147 live casino Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas Eve during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Pope Francis kicks off a yearlong Jubilee that will test his stamina and Rome's patience VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has opened the great Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. The ceremony kicks off the 2025 Holy Year. It's a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome. And it will test the pope’s stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them. This begins the Christmas Eve Mass. The ceremony inaugurates the once-every-25-year tradition of a Jubilee. Francis has dedicated the 2025 Jubilee to the theme of hope. Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump says he'll “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions. Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole. Trump said that he will direct the Department of Justice to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated.” Trump was vague on what specific actions he may take. 21 dead as Mozambique erupts in violence after election court ruling MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — Violence that engulfed Mozambique after the country’s highest court confirmed ruling party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of disputed Oct. 9 elections has killed at least 21 people, including two police officers. Mozambique Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told a news conference in Maputo late Tuesday that a wave of violence and looting was sparked by the court’s announcement a day earlier. He said it was led by mostly youthful supporters of losing candidate Venancio Mondlane, who received 24% of the vote, second to Chapo, who got 65%. Prosecutors find workers in 'slavery like' conditions at Chinese car company site in Brazil RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) — A task force led by Brazilian prosecutors says it has rescued 163 Chinese nationals working in “slavery-like” conditions at a construction site in northeastern Brazil, where Chinese electric vehicle company BYD is building a factory. The Labor Prosecutor’s Office released videos of the dorms where the construction workers were staying, which showed beds with no mattresses and rooms without any place for the workers to store their personal belongings. In a statement issued Monday, the prosecutor’s office said the workers had been hired in China by Jinjian Group, one of the contractors on the site, which is located in Camaçari, a city in the Salvador metropolitan region. Haiti gangs fire on journalists covering a planned hospital reopening, leaving casualties PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Suspected gang members have opened fire on journalists in Haiti’s capital as they were covering the attempted reopening of the country’s largest hospital, wounding or killing an unknown number of people. The country's interim president, Leslie Voltaire, said in an address to the nation that journalists and police were among the victims of the vicious Christmas Eve attack. He did not specify how many casualties there were, or give a breakdown for the dead or wounded. Radio Télé Métronome said earlier on Tuesday that seven journalists and two police officers were wounded in the shooting. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Hurricane-force winds bear down on California, latest in stretch of extreme weather LOS ANGELES (AP) — California has been hit hard by extreme weather over the past several weeks. Atmospheric rivers, which are long stretches of wet air that can produce heavy rains, brought a record-setting rainfall before Thanksgiving. A series of atmospheric rivers are producing strong waves and storms near Santa Cruz this week. Thousands were left under evacuation warnings and orders because of a fire around Malibu. Climate change means that strong storms will be responsible for a greater share of the state's yearly precipitation and the periods between those events will be drier. Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne Tuesday about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. American said in an email that the problem was caused by vendor technology in its flight operating system. Aviation analytics company Cirium said flights were delayed across American’s major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time. Nineteen flights were cancelled. Biden signs a bill officially making the bald eagle the national bird of the US WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has made it official: The bald eagle is now the national bird of the United States. Biden signed a bill into law on Tuesday to correct what had long gone unnoticed and designate the bald eagle as the national bird. The bald eagle has been a symbol of the United States for more than 240 years, appearing on the nation's Great Seal since the design was finalized in 1782. That year, Congress also designated the bald eagle as the national emblem. But the honor of becoming the national bird had remained elusive until now. NFL players who use platform to share their faith say it's their duty to spread their love of Jesus ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Jake Bates was standing on the turf in his hometown of Houston when asked to reflect on an unlikely journey from learning how to sell bricks to making game-winning kicks for the Detroit Lions. Bates used his platform as an NFL player to spread his love of Jesus. A month later, Bates told The Associated Press it is a duty to share his faith. The NFL is filled with players and coaches who feel the same way, such as Houston's C.J. Stroud, Atlanta's Kirk Cousins, and Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens.The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced on Wednesday a significant expansion of its financial aid program. Starting next fall, undergraduate students whose families earn less than $200,000 annually will not pay tuition. For families earning under $100,000, MIT will cover additional costs, including housing, dining, fees, and allowances for books and personal expenses. Assembly Election Results Live Updates Maharashtra Election Results Jharkhand Election Results Bypoll Election Results The initiative is part of a broader national trend to make higher education more accessible and builds on MIT’s existing financial aid structure. Currently, the university provides full-tuition scholarships for students from families earning up to $140,000 and covers all expenses for those earning up to $75,000. Expanding Access to Higher Education Sally Kornbluth, MIT’s president, emphasized the institution’s commitment to affordability in a statement: "The cost of college is a real concern for families across the board. We're determined to make this transformative educational experience available to the most talented students, whatever their financial circumstances. To every student out there who dreams of coming to MIT: Don't let concerns about cost stand in your way." (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) The expanded aid plan increases the university’s financial aid budget to $167.3 million for the current academic year, reflecting a 70% rise over the past decade. Undergraduates receiving financial aid for the 2023–2024 school year paid a median price of $12,938, and nearly 87% of the graduating class will complete their studies without loans. Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Leadership Building Your Winning Startup Team: Key Strategies for Success By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Leadership Crafting a Powerful Startup Value Proposition By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Data Science MySQL for Beginners: Learn Data Science and Analytics Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy for Non-Finance Executives By - CA Raja, Chartered Accountant | Financial Management Educator | Former AVP - Credit, SBI View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Tabnine AI Masterclass: Optimize Your Coding Efficiency By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Django & PostgreSQL Mastery: Build Professional Web Applications By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Leadership Boosting Startup Revenue with 6 AI-Powered Sales Automation Techniques By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Leadership From Idea to Product: A Startup Development Guide By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Crypto & NFT Mastery: From Basics to Advanced By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Office Productivity Advanced Excel Course - Financial Calculations & Excel Made Easy By - Anirudh Saraf, Founder- Saraf A & Associates, Chartered Accountant View Program Marketing Future of Marketing & Branding Masterclass By - Dr. David Aaker, Professor Emeritus at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, Author | Speaker | Thought Leader | Branding Consultant View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By - Neil Patel, Co-Founder and Author at Neil Patel Digital Digital Marketing Guru View Program Web Development Advanced Java Mastery: Object-Oriented Programming Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Broader Trends in Higher Education MIT’s announcement aligns with moves by other universities to lower financial barriers. The University of Texas system recently approved a plan to waive tuition and associated costs for undergraduates from families earning $100,000 or less, effective next fall. Harvard University also progressively raised its income threshold for free tuition, which now applies to families earning up to $85,000 annually. MIT's tuition for the 2024–2025 academic year is approximately $62,000, with total costs—including housing—nearing $86,000. Families earning between $100,000 and $200,000 will pay a sliding scale, with a maximum out-of-pocket cost of $24,000. Financial aid will remain available to families earning above $200,000 based on specific circumstances. Students must submit MIT's financial aid application and tax documentation to qualify. Financial aid advisors are available to assist families with the process. "We believe MIT should be the preeminent destination for the most talented students in the country interested in an education centered on science and technology, and accessible to the best students regardless of their financial circumstances," Stu Schmill, MIT’s dean of admissions and student financial services, said. This move further positions MIT as a leader in science and technology education while ensuring that affordability does not hinder the aspirations of the most capable students. Assembly Election Results Live Updates Maharashtra Poll Results Highlights 2024 Jharkhand Poll Results Highlights 2024Falcons visit Vikings as a struggling Cousins returns to old home to find a thriving Darnold

Cal is hiring former Hawaii and Washington State coach Nick Rolovich as a senior offensive assistant, ESPN reports. Rolovich last coached college football in 2021 after he was fired for cause in the middle of the season after refusing to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Rolovich was one of five Washington State coaches fired by the school for not complying with state and university policies relating to the COVID-19 vaccine. Shortly after his firing, the school tabbed Jake Dickert as interim coach. Dickert's interim tag was removed at the end of the season. Rolovich's hire comes after Cal fired former offensive coordinator Mike Bloesch earlier this month. Cal hired former Auburn coach Bryan Harsin as the program's next offensive coordinator and will also bring Rolovich on the staff to work with the unit. The Bears finished the 2024 season ranked No. 72 in points (25.6 per game) and yards (392.1). Harsin and Rolovich will likely be working with a new starting quarterback during the 2025 season after star signal caller Fernando Mendoza announced he was entering the transfer portal earlier this week. Cal finished 6-6 in its first season as a member of the ACC and will face UNLV in the LA Bowl on Dec. 18.

NoneHeavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights

Sen. Mike Rounds Strikes Optimistic Tone on Pete Hegseth's ConfirmationThe U.S. Supreme Court said it will decide on Jan. 10, 2025, whether to hear an unusual racial gerrymandering appeal from North Dakota. The lead appellee is former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a Republican, who is being sued in his official capacity. Burgum’s term ended on Dec. 15. President-elect Donald Trump, who will be inaugurated on Jan. 20, has nominated Burgum to be U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Burgum will likely be replaced as a litigant with the new Republican governor, Kelly Armstrong, which is the usual practice when a government official leaves office midway through a lawsuit. Two Republican-affiliated voters sued to challenge a redistricting plan passed by the state legislature. The redistricting plan approved by a lower court allows the state to create two new minority-majority state legislative subdistricts in the state House to help elect local Native Americans. In the state’s eyes, the problem with the case it won is that a three-member panel of federal district judges assumed that attempting to comply with the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA) justifies racial discrimination in validating the new subdistricts. The VRA, enacted in 1965, prohibits racial discrimination in voting and was intended to enforce the 15th Amendment, which forbids the federal government from denying or abridging a citizen’s right to vote “on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” The plan that is the subject of the case passed the state legislature in 2021 and bisected two existing two-member districts in the state House of Representatives to create two new Native American-majority subdistricts that would each be represented by a single member. The new political subdivisions include Indian reservations. The other appellant, Paul Henderson, is active in the state GOP. The two filed their lawsuit as voters, alleging that the plan amounted to unconstitutional racial gerrymandering that discriminates against non-minority voters. At trial, they argued the newly drawn subdistricts violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, while the state argued it had reason to believe the subdistricts were required by Section 2 of the VRA. That section prohibits voting practices or procedures that discriminate on the basis of race, color, or membership in a large language minority group. In November 2023, a three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota dismissed the lawsuit at the behest of North Dakota and the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. The so-called MHA Nation, also known as the Three Affiliated Tribes, is located on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, near New Town, North Dakota. The panel granted summary judgment to the state and the tribe, finding “that the state’s actions to draw the subdistricts in districts 4 and 9 satisfy strict scrutiny.” Courts use the strict scrutiny test when reviewing legislative or executive branch enactments that infringe on constitutional rights. A government interest is deemed compelling, and therefore in satisfaction of the test, when it is essential or necessary, as opposed to a matter of preference, choice, or discretion. Whenever a case involving compliance with Section 2 as a defense to racial gerrymandering has come before the High Court, the justices have struck down the plan in dispute, the voters argued in the statement. “As a matter of first principles, the state is unable to defend the basis” for the summary judgment, specifically, the district court’s assumption that attempting to comply with the VRA justifies racial discrimination,” the brief stated. If complying with a federal statute requires the state to engage in racial discrimination, “the proper conclusion is not that the statute excuses the state’s discrimination, but that the statute is invalid,” the brief stated, quoting Justice Clarence Thomas’s dissent in Allen v. Milligan (2023). Alabama had asked the Supreme Court to weaken Section 2, arguing the U.S. Constitution required such remedial action, and the court refused. Burgum urged the Supreme Court to “reexamine the foundation” of the district court ruling’s “assumption.” He asked the Supreme Court to vacate the panel’s decision and “make clear that a state’s attempted compliance with Section 2 of the VRA cannot provide a compelling justification for making race the predominate consideration in the design of an election map.” Prelogar said in a brief that the voters challenging the redistricting do not live in an affected subdistrict so they lack legal standing. Standing refers to the right of someone to sue in court. The parties must show a strong enough connection to the claim to justify their participation in a lawsuit. She also said the district court was correct when it upheld the use of race to create the subdistrict. The Epoch Times reached out to Walen’s attorney, Bryan Paul Tyson of Clark Hill in Atlanta, Georgia, the office of North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley, and the U.S. Department of Justice for comment. No replies were received by publication time.

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