In a first, “underwater drones” capable of diving up to 100 meters will be deployed during the upcoming to provide round-the-clock surveillance at Sangam area in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, the Union Culture Ministry said on Sunday. Besides, renovation of 92 roads and construction of 30 pontoon bridges and installation of 800 multilingual signages are being undertaken there to facilitate the pilgrims and other visitors showcasing India’s culture and diversity. Expected to host over 40 crore devotees from across the globe, this 45-day festival from January 13 to February 26 will showcase and spiritual traditions. Also, the installation of 2,700 cameras with artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities will provide “real-time monitoring” and facial recognition technology will be used at entry points for enhanced safety, the ministry said. “A team of 56 cyber warriors will monitor online threats. Cyber help desks are being set up in all police stations,” it said. Moreover, the construction of 30 pontoon bridges using 3,308 pontoons is underway and 28 are already operational. Further, over 50,000 personnel, including from the paramilitary forces, will be deployed.Australia heaved a major sigh of relief on Wednesday after skipper Pat Cummins declared run-machine Travis Head fit for the Boxing Day test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. India nemesis Head, the leading scorer of the five-test series for the Border-Gavaskar trophy, suffered a quad strain in Brisbane. "He ticked off some final things today and yesterday, but no stress, no worries about injury for Trav," Cummins told reporters after training on Wednesday. "He'll go into the game fully fit. I don't think you'll see too much management of him throughout the game ... maybe around fielding if he's a bit uncomfortable." Middle order batter Head has tallied 409 runs from five innings in the series, which include two hundreds and a fifty, averaging nearly 82. Australia have confirmed teenaged opener Sam Konstas will make his debut replacing Nathan McSweeney in front of a sellout Boxing Day crowd at the MCG. Seamer Scott Boland will be coming in for the injured Josh Hazlewood in the other change for the home side in a match when the mercury is forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius on day one. The five-test series for the Border-Gavaskar trophy remains level at 1-1. (This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)crazy 777 jogo 。

Eagles seek 7th straight win while Rams try to keep pace in crowded NFC West race Philadelphia (8-2) at Los Angeles Rams (5-5) Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST, NBC/Peacock BetMGM NFL odds: Eagles by 3. Against the spread: Eagles 6-4; Rams 4-6. Series record: Eagles lead 23-20-1. Last meeting: Eagles beat Rams 23-14 in Inglewood, Calif. Canadian Press Nov 21, 2024 2:56 PM Nov 21, 2024 3:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) runs past Washington Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil (0) for a first down during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Philadelphia (8-2) at Los Angeles Rams (5-5) Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST, NBC/Peacock BetMGM NFL odds: Eagles by 3. Against the spread: Eagles 6-4; Rams 4-6. Series record: Eagles lead 23-20-1. Last meeting: Eagles beat Rams 23-14 in Inglewood, Calif. on Oct. 8, 2023. Last week: Eagles beat Washington 26-18; Rams beat New England 28-22. Eagles offense: overall (5), rush (1), pass (22), scoring (7). Eagles defense: overall (1), rush (7), pass (2), scoring (6). Rams offense: overall (17), rush (26), pass (T-7), scoring (21). Rams defense: overall (23), rush (18), pass (22), scoring (22). Turnover differential: Eagles plus-2; Rams plus-4. Eagles player to watch RB Saquon Barkley. Barkley combined for 198 scrimmage yards and two scores, rushing 26 times for 146 yards (5.6 average) while adding two receptions for 52 yards against Washington. With 1,137 rushing yards through 10 games, Barkley only trails Baltimore’s Derrick Henry for the NFL lead. He had his sixth 100-plus yard rushing game this season, which is the most in the NFL. Rams player to watch S Kam Kinchens. The rookie third-round pick from Miami had eight tackles, one tackle for loss, an interception and a forced fumble against the Patriots as he continues to come on strong. Kinchens has three picks in the past three games. Key matchup Eagles QB Jalen Hurts vs. Rams’ defensive line. Hurts shredded Los Angeles for 303 yards passing and 72 yards rushing last season despite the presence of superstar DT Aaron Donald. After Donald retired, the Rams turned to a committee approach to get after the passer, and it has worked with rookie OLB Jared Verse and DT Braden Fiske fitting in well next to second-year OLB Byron Young and DT Kobie Turner. But they can only unleash their excellent pass rush skills by limiting Philadelphia on early downs. Hurts has been at his dual-threat best over the past five games, accounting for 15 total touchdowns (six passing, nine rushing) against two turnovers. Key injuries Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff had surgery on his left wrist on Thursday, a move that could allow him to return toward the end of the season. ... WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and DT Milton Williams (foot) each missed practice this week. ... Rams RT Rob Havenstein (ankle) looks to be trending toward a return this week. Havenstein sat out the previous two games because of the ailment. Series notes The Eagles have won all three games in Los Angeles since the Rams moved back in 2016. ... Overall, Philadelphia has won seven of the past eight. The only setback came in Week 2 of the 2020 pandemic season. Stats and stuff Barkley has passed 100-plus scrimmage yards in eight of 10 games. That is tied with LeSean McCoy (2011) and Brian Westbrook (2007) for the most by an Eagle through 10 games. His 198 yards were his second most as an Eagle (199 in Week 9). ... The Eagles have allowed two passing touchdowns during their winning streak. Only one opponent has topped 200 passing yards against them in this stretch, with Cincinnati throwing for 222 in Week 8. ... Hurts leads all NFL quarterbacks with 11 touchdown runs and is second only to Henry's 13 scores for the Ravens. ... WR A.J. Brown leads the league in receptions of 30 yards or longer. He is averaging 18.7 yards per catch, the best mark of any player with at least 30 grabs. ... Even before he hurt his wrist, Huff struggled in his first season in Philadelphia with just 2 1/2 sacks and four quarterback hits. His snap count has dipped since he was injured ahead of a game earlier this month against Jacksonville. Huff had 17 1/2 sacks in four seasons with the Jets before he signed a three-year, $51 million free-agent deal with the Eagles. ... Philadelphia has run for at least 150 yards and two touchdowns in five straight games, something it hadn't accomplished since 1949. ... Rams WR Puka Nacua caught his first touchdown of the season in New England. He has at least seven receptions and 98 yards in three of his past four games, with only a second-quarter ejection in Seattle having limited Nacua since he returned from a knee injury. ... WR Cooper Kupp has 614 receptions through his first 98 games, which is fourth most in NFL history through 100 games. Julio Jones (619) is third. ... RB Kyren Williams averaged a season-high 5.7 yards per carry, finishing with 86 yards on 15 attempts versus the Patriots. ... Verse has 11 tackles for loss and 4 1/2 sacks through his first 10 games. Verse is pressuring the quarterback on 20.2% of pass rush snaps, which ranks second in the league overall. ... The Rams were 2 of 8 (25%) on third down against New England, their third straight game converting 25% or worse. ... QB Matthew Stafford has not been sacked in each of Los Angeles’ past three wins. Fantasy tip Don’t be discouraged using Stafford, Kupp and Nacua against Philadelphia's pass defense. All three put up solid fantasy numbers in last season’s meeting, even as the Eagles sat on the ball for nearly 38 minutes. Stafford had 222 yards and two scores, finding Kupp eight times for 118 yards and Nacua seven times for 71 yards and a touchdown, so they'll find ways to produce. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) NFL Inactive Report Nov 21, 2024 4:00 PM Ifedi starts at left tackle for Browns in prime-time matchup against AFC North-leading Steelers Nov 21, 2024 3:59 PM Seahawks are optimistic again and set to battle Cardinals for the NFC West lead Nov 21, 2024 3:50 PM

The European Space Agency is preparing to launch two missions on Wednesday, half a world and half a day apart: Proba-3 from India and Sentinel-1C from French Guiana. Because ESA and the European aerospace industry are still working towards restoring home-grown launch capability and rebuilding the continent’s position in the commercial launch market, it will rely upon the Indian Space Research Organization for the first mission: Proba-3. Meanwhile the Sentinel-1C Earth-observing satellite will launch on the first European-made Vega-C rocket since a failure in December 2022. The pair of spacecraft making up the Proba-3 mission are scheduled to launch onboard a PSLV-XL (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 4:08 p.m. IST (5:38 a.m. EST, 1038 UTC). ISRO will host a launch broadcast beginning roughly 30 minutes prior to liftoff.  With a total payload weight of 550 kg (1213 lb), ESA said the mission’s highly elliptical orbit would be “above the Vega-C capacity and Ariane 6 would be too costly.” The Proba-3 mission consists of a 340 kg (750 lb) coronagraph spacecraft and a 200 kg (441 lb) occulter spacecraft. The pair will separate from the rocket’s fourth stage, still linked together, about 18 minutes into the mission. Ground controllers expect to establish a signal with the two spacecraft about 25 minutes later. The two spacecraft will separate from each another in early 2025 to begin the commissioning phase of the mission. Researchers expect to acquire the first images of the Sun’s corona around March 2025, but it could take longer. The roughly 200 million euro mission is designed to last about two years in duration after which the craft will burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere to prevent the spacecraft from becoming orbital debris. Despite the name, Proba-3 is actually the fourth in the Proba series of in-orbit demonstration (IOD) missions from ESA. The agency said these missions are designed “for demonstrating and validating new technologies and concepts in orbit” designed by using “small satellites, embarking payload and instruments to deliver actual data to users to demonstrate a new capability.” Proba-1 and Proba-V (V for vegetation) launched in 2001 and 2012 respectively and were designed for Earth observation, while Proba-2 launched in 2009 to study the Sun. Proba-3 picks up the work of solar observations by using a binary spacecraft system to study the Sun’s corona by creating a localized total solar eclipse. Normally, a total solar eclipse observed on Earth creates at most about 10 minutes of quality observation time and happens only about an average of 1.5 times per year. But the pair of spacecraft, working in tandem, will be able to establish eclipse conditions that create about six hours of observational time, 50 times per year. In order to accomplish this, the two spacecraft will need to fly about 150 m (492 ft) apart. The occulter spacecraft needs to line up with the coronagraph spacecraft with an accuracy of about one millimeter, which is roughly the thickness of a human fingernail, according to ESA. During a prelaunch media briefing on Nov. 28, Proba Project Manager Damien Galano, who joined the project back in 2014, said ESA never attempted precision flying at this level before. “The occulter spacecraft accommodates a circular occulting disk of 1.4 meters in diameter. This disk will cast a shadow and the other spacecraft, the coronagraph spacecraft, embarks (the) telescope, and this spacecraft must be positioned precisely such that the telescope is in the center of the shadow cast by the occulter,” Galano said. “In a nutshell, it’s an experiment in space to demonstrate a new concept, a new technology that is technically challenging... and to achieve this, we had to develop many special technologies and equipment specifically for the mission.” The Proba-3 spacecraft will fly in a high elliptical Earth orbit with an orbital period of 19.7 hours. Mission managers decided to not fly in formation the full time in order to maximize the amount of fuel on board the spacecraft. During the majority of the orbit, the satellites will follow a natural orbital path, but going into their apogee, which is around 60,000 km (37,282 mi), they will spend six hours in formation. More than 40 companies contributed to the Proba-3 mission, with Sener acting as the system prime. The Belgium office of Redwire Space, headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, provided avionics; satellite assembly and testing; and satellite operations. In a video interview recorded at Redwire’s satellite assembly clean room, Marie Beekman, ESA’s Proba-3 Operations Engineer, described some of the challenges of testing the pair of spacecraft. “The satellites will be flying at 150 meters from each other in space and obviously in this room we cannot do that. We can never really test what is going to happen out there because we have this distance between the two of them,” Beekman said. “So in order for the laser, for the one laser that’s coming from one spacecraft to reach the other one, we had to use mirrors to reflect the laser beam and make it look like, it was actually 150 meters distance. Then we see if the sensors are correctly seeing the movement of the satellites. In a separate interview, Ruwan Ernst, the Proba-3 Satellite System Engineer from Redwire, said that experience developing Proba-3 will enable important capabilities for future missions. “This mission will enable a ton of other missions. For example, you have to think that this coronagraphy can be done for discovering exoplanets. Now we have a situation where suns in other solar systems are obscuring planets orbiting them because they have too bright of light that cannot be blocked out by the cameras we have here on Earth. So, we simply cannot see the planets orbiting them,” Ernst said. “So, imaging you have an [occulter] blocking that far away star’s light and a coronagraph filming in that direction, suddenly these planets become visible.” He said another potential application could be creating a collection of small spacecraft that communicate using radio waves to form a virtual telescope. “This is called astronomical interferometry, where you combine several radio signals into an artificial mix radio signal, which allows for high-resolution imaging,” Ernst said. He argued that this would not only be more cost-effective than launching a large spacecraft that would need to deploy a large array, but it would also cut down on mission risk, since the loss of one satellite wouldn’t necessarily result in the mission being compromised.Suddenly defensive Alabama looks to keep rolling against South Dakota State

Kobe Sanders tied a season high with 27 points as Nevada claimed fifth place in the Charleston Classic with a 90-78 victory over Oklahoma State Sunday afternoon in South Carolina. Sanders helped the Wolfpack (6-1) earn a second win following one-possession games against Vanderbilt and VCU. After hitting the decisive 3-pointer with five seconds left in Friday's 64-61 win over VCU, Sanders made 7 of 10 shots, hit three 3s and sank 10 of 13 free throws Sunday. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Peggy Slappey Properties and Vision Home Crafters invite you to Old Town Estates, where easy country living meets the convenience of great local amenities and top-rated schools. These elegant single-family homes are situated on large lots (up to four acres) and showcase open floor plans, spa... Click for more. ON THE MARKET: Escape the City at Old Town Estates in MonroeDrake wins 65-46 against Belmont

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By JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70As we enter the holiday season many young people are no doubt beginning to consider their future options. With a range of paths to pursue, a high rate of youth unemployment in Canada and a higher education sector facing unprecedented challenges it may seem logical to wonder if university is worth it. In my role as president of York University I see these issues play out every day in the lives of my students and faculty. However, I can say with certainty that, yes, university is worth it for both students and society. And while you might think that I might be biased, there is real data to back it up. Simply put, going to university enriches both students and society over the long term. We must ensure that students and universities are supported to help ensure as broad access as possible. While many students entering the market fresh out of university will make entry-level wages, the reality is that over the longer term their earning potential has more room to expand . Those with a bachelor’s degree earn 24 per cent more than the national average. The more education, the higher the earning potential. Students with a university degree are more likely to have stable employment even amidst economic disruption, as the COVID-19 pandemic revealed . Graduates are also more likely to gain employment that offers a wider range of benefits. Simply put, an education increases one’s chances of finding fulfilling employment and living a longer and healthier life. Beyond individual benefits, there are also key benefits to society. Canada relies disproportionately on universities compared to other OECD countries to drive the research and innovation central to a productive and prosperous economy . Further research has shown that education is central to a healthy, democratic society To quote Nelson Mandela: “ education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world .” The world faces a host of wicked problems ranging from economic inequality to climate change, geopolitical conflict and ongoing wars. Universities and graduates play a key role in addressing these challenges. Technology is not going away and it is not slowing down. A recent study revealed that the jobs of more than 60 per cent of Canadians may be at risk to AI . Moreover, an estimated one out of 10 employees in Canada could be at a high risk of automation-related job redundancy. Canada’s already volatile job market will continue to be impacted. Those with higher levels of education are the best equipped to benefit from technologies in ways that complement the work they do . Graduates are also more likely to have the transferable skills needed to withstand workforce disruption. According to the OECD , AI technologies pose less of a risk for highly-skilled workers. In fact, their jobs are less likely to be replaced by automation because they possess the critical thinking skills needed to provide oversight to tasks that use AI and automation. While these technologies are sophisticated and becoming even more so each day, they currently cannot replicate human cognitive, critical and decision-making skills. There is also compelling research that shows students with higher education are more likely to pursue continuing education to upgrade and reskill, a quality that makes students more agile in a shifting labour market. Universities have also been increasing micro-credentials , programs which help learners re-skill while they are holding employment and balancing familial obligations, to support lifelong learning and build a more resilient Canadian workforce. If Canada is to meet the expanding needs of students and of the country then we must invest now in higher education. Access is something I worry deeply about to ensure that we are not leaving any talent behind. Data from the 2017 National Survey of Engagement indicates that 48 per cent of first- and fourth-year undergrad students at York came from households where neither parent held a bachelor’s degree. What’s more, York’s 2020 Economic and Social Impact Report revealed that 59 per cent of students could not have attended university without financial support. Creating accessible educational opportunities for diverse learners to develop responsive skills is critical for a vibrant future workforce and for resilient communities. York and other universities in Canada have a good track record for this. At the same time, social mobility and productivity have been declining in Canada in recent years . Continuing to ensure that eligible students have access to university education including at the graduate level is imperative to address these trends. The significant numbers of Canadian students leaving the country to study medicine overseas while Canada is facing a significant gap in primary care physicians is just one example . These are troubling trends which Canadian universities are committed to addressing. While the commitment and innovation of universities is evident, the unfortunate truth is that universities across much of Canada have seen a steady decline in real dollar funding for years. In Ontario, recommendations from the government’s blue-ribbon panel strongly advocated for the urgent increase in financial support for universities . To meet the changes in Canada’s labour market, universities have developed new programs to meet the talent needs in areas such as science, technology, engineering and health . We have also worked to enhance access through flexible teaching formats and strengthened international and cross-sector research collaborations to tackle complex societal problems . Universities have also increased supports for students including activities to help them connect with careers and become more entrepreneurial and efficient . In short, universities in Canada are one of the country’s most important assets. If we are to continue delivering the high-quality education for which we are known and serving the needs of the communities who rely on us, especially given fierce global competition for talent, it is essential that we secure a financially sustainable model for universities. Canada’s high youth unemployment has many people anxious about how they will fare in a job market that bears a striking resemblance to the Hunger Games. Expanding employment opportunities is necessary and will require collaboration across all sectors. But the data are clear. A university education will provide our youth with a running start and the ability to adapt as they go. Rhonda Lenton is chair of the Council of Ontario Universities.

UK study warns of perils in AI-driven 'intention economy'UMM AL-FAHM, Israel (AP) — Israel’s yearlong crackdown against Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza is prompting many to self-censor out of fear of being jailed and further marginalized in society, while some still find ways to dissent — carefully. Ahmed Khalefa’s life turned upside down after he was charged with inciting terrorism for chanting in solidarity with Gaza at an anti-war protest in October 2023. The lawyer and city counselor from central Israel says he spent three difficult months in jail followed by six months detained in an apartment. It’s unclear when he’ll get a final verdict on his guilt or innocence. Until then, he’s forbidden from leaving his home from dusk to dawn. Khalefa is one of more than 400 Palestinian citizens of Israel who, since the start of the war in Gaza, have been investigated by police for “incitement to terrorism” or “incitement to violence,” according to Adalah, a legal rights group for minorities. More than half of those investigated were also criminally charged or detained, Adalah said. “Israel made it clear they see us more as enemies than as citizens,” Khalefa said in an interview at a cafe in his hometown of Umm al-Fahm, Israel’s second-largest Palestinian city. Israel has roughly 2 million Palestinian citizens, whose families remained within the borders of what became Israel in 1948. Among them are Muslims and Christians, and they maintain family and cultural ties to Gaza and the West Bank, which Israel captured in 1967. Israel says its Palestinian citizens enjoy equal rights , including the right to vote, and they are well-represented in many professions. However, Palestinians are widely discriminated against in areas like housing and the job market. Israeli authorities have opened more incitement cases against Palestinian citizens during the war in Gaza than in the previous five years combined, Adalah’s records show. Israeli authorities have not said how many cases ended in convictions and imprisonment. The Justice Ministry said it did not have statistics on those convictions. Just being charged with incitement to terrorism or identifying with a terrorist group can land a suspect in detention until they’re sentenced, under the terms of a 2016 law. In addition to being charged as criminals, Palestinians citizens of Israel — who make up around 20% of the country’s population — have lost jobs, been suspended from schools and faced police interrogations posting online or demonstrating, activists and rights watchdogs say. It’s had a chilling effect. “Anyone who tries to speak out about the war will be imprisoned and harassed in his work and education,” said Oumaya Jabareen, whose son was jailed for eight months after an anti-war protest. “People here are all afraid, afraid to say no to this war.” Jabareen was among hundreds of Palestinians who filled the streets of Umm al-Fahm earlier this month carrying signs and chanting political slogans. It appeared to be the largest anti-war demonstration in Israel since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack . But turnout was low, and Palestinian flags and other national symbols were conspicuously absent. In the years before the war , some protests could draw tens of thousands of Palestinians in Israel. Authorities tolerated the recent protest march, keeping it under heavily armed supervision. Helicopters flew overhead as police with rifles and tear gas jogged alongside the crowd, which dispersed without incident after two hours. Khalefa said he chose not to attend. Shortly after the Oct. 7 attack, Israel’s far-right government moved quickly to invigorate a task force that has charged Palestinian citizens of Israel with “supporting terrorism” for posts online or protesting against the war. At around the same time, lawmakers amended a security bill to increase surveillance of online activity by Palestinians in Israel, said Nadim Nashif, director of the digital rights group 7amleh. These moves gave authorities more power to restrict freedom of expression and intensify their arrest campaigns, Nashif said. The task force is led by Itamar Ben-Gvir , a hard-line national security minister who oversees the police. His office said the task force has monitored thousands of posts allegedly expressing support for terror organizations and that police arrested “hundreds of terror supporters,” including public opinion leaders, social media influencers, religious figures, teachers and others. “Freedom of speech is not the freedom to incite ... which harms public safety and our security,” his office said in a statement. But activists and rights groups say the government has expanded its definition of incitement much too far, targeting legitimate opinions that are at the core of freedom of expression. Myssana Morany, a human rights attorney at Adalah, said Palestinian citizens have been charged for seemingly innocuous things like sending a meme of a captured Israeli tank in Gaza in a private WhatsApp group chat. Another person was charged for posting a collage of children’s photos, captioned in Arabic and English: “Where were the people calling for humanity when we were killed?” The feminist activist group Kayan said over 600 women called its hotline because of blowback in the workplace for speaking out against the war or just mentioning it unfavorably. Over the summer, around two dozen anti-war protesters in the port city of Haifa were only allowed to finish three chants before police forcefully scattered the gathering into the night. Yet Jewish Israelis demanding a hostage release deal protest regularly — and the largest drew hundreds of thousands to the streets of Tel Aviv. Khalefa, the city counselor, is not convinced the crackdown on speech will end, even if the war eventually does. He said Israeli prosecutors took issue with slogans that broadly praised resistance and urged Gaza to be strong, but which didn’t mention violence or any militant groups. For that, he said, the government is trying to disbar him, and he faces up to eight years in prison. “They wanted to show us the price of speaking out,” Khalefa said. ___ Associated Press writers Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, Ibrahim Hazboun in Jerusalem, Mahmoud Illean in Umm al-Fahm, and Drew Callister in New York, contributed to this report. Related From Our Partner

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