western Conference after dropping four games in a row. js/bspMeghan McCain says she voted for late father in 2024 presidential election
Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul Ghany said in a social media post on Thursday that his forces have entered the city of Hama, a strategically vital position south of the previous insurgent conquest, Aleppo. The rebels appeared to control much of the city by Thursday afternoon. The rebel offensive reached Hama on Tuesday, engaging in heavy combat with the Syrian army and its Iran-backed militia allies. Syrian state media insisted the attack on Hama was repelled, but Syrian media said the same about Aleppo until rebel occupation of the city could no longer be denied, and there was soon little doubt that insurgents were in control of the city. Hama is a major milestone for the insurgency because the regime of Bashar Assad kept it under control throughout the entire Syrian Civil War, which began in 2011. The civil war arguably began in Hama when Assad brutally suppressed protests against his rule, but rebels were never before able to capture the city. Conquering Hama would put the insurgents about a third of the way to reaching the capital, Damascus. The next major stop on the way to Damascus would be the crossroads city of Homs. Hama is also important because it lies near three major minority populations: the Christians of Muhrada, the Ismaili Muslims of Salamiya, and the Alawites. The Ismaili are a small sect of Shia Islam that was brutalized by the Islamic State. The Alawites are the Shiite sect from which Bashar Assad and much of the Syrian ruling elite hail. The insurgent offensive is led by Hayat Tharir al-Sham (HTS), a jihadi offshoot of al-Qaeda. HTS leaders have promised to protect religious minorities in conquered territory, but there is not much faith in their promises. They might prove especially hostile to Assad’s Alawites, who are a major source of political support for the dictator. Christian leaders are already sounding alarms about the dangers facing Syria’s Christian community. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Julani declared on Thursday that Hama was fully under the control of rebel forces. Footage broadcast by Al Jazeera News showed rebel forces moving freely through Hama and speaking with civilian residents. Al Jazeera reported that a “significant” number of Hama residents fled after rebels penetrated the city. The report also said the insurgents have captured the military airport in Hama, which has been used by the Syrian military to launch airstrikes against rebel forces. Julani issued a statement warning Iran-backed Iraqi militias, sent into Syria to support the Assad regime, to stay away from Hama. The rebel leader advised Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sundai to “keep Iraq away from entering into the flames of a new war tied to what is happening in Syria.” The Syrian army admitted later on Thursday it had withdrawn its forces from the city to “preserve civilian lives and prevent urban combat,” but claimed it was preparing to launch a counterattack. “I think it’s going to be very hard for the Russians and the Syrians to be able and regain momentum immediately, because now that the opposition is gaining control of Hama, they’re going to be launching a major offensive on Homs,” Royal United Services Institute associate fellow Samuel Ramani told Al Jazeera. “If Homs is taken, Damascus is under serious threat,” he added. “At the moment, we are closely monitoring what is happening in Syria. We are in constant dialogue with our Syrian friends, with Damascus,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. “Depending on the assessment of the situation, we will be able to talk about the degree of assistance that is needed by the Syrian authorities to cope with the militants and eliminate this threat,” Peskov said.Hundreds pack Union Station for 9th annual tree lighting ceremony
BMW praises Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology on social mediaNEW ORLEANS -- A scruffy little fugitive is on the lam again in New Orleans, gaining fame as he outwits a tenacious band of citizens armed with night-vision binoculars, nets and a tranquilizer rifle. Scrim, a 17-pound mutt that's mostly terrier, has become a folk hero, inspiring tattoos, T-shirts and even a ballad as he eludes capture from the posse of volunteers. And like any antihero, Scrim has a backstory: Rescued from semi-feral life at a trailer park and adopted from a shelter, the dog broke loose in April and scurried around the city until he was cornered in October and brought to a new home. Weeks later, he'd had enough. Scrim leaped out of a second-story window, a desperate act recorded in a now-viral video. Since then, despite a stream of daily sightings, he's roamed free. The dog’s fans include Myra and Steve Foster, who wrote “Ode to Scrim” to the tune of Ricky Nelson’s 1961 hit, “I’m a Travelin’ Man.” Leading the recapture effort is Michelle Cheramie, a 55-year-old former information technology professional. She lost everything — home, car, possessions — in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in the aftermath, found her calling rescuing pets. “I was like, ‘This is what I should be doing,’” Cheramie said. “I was born to rescue.” She launched Zeus’ Rescues, a nonprofit shelter that now averages 600 cat and dog adoptions a year and offers free pet food to anyone who needs it. She helped Scrim find the home he first escaped from. It was Cheramie's window Scrim leaped from in November. She's resumed her relentless mission since then, posting flyers on telephone poles and logging social media updates on his reported whereabouts. She's invested thousands of dollars on wildlife cameras, thermal sensors and other gear. She took a course offered by the San Diego Zoo on the finer points of tranquilizing animals. And she's developed a network of volunteers — the kind of neighbors who are willing to grid-search a city at 3 a.m. People like writer David W. Brown, who manages a crowd-sourced Google Map of all known Scrim sightings. He says the search has galvanized residents from all walks of life to come together. As they search for Scrim, they hand out supplies to people in need. “Being a member of the community is seeing problems and doing what you can to make life a little better for the people around here and the animals around you,” Brown said. And neighbors like Tammy Murray, who had to close her furniture store and lost her father to Parkinson's disease. This search, she says, got her mojo back. “Literally, for months, I’ve done nothing but hunt this dog,” said Murray, 53. “I feel like Wile E. Coyote on a daily basis with him.” Murray drives the Zeus' Rescues' van towards reported Scrim sightings. She also handles a tactical net launcher, which looks like an oversized flashlight and once misfired, shattering the van's window as Scrim sped away. After realizing Scrim had come to recognize the sound of the van's diesel engine, Murray switched to a Vespa scooter, for stealth. Near-misses have been tantalizing. The search party spotted Scrim napping beneath an elevated house, and wrapped construction netting around the perimeter, but an over-eager volunteer broke ranks and dashed forward, leaving an opening Scrim slipped through. Scrim's repeated escapades have prompted near-daily local media coverage and a devoted online following. Cheramie can relate. “We’re all running from something or to something. He's doing that too,” she said. Cheramie's team dreams of placing the pooch in a safe and loving environment. But a social media chorus growing under the hashtag #FreeScrim has other ideas — they say the runaway should be allowed a life of self-determination. The animal rescue volunteers consider that misguided. “The streets of New Orleans are not the place for a dog to be free,” Cheramie said. “It’s too dangerous.” Scrim was a mess when Cheramie briefly recaptured him in October, with matted fur, missing teeth and a tattered ear. His trembling body was scraped and bruised, and punctured by multiple projectiles. A vet removed one, but decided against operating to take out a possible bullet. The dog initially appeared content indoors, sitting in Cheramie's lap or napping beside her bed. Then while she was out one day, Scrim chewed through a mesh screen, dropped 13 feet to the ground and squeezed through a gap in the fence, trotting away. Murray said Cheramie's four cats probably spooked him. “I wholeheartedly believe the gangster-ass cats were messing with him,” Murray said. Cheramie thinks they may have gotten territorial. Devastated but undeterred, the pair is reassessing where Scrim might fit best — maybe a secure animal sanctuary with big outdoor spaces where other dogs can keep him company. Somewhere, Murray says, “where he can just breathe and be.” ___ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96
Goalie Thatcher Demko poised to make first Canuck start of the seasonSaudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. But when exactly?MONTVALE, N.J., Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Balchem Corporation BCPC today announced that on December 9, 2024, its Board of Directors declared a dividend on its shares of common stock equal to $0.87 per share on the Company's issued and outstanding Common Stock, to be payable on January 17, 2025 to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 26, 2024. This dividend represents an 10.1% increase over last year's annual dividend. Ted Harris, Balchem's Chairman, President and CEO, said, "Balchem has a long-standing commitment to an annual dividend and we are pleased to announce the continuation of that commitment. This dividend represents the sixteenth consecutive increase in our annual dividend, reflecting both the consistently outstanding financial performance the company has delivered and the Board's continued confidence in our long-term strategies." About Balchem Corporation Balchem Corporation develops, manufactures and markets specialty ingredients that improve and enhance the health and well-being of life on the planet, providing state-of-the-art solutions and the finest quality products for a range of industries worldwide. The company reports three business segments: Human Nutrition & Health; Animal Nutrition & Health; and Specialty Products. The Human Nutrition & Health segment delivers customized food and beverage ingredient systems, as well as key nutrients into a variety of applications across the food, supplement and pharmaceutical industries. The Animal Nutrition & Health segment manufactures and supplies products to numerous animal health markets. Through Specialty Products, Balchem provides specialty-packaged chemicals for use in healthcare and other industries, and also provides chelated minerals to the micronutrient agricultural market. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect Balchem's expectation or belief concerning future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Balchem can give no assurance that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements will prove correct and various factors could cause results to differ materially from Balchem's expectations, including risks and factors identified in Balchem's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and other factors that may be identified in our other SEC filings. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the above cautionary statement. Balchem assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as of any future date. Contact: Jacqueline Yarmolowicz Balchem Corporation (Telephone: 845-326-5600) © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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