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BEIRUT — Islamist rebels breached neighborhoods in Syria’s second-largest city of Aleppo and clashed with government military forces after detonating two car bombs Friday. The Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, the monitoring organization, said fierce clashes were underway between the attacking insurgents and regime troops. Syrian armed forces were repelling attacks, the Syrian Defense ministry said Friday, adding government forces involved in combat operations were able to regain control over some areas. "Our armed forces have inflicted heavy losses on the attacking organizations, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries among the terrorists," Syria's general command of the army and armed forces said in a statement translated by NBC News. The Syrian civil war started in early 2011 with a wave of protests against the authoritarian rule of President Bashar al-Assad.

Persons: Bakr, Witnesses, Bashar al, Assad, Assad's, Matt Bradley, Daniel Arkin Organizations: Associated Press, Syrian Observatory of Human, Fighters, Getty, AP, Syrian Defense, NBC News, Syrian Observatory, Human Rights Locations: BEIRUT, Syria’s, Aleppo, Russia, Iran, Rashidin, AFP, Syrian, Beirut, Atlanta

☆ From disaster to hope: A Vermont family thankful for community support after flood destroyed home
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-29 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ap-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

PEACHAM, Vt. — The last thing John and Jenny Mackenzie saw as they fled their Vermont home with their daughters, dog and two guinea pigs last summer was their cars upended and propelled away by rushing flood waters. “It was just like it was a horror movie at that point,” John Mackenzie said of the surreal scene on that July 10 night. “We lost both of our vehicles, our home and our barn and at least half of our possessions,” Jenny Mackenzie said. Donations from friends, family and others in their community have helped the Mackenzies find a new house in time for Thanksgiving, giving them hope amid ongoing challenges. “It’s unbelievable the way that we were supported and we’ve been trying to find ways to communicate that gratitude,” said John Mackenzie, 49.

Persons: John, Jenny Mackenzie, Hurricane Beryl, ” John Mackenzie, “, we’ve, ”, John Mackenzie Organizations: Associated Press Locations: Vermont

☆ Period pain and depression: Study finds genetic connections
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-29 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It uses genetic data … to see if having certain genes linked to depression also makes people more likely to have menstrual pain. The findings help expand the important, and often overlooked, discussion around mental health and period pain. Below, experts elaborate on newfound and known associations between period pain and depression, why a genetic cause can’t be inferred from a genetic connection, and ways you can manage depressive symptoms and painful periods. On the other hand, experts noted that the opposite relationship — period pain or reproductive shifts preceding depression — has occurred in both human and animal research and in clinical practice. Additionally, methods experts know to be effective in treating period pain can also improve depression, Amies Oelschlager said — such as exercise, yoga, stress-reduction techniques, dietary changes and good sleep quality and quantity.

Persons: —, ”, John Moraros, Moraros, ” Moraros, Anne, Marie Amies Oelschlager, wasn’t, Amies Oelschlager, Claudio Soares, Soares, dysmenorrhea, “, Hugh Taylor, Anita O’Keeffe Young, Taylor wasn’t, Taylor Organizations: CNN, School of Science, Jiaotong, Liverpool University, Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, University of Washington School of Medicine, Queen’s University School of Medicine, American College of Obstetricians, Yale School of Medicine Locations: China, Kingston , Ontario

☆ ‘Wildly disruptive’: What happened last time Trump moved a federal agency out of DC
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-29 | by ( Curt Devine | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

That western relocation was “wildly disruptive” and should serve as a “cautionary tale” for the incoming Trump administration, said Tracy Stone-Manning, the Biden administration’s BLM director. Project 2025, a conservative blueprint written by dozens of former Trump administration officials, recommended returning the BLM headquarters to the West. Most BLM staffers already worked in states outside of DC, but a disproportionate level of senior staffers worked in the nation’s capital. But an inspector general report later found that Trump administration officials had misled Congress in statements about the relocation. Future efforts to move federal offices out of DC could lead more federal workers to unionize.

Persons: Donald Trump, he’d, ” Trump, Trump, —, Tracy Stone, Manning, “, ” Stone, ”, AAron Ontiveroz, Mary Jo Rugwell, Joe Tague, Vance, Karoline Leavitt, Caroline Brehman, Donald Kettl, “ It’s, David Bernhardt, Raúl, Trump’s, Mick Mulvaney, Manuel Heart, Rebecca Slezak, William Perry Pendley, Biden, Eric Kriley, ” Pendley, Pendley, RJ, Stone Organizations: CNN, Land Management, BLM, Trump, Biden, Office, Denver Post, Public Lands Foundation, Energy, Natural Resources Committee, University of Maryland’s School of Public, feds, Interior Department, Democrat, Republican, Washington Examiner, Ute, Democratic, GAO, Agency, Mesa, RJ Sangosti, Management Locations: Washington, Grand, , Colorado, DC, Colorado, —, Mesa County , Colorado, Washington ,, Arizona, Ute, Towaoc , Colorado, California, Utah, Junction, Grand Junction , Colorado, BLM’s

☆ Are scented candles bad for you? What the science says
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-29 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The risk of toxic emissions is greater when candles are scented or dyed, which is another reason why paraffin-free candles aren’t immediately in the clear. The association’s stance is based on an October 2021 study that consisted of burning 24 soy and paraffin candles, scented and unscented. However, the research was a joint effort between the NCA, the European Candle Manufacturers Association and the Latin American Candle Association. If you simply can’t resist using scented candles, look for those with essential oils or candles labeled as phthalate-free. When burning scented candles, do so in small doses to avoid headaches or irritation of the respiratory system or eyes.

Persons: Sobia Farooq, Ariful Haque, Haque, ”, Sarah Evans, VOCs, Evans, —, ” Evans, “, Farooq, Evans ’, that’s, wicks Organizations: CNN, National Candle Association, Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner College of Medicine, Yan’an, Kunming Medical University, American Lung Association, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Centers for Disease Control, Occupational Safety, Health Administration, Icahn School of Medicine, Candle Association, NCA, Candle Manufacturers Association, American Candle Association, ASTM International, American Society for Testing, ASTM Locations: China, Mount Sinai, United States, Australia, Denmark

☆ Laos methanol poisonings: Don’t drink local ‘Tiger’ spirits in Laos, Australia warns after tourist deaths
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-29 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Australia has warned travelers against drinking spirits made by a Laos distiller, following the deaths of six foreign tourists from suspected methanol poisoning in the Southeast Asian country. “Lao authorities have issued an order prohibiting the sale and consumption of Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky due to their concerns about these products being a health risk,” the Australian advisory said. One, who asked not to be named, told CNN they had conducted an independent survey of travelers who also fell ill or were hospitalized after suspected methanol poisoning. Laos Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky are a brand of locally produced spirits that are cheap to buy and often used in mixed drinks and cocktails. If not treated, fatality rates are reported to be 20% to 40%, depending on the concentration of the methanol and the amount ingested, according to medical charity Doctors Without Borders, which tracks cases of methanol poisoning globally.

Persons: Bianca Jones, Holly Bowles, Anne, Sofie Orkild Coyman, Frela Vennervald Sorensen, James Louis Hutson, Simone White, Vang Vieng, Backpacker Organizations: CNN, Facebook, Laotian Times, Associated Press, AP Locations: Australia, Laos, Laos ’, Vang, Vang Vieng, British, Melbourne

☆ Who gets weight loss drugs covered by insurance? In North Carolina, being on Medicaid helps
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-28 | by ( Melba Newsome | Kff Health News | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

“This exceeds the amount the State Health Plan spends on cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and chemotherapy medications,” the State Health Plan said in a March statement. The health plan’s board of trustees eliminated coverage of this class of medications for weight loss starting in April. “They know diets don’t work long-term for weight loss, yet they are denying coverage for a medication that has been effective,” Blanchard said. But patients typically need to stay on the medications to maintain their weight loss, meaning they face long-term costs. Besides making the medication more affordable, he said, it should encourage the use of weight loss drugs and treatment of obesity as a chronic disease instead of stigmatizing it as a moral failing.

Persons: Anita Blanchard, Charlotte, —, Blanchard, ”, “, Biden, ” Blanchard, Donald Trump, Ozempic, Nishant Shah, Kody Kinsley, doesn’t, ” Kinsley, Kinsley, “ We’re, Duke’s Shah, ” Shah, Melissa Jones, ‘, ’ ” Jones, Blanchard can’t Organizations: University of North, North Carolina, Health, State Health, West Virginia, Medicare, Services, Duke University, North Carolina Department of Health, Human Services, University of Chicago Locations: University of North Carolina, North Carolina, North, West, Connecticut, Carolina, U.S

The tariffs would be a significant escalation of Trump’s previous proposal, which was already a major increase on more targeted tariffs enacted during Trump’s first administration and kept in place by President Joe Biden. Canada is similarly considering its own options, including possible tariffs on U.S. goods, according to The Associated Press. America’s biggest import from Canada is oil — and any increase in energy prices would likely be felt throughout the economy. And in her statement reacting to Trump’s posts, Mexico’s Sheinbaum stated caravans of migrants were no longer reaching the border. And now he’s talking about tariffs to punish Mexico and Canada for not enforcing drugs and migrants across the border.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Trump’s, Joe Biden, Claudia Sheinbaum, ” Ernie Tedeschi, Biden, Corie Barry, “, ” Barry, ”, Kayleigh McEnany, Dan Crenshaw, doesn’t, Steve Forbes, Mexico’s Sheinbaum, Douglas Irwin, mingles, you’re, ” Irwin Organizations: Yale, NBC News, Associated Press, America’s, Canada —, NBC, National Retail Federation, ”, Trump, ” Fox News, Fox News, Centers for Disease Control, U.S . Drug, Administration, U.S . Customs, Border Patrol, Dartmouth University Locations: Mexico, Canada, U.S, China, Texas

☆ Irregular sleep patterns may raise risk of heart attack and stroke, study suggests
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-28 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

They calculated each person’s Sleep Regularity Index (SRI) score, with higher scores denoting more regular sleepers. The team then tracked incidents of cardiovascular death, heart attack, heart failure and stroke over eight years and found that irregular sleepers were 26% more likely to suffer one of these events than those with a regular sleep cycle. Irregular sleep means the variations in the time someone goes to sleep and wakes up. However, it was an observational study and, as such, can only establish a link rather than cause and effect: we can’t know for sure if irregular sleep patterns caused the increased risk. But even those irregular sleepers who got the recommended amount of sleep had a higher risk of suffering a major cardiovascular event.

Persons: Jean Pierre Chaput, ”, “, Chaput, Naveed Sattar, Attar Organizations: CNN, University of Ottawa, World Health Organization, University of Glasgow, Epidemiology & Community Health Locations: Canada, Scotland

☆ Tech companies put on notice as Australia passes world-first social media ban for under-16s
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-28 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Brisbane, Australia CNN —Australia’s parliament has passed a world-first law banning social media for children under 16, putting tech companies on notice to tighten security before a cut-off date that’s yet to be set. Under the new law, tech companies must take “reasonable steps” to prevent under-age users from accessing social media services or face fines of nearly 50 million Australian dollars ($32 million). “We know that social media can be a weapon for bullies, a platform for peer pressure, a driver of anxiety, a vehicle for scammers. The prime minister says he’s worried about social media. “We need to make social media safer for everybody.”A rushed processThe government has faced considerable criticism for the speed of the legislation.

Persons: Australia CNN —, Anthony Albanese, “ we’ve, ”, Albanese, Liberal Sen, Maria Kovacic, Greens Sen, Sarah Hanson, Young, he’s, ‘, TikTok, “, Bill, Elon Musk, YouGov, Dany Elachi, didn’t, won’t Organizations: Australia CNN, Facebook, Liberal Party, Liberal, Greens, Tech, Meta, Inc, Up Alliance Locations: Brisbane, Australia

☆ Biden cautions Trump over imposing tariffs on Mexico and Canada: 'I hope he rethinks it'
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-28 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AdvertisementPresident Joe Biden said that he hopes Donald Trump "rethinks" imposing tariffs on Mexico and Canada. President Joe Biden on Thursday expressed hope that President-elect Donald Trump would back down on his plan to impose tariffs on two of the US' closest allies. "I hope he rethinks it, I think it is a counterproductive thing to do," Biden told reporters on Thanksgiving. He said the tariffs would be among his first actions upon taking office, reopening the door to a national security law that lets the president impose tariffs with few limitations. Trump spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum not long after he made the new tariff threat.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, Biden, Kamala Harris teed, Claudia Sheinbaum, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, Sheinbaum Organizations: North American Free Trade, Trump, Associated Press Locations: Mexico, Canada, United States

☆ At least 15 killed and more than 100 missing after landslides bury homes in Uganda
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-28 | by ( Story Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

AP —At least 15 people have died and 113 others are still missing after landslides buried homes in six villages in eastern Uganda, police said. The Uganda Red Cross Society said Thursday that 13 bodies had been recovered after landslides buried 40 homes and the rescue effort was continuing. The landslides happened after heavy rains on Wednesday night in the mountainous district of Bulambuli, where landslides are common. More than a hundred people were missing on Thursday, after the landslides buried homes across six villages. Two rescue boats capsized on Wednesday during a rescue mission on River Nile where Pakwach bridge was submerged.

Persons: Jean Watala Organizations: Buluganya Health, Uganda Red Cross Society, Local, Associated Press, Daily Monitor Locations: Uganda, Bulambuli, Kampala

☆ Shohei Ohtani: Los Angeles Dodgers star seeks $325,000 worth of baseball cards from his ex-interpreter
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-28 | by ( Associated Press | Story The | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

AP —Baseball star Shohei Ohtani wants his former interpreter to hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of baseball cards he says were fraudulently bought using his money. The legal filing alleges Mizuhara accessed Ohtani’s bank account beginning around November 2021, changing his security protocols so that he could impersonate him to authorize wire transfers. By 2024, Mizuhara had used that money to buy about $325,000 worth of baseball cards at online resellers eBay and Whatnot, according to the court documents. Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball star Shohei Ohtani, leaves federal court in Santa Ana, California, on June 4, 2024. Earlier this year, Ohtani and the Dodgers won the World Series, and the baseball star won his third Most Valuable Player award.

Persons: Shohei Ohtani, Ippei Mizuhara, Mizuhara, Michael G, Freedman, Shohei, Damian Dovarganes, Ohtani —, — Organizations: —, Los Angeles Dodgers, Derby, American League MVP, Los Angeles Angels, MLB, NBA, NFL, Dodgers Locations: Santa Ana , California, Arizona, Japan

☆ Judge finds New York City in contempt over jail conditions, moves closer to a federal takeover
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ap-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

A judge on Wednesday found New York City in contempt for failing to staunch violence and brutality at its jails, a scathing ruling that puts the troubled Rikers Island jail complex on the verge of a federal takeover. It would not involve a takeover by the Justice Department, nor would the city’s jails become part of the federal Bureau of Prisons. Nineteen people died in custody at Rikers Island in 2022. There has been “no substantial reduction in the risk of harm currently facing those who live and work in the Rikers Island jails,” the judge wrote. Under a plan approved by the city council in 2019, New York City is legally required to shutter Rikers Island and replace it with four smaller and more modern jails by 2027.

Persons: Laura Taylor Swain, leadership’s, Swain, Eric Adams, ” Swain, Jan, Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady, Maazel, ”, “, Benny Boscio, Adams Organizations: New, ”, Justice Department, of Prisons, Legal Aid Society, city’s Department of Correction, Democrat Locations: New York City, Manhattan, East, Rikers

☆ Wendy Williams is 'cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated,' guardian says
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Wendy Williams has become “cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated,” according to a memo filed by her guardian’s lawyers. Williams was diagnosed in 2023 with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, her team said in a statement in February. The filing is part of a lawsuit Morrissey filed against A&E Television Networks, Lifetime Entertainment Services, and others in connection with the release of the docuseries “Where is Wendy Williams?” in February. Williams hosted the “The Wendy Williams Show” from 2008 to 2021. Sherri Shepherd took over the time slot in 2022, before “The Wendy Williams Show” was eventually canceled.

Persons: Wendy Williams, Sabrina Morrissey, Williams, Morrissey, ”, Morrissesy, ” Williams, Graves, Sherri Shepherd, Wells Fargo, TODAY.com, Wendy Organizations: Mayo Clinic, E Television Networks, Lifetime Entertainment Services, ”, Variety, NBC, NBC News Locations: New York, Wells Fargo, Wells

☆ Ohio governor signs bill restricting trans students' school bathroom use
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Kaitlyn Schwanemann | Kaitlyn Schwanemann Is An Intern For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Mike DeWine signed a bill Wednesday banning transgender students from using school restrooms that align with their gender identities. The bill also mandates that Ohio schools cannot have restrooms or locker rooms that are open to all genders, excluding family facilities or single-occupancy facilities. Instead, it will make trans people less safe and fail to increase the safety of all students,” Antonio wrote. Ohio House Republicans attached the legislation about restrooms to proposals regarding report card data for Ohio’s college credit program for high school students. “Extremist politicians are panicking because transgender students exist," Willingham-Jaggers said.

Persons: Mike DeWine, “, ”, Barbara J, DeWine, ” Jocelyn Rosnick, Nickie J, Antonio, ” Antonio, Christian Virtue, David Mahan, Mahan, Melanie Willingham, Willingham, Jaggers Organizations: Gov, Republican, Ohio Gov, USA, Associated Press, American Civil Liberties Union, Democratic, Christian, Senate, Research, Social, Ohio House Republicans Locations: Alabama , Arkansas, Florida , Idaho , Iowa , Kansas , Kentucky, North Dakota , Oklahoma , Tennessee, Utah, Ohio, Columbus

President-elect Donald Trump said he intends to nominate Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford University professor known for his criticism of Covid lockdowns, to serve as the next director of the National Institutes of Health. In a statement Tuesday, Trump said, "Dr. Bhattacharya will work in cooperation with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to direct the Nation's Medical Research, and to make important discoveries that will improve Health and save lives." Bhattacharya gained national attention in October 2020, when he co-wrote the "Great Barrington Declaration," an open letter calling on public health officials to roll back Covid lockdowns. Several days after the Great Barrington Declaration came out, 80 researchers from the fields of public health, epidemiology and more published a joint letter in the medical journal The Lancet, calling the idea "a dangerous fallacy." Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organization, called the proposal unethical.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jay Bhattacharya, Covid, Trump, Dr, Bhattacharya, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kennedy, Jim O’Neill, O'Neill, Bush, Martin Kulldorff, Sunetra Gupta, Ghebreyesus, ” Ghebreyesus, Anthony Fauci Organizations: Stanford University, National Institutes of Health, Nation's, Research, Health, Department of Health, Human Services, Centers for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration, Harvard, Oxford, World Health Organization, National Institute of Allergy Locations: American, Barrington

☆ Ceasefire brings calm in Israel and Lebanon, but fears remain among the displaced
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Alex-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Alexander Smith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

After almost 14 months of deadly bombings, the skies above southern Lebanon and northern Israel were quiet Wednesday as a ceasefire negotiated by the United States took effect. In northern Israel, 60,000 people have been forced from their homes, with 80 soldiers and 50 civilians killed, according to local officials. He did not say when those displaced by the fighting might be able to return to their homes in northern Israel. The Israeli military, which has not yet withdrawn from southern Lebanon, said the opposite. Nahariya, northern Israel, seen here Wednesday, is one of the areas affected by the conflict.

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Hala Saeed, Nidal Solh, ” Kamal al, Haj Ali, Netanyahu, —, Israel, “, Nabih Berri, ”, Avichay Adraee, Jake Sullivan, Biden, Ahmad Gharabli, Itamar Ben Gvir Organizations: United, Hezbollah, Associated Press, Getty, AP, United Nations, UNHCR, Israel Defense Forces Arab, IDF, European Union, Palestinian, MSNBC, Channel, Netanyahu's, National Locations: Lebanon, Israel, United States, Iran, Lebanese, AFP, Sidon, Gaza, Washington, France, Syria, “, ”, Middle, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar

☆ ICC prosecutor requests arrest warrants for the head of Myanmar’s military regime
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ap-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor asked judges on Wednesday to issue an arrest warrant for the head of Myanmar’s military regime for crimes committed against the country’s Rohingya Muslim minority. From a refugee camp in Bangladesh, the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, said in a statement that he intends to request more warrants for Myanmar’s leaders soon. “In doing so, we will be demonstrating, together with all of our partners, that the Rohingya have not been forgotten. The allegations stem from a counterinsurgency campaign that Myanmar’s military began in August 2017 in response to an insurgent attack. In 2018 judges at the court ruled the prosecutor could look into crimes which were “completed” on the territory of a member state, such as forcible deportation.

Persons: Court’s, Min Aung Hlaing, Aung San, Karim Khan, “, Hlaing, Khan, Fatou Bensouda, ” Organizations: Myanmar Defense Services, International Court of Justice, United Nations ’, Myanmar Locations: Aung San Suu, Bangladesh, Myanmar, San, Gambia, Canada

☆ Eight detained in Laos over mass poisoning as families demand answers
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Seyed Ismail Nafeesa | Seyed Ismail Nafeesa Is An Intern On Nbc News'S Asia Desk. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG — Eight employees of a backpacker hostel in Laos have been detained for questioning by local authorities investigating the deaths of six foreign tourists from suspected methanol poisoning, local media reported. Two Australian teenagers, two Danish women, an American man and a British woman have been confirmed dead by their governments. He and the owner of the hostel, who is also Vietnamese, were also detained for questioning last week, The AP reported. I was happy to hear that there’s been some movement over in Laos,” Jones’s father, Mark Jones, told reporters at Melbourne Airport. A New Zealand citizen who was also poisoned by tainted alcohol but survived has returned home, Reuters reported Monday, citing a spokesperson for the New Zealand foreign ministry.

Persons: Duong Duc Toan, Anupam Nath, Bianca Jones, Holly Bowles, James Louis Hutson, Jones, Bowles, “, there’s, ”, Mark Jones Organizations: HONG KONG —, Laotian Times, Associated Press, AP, ”, Melbourne Airport, New Zealand, Reuters, New Locations: HONG KONG, Laos, American, British, Vang Vieng, Vientiane, State, Australia, New Zealand, U.S

☆ Blake Snell and Dodgers reportedly agree to $182 million, 5-year contract
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Blake Snell has agreed to a $182 million, five-year contract with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations. The two-time Cy Young Award winner broke the news personally by posting a photo of himself on social media in a Dodgers uniform — No. Snell would join two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani in a star-studded rotation, giving the Dodgers the first mega deal of this offseason following Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year contract last winter. Snell’s $36.4 million average salary would rank as the fifth-highest among active deals next year behind Ohtani ($70 million), Philadelphia pitcher Zack Wheeler ($42 million), New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge ($40 million) and Texas pitcher Jacob deGrom ($37 million). The left-hander agreed in March to a $62 million, two-year contract that included a $17 million signing bonus payable on Jan. 15, 2026, a $15 million salary for 2024 and a $30 million salary for 2025, of which $15 million would have been deferred and payable on July 1, 2027.

Persons: Blake Snell, Cy Young, Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler, Zack Wheeler, Aaron Judge, Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander Organizations: Los Angeles Dodgers, Associated Press, Dodgers, ESPN, National League, Dodgers ’, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Giants, Cincinnati, Tampa Bay, Rays, Padres, San Diego Locations: Angeles, Philadelphia, New, Texas, San Francisco, San Diego

☆ Laos methanol: Foreign hostel staff detained after poisonings as families demand answers
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The hostel manager and owner, who are also Vietnamese, were previously detained for questioning by police, according to the Associated Press. The empty bar of Nana Backpackers hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos, on November 22, 2024. Travelers conduct own investigationWith little information forthcoming from Laos authorities, some travelers in Vang Vieng and friends of those who died have taken it upon themselves to investigate. We miss our daughters desperately,” Jones said, after news broke of the arrests in Vang Vieng. In recent decades, Vang Vieng had earned a notorious reputation as a hedonistic party center where travelers could easily access cheap alcohol and illicit drugs.

Persons: –, Nana, Anupam Nath, Vang Vieng, Holly Bowles, Bianca Jones, Mark Jones, ” Jones, “, there’s, Vang Organizations: CNN, Laotian Times, Associated Press, AP, Nine News, Lao News Agency, Melbourne, Nine, Facebook Locations: Laos, British, American, Vang Vieng, AP Laos, Australian, Vang, Australia, Melbourne, Laos …

☆ France's far right propped up the weak government. But could now bring it crashing down
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

France's government is hanging by a thread with the far-right National Rally party threatening to bring down Prime Minister Michel Barnier's administration by the end of the year. "We will see if today's proposals are taken on board, but nothing is certain," Le Pen said Monday, in comments reported by the Associated Press. "We said what were the non-negotiable elements for us," Le Pen said, AP added. The original budget has now gone to the Senate for review and debate before it faces a final vote on Dec. 12. Barnier has signaled he could use special constitutional powers to circumvent a parliamentary vote and get the budget passed by presidential decree.

Persons: Michel Barnier's, Le Pen, Barnier, — Organizations: Barnier, Associated Press, AP, National Rally, Front, Senate, National Assembly

☆ Lawsuit alleges that young dancers for Shen Yun Performing Arts have faced abuse
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The lawsuit said Shen Yun has made hundreds of millions of dollars by exploiting young dancers it recruits from abroad, forcing them to work grueling hours and scaring them into thinking they’d face harm if they quit. According to the website, Shen Yun, along with Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and Fei Tian College — which were also named as defendants — were founded by followers of the Falun Gong faith. After the first year, she was paid $500 a month until she “graduated” from Fei Tian College in 2019, when her salary was raised to $1,000 a month, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit said she contracted measles when she was 14 but was not permitted to see a doctor. Instead, the lawsuit said, she was told to meditate to feel better and was required to work while she recovered.

Persons: Shen Yun, Chang Chun, Chang, Shen Yen, “ Organizations: White Plains , New York AP, Shen Yun Performing Arts, Chinese Communist Party, CCP, New York State Department of Education, New, New England Commission, Higher, Fei Tian Academy of, Arts, Fei Tian, Radio City Music Hall, Fei Tian College Locations: White Plains , New York, White Plains, Dragon Springs, Cuddebackville , New York, New England, Manhattan, United States, Taiwan

☆ Russia appears to be stepping up its use of decoy drones to outwit Ukrainian air defenses
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

It's using decoy drones to outwit Ukrainian defenses, according to the ISW. Around half the drones used to attack Ukraine are decoy drones, a report said. Russia is stepping up its use of decoy drones to distract Ukrainian air defenses in mass aerial attacks, according to The Institute for the Study of War (ISW). This, said the ISW's analysts, suggests that "Russian forces likely used a large number of decoy drones to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses." The Associated Press in November found that Russia was using swarms of fake drones to surround deadly thermobaric drones, which are highly destructive.

Organizations: The Institute, Ukraine, Associated Press, AP Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Washington, DC, Russian

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