South

Israel rejects calls for cease-fire in Hamas war as Gaza hospitals go dark

Published

1 year ago

November 13, 2023

Israel rejects calls for cease-fire in Hamas war as Gaza hospitals go dark

Hero Israeli tank commander killed after storming Hamas terrorists, saving civilians

An Israeli tank commander from the country’s minority Druze community, who was killed in combat in Gaza, should serve as a symbol for all Israelis that in order to defeat darkness the country must unite, the father of the soldier, the highest-ranking military officer to be killed so far, told Fox News Digital.

Lt. Col. Salman Habaka was hailed as a hero
following Hamas’ surprise mass terror attack in Israel on Oct. 7 after commandeering two tanks and heading to battle thousands of Palestinian terrorists even before his own commanders realized what was happening. Less than four weeks later, on Nov. 2, Habaka, 33, was killed in action by a Hamas sniper as Israeli forces deepened their ground incursion into Gaza.

Stories of heroic acts committed by Israelis in stopping Hamas terror atrocities have shone a spotlight on some of the country’s minority communities who also played their part in preventing more terror. Israel’s non-Jewish population is around 20%, including Muslim, Christian and Druze, an esoteric, monotheistic religion that incorporates elements of all Abrahamic religions and other philosophies.

“On the morning of Oct. 7, we had a family event planned,” Habaka’s father, Emad Habaka, told Fox News Digital from his home in the Druze village of Yanuh Jat, in northern Israel. “I called him to check if it was still going ahead but he told me that he had to go back to his base immediately. When I asked him why, he just told me to turn on the TV.”

While the elder Habaka, like most other Israelis, was still trying to figure out what was happening in southern Israel, along the border with the Gaza Strip, his son – already a decorated IDF commander – was speeding to his base in the Negev desert to retrieve his tank.

“He somehow understood what was going on and even though he received no orders from his commanders, he decided to get his tank and head into battle,” said the father, 60, describing Salman, a father of one, as a modest and respectful person who always did whatever he could to help other people.

Fox News’ Ruth Marks Eglash contributed to this report

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Mississippi

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Mississippi's judicial runoff elections

Published

12 mins ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Mississippi's judicial runoff elections

Voters in central Mississippi and the Delta and Gulf Coast areas will return to the polls Tuesday for a runoff election to resolve two state judicial races in which no candidate received the required vote majority in the Nov. 5 general election

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North Carolina

USC Trojans Predicted to Flip Recruits from Utah, North Carolina Before Signing Day

Published

53 mins ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

USC Trojans Predicted to Flip Recruits from Utah, North Carolina Before Signing Day

The USC Trojans are in pursuit of flipping two class of 2025 recruits, Nela Tupou and Alex Payne. Can the Trojans flip one or both of these players before national signing day?

Nela Tupou Player Profile

USC Trojans Projected to Flip, Nela Tupou / @lul_nelaa on Instagram

Nela Tupou is a 6-4, 220 pound tight end/defensive end out of Folsom, California. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the 43rd-best ATH in the class of 2025 per 247Sports.

Tupou committed to the Utah Utes in February of 2024, but he just recently visited USC last weekend for the Trojans’ 28-20 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

On3 is now predicting that Tupou will likely flip this commitment from Utah to USC.

Alex Payne Player Profile

USC Trojans Projected to Flip, Alex Payne / @usc.today on Instagram

Alex Payne is a 6-5, 265 pound offensive tackle out of Gainesville, Florida. He is rated as four-star recruit and ranked as the 16th-best offensive tackle in the class of 2025.

Payne committed to the North Carolina Tar Heels in January of 2024, but he as well as Tupou, visited USC last weekend.

In 247Sports recruiting analyst Tom Loy’s updated crystal ball prediction, he had Payne flipping his commitment from North Carolina to USC. Loy has a good track record of predicting where recruits will end up as his all-time hit rate for predicting recruits’ final destinations is 81.64 percent.

USC Bolstering Up Offensive Line to Go Along With Weapons

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Quinten Joyner (0) runs the ball against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

One of the glaring holes for the USC Trojans this season has been the offensive line. For USC to bounce back next season, they will have to get much better in the trenches. This has been exposed in their first season in the Big Ten. Landing Tupou, who can both be a factor in the run blocking scheme as a blocker, and Payne, one of the top tackle prospects in the country, would go a long way for next season and the future of the program.

Barring a flurry of transfer portal decisions, the Trojans will have an abundance of skill position talent coming back next season.

Freshman running back Quinten Joyner has been the second best back this season behind senior running back Woody marks.

Four of the Trojans five leading receivers are sophomores. Makai Lemon, Zachariah Branch, Ja’Kobi Lane, and Duce Robinson all have shown flashes of potentially being a number one wide receiver next season.

Add in the Trojans starting sophomore quarterback Jayden Maiava and they have one of the youngest teams in the Big Ten. If USC continues to address the offensive line in the last days of the 2025 recruiting cycle and in the transfer portal this offseason, the Trojans could be a dangerous team next season.

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MORE: Why 4-Star Hayden Lowe Flipped From USC Trojans To Miami Hurricanes, Mario Cristobal

MORE: USC Trojans Women’s Basketball Star JuJu Watkins Makes Name, Image, Likeness History

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Oklahoma

Tide Pod: Alabama prepares for road matchup against Oklahoma

Published

1 hour ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

Tide Pod: Alabama prepares for road matchup against Oklahoma

Jack and Tony preview Alabama’s first game against Oklahoma in Norman since 2002. The show starts with a discussion on how Alabama is handling the “Rat Poison” and preparing for another challenging road environment. Jack and Tony give their keys to the game, including a turnover-happy Sooners team, Jackson Arnold’s threat at QB and how Alabama will test OU’s strong defense. Tony gives his take on the Tide’s No. 7 College Football Playoff ranking, chances at reaching the SEC Championship game and more. The show finishes with predictions and Week 13 CFP picks.

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