Insurgents reach gates of Syria’s capital, threatening to upend decades of Assad rule BEIRUT (AP) — A Syrian opposition war monitor and a pro-government media outlet say government forces have withdrawn from much of the central city of Homs. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. Losing Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Syria’s embattled leader, Bashar Assad. An archbishop's knock formally restores Notre Dame to life as winds howl and heads of state look on PARIS (AP) — France’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral has formally reopened its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019. The five-year restoration is widely seen as a boost for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline, and brings a welcome respite from his domestic political woes. World leaders, dignitaries, and worshippers gathered on Saturday evening for the celebrations under the cathedral's soaring arches. The celebration was attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, Britain’s Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. For Catholics, Notre Dame’s rector said the cathedral “carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.′′ Trump is welcomed by Macron to Paris with presidential pomp and joined by Zelenskyy for their talks PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed Donald Trump to Paris with a full dose of presidential pomp. And they held a hastically-arranged meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a day that's mixing pageantry with attention to pressing global problems. The president-elect's visit to France is part of a global a celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral five years after a devastating fire. Macron and other European leaders are trying to win Trump’s favor and persuade him to maintain support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion. Trump isn't back in office but he's already pushing his agenda and negotiating with world leaders NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is making threats, traveling abroad, and negotiating with world leaders. He has more than a month-and-a-half to go before he’s sworn in for a second term. But the president-elect is already moving aggressively to not only fill his Cabinet and outline policy goals, but also to try to achieve his priorities. In recent days, Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, two of the country’s largest trading partners. That led to emergency calls and a visit. And he's warned of “ALL HELL TO PAY” if Hamas doesn't release the hostages still being held captive in Gaza. South Korea's president avoids an impeachment attempt over short-lived martial law SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol has avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law. Most of Yoon's ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea. A survey suggests a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party. But the party also apparently fears losing the presidency to liberals. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. UnitedHealthcare CEO's shooting opens a door for many to vent frustrations over insurance The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's CEO has opened the door for many people to vent their frustrations and anger over the insurance industry. The feelings of exasperation, anger, resentment, and helplessness toward insurers aren’t new. But the shooting and the headlines around it have unleashed a new wave of patients sharing such sentiments and personal stories of interactions with insurance companies. Conversations at dinner tables, office water coolers, social gatherings and on social media have pivoted to the topic. Many say they hope the new amplified voices can bring about change for companies often accused of valuing profits over people. 2 Pearl Harbor survivors, ages 104 and 102, return to Hawaii to honor those killed in 1941 attack PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — The bombing of Pearl Harbor 83 years ago launched the United States into World War II. Two survivors returned to the Hawaii military base on Saturday for a remembrance ceremony on the attack's anniversary. Both are over 100 years old. They joined active-duty troops, veterans and members of the public for an observance hosted by the Navy and the National Park Service. A third survivor was planning to join them but had to cancel due to health issues. The bombing killed more than 2,300 U.S. servicemen. An explosion destroys an apartment block in a Dutch city, killing at least 3 and injuring others THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An explosion and fire has rocked a neighborhood in the Dutch city of The Hague, killing three people and injuring other people and destroying several apartments. The cause of the disaster is unclear. Emergency authorities said four people were rescued from the rubble and taken to the hospital. The mayor said rescuers were no longer looking for survivors but for eventual bodies, but could not specify how many people might still be unaccounted for. Residents of the northeastern neighborhood of Mariahoeve in The Hague heard a huge bang and screams before dawn. Dutch authorities have deployed a specialized urban search and rescue team to find victims. How 'Mufasa' rose with Aaron Pierre and Blue Ivy's voices along with new Lin-Manuel Miranda music SAN DIEGO (AP) — When Aaron Pierre was cast as Mufasa, the weight of following in the late James Earl Jones’ legendary footsteps was enough to rattle any actor. But instead of letting the pressure roar too loudly, he harnessed his nerves to breathe fresh life into his young lion character. Pierre found parallels between himself and his character while filming his leading role in “Mufasa: The Lion King,” which opens in theaters Dec. 20. He took the reigns as the new voice of Mufasa after Jones played the iconic King Mufasa in both the 1994 and 2019 versions of Disney’s “The Lion King.” The prequel offers a fresh exploration into Mufasa’s origin story.
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The 39-year-old has been a breath of fresh air since succeeding Erik ten Hag, with his personality and approach, coupled with promising early performances, bringing hope back to Old Trafford. Amorim has been touched by his warm welcome but repeatedly urged fans to avoid jumping the gun, having followed a draw at Ipswich with home wins against Bodo/Glimt and Everton. Wednesday’s trip to Arsenal is comfortably his biggest challenge yet and victory would see United move within three points of the Premier League title contenders. Put to Amorim it will be hard to manage expectations if they won in the capital, the head coach said: “I would like to say different things, but I have to say it again: the storm will come. “I don’t know if you use that expression, but we are going to have difficult moments and we will be found out in some games. “And I know that because I’m knowing my players and I know football and I follow football, so I understand the difference between the teams. “We are in the point in that we are putting simple things in the team, without training, and you feel it in this game against Everton, they change a little bit the way they were building up. “They are very good team, and we were with a lot of problems because we cannot change it by calling one thing to the captain. A midweek trip to the capital awaits 🚆 || — Manchester United (@ManUtd) “So, we don’t have this training, so let’s focus on each game, on the performance, what we have to improve, trying to win games. And that is the focus. “I know it’s really hard to be a Manchester United coach and say these things in press conferences. We want to win all the time. No matter what. “We are going to try to win, but we know that we are in a different point if you compare to Arsenal. “So, it is what it is and we will try to win it and we go with confidence to win, but we know that we need to play very well to win the next football match.” The trip to Arsenal is the second of nine December matches for United, who are looking to avoid suffering four straight league defeats to the Gunners for the first time. The Red Devils have not won a Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium since 2017, but Amorim knows a thing or two about frustrating Mikel Arteta’s men. Arsenal thrashed Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League last week, but in 2022-23 he led the Portuguese side to a Europa League last-16 penalty triumph after a 1-1 draw in London made it 3-3 on aggregate. “Arsenal this year, they play a little bit different,” Amorim said. “They are more fluid. “For example, two years ago when we faced them with Sporting, you knew how to press because you can understand better the structure. “Now it’s more fluid with (Riccardo) Calafiori and (Jurrien) Timber in different sides. One coming inside, the other going outside. Also (Martin) Odegaard changed the team, and you can feel it during this season. “So, you can take something from that game, especially because I know so well the opponent so you can understand the weakness of that team. “But every game is different, so you take something, but you already know that you are going to face a very good team.” This hectic winter schedule means Amorim sidestepped talk of January transfer business ahead of facing Arsenal, although he was more forthcoming on Amad Diallo’s future. The 22-year-old, who put in a man of the match display in Sunday’s 4-0 win against Everton, is out of contract at the end of the season, although the club holds an option to extend by a year. Diallo has repeatedly spoken of his desire to stay at United and it has been reported an agreement is close. Amorim said: “I think he wants to stay, and we want him to stay. So that is clear and we will find a solution.”
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1. A set of Lego gingerbread ornaments so cute Santa might skip the cookies you lay out for him and go straight for these adorable little buddies. Promising review : "They are so cute and fun to use. We had a blast making these. I like that they have a hook included." — Nitropilot Get it from Amazon for $12.08 . 2. A set of rainbow aesthetic coloring pencils for some extra adventurous artists who aren't afraid to shake things up — each pencil has a whole bunch of different shades woven into it, so you never know just *quite* what it will look like as you draw. It's worth the risk, though — the beautiful results speak for themselves! Promising review: "Got these just to have a change of pace in my sketchbook. Kids loved them as well. They are fun to use. They write and draw smoothly. Great for any age artist." — angela Get a pack of 12 from Amazon for $8.49 . 3. A unique colorblock water bottle that is just an adorable little CHONK of a thing, and also super practical. It's designed to keep liquid cold for up to 36 hours and hot for for up to 24, comes with a nifty handle for easy carrying, and has a silicone bottom to avoid that noisy clanking sound when you put it down. Promising review: "Finally replaced my emotional support water bottle!!! ! I love the colors, the handle is easy to hold, and my drinks stay cold!!! I t’s been hard finding an ergonomic water bottle, the small handles or lack there of can be really hard on my hands. I’m so happy with it I almost don’t want to sticker it. (Almost.) 💛" — Sarina Get it from Amazon for $31.19+ (available in five styles). 4. The 2025 updated version of The Original Gratitude Journal , a science-backed prompt journal to help you cultivate more mindfulness, appreciation, and joy in your human existence by writing for just five minutes each day. Promising review: "I love how it keeps me consistent. I’ve never had a journal in my life until I bought this one. I am glad I got it. I love how it looks styled and cute. Also it’s a high quality book, because I've been bringing it with me wherever I go and it doesn’t really get an old look at all. Highly recommended!" — Yagmur Get it from Amazon for $19.95 (available in four colors). 5. A Mickey Mouse-shaped selfie phone light so now the magic of Disney can light you up from the inside AND out. iJoy is a small business that specializes in headphones and tech accessories. Promising review : "Bought a whole bunch of stuff for an upcoming Disney World trip and saw this on TikTok and needed it! It has three brightness settings. (Each work amazingly!) Takes good selfies in dark lighting!" — Ashley W. Get it from Amazon for $12.99 (also available in Minnie Mouse ). 6. A mini inflatable tube guy for your desk to cheer you on (or remind you to take a lil' dance break whenever you overwork yourself). Promising review: "OMG! I love this guy! These things, large and small, will ALWAYS make me laugh. My husband bought the desk version for me, and I can always count on it to make me laugh. My co-workers love it, too. People just stop by to turn him on for a quick pick-me-up. I would recommend getting the AC plug since batteries can run down fast. I think we should create a community of fellow air-dancer-havers and post clips of our little guys dancing to our favorite songs. Anyone in?" — Mark Get it from Amazon for $8.58 . 7. A set of rainbow bath fizzes so magical that you will walk into the bath a mortal being, and walk back out an enchanted fairy witch lawlessly spreading joy wherever you roam. Promising review: "These bath bombs are pure joy for kids and adults alike! They smell amazing, are long-lasting, and turn bath time into a delightful experience. While a tad pricey, the fun and luxury they bring make them worth the splurge. A treat for the senses!" — Neha Get a set of three from Amazon for $15.99 . 8. A mini Bob Ross paint-by-numbers kit for anyone on their "happy accidents" beat — this itty bitty set comes with everything you need to create three tiny masterpieces of your very own. The kit comes with three different numbered canvas designs, seven paint pots, a mini brush, and an easel. Promising review: "I have to admit I was skeptical because of the price and size. However, I got these for my husband for his birthday (he loves Bob Ross) and what a find!! We had so much fun mixing colors and painting. Would definitely recommend. The fact that they are small makes them even more special. I wish there were more to paint!" — slb m Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 9. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza , a DEEPLY beloved, fast-paced card game suitable for kids and adults that will have everyone in fits of high stake giggles in no time. Bonus: each game only lasts 10–15 minutes, so you can go one or a few rounds depending on how much time you've got together. Dolphin Hat Games is a small business that specializes in family-friendly card games. Okay, so the rules: you divvy up all the cards equally, and then all the players take turns putting down cards that have different illustrations on them, saying "taco," "cat," "goat," "cheese," and "pizza" in order. If the card put on the table matches the word that's being said in that moment, whoever slaps a hand down on the card first gets all the cards under it. You keep playing until someone comes in possession of all the cards (or until you all start craving tacos and pizza so much you drive yourselves to the nearest combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell). Promising review : "This game is hysterical! I played with my 7-year-old daughter and my 70-year-old father and we all enjoyed it. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time!" — bobkopolow Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 10. A bubbling, textured sensory toy that's basically a hybrid between a lava lamp and fidget toy. The outside has soft silicone ridges designed to promote calm and the inside has an oh-so-mesmerizing bubbling liquid that will enchant you even when all that stress from capitalism is coming for your brain. Promising review: "This sensory toy is calming. I just sit in my recliner and run my finger along the bumpy silicone texture that encloses the plastic bubbler. It’s removable also, exposing a surprisingly thin bubbler, which I get joy out of flipping over and over in my hand. I have high anxiety and this toy actually makes me focus and relax. I like the colored liquid inside, it draws my attention, allowing me to calm and focus on something else. This is a good tool to help me ground and recenter myself. I highly recommend." — Tanya Elizabeth Get it from Amazon for $6.63 (available in four colors and two sizes). 11. A set of festive straw toppers for anyone who's wants to infuse some real Buddy the Elf energy into their hydration goals this holiday season. Promising review: "These are extremely cute! I used them as stocking stuffers, and the kids loved them. They fit very well on their straws and help prevent leaks. They are a great value for the amount you get. They clean up very well, and can be used on a lot of different water bottles." — KG271 Get it from Amazon for $6.39 (available in three styles). 12. A rechargeable, dimmable Dodo Duck Night-Light so cute that it won't be *that* much of a surprise when you imprint on it and start calling it your son. (Psst — this is the new baby cousin of the viral Depressed Duck Night-Light , if that's more your speed.) Check out a TikTok of the duck night-light in action. Promising review: "This little lamp is so cute! Gently squeeze it to turn it off or on. It leaves a nice soft glow. Purchased for a teenager, and she loves it." — WendyAnne Get it from Amazon for $12.79 . 13. A wonderfully ridiculous yodeling pickle with such potent "instant joy" powers that you really ought to be careful before you pull it out at a party. The serotonin is going to be LAWLESS. Dr. Dingus is a small business that specializes in unique gag gifts that encourage human interaction. Promising review : "I'm a CPA specializing in tax at an accounting firm; we get very tense, stressed and fatigued nearing the many tight deadlines. The laughter and snorts the yodeling pickle elicits are priceless and never fail to dispel some of the the above negative states. I purchased this to rival the screaming goat in the next office!" — Ting Peterson Get it from Amazon for $9.99 . 14. A set of TikTok-famous Globbles , which are about to be your favorite stress-relieving fidget toy. These colorful balls are squishy, stretchy, and stick to pretty much any flat surface you throw them at *without* leaving any messy residue. TikTokers have a blast tossing these at walls and ceilings to see the satisfying way they glom onto them. Promising review: "I have bought these over and over again for gifts. My own children have played with these balls repeatedly. We even left one on the ceiling to see how long it would stay for. It lasted four months before we decided to take it down. Since they are so sticky, they get dirty pretty quickly. All you have to do is a quick rinse in the sink and an air dry, then you are good to go. Great for adults and children! Will be buying again. " — Valerie Young Get a set of six from Amazon for $7.49 . 15. A container of Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnadust so absurdly delicious that all food will just become a mere canvas for putting Cinnadust on. Reviewers use this on everything from coffee to toast to yogurt to fries to popcorn to sweet potatoes to ice cream to — you know what, I'll let you decide on your cinnajourney for yourself. Check out a TikTok of the Cinnadust in action. Promising review: "I would order again, 10 out of 10. Try it on yogurt, ice cream, toast, carrots, and amazingly I saw a TikTok challenge with it on hard boiled eggs. It is stupendous!!!" — ThatGuy Get it from Amazon for $3.49 . 16. A "girl dinner" print that's actually just an illustration of your credit card bill. (Listen, it's cute of other food to exist ... but we all know the holy girl dinner trinity reigns supreme). La Maison De Jo is a California-based Etsy shop established in 2023 that specializes in European-inspired prints and home goods. Promising review: "As always, Kailey’s products are superior! I have 8 of her prints and this one is adorable, just like the others!" — Kelly Get it from La Maison De Jo on Etsy for $12.75+ (available in six sizes). 17. A beautifully illustrated undated planner perfect for anyone trying to get their life in order in 2025, but with a dash of ~whimsy~ to keep you motivated. Each week changes over to a new flower theme to keep the vibe light and lovely even when your schedule is anything but. Promising review: "Perfect size. Each page is a beautiful work of art. I cannot wait to start using it! Absolutely love it!" — Karla Ramirez Get it from Amazon for $7.11+ (available in two styles). 18. A " You're Made Of Magic" sun catcher sticker you can apply to the window to refract beeeeauuuutiful rainbows all over your space and make you feel like you're living in a fairy tale. Check out a TikTok of the rainbow window sticker in action. Peachy Keen Design Co. is a Colorado-based Etsy shop established in 2020 that specializes in art prints, stickers, and other designs. Promising review : "Absolutely gorgeous! Vibrant colors! Exactly what I wanted and then some!" — Kristen Killebrew Get it from Peachy Keen Design Co. on Etsy for $8.25 . 19. A teensy candy vending machine for your desk to make the endless grind of capitalism a little sweeter (and to establish yourself as the Coolest Employee In The Office). Promising review: "Keep this on my desk to snack on M&Ms. It’s perfect for smaller sized candy. Love the color. Glad it fits in with my aesthetic." — Dunn Get it from Amazon for $18.30 . 20. A sweet little s'mores-themed ChapStick collection so you can live your best summer camp life even when you're still trucking at your nine-to-five. Each set comes with three flavors: a Milk Chocolate, a Marshmallow, and a Graham Cracker flavor. Basically, it's like a deconstructed s'more for your lips. Promising review: "My mom and I are ChapStick fans, so I bought us both a pack of these. The marshmallow is clear, the chocolate is brown, and the graham cracker is tan. The color isn’t too extreme, but it will leave a little bit of tint on your lips. The flavors are DELICIOUS. Graham cracker reminds me of Golden Grahams cereal and chocolate is just perfect. I love the marshmallow best because it tastes slightly toasted." — Elle Ardee Get it from Amazon for $4.99 . 21. A set of pastel glitter highlighters I saw on Instagram recently and NEARLY BLACKED OUT from the cuteness. If you like highlighting your planner pages, favorite passages from books, or lines from your journal, please do yourself a favor and purchase these subtle but oh-so-sparkly colors to jazz them up ✨. Promising review: "These are amazing!!! Beautiful colors and the sparkle/shimmer is more than I imagined it would be. Mr Pen did it again! If you don’t have these pens, you need to get them!! Great addition to my journaling supplies!" — FBJH12 Get a set of eight from Amazon for $6.99 . 22. A delightfully nonstick smiley face pancake pan reviewers use for mini pancakes and eggs to instantly ~pizzazz~ what is indisputably the most delicious meal of the day. Promising review: "So much fun to make pancakes on this pan. Since it makes such small pancakes, they cook very quickly. My kids love the emoji designs and it makes breakfast fun." — Rosa D. Get it from Amazon for $24.99 . 23. A spinning disco ball wax warmer with rotating colors so you can have a lil' dance party and celebrate how glorious your bedroom smells. Promising review: "Surprised at the good quality of this product. It works great and heats up wax cubes in no time! Would definitely recommend." — Megan Hughes Get it from Amazon for $29.96 . 24. An bunny and bear egg mold set because, respectfully, life is short, and we have no business ignoring opportunities to make it as adorable as possible. Reviewers mention this also works well for rice! Promising review : "Love this! This does exactly what it’s supposed to! My daughters fave lit up seeing her hard boiled eggs look like bunnies. So easy and a breeze to clean." — Karen Get a set of two from Amazon for $6.87. 25. A ~Magical Flame~ colorant you can use in your fireplace at home or in outdoor campfires to basically flex to everyone on Instagram that you are, in fact, a wizard now. Magical Flames is a small business that specializes in color-changing fire products. Note : You shouldn't use flames with the colorant added to cook or roast s'mores. Promising review: "This product is so easy to use. Just toss a packet into the fire and watch the flames change color. The colors were beautiful and received a lot of oooooos and ahhhhhhs. Surprisingly, it lasted for quite a while. We will enjoy this addition to our campfires this summer." — Debra L. Musselman Get a pack of 10 from Amazon for $12.99 . 26. A little popcorn bucket vase for a fun punch of color that basically DEMANDS you go to Trader Joe's and get the most colorful mini $4 bouquet to put in it, STAT. Ban.do is a US-based small business that specializes in quirky accessories, home products, and stationery. This vase is so quirky and ADORABLE — every time I see it in my living room, it makes my heart happy. I am on a mission to make my living room space as un-boring as possible, and this may be a small piece, but it's got a BIG personality. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun piece of decor! Get it from Amazon for $28.95 . 27. A set of removable 3D butterfly stickers you can lawlessly put all over your walls for an *instant* storybook aesthetic. Reviewers also love these for party decorations because they're easy to stick and remove! Promising review: "SOOO pretty. They come with little sticky adhesives — you get a lot of them for the money and they are beautiful! They make for very cute decoration. Super happy with the purchase, and not to mention it only took like 20 minutes to put all of them up." — Haley Pelletier Get a set of 48 from Amazon for $9.54+ (available in 21 colors and styles). 28. A set of glow-in-the-dark "tree elves" so the next time you take an enchanted midnight stroll through your front walkway to get home at night, you'll have a whole host of magical critters to welcome you back. Promising review : "I have actually bought a couple of packs of these. I think they’re so cute and fit so well in a little plant or around the house. Sometimes, I like to let my friends pick out some little guys as members of their families. Plus, did I mention how cute they are? And they glow in the dark very well." — Jen Get a set of 20 from Amazon for $13.98 (available in green or green and blue as well as a set of 10). 29. A cheerful fruit bowl for a pop of deeply functional color in your kitchen — this thing is secretly also a colander, so you can wash your fruit and leave 'em sitting pretty on the counter to dry. Promising review : "I LOVE the look of this fruit bowl. I also love that its pedestal minimizes the space it takes up on the counter. I wasn't sure about whether I would like that it is plastic but now consider it a big plus. It keeps the bowl lightweight (but it is still sturdy) and makes it easy to clean. I highly recommend this fruit bowl. I couldn't be more pleased with mine. " — Opinion o'Jen Get it from Amazon for $21.99 (available in four colors). 30. A shaker of edible cocktail glitter , because why go through life without taking advantage of every opportunity to make it sparkle??✨ Reviewers add a touch to glam up their Prosecco or jazz up colorful-themed cocktails. Bakell is a small business established in 2016 that specializes in edible glitters for food and drink. Promising review: "Don’t think any further and just buy it. This was so cool and everyone loved it! I got the clear one because it will go with any drink. I will be the one to put this in all my friends drinks. Also had no taste so it was just the look. Sooooooo cool!" — gigi Get it from Amazon for $9.75+ (available in 17 colors). 31. A set of delightful bird-themed hair clips bound to get you so many compliments from fellow bird enthusiasts that your heart will take flight. Promising review: "Super cute, holds all my curly hair well, good size!" — Elizabeth Blank Get a set of four from Amazon for $12.59+ (available in four other styles). 32. A unicorn head squirrel feeder because you know what the world needs?? More mildly terrifying TikToks and Instagram stories of hybrid creatures frolicking in your backyard. This is your task. Go forth, my friend. Accoutrements is a small business that specializes in offbeat home and lifestyle products. Promising review: "This is both ridiculous and spectacular. It just might be my best Amazon impulse buy ever." — Meredith Get it from Amazon for $19.64 . 33. A rainbow eyeshadow palette that is basically like a fun playground for your face — these super long-lasting, blendable, high-pigmented shades give you all the WOW factor of the more expensive brand name versions without the OH NO factor of the price. Promising reviews : "Clearly time I got a new eyeshadow palette. Sargent Freddie Mercury (my not-even 4-pound bunny) made it his mission to destroy my James Charles overpriced palette. This palette is the same quality, maybe even nicer. This eyeshadow was put on at around 3 p.m., and it's almost 1 a.m., the 'highlight' stayed on my nose even with my mask on through a whole day of work. That blew my mind." — Daniel T Adams Get it from Amazon for $9.49 . Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.Protesting farmers on Sunday afternoon suspended their 'Delhi Chalo' march for the day after eight of them suffered injuries in tear gas shelling by Haryana Police at Shambhu along the Punjab-Haryana border. Farmer leader from Punjab Sarwan Singh Pandher said at least eight farmers were injured, with one of them taken to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh. "Today we have decided to withdraw the 'jatha' (group of 101 farmers). The agitation will continue today. One farmer has been admitted to PGI and is in serious condition and 8-9 farmers are injured, so we have withdrawn the 'jatha'. After the meeting, we will tell you about the future program," said Pandher. A 'jatha' (group) of 101 farmers resumed its foot march to Delhi Sunday afternoon from the Shambhu protest site on the Punjab-Haryana border, but was soon halted by a multilayered barricading erected by the Haryana security personnel. Teargas shells were lobbed and water jets were (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); shot through cannons to disperse the protesters after they reached the barricades. Ambala police had earlier said the farmers' outfits may march to Delhi only after getting permission from the national capital administration. The group, dubbed as 'marjeevras' (someone willing to die for a cause), was marching for a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price before being stopped only a few metres away. DSP Shahabad Ramkumar said, "The team has been deployed here since morning...We gave clear instructions that we will check their (farmers) identity and permission and only then will we allow them to move forward...They disagreed...we want them to maintain peace and enter after taking permission..." Pandher said their protest reached 300 days on Sunday. Farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.
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Office occupancy levels are still below where they were prior to the pandemic, but employers are becoming more forceful about in-office work, says Mark Rose, chief executive of Avison Young Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press With the economy weakening and jobs becoming harder to get, employers now have the upper hand in their efforts to bring workers back to the office, says the head of one of Canada’s largest commercial real estate services firms. While office occupancy levels are still below where they were prior to the pandemic, employers are becoming more forceful about requiring staff to work in-person, said Mark Rose, chief executive of Avison Young, which brokers leases, values commercial real estate and provides research, among other services. “It’s more of an employer’s market,” Mr. Rose said in a recent interview. Large employers such as Amazon.com Inc. and the federal government have increased the number of days workers must be in the office. Amazon is requiring its office workers in Canada to show up in-person five days a week starting in January. Ottawa mandated federal civil servants to be back in the office a minimum of three days a week starting in September. Insurer Canada Life increased the number of required in-person days to three from two in the fall, while Telus Corp. has told its call-centre staff that they have to work in-person three days a week. Canadian employers take an increasingly harder line on returning to the office Mr. Rose said he is in constant communication with employers such as banks and other financial-services firms, whose executives have told him that they want their employees back in-person. And on the flip side, Mr. Rose also believes workers need to be visible in the office to advance their careers. “I 100 per cent believe that people missed out on promotions because they weren’t seen,” Mr. Rose said. “People’s careers, people’s social activities, people’s knowledge base all rely upon being seen,” he said. Statistics show more people are coming back to the office. The average occupancy volume in downtown Toronto’s office towers was at 72 per cent of prepandemic levels in early November, according to data from consulting firm Strategic Regional Research Alliance. Wednesdays were the peak day, with occupancy at 84 per cent of prepandemic levels. And the slowest day continued to be Friday, at 43 per cent. November’s occupancy rates were the highest since the pandemic upended office work and employees started working from home en masse. By comparison, occupancy levels averaged 36 per cent in November, 2022, and just 16 per cent in the same month in 2021. Toronto has been one of the slowest major business districts in Canada to recover. Some have blamed the city’s long-running stay-at-home pandemic mandates, which helped cement employees’ remote work habits. Mr. Rose said employers need to be even more forceful in getting their staff back to the office. He called on major employers such as local governments and large financial-services firms to increase requirements for office attendance. He said some of the most reluctant to return are senior employees who are just below the executive rank. “What we still have is the layer below the C-suite of senior people. They still believe that they earned the right during their careers to choose not to have a commute,” Mr. Rose said. Even though more employers have been cracking down on remote work, the office vacancy rate is still climbing. Downtown Toronto’s rate was 15.7 per cent in the third quarter, the highest level since before the pandemic. More than a dozen new office skyscrapers have opened over the past four years. That has added reams of new space to the market as employees shifted to remote work. There is now a total of 82.7 million square feet of office space in downtown Toronto, compared with 74 million square feet in 2019, according to Avison data. The new office towers were planned before the pandemic, when downtown Toronto had an office vacancy rate well below 5 per cent and tech companies and other businesses were desperately looking to have a presence in the core. The new towers include the 47-storey TD Terrace and the CIBC Square complex, which when completed will have two large skyscrapers. Avison Young has operations in 20 countries including the United States, Britain, Germany and South Korea.