50 jili slot China's pioneering scientific research vessel, Tansuo 3, with exclusive independent intellectual property rights, arrives at the Nanshan Port Public Scientific Research Pier in Sanya's Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City on Dec 29. (Provided to chinadaily.com.cn) The groundbreaking scientific research vessel Tansuo 3, also known as Exploration 3, marked its debut at the Nanshan Port Public Scientific Research Pier in Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, Hainan province on Sunday morning. This vessel, heralded for its completely independent intellectual property rights and specialized for deep-sea exploration on a global scale, made a grand entrance, setting a new standard in maritime innovation. Upon its commissioning, Tansuo 3 is primed to kick off regular scientific research missions, deep-sea equipment trials, and underwater archaeological endeavors in the South China Sea during the first half of the upcoming year. This will be facilitated by the manned deep-sea submersible, Shenhai Yongshi or Deep-Sea Warrior, according to the Sanya-based Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering. The latter part of 2025 will witness its manned deep-sea diving operations in the profound oceanic depths. Tansuo 3 boasts a length of 104 meters, a full load displacement of about 10,000 tons, a top speed of 16 knots, ice reinforcement for PC4 conditions, an 80-member crew, and a range spanning 15,000 nautical miles. It showcases independently controllable pivotal technologies encompassing overall ice ship design, intelligent control systems, low-temperature precise compensation mechanisms, and integrated structures for ice and heavy load handling. The vessel is outfitted with locally manufactured scientific research gear tailored for operations in icy zones. Commencing construction in June 2023 and culminating in November 2024 after an 18-month endeavor, Tansuo 3 signifies a pioneering ice-breaking vessel, equipped for deep-sea scientific exploration, manned deep diving, engineering tasks, underwater archaeology, and swift response actions. This heralds a new chapter in the top-notch development of the Hainan Free Trade Port, aspiring to pioneer technological innovation across terrestrial, marine, and aerial domains. On June 28, 2020, Tansuo 2, China's leading mother ship for manned submersibles, equipped with domestically produced scientific research gear and capable of diving to depths of 10,000 meters, was welcomed at the Nanshan Port. On July 1, 2024, China inaugurated its first public science and archaeology pier, the Nanshan Port Public Scientific Research Pier, the Nanshan Port Public Science and Archaeology Pier, initiating trial docking operations. This pier is designed to cater to the mooring needs of China's foremost scientific research vessels, including the recent addition of Tansuo 3. The integration of Tansuo 3 is poised to enhance China's deep-sea and polar exploration efforts, leveraging deep-diving capabilities and comprehensive operations.Spears: Environment Canada dangerously optimistic on climate change actionMANCHESTER, England (AP) — Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League was cut to seven points after a thrilling 3-3 draw with Newcastle on Wednesday. Chelsea moved up to second by thrashing last-place Southampton 5-1, while Arsenal is third after a 2-0 win over Manchester United. Fourth-place Manchester City ended its seven-game winless run with a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest. Liverpool’s result will give hope to its title rivals after Fabian Schar’s 90th-minute equalizer at St James’ Park. Arne Slot’s team had twice come back from a goal down to take the lead in the 83rd through Mohamed Salah’s second goal of the match. But the Merseyside club was denied an eighth-straight win in all competitions when Newcastle produced a fightback of its own. “I have mixed feelings, we were outstanding in the second half, but we were not good enough in the first half," Slot said. “Maybe 3-3 is what the game deserved.” Chelsea and Arsenal took advantage. Chelsea's third league win in a row puts it ahead of Arsenal on goal difference. City also reduced the gap and is nine points behind Liverpool after finally ending the worst run of results of Pep Guardiola’s managerial career. “We needed it. The club, the players, everyone needed to win,” Guardiola said. After wins over Real Madrid and City last week, Liverpool’s title credentials were given a stern test by Newcastle, which led at halftime through Alexander Isak and again in the second half through Anthony Gordon. Goals from Curtis Jones and Salah twice leveled the game before Salah looked to have sealed the win late on. Schar equalized after Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher misjudged a late free kick. It meant Liverpool dropped points for only the third time this season after drawing against Arsenal and losing to Forest. Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca said this week that his team was not in the title race, but the standings tell a different story. The London club is Liverpool’s closest challenger after its latest win against 10-man Southampton. Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and Jadon Sancho were all on target in the rout at St Mary’s Stadium. Southampton had briefly leveled the game through Joe Aribo, but Chelsea was already 3-1 up and in control when Jack Stephens was sent off before the break. Arsenal inflicted a first loss on new United head coach Ruben Amorim with a 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium. Two goals from second-half corners made the difference, with Jurrien Timber and William Saliba finding the back of the net, but Arsenal still slipped to third, despite edging closer to Liverpool. Mikel Arteta's team finished runner-up in each of the last two seasons and looks primed to challenge again after making an unconvincing start to the campaign. “You get written off but we stuck together as a group," Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice said. “You stick together and we’re starting to reap the rewards of that.” Making his first start since September, Kevin De Bruyne showed City exactly what it has been missing by scoring a goal and creating another as the four-time defending champion got back to winning ways. The Belgium playmaker provided the cross for Bernardo Silva to give City an eighth-minute lead against Forest at the Etihad Stadium. He produced a trademark finish to sweep the ball past goalkeeper Matz Sels in the 31st to put City on course for a first win in eight games. Jeremy Doku made it 3-0 in the 57th, but it was De Bruyne’s performance that stood out after seeing much of his season disrupted by a groin injury. He left the field in the 74th to an ovation from the home crowd. “It’s been a tough time but you have to accept the challenge and I think we did well today," De Bruyne said. "The Premier League is getting harder and harder. We have to improve as a team first and we’ll see in a couple of months where we are. Hopefully, we would have improved a bit and are a lot closer.” But victory could have come at a cost with concerns over the fitness of Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake, who both went off. “Nathan doesn’t look good. We (will) see tomorrow,” Guardiola said. “Manu is making the last two months struggle a lot.” A first win in six games for Everton moved Sean Dyche’s team further away from the relegation zone, while back-to-back losses for Wolverhampton left the club second from bottom of the standings. Ashley Young and Orel Mangala put Everton in control before two second-half own goals from Craig Dawson sealed a 4-0 win for the Merseyside club, which is five points clear of the bottom three. Aston Villa ended an even longer winless run by beating Brentford 3-1 to secure a first victory in nine games in all competitions. Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins from the penalty spot and Matty Cash were on target. James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Joey Logano shuts down possibility of racing in other motorsports seriesSerum for uneven skin tone: 10 amazing options to get rid of dull skin

‘Everything was documented’: Florida woman allegedly steals from Target self-checkout using fake barcodes and then posts about the haul on TikTok - Law & Crime

The Pittsburgh Steelers look to continue their improbable season atop the AFC North when they visit the disappointing Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon. The Steelers (8-3) saw their five-game winning streak come to an end last time out, suffering a 24-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 21 in a game that featured a second-half snowstorm. Pittsburgh rallied from an 18-6 deficit to take a 19-18 lead with 6:15 to go in the fourth quarter before the Browns scored what ended up being the game-winning points in the final minute. After the Steelers kicked a 15-yard punt following a three-and-out, their defense went on to allow Cleveland to convert on fourth-and-3, leading to Nick Chubb's 2-yard touchdown run with 57 seconds remaining in the contest. "We just didn't make enough of those critical plays in those moments," Pittsburgh defensive tackle Cameron Heyward said. "We've stepped up in those critical moments. But on the flip side, those three losses we've had, we haven't had those moments. We're trying to change that where, no matter what team, we gotta have those winning moments." All three of the Steelers' losses this season have come against teams that currently have a losing record. Pittsburgh also fell to the Dallas Cowboys and Indianapolis Colts. Still, the Steelers currently lead the AFC North, but the Baltimore Ravens (8-4) are right on their tail. It's a tight race in the division that Cincinnati (4-7) has slipped out of. Even though the Bengals have been in a rut -- with three losses in their past four games -- Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor doesn't want his team to just throw in the towel. "This is December football," Taylor said. "This is where it means something. Regardless (of) what our record is right now, you need to play your best football in December, and now, more than ever, we're going to need that from our guys, and they understand that. They subscribe to it, and we just keep ... moving forward from here." The Bengals were on their bye last week, but before that, they were on the wrong end of a 34-27 decision against the Los Angeles Chargers on Nov. 17. Like Pittsburgh, Cincinnati came back from a sizable deficit only to lose. Joe Burrow threw three second-half touchdown passes against Los Angeles as the Bengals climbed out of a 27-6 hole, but Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins found the end zone from 29 yards out with 18 seconds left in regulation to break a 27-27 tie. Burrow went 28-for-50 passing for 356 yards and the three TDs. "I think we're playing a really good team," Heyward said of Cincinnati. "The roster is very good. And you look at their losses, they come down to those critical moments." Making things harder for the Steelers could be the absence of linebacker Alex Highsmith, who did not practice on Wednesday because of an ankle injury. For the Bengals, left tackle Orlando Brown, who has missed the past three games with a leg injury, was a limited participant on Wednesday. Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins missed practice with an illness and starting linebacker Logan Wilson (knee) also did not practice. Burrow (wrist) was a full participant. --Field Level MediaTrump’s promises to conservatives raise fears of more book bans in USPete Hegseth returned to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to meet with lawmakers in an effort to protect his bid to lead the Pentagon amid growing questions about his personal conduct. "No," Hegseth said when asked if he would be dropping out. Reports indicate that the Trump transition team is considering potential replacements, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and incoming Trump national security advisor Michael Waltz, according to the Associated Press. "I believe that we need an FBI background check to evaluate the allegations," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. The Trump transition team signed a "memorandum of understanding" allowing the Justice Department to conduct background checks on nominees and staff. This is an essential step for a smooth transition of power, enabling Trump's future administration to obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information. "I've talked to 5 to 10 Republicans who have said to me, they're just waiting for the right moment to say no to Pete Hegseth," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. Hegseth called the allegations "BS stories" on social media, stating he won't back down as he worked to shore up support with senators on Wednesday. "It's been a wonderful process to go through and meet with senators, especially members of the Armed Services Committee whose passion is the Defense Department," Hegseth said. "It was a frank and thorough conversation," said Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a former combat veteran whose work has focused on trying to stamp out sexual assault in the military. The senator's support is considered critical in the tightly divided Senate. If all Senate Democrats vote against Hegseth, he can only afford four Republican defectors. Hegseth's mother, Penelope Hegseth, defended her son on "Fox & Friends" Wednesday morning, despite a controversial email she sent him chastising his character. Hegseth "is not that man he was seven years ago, and I am not that mother," Penelope Hegseth said, discussing a 2018 email where she told her son he "belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego." Penelope Hegseth said she quickly apologized for the email and said she sent it in an emotional state.

Mercury Retrograde in 2025: How Scorpios can navigate these disruptive phasesJeffrey Fleishman | (TNS) Los Angeles Times The national furor in recent years around banning books on race and gender in public schools is intensifying as President-elect Donald Trump threatens to shut down the Department of Education, emboldening conservatives to end “wokeness” in classrooms. Battles over books in school libraries have become emblematic of the country’s larger culture wars over race, historical revisionism and gender identity. A new report by PEN America found book bans increased by nearly 200% during the 2023-24 school year, including titles on sexuality, substance abuse, depression and other issues students face in an age of accelerating technologies, climate change, toxic politics and fears about the future. Book censorship has shaken and divided school boards, pitted parents against parents, and led to threats against teachers and librarians . It is part of an agenda driven by conservative parental rights groups and politicians who promote charter schools and voucher systems that could weaken public education. The issue goes to the heart not only of what students are taught but how federal and state education policies will affect the nation’s politics after one of the most consequential elections in its history. “It’s not just about taking a book off a shelf,” said Tasslyn Magnusson, an author and teacher from Wisconsin who tracks book censorship across the U.S. “It’s about power and who controls public education. It’s about what kind of America we were and are. We’re trying to define what family is and what America means. That comes down to the stories we tell.” She said she feared Trump’s return to the White House would further incite those calling for book bans: “I don’t have lots of hope. It could get a lot worse.” Over the last year, PEN counted more than 10,000 book bans nationwide that targeted 4,231 unique titles. Most were books dealing with gender, sexuality, race and LGBTQ+ storylines. The most banned title was Jodi Picoult’s “Nineteen Minutes,” about a school shooting that included a short description of date rape. Florida and Iowa — both of which have strict regulations on what students can read — accounted for more than 8,200 bans in the 2023-24 school year. “This crisis is tragic for young people hungry to understand the world they live in and see their identities and experiences reflected in books,” Kasey Meehan, director of PEN’s Freedom to Read Program, said in a statement. “What students can read in schools provides the foundation for their lives.” Trump’s calls to close the Department of Education would need congressional approval, which appears unlikely. Although public schools are largely funded and governed by state and local institutions, the department helps pay to educate students with disabilities, provides about $18 billion in grants for K-12 schools in poor communities and oversees a civil rights branch to protect students from discrimination. But Trump’s election has inspired conservative parental groups, including Moms For Liberty and Parents Defending Education, to strengthen efforts to limit what they see as a liberal conspiracy to indoctrinate children with books and teachings that are perverse, amoral and pornographic. Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty, has criticized schools that she says spend too much time on diversity and inclusion when only about one-third of U.S. children are reading at grade level: “We’re talking about public school libraries and content for kids,” Justice told NewsNation after Trump’s victory. “I think it’s very clear that there are certain things that are appropriate for kids, certain things that are appropriate for adults. We’re just getting back to commonsense America.” Trump’s threat to deny federal funding to schools that acknowledge transgender identities could affect curricula and the kinds of books school libraries stock. During his rally at Madison Square Garden in October, Trump — who has has accused schools of promoting sex change operations — said his administration would get “transgender insanity the hell out of our schools.” Vice President-elect JD Vance has accused Democrats of wanting to “put sexually explicit books in toddlers’ libraries.” Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education, told Newsmax that she was excited about Trump’s calls to remake education and “clean up a lot of the mess” he has inherited from the Biden administration. Trump “has centered parental rights back in his platform, which is incredible. He has prioritized knowledge and skill, not identity politics,” she said. “American children deserve better, and it is time for change.” In nominating Linda McMahon to be his secretary of Education, Trump appears to be pushing for more conservative parental control over what is taught and read in classrooms. A former professional wrestling executive, McMahon chairs the America First Policy Institute, a Trump-connected organization that has criticized schools for teaching “racially divisive” theories, notably about slavery and a perspective about the nation’s founding it views as anti-American. “Today’s contentious debates over using classrooms for political activism rather than teaching a complete and accurate account of American history have reinvigorated calls for greater parental and citizen involvement in the curriculum approval process,” the institute’s website says. Culturally divisive issues, including race and LGBTQ+ themes, cost school districts an estimated $3.2 billion during the 2023-24 school year, according to a recent study called “The Costs of Conflict.” The survey — published by the Institute for Democracy, Education and Access at UCLA — found that battles over books and teaching about sexuality and other topics led to increased expenses for legal fees, replacing administrators and teachers who quit, and security, including off-duty plainclothes police officers. “Are we really going to spend our tax dollars on these kinds of things?” asked Magnusson. “After Trump was elected, I saw a bunch of middle-class white ladies like me who were saying, ‘This isn’t America.’ But maybe it is America.” One school superintendent in a Western state told the study’s researchers that his staff was often consumed with correcting misinformation and fulfilling public record requests mainly from hard-line parental rights activists attempting to exploit cultural war issues to discredit the district. “Our staff are spending enormous amounts of time just doing stupid stuff,” the superintendent said. “The fiscal costs to the district are enormous, but [so are] the cultural costs of not standing up to the extremists. If someone doesn’t, then the students and employees lose. ... It’s the worst it’s ever been.” The survey found that 29% of 467 school superintendents interviewed reported that teachers and other staff quit their profession or left their districts “due to culturally divisive conflict.” Censoring books in school libraries grew out of opposition to COVID-19 restrictions. A number of conservative parental groups, including Moms for Liberty, which invited Trump to speak at its national convention in August, turned their attention to lobbying against “liberal indoctrination.” Their protests against what they criticized as progressive teaching on sexuality and race were focused on increasing conservative parental control over a public education system that was struggling at teaching children reading and math. That strategy has led to a national, right-wing effort that is “redefining government power to restrict access to information in our schools,” said Stephana Ferrell, co-founder of the Florida Freedom to Read Project. “This movement to protect the innocence of our children believes if children never read it in a book they won’t have to know about it and can go on to lead harmonious lives. But books teach us cautionary tales. They instruct us. You can’t protect innocence through ignorance.” School districts across the country have removed “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe and “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George Johnson, which are about gender identity and include graphic depictions of sex, along with titles by renowned writers such as Toni Morrison, Kurt Vonnegut, George Orwell, Maya Angelou and Flannery O’Connor. Related Articles National Politics | Trump vows tariffs over immigration. What the numbers say about border crossings, drugs and crime National Politics | Trump promised mass deportations. Educators worry fear will keep immigrants’ kids from school National Politics | Trump team says Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal brokered by Biden is actually Trump’s win National Politics | How Trump’s bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes National Politics | After delay, Trump signs agreement with Biden White House to begin formal transition handoff Surveys show that most Americans do not favor censorship. The Florida Freedom to Read Project and similar organizations around the country have called for thorough public reviews of challenged books to prevent one scene or passage from being taken out of context. Moderate and liberal parents groups over the last two years have also become more active in school board politics. They have supported school board candidates who have defeated those backed by Moms for Liberty in Texas, Florida and other states. “People say the pendulum will swing back,” said Ferrell. But, she said, conservatives want to “stop the pendulum from swinging back.” Picoult is accustomed to conservatives attempting to censor her. Her books have been banned in schools in more than 30 states. Published in 2007, “Nineteen Minutes” explores the lives of characters, including a girl who was raped, in a town leading up to a school shooting and its aftermath. “Having the most banned book in the country is not a badge of honor. It’s a call for alarm,” said Picoult, whose books have sold more than 40 million copies. “My book, and the 10,000 others that have been pulled off school library shelves this year, give kids a tool to deal with an increasingly divided and difficult world. These book banners aren’t helping children. They are harming them.” ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The NX-OS operating system, developed by Cisco for their networking switches, is widely used by organizations around the world to manage their network traffic effectively. However, security researchers have found a flaw in the system that can be exploited by cybercriminals to infiltrate the devices and execute unauthorized commands.

Trump Cabinet picks, appointees targeted by bomb threats and swatting attacks

Illinois (9-3) is seeking its first 10-win season since 2001 against South Carolina (9-3) in the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Eve. However, there will be something distinctly different about the Illini's season finale than in years past – the uniforms. In a week filled with media scrums, trips to Universal Studios , and creating selling points for future success in a now-crazed NIL era, the Illini broke social media when it revealed plans to wear a scripted version of their helmet instead of a traditional "Block I." "Fitted for something special. For the Cheez-it Citrus Bowl, we will wear the Illinois script for the first time in program history," the caption read. The news, albeit small in the grand scheme as the bowl game draws closer, was met with positive reactions from the college football community, particularly those who follow the football team closely. "Very nice. I like that. Let’s go [with] that next season too," one fan wrote South Carolina fans roast Illinois' announcement There were also a fair share of critics, as South Carolina fans were quick to voice (jokingly) their frustrations. "I’m glad these look good because your team won't on Tuesday," another fan suggested. The tweet garnered attention, with over 1,000 likes and 180,000 impressions at press time. It's safe to assume that Illinois, having already celebrated its Rededication Game in October against Michigan, the helmet choice could be a perfect beginning to the closing chapter of a season that looked unfathomable just four months ago. Coach Bret Bielema has repeatedly said he is excited to play the Gamecocks opposite coach Shane Beamer. Still, the goal has always been to carry the momentum forward and continue the sudden turnaround of Illinois football over the past four seasons. "Our players are excited to experience a first-class bowl game with a national spotlight against a quality SEC opponent in South Carolina," Bielema said in a statement Dec. 8 upon accepting the invitation. "This will be a great reward for our players, staff, and fans to finish the 2024 season on New Year's Eve and send us into 2025." South Carolina enters the game on a six-game winning streak, while Illinois won all but one home game in regular season play. The game will be broadcast on ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET, leading into eventual College Football Playoff quarterfinal action.

ASU jumps 7 spots in AP Top 25 after upset of BYU to become the highest-ranked Big 12 team