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GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — A police officer responding to a report of a man with a gun inside a North Carolina supermarket was fatally shot Monday and a suspect was later taken into custody, authorities said. Police announced the death of Greensboro police officer Michael Horan at a news conference, saying Horan was responding to the report when he was shot shortly before midday at a Food Lion store in Greensboro in the central part of the state. Ramona Miller told WGHP-TV she was shopping with her 6-year-old granddaughter when she heard shots being fired. “We were on our way out and I was purchasing a lottery ticket and I was just sitting there and heard a ‘pop-pop’ and then ‘pop-pop-pop.’ I think I heard five shots,” Miller said. “At first I didn’t know it was a shooting ... but an employee yelled out, ‘Shooting! Shooting!’ ” Miller said she and her granddaughter left the store and that police arrived soon afterward. Authorities said Monday afternoon that the circumstances of the shooting remain under investigation and they did not immediately release further details about how it unfolded. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the state's lead law enforcement agency, is continuing the investigation. Horan was hired in 2017 and became a sworn Greensboro Police Department officer in early 2018, Assistant Police Chief Milford J. Harris said. Horan served in the department’s patrol bureau. He also was a U.S. Coast Guard member since 2000, according to his LinkedIn profile. “He was an excellent officer. He had an outstanding reputation inside the department and in the community,” Harris said at the news conference. Gov. Roy Cooper said he was monitoring the day's developments. Cooper said on the social media platform X that his office had sent a “significant” number of state law enforcement officers to aid the emergency response in Greensboro. A heavy police presence was spotted outside the grocery store in Greensboro. The store will remain closed while authorities continue their investigation, Food Lion said in a statement, adding it was providing resources to its affected workers. It directed all questions to local law enforcement and said it was cooperating with the investigation. The shooting was another reminder that state lawmakers should strengthen resources and improve safety for law enforcement officers, said Democratic state Sen. Michael Garrett, who represents part of Guilford County where Greensboro is located. “During what should be a time of joy and celebration, another brave officer has been shot in the line of duty. Another family’s holiday season forever changed,” Garrett said in a Facebook statement.Trump threat to immigrant health care tempered by economic hopes

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENT) Stock Holdings Reduced by Geode Capital Management LLCMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Darnold tossed aside his stoic demeanor for a moment after realizing he was on the videoboard, aggressively twirling a towel to further stoke the crowd's fire after the Minnesota Vikings had pulled away from Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons late in the game. “I just felt the buzz. That was pure passion, pure joy, man,” Darnold said. Darnold added yet another highlight to his brilliant first season with the Vikings, passing for 347 yards and five touchdowns, both career highs, in a 42-21 victory over the foundering Falcons on Sunday to stretch their winning streak to six games. “It just felt like it was one of those days to keep the gas pedal down,” said coach Kevin O'Connell, who enjoyed his team's first 40-point game in three seasons on the job. Darnold passed for 250 yards after halftime to help the Vikings (11-2) break a 21-all tie early in the fourth quarter and stay one game behind NFC North-leading Detroit with a final-week matchup looming with the Lions. Jordan Addison had eight catches for 133 yards and three scores and Justin Jefferson racked up seven receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns after going the past six games without scoring. “This is something that we want to do and we can do every single week,” Jefferson said. Cousins, whose departure in free agency for Atlanta prompted Minnesota to sign Darnold as a bridge to currently injured rookie J.J. McCarthy, threw two more interceptions without a touchdown in this unhappy homecoming following a mixed six-year run with the Vikings. Booed as he took the field, Cousins and the Falcons (6-7) left with a fourth consecutive loss to tumble out of first place in the NFC South and fall one game behind Tampa Bay. “When you’re playing well you usually aren’t as good as people are telling you when they’re patting you on the back, and if you’re in a rut you’re usually not as bad as people kind of leaving you for dead,” Cousins said. “The reality’s usually somewhere in the middle. You just have to keep playing and see where the dust settles in January.” Cousins went 23 for 37 for 344 yards for the Falcons, who crossed midfield on all nine of their possessions and finished with 496 total yards. He overthrew Ray-Ray McCloud III on fourth down in the first quarter, and the Falcons settled for short field goals just before and right after halftime. Their fate was sealed when McCloud fumbled the kickoff at the 32 after the Vikings went 70 yards in six plays for the go-ahead touchdown pass to Addison, who scored again seven plays later. The Falcons handed the Vikings an earlier touchdown when Kentavious Street was called for defensive holding during a field-goal attempt late in the second quarter, giving Darnold a fresh set of downs before a 12-yard laser to Jefferson on a post route on third-and-6. “You just can’t have the self-inflicted wounds and expect to win football games like we had today,” coach Raheem Morris said. Bijan Robinson had 22 carries for 92 yards and a touchdown and Tyler Allgeier rushed nine times for 63 yards and a score for the Falcons against the NFL’s leading run defense. Cousins, who was picked off four times last week, hesitated as he wound up to throw on first down from the Minnesota 47 in a tie game early in the second quarter and then inexplicably fired a pass straight to Josh Metellus as he sat in a zone in front of Drake London. Cousins has a NFL -most 15 interceptions. Byron Murphy snagged an overthrow for the second one near the goal line with a 35-21 lead and 6:26 left. Darnold, who went 22 for 28 without a turnover-worthy play despite heavy first-half pressure, then directed a seven-play, 98-yard drive to seal it. “I think we grew up a lot today offensively,” O'Connell said. Addison and Jefferson became the first duo in Vikings history to each have 100-plus receiving yards and two-plus touchdown catches in the same game. Addison also became the first Vikings player with three receiving touchdowns in a game since Stefon Diggs caught three from Cousins in 2019. Murphy has six interceptions this season, the most for the Vikings since Jimmy Hitchcock had seven in 1998. Falcons: CB Mike Hughes (knee) was back in the lineup after missing two games. Minnesota's 2018 first-round draft pick returned an interception for a touchdown against Atlanta in his NFL debut here. Vikings: CB Stephon Gilmore (hamstring) and backup OLB Patrick Jones (knee) were out. TE Josh Oliver (wrist/ankle) returned from a two-game absence, and LS Andrew DePaola (hand) and PK Will Reichard (quadriceps) were back from four-game injured reserve stints. Both teams play next Monday night, Dec. 16: Atlanta visits Las Vegas, and Minnesota hosts Chicago. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLMary Tyler Moore Shocked Viewers With an Iconic Green Dress That’s Still Trending Nearly 50 Years Later

ANGELA Rayner yesterday struggled to explain how Labour’s housing plans will cope with the 2.5 million migrants expected to arrive in Britain. The Deputy PM contradicted herself when grilled on how her pledge to build 1.5 million homes would address both the housing crisis and record immigration levels . She told Sky News there is “plenty of housing” already – despite Labour’s repeated warnings about shortages. Presenter Sir Trevor Phillips challenged her claim, insisting it didn’t make any “sense”. But she doubled down, adding: “There is plenty of housing Trevor, but there’s not enough for the people who desperately need it. “So the homes, especially under our social affordable housing, they will be there for people who desperately need them.” Read More on Politics Her comments come as Labour will this week unveil detailed plans for mandatory house-building targets in every area of England and Wales. Ms Rayner, who is also the Housing Secretary, will also set out where councils can build on underused “grey belt” land in the green belt while prioritising brownfield sites.The new right gathers to celebrate Trump and the splintering of the Republican Party

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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — Jalen Jackson scored 23 points as Purdue Fort Wayne beat Robert Morris 82-77 on Sunday. Jackson had six rebounds and three steals for the Mastodons (6-4, 1-1 Horizon League). Corey Hadnot II scored 13 points, shooting 4 of 11 from the field and 5 for 6 from the free-throw line. Rasheed Bello went 4 of 11 from the field (2 for 4 from 3-point range) to finish with 12 points. Alvaro Folgueiras finished with 25 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals for the Colonials (6-5, 0-2). Robert Morris also got 19 points, four assists and four steals from Kam Woods. Ryan Prather Jr. finished with 14 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Cinnamon Grand triumphs among Colombo’s 5-stars and Lankan cuisineBEIJING , Dec. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In 1949, pioneering computer scientist Edmund Callis Berkeley envisioned a future filled with thinking machines in his book Giant Brains, or Machines That Think. Decades later, his vision has become a reality with artificial intelligence (AI) reshaping industries, societies and daily lives. Promoting Global Solidarity Through AI Recently, Science and Technology Daily hosted a panel discussion, "Tech with Heart, AI for Good", on how AI empowers life and bridges human limitations but also needs guard rails to ensure it remains under control. Omnipresent AI AI is reshaping the way we live, work and interact with the world. For Zeng Yi , a professor at the Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and an expert of the United Nations' high-level advisory body on AI, the motivation to advance AI technology lies in its potential to liberate humans from repetitive and labor-intensive tasks. "Combining AI with robotics allows us to redirect human energy toward more creative and meaningful pursuits," Zeng said. He highlighted how AI-powered robots are stepping into hazardous fields such as firefighting, disaster relief and space exploration. Lunar rovers equipped with advanced AI capabilities are conducting complex analyses on the moon's surface - tasks too risky for human scientists. Besides industrial applications, AI is making a significant impact on environmental conservation such as tracking wildlife. AI's potential extends into our everyday lives as well. Gao Shaolin, an expert at Peking University Law and Artificial Intelligence Research Center, mentioned a recent road trip during which he drove 3,000 kilometers on highways without coming across a single traffic accident. "This is extraordinary," Gao said, attributing the improvement to advancements in AI-driven safety features in modern vehicles. From fatigue-monitoring systems in trucks to self-driving technologies in electric cars, these innovations are drastically reducing the likelihood of accidents. However, both Zeng and Gao agreed that AI should not aim to replace humans but rather enhance human expertise and efficiency. AI can amplify human capacity, leaving room for creativity and innovation. Responsible AI As AI continues to evolve, responsibility becomes a critical issue. Zeng quoted Berkeley, who wrote, "It is often easier for scientists to create a device than to guide it well afterward." Berkeley urged innovators to think beyond breakthroughs and address potential risks. The question of accountability becomes central. Who will be responsible for any problem caused by AI? "AI is not an independent legal entity," Gao emphasized, pointing out that current AI systems are tools rather than autonomous entities. The responsibility for their actions lies squarely with their developers, service providers and users. "AI should be as intelligent as necessary, but it must remain under human control," Gao stressed. As Zeng put it, "The key is ensuring AI coexists harmoniously with humans, not as a competitor but as a collaborator." Wu Baojun, executive deputy secretary-general of the Association for Science and Technology of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the rapid advancement of AI must be accompanied by efforts to ensure its reliability and safety within ethical frameworks. "Our research in AI," Wu said, "aims to explore unknown territories, eliminate human fears and make AI more reliable." Reliable AI China has consistently demonstrated a forward-thinking approach to AI development, balancing technological innovation with social and ethical considerations. As Matt Sheehan from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace wrote in an article, " China is in the midst of rolling out some of the world's earliest and most detailed regulations governing artificial intelligence." In 2017, China released the Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan to encourage diverse AI methodologies, such as deep learning, knowledge-based reasoning and large-scale modeling. The plan also emphasized ethical governance, with over a dozen references to social and legal challenges. In May 2019 , it was followed by the Beijing AI Principles, which set out clear guidelines for AI research and development, advocating respect for privacy, human dignity and human rights. These visions were strengthened in July 2024 when the 78th UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by China and co-sponsored by over 140 countries. The resolution emphasized the human-centered development of AI, international cooperation, and promotion of AI to benefit humanity as a whole. Zeng said China's AI strategy reflects a responsible and inclusive approach: " China's AI development strategy is not limited to promoting domestic economic growth. They aim to empower humanity and promote sustainable development goals." Shared AI principles AI governance has become a global priority with nations striving to ensure that technology develops responsibly and inclusively. "We analyzed global AI ethics guidelines and found that 95 percent of the topics are consistent across countries. Concepts like human-centered development, transparency, fairness, safety and privacy protection are widely endorsed," Zeng said, adding that nations worldwide largely agree on the foundational principles for AI ethics and governance. In 2023, the Bletchley Declaration on AI safety was signed by 28 countries and the European Union. This marked the first broad agreement on the importance of AI safety as a global issue. In 2024, the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence was adopted unanimously by all member states, which is another example of the global consensus. China is playing an active role in promoting international cooperation on AI governance. "AI must empower all nations, not just the technologically advanced ones. We should guide AI for good with collective efforts and shared responsibilities," Gao said. Executive Producers: Wang Junming, He Yi Producer: Fang Linlin Reporters: Long Yun , Zhong Jianli, Gong Qian Subtitle Proofreaders: Wang Jing , Cen Yingjie Video Editing Instructor: Wang Xiaolong AI Technology Advisor: Liu Yang Cameramen: Liu Xiao, Li Huitao, Li Tianji Video Editor: Zhang Shunping Reviewer: Fang LinlinHarris Dickinson toys with ambiguity in ‘Babygirl,’ and keeps a secret from Nicole Kidman Harris Dickinson was nervous to approach Nicole Kidman . Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press Dec 23, 2024 1:49 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Harris Dickinson, left, and Halina Reijn arrive at the premiere of "Babygirl" on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) Harris Dickinson was nervous to approach Nicole Kidman . This would not necessarily be notable under normal circumstances, but the English actor had already been cast to star opposite her in the erotic drama “Babygirl,” as the intern who initiates an affair with Kidman's buttoned-up CEO. They’d had a zoom with the writer-director Halina Reijn, who was excited by their playful banter and sure that Dickinson would hold his own. And yet when he found himself at the same event as Kidman, shyness took over. He admitted as much to Margaret Qualley, who took things into her own hands and introduced them. “She helped me break the ice a bit,” Dickinson said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. On set would be an entirely different story. Dickinson might not be nearly as “puckishly audacious” as his character Samuel but in the making of “Babygirl,” he, Kidman and Reijn had no choice but to dive fearlessly into this exploration of sexual power dynamics, going to intimate, awkward, exhilarating and meme-able places. It’s made the film, in theaters Christmas Day, one of the year’s must-sees. “There was an unspoken thing that we adhered to,” Dickinson said. “We weren’t getting to know each other’s personal lives. When we were working and we were the characters, we didn’t veer away from the material. I never tried to attach all of the history of Nicole Kidman. Otherwise it probably would have been a bit of a mess.” His is a performance that reconfirms what many in the film world have suspected since his debut seven years ago as a Brooklyn tough questioning his sexuality in Eliza Hittman’s “Beach Rats” : Dickinson is one of the most exciting young talents around. Dickinson, 28, grew up in Leytonstone, in East London — the same neck of the woods as Alfred Hitchcock. Cinema was in his life, whether it was Christopher Nolan’s “Batman” films at the local multiplex or venturing into town to see the more social realist films of Mike Leigh and Ken Loach. “Working class cinema interested me,” he said. “People around me that represented my world.” Appropriately, his entry into making art started behind the camera, with a comedy web series he made as a kid, which he now describes as “really bad spoofs” of films and shows of the time. But things started to really click when he began acting in the local theater. “I remember feeling invigorated by it and accepted,” he said. “I felt myself for the first time and felt able to express myself in a way where I didn’t feel vulnerable and I felt alive and ignited by something.” At around 17, someone suggested that he should give acting a try professionally. He hadn’t even fully understood that it was a career possibility, but he started auditioning. At 20, he was cast in “Beach Rats” and, he said, just “kept going.” Since then, he’s gotten a wide range of opportunities in films both big, including “The King’s Man,” and small. He’s captivated as a male model in Ruben Östlund’s Cannes-winning “Triangle of Sadness,” an estranged father to a 12-year-old in Charlotte Regan’s “Scrapper,” an actor bringing an ex-boyfriend to life in Joanna Hogg’s “The Souvenir Part II,” the charismatic, tragic wrestler David Von Erich in Sean Durkin’s “The Iron Claw” and a soldier in Steve McQueen’s “Blitz.” But “Babygirl” would present new challenges and opportunities with a character who’s almost impossible to define. “He was confusing in a really interesting way. There wasn’t loads of specificity to it, which I enjoyed because it was a bit of a challenge to sort of pinpoint exactly what it was that drove him and made him tick,” Dickinson said. “There was a directness that unlocked a lot for me, like a fearlessness with the way he spoke, or a social unawareness in a way — like not fully realizing what he’s saying is affecting someone in a certain way. But I didn’t make too many rules for him.” Part of the allure of the film is the ever-shifting power dynamics between the two characters, which could change over the course of a scene. As Reijn said, “It’s a cautionary tale about what happens when you suppress your own desires.” She was especially in awe of Dickinson's ability to make everything feel improvised and the fact that he could look like a 12-year-old boy in one shot and a confident 45-year-old man in the next. Since its premiere at the Venice Film Festival earlier this year, the film has led to some surprisingly direct conversations with audiences spanning generations. But that, Dickinson understood, was what Reijn wanted. “She really wanted to show the ugliness and the awkwardness of these things, of these relationships and sex,” he said. “That sort of fumbly version and the performative version of it is way more interesting, to me at least, than the kind of fantasized, romanticized, sexy thing that we’ve seen a lot.” Dickinson recently stepped behind the camera again, directing his first feature film under the banner of his newly formed production company. Set against the backdrop of homelessness in London, “Dream Space” is about a drifter trying to assimilate and understand his cyclical behavior. The film, which wrapped earlier this year, has given him a heightened appreciation for just how many people are indispensable in the making of a film. He’s also started to understand that “acting is just being able to relax.” “When you’re relaxed, you can do stuff that is truthful,” he said. “That only happens if you’ve got good people around you: The director that creates the good environment. The intimacy coordinator facilitating a safe space. A coworker in Nicole encouraging that kind of bravery and performance with what she’s doing.” Dickinson did eventually get to the point where he managed to ask Kidman questions about working with Stanley Kubrick and Lars Von Trier. But he also kept one shattering possibility between himself and his director. “There is a world in which Samuel doesn’t even exist. He’s just a sort of a device or a figment for her own story. And I like that because it kind of means you can take the character into a very unrealistic realm at times and be almost like a deity in the story,” Dickinson said. “We didn’t talk about it with Nicole.” Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More Entertainment News Burt, the huge Australian crocodile who had a cameo in ‘Crocodile Dundee,’ dies at 90 Dec 23, 2024 2:00 PM Burt, the huge Australian crocodile who had a cameo in ‘Crocodile Dundee,’ dies at 90 Dec 23, 2024 1:30 PM Movie Review: Nicole Kidman commands the erotic office drama 'Babygirl' Dec 23, 2024 1:14 PM Featured Flyer

Guest Opinion: As Christmas and Hanukkah coincide, is it time for everyone to let there be holiday lights?Germany searched on Monday for answers on possible security lapses after a man drove his car into a Christmas market, killing at least five people and casting a renewed spotlight on security and immigration ahead of a snap election. The possible motive of the arrested suspect, a 50-year-old psychiatrist from Saudi Arabia with a history of anti-Islamic rhetoric and a sympathy for the far-right Alternative for Germany Party, remains unknown. The man, identified only as Taleb A., had left video messages on his X social media account on the day of the attack. In rambling commentary, he variously blamed Germany's supposed liberalism for the death of Socrates, an ancient Greek philosopher, and accused police of stealing a USB stick from him and destroying a criminal complaint he had filed. The Welt newspaper said he had undergone psychological treatment. As a nation mourned, with citizens leaving flowers and lighting candles in Magdeburg where the incident took place on Friday, questions swirled about whether more could have been done and whether the authorities could have acted on warnings. Around 3,500 people attended a rally of the anti-migrant AfD on Magdeburg's cathedral square late on Monday where co-leader Alice Weidel called for change "so we can finally live once again in security". Cries of "deport them" erupted from the crowd. About 4,000 candle-carrying counter-demonstrators, according to a police estimate, formed a human chain to protest against what they called the political use of a horrible incident and hate. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser called for tougher internal security laws to be adopted, including a new act to strengthen police forces as well as the introduction of biometric surveillance. "It is clear that we must do everything to protect the people of Germany from such horrific acts of violence. To do this, our security authorities need all the necessary powers and more personnel," Faeser told Spiegel news magazine. The deputy head of a security committee in the Bundestag (parliament) announced he would convene a special session asking why previous warnings about the danger posed by Taleb A. were not acted upon. Taleb A. has lived in Germany since 2006. The attack occurred two months before a snap election in February where the AfD is polling in second place and is particularly strong in eastern Germany, where Magdeburg is located. “Everyone deals with this situation in their own way, some are grieving, others are angry," said Andreas Bohs, who was passing the Magdeburg attack site where mourners laid flowers, candles, teddies and other stuffed toys. "Everyone has the right to express their opinion and this should not be used for any political purposes here. But I know that every political party somehow does it." A local hospital said it was still treating 72 injured people, of which 15 were in severe condition. PREVIOUS WARNINGS Germany's main opposition Christian Democratic Union, which polls indicate will form the next government, called for the strengthening of intelligence services. Holger Muench, president of the federal criminal police office (BKA), told public broadcaster ZDF during the weekend that Germany was reviewing security measures at Christmas markets and addressing any vulnerabilities. Muench said Germany had received a warning from Saudi Arabia as far back as 2023 about the suspect, which German authorities investigated but found vague. "The man also published a huge number of posts on the internet. He also had various contacts with the authorities, made insults and even threats. But he was not known for acts of violence," Muench said. Taha al-Hajji, a Saudi lawyer in exile and the legal director for the Berlin-based European-Saudi Organisation for Human Rights, said most Saudi opposition activists did not have a good relationship with the suspect. “He made problems with everyone always ... He was really isolated," said al-Hajji. "He felt that he was the only one right and people were wrong, he felt he was the centre of everything, he was important. He always had problems with everyone."AP Sports SummaryBrief at 4:48 p.m. EST

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Dallas Cowboys cheerleader shocks internet with $600 Christmas gift for 40 squad members... totaling $24,000 Marissa Phillips her 40-strong squad with a $600 Dyson Airwrap each The sporting star, 24, recorded the sweet gesture in a video shared online The internet was stunned over the massive gesture By CYDNEY YEATES FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 22:27 GMT, 23 December 2024 | Updated: 22:28 GMT, 23 December 2024 e-mail View comments Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Marissa Phillips pulled off the ultimate surprise by gifting her 40-strong squad with a Dyson Airwrap each – totaling an eye-watering $24,000. The sporting star, 24, recorded the sweet gesture in a video shared on her social media, which revealed the exact moment her team unwrapped their new luxury hair tool in unison. Marissa began the clip in her home with the huge pile of presents set in front of her Christmas tree. 'I am giving these away to my best friends tonight so come along with me as I pull off the best surprise ever,' she gushed. 'It's kind of hard to get 40 girls in the same room at once, so we have a Christmas party tonight and my idea was surprising them all with [the Airwraps] after the Christmas Party, so I'm gonna have them all set up [and] arranged. 'They have their names on them, and we wrapped them all, so yes, I did wrap 40 individual boxes with the help of my lovely fiancé.' Marissa then shared a clip from inside the party and showed the moment her squad opened their impressive gifts. With all 40 members sat down with their boxes, Marissa gave a quick speech where she told them that they 'deserve the world.' Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Marissa Phillips pulled off the ultimate surprise by gifting her 40-strong squad with a Dyson Airwrap each – totaling an eye-watering $24,000 The sporting star, 24, recorded the sweet gesture on her social media Shortly afterwards, the team tore off the red wrapping paper and revealed the pricey hair tool underneath, and naturally, they were shocked. Wails of excitement were heard, and one cheerleader cried out, 'There is absolutely no way.' Marissa's followers were equally stunned by her generosity and commended her for treating her teammates to such a lavish gift. Taking to the comments, one wrote: 'Wow... you are so sweet... what a great surprise and how generous of you...y ou will be blessed tenfold.' 'How sweet and generous of you,' another agreed. 'Christmas isn't always about the getting of gifts but the giving of joy. 'I'm sure you put a smile on everyone's face. Thank you for your generous spirit! Happy holidays.' A third penned: 'How beautiful honey. So so sweet.' 'The reactions are everything,' said a fourth. Marissa surprised her squad with the hair tool at their Christmas party And it's fair to say her 40-strong team were blown away by the luxurious present A fifth added: 'You have a beautiful heart Marissa, thank you for always spreading love and kindness. You deserve all the happiness in the world.' Designed to transform lacklustre hair in an instant, the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler & Dryer is the true original does-it-all hair tool, allowing you to curl, shape, smooth and hide fly-aways in one - and fans say it makes their hairstyles 'last all day.' It comes with six attachments: a Coanda Smoothing Dryer, Firm Smoothing Brush, Soft Smoothing Brush, Round Volumizer, a 1.6' Barrel, and a 1.2' barrel. The Dyson Airwrap retails at $599 and rarely goes on sale. It appears as though Marissa might have received a little helping hand from her friends at Dyson for the stunt, however, as she made sure to thank the brand in her caption on Instagram. Alongside her surprise video, she wrote: 'Be right back... just playing one of Santa's Elves. 'Huge thank you to @dysonbeauty and @dysonusa for helping me pull of the biggest surprise to the girls who deserve it most! All the love.' Marissa has been a cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys since August 2022. Marissa (second on the right) has been a cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys since 2022 She announced that she'd joined the squad in an Instagram post at the time, alongside a photo in which she held up her new uniform from inside her dressing room. 'I am truly so thankful for this process, the lessons I've learned, the memories and the friends I have made and for the many more amazing experiences to come,' she said at the time. 'Thank you to everyone who helped me through the process, I am so excited and can't wait for this season! Let's go, Cowboys.' Instagram Dallas Cowboys Share or comment on this article: Dallas Cowboys cheerleader shocks internet with $600 Christmas gift for 40 squad members... totaling $24,000 e-mail Add comment

A woman has been injured after falling into a hole caused by an explosion at an Australian tourism hotspot. or signup to continue reading Queensland Ambulance said a woman in her 20s fell into a hole created by an explosion in a manhole on Cavill Avenue at Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast around 5pm on Sunday. The woman was pulled from the hole by bystanders before paramedics arrived to take her to Gold Coast University Hospital with minor injuries. The explosion sparked an exclusion zone, with Queensland Police asking people to avoid Cavill Avenue, Elkhorn Ave, The Esplanade, and Surfers Paradise Boulevard. "Members of the public are advised to avoid the area and those within the exclusion zone are asked to remain indoors until further notice," police said around 6pm on Sunday. Online video revealed the manhole acting like a trap door during an initial explosion when the women fell in before a second explosion shortly after. A couple who was having dinner when the explosion rocked the tourist strip said they weren't allowed home for hours. "We were sitting in a restaurant ... and we heard a small explosion," Beck and Dave Morrison told the Nine Network. "We just ordered dinner and then we heard another really loud explosion. "Then the police cars and the fire trucks were here and we were told to evacuate immediately." Five fire crews responded to the incident, monitoring the scene and doing readings for gas in the area. The cause of the explosion has not yet been identified. The exclusion zone was revoked around 8pm as police continued to investigate the incident. 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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Advertisement AdvertisementCould a personal health guide forecast your well-being?INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Jalen Green scored 31 points, Amen Thompson added 22 and the Houston Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 117-106 on Sunday night. The Rockets ended a two-game skid without starter Fred VanVleet, who missed his first game of the season because of a right knee contusion. Bones Hyland led the Clippers with 22 points off the bench, making a team-best five 3-pointers, and Ivica Zubac added 21 points and 12 rebounds. Kevin Porter Jr. had 19 points in his first career start for the team. The Clippers lost their second straight at home after they suffered a 28-point drubbing at the hands of Minnesota on Wednesday. They kept it close in the first quarter before the Rockets took control. Takeaways Rockets: They had six players in double figures, with Jabari Smith Jr. having 13 points and 13 rebounds. Alperen Sengun had 11 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Clippers: They were already missing James Harden (sore right groin) when two more players went down. Amir Coffey sustained a right shoulder contusion in pre-game warmups and starter Derrick Jones Jr. left after the first quarter with right hamstring soreness. Their bench still outscored the Rockets' reserves, 38-21, but they were outdone 50-33 on the boards. Key moment The Rockets ran off 12 straight points, including seven in a row by Green, near the end of the second quarter to lead 64-52 at halftime. They kept the Clippers in catch-up mode the rest of the game, with Houston stretching its lead to 16 points in the third. Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, left, and Houston Rockets center Steven Adams grapple with each other as they wait for a rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. Credit: AP/Mark J. Terrill Key stat The Rockets shot 49% from the floor and made 22 of 26 free throws. Up next The Rockets host Golden State in an NBA Cup West quarterfinal on Wednesday. The Clippers visit Denver on Friday.TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republicans made claims about illegal a centerpiece of their 2024 and plan to push legislation in the new Congress requiring voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship. Yet there’s one place with a GOP supermajority where linking voting to citizenship appears to be a nonstarter: Kansas. That’s because the state has been there, done that, and all but a few Republicans would prefer not to go there again. Kansas imposed a proof-of-citizenship requirement over a decade ago that grew into one of the biggest political fiascos in the state in recent memory. The law, passed by the state Legislature in 2011 and implemented two years later, ended up blocking the voter registrations of more than 31,000 U.S. citizens who were otherwise eligible to vote. That was 12% of everyone seeking to register in Kansas for the first time. Federal courts ultimately declared the law an unconstitutional burden on voting rights, and it hasn’t been enforced Kansas provides a cautionary tale about how pursuing an election concern that in fact is risks disenfranchising a far greater number of people who are legally entitled to vote. The state’s top elections official, Secretary of State Scott Schwab, championed the idea as a legislator and now says states and the federal government shouldn’t touch it. “Kansas did that 10 years ago,” said Schwab, a Republican. “It didn’t work out so well.” Steven Fish, a 45-year-old warehouse worker in eastern Kansas, said he understands the motivation behind the law. In his thinking, the state was like a store owner who fears getting robbed and installs locks. But in 2014, after the birth of his now 11-year-old son inspired him to be “a little more responsible” and follow politics, he didn’t have an acceptable copy of his birth certificate to get registered to vote in Kansas. “The locks didn’t work,” said Fish, one of nine Kansas residents who sued the state over the law. “You caught a bunch of people who didn’t do anything wrong.” A small problem, but wide support for a fix Kansas’ experience appeared to receive little if any attention outside the state as Republicans elsewhere pursued proof-of-citizenship requirements this year. Arizona this year, applying it to voting for state and local elections but not for Congress or president. The Republican-led U.S. House passed in the summer and plans to bring back similar legislation after the GOP won control of the Senate in November. In Ohio, revised the form that poll workers use for voter eligibility challenges to require those not born in the U.S. to show naturalization papers to cast a regular ballot. A federal judge declined to block the practice days before the election. Also, sizable majorities of voters in Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina and the presidential swing states of North Carolina and Wisconsin were inspired to amend their state constitutions’ provisions on voting even though the changes were only symbolic. Provisions that previously declared that all U.S. citizens could vote now say that only U.S. citizens can vote — a meaningless distinction with no practical effect on who is eligible. To be clear, voters already must attest to being U.S. citizens when they register to vote and noncitizens can face fines, prison and deportation if they lie and are caught. “There is nothing unconstitutional about ensuring that only American citizens can vote in American elections,” U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, of Texas, the leading sponsor of the congressional proposal, said in an email statement to The Associated Press. Why the courts rejected the Kansas citizenship rule After Kansas residents challenged their state’s law, both a federal judge and federal appeals court concluded that it violated a law limiting states to collecting only the minimum information needed to determine whether someone is eligible to vote. That’s an issue Congress could resolve. The courts ruled that with “scant” evidence of an actual problem, Kansas couldn’t justify a law that kept hundreds of eligible citizens from registering for every noncitizen who was improperly registered. A federal judge concluded that the state’s evidence showed that only 39 noncitizens had registered to vote from 1999 through 2012 — an average of just three a year. In 2013, then-Kansas Secretary of State a Republican who had built a national reputation advocating tough immigration laws, described the possibility of voting by as a serious threat. He was elected attorney general in 2022 and still strongly backs the idea, arguing that federal court rulings in the Kansas case “almost certainly got it wrong.” Kobach also said a key issue in the legal challenge — people being unable to fix problems with their registrations within a 90-day window — has probably been solved. “The technological challenge of how quickly can you verify someone’s citizenship is getting easier,” Kobach said. “As time goes on, it will get even easier.” Would the Kansas law stand today? The U.S. Supreme Court in 2020. But in August, it in allowing Arizona to continue enforcing its law for voting in state and local elections while a legal challenge goes forward. Seeing the possibility of a different Supreme Court decision in the future, U.S. Rep.-elect Derek Schmidt says states and Congress should pursue proof-of-citizenship requirements. Schmidt was the Kansas attorney general when his state’s law was challenged. “If the same matter arose now and was litigated, the facts would be different,” he said in an interview. But voting rights advocates dismiss the idea that a legal challenge would turn out differently. Mark Johnson, one of the attorneys who fought the Kansas law, said opponents now have a template for a successful court fight. “We know the people we can call,” Johnson said. “We know that we’ve got the expert witnesses. We know how to try things like this.” He predicted “a flurry — a landslide — of litigation against this.” Born in Illinois but unable to register in Kansas Initially, the Kansas requirement’s impacts seemed to fall most heavily on politically unaffiliated and young voters. As of fall 2013, 57% of the voters blocked from registering were unaffiliated and 40% were under 30. But Fish was in his mid-30s, and six of the nine residents who sued over the Kansas law were 35 or older. Three even produced citizenship documents and still didn’t get registered, according to court documents. “There wasn’t a single one of us that was actually an illegal or had misinterpreted or misrepresented any information or had done anything wrong,” Fish said. He was supposed to produce his birth certificate when he sought to register in 2014 while renewing his Kansas driver’s license at an office in a strip mall in Lawrence. A clerk wouldn’t accept the copy Fish had of his birth certificate. He still doesn’t know where to find the original, having been born on an Air Force base in Illinois that closed in the 1990s. Several of the people joining Fish in the lawsuit were veterans, all born in the U.S., and Fish said he was stunned that they could be prevented from registering. Liz Azore, a senior adviser to the nonpartisan Voting Rights Lab, said millions of Americans haven’t traveled outside the U.S. and don’t have passports that might act as proof of citizenship, or don’t have ready access to their birth certificates. She and other voting rights advocates are skeptical that there are administrative fixes that will make a proof-of-citizenship law run more smoothly today than it did in Kansas a decade ago. “It’s going to cover a lot of people from all walks of life,” Avore said. “It’s going to be disenfranchising large swaths of the country.” ___ Associated Press writer Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report. John Hanna, The Associated Press