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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Pick your adjective to describe the Kansas City Chiefs this season — charmed, serendipitous, fortunate or just plain lucky — and it probably fits, and not just because they keep winning games that come down to the wire. Every time they need help at a position, they've found someone sitting on the couch, seemingly waiting for their call. First it was wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who returned to the Chiefs just before the season after Marquise Brown was lost to shoulder surgery. Then it was running back Kareem Hunt, who likewise returned to his former team when Isiah Pacheco broke his fibula. Left tackle D.J. Humphries came next when other options at the position were struggling, and this week it was Steven Nelson, who came out of retirement to help a secondary that has struggled for weeks. "Just got an opportunity, got a call. Was very excited about it," said Nelson, who spent his first four seasons in Kansas City before stints in Pittsburgh and Houston, and ultimately calling it quits in June so he could spend more time with his family. "I've got two daughters and been spending a lot of time with him," Nelson said, "but still trying to work out. It was kind of the perfect scenario, getting the call, especially where this team has been and this point in the season. Great opportunity." It's been a perfect opportunity for all of them. Perfect fits for the Chiefs, too. Each could have signed just about anywhere else and been able to contribute, yet they were still sitting around when Chiefs general manager Brett Veach reached out. In the case of Smith-Schuster, Hunt and Humphries, there were some concerns about injuries that had kept some teams away, but the Chiefs were willing to take a risk on them. Smith-Schuster, who has dealt with knee trouble for years, missed some time with a hamstring injury this season. But he still has 202 yards and a touchdown receiving, and has provided some veteran leadership in the locker room. Hunt was coming off a sports hernia surgery, a big reason why the Browns — whom the Chiefs visit Sunday — declined to bring him back after five years spent in a one-two punch with Nick Chubb. But when Pacheco went down, Hunt stepped in and their offense barely missed a beat; he has run for a team-leading 608 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games. Humphries was still rehabbing a torn ACL at the start of the season, but the former Pro Bowl tackle was cleared just before the Chiefs called him. Kingsley Suamataia and Wanya Morris had struggled to protect Patrick Mahomes' blind side, so they brought in Humphries to help out. And while he hurt his hamstring late in his debut last week against the Chargers, the Chiefs still hope he'll be recovered and fully up to speed in time for the stretch run and the playoffs. "I'm in Kansas City, bro. I'm pretty ecstatic. It don't get much better than this," Humphries said. "Everybody is excited for me to be here and that's a really good feeling. You're getting All-Pro guys' arms outstretched, like, 'We're so glad you're here.'" The providential signings don't stop at those four players, either. When the Chiefs lost kicker Harrison Butker to knee surgery, they signed Spencer Shrader off the Jets practice squad, and he promptly kicked a game-winner against Carolina. But then Shrader hurt his hamstring and landed on injured reserve. The 49ers had just waived Matthew Wright, and the Chiefs signed him up. He's gone 8 for 9 on field-goal tries, has been perfect on PATs, and banged the game-winner off the upright and through last week against Los Angeles. Just like Smith-Schuster, Hunt and Nelson, Wright had been with Kansas City a couple of years ago. "It definitely helps, him knowing how we do things, how we practice and what we expect," Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub said. "That all helped, for sure. And he's a veteran. He's been a lot of places. It wasn't like he was a rookie off the street." Or off the couch, for that matter. NOTES: Butker planned to kick again Thursday and could come off IR to face the Browns on Sunday. "He looked good," Toub said. "We have to see how he responds." ... Humphries (hamstring) did not practice Thursday. RT Jawaan Taylor (knee) was limited. ... SS Justin Reid will likely handle kickoffs against Cleveland. He has a stronger leg than Wright and also puts another athletic and adept tackler on the field on special teams. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Democrats on the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Tuesday advanced U.S. Sen. Jon Tester’s Montana Headwaters Legacy Act out of the committee on a party-line vote, meaning the legislation can be heard in front of the full Senate or be included in a broader public lands package. The legislation would designate 326 total river miles from 19 rivers in Montana as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. If passed and signed into law, portions of the Gallatin, Yellowstone, Smith, Boulder, and Stillwater rivers and their headwaters would receive special classifications and lead to distinct management plans for each section, with a goal of protecting the wild and free-flowing nature and water quality of rivers in the United States. Man fatally shot by Ravalli County Sheriff's deputy near Stevensville Stevensville schools closed Tuesday citing 'unsafe' driving conditions Sheehy endorses some Trump cabinet picks, declines to respond on others Citizen grand juries and county militias: The quiet rise of Tactical Civics in Montana Movie review: 'Conclave' digs into the secrets of picking a pope Suspect charged in grisly Moose Creek killing of camper Dustin Kjersem Women report widespread misogyny in churches tied to religious group 'The Message' Believers bought airplane for dead preacher thinking he’d rise from grave to fly in it Revenue department says property taxes could rise again Bitterroot Health recruiting locals for new medical assistant training Bitterroot Health Athletes of the Week: Isaac Bates and Ella Goeltz 344-acre Ellison Ranch preserved through conservation easement Feds amass 612-page file in a case of alleged slayings near Omaha. What does it mean? Annual Festival of Trees event in Hamilton to benefit local nonprofits Transportation Commission approves Bell Crossing speed limit reduction A raft from Geyser Whitewater Expeditions floats over rapids on the Gallatin River in 2023. Samuel Wilson/Chronicle Most of the rivers contained in the bill have already been found eligible to be designated either as wild or scenic rivers by federal land management agencies. A coalition of groups in southwestern and southern Montana have been pushing support for the bill. “The Montana Headwaters Legacy Act is a community-driven, broadly supported, and deeply vetted legislation crafted by Montanans through over a decade of public input,” Charles Drimal of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition said in a statement. Tester, a Democrat who lost his re-election bid this month to Republican newcomer Tim Sheehy, first introduced the measure in 2020 and did so again in 2021, but neither bill made it out of an Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee. After the current version was heard by the committee this past June, Tester encouraged a full committee vote on the bill. Boaters on the Smith River in Meagher County (Photo by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks). Recreational use of the Yellowstone River will be included in the study of southwest Montana streams. Also included are the Madison, Ruby, Jefferson, Big Hole and Beaverhead. Brett French/Lee Newspapers The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was created by Congress in 1968 and generally creates a protective corridor of a quarter mile out from each riverbank that might inhibit development in or along the river in that designated section. For instance, it could bar the federal government from supporting dam construction in a designated area, but a designation does not interfere with water rights, recreation, or agricultural practices. As of the end of last year, about 13,467 river miles of 228 rivers in 41 states had designations under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. In Montana, designations include portions of the Missouri River, Flathead River, and East Rosebud Creek, the last of which was designated in August 2018. The Missouri and Flathead designations were made in 1976. In total, 388 river miles in Montana out of about 177,000 miles are currently designated under the act. The version of Tester’s legislation senators voted on Tuesday had stripped out some proposed designations in the Madison River system – about 58 river miles from the original proposal were taken out – to acquiesce to landowners and some county commissioners who voiced concerns, senators said during the meeting. A spokesperson for Tester did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the legislation’s movement on Wednesday. Montana’s other U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, a Republican who led the effort to oust Tester this election cycle as chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, voted against moving the legislation out of the committee, saying he had concerns about the measure’s “far-reaching approach” and had heard opposition from “landowners, county commissioners, irrigators and other stakeholders.” “In the past, we’ve seen these designations hinder or delay road work, aquatic restoration projects, grazing and fuel management projects, which is why legislation like this should be very carefully considered,” Daines said. He said the East Rosebud designation had received support from Montana’s entire congressional delegation and that he believed that designation had been “thoroughly vetted.” Boaters on the Smith River in Meagher County. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee Chairperson Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, countered by saying the committee had discussed and worked on the bill for “quite some time” and that he believed the amendments particularly regarding the Madison River designations had addressed the “greatest concerns people had.” “The rivers that would be protected by the bill provide outstanding recreational opportunities and spectacular scenery,” Manchin said. Daines said that addressing concerns on the Madison, partially coming from NorthWestern Energy, was “good news” but one of several issues raised by others. “There’s eight counties that are affected by this. Half of those counties, their county commissioners specifically have weighed in in opposition to this,” Daines said. “They’re very important voices in this process, and we need to keep working with them to get broader support, and that’s why I’m opposed at this moment.” But the coalition of economic development, outfitter, conservation and governmental organizations that support the measure, numbering in the hundreds, say the vast majority of Montanans support Tester’s legislation, pointing to the 2024 Public Lands Survey from the University of Montana, which found 83% of respondents supported the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines discusses the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act during a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources meeting Tuesday. U.S. Senate The poll results showed 59% said they strongly supported the measure, while only 16% said they either somewhat or strongly opposed it. Kristin Gardner of the Gallatin River Task Force said in a statement that polling showed the sentiment to protect Montana’s rivers was strong across the political spectrum. Scott Bosse, the northern Rockies regional director for American Rivers, said the rest of Montana’s federal delegation needed to work together to get the measure across the finish line. The group said in a statement the legislation could still be included in a public lands package before the end of the year and before the new Congress is seated in January. “Given the importance of healthy rivers to our economy and way of life, it’s no surprise that Montanans from across the political spectrum overwhelmingly support efforts to protect Montana’s most cherished waterways,” Bosse said in a statement. “We remain hopeful that Montana’s congressional leaders can work together to ensure the MHLA is included in a public lands package by the end of the year.”United Airlines travelers with lost luggage have a new tool to track their bags. If the lost bag has an Apple AirTag in it, that information can now be passed directly to United, the airline announced Thursday. The new feature, called Share Item Location, allows travelers with an AirTag or other Find My network accessory to share the location with the airline’s customer service team to help locate their luggage in the event it’s misplaced. United says more than 99% of its customers pick up their luggage without a hitch. The feature is now available with iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 or macOS 15.2. “Apple’s new Share Item Location feature will help customers travel with even more confidence, knowing they have another way to access their bag’s precise location with AirTag or their Find My accessory of choice,” said David Kinzelman, United’s chief customer officer. Travelers on United whose bags do not arrive at their destination can file a delayed baggage report with United and share the link to the item’s location either through the United app or via text message. After the report has been submitted, customer service agents will be able to locate the item on an interactive map alongside a timestamp of a recent update. The shared location will be disabled after a customer has the bag, and customers can also stop sharing the location of the item at any time on their own. The location link will also automatically expire after seven days. Using AirTags or other tracking devices on luggage is increasingly popular among frequent travelers, with a significant boom following the 2022 Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown , which displaced thousands of travelers over Christmas and into 2023, alongside much of their belongings. United says lost bags are rare, with more than 99% of its customers arriving with their bags. It says the new technology will help those with lost bags to recover them more quickly because the airline will have more information about them. Apple previously announced the new service will also be integrated at other air carriers, including Delta Air Lines. Others include Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Vueling. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — John Elway says any remorse over bypassing Josh Allen in the 2018 NFL draft is quickly dissipating with rookie Bo Nix's rapid rise, suggesting the Denver Broncos have finally found their next franchise quarterback. Elway said Nix, the sixth passer selected in April's draft, is an ideal fit in Denver with coach Sean Payton navigating his transition to the pros and Vance Joseph's defense serving as a pressure release valve for the former Oregon QB. "We've seen the progression of Bo in continuing to get better and better each week and Sean giving him more each week and trusting him more and more to where last week we saw his best game of the year," Elway said in a nod to Nix's first game with 300 yards and four touchdown throws in a rout of Atlanta. For that performance, Nix earned his second straight NFL Rookie of the Week honor along with the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. "I think the sky's the limit," Elway said, "and that's just going to continue to get better and better." In a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press, Elway also touted former coach Mike Shanahan's Hall of Fame credentials, spoke about the future of University of Colorado star and Heisman favorite Travis Hunter and discussed his ongoing bout with a chronic hand condition. Elway spent the last half of his decade as the Broncos' GM in a futile search for a worthy successor to Peyton Manning, a pursuit that continued as he transitioned into a two-year consultant role that ended after the 2022 season. "You have all these young quarterbacks and you look at the ones that make it and the ones that don't and it's so important to have the right system and a coach that really knows how to tutelage quarterbacks, and Sean's really good at that," Elway said. "I think the combination of Bo's maturity, having started 61 games in college, his athletic ability and his knowledge of the game has been such a tremendous help for him,'" Elway added. "But also Vance Joseph's done a heck of a job on the defensive side to where all that pressure's not being put on Bo and the offense to score all the time." Payton and his staff have methodically expanded Nix's repertoire and incorporated his speed into their blueprints. Elway lauded them for "what they're doing offensively and how they're breaking Bo into the NFL because it's a huge jump and I think patience is something that goes a long way in the NFL when it comes down to quarterbacks." Elway said he hopes to sit down with Nix at some point when things slow down for the rookie. Nix, whose six wins are one more than Elway had as a rookie, said he looks forward to meeting the man who won two Super Bowls during his Hall of Fame playing career and another from the front office. "He's a legend not only here for this organization, but for the entire NFL," Nix said, adding, "most guys, they would love to have a chat with John Elway, just pick his brain. It's just awesome that I'm even in that situation." Orange Crush linebacker Randy Gradishar joined Elway in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, something Elway called "way, way overdue." Elway suggested it's also long past time for the Hall to honor Shanahan, who won back-to-back Super Bowls in Denver with Elway at QB and whose footprint you see every weekend in the NFL because of his expansive coaching tree. Elway called University of Colorado stars Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders "both great athletes." He said he really hopes Sanders gets drafted by a team that will bring him along like the Broncos have done with Nix, and he sees Hunter being able to play both ways in the pros — but not full time. Elway said he thinks Hunter will be primarily a corner in the NFL but with significant contributions on offense: "He's great at both. He's got great instincts, and that's what you need at corner." It's been five years since Elway announced he was dealing with Dupuytren's contracture, a chronic condition that typically appears after age 40 and causes one or more fingers to permanently bend toward the palm. Elway's ring fingers on both hands were originally affected and he said now the middle finger on his right hand is starting to pull forward. So, he'll get another injection of a drug called Xiaflex, which is the only FDA-approved non-surgical treatment, one that he's endorsing in an awareness campaign for the chronic condition that affects 17 million Americans. The condition can make it difficult to do everyday tasks such as shaking hands or picking up a coffee mug. Elway said what bothered him most was "I couldn't pick up a football and I could not imagine not being able to put my hand around a football." Get local news delivered to your inbox!
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Charities, food banks and homeless shelters are to receive access to a £15m fund to help use surplus farm food. The government scheme, set to be launched next year, will give grants of £20,000 and upwards to non-profit food redistribution groups in England. It aims to help those groups secure new equipment - like hoppers and balers - or to train staff and set up new technology so they can get food that would be wasted to those who need it most. According to government figures, it's estimated that around 330,000 tonnes of edible food a year are wasted or used for animal feed before leaving farms. Announcing the scheme, circular economy minister Mary Creagh said: "With families gathering to celebrate Christmas and the New Year, it's important to remember those in our communities who may be going hungry this festive period. "Nobody wants to see good food go to waste - especially farmers who work hard to put food on family tables across the country." Charlotte Hill and Kris Gibbon-Walsh, chief executives of charities The Felix Project and FareShare, said they were "thrilled" that the fund had been announced after years of campaigning. "We have a proven model which funds farmers to redistribute their unsold food, which means that together, we can take meaningful steps toward achieving a zero-waste Britain," they said. Read more from Sky News: Animal neglect and abandonment soars - charity Reform UK membership overtakes Tories, party says Follow our channel and never miss an update. It comes after the Trussel Trust, an anti-poverty charity that runs food banks across the UK, said in November that more than 1.42 million emergency food parcels had been distributed in the previous six months. The charity also reported a 37% increase in demand for food parcels between 2021/22 and 2022/23, and another 4% increase was recorded between 2022/23 and 2023/24.Sri Lanka hosts key stakeholders’ meeting to strengthen Fairtrade Network and promote sustainable exports
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Nirmala Sitharaman (Agencies photo) NEW DELHI: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday advised industry to realign its supply chain factoring in political and strategic considerations to ensure that there was no concentration of risks, a statement that appeared to be aimed at China. "When you talk of supply chains, when you want to restore supply chains to frictionless supply chains, let's not forget, it's not just economics, it's more than that. When we want to de-risk ourselves, when we want to remove certain concentrations, plus one, plus two, what are these theories? They didn't emerge out of inefficiency of economics. They emerged out of economic principles being influenced by political principles. Therefore, we have to build into our own decision making not just economic sense, but also political and strategic sense. "Supply chains will have to be restored, but you would reset it, you would realign it, you will make sure that they are spread so much that no political or geo-political or strategic risks will threaten our well-being," FM said at a CII event. The statement came amid repeated demands from industry to lift restrictions on Chinese investment and visas that came following the outbreak of Covid and the subsequent tension in Ladakh. In fact, the Economic Survey too had made a case for lifting investment curbs. While the border stand-off has eased, business ties have not normalised, and industry players are clamouring for a softer stance despite government's clear emphasis on building a resilient supply chain with other countries and locating production facilities in India through schemes such as production linked incentives. Sitharaman also used the platform to underline the need to check unnecessary expenditure and borrowings. "Responsible economies can't be run with borrowings so large that the next generation and the generation after that have to repay. All this will have to be passed through as taxation... Debt is required but in this coming decade our priority should be to manage the finances and borrow for building assets, borrow for managing better, but it cannot be such borrowings that you leave the next generation worried about how to service it." Besides, she flagged global conflict and inflation as major global concerns. "Inflation is so contagious that nowhere is any country's effort today is completely successful, because beyond its powers are inflation, forces which come in," she said amid conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine, which have disrupted supply chains and stoked inflation in several parts of the world. The comments come at a time when central banks in several countries have reduced key policy rates, while RBI has so far maintained a status quo in the wake of higher inflation. "The attempt of both industry & govts everywhere should be to restore global calm and normalcy. There can nowhere be enough justifiable reason for skirmishes or war. The global priority for this decade should be to restore normalcy. They are the main cause for disruptions in supply chain, inflation and other global challenges." Ready to Master Stock Valuation? ET’s Workshop is just around the corner!
Over the years, different fashion trends, films and television have influenced the must-have toys of the year - and looking back, they do capture part of what it was like growing up in a certain decade. They were the kind of gifts you couldn't imagine your own children playing with now, or that your parents had to queue up for at 6am to ensure you would get your hands on it. Before there were apps, Xbox consoles or iPhones, most had plush toys, milk caps and interactive pets at the top of their Christmas wish-list. In the 1990s, we saw the arrival of the Teenage Mutant Ninja (Hero) Turtles, the 8-bit Game Boy and, of course, Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear, reported . Here are a number of the must-have Christmas toys of that decade that . Many kids will remember singing the theme tune - "heroes in a half shell" - as they rushed home after school to watch the cartoon and play with their turtle toys. The show followed Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo, brothers trained in ninjutsu who fight evil in New York City. The show's popularity probably sparked a spike in national pizza sales too as it was all the characters ate. The very first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures were heavily based on the original comic series, which had a much darker tone than the later cartoon. And figures amassed 30m sales worldwide. Still popular today, a film reboot is anticipated for 2023. Despite its tiny screen and dull green background, the Nintendo Game Boy was an absolute revelation when it launched three decades ago. For games fans of a certain age, the 8-bit Game Boy is a symbol of their childhood and many will remember the Game Link cable which allowed two Game Boys to be connected together for multiplayer fun. As well as the Tetris theme music from way too many hours spent playing it as a kid. Following the sale of 300,000 upon initial release in Japan, several other versions of the Game Boy consoles were created. The Play It Loud series introduced a range of case colours, with the white version exclusively released in Japan - and it remains the rarest of all the Game Boy Play It Loud models. In the late 90s, many will remember the Pokemon series becoming a staple of the Game Boy. In the Thunderbirds television series, it was the secret headquarters of the International Rescue organisation - but as a toy it meant so much more. In 1992, parents queued for hours in the hope of landing one of these. Thunderbirds had just made a TV comeback and it was in high demand. BBC1's Blue Peter famously ran a make-your-own segment for those unlucky enough not to bag a real one. It used items including a grocery box, newspapers and drinking straws to construct a replica. The island has since had more releases as a children's toy in the 2000s. But 1992 was also the year for WWF action figures from toy giants Hasbro. Based on the famous wrestlers of the WWF including Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, and Big Bossman, the series came under criticism for the characters cartoon-esque appearance. However, the figures proved very popular, becoming one of the must-have toys of Christmas 1992, and are now very collectable. In March 1959, a doll named "Barbie" launched onto the American toy market - and the rest is history. Over the decades, we've seen different themes and variations of the popular toy doll and in the early 90s, it was one of the must-have Christmas toys in the country. In 1993, they beat all of the competition and perhaps it had something to do with the release of the Barbie Dream Motor Home that year. The Talkboy was another popular one for 1993. They came into existence due to a letter-writing campaign by young fans after seeing the fictional product used by Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. In the classic Christmas film, Culkin's character Kevin McCallister uses the toy to make a reservation at the Plaza Hotel and outsmart his enemies. The toy - which could slow your voice down, play it back or speed it up - became one of the ‘must-have’ products that Christmas, when it was promoted alongside the VHS release of the film. Back in the 1990s, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers superhero television series hit our screens, which saw kids re-enacting scenes in the playground and arguing over which colour they would be in the group. Spandex suits weren't just invented for stag dos - this American series featured teenagers who would morph into superheroes to battle bizarre baddies. In comparison to some other must have toys at the time, the figures weren't too pricey, but demand was high, making them one of the must have Christmas toys in the UK in 1994. These 'milk caps' became ultra collectable and playgrounds were full of kids swapping them. The idea was you flipped the POGS but most people didn't really bother with the playing - it was all about which ones you had. The game began getting sold commercially under the name POGS in the 1990s, with the name originating from a brand of juice whose caps were used to play the game. POGS amassed 350m sales worldwide. (Image: Mirrorpix) The release of the original Toy Story sent this toy soaring to the top of the 'I-want-one-of-those-mum' chart. Toy Story was released in March 1996 in the UK and was an instant hit with kids and grown-ups. And later that year, the toy was the most sought after product for Christmas, with kids keen to get their hands on futuristic space man Buzz Lightyear. The doll sold out so rapidly before Christmas, with such high demand, that emergency stock was shipped to the UK, arriving at selected UK stores in time for December 24, 1996. BBC reports suggested that stores sold out of the Buzz Lightyear doll within 20 minutes of opening on Christmas Eve 1996. The Tickle Me Elmo wasn't that far behind either, with worldwide sales up to one million. The children's plush toy of the Sesame Street character was also a must have and created a lot of hype at the time. (Image: Vincent Cole) Two toys shared the No1 spot in 1997. Teletubbies became a huge hit with the younger generation, who were desperate to get their hands on a plush doll of characters Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa Laa and Po. For parents of a certain age, Christmas 1997 will bring back nightmarish memories of traipsing from shop to shop trying to secure a must-have Teletubby toy for their little ones. The toys, from the hugely popular tots’ TV show, were at the top of the nation’s Christmas wish-list that year, but supplies were limited in certain areas and stores were selling out as soon as the dolls came into stock. But it was older children and teenagers who were obsessed with the virtual Tamagotchi pets from Japan. If you still own an original Tamagotchi they can be worth a lot of money today. The Tamagotchi also made somewhat of a comeback in 2017 after Bandai, the company behind the original, released a special edition of the iconic digital pet to mark its 20th anniversary. The new device is smaller than the original, but retains the familiar egg shape, pixelated LCD screen - and constant need for attention. The interactive pet pipped Yo Yo's to the crown in 1998. The gifts became a huge hit despite only launching in the October and stores around the country were inundated with parents looking to snap one up. The Furby began life speaking its own language, Furbish, and gradually learned English over time. 1.8 million of the toys were sold during their release year, with another 14 million the following year. The Furby is still a popular toy today, having evolved to a more technologically advanced model, featuring LCD eyes and its own mobile app. Everybody wanted a bit of 'Fastest Finger First' back in 1999 and Chris Tarrant took over the nation's living rooms as the interactive board game version of the show became the must-have present. Many will remember playing the game on Christmas day for the first time, and will cringe at the thought that it is now considered a 'vintage' board game. After an initial release in 1996, the Pokémon Nintendo game was another hit in 1999. The game focused on finding, capturing and training creatures known as Pokémon.ESTERO, Fla. (AP) — Sydney Shaw scored 20 points and made four 3-pointers, JJ Quinerly added 14 points and No. 12 West Virginia handed Boise State its first loss, 82-47 on Saturday in the Gulf Coast Showcase. West Virginia advances to the championship game on Sunday, while Boise State plays for third place. The Mountaineers have started 8-0 in back-to-back seasons after last year's 11-0 beginning. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Off the couch and into the fire
Penn State clinches Big Ten championship game berth with win vs. Maryland, will play Oregon
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