Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Middle East latest: Bethlehem marks a somber Christmas Eve amid war in Gaza TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Palestinian city of Bethlehem is preparing for another somber Christmas under the shadow of war in Gaza. Most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israel’s bombardment and ground invasion has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. Heavy travel day off to a rough start after American Airlines briefly grounds all flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne Tuesday about one hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that 1,447 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed. Twenty-eight flights were canceled. Millions of travelers are expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers through Jan. 2. Major storm pounds California's central coast, blamed for man's death and partially collapsing pier SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — A major storm has pounded California’s central coast bringing flooding and high surf that was blamed for fatally trapping a man beneath debris on a beach and later partially collapsing a pier, tossing three people into the Pacific Ocean. The storm was expected to bring hurricane-force winds and waves up to 60 feet Monday as it gained strength from California to the Pacific Northwest. Some California cities have ordered beachfront homes and hotels to evacuate early Monday afternoon. Forecasters have warned that storm swells would continue to increase throughout the day. Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark’s only the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931. 20 years after the Indian Ocean tsunami, a boy found in the mud embraces being known as 'Baby 81' KURUKKAL MADAM, Sri Lanka (AP) — The boy once known as “Baby 81,” who was pulled from the mud as an infant after the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and reunited with his parents following an emotional court battle, is now a 20-year-old dreaming of higher education. Jayarasa Abilash’s story symbolizes that of the many families torn apart by one of the worst natural calamities in modern history, but it also offers hope. He grew up being followed by the nickname “Baby 81” and feeling embarrassed until he learned more about the events that tore him from his family and brought him back. He has lost his fear. A blast at a Turkish ammunition factory kills 11 people ISTANBUL (AP) — An explosion at an ammunition factory in northwest Turkey left 11 dead and five injured Tuesday morning. The state-run Anadolu Agency says the blast occurred in Balikesir province, in a rural area away from population centers. The provincial governor says one building collapsed and others were damaged, The governor says the explosion was due to a technical issue and there was no possibility of sabotage. An investigation has begun. France has a new government, again. Politics and crushing debt complicate next steps PARIS (AP) — France’s president and prime minister have managed to form a new government just in time for the holidays. Now comes the hard part. Crushing debt, pressure from the nationalist far right, wars in Europe and the Mideast. The hallenges abound for President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Francois Bayrou. They already had a tumultuous 2024. The most urgent order of business is passing a 2025 budget. Financial markets, ratings agencies and the European Commission are pushing France to bring down its deficit. It is threatening the stability and prosperity of all countries that share the euro currency. Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Ethics Committee’s long-awaited report into Rep. Matt Gaetz documents a trove of salacious allegations of misconduct, including sex with an underage girl, that tanked the Florida Republican’s nomination to lead the Justice Department. Citing text messages, travel receipts, online payments and other evidence, the committee painted a picture of a lifestyle in which Gaetz and others connected with younger women for drug-fueled parties, events or trips, with the expectation the women would be paid for their participation. Gaetz, who had filed a last-minute lawsuit to try to block the report’s release Monday, slammed the committee’s findings. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and has insisted he never had sex with a minor. Legendary Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal dies at age 90 NEW DELHI (AP) — Shyam Benegal, a renowned Indian filmmaker known for pioneering a cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s, has died after chronic kidney disease. He was 90. His contribution to cinema was recognized as a director, editor and screenwriter. He came into the limelight with films that challenged mainstream Bollywood by dealing with the social realities of a poor nation. He also was a mentor to top Indian actors. India's prime minister says he is “deeply saddened” by Benegal's death.King and PM honour former US president Jimmy Carter after his death aged 100

Meta’s Ray-Ban Glasses Get a Vision Upgrade: Displays and AI on the Horizon

There are certain things in life you should never skimp on: beds, toilet paper, and desk chairs, to name a few. We spend so much of our lives sitting down at our desks, so it is important to get a chair that supports us properly. That said, you don't need to take out a loan or buy a super high-end ergonomic chair or office chair (unless that's what you're looking for) to be comfortable all day. There are plenty of chairs made for gamers specifically, and one of our top picks right now is the Razer Enki X. We recently updated our list of the best budget gaming chairs , and the Razer Enki X won the title of 'most comfortable gaming chair.' The Enki X is a good chair even at full price, but now you can save $100 as part of Amazon's Black Friday sale . Get the Razer Enki X Gaming Chair for $299 IGN's most comfortable gaming chair on a budget One of the best things about the Razer Enki X is that it's easy to put together, only taking a few minutes to assemble when it arrives (I always hate spending tons of time before I can enjoy my things). It can tilt from 90 to 160 degrees, and the seat can adjust in height from 17.7-21.6". It's got built-in lumbar support, which is going to come in handy for longer gaming sessions at your desk. It sports a mixture of faux leather and fabric so it breathes well, too. While the upgraded Razer Enki is the focus of our full review , we also mentioned the Enki X among our best gaming chairs list . The only difference between the Enki and Enki X is that the latter doesn't come with a magnetic neck pillow, and the functionality of the armrests is more limited. The Razer Enki has armrests which can be moved forward or back, heightened or lowered, and even have the angle adjusted. With the Enki X, you can only move them up or down in their fixed position. Not a huge deal, but something to consider. The big brother Enki is also on sale on Amazon , but the discount isn't nearly as good. Is It Worth Buying at This Price? Yes, it's a good time to get the Razer Enki X. Gaming chairs typically go for several hundred dollars, but they aren't all made of quality components (the Enki X has a metal frame that supports up to 300 pounds), they aren't all comfortable (this model got our award for comfort), and without going to a physical store, it's hard to get a sense of whether it's even a good chair or not. Personally, I wouldn't even use the magnetic pillow or the fancy armrests on the more expensive Enki (as I type this, I'm not even using my own armrests), so getting the less expensive Enki X would be my move. Knocking $100 off that already decent price puts it firmly in the 'good decision' camp, but you need to decide how important those extra features are to you. If you don't want to spend this much even with the sale price in mind, there are even less expensive options below, but I would say it's easily worth spending at least $150 in order to get a solid chair. More Gaming Chair Deals While $299 is a lot cheaper than the high-end ergonomic chairs you can get, there are affordable alternatives still to consider. More Black Friday Deals There are tons of Black Friday deals available now, including early Amazon Black Friday deals , not to mention the Walmart deals , Target sales , and Best Buy deals , too. If you are brave enough to open the firehose, check out our massive list of all our favorite Black Friday deals in 2024. Brian Barnett writes reviews, guides, features, & more for IGN , GameSpot , & Kotaku. You can get more than your fair share of him on Bluesky & Backloggd , & enjoy his absurd video game talk show, The Platformers, on Spotify & Apple Podcasts .NoneZoom Video: Fiscal Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Horoscope Today: Astrological Predictions on December 30, 2024, For All Zodiac Signs

A 7-year-old rivalry between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and prevent an artificial intelligence "dictatorship" is now heading to a federal judge as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker's ongoing shift into a for-profit company. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year alleging it had betrayed its founding aims as a nonprofit research lab benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits. Musk has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. The world's richest man, whose companies include Tesla, SpaceX and social media platform X, last year started his own rival AI company, xAI. Musk says it faces unfair competition from OpenAI and its close business partner Microsoft, which has supplied the huge computing resources needed to build AI systems such as ChatGPT. “OpenAI and Microsoft together exploiting Musk’s donations so they can build a for-profit monopoly, one now specifically targeting xAI, is just too much,” says Musk's filing that alleges the companies are violating the terms of Musk’s foundational contributions to the charity. OpenAI is filing a response Friday opposing Musk’s requested order, saying it would cripple OpenAI’s business and mission to the advantage of Musk and his own AI company. A hearing is set for January before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. At the heart of the dispute is a 2017 internal power struggle at the fledgling startup that led to Altman becoming OpenAI's CEO. Musk in an email outlined a plan where he would “unequivocally have initial control of the company” but said that would be temporary. He grew frustrated after two other OpenAI co-founders said he would hold too much power as a major shareholder and chief executive if the startup succeeded in its goal to achieve better-than-human AI known as artificial general intelligence, or AGI. Musk has long voiced concerns about how advanced forms of AI could threaten humanity. “The current structure provides you with a path where you end up with unilateral absolute control over the AGI," said a 2017 email to Musk from co-founders Ilya Sutskever and Greg Brockman. “You stated that you don't want to control the final AGI, but during this negotiation, you've shown to us that absolute control is extremely important to you.” In the same email, titled “Honest Thoughts,” Sutskever and Brockman also voiced concerns about Altman's desire to be CEO and whether he was motivated by “political goals.” Altman eventually succeeded in becoming CEO, and has remained so except for a period last year when he was fired and then reinstated days later after the board that ousted him was replaced. OpenAI published the messages Friday in a blog post meant to show its side of the story, particularly Musk's early support for the idea of making OpenAI a for-profit business so it could raise money for the hardware and computer power that AI needs. It was Musk, through his wealth manager Jared Birchall, who first registered “Open Artificial Technologies Technologies, Inc.”, a public benefit corporation, in September 2017. Then came the “Honest Thoughts” email that Musk described as the “final straw.” “Either go do something on your own or continue with OpenAI as a nonprofit,” Musk wrote back. OpenAI said Musk later proposed merging the startup into Tesla before resigning as the co-chair of OpenAI's board in early 2018. Musk didn't immediately respond to emailed requests for comment sent to his companies Friday. Asked about his frayed relationship with Musk at a New York Times conference last week, Altman said he felt “tremendously sad” but also characterized Musk’s legal fight as one about business competition. “He’s a competitor and we’re doing well,” Altman said. He also said at the conference that he is “not that worried” about the Tesla CEO’s influence with President-elect Donald Trump. OpenAI said Friday that Altman plans to make a US$1 million personal donation to Trump’s inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships with the incoming administration.NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are rising toward records Tuesday after Donald Trump’s latest talk about tariffs created only some ripples on Wall Street, even if they could roil the global economy were they to take effect. The S&P 500 climbed 0.5% and was on track to top its all-time high set a couple weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 81 points, or 0.2%, to its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.5% higher, with less than an hour remaining in trading.

Amaravati: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday registered a case against suspended senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer N. Sanjay for alleged misuse of funds. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led NDA government earlier ordered an ACB probe against Sanjay who served as the Director General of State Disaster Response and Fire Services and Chief of Crime Investigation Department (CID) under the previous government of YSR Congress Party. The ACB inquiry against him was ordered on the basis of a report by the Vigilance and Enforcement (V&E) Department which looked into the allegations against the IPS officer. The ACB had written to Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari seeking permission to initiate action against Sanjay under Section 17 A of the Prevention of Corruption Act. After receiving the approval from the Chief Secretary, the ACB registered a case. Sanjay, who is now the Additional Director General of Police, has been named as accused number one. Sautrika Technologies Infra Private Ltd. and Kritvyap Technologies were listed as accused number two and three respectively. There were allegations that the 1993-batch IPS officer was involved in certain irregularities while serving as Director General of State Disaster Response and Fire Services. The V&E Department reportedly found misuse of funds to the tune of Rs 2 crore. Sanjay had allegedly given a contract to Sautrika Technologies to operate the AGNI-NOC website, mobile app development and operation and supply of 150 tabs. There are allegations that Rs 59.93 lakh were paid to the company without any work. The IPS officer had also allegedly cleared payment of Rs 1.19 crore to Kritvyap Technologies on behalf of CID for organising programmes to create awareness among Dalits and tribals about the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Sanjay was suspended by the state government on December 4 for alleged violation of conduct rules. The General Administration Department issued an order, placing the former CID Chief under suspension under Rule 3 (1) of All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969. The IPS officer was directed not to leave the headquarters. During the previous YSR Congress Party government, Sanjay as the CID Chief supervised the probe into the cases related to the Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation scam and alignment of the Amravati Inner Ring Road against the then Leader of Opposition and TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu. These cases resulted in the arrest of Naidu who spent nearly two months in jail. After Chandrababu Naidu assumed office as the Chief Minister in June following the electoral victory of TDP-led NDA, Sanjay was transferred and he was asked to report at the office of the DGP.‘That happened to me years ago with Jiffy Cornbread mix’: Woman buys Bisquick Baking Pancake Mix from Walmart. Then she opens the box

S&P Dow Jones Indices Announces Dow Jones Sustainability Indices 2024 Review ResultsJimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100

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In a message to the American people, the King expressed “great sadness” at the news of Mr Carter’s death, describing him as “a committed public servant” who “devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights”. He added: “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. “My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981 and spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Carter had “lived his values in the service of others to the very end” through “decades of selfless public service”. Praising a “lifelong dedication to peace” that saw him win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Sir Keir added: “Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad.” Tributes to Mr Carter followed the announcement of his death by his family on Sunday, more than a year after he decided to enter hospice care. His son, Chip Carter, said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love.” Very sorry to hear of President Carter’s passing. I pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. pic.twitter.com/IaKmZcteb1 — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) December 29, 2024 US President Joe Biden, one of the first elected politicians to endorse Mr Carter’s bid for the presidency in 1976, said the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said: “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us.” Vice President Kamala Harris said Mr Carter “reminded our nation and the world that there is strength in decency and compassion”. “His life and legacy continue to inspire me — and will inspire generations to come,” she said. “Our world is a better place because of President Carter.” Other UK politicians also paid tribute to Mr Carter. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he was “an inspiration” who “led a truly remarkable life dedicated to public service with a genuine care for people”. Scottish First Minister John Swinney described the former president as “a good, decent, honest man who strove for peace in all that he did”, while Welsh First Minister said he was “a remarkable man” and “a humanitarian and scholar”. Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said Mr Carter’s “life was a testament to public service”. He added: “I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need.” Gordon Brown, another former prime minister, said it was a “privilege” to have known Mr Carter, who “will be mourned, not just in America, but in every continent where human rights are valued”. Mr Carter is expected to receive a state funeral featuring public observances in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington DC before being buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. A moderate democrat born in Plains in October 1924, Mr Carter’s political career took him from the Georgia state senate to the state governorship and, finally, the White House, where he took office as 39th president in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. His presidency saw economic disruption amid volatile oil prices, along with social tensions at home and challenges abroad including the Iranian revolution that sparked a 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. But he also brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979. After his defeat in the 1980 presidential election, he worked more than four decades leading The Carter Centre, which he and his late wife Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope”. Under his leadership, the Carter Center virtually eliminated Guinea Worm disease, which has gone from affecting 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia in 1986 to just 14 in 2023. Mrs Carter, who died last year aged 96, had played a more active role in her husband’s presidency than previous first ladies, with Mr Carter saying she had been “my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished”. Earlier this year, on his 100th birthday, Mr Carter received a private congratulatory message from the King, expressing admiration for his life of public serviceAthena Technology Acquisition Corp. II Announces Receipt of Notice of Non-Compliance with NYSE American Continued Listing Requirements

, /PRNewswire/ -- S&P Dow Jones Indices ("S&P DJI"), the world's leading index provider, today announced the results of the annual (DJSI) rebalancing and reconstitution. The DJSI are float-adjusted market capitalization weighted indices that measure the performance of companies selected using environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. The DJSI, including the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World), were launched in 1999 as the pioneering series of global sustainability benchmarks available in the market. The index family is comprised of global, regional and country benchmarks. As a result of this year's review, the following top three largest companies based on free-float market capitalization have been added to and deleted from the DJSI World. All changes are effective on . Airbus SE, Schlumberger Ltd, BAE Systems Plc Alphabet Inc , UnitedHealth Group Inc, ASML Holding NV The full results and list of DJSI constituents will be available as of , at S&P Dow Jones Indices will be renaming a number of its sustainability and ESG-related indices (see ). As part of this update, the family of Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) will be renamed Dow Jones Best-in-Class Indices. The changes will become effective on . The S&P Global CSA Scores will continue to be a key factor in selecting constituents for the DJSI when they are renamed Dow Jones Best-in-Class Indices in . For more information about the DJSI methodology, please visit: . S&P Dow Jones Indices is the largest global resource for essential index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average®. More assets are invested in products based on our indices than products based on indices from any other provider in the world. Since invented the first index in 1884, S&P DJI has been innovating and developing indices across the spectrum of asset classes helping to define the way investors measure and trade the markets. S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies, and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit: . Still member of DJSI World Enlarged and DJSI North America Still member of DJSI World Enlarged View original content: SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices

Athena Technology Acquisition Corp. II Announces Receipt of Notice of Non-Compliance with NYSE American Continued Listing Requirements