LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers have traded guard D'Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton. The Lakers also sent forward Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft picks to Brooklyn on Sunday. Recommended Videos Russell averaged a career-low 12.4 points for the Lakers this season in a diminished role under new coach JJ Redick, who had vowed to unlock the point guard's formidable offensive game. Instead, Russell was removed from the starting lineup early in the season, and he struggled to make a consistent impact as a reserve, with his shooting percentages declining significantly. The 6-foot-7 Finney-Smith isn't a top scorer, but he is a steady 3-and-D wing who fills an obvious need for the Lakers. Los Angeles has had inconsistent wing play and has lacked an effective defender at the key position during the long-term injury absence of Jarred Vanderbilt , who hasn't played since Feb. 1. Finney-Smith averaged 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds this season for the Nets, who acquired him from Dallas in the February 2023 in the trade of Kyrie Irving. Finney-Smith has been limited to five games this month by a sprained ankle and a bruised calf, but the 31-year-old played 27 minutes against San Antonio on Friday. Redick and Finney-Smith were teammates with the Mavericks during the 2020-21 season, and Redick has expressed admiration for Finney-Smith's hard-nosed game. Milton is joining his sixth NBA team in less than two years, including his third trade in 11 months. He is averaging 7.4 points and 2.4 assists per game this season as a Nets reserve. Russell is being traded by the Lakers to the Nets for the second time in his career. He also made the move in 2017 after spending his first two NBA seasons with Los Angeles, which drafted him in 2015. Russell earned the only All-Star selection of his career during his two seasons in Brooklyn. Russell has been traded five times in the past 7 1/2 years. The 10-year pro excelled for the Lakers during their run to the 2023 Western Conference finals after returning to the team in February of that season, although he got benched during that final playoff series against Denver. Russell remained a fairly consistent scorer last year while setting a new franchise record for 3-pointers made in a season, but his career-long problems with offensive inconsistency and defensive ability kept him out of Redick's plans this year. With Russell's departure, Gabe Vincent is the only true point guard left in the Lakers' rotation, although LeBron James often fills the role of initiating their offense. The Lakers (18-13) have won five of six heading into their visit from Cleveland on New Year's Eve. The trade continues a roster restructuring by the Nets, who traded former Lakers point guard Dennis Schröder to Golden State two weeks ago. Schröder was Brooklyn's third-leading scorer, while Finney-Smith was its fourth-leading scorer. The Nets have been one of the NBA's lowest-scoring teams this season, so Russell should have plenty of chances to make an offensive impact. Brooklyn has lost three of four heading into its road game against Orlando on Sunday. Russell's $18.7 million contract expires this summer, while Finney-Smith has a $15.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season. Lewis was the Lakers' second-round pick in 2023, but he played in just 41 games over the past two seasons while shuttling to the G League. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
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(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump has promised to reduce government waste and employed wealthy businessmen Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the charge. So far, spending on federal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies are prime targets for Musk and Ramaswamy, and a recent report shows just how widespread federal DEI spending has become. The report from Do No Harm shows 500 ways the Biden-Harris administration “infused DEI into the federal government.” Those examples include federal agencies starting dozens of equity training programs, doling out federal contracts and jobs based on race and gender, and teaching Americans more about their country’s racism, both past and present. The DEI explosion took off after Biden issued executive orders on his first day in office as well as another in June of 2021. The first executive order “established that affirmatively advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our Government.” The second order established “that it is the policy of my Administration to cultivate a workforce that draws from the full diversity of the Nation.” Biden also issued other executive orders, including around gender and sexuality, to the same effect his first year in office. Those orders gave federal bureaucrats not only permission but actually direct orders to embrace DEI policies across the board. And Do No Harm’s report shows they did, full-throttle, citing 80 “Equity Action Plans” submitted by agencies that promised over 500 taxpayer-funded actions. Some of the actions are seemingly mild, such as the U.S. Social Security Administration tracking more racial data. Other examples of DEI policies, though, made the federal government the nation’s teacher. For example, a blog for the U.S. Treasury Department lectures Americans on racial inequality. More directly, the federal government began implementing training programs for many federal employees that fully embrace racial ideology labeled “woke” by its opponents. For instance, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission invested in training for employees to consider equity more in its regulatory decisions. “Training will address how equity and environmental justice involves removing barriers underserved communities may face in the context of the Commission’s practices, processes, and policies,” FERC said in its Equity Action Plan. “Training also will address how, consistent with FERC’s mission and statutory duties, the Commission considers the impact of its actions on such communities. More specific trainings geared toward the responsibilities of different program offices and issue areas also may be identified or developed and offered.” Other actions seem to favor some groups over others. Changing the “percentage” of benefits received necessarily requires giving contracts, grants, or other federal resources to certain groups, almost always at the expense of white Americans, even more often white men. For example, the American Battle Monuments Commissions in its Equity Action Plan called for “expanding the percentage of U.S.-based contracted goods and services awarded to minority-owned, women-owned, and service disabled veteran-owned enterprises.” In fact, the ABMC pledged to pay a worker for this sole purpose. In another instance, the Smithsonian Institute pledged to recruit more Black and indigenous interns. “One of the simplest ways to ensure equity and accessibility in internships is to provide a livable stipend and advertise it clearly in promotion materials,” the federal group said in its Equity Action Plan. “Many units include a statement directly in their internship description about their commitment to equity. They also are intentional about making the application process simple and transparent, offering access services for interviews and allowing for multiple formats in place of a required essay.” The Smithsonian Institution , the federal steward of America’s past, also promised to begin promoting a historical framework that emphasizes American racism in the past and today. The federal group pledged to “Address the historical roots and contemporary impacts of race and racism in the United States and globally through interdisciplinary scholarship, creative partnerships, dialogue, education, and engagement.” The Center Square has reported on other examples of DEI policies and grants becoming the norm in recent years as well, though much of this kind of spending began before the Biden-Harris administration took power. Those include:Holiday playdates are great for kids – but ditch the stress and don’t compare milestones
BEIRUT (AP) — Syria's de facto leader said Sunday it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans to dissolve his Islamist group that led the country's insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria, made the remarks in an interview with Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya. It comes almost a month after a lightning insurgency led by HTS overthrew President Bashar Assad's decades-long rule, ending the country's uprising-turned civil war that started back in 2011. Al-Sharaa said it would take time to hold elections because of the need for Syria's different forces to hold political dialogue and rewrite the country's constitution following five decades of the Assad dynasty's dictatorial rule. Also, the war-torn country's battered infrastructure needs to be reconstructed, he said. “The chance we have today doesn’t come every 5 or 10 years,” said al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani. “We want the constitution to last for the longest time possible.” Al-Sharaa is Syria's de facto leader until March 1, when Syria's different factions are set to hold a political dialogue to determine the country's political future and establish a transitional government that brings the divided country together. There, he said, HTS will dissolve after years of being the country's most dominant rebel group that held a strategic enclave in the country's northwest. Earlier, an Israeli airstrike in the outskirts of Damascus on Sunday killed 11 people, according to a war monitor, as Israel continues to target Syrian weapons and military infrastructure even after the ouster of Assad. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the airstrike targeted a weapons depot that belonged to Assad’s forces near the industrial town of Adra, northeast of the capital. The observatory said at least 11 people, mostly civilians, were killed. The Israeli military did not comment on the airstrike Sunday. Israel, which has launched hundreds of airstrikes over Syria since the country's uprising turned-civil war broke out in 2011, rarely acknowledges them. It says its targets are Iran-backed groups that backed Assad. Unlike his criticism of key Assad ally Iran, al-Sharaa hoped to maintain “strategic relations” with Russia, whose air force played a critical role in keeping Assad in power for over a decade during the conflict. Moscow has a strategic airbase in Syria. The HTS leader also said negotiations are ongoing with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in northeastern Syria, and hopes that their armed forces will integrate with the Syrian security agencies. The Kurdish-led group is Washington’s key ally in Syria, where it is heavily involved in targeting sleeper cells belonging to the extremist Islamic State group. Turkish-backed Syrian rebels have been clashing with the SDF even after the insurgency, taking the key city of Manbij, as Ankara hopes to create a buffer zone near its border in northern Syria. The rebels attacked near the strategic northern border town of Kobani, while the SDF shared a video of a rocket attack that destroyed what it said was a radar system south of the city of Manbij. In other developments: — Syrian state-run media said a mass grave was found near the third largest city of Homs. SANA said civil defense workers were sent to to the site in al-Kabo, one of many suspected mass graves where tens of thousands of Syrians are believed to have been buried during a brutal crackdown under Assad and his network of security agencies. — An Egyptian activist wanted by Cairo on charges of incitement to violence and terrorism, Abdulrahman al-Qardawi, was detained by Lebanese security forces after crossing the porous border from Syria, according to two judicial and one security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to to talk to the press. Al-Qardawi is an Egyptian activist residing in Turkey and an outspoken critic of Egypt's government. He had reportedly visited Syria to join celebrations after Assad's downfall. His late father, Youssef al-Qaradawi, was a top and controversial Egyptian cleric revered by the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. He had lived in exile in Qatar for decades. — Lebanese security forces apprehended an armed group in the northern city of Tripoli that kidnapped a group of 26 Syrians who were recently smuggled into Lebanon, two Lebanese security officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the information with the media. The Syrians included five women and seven children, and security officials are working to return them to Syria.The Washington Commanders released 2023 first-rounder Emmanuel Forbes on Saturday, cutting ties with another high draft pick from the previous regime. All of previous coach Ron Rivera's first-rounders — including edge rusher Chase Young in 2020, linebacker Jamin Davis in ‘21 and wide receiver Jahan Dotson in '22 — are now gone. Forbes never showed progress to the new staff led by coach Dan Quinn and was a healthy scratch twice this season and did not play in two other games during which the 23-year-old was in uniform. It's unclear if Forbes' release means anything about the status of cornerback Marshon Lattimore , the Commanders' trade deadline pickup in early November who still has not played for them because of a hamstring injury. Lattimore was listed as doubtful for Washington's home game Sunday against Tennessee. The Commanders (7-5) also put running back Austin Ekeler on injured reserve because of a concussion . They elevated kicker Zane Gonzalez and defensive tackle Carl Davis from the practice squad in preparation for facing the Titans (3-8). Washington has lost three in a row to fall from first place in the NFC East to the conference’s final wild-card spot. The most recent loss, last weekend against division rival Dallas, came when Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game, which would have tied it with 21 seconds left. Seibert went on IR earlier in the week with a groin injury that Quinn said the kicker reported Monday. While injuries have piled up as the Commanders await their late bye week, the choice of Forbes has been second-guessed since the moment Rivera's front office chose the 166-pound Mississippi State defensive back with the 16th pick over Christian Gonzalez and others. Gonzalez was selected next, by New England, and has started 16 games for the Patriots. Forbes was benched last season by Rivera, who was in charge when Washington selected Davis ahead of offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw in '21 and traded down to take Dotson the following year instead of safety Kyle Hamilton or receiver Chris Olave. Forbes has two interceptions and 12 passes defensed in 20 games. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Chinese competitor to AMD and Intel claims its 32-core processor is as powerful as a 2021 Intel Xeon 32-core 'Ice Lake' CPU; a 64-core version is expected to be launched in 2025LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Tahj Brooks ran for a season-high 188 yards and three touchdowns in the final home game for Texas Tech's all-time leading rusher, and the Red Raiders rolled to a 52-15 victory over West Virginia on Saturday. Texas Tech (8-4, 6-3 Big 12) kept alive faint hopes for a bid in the Big 12 championship game by winning at least eight games in the regular season for the first time since 2009 under the late Mike Leach. The Red Raiders scored at 50 points for the second week in a row and had a resounding response to consecutive home losses. “It was a big deal for us to play well at home,” coach Joey McGuire said. “Our last two home games, we’ve had incredible crowds that had great energy, that had our backs and we played really, really bad. We were embarrassed.” Garrett Greene threw an interception and lost a fumble on Terrell Tilmon's strip sack in the final three minutes of the first half as the Mountaineers (6-6, 5-4) raised more questions about the future of coach Neal Brown by falling behind 35-3 before the break. Behren Morton threw for 359 yards and two touchdowns, including a 31-yarder to Caleb Douglas to put Texas Tech in front 42-3 early in the second half. Josh Kelly had 150 yards receiving. “I don’t think the first half of football defines who they are, who they are as individuals, who we are as a team,” Brown said of the Mountaineers. “Not pleased with that.” McGuire, who will have his third winning record in three seasons, called timeout with 5:57 remaining and his team leading 45-15 to take Brooks out of the game. Brooks was mobbed by teammates as the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Brooks ran for at least 100 yards in all 11 regular-season games he played, breaking the single-season school record of 10 he shared with Byron Hanspard and Bam Morris. Brooks pushed his career total to 4,557 yards in his first home game since breaking Hanspard's 1996 school record of 4,219 yards two weeks ago at Jones AT&T Stadium. Two of Brooks' TDs came on 2-yard runs from direct snaps, and the other was a 37-yarder when he stumbled on a cut but stayed on his feet and bounced off defensive back Ty French. Brooks has 17 TDs rushing this season and 45 for his career. Brooks set up one of his short TDs with a 30-yard catch. Jahiem White ran for 124 yards with a spinning 21-yard touchdown for West Virginia, and Greene had a 15-yard scoring toss to Rodney Gallagher III. Greene threw two picks. West Virginia: A perfect season on the road in the Big 12 ended with a thud. The Mountaineers were 3-0 away from home in conference before allowing 29 second-quarter points followed by another TD just 2:12 into the third. Texas Tech: Tight end Jalin Conyers, one of Brooks' fellow seniors playing his final home game, made up a for a dropped pass in the end zone with a juggling, diving catch for 18 yards to set up Morton's 1-yard scoring toss to Mason Tharp. Conyers, an Arizona State transfer, also had a 2-point conversion run on a swinging gate play from the PAT unit. Both teams are eligible for bowl games. At game's end, Texas Tech's fate for a spot in the Big 12 title game was still up in the air. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Barclays PLC Purchases 32,706 Shares of AdvanSix Inc. (NYSE:ASIX)Shares of United States Steel Corp. slipped nearly 2% in early trading Thursday after Japan’s Nippon Steel extended the closing timeline for its $14.9 billion acquisition even as retail sentiment remained upbeat. The deal, initially expected to close in late 2024, is now slated for the first quarter of 2025 as it undergoes extended scrutiny by U.S. regulators. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) failed to reach a consensus on the deal's implications for national security, passing the decision to President Joe Biden on Monday. Biden, who has previously voiced opposition to foreign ownership of U.S. Steel, now has 15 days to act. If he takes no action, the merger will be approved by default. President-elect Donald Trump has also opposed the deal, vowing to block it once in office. If the deal goes through, Nippon Steel would become the second-largest steel manufacturer globally. "Nippon Steel hopes that the President will use this time to conduct a fair and fact-based evaluation of the acquisition. We remain confident that the acquisition will protect and grow U.S. Steel," the company said on Thursday. Nippon added that the review process of the antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice was also underway, without specifying when it may end. On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around the stock remained ‘bullish’ with chatter at ‘normal’ levels as investors expressed optimism around the company's performance, regardless of whether the deal goes through. Despite the political opposition, U.S. Steel shareholders overwhelmingly voted to approve the acquisition in April. Meanwhile, the two companies have also worked to assuage concerns over the combination. Nippon has offered to move its U.S. headquarters to Pittsburgh, where the U.S. steelmaker is based, and promised to honor all agreements in place between U.S. Steel and its union, USW, in an effort to mitigate concerns about the deal's impact on jobs and the industry. Even Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba urged Biden to approve the merger to avoid marring recent efforts to strengthen ties between the countries, as recently as November. Amid uncertainty around the acquisition, U.S. Steel shares are down over 34% year-to-date. For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.< Read also: KULR Stock Hits Six-Year High On First-Ever Bitcoin Buy Worth $21M: Retail Eyes More Upside In 2025
Forrest's 30 lead N.C. A&T past North Carolina Central 85-72
1. A pullover hoodie you'll throw on faster than your friend's "I have a cold, I'm going to have to cancel tonight" text. It comes in *so* many colors you can absolutely stock up on 'em. Promising review: "THE MOST PERFECT HOODIE. I cannot say enough great things about these hoodies!! I already bought it in seven different colors. The perfect comfortable basic to add to your wardrobe. Great quality. Soft and thick material. You definitely need this. I would pay double the price for it tbh!" — Michelle Gramlich Get it from Amazon for $44.99 (available in women's sizes 2XS–2XL, 3X–4X, and in 42 styles). 2. A foot massaging machine you can use to apply acupressure on the bothersome parts of your feet — it'll be so much nicer than walking around a bar in heels. Read more about reflexology, acupressure, and how it can help with stress at Cleveland Clinic . Promising review: "We got this for our mom who has neuropathy and her feet are always cold and numb. We've bought all sorts of things to make her feet feel better, like heated socks, foot baths, compression devices for her legs and feet ... nothing worked. So we were skeptical when we bought the Miko foot massager, even though it kept coming up as one of the top foot massagers in our research. We've been pleasantly surprised (shocked actually) at how much our mom LOVES it. It has an automatic setting for 15 minutes, and she just keeps pushing the start button for hours at a time! The combination of a little heat, the rollers and the compression all work together to give her feet a nice massage . She keeps things on the high setting so she's able to feel it. There are definitely less expensive foot massagers out there, but this one actually works , so was WELL worth the money!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $139+ (available in two styles). 3. An electric heated mattress pad you better believe will become your most-used item this winter — who wouldn't want to feel like a freshly toasted marshmallow??? It comes with a memory timer and 10 heat settings, ideal for when you doze off while in your cozy bubble, and it boasts dual settings so you and your partner can *each* set your side of the bed to the perfect temp. Promising review: "I like all the things about this bed warmer. I had one in the past and got rid of it because we could feel the wires as we laid on them. Not this one. It works well. Just need to figure out what number setting I want. I also really like the timer setting since I often freeze as I go to sleep and then boil half way through the night. But not anymore!! :)" — Fairmaiden Get it from Amazon for $55.96+ (available in twin–California king sizing). 4. A "Cup Cozy Pillow" — aka an absolute essential for achieving peak comfort goals in your living room. It features a spot to hold your remote, two mugs, and two additional beverages. You honestly may never want to leave your couch again. Cup Cozy Pillow is a small business that specializes in family-friendly snack and drink organizers. Check out a TikTok of the Cup Cozy Deluxe Pillow in action. Promising review: "This thing is great! I’m home on maternity leave with my new baby and spend most of my time on the couch under a sleeping baby. This product makes it easy for me to keep my drinks, remote, etc close by even with dogs running around . It’s a little more expensive than I would have liked but it works and I love it so money well spent!" — Amber Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (available in eight styles). 5. A "Through The Seasons" Reverse Coloring Book , which is a newer edition of the fan favorite Reverse Coloring Book — perfect for anyone who is tired of coloring *inside* the lines and needs more of a challenge — in this scenario they'll be the one to draw the lines around the colors on the page! Basically, instead of adding the color to these, you draw lines to create images within the colors. Fun! Pair it with these fabulous black fine point pens for $9.99 on Amazon. Promising review : "Kendra Norton’s beautiful art books, Reverse Coloring books, have changed my world! My whole life I thought I was not creative and therefore had zero artistic ability. Now this has become my favorite form of artistic expression. I turn on music and/or an audiobook and allow myself to go for an adventure outside of my mind, beyond my mind, if you will. T his has become my favorite way to process through difficult emotions and experiences I’m working through ." — K. DeWitt Get it from Amazon for $8.29 . 6. A stuffed waffle maker you can count on to make all of your foodie dreams come true — fill 'em with cream cheese, strawberries, chicken, or anything else your heart desires! When your meal plans are cancelled you won't even bat an eye, just grab some waffle mix and enjoy a delicious time in your own kitchen. Promising review: "Oh my goodness. This was way better than expected. Definitely only need one waffle per person, they are huge. They are beyond delicious and the stuffing options are endless. It does take about seven minutes to make one waffle but totally worth it. Comes out perfect every single time. No issues at all. Buy it now!" — armywife Get it from Amazon for $49.99 . 7. A "flaming" humidifier for anyone who cherishes nothing more than cozy cottagecore vibes, soothing aromatherapy, and sleeping amongst delightfully hydrated air. Promising review : "I like how this diffuser kind of looks like a mini fireplace and it’s perfect for winter. I also like how long the water of this diffuser lasts — I always add my favorite essential oil in it when I go to sleep every night without worrying it will run out of water. I used to have insomnia and it helped me to sleep through the night with my relaxing essential oil scent, and it also worked as a humidifier." — Benny Get it from Amazon for $32.99 (available in two colors). 8. A small lamp with the ability to rotate 180 degrees — it'll quickly become the *~light of your life~*. It has 16 color settings to choose from so you'll always be able to match your lighting to your mood and it has a remote control so you can mix it up without getting out of bed. Promising review : "I was really happy to find that the quality of this light exceeded my expectations. I’ve used it to create a calm ambience in my room with the orange setting, as well as, added fun lighting to a karaoke party with the blue setting. It has a weighty base and a reasonably long cord. You can also rotate and adjust the angle. Both lights run at the same time too." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in two colors). 9. A quilted chenille floor pillow for anyone who has always dreamt about having their very own reading nook — this will help you bring your fantasy to life without having to renovate your entire home. Plus *how lovely* do they look when stacked like in the review photo above!? Gorgeous! Promising review: "This comes just as pictured and described. It is comfortable and looks luxurious. It's great for floor seating." — AKhan Get it from Amazon for $38.49+ (available in seven colors). 10. A Book Nook , an absolutely genius idea for readers who simply *need* somewhere handy to place their book when they start to fall asleep mid-reading. It perfectly fits on nightstands and is designed to *~aesthetically~* hold your spot — it also has a place to put your glasses, a coffee mug, and even a phone. How much better does this evening sound than shouting across the table in a crowded restaurant? Sign me up. This is an ~Uncommon Goods original~ and you can see more on their TikTok ! Promising review : "When I saw this Book Nook, I was thrilled. I bought it for myself and it's perfect. Not only can you use the round spot for a cup of tea or coffee, I put my candle on there. If you don't wear glasses, your remote might fit perfectly in that spot. There is a little triangular nook for your phone. But the best thing is that you can save your spot in your book. My books are always tossed around and I can't find my bookmarks. I'm going to buy one of these for all the rooms where I read. This makes an excellent gift." — MJ Get it from Uncommon Goods for $50 . 11. A teak bath caddy to give you just one more reason to fill your tub to the brim and soak for hours while listening to LoFi beats. Promising review: "Well made, pretty tray that fits all the way across my tub. Has a support for book or iPad which is great." — Jolene Saiz Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in two styles). 12. And a mod bath pillow , a must-have for anyone who desperately needs to soak the stress of their day away (ahem, me) before hittin' the hay. Promising review: "This has a lot of cushion for your back and neck. I had no issues with sticking it to the tub. The best part is the hook which allows it to dry out well. In this time of working at home, I need a nice tub to help relax." — Danielle Piacentini Get it from Amazon for $45.99 . 13. A star string canopy that'll make every night feel like date night as you and your special someone cuddle up *underneath the stars* before heading off to sleep and by sleep I mean to watch too much Netflix. Promising review: "This product is great. And beautiful! It was a nice touch to a surprise anniversary date ." — Juan Rodriguez Get it from Amazon for $16.98+ (available in six styles). 14. A foot heater for anyone with perpetually cold tootsies — fire this bad boy up, turn on The Great British Baking Show , and enjoy the warmth you’re guaranteed to feel from head-to-toe (literally). Promising review: "I love this product. It's well built, nice neutral colors to blend into my carpet, so it's not an eyesore wherever I have it sitting. The fuzziness lends a cozy feel to it, as well. It offers a heat or no-heat setting and two directions for the shiatsu-style massagers to work on your heels. The inside is roomy enough that you can even turn your feet on their side to get an extra massage there as well. It's a gentle yet deep massage, so it's great for days when you've been standing for hours or walking on your feet a lot. I would recommend to anyone looking for a nice foot massager." — Gardener Get it from Amazon for $49.99 (available in two colors). 15. A cleverly designed rechargeable electric candle lighter with a flexible neck to light every candle in your house to create the *perfect* ambiance without concern you'll run out of lighter fluid. Promising review: "I cook outside, and lighting a fire during wet and windy weather was a real pain. This lighter was a game changer! As long as the material is dry, this lighter will light regularly, consistently, and easily. Plus, it’s rechargeable! Love it!" — Sandra Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in seven colors and as a two-pack). 16. And a Santa's Naturals Snow Fall candle featuring notes of pine, citrus, and eucalyptus you can light to celebrate your plans being cancelled due to inclement weather — nothing too terrible about a cozy, candlelit night at home! Santa's Naturals is a small business! I've tested their candles out myself and am a big fan. I love that they're made of soy and beeswax for clean, beautiful burning and the scents are absolutely delightful. They're not too heavy or overpowering and the jars are the perfect addition to my home's cozy winter vibes. Promising review: "The scent of this candle couldn’t be more cozy, wintry or Christmasy! Is very pleasant, and perfect for the holiday season. Burn time is accurate I would say. The candle tin is also very cute and festive." — Elaine Rehder Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in three scents and sizes). 17. A floral-inspired dimmable candle-warmer lamp you can safely use to bring the scent of your favorite candle to your home (no flames necessary). An added bonus — the candle will last waaaaay longer since it's not actually burning down! Promising review: "I bought this on a whim, and I’m hooked. I love the timer and dimmer features. So far, the lamp works great. It doesn’t put out a lot of heat and I love that you can adjust the light. This is now going to be my go-to gift. " — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $35.98 (available in 10 styles). 18. Or a set of remote-controlled flameless candles so you can set up the cozy corner of your dreams without worrying about starting a not-so-cozy fire. 😅 Each candle requires 3 AAA batteries . Promising review: "I bought one set and loved them so much I bought two more sets. They're the most realistic looking fake candles I've bought so far. The 'flame' up close obviously doesn't look real but from afar with the flicker setting on, you almost can't tell these aren't real. They also put out a decent amount of light for being fake. Gives my living room a very cozy feel which is what I wanted. Remote works great as well. " — suckerforcats Get a set of three from Amazon for $25.99 (available in five styles). 19. A homebody sticker for my fellow '90s girlies who have *never* felt more at home than squatting in that all-too-memorable yellow playhouse with the pink door and light green shutters. IYKYK, my friends. SpunkeeMonkeeStudio is a small business! This sticker is waterproof so it can happily live on your water bottle! Promising review: "I had one of these!! 111/10 nostalgia core." — aria isnt here anymore Get it from SpunkeeMonkeeStudio on Etsy for $4.25 . 20. Murdle, Volume 1 , a compilation of murder mystery–themed logic puzzles that are reminiscent of the ever-popular Wordle game. This version will encourage you to use powers of deduction and a variety of clues to solve the mysteries throughout the book. Sherlock Holmes, who? There are 100 puzzles total, and four different levels of difficulty to tackle —each puzzle features a logic grid to help you solve it! Promising review: "The puzzles are a lot of fun, but the characters, storylines and other details take the Murdle experience to another level. I have no idea how the author came up with all of this creativeness! You can Murdle solo or with friends. I look forward to future volumes but this one will keep me busy for a while!" — Liz Gately Get it from Amazon for $12.99 . If you want to keep the fun going you can *also* snag Murdle: Volume 2 and Murdle: Volume 3 for more puzzling. 21. A " Grievance Journal ," aka a "burn book for the discerning misanthrope" that anyone with dark humor who will find it especially cathartic thanks to 52 prompts to express irritations over what's bothering them the most. Promising review : "Bought this intending to gift it to a friend but ended up getting really into the prompts and decided to keep it for myself. WOW, what an awesome way to vent and articulate the negativity you're feeling by actually forcing yourself to form coherent thoughts around your emotions. Cheaper and more effective than therapy, buying several more for friends and fam. " — Alex Get it from Amazon for $27.99 . If your recipient wants something a little less grim, check out this Burn After Writing book with a similar but lighter sentiment. 22. A chunky knit chenille blanket to bury yourself under because it's simply that time of year — it comes in so many colors you'll absolutely be able to snag one that matches your room's vibe. It's also hypoallergenic *and* machine washable! Samiah Luxe is a small business! Promising review: "Love this look. Makes the room look & feel cozy. But then the blanket ACTUALLY is cozy! Super soft. Heavy. Warm. Worth the money." — Tracy W. Get it from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in three sizes and eight colors). 23. Or a wearable blanket for anyone who typically wraps their throw blanket around their shoulders and wanders the house like a ghost. Skip that entire step and slip this version right over your head then proceed with your meandering. Promising review: "I bought this to live in when in my college dorm and now I never want to leave my college dorm. But that means it's GOOD!! I totally slept in it last night and it's perfect for rolling out of bed when it's 40 degrees outside, which makes the floors cold. My feet may be cold, but the rest of me sure isn't! 😀👍" — Eden Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in kids and adults sizes and 28 styles). 24. A new cookbook from Prue Leith (yes, the famed The Great British Bake Off judge!) filled with a variety of exciting recipes — perfect for someone who enjoys unwinding by cooking (and even better for their roommate who gets to eat all the stress-fueled cooking). Get it from Amazon for $20.38 . 25. A heated eye massager complete with five different massage modes and Bluetooth music so you can fully indulge and relax while relieving pain from eye strain and headaches. Promising review : "I saw this product on one of Amazon’s must-have TikTok videos and I knew I had to get it. It was so worth it — even though price may seem higher compared to other sellers, this is for sure a good investment piece. The quality is top notch, the strap that goes around your head is comfortable, and most importantly, the duration of each mode is long enough that it doesn’t interrupt your rest. I work a 12-hour night shift as a nurse and this technology has helped me get through the night easily. 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $69.99 (available in four colors). 26. A mason jar cold brew maker so you can have your fave morning bev on-hand when your brunch plans get not-so-sadly cancelled. Reviewers absolutely love this version and also use it to brew their favorite iced teas. Cheers! County Line Kitchen is a small business specializing in mason jar–style cold brew makers, pitchers, and accessories. Promising review: "This has been a hit in my house. Makes the most delicious cold brew and is of great quality. Has saved a ton of money on going out and on pods I used to buy. I try to let it sit for 48 hours so I can dilute it with a little water to get it to last longer, and throw it in my dishwasher in between uses. Perfect!" — Jo Get it from Amazon for $27.99+ (available in two sizes and colors). 27. A subscription to Book of the Month for any bibliophile who hates having to actually speak to someone in a store about what they should read next and would much rather have their next fave novel delivered to their door. I was gifted a BOTM subscription many years ago and I've stayed loyal since! It's the only subscription service I've kept up with and gifted to different people. Each month your gift recipient will be permitted to choose from a selection of books (and more recently, audiobooks!), all of which are different genres. Then the book they select will be delivered to their door. Half of my beautifully color coordinated bookcase is filled with books from BOTM and I couldn't be happier! Get three months from Book of the Month for $59.99 . 28. A genius amber reading light to attach directly to your novel, so even if your partner wants to hit the hay you can stay up as late as you want without disturbing them as you dive deeper and deeper into The New York Times bestseller your friends have all been raving about. Promising review: "This is a fantastic light! I use it every evening to continue reading while my son sleeps, it does not wake him or impede my sleep after I’m ready to go to bed. Great product." — Brian Masters Get it from Amazon for $11.99 . 29. An "Awakened Artifacts" puzzle from the TikTok-famous Magic Puzzle Company for helping you to unwind after a day filled with unpleasantries. There are over 50 hidden Easter eggs in this journey of an activity (including a hidden twist at the end!) that'll delight and amaze anyone who works on it. Promising review: "Bought this as soon as I got the email that it dropped on Amazon! Love this series and will continue to purchase them. Was it the most challenging puzzle? No, but that didn't take away from the fun of putting it together. Great artwork, wacky pieces, two posters, you just can't go wrong with a magic puzzle!" — Jennifer Lawton Get it from Amazon for $22.99 . This is one of 14 puzzles from the Magic Puzzle Company , so there's lots of other ~puzzling~ possibilities once this one's finished! 30. A flexible universal tablet stand , in case you have roommates whose plans sadly *weren't* cancelled and simply don't feel like hanging out with them to watch TV. This handy dandy gadget will ensure you can continue to watch episodes of The Bear hands-free and human-free. Tablift is a small business created by Scott Blevins after he had trouble finding a tablet stand for his bed. This is compatible with Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, and most other tablets (but you may have to remove the case in some cases). Promising review : "I wondered how the flexible legs might be. The problem I envisioned was that the legs would deflect as I used the support — nope! Not at all! It's flexible AND stable in just the right way. The legs twist in a wide variety of positions and the STAY where I put them. I use it for reading in bed at night mostly but have also used it's on the couch while watching TV. Ideal in each instance. Great job!" — R. Steven Cooper Get it from Amazon for $49.95 . 31. Microwaveable hugging sloths filled with soothing lavender — who better to spend a cold wintry night with?! The pair breaks apart so you can share the love with your roommate when they're having a rough day. 🥹 My sister bought my son a Golden Retriever Warmies plush before he was born and it's recently become a staple in his collection of "crib friends." It smells incredible and is so soothing for bedtime. I love that they're weighted but not *too* heavy that I'd be worried to let him snuggle with it overnight. Promising review: "I have a sloth obsession so I'm adding these to my collection! Perfect size and absolutely adorable! Not sure I'll use them for warming, but I have other Warmies for that purpose!!" — Heather W. Get it from Warmies for $29.99 or Amazon for $26.95 . Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.The U.S. says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, described as the architect of Indian economic reforms, died on Thursday. Here is the timeline of his five-decade old career in bureaucracy and politics. 1954: Completed Master’s in Economics from Panjab University 1957: Economic Tripos (3-year degree prog) from Cambridge University 1962: D.Phil in Economics from Oxford University 1971: Joins Government of India as Economic Advisor in Commerce Ministry 1972: Appointed Chief Economic Advisor in Finance Ministry 1980-82: Member, Planning Commission 1982-1985: Governor of the Reserve Bank of India 1985-87: Served as Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission 1987-90: Secretary General of South Commission in Geneva 1990: Appointed Advisor to Prime Minister on Economic Affairs March 1991: Appointed chairman of University Grants Commission 1991: Elected to Rajya Sabha from Assam, and re-elected in 1995, 2001, 2007 and 2013 1991-96: Finance Minister under P V Narasimha Rao government 1998-2004: Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha 2004-2014: Prime Minister of India (Except for the headline, this story, from a syndicated feed, has not been edited by Odishatv.in staff)Susan Shelley: The mundane reality of UFOsReport: Gus Malzahn Will Be Mike Norvell's OC at FSU After Resigning as UCF HCNone
REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Icelanders voted to elect a new parliament Saturday after disagreements over immigration, energy policy and the economy forced Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to pull the plug on his coalition government and call an early election. This is Iceland’s sixth general election since the 2008 financial crisis devastated the economy of the North Atlantic island nation and ushered in a new era of political instability. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Keeping families’ sensitive, personal information safe from cyberattacks has become the top insurance risk for private schools in Australia, according to a global insurance broker. AON Australia, which has more than 600 Australian private schools on its books, has named cyber risk as schools’ primary area of vulnerability, followed by mental health and social media, in its Independent Schools Risk Report . The digital world was the common thread linking the top three areas of risk for private schools. Credit: Getty Images For the first time in the decade that the broking firm has produced the report, child abuse allegations entered the top 10 risk areas for schools managing students’ online and real-world safety. In this context, the term child abuse includes abuse from fellow children or at the hands of adults. AON national education director Andrew Leahy said this in part reflected the 2017 release of the report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. He said for many schools, getting insurance cover for child abuse was becoming “incredibly difficult”. An increasingly complex digital environment was the common thread linking the top three areas of risk for private schools, with cyberattacks becoming an established threat schools could not ignore. “You’ll never get in front of it,” Leahy said, adding that the nature of the information schools held made them vulnerable. “Schools have a lot of personal, identifiable information,” he said. “They have names, addresses, dates of birth, potentially medical conditions or counselling records as well as school records. There’s a lot of information there, which is very sensitive.” The “always on” expectations were a significant driver of mental health issues among students and staff, Leahy said, adding that a growing number of digital platforms, messaging apps and increased sophistication of AI had also compounded the risks schools had to manage. In June, fake nude images of 50 female Bacchus Marsh Grammar students were generated using AI and put on Instagram and shared on Snapchat. “The No.1 issue in dealing with students is social media,” principal Andrew Neal said. “One of the issues that we’re worried about is the capacity to cover off on harm caused by AI.” Loading Neal said the private co-ed school was hit “virtually every day” with ransomware attacks, an experience echoed by Yarra Valley Grammar principal Dr Mark Merry. He said the school employed an external company to conduct penetration tests on the school’s system because of the devastating impact a cyberattack could have. “I can’t think of anything that would unravel parental trust in a school more than to have their personal details just dumped on the web,” he said. “It is a real risk, and to schools in particular, because of the nature of the information we hold.” The Australian Signals Directorate’s annual cyberthreat report, published last month, highlighted private schools’ vulnerability to cyberattacks , noting the perception by cybercriminals that private schools had a greater capacity to pay a ransom made them prime targets. Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Education Private schools Cybersecurity Social media Cyber bullying For subscribers Bridie Smith is an education reporter at The Age. A former desk editor, she has also reported on science and consumer affairs. Connect via Twitter , Facebook or email . Most Viewed in National LoadingThe world approved a bitterly negotiated climate deal Sunday but poorer nations most at the mercy of worsening disasters dismissed a $300 billion a year pledge from wealthy historic polluters as insultingly low. After two exhausting weeks of chaotic bargaining and sleepless nights, nearly 200 nations banged through the contentious finance pact in the early hours in a sports stadium in Azerbaijan. But the applause had barely subsided in Baku when India delivered a full-throated rejection of the dollar-figure just agreed. "The amount that is proposed to be mobilised is abysmally poor. It's a paltry sum," said Indian delegate Chandni Raina. "This document is little more than an optical illusion. This, in our opinion, will not address the enormity of the challenge we all face." Nations had struggled to reconcile long-standing divisions over how much rich nations most accountable for historic climate change should provide to poorer countries least responsible but most impacted by Earth's rapid warming. EU climate envoy Wopke Hoekstra said COP29 would be remembered as "the start of a new era for climate finance". Sleep-deprived diplomats, huddled in anxious groups, were still revising the final phrasing on the plenary floor hours before the deal passed. At points, the talks appeared on the brink of collapse, with developing nations storming out of meetings and threatening to walk away should rich nations not cough up more cash. In the end -- despite repeating that no deal is better than a bad deal -- they did not stand in the way of an agreement, despite it falling well short of what they wanted. The final deal commits developed nations to pay at least $300 billion a year by 2035 to help developed countries green their economies and prepare for worse disasters. That is up from $100 billion under an existing pledge but was slammed as offensively low by developing nations who had demanded much more. "This COP has been a disaster for the developing world," said Mohamed Adow, the Kenyan director of Power Shift Africa, a think tank. "It's a betrayal of both people and planet, by wealthy countries who claim to take climate change seriously." A group of 134 developing countries had pushed for at least $500 billion from rich governments to build resilience against climate change and cut emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases. UN climate chief Simon Stiell acknowledged the deal was imperfect. "No country got everything they wanted, and we leave Baku with a mountain of work still to do. So this is no time for victory laps," he said in a statement. The United States and EU have wanted newly wealthy emerging economies like China -- the world's largest emitter -- to chip in. The final deal "encourages" developing countries to make contributions on a voluntary basis, reflecting no change for China which already provides climate finance on its own terms. Wealthy nations said it was politically unrealistic to expect more in direct government funding. Donald Trump, a sceptic of both climate change and foreign assistance, returns to the White House in January and a number of other Western countries have seen right-wing backlashes against the green agenda. The deal posits a larger overall target of $1.3 trillion per year to cope with rising temperatures and disasters, but most would come from private sources. Wealthy countries and small island nations were also concerned by efforts led by Saudi Arabia to water down calls from last year's summit in Dubai to phase out fossil fuels. The main texts proposed in Baku lacked any explicit mention of the Dubai commitment to "transitioning away from fossil fuels". A number of countries had accused Azerbaijan, an authoritarian oil and gas exporter, of lacking the experience and will to meet the moment, as the planet again sets temperature records and faces rising deadly disasters. bur-np-sct/lth/tym
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Disturbing allegations reveal that a public high school teacher in Queens developed a spooky "escape room" which he allegedly used to sexually molest a female student. Investigators said that when his wife and two children were away, Scott Biski, a music teacher at Jamaica Gateway to the Sciences High School, encouraged the girl to have intercourse at his house, which he called "the bat cave." According to the Special Commissioner of Investigation for city schools, Biski, 50, started "grooming" the student when she was 14 years old, a sophomore, and it ended when she was a senior in "a sexual relationship." “I now understand that these weird hugs, embraces were actually just groping,” the ex-student, now 25-year-old, told investigators. “He was touching me for sexual pleasure without my consent.” Biski set up "old desks and makeshift dividers" in his office and music classroom, allowing students to hang out in his "escape room." According to the New York Post, the allegations also stated that Biski tried to kiss the student there after touching her breasts, but the girl pulled away and "promptly" left. He would also ask the girl to play board games with other children at his house. According to the report, she once showed up to discover that she was the only student there. Biski allegedly lavished the girl with expensive presents, including his favorite childhood book, a flute that was only meant to be loaned to students, new clothes, and money, including $200 for Ugg boots. He texted the teenager around 700 times, including 82 times when they were in school, according to the SCI.The girl informed authorities that Biski instructed her to store his number under a false name, "Arthur Dent," "so as not to arouse suspicion." A different student informed SCI that he thought the alias was that of "Harvey Dent," a villain from Batman whose alter persona was "Two-Face." According to court records and the SCI investigation, Biski made the student touch his erection while groping and kissing her in his school office and telling her, "That's how you make me feel." In addition to giving the girl coveted solos and "outstanding" college reference letters, Biski assigned her to play lead flute in the school band, according to the student.She claimed that he engaged in these activities as a component of his grooming routine. She informed police that after she graduated, Biski would reportedly "pester" her into visiting his home to have sex when his wife and two children were away.The twisted texts kepts also continued. “No Halloween celebration?,” She was in her first year of college when he texted her, "No slut outfit?" “No ‘I’m little red riding hood the whore.'” In another instance he texted, “I have risked everything for you. My job. My home. My kids. Everything.” The student informed detectives that she viewed Biski as a "father figure" and was "disgusted" by his actions. However, the student claimed that the sexual contact was consensual and that it happened after she turned 17, therefore the NYPD closed a criminal case against Biski. The SCI accused the teacher of engaging in "egregious, manipulative, and predatory" behavior.Biski was fired by the city Department of Education after the student came forward in June 2022, but according to documents, he continued to get $99,578 in fiscal year 2024 while working for the city until last year. A DOE spokesperson stated that he has "irrevocably resigned."SCI not only suggested that Biski be fired, but it also urged DOE to change school policies about teachers texting children using private phone numbers. The SCI has advised DOE to prohibit staff from reaching students on social media and on their cell phones. It has discovered at least 89 instances in the last five years of DOE staff members engaging in inappropriate text and online discussions with pupils. The 25-year-old former pupil sued Biski last year, accusing him of sexual assault and harassment. Biski sued the DOE in June after it refused to give him legal counsel.
