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1. A remote organizer , perfect for keeping your various remotes, clickers, channel changers (whatever you call it in your house) in check so when your dad visits for the holidays and has grand plans to watch football he doesn't have to pester you to ask where it is while you're in the middle of making appetizers. You're only human if you don't know where your TV remotes are... ever. This contraption is perfect for storing remotes, house phones (if ya' have one), and even your cell phone if you want to really focus on what you're watching. Promising review: "This remote control holder is the best I’ve ever owned. Not only is it elegant and attractive, it is nice and lightweight, and has room for at least five remote controls, however depending on the thinness of the controllers, you could probably fit more in there. Since it basically just sits on a side table, I believe it’s made of quality material, and will last a very long time. It matched my decor perfectly, and looks exactly as pictured." — Nicole Cook Get it from Amazon for $24.44+ (available in three colors). 2. And a universal remote attachment in case your stash of remotes has managed to go awry (it's ridiculous that these days there are at least three you need to navigate to what you want to watch). This handy dandy attachment will help you get the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on before it begins with just your Fire TV remote. Sideclick is a small business! Promising review: "Before: three remotes, one for the screen (on/off), a separate one for the sound system (volume) and of course the fire stick remote. After: just the one convenient integrated unit. No more scrambling to find the which remote to do what I want, cause it's all right there in the one unit. I wish I'd have bought one years ago cause the multi-remote tango got old real fast." — Chapman B. Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (also available for Chromecast and Apple TV remotes) 3. Washable microfiber mop pads you can use with your Swiffer WetJet and finally stop spending so much money on disposable options — perfect for after gatherings where everyone inevitably tracks dirt throughout your home. One pad can last up to 100 washes and works on pretty much any surface, from wood to tile to stone. Turbo Mops is a small business! Promising review: "These are life-changing. I used a Rubbermaid spray mop for years that I never really loved, and when it broke, I got a Swiffer and was using the old Rubbermaid mop cloth pads with it still. They didn't fit the Swiffer great and I decided to get new ones. These scrub so much better and pick up way more dirt than my other mop pad. I have two dogs, and their dried water and drool are around the kitchen, and I used to have to scrub to get that up each time. Not with these pads! I never thought I'd swoon over a cleaning product, but...here we are :). " — JB Get a pack of two from Amazon for $18.99 . 4. A lidded charcuterie board , because what kind of host would you be without the perfect vessel for transporting an array of meats and cheeses to your guests? You can prep this one in advance, pop the cover on it, then serve it when the time is right. Promising review : "I bought these for a party and it was so easy to prep them and pop them into the fridge with the lid on. Same goes for staring leftovers afterward. It was also great to use for fresh fruit we cut up to enjoy all weekend. Looks lovely and is solid quality. " — AmJam Get it from Amazon for $35.99 . 5. A height-adjustable tray table because before you know it you'll have accumulated so many family members and friends for the holidays you'll need some overflow seating at-the-ready. Table-Mate is a small business that specializes in height-adjustable table trays. Promising review : "This table is exactly what I was looking for to be able use my mouse and keyboard for the computer while working from home. It’s plenty stable and easily moved to the side for storage or when I need to get up from the chair. I also use it as my lunch table and to hold my iPad when not on the computer." — sleuneberg Get it from Amazon for $44.99+ (available in four colors). 6. A drink organizer and dispenser that'll help you live out your dreams of transforming your fridge into a majestic beverage haven (you know, just like the ones in convenience stores that seemingly have every drink known to man). Would it be so awful to fill the entire thing with Diet Cokes? Promising review: "This slides the drinks forward gently. It is adjustable and fits a variety of sizes. This is easy to assemble; it only took me a few moments. It keeps everything lined up nicely. I like how organized this makes my fridge look. The gears feel solid, but I'm not worried about it sitting on the glass shelf." — Jessie333 Get it from Amazon for $19.92 . 7. A set of clip-on dip bowls that'll transform any plate into a snack party — fill 'em with salsa alongside chips, ketchup with chicken fingers, ranch dressing paired with veggies... you catch my drift. Promising review: "These dip cups are easy to attach to your plates, filled with your favorite dipping sauces. No worries about them slipping off as they're sturdy. They're also dishwasher safe." — LJ Williams Get it from Amazon for $5.59 . 8. And a set of wineglass charcuterie toppers to make snacking on cheese and crackers a rather *~fabulous~* experience. Promising review : "These are so cute! I hosted a wine tasting at my house and the coasters fit into many different wine glasses. I had about three to four fairly decent size chocolates on top. These were a hit and everyone thought they were in a nice restaurant with the setup!!" — Melanie M. Get a set of four from Amazon for $9.99 (also available in a set of eight). 9. Espresso Martini Instant Cocktail Tea Bags that'll make tini time a lot easier to acheive instead of trying to whip up individual ones for each guest. All you'll need to do is steep the bag in cold water and a spirit of their choice (vodka or tequila is recommended, but it can also be made as mocktails) until the majority of the bag dissolves. Cheers to that! SAYSO is a small business! Promising review: "Initially thought these would need to steep in hot water, but they work in cold water. I like to let them steep around 10 minutes. Quick and delicious cocktails! I’ve tried all flavors but Old Fashioned, and that’s next. These are fantastic for cocktail lovers that camp. No heavy mixers to carry." — AnneF Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in six other cocktails and in a variety pack). 10. A bag of FryAway cooking oil solidifier — a seemingly magical substance you can sprinkle on top of your oily pan and watch as it turns to a solid. No more waiting ages for it to cool, having to grossly scrape it out of your pan with a paper towel, or accidentally clogging your pipes. Whip up your famed homemade cannoli shells, fill 'em, apply the FryAway, and clean your pan when you're done. FryAway is a US-based small business specializing in planet-friendly cooking waste solutions. Promising review: "I will always keep this stocked in my house! My husband sent me a TikTok, I know I know, and I thought it couldn't hurt to try it out. I loved after the first night! I could easily remove the hardened oil and throw it out." — Roberta Get it from Amazon for $9.97 . 11. Extra long oven mitts , so when you reach into your oven to remove the incredible-smelling turkey you've been cooking for hours, you won't risk burning your arms in the process. Promising review: "I absolutely love these oven mitts! It's one of those kitchen items that are a MUST, but always put off purchasing. I had a criteria of what I wanted in mitts and found them. The mitts do everything they say they do, and that's keeping my hands and arms safe. I highly recommend them." — Amazon Customer Get them from Amazon for $21.99 (available in six colors). 12. A cleverly designed rechargeable electric candle lighter with a flexible neck to light every candle in your house to create the *perfect* ambiance without concern you'll run out of lighter fluid. Promising review: "I cook outside, and lighting a fire during wet and windy weather was a real pain. This lighter was a game changer! As long as the material is dry, this lighter will light regularly, consistently, and easily. Plus, it’s rechargeable! Love it!" — Sandra Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in seven colors and as a two-pack). 13. Pastel "unbreakable" deep plates you can use to serve up your festive feast without fear. No worries if your *very* enthusiastic cousin jumps out of their seat during the Lions/Cowboys Thanksgiving game and forgets they had a plate in their lap. They're also dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe for up to three minutes! Promising review : "These are microwaveable and light to carry. Love the colors. Wish they were available in one color only, but I can’t complain. I primarily bought these for microwave purposes. But can be used for salads, hot soup, etc. Also it’s an in-between size like a medium. Just right for me." — M. Zolnosky Get a set of four from Amazon for $8.95 (also available as bowls !). 14. And a set of matching "unbreakable" rainbow glasses so everyone can sip on their fave holiday bev and you won't have to worry for a second about the moment someone inevitably drops their cup. It'll be way easier to clean up a spilled drink than a pile of glass, that's for sure. Promising review: "OK, so my favorite color is 'rainbow,' and I loved these little glasses the minute I saw them. They hold eight ounces easily without spilling a drop . I've washed them in the dishwasher many times, and they are still bright and shiny. My husband even likes them. I'm sure kids would find them just the right size and easy to use as well. Very durable." — Kameme Get a set of four from Amazon for $14.39 . 15. An instant-read digital thermometer , so you'll never have to guess "is my turkey cooked?" again. You can whip up a delicious meal without worrying about accidentally poisoning your guests. Promising review: "Ordered this about seven months ago. It works great for an instant read of a food's internal temperature. We use it all the time to check mostly meats, roast chicken, chicken breast, steak, pork roast, pork chops, salmon, etc. We want to make sure our food is cooked thoroughly to a safe minimum internal temperature so that nobody gets sick. With this, you don't have to overcook the food to be sure it's done. You can take it off the heat or out of the oven as soon as it gets to temp. This can be switched into Celsius or Fahrenheit." — Kathleen Get it from Amazon for $8.79 (clip the coupon on the product page to save 15%). 16. A pet hair remover with a unique patented brush design that'll let you invite guests to sit down without fear of them being covered head-to-toe in your dog's hair. ChomChom is a small business! You can also snag a mini version for on-the-go hair removal emergencies. BuzzFeed editor Jenae Sitzes adores this product: "I've been using the ChomChom for quite a while now, but I took the photos above literally just now to show just how quick, easy, and effective this roller is. It took 10 seconds to rid my velvet couch ottoman (yes, velvet...a terrible cat owner choice, I know) of the hair my two gray kitties are constantly leaving everywhere. It takes a bit of practice to get the hang of using this roller — at first, I thought you only brushed down in one direction, and was confused why it wasn't picking up hair. It's important to do a push-and-pull brushing in *both* directions so it actually pulls the hair inside , which does require you to apply a bit of pressure. Afterward, you'll just dump out the hair that's been trapped inside. The ChomChom is best for large flat surfaces like couches and beds. Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in two colors). 17. And a pet stain and odor remover , so when your dog nephew gets a little too excited to be on vacation at your house for the holidays and decides to pee all over your rug, it's sort of OK. Promising review: "This is one product that really delivers. It was put to the test when our pup had several bouts of diarrhea on the cream/gray woven wool rug in our bedroom. The stains had several hours to soak in before we discovered them. I’ve posted both before and after photos. Although I had to spray and blot with a towel several times, the stains are virtually gone. The scent of Rocco & Roxie is pleasant and all traces of the nasty smell are gone. If you have an indoor pet, you NEED to buy this stuff. It cleans better than anything I’ve used before." — msgrafix Get it from Amazon for $19.48 . 18. A Bissell multipurpose portable cleaner you'll pat yourself on the back for buying when you see just how much dirt and gunk it pulls out of all the surfaces in your life — use it before *and* after having your guests over for Christmas. Promising review: "This vacuum is amazing. I first heard of it on TikTok, where people were using it to clean their stairs, mattresses, car seats, etc., and from the videos, it already looked amazing. But considering how dirty my dining chair cushions were, I was a little bit apprehensive and skeptical. I purchased the item and used it on my chairs for the first time and the results were SO AMAZING. Best vacuum I've ever used. I even bought a second one!" — Davina Get it from Amazon for $81.49 . 19. A Nespresso Vertuo coffee and espresso maker that'll have your mom's favorite drink ready in minutes — if she's happily caffeinated maybe she won't want to nag you about your menu for the evening. It heats up in 15 seconds and has a 40-ounce water tank so you don't have to fill it every morning. Promising review: "I like iced coffee with high caffeine. This fits the bill perfectly and is a joy to use and drink. My Starbucks monthly bill has come down considerably after buying this unit, and I'm ready to hit the ground running that much sooner in the morning. I especially enjoy the self cleaning feature and the ability to run it for smaller or larger cup sizes. Truly a premium product." — David T. Get it from Amazon for $164.50+ (available in three colors, plus in bundle options with the Aeroccino milk frother). 20. Plus some unique espresso cups if you're really looking to impress your guests when you serve coffee with dessert. Folk Ceramics is a small business. Promising review: "These cups are so great! The outer edges of the cup warm up after brewing coffee, but the temperature is comfortable for the hands. These cups have a unique design and I really enjoy every usage." — Great espresso cups Get a set of two from Amazon for $19.96+ (available in five colors). 21. A microwave bacon cooker that'll help you make up to 1 lb of bacon evenly and quickly, so when your extended family is over for Christmas morning brunch, you'll be able to focus on perfecting your eggs and mimosas instead. It's also dishwasher safe! SCS Direct is a small business! Promising review: "Such a simple concept and works amazingly well! I will never cook bacon any other way again. Made crispy, delicious bacon quickly with little to no zero mess in the microwave. You can fit a whole pound on it at once, but it does take longer to cook. I preferred to cook half a pound at a time for 8 minutes. Easy. Fast. Delicious.No mess. Love this product. " — Allysha Austin Get it from Amazon for $11.99 . 22. Wintry percale bed sheets in a *berry* cute print that'll make your guests feel right at home even if they're staying in your guest room during the holidays. This set from Rifle Paper Co. x The Company Store comes with a flat sheet, a fitted sheet, and two pillowcase shams. I've tried out these sheets in a different print and they've easily become my favorites. They always feel crisp and refreshing but still somehow are soft and cozy. If you're looking for something a little more whimsical they also have a Nutcracker print . Get it from The Company Store for $119+ (available in twin, full, and queen sizing). 23. A set of reusable Gripstic bag sealers , you'll cherish every time you re-open a bag of tortilla chips — no stale surprises here! These sticks clamp over open snack bags and ensure they're resealed super tightly — so if you decide to have a little snacky-snack on Christmas Eve before hosting the next day, you can still put them out for guests without them going stale overnight. Gripstic is a small business that specializes in reusable chip clips. Promising review: "I'm a stickler about stale chips and have always used those little snapping clips. I thought they worked pretty well, but they really don't compare to Gripsticks. The snack that proved this the most was Pirate's Booty. If these are exposed to air for more than three minutes, they turn into styrofoam peanuts . I promise they're just as fresh as when you first open them with Gripsticks. They're going to be my go-to chip clips moving forward. " — Rachel Campbell Get a set of 24 from Amazon for $17.95 (available in five sets). 24. A cord-concealing box to help you at long last banish the hot mess of cables lingering next to your TV setup. If your relatives bring little kids or pets over for the holidays it'll keep them out of harm's way as well. Promising review: "I bought it because I saw a woman on TikTok showcase something similar like this on her page (on how to keep a home tidy), and I was like, I HAD to buy! It’s wonderful! I have ALWAYS hated seeing all the clutter of cords stick out from cord extenders and having this makes my small place look cleaner and organized! I would recommend this for anyone!" — Chidi Get it from Amazon for $24.64+ (available in two sizes and three colors). 25. A robotic vacuum , because you and I both know you don't want to spend an evening trying to clean all the dirt and debris from your floors after you've just catered to guests all afternoon. Kick your feet up, watch the 24-hour replay of A Christmas Story, and let this lil' gadget do its thing. This robotic vacuum can easily move between hard floors and low- to medium-pile carpets/rugs and can pick up all the accumulated dust, dirt, and hair while you go about your day. It has an infrared sensor to avoid knocking into obstacles (like furniture and walls) and drop-sensing tech so it won't fall down stairs and off ledges. And if it starts to run low on battery, it'll just return to its base for a recharge! Reviewers do recommend keeping stray items like socks and cords off the floor before running this. Promising review: "This robot vacuum is incredible! I have three dogs and a cat; this vacuum is a time saver. I run it each day, and it has done an incredible job of keeping pet hair, dirt, and debris picked up in my home. Works well on carpet, hardwood, and tile floors. Wish I had purchased it sooner!" — t. hampton Get it from Amazon for $129.99+ (also available in three other models). 26. A Clorox ToiletWand that you can use and then toss away — say SEE YA' to that gross toilet brush hiding in the corner of your bathroom. If you don't immediately get the urge to clean your toilet the second guests leave I'm not sure we can be friends. I own and cherish this product. It's a dream knowing the "brush" is fresh and hasn't been intimate with the inside of my toilet prior to my picking it up again. This set comes with the wand and 16 refills. Promising review: "The primary reason I decided to purchase the Clorox Toilet Wand was so I could clean under my toilet rims, which I noticed was definitely getting neglected via using the standard toilet brushes to clean. Initially, I was looking for a toilet brush that had the shape needed to actually GET under the rim, and that's how I found out about it. Now that I've used it... I can say without a doubt that I'll never go back to a regular brush. I like the cleanliness of the disposable brushes as opposed to a regular toilet brush. And I especially like that I don't have to purchase a second brush with a shape capable of cleaning under the rim, which not only takes up more space, but also would take more time given I'd have to switch back and forth and apply product. With this, I can just clean the entire pot in less than five minutes with the same tool." — Brittney Nelson Get it from Amazon for $18.99 . 27. A red wine stain remover , so you'll forever be prepared when you inevitably spill vino all over your favorite white shirt, couch, and carpet (typically all in one fell swoop) during the chaos of hosting for the holidays. Wine Away is a small business! Promising review: "I'm sure if I knew more about science and chemistry, I'd understand how this stuff works — but since I don't, I'll just assume that it is MAGIC. If you care at all about your carpet, you need to have a bottle of this on standby. Over the years, we've used it to make numerous wine and red juice stains vanish before our eyes. The effect reminds me of the novelty shop disappearing-ink gag from when I was a kid. Seriously, if you've never seen Wine Away in action, it's worth spilling a little Cabernet on your carpet just so you can see it vanish after a few spritzes. I honestly wouldn't believe how quickly this stuff works had I not seen it countless times with my own eyes." — DarthClem Get it from Amazon for $12.49 . 28. A veggie chopper you can use to dice onions in a flash — save your uncontrollable crying for the next time you watch It's a Wonderful Life. It can also spiralize, slice, and chop! Check out a TikTok of the veggie chopper in action. Also! Fullstar is a small business! Promising reviews: "I use this almost every day. It cuts all kinds of veggies and cleans up easily. It's sharp enough to do baby carrots without much effort. For the price, it is worth it." — Carol Habas Get it from Amazon for $24.86 (available in four colors). 29. A mini 2-quart Crock-Pot that'll be the perfect size for tasty dips (queso, anyone?!) that you can easily keep table side. Snacking without missing a single moment of the holiday fun? Yes, please. The lid and stoneware are dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup! Promising review: "Use this little pot for my cheese dip during football games, and it’s a game changer! Leave it plugged in on low during the game, and it keeps my cheese melted and warm for the entire game! Heats evenly, and I feel comfortable leaving it on while I’m away, not for too long though! Couldn’t recommend more!" — Trina Get it from Amazon for $12.99 . 30. Designated bath towels just for guests that'll ensure they're nice and fluffy that'll make anyone who is lucky enough to shower in your bathroom feel ho ho home for the holidays. Promising review: "Bought these for my guests to use. Lots of positive feedback and they hold up well to frequent washes." — twdj Get a set of four from Amazon for $33.99+ (available in 13 colors). 31. And a bar of festive soap with tiny trees inside as well as a green Adventurine stone that'll bring good vibes to your guest's shower and your bathroom's aesthetic. Crystal Bar Soap is a woman-owned small business that sells vegan and cruelty-free soaps, bath bombs, bath oils, and bath salts. I've personally used their crystal-infused soaps for years and absolutely adore them! This one smells like gardenia and peach, but if you're looking for other scents/festive options you can check out their entire holiday collection . Get it from Crystal Bar soap for $16 . 32. Poo-Pourri toilet spray , so in the event someone is about to get *very* intimate with your bathroom they can spritz this directly into the toilet beforehand and avoid 1. embarrassment and 2. stinking up the your entire home. Not to get *too* detailed about my bathroom situation, but I can assure you this stuff really works. I used to work in the room directly next to the main bathroom in our home, which was not the most fun (as you can imagine). However, when I introduced Poo-Pourri into our home it made a huge difference. You only need one or two sprays directly into your toilet before you *do your business* for it to cover up any unpleasant smells. My husband even walked into the bathroom once and said "it smells so good in here" and I promptly said "AHA! IT'S THE POO-POURRI!" He said "ew" and walked away — but it is proof it really works! Get it from Amazon for $8.49 (available in three seasonal scents). 33. Grandma's Secret , a spot remover that'll ensure you don't have to give serving snacks on your couch a second thought. It'll make blood (!!!) pet stains, oil, paint, and other pesky substances vanish into thin air. Promising review: "This stuff is so amazing. I'm a witness. My 2-year-old baby wrote all over my white leather couch. I tried many different things and nothing worked but Grandma's Secret Spot Remover. I love this stuff." — L. Nix Get it from Amazon for $6.09 . 34. A quilted chenille floor pillow for some cozy extra seating — perfect for when your brother brings their new fling to Christmas Eve without giving you a heads up. 🫠 Plus *how lovely* do they look when stacked like in the review photo above!? Gorgeous! Promising review: "This comes just as pictured and described. It is comfortable and looks luxurious. It's great for floor seating." — AKhan Get it from Amazon for $37.54+ (available in six colors). 35. A Dyson WashG1 wet cleaner — one of their latest innovations that'll be an investment worth making. It magically glides across hard floors and thoroughly removes debris, stains, hair (!!!) and other liquids with just water (though you can add detergent if you'd like). You'll be amazed to see how dirty the water becomes in the tank while you clean! I have this bad boy and lemme tell you — it is worth every single penny. Yes, it's pricey, but my home is primarily tile and wood floors and I have two little kids (who basically love on said floors). It uses microfiber rollers to clean and does so so well you'd think there was some sort of magic involved in the making of it. You don't need to do repeated passes to see results — the water in the bottom tank turned so dark my husband and I were horrified (as we mop and vacuum regularly!). After his first try my husband said, "Goodbye, mop!" It's lightweight, which is a huge perk, and the LCD screen lets you select various hydration levels and tells you how much battery time is left. Personally, my favorite highlight is that even though it is a functioning mop of sorts that uses water to clean my floors don't stay wet for very long at all. You can literally walk over the spots you cleaned moments later! It also cleans itself which is fantastic. Definitely worth the splurge. "We have had this for a few weeks, and it’s really changed our floor game! Just using water, it gets our floors amazingly clean! Easy to use- easy to clean. We have a full house of hard flooring so mopping was always a huge ordeal- that’s why we decided to take a chance on this purchase. We have always been a Dyson house though, so it wasn’t a huge gamble and worth the money!" — SamM Get it from Amazon or Dyson for $699.99. 36. A nesting table with seats that can be pulled out conveniently for guests and pushed back in when you're back to your regularly scheduled programming. The "Hugg" nesting table makes me want to do just that — give this genius table a big ol' squeeze. It comes in three different sizes to fit your needs and, honestly, is such a smart product to have on-hand if you're often hosting guests. Get it from Castlery for $449+ (available in three size configurations, two fabrics, and three woods). 37. And a splurge-worthy Lovesac Sactional couch that'll likely be the last couch you ever purchase — it can be completely configured to your exact preference, comes in so many colors and fabrics, and is oh-so comfy. Most importantly, each cushion can be stripped and cleaned in the washing machine with ease. I upgraded from the couch I had lugged from my apartment to my house to a Lovesac Sactional and all I can say is "wow!" Mine is pictured above (left) before we opened our ottoman piece (which is why a back piece is seemingly missing, as each seat comes with a back piece). Anyways, my husband and I are lucky enough to live near a Lovesac store, so before ordering online we went in and tested out all of our options. The Sactionals are so customizable it's nearly overwhelming trying to make a decision! Like many couches, they come in many types of fabrics and colors, but Lovesac does things differently by offering so many configuration options, tons of storage, various arm styles, different seating depths, and the ability to build speakers directly into the couch (just to name a few things!). We opted for a full sectional style and had storage put in every single seat, which we've been using to store throw blankets and my toddler's extensive stuffed animal collection. I love that if we ever want to redecorate our home we can just re-outfit the couch in a different fabric. And it's SO easy to clean — each piece of fabric can be tossed into the washing machine. To date my sister has two Sactionals (and standard Lovesacs) and my cousin just ordered one as well! Get it from Lovesac for $2,280+ (available in many configurations and styles). Me, prepping to host my family for the holidays: Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.NEW YORK (AP) — Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a targeted attack , not a random one. They know he ambushed Thompson at 6:44 a.m. Wednesday as the executive arrived at the Hilton for his company’s annual investor conference, using a 9 mm pistol that resembled the guns farmers use to put down animals without causing a loud noise. They know ammunition found near Thompson’s body bore the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose,” mimicking a phrase used by insurance industry critics . The fact that the shooter knew UnitedHealthcare group was holding a conference at the hotel and what route Thompson might take to get there suggested that he could possibly be a disgruntled employee or client, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. Police divers were seen searching a pond in Central Park, where the killer fled after the shooting. Officers have been scouring the park for days for any possible clues and found his backpack there Friday. They didn’t immediately reveal what, if anything, it contained but said it would be tested and analyzed. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of the backpack, or on the results of the search in the pond, saying no updates were planned. Investigators have urged patience, saying the process of logging evidence that stands up in court isn’t as quick as it looks like on TV . Hundreds of detectives are combing through video recordings and social media, vetting tips from the public and interviewing people who might have information, including Thompson’s family and coworkers and the shooter’s randomly assigned roommates at the Manhattan hostel where he stayed. Investigators caught a break when they came across security camera images of an unguarded moment at the hostel in which he briefly showed his face. Retracing the gunman’s steps using surveillance video, police say, it appears he left the city by bus soon after the shooting outside the New York Hilton Midtown. He was seen on video at an uptown bus station about 45 minutes later, Kenny said. With the high-profile search expanding across state lines, the FBI announced late Friday that it was offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction, adding to a reward of up to $10,000 that the NYPD has offered. Police say they believe the suspect acted alone. Police distributed the images to news outlets and on social media but so far haven’t been able to ID him using facial recognition — possibly because of the angle of the images or limitations on how the NYPD is allowed to use that technology, Kenny said. Late Saturday, police released two additional photos of the suspected shooter that appeared to be from a camera mounted inside a taxi. The first shows him outside the vehicle and the second shows him looking through the partition between the back seat and the front of the cab. In both, his face is partially obscured by a blue, medical-style mask. Michael R. Sisak And Cedar Attanasio, The Associated Press

Letter: Not in politicsUstby, Donarski lead No. 16 North Carolina women over Villanova 53-36 in Battle 4 Atlantis semifinal

NEW YORK (AP) — The 169 players eligible for salary arbitration. Proposed salaries will be exchanged Jan. 9: BALTIMORE (11) — Keegan Akin, lhp; Kyle Bradish, rhp; Dean Kremer, rhp; Jorge Mateo, 2b; Ryan Mountcastle, 1b; Cedric Mullins, of; Trevor Rogers, lhp; Adley Rutschman, c; Gregory Soto, lhp; Ramón Urías, inf; Tyler Webb, rhp. BOSTON (3) — Kutter Crawford, rhp; Jarren Duran, of; Tanner Houck, rhp. CHICAGO (5) — Justin Anderson, rhp; Garrett Crochet, lhp; Penn Murfee, rhp; Andrew Vaughn, 1b; Steven Wilson, rhp. CLEVELAND (4) — Steven Kwan, of; Josh Naylor, 1b; Nick Sandlin, rhp; Lane Thomas, of. DETROIT (7) — Beau Brieske, rhp; Jason Foley, rhp; Casey Mize, rhp; Jake Rogers, c; Tarik Skubal, lhp; Will Vest, rhp; Matt Vierling, of. HOUSTON (8) — Bryan Abreu, rhp; Mauricio Dubón, of; Luis Garcia, rhp; Chas McCormick, of; Jake Meyers, of; Jeremy Peña, ss; Kyle Tucker, of; Framber Valdez, lhp. KANSAS CITY (7) — Kris Bubic, lhp; Hunter Harvey, rhp; Carlos Hernández, rhp; Kyle Isbel, of; MJ Melendez, of; John Schreiber, rhp; Kyle Wright, rhp. LOS ANGELES (8) — Jo Adell, of; Brock Burke, lhp; Reid Detmers, lhp; Mickey Moniak, of; José Quijada, lhp; Luis Rengifo, 1b-2b; José Suarez, lhp; Taylor Ward, of. MINNESOTA (8) — Willi Castro, of-inf; Jhoan Durán, rhp; Griffin Jax, rhp; Ryan Jeffers, c; Trevor Larnach, of; Royce Lewis, 3b; Bailey Ober, rhp; Joe Ryan, rhp. NEW YORK (6) — Jazz Chisholm, Jr., inf; Nestor Cortes, lhp; Scott Effross, rhp; Mark Leiter Jr., rhp; Clarke Schmidt, rhp; Jose Trevino, c. SEATTLE (7) — Randy Arozarena, of; Logan Gilbert, rhp; George Kirby, rhp; Cal Raleigh, c; Tayler Saucedo, lhp; Gabe Speier, lhp; Trent Thornton, rhp. TAMPA BAY (6) — Shane Baz, rhp; Garrett Cleavinger, lhp; Zack Littell, rhp; Drew Rasmussen, rhp; Ben Rortvedt, c; Taylor Walls, ss. TEXAS (3) — Jonah Heim, c; Nathaniel Lowe, 1b; Leody Taveras, of. TORONTO (6) — Ernie Clement, inf; Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1b; Alejandro Kirk, c; Alek Manoah, rhp; Zach Pop, rhp; Daulton Varsho, of. ATHLETICS (2) — Miguel Andujar, of; Brent Rooker, dh-of. ARIZONA (8) — Zac Gallen, rhp; Kevin Ginkel, rhp; Joe Mantiply, lhp; Kyle Nelson, lhp; Geraldo Perdomo, ss; A.J. Puk, lhp; Pavin Smith, 1b; Ryan Thompson, rhp. ATLANTA (2) — Jarred Kelenic, of; Dylan Lee, lhp. CHICAGO (4) — Eli Morgan, rhp; Isaac Paredes, 3b; Nate Pearson, rhp; Justin Steele, lhp. CINCINNATI (6) — Alexis Díaz, rhp; Jake Fraley, of; Nick Lodolo, lhp; Sam Moll, lhp; Brady Singer, rhp; Tyler Stephenson, c. COLORADO (3) — Ryan Feltner, rhp; Austin Gomber, lhp; Justin Lawrence, rhp. LOS ANGELES (6) — Anthony Banda, lhp; Brusdar Graterol, rhp; Michael Kopech, rhp; Gavin Lux, 2b; Evan Phillips, rhp; Alex Vesia, lhp. MIAMI (6) — Anthony Bender, rhp; Edward Cabrera, rhp; Nick Fortes, c; Braxton Garrett, lhp; Jesús Luzardo, lhp; Jesús Sánchez, of. MILWAUKEE (6) — Aaron Civale, rhp; William Contreras, c; Nick Mears, rhp; Trevor Megill, rhp; Joel Payamps, rhp; Devin Williams, rhp. NEW YORK (6) — Paul Blackburn, rhp; Tylor Megill, rhp; David Peterson, lhp; Jose Siri, of; Tyrone Taylor, of; Luis Torrens, c. PHILADELPHIA (5) — Alec Bohm, 3b; Brandon Marsh, of; Edmundo Sosa, inf; Bryson Stott, 2b; Ranger Suárez, lhp. PITTSBURGH (6) — Joey Bart, c; David Bednar, rhp; Bailey Falter, lhp; Colin Holderman, rhp; Johan Oviedo, rhp; Dennis Santana, rhp. ST. LOUIS (6) — Brendan Donovan, of-inf; Ryan Helsley, rhp; John King, lhp; Lars Nootbar, of; Andre Pallante, rhp; JoJo Romero, lhp. SAN DIEGO (6) — Jason Adam, rhp; Luis Arraez, 1b-2b; Luis Campusano, c; Dylan Cease, rhp; Michael King, rhp; Adrián Morejón, lhp. SAN FRANCISCO (3) — Camilo Doval, rhp; Tyler Rogers, rhp; LaMonte Wade Jr., 1b. WASHINGTON (5) — Riley Adams, c; Luis García, 2b; MacKenzie Gore, lhp; Derek Law, rhp; Tanner Rainey, rhp. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLBCONWAY, S.C. (AP) — Jayden Reid led South Florida with 14 points, including the game-winning jumper as time expired, and the Bulls defeated Wright State 73-72 on Sunday to claim third place at the Myrtle Beach Invitational tournament. Reid finished 6 of 9 from the field for the Bulls (4-3). Jamille Reynolds added 13 points while finishing 6 of 11 from the floor while he also had 14 rebounds and three blocks. Kobe Knox went 4 of 9 from the field (1 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 10 points. The Raiders (4-4) were led by Jack Doumbia, who posted 18 points and 10 rebounds. Solomon Callaghan added 15 points and seven rebounds for Wright State. Alex Huibregste finished with 12 points. Kasen Jennings scored seven points in the first half and South Florida went into the break trailing 34-32. Reynolds scored 10 second-half points. South Florida outscored Wright State by three points over the final half. NEXT UP South Florida plays Tuesday against Stetson at home, and Wright State hosts Air Force on Saturday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Income investors should feel happy that the REIT sector is getting a reprieve of sorts. Inflation has eased considerably and interest rates look to be heading lower in the months to come. The tough times over the past two years have taught investors to focus on quality REITs that boast high portfolio occupancies. This metric measures the level of demand for the REIT’s properties and a high occupancy can keep a REIT afloat during challenging times. Here are four Singapore REITs that not only enjoyed high portfolio occupancies but also sported distribution yields of 5.6% and higher. Sasseur REIT is a retail outlet mall REIT with four mall assets located in Chongqing, Kunming, and Hefei in China. These properties have a combined net lettable area of 310,241 square metres. Sasseur REIT reported a mixed set of earnings for the first half of 2024 (1H 2024). Its EMA rental income inched up 0.9% year on year to RMB 329 million, with the increase in the fixed component of rental income outweighing the fall in the variable component. However, EMA rental income fell slightly by 0.4% year on year to S$62.3 million because of currency translation weakness. Distribution per unit (DPU) for 1H 2024 fell by 5.1% year on year to S$0.03153. Sasseur REIT’s trailing 12-month DPU stood at S$0.0608, giving its units a trailing distribution yield of 8.7% at a unit price of S$0.70. The outlet mall REIT released an encouraging business update for the third quarter of 2024 (3Q 2024) and the first nine months of 2024 (9M 2024). Portfolio occupancy hit a new record of 98% for the quarter but outlet sales fell by 7.2% year on year to RMB 3.1 billion for 9M 2024. With outlet sales seeing weakness, 9M 2024’s EMA rental income slid by 0.1% year on year to RMB 487.6 million. Despite this, Sasseur REIT maintained one of the lowest gearing levels among S-REITs at just 25.5% along with a weighted average cost of debt of 5.3%. Paragon REIT owns a portfolio of five assets in Singapore and Australia as of 30 June 2024. These include an interest in Paragon, Clementi Mall, and Rail Mall in Singapore, a 50% stake in Westfield Marion Shopping Centre, and an 85% stake in Figtree Grove Shopping Centre, both in Australia. Like Sasseur, Paragon REIT also reported a mixed set of earnings for 1H 2024. Gross revenue increased by 3% year on year to S$147.4 million while net property income (NPI) improved by 4.5% year on year to S$110.8 million. DPU, however, was 4.1% lower year on year at S$0.0232 because management decided to receive its fees in cash to avoid dilution to unitholders. The REIT’s trailing 12-month DPU stood at S$0.0492, giving its units a trailing distribution yield of 5.7%. Paragon REIT saw its portfolio rental reversion rate improve to 19.1% for 1H 2024 from just 6.9% a year ago, attesting to the strong demand for its properties. The REIT reported a high portfolio occupancy rate of 97.9% for 3Q 2024 as gross revenue rose 3% year on year to S$223 million. Just last week, the REIT announced the divestment of Figtree Grove for A$192 million, a 5% premium to its market valuation. Daiwa House Logistics Trust, or DHLT, is a Japan-focused REIT with a portfolio of 18 high-quality logistics properties with a gross net lettable area of 476,000 square metres. The REIT reported a downbeat set of earnings for 1H 2024 as the weak Japanese Yen resulted in translation losses for the logistics REIT. Gross revenue for 1H 2024 fell by 10.7% year on year to S$27.6 million. NPI fell by 8.2% year on year to S$21.2 million and DPU dropped 6.1% year on year to S$0.0245. DHLT’s trailing 12-month DPU stood at S$0.0506, giving its units a trailing 12-month distribution yield of 7%. The Japanese REIT released a resilient business update for 3Q 2024 with its portfolio occupancy coming in high at 97.5%. 9M 2024 gross rental income improved by 1.8% year on year to JPY 4.2 billion while NPI came in 2.8% higher at JPY 3.6 billion. Distributable income, however, fell by 5.5% year on year to S$25.5 million, again due to the weakness of the Japanese Yen. DHLT’s aggregate leverage stood at 39.2% as of 30 September 2024 along with a low weighted average borrowing cost of just 1.13%. CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust, or CICT, is a retail and commercial REIT with a portfolio of 21 properties in Singapore, two in Germany, and three in Australia. The REIT’s total assets under management stood at S$24.5 billion as of 31 December 2023. CICT reported an upbeat set of earnings for 1H 2024 with gross revenue inching up 2.2% year on year to S$792 million. NPI increased by 5.4% year on year to S$582.4 million while DPU edged up 2.5% year on year to S$0.0543. CICT’s trailing 12-month DPU stood at S$0.1088, giving its units a trailing distribution yield of 5.6%. For 3Q 2024, the retail and commercial REIT continued to report strong operating metrics. Portfolio occupancy stood at 96.4% with 9M 2024 gross revenue improving by 5.4% year on year to S$872.1 million. Both the retail and office divisions saw positive rental reversions of 9.2% and 11.7%, respectively, for 9M 2024. CICT’s gearing stood at 39.4% as of 30 September 2024 along with an average cost of debt of 3.6%. Attention Dividend Investors: Now’s the time to tap into high-yield REITs in Singapore. We’ve just released our latest report, revealing the full details on five Singapore REITs, each boasting distribution yields of 5.5% or higher. With a focus on stability and performance, these REITs could be the missing piece in your dividend-focused portfolio. Download the FREE report now to unlock these high-yield treasures. Follow us on Facebook and Telegram for the latest investing news and analyses! Disclosure: Royston Yang does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned. The post 4 Singapore REITs Boasting Occupancy Rates Above 95% and Dividend Yields of 5.6% and Above appeared first on The Smart Investor .Japanese Political Parties At Odds Over Corporate Donations; Issue May Be Shelved to Prioritize Agreement on Other Points

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BAKU, Nov 25 — Rich countries’ promise of US$300 billion a year in climate finance brought fury at talks in Baku from poor nations that found it too paltry, but it also shows a shift in global political realities. The two-week marathon COP29 climate conference opened days after the decisive victory in the US presidential election of Donald Trump, a sceptic both of climate change and foreign aid. In the new year, Germany, Canada and Australia all hold elections in which conservatives less supportive of green policies stand chances of victory. Britain is an exception, with the new Labour government putting climate high back on the agenda, but in much of the West, concerns about inflation and budgetary shocks from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have dented enthusiasm for aggressive climate measures. At COP29, Germany and the European Union maintained their roles championing climate but also advocated a noticeably practical approach on how much money historical polluters should give poorer countries. “We live in a time of truly challenging geopolitics, and we should simply not have the illusion” otherwise, European climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told bleary-eyed delegates at COP29’s pre-dawn closing session Sunday, as activists in the back loudly coughed to drown him out. But he vowed leadership by Europe, hailing COP29 as “the start of a new era for climate finance”. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, a Green party member and longtime climate advocate, called for flexibility on ways to provide funding. Europe should “live up to its responsibilities, but in a way that it doesn’t make promises it can’t keep”, she said. Avinash Persaud, special advisor on climate change to the president of the Inter-American Development Bank, called the final deal “the boundary between what is politically achievable today in developed countries and what would make a difference in developing countries”. Activists say that climate funding is a duty, not choice, for wealthy nations whose decades of greenhouse gas emissions most contributed to the crisis that most hits the poorest. This year is again set to be the hottest on record on the planet. Just since COP29, deadly storms have battered the Philippines and Honduras, and Ecuador declared a national emergency due to drought and forest fires. ‘Creative accounting’? Wealthy historic emitters’ promise of US$300 billion a year by 2035 is a step up from an expiring commitment of US$100 billion annually, but all sides acknowledge it is not enough. The COP29 agreement cites the need for US$1.3 trillion per year, meaning a whopping US$1 trillion a year needs to come from elsewhere. Even within the US$300 billion commitment, some activists see too much wiggle room. “It is, to some extent, almost an empty promise,” said Mariana Paoli, the global advocacy lead at London-based development group Christian Aid. She described the target as “creative accounting”, saying there was not enough clarity on how much money would come from public funds and in grants rather than loans. She acknowledged the politics of the moment but said that wealthy nations had options such as taxation on fossil fuel companies. “There is a backlash because there is no political will,” she said. Role for multinational banks In one closely scrutinised part of the Baku deal, countries will be able to count climate finance through international financial institutions toward the US$300 billion goal. The text states that it is “voluntary” — potentially opening the way to include China, which is the world’s largest emitter but refuses to have requirements like long-developed countries. In a joint statement at COP29, multilateral development banks led by the Washington-based World Bank Group but also including the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank — which has long faced US criticism — expected that they together can provide US$120 billion annually in climate financing and mobilise another US$65 billion from the private sector by 2030. Melanie Robinson, director of the global climate program at the World Resources Institute, said there were good reasons to rely on multinational development banks, including how much capital they can leverage and their tools to advance green policies. “They are the most effective way to turn each dollar of finance into impact on the ground,” she said. She agreed that the US$300 billion was insufficient but added, “It’s a down payment on what we need.” Beyond the debate on dollar figures, she pointed to an initiative within the G20 by Brazil, which holds COP30 next year, to reform financial institutions so as to incorporate debtor nations as well as climate concerns. “There is really a much bigger opportunity for us — which is shifting the whole financial system,” she said. — AFP

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Beirut: Syrian rebels announced they had gained full control over the key city of Homs early on Sunday after only a day of fighting, leaving President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule dangling by a thread as insurgents marched on the capital, Damascus. Thousands of Homs residents poured onto the streets after the army withdrew from the central city, dancing and chanting “Assad is gone, Homs is free” and “Long live Syria and down with Bashar al-Assad”. A giant portrait of Bashar al-Assad sits on a building in Damascus. Credit: AP Rebels fired guns into the air in celebration, and youths tore down posters of the Syrian president, whose territorial control has collapsed in a dizzying week-long retreat by the military. The fall of Homs gives the insurgents control over Syria’s strategic heartland and a key highway crossroads, severing Damascus from the coastal region that is the stronghold of Assad’s Alawite sect and where his Russian allies have a naval base and air base. Homs’ capture is also a powerful symbol of the rebel movement’s dramatic comeback in the 13-year-old conflict. Swaths of Homs were destroyed by gruelling siege warfare between the rebels and the army years ago. The fighting ground down the insurgents, who were forced out. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham commander Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the main rebel leader, called the capture of Homs a historic moment and urged fighters not to harm “those who drop their arms”. Syrian opposition fighters on a seized Syrian air force fighter plane at the Hama military airport on Friday. Credit: AP Rebels freed thousands of detainees from the city prison. Security forces left quickly after burning their documents. Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul Ghani said in a statement early on Sunday that operations continued to “completely liberate” the countryside around Damascus and rebel forces were looking towards the capital. In one suburb, a statue of Assad’s father, the late former president Hafez al-Assad, was toppled and torn apart. The Syrian army said it was reinforcing around Damascus, and state television reported on Saturday that Assad remained in the city. People arrive at the Jordanian side of the border as others wait in their cars on Saturday, after a ban on crossings into Syria. Credit: Getty Images The lightning rebel advance suggests Assad’s government could fall within the next week, US and other Western officials said. Since the rebels’ sweep into Aleppo a week ago , government defences have crumbled at a dizzying speed as insurgents seized a string of major cities and rose in places where the rebellion had long seemed over. The twin threats to Damascus and the strategically vital city of Homs now pose an existential danger to the Assad dynasty’s five-decade reign over Syria and the continued influence in the country of its main regional backer, Iran. The rebels’ moves around Damascus, reported by an opposition war monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of the southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is backed by Russia and Iran, but both are bogged down in separate conflicts. Credit: Saudi Press Agency/AP 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-Qaeda and is considered a terrorist organisation by the US 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 UN’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, Pedersen 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 felt “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 city were shuttered, a resident told the Associated Press, and those still open had run 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 years-long siege. The UN said it was moving non-critical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad rumours Syria’s state media denied social media rumours that Assad had left the country, saying the president was performing his duties in Damascus. Assad has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia is busy with its war in Ukraine, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad’s forces, has been weakened by a year-long conflict with Israel. Iran has had its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. US President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that the US should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. A Syrian opposition fighter holds a rocket launcher in front of the provincial government office. Credit: AP Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on implementing a 2015 UN resolution 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 UN-supervised elections. Foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pedersen, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha summit on Saturday to discuss the situation. No details were immediately available. The insurgents’ march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the UK-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 also marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he said. An insurgent commander, Hassan Abdul Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. Syrian rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani. Credit: Al Jazeera HTS controls much of north-west Syria and, in 2017, set up a “salvation government” to run daily 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-Qaeda, ditching hardline officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. Syria’s military, meanwhile, sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third-largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts. The shock offensive began on November 27, during which rebel fighters captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama, the country’s fourth-largest city. Opposition activists on Friday said insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites that 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. The Syrian Observatory said government troops had withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces and were sending reinforcements to Homs, where a battle loomed. If the insurgents were to capture Homs, they would cut the link between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where the president enjoys wide support. The army said in a statement that it had 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 the 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 the main backer of the rebels. Qatar’s top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticised 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 was 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. AP, Reuters Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter .

Murdoch sat in a separate room, away from the DJ and partygoers holding pink cocktails, and met with the cream of Australia’s media, entertainment and sporting crop for a few minutes each to talk politics. Rupert Murdoch , the 93-year-old media baron , flew into Sydney this week for the first time in six years. On Thursday night, he held court at his eldest son Lachlan and wife Sarah ’s annual Christmas party at their Bellevue Hill mansion, Le Manoir, the AFR’s Sam Buckingham Jones reports. It is one of the biggest social events of the Murdoch calendar (which was cancelled last year ), and Rupert being there made this year arguably the biggest in years. Invites featured a piece from cartoonist Johannes Leak and the promise of “Christmas cocktails” while wearing smart casual. [Read more] The federal government is set to decide, in the coming fortnight, whether to force Meta to ­negotiate payment-for-content deals with Australian news media companies, The Australian’s James Madden reports. In 2021, the Morrison government introduced the news media bargaining code – legislation that required tech giants such as Meta and Google to pay for the right to display Australian news content on their platforms. In February this year, Meta – owner of Facebook, ­Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads – announced that it wouldn’t be renewing its commercial deals with Australian news publishers, which were worth an estimated $70 million a year to the industry. Under the terms of the bargaining code, the Australian ­government could “designate” Meta, which would force the Mark Zuckerberg-controlled company back to the bargaining table to reach commercial terms with Australian media companies. [Read more] Newsroom unrest within Nine’s TV news bunker is likely to continue over the Christmas-New Year period, as management battles to allay deep concerns among rank-and-file staff that the company’s handling of internal workplace issues – in the wake of the devastating Intersection report – has fallen short of expectations, The Australian’s James Madden reports. Diary is aware that Fiona Dear , Nine’s director of news and current affairs, has been the subject of multiple complaints from newsroom staff to management in the seven weeks since the publication of the Intersection review, which uncovered a culture of entrenched bullying and power imbalances within the company. The claims against Dear are separate to allegations raised as part of the Intersection review, and do not necessarily relate to allegations of misconduct since the report was handed down in late October. Rather, it’s understood that the general findings of the Intersection review prompted some staff to make separate, and as yet untested, claims against Dear. [Read more] Growing up in Marrickville in the 1980s, Anh Do’s friends nicknamed him “Weirdo” – a playful twist on his surname (“Weir Do”). Little did Do know that the books he would go on to write, inspired by his childhood, would dominate Australia’s bestseller lists for five consecutive years. Now, they’re set to hit television screens, The Age’s Kerrie O’Brien reports. The Weirdo series is being turned into a television series by Ludo studio – creator of the beloved children’s show Bluey – in partnership with Warner Bros. A release date has not yet been announced. Do’s Wolf Girl series is being adapted into a film by Rose Byrne’s production company Dollhouse Pictures, alongside Foundation Media Partners, with casting expected to begin in coming months. Along with the team at Ludo, Do worked on the pilot episode of Weirdo with Johnny Lowry, now at Warner Bros, who produced the ABC TV show Anh’s Brush with Fame . [Read more] In mid-October, Nine Radio director Tom Malone pulled the trigger on a plan to slash costs at Perth’s talkback radio station, 6PR, the AFR’s Sam Buckingham Jones reports. This, he argued in internal messages, was necessary to “reset” 6PR, which was running at a loss and could no longer be propped up by the broader business. Station manager Emily White ended her 14-year tenure by resigning a short time later – while popular presenter Gary Adshead , who hosted the morning show, quit within days to join the ABC. The Perth cuts are part of a broader significant change across Nine Radio, which dominates the nation’s talkback radio market. It owns 3AW in Melbourne, 2GB in Sydney and 4BC in Brisbane, all of which prioritise local news, sport, some music and opinion with a broadly conservative slant. Nine Radio also leases 2UE, 4BH and Magic1278 to ACE Radio. The business reported $131.8 million in revenue in 2019. Last year it wrote $103 million. The entire industry is struggling with these consumer changes. [Read more] The owner of Britain’s The Guardian newspaper has pressed on with a £25 million ($49 million) deal to sell off the group’s Sunday title, The Observer , defying a 48-hour walkout by journalists, The Guardian’s Europe correspondent Hans van Leeuwen reports. The board of the Scott Trust, the £1.3 billion fund that owns the two titles, gave its in-principle backing late on Thursday (Friday AEDT) to sell the 233-year-old the Observer – the world’s oldest Sunday paper – to online news start-up Tortoise Media. The move comes amid a slew of deals in the British media industry: The Spectator magazine, The Daily Telegraph broadsheet newspaper and regional newspaper group National World have all either changed hands or are sitting on the sales block. [Read more] It’s not the “neighbours” on Ramsay Street that Kate Connick is dressing to impress: it’s the trendy Melburnians. The rising US actor – also known as “Skate” (from her birth name, Sara Kate) – has settled in the inner-city suburb of Collingwood while filming a guest role on Neighbours, The Herald Sun’s Siobhan Duck reports. “I feel like I’m definitely living in the ‘cool’ area, so I got a second piercing just to try to fit in,” Connick, 27, tells Stellar with a laugh. “Collingwood reminds me of Brooklyn a bit.” While Australia feels very distant from Connecticut – the US state where she grew up – family is never far away. Connick’s younger sister Charlotte, 22, is training at Melbourne’s 16th Street Actors Studio, while her elder sibling Georgia, 28, is studying cinematography at the Australian Film Television and Radio School in Sydney. [Read more]Investors digest another letdown from tech giants