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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The surging Tampa Bay Buccaneers are back over .500, a fourth straight NFC South title within reach. Now, they hope to finish the task by building on a three-game winning streak that's propelled them to the top of the division following a stretch in which they lost five of six games. “It's one thing getting to first place. It's a whole other thing staying there,” coach Todd Bowles said after Sunday's sloppy 28-13 win over the reeling Las Vegas Raiders. “We've got four games left. It's going to be a battle all the way through. We have to come ready every week.” Baker Mayfield threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns, and the Bucs won for the third straight week against a last-place opponent to move ahead of fading Atlanta in the NFC South. The Falcons, who hold a tiebreaker advantage after sweeping the season series between the rivals, have lost four in a row. “It doesn't have to be pretty. Obviously, there are a lot of things that I would personally like to have back, but it's a resilient group. We play for each other,” Mayfield said. “Guys step up when other people go down and that's what football is all about. It teaches you life lessons.” Mayfield tossed scoring passes of 15 yards and 29 yards to rookie Jalen McMillan. Rachaad White scored on a 5-yard reception and a 3-yard run for the Bucs, who pulled away in the second half after the Raiders (2-11) lost quarterback Aidan O'Connell to a knee injury that coach Antonio Pierce said “doesn't look good.” O’Connell was carted off the field after being shoved to the ground by Bucs defensive lineman Calijah Kancey after throwing a pass late in the third quarter. The quarterback, in his second game back after being sidelined nearly six weeks with a broken thumb, remained on the ground after an 8-yard, third-down completion to Jakobi Meyers. Kancey chased O’Connell out of the pocket toward the Bucs sideline and shoved him from behind after the ball was released. Kancey was not penalized for a late hit. “Prayers to him. I pray for a speedy recovery,” Kancey said. “I hope everything's good on their end. I definitely took a knee and prayed for him.” White rushed for 90 yards on 17 carries. His TD run in the fourth quarter put Tampa Bay up 21-10. McMillan's second TD finished an 80-yard drive and put the game out of reach after Desmond Ridder led the Raiders to a field goal that got Las Vegas within 21-13 with three minutes remaining. The Raiders have lost an NFL-high nine straight games. “I appreciate the effort, the grit, the fight,” Pierce said. “Listen, it's tough. And these guys, they're not flinching or blinking. They still believe. ... All of those guys are fighting until the very end. Proud of the effort.” Mayfield turned the ball over three times in the first half to help the Raiders stay close. O'Connell fumbled one play after Mayfield tossed his first interception. But four plays later, Raiders linebacker Amari Burney sacked Mayfield, forcing a fumble that led to O'Connell's 1-yard TD run that trimmed Tampa Bay's early lead to 14-7. The fumble recovery by Tre'von Moehrig was the first by the Las Vegas defense this season. Jack Jones' end zone interception denied Mayfield an opportunity to build on a 14-10 lead just before halftime. Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, who began the day leading the NFL in receptions with 84, had three catches for 49 yards and broke Sam LaPorta's year-old record for receptions in a season by a rookie tight end. LaPorta had 86 catches for the Detroit Lions in 2023. "It’s cool, but it would be cooler with some more wins,” Bowers said. “He’s having a great individual year,” Pierce added. “I wish it could lead to more success for our team.” Raiders: O'Connell left the game with 1:23 remaining in the third quarter and was replaced by Ridder. O'Connell finished 11 of 19 passing 104 yards and an interception. He was sacked once. Buccaneers: Played without LB K.J. Britt (ankle), S Mike Edwards (hamstring), CB Josh Hayes (hamstring) and OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (ankle). S Antoine Winfield Jr. (knee) and RB Bucky Irving (back) left in the second quarter and did not return. WR Ryan Miller (concussion) departed in the fourth quarter. Raiders: Host Atlanta on Monday, Dec. 16. Buccaneers: Visit the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflSaquon Barkley: "Pretty cool" to set Eagles single-season rushing record
FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setupBNP Paribas Financial Markets Raises Stake in Turning Point Brands, Inc. (NYSE:TPB)College Football Playoff field: What went right, what went wrong
After a thrilling conference championship Saturday and a drawn-out reveal show Sunday, the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff field is set. The first true tournament in FBS history has plenty to love -- and elements to loathe. What Went Right: Unique opening-round matchups Whether the first round proves to be more competitive than the four-team Playoff's often lopsided semifinal matchups remains to be seen. Until then, there is at least intrigue in the historic rarity of the four pairings. One opening-round matchup -- ACC automatic qualifier Clemson at Texas -- is a first-time encounter between two programs that combine for seven claimed national championships. Of the other three, the most recent contest occurred in 1996 when Tennessee topped Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl. The Vols and Buckeyes meet as the No. 9 and No. 8 seeds at Ohio State's Horseshoe, with the winner advancing to face top overall seed Oregon. SMU, a perhaps surprising final at-large selection given the Mustangs' dearth of high-profile wins, meets Penn State for the third time ever and first since 1978. The Nittany Lions scored a 26-21 come-from-behind win in Happy Valley, where they will again host SMU. The Penn State victory ended a 30-year stalemate after the first and only meeting in the 1948 Cotton Bowl produced a 13-13 tie. Here's hoping the third part of a 76-year trilogy is as closely contested as the initial two. Meanwhile, the matchup with the most previous installments is the closest in proximity -- less than 200 miles separate in-state counterparts Indiana and Notre Dame -- and the most lopsided. The Fighting Irish and Hoosiers last played in 1991, with Notre Dame's 49-27 win marking its sixth straight victory by multiple scores. Indiana's last win in the series came in 1950, a 20-7 Hoosiers victory in Bloomington. What Went Right: Boise State's big opportunity Although not the first outsider to reach or win a Bowl Championship Series game, Boise State's 2007 Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma was arguably the most pivotal moment in building support for outsiders to compete for the national championship. The Broncos spent two decades knocking on the door, beginning with their perfect 2004 regular season, extending through two Fiesta Bowl wins, and withstanding the heartbreak of late-season losses in 2010 and 2011. The celebration in response to Boise State being part of the bracket -- and not just in, but as the No. 3 seed with a bye into the quarterfinals -- marked a culmination of generations of effort for just this opportunity. What Went Right: ‘Football weather' comes to the postseason From the birth of the bowl system with the first-ever Rose Bowl Game, college football's postseason has resided primarily in warm-weather destinations. This makes sense for the original purpose of bowl games as showcases and celebrations of a team's regular-season performance, but less so for the goal of crowning a national champion. After decades of playing what often amounted to road games in the postseason, northern teams get their opportunity to host. Three of the four first-round contests are in such climates -- though Indiana won't be particularly disadvantaged by weather when playing Notre Dame in South Bend. With average December highs in Pennsylvania in the 30s, SMU will need its heaters on the sideline at Penn State's Beaver Stadium. The more intriguing trip, however, is Tennessee's to Ohio State. Longtime college football fans know the arguments about SEC teams playing in Big Ten country late in the year. Pitting two high-quality teams from the two leagues head-to-head in such conditions is a highlight of this new postseason system. And, given Tennessee and Ohio State have two of the nation's best defenses, expect a style of play befitting what is often described as football weather. What Went Wrong: More teams means more politicking When Mack Brown seemingly spent as much time on TV campaigning in 2004 as that year's presidential candidates, George W. Bush and John Kerry, his Texas Longhorns were among a small collection of teams vying for BCS bids. With the 12-team Playoff opening the top postseason opportunities to as many as 20 teams realistically, the political campaign ads that mercilessly ended in early November were replaced by the politicking of college football figures. Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard spent last week taking shots at SMU and other programs over strength of schedule -- a point neglecting that the Cyclones' losses came to unranked Texas Tech and sub-.500 Kansas. Arizona State's thorough dismantling of Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship Game solved that debate at the proverbial ballot box. However, brace yourself for an offseason of recount demands coming out of the SEC. Alabama's exclusion at 9-3, while 11-2 SMU landed the final at-large spot, is sure to play into the same controversy that South Carolina coach Shane Beamer leaned into last week. Beamer told The State (Columbia, S.C.) last week that his program may consider changing its nonconference scheduling in response to its seemingly inevitable Playoff snub. It's an odd position, given South Carolina's three losses all came in-conference, and the Gamecocks' nonleague slate included sub-.500 teams Old Dominion, Akron and FCS Wofford. But then again, how often are political campaign pitches rooted in logic? What Went Wrong: Quantity over quality? A more salient position in Beamer's case for South Carolina is that the Gamecocks scored quality wins during a season-ending, six-game streak. With its Rivalry Week defeat of Clemson, South Carolina added a victory over a Playoff qualifier to complement victories over Texas A&M and Missouri. Alabama, meanwhile, boasts wins over No. 2 overall seed Georgia and that same South Carolina team in contention. SMU's resume might be the most likely to draw ire, given the Mustangs received the last at-large berth. However, SMU beat nine- and eight-win Duke and Louisville, with two losses by a combined six points. Indiana should be the more contentious at-large choice, with the Hoosiers beating only one team that finished above .500: 7-5 Michigan. Indiana's only other matchup with an above-.500 opponent was a 38-15 blowout at Ohio State. That's something Alabama and South Carolina have in common with Indiana, as all three teams lost in routs. Alabama dropped a 24-3 decision late in the season at Oklahoma that presumably doomed the Crimson Tide's chances, while South Carolina lost to Ole Miss 27-3. To that end, there are arguments to be made for and against every team that was on the bubble. No system will ever appease all parties. What Went Wrong: Seeding conundrum Much of the Playoff's very existence flies in the face of college football tradition. One facet of how the field was set that upholds tradition in its own small way is rewarding teams for winning their conferences by reserving the four first-round byes for league champions. When this format was implemented, however, the committee could not have envisioned that two of the top five conference champions would not be ranked in the top 10. Because three-loss Clemson survived a furious SMU comeback in the ACC championship game, and Arizona State caught fire after underwhelming losses to Texas Tech and Cincinnati to win a weak Big 12, the committee was in the unusual position of having to slot a non-power conference champion and double-digit-ranked team in a top-four spot. This first edition of the Playoff seems likely to be the last to use this format, even if this scenario seems like an outlier. --Kyle Kensing, Field Level Media
Townsquare Capital LLC Invests $162,000 in Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. (NASDAQ:REFI)Palvella Therapeutics to debut on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “PVLA” as a publicly traded rare disease biopharmaceutical company advancing a late clinical-stage pipeline and a platform for treating serious, rare genetic diseases Strong balance sheet with approximately $80.0 million of cash and cash equivalents, including proceeds from a PIPE financing co-led by BVF Partners, L.P. and Frazier Life Sciences Cash expected to fund operations into the second half of 2027, including through Phase 3 SELVA clinical trial of QTORINTM 3.9% rapamycin anhydrous gel (QTORINTM rapamycin) for the treatment of microcystic lymphatic malformations (microcystic LMs) and Phase 2 clinical trial in cutaneous venous malformations (cutaneous VMs) Microcystic LMs is a chronically debilitating and lifelong genetic disease affecting an estimated more than 30,000 diagnosed patients in the U.S. QTORINTM rapamycin has the potential to be the first approved therapy and standard of care in the U.S. for microcystic LMs and cutaneous VMs WAYNE, Pa., Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Palvella Therapeutics, Inc. (Palvella), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies to treat patients suffering from serious, rare genetic skin diseases for which there are no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapies, today announced the completion of its previously announced merger with Pieris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Pieris). The combined company will operate under the name Palvella Therapeutics, Inc., and its shares are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on December 16, 2024, under the ticker symbol "PVLA". Palvella will continue to be led by Wes Kaupinen, its Founder and Chief Executive Officer, and other members of the Palvella management team. The transaction was approved by Pieris stockholders at a special meeting held on December 11, 2024, and the transaction had been previously approved by Palvella stockholders. "With strong support from leading healthcare-dedicated investors, Palvella is well positioned to enter the public markets and pursue our vision of becoming the leading rare disease company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies to treat patients suffering from serious, rare genetic skin diseases," said Mr. Kaupinen. “This transaction will enable us to accelerate late-stage development of QTORINTM rapamycin, our lead product candidate, for microcystic LMs and cutaneous VMs while also further advancing additional novel product candidates from our QTORINTM platform." Concurrent with the merger, Palvella completed a previously announced oversubscribed $78.9 million private placement co-led by BVF Partners, L.P., an existing investor, and Frazier Life Sciences, a new investor, and with participation from a syndicate of leading healthcare-dedicated investors. Additional new investors include Blue Owl Healthcare Opportunities, Nantahala Capital, DAFNA Capital Management, ADAR1 Capital Management, and a healthcare dedicated fund. Existing investors Samsara BioCapital, Petrichor, CAM Capital, Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Integrated Finance Group (an AscellaHealth partner company), BioAdvance, and Gore Range Capital also participated in the financing. Palvella's cash and cash equivalents of approximately $80.0 million is expected to fund operations into the second half of 2027, including through results from the SELVA Phase 3 clinical trial of QTORINTM rapamycin for the treatment of microcystic LMs and Phase 2 clinical trial of QTORINTM rapamycin in cutaneous VMs. Palvella’s research team developed QTORINTM, a patented and versatile platform designed to generate novel topical therapies that penetrate the deep layers of the skin to locally treat a broad spectrum of serious, rare genetic skin diseases. Well-accepted mechanisms of action of rapamycin and other therapeutic agents represent potential therapies for rare genetic skin diseases. However, the adverse event profile of those agents through systemic exposure poses significant barriers to patient adoption. Palvella’s QTORINTM product candidates are designed for targeted, localized delivery of therapeutic agents to pathogenic tissue of interest while minimizing systemic absorption and thereby reducing the risk of unwanted adverse events associated with systemic therapy. Palvella's lead product candidate QTORINTM rapamycin is a novel, patented 3.9% rapamycin anhydrous gel currently under development for the treatment of microcystic LMs, cutaneous VMs, and other serious, functionally debilitating skin diseases driven by the overactivation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. QTORINTM rapamycin has received FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation, Fast Track Designation, and Orphan Drug Designation for microcystic LMs and is the recent recipient of up to a $2.6 million FDA Orphan Products Grant. QTORINTM rapamycin has also received Fast Track Designation for venous malformations. QTORINTM rapamycin is protected by issued composition patents covering anhydrous gel formulations of rapamycin, as well as methods of use, in the U.S., Japan, Australia, China and Israel and pending patent applications broadly covering anhydrous gel formulations of rapamycin, as well as methods of use, in the U.S. and other countries. In the third quarter of 2024, Palvella initiated SELVA, a 24-week, Phase 3, single-arm, baseline-controlled clinical trial of QTORINTM rapamycin administered once daily for the treatment of microcystic LMs. The primary efficacy endpoint is the change from baseline in the overall microcystic LM Investigator Global Assessment (mLM-IGA) at week 24. The Phase 3 study is enrolling approximately 40 subjects, age six or older, at leading vascular anomaly centers across the U.S. Transaction Details Based on the final exchange ratio of approximately 0.30946 shares of Pieris common stock for each share of Palvella common stock, at the closing of the merger, there are approximately 13.95 million shares of the combined company's common stock outstanding on a diluted basis, with prior Pieris stockholders owning approximately 11% on a diluted basis and prior Palvella stockholders (including investors in the private placement) holding approximately 89% of the combined company's outstanding common stock on a diluted basis. In connection with the closing of the merger, Pieris issued a non-transferable contingent value right (CVR) to Pieris shareholders of record immediately prior to the closing, which does not include the former holders of shares of Palvella or the private financing investors. Holders of the CVR will be entitled to receive payments from proceeds received by the combined company, if any, under Pieris' existing partnership agreements with Pfizer and Boston Pharmaceuticals, in addition to other potential licensing agreements involving certain of Pieris' legacy assets, as well as certain potential payments related to historical research and development tax credits, which may or may not be realized. TD Cowen served as lead placement agent and Cantor served as a placement agent for Palvella's concurrent financing. Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP served as legal counsel to Palvella. Cooley LLP served as legal counsel to the placement agents. Stifel served as the exclusive financial advisor to Pieris and Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky, and Popeo, P.C. served as legal counsel to Pieris. About Microcystic Lymphatic Malformations Microcystic LMs are a rare, chronically debilitating genetic disease caused by dysregulation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/mTOR pathway. The disease is characterized by malformed lymphatic vessels that protrude through the skin and persistently leak lymph fluid (lymphorrhea) and bleed, often leading to recurrent serious infections and cellulitis that can cause hospitalization. The natural history of microcystic LMs are persistent and progressive without spontaneous resolution, with symptoms generally worsening during life, including increases in the number and size of malformed vessels that lead to complications and lifetime morbidity. There are currently no FDA-approved treatments for the estimated more than 30,000 diagnosed patients with microcystic LMs in the United States. About Palvella Therapeutics Founded and led by rare drug disease drug development veterans, Palvella Therapeutics (Nasdaq: PVLA) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies to treat patients suffering from serious, rare genetic skin diseases for which there are no FDA-approved therapies. Palvella is developing a broad pipeline of product candidates based on its patented QTORINTM platform, with an initial focus on serious, rare genetic skin diseases, many of which are lifelong in nature. Palvella’s lead product candidate, QTORINTM 3.9% rapamycin anhydrous gel (QTORINTM rapamycin), is currently in the Phase 3 SELVA clinical trial in microcystic lymphatic malformations (microcystic LMs) and a Phase 2 trial in cutaneous venous malformations. For more information, please visit www.palvellatx.com or follow the Company on LinkedIn. QTORINTM rapamycin is for investigational use only and has not been approved or cleared by the FDA or by any other regulatory agency. This press release contains forward-looking statements (including within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act)). These statements may discuss goals, intentions, and expectations as to future plans, trends, events, results of operations or financial condition, or otherwise, based on current beliefs of the management of Palvella and Pieris, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management of Palvella and Pieris. Forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “likely,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” and other similar expressions or the negative or plural of these words, or other similar expressions that are predictions or indicate future events or prospects, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the sufficiency of the combined company’s capital resources; the combined company’s cash runway; the expected timing of the closing of the proposed transactions; statements regarding the potential of, and expectations regarding, Palvella’s programs, including QTORINTM rapamycin, and its research-stage opportunities, including its expected therapeutic potential and market opportunity; the expected timing of initiating, as well as the design of Palvella’s Phase 2 clinical trial of QTORINTM rapamycin in cutaneous venous malformations. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors, including, without limitation: the limited operating history of each company; the significant net losses incurred since inception; the ability to raise additional capital to finance operations; the ability to advance product candidates through preclinical and clinical development; the ability to obtain regulatory approval for, and ultimately commercialize, Palvella’s product candidates, including QTORINTM rapamycin; the outcome of early clinical trials for Palvella’s product candidates, including the ability of those trials to satisfy relevant governmental or regulatory requirements; the fact that data and results from clinical studies may not necessarily be indicative of future results; Palvella’s limited experience in designing clinical trials and lack of experience in conducting clinical trials; the ability to identify and pivot to other programs, product candidates, or indications that may be more profitable or successful than Palvella’s current product candidates; the substantial competition Palvella faces in discovering, developing, or commercializing products; the negative impacts of the global events on operations, including ongoing and planned clinical trials and ongoing and planned preclinical studies; the ability to attract, hire, and retain skilled executive officers and employees; the ability of Palvella and Pieris to protect their respective intellectual property and proprietary technologies; reliance on third parties, contract manufacturers, and contract research organizations. The foregoing review of important factors that could cause actual events to differ from expectations should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the risk factors included in Pieris’ most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC, as well as the registration statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC by Pieris in connection with the merger. Palvella and Pieris can give no assurance that the conditions to the proposed transactions will be satisfied. Except as required by applicable law, Palvella and Pieris undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release contains hyperlinks to information that is not deemed to be incorporated by reference into this press release. Palvella Therapeutics Contact Information Investors Wesley H. Kaupinen Founder and CEO, Palvella Therapeutics wes.kaupinen@palvellatx.com Media Stephanie Jacobson Managing Director, Argot Partners palvella@argotpartners.com
DAMASCUS, Syria — Ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally, Russian media said Sunday, hours after a stunning rebel advance seized control of Damascus and ended his family's 50-year iron rule. Thousands of Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire and waved the revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. "Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East," President Joe Biden said, crediting action by the U.S. and its allies for weakening Syria's backers: Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. He called the fall of Assad a "fundamental act of justice" but also a "moment of risk and uncertainty," and said rebel groups are "saying the right things now" but the U.S. would assess their actions. Russia requested an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council to discuss Syria, according to Dmitry Polyansky, its deputy ambassador to the U.N., in a post on Telegram. The arrival of Assad and his family in Moscow was reported by Russian agencies Tass and RIA, citing an unidentified source at the Kremlin. A spokesman there didn't immediately respond to questions. RIA also said Syrian insurgents guaranteed the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic posts in Syria. Earlier, Russia said Assad left Syria after negotiations with rebel groups and he gave instructions to transfer power peacefully. The leader of Syria's biggest rebel faction, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, is poised to chart the country's future. The former al-Qaida commander cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance. The U.S. and the U.N. consider his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, a terrorist organization. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the Umayyad Mosque and described Assad's fall as "a victory to the Islamic nation." Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he said Assad made Syria "a farm for Iran's greed." The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and split among armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in remote areas. Syrian state television broadcast a rebel statement saying Assad was overthrown and all prisoners were released. They urged people to preserve the institutions of "the free Syrian state," and announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi appeared on state TV and sought to reassure religious and ethnic minorities, saying: "Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects." "We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did," he added. Soldiers and police fled their posts and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Families wandered the presidential palace, walking by damaged portraits of Assad. Other parts of the capital were empty and shops were closed. Rebels stood guard at the Justice Ministry, where Judge Khitam Haddad said he and colleagues were protecting documents. Outside, residents sought information about relatives who disappeared under Assad. The rebels "felt the pain of the people," said one woman, giving only her first name, Heba. She worried about possible revenge killings by the rebels, many of whom appeared to be underage. Syria's historically pro-government newspaper al-Watan called it "a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood." It added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements ordered from above. A statement from the Alawite sect that formed the core of Assad's base called on young Syrians to be "calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country." The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall within days as the Syrian army melted away. Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, which provided crucial support to Assad, abandoned him as they reeled from other conflicts. Iran said Syrians should decide their future "without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention." The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after it was apparently abandoned. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to "extend its hand" to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video on Syrian opposition media showed armed men escorting him from his office to a hotel. The U.N.'s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an "orderly political transition." The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need "to engage all parties on the ground" and the main concern is "stability and safe transition." Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying it was to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned positions. Get local news delivered to your inbox!DDG is all sorts of enraged today following a recent collaboration with streamer, plaqueboymax. The rapper and fellow content creator was on his platform, and he participated in a segment similar to "Hot Ones" called "Dry Ones." It's also a Q&A and if you decide to not answer the question posed to you, the person has to eat a Popeyes biscuit. At around the 21-minute mark of the YouTube clip below it becomes plaqueboymax's turn to ask DDG a singeing question. After some deliberating, he decides to ask him who his favorite ex was that he actually dated. Immediately, the Michigan native was already imagining the "TikTok clip" coming. But he played along anyway and said that it was someone whose name "starts with a K." He had said that it's been about five years since they last spoke. However, he did admit that they "had a good run." DDG, being in the public eye for a while, read the situation perfectly, because The Shade Room clipped his answer and reshared it on social media. But this has since led to a lot of angry reactions from fans who saw the full stream, and DDG himself. Read More: Owen Wilson & Matt Rife To Star In Comedy Film About Rolling Loud Festival What the clip from the outlet doesn't show that the YouTube one does is what he says prior to his answer. "'Cause we ain't talkin' about family." Plaqueboymax then wanted to clarify, "So favorite ex besides... you know." Of course, they are referring to one Halle Bailey, whom DDG split up from earlier this year. Many fans pointed out this fact in the comments section of The Shade Room 's repost. "The SHADEroom purposely cut out the besides Halle part. Yal really are a BIG part of the problem 🤦🏽♀️" one user writes. "Shade room intentionally left off the Halle part bro they really be working overtime to promote drama 😂" another adds. DDG also went off on the media outlet for doing so. "HALLE IS NOT MY EX, SHE IS MY FAMILY, I EXCLUDED HER. I DONT GIVE A 2 F*CKS ABOUT THAT OTHER WOMAN, IM JUST PLAYING THE GAME. THIS IS OUT OF CONTEXT!" Based on the all-caps writing and language used, you can tell he's visibly upset with how this was handled. In hindsight, he might have been better off just eating another biscuit and calling it a day. On the other hand, he did want to play along and provide content for plaqueboymax, so he was really in a sticky situation from the jump. Read More: Will Smith Addresses Diddy “Freak Off” Rumors
3,643 Shares in Axos Financial, Inc. (NYSE:AX) Acquired by Townsquare Capital LLCA pair of teams with minimal rest will face off in Nassau, Bahamas, on Sunday when No. 22 St. John takes on Georgia. St. John's (5-1), which will play its third game in four days, began the stretch in the Bahamas Championship on Thursday, dropping a heartbreaker to No. 13 Baylor. The Red Storm led by 18 in the first half before Baylor forced overtime. From there, St. John's rallied from five down with 1:47 left to send the game to a second overtime, where it saw Baylor knock down a pair of 3-pointers in the final seven seconds -- including Jeremy Roach's buzzer-beater -- to knock off the Red Storm 99-98. In the third-place game on Friday, St. John's breezed past Virginia 80-55. RJ Luis Jr. led the way with 18 points and four steals, followed by Kadary Richmond's 12 points, as the Red Storm took a one-point lead with 15:21 left in the first half and didn't trail again. "I'm really impressed with our guys, coming off a double-overtime, extremely emotional loss," St. John's head coach Rick Pitino said. "To respond that way was extremely impressive, both offensively and defensively." Pitino, in his second year with the Red Storm, was moved by something off the court on Friday, involving captain Zuby Ejiofor, who chipped in eight points, nine boards, two steals and two blocks. Ejiofor was serenaded by St. John's fans during the win, following his two missed free throws at the end of double overtime against Baylor. "When you've only been in a job for a year, you search for things you love about a place," Pitino said. "Tonight I found out what I love about St. John's. Our fans chanted Zuby's name the whole game, which doesn't happen anywhere else in America. I was really impressed with our fans and I thank them for making Zuby feel good, because he gives you all the energy." Luis leads the Red Storm with 17.3 points per game, followed by Ejiofor (10.7), Aaron Scott (10.5), Deivon Smith (10.3) and Richmond (10.2). Georgia enters Sunday's matchup looking to rebound from its first loss after falling to No. 15 Marquette 80-69 on Saturday. Georgia (5-1) battled back from a 15-point, second-half deficit, but was held to just three points over the final 4:57 in Saturday's loss. Blue Cain led the Bulldogs with a season-high 17 points, including five 3-pointers. "It's a process. It's a journey with this team," Bulldogs head coach Mike White said. "It's about continuing to make strides, continuing to protect our culture. ... At the end of the day, wins and losses are going to take care of themselves. We just have to embrace the process and enjoy it." Five-star freshman recruit Asa Newell was held to a season-low nine points but leads the team with 15.5 points per game. Silas Demary Jr. is second with 13.8. --Field Level Media
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