
For over 80 years, the William Hall Rodgers Christmas Basket Fund has been a cornerstone of generosity and goodwill in our community. Thanks to this incredible initiative, we’ve been able to feed between 750 to 1,200 families annually, ensuring that no one is forgotten during the holiday season. Cleveland is rightfully known as the "City with Spirit," and our commitment to supporting our neighbors is exemplified by efforts like the Basket Fund and the Empty Stocking Fund. Time and again, our citizens have stepped up to make a difference, showing that Cleveland is indeed a giving community. While we are all aware that grocery prices have risen in recent years, let’s not allow that to deter us from continuing this vital tradition. Imagine a child going to bed hungry, especially during a time that should be filled with joy and celebration. Together, we can change that. By contributing to the Basket Fund, we can provide meals that bring smiles to children’s faces — just like the magic of Christmas morning. Let’s step up once again and show why Cleveland’s spirit is unmatched. Your generosity today can light up a family’s holiday tomorrow. Thank you for giving from your heart. Together, we can ensure no family goes without this Christmas. — Tom Cassada ClevelandPASADENA, Calif. — The Rose Bowl is the next stop on No. 1 Oregon's national championship quest. And Ohio State or Tennessee will be the Ducks' opponent in the 111th edition of the Granddaddy of Them All. Oregon (13-0) received the top seed in the first 12-team College Football Playoff on Sunday, sending the Ducks to celebrate the new year in Pasadena for the ninth time in school history as they continue to fight for their first national championship. But first, the eighth-seeded Buckeyes (10-2) and the ninth-seeded Volunteers (10-2) will meet in Columbus on Saturday, Dec. 21, to determine Oregon's opponent in the Rose Bowl Game, which is also a playoff quarterfinal. The first-round matchup pits a pair of college football powerhouses with little history together. The Volunteers beat the Buckeyes 20-14 in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1, 1996, in the schools' only previous meeting. Ohio State got home-field advantage despite missing out on a Big Ten title game date with Oregon after a humiliating 13-10 loss at home to Michigan last month. The Buckeyes also lost a 32-31 thriller to the Ducks in Eugene in October, but they might still get that rematch in California. Oregon is clearly the class of this jumbled college football season, finishing as the only undefeated team in the FBS and the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 after holding off Penn State 45-37 to win its first Big Ten championship. The Ducks' road to a title looks fairly daunting with two elite opponents vying for their quarterfinal shot, and social media filled up Sunday with fans and commentators bemoaning the relative difficulty of Oregon's path. The rough road doesn't bother Oregon coach Dan Lanning, however. "What an opportunity, right?" Lanning said on ESPN. "We focus on the things that you can control, and winning a national championship isn't supposed to be easy. If our path is a little bit tougher, kudos to us if we go through it and take care of business." For decades, the Rose Bowl cherished its position as a near-annual meeting of teams from the Big Ten and the West Coast conference most recently known as the Pac-12. The breakup of the Pac-12 and the permanent change in the Rose Bowl's postseason position happened simultaneously over the past year, throwing the bowl's future into flux. But Oregon's familiar presence in Pasadena next month will smooth that change significantly — and if the Ducks' opponent is Ohio State, the traditionalists will still get exactly what they crave out of this game anyway. Oregon and Ohio State met in the Rose Bowl in 1958 and again on Jan. 1, 2010, with Terrelle Pryor leading the Buckeyes to a 26-17 victory. Oregon is 4-4 in its previous trips to the Rose Bowl, and the modern Ducks have spent their holiday in Pasadena four times since 2010. They've won in their past three appearances in the Granddaddy, most recently beating Wisconsin 28-27 in Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert's final game for his hometown school in 2020. Ohio State has made 16 previous appearances in the Rose Bowl, third-most in the game's history behind USC (34) and Michigan (21). The Buckeyes have won their last four games in Pasadena, most recently beating Washington in 2019 and Utah in 2022. A trip to Pasadena would be a treat for Tennessee's vast fan base. The Vols made two trips to the Rose Bowl during the 1940s, but they haven't been back there since 1945. Oregon and Tennessee have faced each other twice, with the Ducks winning both matchups in 2010 and in 2013. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Among Us Explained: The Party Game Played By The Alleged CEO Killer And Millions MoreBe fair in selection of new Owa Obokun, group urges kingmakers
DETROIT (AP) — Brandon Noel's 26 points helped Wright State defeat Detroit Mercy 80-72 on Saturday. Noel had seven rebounds for the Raiders (6-5, 1-1 Horizon League). Jack Doumbia scored 21 points while shooting 8 of 16 from the field and 5 for 6 from the line and added 13 rebounds and three blocks. Alex Huibregste shot 5 of 10 from the field, including 2 for 6 from 3-point range, and went 5 for 5 from the line to finish with 17 points, while adding six assists. The Titans (5-6, 1-1) were led in scoring by Orlando Lovejoy, who finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Detroit Mercy also got 12 points from Nate Johnson. Grant Gondrezick II also recorded 11 points and two steals. Wright State's next game is Wednesday against Marshall at home. Detroit Mercy visits Davidson on Saturday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .8 New Year’s Resolutions Meteorologists Hope You MakeTOWSON, Md. (AP) — Marcus Banks scored 22 points as UMBC beat Towson 84-71 on Saturday. Banks shot 8 for 18, including 5 for 11 from beyond the arc for the Retrievers (6-5). Josh Odunowo scored 17 points and added five rebounds and three steals. Anthony Valentine had 17 points and shot 7 of 9 from the field, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and went 2 for 5 from the line. Dylan Williamson finished with 21 points for the Tigers (4-6). Tyler Tejada added 18 points and nine rebounds. Mekhi Lowery also had 12 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. UMBC took the lead with 19:03 left in the first half and never looked back. The score was 38-24 at halftime, with Valentine racking up 11 points. UMBC extended its lead to 59-38 during the second half, fueled by a 7-0 scoring run. Banks scored a team-high 13 points in the second half. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
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Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Shocking images have shown the devastating aftermath of an inferno at a Scots industrial estate. Brucefield Industrial Park in Livingston has been left gutted by the blaze, which gripped premises at 1.35pm on Saturday. Images show the interior of the premises charred as fire crews remain at the scene on Sunday afternoon. The roof of the building has been left destroyed with its melted structures collapsed. Crews have worked overnight to contain the flames, which ravaged the building in West Lothian. Dramatic footage showed the fire ripping through the roof as thick pockets of smoke spread from the premises into the sky. The incident could be seen for miles with the thick column of smoke spotted from as far away as Fife. There were no reported injuries. Two fire engines remain in attendance while firefighters continue to work to ensure the area is safe. Motorists no longer need to avoid the area. Nearby residents have also been assured that they can reopen their windows and doors. Snag Tights, a fashion business that has a warehouse opposite the blaze also made a statement on social media yesterday afternoon. They wrote: "We had word this afternoon that the warehouse opposite Snag was on fire . The blaze is quite big. We know for sure all our people are safe and we’re praying no one in the other buildings is hurt. At the moment our stock is safe and firefighters are working hard to stop the fire. We’ll update as we know more." A statement from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service reads: "We still have two appliances at Livingston's Brucefield Industrial Estate, with crews working to ensure the area is safe. People no longer need to avoid the area and nearby homes no longer need to keep windows and doors closed. Thank you for your support." Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.Tens of thousands of Spaniards protest housing crunch and high rents in BarcelonaThe appeals court that upheld a law that could ban TikTok in the United States said the government offered no evidence that China is manipulating content on the platform in the United States. However, the panel of judges wrote in their opinion that evidence that China has compelled TikTok to manipulate content elsewhere was enough for it to uphold a federal law signed by President Joe Biden that would force TikTok's sale in the United States to an American company or ban it from app stores. The US District Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia found on Friday in a majority opinion that the federal law is constitutional. The law, which was passed in April, requires TikTok's Chinese parent company, Bytedance, to divest from the company by January 19 or face a ban in the United States. US officials across political lines have worried that TikTok poses a national security risk because of its Chinese ownership. Some members of Congress have said they fear that TikTok could be used as a propaganda tool to push narratives favorable to China's Communist Party. In statements supporting the bill, Democratic Massachusetts Rep. Jake Auchincloss called TikTok "a tool of censorship and propaganda" for the Chinese Communist Party, and Republican Nebraska Rep. Mike Flood said the app has "been used as a tool of propaganda in our country." Still, the federal appeals court wrote in its majority opinion that the government did not present any evidence that China has tried to manipulate content on TikTok in the United States. "The Government acknowledges that it lacks specific intelligence that shows the PRC has in the past or is now coercing TikTok into manipulating content in the United States," the opinion says, referring to the People's Republic of China. However, the government argued in court that ByteDance and TikTok have censored content at China's request in other countries. The appeals court wrote that TikTok "never squarely denies" that it has ever manipulated content on its platform at China's request, which it says is "striking" given the intelligence community's concerns. The court concluded that Bytedance and TikTok have "a demonstrated history" of manipulating content in other countries, sometimes at the request of China. "That conclusion rests on more than mere speculation," the judges wrote in the court opinion. "It is the Government's 'informed judgment' to which we give great weight in this context, even in the absence of 'concrete evidence' on the likelihood of PRC-directed censorship of TikTok in the United States." TikTok argued in court that its "recommendation engine," or algorithm, is not based in China because it is . The court said that while this is correct, ByteDance still controls the source code for TikTok, including the recommendation engine. "TikTok is therefore correct to say the recommendation engine 'is stored in the Oracle cloud,' but gains nothing by flyspecking the Government's characterization of the recommendation engine still being in China," the document says. A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement to Business Insider that the TikTok ban "was conceived and pushed through based on inaccurate, flawed, and hypothetical information, resulting in outright censorship of the American people." "The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans' right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue," TikTok said in the statement. Like many social media networks, TikTok has faced intense scrutiny for how the app is used to influence elections. The company this week announced that it removed three "influence networks" on the app that attempted to after a probe by the country's defense council. The company said it removed at least 40 similar influence campaigns this year. Read the original article on
Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Christmas (and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa for that matter) are quickly approaching. For those who haven’t started putting up holiday decorations at home, now’s the perfect time to start. With early Black Friday deals in full swing, you’ll likely score a deal on any new pieces for yourself and snag a gift for the holiday host or hostess on sale. Depending on what style or type of decorations you’re in the market for, you’ll have better luck when shopping at certain retailers over others. That’s why we created a handy guide with ten of our favourites, whether you’re on the hunt for a new artificial Christmas tree, home decor or holiday entertaining essentials. Sure, Canadian Tire might be best known for its assortment of sports and recreation gear – and of course, tires. However, come the holiday season, the retailer takes pride in becoming “Canada’s Christmas Store.” You’ll find everything you need to deck the halls indoors and outdoors, with a huge selection of artificial Christmas trees , outdoor lights and inflatables and decor for a festive atmosphere. Pieces we love: Airblown Santa Stitch, 3.2-ft , $50; Canvas Pre-Lit Indoor Noelle Fraser , $400; Canvas LED Pre-Lit Artificial Cedar Wreath , $60. For string lights, outdoor decorations and artificial Christmas trees, look to Home Hardware. You’ll find items organized by aesthetic like cozy classic, modern farmhouse and vintage-inspired. Those who string up their old incandescent lights will also be happy to know that you can still find replacement bulbs here too. Pieces we love: Instyle Holiday C9 Light Set , $100; Instyle Holiday Porch Tree & Wreath Set , $200; Danson Decor 6.5′ Noble Pine Tree , $100. When decorating on a budget, Amazon has all the affordable holiday finds you could hope for. There are tons of options for artificial trees under $100, plus expensive-looking garlands and outdoor lighting set-ups that look way more luxe than their price tags suggest. Pieces we love: HOMCOM 6′ Pencil Christmas Tree , $65; 9ft. Norfolk Pine Garland , $23; Minetom Outdoor Projector Lights , $50. If you love the look of elegant holiday decor, add West Elm to your shopping list. You’ll find everything from Scandinavian-inspired designs to vintage-looking trinkets that suit just about any personality. There are also plenty of quirky ornament options, including a lobster tail , an evil eye and après-ski animals. Pieces we love: Village Tealight Candleholders , $29+; Stacked Wood Trees , $38+; Flocked Ball Ornaments (Set of 25) , $40. Walmart is another great option for holiday decor on a budget. Many finds ring in under $20, including plenty of tabletop decor, stockings and ornaments. For collectors, there’s also a big selection of Christmas-themed plushies to add to your home or give as a gift. Pieces we love: Holiday Time Red Wood Nutcracker, $10; Holiday Time Plaid Stocking , $16; Step2 My First Advent Calendar , $80. For those looking for a full holiday home makeover, Michael’s has you covered. Shop for coordinating ornaments, tree skirts, table runners, wreaths and garlands to create the perfect Christmas wonderland. Plus, stock up on craft supplies for personalized decor. Pieces we love: 6ft. Pink Gala Ball Garland , $40; Peppermint Candy Throw Pillow , $37; 12′′ Gingerbread Houses Tabletop Décor , $50. If you’re searching for West Elm-worthy decor with more accessible pricing, look no further. This season, Canadian home decor brand Bouclair offers the sweetest, fluffiest animal ornaments and table toppers, plus glittery mini-trees and ceramic houses that scream holiday cheer. Pieces we love: Decorative Ceramic House , $10; Polar Bear Ornament , $10; Golden Wire Glittery Tree , $18; Decorative Sheep , $13. When it comes to themed entertaining essentials, Anthropologie is your one-stop shop. You’ll find holiday-ready barware, dishware, linens, candles and more with a whimsical, bohemian feel. These unique finds also make for great gifts for a Secret Santa or white elephant exchange . Pieces we love: Holiday in the City Stoneware Mug , $16; Holiday Tree Borosilicate Glass Candle Holder , $38; Beaded Holiday Placemat , $48. What’s more cozy throughout the holiday season than a festive mug filled with eggnog or hot chocolate? Indigo has tons of original designs to choose from, as well as unique serving platters and cozy throw blankets to brighten up your space. Pieces we love: Holiday Icon Glass Set, Set of 4, $50; Glitzmas Everyday Bowls, Set of 4 , $25; Gingerbread Wood Serving Board , $30. Create luxe tablescapes this holiday season with a little help from Pottery Barn. You’ll find festive collectibles that are sure to become family classics, as well as stunning accessories to decorate your home from top to bottom come your next holiday get-together. Pieces we love: Gingerbread Tree Holiday Cookie Jar , $112; Santa’s Sled Salt & Pepper Shakers , $56; Stewart Plaid Dinnerware 16-Piece Set , $372. Shopping Essentials is a category written by research-obsessed shopping experts. Explore product reviews, recommendations and launches — plus behind-the-scenes info on your favourite brands and hidden gems — learn more here or sign up for our newsletter . kmendonca@postmedia.com instagram.com/kate.mendonca Love a deal? Us too. Explore Postmedia’s latest coupon codes from top brands we know and love.Mumbai: The Congress is furious with its ally, the Shiv Sena (UBT), since the latter's MLC Milind Narvekar has openly applauded the demolition of Babri masjid. In a post on the social media X (formerly Tweet) Narvekar, who is also a long-term personal assistant to his party chief Uddhav Thackeray, quoted the late Bal Thackeray as stating that he is proud of those who demolished the masjid. For good measure Narvekar included a picture of the demolition and also photos of himself, Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray. The post was to mark the 32nd anniversary of the demolition which was followed by massive communal riots in Mumbai and other parts of the country. The post has exposed a major faultline in the MVA. It won't be surprising if the Congress decides to pull out of the MVA. pic.twitter.com/3nZYC4EK0e Senior MLA of the Congress Amin Patel told the FPJ n Saturday that the X post was not in keeping with the coalition dharma and was most unacceptable. He said the matter will be taken up at the highest level of the Congress. Senior Congress leader and former minister Arif Naseem Khan said it was shocking that Narvekar was openly applauding those who carried out the demolition. "Uddhav Thackeray should immediately clarify whether he agreed the post. I will escalate the matter with my party leadership. The Shiv Sena (UBT) cannot be a part of the MVA and yet adopt the line of the BJP." Spokesperson of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) Atul Londe said "our alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT) was based on a common minimum programme aimed at ousting the BJP and defending the Constitution. We do not believe in the politics of religion." However, it is learnt that the Congress leadership is under pressure from the rank and file to snap ties with the Shiv Sena (UBT). Their fear is that the party will not get votes of Muslims in the elections to the BMC which may be declared any day now and this will adversely affect its poll prospects. According to sources, Narvekar, who is the Man Friday of Uddhav Thackeray, would not have done the controversial X post without the concurrence of his boss. The post appears to be a part of the party's efforts to reclaim the Hindutva agenda which was heavily compromised because of its alliance with the Congress and the NCP (Sharad Pawar). The Shiv Sena (UBT) benefited in a big way during the Lok Sabha elections when Muslims supported it and other MVA allies. However, this fact was highlighted by the BJP during the assembly election campaign. The BJP accused the Shiv Sena (UBT) of appeasing the Muslim bank a la the Congress. BJP-inspired social media was very active in the run up to the assembly elections in portraying the Shiv Sena (UBT) as another version of the Congress which has often been accused of pandering to Muslim interests in the name of secularism. BJP supporters pointed out that Uddhav even felt shy of calling his father Bal Thackeray "Hindu Hriaday Samrat" lest he lose Muslim votes. The BJP also highlighted the fact that when the Wakf Amendment Bill was introduced in Parliament Shiv Sena (UBT) members were conspicuous by their absence. The Shiv Sena (UBT) is afraid that if the narrative about the party being pro-Muslim is continued then it will have to pay a heavy price in the BMC elections. With an obvious effort to counter that narrative it appears to have asked Narvekar to go ahead with the controversial post. "Narvekar wont dare do anything without the endorsement of Uddhav. So his X post appears to have been done with the full knowledge of Uddhav," a Sena source observed. Despite the raging controversy neither Uddhav nor Aaditya, who is the second most important leader in the party have distanced themselves from Narvekar's controversial post.
Tens of thousands of Spaniards protest housing crunch and high rents in BarcelonaALTOONA, Pennsylvania — Luigi Mangione, the suspect charged with murder in the shooting of a top UnitedHealth executive, briefly struggled with officers and angrily shouted while being escorted into a Pennsylvania courthouse on Tuesday, as a clearer picture of his motives began to emerge a day after his arrest ended a massive manhunt. Mangione, 26, turned toward a group of reporters and yelled in part, “... completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people!” before deputies pushed him away. It was not clear to what he was referring. At the court hearing, his defense lawyer told a judge that Mangione would oppose extradition to New York, where he is charged with murder and other crimes. That decision could delay the process by weeks but is unlikely to block his eventual transfer; for now, Mangione will remain in jail in Pennsylvania, where he faces gun and forgery charges. His attorney, Tom Dickey, said at a news conference that Mangione planned to plead not guilty to the charges. Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth’s insurance arm, one of the largest health insurers in the U.S., was shot dead last Wednesday morning outside a hotel in Manhattan in what police said was a targeted attack, sparking a manhunt that led to Mangione’s arrest. More clues about his possible motivation were coming to light on Tuesday. When arrested, Mangione was in possession of a handwritten manifesto that offered insight into his mindset, according to police. The New York Times reported that an internal New York City Police report analyzing the document concluded that Mangione viewed the killing as a justified response to what he believed to be corruption in the health care industry. “These parasites simply had it coming,” the manifesto said, according to the Times. Mangione suffered from chronic back pain that limited his daily life, according to friends, his social media postings and other news reports. His profile on X shows a background image of an x-ray with what appears to be screws and plates inserted in a lower back. An employee at TrueCar told Reuters that Mangione worked at the car-buying website as a data engineer from 2022 to late 2023. In mid-2023, Mangione took about two months off for what the employee’s manager described as back-related issues. The employee, who asked not to be named, described Mangione as “incredibly smart” and very friendly to his co-workers. He said that the company offered employees health insurance through UnitedHealth as well as other choices, such as Aetna. From January through June 2022, Mangione lived at the Surfbreak co-living community in Honolulu, where he led a book club and surfed, hiked and rock-climbed, the founder of the group, R.J. Martin, told the Hawaiian outlet Civil Beat. Martin said Mangione had suffered back pain caused by misaligned vertebrae pinching Mangione’s spinal cord, and he left for the mainland at some point for surgery. But he went “radio silent” in June or July, Martin told Civil Beat. Mangione never showed any indication of violence, Martin later told MSNBC. “The Luigi that I knew is completely incompatible with an assassin,” he said, describing him as funny, kind and thoughtful. At one point, Mangione suggested Surfbreak’s book club read the manifesto of Ted Kaczynski — the U.S. domestic bomber known as the Unabomber — as a joke, according to Martin. On the book-themed social media site Goodreads, a poster with Mangione’s name praised Kaczynski’s book “Industrial Society and Its Future” as “prescient” about modern society, called him an “extreme political revolutionary” and suggested violence was a legitimate form of resistance in some circumstances. Mangione was spotted at a McDonald’s on Monday by an employee who thought he looked like the gunman in surveillance images released by police. Mangione, an Ivy League graduate who was also the valedictorian of a private all-boys school in Maryland, had a loaded ghost gun — an untraceable firearm assembled from parts — and a silencer, officials said on Monday. Both the weapon and his clothing closely resembled those used by the gunman. He also had multiple fake identifications, including a fraudulent New Jersey ID that matched the one used by the gunman to check into a Manhattan hostel days before the shooting, according to authorities. Mangione’s family released a statement saying they knew only what had been reported in the media. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” the family said in a statement posted to the X account of Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” The gunman managed to elude capture for days after the attack last Wednesday outside the Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan. Thompson’s killing unleashed a wave of frustration from Americans struggling to afford medical care and those who have been denied claims or care. Thompson, a father of two, had been CEO of UnitedHealthcare since April 2021, part of a 20-year career with the company. He had been in New York to attend the company’s annual investor conference.Article content Christopher Nolan’s next film has been revealed as an adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey that will use “brand new IMAX film technology.” Universal Pictures, the studio behind the upcoming movie, announced the project in a social media post late Monday afternoon, effectively ending months of speculation as to what the storyline would be. “ Christopher Nolan’s next film The Odyssey is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology,” the studio tweeted. “The film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time and opens in theatres everywhere on July 17, 2026.” Along with Matt Damon, with whom Nolan worked on Interstellar and last year’s Oscar-winning Oppenheimer , the film is also set to star Tom Holland, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson and Charlize Theron. Nolan has also worked with Hathaway before (on The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar ) as well as Pattinson (on Tenet ). Released in 750-650 BC , Homer’s ancient text follows Greek hero Odysseus during his tumultuous journey home following the Trojan War. Holland said he signed on to the film without knowing much about it. “To be perfectly honest, I don’t really know what it’s about,” Holland recently said on The Dish podcast . “I’m super excited, but it’s been pretty quiet about the project. I met with (Nolan) and it was awesome. He kind of loosely pitched what it is, and I’m sure when he’s ready he’ll announce what it’s about” The Marvel star told Good Morning America back in October that he would accept an offer to star in a Nolan movie “sight unseen.” “When the opportunity came in, it was the phone call of a lifetime,” Holland said during an appearance on the morning program . “It was reminiscent of getting the call about Spider-Man 10 years ago.” Holland’s co-star Hathaway recently told Women’s Wear Daily that hearing from Nolan for a third time “makes me feel like I’m doing something right.” “It fills me with so much joy,” Hathaway said. “I love Chris and Emma Nolan so much, and to be invited into their world [is] one of the best places you can find yourself. Getting to be invited twice really felt like something, three felt like it would’ve been greedy, so I never let myself hope that that would happen, and that it has makes me emotional, to be perfectly honest.” Christopher Nolan’s next film ‘The Odyssey’ is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology. The film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time and opens in theaters everywhere on July 17, 2026. The Odyssey has been adapted for the big screen before, serving as an inspiration for the Coen brothers’ 2000 comedy O Brother, Where Art Thou? and the recently released Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche drama The Return . Prior to this week’s announcement, as casting fell into place over the last few months, rumours swirled around the plot for Nolan’s next film. In October, Gizmodo published a report saying it had received a tip “from a reliable source that Nolan’s film is a vampire movie set in the 1920s.” Another synopsis, revealed by Production Weekly and shared on X by Christopher Nolan Art & Updates, suggested the filmmaker was going to go in a completely new direction with his next movie said to be inspired by the 1983 action flick Blue Thunder and centre on “a pair of aerial helicopter cops, with an older mentor and younger lead.” That outline was expanded upon in a viral Reddit post shared by someone who said the film would be “in the vein of Blue Thunder ” because “Nolan is a fan of the movie & it was his starting point when putting the project together.” “My sister’s father-in-law works at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn & there has been excitement recently among the personnel in the NYPD Aviation Unit that Christopher Nolan & key people from his production team will be arriving in November to spend roughly a month with the unit ahead of production of his next movie with Matt Damon joining early next year,” the Reddit post read. “The word is that the movie will be a New York-based futuristic action movie about a Helicopter pilot Cop who heads up the Aviation Unit in the US & the creation of a super-advanced yet dangerous Helicopter itself being pursued by terrorists.” Instead of receiving screenplays, the post went on to add that key personnel were given high-quality versions of Blue Thunder , which starred the late Roy Scheider and was directed by John Badham, “ as well as various items of written work related to that movie.” There was also speculation that Nolan might be named as the director for the next James Bond film, with rumours circulating last fall that he was in talks to helm the “two or three” films in the franchise with the action set in the 1950s. Nolan added his own fuel to that chatter when he was plugging Oppenheimer in July 2023. “The influence of those movies in my filmography is embarrassingly apparent,” Nolan told the Happy Sad Confused podcast . “And so there’s no attempt to shy away from that. I love the films. You know, it would be an amazing privilege to do one.” But Nolan confirmed he was not pursuing a Bond project as his next film last fall when he told t he Associated Press : “No, sadly no — no truth to those rumours.” mdaniell@postmedia.com
KTR blasts Congress government over plight of students in Gurukuls
Syrians poured into streets in celebration on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule . Russian state news agencies were reporting that President Bashar Assad and his family had arrived in Moscow and were given asylum. Russia said Assad left the country after negotiations with rebel groups and that he had given instructions to transfer power peacefully. Joyful crowds gathered in central squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag. Others ransacked the presidential palace and residence. Abu Mohammed al-Golani , a former al-Qaida commander who cut ties with the group years ago leads the biggest rebel faction in Syria and is poised to chart the country’s future. He made his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, at the capital’s sprawling Umayyad Mosque, and called himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa. He said Assad’s fall was “a victory to the Islamic nation.” The rapidly developing events have shaken the region. Lebanon said it was closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for one that links Beirut with Damascus. Jordan closed a border crossing with Syria, too. Israel has issued warnings to villages in southern Syria and its forces seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights. Here's the Latest: The Israeli military said on Sunday it was reinforcing a barrier along its border with Syria as part of its “enhanced preparedness” in the area following the fall of the Assad regime. Israel released images of the construction, which showed bulldozers digging what appeared to be a trench. The army said in a statement that the barrier was named “New East.” Satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press show that as early as September, Israel began building what could be a new road right along the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syria . The United Nations confirmed that Israeli troops entered the demilitarized zone during the work. Over the weekend, the Israeli military sent additional troops to the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights to bolster Israel’s presence along the border with Syria. Russian state news agencies reported that ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad has arrived in Moscow with his family and been given asylum. The agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source. The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports but had contacted the Kremlin for comment. CAIRO — The Arab League on Sunday condemned Israel for taking advantage of Syrian President Bashar Assad's downfall by moving into more Syrian territory. Hours after Assad’s overthrow, Israel announced it had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights that was established by a cease-fire agreement with Syria in 1974. In a statement, the Arab League said Israel illegally sought to occupy more territories. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the 50-year-old agreement regarding Syrian territory had collapsed and that Syrian troops had abandoned their positions, necessitating Israel taking over as a “temporary defensive position.” UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations secretary-general is marking the “fall of the dictatorial regime” in Syria and says the future of the country is “is a matter for the Syrians to determine.” A statement by Antonio Guterres also called for calm and the protection of the rights of all Syrians as well as of diplomatic and consular facilities in Syria. He said there is much work ahead to ensure an “orderly political transition to renewed institutions,” and he called on the international community to ensure that “any political transition is inclusive and comprehensive and that it meets the legitimate aspirations of the people of Syria, in all their diversity.” KYIV, Ukraine - Ukraine’s top diplomat on Sunday responded to Assad’s ouster by describing him as a “dictator” who relied on Russia to prop up his rule - a reference to the military campaign Moscow has waged in Syria since September 2015, teaming up with Iran to allow Assad’s government to fight armed opposition groups and reclaim control over most of the country. "Assad has fallen. This has always been and will be the case with all dictators who bet on Putin. He always betrays those who rely on him,” foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said in a post on X. In a separate update on the social network, Sybiha said Kyiv was ready to take steps towards restoring relations with Syria, severed months into Russia’s full-scale invasion of the neighboring state. Kyiv broke off diplomatic ties after Damascus in June 2022 recognized Kremlin-occupied parts of eastern Ukraine as independent territories, in a move welcomed by Moscow and decried by the West as a clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty. JERUSALEM — The Israeli military has issued a warning to residents of five villages and towns in southern Syria to stay inside their homes for their safety. “The fighting in your area is forcing the IDF to act,” the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman said on X. The military didn’t respond to questions. Earlier, Israel said its troops had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying it was to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned their positions. Defense Minister Israel Katz said on X that the IDF has been instructed to “seize the buffer zone and control points to ensure the protection of all Israeli communities in the Golan Heights – Jewish and Druze – so that they are not exposed to threats from the other side.” Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied. BEIRUT - The leader of the largest insurgent group in Syria visited the Syrian capital’s sprawling Umayyad Mosque and declared that the victory against President Bashar Assad “is a victory to the Islamic nation.” Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, made his first public appearance and remarks since fighters entered Damascus. He told hundreds of people at the historic mosque that Assad had made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” He added that Assad made Syria a base for the illegal amphetamine Captagon that brought cash to Assad’s circles. Al-Sharaa, the leader of the jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, said Sunday that the victory was achieved because of “God and the blood of martyrs.” He said that he left Syria 20 years ago and since then his heart has longed for this movement. AMMAN, Jordan — The vast majority of the Jordanian people are welcoming the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the success of the Syrian revolution. “There is no doubt that I felt overwhelming joy at the fall of the Assad regime," said Badi Al-Rafaia, Engineer, union activist and member of the Islamic Action Front. "There is no doubt that we are happy with what happened in Syria, happy with the success of the revolution, happy with the Syrian people getting rid of an oppressor and criminal who treated the Syrian people and made the Syrian state a failed state.” Al-Rafaia said that Jordan is benefiting from what happened in Syria, and "we hope that Jordan will help the revolution succeed and not work against it.” Amman resident Muhab al-Majali said the fall of the Assad regime is “The end of every unjust and tyrannical rule, and more than that, it mortgaged the country and its people to the Iranians, who abandoned it in minutes... I believe that the future is beautiful and prosperous for the Syrians.” BERLIN — The International Committee of the Red Cross is calling for safe humanitarian access and protection of civilians in Syria after the fall of Bashir Assad’s government. “Our teams in Syria, including in Damascus, have been closely monitoring the fast-evolving security and humanitarian situation in coordination with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent,” the ICRC’s head of delegation in Syria, Stephan Sakalian, said in a written statement Sunday. The ICRC is “responding wherever possible, with further efforts underway, as hundreds of thousands of people need care and humanitarian assistance,” he said. Sakalian called “on all parties to urgently enable safe and unhindered access for medical and humanitarian workers to reach those in need, to protect civilians, and to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law.” BAGHDAD — The Iraqi government said in a statement Sunday that it “supports all international and regional efforts seeking to open a dialogue” for Syria “leading to the adoption of a pluralistic constitution that preserves the human and civil rights of Syrians, and supports cultural, ethnic and religious diversity.” The statement from government spokesperson Bassem al-Awadi, said that Iraq understands “the necessity of respecting the free will of all Syrians, and stresses that the security of Syria, the unity of its territories, and the preservation of its independence are of utmost importance, not only for Iraq but also for its connection to the security and stability of the region.” It cautioned against “interfering in Syria’s internal affairs, or supporting one party for the benefit of another.” Iraq, which has a close relationship with Iran - once a strong ally of former Syrian President Bashar Assad - has taken in some 2,000 Syrian army soldiers who fled the country amid the advance of armed opposition groups. CAIRO — The head of Yemen’s internationally recognized government welcomed the fall of the government of President Bashar Assad of Syria. “It’s a historic moment,” Rashad al-Alimi, who chairs the ruling presidential council, wrote on X platform of Assad’s downfall. “It’s time for the Iranian regime to stop meddling in Yemen, respect its sovereignty and identity.” Al-Alimi, who is backed by Saudi Arabia, was referring to Iran’s support of Houthi rebels who are at war with Yemen’s internationally recognized government for a decade. DAMASCUS — Families wandered through the high-ceilinged halls of the presidential palace in Damascus on Sunday, along with some armed men. Some paused to take family portraits or selfies on the few remaining couches against the backdrop of mosaiced walls, while others walked out with chairs and other items under their arms. On the massive parking lot out front, cars drove in circles honking ecstatically. In central Damascus’ Umayyad Square, drivers passing by also honked jubilantly, while young men piled onto a tank abandoned in the square. But for some the celebration was bittersweet. “I am very happy, but this happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of the prison and know where is he is,” said Damascus resident Bassam Masr. “I have been searching for him for two hours - he has been detained for 13 years.” TEL AVIV, Israel – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israeli forces have seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established by a 1974 ceasefire agreement with Syria. He spoke from an overlook near the border between Syria and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, after Syrian rebels tore through the country and dramatically ended Assad’s rule on Sunday morning. Netanyahu said the 50-year-old agreement had collapsed and that Syrian troops had abandoned their positions, necessitating the Israeli takeover as a “temporary defensive position.” Israel captured the Golan Heights in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied Syrian territory. Satellite images analyzed by the Associated Press show that as early as September, Israel began construction of what could possibly be a new road right along the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syria . The United Nations confirmed that Israeli troops entered the demilitarized zone during the work. The United Nations maintains a peacekeeping force in the demilitarized zone called the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, or UNDOF, with around 1,100 peacekeepers from Fiji, India, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Uruguay. After the 1973 Mideast war, the U.N. Secretary Council voted to create UNDOF to patrol a roughly 400 square kilometer (155 square mile) demilitarized zone and maintain the peace there. DAMASCUS, Syria — An Associated Press journalist in Damascus reported airstrikes in the area of the Mezzeh military airport, southwest of the capital Sunday. The airport has previously been targeted in Israeli airstrikes, but it was not immediately clear who launched Sunday's strike. The Israeli military refused to comment on the airport strike. Israel often does not publicly claim responsibility for attacks in Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, reported that Israeli warplanes also targeted warehouses belonging to the Syrian army’s Fourth Division and another former military site outside of Damascus Sunday. On Saturday and Sunday, the Israeli military sent additional troops to the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights to bolster Israel’s presence along the border between Israel and Syria. Agricultural areas along the border were declared closed military zones and some schools shifted to online classes in anticipation of unrest.
Ifedi moved up the depth chart and into the lineup after starter Dawand Jones broke his left leg last week at New Orleans and had surgery. He'll be responsible for blocking quarterback Jameis Winston's blindside. Jedrick Wills Jr., who had lost his starting job to Jones, figured to start against the Steelers (8-2), but was ruled out Wednesday with a knee injury that has bothered him for weeks. A first-round pick in 2020, Wills recently caused a stir by saying he made a “business decision” to sit out a game on Oct. 27 against Baltimore because of his knee. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Wills used a “poor choice of words.” James Hudson started Cleveland's first two games at left tackle while the Browns (2-8) waited for Wills to recover from knee surgery in December. The first-place Steelers were without outside linebacker/edge rusher Alex Highsmith, who missed his second straight game with an ankle injury. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflInjury-riddled Louisville tries to cool off No. 9 Duke
Support urged for William Hall Rodgers Christmas Basket FundNow that he’s stepped back into the role of being a starter, Dalton Risner is working tirelessly to make sure he’s at his best for the Vikings. ADVERTISEMENT That could be easier said than done in the short term. After starting exclusively at left guard since entering the NFL, Risner got the start at right guard for the first time last weekend with the Vikings playing the Tennessee Titans. Though he said he was extremely grateful for the opportunity, Risner also admitted there’s a learning curve now playing a new position. Not that he’s complaining about his place on the offensive line. “It was awesome,” Risner said. “I’m really happy with how I played. A few things to clean up. I think I’ll only continue to get better.” ADVERTISEMENT After rewatching the game, head coach Kevin O’Connell praised Risner for the way he competed in the trenches. “He showed some of that veteran moxie to win some downs that were some hard downs,” O’Connell said. “There are some things he’ll continue to improve with the speed and physicality of it as he finds his groove.” The biggest hurdle for Risner is getting his mind to think in reverse. He has spent so much time at left guard throughout his career that switching over to right guard has forced him out of his comfort zone. “All of it is flip-flopped,” Risner said. “It’s not an easy process.” ADVERTISEMENT It was made even more difficult last weekend with Risner going up against the combination of star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and rookie defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat. “That’s about as good of a pair as we’re going to find in the NFL,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said. “We knew it was going to be a challenge up front with those guys. There are some things we could’ve done better from a technique perspective. We expect these guys to respond.” That includes Risner as the Vikings prepare for the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field. As he gains more experience at his new position, his hope is that it becomes second nature to him at some point soon. ADVERTISEMENT “I don’t know how many reps it’ll be or how many games it’ll be,” Risner said. I know I’ll consistently get more and more comfortable there.” Briefly The only player listed as a non-participant on the injury report was tight end Josh Oliver (wrist/ankle). He hasn’t practiced at all this week, so his availability for this weekend is very much up in the air. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry, the stage name of Brianna LaPaglia, made their debut as a couple in July 2023. The country star and podcaster’s relationship made headlines because they were seemingly from different worlds, or at least entertainment sectors — but appeared ever the happy couple during red carpet appearances and on social media. During an interview with in August 2023, LaPaglia said that she had been getting “hate” for dating the country star. “It’s fun. I’m like eating it up,” the influencer said with a laugh. “It was kind of crazy at first, but now, I realize you can’t buy into love — or hate — on the internet. You just kinda got to be yourself and see where it takes ya.” When the couple broke up in October 2024, LaPaglia shared a different side of their relationship, saying she had experienced emotional abuse. TODAY.com has reached out to Bryan for comment about each of LaPaglia’s allegations and has also reached out to LaPaglia for comment. Zach Bryan, 28, is Grammy-winning country artist who rose to widespread popularity in 2022 with his album “American Heartbreak.” Bryan is known for self-deprecating lyrics, like when he refers to himself as a “damaged boy” in “Darling.” Other lyrics praise women who see his positive side. In “Sun in Me,” he sings, “The only bad you’ve ever done was to see the good in me.” Brianna Chickenfry, 25, is the stage name of podcaster Brianna LaPaglia. LaPaglia co-hosts two podcasts on Barstool Sports: “PlanBri Uncut,” alongside her friend Grace O’Malley, and the “BFFs Podcast,” alongside Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy and Josh Richards. Portnoy stepped away from the “BFFs Podcast” in November. On Oct. 20, 2024, Bryan posted . “Addressing something: Brianna and me have broken up with each other and I respect and love her with every ounce of my heart. She has loved me unconditionally for a very long time and for that I’ll always thank her,” he wrote. “I have had an incredibly hard year personally and struggled through some pretty severe things,” he continued. “I thought it would be beneficial for both of us to go our different ways. I am not perfect and never will be. Please respect Brianna’s privacy and space in this and if you have it in your heart, mine too.” “With everything I am and to anyone I let down, I am sorry,” he ended the message with. “I try my best in everything. I failed people that love me and mostly myself.” Later that same day, , detailing how “blindsided” she felt by this announcement. She then posted a entitled “Love you guys, I’ll be back soon.” “I just woke up to Zach posting on his Instagram that we broke up and I had no idea that post was going up, he didn’t text me, he didn’t call me,” she said in the video. “I just woke up to a bunch of texts being like ‘Are you OK?’ And I’m like, ‘Did my f---ing dad die?’ And yeah, so I’m like completely blindsided by that.” LaPaglia added that she’s been “crying for like five days straight,” implying the breakup occurred the week before Bryan took to Instagram to announce their split. She said in the video she didn’t want to speak on details because she wanted to “heal privately,” but promised she would eventually. She gave context to the lead-up to the breakup in the Nov. 7 episode of the .” LaPaglia said Bryan broke up with her over text while she was on tour. “I’m doing so well, I’m so happy, I’m finally feeling like myself again and I just get the (text) ‘I can’t do this anymore, I need you’ and it was like, ‘What? Where is this coming from? Why are you breaking up with me while I’m across the country on my tour?’” she said. When her tour was finished, LaPaglia flew back to her home with Bryan. “I come home and it’s like, ‘Pack your bags,’” she said. They broke up then got back together, LaPaglia said. The morning after a show she had in Boston, Bryan said he was going back home to Oklahoma, where he’s from. She said that was the last time she saw him. Eventually, LaPaglia said they had an official breakup conversation over text. LaPaglia has unpacked her experience of their relationship on the “ ” and on her TikTok page. According to Nov. 7 “BFF’s Podcast” episode, LaPaglia said they met at his concert, but both were seeing other people at the time. When LaPaglia was newly single, Bryan asked her if she wanted to go on a road trip with him and she agreed. She said Bryan began “love bombing” her. Days after the trip began, Bryan got her name tattooed on his arm. “I truly thought he was this great dude because in the first four months of our relationship he was, that’s who he showed me. That’s who I fell in love with. I fell in love with this person who doesn’t exist. This person that he showed me who he was,” she said. But she said there was a “switch” four months in. She alleged the relationship was emotionally abusive, calling it a “crazy, awful cycle.” “I went through literal narcissistic, emotional abuse for a year,” she said on her podcast. “And he made me believe everything was my fault. He isolated me from my whole entire life, he wouldn’t let me be who I wanted to be, he made me hate everything that I loved about myself. He broke me down and then made me feel like he was all I had left, and he just kept repeatedly beating me down and beating me down.” On the same podcast episode, she gave specific incidents of their fights. For example, LaPaglia said Bryan took issue with a dress she wore to the Golden Globes this past January. “He said he didn’t want to date someone who presents themselves that way,” she said. “He makes me believe that I have to change my image to keep up with his, or something, so I was twisted in the head — OK, yeah, he doesn’t want to be with a girl that, I don’t know, has cleavage,’” she said. LaPaglia said on the podcast this was the moment she “lost herself.” According to LaPaglia, another fight happened after she was singing country artist Morgan Wallen’s song “Last Night.” Bryan allegedly said he couldn’t believe LaPaglia was “singing another man’s song under my roof, in this house that I own.” She said the fight lasted a week. LaPaglia also said that she was not allowed to listen to Noah Kahan, an artist Bryan has collaborated with previously, because she “listened to him too much.” In a , LaPaglia said the relationship caused her to lose 15 pounds because she was “physically sick from what I was going through mentally.” Post breakup, LaPaglia said she doesn’t want to be “defined” by their relationship. “I’ll be damned if I let my career be defined by what he did to me,” she on Nov. 20. Also on the Nov. 7 episode of the podcast, LaPaglia said that Bryan wanted her to sign an NDA after their breakup and offered her $12 million and a New York apartment in exchange for her silence. She said she considered the offer “for a second,” but said no because she doesn’t “think you can pay people off that you hurt for them to protect you.” She said Bryan made “the women before (her)” believe “they had no other choice than to take money from you, sign their experiences away, sign what they went through away.” LaPaglia said she didn’t take the money so that she could speak out for other victims of emotional abuse. “It’s not just for me, it’s for anyone else that’s been emotionally abused, it’s for people right now that are being emotionally abused, it’s for people that don’t have a support system that I was luckily enough to have going through this. And the last year of my life has been the hardest year of my life, like dealing with the abuse from this dude,” she said. LaPaglia said she wants to be a voice for survivors in a Nov. 20 . “I want to show people that it’s OK to continue on with your life, and when it’s hard to, that you have to — or you won’t,” she continued. She said she’s gotten “tens of thousands” of DMs a day from men and women who have “gotten the courage” to leave their relationships or “finally felt validated.” Georgina is an editorial intern for TODAY.com, based in New York City.