Smile 2’s Terrifying Hallway Scene Was Choreographed Like a Dance

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ANDOVER, Mass. , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TransMedics Group, Inc. ("TransMedics") (Nasdaq: TMDX ), a medical technology company that is transforming organ transplant therapy for patients with end-stage lung, heart, and liver failure, today announced that it will host an Investor & Analyst Day in New York City on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 , at 10:00 AM ET . Waleed Hassanein , MD., President and Chief Executive Officer, and members of the leadership team will present an overview of TransMedics' growth strategy, clinical pipeline, and operations. A live and archived webcast of presentations and Q&A sessions will be available on the "Investors" section of the TransMedics website at https://investors.transmedics.com . Please note management will only take questions from the live audience during the question-and-answer session following the formal presentations. In-person attendance at the event requires advanced registration. Please email Laine Morgan at [email protected] by December 4, 2024 , for further information. About TransMedics Group, Inc. TransMedics is the world's leader in portable extracorporeal warm perfusion and assessment of donor organs for transplantation. Headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts , the company was founded to address the unmet need for more and better organs for transplantation and has developed technologies to preserve organ quality, assess organ viability prior to transplant, and potentially increase the utilization of donor organs for the treatment of end-stage heart, lung, and liver failure. Investor Contact: Brian Johnston Laine Morgan 332-895-3222 [email protected] SOURCE TransMedics Group, Inc.

First it was Canada , then the Panama Canal . Now, Donald Trump again wants Greenland. The president-elect is renewing unsuccessful calls he made during his first term for the U.S. to buy Greenland from Denmark, adding to the list of allied countries with which he's picking fights even before taking office on Jan. 20. In a Sunday announcement naming his ambassador to Denmark , Trump wrote that, “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity." Trump again having designs on Greenland comes after the president-elect suggested over the weekend that the U.S. could retake control of the Panama Canal if something isn't done to ease rising shipping costs required for using the waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He's also been suggesting that Canada become the 51st U.S. state and referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor” of the “Great State of Canada.” Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, said Trump tweaking friendly countries harkens back to an aggressive style he used during his days in business. “You ask something unreasonable and it’s more likely you can get something less unreasonable,” said Farnsworth, who is also author of the book “Presidential Communication and Character.” Greenland, the world’s largest island, sits between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. It is 80% covered by an ice sheet and is home to a large U.S. military base. It gained home rule from Denmark in 1979 and its head of government, Múte Bourup Egede, suggested that Trump’s latest calls for U.S. control would be as meaningless as those made in his first term. “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale,” he said in a statement. “We must not lose our years-long fight for freedom.” Trump canceled a 2019 visit to Denmark after his offer to buy Greenland was rejected by Copenhagen, and ultimately came to nothing. He also suggested Sunday that the U.S. is getting “ripped off” at the Panama Canal. “If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question,” he said. Panama President José Raúl Mulino responded in a video that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to,” but Trump fired back on his social media site, “We’ll see about that!” The president-elect also posted a picture of a U.S. flag planted in the canal zone under the phrase, “Welcome to the United States Canal!” The United States built the canal in the early 1900s but relinquished control to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter. The canal depends on reservoirs that were hit by 2023 droughts that forced it to substantially reduce the number of daily slots for crossing ships. With fewer ships, administrators also increased the fees that shippers are charged to reserve slots to use the canal. The Greenland and Panama flareups followed Trump recently posting that “Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State" and offering an image of himself superimposed on a mountaintop surveying surrounding territory next to a Canadian flag. Trudeau suggested that Trump was joking about annexing his country, but the pair met recently at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida to discuss Trump's threats to impose a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods. “Canada is not going to become part of the United States, but Trump’s comments are more about leveraging what he says to get concessions from Canada by putting Canada off balance, particularly given the precarious current political environment in Canada,” Farnsworth said. “Maybe claim a win on trade concessions, a tighter border or other things.” He said the situation is similar with Greenland. “What Trump wants is a win," Farnsworth said. "And even if the American flag doesn’t raise over Greenland, Europeans may be more willing to say yes to something else because of the pressure.” The Associated Press Gary Fields in Washington contributed to this report.

It's been a season of ups and downs for the Seahawks' offense. At times, they've looked like an offense that can keep up in track meets with other potent offenses. In other games, it's looked like it's been a real struggle for Geno Smith and company to put up 20 points. Thankfully, their defense has gelled in recent weeks and Seattle is currently atop the NFC West. Seattle's running back, Kenneth Walker, has followed a similar up-and-down trend this season. Last week was one of his tougher outings, racking up just 46 yards from scrimmage on 18 touches. This marked the third time in five games that he was held to fewer than 60 yards from scrimmage. Unfortunately, Walker may be unable to have a bounce-back game this week. He is dealing with ankle and calf injuries that have put his status in doubt ahead of Seattle's matchup with the Cardinals . Let's check in on his latest injury update. WEEK 14 FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/ST | Kickers Will Kenneth Walker play this week? Injury update on Seahawks' RB Walker has been trending in the wrong direction over the course of the week. He was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, but he failed to appear on the practice field on Thursday and Friday. After this spotty practice participation, Walker is questionable for Sunday's game. The game statuses for Sunday at Arizona. #GoHawks x @VMFHealth pic.twitter.com/cuDWsp9YMc After two straight missed practices, Walker seems to be truly questionable and could even be closer to doubtful. It's a toss-up as to whether he'll be able to play and we may not get word of his availability until inactives are made public on Sunday afternoon. Check back here often, where we'll be providing updates on Walker's status as they become available. Seahawks' RB Depth Chart: Who is Kenneth Walker's Backup? If Walker is unable to play, expect to see plenty of second-year back Zach Charbonnet against the Cardinals. When Walker missed Weeks 2 & 3 earlier this year, Charbonnet played at least 85 percent of snaps in both contests. He will likely act as a bell cow back once again if Walker can't suit up. Charbonnet will play the vast majority of snaps, but Kenny McIntosh will be the back who comes on the field to spell Charbonnet at times. He may get a couple of touches while playing a handful of snaps this week. WEEK 14 FANTASY FOOTBALL ROSTER MANAGEMENT Lessons Learned | Stock Watch | Sleepers | Busts | Start 'Em, Sit 'Em | Usage Report | Weather Kenneth Walker fantasy outlook Week 14 Walker's fantasy production has been creeping down in recent weeks, failing to clear 14.0 PPR points since Week 7. However, Walker is one of those backs who is a big play waiting to happen and can generate 10-plus fantasy points on just one long touchdown scamper. He's a low-end RB1 this week if he plays and belongs in fantasy lineups everywhere. Considering Walker's availability is up in the air, fantasy managers should be prepared with a backup plan in case he doesn't play. Charbonnet is a strong replacement and would be a volume-based RB2 if Walker is sidelined. If you were unable to handcuff Walker with Charbonnet, be sure to check out the Sporting News' RB rankings and sleepers to find a strong replacement.

The Farm Bill was extended once again for another year as Congress approved a final-hour spending package to avert a government shutdown Friday. Along with the extension, the bipartisan legislation also includes financial aid for farmers and money for recent natural disasters. However, the extension means they will still be relying on outdated provisions from the 2018 Farm Bill. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act, also known as the Farm Bill, is considered a “must-pass” package of federal legislation that is typically reauthorized every five years. The last Farm Bill was passed in 2018 and was supposed to be renewed in 2023, until lawmakers extended the deadline to Sept. 30. The Farm Bill extension was part of a package that will keep the federal government funded after Friday night, when funds expire. Congress needs to pass legislation each fiscal year designating how much the federal government will spend on its programs. When Congress does not meet its deadline, lawmakers pass “continuing resolutions” which buy time by keeping funding at previous levels. The package also included a disaster relief package that will allocate money for sectors critical to Texas’ economy to respond to recent natural disasters. Over $3 billion was estimated to go to the state’s farmers in addition to the Farm Bill, $122 million to repair Johnson Space Center and $950 million to repair the state’s roads and transportation infrastructure, according to a memo by House Appropriations Committee Democrats. The Farm Bill sets policies for many agricultural programs, such as federal crop insurance and loans for farmers. In Texas, the bill supports more than 230,000 farms and ranches that can be found in nearly every corner of the state — from sprawling pastures in the northern Panhandle to loam-covered rice fields in East Texas. According to a 2024 Feeding the Economy report, an economic impact study organized by food and agriculture groups, the state’s food and agriculture sectors contribute about $860.8 billion in economic activity and employ more than 4.5 million people. The bill also helps provide more than 3.4 million low-income Texas families with benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to Every Texan, a nonprofit advocacy organization that analyzes public policy and its impact on Texas residents. SNAP funding has been a source of contention for this Farm Bill. In a May version advanced by the U.S. House agriculture committee, led by Rep. Glenn Thompson, a Pennsylvania Republican, SNAP would get about a $30 billion cut. That was a nonstarter for many Democrats. The U.S. House was set to pass a continuing resolution earlier this week to keep the government open until March in a bipartisan deal negotiated by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana. But rank-and-file Republicans revolted over the agreement, saying it was negotiated behind closed doors without their input and released without sufficient time to review. The tenor amplified after Elon Musk, the billionaire Texas transplant who has the ear of President-elect Donald Trump, trashed the package on social media for including so many priorities unrelated to keeping the government open. Within 24 hours, the continuing resolution was effectively dead. Trump threw in a curveball on Wednesday when he demanded that a continuing resolution also include an increase or elimination of the debt ceiling. The debt ceiling does not impact future spending levels and caps borrowing to cover past expenses. When the debt ceiling is reached and the country can no longer borrow to cover its bills and interest payments, it risks defaulting on its debts. This has never happened before, but economists warn it would have a devastating impact on the economy. Republicans have used the threat of a default to corner Democrats into agreeing to restrictions on future spending. Republican leaders released a new, drastically slimmed down continuing resolution Thursday afternoon that would keep the government funded until March, include the disaster relief package, extend the Farm Bill, raise the debt ceiling and exclude other priorities that Musk and Republicans criticized as being irrelevant to keeping the government funded. But Democrats were irate, asserting they were excluded from the negotiations and that Republicans had gone back on their word on priorities that would help everyday Americans. Democrats were especially angry at Musk, who has no experience in public office, saying he had no business dictating how Congress should do its job. “Which branch of Government does Elon belong to? Asking for a friend....” U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, posted on social media. Several fiscally minded conservatives, including U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, were equally furious that his own party would raise the debt ceiling without securing future limits on spending. Trump threatened to primary Roy for opposing a raise to the debt ceiling without future spending limits. Thursday’s package failed with 38 Republicans joining all but three Democrats in voting no. In addition to Roy, U.S. Reps. Michael Cloud of Victory, Wesley Hunt of Houston, Morgan Luttrell of Willis, Nathaniel Moran of Tyler, Keith Self of McKinney and Beth Van Duyne of Irving all voted no. The final package that passed the House on Friday excluded any mention of the debt ceiling. Democrats signed on and helped House Republican leaders reach a supermajority required for passage.

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s regime is nearing collapse as rebel forces began to encircle Damascus. In the suburbs of the capital, were seen tearing down posters of Assad and a bust of his father, former president Hafez al-Assad. On Saturday, Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham [HTS] had reached the edges of Damascus, as thousands of pro-regime soldiers made a chaotic retreat into neighbouring Iraq. Syria’s rebels said on Saturday night that they have started entering the key city of Homs, while there were reports that government forces have been withdrawing. Syria’s state news agency denied earlier reports that , his close ally, claiming that he continued to govern from Damascus. “[We condemn] rumours and false news about President Bashar al-Assad leaving Damascus ... [Assad is] following up on his work and national and constitutional duties from the capital,” it said. Following the statement, a source told CNN that Assad was “nowhere to be found” at his usual residences in the capital. On Saturday night, HTS said a group of senior regime officials were negotiating over the terms of their defection. The Assad regime tried to reassure panicking residents by claiming it had “unbreakable” defences around the capital. Mohammed al-Rahmoun, the Syrian interior minister, told state TV that there was “a very strong security cordon on the outskirts of Damascus and no one can break it.” A spokesman for the Syrian army said it was reinforcing its lines “throughout the Damascus countryside” and carrying out operations in the “Hama and Homs countryside [in central Syria] and the northern Daraa countryside,” referring to areas under threat or already captured by the rebels. But residents of Damascus on Saturday began to flee the city and close their shops. “I’m very scared, for me and for my unborn daughter,” Rania, who is in her eighth month of pregnancy, told AFP. “I’ve been trying to buy medicine since this morning but I cannot find what I need.” Another resident said: “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not,” adding that prices had rocketed amid panic-buying. On Saturday night a Syrian rebel commander, Hassan Abdul Ghany, said the rebels have also overrun an army camp and several villages near Homs, another key strategic city on the road to Damascus. and other rebel forces has sparked widespread predictions that the end could be near for Assad, who has ruled Syria with unparalleled brutality over the past 13 years. Russia and Iran, Assad’s closest allies, and Turkey on Saturday called for “dialogue” with rebel forces and a diplomatic solution. Moscow’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov insisted that the regime still had Russian support. President-elect Donald Trump called for the United States not to get involved, adding that Russia had been so preoccupied with the war in Ukraine that it “seems incapable of stopping this literal march through Syria.” “Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, and the united states should have nothing to do with it. This is not our fight. Let it play out. Do not get involved,” Mr Trump said in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, said he hoped that neighbouring Syria “finds peace” as its people were “ tired of war, blood and tears.” Video footage recently filmed in the suburbs of Damascus appeared to show regime soldiers changing out of their uniforms into civilian clothing to evade capture by approaching rebel forces. In the Druze neighbourhood of Jaramana, on the outskirts of Damascus, residents were filmed pulling down a bust of Hafez al-Assad, Bashar’s father. Anti-regime protesters were also tearing down posters of Assad himself in some Damascus suburbs. Some protesters gathered at regime buildings and security offices and demanded that they evacuate, according to Ryan Marouf, an activist and the editor of the news website Suwayda 24. Beyond Damascus, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) raised their flag over the eastern city of Deir el-Zor, the third city to be lost by Assad this week. Turki Al-Mahlawi, the mayor of the border town of Al-Qaim, claimed that 2,000 Syrian soldiers have abandoned their dictator and sought refuge in Iraq. The advance of various rebel groups has caught Assad’s allies off guard, as it was widely presumed that he had near-total control over Syria, where a civil war has been grinding on since 2011. In Qatar, Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister, called for an immediate ceasefire after a meeting with his Russian and Turkish counterparts. “The most important thing is to start political talks between the Syrian government and legitimate opposition groups,” he said. “We will oppose this [uprising] in every possible way, we will support the legitimate Syrian authorities. And at the same time, of course, we will actively promote the need to resume dialogue with the opposition,” added Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister. Geir O Pedersen, the United Nations special envoy for Syria, said that the situation was changing “by the minute,” and that he was consulting with Iran, Russia, Turkey, Britain, the US and EU leaders. “The need for an orderly political transition has never been more urgent, starting with the urgent formation of inclusive and credible transitional arrangements in Syria. For this we need an urgent serious process fundamentally different from what has gone on before,” he said. Iran, which has backed Assad throughout the civil war, seems to be losing hope that the Syrian dictator will remain in power for much longer. “He has proven that no matter how much support he receives, he cannot push back even a few terrorists from his territory,” one IRGC official told the Sunday Telegraph. “He’s just a moron who couldn’t build a proper government in 10 years, and his forces surrendered without firing a single bullet,” a member of the Iran-linked Basij paramilitary group in Tehran said. Iranian militia groups, which are now fleeing the country, posted videos of themselves online bidding tearful farewells to the Sayyidah Ruqayya shrine in Damascus. 07:46 PM GMT That’s all for now We’re pausing our live coverage for now. Check back to for the latest updates. 06:44 PM GMT Assad ‘nowhere to be found’ in Damascus The Syrian regime insists Assad remains in the capital. But a source with knowledge of the situation inside the city has told CNN that he is not at any of the locations he would usually be found in. The source said the presidential guard is no longer stationed at Assad’s official residence. 06:42 PM GMT Battle for Homs continues AFP news agency reports: A Homs resident said he had seen the rebels advance past a Syrian Air Force base, in the north of the city, that was considered a major defensive area. The resident later said fighting was audible in the city outskirts. An opposition figure in touch with rebel command and a Syrian army source both also said the insurgents were inside the city. Seizing Homs, an important crossroads between the capital and the Mediterranean, would cut off Damascus from the coastal stronghold of Assad’s minority Alawite sect, and from Russia’s air and naval base. In the south, the rapid collapse of government control could allow a concerted assault on the capital, the seat of Assad’s power, where residents said electricity cut out on Saturday. 06:37 PM GMT Pictured: Residents as Hama is captured by rebels 06:15 PM GMT Panic in Damascus Residents of the Syrian capital were panic buying on Saturday as rebels closed in on the city. Many shops in the city shut their doors while others ran out of staple goods such as sugar, a resident told the Associated Press. Prices for some items had tripled, they said. “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.” 05:30 PM GMT Syria army says boosting deployment around Damascus and in south The Syrian army said it was strengthening its defence lines around Damascus and in the south on Saturday, as panic spread in the capital after the rebels said they were drawing close. “Our armed units are reinforcing their lines throughout the Damascus countryside and the southern region,” a spokesperson for the General Command of the Army and Armed Forces said in a televised statement. He also said the army was launching operations against rebels in the “Hama and Homs countrysides (in central Syria) and the northern Daraa countryside” in the south. 04:52 PM GMT Syria minister says ‘very strong’ security cordon around Damascus Syria’s interior minister told state TV that security forces had imposed an impenetrable cordon around Damascus on Saturday, as fighters opposing the government said they were nearing the capital. “There is a very strong security and military cordon on the far edges of Damascus and its countryside, and no one... can penetrate this defensive line that we, the armed forces, are building,” interior minister Mohammed al-Rahmoun told state TV from Damascus. 04:51 PM GMT Pictures from Hama after rebel take-over 04:33 PM GMT Syrian rebel commander says rebels have overrun villages around Homs A Syrian rebel commander, Hassan Abdul Ghany, said that rebel forces had overrun an army camp and a string of villages around the city of Homs. 04:27 PM GMT Syrian rebels say they will protect governmental, international and UN offices in Syria Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, said it has a duty to protect governmental, international and UN offices in Syria. 04:15 PM GMT Israel army says assisting UN forces in ‘repelling attack’ in Syria The Israeli army said that its troops were assisting UN peacekeeping forces in the Syrian-controlled part of the Golan Heights in repelling an attack “by armed individuals”. “A short while ago, an attack was carried out by armed individuals at a UN post in the Hader area in Syria,” the army said in a statement, referring to a town on the edge of the UN-patrolled buffer zone on the Golan Heights. “The (Israeli army) is currently assisting the UN forces in repelling the attack.” 04:05 PM GMT Syrian rebels enter suburbs of Homs Syrian rebels entered suburbs of the key city of Homs on Saturday, sources said, pressing a lightning week-long advance as front lines collapse across the country and government forces battle to save president Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule. A Homs resident, and army and rebel sources, said the insurgents had breached government defences from the north and east of the city. The Syrian military did not immediately comment on the reports. Fighting has raged around the north of strategically vital Homs since late on Friday with government forces reinforcing and using intense airstrikes to hammer the rebels. Insurgents also seized almost the entire south-west within 24 hours and advanced to within 30 km (20 miles) of Damascus as government forces fell back, rebels said. 03:52 PM GMT UN envoy says political transition in Syria ‘never been more urgent’ The need for orderly political transition in Syria has never been more urgent, the UN envoy for Syria said. Speaking at a briefing in Doha, Geir Pedersen called for calm and avoidance of bloodshed in Syria. Mr Pedersen also met with US representatives and other western envoys in the Qatari capital. 03:39 PM GMT Turkey’s Erdogan says he hopes Syria ‘finds peace’ Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he hopes neighbouring Syria “finds peace”, as rebels fighting to overthrow president Bashar al-Assad advance towards the capital, Damascus. “Our wish is for our neighbour, Syria, to find the peace and tranquillity it has been dreaming of for 13 years,” said Mr Erdogan, a key player in the region, adding that Syria “is tired of war, blood and tears”. Turkey, which has a long border with Syria, has become home to about three million Syrian refugees since the start of the civil war in 2011. “Our Syrian brothers and sisters deserve freedom, security and peace in their homeland,” Mr Erdogan added, voicing hope “to see a Syria where different identities co-exist in peace”. 03:28 PM GMT Pictures of the day 03:17 PM GMT Trump says US should ‘not get involved’ in Syria war President-elect Donald Trump has said the US should not be involved in the conflict in Syria, where rebel forces are threatening the government of president Bashar al-Assad. “Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” Mr Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. He posted the message shortly before he was to meet with French president Emmanuel Macron while in Paris for the reopening ceremony of Notre Dame cathedral. 03:10 PM GMT Around 2,000 Syrian troops cross to Iraq, Iraqi mayor says Around 2,000 Syrian troops have crossed the border into Iraq and sought refuge, Turki Al-Mahlawi, the mayor of Al-Qaim border town, told Reuters on Saturday. Some of the troops were wounded and are currently receiving medical treatment, he added. 02:56 PM GMT Syria state media denies Assad has left country Syria’s state news agency has denied rumours that president Bashar Assad has left the country, and said he is at work in Damascus. It condemned “rumours and false news about President Bashar al-Assad leaving Damascus,” adding that Mr Assad “is following up on his work and national and constitutional duties from the capital”. 02:44 PM GMT More than 1,000 Syrian soldiers ‘cross to Iraq’ More than 1,000 Syrian army soldiers crossed to Iraq on Saturday, the Iraqi state news agency said. 02:39 PM GMT Watch: Assad soldiers reportedly changing into civilian clothes Video reportedly shows soldiers of the Assad regime changing into civilian clothes in broad daylight near Damascus, as rebels begin to encircle the city. 02:33 PM GMT Russia’s Lavrov says Moscow will oppose Syrian rebel offensive ‘in every possible way’ Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has said that Moscow would oppose Syrian insurgents Hayat Tahrir al-Sham by all means possible, Russian state news agency RIA reported. RIA cited Mr Lavrov as telling journalists at a forum in Qatar that the militants’ offensive had been planned long in advance, and represented an attempt to change dynamics on the ground in Syria. It quoted him as saying: “We will oppose this in every possible way, we will support the legitimate Syrian authorities. And at the same time, of course, we will actively promote the need to resume dialogue with the opposition.” 02:28 PM GMT Iran’s Araqchi says Moscow, Tehran and Ankara want end to fighting in Syria Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said after meeting his counterparts from Russia and Turkey in Doha on Saturday that the three countries agreed that the fighting in Syria should be immediately halted, Iranian state media reported. In remarks largely similar to those of Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, Mr Araqchi said: “The most important thing is to start political talks between the Syrian government and legitimate opposition groups.” 02:16 PM GMT Syria rebels encircle Damascus in major threat to Assad regime Syria’s rebels have begun to encircle Damascus in a major threat to the survival of the regime of Bashar al-Assad. “Our forces have begun the final phase of encircling the capital, Damascus,” said Hassan Abdel Ghani, a commander with the Islamist-led alliance that launched the offensive. Earlier on Sunday, a war monitor said that the rebels had advanced to within 20 kilometres of the city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces had ceded more key ground, losing control of all of southern Daraa province and evacuating posts in Quneitra, near the Israel-annexed Golan Heights. The monitor said government forces were also pulling out of towns as close as 10 kilometres from the capital. On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Assad’s family had already fled to Russia. 02:12 PM GMT Pictured: SDF fighters raise their flag over captured regime town Fighters from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) coalition raise a flag in the eastern city of Deir el-Zor after capturing it from government forces on Friday. The town was the regime’s main foothold in the eastern Syrian desert and was the third major city to fall out of president Bashar al-Assad’s control. The SDF has not been part of the main Syrian rebel offensive, which is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA). SDF troops have fought SNA forces in northern Aleppo, but it has not reported any clashes so far with HTS. 02:03 PM GMT Russia, Iran and Turkey call for talks between Assad and ‘legitimate’ opposition Russia, Turkey and Iran made a joint call for talks between the Syrian government and the “legitimate” opposition on Saturday. Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said that the call should should be heeded by “everyone on the ground”. It came after top diplomats from the three nations met in Doha, Qatar, earlier on Sunday for discussions on the situation in Syria. It is not immediately clear which rebel factions were meant by “legitimate” opposition. Russia on Sunday labelled Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, Syria’s most powerful rebel group, as a terrorist organisation and that it would oppose it “in every possible way”. 01:49 PM GMT Rebels capture swathes of southern Syria amid government collapse Rebel forces have captured swathes of territory and several cities across the south of Syria as they advance on Damascus from three directions. The Syrian army is understood to have redeployed to the embattled city of Homs in central Syria, leaving rebels able to capture the southern provincial capitals of Daraa and Sweida early on Saturday morning. Within the last hour, rebel forces were reported to have captured the town of Al-Kiswah, which is roughly 10 miles south of Damascus. 01:36 PM GMT Hello and welcome to our live coverage We’re bringing you the latest updates as Syria’s rebels begin to encircle Damascus in a major threat to the survival of the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

CYPRESS LAKE, Fla. (AP) — Kam Craft and Peter Suder both had 18 points in Miami (OH)'s 70-58 victory against Siena on Monday. Craft added five rebounds for the RedHawks (3-2). Suder shot 7 of 9 from the floor, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and 3 for 3 from the line. Eian Elmer shot 4 for 8 (2 for 4 from 3-point range) and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line to finish with 15 points. The Saints (3-3) were led by Major Freeman, who recorded 15 points. Brendan Coyle added 12 points for Siena. Justice Shoats had 12 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Sydneysiders who want to live in a suburb along the Metro line for the convenient commute will have to pay top dollar to either rent or buy. The fast-rail system stretches from Sydenham to the CBD, lower north shore, Hills district and Tallawong, with a journey from North Sydney to Barangaroo in just three minutes. Castle Hill residents can get to Martin Place in 35 minutes. But convenience comes at a premium. Bella Vista residents can get to the CBD in 41 minutes, but face a median house price of $2,477,500, while a house will set renters back around $975 per week. Waterloo’s median unit price is $925,500, and median unit rent $935, for a commute of just six minutes to Martin Place. Rents are also high at $780 for a unit in Chatswood (11 minutes to Martin Place) and $720 for Castle Hill (35 minutes). Castle Hill house buyers would pay a median of $2,312,500. Loading Ray White agent Peter Iann said the Metro had driven greater demand for Bella Vista and that he could not limit the buyer pool to one specific region of Sydney. “We are now seeing interest from all over Sydney,” he said. “There is not enough stock for the demand and sellers now have higher price expectations.” Geoffrey Clinton, senior lecturer in transport and logistics management at the University of Sydney Business School, said that while the Metro had a significant impact on social cohesion, it was just one piece of the puzzle."Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.