League fines Hawks $100,000 for Young missing NBA Cup gameGiving thanks for America, overtime, the ‘Piano Man’1. Silly Poopy's Hide and Seek because it's exactly what it sounds like, and it sounds pretty darn fun already. Take turns hiding this rainbow-colored gadget around the house — it'll shout clues, eventually playing a song when it's finally found. Now who's ready for another round?! Relatable is a small business that sells card games/toys, plushies, and pool floats. Promising review: " My 6- and 3-year-old are OBSESSED. They play for an hour at least! Played with daily since we got it. When it’s my turn to hide, I make it tricky enough that I can actually be productive until it’s my turn again." — Cara Lentz Get it from Amazon for $12.99 . 2. A miniature baking set with a 48-page recipe book for the junior pâtissier so they can make teeny tiny versions of real dishes and learn all about food science without the usual big kitchen messes. The set comes with a storage tin, rolling pin, wee knife, pizza/dough cutter, mixing spoon, three wee spoons, mixing bowl, pizza/pie pan, pie server, sheet pan, silicone cake and cupcake molds, two silicone finger mitts, and a 48-page recipe book. Promising review: " My 9-year-old daughter LOVES this — OK more like is obsessed with this! Everything holds up and is durable. The recipes are so simple to follow. She takes over the kitchen and does everything by herself. Cooks things in the toaster oven. She makes us delicious cinnamon rolls, apple pies, pizzas...everything! Everything is written and geared to have a child be able to do it. We have told all her friends, and now they all have this, too! The kids on the street all come to our house just so they can tiny bake! Every kid needs one of these!" — Summer Get it from Amazon for $20.45 . 3. A set of Globbles so they can join the legions of TikTokers already loving this stress-relieving fidget toy. These colorful balls are not just fun to squeeze and stretch, but they also stick to pretty much any flat surface without leaving behind messy residue. Promising review: "A huge hit with my children. We bought them for one child with autism, and he’s obsessed with these. Christmas morning has been pure joy for him playing with these, and all of us joined in on the fun. They are not exploding on us nor are they 'peeling' our ceiling paint or plaster off. Overall, I would absolutely buy these again and recommend them to anyone else. Especially anyone who has a special needs child or child with sensory issues."— SamSurgany Get a set of six from Amazon for $9.99 (also available in a pack of 16). 4. An interactive scissor skills activity pad if you know a little one who needs a little work on their cutting skills (also me, tbh). This book is filled with mazes, puzzles, animal art, and more activities that'll have them snipping up a storm with the included safety scissors. Promising review: " My son is obsessed with this activity scissor kit! The scissors are perfect for a toddler or even younger! They're not dangerous at all, which gives this mom one less thing to worry about! Many pages to cut, and each page is also an activity to play with over and over again! Love this item!" — Kristina Wells Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 5. A lightweight LCD writing tablet to provide mini Picassos of all ages with an endlessly reusable canvas for their creations. It's SUPER easy to travel with, so don't be surprised if they challenge you to a riveting game of tic-tac-toe in the car. Promising review: " I purchased this gift for my just turned 2-year-old daughter, and she is obsessed — and so am I! It is mess-free, nontoxic, endless coloring fun! She will scribble to her heart's desire, and with one push of a button, she has a clean slate. This clearing function also has a locking feature to prevent erasing, but she hasn’t used it yet! Highly recommend!" — Helen Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in two sizes and four colors). 6. A pack of tangle-free parachute toys that kids will love tossing from on high (i.e. the second floor) and watching as these colorful little guys float on down to safety. Promising review: " Love that they are tangle-free! My son is obsessed with playing with them and hasn’t put them down since we received them!" — LAURA L. Get a pack of four from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in two styles). 7. A set of magnetic building tiles because kids of all ages (and a lot of adults, too) will have a blast becoming the architect of their own colorful creations. If they already have a pack of the pricy Magna-Tiles , these are fully compatible. PicassoTiles is a small business developing creative toys that encourage open-ended play. Promising review: " My daughter is obsessed with these magnets. She absolutely loves them. They are durable and have lasted nearly a year so far. I don't see them being unusable anytime soon. Definitely worth the price." — Chelsea Get a 60-piece set from Amazon for $25.99 . 8. A bestselling Take Along Tunes toy with volume control for a portable and surprisingly not annoying musical distraction that plays 10 different classical melodies. Promising review: "I have a son who is almost 2 years old. If I could only have one toy for him, this would be it. He has been obsessed with this toy since he was old enough to hit the button on his own, and he still loves it now that he's almost 2. I never would have thought that this toy could be so essential or important. It seemed neat and popular, so I got it along with a lot of other stuff before he was born. I had no idea how endlessly entertaining such a simple toy could be. If I ever have another child, I will probably buy a new one just because the sticker has become so worn with use." — JHev Get it from Amazon for $8.99 . 9. A logic puzzle Gravity Maze so you can trick them into STEM learning and hands-on problem solving with 60 multi-level puzzles they'll actually have so much fun completing. The game comes with 60 challenges that range from beginner to expert so it will hold their interest as they work their way up to the trickier ones. Promising review: " My 10-year-old son is obsessed with this game. He loves figuring out each maze. It makes him use problem-solving skills and logic. This is a great toy for an only child whose parents can't entertain the child every minute. He chooses this over video games! Now that is saying something." — Amy P. Get it from Amazon for $24.72 . 10. A sprinkle whale bath toy with colorful flashing lights if you want to help make bath time the best time of the day. This *whaley* cute toy is rechargeable and can keep the water spraying fun going for 80 minutes straight. Promising review: "We got this for our 5-month-old since he loves to try and hold/catch running water. He LOVES this! In the tub it gets him sooo excited. We have even taken it outside in his small, shallow splash pad, and it still works. He loves catching the water and picking it up. And in the tub likes to try to sneak a sip haha. He is now almost 8 months old and is still obsessed. There are sensors on the bottom that when it hits water will turn it on, and when it needs to be charged, the water does not go very high or will just shut off. A definite bathtub fave for sure!" — Jo Edith Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in six styles). 11. A colorful wooden puzzle to bring Tetris-like delight out into the real world after they've hit their daily screentime limit and you're out of entertainment ideas. Reviewers say this is a great toy for a wide range of ages — from 3 to 12. Promising review: " My toddler is obsessed! The construction is solid, pieces are well-finished (no splinters or uneven cuts), and I love that this particular type of puzzle will allow him to make different arrangements each time. Currently, he loves to assemble the same 20–30-piece puzzles over and over again, and I wanted to find him something that would present a little challenge with critical thinking as well as variety." — Alex Get it from Amazon for $8.99 . 12. A game of Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza that's super simple to learn, great for all ages, and anything but boring. Play this fast-paced party game once and they'll be begging to bring it out at every future game night. The rules are simple. Deal the deck out to all players (works with three to eight players). Everyone keeps their mini deck face down and goes around the table flipping a card face up and saying one of the five key words (taco, cat, goat, cheese, and pizza — in that order). Once the card played matches the word said, it's a race to slap that center card. Whoever taps in last has to take the center stack, and the round starts over. Whoever gets rid of all their cards first wins! Promising review: "This game is a hit! My 5-year-old is obsessed, and my teenage sisters were fighting over who got to bring it to camp, so I had to buy two copies! It's such a fun party game, it is guaranteed to bring the laughs." — Jennifer Simms Get it from Amazon for $9.95 . 13. A set of satisfying tempera paint sticks for transforming craft time from a big hassle into a regular source of fun. These easy-to-hold pens deliver all the rich, creamy color they'd expect from regular paint, but without the risk of spills and other major messes, since they're washable and dry in just 90 seconds! Promising review: " These are my favorite art accessory ever! My girls are obsessed , they work on paper...rocks...anything! We can't get enough." — R. Ras Get a pack of 24 pens from Amazon for $22.99 . 14. Or a nostalgic scratch paper art set because it's about time you share some of the technicolor fun you used to get up to as a kid. The set includes 50 scratch papers and plenty of styluses and stencils for multiple kids to enjoy at once. Promising review: "My kids are obsessed with these things. They can make their own design. Plenty of papers." — Sierra Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in pink and blue). 15. An at-home scavenger hunt so when winter weather prevents that (vital) energy-burning trip to the park, you and your tot will still have a fun and engaging way to play, as they track down objects commonly found around the house. Mollybee Kids is a family-run small business creating high-quality toys that promote learning, staying active, and most importantly, fun! Promising review: " A must-have. My 2-year-old son is obsessed. Always asks to play the 'find you' game, LOL. Then we play it, and every option on the game, he actually thinks really hard, then says, 'Come on mommy,' and runs me through the house to find the object. Highly recommended from a mom of four." — Britney bansley Get it from Amazon for $12.99 (available in three other styles). 16. A realistic mini Dyson vacuum if your favorite little tyke's current obsession is copying everything the adults do — chores included. This bite-sized vacuum actually works (there's even a tiny debris tray to empty) so they can "help" with household cleaning and gain some valuable motor skills along the way. You'll need four C batteries . Promising review: " Purchased for my son's first birthday. He is completely obsessed. Two months later and he is still entertained for long periods of time by his vacuum. Highly recommend for active kiddos! I was worried he would be too little, but this did not disappoint." — Sarah Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in three colors). 17. A silicone teething toy with a pacifier clip to help your favorite wee one find some on-the-go relief from teething-related pain. Ryan & Rose is a family-owned small business creating stylish, safe, and functional products for everyone in the family. Promising review: " My 5-month-old son is obsessed with his. I love the neutral colors and how easy it is to clean. We can clip it onto our Baby Björn or onto his car seat and gives him something to play with when we are on the go! Such great quality, too." — Mhinkle2518 Get it from Amazon for $13.98 (available in eight colors). 18. An itty-bitty Baby Yoda Bluetooth speaker that packs big sound in a portable package that any Star Wars fan will love clipping to their backpack for blasting background music to their own adventures. Promising review: "Bought this for my husband for Father’s Day, but my kids (4/6) are obsessed with this. It is little, and they can carry around with them or place really anywhere! It is easy to connect with device, and sound is actually really good and clear. Price is great, too!" — Amy Get it from Amazon for $19.99 . 19. A pair of GeoSafari kid binoculars because it'll help them get up close and personal with all the flora and fauna they've been increasingly captivated by without, ya know, actually getting too close. Promising review: " I got a set for my girls (3.5 and 1.5), and they are obsessed. We use them on hikes and at the zoo. I did end up tying the string together because the anti-choke clasp just kept coming undone too easily, and I was constantly fixing it. Yes, it is only a simple magnifying view, but that’s all they need at this age." — Eliza Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in green and pink). 20. An eight-page busy board for a fun on-the-go way to improve their motor skills with practical activities like buttons, buckles, zippers, and a whole lot more. Promising review: "Our 20-month-old absolutely loves this. She is obsessed with clips and buckles, and plays with this for ages in the car! Well worth it for any toddler who loves to buckle." — Minnesotan Get it from Amazon for $22.89+ (available in four styles). 21. A too-cute "Make a Fox Friend" kit so they can get creative, add a new plushie to their collection, AND learn some sewing basics all with one superb gift. Craft-tastic is a woman-owned small business based in Michigan. All their products are focused on teaching kids new skills and limiting screen time. Each kit comes with six garments, eight accessories, kid-friendly plastic needle, thread, a fox, and easy-to-follow instructions. For ages 5+. Promising review: " My niece was obsessed with this. I thought of this as a minor gift that I gave her (5 years old) with a bunch of other fun things, but this ended up being her favorite. My sister-in-law now buys this as a gift for all the kid parties they go to. " — Amy Get it from Amazon for $22.98 (also available in a bunny version). 22. A mini Waving Inflatable Tube Guy if the backseat of your car explodes with excitement whenever they spot one of these wacky noodles out in the wild. Now they can have one of their very own to fire up whenever an impromptu dance party is in order. Promising review: "My youngest loves seeing these guys everywhere we go. When we drive around and she sees one outside, she yells, 'Look, it's a (color) guy!' So we got her this little one. She is just obsessed with how she has one of her own! It is so cool. Made of awesome material. The fan is strong, and it waves around just like the larger ones you can put in your yard." — Joe H Get it from Amazon for $8.58 . 23. A LeapFrog 100 Words Book to help brainiacs-in-training expand their English *and* Spanish vocab. Don't worry — this book is no snooze-fest with touch-activated sound effects, songs, and fun facts. I certainly wish my old textbooks had been this interactive! Promising review: "My baby has been obsessed with this since she got it! I enjoy that she can flip through the pages herself, and she loves to touch the words she knows. It is built tough, especially against a toddler throwing it around." — Kelsey Get it from Amazon for $12.97 . 24. A two-pack of Mini Brands mystery balls that are all the rage over on TikTok. There is something universally delightful about everyday objects (in this case, brands they've seen all over the grocery aisle like Lunchables, Kool-Aid, and Heinz) made adorably small. Each ball contains five surprise mini-brands! Promising reviews: "My 8-year-old daughter is obsessed with these. She uses them to play with her dolls as their food source. It’s adorable to watch her at play in her world of pretend. I even join her to play with these." — Tappe328 Get a pack of two from Amazon for $24.99 . 25. A mesmerizing fidget cube because somehow it can seamlessly transform into over 70 different shapes, which is blowing my mind so I have to imagine it's gotta be pretty exciting for a child, too. You can even combine multiple cubes to inspire larger creations. Promising review: "I bought one for myself as a fidget desk object during the work day but quickly found it pretty entertaining. It wasn’t long before my 5-, 6-, and 7-year-old found it and are OBSESSED. They were literally fighting to play with it. I ordered three more the next day so everyone has one they can share. I’m so impressed at how they find this puzzle box more entertaining than screens. Awesome product!" — Raian Get it from Amazon for $25 (available in 20 patterns and in larger multipacks). 26. A sophisticated wooden piano for training up the next mini maestro with a toy that plays real music and even includes six sets of beginner "sheet music" so they can gradually learn to play classic melodies. Promising review: " My 1-year-old is obsessed! Love that it will grow with her. Right now she just loves the music and sounds, but later on, she can learn from the cards that come with it." — Heather Get it from Amazon for $28.65 . 27. A Disney necklace activity set so they can get started designing their future jewelry collection while letting everyone know exactly where they stand on the best princess debate (Correct answer: all of them). Promising review: " My 4-year-old is so obsessed with this particular product that she has made me five or six different things already. She really loves what she's doing. Great product for the price. Especially if your child loves to be creative." — John Bartley Get it from Amazon for $14.99 . 28. And a gorgeous Ariel Barbie doll if they can't stop, won't stop singing "Part of Your World" and you think it's about time they have a playmate that's always down for an underwater singalong. Promising review: "The doll itself is gorgeous, the face sculpt and makeup is really well done and pretty, and the tail is also super detailed. My kid is obsessed with it so I have zero complaints. " — Paige M Get it from Amazon for $10.99 . 29. A massive dino race track complete with cars shaped like T. Rex heads and tons of flexible pieces to build the topsy-turvy track of their dreams. And don't be surprised if adults looking to indulge their Jurassic Park nostalgia join in on the fun, too! Promising review: "My son received this set as a gift for Christmas and he really loves it. I asked the gifter where they got it, and I have since bought the same set two times as a gift to other toddlers my son's age. And each time, it's a huge hit! Kids are just obsessed with this. Even I had fun playing this with my son. I like how versatile the tracks are. Totally worth it!" — olive Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in two colors). 30. A value pack of 500+ puffy stickers because who doesn't love stickers in their stockings?! Especially ones with a textured, 3D look that can easily be reused without leaving behind a sticky mess. The stickers feature letters, numbers, vehicles, butterflies, deep-sea life, animals, fish, dinosaurs, and more. Promising reviews: " My 1.5-year-old is obsessed with these. Not sticky enough to do any damage but can also be reused a few times" — Katie Merkatoris " I love that they are removable. They don’t leave marks on your window. You can even place them back on the plastic sheet and use them again. I have a busy box for my toddler, and these stickers are in there. She peels them off and puts them on the lid of the box and then peels them off again and puts them back. She creates scenes with them. She puts them on windows at home. I peel them off and put them back. They really are fantastic stickers ." — Elizabeth A. Zapf Get a pack of 20 sheets from Amazon for $5.59 . Your face when they love your gift *and* you stayed under budget: The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.how to play jili games 。

Bengals keep confidence and playoff hopes high as they head for a showdown with Pittsburgh

NEW YORK (AP) — Shortly before he was to be flogged and imprisoned for eight years, Mohammad Rasoulof fled Iran. His weekslong journey would take him from Tehran, through rural Iranian villages, on foot across a mountainous borderland and ultimately to Hamburg, Germany. As arduous and dangerous as the trip was, Rasoulof’s travels had an added wrinkle: He was trying to finish a movie at the same time. A week after arriving in Germany, Rasoulof would premiere his film, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” at the Cannes Film Festival in France. As he fled, Rasoulof was preoccupied with the movie’s edit, which was being carried out in Germany. “I remember when I was sitting in the car that was driving me to the border,” Rasoulof says. “I had my laptop and I was taking notes and sending them to my editor. The two friends who were taking me kept saying, ‘Put that thing away for a second.’” In Cannes, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” won a special jury prize and Rasoulof was celebrated with a 13-minute standing ovation. The movie has since been hailed as one of the best of the year, and arguably its most daring. RELATED COVERAGE The best movies of 2024 as ranked by AP film writers Rasoulof made “Sacred Fig” clandestinely in Iran, directing scenes from a separate location to avoid raising suspicions. (The opening titles read: “When there is no way, a way must be made.”) Its story — a devastating family drama set during the 2022 protests that engulfed Iran — would surely only add to Rasoulof’s prison sentence. So after all of this, how is he feeling? When he recently met with The Associated Press for an interview, Rasoulof shrugged. “Ordinary,” he says. Rasoulof, 52, has a more gentle, bemused presence than some of his films would suggest. But how could Rasoulof, after what he’s lived through this year, feel anything like ordinary? “I still haven’t grasped the meaning of exile,” he explains. “I think it will take some time. The feeling of that void has not hit me yet, and I think it may never come.” Rasoulof has been busy traveling from film festival to film festival. In September, he and his 24-year-old daughter attended the Telluride festival in Colorado. Many more such stops were to come. Since fleeing Iran, Rasoulof has effectively been immersed in the world he’s long known: cinema. “Maybe I am living in the world of cinema, and maybe that’s why things are so familiar,” he agrees. “Maybe that’s why I don’t feel I’m in exile.” Rasoulof accepts the special prize award at the Cannes Film Festival. (Photo by Andreea Alexandru/Invision/AP, File) Rasoulof accepts the special prize award at the Cannes Film Festival. (Photo by Andreea Alexandru/Invision/AP, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” currently playing in theaters, is the Oscar submission from Rasoulof’s adoptive home, Germany. He’s settled in with his family, grateful for how the country has welcomed him. Speaking through an interpreter, Rasoulof grants that he’ll probably always mentally have a bag packed, ready to return to Iran should the chance ever come. But what “home” constitutes has changed for him. “I might be able to change this concept of home for myself,” he says. “I walk on the streets here and I see people of different colors and forms from all over the place, and they all call this place home. So there’s always the chance that one can build something new.” How oppressive politics can infiltrate the home is central to “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” It concerns a family of four: Iman (Missagh Zareh), a lawyer newly appointed to the Revolutionary Court in Tehran; his wife, Najmeh (Soheila Golestani) and their two daughters, Rezvan (Mahsa Rostami) and Sana (Setareh Maleki). Soheila Golestani, from left, Mahsa Rostami, and Setareh Maleki in a scene from “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” (Neon via AP) Soheila Golestani, from left, Mahsa Rostami, and Setareh Maleki in a scene from “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” (Neon via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Iman is proud of his high position, but, when the government crackdown on protesters following the death of Mahsa Amini accelerates, his daughters are increasingly at odds with him. After Iman’s gun goes missing, his wife and daughters turn into suspects. “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” populated with real cellphone videos from the protests, plays out as an excruciating microcosm of Iranian society. “It wasn’t like I put those videos in. They just came in,” says Rasoulof. “The reality is that it was through those videos I realized what happened. When the Woman, Life, Freedom movement occurred, I was in prison.” Rasoulof has spent several spells in Tehran’s Evin Prison. In 2010, he was arrested on set for filming without a permit. In 2022, he was jailed for seven months after pursuing the release of another of Iran’s most prominent filmmakers, Jafar Panahi. Panahi, who secretly made the film “No Bears,” was only released in 2023 after commencing a hunger strike. “My windows at home opened to the hills that have the Evin prison in them,” says Rasoulof. “I knew behind those walls many of my friends were sitting.” Rasoulof, inspired by the courage of the younger generation, resolved to pour the same spirit into “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” Although it wasn’t until Rasoulof’s appeal of his sentence failed that he resolved to flee, he grants that deciding to make “Sacred Fig” essentially sealed his fate. “Making this film was part of that decision,” he says. “Although I had made up my mind earlier, because it was such a bitter decision, I was denying it and delaying it, waiting for a miracle to allow me to stay.” “I would open the fridge to make sure there was nothing there that would go bad,” he adds. “It was a strange circumstance.” For the film’s actors and crew members, signing up for the movie meant also becoming co-conspirators. Everyone knew the risks. And, like Rasoulof, many of them have since left Iran. Rostami and Maleki also now live in Germany. Asked if his collaborators are all currently safe, Rasoulof responds: “No one is safe from the Islamic Republic.” In his new life, Rasoulof is experiencing freedoms he never had in Iran. His films, for example, are widely available outside his native country but not in Iran. His prize-winning 2020 drama “There Is No Evil,” about capital punishment in Iran, is banned — though, ironically, Rasoulof’s prison guards enjoyed watching it with him from a flash drive. Missagh Zareh, left, and Soheila Golestani in a scene from “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” (Neon via AP) Missagh Zareh, left, and Soheila Golestani in a scene from “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” (Neon via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More “I haven’t seen many of my films on a big screen, especially my last film,” he says. “I really want to see ‘There Is No Evil’ on a big screen. A festival in Portugal has promised to take me to see my own film.” The name of Rasoulof’s film comes from his memory of an ancient fig tree he once visited on an island in the south of Iran. It’s a tree that, with apparent metaphorical meaning for the Iranian government, spreads its seeds onto other trees, killing them and growing in their place. Rasoulof pulls out his phone to share a photo of his apartment in Tehran. Outside a large window, you can see the walls of Evin running along a craggy hillside. Inside are many houseplants. “This is my home,” he says. “I have a lot of plants. I really miss my plants. I have a neighbor who takes care of them for me. I actually have a fig tree at home.”

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