online game na pwede pagkakitaan Toast director Susan Chapman-Hughes sells $643,712 in stockLebanon is closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with the Syrian capital Damascus, the General Security Directorate said Friday. The decision came hours after an Israeli airstrike damaged a border crossing in northern Lebanon just days after it was reopened. Separately, Jordan’s interior minister said the Naseeb border crossing with Syria had been closed because of the security situation on the Syrian side. He spoke after Syrian opposition activists said insurgents had captured the main border crossing with Jordan, forcing the Syrian authorities to leave. Separately, Israel’s military said it planned to reinforce its positions in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights and near the border with Syria. Israel said it was “monitoring developments and is prepared for all scenarios, offensive and defensive alike.” Meanwhile, Syrian insurgents entered the central towns of Rastan and Talbiseh early Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer Syria’s third largest city, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media both reported. The breakthrough came a day after jihiadi-led opposition fighters captured the central city of Hama , Syria’s fourth largest. In other developments, a Hamas official said international mediators have resumed negotiations with the Palestinian militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war is within reach. Israel's war against Hamas has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel in October 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,500 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Here's the Latest: CAIRO — Israel said Friday that “thousands of food packages and sacks of flour” were delivered to the isolated northernmost reaches of Gaza, where hunger experts warn famine could be underway. The delivery would mark one of the first successful convoys to the area, which is besieged by Israeli troops that have mounted a fierce offensive in Gaza’s north since early October. COGAT, the Israeli military agency that controls the border crossings into Gaza, said the aid was delivered to the town of Beit Hanoun. Israeli authorities did not publicly say who delivered the aid, and did not provide details on the exact amount of aid involved. COGAT released photos of flatbed trucks driving past rubble, some carrying what appeared to be 25-kilogram (55 pound) sacks of aid and others with cargo covered under tarps. The U.N. has struggled to deliver aid to the area in recent weeks. Alia Zaki, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, told The Associated Press that nearly no food has entered the area for two months, and that the agency’s daily requests to enter the area have been denied by Israel. Of two missions that have been approved since Oct. 6, Zaki said, only two trucks of aid were delivered to a shelter that Israeli soldiers ordered to evacuate soon after and then burned. The situation in northern Gaza has prompted hunger experts to warn that famine is either near or may already be underway. BEIRUT — A Kurdish-led force in Syria that's backed by the United States says it has taken positions along the border with Iraq, replacing Syrian government forces. The move by the Syrian Democratic Forces to capture areas on the west bank of the Euphrates River is likely to cut the land line that links Iran with the Mediterranean coast. The SDF said in a statement that its fighters were deployed in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour and west of the Euphrates for the safety of civilians. “Our primary objective is to protect our security and the security of our people,” it said about the deployment. SDF spokesman Farhad Shami told The Associated Press that their fighters are not in control of the Boukamal border crossing with Iraq. Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said Iran-backed fighters have evacuated the border crossing point of Boukamal and the SDF is expected to control it later. The Boukamal border crossing has been a main supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah, who had opened the corridor that links Iran with the Mediterranean in 2017. The developments come as jihadi-led insurgents in northwestern Syria have made stunning advances over the past week that have so far met little resistance from government troops. KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Crowds of displaced Palestinians, some carrying cooking pots and crying children, gathered at an aid kitchen in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Friday, but many left with nothing. “The food ran out,” said Adel Mohammad, who was hoping to get a meal of rice – the only food being served — for his children. “At night they wake up hungry.” After the kitchen shut down, children used their hands to scoop bits of rice left in large empty cooking pots. The World Food Program has warned that the humanitarian response in Gaza is “nearing collapse as famine looms.” The U.N. agency says Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries, along with the breakdown of law and order in Gaza, has made it difficult for aid convoys to reach displaced Palestinians. Concerns are growing with the onset of another winter of war. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, many displaced repeatedly by Israeli attacks, are living in tent camps, reliant on international aid. Experts have already warned of famine in northern Gaza, which Israeli forces have almost completely isolated since early October. BEIRUT -- Lebanon’s General Security Directorate said Friday the country is closing all land border crossing with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with the Syrian capital Damascus. The decision by the security agency in charge of border crossings came hours after an Israeli airstrike damaged the Arida border crossing with Syria in north Lebanon, days after it was reopened. “Border crossings will be closed until further notice for the safety of travelers,” the agency said in a statement posted on X. It said that the only border crossing that will be kept open is Masnaa in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley. Lebanon’s state news agency said Friday the airstrike on the Arida crossing caused heavy material damage and cut the road. The Israeli military said fighter jets attacked the border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, adding that they were used to transfer munitions for Lebanon’s Hezbollah group. BEIRUT - Syrian opposition activists say insurgents have captured a main border crossing with Jordan forcing Syrian authorities to leave it. Shortly afterward, Jordan’s Interior Minister al-Frayeh said the Naseeb border crossing with Syria had been closed because of the security situation on the Syrian side. Opposition activists posted videos online showing people storming the border crossing with Jordan, which was in rebel hands until government forces regained control of it in 2018. Ahmad al-Masalmeh, an opposition activist based in France who covers events in southern Syria, told The Associated Press that local gunmen have captured the Naseeb crossing as well as several other areas in the southern province of Daraa where the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011. Syrian troops have evacuated checkpoints in several areas including the villages of Inkhil, Nawa and Jassem, he added. JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said on Friday that it planned to reinforce its forces stationed in the Golan Heights and near the border with Syria, where civil war has reignited between the government and rebel groups. The Israeli military said in a statement that it was “monitoring developments and is prepared for all scenarios, offensive and defensive alike.” After 13 years of civil war, Syrian insurgents are gaining ground, first taking cities in the country’s north and on Friday entering cities in central Syria. It comes as rebel groups mount new challenges to Russia- and Iran-backed Syrian forces, including in Aleppo, the country’s largest city. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has intermittently struck areas in Syria seen as strongholds of Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group it is at war with in Lebanon. The advances of the Syrian insurgents adds new instability on Israel’s northern border, two months after it invaded neighboring Lebanon. Israel’s defense minister and military chief of staff met to discuss the situation Thursday. Israeli media reported there is concern in the country’s security establishment that the rebels would advance until they reached the Golan Heights, territory occupied by Israel, gaining control of Syrian weapons stockpiles along the way. Writing in the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahoronoth Friday, veteran military correspondent Ron Ben-Yishai wrote that Israel may “prefer” to destroy the weapons storehouses so they won’t fall into the hands of the rebels. Israel seized control of the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war. Syria has constantly accused Israel of launching attacks against it from territory it occupies in the Golan Heights. Israel has frequently struck Syria over the years. BEIRUT — Syrian insurgents entered two central towns early Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer Syria’s third largest city, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media both reported. The break into Rastan and Talbiseh came a day after opposition gunmen captured the central city of Hama , Syria’s fourth largest, after the Syrian army said it withdrew to avoid fighting inside the city and spare the lives of civilians. The insurgents, led by the jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have said that they will march to Homs and Damascus, President Bashar Assad’s seat of power. The city of Homs, parts of which were controlled by insurgents until 2014, is a major intersection point between the capital, Damascus, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus where Assad enjoys wide support. Homs province is Syria’s largest in size and borders Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan. Insurgents are now 5 kilometers (3 miles) away from Homs, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor. “The battle of Homs is the mother of all battles and will decide who will rule Syria,” said Rami Abdurrahman, the Observatory’s chief. MANAMA, Bahrain — Iran said Friday it conducted a successful space launch, the latest for its program the West alleges improves Tehran’s ballistic missile technology. Iran conducted the launch using its Simorgh program , a satellite-carrying rocket that had had a series of failed launches, at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport in rural Semnan province. That’s the site of Iran’s civilian space program. The Simorgh carried what Iran described as an “orbital propulsion system,” as well as two research systems to a 400-kilometer (250-mile) orbit above the Earth. A system that could change the orbit of a spacecraft would allow Iran to geo-synchronize the orbits of its satellites. Tehran has long sought that ability. Iran also put the payload of the Simorgh at 300 kilograms (660 pounds), heavier than its previous successful launches. There was no immediate independent confirmation the launch was successful. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The announcement comes as heightened tensions grip the wider Middle East over Israel’s continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip and as an uneasy ceasefire holds in Lebanon. MELBOURNE, Australia — Arsonists extensively damaged a Melbourne synagogue on Friday in what Australia’s prime minister condemned as an antisemitic attack on Australian values. The blaze in the Adass Israel Synagogue is an escalation in targeted attacks in Australia since the war began between Israel and Hamas last year. Cars and buildings have been vandalized and torched around Australia in protests inspired by the war. A witness who had come to the synagogue to pray saw two masked men spreading a liquid accelerant with brooms inside the building at 4:10 a.m., officials said. About 60 firefighters with 17 fire trucks responded to the blaze, which police said caused extensive damage. Investigators have yet to identify a motive, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese blamed antisemitism. “This was a shocking incident to be unequivocally condemned. There is no place in Australia for an outrage such as this,” Albanese told reporters. “To attack a place of worship is an attack on Australian values. To attack a synagogue is an act of antisemitism, is attacking the right that all Australians should have to practice their faith in peace and security,” he added. ISTANBUL — A Hamas official says international mediators have resumed negotiating with the militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war was within reach. Ceasefire negotiations were halted last month when Qatar suspended talks with mediators from Egypt and the United States because of frustration over a lack of progress between Israel and Hamas. But there has been a “reactivation” of efforts in recent days to end the fighting, release hostages from Gaza and free Palestinian prisoners in Israel, according to Bassem Naim, an official in Hamas’ political bureau who spoke with The Associated Press in Turkey on Thursday. Another official familiar with the talks confirmed the return of Qatari mediators. The official spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations with the media. Since the talks broke down, there have been significant shifts in the global and regional landscape. Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election, and a ceasefire was declared last week between Israel and Hamas ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump is a staunch supporter of Israel, but Naim said he believes the incoming administration could “affect the situation positively” given that Trump had made halting wars in the region part of his campaign platform. Trump this week called for the release of all hostages held in Gaza by the time he takes office on Jan. 20, saying there would be “hell to pay” if that doesn’t happen. WASHINGTON -- Three U.S. service members were being evaluated for potential traumatic brain injuries following an attack near a base in eastern Syria this week, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday. Ryder said U.S. Central Command is still evaluating who was behind the attack near Mission Support Site Euphrates, which prompted the U.S. to conduct counter strikes on Tuesday. At the time, the Pentagon said rockets and mortars had landed in the vicinity of the base. The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria to conduct missions to counter the Islamic Stage group. By Lolita BaldorAP Trending SummaryBrief at 1:56 p.m. EST

NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart's sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are re-evaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups. The changes announced by the world's biggest retailer on Monday followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.West Virginia State Football Championships: Laidley Field Ready for Epic WeekendTEHRAN- The International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli leaders has been strongly welcomed by many but rejected in some corners. As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Minister for War Yoav Gallant are now officially wanted as war criminals, international reactions have been pouring in over the decision. Here are some of those reactions from around the world: In the Gaza Strip, where Netanyahu and Gallant have been accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, Hamas has welcomed the move by the ICC. The resistance movement, which is fighting off a U.S.-backed genocidal Israeli war has called on the ICC to extend the warrants to all Israeli leaders complicit in war crimes. “We call on the International Criminal Court to expand the scope of accountability to all criminal occupation leaders,” Hamas emphasized. In a statement, Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim added, “[It’s] an important step towards justice and can lead to redress for the victims in general, but it remains limited and symbolic if it is not supported by all means by all countries around the world.” Asked by AFP about Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif’s arrest warrant, the third person, whom the ICC named a Hamas official, said there was “no comparison between the criminal occupier and the victim”. The West Bank-based Palestinian Authority also welcomed the decision, urging all members of the international court to implement it. In a statement, the South African government welcomed the warrants as a “significant step”. “These actions mark a significant step towards justice for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Palestine. South Africa reaffirms its commitment to international law and urges all state parties to act in accordance with their obligations in the Rome Statute. We call on the global community to uphold the rule of law,” the government said. Colombia’s reaction was among the strongest in Latin America. President Gustavo Petro welcomed the decision as “logical,” saying “Netanyahu is a genocidal maniac.” “The ruling must be obeyed. If Biden disregards this order, he is simply leading the world into barbarism. Western Europe must regain its independence in international politics and act to enforce the court’s ruling,” Petro wrote in a post on social media. President Javier Milei denounced the decision. In a social media post, he wrote that his government “declares its deep disagreement” with the ICC. Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the decision must be implemented, adding that Palestinians deserved justice over Israeli “war crimes” in Gaza. The ICC’s decision “is a belated but positive decision to stop the bloodshed and put an end to the genocide in Palestine,” Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said. “The warrants are very important, historic, and courageous,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said. “They mark a major victory for the oppressed Palestinian nation, the Axis of Resistance as well as their supporters, and a defeat for the Zionist regime and its sponsors. From such a viewpoint, this ruling is very significant,” Gharibabadi underlined. “The warrants show that the International Criminal Court has concluded that the criminal Zionist regime has perpetrated the crimes, and an investigation into the offenses, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, etc., falls within the jurisdiction of the court. These are key issues,” the Iranian diplomat pointed out. “China hopes the ICC will uphold an objective and just position (and) exercise its powers in accordance with the law,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian. The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stated the warrants were “not political” and should be respected by all member states. “The tragedy in Gaza has to stop,” he added. Despite his remarks, some EU members offered conflicting statements. Prime Minister Simon Harris said Ireland would be prepared to arrest Netanyahu if he landed on Irish territory. “Yes absolutely. We support international courts and we apply their warrants,” Harris told national broadcaster RTE, calling the warrants “a significant step”. Also, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on its website, “There are reasonable grounds to believe that the alleged crimes were committed by these individuals.” “Ireland is a strong supporter of the ICC and calls on all States to respect its independence and impartiality, with no attempts made to undermine the court.” Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp told the Dutch parliament the Netherlands would respect the decision and arrest Netanyahu if he set foot on Dutch soil. The Netherlands will also not engage in any “non-essential” contacts with Netanyahu and Gallant, Veldkamp said. The Swiss Federal Office of Justice stated its obligation to cooperate with the ICC under the Rome Statute, pledging to arrest and extradite Netanyahu or Gallant if they entered Swiss territory. Spain’s second Vice-President and Labor Minister, Yolando Diaz, welcomed the decision. “Always on the side of justice and international law,” Diaz wrote in a social media post, adding, “The genocide of the Palestinian people cannot go unpunished.” Defense Minister Guido Crosetto acknowledged if Netanyahu or Gallant “were to come to Italy, we would have to arrest them.” However, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani noted, “We will evaluate together with our allies what to do and how to interpret this decision.” The French Foreign Ministry appeared to play down the ICC decision as just a formalization of an accusation. A spokesman refused to say whether France would arrest Netanyahu if he entered French territory, claiming the matter was “legally complex”. A government spokesperson contradicted the EU foreign policy chief, indicating that Germany would not arrest Netanyahu if he traveled to the country. The spokesperson said, “We have a unique relationship and a great responsibility to Israel”. Another EU member, Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjarto, condemned the decision as “absurd”. Prime Minister Viktor Orban went a step further, saying he would invite Netanyahu to Hungary and would guarantee the arrest warrant would “not be observed.” The British government has refused to say if Netanyahu would be arrested if he landed on British soil, despite Britain being a member of the ICC and is legally obliged to arrest him. Israel’s staunchest ally strongly condemned the ICC decision. President Joe Biden called it “outrageous”. “Whatever the ICC might imply ... We will always stand with Israel,” Biden said. Other senior American officials echoed those words. The Biden administration strongly welcomed and rushed the ICC’s arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Washington praised the Court’s legal process. This time, the US threatened the ICC if it went ahead with issuing arrest warrants for Israeli officials and has warned the court of consequences that include sanctions. In a social media post, Netanyahu criticized the ICC. He condemned the arrest warrants and described them as a “dark day”. Former War Minister Gallant echoed those words while President Isaac Herzog claimed that the ICC’s decision sided with “terrorism and evil” and has turned the international justice system into a “human shield” for Hamas. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also stated that the ICC had “lost all legitimacy” by issuing what he described as “absurd orders without authority.” All international human rights groups have strongly welcomed the ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu and Gallant. Human Rights Watch said the warrants “break through the perception that certain individuals are beyond the reach of the law. This is all the more important given the brazen attempts to obstruct the course of justice at the court.” “Netanyahu is now officially a wanted man,” said Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnes Callamard. “ICC member states and the whole international community must stop at nothing until these individuals are brought to trial before the ICC’s independent and impartial judges.” Others have described the move as the most momentous decision in the ICC’s 22-year mandate for a genocide in Gaza that history will neither forget nor forgive.

Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire to end nearly 14 months of fighting

In late October, amidst the tensions of a looming election, the world witnessed the birth of a new kind of democratic event - the celebrity lookalike contest. It all began with the Timothee Chalamet event in New York, when a bunch of mop-haired, square-jawed lookalikes descended upon Washington Square Park, all for a small trophy, a $50 cash prize, and the knowledge they (vaguely) resemble a Hollywood star. The contest was a raging success; hundreds of onlookers stopped by, there were four arrests, and Chalamet himself even turned up to meet his doppelgangers. And since then, dozens of copycat lookalike contests have popped up around the world. In Dublin, mulleted men in short shorts compared thighs in the hopes of having their likeness to Paul Mescal verified with 20 euros and a few pints. In Chicago, apron-wearing, bedraggled men resembling Jeremy Allen-White put it all on the line for $50 and a pack of cigs. And in San Francisco, a host of handsome South Asian men (and women looking for boyfriends) showed up to the Dev Patel lookalike contest. Now, it's New Zealand's turn. On Saturday 30 November, The Edge radio station is holding a Jason Momoa lookalike contest at Auckland's Mission Bay, with a winning prize of $1000. It's unclear exactly what the criteria is for these celebrity lookalike contests, but one thing is certain: they've been an exercise in pure, joyously human absurdity, and a rare example of a completely grassroots, organic online moment translating into real life events. But what's actually behind the sudden rise in celebrity lookalike contests? AUT communications lecturer and pop culture expert Thomas Watts says it's not necessarily a new thing - lookalikes and impersonators have always been around in popular culture. "Impersonators are quite an interesting phenomenon, because there's quite a lot of skill attached to them ... you start with the mannerisms, the movement, the voice, and the look almost comes after. "A lookalike contest is a much more simple exercise than an impersonator, per se, because you just need to look like the person to some extent." Watts says the celebrity lookalike contests may have seen a sudden rise in popularity because they're "fun and silly and easy to understand." "Someone either looks like Timothee Chalamet or they don't. Or people look like Timothee Chalamet to a certain extent, and then you have to try and work out what are the things that makes someone the most Timothee Chalamet, what are those kind of elements? "In terms of that sudden rise, it's got elements of a trend, but it's got very deep roots in the past. I think at its heart there's a level of celebrity culture that exists and we like celebrities, especially big celebrities, that there's enough of an understanding of who they are, for the average person to go, 'Oh yeah, I've got a friend that looks like Timothee Chalamet or Jason Momoa'. What makes them so popular and joyful? Celebrity lookalike contests are low stakes fun with just enough substance in them to keep people interested, Watts says. "They're a silly way for people to come together, and I think as humans, we love a bit of an abstract competition ... you still have heats and tasks that people have to do, there are challenges, and so as a result, you get a bit of an event out of that ... everyone's getting very emotionally invested into something that doesn't mean heaps to the functioning of a society, but is good, silly fun. "And then you have a lineup of a whole lot of people who have elements of Jason Momoa and you have to work out, what makes Jason Momoa, Jason Momoa. I'd love to see the criteria they're using to assess exactly all the things you need to do to be the most Jason Momoa lookalike. Do you prioritise hair over size? Do you get bonus points for tattoos? Does your acting ability slot in there? It's an interesting one." Where are the lookalike contests for women celebrities? The contests so far have largely all been for male celebrities, with the exception of a small Zendaya lookalike contest in Oakland on Wednesday. Watts suggests this discrepancy could be due to an element of discomfort in ranking and rating women. "There are a number of celebritiy lookalikes on social media, people that have made their own identity around looking or dressing like a celebrity. There are quite a few people who do this for Taylor Swift ... but with competitions, I think, you'd feel slightly less comfortable if you're assessing a female celebrity lookalike because of how they fit a beauty standard. "At that points it feels like you're objectifying the person which ends up feeling slightly arcaic, almost like a beauty competition, and I feel like you kind of ignore that with your Harry Styles and your Jeremy Allen White and your Heath Ledger, because I think you can ignore that question of objectifying and overly perceiving someone." Will the contests die down any time soon? Watts says we may be reaching the peak of the celebrity lookalike events. The nail in the coffin? When they stop being organic, fan-driven events, and start becoming tool for PR. "I think with a lot of these online trends, there's often the question of who's driving them ... maybe we'll see a large corporate do a celebrity lookalike event, or maybe a cringy political party doing that, and that will be where we kind of jump the shark, so they will die down. "With most of these things, there's always someone who's kind of pushing for it, you kind of need someone with some form of resource. In the case of the Timothee Chalamet one, there was a YouTuber driving it, in the case of Jason Momoa, the Edge radio station is driving that. "The woman who was trying to find someone who looked like Jacob Elordi in Melbourne, this is one of my favourites because it was very lowkey, very few people showed up. In fact I don't think any men showed up for the Jacob Elordi lookalike competition, so she ended up giving the cash prize to a guy that just happened to be in the park that she was in. A $50 cash prize, that's not bad. The public spectacle of it all Watts says the rise of celebrity lookalike contests is not unlike the viral mobilisation of flash mobs in the early 2000s. "I'm old enough to remember flash mobs before they got really uncool. People will say they were always uncool, I don't think that's true, I think flash mobs absolutely had their time in the sun because it was an interesting thing where there was an in group and an out group, and it was things that were organised online that enabled you to create your own lore around creating a bit of a public spectacle. "It was an interesting thing going on in a public space, and that's what's fun about all of these [lookalike contests], they're all taking place in public, which means there are people that know about what's going on, and there'll be people walking past bemused or confused, but it's really easy to get behind. "It's just good, dumb fun. It's like Bird of the Year ... it's a package to talk about how much we love birds, but it's the competition that is the vessel for that. This is a vessel for people to talk about our relationship with celebrity, and for that everyday punter who's always been told they look like Jason Momoa to be like, 'Yeah, and I'm gonna prove it now'. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.(CNN) — While President-elect Donald Trump’s controversial pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth , is beginning the process to undergo an FBI background check , the intensive review may not provide the answers that either Democrats or Republicans are seeking. That’s because a nominee doesn’t “pass” a background check, and the FBI doesn’t approve applicants. Instead, the FBI’s investigative files on nominees are sent to the White House, which makes the final decision on whether they can hold the positions to which the president appointed them. FBI background checks have been lightning rods during previous contentious confirmation fights. After sexual misconduct allegations nearly tanked Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination in 2018, for example, Democrats said the FBI background investigation was politically constrained and did not follow proper procedures. Hegseth’s confirmation has been in jeopardy amid a series of allegations related to drinking and sexual misconduct, which he has denied. As calls for additional vetting have mounted, Hegseth’s attorney told CNN this week that his name has been submitted to the FBI for the background check. The FBI is gearing up to conduct detailed background checks on thousands of appointees for Trump’s incoming administration. While the president-elect has been moving quickly to name his Cabinet and key administrative picks, his use of the FBI system had been in question until the Trump transition team signed a memorandum of understanding with the Justice Department in recent days. The agreement will now allow the FBI to conduct at least some investigations, but it remains unclear how many of Trump’s candidates to lead various agencies and departments will be submitted for those checks, as the transition team also has been using private companies to conduct some vetting. Despite Trump’s qualms about the FBI and complaints from his allies that the bureau shouldn’t be trusted to screen his appointees, the FBI system does enjoy bipartisan support from members of Congress. Senators of both parties have said they want political appointees to undergo FBI background investigations as part of the confirmation process. Dozens of FBI agents and contractors at the bureau’s headquarters in Washington and in field offices around the country are involved in background investigations with the goal of helping to prepare the new administration to take the reins of government and allow appointees to have access to classified and other sensitive information as soon as the new president is inaugurated on January 20. The background checks aren’t criminal investigations, and the FBI investigators’ role is to conduct investigations for a client – in this case the White House or government agency that requests them. In each administration, the White House typically provides questions, in addition to the standard ones listed on the application forms, that agents are told to ask. While FBI background investigations have access to government criminal databases, that typically wouldn’t include allegations of wrongdoing that don’t result in an arrest or charges. In Hegseth’s case, that means investigators wouldn’t necessarily see details from a California incident that included an investigation of alleged sexual assault but didn’t result in charges. It’s unclear whether investigators would be able to seek information from the accuser, who was paid in a settlement agreement with Hegseth that included a confidentiality clause and has the option to decline to speak to the FBI. The scope of the FBI’s investigation of Kavanaugh is still under scrutiny. In releasing a report this fall, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, called the bureau’s supplemental background probe into Kavanaugh a “sham.” Background checks include long forms where candidates must detail past employment, biographical information, as well as criminal and financial records. Investigators probe each applicant’s personal history back to their 18th birthday, with FBI security specialists examining credit histories and criminal backgrounds and conducting interviews of associates dating back years. The investigations also include an in-person FBI interview where an agent reviews information gathered and sometimes challenges applicants to explain discrepancies. “I compare it to a colorectal examination while you’re awake,” a former FBI security specialist who conducted background investigations for years told CNN. The investigations for Cabinet members can include as many as 60 interviews, the former FBI specialist said. Agents and contractors spend 10 days to two weeks on the highest-profile investigations. Applicants are asked to provide contacts with employers dating back to age 18. The FBI develops its own intelligence to supplement the list of people who may know an applicant to ensure it doesn’t miss information that an applicant may leave out. In some cases, agents will walk up and down the street where someone lived to ask neighbors about them. For appointees who previously served in government jobs, the investigations tend to be shorter since agents don’t need to duplicate the investigation of earlier parts of the background. The incoming Trump administration has a tortured past with the government’s security clearance system after dozens of people he picked to serve in his first administration struggled to complete the background investigations process. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, was among several appointees whose foreign contacts and potential conflicts posed issues as they sought to receive security clearances. In Kushner’s case, incomplete information he provided in filing out the government form, known as SF-86, caused delays. Trump ordered high-level clearances be granted to about 25 people, including to Kushner and his daughter Ivanka, dismissing questions raised during the background investigations, according to congressional testimony. The-CNN-Wire TM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

Texas weighs social media bans for minors as schools and police face challenges

Juan Soto buttoned up his Mets threads for the first time on Thursday afternoon and explained his reasons for changing sides of New York went beyond the 15-year, $765 million contract. "What they had done the last couple of years, they have shown all of the ability to keep winning, to keep growing a team to try to grow a dynasty," Soto said Thursday. "What you were seeing from the other side was unbelievable. The vibes and everything, the feel and future this team has had a lot to do with my decision." Seated at a table with agent Scott Boras at his left and Mets general manager David Stearns to his right between Soto and franchise owner Steve Cohen, the coveted free agent said he enjoyed the courtship of multiple teams but opted against returning to the Yankees or joining one of their American League East rivals. The Blue Jays and Red Sox also met with Soto. Since the free agency process started, Soto all but tuned out the Yankees. Asked if he talked to anyone with his former team on Thursday, Soto said "I haven't talked to any of those guys. We talked to them through the playoffs, at the end of the playoffs. After that, I made this process, I haven't talked to any of those (guys)." Cohen, a billionaire who made his riches in hedge funds, felt the Mets would lure Soto away from the Yankees if they were able to make the pitch more personal. He said he was persistent and made sure Soto knew the Mets meant business all the way to the finish line. A second meeting with Soto, when the Mets said they learned about the slugger as a person and family man, Cohen felt the Mets sealed the deal. "We want to show them we're not just an executive, show them who we were -- have a personal touch and act like you care about the person, which I do," he said. Soto, 26, joins the Mets -- his fourth team since breaking into MLB with the Nationals in 2018 -- after spending one season with the crosstown rival Yankees, who gave the outfielder a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer that was turned down back on Nov. 19. The New York Post reported that the Yankees were willing to fork out $760 million over 16 years to bring back Soto, but the Mets ended up outbidding them. Soto helped the Yankees reach the World Series in 2024 after hitting .288 with a career-high 41 home runs along with 109 RBIs in 157 regular-season games. In the Fall Classic, Soto posted a .313 average and blasted a solo shot to account for his only RBI of the series, a five-game set that the Los Angeles Dodgers took 4-1. The Dodgers made baseball's biggest splash last offseason, signing free agent Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million contract. Shortly after the signing, however, reports surfaced that Ohtani was deferring $68 million of the $70 million he is due each season, with Los Angeles paying the two-way star through 2043. In 936 career games across seven major league seasons with the Nationals (2018-22), San Diego Padres (2022-23) and Yankees (2024), Soto has clubbed 201 homers, racked up 592 RBIs and is a .285 hitter. --Field Level MediaPenn State football players offer thanks to their families, at home and at school [opinion]

MADRID (AP) — Spanish King Felipe VI used his traditional Christmas Eve speech to remember the victims of the catastrophic Valencia flash floods , and urged the country to remain calm despite public debates around hot-button issues such as immigration and housing affordability. In a pre-recorded speech that usually reviews the year's most relevant issues, Felipe said Spain “must never forget the pain and sadness" the flood have caused. The Oct. 29 floods killed more than 225 people in eastern Spain, damaging countless homes and leaving graveyards of cars piled on top of each other. In some towns, the heavy downpours that caused the floods dropped as much as a year's worth of rain in just eight hours. In early November, as Spaniards' shock at the wreckage turned into frustration, a political blame game began, directed especially at regional authorities who failed to send timely emergency alerts to cell phones on the day of the floods. The frustration of residents in hard-hit Paiporta near Valencia was on display when people tossed mud and shouted insults at the king and government officials in early November when they made their first visit to the town. “We have seen — and understood — the frustration, the pain, the impatience, the demands for greater and more effective coordination," Felipe said about how the disaster was managed, adding that he had asked that aid be sent to everyone who needed it. He also addressed the country's housing crunch and high rents, which have become a leading concern in this European Union country that is the eurozone's fourth-largest economy. Fast-rising rents are especially acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid, where incomes have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in a country with chronically high unemployment. Felipe urged that “all the actors involved reflect” and "listen to each other” so that they facilitate bringing access to housing under “affordable conditions.” Spain's immigration debate should keep in mind the country's European partners and immigrants' countries of origin, Felipe said, warning that “the way in which we are able to address immigration ... will say a lot in the future about our principles and the quality of our democracy.” Felipe said Spain need to remain calm in the public sphere, even in the face of a “sometimes thunderous” contest in its politics.Former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber returning to Cleveland Guardians on 1-year deal, AP source says

Southfield, Michigan, Dec. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Credit Acceptance Corporation (Nasdaq: CACC) (referred to as the "Company”, "Credit Acceptance”, "we”, "our”, or "us”) announced today that we have increased the amount of Warehouse Facility V (the "Facility”), one of our revolving secured warehouse facilities, from $200.0 million to $250.0 million. We also extended the date on which the Facility will cease to revolve from December 29, 2025 to December 29, 2027. The maturity of the Facility was also extended from December 27, 2027 to December 27, 2029. The interest rate on borrowings under the Facility has decreased from the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR”) plus 245 basis points to SOFR plus 185 basis points. There were no other material changes to the Facility. As of December 5, 2024, we did not have a balance outstanding under the Facility. Description of Credit Acceptance Corporation We make vehicle ownership possible by providing innovative financing solutions that enable automobile dealers to sell vehicles to consumers regardless of their credit history. Our financing programs are offered through a nationwide network of automobile dealers who benefit from sales of vehicles to consumers who otherwise could not obtain financing; from repeat and referral sales generated by these same customers; and from sales to customers responding to advertisements for our financing programs, but who actually end up qualifying for traditional financing. Without our financing programs, consumers are often unable to purchase vehicles or they purchase unreliable ones. Further, as we report to the three national credit reporting agencies, an important ancillary benefit of our programs is that we provide consumers with an opportunity to improve their lives by improving their credit score and move on to more traditional sources of financing. Credit Acceptance is publicly traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol CACC. For more information, visit creditacceptance.com . CONTACT: Investor Relations: Douglas W. Busk Chief Treasury Officer (248) 353-2700 Ext. 4432 [email protected]As school districts struggle to control the spread of cyberbullying, sexual abuse images and online exploitation among their students, Texas lawmakers could consider banning social media from minors, among other sweeping measures, in the upcoming legislative session. Over the last decade, Texas lawmakers have attempted to slow the spread of social media’s harmful effects by criminalizing cyberbullying and preventing online platforms from collecting data on minors, the latter of which has faced court challenges by social media companies. While law enforcement and prosecutors have traditionally been responsible for cracking down on these online dangers, lack of resources in those agencies has meant enforcement has fallen onto educators, who already struggle to meet the demands of instruction, let alone stay knowledgeable on all the ways children use the internet. “Almost every kid comes to school these days, regardless of background, regardless of socioeconomic status, they have some type of smartphone device in their hand. So they will have access to unfettered content most of the time, no matter what we try to do,” said Zeph Capo, president of the Texas American Federation of Teachers. Lawmakers have suggested several initiatives next session to address the online dangers affecting Texas children, including a bill filed by Rep. Jared Patterson , R-Frisco, that would prohibit minors from creating accounts on social media sites and require age verification for new users. Other options include adding funds to internet crimes units in law enforcement agencies, banning the use of people’s likeness in artificially created sex abuse images, and making people aware of the dangers of the internet. “Social media is the most dangerous thing our kids have legal access to in Texas,” Patterson said in a news release . While they welcome any efforts to reduce harm to children, school officials and cybercrime investigators say more needs to be done to hold social media companies accountable for enforcement. “We need these businesses to be responsible business people and throttle some of this tremendously negative content, particularly when it comes to kids,” Capo said. “But, you know, they don’t want to do anything like that.” During a Senate Committee on State Affairs hearing in October, lawmakers listened to a litany of stories about how social media has affected young people in Texas: a middle school girl who developed an eating disorder after watching a TikTok video, a middle school boy addicted to cartoon pornography after his YouTube algorithm took him to a porn site, and a woman who testified to being groomed for sex work in high school as her images were posted on social media applications. Most of these incidents had a starting point at school where children have frequent access to technology and teachers and administrators are too busy to provide oversight. Add in the fact that they know ways to circumvent campus firewalls, students are being groomed via social media on school grounds, said Jacquelyn Alutto, president of Houston-based No Trafficking Zone, during the hearing. “Right now, schools are a hunting ground,” she said. The Texas Tribune requested interviews with several school districts about online dangers in schools, including the Austin, Round Rock, Katy and Eanes school districts, but they did not respond. The Plano school district declined to be interviewed. Last year, the American Federation of Teachers and the American Psychological Association, among other national organizations, called out social media platforms for undermining classroom learning, increasing costs for school systems, and being a “root cause” of the nationwide youth mental health crisis. The admonishment came after a report detailed how school districts across the country are experiencing significant burdens as they respond to tech’s predatory and prevalent influence in the classroom. The same year, in an attempt to hold social media companies more accountable, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law House Bill 18 , known as the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act. The SCOPE Act requires covered digital service providers to provide minors with certain data protections, prevent minors from accessing harmful content, and give parents tools to manage their child’s use of the service. It also required school districts to obtain parental consent for most software and social media applications used in the classroom and to look for alternatives to the internet for instruction. However, many of the family-friendly websites and games that children might use for entertainment are also rife with potential sexual predators who pretend to be children. “A little boy can be playing Robloxs in the cafeteria, and during that lunch break, a trafficker can target him, and he can be sexually groomed or exploited within a few weeks or months,” Alutto said. And even harder to control is when students share sexual images of themselves online, a reason why some child welfare groups want social media platforms restricted or outright banned for minors. “This has also helped human traffickers groom and recruit children,” Alutto said. Studies show 95% of youth ages 13 to 17 report using social media, with more than a third saying they use social media “almost constantly.” Nearly 40% of children ages 8 to 12 use social media, even though most platforms require a minimum age of 13 to sign up, according to a study by the U.S. Surgeon General. This has created a generation of chronically online children, and the medical community is still unsure of their longterm effects. Although the SCOPE Act was passed to restrict kids from seeing harmful online content and give parents more control over what their children do online, social media companies have watered it down. A federal district court judge earlier this year temporarily blocked part of the law that required them to filter out harmful content, saying it was unconstitutional under the First Amendment free speech right. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced in October that he was suing TikTok by allowing their algorithm to affect minors. TikTok denied the state’s allegations, pointing to online information about how parents in certain states, including Texas, can contact TikTok to request that their teen’s account be deleted. This lawsuit, like dozens of others across the country, is playing out in court, forcing Texas lawmakers to wait and see what more they can do in the upcoming session to hold social media companies accountable. Australia recently banned social media from children under the age of 16. “The state needs to ensure that if technology providers want to do business, they must protect our children, stop the flow of (child sexual abuse material and child sexual assault) and report it,” Brent Dupre, director of law enforcement at the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, told The Texas Tribune. Dupre’s department is one of three Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces in the state, and his agency alone covers 134 counties. His office receives 2,500 cyber tips per month for investigation from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an overwhelming number of cases for an agency with only 11 officers. The problem is so persistent that Dupre said his office was conducting a live training session with law enforcement officers a few months ago on how to pose in chat rooms as a minor when the trainer noticed a real adult was already trying to solicit their fake minor for sex. “These proactive investigations aren’t done as frequently as we like because of the sheer caseload that we got,” Dupre said, noting how they work with other law enforcement agencies who are suffering with staff shortages. Christina Green, chief advancement and external relations officer for Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, said her agency serves more than 60,000 child victims yearly, with a majority of these connected to online incidents that happened in school while using social media applications. She said law enforcement agencies as well as hers need more resources to protect children. “This field is rapidly developing, and the tools needed to continue must also develop,” she said. Echoing school officials, Dupre said social media companies should enforce more restrictions on what minors can do on their platforms. He said companies should be required to track attempts to upload child sexual abuse material and other internet harm and be held accountable for allowing sexually explicit content to stay on their websites. Dupre suggested lawmakers require chat and social media companies use artificial intelligence to scan for child sex abuse images and child sexual assault material and block users from sending this kind of material on their platforms. “To me, children who try to upload self-produced material should automatically have their accounts disabled,” he said. “Many technology providers scan for these photos and videos, which are then quarantined and reported, but not all providers lockout or cancel that user end-to-end encryption.” However, the most essential place to stop cyberbullying, sexual exploitation and other internet-based crimes on minors is at home, Green said. She suggested teaching children in schools as early as the third grade about online risks and repeating training yearly. She also wants the same education extended to parents. “We have been talking to parents about when you drop your kid off at someone’s house, do you know if devices will be used there? It’s like asking if there is a pool in the backyard. These types of questions need to become commonplace,” Green said. This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.