Syrian government services come to ‘complete halt’ as workers stay at homeHEARTWARMING footage shows the moment Prince William made a hilarious dig at his son Prince Louis as the family were gifted chocolates from wellwishers. The Royal Family attended St Mary Magdalene's Church on the Norfolk estate for the Yuletide service at 11am on Christmas Day. 7 This is the heartwarming moment Prince William told a young fan not to give Prince Louis Christmas chocolates Credit: X @tokkianami 7 Wills was heard telling a young fan to ‘keep them for yourself’ instead Credit: X @tokkianami 7 Prince Louis with his hands full of presents Credit: Bav Media 7 George, Charlotte and Louis joined their parents Credit: PA After attending the traditional festive service on the Norfolk estate, the Prince of Wales, 42, stepped into full "dad mode" as he shook hands with crowds offering gifts to the royal children. Among the excited well-wishers was a fan handing over chocolates intended for six-year-old Prince Louis. But William playfully intervened, saying: "No, no, you can't give all the chocolates! Definitely not. "You've got to keep them for yourself as well." Read More in Royals THE ONE SHOW King seen getting hands-on with Christmas speech in behind-the-scenes footage OUT OF FAVOUR Andrew 'snubs Charles Xmas speech' after not joining family at church A video shared on social media captured the lighthearted moment, showing a visibly excited Prince Louis standing behind his father with his hands already full of presents from the crowd. At one point, Louis moved forward, seemingly eager for more gifts, but he quickly stopped and stood still after William's gentle command. The heartwarming exchange highlighted the Prince's firm yet affectionate parenting style as he managed the flow of chocolates, stuffed animals, and bouquets being handed to his children. Prince William, his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, and their three children - Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis - looked the picture of festive elegance as they greeted the public. Most read in Royals FOOTIE SHOCK Footage emerges of Hibs star in vow about 'Jambo b*******' before derby win TOUGH CALLS Former top refs issue strong verdicts on Celtic-Motherwell penalty flash points SNOW END Exact date snow storms to hit Scotland as weather map reveals Arctic freeze on way HEARTBROKEN Shankland heckled by Hearts fans during hospitality speech as VIP host steps in The young royals, dressed in coordinated navy blue outfits, carried an assortment of gifts, including a large teddy bear and chocolates. During the walkabout, Prince Louis drew smiles when he accepted a Father Christmas headband from a well-wisher, graciously thanking them before asking his father for help carrying his growing haul. "Papa, can you carry some?" he sweetly asked, prompting laughter from the crowd. Radiant Princess Kate & King Charles lead royals as they head to church for Christmas service – after Andrew ‘opted out’ The festive outing marked an annual royal tradition, with senior family members, including King Charles and Queen Camilla, also greeting well-wishers after the church service. Hundreds of royal fans gathered outside the gates of Sandringham this morning hoping to catch a glimpse of t he royal family on Christmas. The King, wearing a camel coat and carrying an umbrella, waved to well-wishers and shook hands with the Rev Can Dr Paul Rhys Williams as he led the family into the church. He was followed closely behind by Queen Camilla, wearing an ivy green coat and beret. They were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales, in a similar green outfit to the Queen, and their children Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte, who waved at the crowds. Outcast Prince Andrew did not join the family amid his Chinese spy scandal . Mike Tindall followed behind the Kensingtons with his daughter Mia. He could be seen sharing a joke with niece Savannah Phillips as they waited to go into the chapel. His wife Zara, in a burgundy coat and matching headband, walked separately with her brother Peter Phillips and his other daughter Isla. Princess Kate shares touching hug with fellow cancer patient By EMILY-JANE HEAP PENSIONER Karen MacLean was given a hug by the Princess of Wales outside Sandringham this morning after revealing she is battling cancer. The 73-year-old, from Humberston near Cleethorpes, Lincs, described the moment Kate embraced her as "overwhelmingly good". She told The Sun: "We were talking about our illnesses, because we're both cancer victims, when she reached out and hugged me. "It was really unexpected and such a joy... I gave her a tight squeeze back. It was such a surreal moment. "I wasn't expecting that at all. It was so overwhelmingly good." She added: "You get a camaraderie with other cancer victims. Unless you've been on that journey you can't understand what it's like." Karen, who is still under treatment for cancer, also spoke briefly to the King, Princess Beatrice and Prince George. She continued: "Kate is looking really well and The King looks quite good too. "They've not had the best of years, so it's nice to see them all back out together and united." She held hands with her youngest daughter Lena. Also in attendance was Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and stepson Christopher Woolf. Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh , in a pale pink coat, walked alongside her daughter Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, in a blue coat and beret. They were joined by Sir Timothy Laurence. Read more on the Scottish Sun SNOW WAY Weather maps show heavy snow for Scotland in DAYS – with -2C New Year’s chill NO CRIME Orange Order slam cops after Celtic activist was cleared over 'sectarian rants' Prince Edward and James Mountbatten-Windsor, Earl of Wessex, followed behind with the Princess Royal, in a red jacket and black skirt. The Royal Family was seen leaving the church at around 11.45am before mingling among the huge crowds of fans. 7 The royals at Sandringham two days ago Credit: Rex 7 King Charles III waves to the large crowd on Christmas Day Credit: AP 7 Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince William Credit: Rex
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California's notorious Santa Ana winds were predicted to return Monday night and utilities said they are prepared to cut power to hundreds of thousands of customers in areas where strong gusts could damage electrical equipment and spark wildfires. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for high fire risk with a rare “particularly dangerous situation,” or PDS, designation starting at 8 p.m. Monday into Tuesday for Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The last time PDS red flags went up was the first week of November, when powerful, dry winds fed the Mountain Fire , which destroyed at least 240 buildings, mostly homes, in Ventura County. Before that, a PDS red flag warning hadn't been issued for the region since 2020. “This event has the potential to be as strong as the November 5th-6th Santa Ana event that led to the Mountain Fire,” the weather service office for Los Angeles said Sunday on social media. Southern California Edison said it was considering targeted power shut-offs for more than 250,000 homes and businesses across seven counties starting Monday evening. Meanwhile San Diego Gas & Electric said it has notified nearly 117,500 customers that they might temporarily lose service to reduce the chance of wildfires. Santa Anas are dry, warm and gusty northeast winds that blow from the interior of Southern California toward the coast and offshore. They typically occur during the fall months and continue through winter and into early spring. In Northern California, the weather service said chances were increasing for an “impactful rainfall event” late in the week for the San Francisco Bay Area.
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Neal Maupay: Whenever I’m having a bad day I check Everton score and smileSome I'm A Celebrity fans think GK Barry and Ella Rutherford have secretly got married. Speculation was fuelled by Ipswich Town footballer Ella referring to GK as "my wife" on social media. The podcast star, whose real name is Grace Keeling, secured fifth place on this year's series of the ITV show. As GK, 25, made her exit, she was greeted by her sports star partner, 24, at the end of the bridge. Ella has now raised a few eyebrows with an Instagram post from her time in Australia, the Mirror reports. Alongside some images from Down Under, she wrote: "Flew to the jungle to get my wife. Met the most amazing people along the way and made memories that will last a life time. You made us all so proud beautiful, I love you with all my heart, I have everything I’ll ever need." READ MORE: I'm A Celeb's Coleen Rooney hints at exciting projects and says 'I'll be back really soon' Her comments wowed followers who rushed to the comments over the pair's romance. One fan wrote in the comments: "@ellarutherford_ got her wife Whata gem." Another wrote: "Love this Ella", followed by a heart and ring emoji. Those who weren't convinced the pair had yet wed had commented to encourage it. "Marry her already," wrote one. A second chimed in with: "I say put a ring on it." During her time in the jungle, GK was open about her relationship and said: “It was by accident I found Ella, through a mutual friend and then I really liked her the first day I met her, but I’d never told my parents. I’d mentioned, ‘Oh I’m just going to see my friend Ella’ or ‘I’m staying round Ella’s’ so they’d heard her name.” She told her fellow campmates her parents had later visited while Ella and asked who she was. Recounting the story, GK said: "I told them 'Oh. she’s my girlfriend'. They just love her, they never had an issue with it. To be fair I feel like the closet may have been glass!” When she was voted off the series, GK vowed never to walk away from her girlfriend again. She said: "Never again, are we leaving each other. We must be joined at the hip at all times. She basically said to me, 'this is your moment.....this is all about you'. I feel like it says a lot about her."AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas won the Big 12 title in 2023 on its way out the door to the Southeastern Conference. It was still swinging open when Arizona State waltzed in and won the league title in its debut season. And now the old Big 12 champs meet the new Big 12 champs on the path toward a potential national title. The fifth-seeded Longhorns and fourth-seeded Sun Devils play News Years Day in the Peach Bowl in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff . Both had their doubters they could get here. Texas (12-2) still had to prove is was “ready” for the SEC. Arizona State (11-2) was picked to finish last in the Big 12. But the Sun Devils quickly started winning and having fun in some new road environments in college towns smaller than some of their stops in the more cosmopolitan old Pac-12. All-American running back Cam Skattebo led the barnstorming tour. “We were not used to getting tortillas thrown at us at Texas Tech. You're not used to some of these environments," Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham said Monday. “When you're in the Pac-12, you're playing in Seattle, you're playing in L.A., you're playing in Salt Lake City. We got to face a lot more small college town football with really, really great environments. ... It was definitely fun to join a new league," Dillingham said. And Dillingham laid down some Texas roots. The Sun Devils are recruiting Texas players out of high school, and the current roster has six transfers who started their college careers in burnt orange in Austin. “The guys we’ve gotten from Texas and coach (Steve Sarkisian's) program have been unbelievable,” Dillingham said. “We know what we’re getting when we’re getting a guy from that program, and that’s a guy who has worked really hard, competed and been pushed. Those are the things that we like to bring in.” Safety Xavion Alford was named All-Big 12 . Defensive end Prince Dorbah is another Sun Devils starter. Defensive lineman Zac Swanson, who has two sacks this season, is another former Longhorn who said he relished a chance to beat his former team. Recruited by Texas out of Phoenix, Swanson was a reserve in 2022 and 2023 behind future NFL draft picks T'Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy. “That's a team who kicked me out and said I'd never I was never going to be good enough to play there,” Swanson said last week. “That's something that has been on my agenda for a while.” Dillingham joked he'd like to get more Texas transfers this week. Sarkisian simply noted that he wished he'd signed Skattebo, a Californian who transferred from Sacramento State after the 2022 season. “I was unaware, so kudos to them. They found him, he's a heckuva player,” said Sarkisian, who also is a California native. Sarkisian said he was impressed by the Sun Devil's first-year success in the Big 12. “We were in that Big 12, what, for 27 years? We won four. This is their first year in and they won a Big 12 Championship. It’s a really hard thing to do,” Sarkisian said. “They’re playing with a ton of confidence right now. The last two months, I think they’re playing as good a football as anybody in the country.” Despite wining that last Big 12 title and a playoff appearance in 2023, Texas still faced skeptics that the Longhorns would take their lumps in the SEC this year. Texas was more than ready for the league and the Longhorns made it to the SEC championship game. Their only two losses have been to Georgia, the No. 2 seed in the playoff. Sarkisian still remembers his 5-7 Texas debut in 2021. The program wasn't ready for the SEC and the playoff back then, but it certainly is now. Texas is the only one of last year's four playoff teams to make the expanded 12-team field this year. “There’s a lot to be proud of, but mostly I’m proud of our veterans, our leaders, our seniors, because those guys went from 5-7 in year one, they went through 8-5 in year two, and they didn’t jump ship. They hung in there with us. They believed in what they were doing,” Sarkisian said.
Black Friday is inching closer, but shoppers may want to lower their expectations for the biggest shopping day of the year. Personal finance website WalletHub said that 41% of products offer no greater savings on Black Friday compared to prices in the days and weeks before. That isn't to say you won't find great deals on Black Friday, but it can vary depending on where you look. WalletHub said jewelry had the best savings at 37% off, followed by apparel and accessories at 31%. Discounts on toys are generally about 23%. Consumer electronics generally have discounts of less than 20%. “WalletHub found that around 41% of Black Friday items offer no real savings for consumers compared to their usual prices, but the items that are on sale are an average of 24% off, with the highest markdown at 89%," Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst said in the report. RELATED STORY | Forget about Black Friday; plumbers are getting ready for Brown Friday Last year, a record 200.4 million consumers shopped over the five-day holiday weekend from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, according to the National Retail Federation. On Black Friday itself, over 76 million Americans shopped in person while more than 90 million people shopped online. Of those who shopped during Thanksgiving weekend last year, 49% purchased clothing and accessories. The National Retail Federation expects Black Friday to be quite busy again this year with 131.7 million people to shop online, in-person or both the day after Thanksgiving. RELATED STORY | Thanksgiving meals expected to be cheaper in 2024 as turkey prices drop Retailers say it's not just deals that attracts customers. There is a social aspect involved with shopping on days like Black Friday. “Younger shoppers are most likely to take advantage of Thanksgiving weekend deals this year, with 89% of young adults between 18-24 planning to shop over the weekend,” Prosper Insights & Analytics Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist said. “The social aspect of holiday shopping is also enticing to this age group, and they are most likely to shop because it’s a group activity that can be enjoyed with friends and family (20%).”
By Kimberly Palmer, NerdWallet The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments. The start of a new year can bring a surge of motivation around setting new goals, including financial resolutions. One way to help those goals become reality, financial experts say, is to make them as specific as possible. Then, track your progress, while allowing flexibility for unexpected challenges. “It’s easier to track progress when we know where we are going,” says Sylvie Scowcroft, a certified financial planner and founder of The Financial Grove in Cambridge, Massachusetts. That’s why she encourages her clients to set clearly defined goals, often related to paying off a specific debt, saving a certain amount per month or improving their credit score. Here are more tips from financial experts about crafting 2025 financial goals : Trying to accomplish too much can feel overwhelming. Instead, pick your priorities, says Cathleen Tobin, CFP and owner of Moonbridge Financial Design in Rhinebeck, New York. She suggests focusing on those big, often emotionally-driven goals to find motivation. “It’s more compelling than just a number,” she says. For example, do you want to make sure you’re on track for retirement or save money for a house? “Start there.” Scowcroft says she sees clients get tripped up by selecting overly broad goals, such as “get better with money.” Instead, she encourages people to select specific action items, such as “sign up for a budgeting tool and set aside time each month to learn where my money is going.” That level of specificity provides direction so you know what steps to take next, she adds. For example, if your top priority is to become debt-free, then your specific goal might be to pay off an extra $200 of your debt balance each month. Tobin says labeling savings accounts so they correspond with goals can also help. An emergency fund could be named something like “Peace of mind in 2025,” so you remember why you’re saving every time you make a transfer. “It’s more motivating than just ‘emergency fund,’” Tobin says. Measuring your progress as the year unfolds is also a critical component of successful goal setting, Tobin says. She compares it to weight loss. If you want to lose 20 pounds by June, then you need to lose about a pound a week for the first six months of the year. Similarly, she says it helps to break savings goals into microsteps that specify what you need to do each week. Schedule a weekly or monthly check-in with yourself to make sure you are meeting those smaller goals along the way. You might want to review your debt payoff progress or check your credit score , for example. “Being able to break it down into steps that can be done each week or twice a month really helps,” Tobin says. If your goal is to save more money , then setting up an automatic transfer each month can help turn that goal into reality, as long as you know you have the money in your checking account to spare. “It reduces the mental load,” says Mike Hunsberger, CFP and owner of Next Mission Financial Planning in St. Charles, Missouri, where he primarily supports veterans and current members of the military. He recommends starting small to ease into the change. “I wouldn’t jump to double what you’re currently saving,” he says. For example, when it comes to saving in a retirement account, if you’re starting with a 3% contribution, you might want to bump it up to 4%, then slowly increase it from there. “My number one piece of advice is to start small, but make sure you scale over time,” Hunsberger adds. “Because it’s gradual, you probably won’t notice it impacting your lifestyle.” “Stay flexible,” Scowcroft says. “Part of it is just being kind to yourself and not being too rigid.” When unexpected challenges come up, such as a big unplanned expense, you might have to pause making progress on your goal and reset. You might even need to change your goal. Scowcroft says that doesn’t mean you “failed,” just that life changed your plans. Dwelling on any negativity won’t help your forward progress. Sharing your goals with a friend can also make it easier to reach them, Scowcroft says. “It really helps to have an accountability buddy,” she says. She suggests putting a regular “money date” with your friend on the calendar so you can ask each other how you’re doing, brainstorm any challenges or even budget together side-by-side . “It’s a fun excuse to meet up with a friend.” More From NerdWallet Kimberly Palmer writes for NerdWallet. Email: kpalmer@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @kimberlypalmer. The article The Secret to Making Successful Financial New Year’s Resolutions originally appeared on NerdWallet .You don’t hire Bill Belichick for joy. While leading the greatest dynasty in NFL history, he proved with the New England Patriots that success and fun don’t need to be compatible. He created a dour legacy with his irritable genius, a triumphant enigma the Patriots spurned soon after his six-championship glow faded and the rest of the NFL rejected him during the most recent hiring cycle. Belichick may be the best coach football has ever known - or at least he was when Tom Brady was the quarterback caretaking his vision. But he knows only one way. He must operate with ruthless rigor. Apparently, his style has become too cutthroat and outdated for the merciless NFL. So he’s poised to take his act to the last place you would think could handle him: college. At 72 years old, Belichick is about to coach the North Carolina Tar Heels. He’s probably trimming the sleeves on a Carolina blue hoodie at this very minute. When he started stacking losses during his final years in New England, Belichick was having trouble relating to a locker room of men in their mid-20s. Now, most of his players won’t even be of legal drinking age. Oh, this is going to be fun. For the first time with Belichick, it’s going to be fun. Who knew he wanted to turn the end of his career into a sitcom? Oh, this is going to be funny. It’s doubtful North Carolina will enjoy it as much as the rubbernecking outsiders. Belichick could win big and make it an awkward, miserable experience. He could win a little - in that eight-win range that defines most good seasons for the Tar Heels - and make it an awkward, miserable experience. Or he could be a disaster and make it an especially awkward, miserable experience. Belichick could shock the sport more than he already has if he turns into a chatty, grandfatherly figure and tells better stories than Mack Brown, the 73-year-old coach he’s replacing. He’s a pleasure to listen to when he decides to share. Out of coaching this season for the first time since 1975, Belichick has been an entertaining and insightful media member. But the mumbling grump is about to return. Now, he won’t be doing it as the coach and personnel chief of an NFL team, which needs him only to obsess about football because that business model is bulletproof. At North Carolina, he will have to charm - or at least acknowledge - boosters and make an effort to sell the program. He will need to persuade the community to contribute to name, image and likeness funds to compensate players. And while he doesn’t figure to hit the recruiting trail the way Nick Saban did, he must establish relationships with high school players, their parents, coaches, agents and handlers. It’s a gripping experiment for Belichick and for college football. A man with little tolerance now has an annoyingly long chore list, and those items are just as urgent as schemes, strategy and player development. His success depends on much more than his football brain. He must motivate and retain young players during a time when they can transfer freely. He must inspire them to commit to excellence when the vultures are circling, hoping a little bit of money and a nicer coach can convince kids to flee. The college game is different, but coaching won’t be an issue for Belichick. The pace of play is faster, and the styles of play are more diverse. Practice time is limited, and teaching methods must be simplified. There’s also a wider spectrum of aspirations among the players; not everyone expects to go pro. Belichick, who never stops learning, will revel in adjusting to those challenges. But is he wired to be diplomatic when a potential program-changing 19-year-old wants to talk about greater NIL compensation? Where do academics factor into his football obsession? Belichick reportedly was drawn to college football for the same reasons that are driving older college coaches from the sport. He’s attracted to the professionalization of it. He envisions treating the North Carolina program like an NFL franchise, and he will structure his staff accordingly. He’s not the first coach to view it this way, to talk about the transfer portal as free agency and have no qualms about players earning significant money. But he’s the first Hall of Fame-bound NFL coach to bring this level of expertise and nuance to the enterprise. His approach will be thoughtful, and he will stretch North Carolina’s football budget as much as he can to hire the best people to help him. He will create an intriguing fiefdom, and his power will be unchallenged if he can deliver. As much as I would like to make fun of this move, it’s impossible to ignore more than two decades of Belichick’s brilliance as a coach and all the success he has had in a half-century on the sideline. This isn’t a mediocre NFL coach coming to college to rehabilitate his career. This is a luminary intent on finishing a remarkable run in an unexpected way, and he trusts he has an advantage because he sees the college game in a manner that most aren’t ready to fully embrace. Belichick developed into a historic winner by exploiting every opportunity, pushing the limits and sometimes crossing the line. The greatest weakness of most coaches and leaders in college athletics is that they’re too dishonest, disingenuous or disillusioned to accept what the sport is now. And here comes Belichick, clear-eyed and vicious, prepared to try his best without apology. He’s a master of discomfort. Opponents never have an easy time competing against him, and at the same time, his own team isn’t allowed to relax. Belichick, with all that knowledge and edge, has arrived in the most unlikely place. After 48 years in the NFL, he’s going back to school. The Tar Heels just did what no NFL team could muster the enthusiasm to do: They gave a cutthroat coach his sunset job. They should bask while they can. Win or lose, Belichick won’t allow it much longer.
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