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a-777 Your last-minute Rose Parade 2025 survival guide: What you need to knowUnited Airlines travelers with lost luggage have a new tool to track their bags. If the lost bag has an Apple AirTag in it, that information can now be passed directly to United, the airline announced Thursday. The new feature, called Share Item Location, allows travelers with an AirTag or other Find My network accessory to share the location with the airline’s customer service team to help locate their luggage in the event it’s misplaced. United says more than 99% of its customers pick up their luggage without a hitch. The feature is now available with iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 or macOS 15.2. “Apple’s new Share Item Location feature will help customers travel with even more confidence, knowing they have another way to access their bag’s precise location with AirTag or their Find My accessory of choice,” said David Kinzelman, United’s chief customer officer. Travelers on United whose bags do not arrive at their destination can file a delayed baggage report with United and share the link to the item’s location either through the United app or via text message. After the report has been submitted, customer service agents will be able to locate the item on an interactive map alongside a timestamp of a recent update. The shared location will be disabled after a customer has the bag, and customers can also stop sharing the location of the item at any time on their own. The location link will also automatically expire after seven days. Using AirTags or other tracking devices on luggage is increasingly popular among frequent travelers, with a significant boom following the 2022 Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown , which displaced thousands of travelers over Christmas and into 2023, alongside much of their belongings. United says lost bags are rare, with more than 99% of its customers arriving with their bags. It says the new technology will help those with lost bags to recover them more quickly because the airline will have more information about them. Apple previously announced the new service will also be integrated at other air carriers, including Delta Air Lines. Others include Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Vueling. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!

Theon International PLC (THEON) announces that the German Parliament’s Defence and Budget Committees yesterday approved a new extension of the OCCAR contract, with the exercise of the 3rd consecutive option, with an additional option of similar size remaining available. The consortium of HENSOLDT Optronics GmbH and THEON SENSORS SA has been invited by OCCAR to sign this amendment on 20 December 2024 in Bonn, Germany. The original contract for the Production and Support of Bifocal Night Vision Systems (BNVG) with the international organization OCCAR was signed in July 2021. To date, 49,550 Mikron BNVGs ( with Exosens 16 mm tubes ) have already been contracted for delivery to the German and Belgian Armed Forces. Under the new amendment, the Consortium will continue with additional deliveries to Germany of several thousand Mikron bifocal night vision systems from THEON. Christian Hatziminas, Founder and CEO of THEON , said: “The extension of the OCCAR contract, which is taking place earlier than expected, confirms the successful collaboration between the companies involved in this project and underlines the vital importance of night vision for military forces. In addition, we are seeing consistently high demand globally as military forces have recognised the criticality of the need to enhance their operational capabilities during both day and night. As a result, access to tube acquisition is paramount. Indeed, this justifies (a) the acquisition of the Harder Digital group, which took place earlier this year with an investment that increases tube stock, and (b) the initiation of long-term commercial agreements with tube suppliers, notably Exosens. By extension, THEON has taken steps to further increase tube orders from Exosens for 2026 and beyond as part of the long-term commercial agreement between us for the years 2025-2027. The receipt of new orders is expected to continue into the new year.” Explore related questionsST. LOUIS, Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advantage Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: ADV), a leading provider of business solutions to consumer goods manufacturers and retailers, has been named to Chief Marketer ’s 2025 Top Agencies of the Year, an honor that recognizes the “best and brightest across all agency types and channels.” In recognizing Advantage, Chief Marketer, a leading information hub that serves Fortune 1000 marketers, noted how the organization recently “transformed its business, aligning teams, operations and service offerings under a ‘One Advantage’ model to support omnicommerce, brand activation and experiential marketing solutions for retailers and CPG brands, from everyday foods and beverages to high-consideration, high-touch categories such as beauty, baby and adult beverage.” The recognition affirms Advantage’s position as an industry leader in omnichannel marketing services, offering interconnected solutions to more than 4,000 clients across more than 100,000 retail locations across the U.S. and Canada. “This honor speaks to the collective power of our 70,000 teammates supporting how we continue to evolve and grow as a more modern, agile and essential provider to brands and retailers,” said Kelli Hammersmith, chief communications officer at Advantage. “Our teammates bring an incredible blend of smarts, heart and high-tech precision to how we transform and grow businesses across retail — at scale, in stores and online.” Advantage, which ranks as the No. 1 global provider of experiential marketing services, delivers a range of omnichannel solutions to brands and retailers, such as in-store sampling and demonstration, gift with purchase, online order sampling, subscription boxes, virtual advisor programs and connected sampling via digital engagement and QR codes. The company also owns end-to-end sales execution for dozens of brands in Amazon stores, including operations, merchandising, retailer negotiations, chargebacks, advertising, and more. Advantage Unified Commerce (AUC), one of Advantage’s omnichannel marketing agencies, is Amazon’s largest full-service partner and was honored earlier this year with Amazon’s Gold Tier recognition for excellence. Amp, one of the company’s omnichannel marketing agencies, also was honored separately by Chief Marketer. The honorees represent a wide array of expertise, including experiential firms, digital marketing agencies and AI innovators. “ Chief Marketer ’s Agencies of the Year is the only editorial roster of its kind, dedicated to the most innovative partners across the marketing ecosystem,” said Danielle Sikes, brand director at Chief Marketer . "Our annual list is an invaluable resource that helps brands get a sense of who they can trust with their business.” The Top Agencies honor builds on additional industry recognitions for Advantage. This year, Advantage was named the 16th largest agency company worldwide and the seventh largest in North America in the 2024 Ad Age Agency Report. Its AUC agency alone received more than a dozen industry honors for its work on behalf of clients this year. The award for Amp continued a string of wins in 2024 for the full-service agency, which also was honored with wins in the Shorty awards, the Davey awards, the Muse awards, the Hermes awards and the Merit awards, among others. About Advantage Solutions Advantage Solutions is the leading omnichannel retail solutions agency in North America, uniquely positioned at the intersection of consumer-packaged goods (CPG) brands and retailers. With its data- and technology-powered services, Advantage leverages its unparalleled insights, expertise and scale to help brands and retailers of all sizes generate demand and get products into the hands of consumers, wherever they shop. Whether it’s creating meaningful moments and experiences in-store and online, optimizing assortment and merchandising, or accelerating e-commerce and digital capabilities, Advantage is the trusted partner that keeps commerce and life moving. Advantage has offices throughout North America and strategic investments and owned operations in select international markets. For more information, please visit YourADV.com . Media Contacts: Peter Frost press@youradv.comA MAN has revealed that he spent £1,000 and took eight hours of his time to give his home a festive makeover. But now, Harvey Wallace, who is from Shropshire , UK, has been left gutted, after Storm Darragh wreaked havoc with his Argos and B&Q display. Clearly very upset, Harvey took to social media to share his frustrations, leaving many open-mouthed. Posting on BARGAIN LOVERS Poundland, Home Bargains, B&M, Primark, The Range , a public Facebook group with 608,600 members, Harvey shared a snap of his once stunning Christmas display, complete with lights, wreaths, a reindeer and three huge lit-up trees. However, he also shared images and a video of the damage caused by Storm Darragh - a rare red weather warning for strong winds, which have not only battered the UK but have even been fatal . Harvey cried: “There goes the outdoor display.” Alongside a crying emoji, he added: “Bear in mind everything was fully zip tied and floor pegged down. “This storm has still somehow managed to ruin everything and snap all the lights. “Such a shame after spending eight hours doing it all.” Not only have Harvey’s lights been broken, but his trees have fallen down on the pavement too. Harvey tried to look on the bright side of things, but opened up to Fabulous about the effort he put in to light up his home for the festive season. He told Fabulous: “We’ve built up a few items over the past couple of years adding to the collection of decorations. “I would say we’ve spent around £1,000 roughly.” He explained that he nabbed three eight foot trees, an archway garland and five smaller garlands, all from B&Q. This storm has still somehow managed to ruin everything and snap all the lights He also bought two wreaths from a local garden centre and purchased his large reindeer from The Range. He splashed the cash on 4,000 lights from Tesco, also nabbed a pack of icicle lights from B&Q and even stocked up on 1,000 lights from Argos. Sainsbury's Shoppers: Christmas Bedding Bargain Discover the festive joy of Sainsbury's Christmas bedding, offering comfort and style at a bargain price. Read more Home Bargains: Christmas Pyjamas Back in Stock Get cosy this season with Home Bargains' popular Christmas pyjamas, now back in stock. Read more Home Bargains: Christmas Favourite Deal Don't miss out on Home Bargains' fantastic deal on a Christmas favourite. Read more Primark Shoppers: Screaming Over Christmas Range Featuring The Grinch Primark's Christmas range, featuring The Grinch, has shoppers excited for the festive season. Read more Shoppers Rush to Buy Personalised Christmas Stockings Grab personalised Christmas stockings at unbelievable prices, as shoppers rush to snap up these festive bargains. Read more Exact Date Aldi's Wooden Toy Range for Christmas Mark your calendars for the exact date Aldi's popular wooden toy range returns for Christmas. Read more Home Bargains Shoppers Desperate for Polar Express Slippers Get into the festive spirit with Home Bargains' Polar Express slippers, which have shoppers desperate to get their hands on a pair. Read more Gutted at the damage caused by the rain, Harvey penned: “Well that’s our Christmas ruined.” Social media users were stunned by the damage caused and flocked to the comments to express their sympathy. One person said: “Oh no. It looked beautiful as well.” I wasn’t asking for sympathy and I totally get that there are many different issues in the world that are occurring at the moment Another added: “Terrible, has to be the worst yet.” A third commented: “This is awful, such a shame.” That's such a shame, I was going to decorate outside today but obviously not now the storms here At the same time, one angry woman penned: “So fed up with this weather. It spoils everything.” Whilst someone else chimed in: “Oh that's such a shame, I was going to decorate outside today but obviously not now the storms here.” Harvey later penned: “Fortunately, some things will be fixable but others aren’t. “1,000 lights on each tree isn’t a cheap replacement. “I think the large reindeer is possibly broken too.” Charlotte Harrington, the manager at Summerhill’s garden centre in Basildon, Essex, explained: “For many, many years now, we’ve opened our Christmas department on the August bank holiday. "The stock comes in early and we gradually start putting it out on the shop floor. This is just a small fraction of what we have. “But our Christmas displays are so spectacular it takes time to get everything set up, so we have to start early . “It may seem a little odd putting them out now — especially with the hot weather. “But we have to plan so far in advance.” He also added: “We were told it would be mild here but unfortunately they were wrong. “If we knew it was going to be this bad then we would’ve taken [them] down instantly, even though they took me over eight hours to put up. “It’s absolutely horrendous, the wind blowing is treacherous. “Hopefully tomorrow we’ll be able to salvage some items, can’t bear this wind.” Not only this, but Harvey further claimed: “I wasn’t asking for sympathy and I totally get that there are many different issues in the world that are occurring at the moment. “I was just simply sharing my experience of how our decorations have held up during this terrible weather.”

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) April 2024 World Economic Outlook reveals an exciting trend: Africa is home to nine of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies. These nations are leveraging a mix of resource wealth, infrastructure projects, and policy reforms to boost their growth. According to the International Monetary Fund’s ( IMF) April 2024 World Economic Outlook, Here are 9 of the fastest-growing economies worldwide in 2024 The key factor driving Niger leads Africa’s growth is Oil Pipeline & Export, due to the completion of the 1,982-kilometer Niger-Benin pipeline. The pipeline positions Niger as a significant oil exporter, with the sector expected to contribute to the GDP. Despite facing political instability in 2023, this infrastructure project bolsters its economic prospects. With discoveries of over 40 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, Senegal’s hydrocarbons sector is driving its growth. Projects like the GTA (Greater Tortue Ahmeyim) gas field development are pivotal. Political stability will remain crucial to fully harness this potential. Read also: Top 10 African countries by GDP per capita in 2024 Libya’s growth is underpinned by recovering oil production, which remains its economic backbone. While the hydrocarbon sector thrives, diversification and stabilization efforts are needed for long-term sustainability. Rwanda’s strategic investments in Innovation and Tourism, like technology, tourism, and sustainable development have positioned it as a model for economic resilience in Africa. Foreign investment and green initiatives continue to enhance its economic stability. Côte d’Ivoire’s economy benefits from being a leading global exporter of Agricultural Exports & Industrialization like cocoa and cashew nuts. The country is investing heavily in infrastructure and industrial production, diversifying its growth base. Read also: Five countries contribute to half of Africa’s $1.4 tn GDP Djibouti leverages its location at the crossroads of major global trade routes. Infrastructure development in ports and logistics supports its role as a regional trade hub. However, long-term success will depend on diversification into other economic sectors. Ethiopia’s robust agricultural sector, coupled with growing investments in manufacturing, drives its growth. Infrastructure projects, supported by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), are enhancing trade potential. Read also: Top 10 largest economies of 2024 Tourism remains a cornerstone of The Gambia’s economy, alongside agricultural exports. Investments in infrastructure and regional trade agreements are key to sustaining this growth. The Niger-Benin pipeline significantly boosts Benin’s economic prospects, complementing its agricultural exports. Infrastructure projects are strengthening its trade potential within West Africa.Bitcoin neared $100,000 for the first time on Thursday as the election of Republican Donald Trump as president fuelled expectations that his administration will create a friendly regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies. The world's biggest and best-known cryptocurrency has more than doubled from this year's low of $38,505 and is up about 45 per cent in the two weeks since Trump's sweeping election win. Here are key events in bitcoin's journey towards $100,000: 2008: Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonym used by the cryptocurrency's presumed developer, introduces the concept of bitcoin 2010: The first retail transaction takes place when a user pays 10,000 bitcoin for two Papa John's pizzas 2013: As bitcoin's popularity grows, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, co-founders of crypto exchange Gemini, file their first application with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to create a spot bitcoin ETF. Grayscale Investments launches the Bitcoin Investment Trust, an open-ended private bitcoin trust. 2016: The Winklevoss brothers adjust their application numerous times, such as the exchange on which the product would be traded. They also file amendments naming State Street as administrator. Grayscale files with the SEC to convert its bitcoin trust into a spot bitcoin ETF. 2017: The SEC rejects the Winklevoss application on the grounds bitcoin markets were not mature enough. Grayscale withdraws its first attempt to convert its trust into an ETF, saying the regulatory environment was not developed enough. 2018: The SEC rejects the Winklevoss twins' second application to launch a spot bitcoin ETF, saying cryptocurrency exchanges do not have the necessary controls to prevent manipulation. 2020: Grayscale transforms its trust into an SEC-reporting entity, and its shares begin trading on the pink sheets, for stocks that trade over the counter. Although not an ETF, it is the first publicly traded bitcoin fund in the U.S. 2021: The first spot bitcoin ETF launches in Canada. Gary Gensler replaces Jay Clayton as SEC chair in April. In October, the SEC approves the ProShares Bitcoin Trust listed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, noting the CME has a satisfactory mechanism for surveilling abuse in the futures market. It is the first U.S.-listed futures-based bitcoin ETF, accumulating $1 billion in assets within its first days of trading - faster than any other ETF. Also in October, Grayscale again submits an application to the SEC to convert its trust into a spot bitcoin ETF. 2022: The SEC rejects several applications from would-be spot bitcoin ETF issuers, including SkyBridge, Fidelity and Bitwise. The SEC also rejects Grayscale's application, prompting the company to sue the agency. Amid crashing crypto prices, multiple crypto companies file for bankruptcy, including Three Arrows Capital, Celsius Network and FTX, whose founder Sam Bankman-Fried is also charged with fraud. 2023: May: Cathie Woods' ARK Investments and CBOE Global Markets file for a spot bitcoin ETF, giving the SEC a maximum of 240 days to approve or reject the application. June: BlackRock files a spot bitcoin ETF application with the SEC, raising industry hopes the agency may approve the product and sending the price of bitcoin to a one-year high. A flurry of other issuers and exchanges, including Fidelity and Invesco, file bitcoin ETF applications in the subsequent weeks and months. August: A federal appeals court in Washington D.C. rules in favor of Grayscale, saying the SEC did not justify why it had rejected its proposal. Europe's first spot bitcoin ETF begins trading on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange. October: The SEC opts not to appeal the court's ruling in the Grayscale case and is required to reexamine the application. 2024: Jan. 10: The SEC approves 11 proposals from issuers including BlackRock, Fidelity and VanEck, among others, to launch spot bitcoin ETFs. February: Net inflows into the 10 largest ETFs hit $4 billion in the first month, according to LSEG data. March: Bitcoin tops $70,000 for the first time to hit a record high, having doubled in value in the five months. June: Trump pitches himself as a champion for cryptocurrency and slammed Democrats' attempts to regulate the sector during a San Francisco fundraiser. July: Trump tells a bitcoin conference that, if elected, he will create a strategic national bitcoin stockpile and will ensure the United States is the "crypto capital of the planet." October: The SEC grants "accelerated approval" to U.S. exchanges to list and trade options tied to 11 spot bitcoin ETFs. Nov 6: Trump is declared winner of the presidential election, sparking a huge rally in a range of assets, with bitcoin being the standout gainer. Nov 12: Total crypto market cap reaches $3 trillion for the first time. Year-to-date ETF net inflows hit $25.8 billion, according to LSEG data. Nov 21: Bitcoin nears $100,000 for the first time in history, driven by a swell of buying from investors in anticipation of Trump dismantling a lot of the regulation around crypto investment. The price has risen by around 40 per cent since the election.

United Airlines travelers with lost luggage have a new tool to track their bags. If the lost bag has an Apple AirTag in it, that information can now be passed directly to United, the airline announced Thursday. The new feature, called Share Item Location, allows travelers with an AirTag or other Find My network accessory to share the location with the airline’s customer service team to help locate their luggage in the event it’s misplaced. United says more than 99% of its customers pick up their luggage without a hitch. The feature is now available with iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 or macOS 15.2. “Apple’s new Share Item Location feature will help customers travel with even more confidence, knowing they have another way to access their bag’s precise location with AirTag or their Find My accessory of choice,” said David Kinzelman, United’s chief customer officer. Travelers on United whose bags do not arrive at their destination can file a delayed baggage report with United and share the link to the item’s location either through the United app or via text message. After the report has been submitted, customer service agents will be able to locate the item on an interactive map alongside a timestamp of a recent update. The shared location will be disabled after a customer has the bag, and customers can also stop sharing the location of the item at any time on their own. The location link will also automatically expire after seven days. Using AirTags or other tracking devices on luggage is increasingly popular among frequent travelers, with a significant boom following the 2022 Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown , which displaced thousands of travelers over Christmas and into 2023, alongside much of their belongings. United says lost bags are rare, with more than 99% of its customers arriving with their bags. It says the new technology will help those with lost bags to recover them more quickly because the airline will have more information about them. Apple previously announced the new service will also be integrated at other air carriers, including Delta Air Lines. Others include Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Vueling. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!

United, Apple rolling out new way to track lost luggage with AirTagsThe Grok AI chatbot on Twitter/X can now take any image or meme and provide a detailed description. In 2023, Elon Musk debuted Grok, an AI chatbot used exclusively on Twitter/X. The feature is available for premium users who pay for their membership. With continued development, the AI chatbot is now able to describe any meme or image for premium X users, no matter how complicated. Its answers, though, can be somewhat satirical, especially when used in “fun” mode, and are meant to make the user laugh. Two variations of Grok have been released since its debut, with a third version currently in the works. In October, Musk announced the Grok initiative on X, saying the feature would “rapidly improve.” On December 10, the X owner gave further details about how Grok works. “You can also upload any image to Grok, including memes, and it will explain what they mean,” he said. You can also upload any image to Grok, including memes, and it will explain what they mean https://t.co/tfM8k63AJu Elon Musk intended to make Grok funny Social media users seem to like the new AI feature, as many agreed that it was a ‘winning’ idea, adding that AI was “getting scary good.” One X user also commented on how Grok is superior to other AI chatbots. “I love Grok and I have used about everything out there over the last 5 years,” they said. “Guys, don’t sleep on Grok Analysis, it is really good. It can break down memes and contextual understanding. It’s freaking awesome,” wrote popular X account ‘AutismCapital’ which included Grok’s analysis of a Barron Trump meme. Guys, don't sleep on Grok Analysis, it is *really* good. It can break down memes and contextual understanding. It's freaking awesome. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BTSVrWVTbi After developing Grok, Musk noted that if AI was going to take over the internet, or more, the least he could do was turn his AI chatbot into something comical. “We worked hard to ensure Grok was funny. If AI is going to take over, please let it at least make us laugh,” Musk tweeted. Related: We worked hard to ensure Grok was funny. If AI is going to take over, please let it at least make us laugh. In November, Musk announced his plans to extend his platform with groundbreaking AI technology. With a love for video games, the X owner said he wanted to start his own AI game studio to make video games “great again.” “I think if you apply AI to a video game, you could really make it just an incredible video game,” he said to a fan who proposed the idea at a convention.