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Shock moment TODDLER is freed from jail by Syria’s rebels as thousands walk free from ousted Assad’s notorious prisonsEvery year, there's a must-have holiday toy that parents hope to surprise their children with. Some wait in lines, scour stores and cross their fingers in hopes of snagging the hottest toy before it sells out. Throughout the decades, these toys would leave a dent in parents' wallets. When Slip 'N Slide first hit the market in 1961, it retailed for $2.99. That might not sound outrageous, but adjusted for inflation, that's about $31.64 today for a simple plastic slide. A similar 16-foot slide can still be purchased today for $19.58. Meanwhile, one of 2024's trendy toys, the Hex Bot Wall Crawlers Gecko, is priced at $26.49. Pretty reasonable for a high-tech toy that can scale walls and perform spin tricks via a wireless remote control. Using the top holiday toy gift list compiled by experts at The Strong National Museum of Play and newspaper archives, Hearst Television revisited 24 must-have toys through the decades, stretching back to the 1950s. This nostalgic journey includes the price at which the toy debuted and what that price would be in today's dollars according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation calculator. CPI is an aggregate measure of common expenses a household would encounter, such as groceries, housing, transportation, consumer goods, etc. The Bureau of Labor Statistics' CPI inflation calculator uses that index to adjust a sum of money from one time period to another, giving us a clearer picture of what households were actually shelling out for an Easy-Bake Oven in the '60s. For consistency in inflation calculations, all values compare the toy's price for November of the year it was a top holiday item, not its release year, against its projected value in October 2024. Toy retail values were pulled from newspaper archival. Can't see the interactive toy graphics? Click here . Today, we know Mr. Potato Head for his silly plastic parts and iconic role in the "Toy Story" movies. However, when he debuted in 1952, his plastic attachments were paired with a real potato as the head. Due to complaints of rotting vegetables and new government regulation, manufacturers swapped the spud to plastic in 1964. Mr. Potato Head's debut sparked kids’ creativity by letting them craft silly faces on vegetables and fruits. For just 98 cents, the kit included eyes, a nose, lips, a mustache, ears and a hat. Given his everlasting status, Mr. Potato Head is still available for purchase for just $7.99 , or grab the whole family set for $19.99 on Amazon. Engineer James Wright accidentally created Silly Putty when he dropped boric acid into silicone oil. The reaction produced a stretchy, bouncy material that soared higher than a rubber ball. In 1955, an ounce of the stretchy material sold for $1. After being featured in a New Yorker magazine article, more than 250,000 units were ordered within a span of three days. Silly Putty is still available for $21.24 , about $9.22 more than its original price back in the day. Described as a "living doll, real grown-up fashion," and dressed in a black-and-white striped bathing suit, blonde hair and black heels, Mattel’s first Barbie doll made a splash in the toy market. Parents could buy this iconic doll for $3 in 1959. Now, a Barbie doll costs around $20.99 on Amazon. The first Easy-Bake Oven hit the shelves in yellow and turquoise options in 1963. Despite the toy's steep $15.95 price tag, more than half a million kids nationwide convinced their parents to buy them the toy, eventually selling out the toy during the holiday season. In 2006, Hasbro officially retired the light bulb design for a heating element and rebranded the toy as the “Easy-Bake Ultimate Oven." The Easy-Bake Oven continues to be a household name and the current version can be purchased for $95.99 on Amazon. The toy that let kids create glowing artwork on a plastic panel with small light-up pegs originally retailed for $7.98 Today, however, you can grab a Lite-Brite set for just $15.49 . Though the beginning of Lego can be traced back to 1932, the building blocks reached a new level of popularity in 1969. The start of the 1960s marked a new era for Lego as it began to expand themes, trying to become a versatile and innovative toy brand. Curiously, one of the best-performing sets of the '60s was a Quaker Oats cereal box set. Now, the Lego world is vast and diverse, including exciting sets from the world of Star Wars, Harry Potter, NASA missions, and much more. A bulk set of bricks without a specific theme starts around $24.99 , while other more intricate sets, like the international space station can go as high as $158.00 . A pet rock might be hard for today’s generation of kids to understand, but when the creator, Gary Dahl, introduced the toy, it was a smashing success. Despite its $4 price tag, the humorous manual that came with it convinced many to shell out for this trendsetter. Within the first year, more than one million Pet Rocks were sold, becoming the hottest Christmas gift of the year. If you want to experience the joys of a pet rock, it’s still available on Amazon for $19.99 . A year after the release of the first Star Wars movie, miniature action figures became the must-have Christmas gift for kids. Priced between $2.26 and $2.29, these figures were a hit. Many kids waited in anticipation during the holiday season of 1978, hoping to unwrap a Star Wars action figure. However, a backlog in the production of the figures caused many to be disappointed. Kenner’s Star Wars toys sold 40 million units within their first year, generating $100 million in revenue. You can find a set of three action figures on Amazon for $29.99 . It looks like a flying plastic saucer with four color panels. Simon was a quirky game that challenged players to test their memory by matching color sequences to musical tones. Inspired by the Atari arcade game Touch Me, inventors Ralph Baer and Howard J. Morrison were inspired to replicate a music sequence on a handheld device. The game was originally titled Follow Me but the name was changed before its launch to Simon after the game Simon Says. Players can still test their memory muscle with the toy for $19.68 on Amazon. It has six colors, some 3 billion combinations and just one solution. The Rubik’s Cube had many scratching their heads in 1980, leaving the store with a $7.49 cube to solve once they got home. The Rubik’s Cube can be found in almost any toy store and is available for $9.36 on Amazon. Who can forget the chaos caused by Cabbage Patch Kids when they debuted in 1983? Parents were willing to do almost anything to snag the $24.97 doll. Many even paid more to buy from resellers. If you missed your chance to own one in the 80s, you’re in luck, the dolls are still available on Amazon for $24.99 . After the Cabbage Patch Kids fiasco, parents vowed to never endure such chaos again – until Transformers hit the market the very next year. These small model cars and trucks that transformed into robots became the next must have toy. Ranging from $3 to $5, kids nationwide were hoping to find a Transformer toy under the Christmas tree. The toy is still available for $24.99 on Amazon. Super Soakers revolutionized water toys, letting kids drench their friends with buckets of water from 50 to 200 feet away! Originally priced between $14.99 and $19.99, depending on the model, this was the toy every kid hoped to stay cool with over the summer. Today's versions hold more water, shoot farther and are available for as low as $11.76 . Twelve years after the release of the Cabbage Patch Kids, Tickle Me Elmo sparked another chaotic holiday craze. Parents nationwide scoured stores for the $29.99 toy . Tyco, the manufacturer, shipped one million Tickle Me Elmos to the United States, but didn’t anticipate how quickly the toy would fly off the shelves. Desperate buyers turned to newspaper ads, where the toy was auctioned or sold at overinflated prices, reaching as high as $1,500! Currently, the toy retails for $39.99 on Amazon. Bandai first released Tamagotchi in Japan in 1996, selling four million units in the country during its first four months on the market, becoming an instant success. Tamagotchi made its way to America the following year, repeating the success it had in Japan. Many compared it to the pet rock — but virtual. Housed in a plastic egg-shaped device, this engaging virtual pet sold for $15 to $20. You can still feed, play and check on a Tamagotchi pet for $19.99 on Amazon. Often considered the "anti-Barbie," Bratz Dolls made their fashionable first appearance in 2001 for $14.99. Within a year, the dolls grossed $97 million in global sales. By the following year, the Toy Association crowned Bratz Dolls the Toy of the Year. The chic quartet — Cloe, Yasmin, Jade, and Sasha — are still strutting the latest fashion trends on Amazon for just $24.99 . Priced at $100, the 14-inch Robosapien featured 67 pre-programmed functions, including dancing, picking up objects, belching and more. Within its first year of releasing Robosapien, WowWee sold one and a half million units of the toy worldwide. It became the top holiday toy of 2004 and later won the title of Toy of the Year. A more modern and tech-savvy version of the robot can be purchased on Amazon for $20.99 . Robert Croak first introduced colorful rubber bands known as SillyBandz to American consumers in 2008. But these rubber bands weren't just any ordinary bands, they were shaped like animals, objects, numbers, letters and more. SillyBandz mania brought chaos to playgrounds in 2009, with young kids feverishly trading the neon bands, resulting in some schools banning them outright. A pack of six can be bought for $4.95 on Amazon. Following the success of the "Frozen" movie, many kids hoped to rip open a present with a "Frozen" princess doll inside. Whether it was Elsa or Anna, the dolls retailed for $10 and above. Miniature toys weren't a new concept when Shopkins Toys first hit stores in 2014. What made Shopkins unique was its collectability, affordability and surprise element. The blind basket left many to anticipate the mini everyday grocery item that awaited them inside. At first glance, WowWee's Fingerlings looks like an ordinary monkey that latches onto a finger. The robotic monkey, however, had the ability to respond to voices, movement and touch by babbling, blowing kisses and blinking. With the help of influencers and content creators, WowWee sold more than 100,000 units within their debut week. Fingerlings are still on the market for $14.99 . Note: "Today's Price" is based on what the toy would have cost in today's dollars according to the Bureau of Labor Statistic's Consumer Price Index inflation calculator. Interactive graphics created by Susie Webb.Tyreek Hill's Wife Sent Three-Word Message to Dolphins Star on Sunday

The Kharga Corps of the Indian Army concluded its integrated field firing exercise, ‘Kharga Shakti’, at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan. The exercise, which began on November 24, tested the Corps’ combat readiness and validated the effectiveness of combined arms operations in a simulated battlefield environment. Lieutenant General Rajesh Pushkar, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Kharga Corps, reviewed the exercise, which showcased coordinated maneuvers and integrated firing by various military assets. These included attack helicopters, artillery guns, armored and mechanized platforms, and infantry weapons. The troops demonstrated their operational capabilities through live firing drills, tactical movements, and air support missions. The exercise also incorporated cutting-edge technologies such as swarm drones, loiter munition systems, quadcopters, and logistic drones to enhance battlefield efficiency. During his visit, Lt Gen Pushkar interacted with the troops, commending their exceptional professionalism and combat skills. He reaffirmed the armed forces’ commitment to maintaining a high state of readiness and operational excellence, expressing confidence in the Kharga Corps’ ability to be a decisive force on the Western Front. The ‘Kharga Shakti’ exercise underscores the Indian Army’s focus on modern warfare techniques and its dedication to achieve the highest standards of combat preparedness, Lt Gen Pushkar said.

GETTING HIGH ON BOOKS The Tanggew: Community Library, Eco-Cultural Learning, and Resource Center recently facilitated book donations to the Sangguniang Kabataan of Barangay Ambasing in Sagada, Mountain Province, in time for the opening of a reading center in the upland village. —Photo from Tanggew Facebook page MANILA, Philippines — Libraries have played a pivotal role in shaping communities and civilizations, serving as gateways to acquiring knowledge and as cultural hubs that connect the past and present, ensuring that history and learning are passed down to future generations. But, reality check: according to a 2023 research report by the National Library of the Philippines (NLP), the total number of public libraries in the Philippines makes up only 3 percent of the ideal as prescribed by law. Most of these libraries are managed by the offices of the heads of local government units (LGUs), while other libraries are managed by various national and local government offices such as the National Library of the Philippines, Public Information Office, and local Tourism and Cultural Affairs agencies. A few more libraries in the country are under the management of civil society organizations or private or nonprofit organizations. The report also highlighted that while many libraries fall under the supervision of LGUs, they often lack the necessary resources and support to sustain the library’s operations. The NLP said there may be a need to clarify the role of public libraries in local government plans to help improve their sustainability and effectiveness in serving local communities. READ: The library’s place in a democracy Another study, the National Book Development Board 2023 Readership Survey, found that only 18 percent of the surveyed adults and 12 percent of the surveyed children were aware of public libraries within their cities or municipalities. Of these, only 51 percent of adults and 60 percent of children reported having visited these libraries. We talked to four such libraries—two public and two independent ones—to learn about the common challenges they face, how they work to help shape and empower their communities, and how these avenues for public learning can continue to play a role in national education, literacy, and community-building. As the highly urbanized home to a wide array of government offices, vocational schools, and educational institutions, including the main campuses of the University of the Philippines-Diliman and Ateneo de Manila University, and also among the wealthiest cities in the country, Quezon City has taken the right course of maintaining and supporting an active library for its residents. With around 32 branch libraries spread across the districts of Quezon City, including its main hub in City Hall, the Quezon City Public Library provides various activities for its many visitors. The main library continues to find ways to foster literacy and learning, such as conducting reading tutorials for students. Mariza Chico, the officer in charge of the Quezon City Public Library, said over 699 beneficiaries have benefited from program, which this year finally saw a standardized model for tutorials. “Public libraries serve as a source of credible information and a free force in developing literacy in communities,” said Chico. “As a center of information, public libraries not only provide equitable access to library materials, but also programs and activities that elevate the literacy level of people belonging to a particular community, especially those who are underserved.” Chico, who became officer in charge in 2020, recounted how even during the pandemic, the library was able to keep its community alive through the efforts of its staff and by providing online services such as tutorials and digital resources. PASSION FOR CULTURE, LETTERS IN LA UNION The Alfredo F. Tadiar Library, once the residence of the Tadiar family (left, top photo), now stands as a testament to its rich history, offering a space for various community activities and cultural events. —Photos from Alfredo F. Tadiar Library Facebook and Instagram accounts Developing a digitized library is ongoing, said Chico, to enable the institution to adapt to the fast-changing technological environment and to bring the benefits of the library’s resources to many more constituents. Visit QC Public Library FB page, email [email protected] , or visit Gate 3 City Hall Compound, Diliman, Quezon City, 1100 Metro Manila. Located in Tutuban Center Mall in Tondo, Manila, is the Sentro ng Karunungan Library, one of the affiliated public libraries of the National Library of the Philippines. On the mall’s third floor, past the shops and restaurants down below, the library is a quaint, quiet space with tables and desks for private reading and discussion, shelves of books and periodicals, and a coffee nook for visitors who would like to stay a little longer. After moving to its current location from an old facility in Tayuman, the library now focuses on providing a space for relaxation and learning for all sorts of visitors, from children with special needs to out-of-school youth. The library also offers digital literacy classes for senior citizens. Darwin Besorio, who started working at the library in 2018 and currently serves as the librarian in charge, wants Sentro to become the go-to review center for students and a sanctuary of other learning resources aside from books. CATCHING UP ON TECH The main Quezon City Public Library near City Hall is currently taking steps to become a rich source of both printed and digitized materials. —Erin Alcala “Students, out-of-school youth, senior citizens, children, and even informal settlers, they can all come to the library,” said Besorio, who recalled the challenging times they had promoting the library. The staff handed out flyers and visited schools to spread the word, and these days harness social media to continue to make the library present in the minds of readers and visitors. “I’m fighting for the library,” said Besorio. “For whatever it can give back to the community.” Visit Sentro ng Karunungan Library FB page, email [email protected] , call 0966-2640944, or visit 3F, TMX, Prime Block, Tutuban Center Mall, Tondo, Recto Avenue, Manila. The Tanggew: Community Library, Eco-Cultural Learning, and Resource Center was born out of countless cups of coffee and spirited discussions among a group of passionate individuals committed to making a difference in their community. Established in 2019 in Northern Sagada, Mountain Province, this community library was created to serve as a vibrant hub for learning, cultural exchange, and community empowerment. With 46 community volunteers, ranging from children to adults, Tanggew promotes collaboration and knowledge-sharing through various activities such as the Read Aloud Program and the establishment of community book pantries. Alma Toyoken, chair of Tanggew, said the initiative is focused on reviving the spirit of volunteerism in an era dominated by capitalism. At the heart of this vision is a deep commitment for the well-being of the communities in Northern Sagada and other indigenous communities of Mountain Province. RICH BREW FOR THE MIND A cup of coffee can make a good book even better. At Sentro ng Karunungan Library, visitors can take their pick among various blends in sachets. —Erin Alcala Tanggew is temporarily housed in one of the oldest homes in Barangay Bangaan, Sagada. The library’s resources are supported by partnerships with organizations like Library Hub Philippines and with local community members. Aside from using books as resources, Tanggew is looking to develop the concept of a human library, where older Sagada residents are treated as “living books” or oral historians who can share their firsthand knowledge of the region’s culture, history, and traditions. Visit Tanggew Community Library FB page, call 0915 -0282225, or visit House No. 189, Barangay Bangaan, Sagada, Mountain Province. To honor Alfredo F. Tadiar, a lawyer, educator, and a pioneer in alternative dispute resolution in the Philippines, his daughter, Neferti Tadiar, converted their family home into a library as a lasting tribute to her father’s legacy and commitment to education. Founded in 2017, the Alfredo F. Tadiar Library (AFTL) is an independent research and resource center in San Fernando, La Union. When it first opened, Neferti said the response was overwhelming, particularly from young creative individuals who expressed their longing for this type of space in the area. “I didn’t know there was that demand [for the library], that young people were looking for this,” she said. Neferti, also an educator, now serves as director of the AFTL. Like Tanggew, AFTL is supported by a dedicated group of volunteers. They organize regular community discussions and events, helping foster a vibrant, collaborative environment. AFTL also regularly hosts book launches, art exhibitions, and public forums, offering a platform for local artists and writers to share their work and engage with the community. SHELF LIFE (From left) Inside the Tanggew: Community Library, Eco-Cultural Learning, and Resource Center; Quezon City Public Library; and Sentro ng Karunungan Library. —Photos from Tanggew: Community Library, Eco-cultural Library, Learning and Resource Center facebook page and Erin Alcala The library’s strong social media engagement has helped it attract a diverse range of visitors, from locals and seasonal tourists to international guests. Its well-curated collection includes an extensive Filipiniana collection, making it a valuable resource for researchers and scholars. Said Neferti: “Libraries change people and empower people, because they give information [that allows] them to decide for themselves and to learn their own histories.” Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Visit Alfredo F. Tadiar Library FB page, email [email protected] , call (072)888 0795, or visit 1 F. Ortega Highway, San Fernando, La Union, Philippines.NoneAfter almost six years, Devendra Fadnavis set to return to winter assembly as CM

Paraguay on Thursday kicked out a Chinese envoy for allegedly interfering in its domestic affairs and urging the South American nation to break off ties and long friendship with Taiwan. The Chinese diplomat was given 24 hours to leave the country. In a curt statement, Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had revoked the visa of Xu Wei, a senior Chinese envoy to Latin America who was in Paraguay for an annual UNESCO meeting , declaring him persona non grata “over interference in internal affairs.” The day before, Xu skipped the UNESCO session and instead turned up at Congress in Paraguay’s capital of Asunción, where he caused a diplomatic stir by calling on Paraguay to ditch Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island of 23 million people that China claims as its territory. Paraguay is the only nation in South America and one of just 12 worldwide that recognizes Taiwan as a country. The Paraguayan government has stayed firm in its commitment — even as Beijing ramps up its lobbying of foreign counterparts to stop recognizing the island. In recent years, four countries in Latin America — Honduras, Panama, the Dominican Republic and El Salvador — cut ties with Taiwan in favor of Beijing, whose one-China principle forces countries to choose between having full diplomatic relations with China or Taiwan. From the halls of the futuristic Congress building in Asunción that Taiwan helped fund, Xu stressed Beijing’s interest in establishing relations with Paraguay, but said the onus was on officials in Paraguay to make the first move. “It is either China or Taiwan,” he said. “I recommend that the government of Paraguay make a correct decision as soon as possible.” Addressing lawmakers, Xu dangled the prospect of expanded trade with Beijing among “thousands of other advantages.” Some members of the Paraguayan Congress, citing farmers’ struggles to export soybeans and beef to China, have argued that the nation stands to benefit from a diplomatic flip in the long run. China’s trade with South America has grown exponentially in recent years , reaching nearly $500 billion as of 2023, according to data from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. On Wednesday, the Taiwanese Embassy in Paraguay lashed out at China on social media platform X, calling Xu an “infiltrator” who seeks “to undermine the firm friendship between Paraguay and Taiwan” that dates back to 1957. CNN has reached out to China’s US embassy and UN mission for comment.

Selected Stocks Close Change ADM $50.58 -$0.03 AT&T $22.86 -$0.10 Berkshire CL A $684,908.50 -$2,691.50 Berkshire CL B $456.51 -$2.59 The Buckle $51.53 -$0.20 Campbell Soup $41.81 $0.09 Coca Cola Co. $62.45 -$0.12 Conagra Foods $27.66 $0.11 Harley Davidson $30.28 -$0.50 Hewlett-Packard $21.65 -$0.38 Hormel $31.85 $0.17 Microsoft $430.56 -$7.55 O’Reilly Auto $1,197.35 -$9.43 Pfizer Inc. $26.62 $0.06 3M Company $130.18 -$1.00 US Bancorp $48.49 -$0.52 Valmont $306.54 -$3.34 Walgreen $9.62 -$0.06 Wal-Mart Stores $91.66 -$1.13 Werner Ent $36.25 -$0.15 The Tribune receives stocks at approximately 4 p.m. Grain prices Yesterday’s closing prices were provided courtesy of Fremont elevators. All are price per bushel. Corn $4.32- 4.34 Soybean $9.45 Wheat $5.54 County Posted Price The Farm Service Agency’s posted county price for Dodge County for yesterday was: Corn $4.20 Oats $2.65 Soybeans $9.23 Wheat $4.84Trump 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.

Georgia Tech cruises past Alabama A&MBoston College holds on down stretch to top Fairleigh Dickinson

WASHINGTON , Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chief Executive Officer of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) expressed his profound thanks to President-elect Donald Trump and extended his heartfelt congratulations to Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer on her nomination as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor. "On behalf of our 4,000 NECA contractors and the hundreds of thousands of workers they employ across the nation in our nearly quarter trillion-dollar industry, I want to congratulate Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer on her nomination to head up the Department of Labor," said David Long , CEO of NECA. "Her leadership, dedication, and commitment to fostering economic growth and workforce development make her an outstanding choice to lead the Department of Labor. We are confident she will bring a thoughtful and collaborative approach to addressing the challenges and opportunities facing America's workforce." Representative Chavez-DeRemer has demonstrated a deep understanding of the critical role skilled trades play in building a strong economy. Her support for apprenticeship programs, workforce training initiatives, and fair labor practices aligns with NECA's mission to create a thriving environment for the electrical construction industry and the people who power our nation. "As NECA continues to champion the skilled trades and the electrical construction industry, we look forward to working closely with Representative Chavez-DeRemer to advance policies that ensure a robust workforce, uphold workplace safety, and promote innovation in our sector," Long added. NECA stands ready to collaborate with the Department of Labor under Representative Chavez-DeRemer's leadership to unite the needs of employers, workers, and apprentices across the nation. We extend our best wishes to her for a successful confirmation process and look forward to seeing the positive impact of her work in this critical role. ABOUT THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION NECA is the voice of the $240 billion electrical construction industry that brings power, light, and communication technology to buildings and communities across North America. NECA's national office and 118 local chapters advance the industry through advocacy, education, research, and standards development. Go to www.necanet.org for more information. SOURCE National Electrical Contractors Assoc Inc.Small Caps Lead Stock Market Lower As Jobs Report Looms

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of Gavin’s political career#wegotmail: It's official: Veloso to be transferred to PHSt. Thomas fraud victim loses nearly $100K to job scamMom left in tears after her two-year-old son cut off her hair as she slept before supergluing it back on

The Portland Trail Blazers hope to head home for Thanksgiving on a happier and healthier note when they conclude a five-game trip Wednesday night against the Indiana Pacers. The Trail Blazers stagger into Indianapolis after a short-handed 123-98 drubbing at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. Five regulars -- Scoot Henderson, Kris Murray, Matisse Thybulle, Donovan Clingan and Deandre Ayton -- all sat out with injuries. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Each year, an estimated 46 million turkeys are consumed on Thanksgiving alone, with production largely concentrated in a handful of states. To determine the top turkey producers in the U.S., researchers ranked states based on 2023 total turkey production, measured in pounds. Click for more. Thanksgiving's Hometown Heroes: The States You Can Thank for Your Turkey DinnerBy SARAH PARVINI, GARANCE BURKE and JESSE BEDAYN, Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. While immigration officials have used the tech for years, an October letter from the Department of Homeland Security obtained exclusively by The Associated Press details how those tools — some of them powered by AI — help make life-altering decisions for immigrants, including whether they should be detained or surveilled. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency’s supervision. The letter, sent by DHS Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer Eric Hysen to the immigrant rights group Just Futures Law, revealed that the score calculates the potential risk that an immigrant — with a pending case — will fail to check in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The algorithm relies on several factors, he said, including an immigrant’s number of violations and length of time in the program, and whether the person has a travel document. Hysen wrote that ICE officers consider the score, among other information, when making decisions about an immigrant’s case. “The Hurricane Score does not make decisions on detention, deportation, or surveillance; instead, it is used to inform human decision-making,” Hysen wrote. Also included in the government’s tool kit is a mobile app called SmartLINK that uses facial matching and can track an immigrant’s specific location. Nearly 200,000 people without legal status who are in removal proceedings are enrolled in the Alternatives to Detention program, under which certain immigrants can live in the U.S. while their immigration cases are pending. In exchange, SmartLINK and GPS trackers used by ICE rigorously surveil them and their movements. The phone application draws on facial matching technology and geolocation data, which has been used before to find and arrest those using the app. Just Futures Law wrote to Hysen earlier this year, questioning the fairness of using an algorithm to assess whether someone is a flight risk and raising concerns over how much data SmartLINK collects. Such AI systems, which score or screen people, are used widely but remain largely unregulated even though some have been found to discriminate on race, gender or other protected traits. DHS said in an email that it is committed to ensuring that its use of AI is transparent and safeguards privacy and civil rights while avoiding biases. The agency said it is working to implement the Biden administration’s requirements on using AI , but Hysen said in his letter that security officials may waive those requirements for certain uses. Trump has publicly vowed to repeal Biden’s AI policy when he returns to the White House in January. “DHS uses AI to assist our personnel in their work, but DHS does not use the outputs of AI systems as the sole basis for any law enforcement action or denial of benefits,” a spokesperson for DHS told the AP. Trump has not revealed how he plans to carry out his promised deportation of an estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally. Although he has proposed invoking wartime powers, as well as military involvement, the plan would face major logistical challenges — such as where to keep those who have been detained and how to find people spread across the country — that AI-powered surveillance tools could potentially address. Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump, did not answer questions about how they plan to use DHS’ tech, but said in a statement that “President Trump will marshal every federal and state power necessary to institute the largest deportation operation” in American history. Over 100 civil society groups sent a letter on Friday urging the Office of Management and Budget to require DHS to comply with the Biden administration’s guidelines. OMB did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Just Futures Law’s executive director, Paromita Shah, said if immigrants are scored as flight risks, they are more likely to remain in detention, “limiting their ability to prepare a defense in their case in immigration court, which is already difficult enough as it is.” SmartLINK, part of the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, is run by BI Inc., a subsidiary of the private prison company The GEO Group. The GEO Group also contracts with ICE to run detention centers. ICE is tight-lipped about how it uses SmartLINK’s location feature to find and arrest immigrants. Still, public records show that during Trump’s first term in 2018, Manassas, Virginia-based employees of BI Inc. relayed immigrants’ GPS locations to federal authorities, who then arrested over 40 people. In a report last year to address privacy issues and concerns, DHS said that the mobile app includes security features that “prohibit access to information on the participant’s mobile device, with the exception of location data points when the app is open.” But the report notes that there remains a risk that data collected from people “may be misused for unauthorized persistent monitoring.” Such information could also be stored in other ICE and DHS databases and used for other DHS mission purposes, the report said. On investor calls earlier this month, private prison companies were clear-eyed about the opportunities ahead. The GEO Group’s executive chairman George Christopher Zoley said that he expects the incoming Trump administration to “take a much more aggressive approach regarding border security as well as interior enforcement and to request additional funding from Congress to achieve these goals.” “In GEO’s ISAP program, we can scale up from the present 182,500 participants to several hundreds of thousands, or even millions of participants,” Zoley said. That same day, the head of another private prison company told investors he would be watching closely to see how the new administration may change immigrant monitoring programs. “It’s an opportunity for multiple vendors to engage ICE about the program going forward and think about creative and innovative solutions to not only get better outcomes, but also scale up the program as necessary,” Damon Hininger, CEO of the private prison company CoreCivic Inc. said on an earnings call. GEO did not respond to requests for comment. In a statement, CoreCivic said that it has played “a valued but limited role in America’s immigration system” for both Democrats and Republicans for over 40 years.

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