Winless in rivalry, Dan Lanning, No. 1 Oregon determined to tame HuskiesThese holiday gifts change the game when building fires, printing photos, watching birds and moreNEW YORK – Angelina Jolie never expected to hit all the notes. But finding the breath of Maria Callas was enough to bring things out of Jolie that she didn’t even know were in her. “All of us, we really don’t realize where things land in our body over a lifetime of different experiences and where we hold it to protect ourselves,” Jolie said in a recent interview. “We hold it in our stomachs. We hold it in our chest. We breathe from a different place when we’re nervous or we’re sad. Recommended Videos “The first few weeks were the hardest because my body had to open and I had to breathe again,” she adds. “And that was a discovery of how much I wasn’t.” In Pablo Larraín’s “Maria,” which Netflix released in theaters Wednesday before it begins streaming on Dec. 11, Jolie gives, if not the performance of her career, then certainly of her last decade. Beginning with 2010’s “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” Jolie has spent recent years directing films while prioritizing raising her six children. “So my choices for quite a few years were whatever was smart financially and short. I worked very little the last eight years,” says Jolie. “And I was kind of drained. I couldn’t for a while.” But her youngest kids are now 16. And for the first time in years, Jolie is back in the spotlight, in full movie-star mode. Her commanding performance in “Maria” seems assured of bringing Jolie her third Oscar nomination. (She won supporting actress in 2000 for “Girl, Interrupted.”) For an actress whose filmography might lack a signature movie, “Maria” may be Jolie's defining role. Jolie's oldest children, Maddox and Pax, worked on the set of the film. There, they saw a version of their mother they hadn't seen before. “They had certainly seen me sad in my life. But I don’t cry in front of my children like that,” Jolie says of the emotion Callas dredged up in her. “That was a moment in realizing they were going to be with me, side by side, in this process of really understanding the depth of some of the pain I carry.” Jolie, who met a reporter earlier this fall at the Carlyle Hotel, didn't speak in any detail of that pain. But it was hard not to sense some it had to do with her lengthy and ongoing divorce from Brad Pitt, with whom she had six children. Just prior to meeting, a judge allowed Pitt’s remaining claim against Jolie, over the French winery Château Miraval, to proceed. On Monday, a judge ruled that Pitt must disclose documents Jolie’s legal team have sought that they allege include “communications concerning abuse.” Pitt has denied ever being abusive. The result of the U.S. presidential election was also just days old, though Jolie — special envoy for the United Nations Refugee Agency from 2012 to 2022 – wasn’t inclined to talk politics. Asked about Donald Trump’s win , she responded, “Global storytelling is essential,” before adding: “That’s what I’m focusing on. Listening. Listening to the voices of people in my country and around the world.” Balancing such things — reports concerning her private life, questions that accompany someone of her fame — is a big reason why Jolie is so suited to the part of Callas. The film takes place during the American-born soprano’s final days. (She died of a heart attack at 53 in 1977.) Spending much of her time in her grand Paris apartment, Callas hasn’t sung publicly in years; she’s lost her voice. Imprisoned by the myth she’s created, Callas is redefining herself and her voice. An instructor tells her he wants to hear “Callas, not Maria." The movie, of course, is more concerned with Maria. It’s Larrain’s third portrait of 20th century female icon, following “Jackie” (with Natalie Portman as Jacqueline Kennedy) and “Spencer” (with Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana). As Callas, Jolie is wonderfully regal — a self-possessed diva who deliciously, in lines penned by screenwriter Steven Knight, spouts lines like: “I took liberties all my life and the world took liberties with me.” Asked if she identified with that line, Jolie answered, “Yeah, yeah.” Then she took a long pause. “I’m sure people will read a lot into this and there’s probably a lot I could say but don’t want to feed into,” Jolie eventually continues. “I know she was a public person because she loved her work. And I’m a public person because I love my work, not because I like being public. I think some people are more comfortable with a public life, and I’ve never been fully comfortable with it.” When Larraín first approached Jolie about the role, he screened “Spencer” for her. That film, like “Jackie” and “Maria,” eschews a biopic approach to instead intimately focus on a specific moment of crisis. Larraín was convinced Jolie was meant for the role. “I felt she could have that magnetism,” Larraín says. “The enigmatic diva that’s come to a point in her life where she has to take control of her life again. But the weight of her experience, of her music, of her singing, everything, is on her back. And she carries that. It’s someone who’s already loaded with a life that’s been intense.” “There’s a loneliness that we both share,” Jolie says. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I think people can be alone and lonely sometimes, and that can be part of who they are.” Larraín, the Chilean filmmaker, grew up in Santiago going to the opera, and he has long yearned to bring its full power and majesty to a movie. In Callas, he heard something that transfixed him. “I hear something near perfection, but at the same time, it’s something that’s about to be destroyed,” Larraín says. “So it’s as fragile and as strong as possible. It lives in both extremes. That’s why it’s so moving. I hear a voice that’s about to be broken, but it doesn’t.” In Callas’ less perfect moments singing in the film, Larraín fuses archival recordings of Callas with Jolie’s own voice. Some mix of the two runs throughout “Maria.” “Early in the process,” Jolie says, “I discovered that you can’t fake-sing opera.” Jolie has said she never sang before, not even karaoke. But the experience has left her with a newfound appreciation of opera and its healing properties. “I wonder if it’s something you lean into as you get older,” Jolie says. “Maybe your depth of pain is bigger, your depth of loss is bigger, and that sound in opera meets that, the enormity of it.” If Larraín’s approach to “Maria” is predicated on an unknowingness, he's inclined to say something similar about his star. “Because of media and social media, some people might think that they know a lot about Angelina,” he says. “Maria, I read nine biographies of her. I saw everything. I read every interview. I made this movie. But I don’t think I would be capable of telling you who she was us. So if there’s an element in common, it’s that. They carry an enormous amount of mystery. Even if you think that you know them, you don’t.” Whether “Maria” means more acting in the future for Jolie, she's not sure. “There's not a clear map,” she says. Besides, Jolie isn't quite ready to shake Callas. “When you play a real person, you feel at some point that they become your friend,” says Jolie. “Right now, it’s still a little personal. It’s funny, I’ll be at a premiere or I’ll walk into a room and someone will start blaring her music for fun, but I have this crazy internal sense memory of dropping to my knees and crying.”
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There was a time when Arcane writer and co-executive producer Amanda Overton wanted to be a geneticist. It was college; she was studying molecular biology and even working in a genetics lab. To her, this was the best way to figure out what made us the way we are. Now, a few years, a handful of shows, and plenty of writing credits later, she sees it differently. “That is a very micro way to approach that,” Overton laughs. “Whereas storytelling is a much more macro way to approach the question of why we are the way we are.” Her exploration of that idea has brought her to several gigs, including Severance , Monarch: Legacy of Monsters , and, most recently, Arcane , where she’s delighted in bouncing characters off each other in epic battles and desperate longing (though, as she’ll happily tell you, no one is happier than her about Cait and Vi). It’s been about six years since she was working on the show, technically (and an eventful six years for Overton, having her now 2-year-old son, going on strike with WGA , writing a feature film and two pilots, and working on three other seasons of television). But in the years she worked on Arcane , she moved from executive story editor to co-executive producer, helping to run the writers room and produce the animatics for the second season. Post-finale, Overton sat down with Polygon over a video call to reflect on the season, the unique process of working with a game company and an animation studio to make a Netflix show, and her final notes on the Cait/Vi sex scene. [ Ed. note: This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.] Polygon: Tell me a bit about when you were going into season 2 — what were you guys trying to focus on as an arc of the season? Amanda Overton: I think the sort of big arc for the whole series for us was: Would these two sisters repeat the sins of their fathers? And if not, why and how — and is there a way to break that cycle? And I think it was really great to finally get to have that conversation out in the open with Silco and Jinx in episode 8. I was like, And now we just pay off everything we set up! A lot of those scenes in episode 8 are kind of telling us what we thought characters arcs were. So I think in season 2 we were just like, OK, what versions of this can we put our characters through? How different can we have them start the season with, and have them end the season at? And how difficult can we make those journeys? And I think Caitlyn’s, in particular, was very interesting, because she was a character so focused on justice. And then we’re like, Oh, but what does that look like if it fits into revenge? And where is that line there? Also, she kind of had to step up and be the Kiramman her mom thought she was, and what does that look like? Is she going to be the good daughter, the leader of Piltover? And even for me, I [thought of it as]: Is she going to date someone her mom would approve of? So that was why the Maddie character was really important to me, to kind of have her really look at all parts of her life and see, Could I be the Kiramman my mom wanted me to be, or am I going to find my own version of that? Vi’s arc was also super interesting to me because it was like we always ask that question: Who would Vi be if she had no one left to protect? She’s a protector character; she never thought once about herself. So kind of getting to tell a whole story about forcing Vi to answer that question — what do I want, at the end of the day? Who am I, what do I want with my life? — and we answered that, with actions! In episode 8. [ laughs ] She gets to answer that question for herself. And so I think going after Caitlyn like that, in that scene, was so gratifying for me because it was the culmination of the romantic arc, but also her story arc, her character arc for season 2 — she got to answer with actions in that scene. I saw in a different interview you did that you really wanted characters to do the “right things for the wrong reasons, and the wrong things for the right reasons.” With you having that as an ethos going into season 2, and knowing where the story was going to conclude, were there things you knew for certain were going to happen to characters, or did you find some of the nuances of their arcs as you were building the story? We had our end scenes in mind from the beginning. So I think for us, the creative challenge was making sure we earned those the most we possibly could. And anything that we explored or tried or didn’t do in season 2, or did do in season 2, was all in service of trying to earn these final moments. The last moment between Mel and her mother, when [Ambessa] says, “You are the wolf” — we knew that line from the first minute that Ambessa entered the show. So making sure we earned that, as difficultly as possible for Mel and Ambessa. And then I actually wrote a version of that final Jinx/Vi scene in season 1, because we actually thought Arcane was going to only be one season. But that scene is almost identical to the first version I wrote in season 1, down to her taking the crystal out to deactivate the gloves so that they fall. It was the same. And so I think that a lot of those final moments, having them in our minds gave us both the responsibility and the freedom to kind of see what we could do to earn those moments and make the audience feel the most they possibly could in those moments. With queer romances and multiverses and time travel becoming more common tropes, how did you go about making Arcane feel different and distinct? I think the nice things about tropes like that becoming more popular and [becoming] tropes is that you can shorthand them a little bit. So we were like, Oh, we can be very free to just let people experience the world as Ekko was . It’s fine! You can be confused the first five minutes of this episode because people are going to figure it out. They’re going to figure out it’s a multiverse thing because they’re more popular. Even though it felt like a stand-alone episode that was sort of outside of what Arcane traditionally is and was (which are some of my favorite episodes), you only get to earn them if you so thoroughly set up what your show is that then you can break it, which almost never happens. But then also making sure that what you learn in that episode carries through and is essential and integral to the rest of the story. So, what you learn in [episode 7] is, when Jinx says in episode 8, “There’s no good version of me” — we know that’s not true, because we’ve seen it. And I think what Ekko learns, and takes away from that episode and carries into the rest of the season, is integral to his arc and his character, and the story wouldn’t work without it. And I also think that, thematically, that episode got to show the different side of the coin of breaking the cycle and stuff that we wouldn’t get to show in our universe, but we get to show there. So to me, making it feel like the fabric of that episode is absolutely interconnected to the rest of the season was how we were able to, I think, do our version of the multiverse in a way that felt satisfying to us. Did you guys approach the musical segments as a storytelling device in the same way? How did those affect how you were able to pace the season and build the timeline and everyone’s arcs? One thing I love about Arcane is it’s just very dense. We’re very economical storytellers; we only say things one time. For example, a final scene between Jinx and Sevika — I wrote one actually, because I love those characters so much. And every time I wrote that scene, I was like, [ solemnly ] We’ve already said all these words . This doesn’t need to be in the show, as much as I want to see it. But the action of Sevika joining Jinx in that final battle, that’s something we haven’t seen before; that answers all the questions that I needed to see. [And] everything about the songs tell the story, tell part of the character arc. And all the montages, again, are sort of very dense and layered, and all the visuals, they’re just so dense and layered — it really takes time to unpack and expand the show. You need to listen to the music in your car on your way to work and think about what that means. And this is a show you need to talk about with your friends, and this is a show that needs multiple viewings in order to really expand and find all the layers of meaning that were put into it. I know [co-creator] Christian Linke has said that there were things in the script that sometimes the writing team would toss to Fortiche and just kind of let them take it away. What was the line for you when you were writing? What felt useful to say, This is out of our hands ? I think the phrase we use for that is “solve it in art.” This one they’ll solve in art! [ laughs ] I can tell you, for example, with Ambessa: We always knew that she would be a close-quarters fighter. That was the kind of person she was; she was someone who was going to look you in the eye before she killed you. She was going to have two melee weapons. She was going to be a bruiser, soldier kind of thing, and we called them the Drake-Hounds, which is a wolflike creature in the lore. And then after that I was like, Solve it in art! [ laughs ] So then they had to spend months designing these weapons, and her fighting style, and all of that. So that’s kind of the fun example of how that relationship works. But in the second season in particular, we actually got to work much more closely at the story phase. So we would have story meetings where they would pitch us their ideas, and their visuals, and what they were thinking, and what they wanted to see the characters to do. And then the writers would go back and talk about, OK, well, how could we fit that in? What does that look like in the story arcs? Then we would sort of write the outlines or the scripts, and then they would look at them, and then we would have a back-and-forth. And then when they were at the storyboard phase, we would talk more about the story and we’d be like, We don’t need this scene , or We can say this in the look , or This isn’t coming across , or Let’s lean into this more because this is actually working and this is becoming more about what the episode is than this other thing . So then we would actually do a lot more rewriting in that animatic phase as we kind of got the story up on its feet and made it visual together . Obviously it’s been several years since you started working on the show — and several years, even, since you were last writing on this show. And since then, you’ve worked on several other incredible shows as well. What is it about Arcane you feel like you’re bringing with you moving forward, or that you’re excited to apply to the next thing you’re working on? I’m always trying to make a show for my 16-year-old self, for one. [ laughs ] You know, the things that I wish I had seen, and the things that I love in the video games, in the big sci-fi worlds, and those sprawling world-building shows. I always loved them so much, but didn’t feel like I saw myself in them. So wanting to be able to do the things I loved, but add more differences, add more diversity, add stories we haven’t seen before. I want people to be as different as possible; that’s going to be the most conflict we can possibly have. And then I want to find a way to see if we can bring them together. That, to me, is an exciting, fun, conflict-driven story with tons of drama. And if it can be a weird tone like Severance where they just let us come up with — literally, it was like, What’s the weirdest thing I can think of today? But what was so great about that also was just that you’re really getting to ask and answer the question of why we are the way we are. I used to be a geneticist; I studied molecular biology and I worked in a genetics lab in college. Because I was like: Genes! Genes, they make us why we are the way we are. That’s going to answer that question. That is a very micro way to approach that. Whereas storytelling is a much more macro way to approach that question of why we are the way we are. So if you don’t have part of your memories, for example, in Severance , or you have magic, or something out of the ordinary (which is what a lot of these huge IP shows have), you get to really dig into what that means, why we are the way we are, in a unique and interesting way. What was your favorite thing you got to do this season? I mean, the Cait/Vi sex scene is obviously my favorite thing ever. It’s a good scene! I’ll never, ever, ever not say that, just because it was so earned in that moment. It was finally the right thing for the right reason. It was the culmination of Vi’s character arc in a scene. So that’s a gift — it’s something I’ve never seen before, too, and that my 16-year-old self would’ve died to see. I think it’s also a scene that’s so delicately choreographed; it sets up a lot about their characters and where they are now without having to have them say a lot. It’s the way they are reacting to each other, it’s the way the scene is everything for them. Usually I don’t script a lot of stuff, when it comes to things like that, but this one I was like, [ laughing ] And this moment and this moment and this moment . Because it was so much of their relationship and actions that we needed to get across. But I think to Fortiche’s credit, they always do the overboard version. They’re like, OK, Amanda, we hear you. Here’s seven versions of it . And I was like, I love it, but we only need one . What were the things you were putting in the script, and how many of those made it to the screen? Vi needed to be the first one to grab Caitlyn and kiss her, because she was answering the question finally of: What do I want with my life? She’s never asked that question or answered it in her life before, so that was important. But then I think — the tenderness, the playfulness, the softness, the hardness, the mix of those beats there between them, we needed all of that in order to understand how they felt about each other. And I think we had sort of seen the romantic part of their relationship before, and this was the culmination of all of those unsaid, subtextual things — again! But now they’re saying them through actions. Animation Entertainment Q&A TV
Fernanda Galan | (TNS) The Sacramento Bee Is your Thanksgiving turkey safe to eat? As poultry farms and dairies across California continue to battle bird flu outbreaks, residents may be worried about food safety this holiday season. Related Articles Health | Are you tracking your health with a device? Here’s what could happen with the data Health | Political stress: Can you stay engaged without sacrificing your mental health? Health | Trump chooses controversial Stanford professor Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead NIH Health | Abortion bans could reverse decline in teen births, experts warn Health | After institutions for people with disabilities close, graves are at risk of being forgotten Highly pathogenic avian influenza surfaced in the United States in January 2022, the virus has been detected in wild birds and domestic poultry, according to the Fresno Bee’s previous reporting. As of Nov. 18, a total of 294 dairies in California were under quarantine due to the avian flu, state agriculture officials confirmed. More than 4 million turkeys and chickens have been killed at poultry ranches across the state in an attempt to stop the virus from spreading. Meanwhile, the bird flu virus was detected in a batch of raw milk from Raw Farm in Fresno County, the California Department of Public Health reported. The Fresno Bee talked to María Soledad, a food safety inspection service spokeswoman at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to learn more about the virus and how it affects food safety. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, highly pathogenic avian influenza — also known as bird flu or H5N1 — is a highly contagious and often deadly disease primarily found in poultry. It is “caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5) and A (H7) viruses,” the agency said on its website. HPAI can spread from wild birds to domestic poultry and other animals. The virus can also infect humans in rare cases. “It is important to note that ‘highly pathogenic’ refers to severe impact in birds, not necessarily in humans,” the agency said. Unlike seasonal influenza viruses, which are typically contracted through human-to-human transmission, avian influenza viruses are spread by infected birds through saliva, mucus and feces, according to the CDC. The virus can also be present in the respiratory secretions, organs, blood, or body fluids of other infected animals — including milk. Human infections occur when the virus enters the eyes, nose or mouth, or is inhaled through airborne droplets, aerosol particles or dust. It can also be transmitted by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the face. “Illness in humans from avian influenza virus infections have ranged in severity from no symptoms or mild illness to severe disease that resulted in death,” the CDC said. “Consumers can safely enjoy turkey this holiday season,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration wrote in an email to The Bee, noting that food safety inspectors examine turkeys for disease “before and after slaughter.” That includes your Thanksgiving bird. “The turkeys from farms with confirmed avian influenza don’t even get sent to slaughter,” Soledad said. “They are destroyed on premises.” During an avian flu outbreak, “The chance of infected poultry or eggs entering the food chain is low,” the FDA said on its website in April, “because of the rapid onset of symptoms in poultry as well as the safeguards in place, which include testing of flocks and federal inspection programs.” “When food is properly prepared and stored, the risk of consumers becoming infected with HPAI is reduced even further,” the FDA said. UC Davis professor Linda J. Harris, who focuses on microbial food safety, says you should prepare your Thanksgiving turkey using four essential steps: clean, cook, chill and separate. You can watch the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Holiday Food Safety video for tips on how to prepare a turkey the safe way, or check out the turkey recipe developed by the Partnership for Food Safety Education, a nonprofit organization that works to reduce food-borne illness risks. According to the USDA, any traces of highly pathogenic avian influenza in your turkey are inactivated when food reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. The USDA recommends following this rule anytime you’re preparing raw poultry, including chicken. On its Thanksgiving food safety website , the USDA has videos and information including calculators that help you determine the appropriate amount of time to thaw and cook your turkey. “Simply select your turkey’s weight, along with your preferred thawing and cooking methods, and you’ll immediately receive guidance on how to safely prepare your turkey this Thanksgiving!’ USDA congressional public affairs specialist Maria Machuca wrote in an email to The Bee. “There is no evidence that the virus can be transmitted to humans through properly prepared food,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on its website. Pasteurized milk and other dairy products are safe to consume and cook with, according to Hebah Ghanem, infectious disease specialist at University of California San Francisco, Fresno. “The most important thing that it has to be pasteurized, because the virus is killed with heat,” Ghanem told The Bee. “Pasteurization of milk was adopted decades ago as a basic public health measure to kill dangerous bacteria and largely eliminate the risk of getting sick,” the FDA said on its website. All egg products are pasteurized as required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “This means that they have been rapidly heated and held at a minimum required temperature for a specified time to destroy bacteria,” the agency said. However, eggs that are still in their shells aren’t required to be pasteurized, leading to potential health risks if eaten raw or uncooked. According to the CDC, avian flu symptoms in humans may include: California dairy workers infected with avian flu have experienced mild flu-like symptoms, The Bee previously reported. “All the cases that we have here in California are very mild,” Ghanem told the Fresno Bee in October. “They haven’t needed hospitalization.” To prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, people should avoid exposure to dead animals, Ghanem said in October. That includes wild birds, poultry, other domesticated birds and cows. People should also avoid exposure to animal feces as well as fluids. Here are other tips from Ghanem: ©2024 The Sacramento Bee. Visit at sacbee.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Mexico is gearing up to take back its citizens who have been living in the US illegally — and officials are planning to open more than 12,000 beds in shelters across the country to house the new arrivals. The 25 planned shelters — which will each have the capacity to hold 500 people — will open their doors on President-elect Trump’s inauguration day, Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda announced on Monday, according to Border Report . “This is a strategic plan to accommodate exclusively people who get deported after Jan. 20,” Olmeda said. Olmeda said she takes Trump’s threats of a mass deportation seriously. “What we do know, throughout his campaign, he threatened to do this, and since he was already president of the United States, we believe this time he will be stricter and tougher when it comes to deportations,” she said. “We are working to get ready and receive our migrants.” The shelters are only for Mexican citizens who have been sent back to their home country. They will not house deported migrants from elsewhere. “These shelters that are being planned are for those being repatriated who are coming from north to south, but no foreigners, only Mexicans, this must be made clear — Mexicans will be welcomed back to their country and their human rights will be respected,” Olmeda explained. Five of the shelters will be located in the area just south of San Diego, the busiest region for illegal crossings along the US-Mexico border. Two others will be set up south of El Centro, California, according to Border Report. The shelters will hold migrants for just a few days before they can be returned to their hometowns. Each building will either house men, women, unaccompanied children or families. Last month, Trump said Mexico’s newly-elected President Claudia Sheinbaum pledged to “stop migration” through her country bound for the US. “Just had a wonderful conversation with the new President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo,” Trump wrote on Truth Social . “She has agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border,” he added. Sheinbaum, however, later put a different spin on the conversation. “In our conversation with President Trump, I explained to him the comprehensive strategy that Mexico has followed to address the migration phenomenon, respecting human rights,” she wrote on X . “Thanks to this, migrants and caravans are assisted before they reach the border. We reiterate that Mexico’s position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and between peoples.”Share Tweet Share Share Email In the fast-paced world of digital innovation, blockchain and cryptocurrency platforms continue to break boundaries, offering transformative solutions to global challenges. Among these cutting-edge projects are Qubetics , Solana, Hedera, Cardano, and Litecoin, each contributing uniquely to the evolution of decentralized ecosystems. Let’s explore these platforms, their offerings, and their potential to redefine financial landscapes. 1. Qubetics: Revolutionizing Cross-Border Payments In today’s interconnected global economy, the need for efficient and secure cross-border payments is more urgent than ever. The Qubetics Network rises to this challenge by providing a state-of-the-art platform designed to streamline international transactions for businesses and individuals alike. For businesses, Qubetics simplifies settlement processes, ensuring optimal cash flow and operational efficiency. By enabling quick transfers and settlements, companies can respond swiftly to market demands, enhance their competitive edge, and drive sustainable growth. The platform offers a hassle-free remittance solution for individuals, eliminating the delays and complications often associated with traditional payment methods. Qubetics is currently in Presale Phase 14, with $TICS tokens priced at $0.037. The presale phase has raised over $7.7 million, attracted more than 11,700 holders, and sold 374 million tokens. Weekly price hikes of 10% culminate in a final phase surge of 20%, making this a prime opportunity for investors. Post-presale, the token is expected to launch at $0.25, representing a potential ROI of 563.81% for early adopters. Analysts predict explosive growth following the mainnet launch, with prices potentially reaching $10 to $15 per token. A $10 valuation would equate to an ROI of 26,452.57%, while a $15 valuation could see returns soar to 39,728.85%. Qubetics is poised to disrupt global finance, making cross-border payments faster, more affordable, and accessible for all. 2. Solana: A High-Performance Blockchain Platform Solana is renowned for its high-speed transactions and scalability, positioning itself as a leading blockchain for decentralised applications (dApps) and cryptocurrency projects. The platform’s architecture is built to handle thousands of transactions per second, far outpacing most of its competitors. By leveraging Proof of History (PoH) alongside Proof of Stake (PoS), Solana ensures unparalleled efficiency and security. Developers flock to the platform for its low fees and lightning-fast performance, making it an ideal ecosystem for DeFi projects, NFT marketplaces, and gaming applications. Solana’s community-driven approach fosters innovation, empowering developers to build on a robust and scalable network. Its ecosystem continues to grow, making it a key player in the blockchain space. 3. Hedera: The Leader in Enterprise-Grade Blockchain Solutions Hedera Hashgraph stands out with its unique consensus algorithm, offering a more energy-efficient and secure alternative to traditional blockchains. Hedera is designed for enterprise applications and ensures rapid transaction speeds, low costs, and high reliability. The platform’s Hashgraph consensus mechanism enables unparalleled scalability, supporting up to 10,000 transactions per second. Hedera’s governance model, comprising industry leaders like Google and IBM, adds to its credibility and adoption. Hedera’s diverse use cases range from supply chain optimisation and healthcare data management to tokenisation and payments. Its focus on enterprise-grade solutions makes it a vital tool for businesses seeking blockchain integration. 4. Cardano: A Visionary Approach to Blockchain Technology Cardano is a research-driven blockchain that prioritises security, scalability, and sustainability. Built on a layered architecture, it separates computation from settlement, allowing enhanced functionality without compromising efficiency. Cardano’s Ouroboros Proof of Stake (PoS) protocol is a pioneering consensus mechanism that reduces energy consumption while maintaining network integrity. Its rigorous peer-reviewed development process ensures reliability and innovation. The platform’s commitment to social impact is evident in its digital identity and financial inclusion projects. Cardano aims to provide blockchain solutions to underserved communities, empowering individuals and organisations. Cardano continues to attract developers, businesses, and investors as its ecosystem expands, cementing its position as a leader in blockchain innovation. 5. Litecoin: The Silver Standard of Cryptocurrency Litecoin, one of the earliest cryptocurrencies, remains steadfast in the blockchain landscape. Litecoin offers a lightweight alternative to Bitcoin, known for its simplicity and speed, with faster transaction times and lower fees. The platform’s Scrypt algorithm ensures a more decentralised mining process, making it accessible to a broader audience. Litecoin’s focus on usability has made it a popular choice for day-to-day transactions and as a testing ground for Bitcoin innovations. Litecoin’s longevity and adaptability continue to make it a reliable option for investors and users, solidifying its role in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Conclusion Qubetics, Solana, Hedera, Cardano, and Litecoin collectively drive the blockchain revolution. Each platform addresses distinct challenges, from cross-border payments and high-speed transactions to enterprise solutions, research-driven development, and everyday usability. These projects are not just technological marvels but pivotal elements in the broader financial and technological progress narrative. As they continue to grow and evolve, they open doors to new opportunities, empowering individuals and businesses to thrive in an increasingly digital world. Investors, developers, and enthusiasts stand to benefit from the transformative potential of these platforms. By embracing the innovations they offer, we can shape a future defined by efficiency, accessibility, and global connectivity. For More Information: Qubetics: https://qubetics.com Telegram: https://t.me/qubetics Twitter: https://x.com/qubetics Related Items: Blockchain , Qubetic Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you BTFD Coin’s Discount Offer And The Top 5 Picks for The Best Cryptos to Join for Short Term Gains Top Cryptocurrencies to Watch in 2024 | Top 3 Potential Breakout Stars Innerworks and Bittensor ($TAO) Collaborate to Unveil RedTeam Platform to Enhance Cybersecurity Innovation CommentsAfter our recently elected councillors decided their council telephone numbers would not be listed publicly, another controversial issue has arisen. or signup to continue reading It was reported by a Melbourne newspaper that Bendigo council offered an Enterprise Agreement 'pay deal' to staff, which if accepted included a clause totally irrelevant to staff's employment. Specifically, that references to Australia Day be replaced with '26 January Public Holiday'. I sought clarification of this and other matters through council's Customer Requests. I've been advised of the following. "Regardless of how a future agreement may come together, the City of Greater Bendigo has no plans to make any changes to the way Australia Day is celebrated in our community". That may appear reassuring to the vast majority of people, according to polls, who wish for the continuation of a national day of celebration named Australia Day. However, by '26 January Public Holiday' being included in an Enterprise Agreement, that indicates to me the likely beginning within our council to rename Australia Day, despite their assurance there are; "no plans to make any changes to the way Australia Day is celebrated in our community". Council confirmed the offer of three extra days "Sorry Business Leave" annually, to allow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees a period of mourning and bereavement. Also, included in the first offer not supported by a majority of staff, was a one-off "signing on" bonus of $500 per employee in exchange for a yes vote. Readers not supportive of council's intentions could email all nine councillors and request their prompt representation by combining to ensure Australia Day will continue to be named and recognised by council. Perhaps, also advise their thoughts on councillor's telephone numbers not being made public. Thank you to Bendigo Health for the outstanding support I received during my recent stay in hospital. From the Ambos, doctors, physios, nurses, all support staff, volunteers, etc and especially ward 6A staff, I was so impressed with all and its reassuring to know we have such a magnificent facility employing such caring people. Thank you so much. While we wish everyone a Merry Christmas, the Festive Season is sadly the busiest time for our nation's specialist frontline family violence support and emergency services. With calls for help increasing every year, in some areas police are attending a family violence incident every four minutes - but we know most don't reach out. Family violence is indiscriminate, impacting people from all walks of life, and looks different for every individual but creating a single opportunity for someone to speak out might just change a statistic. Learn more about family violence by visiting www.1800respect.org.au. If you need support or advice, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. I wish everyone a safe Christmas and New Year. Across 2024, we have been able to achieve some truly incredible things for our region. This includes wins for individuals and community groups, securing funding for major projects, improving service delivery in our towns, and making Labor backflip on some poor and out-of-touch decisions that would impact our community. Some highlights include: While these are some major wins for our region and everyone that lives in them, there remains a lot of work to be done. Under this Labor Government, too many crucial services have been neglected. Our schools, hospitals, roads, and emergency services are just some of the areas suffering at the moment that we will keep fighting for. After 10 years of Jacinta Allan and Labor, regional Victorians continue to suffer the pain on housing. The housing affordability crisis has never been worse and more than 12 months on from Labor's "landmark" housing statement, it has abandoned a pledge to build 80,000 homes a year. At the same time, in a cruel double-whammy, Labor continues to raise property taxes. Victoria is now the highest-taxed state in the nation, with Labor introducing 57 new or increased taxes, including 29 property-based taxes. Social housing should provide a haven for those in need, but social housing stock has never been more strained. While Labor spends up on its big city "Big Build", regional areas are ignored. Regional Victorians are being crushed by soaring rents, rising property taxes, and the difficulty of saving for a home. The Housing Industry Association states "Government taxes and charges account for as much as 50 per cent of the cost of a new house and land package". No wonder the cost of homes continues to be out of reach for so many. Regional communities need affordable housing solutions, targeted investment, and policies that prioritise them - not another decade of Labor's ignorance. Labor can't manage housing, can't manage money, and regional Victorians are paying the price. Click for more letters. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. 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A judge on Monday rejected a request to block a San Jose State women's volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she is transgender. The ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player, who has played all season, to compete in the Mountain West Conference women's championship opening this week in Las Vegas. The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by nine current players against the Mountain West Conference challenging the league's policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans woman volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player's name because she has not commented publicly on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player. Crews' ruling referred to the athlete as an "alleged transgender" player and noted that no defendant disputed that the San Jose State roster includes a transgender woman player. San Jose State will "continue to support its student-athletes and reject discrimination in all forms," the university said in a statement, confirming that all its student-athletes are eligible to participate under NCAA and conference rules. "We are gratified that the Court rejected an eleventh-hour attempt to change those rules. Our team looks forward to competing in the Mountain West volleyball tournament this week." The conference did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The players filed a notice for emergency appeal with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Crews said the players who filed the complaint could have sought relief much earlier, noting the individual universities had acknowledged that not playing their games against San Jose State this season would result in a loss in league standings. He also refused a request to re-seed the tournament without the forfeited losses. The judge said injunctions are meant to preserve the status quo. The conference policy regarding forfeiting for refusing to play against a team with a transgender player had been in effect since 2022 and the San Jose State player has been on the roster since 2022 -– making that the status quo. The player competed at the college level three previous seasons, including two for San Jose State, drawing little attention. This season's awareness of her reported identity led to an uproar among some players, pundits, parents and politicians in a major election year. Crews' ruling also said injunctions are meant to prevent harm, but in this case, he argued, the harm has already occurred. The games have been forfeited, the tournament has been seeded, the teams have made travel plans and the participants have confirmed they're playing. The tournament starts Wednesday and continues Friday and Saturday. Colorado State is seeded first and San Jose State, second. The teams split their regular-season matches and both get byes into Friday's semifinals. San Jose State will play the winner of Wednesday's match between Utah State and Boise State — teams that both forfeited matches to SJSU during the regular season. Boise State associate athletic director Chris Kutz declined to comment on whether the Broncos would play SJSU if they won their first-round tournament game. Utah State officials did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. The conference tournament winner gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. San Jose State coach Todd Kress, whose team has not competed in the national tournament since 2001, has said his team has been getting "messages of hate" and that has taken a toll on his players. Several teams refused to play against San Jose State during the season, earning losses in the official conference standings. Boise State and Wyoming each had two forfeits while Utah State and Nevada both had one. Southern Utah, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, was first to cancel against San Jose State this year. Nevada's players stated they "refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes," without elaborating. Nevada did not qualify for the conference tournament. The nine current players and others now suing the Mountain West Conference, the California State University Board of Trustees and others include San Jose State senior setter and co-captain Brooke Slusser. The teammate Slusser says is transgender hits the volleyball with more force than others on the team, raising fear during practices of suffering concussions from a head hit, the complaint says. The Independent Council on Women's Sports is funding a separate lawsuit against the NCAA for allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. Both lawsuits claim the landmark 1972 federal antidiscrimination law known as Title IX prohibits transgender women in women's sports. Title IX prohibits sexual discrimination in federally funded education; Slusser is a plaintiff in both lawsuits. Several circuit courts have used a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to conclude that discriminating against someone based on their transgender status or sexual orientation is sex-based discrimination, Crews wrote. That means case law does not prove the "likelihood of success" needed to grant an injunction. An NCAA policy that subjects transgender participation to the rules of sports governing bodies took effect this academic year. USA Volleyball says a trans woman must suppress testosterone for 12 months before competing. The NCAA has not flagged any issues with San Jose State. The Republican governors of Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming have made public statements in support of the team cancellations, citing fairness in women's sports. President-elect Donald Trump likewise has spoken out against allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. Crews was a magistrate judge in Colorado's U.S. District Court for more than five years before President Joe Biden appointed him as a federal judge in January.High-flying Jets hope to avoid a lag against Kings in L.A.After Trump’s win, Black women are rethinking their role as America’s reliable political organizers
Airports and highways are expected to be jam-packed during Thanksgiving week, a holiday period likely to end with another record day for air travel in the United States. AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday, most of them by car. However, travelers could be impacted by ongoing weather challenges and those flying to their destinations could be grounded by delays brought on by airline staffing shortages and an airport service workers strike . Here's the latest: U.S. airlines are preparing for a Thanksgiving holiday rush, and so are the U.S. Postal Service, United Parcel Service and FedEx. Shipping companies will deliver about 2.2 billion packages to homes and businesses across the U.S. from Thanksgiving to Dec. 31, said Satish Jindel, a shipping and logistics expert and president of ShipMatrix. That’s down from 2.3 billion packages last year. Because the shopping period is a week shorter than in 2023, consumers are shopping further ahead of Black Friday and more purchases are taking place in physical stores, he said. The number of holiday package shipments grew 27% in 2020 and by more than 3% the following year during the pandemic. The numbers have been falling since then, with a projected decline of about 6% this holiday season. Looking to de-stress while waiting for your flight? Many airports have a fleet of therapy dogs — designated fidos and puppers that are eager to receive pets and snuggles from weary travelers. Rules and schedules vary from airport to airport, but the group AirportTherapyDogs uses online crowdsourcing to share the locations of therapy dogs across its various social media accounts. Today, Gracie, a toy Australian shepherd, and Budge, an English bulldog, wandered the concourses at Denver International Airport, and an American Staffordshire Terrier named Hugo greeted travelers at Punta Gorda Airport in Florida. Some airports even feature other therapy pals. San Francisco International Airport’s fleet of animals includes a Flemish Giant rabbit and a hypoallergenic pig. “We cannot live on the wages that we are being paid,” ABM cabin cleaner Priscilla Hoyle said at a rally earlier Monday. “I can honestly say it’s hard every single day with my children, working a full-time job but having to look my kids in the eyes and sit there and say, ‘I don’t know if we’re going to have a home today.’” Timothy Lowe II, a wheelchair attendant, said he has to figure out where to spend the night because he doesn’t make enough for a deposit on a home. “We just want to be able to have everything that’s a necessity paid for by the job that hired us to do a great job so they can make billions,” he said. ABM said it is “committed to addressing concerns swiftly” and that there are avenues for employees to communicate issues, including a national hotline and a “general open door policy for managers at our worksite.” Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services cast ballots Friday to authorize the work stoppage at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a hub for American Airlines. They described living paycheck to paycheck while performing jobs that keep planes running on schedule. Most of them earn $12.50 to $19 an hour, union officials said. Rev. Glencie Rhedrick of Charlotte Clergy Coalition for Justice said those workers should make $22 to $25 an hour. The strike is expected to last 24 hours. Several hundred workers participated in the work stoppage. Forty-four fights have been canceled today and nearly 1,900 were delayed by midday on the East Coast, according to FlightAware . According to the organization’s cheekily named MiseryMap , San Francisco International Airport is having the most hiccups right now, with 53 delays and three cancellations between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. EST. While that might sound like a lot of delays, they might not be so bad compared to last Friday when the airport suffered 671 delays and 69 cancellations. In an apparent effort to reduce the headaches caused by airport line cutting, American Airlines has rolled out boarding technology that alerts gate agents with an audible sound if a passenger tries to scan a ticket ahead of their assigned group. This new software won’t accept a boarding pass before the group it’s assigned to is called, so customers who get to the gate prematurely will be asked to go back and wait their turn. As of Wednesday, the airline announced, the technology is now being used in more than 100 U.S. airports that American flies out of. The official expansion arrives after successful tests in three of these locations — Albuquerque International Sunport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Tucson International Airport. ▶ Read more about American Airlines’ new boarding technology Travel can be stressful in the best of times. Now add in the high-level anxiety that seems to be baked into every holiday season and it’s clear travelers could use some help calming frazzled nerves. Here are a few ways to make your holiday journey a little less stressful: 1. Make a checklist of what you need to do and what you need to bring 2. Carry your comfort with you — think noise-canceling headphones, cozy clothes, snacks and extra medication 3. Stay hydrated 4. Keep up to date on delays, gate changes and cancellations with your airline’s app ▶ Read more tips about staying grounded during holiday travel Thanksgiving Day takes place late this year, with the fourth Thursday of November falling on Nov. 28. That shortens the traditional shopping season and changes the rhythm of holiday travel. With more time before the holiday , people tend to spread out their outbound travel over more days, but everyone returns at the same time, said Andrew Watterson, the chief operating officer of Southwest Airlines . “A late Thanksgiving leads to a big crush at the end,” Watterson said. “The Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday after Thanksgiving are usually very busy with Thanksgiving this late.” Airlines did a relatively good job of handling holiday crowds last year, when the weather was mild in most of the country. Fewer than 400 U.S. flights were canceled during Thanksgiving week in 2023 — about one out of every 450 flights. So far in 2024, airlines have canceled about 1.3% of all flights. Drivers should know that Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons will be the worst times to travel by car, but it should be smooth sailing on freeways come Thanksgiving Day, according to transportation analytics company INRIX. On the return home, the best travel times for motorists are before 1 p.m. on Sunday, and before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on Monday, the company said. In metropolitan areas like Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle and Washington, “traffic is expected to be more than double what it typically is on a normal day,” INRIX transportation analyst Bob Pishue said. Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Mike Whitaker said last week that he expects his agency to use special measures at some facilities to deal with an ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers. In the past, those facilities have included airports in New York City and Florida. “If we are short on staff, we will slow traffic as needed to keep the system safe,” Whitaker said. The FAA has long struggled with a shortage of controllers that airline officials expect will last for years, despite the agency’s lofty hiring goals. 5. Auto club and insurance company AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday. Most of them will travel by car. 6. Drivers should get a slight break on gas prices . The nationwide average price for gasoline was $3.06 a gallon on Sunday, down from $3.27 at this time last year. 7. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 18.3 million people at U.S. airports during the same seven-day stretch. That would be 6% more than during the corresponding days last year but fit a pattern set throughout 2024. 8. The TSA predicts that 3 million people will pass through airport security checkpoints on Sunday; more than that could break the record of 3.01 million set on the Sunday after the July Fourth holiday. Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to be the next busiest air travel days of Thanksgiving week. ▶ Read more about Thanksgiving travel across the U.S. Workers who clean airplanes, remove trash and help with wheelchairs at Charlotte’s airport, one of the nation’s busiest, went on strike Monday to demand higher wages. The Service Employees International Union announced the strike in a statement early Monday, saying the workers would demand “an end to poverty wages and respect on the job during the holiday travel season.” The strike was expected to last 24 hours, said union spokesperson Sean Keady. Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services cast ballots Friday to authorize the work stoppage at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a hub for American Airlines. The two companies contract with American, one of the world’s biggest carriers, to provide services such as cleaning airplane interiors, removing trash and escorting passengers in wheelchairs. ▶ Read more about the Charlotte airport workers’ strike Parts of the Midwest and East Coast can expect to see heavy rain into Thanksgiving, and there’s potential for snow in Northeastern states. A storm last week brought rain to New York and New Jersey, where wildfires have raged in recent weeks, and heavy snow to northeastern Pennsylvania. The precipitation was expected to help ease drought conditions after an exceptionally dry fall. Heavy snow fell in northeastern Pennsylvania, including the Pocono Mountains. Higher elevations reported up to 17 inches (43 centimeters), with lesser accumulations in valley cities including Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. Around 35,000 customers in 10 counties were still without power, down from 80,000 a day ago. In the Catskills region of New York, nearly 10,000 people remained without power Sunday morning, two days after a storm dumped heavy snow on parts of the region. Precipitation in West Virginia helped put a dent in the state’s worst drought in at least two decades and boosted ski resorts as they prepare to open in the weeks ahead. ▶ Read more about Thanksgiving week weather forecasts Two people died in the Pacific Northwest after a rapidly intensifying “ bomb cyclone ” hit the West Coast last Tuesday, bringing fierce winds that toppled trees and power lines and damaged homes and cars. Hundreds of thousands lost electricity in Washington state before powerful gusts and record rains moved into Northern California. Forecasters said the risk of flooding and mudslides remained as the region will get more rain starting Sunday. But the latest storm won’t be as intense as last week’s atmospheric river , a long plume of moisture that forms over an ocean and flows over land. “However, there’s still threats, smaller threats, and not as significant in terms of magnitude, that are still going to exist across the West Coast for the next two or three days,” weather service forecaster Rich Otto said. As the rain moves east throughout the week, Otto said, there’s a potential for heavy snowfall at higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada, as well as portions of Utah and Colorado. California’s Mammoth Mountain, which received 2 feet (0.6 meters) of fresh snow in the recent storm, could get another 4 feet (1.2 meters) before the newest system clears out Wednesday, the resort said. Another round of wintry weather could complicate travel leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, according to forecasts across the U.S., while California and Washington state continue to recover from storm damage and power outages. In California, where two people were found dead in floodwaters on Saturday, authorities braced for more rain while grappling with flooding and small landslides from a previous storm . Here’s a look at some of the regional forecasts: 9. Sierra Nevada: The National Weather Service office issued a winter storm warning through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at higher elevations and wind gusts potentially reaching 55 mph (88 kph). Total snowfall of roughly 4 feet (1.2 meters) was forecast, with the heaviest accumulations expected Monday and Tuesday. 10. Midwest and Great Lakes: The Midwest and Great Lakes regions will see rain and snow Monday and the East Coast will be the most impacted on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, forecasters said. 11. East Coast: A low pressure system is forecast to bring rain to the Southeast early Thursday before heading to the Northeast. Areas from Boston to New York could see rain and breezy conditions, with snowfall possible in parts of northern New Hampshire, northern Maine and the Adirondacks. If the system tracks further inland, there could be less snow and more rain in the mountains, forecasters said. ▶ Read more about Thanksgiving week weather forecastsThe Love Boat Now Sailing from Central Florida to the Pristine Beaches of the Caribbean , Through April 2025 PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. , Nov. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Princess Cruises, famously known as "The Love Boat," celebrated the highly anticipated arrival of Caribbean Princess in Port Canaveral today, marking the launch of a new season of Caribbean cruises from this convenient Central Florida homeport. The ship set sail on a four-day Thanksgiving cruise to Turks & Caicos. In the spirit of giving, Princess made a generous donation of non-perishable food items to The Sharing Center of Central Brevard . Nearly two tons of food will support local families in need. "Today we celebrate the arrival of Caribbean Princess to Port Canaveral, one of the premier ports in cruising, and proudly support the local community," said John Padgett , President of Princess Cruises. "Port Canaveral offers fantastic facilities and is easily accessible for our guests, whether they choose to drive, fly, or take advantage of our exclusive Rail & Sail program with Brightline." The inaugural winter season from Port Canaveral features 19 additional cruise departures to the Eastern and Western Caribbean , with voyages ranging from six to eight days. Some of the exciting itineraries include: Eastern Caribbean : Six-day cruises to Nassau , Grand Turk, and either Amber Cove or San Juan (Departures: Dec. 9 , 23, 2024; Jan. 6 , 20; Feb. 3 , 17; March 3 , 17, 31, 2025) Eastern Caribbean : Eight-day cruises to St. Thomas, St. Maarten , San Juan , and Grand Turk (Departures: Dec. 1 , 29, 2024; Jan. 26 ; Feb. 23 ; March 23, 2025 ) Western Caribbean : Eight-day voyages to Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize City, and Roatan (Departures: Dec. 15, 2024 ; Jan. 12 ; Feb. 9 ; March 9 ; April 6, 2025 ) Guests can combine six- and eight-day itineraries for a longer 14-day vacation. "We're beyond thrilled to welcome the beautiful Caribbean Princess to Port Canaveral – a cruise line our guests have been requesting for a long time," said Captain John Murray , Port Canaveral CEO. "Port Canaveral is committed to offering our guests diverse cruise options, and Caribbean Princess is the perfect addition to this market with its stunning décor and innovative technology, hallmarks of the Princess Cruises experience." Family-Friendly Features and Signature Service The 3,140-guest Caribbean Princess offers 1,571 staterooms, including options for families with interconnecting rooms and a range of suites and mini-suites. The ship caters to all ages with amenities like a Youth & Teen Center for kids and teens aged 3-17, an outdoor Movies Under the Stars screen, engaging Broadway-style production shows, and The Sanctuary – a relaxing, adults-only space with ocean breezes. To enhance the cruise experience, Caribbean Princess offers Princess Plus and Princess Premier inclusive packages, which provide savings of up to 65% on popular amenities like Wi-Fi, beverages, crew gratuities, and more when purchased separately. The ship also features Princess Cruises' signature MedallionClass technology, providing guests with personalized, premium service that enhances the overall vacation experience, reinforcing Princess' reputation for delivering unforgettable family adventures. Royal-Class Sky Princess is scheduled to sail from Port Canaveral for the next 2025-2026 winter season to the Eastern and Western Caribbean . Cruises are on sale now. Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel advisor, by calling 1-800-Princess (1-800-774-6237) or by visiting www.princess.com . About Princess Cruises Princess Cruises is The Love Boat, the world's most iconic cruise brand that delivers dream vacations to millions of guests every year in the most sought-after destinations on the largest ships that offer elite service personalization and simplicity customary of small, yacht-class ships. Well-appointed staterooms, world class dining, grand performances, award-winning casinos and entertainment, luxurious spas, imaginative experiences and boundless activities blend with exclusive Princess MedallionClass service to create meaningful connections and unforgettable moments in the most incredible settings in the world - the Caribbean , Alaska , Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Europe , South America , Australia / New Zealand , the South Pacific, Hawaii , Asia , Canada /New England, Antarctica, and World Cruises. Sun Princess, the brand's new, next-level Love Boat named Condé Nast Traveler's Mega Ship of the Year, introduces the groundbreaking Sphere Class platform and will be joined by sister ship, Star Princess, in Fall 2025. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:CCL; NYSE: CUK ). SOURCE Princess Cruises
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