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Techmediabreaks Trump Media & Technology Group Corp.'S (NASDAQ: DJT) Stock Performance And Future ProspectsNEW YORK — There's a Christmas Day basketball game at Walt Disney World, featuring Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Wemby. An animated game, anyway. The real game takes place at Madison Square Garden, where Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs face the New York Knicks in a game televised on ABC and ESPN and streamed on Disney+ and ESPN+. The special alt-cast, the first animated presentation of an NBA game, will be shown on ESPN2 and also stream on Disney+ and ESPN+. Madison Square Garden is a staple of the NBA's Christmas schedule. Now it merges with a bigger home of the holidays, because the "Dunk the Halls" game will be staged at Disney, on a court set up right smack in the middle of where countless families have posed for vacation photos. Why that location? Because it was Mickey Mouse's Christmas wish. "Basketball courts often have the ability to make a normal environment look special, but in Disney it can only turn out incredible," Wembanyama said in an ESPN video promoting his Christmas debut. The story — this is Disney, after all — begins with Mickey penning a letter to Santa Claus, asking if he and his pals can host a basketball game. They'll not only get to watch one with NBA players, but some of them will even get to play. Goofy and Donald Duck will sub in for a couple Knicks players, while Mickey and Minnie Mouse will come on to play for the Spurs. "It looks to me like Goofy and Jalen Brunson have a really good pick-and-roll at the elite level," said Phil Orlins, an ESPN vice president of production. Walt Disney World hosted real NBA games in 2020, when the league set up there to complete its season that had been suspended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Those games were played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. The setting for the Christmas game will be Main Street USA, at the entrance of the Magic Kingdom. Viewers will recognize Cinderella's castle behind one baseline and the train station at the other end, and perhaps some shops they have visited in between. Previous alternate animated broadcasts included an NFL game taking place in Andy's room from "Toy Story;" the "NHL Big City Greens Classic" during a game between the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers; and earlier this month, another NFL matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys also taking place at Springfield's Atoms Stadium as part of "The Simpsons Funday Football." Unlike basketball, the players are helmeted in those sports. So, this telecast required an extra level of detail and cooperation with players and teams to create accurate appearances of their faces and hairstyles. "So, this is a level of detail that we've never gone, that we've never done on any other broadcast," said David Sparrgrove, the senior director of creative animation for ESPN. Wembanyama, the 7-foot-3 phenom from France who was last season's NBA Rookie of the Year, looks huge even among most NBA players. The creators of the alternate telecast had to design how he'd look not only among his teammates and rivals, but among mice, ducks and chipmunks. "Like, Victor Wembanyama, seeing him in person is insane. It's like seeing an alien descend on a basketball court, and I think we kind of captured that in his animated character," said Drew Carter, who will again handle play-by-play duties, as he had in the previous animated telecasts, and will get an assist from sideline reporter Daisy Duck. Wembanyama's presence is one reason the Spurs-Knicks matchup, the leadoff to the NBA's five-game Christmas slate, was the obvious choice to do the animated telecast. The noon EST start means it will begin in the early evening in France and should draw well there. Also, it comes after ABC televises the "Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade" for the previous two hours, providing more time to hype the broadcast. Recognizing that some viewers who then switch over to the animated game may be Disney experts but NBA novices, there will be 10 educational explainers to help with basketball lingo and rules. Beyond Sports' visualization technology and Sony's Hawk-Eye tracking allow the animated players to make the same movements and plays made moments earlier by the real ones at MSG. Carter and analyst Monica McNutt will be animated in the style of the telecast, donning VR headsets to experience the game from Main Street, USA. Other animated faces recognizable to some viewers include NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who will judge a halftime dunk contest among Mickey and his friends, and Santa himself, who will operate ESPN's "SkyCam" during the game. The players are curious how the production — and themselves — will look. "It's going to be so crazy to see the game animated," Spurs veteran Chris Paul said. "I think what's dope about it is it will give kids another opportunity to watch a game and to see us, basically, as characters." Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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Tehran will support Damascus in beating back the jihadist onslaught in Syria, as it represents a danger to the entire region, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said. The al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) launched a surprise attack from its base in Idlib last week, violating a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Türkiye in 2020. HTS militants have taken the cities of Aleppo and Hama so far, displacing over 280,000 people. “The Takfiri terrorist groups have hatched a long-term plot to cause insecurity and violence in the region,” Araghchi said on Friday, after meeting his Iraqi and Syrian colleagues in Baghdad. “Our goal is to strengthen consultations and coordination in order to support the Syrian government and people,” he added. At the Baghdad meeting, Iran and Iraq pledged to coordinate policy on Syria.The crisis in Syria has a “clear impact” on Iraqi security and needs to be contained, said Iraq’s prime minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. “It is imperative that we stand united to protect Syria’s unity, sovereignty and the safety of its people,” Iraqi President Latif Rashid said. Earlier this week, Araghchi said that Tehran would consider an open military intervention in Syria should Damascus request it. Iran has already provided President Bashar Assad’s government with intelligence and satellite data, a senior official who wished to remain anonymous told Reuters on Friday. “It is likely that Tehran will need to send military equipment, missiles and drones to Syria,” an Iranian official added on condition of anonymity, noting that Iran has already “taken all necessary steps to increase the number of its military advisers in Syria and deploy troops.” Militants backed by the US and some regional powers launched an armed insurgency against Damascus in 2011. An al-Qaeda splinter used the conflict to declare itself ‘Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’ (ISIS) in 2014. The following year, Russia sent an expeditionary force to Syria at Assad’s request and helped the government beat back both ISIS and other militants. Iran and the Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah also aided Damascus. Kurdish militias aided by the US helped defeat ISIS in northwestern Syria, but then refused to reunite with Damascus and kept control of the country’s farmland and oil deposits. Meanwhile, Türkiye intervened in 2017 to block the Syrian army from overrunning Idlib province, the last holdout of HTS. Ankara later pledged to support a political solution in Syria.1. A cleverly designed rechargeable electric candle lighter with a flexible neck so you can light all your coziest, deepest candles without worrying about the "YIKES" of being near an open flame. This is also windproof and super portable for anyone looking for options to light candles or fires outside, too! Promising review : "I absolutely love this product. Now I’m able to light candles where the candle wax has melted down, and it’s hard to reach inside the jar. I also love the fact that you charge this with a USB cable, and the charge lasts for a long time. It has indicator lights to let you know how much of a charge is remaining. I’ve only had to charge it once since I purchased it. I Very durable and a great value for the price. I definitely recommend this. " — Cassandra S. "Another product I got from TikTok. It’s a necessity. No more struggling and almost burning yourself. Stays charged for days. A week at most if you use it frequently." — Nijada Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in five colors and in two packs). 2. A hands-free portable phone charger you will be *so* happy you invested in when you find yourself out and about all day with your battery dwindling. This sticks right into your phone plug and chills there so easily that you might forget it's there in the first place, and it's designed to quickly give your phone one full charge. Promising review: "I used these several times for the past year, traveling for business and leisure. It is always a challenge to find an outlet at the airport since some airports do not offer a charging station. Using those types can also be a security risk. That's why I love using these portable chargers. They are lightweight and fit in my travel handbag/or small backpack pocket. The portable chargers take about 30–35 minutes to fully charge if dead. Once charged, they charge fast and hold a charge for many hours." — J Get it from Amazon for $18.99+ (available in six colors). 3. And a wireless charging desk and mousepad to make juicing up your phone and AirPods so thoughtlessly easy that you might literally just set them down and recharge them by accident. Promising review : "Loved putting my phone down and have it charge while working and not have to think about it. The added bonus of having it look good with a wireless mouse and keyboard setup. The mouse works wonderfully on the pad. Pad feels sturdy and will last a long time. Ordered the medium, and thankfully, it worked out that it fit my setup area perfectly. Overall, great item to have for my workspace." — Ken Situ Get it from Amazon for $37.99+ (available in eight colors and five sizes). 4. A Larq , a self-cleaning water bottle designed with UV-C LED tech that not only purifies water in 60 seconds, but cleans the inner surfaces of the bottle — which it can do up to a full month on a single charge. Reviewers swear by this for making their water taste better, and for keeping water icy cold for hours! Larq is a small business that specializes in water purification products. Promising review: "We fill large bottles up every day and keep them cold in the fridge. The quality is outstanding. We love them. We had very bad tasting water and this made it taste great. It doesn't smell and it is easy to hold. The smaller one is good for travel. These also saved a lot of money because we didn't have to buy bottled water." — Mary Ann Get it from Amazon for $99+ (available in six colors and two sizes). 5. A wireless charger bedside lamp with a built-in speaker so you can have what is arguably a lil' nightlight, television, and boombox all in one — this not only charges your phone, but lets you prop it up as a stand so you can stream content through the Bluetooth speaker. Check out a TikTok of the bedside lamp in action. Promising review : "I wasn’t expecting much from this product based on the price. A night-light at best. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was a light with three different settings. I love that feature. The Bluetooth speaker has amazing sound quality for my bedroom and can be heard all through the master bathroom and both master closets. How cool is that?! It also has a phone charger that works. Just hook your phone cord into the lamp and place your phone on the charger pad. I highly recommend this item!!" — Bunny Honey Get it from Amazon for $35.99 (clip the $10 off coupon on the product page for this price; available in four styles). 6. And a gorgeously designed Hatch Restore 2 — this sunrise alarm and sound machine works overtime as a touch-controlled smart light, bedtime reading light, and even a wind-down light that helps you get into a healthier sleep routine at night, which is especially important to maintain when it's dark out for so long. Other bedside lamps could truly never. Hatch Restore lets you personalize a "bedtime routine" for each night to train your brain to recognize sleep cues and get a better night's rest. Options include changing the light settings to more amber tones to help produce melatonin for sleep, soothing noise options, and sleep meditations and sleep stories you can get in the Hatch app. Promising review: "The Hatch Restore 2 is truly a game changer for those looking to improve their night’s sleep and wake-up routine. It’s been the best bedside companion and has improved my overall health and well-being. The combination of sounds, lights, buttons, and aesthetics really all come to play to make this feel like a truly premium device. There are touch adjustments to adjust the volume and brightness of the clock, which work really well. My favorite feature is the physical buttons which you can press to start or stop the routines; it feels very intentional when I get ready for bed and really gets me in the right mindset to begin my bedtime routine ." — Natasha Advani Get it from Amazon for $169.99 (available in three styles). 7. A pair of waterproof wireless earbuds with a charging case that, bless its technologically savvy heart, has an LED display letting you know exactly how much charge is left. Reviewers also love how delightfully comfortable and sweatproof these are, making them a solid, affordable option for multitasking humans who talk on the phone or exercise. Promising review: "I use these every day at work! Love these — easy to learn and to use. Best thing about them? Well, everything, lol. Good sound, they hold a charge for long periods, and I don’t have to worry about them losing power. I can answer my phone easily and then go back to music without a problem. Definitely a great buy and worth the money! Love this color, too!" — Erin Get it from Amazon for $21.59 (clip the 40% off coupon on the product page for this price; available in eight colors). 8. And a pair of wireless over-the-ear headphones crafted to look like AirPods Max, so you can still enjoy the comfort and chic style of their iconic headphones without shelling out hundreds of dollars. These feature premium cushion padding, a built-in mic with the ability to take calls, 10 hours of playtime per charge, and surprisingly decent noise blocking for the price. iJoy is a small business that specializes in headphones and tech accessories. I own a pair of these, and because I'm vain as heck and need to own all things pink, but I was decently surprised by how well they muffle noise! I feel like these are ideal for people who still want to hear some of the world around them (read: parents, people working in open offices), but still want to listen to their tunes comfortably . The charge on these goes for at least four hours (I haven't tried it beyond that yet), and the Bluetooth connects to my devices super easily. Excellent pair of headphones for the price point. Promising review : "These headphones surprised me. I thought they were not going to be as great because of how cheap they are, but the bass is amazing! The noise cancellation is so good that I can’t hear anything. The volume is loud and sound quality is a win , and just how I like it. Very snug and comfy, recommend! Thanks TikTok, lol :)." — Chevelle Revero Get it from Amazon for $21.99+ (available in five colors). 9. A user-friendly hexagonal productivity timer with six present countdown times you can initiate just by flipping it on its side. Not only does it have an oh-so-satisfying display screen you can use to count up or down, but it has a "mute" option so you won't disturb your coworkers when you're trying to do an email answering power hour (help). Promising review: "Love love love this product. Simple design, works great. I time myself during writing sessions so I'm not sitting in long stretches. This little timer is perfectly shaped and has several pre-programmed time options. Highly recommend." — Mimi Foster Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in three styles). 10. A deeply adorable retro-style portable Bluetooth keyboard you can connect to your tablet, phone, or computer to easily type on the go. Reviewers especially love the satisfying ~clickety clack~ feel of the keys! Promising review: "I got this keyboard because of its aesthetic. The look did not disappoint. Love it! Super easy to connect to my iPhone and iPad. It makes my typing and note creating on my phone quicker and cuter. I will purchase another for an upcoming friend’s birthday. I know she’ll love it as well!" — NT Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (clip the $3 off coupon on the product page for this price). 11. A stylish fitness smartwatch that's a chic, affordable, user-friendly version of all the tricked-out expensive ones that aren't half as cute anyway. This water-resistant watch not only takes calls and texts and monitors your sleep, but has 70 different activity modes for fitness tracking, including the ability to track your heart rate, steps, and calories for each workout. Promising review : "This watch is elegant and simple all at once. Can be worn with any genre of clothing. Easy to use and has all the sort after features. Love the sleep monitoring app. Great value at price point. Functions like expensive brands." — Barbara Hubbard Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (clip the $20 coupon on the product page for this price; available in three colors). 12. A flexible power strip complete with three outlets, two USB ports, and a 5-foot extension cable designed so you can fit it into weird nooks and crannies around or under your desk while still being able to plug in bulky chargers. iJoy is a small business that specializes in headphones and tech accessories. Promising review : "I rarely write a review (this is the second in the past few years). One of the best purchases in a long time. Nice design and very practical. It solves all of my problems as it can go in any direction. It's worth every penny. I turned around and bought two more. I am about to buy my fourth one. Love this!" — Pond P. Get it from Amazon for $17.99 (available in four colors). 13. And a six-outlet wall charger designed specifically for larger chargers that also comes equipped with two USB fast-charging ports *and* a night-light, so your WFH, kitchen, or living room setup is as organized as possible. Promising review: "Better than any strip! Saw this on TikTok and it’s everything. Love the auto night-light feature. So versatile and compact. Worth every penny. Will be ordering more." — Kelly Get it from Amazon for $17.97 (available in two styles and three colors). 14. A portable car vacuum that lets you explore the great outdoors or enjoy a particularly messy snack without sitting in the evidence until the next time you do a deep car clean. With this easy peasy gadget, you can scoop it all up and leave your interiors looking brand spanking new. Promising review: "This was the perfect solution for a busy mom as myself. I have three little ones, and every day, there is a mess of some sort in the backseat. It saves time and money to not have to go to a carwash place and keep feeding the machine . It’s simple to use and a great size. I wish the suction was a little better, but for the price and quality, I can’t complain. It’s a must!" — Amazon Customer "TikTok made me buy it. I NEVER leave reviews buttt I was surprised at how well and powerful this vacuum was! And it wasn’t loud. 10 out of 10 recommended. Go buy it and try it for yourself." — Jessica D. Williams Get it from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in four colors). 15. And a bagless, touchless stationary vacuum that'll suck the gunk on your floors right up instead of wrangling with a dustpan full of hair clumps that keep falling out or a heavy vacuum cleaner. Why lug a vacuum around when you can get the job done with a lightweight broom instead? EyeVac is a small business that specializes in vacuums for home and commercial use. Promising review: "Saw it on TikTok and knew I had to have one. I hate cleaning but get annoyed with the clumps of dog hair and bits of things on my kitchen floor. I usually just vacuum my tile with the vacuum which is a pain. This thing is so easy to just sweet things into and it sucks them right up. Sure, it's more expensive than my actual vacuum, but I've only had it three days and have used it two times." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $129 (clip the $20 off coupon on the product page for this price; available in three colors). 16. A sleek one-button electric wine bottle opener because TBH, nobody has time to lament a cork getting stuck in their bottle and google a bunch of hacks to fix it anymore. This rechargeable beauty will safely pop it open without any of the hassle. Promising review: "I have had this wine bottle opener for over two years and I'm so happy with this purchase. I love the aesthetic and that I can leave it on the counter. When you receive the product, you just have to plug it in to charge, and then it’s ready to use. It’s convenient to have the foil cutter. It’s also still sharp after two years. In just a few seconds, the bottle is opened, and I’m ready to enjoy a glass of wine!" — Rebecca Anne Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in six styles). 17. An electric knife that makes carving turkey, roast beef, and ham such a breeze that you'll low key be like, "Um, Thanksgiving dinner every night??" Reviewers also LOVE this for getting clean, even slices on bread loaves and trickier veggies like tomatoes. Check out a TikTok of the electric knife in action. Promising review : "Super easy to hold and use, the on button is perfectly placed, and the blade length is just right for carving turkeys or large cuts of beef. Super sharp blades and a case with meat fork makes for a complete package." — john alexander Get it from Amazon for $42 (available in two styles). 18. A two-slice touch screen toaster with all the fanciness of the $350 TikTok-famous version and none of the "YIKESSSSS" of the price tag. This lets you select seven different toastiness levels for your bread, and specify if you're putting other carbs in there, like bagels, English muffins, waffles, and even gluten-free bread. Promising review: "I love this toaster! It has all the options I need: lifter, countdown timer, visual icon of the toast colors, and all the toast varieties anyone could want, from white to grain to bagel to waffle to English muffin to gluten-free. It not only has reheat and defrost options, you can even add more toasting time, too. Truly, it has all the bells and whistles anyone could want and is easy to use. " — Tanya Feddern-Bekcan Get it from Amazon for $45.99+ (available in six colors and in a four-slice toaster style). 19. A zero-ink, app-enabled Kodak instant phone photo printer to essentially transform your phone into a Polaroid camera, but with the ability to pick and choose which photos you print. You can even edit photos within the app for better lighting or fun little graphics to add your own personal touch! This is compatible with Zink's zero ink printer paper — you can snag 20 sheets of it on Amazon for $9.99 ! Promising review: "I take lots of photos but rarely do I ever print them out. We travel in our RV, and I like to keep some photos of places that we've been in the RV on our photo board. I really like it; it's a lot of fun. The color is pretty good, prints pretty fast, and the little backgrounds that you can stick them to are a fun touch. There's also some other stickers and frames that you could add to the pictures. I also keep a notebook of all the places that we've traveled (with campsite-specific info), and I try to keep one picture to represent each place in the notebook . It's perfect for this." — Link family Get it from Amazon for $69.99 (available in four colors and as a starter bundle that includes photo paper, frames, and other accessories). 20. And a slim profile ink-free Bluetooth printer you can boss around from your computer, phone, or tablet to quickly print black and white images on thermal paper — excellent for printing shipping labels, articles, or quick memos on the go. Travelers also love how ridiculously portable it is! Check out a TikTok of the portable ink-free Bluetooth printer in action. This requires thermal paper to operate — grab 100 sheets on Amazon for $20.99 ! Promising review : "This specific printer is lightweight but very sturdy. The app is super easy to use ; it's got a media library that has layouts and other clipart styles. The printer is also relatively quiet and I have not had any issues with loading the paper straight, you just have to be dedicated to inserting the paper. Do not be super gentle with the paper or it will print on the paper crooked. Customer support is awesome and the quality if nice and worth the price, in my opinion. The paper, as stated in other reviews, is costly however I think not paying for ink evens it out." — Kapizanami Get it from Amazon for $128.99 (clip the $8 off coupon on the product page for this price; available in three colors). 21. A tiny 3-in-1 portable charger that folds down to the size of a little macaron, but cleverly expands to charge your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch all at the same time. If you have trips on the horizon or you're a busy human in general, you need to get yourself one of these adorable UFOs, fast. Promising review: "These are fabulous for travel — they charge three devices from just one USB port, especially [helpful] when frequenting hotel rooms. The first one is now permanently stationed bedside to help clean up the clutter, and this will go into my briefcase for future excursions. Compact, and effective!" — see2xu Get it from Amazon for $76.49 (clip the 15% off coupon on the product page for this price; available in four colors). 22. Ray-Ban's Meta Smart Glasses , which are enabled with Meta AI to basically make you feel like you're an undercover operative living in the ~future~. These voice-enabled glasses can take pictures and videos from your "perspective" whenever you ask, can get information about your environment, scan QR codes, and even play music or take calls with tiny, discreet speakers. This was featured on Oprah's Favorite Things for 2024 — check out more of Oprah's picks on Amazon's gift shop ! Promising review : "I love them! I feel like a spy wearing these! They come in handy when I want to be hands-free! The sound quality is amazing! The video and picture quality is great!! 👍🏽 These are the best. besides, right now, I feel special because everyone is curious because I’m the only one I know that has them! Great product!" — Stillbeauty Get it from Amazon for $299+ (available in three colors). 23. "Plaud," an AI voice recorder and notes generator that's basically a personal assistant that fits in your pocket. This gadget not only transcribes audio from meetings in real time, but uses ChatGPT to create summaries, minutes logs, and to-do lists based on the audio. Now, those meetings that couldn't be emails can get condensed into one! This is also an EXCELLENT tool for students who want to summarize lectures! Promising review: "Love this product! Very user-friendly, and the app is easy to navigate . Can transcribe and summarize meeting notes in a couple of minutes and allows you to choose what layout (meeting notes, transcript, mind map) you would like. Allows you to edit notes if needed and replay the meeting. This handy device can record phone calls. Just place it in the holder and attach to your phone, and switch the button to the phone option for those on-the-go phone conferences. Very helpful and convenient!!" — Rachele Get it from Amazon for $159 (available in two colors). 24. A portable mug warmer with three different temperature settings so you can take your sweet, sweeeeet time enjoying your morning cuppa without worrying about having to reheat it in the microwave or chugging lukewarm coffee. Bonus: it also operates as a candle warmer! Promising review: "LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Love the look. Love the temperature settings, although I don't believe I will use the lower ones since the 170 seems to be just right for me. Very simple to operate. Perfect Christmas gift or stocking stuffer for my daughter-in-law." — rkd Get it from Amazon for $20.79 (clip the 20% off coupon on the product page for this price). 25. Or a fancy version, the Ember temperature-controlled "smart mug," to treat your taste buds like royalty by making sure they only ever taste coffee, hot cocoa, soup, and tea at the *precisely* perfect temperature. The mug will maintain specific heat for up to 80 minutes alone, or however long you want with the warming pad, and both can be easily controlled manually or with presets from an app on your phone. Promising review: "You know that feeling when you sip hot chocolate, and it doesn't burn your mouth but feels hot and warms your chest all the way down? I just found out that that's 141 degrees! (At least for me.) I'm very impressed with this. It maintains the heat and doesn't burn the coffee. If you drink coffee slowly and want to use a mug instead of tumbler — and don't enjoy increasingly lukewarm, then cold, coffee — this is worth it." — Samuel Wilwerding Get it from Amazon for $94.89+ (available in two sizes and 13 colors). 26. A sleek makeup brush UV sanitizer for anyone who's prone to breakouts — this gizmo has a UV-C light to kill 99.9% of all viruses and bacteria, preventing skin irritants and keeping your beloved brushes in tip-top shape. Brushean is a small business that specializes in UV-C light personal care technology. Promising review: "This first caught my eyes when I saw how chic and cute it is. Then I found out it actually help sanitize makeup brushes! I wear makeup regularly, but to be honest, I don't clean my brushes frequently enough. I found it kind of frustrating to clean my brushes. Not sure why but it always takes a REALLY LONG TIME for my brushes to dry. This is such a lifesaver as I know I can sanitize my brushes every time I use them with just one click! I don't have to worry about skin issues caused by dirty brushes anymore! It also makes a really good/cute gift. Very happy with this purchase." — Cyn Get it from Amazon for $89 . 27. A Wi-Fi–connected, voice-controlled Café Couture Oven with 14 essential cooking modes so you can air fry, CrispFinish, bake, broil, roast, and more, giving you so many truly elite cooking options that — gasp — you may never order takeout again?? Bless this near-sentient oven for doing all your bidding for you! This was featured on Oprah's Favorite Things for 2024 — check out more of Oprah's picks on Amazon's gift shop ! Promising review: "I cannot say enough good things! Size perfect! Not too large, not too small, it's the Goldilocks of countertop ovens. And it's so pretty, too. Does everything you want it to do . After reading reviews about how people just hand wash the basket, I was skeptical, but I have to tell you, no matter what you cook in, it is soooo easy to hand wash and comes out looking new. The air fry option is truly the best I've experienced thus far, not to mention the other, like, 10 cooking options you have. The price is shockingly low for this beauty, and I cannot recommend it enough." — Karen Get it from Amazon for $328.96 (available in three colors). 28. A nifty and delightfully cheap charging station nightstand, which features two outlets and two USB ports to power lamps and gadgets and charge your devices. It even comes with a handy LED light strip that emits a soft glow when you're looking for things at night, with a remote that lets you toggle between 20 colors and eight brightness modes. Promising review: "This set of two tables was perfect for what I needed them for. Not too big and not too small. LED lights are a plus. The drawers are perfect for keeping up with remotes or glasses. The tables are sturdy and made with great materials. I love the rustic color, and I think these are definitely worth the money!" — Kds Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in three colors and in sets of two). 29. A phone flash drive compatible with juuuust about all your gadgets (I'm talking iPhone, iPad, Android, PC, the whole nine yards) you can use to easily move thousands of photos, hours of videos, or private files without dealing with finicky Wi-Fi or that dreaded "Attachment File Too Large To Send" message in your email. Promising review : "I ordered this because I had no storage on my iPhone and couldn't take photos once I had filled it. I had several concerts planned and wanted to capture the memories of the concerts. This was a game changer — I was able to easily put all the photos on the flash drive from my phone and clear all the data on my phone to take more photos while I was at events so that I didn't miss any photo opportunity. This saved the day where Apple failed me." — Ellen Get it from Amazon for $18.99+ (clip the $6 off coupon on the product page for this price; available in three memory storage capacities and four colors). 30. A Petcube , which is basically a Furbo without all the extra bells and whistles — this super-reliable pet-monitoring camera has a wide angle and night vision so you can check on your pet 24/7 and even talk to them, giving you a whole new peace of mind whenever you leave the house. Check out a TikTok of the Petcube in action. Petcube is a California-based small business established in 2012 that specializes in interactive HD pet camera products. It's also app-enabled and can send you instant notifications, sync with Amazon Alexa, and even access a vet on demand if you notice any weird behaviors. Promising review : "Unbeatable for the money. I needed a way to keep an eye on a new 4-month-old puppy who kept digging holes in my yard. I didn't expect a lot for $39, but I was pleasantly surprised. The video is quick to get started and very clear, zoom is quick, and the night vision actually works . I haven't used any of the other features yet, but these alone make this a great value! Far exceeding what I expected." — Rick Grisham Get it from Amazon for $31.99 (available in multipacks and with a subscription). 31. A Nespresso Vertuo for anyone who's ready to channel their inner barista — this sleek gizmo brews *elite* single-serve coffee and espresso that you can fully customize to your strength and temperature preferences, for a fraction of the price of takeout coffee. Each machine comes with a free variety pack of Nespresso pods to get you started! Promising review: " This Nespresso machine is the best investment I have made in my kitchen . Since I tasted delicious coffee, I will never drink any other brand. I used to drink Starbucks daily, for which I would spend $6 a day, but now I ONLY spend a dollar or two (think of a long-term saving) . I would definitely recommend this coffee maker. Thank you, Nespresso, for making such a delicious coffee. I am in heaven each morning." — senada Get it from Amazon for $180.15+ (available in three colors, plus a bundle option with the Aeroccino, Nespresso's milk frother). 32. A retractable car charger so you can charge several devices at any time without having to untangle a veritable jungle of wires. This features a retractable iPhone and Type C charging cable, in addition to two extra charging ports, so it is basically the home base for all your travel tech needs. Promising review: "Didn't realize I had so many cables in my car until I put this in . Now I just keep a few wrapped up in the glove box that fit older connections. Great that the cables retract out of the way . Only complaint could be that it is rather large, but it is to be expected with four connections. Little car voltage display is nice to have as well (everyone should have one of these, by the voltage amount, it shows if your alternator is working)." — Jaxmoto Get it from Amazon for $25.99 (also available in a version that *ONLY* has two Apple retractable chargers !). 33. A portable dual monitor for your laptop to give your screen thaaaaat much more space to breathe. Once you have more of a bird's eye view on your workload it'll be that much easier to pull a Troy Bolton and get your heads in the game. This is compatible with Mac, PC, and Chrome laptops between 13 and 17 inches, and attaches with device-safe metal plates. The magnetic pull is strong enough for you to take your laptop from room to room without undoing your setup, but also easy enough to remove that you can tuck everything into a backpack quickly when you're on the move. You can even rotate the display to your preferences, if you want it at an angle! Promising review: "I’ve been using the SideTrak for a week now, and it has been an absolute game-changer for me. The instructions were easy to follow, and installation was a breeze. The SideTrak was first whipped into action during a two-hour-long ride in my car as a passenger, and I was utterly impressed with how much I got done with ease, in that amount of time! Additionally, I’ve gotten a lot more use out of the SideTrak than I imagined — such as when I’m lounging in my backyard, kitchen, living room, pool... anywhere outside of the room in my office, the possibilities are endless! I’m all about efficiency and maximizing my time and the SideTrak has contributed largely in those areas. Thank you." — Ratana K. Get it from Amazon for $199.99 (available in two colors). 34. A touchless waterproof bathroom trashcan to help minimize the touching of all the icky germs that come with existing in a bathroom. Pet owners also love this for minimizing ~treasure hunts~ from their four-legged friends. Check out a TikTok of the trash can in action. Promising review: "This trash can is very quick and responsive. As you are reaching down to throw something away, it picks up the shadow of your hand and opens before you even get to the can. Stays open for five seconds and then closes by itself. It works with just the nightlight on as well. I have had no false or random openings so far. Definitely going to buy another one ." — Mad Duck Get it from Amazon for $38 . Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.

ALTOONA, Pa. — The man accused of killing struggled with deputies and shouted while being led into court Tuesday as new details emerged about his possible motivation behind the ambush. In his first public words since a five-day search ended with his arrest at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania, emerged from a patrol car shouting about an “insult to the intelligence of the American people” while deputies pushed him inside a courthouse. The 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family is fighting attempts to extradite him to New York so that he can face a murder charge in the Manhattan killing of , who led the United States’ largest medical insurance company. A law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press said that at the time of his arrest, Mangione was carrying a handwritten document expressing anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed and power. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive health care system in the world and that profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin. In social media posts, Mangione called — who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology — a “political revolutionary,” according to the police bulletin. Mangione remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors were beginning to take steps to bring Mangione to New York, but at a brief hearing Tuesday, defense lawyer Thomas Dickey said his client will not waive extradition and instead wants a hearing on the issue. Mangione was denied bail after prosecutors said he was too dangerous to be released. He mostly stared straight ahead at the hearing, occasionally looking at papers, rocking in his chair or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion but was quieted by his lawyer. “You can’t rush to judgment in this case or any case,” Dickey said afterward. “He’s presumed innocent. Let’s not forget that.” Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of New York City, after a McDonald’s customer recognized him and notified an employee, authorities said. Images of Mangione released Tuesday by Pennsylvania State Police showed him pulling down his mask in the corner of the McDonald’s while holding what appeared to be hash browns and wearing a winter jacket and beanie. In another photo from a holding cell, he stood unsmiling with rumpled hair. New York police officials have said Mangione was carrying like the one used to kill Thompson and the same fake ID the shooter had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. A law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said a three-page, handwritten document found with Mangione included a line in which he claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also said, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Thompson, 50, was killed last Wednesday as he walked alone to a Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. From surveillance video, New York investigators determined the shooter quickly fled the city, likely by bus. Mangione was born into a life of country clubs and privilege. His grandfather was a self-made real estate developer and philanthropist. Valedictorian at his elite Baltimore prep school, he went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Maryland Del. Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” From January to June 2022, Luigi Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. “There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. ___ Scolforo reported from Altoona and Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Contributing were Associated Press writers Cedar Attanasio and Jennifer Peltz in New York; Michael Rubinkam and Maryclaire Dale in Pennsylvania; Lea Skene in Baltimore; Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio.

After Trump’s win, Black women are rethinking their role as America’s reliable political organizersThe gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fled New York City by bus, police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. Here's the latest: The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer may have fled the city on a bus, New York City police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. “We have reason to believe that the person in question has left New York City,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer made sure to wear a mask during the shooting yet left a trail of evidence in view of the nation’s biggest city and its network of security cameras that have aided authorities piecing together his movements and his identity. A law enforcement official said Friday that new surveillance footage shows the suspect riding the subway and visiting establishments in Manhattan and provided more clues about his actions in the days before he ambushed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . The gunman’s whereabouts and identity remain unknown Friday, as did the reason for Wednesday’s killing. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack . ▶ Read more about the search for the gunman In many companies, investor meetings like the one UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was walking to when he was fatally shot are viewed as very risky because details on the location and who will be speaking are highly publicized. “It gives people an opportunity to arrive well in advance and take a look at the room, take a look at how people would probably come and go out of a location,” said Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management Services, which is based in the greater Seattle area. Some firms respond by beefing up security. For example, tech companies routinely require everyone attending a major event, such as Apple’s annual unveiling of the next iPhone or a shareholder meeting, to go through airport-style security checkpoints before entering. Others forgo in-person meetings with shareholders. ▶ Read more about how companies protect their leaders Those images include New York’s subway system, a law enforcement official said. In establishments where the person was captured on camera, he always appeared to pay with cash, the official said. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. — Mike Balsamo Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm that serves 1.5 million customers in 12 states, said it’s temporarily closing all six locations. The firm has offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and North Dakota, and employs about 3,000 people. Employees will work from home, Medica spokesman Greg Bury said in an email Friday. “The safety of Medica employees is our top priority and we have increased security both for all of our employees,” a statement from Medica said. “Although we have received no specific threats related to our campuses, our office buildings will be temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution.” Bury also said biographical information on the company’s executives was taken down from its website as a precaution. The insurer cited the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in its announcement about the Dec. 12 event. “All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by Brian Thompson’s death and want to express our support for all of those affected. Health insurance is a big industry and a small community; many members of the CenTeam crossed paths with Brian during their careers,” Centene CEO Sarah M. London said in a news release. “He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and clear passion for improving access to care. Our hearts are with his family and his colleagues during this difficult time.” Centene Corp. has grown in recent years to become the largest insurer in Medicaid, the state- and federally funded program that covers care for people with low incomes. Insurers manage Medicaid coverage for states, and Centene has more than 13 million people enrolled in that coverage. The insurance company also said it’s focused on ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators. “While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place,” the company said. But he said Friday that he’s confident police will arrest the shooter. “We are on the right road to apprehend him and bring him to justice,” Adams said on TV station WPIX. Later, it removed their names and biographies entirely. Police and federal agents have been collecting information from Greyhound in an attempt to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, a law enforcement official said. Investigators were also trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone recovered from a pedestrian plaza through which the shooter fled. The fatal shooting of Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. Experts say today’s political, economic and technological climate is only going to make the job of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them even more difficult, experts say. Some organizations have a protective intelligence group that uses digital tools such as machine learning or artificial intelligence to comb through online comments to detect threats not only on social media platforms such as X but also on the dark web, says Komendat. They look for what’s being said about the company, its employees and its leadership to uncover risks. ▶ Read more about the steps companies take to protect their leadership Police said Thursday they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper from a trash can near the scene of the ambush and think the suspect bought them from a Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The items were being tested by the city’s medical examiner.Locals allowed home to collect gifts as bushfire rages

Locals allowed home to collect gifts as bushfire ragesA masked gunman fatally shot Brian Thompson , the CEO of UnitedHealthcare — one of the nation’s largest health insurers — outside a Manhattan hotel where the company was holding its investor conference on Wednesday, Dec. 4. Police are still searching for the gunman. A day after the shooting, a TikTok went viral claiming UnitedHealthcare posted a LinkedIn job listing for a new CEO within 24 hours of Thompson’s death. The job listing that appears in the video advertises a full-time, remote position based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, with an annual salary range of $300,000 to $450,000. Another viral TikTok claimed the company also posted the same job listing on Indeed. Many commenters on the viral TikToks questioned whether UnitedHealthcare actually posted a job listing for a new CEO directly following the fatal shooting. THE QUESTION Did UnitedHealthcare post a job listing for a new CEO the day after Brian Thompson’s death? THE SOURCES THE ANSWER No, UnitedHealthcare did not post a job listing for a new CEO the day after Brian Thompson’s death. Sign up for the VERIFY Fast Facts newsletter here . WHAT WE FOUND UnitedHealthcare did not post a job listing for a new CEO shortly the day after Brian Thompson was fatally shot in New York on Dec. 4, like two viral TikToks claimed. UnitedHealthcare is the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. Thompson worked at UnitedHealth Group for 20 years. In April 2021, he was named UnitedHealthcare’s CEO after running the company’s Medicare and retirement business. On Dec. 6, VERIFY searched the most recent job listings posted on UnitedHealthcare’s LinkedIn and Indeed profiles and found that the company had not posted an ad for a new CEO within hours of Thompson’s death. We also found that the job was not listed on UnitedHealth Group’s official careers website . The salary range that appears in the viral TikTok’s fake job listing is also significantly lower than Thompson’s actual salary. In 2023, Thompson’s annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, was $10.2 million, making him one of the company’s highest-paid executives, according to UnitedHealth Group’s 2024 proxy statement . Peter Deragon, a managing director at Stanton Chase, a global executive search and leadership consulting firm, says most companies don’t hire their CEOs through LinkedIn, Indeed or other online job boards. “Most C-suite executives don’t ‘hunt’ for a job in the traditional sense of the word. They aren’t found scouring job boards or parsing over the latest employment listings,” Deragon wrote in a blog post from January 2023. “Instead, C-suite professionals willing to shift between employers enter a different process. They position themselves favorably and are ‘courted’ by companies in need of quality leadership,” he added. Liz Ryan, the CEO and founder of Human Workplace, a career coaching and consulting firm, agrees. “Higher-level executives don’t get new jobs by filling out online applications and uploading their resumes,” Ryan wrote in November 2023. “They don’t job hunt that way because they’d never get hired if they did.” VERIFY reached out to UnitedHealthcare for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication. The Associated Press contributed to this report . The VERIFY team works to separate fact from fiction so that you can understand what is true and false. Please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter , text alerts and our YouTube channel . You can also follow us on Snapchat , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok . Learn More » Follow Us Want something VERIFIED? Text: 202-410-8808SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy took part in some light throwing on Monday after missing his first career game because of an injury and the 49ers are hoping he can return this week. Purdy hurt his throwing shoulder during a loss to Seattle on Nov. 17. Purdy underwent two MRIs last week that showed no structural damage. But Purdy he felt discomfort after making a few throws at practice on Thursday and was shut down for the game at Green Bay on Sunday that San Francisco lost 38-10 . Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that Purdy made it through the session without pain and will rest on Tuesday and hopefully be able to return to practice on Wednesday as the Niners prepare to play at Buffalo this coming week. “We rested it throughout the weekend hoping that would help,” Shanahan said. “He threw lighter today to see if that rest helps and the rest did help him. So we’ll see again, going through the same things we did last week. We’re going to let him rest all the way up to Wednesday. We’ll see how it feels on Wednesday and then we’ll take the exact same course throughout the week. Hopefully it responds better this week than it did last week with the rest.” Brandon Allen went 17 for 29 for 199 yards with a touchdown, an interception and a lost fumble in his first start since the 2021 season. Allen would play once again if Purdy is unable to go on Sunday at Buffalo. Purdy wasn't the only star player missing for the 49ers on Sunday with defensive end Nick Bosa missing the game with injuries to his left hip and oblique and left tackle Trent Williams out with an ankle injury. “Just waiting to see how they respond,” Shanahan said. “They didn’t respond great last week. That’s why they weren’t able to go. Nick and Trent are both in the same boat. ... We’ll evaluate as this week progresses and hopefully it turns a better corner than it did last week.” In other injury news, linebacker Dre Greenlaw will return to practice this week for the first time since tearing his Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl last season. Greenlaw will likely need at least a couple of weeks of practice before being able to return to play. Offensive lineman Jon Feliciano will be shut down for the rest of the season after his knee injury didn't fully heal. Feliciano's three-week practice window ended Monday and the Niners decided to keep him on injured reserve instead of activating him. Left guard Aaron Banks, defensive tackle Jordan Elliott and receiver Jacob Cowing all remain in concussion protocol to start this week and their status is unknown. Right guard Dominick Puni (shoulder) and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (knee) underwent MRIs on Monday and the team is waiting for results. Cornerback Renardo Green (neck) and linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee) are day to day. Defensive tackle Kevin Givens is expected to return to practice this week after missing the past four games with a groin injury. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflAfter Trump’s win, Black women are rethinking their role as America’s reliable political organizers