The polarization of the country has been in sharp focus for some time, especially the second half of the year. That polarization isn’t new: There’s been a brewing — some might say bubbling or even boiling — so-called culture war for years and it’s spewed far beyond the political realm to become a norm that marketers have to contend with for their brands.
As consumers put brands’ advertising and marketing messages under a microscope, looking for any hint that a brand is making a statement one way or another in the culture war, in which everything is looked at through a political lens, marketers have to be keenly aware of how anything they put out in the world could be interpreted — or misinterpreted. It’s a consideration that marketers and agency execs are aware of with some more vigilant and more worried about potential backlash than others. Getting messaging right is more important than ever as consumers pay closer attention to brands and there is potential for backlash.
What do we mean by brands at the center of a culture war? Let’s recap some recent examples. Jaguar’s rebrand was dubbed “woke” by several publications and incurred ire from consumers that they were making a statement of some kind that their brand may not have intended. Volvo, meanwhile, was recently celebrated for what has been described as a “pro-family” ad with a spot that was typical bread-and-butter storytelling for the carmaker. Another ad from Apple was also dubbed as “pro-family” and celebrated. Again it was standard fare for advertisers.
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Barbara Leaf, the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, made the announcement in an online briefing on Friday while discussing a diplomatic trip to Damascus where US representatives met with Jolani.
Leaf said the US delegation "welcomed positive messages" from the leader — who now goes by his birthname Ahmed al-Sharaa — and that he assured them that terrorist groups would not be allowed to pose a threat in Syria.
"And so based on our discussion, I told him we would not be pursuing the Rewards for Justice reward offer that has been in effect for some years," she said.
Pressed for more information on why the US had decided to lift the bounty, Leaf said it was a "policy decision" that "aligned with the fact that we are beginning a discussion with HTS," adding that it would be "a little incoherent then to have a bounty on the guy's head" while sitting down for discussions on regional interests.
HTS, which is listed as a terrorist organization by both the US and the United Nations, traces its origins to Al Qaeda.
Jolani cut his ties with Al Qaeda in 2016 to form a new group, which became HTS the following year.
He has worked for years to portray himself as a more moderate leader to the West and has called the group's terrorist designation a "political label that carries no truth or credibility."
While stressing that the US would "judge by deeds" rather than words, Leaf said Jolani appeared "pragmatic" and noted that he had previously issued "moderate statements" on issues such as women's rights and the protection of equal rights for all communities.
The US delegation, which included Roger Carstens, the special envoy for hostage affairs, also used the Damascus trip to explore leads on the whereabouts of Austin Tice, an American journalist who disappeared in Syria in 2012.
Carstens said that they had had "a lot of information coming in" but that it remained unclear whether Tice was alive. "The bottom line is the information that we have right now doesn't confirm either in one way or the other."
With TikTok’s potential U.S. looming ban as early as January, creators and agencies are split: some see it as inevitable, while others are convinced it won’t stick.
The rift has simmered since TikTok’s future was first questioned but has only intensified as the stakes climb — highlighted by the Supreme Court’s decision this week (Dec. 19) to take up the app’s appeal against a U.S. law that could pull the plug next month.
Nicole Echeverria felt unsafe in the US and wanted to try living abroad.
She applied for graduate school because she thought getting a student visa would be easier.
She now lives and works remotely from Nazaré, a beach town an hour and a half from Lisbon.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Nicole Echeverria, 31, who moved from New York to Portugal in 2019. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I'd had the itch to try living abroad for some time.
I grew up in New York, graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor's degree in economics in 2015, and then moved to Boston for work.
After the 2016 elections, I began to feel anxious about my safety. That's when I startedseriously considering moving abroad. I just needed to find the right opportunity.
I knew a student visa would make it easier to move, so I thought, why don't I apply to graduate school abroad?
Most people think graduate school is onlyworth it if it can propel their careers forward. However, I saw it as a way to gain valuable life experience and keep me in the same career field.
I had a few requirements: The degree had to be business-related, taught in English, and American-accredited. It also had to be in a country with a lower cost of living so that I could pay for my degree without taking loans.
In the winter of 2018, I found the right program. It was a two-year Masters of Science in Business program at Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics.
At that time, the program cost around 14,300 euros, which I had in savings.
I left Boston, where I had been working in content marketing, and moved back home to live with my parents in Long Island. For nine months, I focused on saving up as much as possible while commuting to New York City for work.
In August 2019, I moved to Lisbon. Although I had traveled to other parts of Europe, I had never visited Portugal. I went purely on the faith thatif I wasn't happy there, I'd return to New York once I graduated.
I got really lucky that I ended up loving it. Lisbon instantly gave me a Los Angeles vibe. The weather was hot, but the beaches were beautiful. Everyone had a relaxed attitude, and people weren't on edge like they were in New York.
I didn't intend to stay
Echeverria now lives in Nazaré with her fiancé.
Nicole Echeverria
Around half a year into my program, the pandemic struck, and everything went remote. Many of my international classmates returned to their home countries. That's when I was faced with the question: Do I want to go back to New York?
Back in the US, I was always hyperaware of gun violence. Anything could happen walking in the streets of Manhattan, for example. A crazy person could approach you, and you just have to keep walking. It also looks like it's gotten worse, with incidents of women getting assaulted on the streets.
As hard as it was to be away from my family and close friends, prioritizing my health and safety was worth the loneliness of moving abroad. I felt less anxious about safety in Portugal, which solidified my decision to stay.
Portugal has a post-graduation work visa that grants international students a year of residence to find employment. After being on the visa for a year, I registered as a freelancer on a regular work permit and have worked as a social media manager since.
My family was surprised by my decision to stay. My dad told me that when my grandparents ask about me, he hasto remind them that I live in another country now. But I still return a few times a year for Christmas or special occasions.
I'm planning a wedding in Portugal
In 2022, I met my fiancé through TikTok. He's Portuguese and commented on one of my videos. After two years, we moved in together in Nazaré, a beach town an hour and a half away from Lisbon.
We're planning our wedding in Portugal for August next year. We picked a venue an hour and a half away from Porto in the countryside. It's a gorgeous historic building built in the 1700s, and we're super excited about it.
The venue willcost $3,500 for a two-day rental, offering us the chance to have an affordable wedding.
Sometimes, I tease my fiancé with the idea that once I get my Portuguese passport, we can move to Greece or elsewhere in Europe.
For now, we dream of living in Lisbon and having a summer vacation house in Greece. From the relaxed way of life, lower cost of living, and the fact that I can work remotely as a freelancer, it just makes more sense to have my life here.
I'm definitely planning on staying for the long term.
The 1,547-page interim spending bill to avoid a government shutdown is effectively dead. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has all but yanked the plan off the floor after President-elect Trump, Vice President-elect Vance and Elon Musk torched the package to avoid a government shutdown this weekend and fund the government through March 14.
Had House Republicans had the votes to pass the bill – without leaning too heavily on Democrats – Republicans may have been able to pass the bill late Wednesday afternoon before the intervention of Mssrs. Trump and Vance. But there was just too much grassroots pressure, sparked by Musk on X and elsewhere.
The stopgap spending package proved unpopular due to its size, and various legislative ornaments festooned on the bill like a Christmas tree. Conservatives were expecting Johnson to handle the spending plan differently this year at the holidays. But it backfired. Badly.
It’s notable that Mr. Trump did not weigh in until the 11th hour. He also demanded a debt ceiling increase. That’s something which faced the President-elect in the first quarter of the year and threatened to derail any legislative agenda or potentially spook the markets.
Johnson’s decision to veer off course – despite touting the bill heartily on Fox this morning – underscores several things.
This is a sign of things to come once President-elect Trump is in office. And that could present problems for Johnson as he may be at the whim of decisions by the new President?
Why did Johnson pull the bill?
It was wildy unpopular with his rank and file. But it devolved further once Musk and the President-elect got infused themselves.
In many respects, Johnson’s decision to pull the bill was all about January 3. That’s the day of the Speaker’s vote. With 434 members to start the new Congress, Johnson needs 218 votes. Otherwise, he lacks a majority and cannot become Speaker. The House must vote repeatedly – as it did in January 2023 - before electing former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) five days later in what was the longest Speaker’s race since the 1850s.
Johnson tried to salvage himself in the Speaker’s vote by adding emergency agriculture spending to the bill. But Johnson is now trying to salvage himself by coming up with a new bill.
The irony is that Johnson did not want to create drama before Christmas with a spending package. But drama is exactly what he got in what quickly became the worst Congressional holiday standoff since the fiscal cliff in 2012 or a government shutdown threat in 2014.
So here’s the $64,000 Question: What play does Johnson call next?
Does he do a clean CR to fund the government with nothing attached? Is it a bill that just re-ups current funding coupled with disaster aid? Do they attach a debt ceiling suspension as President-elect Trump has requested?
And then the biggest question of all: can ANYTHING pass at all? Especially without votes from the Democrats?
Johnson has a tranche of conservatives who won’t vote for any CR at all. Many of them would also not vote for a debt ceiling increase, either.
And even if there is a new bill, do conservatives insist on waiting three days to ponder that bill? That triggers a government shutdown right there.
The deadline is 11:59:59 pm ET on Friday.
So this is going to require someone to pull a rabbit out of a hat.
President-elect Trump’s maneuver today is reminiscent of a similar move he made in December 2019, which sparked the longest government shutdown in history.
Then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), then-Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and others thought they had a deal to fund the government and avoid a Christmas-time shutdown.
The Senate voted for the bill. Senators even sat in the back of the chamber and sang Christmas carols during the vote.
Mr. Trump then balked at the last minute. House Republicans followed suit. The government shut down for more than a month.
LinkedIn may be chasing the deep pockets of mainstream brands these days, but it’s not neglecting the lifeblood of its ad business. B2B companies are still front and center of its latest market pitch.
Specifically when it comes to its own AI-powered campaign tool Accelerate. Unlike the offerings from Google and Meta, this tool is designed with B2B marketers in mind.
As LinkedIn’s vp of product management, Abhishek Shrivastava, explained: “B2B marketers have to make do with how to fit their own needs into the existing B2C tools.”
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"I have two thoughts on the subject. And I’m not a UFO guy. I don’t know what’s out there. Don’t pretend to know what’s out there," Francesa began. "The government has taken a very cavalier attitude. I don’t believe this stuff about ‘foreign countries have ships off our shore.’ No one has a ship off our shore. We would know it was there in two seconds. Nobody is letting any foreign country fly stuff over our country. I don’t believe that for a second. I think some of them are commercially being tested by companies that want to deliver things, like Amazon. I think part of it is our military testing stuff, and working on things at night, and they don’t want to really spend a lot of time discussing it with us.
"I think the idea that they have taken such a cavalier approach to it makes you realize that when they keep telling you that there’s nothing to worry about, that should pretty much tip you off that they know what they’re doing here," he said.
Well, the government says Francesa has nothing to be afraid of. In a statement penned by the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense, the agencies said while they "recognize the concern," there is no evidence that the drones are "anomalous" or a threat to national security or public safety.
"Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones," the statement said.
Though the agencies said they have found no risk during their investigation thus far, they have urged Congress to enact legislation when it returns that would "extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities to identify and mitigate any threat that may emerge."
Fox News' Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.
Firearms expert Patrick McNamara rates gun technique in movies.
McNamara talks about recovering ammo on the battlefield in "John Wick: Chapter 2," starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Common. He explains how to handle different types of machine guns in "Rambo: First Blood Part II," starring Sylvester Stallone; and "Pulp Fiction," starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, and Bruce Willis. He critiques James Bond's shooting form in "Die Another Day," starring Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry and Judi Dench; and "No Time to Die," starring Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, and Ana de Armas. He breaks down how to fire at a moving target in "Deadpool," starring Ryan Reynolds. He discusses firing two guns at once in "The Bourne Identity," starring Matt Damon and Clive Owen. He describes shooting range exercises in "S.W.A.T.," starring Colin Farrell, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jeremy Renner; and "Lethal Weapon," starring Danny Glover and Mel Gibson. He looks at shooting in dark environments in "Sicario," starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio del Toro. He analyzes the reload techniques displayed in "Scarface," starring Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer. He walks us through different sniper positions in "Mad Max: Fury Road," starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, and Nicholas Hoult. Finally, he deconstructs Tom Cruise's shooting stance in "Collateral," also starring Jamie Foxx and Jada Pinkett Smith.
Patrick McNamara served for 22 years in Army special operations forces. He is president of TMACS, where he trains people in tactical marksmanship.
You can learn more about safe gun-handling techniques from Patrick here:
A banner showing Syrian President Bashar Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Damascus in 2022.
LOUAI BESHARA / AFP
Vladimir Putin has been quiet about Syria since the end of Bashir Assad's rule.
Rebels deposed Russia's longtime ally earlier this month, jeopardizing its military presence there.
Any discussion about Syria may expose Moscow to further scrutiny, one expert told BI.
During an annual televised meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Russia's top military officials on Monday, Putin was keen to keep the focus firmly on incremental successes in Ukraine.
But he was conspicuously silent about recent events in Syria — where longtime Kremlin ally Bashar Assad was deposed by rebels earlier this month.
Russia had long provided military support to prop up Assad's government, but a lightning offensive by rebel groups that Russian intelligence failed to predict toppled Assad in just two weeks.
It also exposed the limits of Putin's ambition to reestablish Russia as a great power, according to analysts.
"The fall of the Assad regime is perceived as a sign of Russia's weakness in supporting its allies," Yaniv Voller, a senior lecturer in Middle East politics at the University of Kent, told BI.
He added that under such circumstances, "any discussion of the situation in Syria may expose Moscow to further scrutiny about its capabilities."
The loss of Assad also leaves the status of Russia's crucial Syrian military bases in doubt — and means Putin needs victories in Ukraine more than ever.
Russia's slow response to Syria
Putin has long boasted of Russia's success in Syria. In 2015, it launched its first foreign military mission since the end of the Cold War, and successfully achieved its core goal of keeping Assad in power.
The Kremlin used the campaign to mock the US and its allies over their failed Middle Eastern policies. It also used its military bases granted by Assad to project Russian power into Africa and beyond.
Yet, with Russia's military stretched by its costly war in Ukraine, Putin appeared unwilling or unable to divert forces to save Assad.
In the face of events unfolding in Syria, the Kremlin's early comments were limited to confirming it had provided asylum to Assad and his family, who fled on a Russian plane as rebels approached Damascus.
Russian media, which is tightly controlled by the Kremlin, was also muted in its coverage of events, according to RFE/RL, while military bloggers blamed Russian military leaders for the debacle and the ineptness of Assad's forces.
Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, meanwhile, sought to shift the blame to a familiar geopolitical foe: the US and its allies.
"All this is a repetition of the old, very old habit of creating some havoc, some mess, and then fishing in the muddy waters," he said.
What has Russia lost?
The collapse of Assad's government could have wider implications for Russia's global military footprint, which might help explain Putin's silence on the matter.
Nikolay Kozhanov, a research associate professor at the Gulf Studies Center of Qatar University, argued in a piece for Chatham House last week that it has damaged Russia's reputation as a reliable ally capable of guaranteeing the survival of its partners.
Stefan Wolff, a professor of International Security at the University of Birmingham, went further.
In a piece for The Conversation, Wolff said that Russia's failure to save a key partner like Assad highlights serious flaws in its capacity to act like a great power.
And four former US officials and military researchers even predicted that countries in Russia's sphere of influence could break away in the coming weeks, as many did in 1991 after the Soviet Union collapsed.
"The house of cards that Vladimir Putin has so carefully stacked over more than two decades is folding before our eyes," they wrote in Time Magazine.
Other analysts, however, are more circumspect.
Mohammed Albasha, founder of Basha Report, a Virginia-based consultancy specializing in Middle East affairs, told BI that "withdrawing from Syria would primarily impact Russia's influence in the Middle East."
He said that it might prompt governments in Armenia or those in the Sahel region, such as Niger and Burkina Faso, to reconsider their alliances with Moscow, and shift focus toward building closer ties with the West or China.
But when it comes to countries bordering Russia — such as Georgia, Tajikistan, and Belarus — he said those were likely to remain due to their deep economic ties and Russia's national security mandate to protect its borders.
Putin stays silent
Some analysts believe that Putin's silence on Syria may not just be about wanting to divert attention from an embarrassing defeat, but also about brokering a deal with Syria's new government to enable it to retain at least some of its military assets in the country.
Reports indicate that Russia has withdrawn naval vessels from the Tartus base, but has kept planes and other air force assets in Hmeimim.
"Even if Russia withdraws its forces from Syria, Moscow will still try to negotiate so that this withdrawal will not be perceived as a flight," Voller told BI.
Even so, Putin's focus on Ukraine on Monday underscores, now more than ever, that the Russian president needs a win.
A victory in Ukraine, where Russia has been making incremental but important progress in recent months, would enable Russia to buffer its reputation as a military power, despite recent setbacks and losses.
"There should be no expectation of anything but Russia doubling down in Ukraine," wrote Wolff in last week's blog post. "Putin needs a success that restores domestic and international confidence in him — and fast."
I'm a solo traveler who recently visited Alaska for the first time.
I recommend taking the Alaska Railroad for its scenic views and efficient transportation.
I loved taking in the wildlife at Kenai Fjords National Park and Potter Marsh.
Over the years, I've watched many of my friends and family members go on weeklong cruises to Alaska.
As a solo traveler, I thought a cruise would be the best way to see the state. However, I didn't want to spend my entire trip on a boat and decided to make my own itinerary instead.
Here are four activities I recommend to those visiting Alaska for the first time.
Take advantage of the views on the Alaska Railroad.
The views from the train were gorgeous.
Malika Bowling
During my trip, I loved talking a ride on the Alaska Railroad, which just celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023.
Since I was staying in Anchorage and wanted to see Kenai Fjords National Park, I took the train from Anchorage to Seward and back.
If you have the means to splurge a bit, I recommend opting for the GoldStar service, which featured glass-dome ceilings and incredible panoramic views of Alaska.
Cruise through Kenai Fjords National Park.
The views from the boat were incredible.
Malika Bowling
Taking a boat ride through Kenai Fjords National Park is a terrific option for anyone who doesn't want to spend their entire trip on a boat. I loved seeing the fjords and watching the playful sea lions and orcas.
Our ship even stopped for lunch on Fox Island. Although there isn't much exploring to do on the small island, it was nice to get off the boat and warm up with some soup and salad.
Take a flightseeing tour to Denali.
Even though I didn't get to see Denali, I saw many glaciers and mountains.
Malika Bowling
I knew booking a flightseeing tour to Denali was a gamble because of how weather-dependent the activity is.
When I arrived at the office, though, I was disappointed to find out the cloud cover would prevent us from seeing Denali, the tallest mountain in North America.
However, the pilots had a backup plan, and I still got to see lots of gorgeous glaciers and breathtaking snow-covered mountains.
Check out the wildlife at Potter Marsh.
I enjoyed observing the birds at Potter Marsh.
Malika Bowling
If you're looking to enjoy some fresh air and see different species of birds, Potter Marsh is the place to go. I loved walking along the wooden boardwalk and having close-up views of the wildlife.
Although there are tours of Potter Marsh, I'm glad I drove myself and could take my time soaking in my surroundings.
AI search engine Perplexity introduced a new revenue share model back in July, amid the wave of deals between AI tech companies and publishers this year. But the way Perplexity is sharing ad revenue with publishers depends on a number of factors, according to information from Perplexity and conversations with five publishing execs, who declined to speak with attribution.
Here’s how Perplexity calculates revenue share for publishers: A publisher that is formally part of Perplexity’s program receives a certain percentage of the revenue Perplexity makes from an ad served in a response to a user’s query, when one of the publisher’s webpages is cited as a source for that response. (Perplexity has said 20 publishers have signed up).
But that range for each publisher varies, up to a double digit percentage, said Jessica Chan, head of publisher partnerships at Perplexity, who did not provide exact figures. That revenue increases for a publisher based on the number of links cited.
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Apple plans to launch a foldable giant iPad and a folding iPhone, according to multiple reports.
The foldable tablet device is reportedly the size of two iPad Pros.
Apple could also introduce a thinner iPhone next year, the reports said.
Apple is developing a foldable iPad and a foldable iPhone, according to multiple reports.
Apple is working towards bringing the foldable iPad, said to be the size of two iPad Pros when unfolded, to market around 2028, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported in the "Power On" newsletter on Sunday.
The company is unlikely to bring its folding iPhone to market before 2026, Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal reported.
Despite years of working on the new form factor, Apple has faced hurdles in bringing foldable devices to market. Critical components, such as a reliable hinge mechanism and a display screen protection cover for the display, have delayed progress, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Rival tech firms already offer foldable dual-screen products, such as Microsoft Surface Pro and Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Fold. Similarly, Apple is the only major smartphone company without a foldable device. There have been many reports about a prototype folding iPhone in recent years, including that Apple has been working with LG and Samsung on displays for the collapsible devices.
Apple wants its new iPad to be free of the crease that's present in other foldable devices available on the market. Gurman said the new device has an almost invisible crease.
The Cupertino-headquartered company also plans to introduce a thinner iPhone next year. Apple wants to offer the "thinnest and lightest products" on the market, Gurman wrote in June.
The range of new devices in development is part of Apple's broader strategy to diversify its hardware offerings as it seeks new avenues for growth.
Apple said in its most recent annual report that its future devices might not be as profitable as its iPhone business, which made up nearly half of its total revenue in its fiscal fourth quarter.
In a note to investors in the report, Apple said, "New products, services and technologies may replace or supersede existing offerings and may produce lower revenues and lower profit margin."
It added that it could "materially adversely impact the company's business, results of operations and financial condition."
Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.
TikTok’s turbulent year in the U.S. barely rattled marketers — until now. As the app enters its final countdown, marketers are taking the ban more seriously than ever because it’s looking increasingly like TikTok, at least in its current guise, is on borrowed time.
Earlier this month, the app’s U.S. prospects hit a new low. A federal appeals court ruled that national security concerns outweigh First Amendment protections, forcing ByteDance to divest TiKTok if it wants to remain in the market.
Although TikTok plans to appeal, there’s no guarantee that the Supreme Court will take the case. Historically the court defers to Congress on national security matters, and a bipartisan coalition has framed TikTok as a risk to Americans’ data privacy and a potential tool for manipulating its powerful recommendation algorithms.
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The Israeli Air Force carried out about 480 strikes targeting most of the country's strategic weapon stockpiles left behind after rebels forced Syrian leader Bashar Assad to flee the country.
About 350 of the strikes were crewed aircraft targeting Syrian military assets, including aircraft, ammunition depots, storage facilities, and missile and radar systems. The Israeli Navy also destroyed several military vessels docked at two Syrian naval ports. The Israeli army seized strategic positions in the Golan Heights abandoned by Syrian troops.
Israeli officials said the extensive strikes on Syria were intended to prevent the Assad government's military infrastructure and weapons from being used by extremists and potential foes. Israel is exploiting the Assad regime's fall to enhance its security in the long term as it uses blistering force to cripple Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The fall of Assad
An opposition fighter celebrated as rebels burn down a military court in Damascus, Syria.
Hussein Malla/AP
After a decadeslong dictatorship, rebel forces seized control of the Syrian capital of Damascus over the weekend, forcing Assad to relinquish power and flee the country.
"We declare Damascus free from the tyrant Bashar al-Assad," Hassan Abdul-Ghani, commander of the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, wrote in a post on social media. "To the displaced people around the world, free Syria awaits you."
Former Syrian prime minister Ghazi al-Jalali remained in the country after the collapse of the Assad regime, saying the government is willing to cooperate and support "any leadership chosen by the Syrian people."
Creating a 'sterile defense zone'
A boy carried an unexploded Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) at the site of the Israeli airstrike that targeted Syrian weapon shipments.
DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images
While Israel supported ousting Assad, a staunch ally of Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the situation in Syria is still "fraught with significant dangers" from the extremists now governing the country.
In the days after the dayslong rebel offensive ousted the Syrian dictator, Israel launched hundreds of strikes targeting Syrian military assets over 48 hours to prevent them "from falling into the hands of terrorist elements." HTS publicly split with the Al Qaeda affiliate from which it formed, but US officials believe it may still have links to Al Qaeda leaders.
"We have no intention of interfering in Syria's internal affairs, but we clearly intend to do what is necessary to ensure our security," Netanyahu said.
"I authorized the air force to bomb strategic military capabilities left by the Syrian army so that they would not fall into the hands of the jihadists," he said, adding that Israel "would like to form relations with the new regime in Syria."
The IDF said the strikes were part of a larger-scale mission known as Operation Bashan Arrow, intended to create a "sterile defense zone" by neutralizing potential threats from the neighboring country.
Sinking Syrian warships
Smoke billows around the charred hull of a destroyed Syrian naval ship after Israeli forces attacked Latakia port.
AAREF WATAD/AFP via Getty Images
Israeli forces attacked key Syrian naval facilities in the port cities of Al-Bayda and Latakia late Tuesday, where more than a dozen Syrian naval vessels were docked.
Photos of the decimated port showed half-submerged Syrian warships. Some of the damaged vessels were Osa-class missile boats, Soviet-era vessels whose 30mm turrets and mounted missile launchers could be seen in the wreckage.
The Syrian navy, the smallest branch of the country's armed forces, operated over a dozen of the high-speed — albeit outdated — vessels developed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s.
Israeli defense minister, Israel Katz said Israeli Navy missile ships "destroyed Syria's navy overnight and with great success." It's not clear how many Syrian vessels were destroyed by Israeli warships in the overnight attack.
Satellite images of Latakia, a former stronghold of Assad, showed the charred wreckage of the naval ships. The IDF wrote in a post on X that "dozens of sea-to-sea missiles" with "significant explosive payloads" were also destroyed.
Destroying Syrian military aircraft
Military aircraft were damaged by Israeli airstrikes at Mezzeh Air Base in Damascus, Syria.
Bekir Kasim /Anadolu via Getty Images
The IAF carried out an airstrike on the Mezzeh Air Base in Damascus, once a key stronghold of the Assad regime's air force.
At least three major Syrian army air bases were attacked by Israeli warplanes, damaging dozens of helicopters and fighter jets, The Times of Israel reported. Locals living near the bases said they heard several explosions after the Israeli strikes appeared to ignite the ammunition stored there, the Associated Press reported.
Dismantling Syrian military infrastructure
An air defense radar was set ablaze after Israeli airstrikes target Mezzeh Air Base in Damascus, Syria.
Ali Haj Suleiman/Getty Images
In addition to decimating Syria's aerial and naval fleet, the IDF said it carried out strikes on 130 military assets, such as firing positions, antiaircraft batteries, missile and radar systems, and weapons production sites.
Crippling Syria's chemical weapons infrastructure
A military research center affiliated with the Syrian defense ministry was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike.
OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP via Getty Images
Israeli forces also destroyed the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center in Damascus, a key facility thought to be testing and operating the country's covert chemical and biological weapons programs under the Assad regime.
The Barzeh facility was previously bombarded in 2018 by US, UK, and French forces in response to a poison sarin gas attack in Douma, Syria. The US found Assad's government responsible for the April 2018 chemical warfare attack that killed at least 40 people and injured over 100.
However, the head of the center's polymers department told Reuters at the time that the facility, now reduced to rubble, was used to research medicinal components that couldn't be imported, such as anti-venom and cancer treatments.
'Changing the face of the Middle East'
Israeli military forces crossed the fence from the buffer zone with Syria in Golan Heights.
JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images
The fall of the Syrian regime weakens Iran's regional influence and could pose logistical and strategic challenges to Iran's regional proxies like the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
"The collapse of the Syrian regime is a direct result of the severe blows with which we have struck Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran," Netanyahu said during a Monday press conference. "The axis has not yet disappeared, but as I promised — we are changing the face of the Middle East."
Despite the widespread strikes across Syria, Israeli military officials said the country's armed forces were operating beyond the Israeli-occupied demilitarized buffer zone in Golan Heights but not toward the Syrian capital.
"IDF forces are not advancing towards Damascus. This is not something we are doing or pursuing in any way," IDF spokesperson Nadav Shoshani said at a briefing. "We are not involved in what's happening in Syria internally, we are not a side in this conflict, and we do not have any interest other than protecting our borders and the security of our citizens."
Katz, Israel's defense minister, said the country was advancing beyond Golan Heights to impose a "security zone free of heavy strategic weapons and terrorist infrastructures" in southern Syria.
"With regard to what will be in the future, I'm not a prophet," Katz said. "It is important right now to take all necessary steps in the context of the security of Israel."
There’s been a lot of speculation about Acxiom’s potential role in Omnicom’s acquisition of IPG, but an ongoing lawsuit could end up a wildcard, depending on its outcome.
In a case against IPG’s data warehouse Acxiom and performance marketing agency Kinesso, legal filings in recent weeks give a timely glimpse into allegations of the IPG companies allegedly misusing data to build their Real ID identity-resolution product. The lawsuit, filed in April by data firm Adstra, claims Kinesso and Acxiom breached a master data-supply agreement and used Adstra data to create a competing product. It also puts Acxiom’s offerings under a legal microscope, which could reveal strengths and weaknesses not spun by corporate statements or marketing materials.
The case has the potential to shape where Acxiom and Kinesso fit into IPG and Omnicom’s plans to bolster their combined adtech stack with new options for alternative IDs. Acxiom’s identity-resolution products are seen as a cornerstone of IPG’s data strategy that could help it compete with WPP and Publicis. However, a court ruling in favor of Adstra could bring potential financial, operational, and reputational risks.
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Ever since whispers surfaced about Omnicom making moves to snap up rival IPG Ryan Kangisser’s phone has been practically vibrating off his desk for clarity on what this means for the industry.
As chief strategy officer at Mediasense, the media advisory firm tasked with untangling this industry’s endless plot twists, he’s someone marketers call when they need answers. And right now, that’s in short supply.
“We’ve had a few people reach out to us [since the news],” said Kangisser, playing coy about naming names.
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Kusch explored the United Arab Emirates with her kids.
Jennifer Kusch
In May 2023, Jennifer Kusch relocated to Dubai for a job opportunity.
Her teen sons were initially against the move and said she was "ruining" their lives.
But she says the experience of living abroad has brought them closer together.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jennifer Kusch, 47, who works in talent acquisition. Kusch moved from Idaho to Dubai with her kids in 2023. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
Early last year, my company approached me about a job opportunity in Dubai.
At first, I said no. I had just bought a house in Idaho, where I was raising three kids. As a single mom, moving to the Middle East sounded hard, so I declined. But my boss at the time encouraged me to apply, and I thought, "Fine, why not?"
I got the job and was set to start in 30 days. My daughter was 18 then, and my sons were 15 and 13. When they came home from school, I read them the book "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Seuss and then said, "Guys, we're moving to Dubai."
My daughter was about to graduate fromhigh school but was excited about an adventure. My 15-year-old, on the other hand, said, "You're ruining my life. My people are here. This is where I belong." And my 13-year-old echoed his brother.
The job commitment was for two years. I said, "We're going to go for two years. We're going to see what happens."
I remember crying in my bedroom after thinking, "Oh my gosh, I'm doing this selfishly. I want to do this for my career. Am I ruining my kids' lives?"
But then I thought abouthow many other teenagers musthave said the same thing to their parents.
And so I had another discussion with my children a week later and said, "I hope that you can look at this as an adventure."
It was a big move for all of us
I had traveled outside the US but never lived abroad or been to Dubai. I traveled to the city alone lastApril whilemy kids were finishing the academic year.
When I arrived in Dubai, I tested out the public transportation so I could teach my kids how to ride the bus, hop on the metro, or take a taxi.
I found a townhouse-style villa away from downtown Dubai and spent six weeks furnishing the place so that all the kids would have to do was unpack their suitcases. My company provided an allowance to "settle in." While it didn't cover rent, it helped me set up a home for my family. They also covered the flights and most of my kids' school fees.
When I was done, I flew back for my daughter's graduation. I decided to sell everything I owned — apart from my house — as I didn't want to have to pay loads of money for storage.
Although my initial commitment was for two years, I was on a local contract and could stay in Dubai as long as I had a job. It was a calculated risk, selling everything and anticipating my love for living abroad.
In May 2023, I flew with my kids to Dubai. We arrived at the beginning of summer when many expats tend to leave the city because of the heat. The high temperatures in Dubai between May and August range from around 100 to 105 °F.
Kusch and her kids made a bucket list of things to do in Dubai.
Jennifer Kusch
That summer, my kids didn't have any friends. However, they had one another. I was grateful for that.
When I got home, our wall was full of sticky notes with things to do. We planned fun outings, like visiting Warner Bros. World in Abu Dhabi and having an Emirati dinner. When we were done, we would move the sticky notes on the wall from "to do" to "done."
So, instead of sulking and being sad inside, we were excited about what we could discover.
My kids have benefited from living in Dubai
My sons now attend a school with an American curriculum, but they are the only American students. Ithas allowed them to meet people from all over the world.
They also have independence here that they never had in the US. My 14-year-old son will get in a taxi and go wherever he wants. There's freedom and safety that they have not experienced before.
This has all contributed to why they now love Dubai. On Thanksgiving last year, my older son said, "I'm so grateful that you moved us here." That was music to my ears because I've watched them grow up a lot.
Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels are working to close a deal to make him their next head football coach, which would be his first-ever time coaching in college.
However, ESPN reported that "there are still issues that both sides need to work through."
The report adds that the "ball is in Belichick’s court" as UNC officials are indeed on board with him taking over the program. And there is expected to be a "resolution" soon.
In fact, OutKick's Trey Wallace reports it's come down to just NIL money, which was among the issues that needed to be worked out in the negotiations. If that can be agreed to, an emergency trustee meeting would be called to finalize the deal.
What exactly are the other issues? Well, the potential role of Belichick’s son, Washington Huskies defensive coordinator Stephen Belichick, is one of them.
It was reported by The Guardian that, among the elder Belichick’s stipulations, his son would be named his heir to the head coach role once the 72-year-old moves on, whenever that would be.
ESPN added Belichick’s salary for taking over and more need to be ironed out before a deal can be agreed to.
It came as a shock when Belichick’s name was floated for the Tar Heels' vacant position after longtime head coach Mack Brown said he wouldn’t return after this season.
Some of Belichick’s ex-pupils, like Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, had some fun on FOX NFL Sunday this past week mimicking their old coach trying to deal with recruiting in this NIL age of college sports.
"There’s a lot of things he can do, and obviously he’s tremendous, and even showing his personality. But getting out there on the recruiting trail and dealing with all these college kids," Brady said on the NFL pregame show. "’Listen, do you really want to come here?’" Brady said, acting as Belichick. "’I mean, we don’t really want you anyway, but I guess you could come, we’ll figure out if you play.’"
But this wasn’t just a publicity stunt. There’s more than just mutual interest in Belichick’s return to coaching in Chapel Hill.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Belichick and UNC officials spent five hours discussing a potential deal on Sunday, and in typical Belichick fashion, he wouldn’t divulge any details during his weekly spot on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Monday morning.
He admitted having a "couple of good conversations" with Lee Roberts, UNC’s chancellor, and added, "We’ll see how that goes."
If a deal goes through, it would be one of the most polarizing head coach hires for a college program in history, as Belichick has only ever been a head coach in the NFL, where he won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.
His time with the franchise came to an end before this 2024 season. They mutually parted ways and Belichick’s attempts at finding another role elsewhere were all for naught. He has since joined the sports media space, offering his insight to various outlets, including ESPN, but being open to another opportunity in football was always in the cards.
However, it was always expected that such an opportunity would come from the NFL, and there are several head coaching roles already open in the league, making this situation even more surprising.
But Belichick told McAfee and his crew what would happen if he were to become a college football coach.
"If I was in a college program, the college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL," Belichick said. "It would be a professional program: training, nutrition, scheme, coaching and techniques that would transfer to the NFL."
Simply put, Belichick would bring to college football the system he knows works in the NFL, aiming for good players to join his team who will one day turn pro with the tools necessary for easy acclimation.
Time will tell if that program will be at UNC, but it appears some boxes need to be checked before a groundbreaking deal crosses the finish line.
I tried three different kinds to determine the best store-bought ginger cookie.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I tried three kinds of packaged ginger cookies from the grocery store.
Tate's gluten-free ginger zinger cookies impressed me with bits of crystallized ginger.
The best store-bought gingerbread cookies were Little Debbie's iced gingerbread cookies.
Nothing says the holiday season like a ginger cookie for dessert.
Many brands release seasonal versions of their most popular items during the holidays, from peppermint Milano cookies to Reese's peanut-butter Christmas trees.
I tried three kinds of ginger-flavored cookies, all of which can be found on most grocery store shelves and pack just the right amount of spice for the holiday season.
Here's how store-bought gingerbread cookies ranked, from worst to best.
My least favorite brand of cookie was Tate's Bake Shop's gingersnap cookies.
I tried Tate's Bakeshop gingersnap cookies.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The bag cost $5.79 at my local Key Food Marketplace.
The bag came with 14 cookies.
The bag came with an impressive serving of cookies inside.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
This is comparable to other brands of packaged cookies I usually buy.
The cookies were very crispy, but they were not hard to bite into.
The cookies were slightly smaller than the size of my palm.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Sometimes I find ginger snaps can be a little tough, but these ones crumbled easily.
The cookies were a touch too spicy for my liking.
The cookies had a little too much spice.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I thought the cookies tasted strongly of spices like cinnamon and molasses but were slightly off-balance in sweetness.
These cookies were borderline spicy, which I'm personally not a huge fan of. However, I did enjoy the texture.
Next up were Tate's gluten-free ginger zinger cookies.
I tried Tate's gluten-free ginger zinger cookies.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
These cookies, the most expensive of the ones I tried, cost $5.99 at my local Key Food Marketplace.
This package also came with 14 cookies.
The cookies were slightly thicker than the ginger snaps.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
However, unlike the ginger snaps, these cookies supposedly contained pieces of crystallized ginger. I was excited to see how the flavors would measure up.
The cookies were about the same size as the ginger snaps but slightly thicker.
They had a golden ginger color.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I could also see the pieces of ginger on the surface of the crispy cookies.
These cookies were sweet, with just the right amount of ginger flavor.
I preferred the texture of the ginger zingers to the gingersnaps.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I loved the texture of the crispy cookies and the crystallized ginger and thought these were just as good as any non-gluten-free cookies I've ever tried.
My favorite of the three kinds of ginger cookies was the Christmas gingerbread soft cookies from Little Debbie.
I tried the Christmas gingerbread soft cookies from Little Debbie.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
At my local Stop & Shop grocery store, a box of eight cookies cost $3.59. They were the least expensive, but the box also contained the fewest cookies.
Each cookie came individually wrapped.
The cookies came wrapped in festive packaging.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I thought these cookies would be a really cute touch for a festive school lunch or snack on the go.
The cookies were sweeter than the other two kinds I tried.
I loved the look of these cookies.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The icing and smattering of red and green sprinkles upped the sweetness, but I also preferred the softer texture of these gingerbread cookies compared to the other two kinds.
Aesthetically, I also thought these were the most festive for the holiday season.
The cookies brought me back to my childhood with their perfect balance of sweetness, spiciness, and soft texture.
They were soft, sweet, flavorful, and extremely festive-looking.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
While I enjoyed all of these cookies, I would choose the classic gingerbread cookies for a sweet, festive treat.
