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Databricks nears record $9.5 billion VC raise, eyes extra $4.5 billion debtArticle content Bashar al-Assad, for all his autocratic power, cultivated a relatively modest public image. Recommended Videos He flaunted nothing like the mega-yachts and network of marble baroque and rococo palaces of Iraq’s Saddam Hussein or the gaudy glamour and custom space-age private jet with nightclub-style lighting and silver armchairs of Libya’s Moammar Gaddafi. As Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, Assad and his immediate family “lived, in a way, a normal life in front of people,” said Ammar Mahayni, a retired businessman who for decades lived a block away from the Assad family residence in Damascus. “His children went to normal schools” alongside ordinary if well-to-do Damascus residents, he said, rather than attend elite academies or boarding schools abroad. The family drove regular cars and wore plain “jeans and a T-shirt” out and about. “My sister used to see his daughter in a club swimming pool, sitting with her friends.” But moderation is not what crowds of jubilant Syrians found when they streamed into the newly empty Assad family properties after his ouster this week, to marvel at their contents – and grab what they could, even chandeliers, according to photos taken at the scene and footage widely circulated online. In a video posted to social media, a crowd of people rush up and down the staircase of one of Assad’s homes, including one person carrying out a large Louis Vuitton shopping bag. Another video at the same residence shows someone holding up a Dior garment bag. The Washington Post verified the location of the videos. Looters, along with the simply curious, left in their wake a littering of boxes of designer items including from Hermes and Cartier, on top of a whirlwind of loose paper, smashed furniture and fallen portraits. Video posted to Instagram shows an expansive garage filled with an array of luxury cars on the compound of Assad’s presidential palace. “Save me a Lamborghini,” one man calls out while driving through. The Post verified the video was filmed in the same structure that CNN reported was part of the presidential palace compound, where Aston Martins, Cadillacs, Lamborghinis and Ferraris were housed, but it’s unclear when exactly the video was taken. “It was a surprise for us to see the garage full of cars because he never drove in fancy cars, or even his son,” Mahayni said. “Believe it or not, the people around him were more of a show-off than himself.” While no fan of looting in general, Mahayni said he could recognize what some of the looters might have been thinking: “They were poor. He took everything. We had the right to take it.” The Assad family long ran a complex patronage system, which included shell companies and facades. “These networks penetrate all sectors of the Syrian economy,” the State Department said in a 2022 report to Congress on the Assad family’s wealth. Citing reporting by nongovernmental organizations and the media, the department said this network “serves as a tool for the regime to access financial resources via seemingly legitimate corporate structures and non-profit entities.” The network’s companies were able to “launder money from illicit activities and funnel funds to the regime.” Assad’s hidden life of luxury stands in stark contrast to life in the rest of his country. The State Department in 2022 estimated the Assad family net worth to be between $1 billion and $2 billion. The department noted that the estimate’s imprecision reflected the spread and concealment of the extended family’s wealth across various real estate portfolios, corporations, accounts and tax havens, under different names or obscured ownership. Compare that with the entire country’s GDP, which stood in 2021 at $9 billion – a precipitous drop from prewar figures many times higher. About 3 in four 4 require humanitarian assistance, and more than half struggle to find enough food, according to the United Nations. Many grievances over Assad’s rule centred on corruption, poverty and autocracy. “If you asked me, ‘How do you describe Bashar Assad,’ I would never talk about his lifestyle, because it didn’t matter,” Mahayni said. “What mattered is the secret police that he deployed, the different security departments he created.” As president, Assad cracked down on Arab Spring-era uprisings and waged a civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands of people. Bashar and his wife, Asma al-Assad, long exerted major influence over the wealth of Syria. “Bashar al-Assad is not known for flaunting his luxury lifestyle. ... He is known, nonetheless, for extorting the business community, known for being exceptionally corrupt,” said Karam Shaar, a political economist and nonresident senior fellow at the New Lines Institute. “One can argue that the only constant in Bashar al-Assad’s rule has been corruption,” Shaar said. Assad utilized crony capitalism, allowing friends and relatives to benefit from the opening up of the country’s economy. Those profits translated to money for him personally and for those entwined in his web of patronage, and to fund the regime and the war – but did not translate to increased tax revenue for the state, Shaar added. Asma al-Assad had major influence, such as over a committee meant to manage Syria’s economic crisis, including decisions on food and fuel subsidies, the State Department said. An effusive 2011 Vogue profile of the first lady titled “A Rose in the Desert” – which was later taken down and mostly scrubbed from the internet – heralded the Assads’ supposed down-to-earth nature, a narrative the family was emphasizing even then. “Her style is not the couture-and-bling dazzle of Middle Eastern power but a deliberate lack of adornment,” the article says of Asma, referring to her as “a rare combination: a thin, long-limbed beauty with a trained analytic mind who dresses with cunning understatement.” The article’s publication came just before Assad’s deadly crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations, when Assad’s status as a violent authoritarian was cemented. The reporter of the article distanced herself from the article, and the Hill reported that the Syrian government paid an international lobbying firm to help arrange the interview.

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NPP’s Mike Oquaye Jnr and NDC’s Elikplim Akurugu both contesting for the Dome Kwabenya seat The Electoral Commission’s decision to rerun the Dome Kwabenya parliamentary election at one polling station has sparked intense debates among voters in the constituency and supporters of the two main political parties. According to the EC, the rerun will take place at the Abokobi Women’s Development Centre 2, with the date yet to be determined, following the successful completion of the collation process for 367 polling stations in the constituency. In an interview with GhanaWeb on Saturday, December 28, 2024, most voters expressed their readiness for the electoral process and confidence in the victory of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate, Elikplim Akurugu. One voter stated that the NDC candidate would secure a resounding win, even if the EC decides to conduct multiple reruns. He emphasised that no attempts or schemes by the electoral management body would undermine the will of the people. “The EC can decide to do this 10,000 times, and our decision will still stand. Elikplim won, and we are standing firmly behind her. I wish I could provide examples of why we voted against the NPP. My family and I supported the NPP in 2016, but over the last eight years, they have failed to listen to those who brought them to power. Do you think we will continue being fools? Let the EC proceed, and we will still vote massively. In fact, we don’t even want them to bring any ballot papers because we won’t participate,” he explained. Another individual expressed confidence in the victory of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) parliamentary candidate, Mike Oquaye Jnr., asserting that the earlier declaration should have favored him. “This happens often with the EC. I am optimistic that after the rerun, NPP’s Mike Oquaye will emerge victorious with a wide margin,” another voter opined. Some supporters praised the EC’s decision, describing it as a step in the right direction and commending the commission for its commitment to resolving grievances and restoring peace. However, critics, unimpressed with the EC’s handling of electoral matters since the conclusion of the elections, condemned the commission for fueling unnecessary tensions and public agitation. “They need to take the EC to Pantang [Mental Hospital] because how can they make a decision one day and change it the next? How is this even an issue? They declared a winner and are now calling for a rerun. Even if they vote again, the NPP will still not win,” one critic expressed. Elikplim Akurugu of the NDC was initially declared the winner of the parliamentary election in Dome Kwabenya, flipping a seat previously considered safe for the NPP. However, her victory was marred by allegations of irregularities and claims that some pink sheets were tampered with after party supporters reportedly besieged the collation centre. MAG/MAHeat seekers

Jax Dane, a former NWA world heavyweight champion, has died. He was 48. The NWA announced his death on social media. “The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is heartbroken to announce the passing of Jeremy “Jax Dane” Laymon,” the statement read. The NWA’s statement said that “Dane left us on Christmas Day” and that his death was “due to complications from a heart attack suffered in late November.” Popular model and actress dead after carbon monoxide leak at Hallmark actor’s Pa. home Country music stars who announced farewells in 2024 Country music stars who died in 2024 Rock legend’s son gets major cancer update on Christmas Country music star reacts to blowback from Trump meeting with surprising Biden revelation “Dane is survived by his wife Evelynda Laymon, stepson Nicolas, and father, who will forever cherish his memory,” the statement said. “Jax is remembered not only for his remarkable achievements inside the ring but his unwavering dedication to the sport and his fellow wrestlers,” it continued. “The most decorated wrestler of the Lightning One Era and former NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, Jax left an indelible mark on the NWA and the pro wrestling community as a whole. NWA owner Billy Corgan said that Dayne “will forever be in our hearts.” He was remembered by many wrestlers on X. “This one really hurts,” James Storm wrote. “You will be missed brother.” “(Jax Dane) was a total gentleman, a teddy bear, and a great presence in the locker room,” Nick Aldis wrote. “A truly good man. His family are in my prayers. Goodbye my friend. RIP.” “RIP Jax Dane,” Dustin Rhodes wrote. “He was a light much needed in the world.” ©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit pennlive.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

According to the Village Committee's official account, the drone was equipped with state-of-the-art technology to create a mesmerizing display of lights and colors in the night sky. However, during the performance, the drone's signal was unexpectedly disrupted, causing it to malfunction and ultimately crash into the sea. This unfortunate turn of events not only disrupted the flow of the show but also raised concerns about the safety and reliability of using drones for artistic purposes.2. Offering Training and Upskilling Programs:

US regulator orders USAA Federal Savings Bank to correct unsafe practicesThroughout the afternoon, Xue Jiating offered words of encouragement and support to Zhao Lusi. She knew how grueling the filming process could be, and she wanted to make sure her friend knew that she was always there for her. Their friendship was a source of strength and inspiration for both of them, and they cherished the bond they shared.With yet another win, the LA Rams have totally turned their season around and are 8-6 on the year. Heck, this feels like the same story from the 2023 Rams. Battling back from early-season injuries, the Rams started 1-4 and have since gone 7-2 over their last nine games. Can they closeout the regular season with three more wins? Week 16 @ New York Jets The New York Jets may be a bottom-3 team in football, so this should be no problem for the Los Angeles Rams. Being that the Rams final two games are divisional opponents and are much more important than this one, it may be possible that the Rams aren't as invested into this game as they would be their final two. Nonetheless, LA is better than New York, so the Rams will win this one easily. Prediction: Rams win (9-6) Week 17 vs. Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals blew out the Los Angeles Rams earlier in the season, but when the two teams meet again in Week 17, it'll be a much different story. The Cardinals were 6-4 at one point and leading the NFC West, but they have since lost three games in a row. LA is healthier and has a Super Bowl-winning duo in Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay. The Rams will have a ton at stake in this one and will get it done. Prediction: Rams win (10-6) Week 18 vs. Seattle Seahawks The Los Angeles Rams did beat the Seattle Seahawks in overtime earlier in the season, and this game could decide the NFC West. The Rams could win-out and win the NFC West, but if they get a bit more help from the Seahawks, they could actually kind of 'tank' in their game against the Jets, hold out some starters, and make a run over the last two weeks. LA is the better team - they have the better head coach, QB, offensive line, and overall team. I understand that people find the Seahawks to be a fun, frisky team at times, but this game is trending to be a Rams win in a day they wrap-up the NFC West division title. Prediction: Rams win (11-6)

As the debate rages on about the implications of "Marvel Frontline" adopting the 303 strategy from Overwatch, one thing remains clear: history has a way of repeating itself in the ever-evolving world of gaming. Whether intentional or not, the similarities between the two games serve as a reminder of the influence and inspiration that games can have on each other, shaping the industry and driving innovation forward.Hyderabad: Godavari Phase-2 project to be completed in 2 years

Pitney Bowes director Paul J. Evans acquires $226,071 in common stock