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Xbox marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) by sharing a blog post wherein the Microsoft-owned brand detailed accessibility updates. The post was written by Kaitlyn Jones, senior accessibility product manager for Xbox’s gaming accessibility group. “International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed each December to promote awareness, understanding and equal participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of society and development,” Jones wrote in the blog post’s introduction. “At Xbox, we view play as a fundamental aspect of today’s society that should be accessible to as many people as possible. We strive to create inclusive experiences that empower players to enjoy the games they want, in the ways they want, surrounded by the communities they want to play with.” Jones mentioned peripheral-centric updates pertaining to the Xbox Adaptive Controller and Elite Series 2. There are new remapping options available to players, of which Jones said is “an important part of accessibility” as it gives people the ability to customize controls based on their needs and tolerances. The update features new functionality such as Toggle Holds and mapping stick moment to button presses. Both, Jones said, are generally intended for gamers who may lack the dexterity for prolonged button presses and the like. In addition, players now have the option to map mouse inputs to the Xbox controller, giving them the ability to “use an Xbox Adaptive Controller to view a game guide on YouTube during a break in the action, make a PowerPoint presentation or check email,” Jones said. Lastly, Xbox announced it has added support for remapping the hat switch on some joysticks to function as “the opposite stick” when attached to the Xbox Adaptive Controller. Elsewhere, Jones mentions the slew of updates made to Diablo IV and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 . I covered these last month . Both titles are nominees in the Game Awards’ Innovation in Accessibility category; the ceremony takes place next week in Los Angeles. And in World of Warcraft , the development team is celebrating Norwegian gamer Mats “Ibelin” Steen ahead of the Netflix documentary The Remarkable Life of Ibelin . Steen has a progressive neuromuscular disease called Duchenne muscular dystrophy , and WoW players can purchase the Raven pack in support of the nonprofit CureDuchenne organization, which Jones writes is a leader in the “research, [patient] care, and innovation for improving and extending the lives of individuals with Duchenne.” This week’s news from Xbox comes after similar news from late August.
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This Crypto Is Redefining Finance and Outpacing DOGE and SHIBIsrael and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fighting JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has approved a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire is set to take hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Israeli warplanes have carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict amid a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 42 people were killed in strikes across Lebanon, according to local authorities. President Joe Biden said his administration now would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. What both sides are saying about the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah A ceasefire deal that could end more than a year of cross-border fighting between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group won backing from Israeli leaders. The truce that is set to take effect early Wednesday raised hopes and renewed difficult questions in a region gripped by conflict. Hezbollah leaders also signaled tentative backing for the U.S.-brokered deal, which offers both sides an off-ramp from hostilities But the deal does little directly to resolve the much deadlier war that has raged in Gaza since Hamas militants attacked southern Israel last October. Cheap Ozempic? How millions of Americans with obesity may get access to costly weight-loss drugs WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of obese Americans would get access to popular weekly injectables that would help them shed pounds quickly if a $35 billion proposal from the Biden administration is blessed by President-elect Donald Trump. The rule, unveiled Tuesday by the Health and Human Services Department, would require Medicare and Medicaid to cover weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound for a large segment of Americans who are obese. But it’s unclear if the proposal, which would not go into effect until after Trump takes office, will have support from his new administration — including from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an opponent of the drugs who has been tapped by the president-elect to serve as head of HHS. Trump vows tariffs over immigration. What the numbers say about border crossings, drugs and crime. WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is threatening tariffs on Mexico and Canada as he seeks to portray them as responsible for illegal immigration and drug smuggling. Over its tenure, the Biden administration has struggled with growing numbers of migrants arriving at the southern border. But this year, the number of people crossing the border without documents has actually been falling. That's due in part to stricter enforcement by Mexican authorities as well as asylum restrictions announced earlier this year by the Biden administration. When it comes to fentanyl smuggling, much of the deadly supply comes from Mexico though statistics show more than 86% of those sentenced for fentanyl trafficking crimes in the 12 months ending September 2023 were U.S. citizens. AP finds that a Pentagon-funded study on extremism in the military relied on old data Early this year, Pete Hegseth told a Fox News audience a new, Pentagon-funded study proved that the number of military service members and veterans involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection did not indicate a wider problem in the armed forces. Hegseth, Donald Trump's pick to head the Department of Defense, wasn’t alone. The Wall Street Journal’s opinion page highlighted the same report as evidence that extremists in military communities were “phantoms” created by a “false media narrative.” The X account for Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee posted that the study showed the focus on extremism in the military was a “witch hunt.” But The Associated Press has found that the study relied on old data, misleading analyses and ignored evidence that pointed to the opposite conclusion. How Trump's bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Jack Smith move to abandon two federal cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats Trump was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump's political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Walmart's DEI rollback signals a profound shift in the wake of Trump's election victory NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are re-evaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world’s biggest retailer on Monday followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The retreat from such programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Brazil’s Bolsonaro planned and participated in a 2022 coup plot, unsealed police report alleges SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was fully aware of and actively participated in a coup plot to remain in office after his defeat in the 2022 election, according to a Federal Police report that has been unsealed. Brazil’s Federal Police last Thursday formally accused Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup. They sent their 884-page report to the Supreme Court, which lifted the seal. Bolsonaro called a meeting in December 2022, during which he presented a draft decree to the commanders of the three divisions of the armed forces, that would have declared the vote fraudulent, to justify a possible military intervention. Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. New rule allows HIV-positive organ transplants People with HIV who need a kidney or liver transplant will be able to receive an organ from a donor with HIV. That's according to a new rule announced Tuesday by U.S. health officials. Previously, such transplants could be done only as part of research studies. The new rule takes effect Wednesday. It's expected to shorten the wait for organs for all, regardless of HIV status, by increasing the pool of available organs. The practice is supported by a decade of research, during which 500 transplants of kidneys and livers from HIV-positive donors have been done in the U.S. Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump's promised crackdown on immigration President-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency’s supervision.
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President-elect Donald Trump continues to promise a mass deportation effort when he returns to the White House, but questions remain about how such a policy would affect the Texas workforce. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly 5% of the American workforce consists of undocumented immigrants. In Texas, that number is even higher, with undocumented workers making up 8% of the state’s workforce, totaling more than 1 million individuals. Many of these workers are employed in essential industries, including farming, construction, meatpacking, housekeeping, landscaping and restaurant services. Jon Taylor, a professor of political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio, said mass deportation is a controversial issue, with supporters arguing for stricter immigration policies. One such supporter is Texas State Rep. David Spiller, who represents an area near Fort Worth. “The federal government has identified that about two-thirds of those arrested on federal charges in our country are here illegally,” Spiller said. But if a mass deportation, like the one President Trump has promised, goes forward, the impact on Texas’ workforce could be severe. “It would cripple the Texas economy,” Taylor warned. “There are estimates that Texas would be hit harder than most other states.” Taylor noted that industries reliant on immigrant labor, such as construction and hospitality, may resist mass deportation policies. The rapid growth of cities along the I-35 corridor between San Antonio and Austin could face significant disruption. “We’ve already begun to see some pushback from agricultural interests, particularly in Texas, questioning whether the scope of deportations being promised would harm the state’s agricultural sector,” Taylor said. While the full impact of such policies remains uncertain, Taylor emphasized that the only way to know the consequences is to see them unfold. “If migrants in key industries are suddenly deported, it could lead to a much slower approach to enforcement,” Taylor concluded. As the nation waits to see how Trump’s mass deportation plan develops, Texas’ workforce, particularly in sectors heavily reliant on immigrant labor, faces an uncertain future.
Luigi Mangione, who is accused of shooting and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, fought extradition to New York during a hearing in a Pennsylvania court on Dec. 10. During the hearing, Mangione was denied bail—something he has 14 days to challenge—while prosecutors raised concerns about him being a flight risk. Mangione’s attorney, Thomas Dickey, said his client wanted a hearing on extradition and on whether a second-degree murder charge from New York might be eligible for bail. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said that it would seek a governor’s warrant to secure Mangione’s extradition. A felony warrant from New York cited Altoona police stating that written admissions to the crime were found in Mangione’s belongings. A law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press said that Mangione was likely motivated by anger toward health insurance companies. A Pennsylvania police complaint alleged that Mangione committed forgery, carried a firearm without a license, tampered with records or identification, possessed instruments of crime, and falsely identified himself to law enforcement. The law enforcement bulletin said that Mangione described Ted Kaczynski, the “Unabomber,” as a political revolutionary and that Mangione’s targeting of Thompson appeared to be symbolic. It also said Mangione described health care companies as parasitic and wrote about how profits increased while life expectancy didn’t. Mangione’s cousin, Maryland House of Delegates member Nino Mangione, posted a family statement on social media on Dec. 9. “Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione,” the statement read. “We only know what we have read in the media. Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest. We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.”Suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggles, shouts while entering courthouse
Column: The looming GOP divide over school vouchersOne person turns up surprisingly often at Donald Trump’s side. Not his No 2, JD Vance, nor his wife, Melania, but another man a quarter-century younger and about $300 billion heavier: Elon Musk. The two hunkered down in Mar-a-Lago on the night of the election, celebrating the results. This week they were in Texas, watching Mr. Musk’s staff test-launch a spacecraft. During the campaign, Mr. Musk personally chipped in $130 million, made speeches at rallies and organized campaigns to “get out the vote.” Last week, the world’s richest man was picked by the president-elect to run a new “department of government efficiency.” So close are the pair that Mr. Musk dubs himself “First Buddy.” American politics has always been coiled around money, tight as a vine around a trunk. Nearly 25 years ago, George W. Bush joked at a swanky white-tie dinner: “Some people call you the elites; I call you my base.” Nor is it confined to the right wing. Of the two main candidates in this month’s election, more billionaires backed Kamala Harris. One result is a highly warped politics that works against the very people it urges to go out and vote. The renowned political scientists Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson observe that many rich countries have succumbed to rightwing populism — but Mr. Trump is different. He talks populist, but walks plutocratic. According to Prof. Hacker and Prof. Pierson he is “fixated on helping the wealthiest Americans.” The $1.5 trillion of tax cuts he made in his first term meant that, for the first time in history, billionaires paid a lower rate than the working class. The Republicans were always the party of big business, but Mr. Trump is turning them into a playpen for oligarchs. This autumn, Mr. Musk was the only boss of a Fortune 100 business to donate to the Republicans, compared with the 42 company heads who supported Mr. Bush in 2004. Mr. Trump’s donors do not come from the big institutions of corporate America but are often drawn from casinos, crypto currency, fossil fuels and shadow banking. Business leaders used to argue that their support for politicians was in the hope of securing long-term stability and competent economic stewardship. This time, some appear to have been made very particular promises. In April, Mr. Trump convened a dinner for fossil-fuel executives and lobbyists, where he reportedly demanded they donate $1 billion. In return, they’d face fewer pesky regulations on where they could drill. “It’s a whole different class,” one longtime handler of Republican donors told the New Yorker last month. Rather than a photo op and a grand dinner, “they want to essentially get their issues in the White House ... They want someone to take their calls.” And they probably don’t want too much scrutiny. Mr. Musk’s appointment to the “department of government efficiency” is both less and more than it seems. It’s not a Washington job that would burden the tech billionaire with regulations around conflicts of interest; rather he will “provide advice and guidance from outside of government.” This sounds like unparalleled access without much responsibility, which leaves the American public reliant on Mr. Trump’s personal ethics to safeguard their democracy.
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