As the investigation draws to a close and the community begins the healing process, one thing remains clear: in the face of tragedy, it is the strength of community and human connection that sustains us and offers hope for a better tomorrow. Sarah may no longer be with us, but her memory lives on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.Philadelphia takes on Vegas after overtime win

Polls close in Uruguay’s election, with ruling coalition and opposition headed for photo finishBeyond Paradise fans react as beloved character returns in Christmas specialAs Chelsea continue to notch impressive victories and narrow the gap between themselves and the league leaders, the once-dormant dreams of Chelsea fans are beginning to awaken. The belief that this could be their season to reclaim the Premier League trophy is growing stronger with each passing game. And at the center of this newfound optimism is the talismanic figure of Riyad Mahrez.

The Union news-dumped their offseason roster moves late Tuesday, announcing a formal parting of ways with Leon Flach. The club retains 24 players under contract for 2025, to be coached by a person still to be determined after the firing of Jim Curtin. That group includes Mikael Uhre, whose option automatically vested earlier in the season, and Isaiah LeFlore. It does not include Flach, out of contract at the end of the season and whom the Union are letting walk. The Union declined options on Homegrowns Brandon Craig and Matthew Real, defender Jack Elliott and forward Joaquin Torres. They also declined the purchase option for on-loan left back Jamir Berdecio. The Union described “ongoing negotiations” with Elliott, Craig and Alejandro Bedoya, who is out of contract. Also out of contract is Sam Adeniran, though the Union don’t plan to bring the forward acquired midseason from St. Louis back. Flach, still just 23, played 116 games (107 starts) with two goals and 10 assists in four seasons since coming over from St. Pauli in the German 2.Bundesliga. A dual U.S.-German citizen, he was more of a defense-first presence, one rated more highly by Curtin than Sporting Director Ernst Tanner. Flach said in October that he had not had any discussions with the club on a new contract by his choice. Berdecio, 22, was acquired on loan from Oriente Petrolero. He made 28 appearances for MLS Next Pro runner-up Union II but never made the squad for the first team. He made his international debut with Bolivia over the summer. Craig, 19, is a Homegrown product who has made one appearance with the Union for three minutes in 2022. He was loaned to Austin FC but did not play in 2023, then spent 2024 on loan with El Paso Locomotive in the USL Championship, with one goal in 19 appearances. Real, now 25, made 52 appearances for the Union since 2018. He spent the season with the Colorado Springs Switchbacks, leading them to the USL title. LeFlore was signed by the Union last offseason from Houston but tore his ACL in the preseason and missed the entire year. Torres was loaned out to Chilean club Universidad Catolica in the spring. He was acquired from Montreal in 2023 but made just 14 appearances for the Union with one goal.LeBlanc and Joly offer little details about visit with Trump's team in Florida

Creditors approve proposed $32.5B deal with tobacco giants today: spokespeople

The news of Assad's asylum in Russia has already had a ripple effect on the situation in Syria and beyond. In Syria, the opposition forces have decried the move as a betrayal of the Syrian people and a sign of Russia's unwavering support for a brutal dictator. The Syrian opposition, backed by Western powers, has long called for Assad to step down and face justice for his role in the conflict. With his asylum in Moscow, those hopes have been dashed, at least for the time being.White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby claimed Thursday that many of the reported drone sightings spotted over New Jersey for the past several weeks are actually lawfully operated manned aircraft. Many reported ‘drone sightings’ in New Jersey over the past several weeks are actually lawfully operated manned aircraft, White House officials said during a briefing Thursday. White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby made the claim as questions and frustrations continue to mount among residents and lawmakers. "We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus," Kirby told reporters at the daily White House press briefing. "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the FBI are investigating these sightings, and they're working closely with state and local law enforcement to provide resources using numerous detection methods to better understand their origin." "Using very sophisticated electronic detection technologies provided by federal authorities, we have not been able to, and neither have state or local law enforcement authorities, corroborate any of the reported visual sightings," Kirby said. "To the contrary, upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully. The United States Coast Guard is providing support to the state of New Jersey, and has confirmed that there is no evidence of any foreign-based involvement from coastal vessels. And importantly, there are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted airspace." Kirby also called on lawmakers to ‘expand existing counterdrone authorities.’ "We certainly take seriously the threat that can be posed by unmanned aircraft systems, which is why law enforcement and other agencies continue to support New Jersey and investigate the reports, even though they have uncovered no malicious activity or intent at this particular stage," Kirby said Thursday. "While there is no known malicious activity occurring, the reported sightings there do, however, highlight a gap in authorities, and so we urge Congress to pass important legislation that will extend and expand existing counter drone authorities so that we are better prepared to identify and mitigate any potential threats to airports or other critical infrastructure. And so that state and local authorities are provided all the tools that they need to respond to such threats as well." Lawmakers gathered in the Garden State to discuss the recent sightings of large drones in the sky as investigators continue searching for answers. Kirby’s comments come a day after Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) claimed in a Fox News interview that ‘very high sources’ informed him the drones may be originating from an Iranian ‘mothership’ stationed off the East Coast of the United States. The Pentagon later shot down Van Drew’s suggestion that a foreign adversary was behind the drone sightings. "At this time we have no evidence that these activities are coming from a foreign entity or are the work of an adversary," Deputy Defense Secretary Sabrina Singh said Wednesday. "We’re going to continue to monitor what is happening." Featured Drone or flying car? Expert weighs in after mystery sightings prompt investigation in New Jersey What is that in the sky? Mystery drone sightings in Delaware County, Philadelphia and New Jersey have prompted many questions and an expert says due to the shape and size of the object in the sky, it could even be a flying car! When asked specifically about Van Drew’s statement about an Iranian mothership, Singh said there was ‘not any truth’ to that claim. "There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States and there is no so-called mothership launching drones towards the United States." she said. Van Drew later doubled down on his concern in a letter to President Joe Biden, calling for the president to act swiftly. He also called for flight restrictions over New Jersey, and for the order to be given to ‘neutralize’ and drone aircraft in violation of those restrictions. He also went on to detail some of the circumstantial evidence he referenced in his earlier interview. Featured Plane or drone?: Here's how you can check to see what's flying overhead As officials continue to investigate the origins of mysterious drones spotted in our area, there's an easy (and free) way to help you tell what you've spotted. The letter claims the Coast Guard has observed drones coming into New Jersey from the Atlantic Ocean and that a sea-based Iranian mothership is currently missing from port. Van Drew's letter states that the timeline for when that ship left port would align with when the sightings began. "We know that Iran has both the motive and the capability to execute such an operation. They have in the past brought vessels in proximity of the United States, and Iran has a sophisticated drone production partnership with China," Van Drew wrote. "And of course, it is the policy of the Iranian government to bring about the destruction of the United States of America. While I remain open to alternate explanations, I have not been presented a single credible, cohesive narrative except for that Iran is controlling these drones from offshore." Van Drew went on to propose flight restrictions over New Jersey airspace and an order be given to neutralize any drone aircraft in violation of those restrictions. In a press release sent Thursday, the Republican called for an honest discussion between officials and the People of New Jersey for more transparency on the situation. "While the Pentagon and the Governor may try to dismiss the idea of an Iranian drone ship, we now have additional confirmation that this ship exists and it is no longer in its port," said Congressman Van Drew. "I am not claiming that this ship is stationed right off the coast of New Jersey, but we certainly have to explore the possibility it is somewhere out in the ocean. While we cannot say for certain this is the source of the threat, the coincidence is too great to ignore. The U.S. Coast Guard reported that one of their ships was trailed by several dozen drones while commercial fishermen and local law enforcement have reported observations of drones flying in and out of the Atlantic Ocean, and if that is the case, they have to be landing somewhere." Van Drew also referred to the drones as being the ‘size of minivans.’Drone operators worry that anxiety over mystery sightings will lead to new restrictions

The Reform UK leader pushed back against reports suggesting that legal action would be the next step, saying he would make a decision in the next couple of days about his response if there is no apology for the “crazy conspiracy theory”. Mr Farage also said the party has “opened up our systems” to media outlets, including The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times, in the interests of “full transparency to verify that our numbers are correct”. His remarks came after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Mr Farage of “fakery” in response to Reform claiming they had surpassed the Tories in signed-up members. Mrs Badenoch said Reform’s counter was “coded to tick up automatically”. A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year. Mr Farage, on whether he was threatening legal action or not, told the PA news agency: “I haven’t threatened anything. I’ve just said that unless I get an apology, I will take some action. “I haven’t said whether it’s legal or anything.” He added: “All I’ve said is I want an apology. If I don’t get an apology, I will take action. “I will decide in the next couple of days what that is. So I’ve not specified what it is.” Mr Farage, on the move to make membership data available to media organisations, said: “We feel our arguments are fully validated. “She (Mrs Badenoch) has put out this crazy conspiracy theory and she needs to apologise.” The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News & FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. I am now demanding @KemiBadenoch apologises. — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) December 27, 2024 On why Mrs Badenoch had reacted as she did, Mr Farage said: “I would imagine she was at home without anybody advising her and was just angry.” Mr Farage, in a statement issued on social media site X, also said: “The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. “Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News and FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. “I am now demanding Kemi Badenoch apologises.” A Conservative Party source claimed Mr Farage was “rattled” that his Boxing Day “publicity stunt is facing serious questions”. They added: “Like most normal people around the UK, Kemi is enjoying Christmas with her family and looking forward to taking on the challenges of renewing the Conservative Party in the New Year.” Mrs Badenoch, in a series of messages posted on X on Thursday, said: “Farage doesn’t understand the digital age. This kind of fakery gets found out pretty quickly, although not before many are fooled.” There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party’s leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn. Mrs Badenoch claimed in her thread that “the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election”. Elsewhere, Mr Farage described Elon Musk as a “bloody hero” and said he believes the US billionaire can help attract younger voters to Reform. Tech entrepreneur Mr Musk met Mr Farage earlier this month at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, amid rumours of a possible donation to either Mr Farage or Reform. Mr Farage told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: “The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool – Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on and, frankly, that’s only just starting. “Reform only wins the next election if it gets the youth vote. The youth vote is the key. Of course, you need voters of all ages, but if you get a wave of youth enthusiasm you can change everything. “And I think we’re beginning to get into that zone – we were anyway, but Elon makes the whole task much, much easier. And the idea that politics can be cool, politics can be fun, politics can be real – Elon helps us with that mission enormously.”MELBOURNE, Australia -- Australia’s House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 years old from social media , leaving it to the Senate to finalize the world-first law. The major parties backed the bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts. The legislation was passed with 102 votes in favor to 13 against. If the bill becomes law this week, the platforms would have one year to work out how to implement the age restrictions before the penalties are enforced. Opposition lawmaker Dan Tehan told Parliament the government had agreed to accept amendments in the Senate that would bolster privacy protections. Platforms would not be allowed to compel users to provide government-issued identity documents including passports or driver’s licenses. The platforms also could not demand digital identification through a government system. “Will it be perfect? No. But is any law perfect? No, it’s not. But if it helps, even if it helps in just the smallest of ways, it will make a huge difference to people’s lives,” Tehan told Parliament. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the Senate would debate the bill later Wednesday. The major parties’ support all but guarantees the legislation will be passed by the Senate where no party holds a majority of seats. Lawmakers who were not aligned with either the government or the opposition were most critical of the legislation during debate on Tuesday and Wednesday. Criticisms include that the legislation had been rushed through Parliament without adequate scrutiny, would not work, would create privacy risks for users of all ages and would take away parents’ authority to decide what’s best for their children. Critics also argue the ban would isolate children, deprive them of positive aspects of social media, drive children to the dark web, make children too young for social media reluctant to report harms they encountered and take away incentives for platforms to make online spaces safer. Independent lawmaker Zoe Daniel said the legislation would “make zero difference to the harms that are inherent to social media.” “The true object of this legislation is not to make social media safe by design, but to make parents and voters feel like the government is doing something about it,” Daniel told Parliament. “There is a reason why the government parades this legislation as world-leading, that’s because no other country wants to do it,” she added. T he platforms had asked for the vote on legislation to be delayed until at least June next year when a government-commissioned evaluation of age assurance technologies made its report on how the ban could been enforced.

As Manchester City prepare to face Juventus in the second leg, the stakes could not be higher. A place in the quarterfinals is on the line, as well as Guardiola's future at the club. The outcome of the match will have far-reaching consequences for both the team and its manager, and the pressure to deliver a positive result has never been greater.

One of the key aspects of the low-temperature defense measures is the mobilization of resources and personnel to proactively respond to the blue snowstorm alert. Road maintenance crews have been deployed to strategic locations along major highways and transportation hubs to monitor road conditions, remove snow and ice, and ensure the smooth operation of traffic. In addition, specialized equipment and machinery have been prepared to efficiently clear snow and debris from roads, bridges, and tunnels, minimizing the risk of accidents and delays.In many action-adventure games, the player-character is often faced with various enemies that must be defeated to progress through the storyline. However, in "Uncharted: The Lost Circle," players have voiced their frustration over the fact that they are not able to harm or eliminate the stray dogs that they encounter in the game. This has sparked a debate about whether it is ethical to be forced to show compassion even towards virtual animals that are portrayed as aggressive and threatening.

As the match reached its climax, tension was palpable in the arena as both players gave their all in a fierce battle for supremacy. Spectators were on the edge of their seats as the two competitors exchanged powerful smashes and lightning-fast rallies, each determined to emerge victorious.Real Life Don't miss out on the headlines from Real Life. Followed categories will be added to My News. The current Miss Universe titleholder has been hit with a fresh wave of criticism after she appeared to lip-sync a racial slur in a video. Danish model Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, who won the 2024 beauty pageant earlier this month, has caused outrage after mouthing Jay-Z’s song, ‘Empire State of Mind’ – which includes the N-word in its lyrics. The 21-year-old filmed the 20-second TikTok clip on top of the Empire State Building in New York — but it quickly attracted criticism from social media users. “This is crazy,” one wrote, as another exclaimed: “I can’t believe I’m witnessing this in real time.” “Girl WHAT?!” raged another. Others called for Theilvig to lose her prestigious headpiece over the video. “They gonna take that crown,” one claimed. But many defended the reigning Miss Universe winner, claiming she’s “done nothing wrong”. “A white woman sings a song by a black man and gets called racist by the woke mob. She has nothing to apologise about,” one argued on X. “She was just lip synching, she's done nothing wrong and she does not mean to offend the feelings of snowflakes,” raged another. Another insisted: “Y’all are some haters she clearly was smiling.” The newly crowned Miss Universe is copping heat after appearing to lip-sync a racial slur. Picture: Instagram/victoriaakjaer Others argued English isn’t her first language, stating she may not understand the history of the word, which originated when African Americans were kept as slaves in some parts of the US. Once famously described as the “ filthiest, dirtiest, nastiest word in the English language ” by the prosecutor in the 1995 OJ Simpson murder trial, its use has been established to be derogatory, degrading, dehumanising as it was created to tormented generations of African-Americans who were stolen and forced into inhumane conditions. “It’s really tied into the idea that African people aren’t really human beings,” Kehinde Andrews, professor of black studies at Birmingham City University, told the BBC previously. “They were more like an animal than a human being, a beast of burden, could be bought and sold, could be thrown overboard ships and literally had no rights. “So when the N-word is used that’s essentially what it’s used for. So I would hope most people would understand why that is deeply offensive and problematic because it still is used in that context now.” Danish model Victoria Kjaer Theilvig won the 2024 title earlier this month. Picture: Instagram/victoriaakjaer She mouthed the words to a JayZ song while visiting Empire State Building that contained the N-word. Picture: Instagram/victoriaakjaer It has been described previously described as the ‘filthiest, dirtiest, nastiest word in the English language’. Picture: Instagram/victoriaakjaer Theilvig, who beat more than 120 other contestants to become the first Danish woman to take home the title, has not yet responded to the public backlash surrounding her video. The young model took part in the 73rd Miss Universe competition in Mexico City which followed the pageant’s revamped its guidelines , which were updated to promote “social inclusion” last year. These included removing the age limit and making it easier for women from non-traditional backgrounds to participate - a move which sparked massive backlash and even saw former Miss Universe winners resigning their titles in protest, the New York Post reported. Conservatives cheered Theilvig’s win victory after last year’s pageant saw a transgender woman from Portugal notch a top 20 ranking, while a 22-year-old became the first transgender Miss Netherlands. “Biological & objectively attractive women are allowed to win beauty pageants again,” Donald Trump Jr. tweeted. “WE ARE SO BACK!!!” The 2024 final was the first year in Miss Universe history that some countries were represented, including Belarus, Eritrea, Guinea, Macau, Maldives, Moldova and Uzbekistan. More Coverage UK goes wild for ‘best thing about Australia’ Rebekah Scanlan Huge update in monstrous rape case Chantelle Francis and AFP Originally published as Miss Universe in scandal over ‘filthiest, dirtiest, nastiest word in the English language’ More related stories Real Life ‘Accidental influencer’ we can’t get enough of A young Aussie who won millions of followers with her relatable approach to life has just won a huge award at a star-studded Sydney event. Read more Real Life ‘Hot’: Star spotted in bikini after shock split A Bali princess has been spotted cooling off in a bikini at Bondi Beach just days after announcing her second marriage was over. Read more

Another aspect of the transition to acting is the physical demands of the craft. As a host, he may have been used to standing on a set and speaking to a camera. However, as an actor, he will need to master movement, voice projection, and stage presence to effectively convey the emotions and intentions of his characters. Physicality plays a significant role in acting, and honing these skills will be a new and exciting challenge for him.

Texans foiled by mistake after mistake in 32-27 loss to Titans

Nearly half of American teenagers say they are online “constantly” despite concerns about the effects of social media and smartphones on their mental health, according to a new report published Thursday by the Pew Research Center. As in past years, YouTube was the single most popular platform teenagers used — 90% said they watched videos on the site, down slightly from 95% in 2022. Nearly three-quarters said they visit YouTube every day. There was a slight downward trend in several popular apps teens used. For instance, 63% of teens said they used TikTok, down from 67% and Snapchat slipped to 55% from 59%. This small decline could be due to pandemic-era restrictions easing up and kids having more time to see friends in person, but it's not enough to be truly meaningful . X saw the biggest decline among teenage users. Only 17% of teenagers said they use X, down from 23% in 2022, the year Elon Musk bought the platform. Reddit held steady at 14%. About 6% of teenagers said they use Threads, Meta's answer to X that launched in 2023. The report comes as countries around the world are grappling with how to handle the effects of social media on young people's well-being. Australia recently passed a law banning kids under 16 from social networks, though it's unclear how it will be able to enforce the age limit — and whether it will come with unintended consequences such as isolating vulnerable kids from their peers. Meta's messaging service WhatsApp was a rare exception in that it saw the number of teenage users increase, to 23% from 17% in 2022. Pew also asked kids how often they use various online platforms. Small but significant numbers said they are on them “almost constantly.” For YouTube, 15% reported constant use, for TikTok, 16% and for Snapchat, 13%. As in previous surveys, girls were more likely to use TikTok almost constantly while boys gravitated to YouTube. There was no meaningful gender difference in the use of Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. Roughly a quarter of Black and Hispanic teens said they visit TikTok almost constantly, compared with just 8% of white teenagers. The report was based on a survey of 1,391 U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 conducted from Sept. 18 to Oct. 10, 2024.

As the coordinated mechanism for financing support continues to gain momentum, its impact on small businesses and the overall economy is expected to become increasingly evident. By fostering a conducive environment for financing and encouraging collaboration among stakeholders, this mechanism is poised to unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation. With sustained efforts and effective implementation, it is set to become a cornerstone of economic revitalization and inclusive development.It was a normal day for Officer Smith as he patrolled the highway, keeping an eye out for any traffic violations or emergencies. Little did he know that his day would soon take a dramatic turn when a frantic voice crackled over the police radio, requesting assistance for a pregnant woman in labor trapped in a vehicle stuck in a traffic jam.