where are the ruins for treasure lost treasure found

The post-mortems explaining Kamala Harris ’ loss have been ongoing since election night, and after weeks of radio silence, the top brass of her failed presidential campaign have finally weighed in — to claim there’s little they could have done differently to defeat Donald Trump . In an exclusive interview given to the podcast Pod Save America , campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon, senior adviser David Plouffe , deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks, and senior adviser Stephanie Cutter sat down with host Dan Pfeiffer to answer questions about the strategic choices made by the campaign. In an interview that felt decisively light on introspection and self accountability, the strategists repeatedly highlighted that the campaign had been saddled with a “a jump ball race” in a “pretty brutal” electoral atmosphere. “The truth is that we really thought this was a very close race. We talked about the entire time we saw it as a margin of error race, almost the entire time the vice president was in the race,” O’Malley Dillon said. “But, you know, we expected this to be close.” When asked about the decision to bring in prominent Republican figures like former Rep. Liz Cheney to act as surrogates for Harris — and hopefully draw in moderates or disaffected Republicans — the vice president’s campaign team argued that the blowback to Cheney’s involvement was overstated. “We’d spent a lot of time with voters who we were concerned weren’t going to vote. And the fact that Liz Cheney was supporting Kamala Harris was not an issue raised by any of them,” Plouffe said. “We needed some percentage of Republicans, but I think what people forget is, it’s more the independents who act like Republicans, where issues of democracy, of how unhinged he is, Project 2025, mattered to them, even as some conservative Democrats.” “It can sound like making excuses,” he continued. “This political environment sucked, OK? At the end of the day, we had to raise people’s concern and the threat level of a Trump second term. I think if you look at our internal data, and Quentin can speak to this, we did a lot of that. We just didn’t get it to the extent that we needed to to win.” Editor’s picks The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time According to exit polls, the Harris campaign’s efforts to win over Republican voters and even moderates were not successful. This year, Harris only won 5 percent of Republican votes — a smaller percentage than Democrats won in either 2016 or 2020. Harris also won a smaller percentage of moderates and independents than Joe Biden did when he beat Trump last election cycle. At the same time, Democratic turnout cratered: the percentage of the electorate who identified as Democrats this year was down substantially from recent elections. Plouffe acknowledged that the campaign anticipated that it needed to win more independent voters and Republicans than Democrats did in 2020, but did not explain why so many fewer Democrats voted this year and was not asked to clarify that, either. In the Harris team’s view, her campaign could not overcome Trump’s sprawling Super PAC funding apparatus (despite Democrats holding record-breaking campaign coffers), digital dominance, and control of culture war narratives. Plouffe attributed that to the Trump campaign and Republican outside groups more actively coordinating their strategies together than Democrats do. “We have to stop playing a different game as it relates to Super PACs than the Republicans,” he said. “Love our Democratic lawyers. I’m tired of them. They coordinate more than we do. I think amongst themselves, I think with the presidential campaign. I’m just sick and tired of it, OK?” Related Content Mexican President Claps Back at Trump Over Tariffs Trump Aide Said He'd Boost Admin. Candidate in Exchange for 3-on-3 Basketball Funding: Report Dems Call on Biden to Limit Weed Prosecutions Before Trump Takes Over Gibson Hits Trump Guitars With Cease and Desist Outside groups like Super PACs are supposed to be independent from political candidates; this is the supposed basis of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. But the Federal Election Commission this year ruled that campaigns and outside groups can coordinate on their canvassing operations . Soon after, the Trump campaign effectively outsourced its field operations to Elon Musk’s America PAC and the conservative youth-focused outside group Turning Point USA. “He had an army of Super PACs that were so coordinated. I’m sure there’s some legal way they were communicated, coordinated,” O’Malley Dillon said, adding that “our side was completely mismatched when it came to the ecosystem of Trump and his super PACs and ours.” In probably the most introspective moment of the conversation, Fulks stated point blank that Democrats’ fixation on policing internal rhetoric within the party is damaging their overall ability to maintain strong candidacies. “Democrats are eating our own, to a very high degree,” he said. “And until that stops, we’re not going to be able to address a lot of the things that just need to be said. And like, for the masculinity piece of it, men don’t like people that apologize. I don’t know what age bracket, but it’s called standing on business. If you say something, you mean it. Trump does not apologize. If he says something, he means it, and his party stands behind him and they don’t make him backtrack it.”Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigrationwhere are the ruins for treasure lost treasure found 。

Serving as 39th US president from 1977 to 1981, Jimmy Carter sought to make government ‘competent and compassionate’. Jimmy Carter, the United States’ longest-lived president, was never afraid of speaking his mind. Forthright and fearless, the Nobel Prize winner took pot-shots at former prime minister Tony Blair and ex-US president George W Bush among others. His death came after repeated bouts of illness in which images of the increasingly frail former president failed to erase memories of his fierce spirit. Democrat James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr swept to power in 1977 with his Trust Me campaign helping to beat Republican president Gerald Ford. Serving as 39th US president from 1977 to 1981, he sought to make government “competent and compassionate” but was ousted by the unstoppable Hollywood appeal of a certain Ronald Reagan. A skilled sportsman, Mr Carter left his home of Plains, Georgia, to join the US Navy, returning later to run his family’s peanut business. A stint in the Georgia senate lit the touchpaper on his political career and he rose to the top of the Democratic movement. But he will also be remembered for a bizarre encounter with a deeply disgruntled opponent. The president was enjoying a relaxing fishing trip near his home town in 1979 when his craft was attacked by a furious swamp rabbit which reportedly swam up to the boat hissing wildly. The press had a field day, with one paper bearing the headline President Attacked By Rabbit. Away from encounters with belligerent bunnies, Mr Carter’s willingness to address politically uncomfortable topics did not diminish with age. He recently said that he would be willing to travel to North Korea for peace talks on behalf of US President Donald Trump. He also famously mounted a ferocious and personal attack on Tony Blair over the Iraq war, weeks before the prime minister left office in June 2007. Mr Carter, who had already denounced George W Bush’s presidency as “the worst in history”, used an interview on BBC radio to condemn Mr Blair for his tight relations with Mr Bush, particularly concerning the Iraq War. Asked how he would characterise Mr Blair’s relationship with Mr Bush, Mr Carter replied: “Abominable. Loyal, blind, apparently subservient. “I think that the almost undeviating support by Great Britain for the ill-advised policies of President Bush in Iraq have been a major tragedy for the world.” Mr Carter was also voluble over the Rhodesia crisis, which was about to end during his presidency. His support for Robert Mugabe at the time generated widespread criticism. He was said to have ignored the warnings of many prominent Zimbabweans, black and white, about what sort of leader Mugabe would be. This was seen by Mr Carter’s critics as “deserving a prominent place among the outrages of the Carter years”. Mr Carter has since said he and his administration had spent more effort and worry on Rhodesia than on the Middle East. He admitted he had supported two revolutionaries in Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo, and with hindsight said later that Mugabe had been “a good leader gone bad”, having at first been “a very enlightened president”. One US commentator wrote: “History will not look kindly on those in the West who insisted on bringing the avowed Marxist Mugabe into the government. “In particular, the Jimmy Carter foreign policy... bears some responsibility for the fate of a small African country with scant connection to American national interests.” In recent years Mr Carter developed a reputation as an international peace negotiator. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his commitment to finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts, his work with human rights and democracy initiatives, and his promotion of economic and social programmes. Mr Carter was dispatched to North Korea in August 2008 to secure the release of US citizen Aijalon Mahli Gomes, who had been sentenced to eight years of hard labour after being found guilty of illegally entering North Korea. He successfully secured the release of Mr Gomes. In 2010 he returned to the White House to greet President Barack Obama and discuss international affairs amid rising tensions on the Korean peninsula. Proving politics runs in the family, in 2013 his grandson Jason, a state senator, announced his bid to become governor in Georgia, where his famous grandfather governed before becoming president. He eventually lost to incumbent Republican Nathan Deal. Fears that Mr Carter’s health was deteriorating were sparked in 2015 when he cut short an election observation visit in Guyana because he was “not feeling well”. It would have been Mr Carter’s 39th trip to personally observe an international election. Three months later, on August 12, he revealed he had cancer which had been diagnosed after he underwent surgery to remove a small mass in his liver. Mr Obama was among the well-wishers hoping for Mr Carter’s full recovery after it was confirmed the cancer had spread widely. Melanoma had been found in his brain and liver, and Mr Carter underwent immunotherapy and radiation therapy, before announcing in March the following year that he no longer needed any treatment. In 2017, Mr Carter was taken to hospital as a precaution, after he became dehydrated at a home-building project in Canada. He was admitted to hospital on multiple occasions in 2019 having had a series of falls, suffering a brain bleed and a broken pelvis, as well as a stint to be treated for a urinary tract infection. Mr Carter spent much of the coronavirus pandemic largely at his home in Georgia, and did not attend Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration in 2021, but extended his “best wishes”. Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, the closest adviser to Mr Carter during his term as US president, died in November 2023. She had been living with dementia and suffering many months of declining health. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” Mr Carter said in a statement following her death. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100UC San Diego has the 10th highest number of highly cited researchers in the world, slipping three spots in the annual rankings produced by Clarivate, a British analytics company whose list is closely followed by scientists. The La Jolla campus is home to 55 of the world’s most elite researchers, tying with the University of Hong Kong. It’s the only University of California campus to make the top 10. Last year, UCSD finished in seventh place with 71 highly cited researchers, one place behind the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The number can fluctuate because scientists sometimes change institutions, or their work is surpassed by others’ in its influence. The scientists who made the list rank in the top 1% by citations for their fields and their publication in the Web of Science database over the past decade, Clarivate said. UCSD’s neighbors in and around the Torrey Pines mesa also fared well. The Salk Institute and La Jolla Institute for Immunology each have 10 highly cited researchers, and Scripps Research has nine. Sanford Burnham Prebys, San Diego State University and the J. Craig Venter Institute each have two. The local scholars on this year’s list span the spectrum of science, engineering and medicine. Joseph Wang at UCSD develops highly sensitive, wearable health sensors , including one that helps monitor diabetes. Fred Gage of the Salk explores the adult central nervous system, work that’s led to major findings in brain disorders. Jean Twenge of SDSU studies differences in generations and is known to some of members of the public for her insights about Generation Z. And Shane Crotty of the La Jolla Institute has become known internationally for fighting infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Market Growth with Trends, Analysis by Segments, Regions, and Forecast to 2031 | Accord Healthcare, Inc, Eli Lilly and Company, Sanofi 11-21-2024 09:11 PM CET | Health & Medicine Press release from: DataM Intelligence 4 Market Research LLP DataM Intelligence The latest report on Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Market offers valuable insights into emerging trends and pivotal developments within the market. It highlights significant growth opportunities that market participants can leverage, alongside strategic recommendations for capitalizing on these trends. This report serves as an indispensable tool for stakeholders seeking to deepen their understanding of the market landscape and identify actionable pathways for growth. By utilizing this in-depth analysis, stakeholders will gain the insights necessary to effectively adapt to shifting market conditions and strengthen their competitive position. Download a Free sample PDF (Use Corporate email ID to Get Higher Priority) at: - https://datamintelligence.com/download-sample/gestational-trophoblastic-disease-market The Global Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Market is expected to grow at a high CAGR during the forecast period (2024-2031). Market Dynamics The rising prevalence of risk factors associated with this spectrum of diseases is anticipated to fuel market growth during the forecast period. Key risk factors contributing to the incidence of GTDs include advanced maternal age, increased rates of ectopic pregnancies, and active smoking habits. GTDs primarily affect women of childbearing age, with the risk of complete molar pregnancy being highest among women under 20 and over 35 years old. According to the American Lung Association, cigarette smoking accounts for an estimated 201,770 female deaths annually in the U.S., with smokers facing a 4 to 20 times higher risk of ectopic pregnancy. These factors collectively drive market expansion during the forecast period. Key Developments: TROPHAMET, a Phase I/II Trial of Avelumab and Methotrexate in Low-risk Gestational Trophoblastic Disease as First-Line Treatment. List of the Key Players in the Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Market: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Antares Pharma, Novartis AG, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, BP Pharmaceuticals Laboratories Company, Accord Healthcare, Inc, Eli Lilly and Company, Sanofi, Bayer AG, Amgen Inc, Merck Healthcare KGaA. Research Process: Both primary and secondary data sources have been used in the global Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Market research report. During the research process, a wide range of industry-affecting factors are examined, including governmental regulations, market conditions, competitive levels, historical data, market situation, technological advancements, upcoming developments, in related businesses, as well as market volatility, prospects, potential barriers, and challenges. Segment Covered in the Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Market: By Type (Hydatidiform mole, Choriocarcinoma, Placental-site trophoblastic tumor, Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor, Others) By Treatment Type (Chemotherapy, Surgery, Radiation therapy, Others) By End-users (Hospitals, Clinics, Cancer research institutes, Others) Regional Outlook: The global Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Market report focuses on six major regions: North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. Get Customization in the report as per your requirements+Exclusive Bundle & Multi-User Discounts: https://datamintelligence.com/customize/gestational-trophoblastic-disease-market Regional Analysis: The global Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Market report focuses on six major regions: North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. The report offers detailed insight into new product launches, new technology evolutions, innovative services, and ongoing R&D. The report discusses a qualitative and quantitative market analysis, including PEST analysis, SWOT analysis, and Porter's five force analysis. The Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Market report also provides fundamental details such as raw material sources, distribution networks, methodologies, production capacities, industry supply chain, and product specifications. **The full version of the report includes an in-depth analysis of emerging players and startups, which will provide valuable insights into the evolving market landscape and key strategies being adopted** Points Covered: ⏩ Market Overview: It contains five chapters, as well as information about the research scope, major manufacturers covered, market segments, Gestational Trophoblastic Disease market segments, study objectives, and years considered. ⏩ Market Landscape: The competition in the Global Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Market is evaluated here in terms of value, turnover, revenues, and market share by organization, as well as market rate, competitive landscape, and recent developments, transaction, growth, sale, and market shares of top companies. ⏩ Companies Profiles: The global Gestational Trophoblastic Disease market's leading players are studied based on sales, main products, gross profit margin, revenue, price, and growth production. ⏩ Market Outlook by Region: The report goes through gross margin, sales, income, supply, market share, CAGR, and market size by region in this segment. North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America are among the regions and countries studied in depth in this study. ⏩ Market Segments: It contains the deep research study which interprets how different end-user/application/type segments contribute to the Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Market. ⏩ Market Forecast: Production Side: In this part of the report, the authors have focused on production and production value forecast, key producers forecast, and production and production value forecast by type. ⏩ Research Findings: This section of the report showcases the findings and analysis of the report. ⏩ Conclusion: This portion of the report is the last section of the report where the conclusion of the research study is provided. Unlock Year-End Savings! Get Up to 30% Off: https://www.datamintelligence.com/buy-now-page?report=gestational-trophoblastic-disease-market Frequently Asked Questions ● What is the expected growth rate of the global Gestational Trophoblastic Disease market for the forecast period? ● What are the key driving factors that are responsible to shape the fate of the Gestational Trophoblastic Disease market during the forecast period? ● What will be the overall size of the market during the analysis period? ● What are the prominent market trends which influence the development of the Gestational Trophoblastic Disease market across various regions? ● Who are the key market players and the market strategies that have helped them to secure the leading position in the global Gestational Trophoblastic Disease market? ● What are the challenges and threats that are likely to act as a barrier to the growth of the Gestational Trophoblastic Disease market? ● What are the major opportunities that the companies can get to attain success in the world? Contact Us - Company Name: DataM Intelligence Contact Person: Sai Kiran Email: Sai.k@datamintelligence.com Phone: +1 877 441 4866 Website: https://www.datamintelligence.com About Us - DataM Intelligence is a Market Research and Consulting firm that provides end-to-end business solutions to organizations from Research to Consulting. We, at DataM Intelligence, leverage our top trademark trends, insights and developments to emancipate swift and astute solutions to clients like you. We encompass a multitude of syndicate reports and customized reports with a robust methodology. Our research database features countless statistics and in-depth analyses across a wide range of 6300+ reports in 40+ domains creating business solutions for more than 200+ companies across 50+ countries; catering to the key business research needs that influence the growth trajectory of our vast clientele. This release was published on openPR.We are a quarter of the way through the 2024-25 NHL season, and some teams across the league have been pretty significant disappointments that have failed to meet expectations. Let's talk about four of them. Nashville Predators The Predators entered the season with sky-high expectations after a busy offseason that saw them add two 40-goal scorers (Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault) and a top-four defenseman (Brady Skjei) to a roster that made the playoffs a year ago. A return to the playoffs should have been the bare-minimum expectation. Winning a round or two should have been reasonable. Competing for the Stanley Cup was not out of the question. Just 22 games into their season, they have the second-worst record in the league (.386 points percentage, just marginally ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks) and can't seem to do anything right. They are 30th in goals per game, 21st in goals against per game and their two biggest additions (Stamkos and Marchessault) have combined for just 11 goals. The worst sign of all is that they are losing despite getting really strong goaltending from Juuse Saros, who is having a big bounce-back year. Pittsburgh Penguins After two straight non-playoff seasons, no postseason series wins since the 2018 season and with an aging core, there should not have been overly high expectations for the Penguins this season. They are still failing to meet them. Not only are the Penguins on their way to a third-straight non-playoff season, they have been one of the worst teams in the league and have the worst record in the NHL's Eastern Conference. Entering play on Tuesday their 91 goals against and 3.96 goals against per game were both the worst in the NHL, while they have developed a crushing habit of consistently blowing multiple-goal leads. They do not defend well, they have some of the league's worst goaltending ( 28th in save percentage ) and outside of captain Sidney Crosby and the occasional brilliance from Evgeni Malkin, there is simply not much here to get excited about. They were not supposed to be good. They were not supposed to be this bad. Boston Bruins The Bruins have been seemingly overdue for a decline at some point, and it finally looks like it is here. At the first quarter point of the season the Bruins find themselves on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, already fired their head coach (Jim Montgomery) and still have a lot of the same flaws that have existed for the past couple of years (specifically the lack of a true No. 1 center). They spent big money in free agency on forward Elias Lindholm and defenseman Nikita Zadorov, and both have been underwhelming. Starting goalie Jeremy Swayman has also been off to a slow start after signing a massive eight-year, $66 million contract extension. After being one of the NHL's best teams the past two seasons, this is a sudden regression. Edmonton Oilers The Oilers were one game away from winning the Stanley Cup in 2024, have two of the best players in hockey in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and also have one of the league's best defensive pairings in Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm. The problem? They have almost nothing after those four players. At least nothing that is playing well this season. Only three forwards on the roster (McDavid, Draisaitl and Mattias Janmark) have at least 10 points this season, while their goaltending with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard is only 27th in the league in save percentage . No depth, no goaltending and a team that is reliant on just a handful of players is not going to go far.

Bus transporting Highland girls basketball team involved in crashPolice: Man charged with aggravated DUI after car leaves roadway, strikes coach and then crashes into bus carrying Highland girls basketball team in school's parking lot

By SARAH PARVINI, GARANCE BURKE and JESSE BEDAYN, Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. While immigration officials have used the tech for years, an October letter from the Department of Homeland Security obtained exclusively by The Associated Press details how those tools — some of them powered by AI — help make life-altering decisions for immigrants, including whether they should be detained or surveilled. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency’s supervision. Related Articles The letter, sent by DHS Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer Eric Hysen to the immigrant rights group Just Futures Law, revealed that the score calculates the potential risk that an immigrant — with a pending case — will fail to check in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The algorithm relies on several factors, he said, including an immigrant’s number of violations and length of time in the program, and whether the person has a travel document. Hysen wrote that ICE officers consider the score, among other information, when making decisions about an immigrant’s case. “The Hurricane Score does not make decisions on detention, deportation, or surveillance; instead, it is used to inform human decision-making,” Hysen wrote. Also included in the government’s tool kit is a mobile app called SmartLINK that uses facial matching and can track an immigrant’s specific location. Nearly 200,000 people without legal status who are in removal proceedings are enrolled in the Alternatives to Detention program, under which certain immigrants can live in the U.S. while their immigration cases are pending. In exchange, SmartLINK and GPS trackers used by ICE rigorously surveil them and their movements. The phone application draws on facial matching technology and geolocation data, which has been used before to find and arrest those using the app. Just Futures Law wrote to Hysen earlier this year, questioning the fairness of using an algorithm to assess whether someone is a flight risk and raising concerns over how much data SmartLINK collects. Such AI systems, which score or screen people, are used widely but remain largely unregulated even though some have been found to discriminate on race, gender or other protected traits. DHS said in an email that it is committed to ensuring that its use of AI is transparent and safeguards privacy and civil rights while avoiding biases. The agency said it is working to implement the Biden administration’s requirements on using AI , but Hysen said in his letter that security officials may waive those requirements for certain uses. Trump has publicly vowed to repeal Biden’s AI policy when he returns to the White House in January. “DHS uses AI to assist our personnel in their work, but DHS does not use the outputs of AI systems as the sole basis for any law enforcement action or denial of benefits,” a spokesperson for DHS told the AP. Trump has not revealed how he plans to carry out his promised deportation of an estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally. Although he has proposed invoking wartime powers, as well as military involvement, the plan would face major logistical challenges — such as where to keep those who have been detained and how to find people spread across the country — that AI-powered surveillance tools could potentially address. Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump, did not answer questions about how they plan to use DHS’ tech, but said in a statement that “President Trump will marshal every federal and state power necessary to institute the largest deportation operation” in American history. Over 100 civil society groups sent a letter on Friday urging the Office of Management and Budget to require DHS to comply with the Biden administration’s guidelines. OMB did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Just Futures Law’s executive director, Paromita Shah, said if immigrants are scored as flight risks, they are more likely to remain in detention, “limiting their ability to prepare a defense in their case in immigration court, which is already difficult enough as it is.” SmartLINK, part of the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, is run by BI Inc., a subsidiary of the private prison company The GEO Group. The GEO Group also contracts with ICE to run detention centers. ICE is tight-lipped about how it uses SmartLINK’s location feature to find and arrest immigrants. Still, public records show that during Trump’s first term in 2018, Manassas, Virginia-based employees of BI Inc. relayed immigrants’ GPS locations to federal authorities, who then arrested over 40 people. In a report last year to address privacy issues and concerns, DHS said that the mobile app includes security features that “prohibit access to information on the participant’s mobile device, with the exception of location data points when the app is open.” But the report notes that there remains a risk that data collected from people “may be misused for unauthorized persistent monitoring.” Such information could also be stored in other ICE and DHS databases and used for other DHS mission purposes, the report said. On investor calls earlier this month, private prison companies were clear-eyed about the opportunities ahead. The GEO Group’s executive chairman George Christopher Zoley said that he expects the incoming Trump administration to “take a much more aggressive approach regarding border security as well as interior enforcement and to request additional funding from Congress to achieve these goals.” “In GEO’s ISAP program, we can scale up from the present 182,500 participants to several hundreds of thousands, or even millions of participants,” Zoley said. That same day, the head of another private prison company told investors he would be watching closely to see how the new administration may change immigrant monitoring programs. “It’s an opportunity for multiple vendors to engage ICE about the program going forward and think about creative and innovative solutions to not only get better outcomes, but also scale up the program as necessary,” Damon Hininger, CEO of the private prison company CoreCivic Inc. said on an earnings call. GEO did not respond to requests for comment. In a statement, CoreCivic said that it has played “a valued but limited role in America’s immigration system” for both Democrats and Republicans for over 40 years.GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — While other teams around the NFL are seeing their injury lists grow as the season winds down, the Green Bay Packers appear to be getting healthy at just the right time. Not only is quarterback Jordan Love looking like himself after dealing with early-season left knee and groin injuries, but the rest of the roster is getting better, too. “I think every team that can realize their potential needs to be as healthy as they can be. And injuries are a part of this business,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “It is what it is in terms of the next man up, but obviously, you want the guys that are your starters to be available — especially as you get closer to the end of the year.” Love certainly has been rolling of late, completing 67.1% of his passes for 904 yards with six touchdowns and one interception (118.8 passer rating) over the past four games, owing some of his hot streak to simply being healthy again. “The name of the game is trying to stay as healthy as possible, especially late into the season,” Love said. “There’s definitely injuries that stack up and guys being out. To have everybody relatively healthy and to be able to have our top guys out there would be huge for us." The Packers (9-4) head into their Sunday night matchup with the Seahawks (8-5) in Seattle with only one player having been unable to take part in Wednesday’s practice at all: safety Javon Bullard. LaFleur said Bullard is week-to-week with an ankle injury he suffered in the team’s Dec. 5 loss at Detroit . The Packers got full participation from Jaire Alexander, who has missed four of the team’s last five games with a knee injury suffered at Jacksonville on Oct. 27, and wide receiver Romeo Doubs, who has missed the last two games with a concussion he suffered against San Francisco on Nov. 24. Although Alexander had practiced on a limited basis in recent weeks, he has missed the last three games and pulled himself out of the team’s Nov. 17 win at Chicago because of his knee. Getting Alexander back to face Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba would give a major lift to the Packers’ pass defense, currently ranked 21st with 222.2 yards per game allowed. “When I was watching him, he looked like he was moving around well, and we’ll just see how it transpires throughout the course of the week,” LaFleur said. “Hopefully, he’ll be ready to roll.” LaFleur said Doubs and rookie safety Evan Williams, who left the Packers’ 34-31 loss to the Lions because of a concussion, are still in the concussion protocol. But Williams was able to practice on a limited basis. Meanwhile, tight end Luke Musgrave, who hasn’t played a snap since injuring his left ankle during a a Sept. 29 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, has been designated for return from injured reserve. Musgrave took part in practice for the first time since undergoing surgery in early October to repair a torn ligament in the ankle. He said he only did individual drill work Wednesday, making it unlikely he would be activated this week. “Just going to ease back into it, but I feel good,” Musgrave said. “Still getting the cutting back, but overall, it feels good.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflSurveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigrationBIG TEN THIS WEEK

NoneSurveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration

Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration

In November, the OPEC Reference Basket (ORB) value dropped by $1.47, or 2.0%, month-on-month (m-o-m), to average $72.98/b. The ICE Brent front-month contract dropped by $1.98, or 2.6%, m-o-m, to average $73.40/b, while NYMEX WTI dropped by $2.02, or 2.8%, m-o-m, to average $69.54/b. GME Oman front-month contract dropped by $2.55, or 3.4%, m-o-m, to average $72.48/b. The ICE Brent-NYMEX WTI first month spread remained little changed, widening marginally by 4¢/b, m-o-m, to average $3.86/b. The forward curves of oil futures prices flattened further, with the nearest time spreads contracting but remaining in backwardation. Hedge funds and other money managers raised their net long positions but maintained a bearish stance on oil prices. The world economic growth forecasts remain unchanged at 3.1% for 2024 and 3.0% for 2025. The US economic growth forecast for 2024 is revised up slightly to 2.8%, reflecting robust growth in 2H24. For 2025, the US growth forecast is also revised up slightly to 2.2%. Japan’s growth forecast remains unchanged at 0.1% in 2024, but for 2025, it is revised up slightly to 1.0%. The Eurozone’s economic growth forecasts for 2024 and 2025 remain unchanged at 0.8%, and 1.2%, respectively. China’s economic growth forecasts remain unchanged at 4.9% for 2024 and 4.7% for 2025. India’s economic growth forecasts for 2024 and 2025 remain unchanged at 6.8%, and 6.3%, respectively. The economic growth forecast for Brazil is revised up slightly to 3.1% for 2024, but remains at 2.1% for 2025. Russia’s economic growth forecasts remain unchanged at 3.5% for 2024 and 1.7% for 2025. The global oil demand growth forecast for 2024 is revised down by 210 tb/d from the previous month’s assessment to 1.6 mb/d, year-on-year (y-o-y). This minor adjustment is mainly due to updated data for 1Q24, 2Q24 and 3Q24. In the OECD, oil demand is expected to grow by around 0.1 mb/d, while non-OECD demand is forecast to expand by close to 1.5 mb/d in 2024. Global oil demand growth for 2025 is also revised down by 90 tb/d from the previous month’s assessment to 1.4 mb/d, y-o-y. OECD demand is expected to grow by 0.1 mb/d, y-o-y, in 2025, while demand in the non-OECD is forecast to expand by 1.3 mb/d. Non-DoC liquids supply (i.e. liquids supply from countries not participating in the DoC) is expected to grow by 1.3 mb/d, y-o-y, in 2024, revised up slightly from last month’s assessment. The main growth drivers are expected to be the US and Canada. For 2025, the non-DoC liquids supply growth forecast is expected to grow by 1.1 mb/d, y-o-y, unchanged from last month. Growth is anticipated to be mainly driven by the US, Brazil, Canada, and Norway. Natural gas liquids (NGLs) and non-conventional liquids from countries participating in the DoC are forecast to grow by about 0.1 mb/d, y-o-y, in 2024 to average 8.3 mb/d, followed by an increase of about 80 tb/d, y-o-y, in 2025 to average 8.4 mb/d. Crude oil production by the countries participating in the DoC increased by 0.32 mb/d in November compared with the previous month, averaging about 40.67 mb/d, as reported by available secondary sources. In November, refinery margins rose further to show gains for the second consecutive month in key trading hubs. An improvement in product buying interest and lower feedstock prices underpinned product markets across regions despite rising refinery runs at the end of the heavy refinery maintenance season. On the US Gulf Coast (USGC), unplanned outages at secondary units led to upward pressure on US product crack spreads at the middle and bottom sections of the barrel. At the same time, diesel markets in Europe strengthened due to colder weather and rising heating requirements, while a boost in transport fuel loadings in China ahead of a tax rebate cut, effective from 1 December, provided further support. Global refinery intake began to recover in November, with the end of the heavy refinery turnaround season, rising by 1.3 mb/d, m-o-m, to average 80.2 mb/d, representing a y-o-y increase of 169 tb/d. Dirty spot freight rates fell across all monitored routes in November, continuing the decline seen at the end of the previous month, as higher vessel availability outpaced tonnage demand. On the Middle East-to-East route, VLCC spot freight rates decreased by 9%, m-o-m, in November, while rates on the West Africa-to-East route dropped by 10%. In the Suezmax market, rates on the US Gulf Coast-to-Europe route reversed the previous month’s gains, falling 25%, m-o-m. Aframax spot rates on the Caribbean-to-US East Coast route fell by 34%, retracting after a strong surge the month before. In the clean tanker market, East of Suez rates declined by 15% on average, while West of Suez rates jumped by 19%, m-o-m. Available data for November shows US crude imports recovering from the previous month’s decline to average 6.7 mb/d, as refiners returned from maintenance. US crude exports returned above 4 mb/d for the first time in four months, reflecting higher flows to Asia, as well as Europe. US product imports increased to 1.6 mb/d, amid higher flows of gasoline, while exports remained strong at 6.8 mb/d, also led by gasoline. Preliminary estimates for OECD Europe indicate crude imports in November were marginally higher, m-o-m, while product imports fell as lower inflows of diesel offset higher imports of fuel oil. In October, Japan’s crude imports declined by almost 12%, m-o-m, weighed down by softer domestic sales of refined products. Japan’s product imports were around 7% lower, m-o-m, as declines in naphtha, gasoline and gasoil outweighed increased imports of LPG and kerosene. In China, crude imports fell a further 5% compared to the previous month to average 10.6 mb/d in October, while net product imports increased by about 3%, m-o-m, as the decline in exports outpaced the drop in imports. In India, crude imports averaged 4.6 mb/d in October, representing a marginal gain over the previous month as ongoing refinery maintenance limited gains. India’s product exports fell back 24% following the previous month’s strong showing, with all major products registering declines. Preliminary October 2024 data shows total OECD commercial oil stocks down by 22.3 mb, m-o-m. At 2,777 mb, they were 169 mb below the 2015–2019 average. Among components, crude stocks rose by 7.9 mb, m-o-m, while product stocks fell by 30.2 mb, m-o-m. OECD commercial crude stocks stood at 1,324 mb, which is 130 mb less than the 2015–2019 average. OECD total product stocks stood at 1,453 mb, about 39 mb lower than the 2015–2019 average. In terms of days of forward cover, OECD commercial stocks rose by 0.3 days, m-o-m, in October, to stand at 60.8 days, which is 1.6 days below the 2015–2019 average. Demand for DoC crude (i.e. crude from countries participating in the Declaration of Cooperation) is revised down by 0.3 mb/d from the previous assessment, to stand at 42.4 mb/d in 2024. This is around 0.3 mb/d higher than the 2023 estimate. Demand for DoC crude in 2025 is revised down by around 0.4 mb/d from the previous month’s assessment to stand at 42.7 mb/d, around 0.3 mb/d higher than the estimate for 2024. Source: OPEC

Minnesota hunters registered 120,675 deer after the third weekend of the firearms deer season, up 6% from 2023, but down 4% from the five-year mean, or average, the Department of Natural Resources reported Tuesday, Nov. 26. Deer Season A opened Saturday, Nov. 9, and ended Nov. 17 in 200- and 300-series deer permit areas (DPAs) and continued through Nov. 24 in 100-series DPAs, which are mainly in the northern and northeastern part of the state. The Season B firearms deer season in 300-series DPAs opened Nov. 23 and continues through Sunday, Dec. 1. The firearms deer harvest by region after 16 days was as follows: According to Todd Froberg, big game program coordinator for the DNR at Whitewater Wildlife Management Area in Altura, Minnesota, the harvest really only increased in the Northwest, Northeast and Central regions during the rest of the 16-day season and then in the B season in the southeast part of the state. The 200-series DPAs only had the nine-day season, and there is only one DPA in the southwest region open during the ongoing B season, Froberg said. The cumulative harvest to date, which includes archery, firearm, early antlerless, youth and special hunts, was 153,390 deer, the DNR said. That’s up 3% from 2023, but down 6% from the five-year average and down 8% from the 10-year average. Cumulative tallies by region were as follows: In related deer hunting news, Minnesota archery hunters as of Tuesday had harvested 23,047 deer, Froberg said, up 12% from last year. Crossbows, which are legal for all archery hunters in Minnesota, are making up a greater percentage of the archery harvest, Froberg says. “Crossbows are making up 47% of (the) archery harvest,” he said. “For crossbow-specific harvest, we are up 24% compared to last year’s crossbow harvest. Vertical bow harvest is up 4% compared to last year’s vertical bow harvest.” Minnesota’s muzzleloader opens Saturday, Nov. 30, and continues through Sunday, Dec. 15. Archery season continues through Dec. 31. The DNR posts both statewide and by DPA, on its website at dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/deer/management/statistics.html.The S&P 500 index is a benchmark used to gauge the broader U.S. market. Its 500 large-cap and megacap components come from every sector of the economy, and reflect investing categories from value to growth. As those companies account for about 80% of the value of the U.S. stock market, the S&P 500 makes a fairly good proxy for it. However, each company's weight in the index is proportional to its market cap, and some companies have in recent years grown so big that now, just a few have a disproportionate amount of influence over it. Today, more than one-third of the S&P 500's value comes from just eight companies. The "Fateful Eight" If you follow the market, it should be no surprise that the broader market has become concentrated. High-flying tech and artificial intelligence stocks surged in price, with their gains offsetting hundreds of underperformers in the S&P 500 and carrying the index to a roughly 26% broader gain in 2024 (as of Dec. 27). Over the last two years, the S&P 500 is up by more than 55%. Here are the eight stocks that now make up roughly 34.4% of the market and their weights in the S&P 500: 1. Apple ( AAPL -1.32% ) : 7.66% 2. Nvidia ( NVDA -2.09% ) : 6.71% 3. Microsoft Corp ( MSFT -1.73% ) : 6.37% 4. Amazon ( AMZN -1.45% ) : 4.16% 5. Meta Platforms ( META -0.59% ) : 2.57% 6. Tesla ( TSLA -4.95% ) : 2.48% 7. Alphabet ( GOOGL -1.45% ) ( GOOG -1.55% ) : 2.24% 8. Broadcom ( AVGO -1.47% ) : 2.24% The first seven names have become known as the "Magnificent Seven" due to their massive market shares in their industries, their fortress balance sheets, and their incredible technological innovations. However, after Broadcom's market cap recently surged past the $1 trillion mark, a group of Wall Street pundits added it to the pack, dubbing the expanded group the "Fateful Eight." Their performances this year have (with one exception) been extraordinary. TSLA data by YCharts. Every stock in the Fateful Eight except Microsoft outperformed the S&P 500 in 2024. In fact, all of those other seven have at least doubled the gains of the broader market. However, consider that 168 stocks in the S&P 500 are down for the year, while more than 70% of the names in the index have underperformed it. Does this make the broader market risky? Some might wonder if investing in the broader market is safe considering that such a large proportion of its gains have come from such a narrow group of companies. Many of the Fateful Eight trade at nosebleed valuations, making them more vulnerable to pullbacks if they deliver weak earnings or miss their guidance, or if inflation reignites. After all, Treasury yields have marched higher, and many investors pared back their expectations for interest rate cuts in 2025. One assumption is that the market's gains will eventually broaden. If the lofty valuations on the Fateful Eight normalize, the rest of the stocks in the S&P 500, which generally trade at cheaper valuations, could appreciate, offsetting the impact of that normalization. However, some market strategists now view these big tech names as defensive plays, assuming that in an economic environment featuring more inflation and fewer interest rate cuts, mere mortal companies will suffer and investors will flee to safety in the Fateful Eight. These are interesting dynamics, and I do not know what the future holds. However, I think it's important for investors to understand that when they look at some metrics intended to reflect the broader market, the picture they present is not as diverse right now as it usually is. Because of that, the S&P 500 could be susceptible to a big pullback due to its high concentration in tech mega-caps stocks. Risks remain because inflation could reignite, and a recession is also not out of the question, although economic data does not currently suggest one is imminent. For investors who are concerned about the concentration risks in the S&P 500, one option would be to invest in a fund like the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF ( RSP -0.68% ) . Every quarter, equal-weight funds rebalance their holdings back to a condition where each company in the portfolio accounts for the same share of the total -- an even weighting not based on market cap. Equal-weighted S&P 500 funds have vastly underperformed standard S&P 500 funds this year, but they would be more resilient if the members of the Fateful Eight experience a pullback, or if the market's growth from here shifts toward the stocks that have been laggards lately.

NoneNoneSurveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration

UCLA football has one last chance to make an impression

Notable quotes by Jimmy CarterThe US egg industry kills 350M chicks a year. New technology offers an alternative

JERUSALEM — Israel approved a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah militants on Tuesday that would end nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire, starting at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday, would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza , where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Hours before the ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 42 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. There appeared to be lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the U.S.-France-brokered ceasefire agreement after Netanyahu presented it, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . President-elect Donald Trump vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. In this screen grab image from video provide by the Israeli Government Press Office, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes a televised statement Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Jerusalem, Israel. Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” A police bomb squad officer inspects the site where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel, Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024. Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Rescuers and residents search for victims Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Beirut, Lebanon. Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it called Hezbollah targets across Lebanon while the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously were not targeted. The warnings sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, with mattresses tied to some cars. Dozens of people, some wearing pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said peacekeepers will not evacuate. Israeli soldiers inspect the site Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024, where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel. The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few miles from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 20 miles north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have exchanged barrages ever since. Israeli security officers and army soldiers inspect the site Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024, where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel. Israel escalated its bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut and Federman from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.JERUSALEM — The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants began early Wednesday as a region on edge wondered whether it will hold. The ceasefire announced Tuesday is a major step toward ending nearly 14 months of fighting sparked by the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Israel said it will attack if Hezbollah breaks the ceasefire agreement. The ceasefire calls for an initial two-month halt to fighting and requires Hezbollah to end its armed presence in southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops are to return to their side of the border. An international panel led by the United States will monitor compliance. The ceasefire began at 4 a.m. Wednesday, a day after Israel carried out its most intense wave of airstrikes in Beirut since the start of the conflict that in recent weeks turned into all-out war. At least 42 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities. Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. The ceasefire does not address the devastating war in Gaza , where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. There appeared to be lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the U.S.-France-brokered ceasefire agreement after Netanyahu presented it, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. Israel says it will ‘attack with might’ if Hezbollah breaks truce Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” A police bomb squad officer inspects the site where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel, Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024. Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Warplanes bombard Beirut and its southern suburbs Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it called Hezbollah targets across Lebanon while the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously were not targeted. Residents fled. Traffic was gridlocked, with mattresses tied to some cars. Dozens of people, some wearing pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said peacekeepers will not evacuate. Israeli soldiers inspect the site Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024, where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel. Israeli forces reach Litani River in southern Lebanon The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few kilometers (miles) from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah is required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have exchanged barrages ever since. Israel escalated its bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. Israeli security officers and army soldiers inspect the site Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024, where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut and Federman from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.The UN General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, a symbolic gesture rejected by the United States and Israel. The resolution -- adopted by a vote of 158-9, with 13 abstentions -- urges "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire," and "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages" -- wording similar to a text vetoed by Washington in the Security Council last month. At that time, Washington used its veto power on the Council -- as it has before -- to protect its ally Israel, which has been at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. It has insisted on the idea of making a ceasefire conditional on the release of all hostages in Gaza, saying otherwise that Hamas has no incentive to free those in captivity. Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood repeated that position Wednesday, saying it would be "shameful and wrong" to adopt the text. Ahead of the vote, Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon said: "The resolutions before the assembly today are beyond logic. (...) The vote today is not a vote for compassion. It is a vote for complicity." The General Assembly often finds itself taking up measures that cannot get through the Security Council, which has been largely paralyzed on hot-button issues such as Gaza and Ukraine due to internal politics, and this time is no different. The resolution, which is non-binding, demands "immediate access" to widespread humanitarian aid for the citizens of Gaza, especially in the besieged north of the territory. Dozens of representatives of UN member states addressed the Assembly before the vote to offer their support to the Palestinians. "Gaza doesn't exist anymore. It is destroyed," said Slovenia's UN envoy Samuel Zbogar. "History is the harshest critic of inaction." That criticism was echoed by Algeria's deputy UN ambassador Nacim Gaouaoui, who said: "The price of silence and failure in the face of the Palestinian tragedy is a very heavy price, and it will be heavier tomorrow." Hamas's October 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. That count includes hostages who died or were killed while being held in Gaza. Militants abducted 251 hostages, 96 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed at least 44,805 people, a majority of them civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run health ministry that is considered reliable by the United Nations. "Gaza today is the bleeding heart of Palestine," Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour said last week during the first day of debate in the Assembly's special session on the issue. "The images of our children burning in tents, with no food in their bellies and no hopes and no horizon for the future, and after having endured pain and loss for more than a year, should haunt the conscience of the world and prompt action to end this nightmare," he said, calling for an end to the "impunity." The Gaza resolution calls on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to present "proposals on how the United Nations could help to advance accountability" by using existing mechanisms or creating new ones based on past experience. The Assembly, for example, created an international mechanism to gather evidence of crimes committed in Syria starting from the outbreak of civil war in 2011. A second resolution calling on Israel to respect the mandate of the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and allow it to continue its operations was passed Wednesday by a vote of 159-9 with 11 abstentions. Israel has voted to ban the organization starting January 28, after accusing some UNRWA employees of taking part in Hamas's devastating attack. abd/sst/jgc

1. The Book of Unusual Knowledge — a perfect gift option for your love who is forever rattling off random facts without rhyme or reason. Add some fuel to their fire with this 750-page (!!!) book that's packed to the brim with facts and trivia. Promising review: "My best friend is always telling me new facts about the most random things so when I saw this, I knew it had to be added to his bookshelf. And let me tell you the list of random facts keeps on coming. Yeah, yeah, I know... the internet... but sometimes it’s nice to disconnect from technology and read a real book. Couldn’t be happier with this purchase." — Gregory Get it from Amazon for $9.99 and if they already have it there are other versions to check out, such as: The Book of Extraordinary Facts , The Book of Incredible Information , The Book of Useless Information , The Book of Answers , The Book of Weird and Unusual Trivia and The Book of 10,000 Incredible Facts . 2. A slouchy faux-suede bag you might not be able to resist adding one into your cart for yourself as well (it is nearly the holidays, after all) — I'd apologize, but I'm truly not sorry because this bag is fab-u-lous, JW Pei is an Asian- and family-owned small biz with minimalist accessory designs made with sustainable and vegan materials. TikTok is LOVING this bag — check it out here ! BuzzFeed shopping editor Kayla Boyd is a huge fan and has written about her JW Pei collection so check it out! Get it from Amazon for $79.20 (available in four colors). 3. A jar of Momofuku's chili crunch they can use to jazz up everything from eggs to ice cream. It's made with three types of Mexican chilis, crunchy garlic, and shallots to add heat and texture to every bite — their tastebuds won't know what hit 'em. BuzzFeed editor Bek O'Connell really adores this jar of goodness: "I put this stuff on everything! It just makes food taste better. I highly recommend to any fellow spicy lovers looking for the perfect topping. This chili oil comes with seasoned salts, Mexican chilis, dried garlic, and shallots." Get it from Amazon for $10.39 (available in four flavors and as a multipack). 4. Rainbow drip taper candles that'll transform before their very eyes into a magical masterpiece as they burn — they can go ahead and put those boring old birthday candles aside. Promising review: " These have to be the coolest thing I have ever purchased. I have them in an empty wine bottle. I will be buying many more to cover the entire bottle in wax." — Bre Get them from Amazon for $6.99 . 5. COSRX Snail Mucin 96% Power Repairing Essence that’ll have them wondering if Gary the Snail has been the reason SpongeBob has been looking GOOOOOD for all of these years — it soothes damaged skin while also repairing dark spots and improving skin vitality. Promising review: "Um...WOW! I have used so many products to help with my dry, red, and inflamed skin. During the winter it is so hard to keep my skin moisturized through out the day. Within two days I saw such a huge difference. So calming and gives you a nice, moisturized glow. I feel so much better knowing my skin is healing. I will use this in my routine for the rest of my life!" — Christina A. Get it from Amazon for $19.50 . 6. A dimmable sad duck night-light guaranteed to bring a smile to their face each time they glance down at it. He'll not-so-happily become their daily desk companion. (We all need one, honestly.) Promising review : "I ordered this lamp because of its appearance. I didn't NEED a depressed duck lamp ... but it has totally filled a void in my life I didn't know existed. Everyone who sees it pokes it. The lamp is actually very functional. It's got a really nice set of brightness options and the glow is yellowish, which is much nicer than white in a dim/dark room. One thing that isn't mentioned in the description is that its legs are utterly floppy. It's terrific." — Literated Get it from Amazon for $15.99 . 7. Claw clips made to work with *all* hair types — yes, even if they've broken their hairbrush while trying to comb through your bedhead, they can rock one of these beauties! Promising review: "I have a LOT of hair and it’s pretty wavy and thick. I have a very hard time finding clips that can hold all of it. What’s nice about these particular clips is that the material is a little bit flexible . Usually the big clips are hard plastic and they’re constantly breaking. These won’t do that as they have some give to them and they clasp well. They have several colors that can coordinate with wardrobe. Glad I got them!!" — LeighAnn Get a pack of four from Amazon for $8.99+ (also available as a pack of eight and in three styles). 8. A set of the *new* lightweight wireless "floating" open-air earbuds designed to settle just over your ear instead of inside it. It might just be the perfect gift to your brother who's infamous for losing his headphones — and gets too in the zone when actually wearing said headphones. These keep you ~aware~ of what's going on around you. Reviewers who run or sweat a lot during workouts especially swear by these, because the flexible ear loops lock them in place! Check out a TikTok of the open air ear buds in action. Promising review: "Amazing sound quality! I have owned many headphones and none have been as good as these. There's always the problem with the in-ear ones that they tend to fall off, and the over-ear-ones are just too bulky or hurt to wear for long periods of time. And most importantly being able to wear them not only for audio but for calls too and have a good microphone. These headphones cover all of the above and more . They are lightweight, they don't bother my ears in any way, they don't fall off, they have a good mic, and no sound leaking at all!!!! Best purchase I've done! Now I'm tempted to try other headphones from Tozo ." — Cliente de Kindle Get it from Amazon for $45.99 (clip the $10 off coupon on the product page for this price; available in four colors). 9. A mug warmer because when it's cold outside there is nothing better than being able to wrap your hands around a hot bev — this lil' gadget won't take up much room at all and will ensure that their drink remains the perfect temperature. Promising review: "It's so nice to work on the computer and reach for the coffee ☕️ and it's still hot or warm your choice. Great buy." — Chip Wood Get it from Amazon for $19.98 . 10. And a Gilmore Girls mug if their life's goal is to drink as much coffee as Lorelai and Rory (good luck). Enter the Kirk TikTok sound : "I love your daughter" "What do you have to offer her?" "Nothing. Only this." This , being the mug, of course. Additionally, Silver Buffalo is a small business! Promising review: "It's a cup of happiness. LOL i believe there is a science in the mug you choose every morning for your coffee. Product wise, it is very good quality, colorful, dishwasher safe. Worth the purchase," — Dana Get it from Amazon for $25.99 . 11. An updated version of the Taylor Swift Little Golden Book fans will take one look and say I'm "enchanted to meet you." The new *~style~* comes with 22 (ooOoOh ooOoOh) bonus pages including stickers and fill-in-the-blank activities. You might find see a lil' Travis cameo within. 😉 I have this book (as pictured above) and by that I mean the second I saw it available for pre-order I added it to my cart faster than you could say "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together." As the parent of a 2-year-old and a 6-month-old, I have many Little Golden Books in my home. However, this one is just STUNNING. I'm a big fan of Taylor (obviously) but was really enamored by how beautiful the pages in the first version was — so, naturally, I had to get the updated version! It's a short book, looks cute on my daughter's shelf, and is a hit for bedtime story time with my son who has, ahem, been mildly encouraged to *also* love Taylor Swift. What more could you want??? Get it from Amazon for $8.78 . Note: If they're a diehard Taylor fan here are some other book options they might enjoy: The Story of Taylor Swift: An Inspiring Biography for Young Readers You Are Fearless: A Book for the Littlest Taylor Swift Fans Let's Meet Taylor: Story of the Superstar Taylor Swift Taylor Swift Style: Fashion Through the Eras 12. A set of LED lightsaber chopsticks that'll make their weekly sushi lunches just a bit more fun. Promising review: "I purchased these for a friend's birthday present (he is a sushi waiter) and these are flippin' AMAZING. I ordered two sets by mistake, but I am totally keeping the second pair for another gift (or for myself!). These are sure to be great conversation pieces and attention-getters. Way to go!" — T. Redwood Get two pairs from Amazon for $12.97 . 13. A sleek time-marked water bottle they'll love for its aesthetic — must-have for anyone who has been very meticulous about what they display on their desk. Arcana is a small business that sells stylish, practical water bottles. Promising review: "Saw it on TikTok and thought it would be a great bottle for work. It is very sleek and lightweight enough to carry when you have other items in your hand. I love the modern look and cleans very easily! The time increments really do motivate, definitely ordering again for myself and gifts. Fast delivery and very nice packaging." — Rosa Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in three colors and two sizes). 14. An "Awakened Artifacts" puzzle from the TikTok-famous Magic Puzzle Company for the hardcore puzzler in your life *or* someone who just needs to zone out and lock into something fun. And this is even better than a regular puzzle because once it's assembled, you can use the easter eggs to solve the puzzle 's puzzle. Promising review: "Bought this as soon as I got the email that it dropped on Amazon! Love this series and will continue to purchase them. Was it the most challenging puzzle? No, but that didn't take away from the fun of putting it together. Great artwork, wacky pieces, two posters, you just can't go wrong with a magic puzzle!" — Jennifer Lawton Get it from Amazon for $22.99 . This is one of 14 puzzles from the Magic Puzzle Company , so there's lots of other ~puzzling~ possibilities once this one's finished! 15. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza — a card game they can play with their squad (turn it into a drinking game?!) on cold winter nights. You deal all the cards out to your two to four players, and everyone keeps their mini-deck face down. Everyone takes a turn putting a card down in the middle of the table, saying one of the words "taco," "cat," "goat," "cheese," and "pizza," in that order. If the picture on your card matches the word that's said, everyone slaps their hand on the card in a pile as quickly as possible. The last person on the pile has to take the stack and add 'em to their cards, and whoever runs out of cards first wins! Get it from Amazon for $9.95 . 16. A cleverly designed rechargeable electric candle lighter with a flexible neck to light every candle in their house to create the *perfect* ambiance without concern they'll run out of lighter fluid. Promising review: "I cook outside, and lighting a fire during wet and windy weather was a real pain. This lighter was a game changer! As long as the material is dry, this lighter will light regularly, consistently, and easily. Plus, it’s rechargeable! Love it!" — Sandra Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in seven colors and as a two-pack). 17. And a zodiac-inspired candle you can count on to make their home smell divine while also adding a pretty piece of decor to the room. Each one is adorned with three healing crystals and a crackling wood wick. Dancing Bear is a small business! Promising review: "I bought as a gift. Looks pretty, smells good and the crystals are lovely! Nice size and a great gift idea for someone hard to buy for. I will definitely be getting myself one!" — Lisa Menor Get it from Amazon for $19.95 (available in 24 styles). 18. A Birthdate pendant featuring gemstones and crystals based on their astrology and day of birth (obvs) because who doesn't love something customized JUST for them? Birthdate Co. is an Asian-owned small business! I have one of these necklaces and it really is gorgeous. I love layering it with other pieces of jewelry that I already own. I love that it comes with a complete explainer of each stone that is included in the necklace and why it was chosen. For example, my specific birth date features a sapphire (for presence of mind), a pearl (for purity), a white topaz (for focus and vision), and an emerald (my birth stone).Such a fun and special necklace anyone would be delighted to get as a gift! Get it from Birthdate Candles for $149 (available in gold or silver). 19. A " Grievance Journal ," aka a "burn book for the discerning misanthrope" that your friend with the darkest humor will find especially cathartic thanks to 52 prompts to express irritations over what's bothering them the most. Promising review : "Bought this intending to gift it to a friend but ended up getting really into the prompts and decided to keep it for myself. WOW, what an awesome way to vent and articulate the negativity you're feeling by actually forcing yourself to form coherent thoughts around your emotions. Cheaper and more effective than therapy, buying several more for friends and fam. " — Alex Get it from Amazon for $27.99 . If your recipient wants something a little less grim, check out this Burn After Writing book with a similar but lighter sentiment. 20. A handheld lamp they will surely find themselves *mooning* over each night. It'll bring a magical ambience to their room, just you wait. Check out a TikTok of the moon lamp in action. BuzzFeed writer Emma Lord is obsessed with this gadget: "UMMMM I bought this because it was on one of Amazon's top selling products pages for so long that I was like 'Why are people so obsessed with this moon!!' And now, my friends, I know. First of all, it really does look hyper realistically like a small moon and adds a chill vibe wherever you plant it. But it's also just so soothing to watch and have in the periphery . You can control dozens of different colors for it and either keep it on those colors or have them alternate, fade uickly, or fade gradually. It's super easy to charge and controlled by a remote, so you can move it off its stand and have it light up wherever you want. These days I tend to turn it on for my designed ~me time~ night every week, in which I will light a candle, pour a glass of red wine, read a romance novel, and, of course, light my lil' moon. Definitely one of my favorite 'the internet made me do it' purchases." Get it from Amazon for $19.98+ (available in six sizes). 21. A One Line a Day journal to provide anyone with a place to jot down a quick daily memory they can look back on for years to come — it'll last them five years! I was given one of these five years ago and it's become a cherished part of my nightly routine. The best part is when you get to the second year and can look back at what you did a year ago from that day. Promising review: "I am loving these journals! I got two — one for each of my boys (a baby and a toddler), and each day, I am writing down a short memory with each of them. I feel like it's the perfect solution for a tired mama who doesn't have time to journal pages and pages, but wants to hold onto sweet memories from when the kids are little . Can't wait to see how they grow over the five years contained in the journals!" — Kathy W. Kuegler Get it from Amazon for $15.26 . 22. A selfie-worthy carbonated clay mask that exfoliates blackheads along with other skin impurities while it bubbles up and looks downright hilarious. Promising review: "Wow! I purchased this on a whim after seeing one of my favorite YouTubers try it out. I didn't expect a lot from it. I tried it out and was shocked!!! The mask was simple (and fun) to use. I wasn't sure I felt a lot happening while it was on, but it was pretty cool how the bubbles started to grow off of my face. Upon inspection after using this mask I was completely amazed. My face felt cleaner than it has in a very long time AND my pores looked amazing! I don't remember a time when I felt like my pores looked great before using this mask. I would highly recommend this mask to anyone. It's also so much cheaper than the GlamGlow ones I have been using (and didn't see near these results from)." — Phil Textor Get it from Amazon for $8.65+ (available in multipacks). 23. Laneige glowy lip balm in a variety of delectable scents — regardless of whether you commit to "Gummy Bear" or "Grapefruit" you'll be rewarded with hydrated and soft lips all day long. Promising review: "I’ve been searching for the holy grail of lip balms, and THIS IS IT. Seriously. I’ve been on the hunt for years, using everything from fancy French balms to plain organic nut butter, and have always needed to reapply hourly. This stuff is magic. Just the tiniest dot is needed to keep my lips super soft and hydrated for hours, even through drinking and eating. The grapefruit smells great but isn’t overwhelming. I’ll never go back to anything else." — Spectacle Get it from Amazon for $19 (available in nine formulas). 24. A "Cup Cozy Pillow" — aka an absolute essential for achieving peak comfort goals in your pal's living room. It features a spot to hold their remote, two mugs, and two additional beverages. They honestly may never want to leave their couch again. Cup Cozy Pillow is a small business that specializes in family-friendly snack and drink organizers. Check out a TikTok of the Cup Cozy Deluxe Pillow in action. Promising review: "This thing is great! I’m home on maternity leave with my new baby and spend most of my time on the couch under a sleeping baby. This product makes it easy for me to keep my drinks, remote, etc close by even with dogs running around . It’s a little more expensive than I would have liked but it works and I love it so money well spent!" — Amber Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (available in eight styles). 25. A chunky knit chenille blanket to bury themselves under because it's simply that time of year – it comes in so many colors you'll absolutely be able to snag one that matches their room's vibe. It's also hypoallergenic *and* machine washable! It's big enough that the two of you can snuggle under it. Samiah Luxe is a small business! Promising review: "Love this look. Makes the room look and feel cozy. But then the blanket ACTUALLY is cozy! Super soft. Heavy. Warm. Worth the money." — Tracy W. Get it from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in three sizes and eight colors). 26. A foot heater for anyone with perpetually cold tootsies — fire this bad boy up, turn on The Great British Baking Show , and enjoy the warmth you’re guaranteed to feel from head-to-toe (literally). Promising review: "I love this product. It's well built, nice neutral colors to blend into my carpet so it's not an eyesore wherever I have it sitting. The fuzziness lends a cozy feel to it, as well. It offers a heat or no-heat setting and two directions for the shiatsu style massagers to work on your heels. The inside is roomy enough that you can even turn your feet on their side to get extra massage there as well. It's a gentle yet deep massage, so it's great for days where you've been standing for hours or walking on your feet a lot. I would recommend to anyone looking for a nice foot massager." — Gardener Get it from Amazon for $45.99 (available in two colors). 27. A self-stirring mug they can count on to flawlessly blend their sugar and creamer into their freshly brewed coffee. Check out a TikTok of the self-stirring mug in action. Promising review : "I'm a huge fan of coffee and I need it in daily life. Absolutely loving this new cup! Easy and quick to mix your coffee and milk, pretty handy! Cleaning the cup couldn't be easier with the self stirring function , just put a little dab of soap, fill the mug half way with water, turn it on and let it do its own thing." — Lina Get it from Amazon for $26.99 (available in five colors). 28. A sunrise alarm clock to wake them up so pleasantly they'll forget that they're supposed to be cranky about heading off to work. This lovely lil' gadget has seven different light settings, calming "wake up" noises, and can be set to gradually get brighter at 30, 20, or 10 minutes. Promising review: "I got this recommendation from TikTok and it really has helped especially with Oregon winters where the sun is not out by the time the alarm rings. It has several peaceful alarm settings and even has night music to put you to sleep. The sunrise with the alarm piano is what I play to wake me up every morning and it is a way better way than to wake up to an annoying phone alarm." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $39.98 . 29. A Kindle for any lit lover whose main goal at all times is to plow through a *ton* of books on their TBR list — this will ensure they can have *tons* of books at their fingertips at all times. I have a Kindle and surprisingly have become a big fan of it — especially when traveling. While I absolutely prefer a hardcover book, it's nearly impossible to put more than two (which is a stretch in itself) in my suitcase along with my clothes, shoes, toiletries, etc. I read most of my books these days through the Libby app (all you need is a library card for access) which can be used via your phone or Kindle. No need to spend tons of money on novels when I simply am not someone who rereads them! This latest version sports a 7-inch glare-free screen and a battery that'll last WEEKS! Get it from Amazon for $159 (available in three colors and with/without lock screen ads). 30. A subscription to Book of the Month because there are few things as soothing to a bibliophile as cracking open a hardcover book while kicking back in the sunshine. They also offer audiobooks if that's more their speed! I was gifted a BOTM subscription many years ago and I've stayed loyal since! It's the only subscription service I've kept up with and gifted to different people. Each month your gift recipient will be permitted to choose from a selection of books (and more recently, audiobooks!), all of which are different genres. Then the book they select will be delivered to their door. Half of my beautifully color coordinated bookcase is filled with books from BOTM and I couldn't be happier! Get three months from Book of the Month for $59.99 . 31. A Renpho percussion massager — a must-have if they're forever complaining about the knots in their back and wishing they could take a daily trip to the spa. Check out a TikTok of the massager in action. Promising review: " I have tried EVERYTHING for my feet, nothing works and I am always in pain. It came, I tried it out, and I thought wow, that feels AWESOME. But the true test is how do you feel the next day right? You cannot always walk around with a massage gun in your hand. The next day, I felt AMAZING. AMAZING. I used it on my hubby's back too, and he said he felt so much better today as well! In addition, this one is way QUIETER than my original massage gun. It's just really a quality piece. You won't be disappointed in this one. It really is what it says. I know it is hard to choose from all the models on the internet, but this one is the real deal. It's worth the money if you have pain." — L Johnson Get it from Amazon for $89.99 (available in three colors). 32. A reviewer-beloved ~croc~ veggie chopper they can use to dice onions in a flash — save the uncontrollable crying for the next Hallmark holiday movie. It can also spiralize, slice, and chop! Promising review: "I bought this as a gift for my husband, who loves cooking AND crocodiles! He loves it! Best of all, it works great too. We’ve used it so many times, and the blades are still sharp. It’s easy to use and clean. Love it!" — Niki Mitchell Get it from Amazon for $34.99 . 33. Crayola Globbles , a fun lil' toy they can use to burn off some steam in between meetings or when they just need a quick mental break. Don't worry, they won't leave residue on their walls. Check them out on TikTok ! Promising review : " My daughter is 4 and plays with these DAILY! YES they do attract dirt and hair HOWEVER they are so easy to rinse off, it's not a big deal! We took these to a family gathering and ended up giving two away because they were SO loved! The two we gave away went to a 12-year-old and my 19-year-old brother. They discovered throwing them at the ceiling fan and watching them shoot across the room which was pretty entertaining! None of these have busted or ripped and they are definitely NOT gentle with them! I will definitely be buying more! " — Kindle Customer Get a pack of six from Amazon for $9.53+ (also available in a pack of 16). 34. A Baby Nessie Loose Leaf Tea Infuser they'll want to show off to everyone and anyone, but especially their roommate who doesn't "believe in silly fairytales." Promising review: "So stinking cute and works great. I had no loose tea in my cup at all. Easy to clean." — Adriane R. Get it from Amazon for $14.95 . 35. AirPod cases designed to look like a classic roll of Hubba Bubba Bubble Tape and a mini can of Arizona Green Tea — aka what they likely spent all of their allowance on in the '90s. Promising review: "I love these so freaking much!! They look exactly like the pictures. They fit and work great. They are protective and I love the fact that there’s already a clip on them. Great quality, the details and text are clear." — Raven Get them from Amazon for $8.99 . 36. Lightning earrings with flat backing so they can lay down on the couch for a snooze without being poked with every turn of their head. I have a number of piercings in my ears (including these!) and wear my Maison Miru earrings daily. They don't tarnish or feel too heavy — it's not even an issue to sleep or workout in them! They're one of my go-to brands for delicate jewelry. Get them from Maison Miru for $85+ (available in 18-karat gold or silver). 37. A ceramic mug and saucer set that'll help them get their head out of the clouds and come back down to earth with every sip of coffee they take. Caffeine is queen, baby. The mug and saucer are dishwasher and microwave safe. Promising review: "Perfect. I am literally obsessed!! I saw this in a TikTok video and the reality is even better." — Sev Luke Get it from Amazon for $23.98+ (available in 17 styles). 38. Butterfly bandages , because they're an adult and know a kiss won't actually make their scrape better, but a bandage that looks a hug from a butterfly just might. Hug-a-BooBoo is a small business — check their other fun themed bandages here! Promising review: "The cutest and strongest bandaids I ever bought! My niece loves butterflies so I figured these are the perfect ones for her. It comes in a variety of colors and are super easy and comfortable to put on. They are excellent for young kids and adults who love butterflies. 🦋❤️" — Michelle Get a box of 24 from Amazon for $7.99 . 39. A "Gracula" garlic crusher they might accidentally mistake for a children's toy — but it's so much more! With a few twists they can use it to mince garlic, ginger, nuts, chilis, and herbs. See, no need to be afraid of this mythical creature. Promising review: "I love this little guy. I found him on a BuzzFeed list and had to have it as soon as I saw it! I’ve minced as many as five cloves in it in seconds. It’s a little tricky getting all of the garlic out once minced (I use a silicone basting brush to get most of it but I always use more than the recipe calls for anyway so it’s not a deal breaker). Cleanup is a breeze because he goes right in the dishwasher! " — Barbie Get it from Amazon for $18.95 . 40. A Bluetooth speaker with an adorable '90s feel to it they can program with fun pixelated messages, a clock, and animations galore! This lil' gadget has RGB-backlit buttons and, of course, has the ability to play music and podcasts. Check out an unboxing TikTok from @thatkawaiigrl ! BuzzFeed editor Jenae Sitzes loves hers! You can read more on why it's one of her favorite pieces of desk decor here . Promising reviews : "I actually impulsively purchased this because I saw it on TikTok. I have had it for a little over a month now, and it is actually the best item I have purchased in a while. I admit, there is a slight learning curve when setting it up because there is not a clear-cut instructions guide for all of the features, but once you figure it out, it’s so worth it. It is really multifunctional and you can customize it to your liking. I really love the mini games feature on here, like Tetris and Snake , because they all bring back childhood memories for me. My favorite part is the fact that it works as a speaker and when I play music, I can have little videos sync to the music. Who knew a tiny little speaker could bring me so much joy. It is a bit pricy though, but it is just so cute. If you’re looking for a sign to buy this, here’s your sign." — Khuyen Nguyen Get it from Amazon for $79.99 (available in five colors). 41. A darling glass water jug adorned in daisies that are s'cute they'll make them long for springtime all the time. Promising review: "Bought this to encourage my girlfriend to drink more water and it worked lol. And she's always telling me how she gets compliments from the 'girlies' in college lol. A great purchase." — Azi Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in six styles). 42. A set of moisturizing animal-themed sheet masks they won't be able to resist belly laughing over when they apply them — they can team up with their friends for a very strange spa night and get those giggles out! Promising review : "I bought these to do a spa day with my niece. We had so much fun, and my face was soft for days afterward. I enjoyed them so much that I bought them again and gave them out for Christmas. Then I bought another set for myself and even shared with co-workers. I don't think it is just the facemask that makes my face look brighter, but also the joy and fun of the prints when you wear them with family and friends. " — Nina M Munoz-Najera Get a set of six from Amazon for $13.75 (available in six packs). 43. A jewelry box designed to look like a frosted cake you'd imagine a toddler diving into hands-first on their birthday. It's likely what you would find in the dictionary next to "pretty in pink" and simply deserves a spot in their home. 2FACEDCAKES is a small business that sells nostalgic, handmade jewelry boxes. Promising review: "It’s even better than I could have hoped!!! I am obsessed with it" — kateeherald Get it from 2FACEDCAKES on Etsy for $46+ (available with or without glitter and with customization of the piping color/wording). 44. A pair of Apple AirPods Pro with noise cancellation to ensure their next flight is, in fact, a peaceful one. Thanks to these bad boys they can blast Taylor Swift for hours, watch endless episodes of Real Housewives and block out the sound of their annoying neighbor's snoring. They come with three sizes of silicone tips to comfortably fit your ears and a charging case that provides more than 24 hours of listening time. I absolutely could not live without these — the noise canceling is absolutely essential for working from home (with kids). I swear by these babies. BuzzFeed Shopping writer Emma Lord loves these: "I have a pair of these, and they're not playing around. Once they're securely in your ear, you can toggle the headphones between noise-cancelling and regular sound, depending on your situation. I've been working from home, and the noise canceling is so effective that I can work next to a window where my neighbor is doing heavy construction and I don't hear anything louder than a faint buzzing. It's quieter than if I'd just plugged my ears with my own fingers. I'm also a runner, and these don't budge when you're sweating, which is nice. It's also handy that these toggle out of noise-cancellation mode, because I feel better being able to hear traffic and other people around me when I'm out and about. The TL;DR is: I love these so much I have zero interest in owning another pair of headphones for as long as I live. " For more, read her full AirPod Pros review ! Get them from Amazon for $245 . 45. Or a pair of Beats Studio Pro wireless headphones you might want to say "screw it" and buy for yourself while you’re already filling your cart with gifts for everyone else. *Extremely Martin Short voice* "I like your Beats." Promising review: "Sounds quality is so good, sometimes it made my head hurt and ears bc of the fit, but it’s kinda comfortable, it’s very loud, and the bass is good. Noise-canceling is so good, I be thinking the earth is quiet, but it’s just the headphones that make it sound like that." — Lolo Get them from Amazon for $249.99 (available in eight colors) 46. A Nintendo Switch OLED with a 7-inch screen, a wide adjustable stand, enhanced audio, and an overall pleasant gaming experience they'll be thrilled to play. They can kickstart their "cozy gamer" lifestyle by purchasing soothing games like Disney Dreamlight Valley or take a more ambitious approach with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom . I have the Nintendo Switch OLED and am a big fan! My husband has the original Switch and I have the Switch Lite, but this newest version has definitely made a good impression on me. I wasn't always enthused with the original version (my hands are small!) but, despite this one being similar in size, the OLED feels a lot lighter and easy to hold. The colors are the screen are beautiful and *so* clear. It connects very easily to the TV, so you can play multiplayer games at any time! Promising review: "Starting off The OLED switch takes things to the next level. I used to play a lot of Mario games many years before, and I didn’t think I’d ever go back to playing Mario again. Nintendo has made it easy to play a lot of my favorite Mario games from back in the day through the online store. Amazon helped ensure that I had confidence with the delivery of my package, they sent me an OTP password through email to help ensure my package was delivered to the right person. I am very grateful to Amazon for helping provide me with a wonderful experience." — Jose A. Hernandez Get it from Amazon for $349 (available in two styles). 47. An iconic espresso martini phone case so they can look the part when they send out the weekly group text to rally the troops for tinis. Promising review: "Absolutely love this case! Looks even cuter in person that it does already online and I know my phone is well protected with it. A win win!" — Mary G. Get it from Velvet Caviar for $28 (available for iPhone and Galaxy devices and in four other designs). 48. A Ninja Creami they can use to pretend they're Cinderella's Fairy Godmother and turn a handful of ingredients into a delectable frozen treat. My apologies to Ben and Jerry, because they'll be whipping up their own dessert from here on out. Yuuuum! Check out a TikTok of the Ninja Creami in action. All you have to do put your fave foods into the containers and freeze them. After 24 hours in the freezer, hook up your machine, select the appropriate preset, and you'll have a yummy treat. Oh! And the containers, lids, and paddle are top-rack dishwasher safe. Check out what BuzzFeed Shopping contributor Jessica Hall thinks of it: "As a wannabe fitness girly, I have started paying a bit more attention to the foods I eat, specifically in terms of how much protein I eat. I find it to be somewhat difficult to consume my full day's worth of protein, and I am not a huge fan of protein bars or protein shakes. I decided to give this thing a try after seeing it literally all over TikTok and how people were making lower calorie protein ice cream in it. The TikTok influencers are *not* lying, you should absolutely get this thing. It comes with little pints, you mix up all your ingredients, pop it in the freezer for 24 hours and then put it in the machine. It legit makes a delicious treat with such a ~creamy~ texture. I have found my best recipe so far is a vanilla protein shake, a little bit of sugar free pudding mix (the fats in it help the texture...at least that's what the Internet told me, so obvi I believe it), and a dash of vanilla extract. Once that's all mixed, I'll throw in some Oreos or M&Ms to have myself a high-protein version of a McFlurry. You can also make delicious smoothie bowls, sorbets, milkshakes, and more. I definitely imagine I'll be using it even more often in the summer when it's hot and I want something cold and refreshing." Promising review: "Everyone needs a Ninja Creami. We love ours! I have made cherry, banana, raspberry, and blueberry sorbets plus churro and chocolate ice cream. The recipe book is full of easy-to-make recipes. Easy to clean and simple to use . Just push a button and then a minute later you have ice cream!" — julie krueger Get it from Amazon for $179.99 . 49. And a delicate initial necklace for anyone who prefers simple jewelry they can wear every day. Get your own initial, your partner's, your little one's, or allllll of the above! ...or so you can scream-sing the Taylor Swift lyrics "I want to wear his initial on a chain 'round my neck not because he owns me but 'cause he really knows me." Either way! Fab item. Promising review: "The best necklace I’ve ever had!!! It’s the perfect size and length, so dainty! I was worried about the gold fading (because it’s so wonderfully affordable) but it hasn’t — not even a little bit!!! I’ve worn it every single day for about a month now, even accidentally wore it in a pool for a little bit but nothing happened and it’s never been damaged! Has become such a staple for me and my everyday outfit, don’t feel complete without it anymore. Would highly recommend and will be buying another if this one ever breaks!!" — Brittany Burrahm Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in 26 letters and 2 styles). Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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