Raphinha scores 2 and Barcelona ends Spanish league slump with 5-1 rout of Mallorca MADRID (AP) — Barcelona got back to winning in the Spanish league in style, routing Mallorca 5-1 on Tuesday with a pair of goals by Raphinha. Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press Dec 3, 2024 2:53 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Barcelona's Pau Victor, right, celebrates with Raphinha after scoring his side's fifth goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Mallorca and Barcelona at the Son Moix stadium in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Breton) MADRID (AP) — Barcelona got back to winning in the Spanish league in style, routing Mallorca 5-1 on Tuesday with a pair of goals by Raphinha. Ferran Torres, Frenkie de Jong and Pau Víctor also scored for Barcelona, which hadn't won in three consecutive league games to allow Real Madrid to inch closer at the top of the standings. Madrid is now four points back although it has two games in hand. Torres, who got to start in place of league-leading scorer Robert Lewandowski, opened the scoring in the 12th minute after Mallorca defenders failed to clear an easy ball from inside the area. One defender tried to kick it away but it ended ricocheting off a teammate to give Ferran an easy shot on goal. The hosts equalized with Vedat Muriqi in a breakaway just before halftime in what was Mallorca's only shot on target, but Raphinha put Barcelona back in front by converting a 56th-minute penalty kick. He added to the lead in the 74th after a nice assist by Lamine Yamal. Raphinha now has 11 goals in 16 league games this season. “This is probably my best moment, but I want to do more,” Raphinha said. “We knew it was important to win again after three matches in which something was lacking. It wasn't our best match, but it was important to win.” Yamal also helped set up De Jong's goal five minutes later, not long after the midfielder had come off the bench. It was De Jong who then assisted Víctor's goal in the 84th. Barcelona has scored five or more goals in a match for the sixth time this season across all competitions. It has outscored opponents 48-17 in the league alone. Barcelona had lost twice in its last three league matches — 2-1 to Las Palmas at home on Saturday and 1-0 at Real Sociedad three rounds ago. Its other setback was a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo when it was winning 2-0 until late in the match. The game against Mallorca was moved forward in the schedule because both clubs will be playing in the Spanish Super Cup in January. Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, the other two clubs in the Super Cup, will meet on Wednesday in Bilbao. Barcelona, which beat Brest in the Champions League last week, will visit Real Betis in its next league match on Saturday. Mallorca, sitting in sixth place in the Spanish league, faces Celta on Friday. Mallorca was coming off two straight league victories — against Valencia and at Las Palmas. Copa del Rey In the second round of the Copa del Rey, fourth-division club Barbastro ousted top-flight club Espanyol 2-0, while Celta Vigo trounced Salamanca 7-0, Las Palmas defeated Europa 2-1 and Valladolid beat Ávila 4-2. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Soccer Guardiola denies rift with De Bruyne during Man City's dramatic slump Dec 3, 2024 3:31 PM USWNT beats Netherlands 2-1 in goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher's final match Dec 3, 2024 3:20 PM Vardy helps Van Nistelrooy to first win with Leicester as Guehi defies the FA with religious message Dec 3, 2024 3:17 PMAP News Summary at 5:43 p.m. EST
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NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that dismissal is warranted because of the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’" Trump’s legal team wrote. The Manhattan district attorney, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater "that President Biden condemned.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, would also allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. Merchan could also decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. Prosecutors had cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has pledged to appeal the verdict if the case is not dismissed. He and his lawyers said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Man in his 60s saved from transferring $600k in life savings to scammers for ‘better interest rates’
Valladolid loses again and Getafe ends winless run in La Liga
Article content In her latest report, Saskatchewan’s provincial auditor has issued two recommendations to SaskPower related to the Crown’s goal of reducing emissions. Volume 2 of Tara Clemett’s 2024 report was released Tuesday and notes her office audited the Crown electricity provider’s “planning processes, for the period ended August 31, 2024, to transition to low and non-emitting energy sources to meet its greenhouse gas emissions reduction and renewable energy generation targets.” “We found overall SaskPower generally had effective processes,” the report states. However, there were areas where Clemett’s report suggests SaskPower should make further efforts. The report recommends the Crown electricity provider clarify its plans to take action when incremental emissions targets are not met. It states that in 2023-2024, SaskPower planned to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by eight per cent compared to 2005 levels. But, during that period, GHG emissions only decreased by half that, according to the report. SaskPower’s own analysis found it “did not always meet its key targets relating to the low and non-emitting energy transition,” according to the auditor’s report. The report states SaskPower pointed to “external factors” such as construction delays as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, funding delays and “unfavourable market conditions” as contributing to its falling short of annual targets in recent years. “However, we found reports did not outline the actions SaskPower planned to get back on track to meeting its targets,” the report states. “Outlining clear action plans to address missed incremental targets demonstrates SaskPower’s intent to act so long-term targets (50% reduction by 2030) are not missed, and cost impacts are minimized.” Further, the report recommends that SaskPower “analyze further expansion of distributed energy resources to help it transition to low and non-emitting energy alternatives.” Describing distributed energy resources, it states these are “smaller generation units located on the consumer’s side of the meter,” and it provides the example of rooftop solar panels. “Distributed energy resources could be a greater component to SaskPower’s long-term supply plan,” the report states, noting provinces like Alberta and Ontario are planning for increased capacity from such sources of electricity. According to the report, the province ranked fourth highest among provinces and territories for GHG emissions in Canada in 2022 (first in per capita emissions), which includes emissions emitted from electricity generation. “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is important to help mitigate the effects of climate change,” the report states. The report discusses how SaskPower analyzed four different “supply pathways” as part of its long-term power supply planning and settled on a plan that gets SaskPower to net-zero emissions by 2050. However, the auditor’s report states that under this plan, SaskPower would not be compliant with the draft federal regulations which aim to achieve a “net zero” electricity grid by 2035. “SaskPower may need to adjust its pathway once the Clean Electricity Regulations are finalized,” the report states. Clemett notes that Saskatchewan is “well positioned” for “non-emitting” energy technology, such as wind or solar. However, it acknowledges that these technologies provide electricity generation that is “intermittent or variable” and backup sources, such as natural gas, are required to ensure reliability. The report makes it clear that “more needs to be done to ensure SaskPower has adequate plans in place to grow our power generation capacity and reduce emissions,” said NDP shadow minister for SaskPower Aleana Young in an email response provided Tuesday afternoon. “Saskatchewan New Democrats support an all-of-the-above approach to power generation to ensure that Saskatchewan people have access to reliable, affordable, sustainable electricity.” bharder@postmedia.com The Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe. With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark leaderpost.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe. Share this Story : SaskPower lacks clear plan to address missed net-zero targets: Auditor Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr
Article content Baseball, apparently, has lost its mind and quite possibly its conscience. All in a rather brazen attempt to make the game better, more interesting, more exciting, more full of moments, less real. Having more scripted moments, more like WWE and less like the almost perfect sport it was before its leaders began stripping away at the fabric of the games with so many additional rules and alterations. There is enough wrong with baseball right now with pitching clocks and instant replay, with analytics and pitch counts, with shifting and not shifting, with rules on how many batters a relief pitcher can face, and how wide the bases may be. But what’s happening now — in thought and over time, in possibility — makes you wish you could turn the clock back to a time when baseball was simpler and maybe more beautiful. When you didn’t need to place a runner on second base in extra innings — a rule stolen from international softball — so that the game would end quicker or more offence would occur unnaturally. You may or may not have heard about the apparent Golden Rule that is being talked about from baseball’s tallest foreheads these days. Here’s what’s being discussed by the commissioner, Rob Manfred, and by those around him: They are talking about changing the game from what it has ever been. They are talking about altering the fabric of the sport and by that, making a change that seems so ridiculous that it might actually be possible by those now in charge. This is how the Golden Rule might work if it ever is instituted. Once in the game — possibly twice, this is still being debated — a team would be allowed to alter its batting order to allow someone to hit in a spot in the lineup that isn’t his. In other words, you could lead off the ninth inning with Vladimir Guerrero hitting a double to left field. And then, under this rule, have Guerrero go back to the plate and see if he couldn’t knock himself home from second base. This is something between T-ball and senior men’s slow pitch. It may for the little kids and the older kids — but not for the best players in the world. Think of the most recent post-season, with incredible moments of excitement, especially from the Cleveland Guardians-New York Yankees series, and you want to change that? You want to alter baseball after 150 years of doing things one way? All in the name of what? Fake drama. What they’re talking about would tinker with the essence of baseball. The game is already unpredictable. You want to lose the spontaneity? You want Juan Soto or Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani hitting first and second in an inning? This is like a video game. Baseball is great in spite of itself, in spite who keeps trying to make it something it’s not. Because is great because of its history. Because we can link Ted Williams to Hank Aaron to Barry Bonds on steroids to Judge and Ohtani, all of them playing under mostly the same rules. More than any other sport, baseball is an ongoing conversation. It’s all about how and why and who and when and where — and they do it all again tomorrow. That’s why the best sporting movies and the sporting books and the best sports writing is always done on baseball. It’s closer to sporting poetry than any of its counterparts. Forcing a Golden Rule on the game is blasphemy of sorts. It has to be offensive to purists and maybe even to those who aren’t. You can’t change batting orders now or ever. You can’t do that and call it progress. BLUE JAYS TIDBITS Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins met with the Toronto chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America yesterday, as he does every year at this time, and talked about the upcoming winter with his usual blind enthusiasm. He admitted, as has been reported everywhere, that the Blue Jays have made a pitch to free agent Juan Soto, but out of respect for Soto and respect for agent Scott Boras, he would say little more than that. He did say: “There’s still a great deal of opportunity for us. We feel confident of making our team better.” ... Atkins also said, while not disclosing budget numbers: “We don’t have unlimited resources, but we have the potential to make our team better with free agency and trades.” ... Atkins did admit the Blue Jays attempted to keep pitcher Jordan Romano before letting him walk and will attempt to sign him now. It’s clear the Jays offered Romano a pay cut to stay with the team, but Romano chose not to accept it. Atkins did say he had no questions about Romano’s health for the coming season. “We remain interested in him and will be heavily pursuing his return,” said Atkins ... What did Atkins learn from the failed attempt to get Shohei Ohtani last year? “All positive things from the (Ohtani negotiations). We’re a destination, we’re an attractive market for (free agents). We’re better at presenting that (now) and better at trying to execute that.” ... When asked about paying deferred dollars to free agents, the way the Dodgers did with Ohtani last year and pitcher Blake Snell this year, and how that work for the Jays, Atkins said: “That’s a better question for the CEO or CFO of Rogers.” He didn’t say when the CEO or CFO of Rogers would be answering questions ... Atkins was asked about whether Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would have to be signed beyond next season to attract free agents looking for stability? His answer: “That’s hard to project.” ... In unrelated news, Atkins did say that centre fielder Daulton Varsho is unlikely to be ready to start the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
By Clarissa-Jan Lim Days after Daniel Penny was acquitted in the chokehold death of Jordan Neely , he is set to attend an Army-Navy football game Saturday as a guest of Vice President-elect JD Vance. Vance said that Penny had accepted his invite to the game in a post on X on Friday morning. “Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone,” Vance wrote. “I’m grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he’s able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage.” Like others on the political right , Vance hailed Penny as a good Samaritan who helped his fellow citizens by confronting a potentially dangerous situation. Neely, a former Michael Jackson impersonator with a history of mental illness, died after Penny restrained him by the neck for an extended period of time during an encounter on the New York City subway in 2023. Penny argued that he meant to restrain Neely only until police arrived and did not intend to harm him. A New York City medical examiner ruled that Neely died from compression to his neck as a result of the chokehold. A jury cleared Penny of criminally negligent homicide in Neely’s death Monday after failing to come to an agreement on a charge of second-degree manslaughter , which a judge then dismissed. Penny’s ascension to folk hero status on the right is not unlike the support that Kyle Rittenhouse gained among conservatives after fatally shooting two people during a Black Lives Matter protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 2020. Rittenhouse was acquitted of homicide charges in the case, and Donald Trump met with Rittenhouse afterward, praising him as “really a nice young man.” There are vast differences in the details of each case, but the lionization of Penny on the right coincides with the narrative about rising crime across the country, especially in urban areas like New York City. National data crime data , however, indicates the opposite . Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking/trending news blogger for MSNBC Digital. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.
For many people, traveling alone can be an incredibly life-changing experience. It's a great way to learn about yourself, like what you like or don't like doing when no one else is around. Not to mention, it's a foolproof way to break out of your comfort zone and even meet new people abroad. If you don't know where to start, we've even made a list of some cool apps you can use to meet people on holiday. In general, because you're exposed to new places and experiences, traveling always has some sort of risk. For the most part, there are endless things you can do to minimize them, like downloading some apps on your Apple Watch or apps for managing language barriers . However, traveling solo does have a different set of risks, especially when it comes to personal safety. In this article, I'll be sharing a couple of recommendations for items that you may want to bring on your next solo travel trip based on personal experience and reviews from other people. If you want to learn more about the methodology behind how we've chosen them, you can head over to the end of the article for more details. While fear shouldn't stop you from experiencing solo travel, it's never a bad idea to be practical when traveling alone. Part of this is investing in some gadgets that can help you avoid a lot of unnecessary negative safety-related problems. Here are some of them. While there are tons of different padlock types available, an ideal one for solo travelers to have on hand is retractable cable locks. For example, you may be staying in a hostel without dedicated luggage storage or CCTV camera monitoring. If you ever have to leave several bags for a few hours before your flight, you can use the steel loop to make sure no one takes them easily. Aside from that, they're also useful for locking rented bikes or snowboards and even your day bag when you're browsing a particularly sketchy area. In addition, it's a great backup option for when you buy cheap luggage on shopping trips that don't have locks. A popular cable luggage lock you can find online is the Lewis N. Clarke's Cable Luggage Lock . Aside from being TSA-approved, it can also be retractable for up to 30 inches, which is more than enough for the average solo traveler. With almost 4,000 reviewers giving it an average of 4.2 stars, you can get it for $15.99 on Amazon. Alternatively, you can use any existing padlock that you already own with a braided steel cable with loops, which you can use to loop through the items you want to secure. That said, you should always make sure that no one can see your code and that you religiously scramble the combination after use to avoid giving other people clues about it. For mid-priced travelers, it's common to stay in more affordable hotels, hostels with private rooms, or homestays. While these definitely offer a lot more privacy than a shared hostel room with dozens of people you don't know, they also introduce a new set of risks. Unlike expensive hotels, cheaper accommodations may be located in less-than-desirable areas that are prone to break-ins, so it's important to evaluate any potential areas that need to be secured, like doors and windows. But if you are planning to stay in full-sized homes with multiple entry points, it may be difficult to monitor everything. To mitigate your risks when alone, you can get a portable door stop alarm like the EMDAK Door Stop Alarm , which can alert you if a stranger enters the premises. Priced at $17.99, it can generate a whopping 120 db alarm sound, which is as loud as an ambulance or a plane taking off. With its wedge-shaped design, it's battery-powered and can fit easily under most doors, and you can even adjust the sensitivity. As of writing, it has an average rating of 4.4 stars from more than 7,000 customers. Although door-stop alarms can be useful, it's important to know that while they won't actively protect you from intruders, they can give you time to move to a safer location or contact someone for help. Not to mention, the alarm can also serve as a warning, which can dissuade potential thieves from entering. Aside from a door-stop alarm, it's best to introduce a physical barrier between you and unwanted guests. Although there is little you can do to prevent bad actors from making an attempt, a portable door lock can be your best friend if they try to enter your room. On Amazon, a popular offering is the AceMining portable door lock , which has over 23,300 reviews with an average of 4.2 stars for only $14.99. And if you want to get it cheaper, you can also get a pair for a regular price of $24.99. To use it, all you have to do is insert the door strike into the right-sized hole. Next, close the door and attach the red or black plate to the designated hole. Apart from not needing tools to install, it has two holes for normal doors (0.78 inches) and bigger doors (1.2 inches), which can fit most doors with inward openings. Made of stainless steel and ABS plastic, it's pretty light and compact at 4.3 x 1.26 x 0.4 inches, so you might even want to keep one in your bag for when you need to use public restrooms. In general, it's best to have at least one door lock that you can put on the door of the room wherein you are sleeping, so even if there are intruders in your Airbnb, hostel, or hotel, the one that you're in will be less likely to be compromised. When it comes to self-defense, pepper spray and stun guns are common deterrents. An affordable stun gun option is the VIPERTEK VTS-881 micro stun gun , which boasts an average of 4.6 stars from over 25,000 reviews. Depending on the color, you can get one for as low as $9.99. For girls who prefer something less macho, Guard Dog offers a stun gun that looks like lipstick for $24.99. Doubling as a 100-lumen flashlight, it's also available in pink, black, and red colors. Over 2,000 reviewers have given the discreet stun gun 4.3 stars on average on Amazon. Take note that the TSA does require that pepper spray and stun guns only be allowed for checked baggage and not carry-on bags. Not to mention, you aren't allowed to bring more than one 4 fl. oz of pepper spray on the plane at all. As for stun guns, they should be stored securely in such a way that they won't discharge on their own. Due to some models using lithium-ion batteries, which typically need to be in carry-on bags, the TSA specifically mentions that it will be up to the attending officer to decide if you'll allowed to board with it. So, if you're traveling light and don't plan to check in any luggage, these self-defense tools may be better suited to local travel or anywhere that doesn't involve a plane. For solo travelers, going to the beach or the poolside can be a pretty challenging experience. One of the most common and annoying problems is not being able to swim because you're worried that thieves will take your belongings left behind on beach chairs. Thankfully, one Shark Tank entrepreneur had the same experience and created an anti-theft portable beach chair vault. Made by AquaVault, the beach chair vault was given a thumbs up by over a thousand reviewers and clocked in at an average rating of 4.3 stars. Depending on how much space you have in your luggage, it comes in three sizes (classic, mini, and regular), which all have the same water and slash resistance, as well as RFID-blocking technology. With prices ranging from $49.95 to $59.95, it works by letting you loop the bag top through the beach chair and setting a combination lock to keep it in place. At SlashGear, one of our colleagues even shared his experience using one of the brand's earlier FlexSafe designs at the beach, which was back when it was still being funded via a Kickstarter campaign. Since then, it has undergone a couple of improvements, which include a motion alarm and a less bulky-looking combination lock. By attaching your bag firmly to your beach chair, you don't have to bring a silly-looking waterproof bag to the pool or worry about thieves taking your valuables while you're having a dip. In many tourist hotspots, snatchers are trained to be able to spot expensive items in your bags. Typically, they'll target things like cash, electronics, jewelry, or wallets. Thankfully, there are ways to trick them via secret storage solutions. Depending on what's more natural for you, there are so many options available, including things like Stash-It's Hair Brush . On the surface, it appears like any other round hair brush, except it has a removable lid which has a 1.2-inch diameter and 4.5-inch deep storage compartment, which is enough space for a few hundred dollars or small pieces of jewelry. Alternatively, you can also get a stainless steel water bottle with a hidden compartment. TRAVAH offers a fully functional diversion water bottle for $24.99, which not only keeps your liquids hot for half a day or cold for an entire day but also has a 3.25 x 3-inch secret compartment which you can access by unscrewing the bottom. While you're out doing tourist things, there are also a myriad of secret storage options for items left behind in your hotel room. For example, you can get Stash-It's Hanger Diversion Safe , which you can use to store valuables inside your hostel closet. All you have to do is slip it on one of the ordinary hangers and top it with clothes or suits to look more unassuming. So far, over 2,400 buyers have shared that they were mostly satisfied with it and gave it an average of 4.5 stars. Unfortunately, accidents can happen, especially as the world continues to experience extreme temperatures. In recent times, it's not unsurprising to hear stories about unprecedented flooding, wildfires, or storms, even in tourist destinations. Earlier this year, The Independent reported how Vinales Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site and tourist area in Cuba, experienced a terrible wildfire. Not to mention, Thailand, which is the most popular tourist destination in the world, has experienced extreme flooding and landslides in some of its top sites, like Phuket, in 2024. Apart from not booking a trip during calamity-prone seasons, one thing you can do to prevent adding more problems in the event of an unexpected fire or flood is to invest in a fireproof and waterproof bag for your passport, important documents, money, and jewelry. Available in three sizes, The Good Stuff sells waterproof bags that also have a fireproof heat shield that can withstand up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. With prices that range from $12.99 to $24.99, the compact size or smallest 8-inch x 5-inch option is large enough to fit your passport, boarding passes, and a few other things but is also small enough to be stored easily in handbags. However, you can also get larger sizes if you want to get some protection for your documents. While the pouch is a little more expensive at $17.99, its 10-inch x 13-inch option can fit most document sizes, including A4 and long bond paper. As a lover of travel, I have over a decade of solo travel experience under my belt. In the past few years, I've been to various countries in Asia, Australia, Europe, and the United States. I have also stayed in everything from dirt-cheap island hostels to five-star luxury hotels in some larger cities. Regardless, as a woman, safety has always been a big priority for me during my adventures. Aside from planning routes and activities that can limit my exposure to unnecessary risk, it also means investing in gadgets and tools that are meant to help me travel safely. In this list, I've listed several types of practical and light-weight items, which are similar to the ones that I personally use. I have also included items with generally positive reviews from buyers across platforms. Depending on the type of traveler you are, the right safety gadgets may vary. For example, someone who travels primarily to cities will have different needs than someone who goes to beachside towns or even the difference between staying in hotels and hostel dorms. In this list, I've tried to include things that can benefit most travelers, regardless of the destination. That said, these tools will not take the place of having a good sense of situational awareness. At the end of the day, they're meant to aid you with improving your chances of staying safe, but it's always up to you to be mindful of your things, your body, and your environment.Social media users are misrepresenting a report by the Justice Department inspector general’s office, falsely claiming that it’s proof the FBI orchestrated the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The examined a number of areas, including whether major intelligence failures preceded the riot and whether the FBI in some way provoked the violence. Claims spreading online focus on the report’s finding that 26 FBI informants were in Washington for election-related protests on Jan. 6, including three who had been tasked with traveling to the city to report on others who were potentially planning to attend the events. Although 17 of those informants either entered the Capitol or a restricted area around the building during the riot, none of the 26 total informants were authorized to do so by the bureau, according to the report. Nor were they authorized to otherwise break the law or encourage others to do so. Here’s a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: A December 2024 report released by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General is proof that the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was a setup by the FBI. THE FACTS: That’s false. The report found that no undercover FBI employees were at the riot on Jan. 6 and that none of the bureau’s informants were authorized to participate. Informants, also known as confidential human sources, work with the FBI to provide information, but are not on the bureau’s payroll. Undercover agents are employed by the FBI. According to the report, 26 informants were in Washington on Jan. 6 in connection with the day’s events. FBI field offices only informed the Washington Field Office or FBI headquarters of five informants that were to be in the field on Jan. 6. Of the total 26 informants, four entered the Capitol during the riot and an additional 13 entered a restricted area around the Capitol. But none were authorized to do so by the FBI, nor were they given permission to break other laws or encourage others to do the same. The remaining nine informants did not engage in any illegal activities. None of the 17 informants who entered the Capitol or surrounding restricted area have been prosecuted, the report says. A footnote states that after reviewing a draft of the report, the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington said that it “generally has not charged those individuals whose only crime on January 6, 2021 was to enter restricted grounds surrounding the Capitol, which has resulted in the Office declining to charge hundreds of individuals; and we have treated the CHSs consistent with this approach.” The assistant special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office’s counterterrorism division told the inspector general’s office that he “denied a request from an FBI office to have an undercover employee engage in investigative activity on January 6.” He, along with then-Washington Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono, said that FBI policy prohibits undercover employees at First Amendment-protected events without investigative authority. Many social media users drew false conclusions from the report’s findings. “JANUARY 6th WAS A SETUP!” reads one X post that had received more than 11,400 likes and shares as of Friday. “New inspector general report shows that 26 FBI/DOJ confidential sources were in the crowd on January 6th, and some of them went into the Capitol and restricted areas. Is it a coincidence that Wray put in his resignation notice yesterday? TREASON!” The mention of Wray’s resignation refers to FBI Director Christopher Wray’s announcement Wednesday that he at the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January. Other users highlighted the fact that there were 26 FBI informants in Washington on Jan. 6, but omitted key information about the findings of the report. These claims echo a advanced by some Republicans in Congress that the FBI played a role in instigating the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters determined to overturn Republican Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden stormed the Capitol in a violent clash with police. The report knocks that theory down. such theories “ludicrous” at a congressional hearing last year. Asked for comment on the false claims spreading online, Stephanie Logan, a spokesperson for the inspector general’s office, pointed The Associated Press to a about the report. In addition to its findings about the the FBI’s involvement on Jan. 6, the report said that the FBI, in an action its now-deputy director described as a “basic step that was missed,” failed to canvass informants across all 56 of its field offices for any relevant intelligence ahead of time. That was a step, the report concluded, “that could have helped the FBI and its law enforcement partners with their preparations in advance of January 6.” However, it did credit the bureau for preparing for the possibility of violence and for trying to identify known “domestic terrorism subjects” who planned to come to Washington that day. The FBI said in a letter responding to the report that it accepts the inspection general’s recommendation “regarding potential process improvements for future events.” — Find AP Fact Checks here: . By Melissa Goldin, The Associated Press