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January 17, 2025 Deadline: Contact The Gross Law Firm to Join Class Action Suit Against WOLFDecember 21, 2024 feature This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked peer-reviewed publication trusted source proofread by Sandee Oster , Phys.org Recently, a team of researchers published their study on a medieval Nubian tattoo in Antiquity . The researchers conducted a post-excavation analysis on individuals who had been interred at the Ghazali Monastery Cemetery (Sudan). One of these individuals was found to have a tattoo, making him only the second ever identified case of a tattooed medieval Nubian. The research team included Ph.D. candidate Kari A. Guilbault, Dr. Robert J. Stark, and Dr. Artur Obłuski. The Ghazali Monastery Cemetery is located in the Bayuda Desert of northern Sudan. First established around AD 680, it remained in use until around the year 1275. The monastery consisted of a church and communal living quarters and was built near iron smelting facilities, a settlement, and four cemeteries. These cemeteries included Cemetery 1, which was used for ad sanctos burials (interments near areas of religious importance); Cemetery 2, which was intended for burials of the monastic community; and Cemetery 3, which served as the final resting place for lay individuals. The use of Cemetery 4, however, remains unclear. It was within Cemetery 1 that the tattooed individual (Ghz-1-002) was recovered. The individual was likely male and died at age 35–50. Based on radiocarbon dating, he likely died around AD 667-774. His body had been semi-mummified, a result of the natural climate, explains Guilbault: "Generally, skeletal preservation tends to be good in the region due to the arid desert climate. However, soft tissue preservation is limited. While aspects of Ghz-1-002, the tattooed individual, were naturally mummified, the remains are mostly skeletonized. Essentially, purposeful mummification or preservation did not occur. Both feet of Ghz-1-002 are the exception, with the right foot inscribed with the tattoo." During post-excavation analysis, a dark discoloration of the foot was noted. Using full-spectrum image analysis and DStretch technology (image enhancing software), the team identified a small tattoo approximately 16 x 26 mm. The tattoo consisted of three signs: a Christogram (made up of the Greek letters rho (P) and chi (X)), an alpha (A); and an omega (either Ω or ω) sign. According to Guilbault, the tattoo was representative of the Christian faith, and even its location on the foot may have signified a link to pilgrimage. "The tattoo symbols have long been representative of the Christian faith. The Roman emperor Constantine introduced the chi rho symbol, which was incorporated into the military standard. The alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, respectively, symbolic of Christ as the beginning and end, encompassing everything. Graffiti representations of feet were widely used in the Nile Valley region and throughout antiquity to denote pilgrimage to sacred sites," stated Guilbault. Due to its design, which meant it would only appear upright to the bearer, its small size, and its location, the tattoo likely served as a private sign of devotion meant for the bearer's viewing only. Tattoos have a long history in Nubia; however, this tattoo is only the second ever instance from this time and place, explained Guilbault. "The history of tattooing in the Nile Valley is quite long, so it is not that tattooing was new or novel in the medieval period of Nubia. The early tattooed individuals were mostly female and had dot/dash geometric designs and botanical motifs. In general, tattooing has been found on the arms, torso, and legs. However, an individual found in Egypt has tattooing on her neck. One other individual buried in Sudanese Nubia was reported to have tattoos on the foot. That individual is dated to the C-group period (ca. 2400–1550 BCE). Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matter— daily or weekly . "The only other current known tattoo from the region and time is also religious in nature. A monogram of St. Michael was found on a female's thigh during research on mummified individuals at the British Museum." Ghz-1-002 was possibly a particularly religiously devout individual and was hence interred in Cemetery 1 (meant for ad sanctos burials). This is further supported by the positioning of the cemetery in relation to other sites such as the monastery (a site of religious importance) and Cemetery 3 (where individuals of the settlement were buried). The combination of the religious tattoo and this strategic burial placement makes it highly likely that Ghz-1-002 was a particularly devout member of the local community who wished to be interred ad sanctos. The discovery of this tattoo is a rare and significant archaeological discovery that provides unique insights into medieval Christian practices in the region at that time. More information: Kari A. Guilbault et al, Faith embodied: a tattooed individual from medieval Ghazali, Antiquity (2024). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2024.193 Journal information: Antiquity © 2024 Science X NetworkBUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A far-right populist took the lead in Romania’s presidential election Sunday, electoral data showed, and will likely face leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in a runoff in two weeks, an outcome that rocked the country's political landscape. Calin Georgescu, who ran independently, led the polls with around 22% of the vote, while Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party, or PSD, trailed at 20.6%. Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party, or USR, stood at about 17.4%, and George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, took 14.3%. After polls closed at 9 p.m. local time (1900GMT), 9.4 million people — about 52.4% of eligible voters — had cast ballots, according to the Central Election Bureau. Thirteen candidates ran for the presidency in the European Union and NATO member country, and will go to a second round on Dec. 8. The president serves a five-year term and has significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security, foreign policy and judicial appointments. Georgescu, 62, ran independently and was not widely known. He outperformed most local surveys, sending shockwaves through Romania's political establishment. After casting his ballot on Sunday, Georgescu said in a post on Facebook that he voted “For the unjust, for the humiliated, for those who feel they do not matter and actually matter the most ... the vote is a prayer for the nation.” Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, told The Associated Press that Georgescu’s unexpected poll performance appears to be a “large protest or revolt against the establishment.” “The mainstream political parties have lost the connection with regular Romanians,” he said. “You don’t have strong candidates or strong leaders ... there are weak candidates, weak leaders, and the parties in general are pretty much disconnected.” Georgescu lacks an agenda, Andrei added, and has a vague and populist manifesto with positions that are “beyond the normal discourse." His stances include supporting Romanian farmers, reducing dependency on imports, and ramping up energy and food production. He also has a rapidly growing on the social media platform, TikTok. Ahead of Sunday's vote, many expected to see Simion, a vocal supporter of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, face Ciolacu in the second round. He campaigned for reunification with Moldova, which this year renewed a five-year ban on him entering the country over security concerns, and he is banned for the same reason from neighboring Ukraine. Ecaterina Nawadia, a 20-year-old architecture student, said she voted for the first time in a national election on Sunday and hopes young people turn out in high numbers. “Since the (1989) revolution, we didn’t have a really good president,” she said. “I hope most of the people my age went to vote ... because the leading candidate is not the best option.” Romania will also hold parliamentary elections on Dec. 1 that will determine the country’s next government and prime minister. Andrei, the political consultant, said Romania's large budget deficit, high inflation, and an economic slowdown could push more mainstream candidates to shift toward populist stances amid widespread dissatisfaction. Ciolacu told the AP before the first-round vote that one of his biggest goals was “to convince Romanians that it is worth staying at home or returning” to Romania, which has a massive diaspora spread throughout EU countries. Other candidates included former NATO deputy general secretary Mircea Geoana , who ran independently and obtained about 6%; and Nicolae Ciuca, a former army general and head of the center-right National Liberal Party, which is currently in a tense coalition with the PSD — who stood at 9.3%. Geoana, a former foreign minister and ambassador to the United States, told the AP before Sunday's vote that he believed his international experience would qualify him above the other candidates. Lasconi, a former journalist and the leader of the USR, said she sees corruption as one of the biggest problems Romania faces and that she supports increased defense spending and continued aid to Ukraine.

Trump Offers ‘Millions’ for Young Girl’s Hair in Bizarre Video

In a bid to raise awareness about meditation and its benefits, the UN General Assembly proclaimed December 21 as World Meditation Day, recalling the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. “Additionally, the General Assembly acknowledged the link between yoga and meditation as complementary approaches to health and well-being,” read the UN website. Indian PM Narendra Modi has called upon everyone to make meditation a part of their daily lives on World Meditation Day, on Saturday. Prime Minister Modi said meditation is a powerful way to bring peace and harmony to one’s life, as well as to our society and planet. Today, on World Meditation Day, I call upon everyone to make meditation a part of their daily lives and experience its transformative potential. Meditation is a powerful way to bring peace and harmony to one’s life, as well as to our society and planet. In the age of technology,... In a post on X, he wrote: “Today, on World Meditation Day, I call upon everyone to make meditation a part of their daily lives and experience its transformative potential. Meditation is a powerful way to bring peace and harmony to one’s life, as well as to our society and planet. In the age of technology, Apps and guided videos can be valuable tools to help incorporate meditation into our routines.” Marking the event, Indian spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar led the meditation session at the UN headquarters in New York. After delivering the speech, Ravi Shankar wrote on X: “Gave the keynote address at the launch of the 1st World Meditation Day at @UN Headquarters, facilitated by Permanent Representative of India @AmbHarishP in the presence of @UN_PGA H.E. Philemon Yang, USG Atul Khare @UN_OpSupport, senior UN officials, PRs, members of the diplomatic corps and other dignitaries.” “With the efforts of the Permanent Missions of India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Mexico, Liechtenstein and Andorra, all 193 member states came together to acknowledge the power of meditation in bringing health and harmony to all of humanity. #WorldMeditationDay,” he said. Benefits of meditation Beyond individual benefits, meditation fosters empathy, collaboration, and a sense of shared purpose, contributing to collective well-being. Celebrated for its universality, meditation is practiced across all regions of the world by people of all ages, backgrounds, and lifestyles, read the UN website. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises the significant benefits of meditation, particularly mindfulness meditation. WHO’s discussions on stress management underscore the importance of learning coping mechanisms, such as meditation, to support mental and physical well-being. According to WHO, meditation can be a powerful self-care tool to support treatment and enhance overall well-being, particularly in managing symptoms of anxiety. Incorporating mindfulness meditation into your daily routine, even for just a few minutes, can help you achieve a sense of calm and focus. Additionally, WHO acknowledges the mental health benefits of practices like yoga, which often incorporate meditative elements. On the International Day of Yoga, WHO highlighted yoga’s contributions to lifelong health and well-being, emphasizing its role in promoting healthier populations and a more equitable and sustainable world.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — One person was shot to death Thursday afternoon and three others were injured in the French Quarter, New Orleans' historic tourist district, police said. Police responded to the shooting at the intersection of Iberville and Royal streets at around 12:21 p.m. and had at least one of three suspects in custody, Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick told reporters. Kirkpatrick said at least three masked suspects were in a silver 2016 Honda Accord when they pulled up outside Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse and opened fire. “This was not random, and we could see that,” Kirkpatrick said in a media briefing at the scene. The arrested suspect's name and the expected charges have not yet been released. Kirkpatrick urged the other suspects to come forward. “We know who you are,” she said. “We're asking you to come in, turn yourself in.” At least one firearm has been recovered, she said. It’s the second shooting incident within a week in Orleans Parish. Related: On Sunday, gunfire broke out twice as the Nine Times Social Aid & Pleasure Club’s second line parade rolled through a neighborhood, wounding 10 people, then killing two people and wounding a third 45 minutes later as the parade crossed the Almonaster bridge. “Tragically, we are faced with another mass shooting this week,” said New Orleans City Council president Helena Moreno in a statement. “This is an overall gun violence problem throughout our city and we cannot stand for it. This is not who we are and those responsible will be apprehended and fully prosecuted.” Kirkpatrick noted that in November 2023, 20 murders were recorded. Thursday's shooting brings the number to nine so far for November 2024, she said. The last shooting involving multiple people in the French Quarter happened in Nov. 2022, when five people were shot, none fatally, in the 200 block of Bourbon Street. In Nov. 2016, one person died and nine were wounded in a shooting in the 100 block of Bourbon Street shooting. Meanwhile, the two victims from Thursday's incident were listed in stable condition and a third was in surgery, Kirkpatrick said. Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse was closed at the time of the shooting. No workers were injured and the business will remain closed Thursday, spokesperson Lindsay Ross told The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.BILLINGS — Jack DeBourg scored two touchdowns and kicked a field goal and quarterback Howie Martin passed for a score and ran for another as Billings Central defeated Laurel 31-21 for the State A football championship on a chilly Saturday at Herb Klindt Field on the Rocky Mountain College campus. The Rams finished the season 12-0. Laurel ended the year 9-3. The game was played in front of a large and energetic crowd with spectators filling both sides' bleachers and spilling out onto the grass berms overlooking the field. It is the Rams' sixth state championship to go along with titles in 1956, 1968, 2007, 2012 and 2018. It is also the fourth state title the Rams have won under 23rd-year coach Jim Stanton. DeBourg got Central on the board first with a 26-yard field goal at 8:42 of the first quarter. Laurel would take the lead with 53.9 seconds left in the first on a Curtis Fox 68-yard touchdown run. A conversion kick by Luke Maack put the score at 7-3 Locomotives. Central tacked on two touchdowns in the second quarter to lead 17-14 at the break as DeBourg scored from a yard-out at the 9:51 mark and Kael Aldrich caught a 28-yard pass from Martin for a TD at the 3:42 mark. DeBourg kicked both extra points. Laurel's second-quarter touchdown came on a one-yard run by Krew Hunter with 1:12 remaining before halftime. Maack made the conversion kick. In the third quarter, Martin scored on a seven-yard run and DeBourg's PAT gave the Rams a 24-14 lead with 3:30 on the clock. In the final stanza, DeBourg scored on an 8-yard run and made the PAT kick with 8:08 remaining in regulation for a 31-14 lead. Steele Hansen scored Laurel's final touchdown on a two-yard pass from Hunter with 3:26 left and Maack kicked the extra point. Email Gazette Sports Editor John Letasky at john.letasky@406mtsports.com or follow him on X/Twitter at @GazSportsJohnL Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox!Michael Vi Investment Thesis General Motors ( NYSE: GM ) currently offers several positive aspects, such as strong momentum in the share price, while valuations are still relatively cheap, and good Q3 results. The share buyback program in the second half of 2024 has contributed Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.By RONALD BLUM NEW YORK (AP) — Having waited 63 years for an Ivy League football title, Columbia had to stand by for another 40 minutes. The Lions had beaten Cornell 17-9 but needed a Harvard loss against Yale to secure a share of first place on the season’s final day. So Columbia players retreated to their locker room on a hill a few hundred feet from Wien Stadium to watch the game in Boston on TV as a few hundred fans remained and gazed at the gold-and-orange foliage of Inwood Hill Park glowing in Saturday’s afternoon sun. When Yale recovered onside kick with seconds left to ensure a 34-29 Harvard defeat, players let out a scream and streamed back onto the field to celebrate, smoke cigars, lift a trophy and sing “Roar, Lion, Roar” with family and friends. Who would have thunk it? “You had the realization of, oh, I’m a champion, which is something that hasn’t been said here in a while,” co-captain CJ Brown said. Harvard dropped into a tie with Columbia and Dartmouth at 5-2, the first time three teams shared the title since 1982 — the conference doesn’t use tiebreakers. “It was nerve-wracking, for sure, but definitely exciting because that’s something that not a lot of people have experienced, especially here,” running back Joey Giorgi said. There have been several top players at Columbia — Sid Luckman, Marty Domres, Marcellus Wiley among them — but the school is perhaps better known for owners such as the New England Patriots’ Robert Kraft and former Cleveland Browns head Al Lerner. Columbia’s only previous championship in 1961 also was shared with Harvard. That Lions team was coached by Buff Donelli, a former Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Rams coach who scored for the Americans in soccer’s 1934 World Cup. Columbia set a then Division I-AA record with 44 consecutive losses from 1983-88, a mark broken by Prairie View’s 80 in a row from 1989-98. Since 1971, the Lions’ only seasons with winning records until now were 1994, 1996, 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022. Al Bagnoli, who won nine Ivy titles in 23 years at Penn, couldn’t manage one at Columbia from 2015-22. He quit six weeks before the 2023 opener, citing health, and was replaced on an interim basis by Mark Fabish, his offensive coordinator. Jon Poppe, now 39, was hired last December after working as a Bagnoli assistant at Columbia from 2015-17 between stints at Harvard from 2011-14 and 2017-22, plus one season as a head coach at Division III Union College. He led the Lions to a 7-3 record overall, their most wins in a coach’s first season since George F. Sanford’s team went 9-3 in 1899. Poppe had wife Anna and 7-year-old daughter with him in the locker room watching the countdown to the title. “Sixty-three years of whatever into now,” he said. “Just seeing a lot of that history myself, personally. This is a hugely — a feeling of elation, seeing my dad on the field, a lot of emotional things with that.” Before a crowd of 4,224, quarterback Caleb Sanchez’s 1-yard touchdown run put Columbia ahead in the second quarter. Giorgi’s 1-yard TD run opened a 14-3 lead in the third and Hugo Merry added a 25-yard field goal in the fourth, overcoming three field goals by Alan Zhao. Giorgi rushed for 165 yards and finished his career with 2,112, second in school history. He and Brown missed what would have been their freshman season in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Given Columbia’s athletic history — the most successful sport is fencing — it is not an obvious football destination. “I saw the dedication, whether it resulted in wins or losses,” Brown said. “I saw their dedication to the product that they put out on the field and also the athletic department, the facilities that we had here, the busses on schedule and stuff, I was like, OK, they care about their athletes. People here want to win and it doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past, it matters what we’re going to do now.” Poppe cited a mindset. “You get 10 opportunities, unlike other sports, it is a grind to play this sport and prepare the way we do just for 10,” he said. As the final whistle sounded in Boston, Brown noted an unusual initial reaction in the locker room. “It was like kind of awe when they recovered the kick,” he said. “It was a lot quieter than you would think it would be, but you could feel the joy and the elation.” They accomplished what more than six decades of their predecessors had failed to. As the players headed out, Poppe had a final word. “Day off tomorrow,” he said. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

BALTIMORE (AP) — Nendah Tarke's 24 points helped Towson defeat Morgan State 64-60 on Sunday night. Tarke added seven rebounds for the Tigers (4-2). Tomiwa Sulaiman scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds. Christian May scored nine. The Bears (3-5) were led in scoring by Wynston Tabbs with 19 points. Kameron Hobbs had 13 points and Ahmarie Simpkins finished with nine points, three steals and two blocks. Towson went into halftime leading Morgan State 35-26. Tarke scored 14 points in the half. Towson used a 7-0 run in the second half to build an 11-point lead at 58-47 with 5:51 left in the half before finishing off the win. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Drone sightings lead to shutdown at air baseCHICAGO (AP) — Cairo Santos had a field goal blocked — again. DeAndre Carter muffed a punt in the second half. And those were just the special teams mistakes for the struggling Chicago Bears. Santos' blocked field goal and Carter's turnover were part of another sloppy performance for Chicago in its fifth consecutive loss. The pair of miscues helped set up two of Minnesota's three touchdowns in a 30-27 overtime victory . The Bears (4-7) closed out a miserable three-game homestand after they won their first three games of the season at Soldier Field. They were in position to beat Green Bay last weekend before Santos' 46-yard field goal attempt was blocked on the final play of the Packers' 20-19 win . “It’s tough. ... When things just aren’t going your way, you gotta put your head down and just keep going to work,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “It’s not easy to do but that’s kind of where we’re at.” Chicago and Minnesota were tied at 7 when Caleb Williams threw incomplete on third-and-4 at the Vikings 30 early in the second quarter. Bears coach Matt Eberflus sent Santos out for a 48-yard attempt, but it was knocked down by defensive lineman Jerry Tillery. “I think it was the penetration with the trajectory of the ball,” Santos said. “Had the ball started 3 or 4 inches to the right of both those guys' hands, I think it still goes in through the uprights.” Brian Asamoah returned the blocked kick 22 yards to set the Vikings up with good field position. Sam Darnold then capped a six-play, 53-yard drive with a 5-yard TD pass to Jalen Nailor for a 14-7 lead with 6:29 left in the first half. It was the third blocked field goal for Santos this year, the most for Chicago in a single season since it also had three blocked in 2012. Santos also had a 43-yard try blocked in the fourth quarter of a 35-16 victory over Jacksonville on Oct. 13. The Bears became the first NFL team to allow three blocked field goals in a season since the Browns and Ravens each had three blocked in 2022. “Whenever that happens two games in a row we’ve got to make sure we take a hard look in terms of the protection, the technique and who we have in there,” Eberflus said. “So it's going to be a big thing to look at.” Chicago trailed 17-10 when it forced a Minnesota punt midway through the third quarter. Carter warned his teammates to get out of the way, but it hit the ground and bounced off the inside of his right leg before it was recovered by Bo Richter at the Bears 15. The Vikings turned the mental error into Aaron Jones' 2-yard touchdown run and a 24-10 lead. “Gotta get out of the way of the ball. That’s on me,” Carter said. “I let the team down today. Game shouldn’t have been in the situation it was in. I felt bad for the guys.” Santos and Carter both played a role in a late rally for Chicago. Carter had a 55-yard kickoff return, and Santos got an onside kick to work before making a tying 48-yarder on the final play of regulation. But the Bears stalled on the first possession of overtime, and Darnold drove the Vikings downfield to set up Parker Romo's winning 29-yard field goal. “We're losing in the most unreal situations,” Bears receiver DJ Moore said. “Now it's like the luck's got to go in our favor at some point.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr., a potential first-round pick, declared for the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday. Revel, who sustained a torn left ACL in practice in September, had one season of eligibility remaining. "After an incredible journey at East Carolina, I am officially declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft," the senior posted on social media. "... Pirates nation, thank you for your unwavering energy and support every game. Representing ECU is an honor, and I look forward to continuing to do so on Sundays!" Revel recorded two interceptions in three games this season, returning one 50 yards for a touchdown on Sept. 14 against Appalachian State. Over three seasons with the Pirates, Revel had three interceptions, 15 passes defensed and 70 tackles in 24 games. He was a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection last season. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Revel as the No. 2 cornerback and No. 23 overall prospect in the 2025 draft class. --Field Level MediaAspen Group Reports Positive Cash from Operations Fiscal Year-to-DateLiberal Senator Alex Antic has delivered a petition with more than 30,000 signatures against the Misinformation and Disinformation bill to Communications Minister Michelle Rowland. The bill, due to be debated in the Senate next weekend, would give the government the power to fine social media companies for spreading misinformation and disinformation online. Accompanied by Michael Shellenberger, Chair of Politics, Censorship, and Free Speech at the University of Austin’s Centre for Bureaucratic Reform, Senator Antic expressed gratitude to those who supported the petition. The Senator added, “We hope that it’s dead on arrival” to the Senate, before reflecting “We’ve still got some work to do.” Independent and minor party Senators including Jacqui Lambie, Lidia Thorpe, Fatima Payman, David Van, Malcolm Roberts, and others, alongside the Coalition, have voiced objections. In a recent speech to the Senate on Nov. 19, Independent Senator David Van joined other independent Senators who have spoken out against the bill to criticise the bill. “Our role in this place is not merely to pass or reject laws but to improve them and ensure they strengthen our way of life, including our freedoms.” Liberal Senator Dean Smith also noted the legislation threatens to “undermine the democratic culture that has been a cornerstone of Australian society. “While misinformation and disinformation are genuine challenges in our digital age, the solution cannot be one that gives excessive power to the government, stifles open debate and compromises freedom of speech,” he said. “Australians have every reason to be alarmed. As a nation that has consistently ranked among the top democracies in the world, we have now slipped to 14th place under the Albanese government’s watch.” One Nation Senators Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts plan to move a motion to remove the Bill from the Senate legislative agenda. Serious harm includes content that harms public health, the integrity of an Australian electoral process, or the vilification of a group in Australian society. Further, it includes imminent harm to the Australian economy, damage to critical infrastructure, disruption of emergency services, and intentionally inflicted physical industry. Australia’s media watchdog the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) would have the power to hold digital platforms accountable for information spread on their platforms. These powers would include imposing fines through injunctions and civil penalties, making rules, and issuing formal warnings and remedial directions against social media platforms.NADA suspends Bajrang Punia for four years for violation of anti-doping code

Whether you’re after a big ticket tech item for under the tree this year, or a just looking for a stocking stuffer for a gadget-obsessed loved one, here are some of our favourite bits of kit that could make for great presents. Gadgets and smart home Clockwise from top: Blink Outdoor 4, Adventures with Interactive LEGO Peach, Google TV Streamer, Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses. Google TV Streamer There are now heaps of options for updating a TV with new smarts via a set-top box or HDMI stick, but Google’s latest could just be the best value out there (assuming you’re not already wedded to the Amazon or Apple ecosystems). At around $150 it has all the major apps covered in up to 4K, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, it connects to Matter and Thread smart home devices to keep your tech co-ordinated, and the remote is practically unlosable since you can ask Google to make it ring (or press a button on the Streamer). Blink Outdoor 4 As far as security cameras go, Blink’s aren’t super powerful or sophisticated. But they work well and are comparatively cheap. The Blink Outdoor 4, which is $150 but currently going for much less, is great for viewing live on your phone and alerting you when it detects motion. You do need to pay a $50 yearly subscription for it to record clips, but you have the option of backing them up automatically to a USB drive so you won’t lose the clips if you unsubscribe. Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses A regular pair of glasses that also contain a camera, microphones, earbuds and buttons, these specs let you take photos and videos, listen to music, answer calls and even stream your point of view, all while leaving your phone in your pocket. You can also talk to the built-in AI to send messages or ask about what you’re looking at. They start at around $450 (it will be extra if you need prescription lenses put in). Adventures with Interactive LEGO Peach / Mario / Luigi I’ve been hesitant to embrace Lego sets that have a bunch of tech and batteries and screens, especially for kids, as regular plastic bricks remain such an engaging toy for unstructured play. But the Lego Mario sets – where you build courses and then run through them with a battery-powered character that reacts to your creations – have proven it can be done right. There are loads of sets that add obstacles and enemies, but any of the three starter sets for this year (going for around $65 each) would be a perfect place to start. Cleaning and fitness From left: Garmin Fenix 8; Dyson WashG1; TP-Link Tapo RV30 Robot Vacuum & Mop; Xiaomi Smart Band 9. Dyson WashG1 At first glance a mop might not sound like the most exciting Christmas gift, but this one has had a decidedly hi-tech upgrade thanks to Dyson. The $849 WashG1 is easy to set up – and far more convenient than readying a bucket and mop – and removes both liquid and dry debris before smartly self-cleaning on its charging dock. TP-Link Tapo RV30 Robot Vacuum & Mop Pretty much since their inception, robot vacuums have by and large felt better in theory than in reality. No longer. The TP-Link has a ticket price of $800 but is less than $400 on sale, offering great value and plenty of smarts to boot. The RV30 uses LiDAR technology to map out your house in minutes and avoid repeated cleaning, and its 5000 mAh battery is good for five hours of continuous cleaning. Oh, and it cleans pretty darn well, too. Xiaomi Smart Band 9 For a low-cost, high-value stocking stuffer it’s hard to go past Xiaomi’s $60 Smart Band, which is probably the cheapest fitness tracker money can buy. While lacking some of the features of rivals from Apple and Fitbit, Xiaomi’s wearable offers sleep tracking, step counting, heart rate monitoring, and calorie counting, which are all reasonably accurate. As a gift for someone’s first fitness tracker, Xiaomi’s gadget is an easy recommendation. Garmin Fenix 8 At the total other end of the spectrum is Garmin’s latest effort, the $1850 Fenix 8, which is targeted at serious athletes (and wannabe athletes). Boasting some significant hardware upgrades from its predecessor – a new speaker and microphone let you take calls while you’re on run – the watch has had a user interface overhaul, including revamped icons, widgets and settings. Its battery lasts for weeks, not days, and when Garmin calls its device the “ultimate GPS smartwatch” it’s hard to disagree. Sound and audio From left: Apple AirPods 4 with ANC; Sonos Ace; Shokz OpenRun Pro 2; KZ EDX Pro. Sonos Ace When Sonos released its first portable headphones in the $700 Ace earlier this year, it also added a whole host of bugs and issues to its app, which have frustrated customers to no end. Thankfully, most of those problems are now resolved, and what we’re left with are some of the highest quality Bluetooth headphones that cost under $1000. Featuring superior noise cancellation, excellent sound quality and a TV audio swap feature for Sonos soundbar users, the Sonos Ace is an impressive piece of kit. Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Bone conduction technology sounds rather threatening, but the concept is pretty simple: headphones that sit next to your ears, rather than in them. They wrap around the back of your head and are ideal for runners and swimmers, given they let you hear your surroundings including sirens and oncoming traffic. Perhaps the best of the bunch is the OpenRun Pro 2, from Shokz, which somehow manages to offer strong sound quality and 90 minutes of battery life with just a five-minute charge. You can find them for around $200. Apple AirPods 4 with ANC Even if you don’t like invasive silicon ear tips, or the idea of paying $400 for earbuds, Apple’s latest non-Pro AirPods give you a taste of noise-cancelling goodness. The $300 AirPods 4 with ANC have an open design, like the non-ANC version, but they do a pretty good job at blocking out most sounds. You can also turn on transparency mode to amplify ambient noise, or adaptive mode to hide droning background sound while letting speech through. They’re also all-round great earbuds, with a water resistant design, long battery life and support for Spatial Audio. KZ EDX Pro You can’t get much more wallet-friendly than the KZ EDX Pro in-ear monitors, which offer incredible bang for buck at less than $10 if bought through AliExpress or Temu, or about $27 through Amazon. For those who like their music bassy, these small but muscular in-ear headphones offer plenty of punchy punch, and pair great with an iPhone (just remember to also buy one of those 3.5mm adapters to be able to plug them in). Some prefer wired earbuds to Bluetooth, and these offer stunning sound at a puny price point. Tablets and e-readers From left; Kobo Clara Colour; Amazon Kindle; Apple iPad; Google Pixel Tablet. iPad The standard iPad (10th Gen) is a wonderful tablet from $600 and will be more than enough for most people. Its A14 chip (from the iPhone 12) is getting a bit long in the tooth but still delivers plenty of power. Stepping up to the iPad Mini ($800) or Air ($1000) will get you a nicer screen, more performance, Apple Intelligence and support for the fancier Apple Pencil. For a less expensive option you can find the 9th Gen iPad for less than $400, just be aware it has an old Lightning port (instead of USB-C) if you’re also picking up accessories. Pixel Tablet Google’s entry is the best all-round Android slab on the market. It won’t win against-high-end Samsungs in terms of spec, but it looks great and is filled with useful Google software thanks to the AI-forward G2 chip it shares with the Pixel 8 phones. You can also buy it in a bundle with a magnetic stand that charges it, gives its audio a bassy boost and allows it to act as a smart home display. The recommended price is $900 with the stand or $730 without, but you can currently find it pretty deeply discounted. Kindle If it’s been a while since your book-loving giftee has updated their Kindle, now is a great time. Amazon’s newest $200 entry-level model is quite small with a 6-inch screen, but it has the sharp 300dpi screen and built-in light that you used to have to pay extra for. One step above that, the $300 Paperwhite has adjustable colour lighting for late-night reading, a larger 7-inch screen and a waterproof body. Or there’s the $550 Kindle Scribe, which is much bigger (but not waterproof) and comes with a pen you can use to mark up books or keep your own digital notepads. Kobo If someone doesn’t have an e-reader at all or is open to changing brands, I tend to recommend Rakuten’s Kobo . While the Kindle is more or less locked to Amazon’s services, the Kobo has a comparable store and also works with ebooks from other retailers, digital files from the internet and many local libraries via the Overdrive service, meaning cheap or free access to books. The Clara has a 6-inch screen, adjustable colour light and is waterproof, available with a regular black and white screen for $240, or a new colour screen (which makes book covers and magazines pop) for $260. Consoles and video games From left: Xbox Series X; Nintendo Switch OLED; PlayStation 5 Digital Edition; Astro Bot. PlayStation 5 The standard PS5 goes for $800, though you also have the option of a digital version for $680 (meaning you can’t play games from discs) or a pro version for $1200 (more storage and better performance on 4K TVs). Most major games come out for PS5, including some key titles that are exclusive to the platform, making it very popular. For existing PS5 owners, the $330 PlayStation Portal could be a good upgrade; it’s a handheld device that streams games from the console so users can play away from the TV. It does require a very strong Wi-Fi network to work well though. Xbox The Series X is also $800, though you can once again save some money by dropping the disc drive (with the digital version going for $700). Most of the new games available on Xbox are also sold on other platforms, but it remains a very strong console with a lot of older games available as well, plus it’s the best place to play games from Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription service. Another option is the less-expensive Series S ($500 or $550 depending on storage size). It has no disc drive and isn’t powerful enough for 4K graphics, but it plays all the same games as its bigger sibling. Switch Nintendo’s console is old and due to be superseded next year, but anyone who doesn’t have one yet will still love it. The standard model can play on the TV or as a handheld and goes for $450, while the nicer OLED screen model is around $500. The cute Switch Lite is cheaper at $300 but does not connect to the TV. A good option to go with a Switch is a $100 Pro Controller (for TV compatible systems) or a nice case to keep it safe (from around $25). There are plenty of gift card options too, including for the Switch Online service that provides access to a library of classic games. Games Gift cards for digital stores are the best option, but if you prefer to go physical here are some guaranteed hits from 2024. On PS5, the best recent exclusive games are Astro Bot (G, $100) and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (M, $70). On both PS5 and Xbox, some other great new games are Star Wars Outlaws (M, $100) and Dragon Age: The Veilguard (MA15+, $100). For new Switch exclusives, you can’t go past The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (PG, $80) or Super Mario Party Jamboree (G, $80). And on all platforms I’d also recommend P rince of Persia: The Lost Crown (M, $50) and Sonic X Shadow Generations (PG, $80) from this year. Get news and reviews on technology, gadgets and gaming in our Technology newsletter every Friday. Sign up here.Biden administration to loan $6.6B to EV maker Rivian to build Georgia factory that automaker paused

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SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Chilean President Gabriel Boric is under investigation for sexual harassment, authorities confirmed Tuesday after his personal lawyer sought to portray the head of state as a victim of online stalking. The country’s attorney general, Cristián Crisosto, in a statement said prosecutors have opened “a criminal case related to” allegations filed by an unidentified woman in September. The complaint alleges sexual harassment as well as the leaking of private images. Crisosto did not provide details of the alleged events, or say when or where they took place. Boric, 38, has denied the accusations through his attorney, Jonatan Valenzuela, who in a statement described the president as “the victim of systematic harassment via email.” The alleged harassment occurred between July 2013 and July 2014, when Boric was an intern in the southern Chilean city of Punta Arenas, near the Patagonia, and was already a well-known figure in national politics thanks to his role in student-led protests a couple of years earlier. Valenzuela said Boric “never had an emotional or friendly relationship” with the woman and both have not been in communication since July 2014 when she is alleged to have sent the last of dozens of emails, some with explicit images, to the now president. Valenzuela said his team handed authorities all communications between Boric and the woman after learning of her complaint, to “clarify the status of the president as a victim.” The Associated Press

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