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Lebanon’s Nasrallah led Hezbollah to become regional force

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BEIRUT (Reuters) – Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, whose death was announced on Saturday, led the Lebanese group through decades of conflict with Israel, overseeing its transformation into a military force with regional sway and becoming one of the most prominent Arab figures in generations – with Iranian backing.

Hezbollah said in a statement that Nasrallah had been killed, but it did not say how. The Israeli military said earlier it had killed Nasrallah in an airstrike on the group’s central headquarters in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Friday.

Nasrallah’s death deals a huge blow to the group. He will be remembered among his supporters for standing up to Israel and defying the United States. To enemies, he was head of a terrorist organisation and a proxy for Iran’s Shi’ite Islamist theocracy in its tussle for influence in the Middle East.

His regional influence was on display over nearly a year of conflict ignited by the Gaza war, as Hezbollah entered the fray by firing on Israel from southern Lebanon in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas, and Yemeni and Iraqi groups followed suit, operating under the umbrella of “The Axis of Resistance”.

“We are facing a great battle,” Nasrallah said in an Aug. 1 speech at the funeral of Hezbollah’s top military commander, Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli strike on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut.

Yet when thousands of Hezbollah members were injured and dozens killed, when their communications devices exploded in an apparent Israeli attack last week, that battle began to turn against his group.

Responding to the attacks on Hezbollah’s communications network in a Sept. 19 speech, Nasrallah vowed to punish Israel. 

“This is a reckoning that will come, its nature, its size, how and where? This is certainly what we will keep to ourselves and in the narrowest circle even within ourselves,” he said.

He had not given a broadcast address since then.

Israel has meanwhile dramatically escalated its attacks, killing several senior Hezbollah commanders in targeted strikes and unleashing a massive bombardment in Hezbollah-controlled areas of Lebanon, which has killed hundreds of people.

Recognised even by his enemies as a skilled orator, Nasrallah’s speeches were followed by friend and foe alike.

Wearing the black turban of a sayyed, or a descendent of the Prophet Mohammad, Nasrallah used his addresses to rally Hezbollah’s base but also to deliver carefully calibrated threats, often wagging his finger as he does so.

He became secretary general of Hezbollah in 1992 aged just 35, the public face of a once shadowy group founded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 1982 to fight Israeli occupation forces.

Israel killed his predecessor, Sayyed Abbas al-Musawi, in a helicopter attack. Nasrallah led Hezbollah when its guerrillas finally drove Israeli forces from southern Lebanon in 2000, ending an 18-year occupation.    

‘DIVINE VICTORY’

Conflict with Israel largely defined his leadership. He declared “Divine Victory” in 2006 after Hezbollah waged 34 days of war with Israel, winning the respect of many ordinary Arabs who had grown up watching Israel defeat their armies.

But he became an increasingly divisive figure in Lebanon and the wider Arab world as Hezbollah’s area of operations widened to Syria and beyond, reflecting an intensifying conflict between Shi’ite Iran and U.S.-allied Sunni Arab monarchies in the Gulf.

While Nasrallah painted Hezbollah’s engagement in Syria – where it fought in support of President Bashar al-Assad during the civil war – as a campaign against jihadists, critics accused the group of becoming part of a regional sectarian conflict.

At home, Nasrallah’s critics said Hezbollah’s regional adventurism imposed an unbearable price on Lebanon, leading once friendly Gulf Arabs to shun the country – a factor that contributed to its 2019 financial collapse.     

In the years following the 2006 war, Nasrallah walked a tightrope over a new conflict with Israel, hoarding Iranian rockets in a carefully measured contest of threat and counter threat.

The Gaza war, ignited by the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, prompted Hezbollah’s worst conflict with Israel since 2006, costing the group hundreds of its fighters including top commanders.

After years of entanglements elsewhere, the conflict put renewed focus on Hezbollah’s historic struggle with Israel.    

“We are here paying the price for our front of support for Gaza, and for the Palestinian people, and our adoption of the Palestinian cause,” Nasrallah said in the Aug. 1 speech.

Nasrallah grew up in Beirut’s impoverished Karantina district. His family hail from Bazouriyeh, a village in the Lebanon’s predominantly Shi’ite south which today forms Hezbollah’s political heartland.

He was part of a generation of young Lebanese Shi’ites whose political outlook was shaped by Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Before leading the group, he used to spend nights with frontline guerrillas fighting Israel’s occupying army. His teenage son, Hadi, died in battle in 1997, a loss that gave him legitimacy among his core Shi’ite constituency in Lebanon.

POWERFUL ENEMIES

He had a track record of threatening powerful enemies.

As regional tensions escalated after the eruption of the Gaza war, Nasrallah issued a thinly veiled warning to U.S. warships in the Mediterranean, telling them: “We have prepared for the fleets with which you threaten us.”

In 2020, Nasrallah vowed that U.S. soldiers would leave the region in coffins after Iranian general Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Iraq.

He expressed fierce opposition to Saudi Arabia over its armed intervention in Yemen, where, with U.S. and other allied support, Riyadh sought to roll back the Iran-aligned Houthis.

As regional tensions rose in 2019 following an attack on Saudi oil facilities, he said Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates should halt the Yemen war to protect themselves.

“Don’t bet on a war against Iran because they will destroy you,” he said in a message directed at Riyadh.

On Nasrallah’s watch, Hezbollah also clashed with adversaries at home in Lebanon. 

In 2008, he accused the Lebanese government – backed at the time by the West and Saudi Arabia – of declaring war by moving to ban his group’s internal communication network. Nasrallah vowed to “cut off the hand” that tried to dismantle it.

It prompted four days of civil war pitting Hezbollah against Sunni and Druze fighters, and the Shi’ite group to take over half the capital Beirut.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Boys scouts carry a picture of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah during the funeral of  Hezbollah member Ali Mohamed Chalbi, after hand-held radios and pagers used by Hezbollah detonated across Lebanon, in Kfar Melki, Lebanon September 19, 2024. REUTERS/Aziz Taher/File Photo

He strongly denied any Hezbollah involvement in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, after a U.N.-backed tribunal indicted four members of the group. 

Nasrallah rejected the tribunal – which in 2020 eventually convicted three of them in absentia over the assassination – as a tool in the hands of Hezbollah’s enemies.

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SUBARU ANNOUNCES PRICING ON 2025 SOLTERRA ELECTRIC SUV WITH SIGNIFICANT PRICE REDUCTION

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  • Starting price at $38,495 MSRP, $6,500 less than 2024 version, with same features
  • 2025 Solterra Touring price reduced $7,000 compared to 2024 version
  • Debut of Solterra Touring Onyx Edition with gloss black wheels, exterior and interior trim accents
  • Standard Subaru (OTC:) ® Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, best-in-class ground clearance of 8.3 inches

CAMDEN, N.J., Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Subaru of America, Inc. announced pricing today on the 2025 Subaru Solterra all-electric SUV. One year after significant upgrades to charging performance, interior enhancements, and driver-assist technologies, the Solterra adds a new trim level and lower starting price for 2025. The 2025 Subaru Solterra will start at $38,495 MSRP — $6,500 less than the 2024 model — before applicable federal, state, and local tax credits, and arrive at retailers nationwide early next year.

The 2025 Subaru Solterra is available in Premium, Limited, Touring, and new Touring Onyx Edition trim levels. The 2025 Solterra will qualify for applicable federal tax credits of up to $7,500 for some consumers.

New for 2025, the Subaru Solterra adds a Touring Onyx Edition trim level that adds 20-inch aluminum-alloy gloss black wheels, black exterior and interior accents, including black badging. The Subaru Solterra Touring Onyx Edition will cost $45,495 MSRP.

All Solterras are equipped with Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system and Subaru StarDrive ® Technology, which delivers smooth, linear output from dual electric motors placed on the front and rear axles that deliver 249 pound-feet of torque. All models feature Dual-Function X-MODE ® with Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes with Grip Control and Downhill Assist Control for confidence in low-grip or off-road capability. Every Solterra includes 8.3 inches of ground clearance for genuine off-road capability “ a Subaru hallmark and best in class among small electric SUVs “ and standard Active Cornering Assist and Vehicle Stability Control for better on-road handling.

The Solterra’s high-capacity lithium-ion battery pack includes ample usable daily range and can charge from 10% to 80% in as little as 35 minutes. New for 2024, an uprated battery conditioning system improved cold-weather charging performance in colder temperatures. With thousands of available public charging stations and DC-fast charging, replenishing the Solterra’s battery away from home can be quick and easy. At home, the Solterra offers affordable Level 1 or Level 2 charging compatibility.

All Subaru Solterras are equipped with a suite of standard EyeSight ® driver-assist technologies including Emergency Steering Assist, Intersection Collision Avoidance Support, Pre-Collision Brake Assist, Lane Departure Prevention, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control with Lane Tracing Assist, Hands-Free Low Speed Driving, DriverFocus ® Distraction Mitigation System, Emergency Driving Stop System, and more. In 2024, the Subaru Solterra was named a TOP SAFETY PICK+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, its highest honor, and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration gave the Solterra a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score.

For added convenience, the Solterra is available with a 12.3-inch high-resolution touchscreen for infotainment with wireless Apple (NASDAQ:) CarPlay ® and Android Auto™ compatibility. The 2025 Solterra includes five USB charge points: one USB-A and two USB-C connectors for front-seat occupants and two USB-C charge points for rear-seat riders. A wireless phone charger is included on Solterra Limited and higher trim levels.

2025 Subaru Solterra Premium

Starting at $38,495 MSRP, which is $6,500 less than the 2024 model, the 2025 Subaru Solterra Premium is well equipped with an impressive list of standard features for convenience and comfort. The Subaru Solterra Premium is equipped with standard roof rails with a 700-pound static load capacity (176 pounds dynamic load capacity), 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with black and silver aerodynamic wheel covers, an 8.0-inch touchscreen for infotainment with wireless Apple CarPlay ® and Android Auto™ compatibility, SiriusXM satellite radio (4-month free trial included), Bluetooth ® connectivity, and SUBARU SOLTERRA CONNECT™ vehicle services for safety, remote access, service, available cloud-based navigation, and Wi-Fi (30-day free trial or 3GB). The connected-vehicle services also include Remote Climate Control, Remote Lock/Unlock via smartphone, and more.

Inside, the Subaru Solterra Premium features heated front seats with auto setting, Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control, rear seat reminder, S-Pedal Drive, electronic parking brake, a 7.0-inch LCD combination meter, windshield wiper de-icer, heated sideview mirrors, and LED headlights (multi-beam low and single-beam high).

2025 Subaru Solterra Limited

The 2025 Subaru Solterra Limited adds more comfort and convenience features to the Premium trim level’s roster of standard equipment and starts at $41,995 MSRP, which is $6,500 less than the outgoing version. Those include standard 20-inch alloy wheels with gray machine finish, 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, 8-way power-adjustable passenger’s seat, heated rear seats, power rear gate, rain-sensing wipers, wireless smartphone charger, LED fog lights, heated steering wheel, and StarTex ® trimmed interior upholstery.

A 12.3-inch high-resolution touchscreen with Apple CarPlay ® and Android Auto™ compatibility is standard and paired to a Harman Kardon ® 576 watt-equivalent premium audio system with 11 speakers. A 360-degree Panoramic View Monitor provides an overhead view for better maneuverability, and Advanced Park helps further with perpendicular or parallel parking assistance using the EV’s sensors and cameras.

2025 Subaru Solterra Touring

Building on the Solterra Limited’s impressive standard features, the 2025 Subaru Solterra Touring adds more comfort and convenience features for $44,995 MSRP, $7,000 lower than the 2024 model.

The Solterra Touring adds a panoramic glass moonroof with power sunshade, front and rear LED footwell lighting, standard heated and ventilated front seats, a digital rearview mirror with view position adjustment with Homelink ® and camera washer, and smart key access on all five doors.

2025 Subaru Solterra Touring Onyx Edition

New for 2025, the Subaru Solterra Touring Onyx Edition adds dynamic stylish features inside and out and starts at $45,495 MSRP.

On the exterior, the Subaru Solterra Touring Onyx Edition adds a high gloss black front underguard; 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels finished in black; black roof pillars, shoulder line trim, door frame, rear quarter window and roof spoiler; and black badging. Two-tone exterior color options are exclusive to Touring Onyx Edition as well.

Inside, the Touring Onyx Edition features black trim accents on the front and rear doors, and black StarTex ® trimmed upholstery.

With the purchase or lease of a new 2025 Subaru Solterra, customers will also receive up to 10 days of Subaru Just Drive Rental at no charge from their participating Subaru retailer. The program allows owners to rent various Subaru vehicles through those retailers.

2025 Subaru Solterra

Model/Trim

MSRP

MSRP plus Destination
and Delivery ($1,420)i

Solterra Premium

$38,495

$39,915

Solterra Limited

$41,995

$43,415

Solterra Touring

$44,995

$46,415

Solterra Touring Onyx Edition

$45,495

$46,915

i Destination & Delivery is $1,420 for Solterra and may vary in the following states: CT, HI, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI and VT. D&D is
$1,570 for retailers in Alaska.

About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts, and accessories through a network of about 640 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants, including Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc., the only U.S. automobile manufacturing plant designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company’s vision to show love and respect to everyone and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA and the SOA Foundation have donated more than $320 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged over 100,000 volunteer hours. Subaru is dedicated to being More Than a Car Company ® and to making the world a better place. For additional information, visit media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook (NASDAQ:), Instagram, <a href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4329519-1&h=2088501060&u=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2Fhttps%3A%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Fsubaru-of-america%2F%3B!!P1uQfTJRew!RITC1tICLlR8tTdygLlH6eiHENIniru8XHdUVy0VTgQgkhmXIrEhDmg0rHqzgny7ey_ys_IlZvCI1TBBwUQ%24&a=LinkedIn” rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank”>LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube.

Dominick Infante
Director, Corporate Communications
856.488.8615
dinfante@subaru.com

Aaron Cole
Product Communications Manager
720.231.0809
acole1@subaru.com

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PBF Energy to Participate in the Goldman Sachs Energy, CleanTech & Utilities Conference

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PARSIPPANY, N.J., Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — PBF Energy Inc. (NYSE:) today announced that members of its management team will participate in the Goldman Sachs Energy, CleanTech & Utilities Conference on January 6-8, 2025.

Any company presentation materials will be made available on the Investor Relations section of the PBF Energy website at www.pbfenergy.com.

About PBF Energy Inc.
PBF Energy Inc. (NYSE:PBF) is one of the largest independent refiners in North America, operating, through its subsidiaries, oil refineries and related facilities in California, Delaware, Louisiana, New Jersey and Ohio. Our mission is to operate our facilities in a safe, reliable and environmentally responsible manner, provide employees with a safe and rewarding workplace, become a positive influence in the communities where we do business, and provide superior returns to our investors.

PBF Energy is also a 50% partner in the St. Bernard Renewables joint venture focused on the production of next generation sustainable fuels.

Contacts:Colin Murray (investors)
ir@pbfenergy.com
Tel: 973.455.7578

Michael C. Karlovich (media)
mediarelations@pbfenergy.com
Tel: 973.455.8981

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Intensity Therapeutics Stock Hits 52-Week Low at $1.76

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Intensity Therapeutics, Inc. (INTS) stock has reached a new 52-week low, trading at $1.76, marking a steep 80% decline from its 52-week high of $8.79. According to InvestingPro analysis, the company maintains a positive cash position despite challenging market conditions. This latest price point marks a significant downturn for the company, which has seen its stock value decrease by 69.09% over the past year. Investors are closely monitoring the biotech firm, known for its innovative cancer treatments, as it navigates through a challenging period. While analyst price targets range from $4 to $16, suggesting potential upside, InvestingPro data reveals weak financial health scores and unprofitable operations over the last twelve months. The 52-week low serves as a critical juncture for Intensity Therapeutics, as market watchers consider the company’s future prospects and potential for recovery.

In other recent news, Intensity Therapeutics secured approximately $3 million in gross proceeds from a stock offering and concurrent private placement. The company also reported promising results from its Phase 1/2 clinical trial of INT230-6, a treatment for various sarcomas, showcasing an improved median overall survival rate and a favorable safety profile. A global Phase 3 trial is currently underway to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of INT230-6.

In addition, Intensity Therapeutics granted stock options to its Chief Financial Officer, Joseph Talamo, and the Principal Accounting Officer, John Wesolowski, as part of the company’s 2021 Stock Incentive Plan. The company has also initiated a $15 million At-The-Market offering, facilitated by H.C. Wainwright & Co.

Furthermore, Brookline Capital Markets has given Intensity Therapeutics a Buy rating, highlighting the potential of their intratumoral drug delivery technology. The company is also preparing for a Phase 2/3 trial focusing on breast cancer.

Lastly, Intensity Therapeutics has elected two Class I directors and ratified EisnerAmper LLP as its independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024. The company is expecting the pathological complete response data from a partnered Phase 2 clinical trial in Europe in the second half of 2025. These are the recent developments concerning Intensity Therapeutics.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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