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LUQUE, Paraguay — Sake is perhaps more Japanese than the world-famous sushi. It's brewed in centuries-old mountaintop warehouses, savored in the country’s pub-like izakayas, poured during weddings and served slightly chilled for special toasts. The smooth rice wine that plays a crucial role in Japan's culinary traditions was enshrined on Wednesday by UNESCO on its list of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity." At a meeting in Luque, Paraguay, members of UNESCO’s committee for safeguarding humanity's cultural heritage voted to recognize 45 cultural practices and products around the world, including Brazilian white cheese, Caribbean cassava bread and Palestinian olive oil soap. Unlike UNESCO’s World Heritage List, which includes sites considered important to humanity like the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Intangible Cultural Heritage designation names products and practices of different cultures that are deserving of recognition. Japan's Takehiro Kano, ambassador to UNESCO, reacts after the traditional Japanese brewing of sake was officially named to UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list during a World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay on Wednesday. A Japanese delegation welcomed the announcement in Luque. “Sake is considered a divine gift and is essential for social and cultural events in Japan,” Kano Takehiro, the Japanese ambassador to UNESCO, told The Associated Press. The basic ingredients of sake are few: rice, water, yeast and koji, a rice mold that breaks down the starches into fermentable sugars like malting does in beer production. The whole two-month process of steaming, stirring, fermenting and pressing can be grueling. The rice — which wields tremendous marketing power as part of Japan's broader cultural identity — is key to the alcoholic brew. For a product to be categorized Japanese sake, the rice must be Japanese. Japanese sake, a nominee for UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list, are displayed on Japan's delegation table, during a UNESCO World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay, on Wednesday. The UNESCO recognition, the delegation said, captured more than the craft knowledge of making high-quality sake. It also honored a tradition dating back some 1,000 years — sake makes a cameo in Japan’s famous 11th century novel, “The Tale of Genji,” as the drink of choice in the refined Heian court. Now, officials hope to restore sake's image as Japan's premier alcoholic drink even as the younger drinkers in the country switch to imported wine or domestic beer and whiskey. Japanese breweries also expressed hope the listing could give a lift to the country's export economy as the popularity of sake booms around the world and in the United States amid heightened interest in Japanese cuisine. “I hope that this will also be an opportunity for Japanese people to take another look at sake, shochu and awamori, which are the essence of their culture," Hitoshi Utsunomiya, director of the trade group Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, said in Tokyo. "I would like them to try it even once and see what it tastes like,” he said. Sake exports, mostly to the U.S. and China, now rake in over $265 million a year, according to the association. Japan's Takehiro Kano, ambassador to UNESCO, reacts as the traditional Japanese brewing of sake was named to UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list during a World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay on Wednesday. Japan's delegation appeared ready to celebrate Wednesday — in classic Japanese style. After the announcement, Takehiro raised a cypress box full of sake to toast the alcoholic brew and cultural rite. “It means a lot to Japan and to the Japanese,” he said of the UNESCO designation. "This will help to renew interest in traditional sake elaboration.” In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he was “delighted” by UNESCO's recognition of traditional sake-making techniques, and he congratulated those dedicated to preserving and promoting the tradition. The crisp autumn air ushers in more than just pumpkin spice latte season. Consider cozying up inside with friends for a wine tasting and sharing delicious food and drinks with more complex flavors than cinnamon and sugar. Perhaps once thought of as stuffy affairs only for wine connoisseurs, today a tasting can be as casual as pouring a few bottles while doing another activity—say, bar games like darts or art activities like painting. The tasting can also be more traditional, especially if held at a winery or local wine shop, which is a great way to learn about what wines you might like to later serve at home. To host the ultimate wine tasting, it pays to do some R&D. One of the best aspects of hosting a wine tasting at home is that you get to establish the mood, tone, and guest list for the gathering—you can't pick a playlist when you sample wines at a bar or wine shop or make the dress code loungewear. So whether the mood is serious or playful, sophisticated or laid-back, the key to a successful tasting is enjoying and appreciating the wine and having fun with friends and family. Of course, there are a few other things to figure out along the way. Peerspace put together a few tips for hosting your wine-tasting party. A tasting party is all about sampling different wines and evaluating and hopefully enjoying them—and there are a variety of ways to do that. Would you like to host a playful gathering where each guest brings a mystery bottle of wine within a certain price range—a BYOB affair? Or would it be better to have more control over which wines are featured by curating and supplying all the wines as a host? This decision sets the tone—a tasting where guests contribute wine can be a bit of a free-for-all, whereas one where you select wines you supply allows guests to sit back and simply enjoy. And you don't have to break the bank to buy excellent wines—there are lots of wine experts ready to share their affordable picks. How much folks know about wine differs—and that's a good thing. Tastings are group learning experiences. Expertise isn't necessary to host or attend a tasting, but it is helpful to think about what will keep guests comfortable and having fun. Decide whether the vibe will be relaxed and laid-back, like friends sipping wine fireside, or more upbeat and formal. Think about elements like the atmosphere and the location, and consider whether folks will be seated or standing. Will you have a spirited playlist (couldn't resist) or live music? Do you want an expert to introduce each wine, or will you be that expert? Consider how guests will share their thoughts on what they are tasting. Do you want to just talk about them or do something more organized, like take notes or give ratings? Then supply notebooks or notecards and pencils, with categories or questions established ahead of time—all of which can reflect your evening's tone as well. How many people to invite is a question largely informed by the answers to tip #1: Are you having a big, formal affair or an intimate catch-up with close friends? Or something in between? Whatever the case, an RSVP is essential because not only do you need to plan the setup of the space, but you must also make sure there's enough wine for everyone to taste, including each of the wines featured. There's nothing worse than a tasting that runs dry! The math to determine how much wine you need considers the size of the tasting pours—a full glass of wine at a restaurant is usually around 5 ounces, which yields around five glasses of wine from a standard bottle. For tastings, you'll want to do less, depending on how many wines you are featuring—say, 2 ounces if you'll be trying a lot of different wines. Experts agree, having more wine than you need is always a good idea—that way you can send guests home with a bottle should there be a prize at the end of the night. Picking a theme is essential to curating the selection of wines—it's the organizing principle behind your selections. Otherwise, your tasting might as well be just walking down the wine aisle at the grocery store and taking sips from random bottles. There's too much wine out there not to be strategic about this. Plus, a theme helps you to tell the story of each wine better—it's the plot line of the night, if you will. Common themes are types of wine, regions they are from, or even price points—really, one can get as creative as they wish. For inspiration, check out local wine shops and see what they do for tastings. Often, they will follow seasonality and group wines in novel ways for their own in-house tastings. Don't let food be an afterthought for the festivities—after all, food can enhance particular qualities of wine and vice versa. There are many rules around what foods to pair with which wines, but consider this simple advice from Alder Yarrow's Vinography : "Stick with eating good food and drinking good wine." Since the focus is on the wines, allow the drinks to determine what food makes sense, but don't overthink it. Food is a supporting character here—at the very least, guests will need something to soak up all the alcohol (unless you are spitting it out). Eating foods that contain a mixture of protein, fats, and carbs when drinking helps increase the rate of alcohol elimination . Whether it's a full meal or heavy hors d'oeuvres, thoughtful noshes are necessary. The bottom line is, however you do it, hosting the ultimate wine tasting should be fun. Wine can feel intimidating to many people, but most wine experts are passionate, inspired folks who want to share what they know and help you find wines you like. So visit your local wine store or winemaker and ask questions. There are good guides specifically concerning how to taste wine. Dig a little, taste a lot, and have fun. It's all research for your next ultimate wine tasting. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Peerspace and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Get local news delivered to your inbox!EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants organization got exactly what it deserved in getting blown out by Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Giants were embarrassed in Sunday's 30-7 loss , taunted by Mayfield after a touchdown run just before halftime. And then they saw their fans walk out on them again when the Bucs extended their lead to 30-0 and sent New York (2-9) to its sixth straight loss. The losing streak is the longest for the Giants since 2019, when they dropped a franchise-record nine straight games to finish 4-12. That led to the firing of coach Pat Shurmur after two seasons. Third-year coach Brian Daboll is clearly in trouble, with the Giants guaranteed a second straight losing season. They were 6-11 in a 2023 season that featured a lot of injuries. Daboll, who denies he has lost the team, isn't the only one whose job is in jeopardy. General manager Joe Schoen is on the hot seat and so is this entire franchise, which is celebrating its 100th year. It's one thing to lose. It's quite another to give up, and that's what the organization did when it decided to bench Daniel Jones a week ago and then release him on Friday after the 27-year-old asked co-owner John Mara to let him walk away. While he wasn't playing well, Jones was the Giants' best quarterback. He gave them more a of chance to win than either Tommy DeVito or Drew Lock. Removing him from the picture was all but certain to make the Giants worse, even if it was a good business decision. If Jones was hurt and unable the pass his physical before the 2025 season, the team would have been on the hook for a $23 million cap hit. The problem is the players care about now. By getting rid of Jones and elevating DeVito to the starting role, the front office was telling the team it didn't care about winning with seven games left in the season. So the players gave a lackluster effort. Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence called the team soft. Rookie receiver Malik Nabers said he was sick of losing. Left tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said he saw a lack of effort by some players. What they all were saying was they were angry at being betrayed. Money is never more important than winning, and the Giants made that mistake. At this point in the season? Nothing. The offense once again. The Giants have scored a league-low 163 points, including only 60 in six games at MetLife Stadium, where they are winless this season. They have scored in double figures at home twice. Daboll's team has been held scoreless in the first half in three of 11 games and it has been held without a first-half touchdown seven times. Daboll said he will continue to call the offensive plays. S Tyler Nubin. The rookie has had a team-high 12 tackles in each of the last two games. His 81 tackles for the season are just two behind team leader Bobby Okereke. RB Tyrone Tracy. The rookie leads Giants running backs with 587 yards on 116 carries — a 5.1-yard average for the fifth-round pick. But holding onto the ball has been a big issue. Tracy's fumble in overtime cost New York a chance to win in Germany against Carolina. He also lost the ball in the third quarter at the Bucs 5-yard line with New York down 23-0. It earned him a seat on the bench. LT Jermaine Eluemunor (quad) and OLB Azeez Ojulari (toe) left Sunday's game in the first quarter. Chris Hubbard filled in at tackle and the Giants luckily got back DL Kayvon Thibodeaux this past week after he missed five games with a broken wrist. DeVito was banged up but Daboll expects him to start against the Cowboys. 10 — The Giants have gone 10 consecutive games without an interception, tying the NFL record held by the 1976-77 San Francisco 49ers and the 2017 Oakland — now Las Vegas — Raiders. The Giants and Raiders now share the single-season mark. A national showcase on Thanksgiving Day for the NFC-worst Giants at Dallas. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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Warren Buffett To Make $1.14 Billion Donation Of Berkshire Shares To Four Family FoundationsRelations between Bangladesh and India, which nosedived following the ouster of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August, appear set to deteriorate further. A sharpening of Muslim-Hindu conflict in Chittagong, the second most important part of Bangladesh after capital Dhaka, has exacerbated tension with India further. The Hindu-Muslim conflict, which is at the root of the tension now, is embedded in the domestic politics of both Bangladesh and India. That has its own dynamics, exacerbating tension and making it doubly difficult to solve. Slain Assistant Public Prosecutor Sayful Islam Alif The port city and trading centre of Chittagong has been a hotbed of ethnic, linguistic and religious conflict for decades. Earlier, the fight was between Bengali Muslims and the indigenous Buddhist Chakma tribe in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). Now it is a fight between the Bengali Muslim majority (87 percent) and the Bengali Hindus (11 percent) in Chittagong. While Muslims are seen by Hindus as being backed by the Bangladeshi State, the Hindus are perceived by the Muslims to be backed by Bangladesh’s neighbour and regional power, India, where an aggressive Hindu nationalism is ruling the roost. During the violent mass movement of July-August this year which ousted Sheikh Hasina, agitators attacked numerous Hindu properties as Hindus were seen as Hasina’s support base. These attacks instilled mortal fear among the Hindus whose population had already dwindled from about 30 percent in 1947 to about eight percent due to continuous State-backed Islamic intolerance over the years. However, the communal situation in Bangladesh as a whole calmed down in November and this year’s Durga festival of the Hindus went off without any incident. Trouble in Chittagong But trouble was brewing in Chittagong, which has traditionally been a bastion of Islamic radicalism and also Hindu assertion, according to a Bangladeshi social and political commentator Afsan Chowdhury. The headquarters of the Hefazat-e-Islam (Protection of Islam) with its large network of Madrasahs, are in Chittagong. The Hefazat stands for Sharia in Bangladesh. Because of its control of the Madrasahs, it has been wooed by Hasina’s Awami League and Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Hefazat, for example, made Hasina cut off Hindu authors from Bangladeshi school text books. Islamists of Chittagong have been looking at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) as a proselytising organisation with a strong base in India and Western countries. In the popular imagination, ISKCON is seen as an arm of India. The Hefazat and the Jamaat-e-Islami have even called for a ban on it. On their part, militant Hindus had recently organised massive demonstrations and threatened to march to Dhaka if the Interim Government failed to protect the community from Islamists and anti-Hasina forces. The recent trouble sparked off when the Hindu organisation Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote held a demonstration in which its flag was seen flying above the Bangladeshi national flag. For this, monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari of the Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote was arrested amidst a skirmish between his followers and the police. In the clash, Assistant Public Prosecutor Sayful Islam Alif was killed. Sayful is said to be a Jammat-i-Islami man who had sought a ban on ISKCON. However, ISKCON made it clear at a press conference that monk Chinmoy had been expelled from ISKCON earlier for misbehaving with a child. Therefore, the organisation would not shoulder any responsibility over his statements. ISKCON Bangladesh’s General Secretary Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari, in a written statement, said that Leelaraj Gour Das, head of Prabartak Sri Krishna Mandir, Gaurang Das, and Chinmoy Krishna Das, head of Sri Sri Pundarik Dham in Chattogram, were expelled from ISKCON Bangladesh for breaching discipline of the organisation in July. That’s why any actions of these persons do not represent ISKCON Bangladesh, the statement added. However, the allegations stuck to ISKCON and created waves in India. Demand for arrest Sayful Islam Alif’s funeral was attended by leaders of the students’ movement which ousted Sheikh Hasina in August. Hasnat Abdullah, the convener of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD), demanded the arrest of ISKCON persons allegedly involved in the killing of the lawyer within the next 24 hours. Hasnat Abdulla also demanded a ban on ISKCON, saying, “There will be co-existence of all religions in our country, and we will work to protect the rights of all. But if an extremist organisation is run in the name of religion, they will not be given space here. My brother Sayful has been murdered brutally. ISKCON must be banned as a terrorist organisation.” But on Thursday, Bangladesh’s High Court refused to ban ISKCON. Hasnat Abdullah alleged that ISKCON was in favour of the fallen Hasina regime. “We did not forget how ISKCON created anarchy in Bangladesh, in favour of dictator Awami League as per the prescription of India. The people of Bangladesh will resist whatever conspiracies are hatched from India. We want to say categorically that the Awami League will never be rehabilitated in Bangladesh,” he said. As per media reports, Chinmoy is a radical leader too. He told a mass rally in Chittagong’s Laldighi ground, “If anyone wants to evict us (the Hindus) from this country and live in peace, it will become Afghanistan or Syria. There will be no democratic force. Bangladesh will become a sanctuary of communalism.” The arrest of Chinmoy had reverberations in New Delhi. The Indian External Affairs Ministry (MEA) expressed “deep concern”. In a statement, it said, “This incident follows multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh”. The MEA called upon the interim Government of Bangladesh to “ensure safety and security of Hindus and all minorities.” New Delhi is annoyed by regular declarations from the leaders of the Interim Government, including Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, that Hasina would be brought back from refuge in India, to face trial. However, till date, Dhaka has not formally asked for her extradition, perhaps not to put New Delhi in a fix. Responding to New Delhi’s remarks, Dhaka said Delhi’s statement was “contrary to facts.” A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh said that India had said “on a matter concerning the internal affairs of Bangladesh”, and added, “such unfounded statements not only misrepresent facts but also stand contrary to the spirit of friendship and understanding between the two neighbouring countries”. The Bangladesh Government also described the killing of advocate Sayful Alif as “brutal”. With the Indian media being spiteful about the peoples’ movement against Hasina, linking it to Islamic extremism and Pakistan’s machinations, and the Bangladeshi media harping on alleged Indian conspiracies to dominate Bangladesh, relations between the two countries have little or no chance of improving in the foreseeable future. Geographical location However, right-thinking Bangladeshi intellectuals rue the turn of events and see the disadvantages of an India-Bangladesh conflict to both countries. They are aware of the geographical location of Bangladesh which is surrounded on three sides by India and on one side by the Bay of Bengal. They also know that Bangladesh is heavily dependent on trade with India. It depends on India for river waters too. India too needs Bangladesh’s cooperation to prevent Islamic militants and the North Eastern tribal militants from securing hideouts in Bangladesh to plan attacks on India. Friendship with Bangladesh is also needed to minimise the threat from China which is expanding its footprint in South Asia. Since the issues are deep and formal relations are cold, informal contacts (track-two diplomacy) could help heal the deep wounds inflicted by the cataclysmic events of this year and set the stage for a formal rapprochement. But since domestic political interests influence foreign relations, communal politics in Bangladesh and India will continue to vitiate bilateral relations.Clippers’ Amir Coffey finding himself in spotlight more often

Fred Harris, former US senator from Oklahoma and presidential hopeful, dies at 94The archbishop of Paris re-opened Notre Dame cathedral on Saturday by symbolically knocking on the doors and entering the 12th-century landmark which has been restored after a devastating fire in 2019. Wearing new designer vestments and carrying a staff cut from one of the roof beams that survived the inferno, Laurent Ulrich joined hundreds of VIPs inside the Gothic masterpiece for a two-hour ceremony. Ulrich commanded the cathedral to "open your doors" and he entered the magnificently-restored edifice. US President-elect Donald Trump sat on the front row as guest of honour next to French President Emmanuel Macron, with invitees marvelling at the freshly cleaned walls, new furniture and state-of-the-art lightening installed as part of the cathedral's overhaul. Outside, small crowds of Parisians and tourists braved wet weather and high winds to witness the renaissance of a beloved monument which came close to being totally destroyed by the inferno that toppled its roof and spire. "I find it really beautiful, even more so now that the spire has been restored," Marie Jean, a 27-year-old dentist from southwest France, told AFP outside. The reconstruction effort has cost around 700 million euros ($750 million), financed from donations, with the re-opening achieved within a five-year deadline set by Macron despite predictions it could take decades. Workers had to overcome problems with lead pollution, the Covid-19 epidemic, and the army general overseeing the project falling to his death while hiking in the Pyrenees last year. It is "a cathedral like we have never seen before," Philippe Jost, who took over as project manager last year, told Franceinfo radio, adding that he was proud to "show the whole world" a "great collective success and a source of pride for all of France". Saturday's service will feature prayer, organ music and hymns from the cathedral's choir. A public concert planned in front of the cathedral featuring Chinese piano virtuoso Lang Lang and possibly US singer and fashion designer Pharrell Williams had to be pre-recorded on Friday night because of the stormy weather. - 'Do the impossible' - Held up as an example of French creativity and resilience by Macron, Notre Dame's renaissance so soon after the fire comes at a difficult time for the country. The sense of national accomplishment in restoring a symbol of Paris has been undercut by political turmoil that has left France without a proper government since last week when prime minister Michel Barnier lost a confidence vote. Macron is hoping the re-opening might provide a fleeting sense of national pride and unity -- as the Paris Olympics did in July and August. The scale of the immense security operation also recalls the Olympics -- with some 6,000 police officers and gendarmes mobilised. The re-opening "is the proof that we know how to do grand things, we know how to do the impossible" Macron said Thursday in a televised address to the country. He is set to address the congregation during Saturday's ceremony. Trump show? Macron has scored a major coup by attracting incoming US president Donald Trump for his first foreign trip since his re-election. Another 40 heads of state and government are also present, including Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who was given a round of applause as he entered Notre Dame, as well as British heir to the throne, Prince William. Macron hosted three-way talks with Zelensky and Trump at the presidential palace shortly before the ceremony, with future US military support for Ukraine's war effort against Russia's invasion expected to have been discussed. Trump has vowed to force an end to the nearly three-year Ukraine war when he takes office, sparking fears in Kyiv that he will force Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia which Zelensky is resisting. "It seems like the world is going a little crazy right now and we will be talking about that," Trump told reporters as he prepared to sit down for talks with Macron. One surprising absentee on Saturday was Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church. He sent a message addressed to the French people which is set to be read out. The exact cause of the 2019 blaze has never been identified despite a forensic investigation by prosecutors, who believe an accident such as an electrical fault was the most likely reason. On Sunday, the first mass with 170 bishops and more than 100 Paris priests will take place at 10:30 am (0930 GMT), followed by a second service in the evening at 6:30 pm which will be open to the public. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world

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NFL warns players after home break-ins: Organized groups are targeting pro athletesWashington, Nov 26 (AP) Special counsel Jack Smith has moved to abandon two criminal cases against Donald Trump, acknowledging that Trump's return to the White House will preclude attempts to federally prosecute him for retaining classified documents or trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat. The decision was inevitable, since longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Yet it was still a momentous finale to an unprecedented chapter in political and law enforcement history, as federal officials attempted to hold accountable a former president while he was simultaneously running for another term. Also Read | Israel-Lebanon Conflict: Israel Cabinet To Discuss Ceasefire Deal With Lebanon on November 26 After Netanyahu's 'In Principle' Approval, Says Report. In court filings on Monday, Smith's team emphasised that the move to abandon their prosecutions was not a reflection of the merit of the cases but a recognition of the legal shield that surrounds any commander in chief. "That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government's proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind," the prosecutors wrote in one of their filings. Also Read | Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari Arrested in Bangladesh: Police Arrest Former ISKCON Leader Chandan Kumar Dhar From Dhaka Airport. Smith's team said it was leaving intact charges against two co-defendants in the classified documents case — Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira — because "no principle of temporary immunity applies to them". Steven Cheung, Trump's incoming White House communications director, welcomed the decision to drop the prosecutions against the president-elect, describing it as a "major victory for the rule of law". "The American People and President Trump want an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and we look forward to uniting our country," Cheung said in a statement. Trump has long described the investigations as politically motivated, and he has vowed to fire Smith as soon as he takes office in January. Now he will re-enter the White House free from criminal scrutiny by the government that he will lead. The election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing Trump as he tried to reclaim the White House. He was indicted for plotting to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in 2020, an effort that climaxed with his supporters' violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. But the case quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Trump's sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The US Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to US District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year's election. Smith's team in October filed a lengthy brief laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of "resorting to crimes" in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will of voters after he lost to Biden. The separate case involving classified documents had been widely seen as legally clear cut, especially because the conduct in question occurred after Trump left the White House and lost the powers of the presidency. The indictment included dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally hoarding classified records from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and obstructing federal efforts to get them back. He has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. The case quickly became snarled by delays, with US District Judge Aileen Cannon slow to issue rulings — which favoured Trump's strategy of pushing off deadlines in all his criminal cases — while also entertaining defense motions and arguments that experts said other judges would have dispensed with without hearings. In May, she indefinitely cancelled the trial date amid a series of unresolved legal issues before dismissing the case outright two months later. Smith's team appealed the decision, but now has given up that effort. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)

Syria’s government has been forced to deny rumours that president Bashar Assad had fled the country following a march by insurgents across the country to the edge of Damascus. The rebels' moves around the capital came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of the southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organisation by the US and the United Nations. As they have advanced, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. For the first time in the country's long-running civil war , the government now has control of only four of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Homs, Latakia and Tartus. The UN's special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an "orderly political transition”. Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Mr Assad's chief international backer, said he feels "sorry for the Syrian people”. It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. Amid the developments, Syria's state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. US president-elect Donald Trump, meanwhile, posted on social media that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Mr Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation of UN Resolution 2254 would be announced later. The resolution, adopted in 2015, called for a Syrian-led political process, starting with the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with UN-supervised elections.Varanasi: Amid tension at the Uday Pratap College here over a mosque located on its premises, police on Saturday arrested five people for allegedly spreading rumours, officials said. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Cantonment, Vidush Saxena said, “We have arrested one Mukhtar Ahmed and four others for spreading rumours that could lead to disharmony among communities.” A case in this regard was lodged a few days ago, the officer said. The move followed Tuesday’s unrest after students recited the Hanuman Chalisa when namaz was being offered near the mosque. Seven men were briefly detained after the row on Tuesday, according to the local police. In a related development, students of the college have formed a “student court” and sent an 11-point letter to the Uttar Pradesh Waqf Board, demanding a response within 15 days regarding the status of the mosque and its ownership. Mohammad Yaseen, joint secretary of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, had earlier said that he wrote to the Uttar Pradesh Central Waqf Board to check the status of the mosque on Tuesday itself. “The Uttar Pradesh Central Waqf Board has clarified that its 2018 notice claiming the mosque as Waqf property was cancelled on January 18, 2021. There is no reason for the current controversy,” Yaseen had claimed. The tension arose after students protested against “outsiders” offering prayers at the mosque, citing concerns about unauthorised entry into the college campus. On Friday, hundreds of students gathered at the college gate, shouting “Jai Shri Ram” and waving saffron flags. They attempted to enter the campus, but the police personnel stationed at the gate prevented them from doing so. A local official said the college management had reached out to the administration, seeking verification of the identity of the entrants to the campus and that police have since been vigilant to prevent further disruptions.