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online game for team meeting Japanese monkeys living in Launceston will be prevented from reproducing due to concerns of disease and inbreeding within the group. For more than 40 years, visitors to Launceston’s City Park have been able to view the macaques frolicking about in an enclosure. But by 20250 it is expected there will be no monkeys left in the park. In 2000, it was revealed the herpes B virus had spread through the monkeys, although previous discussions of euthanising the troop were politically unpopular. Now there are increasing concerns about a lack of genetic diversity within the group. The City of Launceston has decided to desex the male members of the macaque troop to prevent the animals from breeding. It is expected that the desexing of the troop will take two years to complete. The council said while it was grateful to receive the monkeys, by today’s standards they would not keep these animals in an enclosure. They also said it was important to take into consideration the needs of the monkeys and the greater community. On Thursday afternoon, a council meeting voted 10-1 in favour of sterilisation, after hearing there were signs of miscarriages and stillbirths in the troop. “We know the Launceston community cares very much about the welfare of the City Park monkeys,” Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood said. “That’s a sentiment that’s also very much shared by both councillors and staff. “The inability to introduce new genetic stock and the serious impacts on their health and wellbeing means we need to begin to consider the future of the troop. “[The] decision was a difficult one, but it prioritises the welfare of the monkey troop so we can keep them as healthy and happy as possible for as long as possible. A trip to the zoo took a shocking turn for one family after a troop of monkeys hijacked a pram. Mr Garwood said he would write to the mayor of Ikeda following the decision. Councillor Andrea Dawkins said if the city was offered this same opportunity today the city would be unlikely take it. “There is a lot of interest in these monkeys as there should be because there is so much interest in the way humans react with animals and we take it for granted they are a part of our lives,” she said. “Communities have changed and animals in captivity for the enjoyment of humans is some; thing we’ve moved through.”The loss of ITV's independence would be a blow to creative Britain, says ALEX BRUMMER By ALEX BRUMMER FOR THE DAILY MAIL Updated: 17:01 EST, 25 November 2024 e-mail View comments The possibility of a bid for ITV has perked up a lagging share price. Even so, as a creative enterprise, Britain’s leading terrestrial broadcaster looks hugely undervalued. Consider this. Almost every leading show on the small screen at present has origins in ITV Studios. The list includes the BBC series Ludwig starring David Mitchell, the Netflix hit Fool Me Once and Disney’s Rivals as well as the politically explosive Mr Bates Vs The Post Office. The biggest changes at ITV since Carolyn McCall took the helm in 2018 are the group’s income streams. Revenues from ITV Studios and streaming service ITV X climbed from 45 per cent to 60 per cent and are expected to hit 66 per cent by 2026. If one were to price ITV Studios on the same multiple as All3Media, sold to RedBird IMI in May of this year, it would be worth £3billion plus. That is more than the whole of the broadcaster, which is valued at £2.5billion following the latest 8.6 per cent rise to 71.15p in the group’s shares. Hit factory: Almost every leading show on the small screen at present, the Netflix hit Fool Me Once and Disney’s Rivals, has origins in ITV Studios If a bidder were to emerge, it would gain control of a broadcasting platform, with an ability to attract large scale audiences and linear advertising to match, for nothing. ITV is a bellwether for the UK and has suffered in recent years from the same shocks as the rest of Britain – the great financial crisis, Covid-19 and the Ukraine war. Prospects in recent months have been damaged by the lengthy interregnum between Labour’s election and the Budget. Both have caused large scale business advertisers to curtail plans. There are few better ways of reaching a large scale audience than ITV. I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here has been drawing audiences of 9m. Perpetual favourites such as Coronation Street are gold dust for advertisers. So far, no observable change in ITV’s share register has been seen. The biggest holding of 10.45 per cent is held by John Malone’s spawling media empire Liberty Global. He and his shrewd lieutenants would not want to see ITV sold on the cheap. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Backlash grows over failure on business rates as Kingfisher... Hairdressers hit as experts say Reeves £25bn budget NI raid... Share this article Share HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP How to choose the best (and cheapest) stocks and shares Isa and the right DIY investing account Activist investors on the register such as Redwheel and Silchester might take a different view. There must be the possibility that someone might want to see studios spun off as a means of releasing value. Private equity outfit CVC, mentioned as a bidder (there has been no approach), might want to get its hands on some of the sports rights. Buying ITV is not as straightforward as it might seem. The group’s licence, valid until 2034, contains obligations. These include generating output in the UK regions and devotion of airtime to news bulletins. Most importantly, however, the loss of ITV’s independence would be a blow to creative Britain. This, just at the moment when the Labour Government has remembered that it is a sector which excels and is ready for growth. Pink panthers The most shocking aspect of the Barclays agreement to pay a fine of £40million to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), over the bank’s Qatar fundraising in 2008, is the time it has taken to dish out the discipline. Excuses can be made for the delays, including the parallel prosecution by the equally useless Serious Fraud Office (SFO), but white-collar justice which takes 16 years is a waste of space. Since then, the Barclays board has been replenished and the bank has had to ride out another crisis over the connection of former boss Jes Staley to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In balance sheet terms, the payout is a rounding error. Britain’s system of financial enforcement is woeful. An excoriating report by MPs and the Lords accuses the FCA of being ‘incompetent at best, and dishonest at worst’. Instead of delivering swift and firm white-collar justice, the SFO finds itself with multi-million pound legal costs over the bungled prosecution of Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC). Such humiliations have made British financial justice a laughing stock. Carbon retreat Anglo American is demonstrating that self-help is preferable than selling to a big overseas rival which would have crushed culture and ambition. The sale of its remaining steel making coal mines in Australia to Peabody Energy, once part of the UK’s Hanson conglomerate, frees up £3.1billion for investment in copper and other enterprises. De Beers next? 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Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning detailed their friendship by revealing some of their craziest memories together. The Dallas Cowboys may finish with their worst season in 35 years. They have just three wins. And if they don't win at least two of their last seven games, it will be their worst winning percentage in a season since their one-win campaign in 1989. Their 3-7 start is their worst since 2020, star quarterback Dak Prescott is out for the year after signing the biggest contract in league history and reports are surfacing that head coach Mike McCarthy is bound to be fired. It's a time of mockery and spiteful celebration in many circles of football fans across the country. One pocket of those fans took the stage during the Country Music Awards (CMAs) on Wednesday night. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Legendary quarterback Peyton Manning teed up the Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones for a quick, yet vicious, verbal blow on national television. Manning and CMA co-hosts Lainey Wilson and Luke Bryan made a reference to "Cowboys Cry Too," Kelsea Ballerini's hit song with Noah Kahan. "But enough about Jerry Jones," Manning said. ESPN STAR GETTING ‘VERY, VERY WORRIED’ ABOUT JERRY JONES, HAS JOE BIDEN IN MIND Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy gestures from the sidelines during the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Nov. 3. (Dale Zanine/Imagn Images) Manning finished his career with a 3-2 record against the Cowboys. In his final victory against "America's Team," Manning outdueled Dallas quarterback Tony Romo in a 51-48 thriller, throwing for over 400 yards and four touchdowns. Manning isn't the only legendary quarterback to shade the Cowboys this week. Dallas Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion Troy Aikman suggested McCarthy will be gone after this year. "Mike McCarthy’s a good football coach," Aikman said during ESPN's broadcast of the Cowboys' loss to the Houston Texans on Monday night. "He’s proven that at Green Bay. He’s proven it here. You win 12 games three years in a row, you’re doing something right. But he didn’t get a contract extension after he had done that. It’s hard to imagine him getting one now." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, left, and former quarterback Peyton Manning. (Imagn) Another retired Cowboys fan favorite ripped his former team and the current coach after the Houston loss. "I’m the [Cowboys] to the heart. If I’m the Cowboys, I’d fire everyone after this season," Dallas great Dez Bryant posted on X during the 34-10 loss to Houston. "There’s young, hungry talent in the upcoming draft." Jones was asked whether McCarthy was losing the team’s confidence, but he dismissed those concerns. "That ‘losing the team’ stuff, that’s so overblown," Jones said, via ESPN. "These guys are so— first of all, they’re natural competitors. Secondly, they’re so proud of the fact that they are professional and disappointed in maybe the way they executed the play, but that’s not anything that’s brother or first cousin to give up. "Everybody’s certainly disappointed, but that’s a big difference in not knowing that you got to put the foot in front of the other to go." Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter . Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.De'Vondre Campbell's mid-game quitting overshadowed the 49ers' offensive woesMartin Barraud/OJO Images via Getty Images Today, we are putting ResMed Inc. ( NYSE: RMD ) in the spotlight. The company is unique in the medical device space, as it operates out of two main business divisions: Sleep and Respiratory Care, and Software as Live Chat on The Biotech Forum has been dominated by discussion of these type of covered call opportunities over the past several months. To see what I and the other season biotech investors are targeting as trading ideas real-time, just join our community at The Biotech Forum by clicking HERE . Bret Jensen has over 13 years as a market analyst, helping investors find big winners in the biotech sector. Bret specializes in high beta sectors with potentially large investor returns. Bret leads the investing group The Biotech Forum , in which he and his team offer a model portfolio with their favorite 12-20 high upside biotech stocks, live chat to discuss trade ideas, and weekly research and option trades. The group also provides market commentary and a portfolio update every weekend. Learn More . Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

VANCOUVER — A Federal Court judge has dismissed an appeal by a "deeply religious" British Columbia health executive who said he was wrongfully denied employment insurance after being fired three years ago for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Darold Sturgeon was fired as executive director of medical affairs for Interior Health in November 2021 after refusing to get the vaccine based on his Christian beliefs. He applied for employment insurance benefits but was denied due to being fired for "misconduct," with appeals to two levels of the Social Security Tribunal also failing, leading him to seek a judicial review in Federal Court in August 2023. The ruling says Sturgeon believed the tribunal should have examined his assertion under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that the term "misconduct" did not apply to his case "because he was exercising his freedom of religion." Justice William Pentney says "recent, abundant and unanimous case law" defined a specific and narrow role for the tribunal's appeal divisions, focusing on an employee's conduct, and not justification for and employer’s policies or compliance with the Charter. The ruling says Sturgeon's appeal fell "outside the mandate" of the tribunal and he could have challenged Interior Health's mandatory vaccine police "through other avenues." These included advancing a Charter claim, lodging a wrongful dismissal suit or labour grievance, or complaining to the British Columbia Human Rights Commission. "The point is, there were other avenues available to pursue the Charter question; this decision does not cut off the only avenue of relief," the ruling says. It added of Sturgeon, who represented himself, that "no one has doubted that he acted based on his understanding of his religious obligations," and that he had "ably advanced his arguments." "However, despite his sincere and thoughtful arguments, the binding jurisprudence requires that I find against him," the ruling says. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. Darryl Greer, The Canadian PressUnique among ‘Person of the Year’ designees, Donald Trump gets a fact-check from Time magazineSavannah Guthrie introduces new family member – see the adorable announcement here

AP Trending SummaryBrief at 6:53 p.m. ESTTrump Media Trademark Filing For 'TruthFi' Hints At Potential Digital Wallets, Asset TradingBIG TEN ROUNDUP

A seasonal crew could soon be hired to ramp up the removal of needles and weapons from parks, though some fear the effort will fall short of what’s needed. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * A seasonal crew could soon be hired to ramp up the removal of needles and weapons from parks, though some fear the effort will fall short of what’s needed. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? A seasonal crew could soon be hired to ramp up the removal of needles and weapons from parks, though some fear the effort will fall short of what’s needed. The City of Winnipeg’s 2025 preliminary budget proposes a $60,000 program that would hire two seasonal staff to proactively clean up 16 “high risk” parks every two to four days between April and October. That’s just a fraction of the funding and staff a previous report proposed to tackle the issue two months ago. JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS FILES Earlier this year, a daycare reported its staff found used needles, opioid overdose medication, human waste, garbage, knives, ammunition, broken glass, a variety of weapons and bear-spray canisters at downtown green spaces. Coun. Cindy Gilroy, who pushed for funding to address the concern, said she fears the scope of the current plan is too narrow. “It’s not really covering what I asked for. It’s only meaningful if it’s going to be actually doing what we’re wanting it to do. Otherwise, it’s kind of just throwing money out there to make it look like we’re doing something. It has to be (done) with the intent of really improving the conditions of some of these parks,” said Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre). The October public service report offered two options for cleanups at 36 “priority parks,” after residents complained the dangerous debris makes it tough for kids to play outside some daycares. The first option would have seen the city hire and deploy two crews of four people to monitor parks daily from April to October at a cost of $193,704 per year. The second would have deployed two crews of four to monitor the parks from April to October, as well as one crew of two from November to March, at a price of $262,884. Since the budget proposal involves fewer staff doing less-frequent cleanups at fewer parks, the estimated price is much lower. Gilroy said she believes the city must at least conduct the effort year-round and ensure daily cleanups take place in the summer months to make parks safer for kids. She plans to push for those changes in budget meetings next month. “I really feel that our kids really need to be able to go out and play freely, without worrying about weapons, drug paraphernalia lying around... I’m finding glass at the bottom of slides, broken bottles,” she said. It’s especially important in the inner city, where many residents rely on park space because they live in apartments without private yards. Earlier this year, a daycare reported its staff found used needles, opioid overdose medication, human waste, garbage, knives, ammunition, broken glass, a variety of weapons and bear-spray canisters at downtown green spaces. “The problem doesn’t go away in the winter time,” Gilroy said. “We’re still going to see these things happen in the parks.” Mayor Scott Gillingham said the seasonal program was recommended because of greater park use during warmer months. Coun. Vivian Santos, chairwoman of council’s community services committee, said the lower-cost program proposed in the budget reflects what the city can afford. “When we drew up the (earlier staff) report it was about what would the service and policy look like if we were to do it on a daily basis.... It was kind of a ‘gold standard,’ and we’re wanting to come up with a balanced approach,” said Santos (Point Douglas). The budget calls for council’s executive policy committee to receive a report in November that details how effective the proposed program was and how much debris staff collected. Santos said those results would help determine if it should be expanded in future budgets. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. “We’re testing this theory out, seeing how this is going to work,” she said. Residents who spot hazards in city parks should still call 311 to seek dangerous-debris cleanups, responses that will continue whether or not the proposed cleanups are approved in the budget, Santos said. City council will cast a final vote on the budget Jan. 29. joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca X: @joyanne_pursaga Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the before joining the in early 2020. . Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the before joining the in early 2020. . Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Advertisement Advertisement

As Trump prepares to take office, ports and dockworkers are facing down a new strikeA business update was the main news powering Alaska Air ( ALK -1.34% ) stock to a double-digit gain over the past few trading days. During the week, the carrier's shares rose by just over 15% in price, according to data compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence . Accelerating into the future On Tuesday, Alaska unveiled its "Alaska Accelerate" three-year plan to make the airline conglomerate a more important player in the industry. The announcement came not long after the company closed its $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines in mid-September. Alaska said the anticipated $500 million in cost synergies from the deal will help it deliver profit margins of 11% to 13%, with per-share earnings climbing to $10 by 2027. Among other business-boosting measures, it will launch a new international gateway from its current primary hub, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac). Flights from Sea-Tac are to include nonstop routes to Tokyo and Seoul. The company also said it will roll out a premium credit card "with industry-leading benefits." Two pundits weigh in positively Several professional Alaska-watchers became more bullish on the airline's stock in the wake of the announcement. TD Cowen's Tom Fitzgerald raised his price target to $78 per share from his previous $68, maintaining his buy recommendation as he did so. According to reports, Fitzgerald is so optimistic about Alaska's future that he made it his company's No. 2 top stock pick. One of his peers also raised his Alaska price target. This was Morgan Stanley analyst Ravi Shanker, who now believes the stock could reach $90 per share; his preceding fair value assessment was $70. Shanker left his overweight (read:buy) recommendation unchanged.Britain has a housing crisis. That much, everybody knows. We hear it time and time again: we don’t have enough homes. We must build and build and build. More and more parts of the country must be concreted over. In many parts of the UK this is true : supply has not kept up with demand. But – and this may surprise you – this country actually has more homes than it has households. In fact, according the 2021 census, there were 1.4 million more dwellings in England than there were households – in other words, there are more than enough properties to go round. This is true in every region. Even in London, where demand is highest, there were 250,000 more homes than households. What is going on? First, the housing crisis is one of affordability, not just availability. Just because there are lots of properties in a particular area, that does not mean they are priced within the reach of people on average (or even above average) incomes. Second, many people own more than one home: buy-to-let landlords, for example, may have dozens on their books. There is another problem that does not get the attention it needs: too many family-sized homes are being lived in by older people who, bluntly, do not need them. It is now quite normal to find younger people crammed into homes too small for their needs (in London, for example, one in six rented homes is now officially classed as overcrowded) while, at the same time and on the very same streets, others are living in large houses with many empty rooms. It is a woeful way of making the best use of the limited housing stock we have, yet politicians are too scared to talk about it. And so the situation goes on: the bedrooms that could be used to house the families desperately in need of them are instead being left empty: doors closed, heating off, moths their only inhabitants. This problem of what the experts call “under-occupancy” is particularly pronounced in homes owned by the elderly. Eighty per cent of over-65s own their own homes and, in general, they are not short on space. The average size of a property owned by someone in this age group is a spacious 110 square metres , according to experts at the London School of Economics. Yet half of them live alone. No surprise, then, that two thirds of over-65s say they have at least two spare bedrooms. As a result, 86 per cent of homes occupied by people of that age are classed as “under-occupied” – much higher than for other age groups. The fact that family-sized homes are being monopolised by older generations is one reason why we have a shortage of them. As a result, parents with children are too often having to settle for less room than they require. And this, of course, has a huge impact on their ability to have more children: a lack of space, and the unaffordability of housing, is one reason why the UK’s birth rate has plummeted to concerning levels. The market is not solving the problem, either: despite a shortage of three- and four-bedroom houses, developers make more profit cramming one and two-bedroom flats into their developments, meaning the supply of family-sized homes is failing match the demand. None of this, it should go without saying, is the fault of pensioners. They may have benefited from a housing market that is broken, but it wasn’t them that broke it. However, that does not hide the hard truth that Britain isn’t just failing to build enough new homes where they are needed – we are also not making effective use of the ones we already have. So what to do? It is a sensitive question, because nobody wants older people to feel forced to move out. And yet, if the system worked better, everybody would benefit from pensioners downsizing more often than they currently are. This is not about charity: we cannot expect over-65s to vacate the homes they have lived in, on average, for 25 years just because it might benefit somebody else. Instead, the Government needs to find ways to make sure that downsizing is works for them too. A carrot-and-stick approach is needed. First, councils need to do a better job of making sure that there are attractive homes available for older people to move into. Retirement communities, which are much more common in other parts of Europe, should be a bigger part of local plans. This could also help with the loneliness epidemic afflicting Britain’s pensioners. One in five over-65s say they frequently feel lonely – a situation not helped by so many living alone in large, mostly empty homes. Read Next Welcome to Hastings, the hidden homelessness capital of the UK Older people should also be given financial incentives to help them downsize. While some experts have called for a stamp-duty exemption for people downsizing, that would be fundamentally unfair. Why should wealthier homeowners cashing in on the house price boom have to pay less tax than first-time buyers who have sacrificed so much to scrabble together a deposit? A better option would be to give older people the option of delaying stamp duty payments so that the sum comes out of their estate when they die, rather than having to be paid when they move home. Once the incentives and help to downsize are in place, the Government should ask those not making good use of their homes to contribute more in council tax. If that seems controversial, it shouldn’t be: homes that are left empty for more than a year are already charged council tax at a premium rate – sometimes as much as four times the normal levy. There is no reason why a similar rule could not be applied to homes that are mostly empty. To avoid having to pay the tax, those living in heavily under-occupied homes could rent out rooms to people looking for somewhere to live. Older people who – very understandably – might not want to start sharing their home with strangers could be helped to look into downsizing. At the very least, the single-person discount on council tax should be abolished for those in under-occupied properties. This is not about punishing people in big homes or trying to force them to move. Nor is it about asking pensioners to make sacrifices for the benefit of young people. This is simply a case of using the tax system to encourage older people to take decisions that would benefit them too. By moving to a smaller property almost certain to cost less than the one they are selling, they will free up some of their wealth to enable them to make the most of their later years, rather than having to skimp or suffer because all their money is tied up in bricks and mortar. This, in turn, has further benefits for the welfare state, which currently spends eye-watering amounts supporting wealthy but cash-poor pensioners, via policies like the triple lock . Ultimately, wealth is wealth . The state should not have to continue subsidising those with wealth far above the average amount just so they can continue to avoid needing to bank their profits. This is a difficult and sensitive issue, which is why it has largely been ignored. But it is in everybody’s interests for Britain to begin a new conversation about downsizing. Yes, we need to build new homes far quicker than we currently are, but our housing crisis cannot be solved just by concreting over more and more of the country. We also need to look at who owns the homes we already have, and whether they are making good use of them. Too often, the answer is no. And, as politically sensitive as it may be, that needs to start to change. Ben Kentish presents his LBC show from Monday to Friday at 10pm, and is former Westminster editor

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — KyKy Tandy scored 21 points and Florida Atlantic pulled away late in the second half to beat Oklahoma State 86-78 on Thursday in the Charleston Classic. It was the second straight loss by a Power Four team in the tournament after Miami fell to Drake in the opener. Florida Atlantic (4-2) plays the Bulldogs in the semifinals on Friday, while Oklahoma State (3-1) battles the Hurricanes in a consolation game. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest sports news delivered right to your inbox six days a week.West Ham surprise Newcastle with 2-0 away win

BEIJING , Nov. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 22, 2024 , the " Global Gen Z Views on Beijing " event organized by China Daily New Media Center and 21st Century Media and Education officially launched. The event will spotlight three key themes: Beijing's cultural legacy, technological innovation, and environmental conservation. During the event, over 20 international influencers will visit notable sites including the Capital Museum and the Zhoukoudian Site Museum to explore the Beijing's rich history. They will also visit Beijing's leading tech enterprises and innovation hubs to experience the city's technological advancements. Additionally, the influencers will visit iconic locations such as the Yanqing Ecological Civilization Exhibition and the Beijing Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park, gaining a firsthand perspective on the integration of environmental conservation and industrial development in the city. Through dynamic and youthful storytelling, the event aims to showcase Beijing's rich cultural heritage and its achievements in sustainable, high-quality development to audiences worldwide. During the first day of the event, Veronica, an Italian exchange student at Tsinghua University, expressed her excitement, saying, "I am delighted to be part of this event. My deep interest in Chinese culture brought me to China for my studies, and I have gained a lot from this experience." This event serves not only as a cultural exploration but also as a key platform for sharing Beijing's historical and modern development with audiences worldwide. Through the influencers' firsthand experiences, Beijing's rich cultural heritage and contemporary achievements will be vividly showcased to worldwide audiences. This event offers an international stage for Beijing to highlight its unique appeal, while promoting cultural exchange and fostering global understanding. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-gen-z-views-on-beijing-a-journey-through-the-citys-culture-innovation-and-ecology-302314744.html SOURCE China DailyATLANTA — To improve Georgia’s troubled prison system, the General Assembly should hike correctional officer salaries, consider more private-public partnerships to expand capacity, increase mental health services and move to single-person cells to improve safety. Those are among a slate of recommendations that a state Senate study committee approved Friday, following hours of testimony at a series of meetings that began in August. Other recommendations that won approval include asking for an audit of contracts to identify any excessive vendor costs, ordering a compensation study, prioritizing new technology to improve security at current and new facilities, and taking action to make sure wardens adhere to consistent policies to prevent culture differences among facilities. The committee also recommended that the state seek federal approval to jam cellphone signals at prisons. Prisoners have used cellphones to run criminal enterprises from inside the prisons, including directing drug trafficking networks and operating various fraud schemes. But the committee voted against a recommendation to create an independent oversight department or bureau to monitor the state prison’s system. “Oversight is provided by regular committees, subcommittees and study committees, and I’m not sure we need to create yet another level,” said GOP Sen. John Albers in opposing the recommendation. The study committee chairman, GOP Sen. Randy Robertson also opposed the idea, saying he doesn’t favor an ombudsman process that doesn’t answer to anyone. “I think a part of oversight is what we’re doing right now,” he said. The study committee, created by the Senate in March , reached its recommendation after hearing more testimony Friday morning, primarily from advocates, people whose loved ones had died in custody, and people who had served sentences in Georgia. Most of the previous meetings focused on testimony from the Georgia Department of Corrections. Friday’s testimony included stories of rampant violence, deaths and inadequate health care experienced by those in prison. Suspicious deaths that weren’t properly investigated were also mentioned during the meeting. That included the testimony of Heather Hunt, whose son died at Rogers State Prison in September. She was told the death was a suicide, but she said prison officials were hostile to her questions and delayed providing information that didn’t add up when it was provided. In the wake of hearing the morning testimony, GOP Sen. Timothy Bearden suggested that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation should be brought in to investigate all deaths within Georgia’s prisons. Now, the GBI handles autopsies, but the GDC’s internal investigators handle most of the death investigations. Robertson said it’s generally up to GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver to decide whether to call in the GBI. Robertson said it might make sense to routinely rely on the GBI, although the committee did not plan to include the suggestion in its report. “One thing that it does is it takes the suspicion out of the mix and the conspiracy theories tend to go away when that happens,” Robertson said. Homicides within the Georgia prison system have reached record levels this year, the AJC has found. The General Assembly will take up the recommendations when it convenes in January. The Georgia General Assembly has faced increasing scrutiny in recent months in the wake of an AJC investigation , a blistering report issued in October by the U.S. Department of Justice and a highly critical contempt order issued in April by a federal judge in a long-running civil case . Gov. Brian Kemp announced in June that he had hired consultants to conduct a deep study of the prison system and recommend changes to improve conditions. The Georgia Department of Corrections has said it is making progress toward addressing problems within the prison system. ©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

After recently ruling out an Elden Ring sequel , I can't say I was expecting FromSoftware to announce a new Elden Ring game at this year's Game Awards . In one of the biggest surprises of the night, however, FromSoftware did just that. Launching in 2025, Elden Ring Nightreign is a multiplayer spinoff for PS5 , PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. While a new Elden Ring game should be something to celebrate, FromSoftware has good news and bad news about the upcoming release. The bad news is that Elden Ring Nightreign isn't directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, and there's more of a focus on action rather than story. Likewise, you'll need to set up a shared password to play with friends, which feels a little outdated. Set in a universe parallel to the events of Elden Ring, players must "outlast a three day-and-night cycle", culminating in a boss battle at the end of the adventure. It's described as a "condensed action RPG", where players will never experience the same journey twice. There's a roguelike element to the game, with players earning relics to to customise and upgrade their characters for future runs and increase stats. The action is also limited to a version of Elden Ring starting area Limgrave, although it looks like the locations will shift during each playthrough. While it's perhaps not quite the Elden Ring adventure many fans would be hoping for, it's not all bad news. The good news is that according to a report on PC Gamer suggests it won't be a full-price game. Instead, it will feature a similar price point to Shadow of the Erdtree. Likewise, Nightreign will not be a live service game, but rather a fully-fledged release at launch. FromSoftware has confirmed plans to keep the game updated with balance changes and the likes. In more good news, the game won't just be playable in multiplayer. FromSoftware has announced that the game can be played solo and in groups of up to three. Judging by the trailer, we'll also get enemies and characters from other FromSoftware releases, including Dark Souls 3.COLUMBUS, Ohio — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score, and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15 on Saturday. All Ohio State (10-1, 7-1) has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12. The Hoosiers (10-1, 7-1) had their best chance to beat the Buckeyes for the first time since 1988 but were hurt by special teams mistakes and disrupted by an Ohio State defense that sacked quarterback Kurtis Rourke five times. Howard finished 22 for 26 for 201 yards. Emeka Egbuka had seven catches for 80 yards and a TD. NO. 25 ILLINOIS 38, RUTGERS 31: Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for a catch-and-run, 40-yard touchdown pass with 4 seconds left, sending Illinois to a wild road victory over Rutgers. Illinois (8-3, 5-3) was down 31-30 when it sent long kicker Ethan Moczulski out for a desperation 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds to go. Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) coach Greg Schiano then called for a timeout right before Moczulski’s attempt was wide left and about 15 yards short. After the missed field goal was waved off by the timeout, Illinois coach Bret Bielema sent his offense back on the field. Altmyer hit Bryant on an in cut on the left side at the 22, and he continued across the field and scored untouched in a game that featured three lead changes in the final 3:07. IOWA 29, MARYLAND 13: Kaleb Johnson rushed for 164 yards and a touchdown on a career-high 35 carries, and Kamari Moulton scored on a 68-yard run in the fourth quarter to help Iowa outlast Maryland in College Park. Johnson scored from 2 yards out in the second quarter for his 21st rushing touchdown of the season, and the Hawkeyes (7-4, 5-3) rebounded from their loss to UCLA in their previous game. Maryland (4-7, 1-7) needed to win its final two regular-season games to reach six wins and bowl eligibility, but the Terrapins were dominated in the first half and eventually fell behind 16-0. Drew Stevens made five field goals for Iowa, including kicks from 54 yards in the second quarter, then 50 and 49 in the third. LATE FRIDAY MICHIGAN STATE 24, PURDUE 17: Aidan Chiles threw for two scores in the first half to build a three-touchdown lead and Michigan State (5-6, 3-5) held on to beat Purdue (1-10, 0-8) at home. The Spartans are a win away from being eligible for a bowl with first-year coach Jonathan Smith and they play Rutgers at home in the final regular-season game. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

'Malcolm in the Middle' to offer new episodes with Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek are reuniting for a new four-episode run of “Malcolm in the Middle” for Disney+ — 25 years after the beloved sitcom first launched. The show ran for seven seasons starting in 2000 and was hailed for looking at ordinary life through the eyes of an extraordinary youngster, now fully grown: Malcolm, played by Muniz, has a genius I.Q. The new four episodes will be crafted by original series creator Linwood Boomer. No air dates were announced. “Malcolm in the Middle” originally aired on Fox and ended its run in 2006. Woman who falsely accused Duke lacrosse players of rape in 2006 publicly admits she lied RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The woman who in 2006 falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of raping her has admitted publicly for the first time that she made up the story. The accusations made national headlines at the time, stirring tensions about race, class and the privilege of college athletes. Crystal Mangum, who is Black, said in an interview with the “Let’s Talk with Kat” podcast that she “made up a story that wasn’t true” about the white players who attended a party where she was hired to perform as a stripper “because I wanted validation from people and not from God.” The former Duke players were declared innocent in 2007 after Mangum’s story fell apart under legal scrutiny. Sophia, a famous robot and global icon of AI, wins hearts at Zimbabwe's innovation fair HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Sophia, a world-renowned robot, has been the center of attention at an Artificial Intelligence and Innovation fair in Zimbabwe this week. Described as an AI global icon by the U.N., Sophia can hold human-like conversations with people and recognize their gestures. As a special guest at the week-long event at the University of Zimbabwe, she answered questions on academic topics from researchers. Children quizzed her about the bible, God and her birth. She also made clear her aversion to human food and romance. The United Nations Development Program said it brought Sophia to Zimbabwe as part of efforts to “inspire youth, policymakers, and innovators to embrace AI as a catalyst for development.” Stanley recalls millions of travel mugs over concerns the lids might fall off, causing burns Stanley is recalling approximately 2.6 million of its switchback and trigger action stainless steel travel mugs sold in the U.S. because of a potential burn hazard. The company said that the mug’s lid threads can shrink when exposed to heat and torque, causing the lid to detach during use, posing a burn hazard. Stanley has received 91 reports worldwide, including 16 in the U.S., of the recalled travel mugs’ lids detaching during use, resulting in 38 burn injuries worldwide, including two burn injuries in the U.S., with 11 consumers worldwide requiring medical attention. Miami Dolphins release veteran receiver Odell Beckham Jr. MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins released wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. on Friday, ending the former Pro Bowler’s short tenure with the team. Beckham had missed the past two days of practice for what the team called personal reasons. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel indicated that the decision to part ways was mutual. Beckham signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins in May, but started the season on the physically unable to perform list after offseason knee surgery. Since his Dolphins debut in Week 5 against New England, Beckham had just nine catches for 55 yards in nine games. Bird strike disables a jetliner engine and forces an emergency landing at JFK airport NEW YORK (AP) — Authorities say a bird strike involving an American Airlines jetliner disabled one of the plane’s two engines shortly after takeoff from New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The plane was forced to turn around and land at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Airline officials say no one was injured. Flight 1722 took off from LaGuardia at 7:43 p.m. Thursday with a destination of Charlotte, North Carolina. Airport officials say it safely made an emergency landing at Kennedy at 8:03 p.m. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating. The agency received reports of 19,400 strikes at 713 airports across the U.S. last year alone. Rarely do they force jetliners to make emergency landings. 49ers LB De'Vondre Campbell refuses to enter game after losing his starting spot SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco linebacker De’Vondre Campbell refused to enter the game in the third quarter after losing his starting job when Dre Greenlaw returned from an injury. Campbell played 90% of defensive snaps for the 49ers but was benched after Greenlaw came back for his first game since tearing his left Achilles tendon in last season’s Super Bowl. When Greenlaw left with soreness in the third quarter Thursday night against the Rams, Campbell told the coaches he didn't want to play and left the field. Coach Kyle Shanahan says he has never seen that before and the team will “figure out something” on how to deal with it going forward. 'Crown of Thorns' returns to Notre Dame Cathedral for public veneration PARIS (AP) — An ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ’s “Crown of Thorns” has returned to Notre Dame, five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral’s devastating 2019 fire. The crown — a circular band of branches encased in a gilded golden tube — was brought back to its historic home Friday in a ceremony. The event was presided over by the archbishop of Paris and attended by knights and dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, marking a key moment in the cathedral’s restoration journey. In 1239, it was acquired by King Louis IX of France, who brought it to Paris. 'Vanderpump Rules' star James Kennedy arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence BURBANK, Calif. (AP) — Police say “Vanderpump Rules” star James Kennedy has been arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence. Police in Burbank, California, say officers investigated reports of an argument between a man and a woman at a residence late Tuesday night and arrested the 32-year-old Kennedy. He was released from jail after posting bail. A representative of Kennedy did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. The Burbank city attorney will decide whether to file charges. Kennedy is a DJ and reality TV star who has appeared for 10 seasons on “Vanderpump Rules” — the Bravo series about the lives of employees at a set of swank restaurants. Dick Vitale says he's cancer-free after 4th bout with the disease in just over 3 years Dick Vitale said he’s cancer-free after his fourth bout with the disease in just over three years. The 85-year-old ESPN college basketball analyst posted Thursday on X that he got the news after a morning scan, saying: “SANTA CLAUS came early as Dr Rick Brown called & said that my PET SCAN at 7 AM came back CLEAN OF CANCER !” Vitale posted on X. “OMG thanks so much to ALL of YOU for your (prayers). Yes I’m cutting the nets down baby it’s my National Championship!” Vitale had surgery in the summer to remove cancerous lymph nodes from his neck. The Basketball Hall of Famer was previously treated for melanoma and lymphoma, and had radiation treatments last year for vocal cord cancer.JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday recommended his Cabinet approve a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. In the hours leading up to the Cabinet meeting, Israel carried out its most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah in the final hours before any ceasefire takes hold. A ceasefire 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. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East, but neither he nor Netanyahu have proposed a postwar solution for the Palestinian territory, where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. 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 In a televised statement, Netanyahu said he would present the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers later Tuesday, when they are expected to vote on it. He listed a series of accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region and said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran, which backs both groups. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” It was not immediately clear when the ceasefire would go into effect, and the exact terms of the deal were not released. The 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 all sides’ compliance. But implementation remains a major question mark. Israel has demanded the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations. Lebanese officials have rejected writing that into the proposal. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that 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.” of Lebanon, he said. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Warplanes bombard Beirut and its southern suburbs Even as Israeli, U.S, Lebanese and international officials have expressed growing optimism over a ceasefire, Israel has continued its campaign in Lebanon, which it says aims to cripple Hezbollah’s military capabilities. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs killed at least one person and wounded 13, it said. Three people were killed in a separate strike in Beirut and three in a strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. Lebanese state media said another 10 people were killed in the eastern Baalbek province. Israel says it targets Hezbollah fighters and their infrastructure. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site that is around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets in Beirut and other areas linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously have not been targeted. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks before a ceasefire, sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, and some cars had mattresses tied to them. Dozens of people, some wearing their pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. Hezbollah, meanwhile, kept up its rocket fire, triggering air raid sirens across northern Israel. 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 told The Associated Press that peacekeepers will not evacuate. 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 would be 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, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have been exchanging barrages ever since. Israel escalated its campaign of 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. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed. ___ Find more of AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Josef Federman, Kareem Chehayeb And Bassem Mroue, The Associated Press

PH booters hope for favorable result as they face massive Thai testAirports and highways are expected to be jam-packed during Thanksgiving week, a holiday period likely to end with another record day for air travel in the United States. AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday, most of them by car. However, travelers could be impacted by ongoing weather challenges and those flying to their destinations could be grounded by delays brought on by airline staffing shortages and an airport service workers strike . Here's the latest: What the striking airport workers are saying “We cannot live on the wages that we are being paid,” ABM cabin cleaner Priscilla Hoyle said at a rally earlier Monday. “I can honestly say it’s hard every single day with my children, working a full-time job but having to look my kids in the eyes and sit there and say, ‘I don’t know if we’re going to have a home today.’” Timothy Lowe II, a wheelchair attendant, said he has to figure out where to spend the night because he doesn’t make enough for a deposit on a home. “We just want to be able to have everything that’s a necessity paid for by the job that hired us to do a great job so they can make billions,” he said. ABM said it is “committed to addressing concerns swiftly” and that there are avenues for employees to communicate issues, including a national hotline and a “general open door policy for managers at our worksite.” What are striking Charlotte airport workers’ demands? Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services cast ballots Friday to authorize the work stoppage at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a hub for American Airlines. They described living paycheck to paycheck while performing jobs that keep planes running on schedule. Most of them earn $12.50 to $19 an hour, union officials said. Rev. Glencie Rhedrick of Charlotte Clergy Coalition for Justice said those workers should make $22 to $25 an hour. The strike is expected to last 24 hours. Several hundred workers participated in the work stoppage. US flights are running normally Forty-four fights have been canceled today and nearly 1,900 were delayed by midday on the East Coast, according to FlightAware . According to the organization’s cheekily named MiseryMap , San Francisco International Airport is having the most hiccups right now, with 53 delays and three cancellations between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. EST. While that might sound like a lot of delays, they might not be so bad compared to last Friday when the airport suffered 671 delays and 69 cancellations. Cutting in line? American Airlines’ new boarding tech might stop you now at over 100 airports In an apparent effort to reduce the headaches caused by airport line cutting, American Airlines has rolled out boarding technology that alerts gate agents with an audible sound if a passenger tries to scan a ticket ahead of their assigned group. This new software won’t accept a boarding pass before the group it’s assigned to is called, so customers who get to the gate prematurely will be asked to go back and wait their turn. As of Wednesday, the airline announced, the technology is now being used in more than 100 U.S. airports that American flies out of. The official expansion arrives after successful tests in three of these locations — Albuquerque International Sunport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Tucson International Airport. ▶ Read more about American Airlines’ new boarding technology Tips to make holiday travel a bit easier Travel can be stressful in the best of times. Now add in the high-level anxiety that seems to be baked into every holiday season and it’s clear travelers could use some help calming frazzled nerves. Here are a few ways to make your holiday journey a little less stressful: 1. Make a checklist of what you need to do and what you need to bring 2. Carry your comfort with you — think noise-canceling headphones, cozy clothes, snacks and extra medication 3. Stay hydrated 4. Keep up to date on delays, gate changes and cancellations with your airline’s app ▶ Read more tips about staying grounded during holiday travel The timing of this year’s holiday shapes travel patterns Thanksgiving Day takes place late this year, with the fourth Thursday of November falling on Nov. 28. That shortens the traditional shopping season and changes the rhythm of holiday travel. With more time before the holiday , people tend to spread out their outbound travel over more days, but everyone returns at the same time, said Andrew Watterson, the chief operating officer of Southwest Airlines . “A late Thanksgiving leads to a big crush at the end,” Watterson said. “The Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday after Thanksgiving are usually very busy with Thanksgiving this late.” Airlines did a relatively good job of handling holiday crowds last year, when the weather was mild in most of the country. Fewer than 400 U.S. flights were canceled during Thanksgiving week in 2023 — about one out of every 450 flights. So far in 2024, airlines have canceled about 1.3% of all flights. Advice for drivers Drivers should know that Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons will be the worst times to travel by car, but it should be smooth sailing on freeways come Thanksgiving Day, according to transportation analytics company INRIX. On the return home, the best travel times for motorists are before 1 p.m. on Sunday, and before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on Monday, the company said. In metropolitan areas like Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle and Washington, “traffic is expected to be more than double what it typically is on a normal day,” INRIX transportation analyst Bob Pishue said. FAA staffing shortage could cause flight delays Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Mike Whitaker said last week that he expects his agency to use special measures at some facilities to deal with an ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers. In the past, those facilities have included airports in New York City and Florida. “If we are short on staff, we will slow traffic as needed to keep the system safe,” Whitaker said. The FAA has long struggled with a shortage of controllers that airline officials expect will last for years, despite the agency’s lofty hiring goals. Thanksgiving travel, b y the numbers 5. Auto club and insurance company AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday. Most of them will travel by car. 6. Drivers should get a slight break on gas prices . The nationwide average price for gasoline was $3.06 a gallon on Sunday, down from $3.27 at this time last year. 7. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 18.3 million people at U.S. airports during the same seven-day stretch. That would be 6% more than during the corresponding days last year but fit a pattern set throughout 2024. 8. The TSA predicts that 3 million people will pass through airport security checkpoints on Sunday; more than that could break the record of 3.01 million set on the Sunday after the July Fourth holiday. Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to be the next busiest air travel days of Thanksgiving week. ▶ Read more about Thanksgiving travel across the U.S. Charlotte airport workers strike over low wages Workers who clean airplanes, remove trash and help with wheelchairs at Charlotte’s airport, one of the nation’s busiest, went on strike Monday to demand higher wages. The Service Employees International Union announced the strike in a statement early Monday, saying the workers would demand “an end to poverty wages and respect on the job during the holiday travel season.” The strike was expected to last 24 hours, said union spokesperson Sean Keady. Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services cast ballots Friday to authorize the work stoppage at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a hub for American Airlines. The two companies contract with American, one of the world’s biggest carriers, to provide services such as cleaning airplane interiors, removing trash and escorting passengers in wheelchairs. ▶ Read more about the Charlotte airport workers’ strike Northeast should get needed precipitation Parts of the Midwest and East Coast can expect to see heavy rain into Thanksgiving, and there’s potential for snow in Northeastern states. A storm last week brought rain to New York and New Jersey, where wildfires have raged in recent weeks, and heavy snow to northeastern Pennsylvania. The precipitation was expected to help ease drought conditions after an exceptionally dry fall. Heavy snow fell in northeastern Pennsylvania, including the Pocono Mountains. Higher elevations reported up to 17 inches (43 centimeters), with lesser accumulations in valley cities including Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. Around 35,000 customers in 10 counties were still without power, down from 80,000 a day ago. In the Catskills region of New York, nearly 10,000 people remained without power Sunday morning, two days after a storm dumped heavy snow on parts of the region. Precipitation in West Virginia helped put a dent in the state’s worst drought in at least two decades and boosted ski resorts as they prepare to open in the weeks ahead. ▶ Read more about Thanksgiving week weather forecasts More rain expected after deadly ‘bomb cyclone’ on West Coast Two people died in the Pacific Northwest after a rapidly intensifying “ bomb cyclone ” hit the West Coast last Tuesday, bringing fierce winds that toppled trees and power lines and damaged homes and cars. Hundreds of thousands lost electricity in Washington state before powerful gusts and record rains moved into Northern California. Forecasters said the risk of flooding and mudslides remained as the region will get more rain starting Sunday. But the latest storm won’t be as intense as last week’s atmospheric river , a long plume of moisture that forms over an ocean and flows over land. “However, there’s still threats, smaller threats, and not as significant in terms of magnitude, that are still going to exist across the West Coast for the next two or three days,” weather service forecaster Rich Otto said. As the rain moves east throughout the week, Otto said, there’s a potential for heavy snowfall at higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada, as well as portions of Utah and Colorado. California’s Mammoth Mountain, which received 2 feet (0.6 meters) of fresh snow in the recent storm, could get another 4 feet (1.2 meters) before the newest system clears out Wednesday, the resort said. Forecasts warn of possible winter storms across US during Thanksgiving week Another round of wintry weather could complicate travel leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, according to forecasts across the U.S., while California and Washington state continue to recover from storm damage and power outages. In California, where two people were found dead in floodwaters on Saturday, authorities braced for more rain while grappling with flooding and small landslides from a previous storm . Here’s a look at some of the regional forecasts: 9. Sierra Nevada: The National Weather Service office issued a winter storm warning through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at higher elevations and wind gusts potentially reaching 55 mph (88 kph). Total snowfall of roughly 4 feet (1.2 meters) was forecast, with the heaviest accumulations expected Monday and Tuesday. 10. Midwest and Great Lakes: The Midwest and Great Lakes regions will see rain and snow Monday and the East Coast will be the most impacted on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, forecasters said. 11. East Coast: A low pressure system is forecast to bring rain to the Southeast early Thursday before heading to the Northeast. Areas from Boston to New York could see rain and breezy conditions, with snowfall possible in parts of northern New Hampshire, northern Maine and the Adirondacks. If the system tracks further inland, there could be less snow and more rain in the mountains, forecasters said. ▶ Read more about Thanksgiving week weather forecastsU.S. and Asia Foundation launch initiative to strengthen cybersecurity for Philippine human rights groups