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Is the NORAD Santa tracker safe from a government shutdown?Syrians celebrate change

The Federal Trade Commission has announced it will issue refunds to nearly 630,000 Fortnite players after ruling that the maker of the popular video game, Epic Games, duped people “into making unwanted purchases.” The FTC said in a Dec. 9 press release that it will send more than $72 million to consumers. The average payment is expected to be around $114, according to the FTC. > 24/7 San Diego news stream: Watch NBC 7 free wherever you are A settlement was first revealed in December 2022, at which time Epic Games was ordered to pay $245 million to clear up allegations that it used deceptive means to fool players into making unwanted purchases and allowed kids the ability to accrue charges without their parents’ knowledge. “The FTC alleged that Fortnite’s counterintuitive, inconsistent, and confusing button configuration led players of all ages to incur unwanted charges based on the press of a single button,” the FTC said in the Dec. 9 release. “For example, players could be charged while attempting to wake the game from sleep mode, while the game was in a loading screen, or by pressing an adjacent button while attempting simply to preview an item.” How do you know if you’re eligible for a refund? And how do you go about filing a claim? Here’s what to know. How to know if you’re eligible for a Fortnite refund The FTC listed on its website the requirements for a refund: Between January 2017 and September 2022, you were charged in the game for items you didn’t want. Between January 2017 and November 2018, your child charged your credit card in the game without your knowledge. Between January 2017 and September 2022, you were locked out of your account after you complained to your credit card about charges you didn’t want. If you already filed a claim after Oct. 8, you do not need to file anything further, according to the FTC. U.S. & World Bob Fernandez, 100-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor, dies peacefully at home 83 years after bombing Jay-Z rape accuser comes forward to NBC News, acknowledges inconsistencies in her allegations How Fortnite players can apply for a refund Eligible consumers still have time to submit a claim at www.ftc.gov/fortnite . Anyone interested in learning more about their payments can call refund administrator Rust Consulting, Inc. at 833-915-0880 or send an email to admin@fortniterefund.com . People can also visit the FTC website to learn more about the refund process. he deadline to file a claim is Jan. 10, 2025, the FTC said. How Fortnite players receive their refunds The FTC said it is in the process of sending a first round of payments, with additional refunds expected at a later date. So far, there are a total of 629,344 total payments. Affected consumers chose how they’d like to be paid when they filled out a claim form. Those people who received money through PayPal should redeem payment within 30 days. Consumers who receive checks have 90 days to cash their payment. How to find your Epic account ID When submitting a claim for a refund , people are required to provide a claim number or an Epic account ID. Epic Games provided on its website steps to find your Epic account ID online: Visit www.epicgames.com . Click “sign in” in the top right corner and sign in. Hover over your Epic Games account name and click on “account.” Your account ID is listed under “account information.” This article first appeared on TODAY.com . Read more from TODAY here: Savannah Guthrie reveals her family’s 2024 holiday card — with a surprise announcement Dad shares bittersweet video of when his 13-year-old confronted him about Santa: 'Oh my heart' Hilary Duff’s 12-year-old son joins her for rare red carpet outingAlyssa Nakken, first full-time female coach in MLB history, leaving Giants to join GuardiansThe military's tradition of tracking Santa Claus on his gravity-defying sweep across the globe will carry on this Christmas Eve, even if the U.S. government shuts down , officials said Friday. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online . “We fully expect for Santa to take flight on Dec. 24 and NORAD will track him," the U.S.-Canadian agency said in a statement. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats , such as last year's Chinese spy balloon . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs, Colorado, are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” The endeavor is supported by local and corporate sponsors, who also help shield the tradition from Washington dysfunction. Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer, told The Associated Press that there are "screams and giggles and laughter” when families call in, usually on speakerphone. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, "Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early." NORAD's annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War , predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics . Here's how it began and why the phones keep ringing. It started with a child's accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy's mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80-foot (18-by-24-meter) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from "those who do not believe in Christmas.” Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup's story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy's call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo cited an International News Service story from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child's call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. "When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,'" Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine doubted the flood of calls to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children told the StoryCorps podcast in 2014 that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. "People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” NORAD's tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa's story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada — known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That's when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, www.noradsanta.org , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, mountain standard time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time.Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized a rule to supervise the largest nonbank companies offering digital funds transfer and payment wallet apps, such as Apple Pay. The rule helps the regulator ensure that companies handling more than 50 million USD transactions per year follow federal law like banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions that are already supervised by the CFPB. Seven participants that met the 50 million threshold, but the CFPB declined to publicly disclose their identities. The group of estimates that the seven collectively process over 13 billion consumer payment transactions annually, responsible for approximately 98% of transactions in the market. Why now? The CFPB made the rule because digital payment products are now mainstream, and consumers have reported disruptions to their lives due to closures or freezes. While the regulator can already take action against companies that violate the law, the new rule enables it to regularly supervise their practices. | “Digital payments have gone from novelty to necessity and our oversight must reflect this reality,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra in a press release . “The rule will help to protect consumer privacy, guard against fraud, and prevent illegal account closures.” The final rule declines to predict just how many examinations in the market it would undertake every year, but the CFPB explicitly notes it is unlikely that all seven participants would undergo supervisory examinations in the same year. The CFPB says the frequency of the examinations depends on a variety of factors including the size and volume of transactions, the conduct of market participants and the risks they pose to consumers, and the extent of existing State consumer protection oversight. [ p241 ] According to the CFPB, the rule’s objective is to ensure that federal consumer financial law is enforced consistently between nonbanks and depository institutions in order to promote fair competition. What’s the new rule? The new rule empowers the regulator to supervise these companies in key areas, including privacy and surveillance, errors and fraud, and debanking. “Debanking” refers to consumers losing access to their app without notice or experiencing disruptions in their ability to make or receive payments, according to the CFPB. In terms of privacy, large technology companies are currently collecting vast quantities of consumer data. Federal law prohibits misrepresentations about data protection practices, allowing consumers to opt out of certain data collection and sharing practices. The CFPB aims to supervise these companies to ensure these rules are enforced. The CFPB has also been notably concerned about how digital payment apps can be used to defraud older adults and active duty servicemembers. Its 2023 annual report on the top financial concerns facing military families highlights the growth of digital payment app usage in the servicemember community, the unique risks, and the potential abuse from bad actors. Due to the rise of servicemember complaints about incurring serious financial harm from scams and fraud when using digital payment app providers, the CFPB believes this is a rapidly growing financial threat to military families. The regulator noted that some popular payment apps appear to shift responsibility for resolving disputes to banks, credit unions, or credit card companies instead of handling them directly. Under federal law, consumers have the right to dispute incorrect or fraudulent transactions, and financial institutions are required to investigate these claims. The application deadline for Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards is Friday, December 6, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.

White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign

USA News Group Commentary Issued on behalf of Oncolytics Biotech Inc. VANCOUVER, BC , Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- USA News Group News Commentary – The American Cancer Society has published its Advances in Oncology – 2024 Research Highlights , underscoring major strides in cancer research and ongoing innovation. However, the optimism is tempered by a troubling finding: a significant global rise in early-onset colorectal cancer cases . This unsettling trend comes as the medical community grapples with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent Nature article revealed how disruptions in cancer care—particularly delays in screenings, diagnoses, and treatments—have likely exacerbated the progression of advanced disease, diminished survival rates, and complicated long-term data analysis. Still, the oncology field continues to push forward with promising developments emerging from key innovators like O ncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC), Cardiff Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRDF), Personalis, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSNL), Tempus AI, Inc. (NASDAQ: TEM), and Checkpoint Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CKPT). The article continued: Additionally, the American Cancer Society has spotlighted an alarming rise in cancer incidence and mortality among younger age groups. Analysts at Exactitude Consultancy anticipate that the global Cancer Immunotherapy Market will expand at a robust 12.84% CAGR, reaching $258.22 billion by 2031 —a clear indicator of oncology's rapid growth and critical importance. Oncolytics Biotech® to Present Promising Pelareorep Data in Pancreatic and Anal Cancers at ASCO GI Symposium Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC), a leading clinical-stage company specializing in immunotherapy for oncology, today announced the presentation of two data sets through two abstracts showcasing pelareorep's potential in difficult-to-treat gastrointestinal cancers, which were accepted and will be presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in San Francisco January 23-25, 2025 . "We are enthusiastic about pelareorep's applicability across multiple gastrointestinal cancer indications, including pancreatic and anal cancer," said Tom Heineman , M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of Oncolytics . "Pelareorep engages patients' immune systems to help make commonly used chemotherapies and checkpoint inhibitors, such as atezolizumab, more effective in fighting cancer. This offers the promise of delaying disease progression and improving survival in patients with these devasting diseases. Given the versatility of pelareorep, we see multiple clinical and regulatory options for bringing this promising medicine to patients." Oncolytics will present two key data sets from the GOBLET study, with preliminary safety and tumor response results for the relapsed anal carcinoma cohort treated with pelareorep and atezolizumab presented in Poster Session C on January 25, 2025 , from 7:00 to 7:55 a.m. PT . Additionally, results from the safety run-in phase for first-line metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients treated with pelareorep, modified FOLFIRINOX, with and without atezolizumab will be presented in Poster Session B on January 24, 2025 , from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. PT . Both abstracts will be available on the ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium website at 5:00 p.m. ET on January 21, 2025 . CONTINUED... Read this and more news for Oncolytics Biotech at: https://usanewsgroup.com/2023/10/02/the-most-undervalued-oncolytics-company-on-the-nasdaq/ In other recent industry developments and happenings in the market include: Cardiff Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRDF), a clinical-stage biotechnology company leveraging PLK1 inhibition to develop novel therapies across a range of cancers, recently announced positive initial data from CRDF-004, a randomized, Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating onvansertib in combination with standard-of-care (SoC) in patients with first-line RAS-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Efficacy and safety data are for all evaluable patients as of a November 26, 2024 , data cut-off date, and all efficacy data are determined by a blinded, independent central review (BICR) of each patient's tumor scan. "We are highly encouraged by the robust efficacy signal and favorable safety profile observed with onvansertib plus standard-of-care from the first 30 evaluable patients in our randomized first-line RAS-mutated mCRC CRDF-004 trial," said Fairooz Kabbinavar, MD, FACP, Chief Medical Officer of Cardiff Oncology . "Our data shows an objective response rate of 64% in patients receiving the 30 mg dose of onvansertib in combination with standard of care, significantly higher than the 33% objective response rate observed in the control arms of standard of care alone. In addition, as can be seen in the spider plots, we are observing deeper tumor response in patients receiving the 30mg dose of onvansertib compared to those receiving the 20mg dose with similar safety profiles for both doses." Personalis, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSNL), a developer of advanced cancer genomic tests and analytics, and Tempus AI, Inc. (NASDAQ: TEM), an AI-powered healthcare technology company, recently announced they've expanded their commercial relationship. Both companies agreed in November 2023 to collaborate and bring ultra-sensitive MRD testing to market and launched their efforts at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. Tempus is serving as the exclusive commercial diagnostic partner for Personalis' ultra-sensitive tumor-informed MRD product, NeXT Personal® Dx, for broad patient adoption in breast and lung cancers, and for immunotherapy monitoring across all solid tumors. "While we already offer NeXT Personal through our own biopharma channel, we are pleased to leverage Tempus' integrated platform as well for these biopharma customers who desire to combine NeXT Personal with other Tempus products," said Chris Hall , CEO of Personalis . "We believe the expansion of the relationship with Tempus will accelerate market penetration of our leading ultra-sensitive MRD platform and allow us to better capitalize on the opportunity." Under this expanded relationship, Tempus will be enabled to offer Personalis' NeXT Personal MRD product to pharmaceutical and biotech customers who wish to bundle MRD testing with other Tempus offerings in a given study. Checkpoint Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CKPT), a commercial-stage immunotherapy and targeted oncology company focused on novel treatments for patients with solid tumor cancers, recently announced that the FDA approved its UNLOXCYTTM (cosibelimab-ipdl) for the treatment of adults with metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) or locally advanced cSCC who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation. UNLOXCYT is the first and only programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) blocking antibody to receive FDA marketing approval for this indication. "[This] FDA approval of UNLOXCYT – the first marketing approval for our company – is a significant milestone both for Checkpoint and for patients with advanced cSCC," said James Oliviero , President and CEO of Checkpoin t. "This approval marks Checkpoint's transformation to a commercial-stage company, with the opportunity to compete in a U.S. market estimated to exceed $1 billion annually, where we believe UNLOXCYT offers a differentiated treatment option versus available therapies by binding to PD-L1, rather than programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1), to release the inhibitory effects of PD-L1 on the anti-tumor immune response. Additionally, UNLOXCYT has demonstrated the ability to induce antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), another potential differentiating feature of the drug compared to existing marketed therapies for patients with cSCC." Source: https://usanewsgroup.com/2024/09/21/is-oncolytics-biotech-the-markets-most-undervalued-cancer-opportunity/ CONTACT: USA NEWS GROUP info@usanewsgroup.com (604) 265-2873 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. USA News Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market IQ Media Group, Inc. ("MIQ"). MIQ has been paid a fee for Oncolytics Biotech Inc. advertising and digital media from the company directly. There may be 3rd parties who may have shares of Oncolytics Biotech Inc., and may liquidate their shares which could have a negative effect on the price of the stock. This compensation constitutes a conflict of interest as to our ability to remain objective in our communication regarding the profiled company. Because of this conflict, individuals are strongly encouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment decision. The owner/operator of MIQ own shares of Oncolytics Biotech Inc. which were purchased in the open market, and reserve the right to buy and sell, and will buy and sell shares of Oncolytics Biotech Inc. at any time without any further notice commencing immediately and ongoing. We also expect further compensation as an ongoing digital media effort to increase visibility for the company, no further notice will be given, but let this disclaimer serve as notice that all material, including this article, which is disseminated by MIQ has been approved by Oncolytics Biotech Inc.; this is a paid advertisement, we currently own shares of Oncolytics Biotech Inc. and will buy and sell shares of the company in the open market, or through private placements, and/or other investment vehicles. While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our newsletter is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between the any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oncology-advancements-accelerate-amid-rising-early-onset-cancer-diagnoses-302337555.html SOURCE USA News Group

NoneI'M A Celebrity star Reverend Richard Coles has shared his hilarious nickname - after revealing a shock habit in camp. The radio presenter and writer, 62, is a fan favourite in this year's series. 4 I'm A Celeb's Reverend Richard Coles revealed a hilarious nickname Credit: ITV 4 Oti Mabuse laughed as she revealed a "secret" about the Reverend Credit: ITV 4 Richard and Oti are the current camp leaders Credit: ITV In tonight's episode, the Church of England priest admitted to having a surprising nickname. Richard told his co-stars how his friend Kev had coined him "farting Father Coles." Earlier, Oti Mabuse joked Danny Jones fanning smoke from the campfire would, in turn, make any farts waft away. This prompted Richard to ask whether the former Strictly pro was a farter. Read more on I'm A Celeb COLE AS ICE I’m A Celeb's Rev Coles takes brutal swipe at Dean after star is axed from camp FAN FURY I'm A Celeb fans complain to Ofcom over Ant and Dec's Rev Richard Coles joke Oti replied: "You are, you fart in your sleep , all the time!" A laughing Richard then apologised - as he shared his moniker with the other campmates. Earlier in the episode, Richard took part in a Bushtucker Trial - featuring a major show twist. Ant and Dec revealed the remaining eight campmates had a chance to win a golden ticket to Celebrity Cyclone. Most read in I’m A Celebrity 2024 MUM KNOWS BEST Inside the life of I'm a Celebrity's Maura Higgins' mum Sharon ON TRIAL Find out who is doing the Bushtucker Trial tonight rover & out Coronation Street villain confirms soap exit as he quits the cobbles MYSTERY SOLVED Ant and Dec explain why they 'went missing' from I'm A Celeb spin off show In addition, they would also earn immunity from the next two public votes. Divided into two groups of four, Richard went up against GK Barry, Danny and Coleen Rooney. Rev Richard Coles shares coming out story on I’m A Celebrity – and how he juggled being gay with his religion Named "The Arcade of Agony", each campmate had a claw machine with balls inside. Every ball contained tickets to put into the ticket deposit box. To even attempt using the machine, the celebs required coins, which were in a box filled with fish guts. Ant coached a struggling Richard, telling him: "Your technique's not great. You've really got to be over the top of the ball to grab it." Meanwhile, the usual stars to win meals for camp were up for grabs. I'm A Celebrity 2024 i'm A Celebrity is back for its 24th series, with a batch of famous faces living in the Aussie jungle. The Sun's Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars on the show this year.. Coleen Rooney - Arguably the most famous name in the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney , has made a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to be on the show this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever. Tulisa - The popstar and former X Factor judge has made her triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year's I'm A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz, Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal. Alan Halsall - The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street, was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he has become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities. Melvin Odoom - The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. Melvin has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet - the Aussie jungle . GK Barry - The UK's biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women. She has even gone on to endorse popular brands such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers. Dean McCullough - A rising star amongst this year's bunch of celebs , Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live. Oti Mabuse - The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She originally found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV's Dancing On Ice . Danny Jones - The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle , after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he's now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice , along with bandmate Tom Fletcher. Jane Moore - The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist is braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge - having recently split from her husband . It will be Jane's first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past. Barry McGuigan - Former pro boxer Barry is the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan. It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to bowel cancer . He told The Late Late Show in 2021: "She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache." Maura Higgins - The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard . Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year. Rev. Richard Coles - Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is a late arrival on I’m A Celebrity , and he's ready to spill the beans on his former employer. The former Communards and Strictly star , said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year. An insider said: "Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth." As Coleen and Danny found a star each, the group earned two out of four possible stars. While the other celebs brought a further three stars back to camp. Read more on the Scottish Sun DECEMBER MISERY Scots face blizzards and travel chaos as weather map reveals 75mph storm CHOC OFF Mums fume at Poundland’s ‘rotten’ advent calendar they thought was ‘for dogs’ Who will win the coveted place in the Celebrity Cyclone? I'm A Celebrity continues on ITV1 and ITVX. 4 Richard is a fan favourite in the ITV show

Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Paul Stephens and his team met recently Export Development Board (EDB) Chairman and Chief Executive Mangala Wijesinghe to strengthen bilateral trade relations between the two countries. Over the past 75 years, Sri Lanka and Australia bilateral relationship has vastly expanded over through deep people-to-people ties, trade and investment, tourism, culture and sports. This relationship is strong and enduring, underpinned by shared history and common values. Trade and investment between two countries have been increasing over the time. Australia ranks as the 11th largest export destination for Sri Lanka, with total exports amounting to $ 226.51 million in 2023. It also stands as the 24th largest source of imports for Sri Lanka, with total imports valued at $ 185.89 million during the same period. This results in a favourable trade balance for Sri Lanka of approximately $ 40 million. Wijesinghe elaborated on the new Government’s vision for export development, highlighting the critical role of partnerships in fostering Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). He emphasised the Government’s commitment to streamlining and expediting the approval process for FDIs to create a more investor-friendly environment. Additionally, Wijesinghe underscored the necessity for Sri Lanka to align with global manufacturing trends to integrate into international supply chains. He stressed the importance of enhancing bilateral trade relations with Australia as a key step toward achieving this goal and strengthening Sri Lanka’s position in the global market. The High Commissioner explained the potential for Australia to invest in the Mineral Sector in Sri Lanka as well as joint ventures on export led manufacturing. Further he explained the interest of Australian companies to invest in Sri Lanka targeting export-led manufacturing and processing. Especially, develop Sri Lanka as a commodity hub for the value adding of Australian agri commodities targeting export markets under the benefits of free/preferential trade agreements. Both parties agreed to discuss further on the possibility of implementation of this proposal. Australia and Sri Lanka maintain a robust trade relationship underpinned by a framework arrangement and development cooperation. The Australia-Sri Lanka Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA) serves as a cornerstone for advancing economic collaboration between the two nations. The TIFA action plan focuses on key areas such as facilitating quarantine processes for agricultural exports, promoting investment programs, enhancing market access for SME exports, attracting high-end tourists, and fostering partnerships for broader adoption of digital technologies. In 2023, Sri Lanka’s major exports to Australia included apparel, tea, rubber tires and tubes, rubber gloves, motor vehicles and parts, as well as edible preparations. Conversely, the primary imports from Australia consisted of lentils, cereals, meat preparations, dairy products, pharmaceuticals and paints. The EDB has identified significant opportunities to expand exports to Australia in sectors such as apparel, tea and mate, plastics and rubber products, fish and shellfish and paper products. Both nations are committed to strengthening bilateral trade ties by fostering productive dialogues, engaging proactively with business communities, encouraging and facilitating trade and investment, transferring modern technologies and resolving trade and investment-related challenges. These efforts aim to create a conducive environment for business growth and unlock new opportunities for collaboration. Australian Deputy High Commissioner Lalita Kapur, First Secretary Dr. Paul Zeccola, Austrade Country Manager Shameel Javadh, Austrade Director Education Saduni Seneviratne and senior EDB Officials also participated at the discussion."Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 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Lebawit Lily Girma | (TNS) Bloomberg News When winter rolls around, travelers predictably turn their attention to beaches. And this year, it’s the destination that comedian Tony Hinchcliffe called “a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean” that’s experiencing outsize demand from Americans planning a warm island vacation. Talk about trashing stereotypes. Puerto Rico has recovered overseas visitors (excluding those from Canada and Mexico) faster than any U.S. state or territory — a staggering 85% increase over its 2019 overseas inbound visitor levels as of 2023, according to an October study from the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office. There are now more daily flights from the U.S. West Coast, and hotel bookings are 6% higher so far in this last quarter of 2024 year-over-year. It’s a trifecta of tourism growth: more visitors, but also longer stays and a higher spend that reached a record $9.8 billion in 2023, boosting small businesses as well as major brands. “We don’t have a slow season in Puerto Rico anymore,” says Brad Dean, chief executive officer at Discover Puerto Rico. Even if they’re not booking, people are dreaming about “La Isla.” By tracking flight searches for trips between November 2024 and February 2025, a measure of “inspirational” demand, tourism intelligence company Mabrian Technologies reports Puerto Rico is up 9% compared with the same period last year and leads Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Bahamas in the Caribbean proper. Only Costa Rica ranked higher in the wider region. Dean attributes Puerto Rico’s ongoing tourism growth to a strategic effort to reposition the island’s brand as more than a sun-and-sea destination, starting back in 2018. That led to the Live Boricua campaign, which began in 2022 and leaned heavily on culture, history and cuisine and was, Dean says, “a pretty bold departure” in the way Puerto Rico was showcased to travelers. He adds that at least $2 billion in tourism spend is linked to this campaign. “We (also) haven’t shied away from actively embracing the LGBTQ+ community, and that has opened up Puerto Rico to audiences that may not have considered the Caribbean before,” Dean says. Hotels are preparing to meet this growing demand: A number of established boutique properties are undergoing upgrades valued between $4 million and more than $50 million, including Hotel El Convento; La Concha, which will join the Marriott Autograph Collection; Condado Vanderbilt Hotel; and the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar. That’s in addition to ultra-chic options that are coming online in 2025, including the adults-only Alma San Juan, with rooms overlooking Plaza Colón in the heart of Old San Juan, and the five-star Veranó boutique hotel in San Juan’s trendy Santurce neighborhood. The beachfront Ritz-Carlton San Juan in Isla Verde will also be reopening seven years after Hurricane Maria decimated the island. The travel industry’s success is helping boost employment on the island, to the tune of 101,000 leisure and hospitality jobs as of September 2024, a 26% increase over pre-pandemic levels, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Efforts to promote Puerto Rico’s provinces beyond the San Juan metro area — such as surfing hub Rincón on the west coast, historical Ponce on the south coast and Orocovis for nature and coffee haciendas in the central mountains —have spread the demand to small businesses previously ignored by the travel industry. Take Sheila Osorio, who leads workshops on Afro-Puerto Rican bomba music and dance at Taller Nzambi, in the town of Loíza, 15 miles east of San Juan; or Wanda Otero, founder of cheese-producing company Vaca Negra in Hatillo, an hour’s drive west of Old San Juan, where you can join a cheese-making workshop and indulge in artisanal cheese tastings. “The list of businesses involved in tourism has gone from 650 in 2018 to 6,100, many of which are artists and artisans,” Dean says. While New Yorkers and Miami residents have always been the largest visitor demographic, Dean says more mainland Americans now realize that going to Puerto Rico means passport-free travel to enjoy beaches, as well as opportunities to dine in Michelin-rated restaurants, hike the only rainforest in the U.S. and kayak in a bioluminescent bay. Visitors from Chicago and Dallas, for example, have increased by approximately 40% from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, compared with the same period in 2022-2023, and more travelers are expected from Denver now that United Airlines Holdings Inc. has kicked off its first nonstop service to San Juan, beginning on Oct. 29. Previously, beach destinations that were easy to reach on direct flights from Denver included Mexico, Belize and California, but now Puerto Rico joins that list with a 5.5-hour nonstop route that cuts more than two hours from the next-best option. Given United Airlines’ hub in San Francisco, it could mean more travelers from the Golden State in the near future, too. In December, U.S. airlines will have 3,000 more seats per day to the territory compared with the same period last year, for a total of 84,731 — surpassing even Mexico and the Dominican Republic in air capacity, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, the island’s primary gateway, is projecting a record volume of 13 million passengers by year’s end — far surpassing the 9.4 million it saw in 2019. As for Hinchcliffe’s “floating island of garbage” line, Dean says it was “a terribly insensitive attempt at humor” that transformed outrage into a marketing silver lining, with an outpouring of positive public sentiment and content on Puerto Rico all over social media. Success, as that old chestnut goes, may be the best revenge. “It was probably the most efficient influencer campaign we’ve ever had,” Dean says, “a groundswell of visitors who posted their photos and videos and said, ‘This is the Puerto Rico that I know.’” ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.This Samsung 2.1-channel soundbar is only $100 at Best Buy today!A new round of Israeli air strikes in Yemen have targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital and multiple ports while the World Health Organisation’s director-general said the bombardment occurred nearby as he prepared to board a flight. “The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge — just a few metres from where we were — and the runway were damaged,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on the social media platform X. He added that he and UN colleagues were safe. “We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave,” he said. UN spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay later said the injured person was with the UN Humanitarian Air Service. Our mission to negotiate the release of @UN staff detainees and to assess the health and humanitarian situation in #Yemen concluded today. We continue to call for the detainees' immediate release. As we were about to board our flight from Sana’a, about two hours ago, the airport... pic.twitter.com/riZayWHkvf — Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) December 26, 2024 Israel’s army later told The Associated Press it was not aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. The Israeli strikes followed several days of Houthi launches setting off sirens in Israel. The Israeli military in a statement said it attacked infrastructure used by the Iran-backed Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa and ports in Hodeida, Al-Salif and Ras Qantib, along with power stations, asserting they were used to smuggle in Iranian weapons and for the entry of senior Iranian officials. Israel’s military added it had “capabilities to strike very far from Israel’s territory — precisely, powerfully, and repetitively”. The strikes, carried out over 1,000 miles from Jerusalem, came a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “the Houthis, too, will learn what Hamas and Hezbollah and Assad’s regime and others learned” as his military has battled those more powerful proxies of Iran. The Houthi-controlled satellite channel al-Masirah reported multiple deaths and showed broken windows, collapsed ceilings and a bloodstained floor and vehicle. Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the strikes. The US military has also targeted the Houthis in recent days. The UN has said the targeted ports are important entry points for humanitarian aid for Yemen, the poorest Arab nation that plunged into a civil war in 2014. Over the weekend, 16 people were wounded when a Houthi missile hit a playground in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, while other missiles and drones have been shot down. Last week, Israeli jets struck Sanaa and Hodeida, killing nine people, calling it a response to previous Houthi attacks. The Houthis also have been targeting shipping on the Red Sea corridor in what it says is an act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The UN Security Council has an emergency meeting on Monday in response to an Israeli request that it condemn the Houthi attacks and Iran for supplying them with weapons.