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Kevin O'Leary: Trump Must Inflict 'Massive Economic Pain' on China with TariffsA Christchurch family is ‘devastated’ after Rachel Wagner, 51, was shot dead by her daughter, Lilyana, 14, in Georgia, US. Wagner’s sister-in-law, Kiri Te Paea, said the family was struggling to raise the necessary $5000 - $32,000 to return Wagner’s body home. Lilyana has been charged with malice murder and is being held in a juvenile detention centre. A Christchurch family are “devastated” after a Kiwi woman was shot dead in the US by her own 14-year-old daughter. Rachel Wagner, 51, had lived in the US for nearly three decades with an American husband, who she was separated from, and daughter Lilyana before the shooting last week. Wagner’s sister-in-law, Christchurch resident Kiri Te Paea, said their family were “beside themselves” working tirelessly to get Wagner’s body home from Tifton Country, Georgia while coming to terms with the fact Lilyana is facing a murder charge. Te Paea claimed Lilyana had been homeschooled for several months, had a keen interest in guns and spent many hours online gaming. She was considered “withdrawn and anti-social” in the lead-up to the shooting, Te Paea said.
Which ski helmets are best? Skiing is one of the best ways to enjoy nature in the winter and is one of the few activities that’s as fun to do alone as it is with others. However, whether you’re an advanced skier who likes to keep the good snow to themselves or prefer skiing with a posse of friends, protecting your head is an essential part of a good day on the slopes. With so many options on the market, finding the best ski helmet can be a challenge. If you’re interested in a simple solution that you can count on to protect you at all times, regardless of the conditions, check out the What to know before you buy a ski helmet Size If your is too large or too small, it won’t perform correctly and may not provide any protection at all. To find the right size, measure the crown of your head and cross reference with the helmet’s size chart. Moreover, the helmet should be about an inch above your eyebrows. Make sure to consider your helmet’s adjustability before purchasing. Goggle compatibility Unfortunately, not all goggles fit with all helmets. Although you likely won’t have an issue with this, ensure that the helmet you want to purchase will work with your preferred goggles without leaving your forehead exposed. What to look for in a quality ski helmet Accessory compatibility In addition to being a good fit for your goggles, the best ski helmets are capable of handling a variety of upgrades if they aren’t standard. For example, be on the lookout for helmets that have slots for audio in the earmuffs and that allow you to strap a handy goggle cleaning cloth to the side. Safety technology In addition to durable materials and standard EPS shock absorption, the best ski helmets will include additional or new technology to enhance protection. When shopping for a new ski helmet, consider models with MIPS (multidirectional impact protection system) technology, carbon fiber construction or an integrated Recco reflector to get the highest level of safety. Convenience technology Top-quality helmets offer the best ease-of-use technology in addition to superior protection. Features such as magnetic goggle clasps that can be used with gloves, removable linings and dynamic ventilation that allows for directed airflow make your helmet more comfortable, especially during extended wearing periods. How much you can expect to spend on a ski helmet Entry-level helmets that provide basic protection usually cost around $60, while higher-end models with innovative technology start around $180 and cost upwards of $250. Ski helmet FAQ Do I need the newest, most robust technology? Although this may seem counterintuitive at first, it is not always worth purchasing the most expensive, highest-tech helmet. If you don’t ski often, and find yourself sticking to the easier slopes and staying at low speeds, a traditional helmet will provide all the protection you need. On the other hand, if you ski in the woods or in the backcountry, investing in high-tech helmets is a must, since the danger level is much higher than on the slopes. What are the best ski helmets to buy? Top ski helmet The Grimnir 2vi helmet from Sweet Protection is made from the finest materials on the market and includes all of the latest safety and convenience technology. If you like to tackle challenging terrain and push the boundaries of your skills, look no further than the Grimnir to provide the utmost protection. Constructed out of lightweight and highly impact-resistant carbon fiber and reinforced with the latest MIPS technology, you can count on this helmet to keep you safe. Plus, it’s also quite comfortable to wear thanks to its numerous vents, Occigrip dial adjustment system and audio compatibility. State-of-the-art technology makes this one of the more expensive offerings. Top ski helmet for the money If you’re on a budget, or don’t push the limits while skiing, the Kelvin helmet from OutdoorMaster is perfect for you. Don’t let the price tag fool you — this helmet offers far more than the bare minimum in terms of features and technology. Constructed from a reinforced ABS shell and a super-absorbent EPS core, you can count on this helmet to project your most valuable asset. Plus, the Kelvin also offers lots of adjustability and unmatched ventilation for the price. While this helmet offers ample protection for the ordinary skier, if you’re a hard charger and prefer off-piste shredding, this helmet likely won’t be enough. Worth checking out Featuring a sleek design, durable construction and an abundance of serious safety features, the Meninx RS MIPS helmet from POC is high performance and reliable. Designed from the ground up with safety and convenience in mind, this helmet is ideal for anyone who regularly hits the slopes and will appreciate the thought given to small details. For example, the strap buckle on the back that holds your goggles securely in place is magnetic, which makes it easy to use while wearing gloves or mittens. Furthermore, in addition to the dual-layer ABS shell and MIPS protection system, the Meninx RS comes with an integrated Recco reflector, which is an essential component of safe backcountry skiing. To top it all off, the helmet has an easy-to-use adjustment dial and plenty of ventilation. POC helmets don’t come in individual sizing, and are only available in grouped sizes such as medium/large, which can make finding the perfect fit harder.Native American patients are sent to collections for debts the government owesJohn Bolton: Trump second term poses ‘much higher chance’ of major international crisis
Joe Burrow is no longer talking about the playoffs after another loss by the high-scoring Bengals
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. The 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. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden's administration was “deeply concerned by the prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision.” The warrants represent "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.
TORONTO - Canada’s premiers are calling on the federal government to extend the deadline for claiming charitable donations on tax returns through to the end of February. Ontario Premier Doug Ford made the request in a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday, sent in his capacity as chair of the Council of the Federation. Ford says the premiers are echoing calls from charities to help account for a decline in mail-in donations due to the Canada Post strike, which brought letter mail to a standstill for a month starting in mid-November. The premiers are requesting that the federal government extend the deadline from the end of the year to the end of February 2025, which would allow donors to send their cheques later than usual but still get credited for the 2024 tax year. The Salvation Army reported over the weekend that holiday donations had fallen by 50 per cent this year, which it attributes to the strike. Trudeau’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 24, 2024.5 coolest engineering innovations of 2024BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — After a ballot recount, a top Romanian court on Monday validated the first round of a presidential race in which a far-right outsider emerged as the frontrunner, plunging the country into turmoil amid allegations of electoral violations and Russian meddling. The Constitutional Court’s unanimous decision came after it had asked the Central Election Bureau to recount and verify all 9.4 million ballots cast in the first round of the presidential election on Nov. 24 . The election bureau approved the request and proceeded with the recount. Monday’s decision is final. Calin Georgescu, a little-known far-right populist and independent candidate , narrowly won the first round, beating the incumbent prime minister Marcel Ciolacu. Georgescu will face reformist Elena Lasconi, the leader of the Save Romania Union party, in a runoff on Sunday. Lasconi beat Ciolacu by just 2,740 votes. The recount was prompted by a complaint lodged by Cristian Terhes, a presidential candidate who garnered 1% of the ballot. Terhes’ media office said the court ordered the recount “due to indications of fraud,” alleging that valid votes cast for Ludovic Orban — who had dropped out of the race but remained on the ballot — were reassigned to Lasconi. He also claimed that Lasconi’s party had urged people to vote before some diaspora polls had closed, saying it violated electoral laws against campaign activities on polling day. On Monday, the election bureau submitted partial recount results to the court, which did not include hundreds of thousands of the votes from Romania’s large diaspora. Dominic Fritz, the vice president of Save Romania Union party led by Lasconi, said in a statement before that court’s decision that more than 8 million votes had been recounted, and that “no one has found any reason to question the final results.” Many observers had warned that invalidating the vote could further fuel the crisis that gripped Romania’s political establishment in the wake of the first round. Georgescu’s unexpected success prompted a series of protests by people who claim he is a threat to democracy and who are concerned with previous remarks he made in praising Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin . Many have attributed to his rapid rise in popularity on the social media platform TikTok . According to a report by Expert Forum, a Bucharest-based think tank, Georgescu’s account had an explosion, which it said “appears sudden and artificial, similar to his polling results.” Without naming Georgescu, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis’ office said after a Supreme Council of National Defense meeting last Thursday that an analysis of documents revealed that “a presidential candidate benefited from massive exposure due to preferential treatment granted by the TikTok platform.” Romania’s National Audiovisual Council asked the European Commission to investigate TikTok’s role in the Nov. 24 vote. Pavel Popescu, the vice president of Romania’s media regulator Ancom, said he would request TikTok’s suspension in Romania if investigations find evidence of “manipulation of the electoral process.” In an emailed statement to The Associated Press on Monday, TikTok said it was “inaccurate and misleading to ascribe his campaign activity solely to TikTok,” and noted that Georgescu also used other social media platforms. “We are highly vigilant against actors who seek to use deceptive behaviors to try to affect civic processes and work diligently to identify and remove covert influence operations,” the statement said. Separately, Romania held a parliamentary election on Sunday in which pro-Western parties won the most votes and will look to form a coalition government. The ballot also saw a surge of support for far-right nationalists who made huge gains in the country’s legislature.
Wake Forest still experimenting ahead of Detroit Mercy gameC hilly weather and early nights make the winter months ideal for cuddling up with your favorite games. Relaxing board games are great for a lazy afternoon with friends or an after-dinner activity. They often feature cooperative play or minimal competition, beautiful artwork and straightforward gameplay ideal for all ages. Here are some games that can provide a whimsical escape for you or a crowd. Patchwork is a chill two-player puzzle game where you and your opponent compete to create the best quilt. The tactile experience and cozy results are relaxing on a chilly day. If you have more than two players, try Calico instead, where you’ll create quilts for cats. In Carcassonne, players compete to build Medieval cities and fields by laying tiles. The game takes a bit of strategy and luck, and it will generate some friendly competition among children and adults alike. The charming artwork also will transport you on a road trip from the comfort of your home. For those looking for longer gameplay, Everdell will have you playing as cute forest creatures building new cities during a game that averages a little over an hour. Flamecraft is another delightfully whimsical game where players try to attract dragons to improve the reputation of their shops. Each of these games is simple to pick up and, with every playthrough offering something new, they’ll get you through the season. Everdell and Flamecraft can also be single-player games if you need a break from socialization. If having everything in its place provides calm in the chaos, you’ll love Unpacking. This puzzle game, available on Switch, PC and Xbox, has you unpacking boxes and putting items away. Playing games like Unpacking can be a meditative experience. Other puzzle games like A Little to the Left and Spiritfarer blend stories into the gameplay. Maintaining a virtual farm or building a make-believe castle from your sofa can be a great stress reliever. Stardew Valley is a quintessential farming game surrounded by charming townspeople. Palia, a massively multiplayer online game, features farming, quests and community building with other players. It’s also free. For those with a Nintendo Switch, the Animal Crossing series has you interacting with other animal players in a peaceful village. With multiplayer modes, these games are great options for playing with friends and family from afar. For a single-player escape, try the recently released Tiny Glade on PC where you’ll build castles. This cozy game’s detailed artistry and conflict-free gameplay will bring hours of relaxation. Or build a world from tiles in Dorfromantik. The game can be entirely chill or provide a bit of strategy if you want to go for a high score. A pack of cards is reliable entertainment at any gathering. From classics to innovative new card games, having a few in your collection can be worthwhile. Card games can range from simple to complex, a few minutes to a few hours and single-player to dozens of players. If you have a standard deck of playing cards, Blitz is a great option for any number of players. Also known as Thirty One, this game gives every player three cards and lets them trade out a card on each turn, trying to get a value of thirty-one. President is another simple social card game where players race to get rid of their cards in ascending order. Some people play it as a drinking game. For a two-player card game, try The Fox in the Forest. This trick-taking card game features cozy graphics, and its fast, simple gameplay is perfect for a winter date night. For two to four players, Arboretum has darling tree graphics on its cards. Players lay cards down with the goal of creating a beautiful garden. Get local news delivered to your inbox!