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Stockhead Don't miss out on the headlines from Stockhead. Followed categories will be added to My News. Yep, you guessed right. Pilbara Minerals is still the most-shorted ASX stock, despite lithium prices trending back up just recently Uranium plays Boss Energy, Paladin Energy and Deep Yellow also remain a target of short sellers Short positions in consumer discretionary stocks suggest investor caution around consumer spending Before we delve into the ASX's most shorted, just a quick reminder right off the bat here about what short selling actually is. Short sellers effectively borrow a stock from a broker, and go wager it (sell it) on the open market. The plan is to then buy the same stock back later after it’s made a hefty drop in price. That done, the short seller buys it back at the lower price and returns it to the lender. The difference between the sell price and the buy price is the short seller’s profit. Investors are in effect betting they will fall. Because shorting is restricted under Australian law (and because it’s an all or nothing bloodsport) any substantial shorting of stocks is worth knowing about, even if you only trade long. And perhaps there’s method in the madness. Stockhead has utilised the number of short positions as a percentage (5% or more) of total shares on issue according to ASIC's Short Position Report . The most-shorted stocks on the ASX Swipe or scroll to reveal full table. Click headings to sort: Code Company Short positions Shares on issue % short positions PLS PILBARA MINERALS 523,390,114 3,011,484,916 17% BOE BOSS ENERGY 61,348,586 409,688,058 15% IEL IDP EDUCATION 40,145,281 278,336,211 14% PDN PALADIN ENERGY 43,099,890 299,113,022 14% SYR SYRAH RESOURCES 137,320,763 1,034,891,766 13% MIN MINERAL RESOURCES. 20,756,242 196,518,604 11% DMP DOMINO PIZZA ENTERPRISES 9,042,677 92,459,635 10% DYL DEEP YELLOW 94,420,603 969,741,926 10% LYC LYNAS RARE EARTHS 87,225,487 934,718,185 9% ADT ADRIATIC METALS CDI 1:1 25,894,400 278,062,106 9% LTR LIONTOWN RESOURCES 224,187,943 2,425,108,140 9% KAR KAROON ENERGY LTD 65,626,146 779,344,840 8% LIC LIFESTYLE COMMUNITIES 9,839,705 121,740,054 8% CTD CORPORATE TRAVEL 11,265,544 146,325,746 8% GMD GENESIS MINERALS 85,171,861 1,128,548,275 8% JLG JOHNS LYNG GROUP 20,965,374 281,293,351 7% SYA SAYONA MINING LTD 750,703,519 10,293,296,014 7% CTT CETTIRE LTD 27,473,775 381,238,220 7% SEK SEEK LTD 25,228,594 356,820,190 7% RIO RIO TINTO LTD 25,446,378 371,216,214 7% FLT FLIGHT CENTRE TRAVEL 14,575,028 221,911,982 7% STX STRIKE ENERGY LTD 182,479,121 2,865,373,749 6% AD8 AUDINATE GROUPLTD 5,164,503 83,342,014 6% CUV CLINUVEL PHARMACEUTICALS 3,088,238 50,060,680 6% SLX SILEX SYSTEMS 14,604,969 237,241,524 6% NUF NUFARM LIMITED 23,514,043 382,889,516 6% IMU IMUGENE LIMITED 451,197,831 7,438,310,643 6% WBT WEEBIT NANO LTD 11,190,914 189,902,055 6% DXS DEXUS UNITS STAPLED 62,108,358 1,075,565,246 6% BGL BELLEVUE GOLD LTD 71,824,663 1,279,998,987 6% APE EAGERS AUTOMOTIVE 14,146,372 258,074,137 5% NVX NOVONIX LTD 27,048,398 493,764,317 5% ALD AMPOL LTD 12,612,023 238,302,099 5% CHN CHALICE MINING LTD 20,351,636 389,026,788 5% LOT LOTUS RESOURCES LTD 109,164,815 2,101,222,748 5% SFR SANDFIRE RESOURCES 23,607,808 458,400,401 5% NCK NICK SCALI LTD 4,395,547 85,530,699 5% IDX INTEGRAL DIAGNOSTICS 11,696,442 233,961,997 5% CIA CHAMPION IRON LTD 24,774,607 518,251,001 5% EDV ENDEAVOUR 83,602,932 1,790,980,017 5% NAN NANOSONICS LTD 13,830,581 303,454,080 5% Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) remains the most shorted stock on the ASX with a short position of 17%. But in some sort of silver lining for the lithium producer, its short position has at least dropped slightly from 20% in September and 19% in October. Atchison investment analyst Mishan Dahia told Stockhead the materials sector dominated the list of ASX most-shorted stocks at 39%, followed by energy and consumer discretionary, both on 18%, information technology at 7%, and healthcare at 7%. "Lithium companies dominate short interest in the materials sector," Dahia said. Other lithium plays shorted include Sayona Mining (ASX:SYA) , Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) and Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR) . Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) – which recently announced a $10bn deal to acquire Arcadium Lithium (ASX:LTM) – in a bullish support for lithium’s long term prospects is also among the ASX's most shorted stocks. "While lithium prices have faced headwinds (down 41% in the past year), the supply/demand imbalance, China's self-reliance, and a strong US dollar have likely contributed to the downward pressure on these companies," Dahia said. While lithium prices are down from their 2022 peaks they have been trending up of late, benefiting from an uptick in demand and various Chinese stimulus packages, including doubling government subsidies for consumers who trade in conventional cars for electric vehicles. Source: Trading Economics Morningstar reckons lithium prices may have hit bottom and remains bullish on the future facing commodity. "As demand growth overtakes supply, we predict the market will return to balance in 2025 from a current supply deficit," Morningstar associate investment specialist Simonelle Mody said . "This should lead to higher prices, which are the strongest catalyst for lithium stocks." The Pilbara share price is down ~35% YTD. Uranium stocks remain target of short sellers, despite lift in prices Uranium plays Boss Energy (ASX:BOE) , Paladin Energy (ASX:PDN) and Deep Yellow (ASX:DYL) also remain the target of short sellers despite the price of the commodity edging higher. Uranium prices have climbed over 10% in the past two weeks, driven by the re-election of Donald Trump as US president and Russia's export ban on enriched uranium to the US. However, Dahia said many major ASX and global uranium stocks have struggled through the second half of 2024, weighed down by a weaker uranium price and, for some, ongoing operational challenges. Boss Energy and Deep Yellow have dropped close to 50% in six months, following strong rallies earlier in the year. Paladin is down around 19% YTD. Short positions in consumer discretionary Dahia said short positions in consumer discretionary stocks including Domino's Pizza Enterprises (ASX:DMP) , Cettire (ASX:CTT) and Nick Scali (ASX:NCK) suggested investor caution around consumer spending, labour costs and supply chain constrains. He said Domino’s Pizza had been hindered by margin pressure, rising ingredients and labour costs, while Cettire had been impacted by falls in luxury spending and elevated interest rates. "Nick Scali with a short position of 5% has been affected by recent supply chain challenges/UK expansion," he said. Originally published as Short and Caught: Which lithium play remains the ASX’s most-shorted stock? More related stories Stockhead Neurotech receives vital ethics approval Stockhead TV’s Sarah Hughan brings you today’s Break it Down, detailing the new human pharmacokinetic study from Neurotech. Read more Stockhead EZZ finds Chinese market a thing of beauty Following key online promotional events, EZZ Life Sciences reports surging Chinese sales of its health and beauty products. Read moreArizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea declares for the NFL Draft

Pune: Lakhs of vehicles flooded the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Saturday, sparking massive gridlock during the extended New Year weekend. The congestion was particularly severe on the Pune carriageway, with bumper-to-bumper traffic stretching for several kilometres, with some travellers claiming of taking up to 7 hours to reach Pune from Mumbai, as against a normal of three hours. The surge in traffic comes as many officegoers opted to take Monday and Tuesday (Dec 30-31) off, creating a five-day weekend till Jan 1. "We are experiencing heavy congestion on the Pune carriageway, with queues of vehicles extending up to 6-7km. Though we diverted vehicles from the Pune lane to the Mumbai carriageway, the situation remained challenging throughout Saturday afternoon. Lakhs of vehicles took the route on Saturday, both heavy and light. They were either stuck or moving at a snail's pace," an officer with the highway police said. The officer said tourist destinations like Khandala and Lonavla were seeing exceptionally high footfall, contributing significantly to the expressway congestion. "We anticipate similar trend on Sunday," he said. The impact of the traffic was felt by frequent travellers and transport operators alike. Akshay Nagane, owner of Wheelocity Taxi service, said one of his clients endured a gruelling seven-hour journey from Mumbai to Pune on Friday. "It was quite a harrowing experience for them," Nagane said. The congestion affected both directions of travel. Prakash Pawar, owner of Veer Travels, said, "Even around 10am, our clients took four-and-a-half hours to reach Mumbai from Pune as against 3 hours." Siddhu Holi, who travelled from Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar via NH48, said he was stuck for 1 hour on the highway. "When I reached near Khandala where NH48 meets the expressway, I was caught in another jam near Amrutanjan bridge, which took one-and-a-half hours to clear. The entire Khandala ghat section was packed with vehicles. I completed the trip from Mahabaleshwar to Pune in four-and-a-half hours, instead a normal of 3 hours," he said. Cab driver Vishal Shinde, who was returning to Pune from Mumbai on Saturday, said, "I encountered severe congestion from the start of the ghat section till Amrutanjan bridge. The traffic stretched nearly 5km, with vehicles moving bumper-to-bumper at a snail's pace." A regular commuter said, "I needed to reach Pune early to meet my elderly father, and son. I've been stuck on the expressway for long now, with no sign of ease in traffic so far." Amitabh Roy, another Mumbai-Pune traveller, said, "The congestion stretched 50km before Lonavla and continued 20km after it. The tourist influx owing to the long weekend had the entire stretch packed with vehicles. We faced 20-30 minute delays every 1-2km. What's typically a three-hour journey took us five-and-a-half hours. While I was travelling for leisure, I wonder how people with business commitments or urgent appointments endured the traffic situation." Krushna Pandhare, another cab driver on the route, said, "There was an extensive queue through the ghat section that extended all the way to Lonavla. Having started from Mumbai, we expected to reach Pune an hour or more behind schedule." Social media users also expressed their frustration over the traffic situation. Vijaya Choudhary took to X and posted about the heavy vehicles moving in all the three lanes on Mumbai-Pune expressway. "What the hell is police doing?" he posted, while tagging Union minister Nitin Gadkari and CMO. RTI activist Sanjay Shirodkar highlighted the worsening traffic situation even on other key routes on Saturday. "I travelled 395km from Khanapur-Belgaum (Karnataka) to Kolhapur, Karad, Satara, and Pune. It took me 10 hours, with a couple of breaks. The main issue is the poor execution of the six-lane upgrade project between Belgaum-Kolhapur and the Kagal-Satara stretch. Earlier, this journey on the four-lane highway would take a maximum of six hours, but now it takes no less than 10 hours." The traffic woes extended beyond the expressway, with devotees heading to Bhimashankar temple facing similar challenges. "The severe traffic congestion near the temples had made it impossible for devotees to reach the temple. Several of our customers had to abandon their pilgrimage midway and return," said another travel agent.

The U.S. Navy is transforming a costly flub into a potent weapon with the first shipborne hypersonic weapon, which is being retrofitted aboard the first of its three stealthy destroyers. The USS Zumwalt is at a Mississippi shipyard where workers have installed missile tubes that replace twin turrets from a gun system that was never activated because it was too expensive. Once the system is complete, the Zumwalt will provide a platform for conducting fast, precision strikes from greater distances, adding to the usefulness of the warship. The USS Zumwalt is seen at the Huntington Ingalls shipyard Nov. 21 in Pascagoula, Miss. “It was a costly blunder. But the Navy could take victory from the jaws of defeat here, and get some utility out of them by making them into a hypersonic platform,” said Bryan Clark, a defense analyst at the Hudson Institute. The U.S. has had several types of hypersonic weapons in development for the past two decades, but recent tests by both Russia and China have added pressure to the U.S. military to hasten their production. Hypersonic weapons travel beyond Mach 5, five times the speed of sound, with added maneuverability making them harder to shoot down. Last year, The Washington Post reported that among the documents leaked by former Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira was a defense department briefing that confirmed China had recently tested an intermediate-range hypersonic weapon called the DF-27. While the Pentagon previously acknowledged the weapon's development, it had not recognized its testing. One of the U.S. programs in development and planned for the Zumwalt is the “Conventional Prompt Strike." It would launch like a ballistic missile and then release a hypersonic glide vehicle that would travel at speeds seven to eight times faster than the speed of sound before hitting the target. The weapon system is being developed jointly by the Navy and Army. Each of the Zumwalt-class destroyers would be equipped with four missile tubes, each with three of the missiles for a total of 12 hypersonic weapons per ship. In choosing the Zumwalt, the Navy is attempting to add to the usefulness of a $7.5 billion warship that is considered by critics to be an expensive mistake despite serving as a test platform for multiple innovations. The USS Zumwalt is seen at the Huntington Ingalls shipyard Nov. 21 in Pascagoula, Miss. The Zumwalt was envisioned as providing land-attack capability with an Advanced Gun System with rocket-assisted projectiles to open the way for Marines to charge ashore. But the system featuring 155 mm guns hidden in stealthy turrets was canceled because each of the rocket-assisted projectiles cost between $800,000 and $1 million. Despite the stain on its reputation, the three Zumwalt-class destroyers remain the Navy’s most advanced surface warship in terms of new technologies. Those innovations include electric propulsion, an angular shape to minimize radar signature, an unconventional wave-piercing hull, automated fire and damage control and a composite deckhouse that hides radar and other sensors. The Zumwalt arrived at the Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in August 2023 and was removed from the water for the complex work of integrating the new weapon system. It is due to be undocked this week in preparation for the next round of tests and its return to the fleet, shipyard spokeswoman Kimberly Aguillard said. A U.S. hypersonic weapon was successfully tested over the summer and development of the missiles is continuing. The Navy wants to begin testing the system aboard the Zumwalt in 2027 or 2028, according to the Navy. The U.S. weapon system will come at a steep price. It would cost nearly $18 billion to buy 300 of the weapons and maintain them over 20 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Critics say there is too little bang for the buck. “This particular missile costs more than a dozen tanks. All it gets you is a precise non-nuclear explosion, some place far far away. Is it really worth the money? The answer is most of the time the missile costs much more than any target you can destroy with it,” said Loren Thompson, a longtime military analyst in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Navy intercepted Houthi missiles and drones targeting two warships and three merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden. But they provide the capability for Navy vessels to strike an enemy from a distance of thousands of kilometers — outside the range of most enemy weapons — and there is no effective defense against them, said retired Navy Rear Adm. Ray Spicer, CEO of the U.S. Naval Institute, an independent forum focusing on national security issues, and former commander of an aircraft carrier strike force. Conventional missiles that cost less aren’t much of a bargain if they are unable to reach their targets, Spicer said, adding the U.S. military really has no choice but to pursue them. “The adversary has them. We never want to be outdone,” he said. The U.S. is accelerating development because hypersonics have been identified as vital to U.S. national security with “survivable and lethal capabilities,” said James Weber, principal director for hypersonics in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies. “Fielding new capabilities that are based on hypersonic technologies is a priority for the defense department to sustain and strengthen our integrated deterrence, and to build enduring advantages,” he said. Image Credit: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock The financial challenges facing U.S. military households are a significant concern throughout the year. Holidays such as Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, or Veterans Day highlight the ongoing struggles that service members face, particularly amid rising costs for everyday essentials. Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey shows a troubling trend: Military personnel and their families are finding it more difficult to cover basic household expenses such as food, housing, and transportation than the average American. Our analysis examines how service members are faring in today’s economy compared to civilian households, highlighting the states where military families report the greatest challenges in managing their finances. As we enter Giving Season, we’ve also highlighted meaningful ways to support service members and their families through charitable contributions, offering an opportunity to make a direct impact on those who serve our nation. Service members are struggling more financially than the average American. Image Credit: Upgraded Points According to recent Household Pulse Survey data, members of the armed services are experiencing financial strain at higher rates than the general U.S. population. Over 40% of service members report difficulty covering their usual household expenses, compared to 36.6% of all U.S. adults. The data also shows heightened anxiety among service members regarding rising prices. Nearly 80% of military personnel express stress about recent price increases, significantly higher than the 71.8% of all U.S. adults who share similar feelings. Furthermore, 81.8% of service members are concerned about future price hikes, reflecting widespread uncertainty about inflation’s long-term impact on household budgets. More than half of service members in certain states have difficulty covering basic household expenses. Image Credit: Upgraded Points Across the U.S., the financial burden on service members varies significantly from state to state, primarily influenced by local economic conditions. According to the most recent data, Utah leads with 53.7% of service members reporting difficulty covering basic household expenses, closely followed by Louisiana (52.9%) and Alaska (52.8%). Other states where over half of service members are struggling include Indiana (52.0%), Tennessee (51.2%), New York (50.8%), and Florida (50.3%). A key issue service members frequently raise is that their Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) has not kept pace with the rapidly rising cost of housing. In states where service members face the greatest financial difficulties, such as Utah, Indiana, Tennessee, and Florida, home price increases have far exceeded the national average, exacerbating the strain on household budgets. Another critical factor affecting military families is the employment challenges military spouses face. According to the Department of Defense, the military spouse unemployment rate was 21% in 2023, compared to a national rate of 3.6% that year. Many military bases are located in rural or remote areas, limiting job opportunities for spouses, particularly in specialized fields. Additionally, frequent relocations make it difficult for spouses to sustain long-term careers, especially for those in professions requiring state-specific occupational licenses that can be difficult to transfer. Service members are also more likely to report financial struggles in states with higher-than-average unemployment rates, such as Louisiana, Alaska, and New York. Conversely, the state unemployment rate is below average in 9 of the 10 states where service members report the least financial difficulty. This suggests that strong local employment opportunities, particularly for spouses, significantly ease the financial burden on military households. Photo Credit: Bumble Dee / Shutterstock One of the most impactful ways to support service members, veterans, and their families who are facing financial hardships is through donations to reputable charities. These organizations are dedicated to addressing the unique challenges faced by military families and veterans, providing vital assistance in areas like housing, medical expenses, scholarships, and career training. To help guide your generosity, we’ve compiled a list of top-rated charities based on scores from Charity Navigator , CharityWatch , and GuideStar , which assess organizations on criteria such as impact, efficiency, accountability, and transparency. Here are some of the best charities supporting military families and veterans in need: 1. USO For over 80 years, the USO has provided crucial support to active-duty service members and their families. From financial assistance programs to community-building initiatives, the USO helps service members stay connected to loved ones while addressing their most pressing needs during deployments and transitions. 2. Homes For Our Troops This charity is focused on providing specially adapted homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans. It helps veterans regain independence. Homes For Our Troops also provides financial planning and household budgeting to ensure long-term stability for the recipients. 3. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) Dedicated to advocating for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, IAVA works to improve government policies and programs that support military families. Its advocacy ensures veterans have access to financial resources, healthcare, and education opportunities. 4. Fisher House Foundation This foundation builds “comfort homes” near military and VA medical centers, allowing families to stay free of charge while a loved one is hospitalized. By reducing travel and lodging expenses, Fisher House eases financial stress during difficult times. 5. Hope For The Warriors Offering a range of programs focused on financial stability, wellness, social support, and education, Hope For The Warriors provides critical support to service members, veterans, and their families. Its services include direct financial assistance for transitioning service members and veterans in need, career training and job placement, and scholarships for spouses. 6. Semper Fi & America’s Fund Semper Fi & America’s Fund assists wounded, ill, and injured service members and their families through direct financial assistance and case management during hospitalization and recovery. The organization also provides educational support, career assistance, and health and wellness services. 7. Wounded Warriors Family Support (WWFS) WWFS supports families of those wounded or killed in combat through programs like medical travel grants, meal and housekeeping assistance, in-home care services, and family retreats. By addressing these families' immediate and ongoing needs, WWFS alleviates the financial burdens of those suffering from recent tragic events. For more information, a detailed methodology, and complete results, see Rising Costs Hit Military Families Hard: Here’s How You Can Help on Upgraded Points . Photo Credit: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock Upgraded Points conducted the analysis using the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey Phase 4.0–4.2 , covering the period from January 9, 2024, to September 16, 2024. Service members were defined as adults currently serving in the U.S. armed forces (Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard) and their spouses. This analysis focuses on 3 key questions from the survey: Statistics with fewer than 50 survey responses were omitted from the analysis. Additional statistics on home prices were sourced from Zillow’s Home Value Index , and unemployment rates were sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates . For complete results, see Rising Costs Hit Military Families Hard: Here’s How You Can Help on Upgraded Points. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani is the leader of Syria's Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group that headed a lightning rebel offensive snatching Damascus from government control. DAMASCUS - The Assad family has ruled in Syria for more than half a century – in recent years over just part of the country. A surprise push by rebels has toppled it more than a decade after an uprising first challenged President Bashar al-Assad’s grip on power. He’s fled the country for Russia. What comes next will boil down to how the disparate opposition forces coalesce and how foreign stakeholders exploit the power vacuum created. Almost surely, an economy that had already been shredded by 13 years of civil strife will continue to suffer. Here’s a look at the domestic players – including Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the leader of the lightning offensive that toppled Assad – and the external parties with skin in the game. What do we know about Al-Sharaa, aka Abu Mohammed al-Jolani? The capture of Damascus was led by HTS, or the Organisation for the Liberation of the Levant, and it has suddenly thrust its leader – a Syrian named Ahmed Al-Sharaa, better known by his nom de guerre, Mohammed al-Jolani – into a highly influential position with a potential say over the future of Syria. The HTS is the successor to the Nusra Front, which was an affiliate of Al-Qaeda, the group responsible for the Sept 11 attacks on the US. Al-Jolani joined al-Qaeda in Iraq after the US invasion and was detained and jailed by the Americans there. The HTS is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the US and others. The US offers a US$10 million (S$13 million) reward for information on Al-Jolani, and his past will drag up questions about the extent to which he’s purged the extremist elements in his midst. He has suggested that he’s a moderating force and, to a degree, disassociated himself from his past; the roots of his group’s rebrand as HTS date to 2017. “I say don’t judge by words but by actions. The reality speaks for itself. These classifications are primary political and at the same time wrong,” he said in an interview with CNN on Dec 6. He appears to be on a charm campaign now, but before the conquest of Damascus, the 42-year-old militant had revealed very little about himself or his journey to become an Islamist fighter. One clue lies in an interview with the PBS show Frontline in 2021 in which he talked about the second Palestinian uprising in 2000. “I was 18 or 19 years old. I started thinking at that time about how I can pursue my duty of defending the nation, which was being persecuted by the occupiers and invaders,” he said. Al-Jolani is believed to command about 15,000 fighters and is expected to focus now on building local governance in the newly captured cities, including the capital Damascus, Aleppo, Hama and Homs. Fighters from the Turkey-backed umbrella group known as the National Liberation Front have also joined the HTS. Who are the other relevant local forces? There are the dregs of the forces loyal to Assad that – with the help of Russia, Iran and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah – had until now managed to confine the territory held by militant groups to about a third of the country. What becomes of them is an open question as they seemingly dissolved away in a matter of days. Then there is the Syrian National Army. This is the Turkey-backed rebel group working together with other rebels in the assault on the regime. They are not a cohesive group but they appear to share a common goal of overthrowing the regime and containing HTS. Another player is the People’s Protection Units, or YPG. It is the armed wing of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party of Syria, which seeks autonomy for Syria’s Kurds and has shown a willingness to work with any power capable of advancing that goal. How are the foreign stakeholders gaming this out? Foreign powers – including Russia, Iran, the US and Turkey – saw the war as an opportunity to extend their influence in a country that straddles the region’s geopolitical fault-lines. Right now, Russia and Iran – supporters of Mr Assad – are seen as losers. Turkey has something to gain. And the US position appears to be in flux, given the transition to a new president in January. Russia, a Cold War-era ally of Syria, turned the war in favour of the Assad regime with a bombing campaign starting in September 2015. Russia had long maintained its only military base outside the former Soviet Union at Syria’s Mediterranean port of Tartus and in 2017 made a deal preserving access to an air base near Latakia. But Russia’s attention lately has been focused on its war in Ukraine. TASS state media said Assad and his family were granted asylum in Russia. Iran deployed its elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to Syria to achieve its objective of ensuring the survival of the Assad regime, its main ally in the Middle East. The alliance gave Iran a land corridor stretching through Iraq and Syria to Lebanon through which it could more easily transport arms and equipment to Hezbollah, which has been greatly weakened by more than a year of conflict with Israel. Turkey has played a complex role in the war. Initially an ally of Mr Assad at the onset of the uprising in 2011 and then a supporter of the Syrian rebels, Turkey has been a part of the US-led coalition against Islamic State, the Al-Qaeda spinoff that used the turmoil of the Syrian war to conquer territory in that country and in Iraq. Turkey, however, has repeatedly attacked the bloc’s most effective ground force, the US-armed YPG. Turkey considers the YPG an enemy because it has roots in the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has battled for an autonomous region inside Turkey on and off since 1984. The US for years provided covert support to Syrian rebels fighting the regime but it ditched that programme in mid-2017. The US played a major role in fighting Islamic State with an air campaign against the group in 2014 and sent in ground troops the next year to assist the Kurdish forces fighting the jihadists. After Islamic State lost the territory it had controlled in Syria, the US reduced its presence while still maintaining a small force there for the purpose of combating remnants of the radical group. However, President-elect Donald Trump has said the US should “have nothing to do” with Syria. What is left of Syria’s economy? The 14-year war has taken a massive toll on Syria’s economy. A scarcity of reliable data makes it difficult to pin down the country’s exact output. However, the World Bank estimated in 2022 that Syria’s gross domestic product had shrunk by more than a half by 2020 from its pre-war level of around $60 billion, and the country has been classified as a low-income nation since 2018 as a result. According to data from the United Nations Development Program, employment was at roughly 50 per cent as of 2020 and Syria’s human development index had rolled back 35 years because of faltering education and health services. Syria was a minnow oil producer even before the civil war broke out, hardly meeting its own domestic fuel needs. There was a niche export market in olive oil and pistachio nuts, but that’s largely gone as the war led to a collapse of Syria’s agricultural production. What the country has become known for is exponential growth in illegal trade in drugs, specifically the super cheap amphetamine-like Captagon pills. History recap: Why did Syria become a trouble spot? Once a French-run mandate, Syria became independent after World War II. In 1966, a splinter group from the Baath Party led by military officers belonging to the Alawite minority took power. That assured the domination of the group, whose faith is an offshoot of Shiite Islam, in a country where about 74 per cent of the people are Sunni Muslim. Syria’s population includes sizable Christian, Druze and Kurdish communities as well. Mr Hafez al-Assad, one of the figures of the 1966 coup, carried out a counter coup in November 1970 against his army comrades and built a regime underpinned by absolute power, a cult-of-personality and brutality against his opponents. After his eldest son Basel died in a car crash in 1993, Hafez groomed his second son Bashar to succeed him. Mr Hafez died in 2000 and his son was initially embraced by Syrians and Western powers as a reformer. As part of the wave of pro-democracy unrest known as the Arab Spring, protests erupted in Syria in March 2011. Using his father’s playbook, Mr Bashar al-Assad used any means necessary – including chemical weapons – to crush dissent. The conflict broke largely along sectarian lines, with Syria’s Alawites supporting Assad and Sunnis backing the opposition. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel nowCan AI chatbots make your holiday shopping easier?

Josh Hubbard scored 25 points and Claudell Harris Jr. scored 21 on 6-of-9 shooting as Mississippi State escaped with a 91-84 win against Prairie View A&M on Sunday in Starkville, Miss. Prairie View A&M took a 65-64 lead with 10:38 remaining, but Hubbard and Harris Jr. each scored seven points to power the ensuing 14-1 run that put Mississippi State up for good. Hubbard punctuated the rally with a 3-pointer that made it 78-66 with 5:51 to play. The Bulldogs (8-1) stretched their lead to as many as 13 points in the closing minutes to notch their second straight win. Shawn Jones Jr. added 11 points for Mississippi State, while Michael Nwoko added 10 points and 10 rebounds. RJ Melendez also netted 10 points. The Panthers (1-8) were led by the trio of Nick Anderson (21 points) Tanahj Pettway (20) and Marcel Bryant (19). Pettway drilled 4 of 5 3-pointers and Bryant grabbed seven rebounds. Prairie View A&M got off to a hot start, opening up a 27-12 lead with 10:42 left in the first half. It was a surprising haymaker from the visitors, who entered the game winless in Division I play and faced a Bulldogs team that was ranked last week. Mississippi State eventually found its stride offensively, turning things around with a 32-17 run to tie the game at 44 entering halftime. The Bulldogs shot 50 percent from the field overall in the first half, but only made six of their 17 attempts from 3-point range (35.3 percent). Their defense remained an issue throughout the half, with the Panthers hitting 16 of their 27 shots (59.3 percent) and canning 5 of 8 3-pointers. Neither team led by more than five early in the second half until Mississippi State pulled away. The Bulldogs finished the game shooting 55.6 percent from the floor (30-of-54) and drilled 11 of 26 attempts (42.3 percent) from long range. They outrebounded Prairie View A&M 35-22 and outscored them 31-20 in bench points. The Panthers held a 34-32 advantage in points in the paint and shot 56.4 percent overall for the game, including 52.6 percent (10-of-19) on threes. --Field Level Media

Beacon Healthcare Systems Expands Leadership Team with Addition of Ayman Mohamed as Chief Technology Officer

Zoe Ball's son Woody Cook says he is looking forward to spending more time with her after she announced during the week that she would be quitting the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show at the end of December. Woody, who is the son of Zoe and Fatboy Slim, Norman Cook, has shared a loving post about his mum on social media. Woody, 23, who appeared on reality TV show The Circle, posted unseen family photos which showed both his parents with him and his 14-year-old sister Nelly, who is rarely seen in public posts. Woody, wrote on Instagram: "Well done Mama on a fabulous stint on Radio 2! Here's to more time at home! Excuse the whole family pic can't find enough crackers with @zoetheball. YOU ARE AMAZING. 4AM is a crazy time to get up!" Zoe, 53, was among the first to reply to her son's post. writing: "Love you Bear. beyond xxx." She announced her departure from the Breakfast Show earlier this week, and also confirmed that Scott Mills would be replacing her in the New Year. After returning briefly to radio in August, Zoe took another extended break in September , when it is believed she took stock of her life and made her decision to quit her show. Zoe succeeded Chris Evans in 2019 and her final broadcast is scheduled for December 20. Updating listeners on her next steps , she said that she wasn't "going to be a stranger" and is staying with her "Radio 2 crew", though didn't share any more details. Zoe said: "While I'm stepping away from the Breakfast Show, I'm not disappearing entirely - I'll still be part of the Radio 2 family, with more news in the New Year." Citing the reason for her departure, Zoe said she plans to "focus on family" and be "a mum in the mornings" again, adding she "can't wait to tune in on the school run". Stay up to date about London's hottest events, latest restaurant openings, and best deals with our Going Out Out newsletter. Sign up HERE!MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins were ready to deal veteran defensive tackle Calais Campbell to the Baltimore Ravens ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline until Mike McDaniel stepped in. “I may or may not have thrown an adult temper tantrum,” Miami’s coach said, confirming the news first reported by NFL Network Sunday morning. The Dolphins were 2-6 and had lost three straight at that point. They’d played four uninspired games without their starting quarterback, going 1-3 after Tua Tagovailoa on Sept. 17 with a concussion. Campbell would have had a chance to rejoin the contending Ravens, and Miami would have received a 2026 fifth-round pick in return, NFL Network reported. McDaniel argued that Campbell was too valuable to lose. “I was happy that they brought me into the conversations,” Campbell said after Miami’s . “They didn’t have to say anything to me at all. We had a really good conversation about what we think about this team, where we are. We felt like we had a good shot to get back into the fight.” Added McDaniel: “I think it wasn’t like it was (GM) Chris (Grier) versus me. ... That’s the tricky thing about Chris’ job is he has to look long-term and short-term at the same time, what’s the best for the organization.” Campbell, a 17-year veteran, signed with the Dolphins after playing for Atlanta last season. Players and coaches have praised the 38-year-old’s contributions on the field and in the locker room. “There’s no one’s game I’ve come to respect more than Calais up front on the D-line,” defensive tackle Zach Sieler said, “being with him this year and just the energy, the attitude and the mindset he brings every week. It can’t be matched, and that’s the reason why he is who he is today and doing what he’s doing at 17 years.” Campbell leads the team with four sacks. With back-to-back sacks in Weeks 10 and 11, he became the eighth player 38 or older to record sacks in consecutive games since the 1970 merger. He also has nine tackles for loss, giving him at least five tackles for loss in 15 of his 17 seasons. He played for Baltimore from 2020-2022, totaling 11 sacks and 113 tackles. “I think he means a great deal to not only the defensive line room, but the entire defense as well as the entire team,” McDaniel said earlier this week. “It’s rare for a guy to get here when he did, and then be voted, with such conviction, captain. I think the way that he operates to be a pro, I think has had a substantial impact on a lot of players that hadn’t been fortunate enough to be around someone with sustained success like he’s had.” The Dolphins have won three straight games since the deadline. Miami’s defense held the Patriots scoreless until the fourth quarter on Sunday. Campbell broke down the team’s pregame huddle as he has done before most games this season. He was also seen coaching up rookie linebacker Chop Robinson, who is always seeking pointers from the six-time Pro Bowler. “My job is to speak on behalf of what’s the best thing for the 2024 Dolphins,” McDaniel said. “I’m just fortunate to work in an organization where myself and the GM can be transparent and work together. “And he didn’t want to see any more adult temper tantrums.” ___ AP NFL:

Walmart is selling a top-rated heating gadget for under $10 with 4 ‘cute’ colors right as temperatures dropAs they get ready to play the Charlotte Hornets (6-10) on Monday, November 25 at Spectrum Center, with tip-off at 7:00 PM ET, the Orlando Magic (11-7) have two players currently listed on the injury report. The Hornets have listed six injured players. Watch the NBA, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up for a free trial. In their last matchup on Saturday, the Hornets suffered a 125-119 loss to the Bucks. In the Hornets’ loss, LaMelo Ball led the way with a team-high 50 points (adding five rebounds and 10 assists). The Magic’s last outing on Saturday ended in a 111-100 win over the Pistons. Franz Wagner scored a team-high 30 points for the Magic in the win. Sign up for NBA League Pass to get live and on-demand access to NBA games. Get tickets for any NBA game this season at StubHub. Catch NBA action all season long on Fubo. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .

Have you planned out your holiday gift giving yet? If you’re anything like me, you might be waiting until the last minute. But whether every single present is already wrapped and ready, or you’ll hit the shops on Christmas Eve, giving gifts is a curious but central part of being human. While researching my new book, “ ,” on how humanity has come to depend on tools and technology over the last 3 million years, I became fascinated by the purpose of giving things away. Why would people simply hand over something precious or valuable when they could use it themselves? , this is an especially powerful question because giving gifts likely has . And gifts can be found in around the world. So, what explains the power of the present? Undoubtedly, gifts serve lots of purposes. Some psychologists a “warm glow” – an intrinsic delight – that’s associated with giving presents. Theologians have noted how gifting is a way to express moral values, such as love, kindness and gratitude, in , and . And philosophers ranging from to regarded gifting as the best demonstration of selflessness. It’s little wonder that gifts are a central part of Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and other winter holidays – and that some people may , the opening of the year-end shopping season, as a holiday in itself. But of all the explanations for why people give gifts, the one I find most convincing was offered in 1925 by a French anthropologist named . Like many anthropologists, Mauss was puzzled by societies in which gifts were extravagantly given away. For example, along the northwest coast of Canada and the United States, Indigenous peoples conduct potlatch ceremonies. In these dayslong feasts, hosts give away immense amounts of property. Consider a , held by a clan leader of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation in Canada who gave community members 400 sacks of flour, heaps of blankets, sewing machines, furniture, canoes, gas-powered boats and even pool tables. In a now-famous essay titled “ ,” originally published almost a century ago, Mauss sees potlaches as an extreme form of gifting. Yet, he suggests this behavior is totally recognizable in most every human society: We give things away even when keeping them for ourselves would seem to make much more economic and evolutionary sense. Mauss observed that gifts create three separate but inextricably related actions. Gifts are given, received and reciprocated. The first act of giving establishes the virtues of the gift giver. They express their generosity, kindness and honor. The act of receiving the gift, in turn, shows a person’s willingness to be honored. This is a way for the receiver to show their own generosity, that they are willing to accept what was offered to them. The third component of gift giving is reciprocity, returning in kind what was first given. Essentially, the person who received the gift is now expected – implicitly or explicitly – to give a gift back to the original giver. But then, of course, once the first person gets something back, they must return yet another gift to the person who received the original gift. In this way, gifting becomes an endless loop of giving and receiving, giving and receiving. This last step – reciprocity – is what makes gifts unique. Unlike buying something at a store, in which the exchange ends when money is traded for goods, giving gifts builds and sustains relationships. This relationship between the gift giver and receiver is bound up with morality. Gifting is an expression of fairness because each present is generally of equal or greater value than what was last given. And gifting is an expression of respect because it shows a willingness to honor the other person. In these ways, gifting tethers people together. It keeps people connected in an infinite cycle of mutual obligations. Are modern-day consumers unknowingly embodying Mauss’ theory a little too well? After all, many people today suffer not from the lack of gifts, but from an overabundance. Gallup reports that the average American holiday shopper estimates , the highest amount since this survey began in 1999. And many gifts are simply thrown out. In the 2019 holiday season, it was estimated that more than purchased by Americans were unwanted, with . This year, holiday spending is expected to increase in the , , and elsewhere. Modern-day gifting practices may be the source of both awe and anger. On the one hand, by giving presents you are engaging in an ancient behavior that makes us human by growing and sustaining our relationships. On the other hand, it seems as if some societies might be using the holiday season as an excuse to simply consume more and more. Mauss’ ideas do not promote runaway consumerism. On the contrary, his explanations of gifts suggest that the more meaningful and personal the present, the greater the respect and honor being shown. A truly thoughtful gift is far less likely to end up in a dump. And vintage, upcycled, handmade goods – or a personalized experience such as a food tour or hot air balloon ride – might even be more valued than an expensive item mass-produced on the other side of the world, shipped across oceans and packaged in plastic. Quality gifts can speak to your values and more meaningfully sustain your relationships.

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Romania PM fends off far-right challenge in presidential first roundCHINA launched the first of its next-generation amphibious assault ships, as the Chinese navy ramps up capabilities amid growing territorial tensions. The Type 076 vessel, named Sichuan, entered the water at a ceremony in Shanghai on Friday, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. It was independently developed and will enhance China’s combat capabilities far from its shores, the report said. The vessel, described as the world’s largest amphibious assault ship by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, brings more air power to China’s navy as the Asian nation confronts flash points in the South China Sea and in the Taiwan Strait. It will undergo tests and sea trials after the launch, according to Xinhua. The Sichuan is an upgrade from the three Type 075 ships currently operated by the People’s Liberation Army. It features an electromagnetic catapult system, seen also on the latest Fujian aircraft carrier, that allows it to carry fixed-wing aircraft and expand the use of drones increasingly seen as crucial in modern warfare. The launch of the Sichuan shows the Chinese military made technological progress despite persistent corruption in the PLA, as reflected in an anti-graft campaign sweeping through the PLA since last summer. The drive has expanded within the military after originally focusing on its equipment procurement unit and the secretive Rocket Force. This week, a navy commander of the Southern Theater was purged for suspected violations of law and discipline, which usually means corruption, following the removal of his predecessor a year ago. Bloomberg News

Telangana: VHP opposes solar plants on endowment lands, threatens agitation'Woefully insufficient': Developing nations bash $300bn COP29 climate deal