WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden kicked off his final holiday season at the White House on Monday by issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in southern Minnesota. Biden welcomed 2,500 guests to the South Lawn under sunny skies as he cracked jokes about the fates of “Peach” and “Blossom” and sounded wistful tones about the last weeks of his presidency after a half-century in Washington power circles. “It’s been the honor of my life. I’m forever grateful,” Biden said, taking note of his impending departure on Jan. 20, 2025. That's when power will transfer to Republican President-elect Donald Trump, the man Biden defeated four years ago and was battling again until he was pressured to bow out of the race amid concerns about his age and viability. Biden is 82. Until Inauguration Day, the president and first lady Jill Biden will continue a busy run of festivities that will double as their long goodbye. The White House schedule in December is replete with holiday parties for various constituencies, from West Wing staff to members of Congress and the White House press corps. Biden relished the brief ceremony with the pardoned turkeys, named for the official flower of the president's home state of Delaware. “The peach pie in my state is one of my favorites,” he said during remarks that were occasionally interrupted by Peach gobbling atop the table to Biden's right. “Peach is making a last-minute plea,” Biden said at one point, drawing laughter from an overflow crowd that included Cabinet members, White House staff and their families, and students from 4H programs and Future Farmers of America chapters. Biden introduced Peach as a bird who “lives by the motto, ‘Keep calm and gobble on.’” Blossom, the president said, has a different motto: “No fowl play. Just Minnesota nice.” Peach and Blossom came from the farm of John Zimmerman, near the southern Minnesota city of Northfield. Zimmerman, who has raised about 4 million turkeys, is president of the National Turkey Federation, the group that has gifted U.S. presidents Thanksgiving turkeys since the Truman administration after World War II. President Harry Truman, however, preferred to eat the birds. Official pardon ceremonies did not become an annual White House tradition until the administration of President George H.W. Bush in 1989. With their presidential reprieve, Peach and Blossom will live out their days at Farmamerica, an agriculture interpretative center near Waseca in southern Minnesota. The center's aim is to promote agriculture and educate future farmers and others about agriculture in America. Separately Monday, first lady Jill Biden received the official White House Christmas tree that will be decorated and put on display in the Blue Room. The 18.5 foot (5.64 meters) Fraser fir came from a farm in an area of western North Carolina that recently was devastated by Hurricane Helene . Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm lost thousands of trees in the storm “but this one remained standing and they named it ‘Tremendous’ for the extraordinary hope that it represents,” Jill Biden said at the event. The Bidens were also traveling to New York City on Monday for an evening “Friendsgiving” event at a Coast Guard station on Staten Island. Biden began his valedictory calendar Friday night with a gala for hundreds of his friends, supporters and staff members who gathered in a pavilion erected on the South Lawn, with a view out to the Lincoln Memorial. Cabinet secretaries, Democratic donors and his longest-serving staff members came together to hear from the president and pay tribute, with no evidence that Biden was effectively forced from the Democratic ticket this summer and watched Vice President Kamala Harris suffer defeat on Nov. 5. “I’m so proud that we’ve done all of this with a deep belief in the core values of America,” said Biden, sporting a tuxedo for the black-tie event. Setting aside his criticisms of Trump as a fundamental threat to democracy, Biden added his characteristic national cheerleading: “I fully believe that America is better positioned to lead the world today than at any point in my 50 years of public service.” The first lady toasted her husband with a nod to his 2020 campaign promise to “restore the soul of the nation,” in Trump’s aftermath. With the results on Election Day, however, Biden’s four years now become sandwiched in the middle of an era dominated by Trump's presence on the national stage and in the White House. Even as the first couple avoided the context surrounding the president's coming exit, those political realities were nonetheless apparent, as younger Democrats like Maryland Gov. Wes Moore , Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Biden's Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg not only raised their glasses to the president but held forth with many attendees who could remain in the party's power circles in the 2028 election cycle and beyond. ___ Associated Press writer Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed to this report.Measuring 4.13 inches long by 0.39 inches diameter and weighing 0.56-ounces, the Olight O'Pen Mini 2 combines the benefits of a ballpoint pen with an everlasting pencil, inside of a lightweight aluminum frame. Maneuver the S-shaped bolt to access either the pencil or the pen. When needed, you can replace the metal alloy pencil tip and ballpoint ink can be refilled. The design upgrades enhanced upon the O'Pen Mini 1 and provided an improved EDC writing utensil. One of my favorite aspects of the lifestyle is hunting for optimized pieces of gear. To perfect my load out, I often look for lighter or smaller gear, or for devices that pack more features into a similar weight/space. I think this was the ultimate goal for the Swiss Army Knife and other multitools, which have various iterations, inclusions, and use scenarios. As my sons and I became more involved with Scouts BSA and hiking/backpacking, I created separate EDC tech and camping/backpacking kits. A small O’Pen Mini 1 and a mini golf pencil were two items that found their way into my pocket Viperade VE10 kit and many of my builds. I loved the size, under 1-ounce weight, the easily refillable ink shell of the pen, and the small size/shape of the pencil. Excitedly, Olight stepped up their game with an O’Pen Mini 2; I found my perfect stocking stuffer to replace the Mini 1 and golf pencil. What more could I want with a lesser weight and the ability to replace two items for one? The Olight O’Pen Mini 2 Mini EDC Ballpoint pen arrived in a 1 1/2 inches wide by 4 3/4 inches tall by 1 1/16 inches thick retail box. The blue Olight company name was displayed along the top cover alongside the product name. The rest of the cover was dedicated to a large image of the OD Green O’Pen Mini 2 device and its features: the S-shaped gear shifter (reminded me of a manual vehicle), pocket clip, and machined look. The right side panel provided a lifetime warranty logo along the lower edge, while the left panel provided an education-linked QR code. The rear panel provided a fun paragraph about the pen, a product specifications table (length 105mm/4.13in, 9.8mm diameter/0.39in, 15.8g/0.56oz weight), address/contact information, and a UPC barcode. I opened the cardboard zipper along the upper rear panel and slid the inner white tray out of the packaging. You will find the pen resting within the tray and a posterior yellow “read me panel” at the back of the tray. The panel showed how to remove and reinstall the everlasting pencil tip, and discussed a few safety features of the pen. Before disposing of the packaging, remove the yellow panel and two extra everlasting pencil tips. I removed the thin plastic film that covered the gear shifter and found that the tape did not leave behind any residue. Shift the pen gear down and to the right (similar shifter to the generation 1 O’Pen Mini) to activate the distal ballpoint pen. Shift the pen’s gear slightly down, to the right, and then upward to the left to activate the sharp everlasting pencil tip at the top. I removed the 0.5-ounce pen from the tray and noted the length was slightly longer when compared to the gen 1 O’Pen Mini. The Mini 2 measured 4 1/16 inches long by 7/16 inches diameter and was made of two segments, an upper 1 1/2 inches long segment and a lower 2 3/4 inches long segment. The O’pen mini 2 had a 1 1/4 inches long by 5/32 inches wide pocket clip, a 1/16 inches tall by 3/16 inches diameter shifter knob, and linear vent ports. You can unscrew the upper segment (male threaded) from the lower segment and remove the Olight Ball Point Pen refill when needed. Conveniently, both the original and new O’pen Mini 2 used the same refills, which you can pick up from the O’light website. Even though the O’Pen Mini 2 shipped with a black ink refill, both blue and black refills are available on the website. I would love for an option for a red ink refill as well. Even though it does not currently exist, I hope it may be an option. I compared the original 0.8-ounce O’Pen Brass Mini (my go-to EDC pen) to the new 0.5-ounce O’Pen Mini 2 version. For those who want only the Gen 1 Pen, you can purchase a non-brass 0.42-ounce pen. I liked the look/feel of the brass pen despite the ~ .38-ounce difference in weight. The original O’Pen Mini 1 device measured 3 5/8 inches long by 3/8 inches diameter, which was 1/2 inches shorter than the O’Pen Mini 2. The Brass O’pen Mini had obliquely angled vent ports compared to the new pen’s linear versions. The extra gear shift was the most distinguishing feature separating the new O’Pen Mini 2 from the O’Pen Mini 1. Both had the lower pen deploy gear, but the O’Pen Mini 2 had the secondary pencil gear. I liked the new shifter, and lighter weight when compared with the original Open Mini. When I considered the ~0.1 ounce Apple Pencil, the new O’Pen Mini 2 device at 0.5 ounces improved upon a lighter 0.42-ounce Gen 1 + 1-ounce wooden pencil. Before using the pen, you will need to remove the rubberized coating. I have used this pen almost exclusively over the past two weeks and found no change in the quality of my writing. The website promises 2000 feet of writing per ink refill and only 1.46 mm decline in pencil for every 600 meters of pencil writing. I could not objectify this stance, but found the pen/pencil worked well after several weeks of regular use with no noticeable change. The slightly longer nature of the O’Pen Mini 2 felt more comfortable in my hand. I noticed the shifter knob helped with grip and control and that I could wedge my pointer finger in between the pocket clip and shifter knob for added stability while in pencil mode. I loved the everlasting pencil addition and found it did not change after several note-taking sessions. As a bonus, when retracted, the pen did not leak/bleed like the O’Pen Mini 1 Brass pens. The O’Pen Mini 2 represents a valuable upgrade to an already impressive device. I have regularly carried the Brass O’Pen Mini 1 and enjoyed the comfort/build. I liked the clever addition of the everlasting pencil to an already pleasant pen experience. The slightly longer frame and linear vent ports were more comfortable than the gen 1 device. The combo pencil/pen integration was an amazing step-up from the base device without a change in price. The O’Pen Mini 2 has since replaced the O’Pen Mini 1 and Mini golf pencils within my EDC kits. As an added incentive, the O’Pen Mini 2 price is reduced for the next ten days thanks to an amazing Black Friday sale. Learn more about the and follow Olight on and .An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition
Israeli troops forcibly remove staff and patients from northern Gaza hospital, officials say
THE HAGUE (AP) — The world’s top war-crimes court issued arrest warrants Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas’ military chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the 13-month war in Gaza. The warrants said there was reason to believe Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant have used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and have intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny. The action by the International Criminal Court came as the death toll from Israel’s campaign in Gaza passed 44,000 people, according to local health authorities, who say more than half of those killed were women and children. Their count does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Experts say hunger has become widespread across Gaza and may have reached famine levels in the north of the territory, which is under siege by Israeli troops. Israel says it has been working hard to improve entry of aid, though the trickle of supplies into Gaza remains near the lowest levels of the war. Netanyahu condemned the warrant against him, saying Israel “rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions” by the court. In a statement released by his office, he said: “There is nothing more just than the war that Israel has been waging in Gaza.” Gallant, in a statement, said the decision "sets a dangerous precedent against the right to self-defense and moral warfare and encourages murderous terrorism.” The warrant marked the first time that a sitting leader of a major Western ally has been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by a global court of justice. TH(backslash)he decision turns Netanyahu and the others into internationally wanted suspects, putting them at risk of arrest when they travel abroad and potentially further isolating them . Israel and its top ally, the United States, are not members of the court. But others of Israel's allies, including some of its close European friends, are put in an awkward position. Several, including France, welcomed the court's decision and signaled they might arrest Netanyahu if he visited. The move “represents the most dramatic step yet in the court’s involvement in the conflict between Israel and Hamas," said Anthony Dworkin, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Israeli leaders, politicians and officials across the spectrum denounced the warrants and the ICC. The new defense minister, Israel Katz, who replaced Gallant earlier this month, said Thursday’s decision is “a moral disgrace, entirely tainted by antisemitism, and drags the international judicial system to an unprecedented low.” Human rights groups applauded the move. The warrants against both sides “break through the perception that certain individuals are beyond the reach of the law,” the associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch, Balkees Jarrah, said in a statement. The decision came six months after ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan requested the warrants. The court issued a warrant for Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas’ armed wing, over the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks that triggered Israel’s offensive in Gaza. It said it found reasonable grounds to believe Deif was involved in murder, rape, torture and the taking of hostages amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity. In the Hamas-led attack, militants stormed into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking some 250 others hostage. Around 100 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, around a third of them believed to be dead. Khan withdrew requests for warrants for two other senior Hamas figures, Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh , who have both since been killed. Israel says it also killed Deif in an airstrike, but Hamas has never confirmed his death. The warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant were issued by a three-judge panel in a unanimous decision. The panel said there were reasonable grounds to believe that both men bear responsibility for the war crime of starvation and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts. The judges said the lack of food, water, electricity, fuel and specific medical supplies created conditions “calculated to bring about the destruction of part of the civilian population in Gaza,” including the deaths of children due to malnutrition and dehydration. They also found that by preventing hospital supplies and medicine from getting into Gaza, doctors were forced to operate, including performing amputations, without anesthesia or with unsafe means of sedation that led to “great suffering.” Israeli diplomatic officials said the government is lobbying the international community to speak out against the warrants and is considering an appeal to the court. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal decision on how the government will proceed. Despite the warrants, none of the suspects is likely to face judges in The Hague anytime soon. Member countries are required to detain suspects facing a warrant if they set foot on their soil, but the court has no way to enforce that. For example, Russian President Vladimir Putin, wanted on an ICC warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, recently visited Mongolia, a member state in the court but also a Russian ally. He was not arrested. Still, the threat of arrest now complicates any travel abroad by Netanyahu and Gallant. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the warrants are binding on all 27 members countries of the European Union. France signaled it could arrest Netanyahu if he came to its territory. Foreign Ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine called it a “complex legal issue” but said France supports the court’s actions. “Combating impunity is our priority,” he said. “Our response will align with these principles.” Hamas in a statement welcomed the warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant but made no mention of the one against Deif. Israel’s opposition leaders fiercely criticized the ICC’s move. Benny Gantz, a retired general and political rival to Netanyahu, said it showed “moral blindness” and was a “shameful stain of historic proportion that will never be forgotten.” Israel’s campaign has caused heavy destruction across Gaza and driven almost the entire population of 2.3 million people from their homes, leaving most dependent on aid to survive. Two days after Hamas’ attack on southern Israel, Gallant announced a total seal on Gaza, vowing not to let in food, fuel or other supplies. Under U.S. pressure, Israel began allowing a trickle of humanitarian aid to enter a few weeks later. Israel now says it puts no limit on the supplies permitted into Gaza, and it blames the U.N. distribution system. But Israel's official figures show the amount of aid it has let in has plunged since the beginning of October. The U.N has blamed Israeli military restrictions, along with widespread lawlessness that has led to theft of aid shipments. The case at the ICC is separate from another legal battle Israel is waging at the top U.N. court, the International Court of Justice, in which South Africa accuses Israel of genocide , an allegation Israeli leaders staunchly deny. Lawyers for Israel argued in court that the war in Gaza was a legitimate defense of its people and that it was Hamas militants who were guilty of genocide. Associated Press journalists Raf Casert in Brussels, Mike Corder in The Hague and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
Longtime CBS Sports broadcaster Greg Gumbel has died. He was 78. "It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Greg Gumbel," Gumbel's wife Marcy and daughter Michelle announced in a statement to , where Gumbel has served as a broadcaster and host for decades. "He passed away peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer. Greg approached his illness like one would expect he would, with stoicism, grace, and positivity." Gumbel's family continued: "He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten. Greg's memory will forever be treasured by his family, dearest friends, colleagues and all who loved him." The legendary broadcaster first started with CBS Sports in 1989, where he pulled double duty as an NFL play-by-play announcer and an in-studio host for college basketball, including the NCAA Tournament. earlier this year due to a "family health issues," CBS announced at the time. Gumbel, the older brother of sportscaster Bryant Gumbel, was born May 3, 1946 in New Orleans and grew up in Chicago. Gumbel left a medical sales job for broadcasting after his brother informed him of an open sportscaster position in Chicago. Gumbel had stints at Chicago’s WMAQ-TV, Madison Square Garden Network, ESPN and WFAN radio before landing at CBS Sports in October 1989. Gumbel quickly became a fixture at CBS Sports, where he hosted "The NFL Today" alongside Terry Bradshaw from 1990 to 1993, including Super Bowl 26 in 1992. He also served as the primetime anchor for the network's coverage of the 1994 Olympic Winter Games and co-anchored CBS Sports' weekday-morning broadcasts of the 1992 Olympic Winter Games. Not only did he host various events, including CBS' coverage of Daytona International Speedway in 1999, Gumbel served as a play-by-play announcer for the College World Series, Major League Baseball and college basketball. "I like the variety," Gumbel in December 2017. "I like the fact that I'm not always in the studio or not always at the games, but March Madness is a really special event... It is hectic but at the same time, I wouldn't change places with anyone." Gumbel worked for NBC Sports from 1994-98 before returning for his second stint with CBS Sports as the studio host for the network's March Madness coverage. He also served as a play-by-play announcer and host for the NFL. CBS Sports celebrated Gumbel's 50th anniversary in broadcasting in 2022 and signed Gumbel to a contract extension in March 2023 to allow him to continue March Madness coverage while stepping away from NFL duties. "The CBS Sports family is devastated by the passing of Greg Gumbel," David Berson, the president & CEO of CBS Sports said in a statement. "There has never been a finer gentleman in all of television. He was beloved and respected by those of us who had the honor to call him a friend and colleague." Gumbel became the first Black play-by-play announcer to call a U.S major championship sporting event when he called the Baltimore Ravens’ win over the New York Giants in Super Bowl 35 in 2000. He was awarded the Pat Summerall Award for sports broadcasting excellence in 2007.
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