circus arts

circus arts Marshall's 17 lead Albany over Puerto Rico-Mayaguez 93-50Drivers to face new registration requirements under ‘Priscilla’s Law’ as officials crack down on dangerous road habit

Sunderfolk , a four-player co-op turn-based RPG, is looking like the next game to encourage folks to experience the joy of tabletop games. It sees players fight together through a story where every NPC and player choice is narrated by a game master, allowing a group of friends to party up for weekly game nights to play through a campaign together. Sunderfolk doesn't offer the same level of narrative freedom as a game like Baldur's Gate 3 (or playing an actual tabletop game with a real person as the game master); instead, it honors binary choices in a curated narrative. Even if that means Sunderfolk's game master is technically always railroading the players (a major faux pas in the tabletop community), I still think this feature sounds incredibly cool, potentially doing enough to still emulate what it's like to play in a story-driven tabletop campaign with your friends. In Sunderfolk, each player can pick from six different classes: the spell-slinging Arcanist, support-focused Bard, frontline fighter Berserker, area-of-effect specialist Pyromancer, sharpshooter Ranger, and slippery Rogue. You play as the titular Sunderfolk, anthropomorphic animals who reside in the Sunderlands, which have come under attack by the corrupting influence of shadowstones. You can play Sunderfolk with everyone in person or virtually with some or all players in different locations. While the action happens on one TV or computer screen (meaning someone will have to stream the game if you're playing virtually), each player interacts with their phone (sort of like a Jackbox Party game), allowing you to dictate what your character does next from anywhere. Sunderfolk uses its own system, but it's built on the backbone of existing tabletop games. "The game that had the biggest inspiration on us, gameplay-wise--I think even some of the audience has kind of seen it in the way that the game plays out--is Gloomhaven, which is a board game. Gloomhaven and Frosthaven are kind of our biggest inspirations," game director Erin Marek told me. "We at the studio love tabletop RPGs, but we also love board gaming and especially tactics-turn-based board games, and we know they're not super accessible for a lot of folks. There are some challenges that board games can have around long setup times, lots of reading to understand what the rules are, but there's also something really magical about getting together in person and playing in-person that is kind of that synergy, like can we make something that's like this but is more accessible to either folks who aren't familiar or maybe have opted out in the past from that experience for whatever reason and create it as that entry point. So that was our early inspiration. We've diverged from it over time, but I still think you can see it in some of the design." One of those diversions is a relationship tracker, which allows each of the players to befriend and/or romance NPCs. "[We've made] some of the NPCs romanceable, and I think that that's a particularly exciting feature if you're somebody who loves dating sims and stuff," Marek said. "We have this cast of NPCs in town that you can engage with, learn about them, and then choose to either go down a more platonic path or choose to go down a more romantic path. And you get some really awesome rewards too if you get all the way to the end of their path." Like Gloomhaven, Sunderfolk is divided into two repeating phases. "You have the mission phase, which is high intensity, everybody's working together, taking turns, trying to beat monsters, etc.," Marek said. "That's where you might see things like cinematics or the game master voiceover. Kind of at the tail ends and beginning of those missions, you'll get the story content that Anjali [Bhimani] helped voice. And then once you're in town, it's a little bit more of a breathing moment. It's the opportunity where it's like, 'Oh, I've got [a chance to] take a break. I'm going to go grab a snack.' And you're not hindered by other people not being there to continue your experience. So in that [phase], you can go on your phone, you can talk to different characters, have your own stories happening. And one of the things that is my favorite feature of the game is--we call it Mad Libs--you can name things. [You name things] in the plot, in the game, and it'll pop up in other places. ...And so it provides this opportunity for each group to leave little surprises and gifts for the other players, create inside jokes or feel like they have some sense of agency over some of the pieces of the world." There is some semblance of choice beyond these Mad Libs, but Sunderfolk isn't a huge branching RPG, so the degree of agency that players have is curated by the game master's narration. "There are main story missions, which hit at certain points in the progression that you will always play," Marek said. "But in between those, you're provided with three to four different mission options and you'll get to pick which ones you want to play or don't want to play. So there's a little bit of agency [there]. ...And then once [a mission] is selected, the [game master] helps bridge the gap, [going] 'Okay, so you chose to go there and here's why you're choosing to go there.' So a little bit is reactive, a little bit is more railroad-y. There's a little bit on both of those sides, and I think it's a decent balance. We've also tried really hard on the writing side not to have the game master put actions into the players, not to enforce an action upon a player." To enforce how hands-off the game master is in dictating the player characters' motivations, those characters do not speak. The game essentially leaves it up to the players to roleplay their characters as they see fit. However, every other character is voiced by the same person, and that person is also the sole narrator of the action and the player characters' choices: the game master. Actor Anjali Bhimani (a game master in her own right, and the voice behind roles like Overwatch's Symmetra and Apex Legends' Rampart) is the narrator and game master in Sunderfolk. "What appealed to me the most about this job was the actual make of the game," Bhimani told me. "When Chris [Sigaty] from Dreamhaven hit me up, and we sat and talked about it, and he explained to me exactly what they were trying to do with the game, how they were trying to reinvent game night, essentially, for families, for people all over the globe, and bring the simplicity of turning on a video game to the collaborative nature of tabletop, combining those two parts, those really, really wonderful parts of gaming to each other, just made so much sense to me. And I, like them, have had a similarly difficult time getting some of my friends to play a TTRPG, because there's a lot of setup and there's a lot of learning. And convincing friends that you don't have to worry about all the rules, it's an open-book test--even sometimes that doesn't get them over the finish line." "We knew we wanted somebody who had experience in the tabletop RPG space," Marek said. "It's so hard to describe, but there's this nuance between when you're narrating something versus when you're talking to your friends at a table. And I feel like anybody who plays a tabletop RPG kind of intuitively knows that difference. They experience it enough to get it. And so when we were looking at our own script, there are these moments where the narrator is a narrator, but there are also moments where they're a game master at the table talking to their party, and that is so hard to parse through without really knowing the space." "Before we even started, I asked to sit down with them and see all of the characters that I was going to be voicing this whole time, so that we could plot out [voices], and I could plot out in my head, which voices I was going to use," Bhimani said. "And not even for each one of them, but just in a sense of where in my range certain ones would live, and make sure that I really was being distinct with each one's voice. You don't know if all five of them are going to be in the same scene at any given time, right? We want to make sure that they sound a little bit different. So, we can go through and take a look at all of those and see which ones we're going to be around a lot more, and which ones we're going to be doing scenes with each other more often, and stuff like that." If you can't bring a group of people together to play even over a Discord call, you can play Sunderfolk solo. "It's not really our intended experience. I wouldn't say it's the best experience [to play solo], but yeah, absolutely you can," Marek said. "So we know some folks also might struggle to get their groups together or maybe they don't have groups that they want to play with, and so we didn't want to prevent them from being able to experience this game as well. So the only caveat is they have to control at least two heroes. You can't play it as a solo hero. You have to play at least two heroes. And you can always, if you start solo, somebody else can join you, they can leave, you can pick up their character. So there's a lot of flexibility too in just making sure if something happens to you partway through the campaign or to your group partway through the campaign, there are lots of options to continue to play without that hindering." Sunderfolk is set to launch for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC in 2025.By MICHAEL R. SISAK and JENNIFER PELTZ NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution’s suggestion of preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies. They called the idea “absurd.” Related Articles National Politics | Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time National Politics | Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies National Politics | A nonprofit leader, a social worker: Here are the stories of the people on Biden’s clemency list National Politics | Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she ‘sustained an injury’ on official trip to Luxembourg National Politics | Veteran Daniel Penny, acquitted in NYC subway chokehold, will join Trump’s suite at football game The Manhattan district attorney’s office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to “pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in a blistering 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump’s lawyers filed paperwork earlier this month asking for the case to be dismissed. They include freezing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029, agreeing that any future sentence won’t include jail time, or closing the case by noting he was convicted but that he wasn’t sentenced and his appeal wasn’t resolved because of presidential immunity. Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove reiterated Friday their position that the only acceptable option is overturning his conviction and dismissing his indictment, writing that anything less will interfere with the transition process and his ability to lead the country. The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined comment. It’s unclear how soon Merchan will decide. He could grant Trump’s request for dismissal, go with one of the prosecution’s suggestions, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. In their response Friday, Blanche and Bove ripped each of the prosecution’s suggestions. Halting the case until Trump leaves office would force the incoming president to govern while facing the “ongoing threat” that he’ll be sentenced to imprisonment, fines or other punishment as soon as his term ends, Blanche and Bove wrote. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. “To be clear, President Trump will never deviate from the public interest in response to these thuggish tactics,” the defense lawyers wrote. “However, the threat itself is unconstitutional.” The prosecution’s suggestion that Merchan could mitigate those concerns by promising not to sentence Trump to jail time on presidential immunity grounds is also a non-starter, Blanche and Bove wrote. The immunity statute requires dropping the case, not merely limiting sentencing options, they argued. Blanche and Bove, both of whom Trump has tabbed for high-ranking Justice Department positions, expressed outrage at the prosecution’s novel suggestion that Merchan borrow from Alabama and other states and treat the case as if Trump had died. Blanche and Bove accused prosecutors of ignoring New York precedent and attempting to “fabricate” a solution “based on an extremely troubling and irresponsible analogy between President Trump” who survived assassination attempts in Pennsylvania in July and Florida in September “and a hypothetical dead defendant.” Such an option normally comes into play when a defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether it is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Merchan could innovate in what’s already a unique case. “This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding,” prosecutors wrote in their filing this week. But at the same time, it wouldn’t “precipitously discard” the “meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers.” Prosecutors acknowledged that “presidential immunity requires accommodation” during Trump’s impending return to the White House but argued that his election to a second term should not upend the jury’s verdict, which came when he was out of office. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution . Other world leaders don’t enjoy the same protection. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges even as he leads that nation’s wars in Lebanon and Gaza . Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records . Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier, which Trump denies. In their filing Friday, Trump’s lawyers citing a social media post in which Sen. John Fetterman used profane language to criticize Trump’s hush money prosecution. The Pennsylvania Democrat suggested that Trump deserved a pardon, comparing his case to that of President Joe Biden’s pardoned son Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “Weaponizing the judiciary for blatant, partisan gain diminishes the collective faith in our institutions and sows further division,” Fetterman wrote Wednesday on Truth Social. Trump’s hush money conviction was in state court, meaning a presidential pardon — issued by Biden or himself when he takes office — would not apply to the case. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith has ended his two federal cases , which pertained to Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in all. Trump had been scheduled for sentencing in the hush money case in late November. But following Trump’s Nov. 5 election victory, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president’s sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Merchan also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. A dismissal would erase Trump’s conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office.

Skobalj's 19 help UIC down La Salle 96-83A NEW law is set to clamp down on dangerous behavior on the roads, but critics call it too dangerous and expensive to bring in. Supporters of "Priscilla's Law " say it would make streets safer and e-bike riders more accountable. The law is named after Priscilla Loke, who was run down and killed by an e-bike as she walked to work in New York 's Chinatown in September last year. E-bikes and e-scooters led to nearly 250,000 emergency room visits and 215 deaths nationwide between 2017 and 2022, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Currently, e-bikes are not regulated by New York's DMV. But under "Intro 606," they would be required to be licensed and registered. READ MORE Supporting the bill, City Councilman Robert Holden spoke about dangerous incidents involving e-bikes riding on sidewalks or going the wrong way up roads and fleeing accident scenes. "Red light cameras and speed cameras are important, so we're gonna use that technology, plus police officers," he said, as reported by CBS News. "What else can we do? I'd like to hear solutions from anybody else out there who says 'I don't want license plates.'" But critics say the law is too vague and could apply to any motorized vehicle in the city not currently regulated by the DMV. Most read in Motors "That includes scooters," said Alexa Sledge, spokesperson for advocacy group Transportation Alternatives. "That includes e-bikes. That includes your electric wheelchair if you're disabled and you get around." She added that there was no clear idea about how expensive the bill would be. Transportation Alternatives adds that "Priscilla's Law" would require new DMV-type bureaus to be set up around New York to deal with the tens of thousands of vehicles that would require licensing. Priscilla was 69 years old when she was struck and killed by an e-bike on her way to work. "Ninety-four of our 98 victims were hit and run, it's patently unfair that victims should be stuck with the consequence and the riders that cause the grievous injuries and death have no consequence whatsoever," Andrew Fine with NYC E-Vehicle Safety Alliance told ABC7 . But New York's Department of Transport commissioner did not endorse the bill. "We support the intent of this bill, but we don't support this bill as the council member is introducing it today, we are more than happy to work with the Chair, the Speaker, and all of you in a comprehensive task force," said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. Seizing illegal e-vehicles has been a priority for the NYPD in 2024. Since March, a multi-agency task force has carried out 17 operations resulting in 218 arrests, 7,722 summons issued, and 997 vehicles seized. Read More on The US Sun "We are seeing consistent steady numbers of severe injuries, including fatalities, from e-vehicle and moped crashes in the emergency room," Dr. Daniel Murphy from New York's St. Barnabas Hospital told AMNY . "As far as numbers are concerned, the number of injuries and the acuity of these injuries are getting exponentially worse."

The ambitious idea of a high-speed train connecting New York and London has re-emerged, capturing imaginations with the promise of crossing the Atlantic in just an hour. The Transatlantic tunnel: A bold vision for high-speed travel Picture this: boarding a train in New York, sipping your coffee, and stepping onto London soil less than an hour later. The concept of a transatlantic tunnel has been discussed for decades, but advancements in technology are bringing it closer to reality. The proposed tunnel would stretch a staggering 3,400 miles, dwarfing the 23.5-mile Channel Tunnel linking France and England. Trains would operate in a vacuum-sealed environment, allowing speeds of up to 3,000 mph by eliminating air resistance. While the potential for such a tunnel is exciting, the financial challenges are equally monumental, with construction costs projected at an eye-watering €17.4 trillion. Most Read on Euro Weekly News Spain braces for Arctic blast: Freezing temperatures, snow, and torrential rain to hit the country Help get Robyn repatriated to the UK Spain tops list of fastest growing economies 2024 Can technology turn the vision into reality ? Recent developments in hyperloop systems and pressurised vehicle technology could make this seemingly impossible dream a reality. By using a vacuum inside the tunnel, trains could move at extraordinary speeds with minimal energy, presenting a sustainable alternative to air travel. However, building such a tunnel would take decades and involve unprecedented engineering efforts. The potential impact of a transatlantic tunnel on travel and technology If the transatlantic tunnel becomes a reality, it could transform how we think about travel: Same-day trips : Londoners could hop on a train to New York for a business meeting and return in time for dinner. Eco-friendly travel : High-speed trains powered by renewable energy could significantly reduce carbon emissions compared to planes. While the project is still far from being realised, it represents a bold vision for the future of global connectivity. Could this be the future of travel? Share your thoughts below!Packages that Don't Need Wrapping

Lazada Philippines enhances e-commerce experience in 2024

Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Middle East latest: Bethlehem marks a somber Christmas Eve amid war in Gaza TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Palestinian city of Bethlehem is preparing for another somber Christmas under the shadow of war in Gaza. Most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israel’s bombardment and ground invasion has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. Heavy travel day off to a rough start after American Airlines briefly grounds all flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical issue just as the Christmas travel season kicks into overdrive and winter weather is threatening more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. American flights were cleared to fly by federal regulators about one hour after a national ground stop order was issued by federal regulators Tuesday. The American groundings couldn’t come at a worse time for the millions of travelers expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers over the holidays and through January 2. Major storm pounds California's central coast, blamed for man's death and partially collapsing pier SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — A major storm has pounded California’s central coast bringing flooding and high surf that was blamed for fatally trapping a man beneath debris on a beach and later partially collapsing a pier, tossing three people into the Pacific Ocean. The storm was expected to bring hurricane-force winds and waves up to 60 feet Monday as it gained strength from California to the Pacific Northwest. Some California cities have ordered beachfront homes and hotels to evacuate early Monday afternoon. Forecasters have warned that storm swells would continue to increase throughout the day. Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark’s only the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931. 20 years after the Indian Ocean tsunami, a boy found in the mud embraces being known as 'Baby 81' KURUKKAL MADAM, Sri Lanka (AP) — The boy once known as “Baby 81,” who was pulled from the mud as an infant after the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and reunited with his parents following an emotional court battle, is now a 20-year-old dreaming of higher education. Jayarasa Abilash’s story symbolizes that of the many families torn apart by one of the worst natural calamities in modern history, but it also offers hope. He grew up being followed by the nickname “Baby 81” and feeling embarrassed until he learned more about the events that tore him from his family and brought him back. He has lost his fear. A blast at a Turkish ammunition factory kills 11 people ISTANBUL (AP) — An explosion at an ammunition factory in northwest Turkey left 11 dead and five injured Tuesday morning. The state-run Anadolu Agency says the blast occurred in Balikesir province, in a rural area away from population centers. The provincial governor says one building collapsed and others were damaged, The governor says the explosion was due to a technical issue and there was no possibility of sabotage. An investigation has begun. France has a new government, again. Politics and crushing debt complicate next steps PARIS (AP) — France’s president and prime minister have managed to form a new government just in time for the holidays. Now comes the hard part. Crushing debt, pressure from the nationalist far right, wars in Europe and the Mideast. The hallenges abound for President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Francois Bayrou. They already had a tumultuous 2024. The most urgent order of business is passing a 2025 budget. Financial markets, ratings agencies and the European Commission are pushing France to bring down its deficit. It is threatening the stability and prosperity of all countries that share the euro currency. Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Ethics Committee’s long-awaited report into Rep. Matt Gaetz documents a trove of salacious allegations of misconduct, including sex with an underage girl, that tanked the Florida Republican’s nomination to lead the Justice Department. Citing text messages, travel receipts, online payments and other evidence, the committee painted a picture of a lifestyle in which Gaetz and others connected with younger women for drug-fueled parties, events or trips, with the expectation the women would be paid for their participation. Gaetz, who had filed a last-minute lawsuit to try to block the report’s release Monday, slammed the committee’s findings. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and has insisted he never had sex with a minor. Legendary Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal dies at age 90 NEW DELHI (AP) — Shyam Benegal, a renowned Indian filmmaker known for pioneering a cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s, has died after chronic kidney disease. He was 90. His contribution to cinema was recognized as a director, editor and screenwriter. He came into the limelight with films that challenged mainstream Bollywood by dealing with the social realities of a poor nation. He also was a mentor to top Indian actors. India's prime minister says he is “deeply saddened” by Benegal's death.

Fresh twist in murder of Harmony Montgomery, 5, as mom sues authorities after 17 separate complaints were ‘ignored’New shoplifting data explains why they’re locking up the toothpaste

There is more that connects these two words than the fact that they rhyme. Christmas is the most anticipated time of the year for so many families but with this special time comes a unique set of emotions and relationship realities. It is this once-a-year occasion that drives our need for more empathy than at any other point in the year – for ourselves and for each other. Often mistaken as an ability, we are born with more or less of, empathy is actually a pro-social skillset that we all possess in order to be able to connect to those around us. It is a neurological skillset and not a mindset. At this time of year, as we share our humility and compassion with others, it is our ability to deeply understand the perspectives of others that allows us to gain both strength and unity. So how do you ensure that you are getting it right? Read on below as global expert Mimi Nicklin shares her top tips for harmony and understanding as the holidays roll out. Five habits for higher levels of empathy this festive period: Your in-laws, your neighbours and even strangers who need a friendly face and might be celebrating alone – whoever you connect with, make those people you speak to feel like they are the only person in the room. Phrases like “what I’m hearing you say is....” make the speaker feel encouraged and understood, as well as ensuring you can really hear what is being communicated to you. Listen up, listen in and try to blur out some of the background noise so you can really connect as people. It’s easy to smile lots when things are going well but when tension rises, try to remember that the majority of our communication is nonverbal so being conscious of your body language promotes calmer and connection around you. Lean inward and ensure your body language is open – with uncrossed arms and an encouraging smile and eye contact. These small changes to your stance will go a great distance to creating cohesion between the people in the conversation, whatever the topic. We are naturally wired to empathise, both for individual and group success, and yet so often we spend our time with a group of people, in a shared physical environment, but barely connecting beyond the topic at hand. This Christmas take an active focus to connect with the feelings and emotions of those around you with a more committed approach to imagining how they feel. Focus on asking questions and really hearing the answers rather than jumping into giving advice. This will help all of us gain insight into the other person’s reality and ensure we listen to truly understand, and not just to reply. Our best memories come from the heart and not from the wallet. Let’s focus on our shared experience beyond the gifts and investments we make for the big day. Creating memories can link to the things we read, the stories we create, the films we share or the music we dance to. Specifically, we know that reading drives our empathy up and allows us (and our kids) to tune into the realities of others in a deeper way. Kindness is the response with which we react to empathy. Once you have understood another, choose kindness above all else. It’s been a long 11 months for many people and a little more kindness, a little more often will take us a long way to showing our shared understanding and connection to those around us. Just like Tiny Tim in the famous festive story, A Christmas Carol, let’s focus on empathy and friendship above all else this year – however challenging that might be in any given tense festive moment. Tiny Tim managed to turn old Scrooge and get him to feel optimism and empathy, giving the old humbug a second chance at life, so let’s connect together and give Christmas 2024 its chance to shine.

On perhaps the worst travel day in the U.S., American Airlines grounded its flights on Christmas Eve . Customers were left frustrated in the early morning hours on December 24, 2024, and of course, many want answers now. In a statement obtained by CNN , AA explained what was happening. “It’s all hands on deck as our team is working diligently to get customers where they need to go as quickly as possible,” the airline said in its statement. “We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.” A spokesperson for the airline also commented on the situation, telling CNN that customers should “expect some delays throughout the day, but [we’re] working to mitigate those and avoid cancels. We have a smaller schedule today and have the staffing to support the quick recovery.” Find out what caused American Airlines to ground its flights on Christmas Eve. BREAKING: American Airlines has grounded all flights due to a technical issue. The FAA has issued a nationwide ground stop at the start of Christmas Eve pic.twitter.com/jY3Xstnw8M — Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) December 24, 2024 Why Were American Airlines Flights Grounded? According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notice, American Airlines requested a full ground stop for its flights at around 7 a.m. ET. The FAA did not respond to inquiries about the halt. According to NBC Chicago , a “technical issue” caused the widespread ground stop to all AA flights. “A technical issue is affecting American flights this morning. Our teams are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, and we apologize to our customers for the inconvenience,” the airline explained. American Airlines Flights Status We have resolved a vendor technology issue that briefly affected flights this morning. We sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and have issued a travel alert to allow for additional flexibility. https://t.co/lAp094H8cx — americanair (@AmericanAir) December 24, 2024 At about 10:30 a.m. ET, AA issued a statement on social media with a status update. “We have resolved a vendor technology issue that briefly affected flights this morning,” the airline’s official account tweeted. “We sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and have issued a travel alert to allow for additional flexibility.” According to multiple outlets, most flights resumed by around 8 a.m. ET. What Happened to American Airlines Boarding Passes? Countless social media users complained online that their boarding passes for certain AA flights were not scanning properly around the time that the airline issued a ground stop.President-elect Donald Trump on Monday held a wide-ranging news conference in which he said he would preserve access to the polio vaccine but equivocated on other vaccines, pledged to look at bringing down the costs of pharmaceuticals and expressed doubts that his daughter-in-law might be Florida's next senator. Trump held forth for over an hour, the first time he took questions from reporters since winning the election. The event harkens back to his long-winding news conferences from his first term and is a stark contrast from President Joe Biden , who doesn't often take questions from reporters. Here's a look at some of what he touched on: Trump defended his choice for health secretary, prominent vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , but said he personally is a “big believer” in the polio vaccine and would preserve access to it. “You’re not going to lose the polio vaccine," he said. “That’s not going to happen.” Over the weekend, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who had polio as a child, spoke out in defense of the polio vaccine after a recent report disclosed that one of Kennedy's advisers filed a petition to revoke approval for the polio vaccine in 2022. Kennedy has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Trump seemed to question whether there’s a link, saying “We’re looking to find out,” and remarked on the rising cases of autism being diagnosed. “There’s something wrong, and we’re going to find out about it,” he said. There are no blood or biological tests for autism; instead, a doctor bases the diagnosis on a child’s behavior. While the autism diagnosis has been available for at least 80 years, the definition gradually expanded to include milder cases, which are more common. A study last year found that about a quarter of kids with autism — about 110,000 in the U.S. — have the most severe version of the developmental disability, which has left them unable to speak or with an IQ below 50 or both. Of Kennedy, “He’s going to be much less radical than you would think," he said. "I think he’s got a very open mind, or I wouldn’t have put him there.” Trump described a dinner he had this month with Kennedy; Dr. Mehmet Oz , a celebrity heart surgeon turned talk show host and lifestyle guru whom he's tapped to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and top pharmaceutical executives in which they discussed drug prices. Trump heaped praise on the companies — the same ones that Kennedy has routinely argued profit off of Americans unfairly — but said the high cost of health care was a focus of their dinner. “What came out of that meeting is that we’re paying far too much,” Trump said. Trump also hit pharmaceutical benefits managers, calling them “horrible middlemen” who drive up the cost of drugs. Pharmaceutical companies have been aggressively lobbying Congress to restrict the role of pharmaceutical benefit managers, which help health insurance companies’ biggest clients decide how and what prescription drugs will be covered in their insurance plans. “I don’t know who these middlemen are, but they are rich as hell," Trump said. The press conference was Trump’s most extensive public appearance since his victory six weeks ago — a rare absence from the public stage for the former reality star. But it also underscored how even while president-elect, Trump has seized the spotlight from Biden, who still has a month left on his term in office. Biden has not held a press conference in months and has had a limited public schedule. While Trump was addressing some of the top-of-mind issues of the day -- including sightings of drones flying over the Northeast -- Biden himself has been silent, leaving it to aides to try to calm the public. Trump seemed skeptical that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would appoint his daughter-in-law to be a Florida senator, taking the seat held by Marco Rubio, who has been nominated for secretary of state. Asked whether he expected DeSantis to name Lara Trump to replace Rubio, Trump said, “I probably don’t, but I don’t know.” Trump recently spoke with DeSantis at a memorial for Florida law enforcement officers. Trump's allies have been pushing DeSantis to nominate Lara Trump, who is married to Trump's son, Eric, and served as co-chair of the Republican National Committee this year. “Ron’s doing a good job with his choice," Trump said, without elaborating. He lavished praise on Lara Trump, including for her work at the RNC, where part of her duties involved focusing on “election integrity,” a priority of Trump's after he falsely claimed fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Trump indicated he would look at intervening in the potential ban of TikTok in the U.S. The popular social media platform must cut ties with its China-based parent company or be banned by mid-January under a federal law. He didn't offer specifics, but Trump credited the platform with helping him win the election. His campaign saw it as a bridge to reach younger, less politically engaged voters, particularly when clips circulated showing him with celebrities at UFC fights. “We’ll take a look at TikTok,” he said. “You know, I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok." Trump tried to ban TikTok during his first term but changed his mind and pledged to “save” TikTok. Once he takes office, his Justice Department would be tasked with enforcing the new federal law against TikTok. Trump on Monday was meeting with TikTok CEO Shou Chew at his Mar-a-Lago club, according to two people familiar with the president-elect’s plans who were not authorized to speak publicly about them and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. Trump noted the differences between the first time he was to take office eight years ago and today, saying executives now want to meet with him. He said they were “hostile” back then. “Everybody was fighting me,” he said about his first term. “This term, everybody wants to be my friend. I don’t know. My personality changed or something.” While he left office in 2021 ostracized and angry, Trump has had a stunning turnaround leading to his election win. Last week, he was honored by being named Time magazine’s Person of the Year and ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. His meeting with the TikTok executive was part of a string of meetings he's had with Silicon Valley billionaires and other technology leaders since becoming president-elect. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai have all flown to Trump's club to meet with him. He revealed Monday that he had also met with Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos will meet with him this week, Trump said. “We have a lot of great executives coming in — the top executives, the top bankers, they’re all calling," he said. "It’s like a complete opposite from the first one.” With multiple wars going on, Trump has sought to insert himself back on the world stage. He said he is working to get Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza to be released and had a “very good talk” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But on Monday he seemed to buffer expectations about his promise to solve the Russia-Ukraine war even before taking office, describing the conflict as a “tough one” and a “nasty one." “We are trying to get that war stopped, that horrible, horrible war” he said. “It’s a tough one. It’s a nasty one. It’s nasty. People are being killed at levels that nobody’s ever seen.” Russia's invasion of Ukraine is Europe’s biggest armed conflict since World War II and has cost tens of thousands of lives on both sides. Trump declined to say whether he's spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin since winning the election. He met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris this month when he visited for the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. Trump's incoming press secretary has said that Trump invited Chinese leader Xi Jinping and other world leaders to his Jan. 20 inauguration, but Trump said Monday that Zelenskyy was not among them. “If he'd like to come, I'd like to have him," Trump said. Trump said Xi has not yet said whether he is coming. He described the Chinese leader as “a friend of mine” and “an amazing guy” but acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected their relationship. “It was a bridge too far for me,” he said. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Amanda Seitz in Washington and Colleen Long in Palm Beach, Florida, contributed to this report.

Taylor Swift will only get $10 birthday present from Travis Kelce's dadYankees land closer Devin Williams in trade with Brewers, ship out Nestor Cortes, Caleb DurbinOur community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The Royal Family are known for their funny trend of buying one another comical gifts at Christmas time - but the late Queen did often use a different method to do her shopping, according to one former royal insider. When it comes to buying gifts for the people who have everything, what do you choose? Despite it likely being a challenge, only the best would do for Queen Elizabeth's children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. So much so, that the late monarch introduced an unbelievably clever method to get her Christmas shopping done without leaving the comfort of her own home. The brilliant story was revealed by former royal butler, Paul Burrell. While the late Queen and the Royal Family are known to buy one another amusing gifts, the monarch had another rather unusual method to do her shopping which was explained by Diana, Princess of Wales' former butler, Paul. He told Closer magazine: "Firstly, she has catalogues sent to her, and then the Oxford Street branch of John Lewis sends her a selection of almost everything they stock. There is a little ‘shop’ set up in the drawing room at Windsor Castle and the Queen can pop in and choose gifts at her leisure. Late at night, after dinner, usually around 10pm, she’ll pop into her little Christmas shop and do some shopping. “The Queen always chooses practical gifts that can be used – never ornaments or decorative things. So she might pick some picnic plates, a tablecloth, or a couple of hand towels. Then they are wrapped up and a truckload of presents are ready to go to Sandringham.” While a personal shop in Windsor Castle is impressive enough, another incredible revelation about the monarch's shopping habits were revealed by former Lady-in-Waiting and close friend to the monarch, Lady Anne Glenconner in her book Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown . She explained that during a royal tour to Sydney in 1975 with Princess Margaret, Australian diplomat Sir Roden Cutler VC was surprised at the princess’s request to go shopping. “I didn’t think the Royal Family went shopping,” he said. “I represent the Queen and I have never heard of her going shopping.” Correcting him, Lady Glenconner responded, “Actually, the Queen goes shopping. She recently went to Harrods to choose some Christmas presents. My mother is a Lady of the Bedchamber and she went with her.” When the time to exchange gifts comes around, the royals have their own twist which dates back to something started by the late Queen’s great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. The royals follow the traditional German festive custom of opening presents on Christmas Eve. Royal expert Robert Jobson told The Express in 2021: “On Christmas Eve when all the clan are together, the Queen's grandchildren and great-grandchildren put the finishing touches to the 20ft Christmas tree in the White Drawing Room. "Presents will be opened that day at tea time as the royals still keep to the German practice of opening their gifts on Christmas Eve. Gifts are laid out in the Red Drawing Room on a white linen-covered trestle table, with cards marking exactly where the piles of gifts should be put. "Once everyone has arrived, the royal guests enjoy a traditional Christmas that includes putting the finishing touches on the Christmas tree and the giving of cheap and humorous gifts."

Vardy helps Van Nistelrooy to first win with Leicester as Guehi defies the FA with religious message

ECI to probe Eknath Shinde’s visit to Chandivali on polling dayBy STEVE LEBLANC, ERIC TUCKER and TARA COPP, Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Two men, including a dual Iranian American citizen, have been arrested on charges that they exported sensitive technology to Iran that was used in a drone attack in Jordan that killed three American troops early this year and injured dozens of other service members, the Justice Department said Monday. The pair were arrested after FBI specialists who analyzed the drone traced the navigation system to an Iranian company operated by one of the defendants, who relied on technology funneled from the U.S. by his alleged co-conspirator, officials said. “We often cite hypothetical risk when we talk about the dangers of American technology getting into dangerous hands,” said U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy, the top federal prosecutor in Massachusetts. “Unfortunately, in this situation, we are not speculating.” The defendants were identified as Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, who prosecutors say works at a Massachusetts-based semiconductor company, and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, who was arrested Monday in Italy as the Justice Department seeks his extradition to Massachusetts. Prosecutors allege that Abedininajafabadi, who also uses the surname Adedini and operates an Iranian company that manufactures navigation systems for drones, has connections to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. They allege that he conspired with Sadeghi to circumvent American export control laws, including through a front company in Switzerland, and procure sensitive technology into Iran. Both men are charged with export control violations, and Abedini separately faces charges of conspiring to provide material support to Iran. A lawyer for Sadeghi, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was arrested Monday in Massachusetts, did not immediately return an email seeking comment. U.S. officials blamed the January attack on the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that includes Kataib Hezbollah. Three Georgia soldiers — Sgt. William Jerome Rivers of Carrollton, Sgt. Breonna Moffett of Savannah and Sgt. Kennedy Sanders of Waycross — were killed in the Jan. 28 drone attack on a U.S. outpost in northeastern Jordan called Tower 22. In the attack, the one-way attack drone may have been mistaken for a U.S. drone that was expected to return back to the logistics base about the same time and was not shot down. Instead, it crashed into living quarters, killing the three soldiers and injuring more than 40. Tower 22 held about 350 U.S. military personnel at the time. It is strategically located between Jordan and Syria, only 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Iraqi border, and in the months just after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, and Israel’s blistering response in Gaza, Iranian-backed militias intensified their attacks on U.S. military locations in the region. Following the attack, the U.S. launched a huge counterstrike against 85 sites in Iraq and Syria used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Iranian-backed militia and bolstered Tower 22’s defenses. Tucker and Copp reported from Washington. Be civil. Be kind.

Nippon Steel is pushing back on concerns raised by the Biden administration that its pending acquisition of U.S. Steel for $14.9 billion would undermine U.S. national security. President-elect Donald Trump pledges to block Nippon Steel’s $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel, citing national security and domestic ownership concerns. The deal is under review by CFIUS, with a decision expected next month. Opposition comes from Trump, President Biden, and U.S. labor unions, but Nippon Steel aims to close by year-end. WASHINGTON - President-elect Donald Trump announced Monday that he would block Nippon Steel’s $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel, citing the need to protect domestic manufacturing and national security. The Japanese steel giant has been working to finalize the purchase before Trump is sworn in as president on January 20, but the deal has faced significant political and labor opposition. "I am totally against the once great and powerful U.S. Steel being bought by a foreign company, in this case Nippon Steel of Japan," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Through a series of tax incentives and tariffs, we will make U.S. Steel strong and great again, and it will happen FAST! As president, I will block this deal from happening. Buyer Beware!!!" President Biden has already referred the proposed sale to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a federal panel tasked with assessing foreign investments for national security implications. CFIUS, chaired by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, has until next month to issue its findings, which could include recommending approval with conditions, blocking the transaction, or extending the review. Biden has also expressed concerns about maintaining U.S. Steel’s domestic ownership, calling it "vital" for national security and the American economy. Despite domestic opposition, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has lobbied Biden to approve the transaction, emphasizing Nippon Steel’s contributions to global supply chains and economic ties with the U.S. According to Reuters, Nippon Steel remains confident it can finalize the purchase by the end of the year. Canada’s ambassador to the United States said Sunday that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was successful in getting President-elect Donald Trump and key Cabinet nominees to understand that lumping Canada in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the U.S. is unfair. LiveNOW from FOX host Carel Lajara spoke to Dr. Ernesto Castaneda, Director of Latin American & Latino Studies at American University on the latest. The deal has also drawn criticism from U.S. labor unions, which have echoed concerns about foreign ownership of one of America’s most iconic manufacturing companies. Trump and Biden’s shared stance on the matter underscores the bipartisan nature of protecting domestic industries in the face of foreign acquisitions. The CFIUS panel’s decision, expected next month, will likely shape the future of the deal. If Trump follows through with his plan to use tariffs and tax incentives as leverage, Nippon Steel could face additional challenges even if the purchase gains federal approval. U.S. Steel, a cornerstone of American industry for over a century, now stands at a crossroads as political and economic forces converge to influence its ownership and operation.