SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers were hit by another family tragedy with the announcement that star left tackle Trent Williams' wife gave birth to a stillborn son late last week. Sondra Williams announced on Instagram on Sunday that she gave birth to Trenton O’Brien Williams Jr. on Nov. 24. Williams also wrote that she was initially pregnant with twins and lost the other child earlier in the pregnancy. “I can’t even begin to describe how I felt leaving the hospital without you,” she wrote. “Nor how it feels being home celebrating Thanksgiving without my baby in my arms. My heart is broken and my arms are empty. But I know you’ll always be near watching over me and your sisters. And for that, my heart smiles with gratitude. Thank God for allowing us to bond for 35 weeks and for me to birth you so I could hold you in my arms. I’m at peace knowing you will never have to suffer.” Williams wrote that her son was diagnosed with Trisomy 13, a genetic condition also known as Patau syndrome that affects how the face, brain and heart develop, along with several other internal organs. Trent Williams spent time last week at the hospital and grieving with his family, including the couple's three young daughters. “He was there at the hospital with her and got to meet him and say bye,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday. "Then he had to cremate him on Friday. So he’s been dealing with that and he’s working through it. But we’re all just trying to be here for him through it all.” This is the second tragedy to hit the Niners in recent weeks. Cornerback Charvarius Ward's 1-year-old daughter , Amani Joy, died on Oct. 28. She had born prematurely with Down syndrome and had open-heart surgery in April 2023. Ward spent a few weeks away from the team and returned to the field for the first time on Sunday. Williams has missed the last two games with an ankle injury but Shanahan said he is hoping to be able to the return as soon as he's healthy. “It’s hard as a coach. It’s hard as a friend. It’s hard as a family member. It’s hard for everybody," Shanahan said. ”But we spend a lot of time with each other. That’s what’s cool about a football team. Whatever you go through, the good or the bad, we go through it together. I do like that they have a group of guys they can go to, a group of guys that can see them every day. You can never escape that full grief and stuff. But I do think it’s nice for those guys to have another avenue to get out on the football field, to get around teammates and things like that." AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflAn auto industry lobbying group is requesting that Donald Trump preserve regulations that promote investment in electric vehicle technologies. In a letter dated November 12 th which was recently made public. John Bozzella, President and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, asks the president-elect to protect “provisions in the tax code (including the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act) [that] support the development of next-generation automotive technologies, including EVs, in the U.S.” The AAI lobbies the U.S. government for the interests of nearly every legacy car manufacturer one could name, from Mazda to Ferrari to GM, as well as other companies associated with the industry, like Uber and Texas Instruments in the technology sector. They even count the multinational chemical company BASF as one of their partners. While the letter also bemoans the “federal and state emissions regulations (particularly in California and affiliated states)” as part of the “headwinds” the industry faces, the request to maintain the tax code provisions that promote investment in EVs indicates that these companies have already made shifts in their processes towards those technologies that are not easily undone. “Navigating these challenges is especially acute for heavily regulated automakers and suppliers,” the letter says, “because of our multi-year design and manufacturing cycles and the significant capital expenditures necessary to bring any new vehicle to market.” An analysis from Reuters in 2022 found that 37 global automakers plan to spend a combined $1.2 trillion in electric vehicles and batteries by 2030. The letter also calls for “ reasonable and achievable emissions regulations.” Donald Trump spoke out aggressively against electric vehicles at times during his presidential campaign. During his nomination speech in July, he vowed to “end the electric vehicle mandate on day one,” a reference to the Biden White House’s stated goal of having 50 percent of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030. The former president also called the federal spending on electric vehicles and chargers a “green new scam,” twisting the name of the progressive flagship climate change policy, the Green New Deal. By August, however, he was singing a different tune as Elon Musk emerged as one of his most significant backers. “I’m for electric cars,” he told supporters at a rally in August, “I have to be, because Elon endorsed me very strongly.” Tesla is not affiliated with the AAI. Bozzella’s letter also appears to anticipate the president-elect’s stated commitment to tariffs and seeks to mollify his hardline approach. “The federal government and the auto industry share the goals of preserving economic and national security and ensuring the U.S. remains the global leader in automotive innovation,” the letter says. It then cautions that due to global supply chains, “changes cannot happen overnight,” and urges Trump to “support the industry as it transitions critical supply chains away from foreign adversary nations.”
Apple’s relentless pursuit of in-house technology is no secret. From their M-series chips powering Macs to the bespoke displays in iPhones, the tech giant has consistently aimed for vertical integration. Now, their sights are set on perhaps the most crucial component of modern connectivity: the 5G modem. Rumors suggest that Apple is deep in development, with plans to ditch Qualcomm and integrate their own custom-designed 5G modems into future Macs and the groundbreaking Vision Pro headset. This shift could have profound implications for performance, battery life, and Apple’s overall ecosystem. For years, Apple has relied on Qualcomm for its modem needs, a relationship that has been fraught with legal battles and licensing disputes. By designing their own modems, Apple aims to gain tighter control over this critical component, optimizing it specifically for their devices and software. This could lead to significant improvements in 5G speeds, latency, and power efficiency, particularly crucial for power-hungry devices like the Vision Pro. The transition, however, is expected to be gradual, with iPhones likely being the first to feature Apple’s custom modems, potentially as early as 2025. Macs and the Vision Pro are anticipated to follow suit in the subsequent years. Why 5G Matters for Macs and Vision Pro While 5G has become ubiquitous on smartphones, its adoption in laptops and mixed-reality headsets is still in its nascent stages. But the potential benefits are undeniable. For Macs, 5G could mean: For the Vision Pro, 5G is even more transformative: Apple’s History of Vertical Integration Apple’s pursuit of custom modems is not an isolated incident. It’s a continuation of their long-standing strategy to control key components and technologies within their devices. This approach has yielded significant dividends in the past: This vertical integration strategy gives Apple several advantages: Challenges and Timelines Developing a 5G modem is a complex undertaking, even for a company with Apple’s resources. There are several challenges they need to overcome: While Apple has been working on its modem technology for several years, the transition is expected to be gradual. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that iPhones could be the first to feature Apple’s custom modems, possibly in 2025. Macs and the Vision Pro are likely to follow in the subsequent years. The Potential Impact on the Tech Landscape Apple’s entry into the modem market could have ripple effects throughout the tech industry: My Thoughts As a tech enthusiast and long-time Apple user, I’m incredibly excited about the prospect of Apple’s custom 5G modems. I’ve experienced firsthand the performance gains and efficiency improvements that Apple’s custom silicon has brought to Macs. I believe that extending this approach to 5G connectivity could unlock a new era of possibilities for Macs and the Vision Pro. Imagine a MacBook Pro with blazing-fast 5G speeds, allowing me to work seamlessly from anywhere, or a Vision Pro headset untethered from wires, offering truly immersive augmented reality experiences. However, I also recognize the challenges involved in this endeavor. Developing a 5G modem that meets Apple’s high standards for performance and reliability is no small feat. I’m eager to see how Apple tackles these challenges and how their custom modems will shape the future of connected devices.Top Performers One97 Communications Godrej Properties UPL Muthoot Finance Coromandel International AU Small Finance Bank Ipca Labs Dixon Technologies (India) Ajanta Pharma MRFATLANTA — The Lakers’ four-game road trip, which ended with a disheartening overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday , lasted eight days if you count the days they flew out of and back to Los Angeles on the front and back ends of the trip. But considering they were in Southern California for just a few days after their Nov. 26 road loss to the Phoenix Suns and Nov. 27 road win over the San Antonio Spurs – flying back to L.A. Thanksgiving ahead of their Nov. 29 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder before flying to Salt Lake City the afternoon of Nov. 30 – the trip felt longer. “It was a two-week road trip, let’s be honest,” coach JJ Redick said Friday night. “It was a two-week road trip.” And the nature of how the last two weeks have gone for the Lakers added to their road weariness. The loss to the Hawks was their third straight defeat, including their losses to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat by a combined 70 points, and their seventh loss in nine games going back to the Nov. 21 home loss to the Orlando Magic , the start of another three-game losing streak. While Friday’s loss continued their losing streak, they played with significantly more energy and effort compared to their losses earlier in the week. “Based off the last couple games that we played, Minnesota and Miami, it’s a good bounce back for us,” Anthony Davis said. “Just some of the defensive communication we messed up a little bit [on Friday night]. As far as the carryover, it was better.” When asked what it’ll take for the Lakers, who won their first three games of the season and were 10-4 before their recent skid, to get back over the hump, LeBron James pointed to the players the team has been without. Austin Reaves missed the entire road trip because of a bruised left pelvis suffered Nov. 29 against the Thunder. “With Austin, the movement piece and the thrust, his ability to get in the paint, his ability to, for the most part, make quick decisions,” Redick said. “In some ways, he’s like a connector for our offense, but he’s also a scorer and a playmaker. So you can have connectors that aren’t necessarily players that can do what Austin does in terms of creating offense. He does both. And also, he’s highly competitive and he brings that juice every night.” Backup center Jaxson Hayes has been sidelined 12 of the last 13 games because of right ankle injuries, and isn’t expected to be reevaluated until this upcoming week. Christian Wood (offseason left knee surgery) and Jarred Vanderbilt (offseason feet surgery recovery) have yet to play this season. The Lakers announced that Vanderbilt is expected to return in early January . Wood’s status isn’t as clear. “I don’t know as far as what will get us over the hump,” James said. “We just gotta just not drown. Don’t drown and we’ll be all right.” Or as Davis put it: “There’s no cavalry. No one [feels] sorry for us. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. Just gotta continue to put our head down and grind and work.” The Lakers will host the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday at Crytpo.com Arena. After that, they’ll get a rare four-day break off of games before playing the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday in Minneapolis. “That break, if you call it a break, for three, four days, we have to use that for our minds, for our bodies, for clean up,” Redick said. “It’ll be a good opportunity for us.” TRAIL BLAZERS AT LAKERS When : 6:30 p.m. Sunday Where : Crypto.com Arena TV/radio : Spectrum SportsNet/710 AM
Private schools attended by Kemi Badenoch's top team sitting on £500 million in cash reservesThe Colorado River Indian Tribes celebrated the 50th annual Native American Fair and Expo. The event featured carnival rides, games, refreshments and the tribe's annual Pow-Wow.
Ulster ended 2024 as they started it by winning an Irish derby away from home and in the process brought a five-match losing run to an end with a deserved win at Dexcom Stadium in Galway. Ulster have endured a lot since defeating Leinster at the RDS on New Year’s Day almost twelve months ago but they were full value for their win over a disappointing Connacht side who have now failed to pick up a single point in their last three URC games, two of which were at home. Ulster led 10-7 at the break, having started the game superbly and dominated the opening quarter when Connacht just could not get their hands on the ball on a perfect night for rugby in Galway. Both sides were forced into two late changes with illness ruling out captain Alan O’Connor. Kieran Treadwell came into the second row with Nick Timoney captaining the side. And then hooker Rob Andrew was replaced after picking up a knock in the warm-up with John Andrew coming in to start with James McCormick added to the bench. Connacht also lost their hooker Dave Heffernan before the game, who was replaced by Dylan Tierney-Martin, while Niall Murray came in for younger brother Darragh in the second row. Connacht struggled with Ulster’s early blitz and when out-half Jack Murphy, in his first start, executed a brilliant 50:22 after a knock-on by Bundee Aki after two minutes, the visitors penned Pete Wilkins side deep inside their own half. The pressure eventually told after a series of set-pieces inside the Connacht 22 and loosehead Eric O’Sullivan, with a penalty advantage, made it over the line near the left post. Nathan Doak converted to lead 7-0 after 12 minutes. Ulster pushed on from there with No.8 academy player James McNabney leading the way and Doak extended their lead with a penalty in front of the posts after 14 minutes. But with Connacht getting an edge in the scrum where Finlay Bealham got the upper hand on O’Sullivan, they started to build the phases after having just 37% possession in the opening quarter. The Ulster defence was good despite their troubles in the scrum but they were carved open six minutes from the break when a sublime chip from Jack Carty was fumbled by Ulster fullback Mike Lowry and the ball bounced kindly for Mack Hansen who collected and raced in to score under the posts. Carty converted to cut the gap to 10-7. Ulster brought in Andrew Warwick for O’Sullivan at the start of the second half and were forced to make another change when winger Werner Kok had to go off and was replaced by Wilhelm de Klerk. Bealham and Connacht won another penalty in the first scrum of the second half after 50 minutes to clear their lines but Ulster’s defence was organised, pilfering the lineout through Cormac Izuchukwu before countering from deep and when Sean Jansen, just on the field, was pinged for offside Ulster had no hesitation in going for the right corner. And they were rewarded after McNabney took the lineout, with the superb Nick Timoney spinning away and somehow managing to ground the ball. Doak added the difficult conversion from the right to lead 17-7 after 56 minutes. Connacht changed their half-backs with Ben Murphy coming on to play against his brother Jack — with dad Richie in the Ulster coaching box — while Cathal Forde moved to out-half after Jack Carty was replaced by Shane Jennings. Connacht, with Jansen carrying well, pushed forward in a bid to save the game but their error count remained high, squandering a penalty to the left corner with a knock-on after taking the lineout, while another promising lineout in the right corner was again turned over. And then after opting for the corner with a penalty on the 22, Forde kicked the ball dead as he went for maximum ground just over ten minutes from the end. A chip from Hansen saw him almost get in for a second try and when Dave McCann was forced to carry back over his own line, Connacht were presented with a five-metre scrum in front of the posts six minutes from time. But the new Ulster front row got the shove and forced a penalty to clear their lines and they held on from there to secure a badly needed win. Scorers: Connacht: Try: M Hansen. Con: J Carty. Ulster: Tries: E O’Sullivan, N Timoney. Cons: N Doak (2). Connacht: P O’Conor; M Hansen, C Forde, B Aki, S Cordero; J Carty (S Jennings 58), C Blade (B Murphy 58); D Buckley (P Dooley 63-74), D Tierney-Martin (E de Builtlear 63), F Bealham (J Aungier 63); J Murphy (O Dowling 53), N Murray; C Prendergast (c), S Hurley-Langton (C Oliver 66), P Boyle (S Jansen 53). Ulster: M Lowry, W Kok (W de Klerk 41), B Carson, J Postlethwaite, R Telfer, J Murphy, N Doak; E O’Sullivan (A Warwick 41), J Andrew (J McCormick 13-28, 65), S Wilson (C Barrett 65), K Treadwell (H Sheridan 69), C Izuchukwu, Matty Rea (D McCann 50), N Timoney (c), J McNabney. Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland).Will Trump take Christopher Rufo’s conservative Florida vision nationwide?
It's bleak, but all is not lost for the New York Jets this season. With six games remaining, the Jets have an opportunity to begin building toward the future. It's an ideal time to evaluate lesser-known commodities in real-game situations and determine whether or not they're worth keeping once the new regime is in place. According to Bleacher Report , undrafted rookie defensive lineman Leonard Taylor III is a player who warrants more action as the season winds down. From Prioritizing Every Roster's Biggest Weaknesses Before Week 12 : Move to Make Now: Give Leonard Taylor III more snaps The Jets primarily play Quinnen Williams and Javon Kinlaw on the inside. Leonard Taylor III, Eric Watts and Bruce Hector have been getting some run as rotational players. Moving beyond 2024, it's unclear whether Kinlaw will remain with the team. He's a free agent and Robert Saleh, who coached him in San Francisco, is no longer the coach. Taylor is an undrafted free agent who was once considered a Day 1 or 2 pick when he was at Miami. He had two tackles for loss on Sunday and should get an extended look the rest of the season. — Bleacher Report Taylor may actually be ready to help the Jets right now as their interior line play hasn't been stellar. He's already appeared in eight games, playing fewer than 20 defensive snaps per outing. RELATED: Mysterious benching potentially influenced by Jets' owner Woody Johnson The 25-year-old Taylor has been active seven weeks in a row for the Jets. He's made multiple tackles in five consecutive appearances. Meanwhile, the Jets may have unlocked a wider opportunity for Taylor by releasing Hector earlier this week to create a roster spot for kicker Anders Carlson. With Williams being the lone defensive tackle on a long-term contract, Taylor can establish himself as part of the future. Kinlaw, Solomon Thomas and Leki Fotu are all on one-year deals and seem unlikely to return in 2025. The Jets should use this time wisely to see what they have in Taylor. More New York Jets News: • Boomer Esiason's reason why Aaron Rodgers-led Jets lack downfield pass game • Ex-Jets' QB Ryan Fitzpatrick drags Aaron Rodgers in viral social post • Who is New York Jets' interim general manager Phil Savage? • Three serious candidates for Jets' head coaching job • Aaron Rodgers assesses Jets' interim head coach after 5 gamesCPI(M) to strengthen its social media presence in Bengal
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With so many constant releases in Latin music , it can sometimes feel hard to keep up — but lots of songs rose from the din and stood out this year. Some of the best ones were new inventions (take, for example, a style Dominican rising star Letón Pé coined “demvogue”) or unexpected collaborations (no one saw Los Ángeles Azules and Emilia teaming up!) Others, like Luisa Almaguer’s “Un Día Nos Vamos a Morir,” worked best when artists showed their vulnerable side. Here’s what we loved and kept playing in 2024. San Pedro Bonfim’s latest LP Corazón de Guagua is an ambitious study in Andean songwriting traditions and spoken word theatrics, where the fluttering title track stands out as a paean to the disarming power of love. But while the Ecuadorian troubadour concedes to romance, his affections extend to territory and ancestry, drawing parallels with the delicate eco-diversity of South America and weaving percussive samba nods to his family’s Brazilian origins. — R.V. “Igual Que un Ángel,” Kali Uchis’ turn toward dreamy disco pop, was a surprise even for an artist who’s down to experiment with most sounds and genres. She practically coos the lyrics, about a woman owning her autonomy, juxtaposing the strength of the message with an air-light touch. Then there’s another unexpected moment: Mexican crooner Peso Pluma slides in for a verse, his gravelly voice suddenly soft and silk-smooth. Their quick chemistry might be why the song made the Top 10 of Billboard‘s Global 200 earlier this year. —J.L. Latin dreampop had a big moment in 2024, and indie artists like csndra are a huge part of why. The Atalnta-based singer of Puerto Rican roots released her debut EP, Lovers Club, Vol. I , this year and its lead single “cuida” quickly became a fan favorite. Her airy singing, coupled with the mellow production and charming puppy love lyrics, transport you to a simpler time when scribbling your crushes’ name a hundred times over in a notebook was reasonable. And after hearing the song enough, you might ask yourself why something so wholesome was left in the past. — J.A. Rauw Alejandro’s new LP, Cosa Nuestra , is a treasure trove of songs that could make this list. But “Tú Con Él,” his cover of the Frankie Ruiz salsa classic, stands out as one that checks all the marks: it exemplifies his album’s stated goal of channeling old school Latin culture, it gives him an opportunity to present his range in an undeniable way, and it can attract reggaeton agnostics who still resist the idea that these artists are genuinely talented. It’s a passionate statement track that doubles as an early victory lap, and he earns all of it. — J.A. Over the last few years, Mexican cumbia legends Los Ángeles Azules have strengthened the impact of their cumbias sonideras by fusing their traditional roots with modern pop productions and lyrics while tapping artists of the moment. This year, Argentine star Emilia joined the cumbia group on “Perdonartre, ¿Para Qué?,” delivering the sass of her own pop sound on the electro-cumbia: “Forgive you? For what? So that you can fail me again?” she questions. “No, thank you.” After corridos took over in 2023, could 2025 be the year of the cumbia? — T.M. This year, Venezuelan pop and alt-R&B singer Irepelusa released her sophomore album, IRENE ALEJANDRA . She called it her most personal work yet, and songs like “TE AMÉ TEMPRANOp-k8u” show why. Teaming up with Colombian artist Esteman, they trade verses, waxing about the anxiety of suspecting something is wrong in a relationship and the dread that comes with that knowledge. Wrapped in a lively and danceable pop beat, the earnest lyrics take on a new color that fends off melancholy. It’s a fantastic use of pop as a medium, and a showcase of one of LatAm’s underrated best at it. — J.A. Boza has long stood out as one of Panama’s most melodic crooners, and he had a chance to smooth his suave image out even more on the playful “Orion,” which took over the charts this year. Partway through the track, Elena Rose — the singer and songwriter who has become a secret weapon in the Latin music industry — chimes in with crystal clear vocals, and the two artists basically just charm listeners for four straight minutes with their chemistry and easygoing energy. — J.L. Shakira channeling her Nineties rock-era energy was not on anyone’s 2024 bingo card, but we sure as hell will take it. On the track off her 12th LP, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran , the Colombian singer taps into the angsty soundscapes of her classic 1998 album, Dónde Están los Ladrones? , for an exquisite pop-rock moment. Shakira proclaims, “Life’s a bitch,” before using this grungy cut to essentially say “Fuck it” and remind herself and her listeners to seize the moment, no matter how, where, or when . — M.G. ‘Uwu^^’ happened almost by accident. Rusowsky mistakenly sent BB Trickz a sparse, hazy track that he wasn’t even thinking about releasing. BB Trickz loved it and helped develop the song, making use of Rusowsky’s muted vocals and a quieter side of her rap abilities. The song ended up being one of this winter’s most heart-bruised moments, tracing two people getting locked into a complicated love affair. (“And I’m spending hours with her/While my girlfriend is crying,” Rusowsky sings.) BB Tricks steps in with a verse about how much the whole thing sucks: “And it hurts a lot more because you’re my friend/Don’t talk to me about love, my heart is cold.” — J.L. Myke Towers and Bad Bunny have been frequent collaborators throughout the years. But “Adivino” is their most unexpected link-up yet, starting with the song’s dark, dubby production and thudding electronic beat, thanks to work from producers Cruz, Eiby, Finesse, Jarom Su’a, and Tainy. From there, Bad Bunny and Towers keep things unpredictable: Bad Bunny charges in and throws some cryptic lines about an old relationship that instantly got the internet wondering who he was referring to, while Towers goes hard on his verses, even rapping a few lines in English. — J.L. Alex Anwandter puts a spotlight on pure desire on the dancefloor. “Give me what you want,” he pleads on “Gaucho.” “Can’t you see I’m desperate?” The Chilean pop prince sings to his masculine horseman muse on the Eighties disco-house-inspired track, juxtaposing the rough image of the man he loves with the song’s bright, electric melodies. “I know you have a secret you want to tell me,” he insists. “At dusk you prefer me.” — T.M. “Tu Boda” delivered some of the most colorful lyrics in música mexicana this year. On the track, Óscar Maydon and JOP’s heartbreak is so intense that they’re thinking of going Romeo & Juliet on a girl who’s ready to marry someone else. Written by El Chachito, Maydon sings, “One hundred guests, and everyone will have to watch that our love will go to the afterlife.” Backed by melancholic sierreño requinto strums, Maydón and Fuerza Régida come to terms with the lost love by the end of the relatable song. For Maydon, “Tu Boda” continued his epic 2024 filled with star-building collabs. — T.M. For Quevedo, his album Buenas Noches was meant to capture late-night celebrations and late-night thoughts and longing, and no song on the LP did that as well as the title track. Easily one of the best songs in his catalogue, it’s a tender rumination on life before fame and how Quevedo feels like he wants to be two places at once: He dreams of being back home on the Canary Islands with someone who means a lot to him, but his mind also races as he thinks about the demands of his career. All of it is down over a sparkling beat that doesn’t fall into melodrama; in fact, the contrast of how upbeat the song is makes it even more poignant. — J.L. On “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” — which translates to “If I Had Met You Before” — Karol G pays homage to the Dominican Republic in an uplifting, wistful merengue. Inspired by her time in the country while recording last year’s Mañana Sera Bonito, the song talks about a deeply personal missed connection, with the retrospection of someone who came out on the other side with a newfound maturity. “What would have been, if I had met you before?” she asks, as the song builds layer by layer, culminating in a joyous and communal refrain. — R.C. Hedonism made a glorious return in 2024 — and leading the charge was Argentine club queen Six Sex with the deliciously horny Satisfire EP. Its strobing centerpiece, “4 NoviosS,” is a King Doudou-produced slice of nasty girl techno about using and losing suitors at the bat of a lash. But it was the music video’s spin class turned rave that sent the track stratospheric, delivering sweaty, glitter-spackled camp for a new generation of revelers. — R.V. Latino artists have always been overlooked in classic soul, R&B, and funk but recent acts like The Sinseers and Los Yesterdays have made significant inroads with fans. 54 Ultra’s silky “Heaven Knows” snuck in under the radar this summer and wowed listeners with its authentic sound and undeniably catchy Spanglish lyrics. The son of Dominican and Puerto Rican parents, 54 Ultra stands out with his smooth-voiced vocals, inviting old and young listeners to embrace the timeless energy of the track. The accompanying music video makes it clear what era he’s aiming for, and he hits the mark perfectly. — J.A Venezuelan acts Rawayana and Akapellah doubled their star power by teaming up for the vibrant “Veneka,” a song that went viral almost as soon as a tiny snippet was shared on social media. The track puts Akapellah’s smooth flow on display while deploying the ultra-colorful sound that’s made Rawayana a breakout favorite recently. The song keeps things lighthearted by celebrating Venezuelan women, but its upbeat message of pride and beauty became all the more poignant after a complex and difficult year in the country. — J.L. 2024 ushered an exciting new age of Dominican electronic music with boundary pushing gems of techno , ambient , and jerk . But producer and animator Adriel.sfx managed to cut through the stylized noise with a series of singles colliding future funk nostalgia and glitchy asymmetry. “Euforia Checkpoint” is a throbbing, psychedelic Internet collage that manipulates jittery breakbeats and anime samples, defying SoundCloud hashtags while banking on pure, unabashed fun. — R.V. Letón Pé has been one of the most imaginative rising stars out of the Dominican Republic, and “¿Cuándo Se Va’ir El Calor?” is another showstopper that introduces the world to a sound she coined “demvogue.” The moniker refers mixing the rapid-fire rhythm of dembow and with flashy club flourishes for a high-octane summer anthem that captured how stifling delicious insanely hot days can feel. “I felt the need to do it on my own terms,” Pé told Rolling Stone . “Being such a fan of Nineties house music, we decided to intersect these two, creating a fresh sound that represents my culture and my influences.” — J.L. Villano Antillano, or Villana to her diehard fans, broke barriers with her hit debut album La Sustancia X in 2022. This year, she came back for more and put out the even better LP Miss Misogyny . She wastes no time in reminding people who she is, dropping the crackling boast rap “1-800-CRISTAL” out of the gate. Her furious style hasn’t missed a step, nor has her wealthy encyclopedic knowledge which she weaponizes with aplomb, taking references like forgotten Nick Cage movies and Manifest Destiny and lyrically wielding them against her doubters in the savage way she knows best. — J.A. Natanael Cano and Óscar Maydon go pop, playing lover boys for the girls on “Madonna” without straying too far from their signatuere lifestyle-flaunting lyrics. “You tamed my animal instincts,” sings Maydon in the chorus dedicated to a “güerita” who looks like Madonna. “How many Rolexes do you need me to buy you for just a kiss?” The pair go to lengths to please their love interest with luxuries, as they take a note from other stars in the genre by naming their song after a pop icon. — T.M. Colombian pop singer Ela Taubert had a breakout year, scoring the 2024 Latin Grammy for Best New Artist. Part of the reason she attracted so much attention has to do with her instantly catchy, heart-on-her-sleeve songwriting, and ‘Para Que?’ is a solid example. The kiss-off to an ex who wants her back borrows folk and pop-rock sounds and showcases just why so many people have been drawn to her confessional lyricism and bubbly production style. — J.L. On “Un Día Nos Vamos a Morir,” Mexican singer-songwriter Luisa Almaguer unspools the existential dread that hangs over a romance on its last legs. A standout from her emotionally harrowing LP, Weyes , the song eloquently captures fear of finality, rehashing sensual memories over a mercurial canvas of acoustic strums and rapturous alt-rock. The result is a furious rejection of loneliness, and a universal plea for more time with those we love. — R.V. Argentine rap auteur Dillom is nothing if not brazen, and on “Buenos Tiempos,” the definitive banger from his conceptual opus Por Cesárea , a night of drug-addled exploits sends his protagonist spiraling into oblivion. In the song’s uproarious chorus, he leaps from sniffing poppers with the gays to fantasizing about the death of President Javier Milei, plunging ever further into madness and grabbing ass on the way down. — R.V. FloyyMenor and Cris MJ’s low-fi reggaeton hit has been everywhere this summer. The track found an audience on TikTok first and then started winding up the charts at the start of the year. Part of its appeal lies in its stars: FloyyMenor was a mysterious, hard-to-pin-down Chilean artist whose face and identity had been hidden from the internet before he teamed up with fellow Chilean and rising star Cris MJ. Now that the song has blown up, it’s spent the past few months ka-booming out of cars and shadowy clubs across the globe. — J.L.IndieWire, the definitive outlet for creative independence in film and TV, announced on Thursday, November 21 new additions to the latest edition of its biannual IndieWire Honors event . Curated and selected by IndieWire’s editorial team, IndieWire Honors is a celebration of the filmmakers, artisans, and performers responsible for some of the most stellar offerings of this year’s film awards season . Today’s newly announced honorees include Spotlight Award winner “Emilia Pérez” star Selena Gomez, and Emily Bear and Abigail Barlow, Breakthrough Award winners as songwriters for “Moana 2.” They join previously announced honorees Denis Villeneuve, Pamela Anderson, Steve McQueen, Luca Guadagnino, Justin Kuritzkes, Jennifer Lopez, Amy Pascal, Angela Patton, Natalie Rae, RaMell Ross, Chris Sanders, and Adam Stockhausen. Additionally, IndieWire has announced that the December event will be hosted by “Blink Twice” star Simon Rex, returning to the hosting role that first drew him acclaim. Previous IndieWire Honors emcees include Emmy winner Alex Edelman, multi-hyphenate Dewayne Perkins, and lauded comedian Atsuko Okatsuka. The event’s fourth edition will be celebrated at an intimate cocktail reception on Thursday, December 5 in Los Angeles. Exclusive content, including honoree profiles, will be featured on Indiewire.com beginning November 29 and continue through the awards night, followed by video interviews from the event. “This will be another unforgettable IndieWire Honors, a night unlike any other,” said Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire’s Senior VP and Editor-in-Chief. “We’re excited to celebrate such a diverse group of extraordinary cinematic talent.” “We’re thrilled to have our most eclectic group of Honorees ever, celebrating the wide range of voices and artistry this awards season, as well as offering awards for animation and craft in film for the first time,” said IndieWire SVP & Publisher James Israel. The complete list of Winter 2024 IndieWire Honors honorees are: As someone who has spent the majority of her life working in entertainment, Selena Gomez is the modern model for how an artist can continually push themselves and expand their horizons into uncharted territory. Her gutsy turn in Cannes winner “Emilia Pérez” was something even her most ardent fans did not see coming. But living true to the spirit of “Mi Camino” — the breakout song her character Jessi performs in the film — Gomez shows off her gutsy ability to use her spotlight to guide audiences toward inspired work they never even knew they needed. The hold that “Moana” has on just about any young child with a Disney+ account is unfathomable, so to accept the task of following up Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Oscar-nominated music for the film is “Beyond” brave. But songwriting duo Emily Bear and Abigail Barlow cut their teeth with “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical,” which led to a Grammy in 2022, so they are already used to a high risk leading to a high reward. Their highly anticipated work on “Moana 2” brings new flavor to the world of Disney’s beloved Polynesian princess, almost certainly eliciting quite a few Chee Hoo’s from the fans that finally get to see it. It may be bold to refer to the person who adapted Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel as an auteur , but with “Nickel Boys,” a transfer of ownership has occurred. Filmmaker RaMell Ross takes an account of two young men trapped at an infamous reformatory school and composes his film in a way that provides the audience with a truly visceral experience. Using the tools that earned him an Oscar nomination for his directorial debut, the documentary “Hale County This Morning, This Evening,” the filmmaker again shepherds a project that mesmerizes viewers in unforgettable ways, proving him to be a singular voice. It is its own accomplishment for a director to complete a “Dune” adaptation, so to see Denis Villeneuve take on the challenge of making the definitive cinematic version of Frank Herbert’s beloved sci-fi epic, and achieve such critical and commercial success while doing it, is inspirational. With “Dune: Part Two,” the Oscar-nominated director delivers on the promise of a deeper look at Arrakis, sandworms, political unrest, unsettling visions, and all. Along the way, he mixes everything from infrared camera techniques to wiring and practical effects, and brilliantly captures the imagination that fans of the novels harbored for decades. The setting is a vision realized, executed by a cast of young actors on the precipice of superstardom. A story about a superintelligent service robot raising a baby goose alongside a fox does not immediately suggest a film that absolutely drains the tear ducts of parents and children alike. Still, it’s fair to say that for the filmmaker behind projects like “Lilo & Stitch,” Chris Sanders knows how to deliver a beloved film that audiences did not know they needed. “The Wild Robot” is a confluence of all the elements that make animation special, from painterly images to a stellar voice cast and music that unlocks new levels of emotion. World War II has been mined so often that it’s a film genre unto itself, but even now, there are aspects of the global event that have been too often glossed over. With “Blitz,” director Steve McQueen and production designer Adam Stockhausen again team up to not only illuminate what life was like in London when Nazis bombed the city, but to also walks their audience right through its devastation, emotional and physical. Though the film centers on a mother and her son, the massive scale and practical design takes us away from the rubble, through infernos, and into the crowded, gilded tunnels toward safety. Pamela Anderson’s performance in Gia Coppola’s “The Last Showgirl” beautifully reflects her own isolation through decades in Hollywood — no wonder she describes it as the role she has been waiting for her whole career. There is a richness to her Shelly, the titular last showgirl at a Vegas revue, that allows viewers a deep empathy and understanding after spending just 85 minutes with her. While it may seem like the end of the road for Anderson’s showgirl, Coppola’s film feels like the start of a renaissance for the actress in finding more roles that understand her talent and further her evergreen appeal. It’s a simple concept: a day in which young girls attend a dance with their incarcerated fathers — but directors Angela Patton and Natalie Rae’s “Daughters” has extraordinary depth. It’s unnerving to witness the effects of America’s flawed justice system on families, but this Netflix documentary is not gloomy. Whether parent or child, many of these people are bright lights that prove everyone has a story worth telling. Although it is heartbreaking to watch them say goodbye after the climactic dance, the film leaves viewers with the hope that it can effect change, and lead to more programs rooted in keeping families connected through hardship. After three decades of chart-topping music, movie-star roles, and producing dozens of films that appeal to viewers across generations, Jennifer Lopez is not just a star, but someone who was truly born to entertain. In Amazon’s “Unstoppable,” based on the true story of one-legged college wrestling champion Anthony Robles, Lopez opts for a lower key: She portrays his mother Judy, who is inspired by her son to pursue a fresh start that results in her own triumphs. It’s a fitting role for Lopez in a career filled with them: she knows what it means to blaze her own trail, and what it takes to get there. “Unstoppable” is an apt description for this maverick performer. When “Challengers” hit theaters in April, it satiated an audience that suffered from months of ambivalence about theatergoing. Finally, there was a high-quality film that was fun to talk about and inspired theories — not to mention giving tennis lessons a try, or buying a pair of Chanel sandals, or opening up relationships. Released outside the standard window for awards contenders, it has staying power: This Halloween, character costumes of Josh O’Connor, Mike Faist, and Zendaya were inescapable. It’s the grand slam for debut screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes, producers Amy Pascal and Rachel O’Connor, and director Luca Guadagnino, who delivered one of the defining films of 2024.
During a 2020 meeting with then-President Donald Trump ’s White House staff, Christopher Rufo, a conservative commentator known for his pugilistic social media presence, called for a ban on critical race theory in government. The message landed. Two days later, the White House instructed all federal agencies to begin to identify contracts or other spending related to any training on “’critical race theory,’ ‘white privilege,’ or any other training or propaganda effort that teaches or suggests that the United States is an inherently racist or evil country or ... that any race or ethnicity is inherently racist or evil.” Four years later, with Trump returning to the Oval Office, Rufo will return to Mar-a-Lago to meet with the president-elect’s team, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday — this time, to discuss his mission to reform America’s higher education system. Their talks could reverberate across the nation’s colleges and universities. Florida may offer the clearest example of Rufo’s vision. “President Trump has the opportunity to do what we’ve done in Florida on a national scale,” Rufo said in a Fox News interview Tuesday . Rufo has appeared next to Gov. Ron DeSantis at key moments in the governor’s foray into campus culture wars and helped catapult New College of Florida, where he sits on the board of trustees, into national headlines. He consulted on the state’s Stop WOKE Act and helped instigate the governor’s war with Disney, after leaking internal company training slides on systemic racism . While he’s eager to take credit for Florida’s war on woke, his actual behind-the-scenes influence is more difficult to pin down. Christopher Rufo’s spokesperson did not respond to multiple emails and phone calls requesting comment, nor did Trump’s campaign and personal staff. A New College spokesperson declined to comment for this story. Rufo has never shied away from publicly stating his goals and tactics , and Tallahassee has often — by cause or coincidence — followed his drumbeat. Taking a page from 1960s student activists’ “long march through the institutions,” Rufo has targeted America’s higher education system as a central focus in his quest to banish diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from American institutions. “It’s time to really put the hammer to these institutions and to start withdrawing potentially billions of dollars in funding until they follow the law,” Rufo told the Wall Street Journal . Trump appears to be on board. His campaign platform included cutting” federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, radical gender ideology, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children.” Rufo offered conditional support for Trump’s calls to close the Department of Education on his podcast. There’s likely no better example of Rufo’s vision for academic reform than New College, where he was appointed to the board of trustees by DeSantis in early 2023. Over the past two years the board has eliminated its office of diversity, equity and inclusion , abolished gender studies , and introduced what critics call a restrictive core curriculum centered around western values . After losing a third of the school’s teaching staff , administrators brought on more ideologically aligned replacements, in some cases circumventing traditional academic hiring practices to do so. New College administrators have wrangled control of the school’s endowment and singled out dissenting students for punishment . They’ve also overseen a rapid increase in enrollment — bolstered by a new sports program and generous scholarships — and initiated a construction spree to revamp the aging campus . Behind his public persona, Rufo’s personal involvement in crafting policy is unclear. Rufo, who lives outside Seattle, usually video calls into New College trustee meetings and often stays out of weedy academic or budgetary discussions. He missed five out of six academic committee meetings in the past two years, and appears to have occasionally tweeted during board meetings. Amy Reid, a former New College professor and trustee, said Rufo was largely “just phoning it in” during regular meetings. “His comments tended more to ad hominem attacks or sound bites than anything substantive.” Rufo’s most concrete public action on the board in the past two years was to introduce a motion eliminating the school’s gender studies department, which Reid led. “He is not against the reading of Marx, Nietzsche, and other figures of the left. He’s against indoctrination of any kind,” said trustee Mark Bauerlein, a former Emory professor who was appointed to the board by DeSantis. Bauerlein couldn’t point to any particular initiative Rufo had spearheaded, noting that trustees are not allowed to plan and confer outside public meetings. But he said Rufo was not one to back down from challenging talks. “Chris Rufo will talk to anybody, listen and debate,” Bauerlein said. ©2024 Tampa Bay Times. Visit tampabay.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.AVITA Medical Announces FDA Approval of RECELL GO mini, Optimizing Treatment for Smaller WoundsThe National ListBuy these ASX ETFs for crypto, income, and buy and hold investing