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Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” Europe's economy needs help. Political chaos in France and Germany means it may be slower in coming BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe's economy has enough difficulties, from tepid growth to trade tensions with the U.S. Dealing with those woes is only getting harder due to the political chaos in the two biggest European countries, France and Germany. Neither has a government backed by a functioning majority, and France could take a while yet to sort things out. But some problems aren't going to wait, such as what to do about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's America First stance on trade and how to fund stronger defense against Putin's Russia. ‘Moana 2’ cruises to another record weekend and $600 million globally “Moana 2” remains at the top of the box office in its second weekend in theaters as it pulled in another record haul. According to studio estimates Sunday, the animated Disney film added $52 million, bringing its domestic total to $300 million. That surpasses the take for the original “Moana” and brings the sequel's global tally to a staggering $600 million. It also puts the film in this year's top five at the box office. “Wicked” came in second place for the weekend with $34.9 million and “Gladiator II” was third with $12.5 million. The 10th anniversary re-release of Christopher Nolan's “Interstellar” also earned an impressive $4.4 million even though it played in only 165 theaters. Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok as soon as next month, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Executive of Tyler Perry Studios dies when plane he was piloting crashes in Florida ATLANTA (AP) — The president of Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios has died when the small plane he was piloting crashed on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The studio confirmed on Saturday that Steve Mensch, its 62-year-old president and general manager, had died Friday. The crash happened in Homosassa, about 60 miles north of Tampa. Photos from the scene show the plane having come to rest upside down on a road. Mensch helped advocate for Georgia’s film tax credit of more than $1 billion a year. Perry hired Mensch to run his namesake studio in 2016. Mensch died as Perry released his war drama, “The Six Triple Eight." The film was shot at the Atlanta studio. US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation. The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8% to set its own record. Treasury yields eased after the jobs report showed stronger hiring than expected but also an uptick in the unemployment rate. Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass NEW YORK (AP) — In an era when online anger and social tensions are increasingly directed at the businesses consumers count on, Meta last year spent $24.4 million to surround CEO Mark Zuckerberg with security. But the fatal shooting this week of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. And experts say the task of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them is getting more difficult. One of the primary worries are loners whose rantings online are fed by others who are like-minded. It’s up to corporate security analysts to decide what represents a real threat. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. USDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus The U.S. government has ordered testing of the nation’s milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows. The Agriculture Department on Friday said raw or unpasteurized milk from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting Dec. 16. Testing will begin in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The move is aimed at eliminating the virus, which has infected more than 700 dairy herds in 15 states.None

NoneThe year in review: Influential people who died in 2024

Is Enron back? If it’s a joke, some former employees aren’t laughingIt was a murder case almost everyone had an opinion on. O.J. Simpson 's “trial of the century” over the 1994 killings of his ex-wife and her friend bared divisions over race and law enforcement in America and brought an intersection of sports, crime, entertainment and class that was hard to turn away from . In a controversial verdict, the football star-turned-actor was acquitted in the criminal trial but later found civilly liable in the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. Years later, he served nine years in prison on unrelated charges. His death in April brought an end to a life that had become defined by scrutiny over the killings. But he was just one of many influential and noteworthy people who died in 2024. Alexei Navalny, who died in prison in February, was a fierce political foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin, crusading against corruption and staging protests against the Kremlin. He had been jailed since 2021 when he returned to Russia to face certain arrest after recovering in Germany from nerve agent poisoning he blamed on the Kremlin. Other political figures who died this year include: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi; former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney; Vietnamese politician Nguyen Phu Trong; U.S. congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee; former Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai Ryzhkov; pundit Lou Dobbs; Greek politician Vasso Papandreou; former U.S. senators Joe Lieberman, Jim Inhofe, Tim Johnson and Jim Sasser; Namibian President Hage Geingob; and former Lebanese prime minister Salim Hoss. The year also brought the deaths of several rights activists, including the reverends Cecil L. “Chip” Murray and James Lawson Jr.; Dexter Scott King; Hydeia Broadbent; and David Mixner. Business leaders who died this year include: Indian industrialist Ratan Tata, The Home Depot co-founder Bernard “Bernie” Marcus, financier Jacob Rothschild and Daiso retail chain founder Hirotake Yano. Simpson wasn't the only athlete with a complex legacy who died this year. Pete Rose, who died in September, was a career hits leader in baseball whose achievements were tarnished when it was revealed he gambled on games. Other noteworthy sports figures who died include: basketball players Jerry West and Dikembe Mutombo; baseball players Willie Mays and Fernando Valenzuela; and gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi. The music industry lost a titan in producer Quincy Jones , who died in November. His many contributions included producing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album and working with hundreds of other musicians over a long and storied career. Other artists and entertainers who died this year include: actors James Earl Jones, Chita Rivera, Donald Sutherland, Gena Rowlands, Louis Gossett Jr., Shelley Duvall, Kris Kristofferson, Sandra Milo, Anouk Aimée, Carl Weathers, Joyce Randolph, Tony Todd, Shannen Doherty and Song Jae-lim; musicians Sergio Mendes, Toby Keith, Phil Lesh, Melanie, Dickey Betts, Françoise Hardy, Fatman Scoop, Duane Eddy and Frankie Beverly; filmmakers Roger Corman and Morgan Spurlock; authors Faith Ringgold and N. Scott Momaday; TV fitness guru Richard Simmons; sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer; talk show host Phil Donahue; and poets Shuntaro Tanikawa, John Sinclair and Kazuko Shiraishi. Here is a roll call of some noteworthy figures who died in 2024 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available): JANUARY Zvi Zamir , 98. A former director of Israel’s Mossad spy service who warned that Israel was about to be attacked on the eve of the 1973 Mideast war. Jan. 2. Glynis Johns , 100. A Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie “Mary Poppins” and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim. Jan. 4. David Soul , 80. The actor-singer was a 1970s heartthrob who co-starred as the blond half of the crime-fighting duo “Starsky & Hutch” and topped the music charts with the ballad “Don’t Give Up on Us.” Jan. 4. Franz Beckenbauer , 78. He won the World Cup both as a player and coach and became one of Germany’s most beloved personalities with his easygoing charm. Jan. 7. Joyce Randolph , 99. A veteran stage and television actor whose role as the savvy Trixie Norton on “The Honeymooners” provided the perfect foil to her dimwitted TV husband. Jan. 13. Jack Burke Jr. , 100. He was the oldest living Masters champion and staged the greatest comeback ever at Augusta National for one of his two majors. Jan. 19. Marlena Shaw , 81. The jazz and R&B vocalist whose “California Soul” was one of the defining soul songs of the late 1960s. Jan. 19. Mary Weiss , 75. The lead singer of the 1960s pop group the Shangri-Las, whose hits included “Leader of the Pack.” Jan. 19. Gigi Riva , 79. The all-time leading goalscorer for Italy’s men’s national team was known as the “Rombo di Tuono” (Rumble of Thunder). Jan. 22. Dexter Scott King , 62. He dedicated much of his life to shepherding the civil rights legacy of his parents, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Jan. 22. Charles Osgood , 91. He anchored “CBS Sunday Morning” for more than two decades, was host of the long-running radio program “The Osgood File” and was referred to as CBS News’ poet-in-residence. Jan. 23. Melanie , 76. The singer-songwriter who rose through the New York folk scene, performed at Woodstock and had a series of 1970s hits including the enduring cultural phenomenon “Brand New Key.” Jan. 23. N. Scott Momaday , 89. A Pulitzer Prize-winning storyteller, poet, educator and folklorist whose debut novel “House Made of Dawn” is widely credited as the starting point for contemporary Native American literature. Jan. 24. Herbert Coward , 85. He was known for his “Toothless Man” role in the movie “Deliverance.” Jan. 24. Car crash. Sandra Milo , 90. An icon of Italian cinema who played a key role in Federico Fellini’s “81⁄2” and later became his muse. Jan. 29. Jean Carnahan , 90. She became the first female senator to represent Missouri when she was appointed to replace her husband following his death. Jan. 30. Chita Rivera , 91. The dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists and shrugged off a near-fatal car accident. Jan. 30. FEBRUARY Carl Weathers , 76. A former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies, starring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore.” Feb. 1. Ian Lavender , 77. An actor who played a hapless Home Guard soldier in the classic British sitcom “Dad’s Army.” Feb. 2. Hage Geingob , 82. Namibia’s president and founding prime minister who played a central role in what has become one of Africa’s most stable democracies after returning from a long exile in Botswana and the United States as an anti-apartheid activist. Feb. 4. Bob Beckwith , 91. A retired firefighter whose chance encounter with the president amid the rubble of ground zero became part of an iconic image of American unity after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Feb. 4. Toby Keith , 62. A hit country crafter of pro-American anthems who both riled up critics and was loved by millions of fans. Feb. 5. Stomach cancer. John Bruton , 76. A former Irish prime minister who played a key role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland. Feb. 6. Sebastián Piñera , 74. The two-time former president of Chile faced social upheaval followed by a pandemic in his second term. Feb. 6. Helicopter crash. Seiji Ozawa , 88. The Japanese conductor amazed audiences with the lithe physicality of his performances during three decades at the helm of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Feb. 6. Henry Fambrough , 85. The last surviving original member of the iconic R&B group The Spinners, whose hits included “It’s a Shame,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love” and “The Rubberband Man.” Feb. 7. Robert Badinter , 95. He spearheaded the drive to abolish France’s death penalty, campaigned against antisemitism and Holocaust denial, and led a European body dealing with the legal fallout of Yugoslavia’s breakup. Feb. 9. Bob Edwards , 76. He anchored National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition” for just under 25 years and was the baritone voice who told many Americans what had happened while they slept. Feb. 10. Hirotake Yano , 80. He founded the retail chain Daiso known for its 100-yen shops, Japan’s equivalent of the dollar store. Feb. 12. Alexei Navalny , 47. The fiercest foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests. Feb. 16. Lefty Driesell , 92. The Hall of Fame coach whose folksy drawl belied a fiery on-court demeanor that put Maryland on the college basketball map and enabled him to rebuild several struggling programs. Feb. 17. Hydeia Broadbent , 39. The HIV/AIDS activist came to national prominence in the 1990s as a young child for her inspirational talks to reduce the stigma surrounding the virus she was born with. Feb. 20. Jacob Rothschild , 87. The financier and philanthropist was part of the renowned Rothschild banking dynasty. Feb. 26. Richard Lewis , 76. An acclaimed comedian known for exploring his neuroses in frantic, stream-of-consciousness diatribes while dressed in all-black, leading to his nickname “The Prince of Pain.” Feb. 27. Nikolai Ryzhkov , 94. A former Soviet prime minister who presided over botched efforts to shore up the crumbling national economy in the final years of the USSR. Feb. 28. Brian Mulroney , 84. The former Canadian prime minister forged close ties with two Republican U.S. presidents through a sweeping free trade agreement that was once vilified but is now celebrated. Feb. 29. MARCH Iris Apfel , 102. A textile expert, interior designer and fashion celebrity known for her eccentric style. March 1. Akira Toriyama , 68. The creator of the best-selling Dragon Ball and other popular anime who influenced Japanese comics. March 1. Blood clot. Chris Mortensen , 72. The award-winning journalist covered the NFL for close to four decades, including 32 as a senior analyst at ESPN. March 3. David E. Harris , 89. He flew bombers for the U.S. military and broke barriers in 1964 when he became the first Black pilot hired at a major U.S. airline. March 8. Eric Carmen , 74. The singer-songwriter fronted the power-pop 1970s band the Raspberries and later had soaring pop hits like “All by Myself” and “Hungry Eyes” from the hit “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack. March 11. Paul Alexander , 78. A Texas man who spent most of his life using an iron lung chamber and built a large following on social media, recounting his life from contracting polio in the 1940s to earning a law degree. March 11. David Mixner , 77. A longtime LGBTQ+ activist who was an adviser to Bill Clinton during his presidential campaign and later called him out over the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy regarding gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer personnel in the military. March 11. M. Emmet Walsh , 88. The character actor brought his unmistakable face and unsettling presence to films including “Blood Simple” and “Blade Runner.” March 19. Lou Whittaker , 95. A legendary American mountaineer who helped lead ascents of Mount Everest, K2 and Denali, and who taught generations of climbers during his more than 250 trips up Mount Rainier, the tallest peak in Washington state. March 24. Joe Lieberman , 82. The former U.S. senator of Connecticut nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election and almost became Republican John McCain’s running mate eight years later. March 27. Complications from a fall. Louis Gossett Jr. , 87. The first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots.” March 28. William D. Delahunt , 82. The longtime Massachusetts congressman was a Democratic stalwart who postponed his retirement from Washington to help pass former President Barack Obama’s legislative agenda. March 30. Chance Perdomo , 27. An actor who rose to fame as a star of “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” and “Gen V.” March 29. Motorcycle crash. Barbara Rush , 97. A popular leading actor in the 1950s and 1960s who co-starred with Frank Sinatra, Paul Newman and other top film performers and later had a thriving TV career. March 31. APRIL Lou Conter , 102. The last living survivor of the USS Arizona battleship that exploded and sank during the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. April 1. John Sinclair , 82. A poet, music producer and counterculture figure whose lengthy prison sentence after a series of small-time pot busts inspired a John Lennon song and a star-studded 1971 concert to free him. April 2. The Rev. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray , 94. An influential pastor and civil rights leader who used his tenure at one of Los Angeles’ oldest churches to uplift the predominantly Black neighborhoods following one of the country’s worst race riots. April 5. Peter Higgs , 94. The Nobel prize-winning physicist proposed the existence of the so-called “God particle” that helped explain how matter formed after the Big Bang. April 8. Ralph Puckett Jr. , 97. A retired Army colonel awarded the Medal of Honor seven decades after he was wounded leading a company of outnumbered Army Rangers in battle during the Korean War. April 8. O.J. Simpson , 76. The decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but later found liable in a separate civil trial. April 10. William Strickland , 87. A longtime civil rights activist and supporter of the Black Power movement who worked with Malcolm X and other prominent leaders in the 1960s. April 10. Robert MacNeil , 93. He created the even-handed, no-frills PBS newscast “The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour” in the 1970s and co-anchored the show with his late partner, Jim Lehrer, for two decades. April 12. Faith Ringgold , 93. An award-winning author and artist who broke down barriers for Black female artists and became famous for her richly colored and detailed quilts combining painting, textiles and storytelling. April 12. Carl Erskine , 97. He pitched two no-hitters as a mainstay on the Brooklyn Dodgers and was a 20-game winner in 1953 when he struck out a then-record 14 in the World Series. April 16. Bob Graham , 87. A former U.S. senator and two-term Florida governor who gained national prominence as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks and as an early critic of the Iraq war. April 16. Dickey Betts , 80. The guitar legend who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man.” April 18. Roman Gabriel , 83. The first Filipino-American quarterback in the NFL and the league MVP in 1969. April 20. Terry Anderson , 76. The globe-trotting Associated Press correspondent became one of America’s longest-held hostages after he was snatched from a street in war-torn Lebanon in 1985 and held for nearly seven years. April 21. William Laws Calley Jr. , 80. As an Army lieutenant, he led the U.S. soldiers who killed hundreds of Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai massacre, the most notorious war crime in modern American military history. April 28. Duane Eddy , 86. A pioneering guitar hero whose reverberating electric sound on instrumentals such as “Rebel Rouser” and “Peter Gunn” helped put the twang in early rock ‘n’ roll and influenced George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen and countless others. April 30. MAY Dick Rutan , 85. He, along with copilot Jeana Yeager, completed one of the greatest milestones in aviation history: the first round-the-world flight with no stops or refueling. May 3. Jeannie Epper , 83. A groundbreaking performer who did stunts for many of the most important women of film and television action of the 1970s and ’80s, including star Lynda Carter on TV’s “Wonder Woman.” May 5. Bernard Hill , 79. An actor who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” and went down with the ship as the captain in “Titanic.” May 5. Steve Albini , 61. An alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more. May 7. Kim Ki Nam , 94. A North Korean propaganda chief who helped build personality cults around the country’s three dynastic leaders. May 7. Pete McCloskey , 96. A pro-environment, anti-war California Republican who co-wrote the Endangered Species Act and co-founded Earth Day. May 8. Ralph Kennedy Frasier , 85. The last surviving member of a trio of African American youths who were the first to desegregate the undergraduate student body at North Carolina’s flagship public university in the 1950s. May 8. Roger Corman , 98. The “King of the Bs” helped turn out such low-budget classics as “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Attack of the Crab Monsters” and gave many of Hollywood’s most famous actors and directors early breaks. May 9. Alice Munro , 92. The Nobel laureate was a Canadian literary giant who became one of the world’s most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history’s most honored short story writers. May 13. Dabney Coleman , 92. The mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in “9 to 5” and the nasty TV director in “Tootsie.” May 16. Peter Buxtun , 86. The whistleblower who revealed that the U.S. government allowed hundreds of Black men in rural Alabama to go untreated for syphilis in what became known as the Tuskegee study. May 18. Ebrahim Raisi , 63. The Iranian president was a hard-line protege of the country’s supreme leader who helped oversee the mass executions of thousands in 1988 and later led the country as it enriched uranium near weapons-grade levels, launched a major attack on Israel and experienced mass protests. May 19. Helicopter crash. Hossein Amirabdollahian , 60. Iran’s foreign minister and a hard-liner close to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard who confronted the West while also overseeing indirect talks with the U.S. over the country’s nuclear program. May 19. Helicopter crash. Ivan F. Boesky , 87. The flamboyant stock trader whose cooperation with the government cracked open one of the largest insider trading scandals in the history of Wall Street. May 20. Morgan Spurlock , 53. The documentary filmmaker and Oscar nominee whose most famous works skewered America’s food industry and who notably ate only at McDonald’s for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet. May 23. Complications of cancer. Bill Walton , 71. He starred for John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins before becoming a Hall of Fame center for his NBA career and one of the biggest stars in basketball broadcasting. May 27. Robert Pickton , 74. A Canadian serial killer who took female victims to his pig farm during a crime spree near Vancouver in the late 1990s and early 2000s. May 31. Injuries from a prison assault involving another inmate. JUNE Tin Oo , 97. One of the closest associates of Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi as well as a co-founder of her National League for Democracy party. June 1. Janis Paige , 101. A popular actor in Hollywood and in Broadway musicals and comedies who danced with Fred Astaire, toured with Bob Hope and continued to perform into her 90s. June 2. David Levy , 86. An Israeli politician born in Morocco who fought tirelessly against deep-seated racism against Jews from North Africa and went on to serve as foreign minister and hold other senior governmental posts. June 2. Brigitte Bierlein , 74. The former head of Austria’s Constitutional Court became the country’s first female chancellor in an interim government in 2019. June 3. Paul Pressler , 94. A leading figure of the Southern Baptist Convention who was accused of sexually abusing boys and young men and later settled a lawsuit over the allegations. June 7. The Rev. James Lawson Jr. , 95. An apostle of nonviolent protest who schooled activists to withstand brutal reactions from white authorities as the Civil Rights Movement gained traction. June 9. Lynn Conway , 86. A pioneer in the design of microchips that are at the heart of consumer electronics who overcame discrimination as a transgender person. June 9. Françoise Hardy , 80. A French singing legend and pop icon since the 1960s. June 11. Jerry West , 86. Selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, his silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo. June 12. George Nethercutt , 79. The former U.S. congressman was a Spokane lawyer with limited political experience when he ousted Democratic Speaker of the House Tom Foley as part of a stunning GOP wave that shifted national politics to the right in 1994. June 14. Kazuko Shiraishi , 93. A leading name in modern Japanese “beat” poetry, she was known for her dramatic readings — at times with jazz music. June 14. Willie Mays , 93. The electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players. June 18. Anouk Aimée , 92. The radiant French star and dark-eyed beauty of classic films including Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” and Claude Lelouch’s “A Man and a Woman.” June 18. Donald Sutherland , 88. The Canadian actor whose wry, arresting screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from “M.A.S.H.” to “The Hunger Games.” June 20. Bill Cobbs , 90. The veteran character actor became a ubiquitous and sage screen presence as an older man. June 25. Martin Mull , 80. His droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including “Roseanne” and “Arrested Development.” June 27. Pål Enger , 57. A talented Norwegian soccer player turned celebrity art thief who pulled off the sensational 1994 heist of Edvard Munch’s famed “The Scream” painting from the National Gallery in Oslo. June 29. JULY Jim Inhofe , 89. A powerful fixture in Oklahoma politics for over six decades, the Republican U.S. senator was a conservative known for his strong support of defense spending and his denial that human activity is responsible for the bulk of climate change. July 9. Joe Bonsall , 76. A Grammy award winner and celebrated tenor of the country and gospel group the Oak Ridge Boys. July 9. Tommy Robinson , 82. A former U.S. congressman who gained notoriety as an Arkansas sheriff for tactics that included chaining inmates outside a state prison to protest overcrowding. July 10. Shelley Duvall , 75. The intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.” July 11. Dr. Ruth Westheimer , 96. The diminutive sex therapist became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics. July 12. Shannen Doherty , 53. The “Beverly Hills, 90210” star whose life and career were roiled by illness and tabloid stories. July 13. Richard Simmons , 76. He was television’s hyperactive court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. July 13. James Sikking , 90. He starred as a hardened police lieutenant on “Hill Street Blues” and as the titular character’s kindhearted dad on “Doogie Howser, M.D.” July 13. Jacoby Jones , 40. A former NFL receiver whose 108-yard kickoff return in 2013 remains the longest touchdown in Super Bowl history. July 14. Cheng Pei-pei , 78. A Chinese-born martial arts film actor who starred in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” July 17. Bob Newhart , 94. The deadpan accountant-turned-comedian became one of the most popular TV stars of his time after striking gold with a classic comedy album. July 18. Lou Dobbs , 78. The conservative political pundit and veteran cable TV host was a founding anchor for CNN and later was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade. July 18. Nguyen Phu Trong , 80. He was general secretary of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party and the country’s most powerful politician. July 19. Sheila Jackson Lee , 74. The longtime congresswoman from Texas helped lead federal efforts to protect women from domestic violence and recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday. July 19. Abdul “Duke” Fakir , 88. The last surviving original member of the beloved Motown group the Four Tops, which was known for such hits as “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” and “Standing in the Shadows of Love.” July 22. Edna O’Brien , 93. Ireland’s literary pride and outlaw scandalized her native land with her debut novel “The Country Girls” before gaining international acclaim as a storyteller and iconoclast that found her welcomed everywhere from Dublin to the White House. July 27. Francine Pascal , 92. A onetime soap opera writer whose “Sweet Valley High” novels and the ongoing adventures of twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield and other teens captivated millions of young readers. July 28. Betty Prashker , 99. A pioneering editor of the 20th century who as one of the first women with the power to acquire books published such classics as Kate Millett’s “Sexual Politics” and Susan Faludi’s “Backlash” and helped oversee the careers of Jean Auel, Dominick Dunne and Erik Larson among others. July 30. Ismail Haniyeh , 62. Hamas’ top leader in exile landed on Israel’s hit list after the militant group staged its surprise Oct. 7 attacks. July 31. Killed in an airstrike in Iran. AUGUST Jack Russell , 63. The lead singer of the bluesy ’80s metal band Great White, whose hits included “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me,” and who was fronting his band the night 100 people died in a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island. Aug. 7. Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez , 88. A Hall of Fame golfer whose antics on the greens and inspiring life story made him among the sport’s most popular players during a long professional career. Aug. 8. Susan Wojcicki , 56. A pioneering tech executive who helped shape Google and YouTube. Aug. 9. Wallace “Wally” Amos , 88. The creator of the Famous Amos cookie empire went on to become a children’s literacy advocate. Aug. 13. Gena Rowlands , 94. She was hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever practice the craft and a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes. She later charmed audiences in her son’s tear-jerker “The Notebook.” Aug. 14. Peter Marshall , 98. The actor and singer turned game show host who played straight man to the stars for 16 years on “The Hollywood Squares.” Aug. 15. Alain Delon , 88. The internationally acclaimed French actor embodied both the bad guy and the policeman and made hearts throb around the world. Aug. 18. Phil Donahue , 88. His pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others. Aug. 18. Ruth Johnson Colvin , 107. She founded Literacy Volunteers of America, was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and received the nation’s highest civilian award: the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Aug. 18. Al Attles , 87. A Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador. Aug. 20. John Amos , 84. He starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots.” Aug. 21. Salim Hoss , 94. The five-time former Lebanese prime minister served during some of the most tumultuous years of his country’s modern history. Aug. 25. Leonard Riggio , 83. A brash, self-styled underdog who transformed the publishing industry by building Barnes & Noble into the country’s most powerful bookseller before it was overtaken by the rise of Amazon.com . Aug. 27. Edward B. Johnson , 81. As a CIA officer, he traveled into Iran with a colleague to rescue six American diplomats who fled the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran. Aug. 27. Johnny Gaudreau , 31. An NHL player known as “Johnny Hockey,” he played 10 full seasons in the league. Aug. 29. Killed along with his brother when hit by a car while riding bicycles. Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII , 69. As New Zealand’s Māori King, he was the seventh monarch in the Kiingitanga movement. Aug. 30. Fatman Scoop , 56. The hip-hop artist topped charts in Europe with “Be Faithful” in the early 2000s and later lent his distinctive voice and ebullient vibe to hits by artists including Missy Elliott and Ciara. Aug. 30. Died after collapsing on stage. SEPTEMBER Linda Deutsch , 80. A special correspondent for The Associated Press who for nearly 50 years wrote glittering first drafts of history from many of the nation’s most significant criminal and civil trials including Charles Manson, O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson. Sept. 1. James Darren , 88. A teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget.” Sept. 2. Sergio Mendes , 83. The Grammy-winning Brazilian musician whose hit “Mas Que Nada” made him a global legend. Sept. 5. James Earl Jones , 93. He overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen, eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader. Sept. 9. Frankie Beverly , 77. With his band Maze, he inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and lasting anthems including “Before I Let Go.” Sept. 10. Jim Sasser , 87. He served 18 years in the U.S. Senate and six years as ambassador to China. Sept. 10. Alberto Fujimori , 86. His decade-long presidency began with triumphs righting Peru’s economy and defeating a brutal insurgency only to end in autocratic excess that later sent him to prison. Sept. 11. Joe Schmidt , 92. The Hall of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the team. Sept. 11. Tito Jackson , 70. One of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5. Sept. 15. John David “JD” Souther , 78. A prolific songwriter and musician who helped shape the country-rock sound that took root in Southern California in the 1970s with his collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt. Sept. 17. Kathryn Crosby , 90. She appeared in such movies as “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad”, “Anatomy of a Murder,” and “Operation Mad Ball” before marrying famed singer and Oscar-winning actor Bing Crosby. Sept. 20. John Ashton , 76. The veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” films. Sept. 26. Maggie Smith , 89. The masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for the 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films. Sept. 27. Hassan Nasrallah , 64. The Hezbollah leader who transformed the Lebanese militant group into a potent paramilitary and political force in the Middle East. Sept. 27. Killed in an Israeli airstrike. Kris Kristofferson , 88. A Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor. Sept. 28. Drake Hogestyn , 70. The “Days of Our Lives” star appeared on the show for 38 years. Sept. 28. Pete Rose , 83. Baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied. Sept. 30. Dikembe Mutombo , 58. A Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game. Sept. 30. Brain cancer. Gavin Creel , 48. A Broadway musical theater veteran who won a Tony Award for “Hello, Dolly!” opposite Bette Midler and earned nominations for “Hair” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” Sept. 30. Cancer. Humberto Ortega , 77. The Nicaraguan guerrilla fighter and a Sandinista defense minister who later in life became a critic of his older brother President Daniel Ortega. Sept. 30. Ken Page , 70. A stage and screen actor who starred alongside Beyoncé in “Dreamgirls,” introduced Broadway audiences to Old Deuteronomy in “Cats” and scared generations of kids as the voice of Oogie Boogie, the villain of the 1993 animated holiday film “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Sept. 30. OCTOBER Megan Marshack , 70. An aide to Nelson Rockefeller who was with the former New York governor and vice president when he died under circumstances that spurred intense speculation. Oct. 2. Mimis Plessas , 99. A beloved Greek composer whose music was featured in scores of films, television shows and theatrical productions and who provided the soundtrack to millions of Greeks’ lives. Oct. 5. Cissy Houston , 91. A two-time Grammy-winning soul and gospel artist who sang with Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and other stars and knew triumph and heartbreak as the mother of singer Whitney Houston. Oct. 7. Tim Johnson , 77. The former U.S. senator was the last Democrat to hold statewide office in South Dakota and was adept at securing federal funding for projects back home during his nearly three decades in Washington. Oct. 8. Ratan Tata , 86. One of India’s most influential business leaders, the veteran industrialist was former chairman of the $100 billion conglomerate Tata Group. Oct. 9. Leif Segerstam , 80. The prolific Finnish conductor and composer was one of the most colorful personalities in the Nordic country’s classical music scene. Oct. 9. Ethel Kennedy , 96. The wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter. Oct. 10. Lilly Ledbetter , 86. A former Alabama factory manager whose lawsuit against her employer made her an icon of the equal pay movement and led to landmark wage discrimination legislation. Oct. 12. Philip G. Zimbardo , 91. The psychologist behind the controversial “Stanford Prison Experiment” that was intended to examine the psychological experiences of imprisonment. Oct. 14. Liam Payne , 31. A former One Direction singer whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans. Oct. 16. Died after falling from a hotel balcony. Yahya Sinwar , 61. The Hamas leader who masterminded the surprise Oct. 7, 2023, attack into southern Israel that shocked the world and triggered the longest, deadliest and most destructive war in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Oct. 16. Killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. Mitzi Gaynor , 93. The effervescent dancer and actor starred as Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film “South Pacific” and appeared in other musicals with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. Oct. 17. Vasso Papandreou , 79. A trailblazing Greek politician who served as a government minister, European commissioner and leading advocate for women’s representation in politics. Oct. 17. Thelma Mothershed Wair , 83. One of nine Black students who integrated a high school in Arkansas’ capital city of Little Rock in 1957 while a mob of white segregationists yelled threats and insults. Oct. 19. Fethullah Gülen , 83. A reclusive U.S.-based Islamic cleric who inspired a global social movement while facing unproven accusations that he masterminded a failed 2016 coup in his native Turkey. Oct. 20. Fernando Valenzuela , 63. The Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981. Oct. 22. The Rev. Gustavo Gutiérrez , 96. The Peruvian theologian was the father of the social justice-centered liberation theology that the Vatican once criticized for its Marxist undercurrents. Oct. 22. Phil Lesh , 84. A classically trained violinist and jazz trumpeter who found his true calling by reinventing the role of rock bass guitar as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. Oct. 25. Teri Garr , 79. The quirky comedy actor rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star in such favorites as “Young Frankenstein” and “Tootsie.” Oct. 29. Multiple sclerosis. Colm McLoughlin , 81. An Irishman who landed in the deserts of the United Arab Emirates and helped lead Dubai Duty Free into becoming an airport retail behemoth generating billions of dollars. Oct. 30. NOVEMBER Quincy Jones , 91. The multi-talented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists. Nov. 3. Bernard “Bernie” Marcus , 95. The co-founder of The Home Depot, a billionaire philanthropist, and a big Republican donor. Nov. 4. Murray Sinclair , 73. A former First Nation judge, senator and chair of the commission that delved into Canada’s troubled history of residential schools for First Nations students. Nov. 4. Elwood Edwards , 74. He voiced America Online’s ever-present “You’ve got mail” greeting. Nov. 5. Tony Todd , 69. An actor known for his haunting portrayal of a killer in the horror film “Candyman” and for roles in many other films and television shows. Nov. 6. Bobby Allison , 86. He was founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer. Nov. 9. Reg Murphy , 90. A renowned journalist whose newsgathering career included stints as an editor and top executive at newspapers in Atlanta, San Francisco and Baltimore — and who found himself the subject of national headlines when he survived a politically motivated kidnapping. Nov. 9. Vardis J. Vardinoyannis , 90. A powerful and pivotal figure in Greek shipping and energy who survived a terrorist attack and cultivated close ties with the Kennedy family. Nov. 12. Timothy West , 90. A British actor who played the classic Shakespeare roles of King Lear and Macbeth and who in recent years along with his wife, Prunella Scales, enchanted millions of people with their boating exploits on Britain’s waterways. Nov. 12. Song Jae-lim , 39. A South Korean actor known for his roles in K-dramas “Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Queen Woo.” Nov. 12. Shuntaro Tanikawa , 92. He pioneered modern Japanese poetry — poignant but conversational in its divergence from haiku and other traditions. Nov. 13. Bela Karolyi , 82. The charismatic, if polarizing, gymnastics coach turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport. Nov. 15. Olav Thon , 101. A billionaire entrepreneur recognizable for his bright red cap who went from selling leather and fox hides in his youth to building one of Norway’s biggest real estate empires. Nov. 16. Arthur Frommer , 95. His “Europe on 5 Dollars a Day” guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by convincing average Americans to take budget vacations abroad. Nov. 18. Alice Brock , 83. Her Massachusetts-based eatery helped inspire Arlo Guthrie’s deadpan Thanksgiving standard, “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree.” Nov. 21. Fred Harris , 94. A former U.S. senator from Oklahoma, presidential hopeful and populist who championed Democratic Party reforms in the turbulent 1960s. Nov. 23. Chuck Woolery , 83. The affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19. Nov. 23. Barbara Taylor Bradford , 91. A British journalist who became a publishing sensation in her 40s with the saga “A Woman of Substance” and wrote more than a dozen other novels that sold tens of millions of copies. Nov. 24. Mary McGee , 87. A female racing pioneer and subject profiled in the Oscar-contending documentary “Motorcycle Mary.” Nov. 27. Prince Johnson , 72. The Liberian former warlord and senator whose brutal tactics shocked the world. Nov. 28. Ananda Krishnan , 86. One of Malaysia’s richest tycoons with a vast business empire including telecommunications, media, petroleum and real estate. Nov. 28. Lou Carnesecca , 99. The excitable St. John’s coach whose outlandish sweaters became an emblem of his team’s rousing Final Four run in 1985 and who was a treasured figure in New York sports. Nov. 30.Fox News Channel prime-time host is expanding his audience. He is hosting a new interview show for Fox Nation — the network’s online outreach. The new program, called “Sean,” premiered at the site on Tuesday. The series features in-depth sit-down interviews with noteworthy guests from the realms of sports, entertainment and politics. The first episode featured iconic actor, writer and director and his wife, , an entrepreneur and model. “Sean’s signature political commentary has advanced the cultural conversation while connecting with the Fox News Media audience for more than 28 years. Fox Nation subscribers will have the opportunity to see Sean in a new setting as he conducts long-form interviews with newsmakers and celebrities, delving deep into their life journeys and the challenges and successes they have had along the way,” said Fox News President in a written statement shared with Inside the Beltway. After this week’s debut, the second episode will feature an interview with , the firebrand commentator and host of ESPN’s “First Take” and his podcast, “The Stephen A. Smith Show.” In episode three, Mr. Hannity will interview celebrity fitness trainer . Other guests will be announced later, the network said. “Throughout the course of my career, I’ve had the honor of meeting the world’s most interesting people. It is often the struggles and obstacles they have overcome that makes them most captivating. I look forward to sharing these conversations with Fox Nation viewers,” Mr. Hannity said, also in a statement. He has much to be proud of. “Garnering the highest viewership among cable news in his timeslot, Hannity has averaged nearly 3 million viewers year-to-date, routinely placing as one of the top cable shows overall. Ranked by Talkers Magazine as the number one talk radio host in the country, Hannity also hosts an eponymous radio show on more than 730 stations where he is listened to by 20 million people a week,” Fox News said in its announcement of the new series. The nation appears to be in the mood to spend some money as the holiday season takes hold — and the number of shoppers is approaching record-breaking territory. “The five-day holiday weekend from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday saw an estimated 197 million shoppers,” according to an annual consumer survey released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. “The figure is the second highest number in the survey’s history after last year’s record of 200.4 million, and surpassed NRF’s initial expectations of 183.4 million shoppers,” the two organizations said in a review of the numbers. This year, 126 million consumers shopped in stores, up from 121.4 million in 2023. Online shoppers totaled 124.3 million, down from 134.2 million shoppers last year. “Black Friday remains the most popular day for both in-store and online shopping: 81.7 million consumers shopped in stores on Black Friday, up from 76.2 million last year and the highest level since the pandemic. Approximately 87.3 million shopped online, down slightly from 90.6 million in 2023,” the report said. “Momentum carried on throughout the weekend, as Saturday was the second highest for in-store shopping when 61.1 million consumers went to browse and buy in stores. Cyber Monday remains the second most popular day for online shopping, attracting 64.4 million consumers compared with 73.1 million in 2023,” it said. “Consistent with last year, 86% of shoppers during the five-day period purchased gifts, spending $235 — or $8 more than 2023 — on average. The top gifts purchased during this period included clothing and accessories (bought by 49% of those surveyed), toys (31%), gift cards (27%), food and candy (23%) and personal care or beauty items (23%),” the report said. The survey of 3,055 U.S. adults was conducted online Nov. 27-Dec. 1. Border challenges continue in the Lone Star State, and they appear to be getting more complex. “As massive caravans of migrants continue to push northward in Mexico, foreign nationals of ’special interest’ from Middle Eastern countries are infiltrating Texas,” Texas Scorecard, an online news organization based in Austin, said in a report released Tuesday. “Over the weekend, two large groups — one with 289 people and the other with 166 — crossed illegally into Texas. In the larger group, seven special interest aliens came from Iran. In the smaller group, five illegal aliens from Iran and Turkey were apprehended. ’Special interest’ aliens are noncitizens identified as potential threats to national security by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,” the report said. The Texas Scorecard has more news, however. “A new measure has been filed in the Texas House that aims to block the state’s universities from accepting funding from the Chinese, Russian, North Korean, and Iranian governments. The proposal by State Rep. , a Republican, would also prohibit universities from soliciting grants from governments that have provided material support to foreign terrorist organizations,” the report added. “Texas has continually fought back against foreign influence in the state’s higher education system. Gov. recently directed state entities, including funds controlled by higher education institutions, to block new investments in China and to simultaneously divest from any existing holdings tied to the Chinese Communist Party,” it said. • 77% of U.S. adults think that when news organizations present news about political or social issues, they tend to favor one side. • 22% think that news organizations “deal fairly with all sides” when presenting political or social news. • 1% had no answer. • 74% say that criticism of political leaders in news coverage “keeps leaders from doing things that shouldn’t be done.” • 24% think that such criticism “keeps political leaders from doing their job.” • 2% had no answer. SOURCE: A Pew Research Center poll of 9,680 U.S. adults conducted online Sept. 16-22 and released Monday. Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. . Click to Read More and View Comments Click to Hide

Once cold and lonely, ‘snow management’ at Tahoe resorts goes high-tech with lasersDEEP DIVE – The Assad family – Hafez al-Assad and then his son Bashar – ruled Syria for 53 years. Their regimes were known for their iron grip, the jailing and torture of dissenters, and alliances with Russia, Iran and the militant group Hezbollah. The revolution, when it came, took just ten days.

Indigenized Energy Names Lorilee J. Morsette As Chief Operating OfficerState Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Pa.) is either a total space cadet or is trolling the universe after he appeared to mistake a “ Star Wars ” prop for a captured drone. In fairness to the Trump-endorsed Republican who lost to Democrat Josh Shapiro for governor in 2022, we’ll give him his say first: He insists he was knowingly using the image as a meme. But he absorbed nearly a day of online mockery for writing a serious-sounding statement about the government response to the drones. And it was accompanied by a photo of a “Star Wars” TIE fighter replica on a truck with the headline: “Breaking News: Crashed drone in Orange Beach retrieved from water, and taken to undisclosed location for further investigation.” It is inconceivable that the federal government has no answers nor has taken any action to get to the bottom of the unidentified drones. The fecklessness of this administration was on display last year when a Chinese surveillance balloon was allowed to fly over the entire... pic.twitter.com/qWqyH3dnkI — Senator Doug Mastriano (@SenMastriano) December 16, 2024 He received a community correction and some online sass for the apparent blunder. Among prominent people chiming in were former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) and CNN’s Jake Tapper. Critics also called him “dumb” and “stupid.” I take the actual drone story seriously but re the below, I’m pretty sure Red Leader Garven Dreis shot down that TIE fighter in ep IV A New Hope https://t.co/MD4nRsZqQ7 — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) December 17, 2024 Wow — Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇮🇱 (@AdamKinzinger) December 17, 2024 Leaked footage reveals that they're armed with space lasers! pic.twitter.com/vIGkLsDAQZ — AXEL (@AxelTheDoby) December 17, 2024 pic.twitter.com/F36RqnzfyH — CletusVanDamme (@CubbiesFan82) December 17, 2024 You can’t be that stupid, or can you? — Mario 🇺🇸🇵🇱🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@PawlowskiMario) December 17, 2024 Doug please this is so embarrassing — pamela 🎡✨ (@tisthepamseason) December 17, 2024 I'm sorry, you're an elected state senator???? — Sean Murphy (@seanhalfcourt) December 17, 2024 Mysterious drones appearing over New York and New Jersey have captured the public’s imagination but federal officials say they don’t pose a threat . Mastriano sure seemed rattled but asserted that the farce was with him ― and he turned his response into an indictment of “modern day ‘journalism.’” pic.twitter.com/xrzDa104lr — Doug Mastriano (@dougmastriano) December 17, 2024 Stephen Colbert Spots Grim Holiday Twist In Republican Lawmaker’s Drones Plan U.S. Government Should Use Advanced Technology To Identify Mysterious Drones, Schumer Says Donald Trump Calls On Feds To Either Explain The Mystery Drones Or Shoot Them Down(Photo by Kampus Production via Pexels) By Stephen Beech Employees are suffering "techno-strain" as a result of digital systems making it difficult to switch off from work, warns a new study. Staff are experiencing mental and physical issues due to being "hyperconnected" through digital technology, according to the findings. Researchers from the University of Nottingham’s Schools of Psychology and Medicine conducted detailed interviews with employees from a variety of professions. They found that the cognitive and affective effort associated with constant connectivity and high work pace driven by the digital workplace is detrimental to employee well-being. The study is the final part of a research project exploring the "dark side effects" of digital working which include stress, overload, anxiety and fear of missing out. The results, published in the journal Frontiers in Organisational Psychology , highlight an "overarching" theme of "digital workplace technology intensity" as a result of digital workplace job demands. The research team says their findings indicate a "sense of burden" associated with working digitally which surfaced for most participants in perceptions of overload and feelings of being "overwhelmed" by the proliferation of messages, apps and meetings in the digital workplace. They say "fear of missing out" - or FOMO- on important information and contact with colleagues also contributed to stress and strain for digital workers, as did hassles encountered when using digital technologies. (Photo by Tara Winstead via Pexels) Study leader Elizabeth Marsh said: “Digital workplaces benefit both organizations and employees, for example by enabling collaborative and flexible work. "However, what we have found in our research is that there is a potential dark side to digital working, where employees can feel fatigue and strain due to being overburdened by the demands and intensity of the digital work environment. "A sense of pressure to be constantly connected and keeping up with messages can make it hard to psychologically detach from work." Fourteen employees were interviewed in detail and asked about their perceptions and experiences of digital workplace job demands and impacts to their health. Comments from interviewees included: “[It’s] just more difficult to leave it behind when it's all online and you can kind of jump on and do work at any time of the day or night.” Another participant said: “You kind of feel like you have to be there all the time. You have to be a little green light,” while another commented: “It's that pressure to respond [...] I've received an e-mail, I've gotta do this quickly because if not, someone might think “What is she doing from home?” In their analysis, the researchers explored potential underlying psychological, technological and organizational factors that may influence ways in which employees experience digital workplace job demands. The findings showed that participants' dark side experiences were particularly shaped by a pervasive and constant state of connectivity in the digital workplace, termed "hyperconnectivity." Those experiences contributed to a sense of pressure to be available and the erosion of work-life boundaries, according to the research team. (Photo by Thirdman via Pexels) They said the evidence also indicates that "hyperconnectivity" has become the norm among workers post-pandemic. PhD student Marsh said: “The findings underline the need for both researchers and professionals to identify, understand and mitigate the digital workplace job demands to protect the well-being of digital workers.” The research also makes practical suggestions for employers including helping workers improve their digital skills and empowering them to manage boundaries in the digital workplace. The team says their findings could also be used by IT departments to consider how to improve the usability and accessibility of the digital workplace, as well as reining in the proliferation of applications. Dr. Alexa Spence, Professor of Psychology, said: “This research extends the Job Demands-Resources literature by clarifying digital workplace job demands including hyperconnectivity and overload." She added: "It also contributes a novel construct of digital workplace technology intensity which adds new insight on the causes of technostress in the digital workplace. "In doing so, it highlights the potential health impacts, both mental and physical, of digital work.”

Trump promises to end birthright citizenship: What is it and could he do it?

By JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks to confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., center, and Vice President-elect JD Vance, left, walk out of a meeting with Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, departs the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, center speaks during a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, right, speaks with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, before testifying at a hearing, March 9, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a classified briefing on China, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a vote on Capitol Hill, Sept. 12, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance R-Ohio speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It’s a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. Related Articles On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time “with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump’s “border czar.” In another sign of Vance’s influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump’s first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships,” he said. “But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he’s not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law late Tuesday before backing down, placing the military in control of all government and judicial functions in a power grab that came after months of political stalemate. The hours of crisis and chaos have thrown the future of his presidency into doubt. As the military and police sought to contain protesters who had poured into the streets around the National Assembly, the president announced he would lift the order as soon as he could convene his Cabinet, heeding a defiant vote from the opposition-led legislature. The Cabinet met before dawn Wednesday local time, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, as protesters chanted for Yoon’s impeachment. It remained unclear what immediately precipitated Yoon’s decree — the first time martial law has been declared in South Korea since 1980, when a military junta ruled the country. In a televised address to the nation announcing his declaration of martial law, Yoon called the legislature a “den of criminals” engaged in “legislative tyranny” and “anti-state activities.” “Honorable citizens, as president, I appeal to you with a feeling of spitting blood,” he said. Accusing his opponents of being “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces that are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people,” Yoon lambasted lawmakers for rejecting his government budget proposal and moving to impeach several public officials. His presidency has been plagued by scandal since soon after he took office in 2022, with relentless accusations that he and his wife had abused their positions for personal and political gain. Yoon’s approval ratings have plummeted in recent months amid growing calls for his impeachment. South Korean television broadcasted Yoon’s address over and over again. One news anchor noted in grave disbelief that “we are now reporting a situation to you that we had only seen in movies.” Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su, whom Yoon had named martial law commander, banned all political activity and proclaimed that the media was under military control. Outside the National Assembly, around a thousand protesters tussled with police guarding the gates as military helicopters hovered overhead. Bundled in thick winter jackets, they waved banners and umbrellas, chanting “lift the martial law!” Reporters, legislative staff and lawmakers had barricaded themselves inside the building as soldiers stormed the entrance, shattering a window and setting off what appeared to be either a smoke grenade or tear gas canister in an attempt to force their way in. Early Wednesday — less than three hours after Yoon declared martial law — the legislature voted to overturn his decree. By law, the president is required to lift his order immediately. Yoon soon announced he would comply. Upon learning of the vote, the protesters broke out in cheers, which quickly turned into another increasingly familiar refrain: “Impeach Yoon Suk Yeol!” In the minds of most South Koreans, martial law is strongly associated with the country’s pre-democratic military dictatorships, which used it as a tool to crush political dissent, oftentimes with violence. Under a state of martial law, the military can restrict citizens’ basic rights, including detaining or searching them without a warrant. Crimes can be prosecuted in military courts. The last leader to declare emergency martial law was military general Chun Doo-hwan, who rose to power in a coup in 1979. Chun later declared martial law over the entire country in 1980, during which his military opened fire on pro-democracy protestors in the city of Gwangju, killing at least 165. This is not the first time that democratically elected presidents have toyed with martial law. Under former president Park Geun-hye, a conservative whose corruption scandal led to her impeachment in 2017, military officials had secretly prepared their own plans of declaring martial law in the event that the courts upheld her impeachment. But Park would ultimately be ousted and jailed without those plans ever being set into motion. In September, opposition politicians raised the alarm that Yoon himself was preparing to declare martial law, citing the fact that Kim Yong-hyun, the defense minister, had held an uncustomary meeting with the three military commanders who would likely play key roles in a martial law regime. At the time, the presidential office denied the allegations, which it dismissed as political incitement akin to that of Stalin or Nazi Germany. Yoon , a former prosecutor, rose to political prominence as a straight-shooting investigator who handled high-profile corruption cases. But since being elected president May 2022, he has been a divisive leader, inviting controversy by engaging in misogynistic rhetoric and cracking down on critical media outlets . Yoon has been accused of interfering in a military investigation into the death of a young marine who drowned during a search and rescue operation last year, while his wife has been under fire for accepting a luxury handbag from a Korean American pastor in what critics have characterized as a clear case of graft. The opposition party has also moved to impeach Yoon’s interior minister, who it holds responsible for a crowd crush that killed over 150 people on Halloween in 2022. In addition, liberal party legislators have tried to remove several prosecutors who investigated Lee Jae-myung, their leader and presidential hopeful. In April, Yoon’s conservative party suffered a crushing defeat in the parliamentary general elections, which many saw as a referendum on his presidency. Legislators of all stripes quickly denounced Yoon’s decree of martial law. “There is no reason to declare martial law. We cannot let the military rule this country,” opposition leader Lee Jae-myung said in a video he recorded in a car on his way to the National Assembly. “President Yoon Suk Yeol has betrayed the people. President Yoon’s illegal declaration of emergency martial law is null and void. From this moment on, Mr. Yoon is no longer the president of South Korea.” Even Han Dong-hoon, the leader of Yoon’s own conservative party, had condemned Yoon’s actions as unconstitutional. “With the National Assembly’s vote to lift it, the state of emergency martial law has now been rendered invalid,” he said. ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Increasing Prevalence Of Medical Conditions: A Key Driver Transforming The 3D Printed Implants Market 2024Prince William is all smiles as he welcomes Donald Trump to the British Embassy in Paris - as the US President-elect hails him as a 'good one' By SHANNON MCGUIGAN Published: 21:36, 7 December 2024 | Updated: 22:11, 7 December 2024 e-mail View comments Donald Trump has hailed Prince William a 'good man' and praised him for 'doing a fantastic job' after they met following the historic re-opening of the Notre-Dame. The Prince of Wales and US President-elect were all smiles when they met at the residence of the British ambassador in Paris tonight. Exchanging another warm handshake with William as he entered the foyer, Trump turned to reporters and said: 'Wow, what a nice group.' In what was US President elect's first meeting with a member of the Royal Family since his landslide election victory last month, he praised the Prince, quipping: 'Good man, this one.' The Prince of Wales asked Trump if he had warmed up to which the politician replied that he had, noting that the lavish event marking the re-opening of the 861-year-old cathedral 'was a beautiful ceremony'. The two men stood next to each other as the Republican pointed his thumb towards William before adding: 'He's doing a fantastic job'. During their 40-minute meeting, the pair discussed a range of global issues but focused on the importance of the relationship between the UK and the US, with the President-elect sharing fond memories of the late Queen, Kensington Palace said. Prince William expected to meet with Trump for half an hour prior to the glamorous ceremony at the Notre Dame tonight to discuss the US and UK's 'special relationship'. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump meets Britain's Prince William at the UK Ambassador's Residence in Paris The Prince of Wales and US President-elect Donal Trump were all smiles when they met at the residence of the British ambassador in Paris tonight Exchanging another warm handshake with William as he entered the foyer, the US President-elect turned to reporters and said 'wow, what a nice group' In what was Trump's first meeting with a member of the Royal Family since his landslide election victory last month, he praised the Prince, quipping: 'Good man, this one.' The Prince of Wales and US President-elect Donald Trump standing side by side at the foyer of the residence of the British ambassador in Paris But travel disruption caused by Storm Darragh, which has battered parts of the UK, meant the royal had to reschedule his meeting both with the once and future President as well as the current US First Lady Jill Biden . Instead of their originally planned private chat, the First Lady and William were going to have talk on the side-lines of the ceremony, Kensington Palace previously said. After speaking in the foyer of building on Saturday, Trump and Prince William walked upstairs to begin their discussions. Mr Trump and William sat on light-yellow sofas in the Salon Jaune room, which had gold-coloured patterned wallpaper, a Christmas tree in the corner and a chandelier overhead. Before the meeting began, William said: 'We can warm our toes up after the cathedral' to which Trump smiled and responded: 'Right, you're right'. The meeting between the US President-elect and the Prince of Wales concluded at around 10.20pm local time, after over half an hour of talks. Inside the 861-year-old cathedral - before what was its first opening since being devastated by an inferno in 2019 - the Prince of Wales shared a warm and firm handshake with Trump prior to their private meeting. During the brief exchange, Trump placed his hand on William's shoulder as the pair chatted ahead of the momentous occasion. The Prince of Wales shook hands with US President-elect Donald Trump who he will be having discussions with following the ceremony tonight The hirsuite Prince is all smiles ahead of the ceremony tonight President-elect Donald Trump greets Prince William, Prince of Wales during the ceremony to mark the reopening of Notre-Dame of Paris Cathedra Prince William and Jill Biden were expected to meet ahead of the ceremony but will now chat on the side-lines of the event due to delays in the William's travel due to Storm Darragh Guests stand as the doors to Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral open during a ceremony to mark the re-opening William travelled to France by request of the Government for the event celebrating the £600 million restoration of the landmark cathedral following a devastating fire five years ago. The hirsute Prince wore a long formal dark navy coat whilst being welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte ahead of the historic ceremony. Elsewhere inside the grandiose place of worship, a roaring applause erupted when Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky entered the building filled with 40 world leaders as well as several celebrities, including Elon Musk and Salma Hayek . Read More William and Trump meet at Notre Dame with warm handshake and embrace The beginning of the ceremony was confirmed with the ringing of the cathedral's iconic largest bell - the bourdon - which was created in 1683 and named Emmanuel by its godfather Louis XIV. The bell, which was heard ringing at an F sharp note, is believed to be one of the most beautiful in Europe, weighing at 13 tons and was the only one to evade being destroyed following the French Revolution. Before bells chimes rang throughout Paris, Donald Trump made his way to the ceremony, shortly after being welcomed by the Macron at The Élysée Presidential Palace in a meeting attended by Zelensky. President Emmanual Macron said it was a 'great honour' to host Donald Trump at the Élysée ahead of the ceremony at the Notre Dame. The pair were pictured embracing and shaking hands in what is the president-elect's first international trip since his victory against Kamala Harris in November. Prince William has arrived at the glamorous reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris alongside world leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron (Pictured with Brigitte Macron) Prior to the historic ceremony the Prince had a brief and friendly exchange with the Macrons The hirsute Prince wore a long formal dark navy coat whilst braving the Parisian cold weather this evening Donal Trump is greeted by President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron ahead of the ceremony The French and US world leader and Brigitte Macron stand side by side as guests fill the historic cathedral Macron and Brigitte watch Paris' archbishop Laurent Ulrich inaugurating the Notre Dame de Paris cathedral Guests stand as Church Banners are paraded through the cathedral ahead of the clergy entering The clergy make their way down the central isle of the Notre Dame cathedral in central Paris Firefighters, rescuers as well as builders involved in the restoration of the cathedral are applauded by guests An eruption of applause echoed throughout the cathedral for the brave firefighters and builders for their work in saving the historic building Guests and onlookers applauded for one minute in honour of the 160 firefighters (Pictured in Notre Dame) who played a key role in saving the cathedral from complete destruction Archbishop of Paris, Bishop Laurent Ulrich, (Pictured centre) closes his eyes in the Notre Dame Archbishop Ulrich reading at the beginning of the ceremony marking the Notre Dame's re-opening Archbishop Ulrich inaugurating the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral by knocking on the doors during the reopening ceremony Emotional locals outside the Notre Dame to witness tonight's historic event A roaring applause could be heard in the cathedral as the President of Ukraine - Volodymyr Zelensky - entered Donald Trump firmly shakes the hand of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelesnky inside the Notre Dame Elon Musk arriving at the ceremony at the centuries old cathedral tonight in Paris The entrepreneur and the US President elect share an exchange at the historic event Trump and Macron sit next to one another during the ceremony at Notre Dame tonight Macron points as he talks with the US President-elect and his wife Brigitte inside the Notre Dame Donald Trump has been welcomed by President Macron as he arrived at for the re-opening ceremony of the Notre Dame cathedral The pair were pictured embracing and shaking hands in what is the president-elect's first international trip since his landslide victory last month Emmanuel Macron welcomes US president-elect Donald Trump before a meeting at he Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris Post-talks the three world leaders were seen pictured alongside one another before heading to the Notre Dame, as Macron posed a thumbs up for the camera A photo shows the facade of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, ahead of its official reopening ceremony The US president-elect said the pair would be discussing a world that's gone 'a little crazy' in their meeting, where Ukraine 's Zelenksy also attended. Read More Prince William will meet Trump and discuss UK-US 'special relationship' at Notre Dame reopening Zelenksy was seen firmly shaking the hand of the Élysée's director of protocol Frederic Billet before entering trilateral talks with the once and future US President as well as Macron. The surprise meeting was of significant importance, as there are fears Trump, who previously bragged he could end the Russo-Ukraine conflict in less than 24, could try and force them to accept peace terms favourable to Russia. Post-talks the three world leaders were seen posing alongside one another, with Macron putting a thumbs up to the camera, before heading to the 861-year-old cathedral for its first official reopening since 2019. Zelensky has since confirmed that the discussions between the three world leaders were 'good and productive'. He wrote on X: 'We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. We spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace.' Coupled with a picture of the three world leaders, Macron wrote on the social media platform: 'United States, Ukraine, and France. Together on this historic day. Gathered for Notre-Dame. Let us continue our joint efforts for peace and security.' Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives for a meeting with France's President at The Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky shakes hands with The Elysee's director of protocol Frederic Billet Zelensky is welcomed by Billet before meeting with Macron on December 7 Macron poses with US President Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky before a trilateral meeting at the Elysse Palace in Paris French President Emmanuel Macron and US President-elect Donald Trump attend a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris French Prime Minister Michel Barnier attending the welcome ceremony of Notre Dame Cathedral Paris Images shared to social media revealed that Macron and Trump is sitting side by side at the historic event, whilst Zelensky was nearby to their right. Macron, who has had an up-and-down relationship with Trump, has made a point of cultivating a relationship with the President-elect since he defeated Kamala Harris in the US election last month. But his office nonetheless played down the significance of the invitation, saying that other politicians who do not currently hold office had been invited as well. Read More Bizarre detail in photo of Trump greeting French president Macron as he arrives in Paris Elsewhere outside the Notre Dame, a small group of Americans gathered in protest against Trump, according to AP. The protesters held a banner which read 'Paris Against Trump' slamming Macron for inviting the US President-elect. 'We find this a bit shameful and sad that Trump is invited here, especially since he has gone against everything the Church stands for,' said Ehlyr O'Rourke, 34, a spokesperson for the association. 'We don't understand why a criminal, a sex offender, a felon can actually be invited in here.' During the re-opening of the Notre Dame, Macron thanked the 'brotherhood' from all continents across the globe for their help in what he described as a 'leap of faith' to rebuild the Notre Dame, which originally took nearly two centuries to build, in only five years. 'Brotherhood from all continents, from all religions, from all walks of life, all united in hope,' he said. Concluding his speech to a standing ovation, Macron added: 'Notre-Dame de Paris has been returned to you, you have made this possible. 'Long live Notre-Dame de Paris, long live the Republic, long live France.' Macron also extended his gratitude to the French people regarding the restoration of the iconic cathedral. He added: 'We must treasure this lesson of fragility, humility and will, and never forget how much each person counts, and how the greatness of this cathedral is inseparable from the work of all.' Guests and onlookers also applauded for one minute in honour of the 160 firefighters who played a key role in saving the cathedral from complete destruction. Read More The Notre-Don: Trump arrives at reopening ceremony where Prince William is also on guest list The word 'Merci' was projected onto the side of the building in a display of gratitude dedicated to the emergency responders. Pope Francis - who was absent from the ceremony - said that he hoped the 'rebirth' of the iconic cathedral 'would constitute a prophetic sign of the renewal of the Church in France'. The head of the Catholic Church called for entry into the Notre Dame to remain free as the place of worship opens its doors once more. The cathedral renovation chief, Philippe Jost said he hoped the Notre Dame's re-opening would be a 'great moment of unity' for France and the entire world. 'Notre Dame de Paris unites. There are so many divisive factors. An event like this must unite, must help concord and peace to grow throughout the world,' he said. World leaders, dignitaries, and worshippers also gathered to mark the occasion, led by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich. Arnault family arrive inside Notre Dame Cathedral ahead of a ceremony to mark the re-opening of the landmark cathedral today Actress Salma Hayek and her husband CEO of Kering Francois-Henri Pinault sit inside Notre Dame Cathedral ahead of the ceremony Salma Hayek videos the ceremony at Notre Dame tonight as the 861-year-old building opens its doors once again Elon Musk sat a couple of rows in front of Salma Hayek and her husband Henri Pinault at tonight's ceremony Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife French-Italian singer and model Carla Bruni-Sarkozy Former French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal talks with other guests inside Notre Dame Cathedral ahead of the ceremony Guests arriving at landmark French cathedral as it prepares to formally reopen its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed it in 2019 Due to poor weather, the entire opening ceremony for 1,500 guests were held inside the cathedral itself, the French presidential palace and Paris diocese confirmed. This morning, organisers said 50mph gusts of wind and heavy downpours would disrupt the evening ceremony. Notre Dame's rector, Rev. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, said the cathedral is 'more than just a French monument' and is a beloved treasure of world's cultural heritage. 'The cathedral is a magnificent symbol of unity,' the rector said. 'A sign of hope, because what seemed impossible has become possible.' Saturday's events blended solemn religious tradition with cultural grandeur, starting with Ulrich symbolically reopening Notre Dame's grand wooden doors. Tapping them three times with a staff crafted from charred wood salvaged from the cathedral's fire-ravaged roof, the Archbishop officially declared the cathedral open for worship once more. Psalms, prayers, and hymns filled cavernous space as the cathedral's thunderous 8,000 pipe organ, silenced since by the fire, rang out again, as four organists performed an improvised interplay of melodies. Security was tighter than usual outside the US Embassy and other sites around Paris for the Notre Dame reopening, where dozens of international VIPs were expected. Photo shows the inside of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, ahead of its official reopening ceremony Millions watched on in horror as an inferno ravaged Notre Dame in April 2019 Prince William (right) accepted an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron (left) to attend Notre Dame's grand re-opening, on Saturday A view inside Notre-Dame of Paris Cathedral before its reopening on December 6 More than 20 French government security agents have been helping ensure Trump's safety alongside the Secret Service, according to French national police. A special French police van was providing anti-drone protection for Trump's convoy. There are 6,000 police officers, gendarmes and military personnel in the area, which includes members of the SAS-style GIGN, the National Gendarmerie Intervention Group, who will provide everything from rooftop snipers to helicopter-borne rapid intervention teams. Read More EXCLUSIVE Trump set for high-stakes talks with world leaeders at Notre Dame in Paris Mobile weapons systems in the area include Crotale New Generation short-range air defence units. Groups such as Al-Qaeda and Isis, who have brought terror to the streets of Paris over the past decade, have threatened the Notre Dame opening, meaning 'the terrorist threat is at its highest,' said Paris police prefect, Laurence Nuñez. The reopening of Notre Dame comes at a time of profound global unrest, with wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East. Security is understood to be tight throughout the weekend, echoing measures taken during the Paris Olympics earlier this year. The Île de la Cité - the small island in the River Seine that is home to Notre Dame - will be closed to tourists and non-residents, with access restricted to invitees and those who live on the island. Public viewing areas along the Seine's southern bank will accommodate 40,000 spectators, who can follow the celebrations on large screens. Smoke billows as flames burn through the roof of the Notre-Dame cathedral on April 15, 2019 A tourist boat cruises on the Seine river in front of Notre-Dame on the eve of its reopening After five years of restoration, on Saturday, the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral will reopen its doors to the world in the presence of Emmanuel Macron and around 50 heads of state A light show is projected on the facade of Notre-Dame on the eve of its reopening to the public French Police officers perform security checks on members of the public near the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, on December 7 Notre-Dame Cathedral is set to re-open early December 2024, with a weekend of ceremonies on December 7 and 8, 2024 The star-studded concert took centre stage inside the cathedral in tribute to its resurrection and to those who laboured to restore it, offering a universal message of harmony. Pianist Lang Lang, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and soprano Pretty Yende were among the world-famous artists who performed . On Sunday, Ulrich will lead the inaugural Mass and consecrate the cathedral's new altar, designed by contemporary artist Guillaume Bardet to replace the one crushed beneath the flaming spire in the blaze. Read More Macron says 'nightmare is over' as Notre Dame's £600m restoration unveiled All tickets sold out within 25 minutes of being offered to Catholics online. Nearly 170 bishops from France and abroad will attend, alongside priests from all 113 parishes of the Paris diocese. For Catholics, Notre Dame's rector said the cathedral 'carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.' 'It is a magnificent symbol of unity, a sign of hope,' Dumas said. The range of dignitaries coming to Paris from Africa to the Mideast and the U.S. underline the cathedral's significance as a symbol of shared heritage and peace. The ambitious five-year restoration timeline, was announced just a day after the 2019 fire, had seemed improbable to many. It comes as Macron's presidency faces its gravest crisis after the government's collapse this week in a historic no-confidence vote that toppled Prime Minister Michel Barnier. The vote followed months of political gridlock after snap elections, with calls from opposition forces now growing louder for Macron to resign. But he vowed in an address to the nation on Thursday to remain in office until the end of his term in 2027, and said he'll name a new prime minister within days. General view inside Notre-Dame of Paris Cathedral before its reopening A light show is projected on the facade of the cathedral on December 6 A woman takes a video of the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral during the final preparations for its reopening A view taken from the rooftop of the Hotel Paradiso shows the Eiffel Tower and the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, five-and-a-half years after a fire ravaged the Gothic masterpiece, on the eve of reopening ceremonies, in Paris, France, December 6 General view outside Notre-Dame of Paris Cathedral before its reopening, on December 6 As France struggles with economic woes and mounting social unrest, Notre Dame's rebirth celebrations form a stark contrast to the crisis. For many, Notre Dame's rebirth is not just a French achievement but a global one - after the reopening, the cathedral is set to welcome 15 million visitors annually, up from 12 million before the fire. Following the 2019 fire, nearly $1 billion in donations quickly poured in from around the world, testifying to Notre Dame's universal appeal. Visitors can now book free tickets to visit the Notre Dame via its website, with the cathedral open to attendees from December 8. During its first week, the cathedral will be open until 10pm but will then return to normal opening hours. Group pilgrimages will be welcome from February 2025, with groups of tourist able to book a tour at the historic cathedral from June 9. Paris Ukraine Donald Trump France Madonna Share or comment on this article: Prince William is all smiles as he welcomes Donald Trump to the British Embassy in Paris - as the US President-elect hails him as a 'good one' e-mail Add comment

(Photo by Kampus Production via Pexels) By Stephen Beech Employees are suffering "techno-strain" as a result of digital systems making it difficult to switch off from work, warns a new study. Staff are experiencing mental and physical issues due to being "hyperconnected" through digital technology, according to the findings. Researchers from the University of Nottingham’s Schools of Psychology and Medicine conducted detailed interviews with employees from a variety of professions. They found that the cognitive and affective effort associated with constant connectivity and high work pace driven by the digital workplace is detrimental to employee well-being. The study is the final part of a research project exploring the "dark side effects" of digital working which include stress, overload, anxiety and fear of missing out. The results, published in the journal Frontiers in Organisational Psychology , highlight an "overarching" theme of "digital workplace technology intensity" as a result of digital workplace job demands. The research team says their findings indicate a "sense of burden" associated with working digitally which surfaced for most participants in perceptions of overload and feelings of being "overwhelmed" by the proliferation of messages, apps and meetings in the digital workplace. They say "fear of missing out" - or FOMO- on important information and contact with colleagues also contributed to stress and strain for digital workers, as did hassles encountered when using digital technologies. (Photo by Tara Winstead via Pexels) Study leader Elizabeth Marsh said: “Digital workplaces benefit both organizations and employees, for example by enabling collaborative and flexible work. "However, what we have found in our research is that there is a potential dark side to digital working, where employees can feel fatigue and strain due to being overburdened by the demands and intensity of the digital work environment. "A sense of pressure to be constantly connected and keeping up with messages can make it hard to psychologically detach from work." Fourteen employees were interviewed in detail and asked about their perceptions and experiences of digital workplace job demands and impacts to their health. Comments from interviewees included: “[It’s] just more difficult to leave it behind when it's all online and you can kind of jump on and do work at any time of the day or night.” Another participant said: “You kind of feel like you have to be there all the time. You have to be a little green light,” while another commented: “It's that pressure to respond [...] I've received an e-mail, I've gotta do this quickly because if not, someone might think “What is she doing from home?” In their analysis, the researchers explored potential underlying psychological, technological and organizational factors that may influence ways in which employees experience digital workplace job demands. The findings showed that participants' dark side experiences were particularly shaped by a pervasive and constant state of connectivity in the digital workplace, termed "hyperconnectivity." Those experiences contributed to a sense of pressure to be available and the erosion of work-life boundaries, according to the research team. (Photo by Thirdman via Pexels) They said the evidence also indicates that "hyperconnectivity" has become the norm among workers post-pandemic. PhD student Marsh said: “The findings underline the need for both researchers and professionals to identify, understand and mitigate the digital workplace job demands to protect the well-being of digital workers.” The research also makes practical suggestions for employers including helping workers improve their digital skills and empowering them to manage boundaries in the digital workplace. The team says their findings could also be used by IT departments to consider how to improve the usability and accessibility of the digital workplace, as well as reining in the proliferation of applications. Dr. Alexa Spence, Professor of Psychology, said: “This research extends the Job Demands-Resources literature by clarifying digital workplace job demands including hyperconnectivity and overload." She added: "It also contributes a novel construct of digital workplace technology intensity which adds new insight on the causes of technostress in the digital workplace. "In doing so, it highlights the potential health impacts, both mental and physical, of digital work.”

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