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winph99 app download US to send $1.25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves office WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say the United States is expected to announce it will send another $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine. It's part of a push by the Biden administration to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on Jan. 20. Officials say the large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK air defense system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155 mm- and 105 mm artillery rounds. The officials say they expect the announcement will be made on Monday. They spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, a deputy national security adviser, said Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. Israeli troops burn northern Gaza hospital after forcibly removing staff and patients, officials say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Gaza's Health Ministry says Israeli troops have stormed one of the last hospitals operating in the territory's north on Friday and forced many of the staff and patients outside. Then they had to remove their clothes in winter weather. It was the latest assault on Kamal Adwan Hospital. Parts of it were set on fire. Staff say it has been hit multiple times in the past three months by Israeli troops waging an offensive against Hamas fighters in surrounding neighborhoods. Israel's military says Hamas uses the hospital as a base. It did not provide evidence, and hospital officials have denied it. Azerbaijani and U.S. officials suggest plane that crashed may have been hit by weapons fire U.S. and Azerbaijani officials have said weapons fire may have brought down an Azerbaijani airliner that crashed on Wednesday, killing 38 people. The statements from Rashad Nabiyev and White House national security spokesman John Kirby on Friday raised pressure on Russia. Officials in Moscow have said a drone attack was underway in the region that the Azerbaijan Airlines flight was destined for but have not addressed statements from aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defenses responding to a Ukrainian attack. The plane was flying from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to Chechnya on Wednesday when it crashed, killing 38 people and leaving all 29 survivors injured. Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case ATLANTA (AP) — A judge has ruled that the Georgia state Senate can subpoena Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. It's part of a inquiry into whether Willis has engaged in misconduct during her prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump. But Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram is giving Willis the chance to contest whether lawmakers’ demands are overly broad before Willis responds. A Republican-led committee was formed earlier this year and sent subpoenas to Willis in August seeking to compel her to testify during its September meeting and to produce scores of documents. Willis argued that the committee didn’t have the power to subpoena her. US homelessness up 18% as affordable housing remains out of reach for many people Federal officials say the United States saw an 18.1% increase in homelessness, a dramatic rise driven mostly by a lack of affordable housing as well as devastating natural disasters and a surge of migrants in several parts of the country. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said that federally required tallies taken across the country in January found that more than 770,000 people were counted as homeless. That increase comes on top of a 12% increase in 2023, which HUD blamed on soaring rents and the end of pandemic assistance. Among the most concerning trends was a nearly 40% rise in family homelessness. In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee has a nearly total abortion ban and a porous safety net for mothers and young children. GOP state leaders in Tennessee and other states that banned abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 argue that they are bolstering services for families. Recent research and an analysis by The Associated Press has found that from the time a Tennessee woman gets pregnant, she faces greater obstacles to a healthy pregnancy, a healthy child and a financially stable family life than the average American mom. What Snoop wants: Arizona Bowl gives NIL opportunities to players for Colorado State, Miami (Ohio) TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — When Snoop Dogg agreed to become the sponsor of the Arizona Bowl, he had a demand: It must have a NIL component. Other bowls have provided NIL chances for single players the past few years, but the Arizona Bowl is believed to be the first to offer NIL compensation to every player on both Colorado State and Miami (Ohio). The players participated in youth clinics before Saturday's game and will be compensated for their time. Alex Ovechkin is on track to break Wayne Gretzky's NHL career goals record Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is chasing the NHL career goals record of 894 held by Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin entered the season 42 goals short of breaking a record that long seemed unapproachable. He is set to play again Saturday at the Toronto Maple Leafs after missing more than a month with a broken left fibula. Ovechkin was on pace to get to 895 sometime in February before getting injured. At 868, he his 27 goals away from passing Gretzky.The PML-N led government on Sunday issued a white paper on the alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement of PTI's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government, strangely at a time when it is finally engaged in holding dialogue with the opposition party to bring down political temperature. The white paper was unveiled in a press conference held in Lahore. Federal Minister for Information Atta Tarrar issued the charge-sheet of corruption and financial mismanagement, all the while ducking questions regarding PPP led Sindh government's performance. Tarar put the financial irregularity and financial loss at Rs192 billion with Rs84 billion in misclassified expenditure, Rs130 million in fraudulent payments and Rs510 million in suspicious disbursements. "The money allocated under different heads was used for political activities namely sit-ins and also to fund PTI's social media army. The K-P's total debt is Rs725 billion and by 2030, it will be over Rs2,000 billion. They require Rs355 billion just for debt servicing," he added. He said the provincial government has done nothing to reduce the debt in the last ten years. Despite much hullabaloo over dams, they have installed only a single electricity production project. Referring to a recent statement of former prime minister Imran Khan, he said the PTI founder has himself admitted that the country's economy is stabilizing under the PML-N's rule. He said the PTI has done nothing for price management. The PTI government in the K-P brought new cars despite economic stringency. Tarar said the PTI also brought universities under the control of the provincial government. He said the CM might be an excellent administrator but he is not an academic. "They have not fixed their hospitals. He said the K-P is riddled with corruption scandals, ranging from BRT scandal, to timber mafia, to tobacco mafia," he said. Strangely when the minister was asked how much the government spent on stopping the PTI from marching into the capital, he said he does not have an exact figure. He said no one in the K-P will be able to answer these questions. Responding to the press conference, Adviser to the K-P CM on Financial Affairs Muzamil Aslam said if this is the kind of allegations the PML-N is left with and if Atta Tarar is their main choice on matters, then they should give up. "The entire press conference was a pack of lies. Tarar does not know anything about economics and he should not have embarrassed himself like this. "Our total debt accumulated in the last seventy-five years. Our total debt is equal to the debt the federal government takes every year." He said for the first time in the history of the country, the K-P government would pay ten percent of total debt back to the center on January 1 which would be around Rs70 billion. "Our domestic debt is zero. We have the most cash reserve in history of around Rs150 billion and this was one fourth of our total debt." COMMENTS Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. 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It was an eventful Monday night in Philadelphia, where tempers flared and referees messed up. While they managed to grab the win over the San Antonio Spurs , it wasn’t all good. 76ers’ KJ Martin suffered an injury to his left foot. An MRI revealed the injury to be a stress reaction on Tuesday. The Sixers are attempting to climb up the Eastern Conference standings after starting the season in dismal fashion. Martin’s injury only adds to the season’s injury struggles going back to the Sixers preseason. 76ers Injury News Forces Improving Forward On Ice Philadelphia 76ers’ KJ Martin Goes Down With Injury The good news for Martin is that his injury will only need two weeks before being re-evaluated, as PHLY Sports’ Kyle Nuebeck reported. So, providing his foot heals nicely over the next couple of weeks, Martin could be back on the floor sooner rather than later. For him, that is the hope. Martin has come on strong of late after a slew of injuries the 76ers have grappled with, providing the six-year forward with an opportunity to log more minutes and take on a larger role with the team. He has averaged 20 minutes per game this season. He’s also shooting a career-best in field goal (61.6) and three-point (38.1) percentage. Coming into the season, his second in Philly, Martin wasn’t expected to carry a significant role given the several players ahead of him on the depth chart. However, since the door opened for him to play more, he has produced at a high level. His production has aided him in becoming a more significant part of Nick Nurse’s rotation. Martin has even started in six of the 76ers last dozen games, where he has averaged 8.8 points in 24 minutes per game. It’s a disappointing development for Martin, who has filled in nicely for the Sixers. Given that they could be active as the trade deadline approaches, his future in Philly is more uncertain now. Martin’s contract is trade-friendly, so we’ll see how his status with the team amounts as the weeks go by. Is Philly on the Up? Apart from Martin’s injury and Jared McCain ‘s a couple of weeks ago, the Sixers have played it relatively safe in the last few weeks. By that, I mean, no major injuries to star players. Joel Embiid got through the injury to his face and is playing again, although he’s only playing every second game lately. Paul George has laced up in seven consecutive games and nine of the Sixers last ten. As for Tyrese Maxey , he has been lighting it up since his return from a lengthy absence. The Sixers have won seven of their last ten matchups. They remain closer to the bottom of the East than the top. However, they are winning more than they’re losing these days. Are we seeing something similar to what the Milwaukee Bucks started to put together in mid-November? At 10-17, the Sixers still have much work to do. That being said, it’s not impossible for them to move up the standings more over the next few weeks if they continue to win more than lose. In keeping the main thing the main thing, it all comes down to the availability of their stars—Embiid more so than George and Maxey. The Sixers are just 27 games into the season, and time remains on their side for now. The East is full of underperforming teams. They should be in their most aggressive mode to take advantage of a weak conference. This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

The “Bushwick Birkin” has landed in Soho. Telfar — a New York-based brand beloved by the likes of Beyoncé , Dua Lipa, Oprah and Bella Hadid — is opening its first-ever storefront downtown at Broadway and Canal Street on Saturday. Crowned a cult must-have by the fashion set for two decades, the brand will debut its 10,000-square-foot brick-and-mortar equipped with a Telfar TV studio and a fully stocked “bag bar,” with a floor-to-ceiling display of every tote Telfar has ever produced — plus a coveted limited-edition purse. The brand’s sporadic drops have caused pandemonium, but Clemens told The Post in an interview that opening the store is a “huge milestone.” “The store tells the whole story,” he said. “It’s not just bags — it’s a cultural phenomenon and it’s a total look — 20 years in the making.” With its embossed “T” logo, the faux leather bags were the hottest of 2023 , selling out within minutes of each highly anticipated drop online. But at the flagship, near which street vendors hawk fakes, customers can purchase the handbag, lovingly nicknamed the “Bushwick Birkin,” without the stress of their preferred color, size or style selling out before checkout. Plus, a new limited-edition bag — reportedly a style that consumers have been demanding in recent years — is slated to be unveiled at the opening on Saturday, which Telfar noted is the “eve of our 20th anniversary.” The brand’s “Rainbow” style debuted at a pop-up in 2022 and drew legions of eager fans, who spilled out onto the street, shutting down traffic , and exited the store with armfuls of “Shopping” totes. This time around, the fashion label urged prospective patrons not to storm the storefront on opening day, and those who can’t miss the event will be required to RSVP for a specific time slot in order to enter. As of Friday, many of the “extremely limited” tickets for general admission were sold out. “YOU DON’T HAVE TO COME TO THE OPENING,” Telfar posted on social media , where the label also warned that the wait just to get in will likely surpass two hours . “IT WILL BE OPEN FOREVER.” “That was crazy. It was beautiful but this is different,” he told The Post. “This is our Flagship Store in NYC — we want to spread that energy over the other 365 days of the year.” One moment that won’t be forever is a spectacle slated for Saturday. In the alley behind the store, Telfar will host a talent show of sorts, allowing fans an opportunity to put on a performance. Winners could cut the line and win a tote if liked by the throngs of people and the judges, composed of founder Telfar Clemens, his friends and undisclosed New York icons. “It’s going to be a show for real,” he told The Post. “A celebration and open mic — and we have some wild surprises in store. We wanted to mark the day.” At the bag bar — which creative director Babak Radboy described to Vogue Business as operating similarly to “how you get into a club” — every tote in every color will be available for purchase, regardless of online availability, and lucky shoppers will also be able to preview new launches before the bags debut online. During events, the bag bar can process up to 4,000 orders in a single day — bandwidth that seems necessary given Telfar’s track record. Devout loyalists of the brand — many of whom have taken to social media to express their excitement for the flagship — will likely want to be on line. However, the store opening will be livestreamed as a celebration on the label’s 24-hour channel, Telfar.TV . The element of community and collaboration is an intentional aspect of the interactive brick-and-mortar, which also features a space to hang out or shoot content and ‘fit checks, which can then be broadcast to the store’s LED displays. But the real reason for a permanent Telfar storefront is to experience apparel IRL, rather than URL. Despite the brand operating as an online retailer and selling products through a drop model, Clemens wants to showcase all the label has to offer from head to toe. When asked what has been the most exciting part, Telfar said it’s been doing the work. “To be honest it’s the stuff behind the scenes,” he told The Post. “We have been building an atelier for the last three years so we can return to full 360 collections on our own terms — and do it 100% independently. That’s why the store is so central — you are never going to understand TELFAR by walking into an existing store.” Produced in the brand’s 13,000-square-foot atelier, seasonal collections of garments and accessories will be available to shop as well. At the Soho flagship, customers can browse the label’s Wilsons Leather collaboration, the Telfar Denim collection, the Performance athletic wear capsule and its athleisure apparel. And though the brand has skyrocketed in fame thanks to the internet, Telfar hopes his store fosters connection IRL. “We are so excited to have that come together in one place,” he told The Post, “and have people put down their phones and feel something.”Bombers GM Walters sees no need to blow up roster despite another Grey Cup loss

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EMMITSBURG, Md. (AP) — Dola Adebayo's 16 points helped Mount St. Mary's defeat Delaware State 76-66 on Saturday night. Adebayo added seven rebounds for the Mountaineers (4-2). Jedy Cordilia scored 14 points while shooting 7 of 10 from the field and added seven rebounds. Terrell Ard Jr. shot 5 of 7 from the field and 4 for 4 from the line to finish with 14 points. Carmello Pacheco shot 4 of 5 from 3-point range and had 14 points. The Hornets (2-4) were led in scoring by Kaseem Watson, who finished with 16 points and six rebounds. Delaware State also got 16 points and two steals from Martez Robinson. Robert Smith had 14 points and six rebounds. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

WASHINGTON: US consumer confidence fell unexpectedly in December, according to survey data published Monday, as concerns were raised about the impact of tariffs on the economy before Donald Trump takes office. The president-elect pledged on the campaign trail to implement sweeping tariffs on goods entering the United States, which many economists predict would have an impact on the cost of everyday items. Responding to the criticism, Trump has continued to insist that, “properly used,” tariffs would be positive for the US economy. “Our country right now loses to everybody,” he told reporters at his Florida residence earlier this month, adding: “Tariffs will make our country rich.” The US consumer confidence index slipped to 104.7 in December, down from a revised 112.8 last month, The Conference Board announced in a statement. This was sharply below the market consensus of 113.5, according to Briefing.com. “The recent rebound in consumer confidence was not sustained in December as the Index dropped back to the middle of the range that has prevailed over the past two years,” Conference Board chief economist Dana Peterson said in a statement. “While weaker consumer assessments of the present situation and expectations contributed to the decline, the expectations component saw the sharpest drop,” she added. Monday’s release is the last before President Joe Biden hands over the White House keys in January to Donald Trump, whose campaign focused on immigration and the cost of living. But Trump’s threats to impose widespread tariffs appear to have led at least some to grow less optimistic, according to The Conference Board, which noted that write-in responses to its survey found a rise in mentions of politics and the impact of tariffs. “Notably, a special question this month showed that 46 percent of US consumers expected tariffs to raise the cost of living,” The Conference Board announced. Meanwhile, 21 percent expected tariffs to create more US jobs, it added. “Politics are influencing consumer confidence this holiday season,” Nationwide financial markets economist Oren Klachkin wrote in a note to clients. “This report marks a sour end to 2024, but we think it overstates any true deterioration in attitudes,” he said. “We think confidence will send an encouraging signal in 2025 as tailwinds from a solid economy overpower price and policy concerns,” Klachkin added. — AFPDeBrusk scores in return to Boston as Canucks shut out Bruins 2-0 behind LankinenAP News Summary at 3:01 p.m. EST

Steward Surprise, Continuation of Shelter Stress Top Press Corps Ballots Maybe the word of the year should be "upheaval." This time last year, we were reflecting on how much the tone had changed in 2023 as new pressure points erupted on Beacon Hill. That dynamic only deepened in 2024, as power players swerved from dealing with one crisis to another. A stretch of rocky state tax collections manifested into a $463 million budget gap. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu spent months sounding the alarm about the property tax outlook in the capital city, only for senators to kill her response plan, citing shifting math and economic competitiveness concerns. The Cannabis Control Commission still doesn't have a permanent top leader in place, and the termination of its former chair is tied up in court. And the emergency shelter crisis that topped last year's chart? Still here, bumped down to number two only by something as enormous and shocking as the collapse of Steward Health Care. Several entries on the State House Press Association's 2024 ranking featured in some form on last year's iteration, a sign of how many problems persist and how much remains unresolved. Even some of the ostensible milestones of the year bear asterisks, like the sweeping new gun law that faces multiple court challenges and a repeal campaign. Here's the State House Press Association's democratically selected top 10 stories of 2024: 1. Steward Health Care Bankruptcy Steward Health Care's disintegration about 14 years after it took over the faith-based Caritas system drew the state into a protracted and occasionally cutthroat bankruptcy proceeding, forced thousands of patients to make new arrangements for care and resulted in significant shuffling among the health care sector's tier of operators just below the two juggernauts of Mass General Brigham and Beth Israel Lahey Health, which have dominated the Boston-area landscape under various names for years. The realignment tilted the state's health care world towards greater regionalization, with Lawrence General Hospital taking over the Holy Family Hospitals in Haverhill and Methuen, Boston Medical Center taking on St. Elizabeth's in Brighton and Good Samaritan Brockton, and Rhode Island-based Brown University Health expanding into the Bay State to take over St. Anne's in Fall River and Morton Hospital in Taunton. As Steward's bankruptcy dragged on through the summer, Massachusetts state government put up $72 million to keep the system's hospitals here open through August and September, and the state also committed to providing at least $417 million to help keep the Steward-sold hospitals open as their new owners take over. Despite the cost and the fact that Steward shuttered hospitals in Dorchester and Ayer, Gov. Maura Healey has repeatedly defended her administration's handling of the situation and frames it as a success story. "In other states, Steward hospitals just closed. They went away. And in Massachusetts, we were able to save six of the eight hospitals," she told the News Service in December. - Colin A. Young 2. Emergency Shelter Crisis Facing an astronomical price tag and waitlist for the emergency family shelter system fueled by the migrant crisis, Gov. Healey and lawmakers continued to reshape eligibility parameters in 2024. Meanwhile, homelessness prevention advocates repeatedly decried changes that they said were eroding the state's right-to-shelter law and warned more families could end up sleeping on the streets. A major change came in April, when the Legislature approved a nine-month limit on family shelter stays, with the possibility of two 90-day extensions. In July, the state began enforcing a ban on families sleeping overnight at Logan Airport, which had become one of the most visible signs of the migrant crisis here. Healey's team in late July said it would prioritize shelter for certain Massachusetts families, a controversial move that appeared to curtail access for newly arriving families; the administration also rolled out a policy to limit overflow shelter stays to five days and then disqualify affected families from seeking longer-term placement for six months. The shelter system has since undergone a significant revamp, partly building on recommendations from a commission tasked with making the EA system more sustainable. The system now has two tracks: one path is tailored for families who can stay in overflow sites for 30 days and are then expected to find stable housing, while the other is for families with more complex needs who will be allowed to stay for months longer. Healey wants to further slash traditional shelter stays to six months, though that will require legislative approval. - Alison Kuznitz 3. DiZoglio Gets Voters' Backing In Legislative Audit Push Auditor Diana DiZoglio has made auditing the Legislature her raison d'être. And as a political brand, it's winning acclaim from the voters — 71 percent of them this fall, 2.3 million citizens who said they believe DiZoglio's office should have the power to probe her former colleagues in the legislative branch. As the Methuen Democrat ramped up her years-long crusade, she carted literal piles of dusty 19th century audit books into a committee hearing as evidence in support of her quest, went ahead and launched an initial audit knowing top House and Senate Democrats would not comply, and then traveled the entire state on foot. DiZoglio's "Walking For Sunshine" tour was a 141-mile march from the Berkshires to Boston. She was joined on various legs by conservative and progressive activists, highlighting the scope of the coalition calling for more transparency under the Golden Dome. After all that, and the approbation of the voters, it's still unclear if DiZoglio will ever actually get the chance to make a full performance audit of the Legislature. The audit issue could be headed for a legal battle in the courts, but it didn't make it that far in 2024. DiZoglio and other top Beacon Hill Democrats spent the final month of the year squabbling over the new law's effective date, with most other pols telling the auditor they don't think she can force the question until January. - Sam Doran 4. End-of-Session Dysfunction, Possible Rules Changes Long disagreements between the House and Senate Democrats who control supermajorities are nothing new. But in 2024, it reached one of the lowest points in recent memory. Tensions between House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka might have peaked when, after Mariano suggested the Senate was "not really serious about passing" a bill soon after releasing it, Spilka made a point of writing down his exact words and then working them into her own public response on a different topic a day later. The duo kept what was supposed to be the July 31 final formal session of the term going well after sunrise on Aug. 1 for the second consecutive cycle, then adjourned without compromising on major bills favored by both branches. Lawmakers did get on the same page in the ensuing months, producing accords on seven bills that had been left in mid-summer limbo. To accomplish that, top Democrats circumvented their rule that requires only informal sessions with no controversial business after July 31 in even-numbered years, and pushed legislation to Gov. Healey's desk close to or after the election. That workaround might provide a template for next session: top Democrats appear to be thinking about a permanent change that would more easily allow them to take up big bills during election season, or at least those that already cleared both chambers in one form or another. - Chris Lisinski 5. Boston Property Tax Bill Collapses A home rule petition of particular political importance to its filer exposed bitter tensions between the House and Senate, city and state, and business interests and community residents in a rancorous clash during the waning months of the legislative session. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s petition, which sought to temporarily shift a larger share of the city's property tax levy from residential to commercial properties, became a focal point in the second half of 2024. The proposal was at the center of a spat between House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka in July, when Spilka refused to bring it to the floor before formal sessions ended. Spilka publicly criticized the House for introducing the bill without sufficient discussion, turning Mariano's earlier comments about a Senate proposal back onto him. Wu's team and industry groups brokered a compromise and it easily passed the House again. But when brought before the Senate a second time it failed to gain enough support and two key Boston Democrats publicly opposed it. The debate was colored by new property valuation data, which made some lawmakers more comfortable with the rising residential tax bills. Without action, Wu’s team now projects residential property taxes in Boston will increase by 10.5 percent in 2025, as the mayor launches her campaign for a second term. - Sam Drysdale 6. Gun Law Approved, Repeal Effort Begins It turns out that overcoming their own intraparty strife was only the first hurdle for Massachusetts Democrats looking to transform the state's gun laws. Much of last year's focus fell on the way legislative leaders jabbed at one another about the process for bringing forward legislation -- as we recounted in the top stories of 2023 -- and the page turned in 2024 when the Senate approved its own package of reforms. After a few months of private talks, the Democrat majorities in the House and Senate enacted a sweeping compromise measure that provided new tools for cracking down on ghost guns, banned firearms in more public places like schools and polling places, expanded the 2018 "red flag" law that allows courts to temporarily take firearms away from those deemed threats, and more. But the story did not end with Healey's signature on the bill. Opponents including the National Rifle Association signaled plans to challenge the law in court, and several cases have already begun moving, contending that various reforms are unconstitutional. While those proceedings unfold, gun owners are fighting the measure on another front: they collected the tens of thousands of signatures necessary to put a repeal question on the 2026 ballot, teeing up a two-year campaign that will culminate in voters deciding whether to leave the law in place or spike it from the books. - Chris Lisinski 7. MassGOP Scores Electoral Successes, Local Trump Gains The MassGOP and its new chair Amy Carnevale had a good year. The fall elections were a sort of referendum on her shepherding of the party after unseating controversial party leader Jim Lyons in 2023. Carnevale has focused on getting the GOP back on solid financial footing, brought its headquarters back to Boston, and emphasized a big-tent approach supporting moderates and conservatives alike. She managed to stop the recent bleeding of legislative seats and Republicans flipped three districts red with wins from Ken Sweezey of Pembroke, Justin Thurber of Somerset, and Kelly Dooner of Taunton. The GOP did lose one seat, retiring Bridgewater Rep. Angelo D'Emilia's district, but eked out a net-positive election. Meantime, Republicans Donald Trump and JD Vance got just 36 percent of the vote here, but compare that to Trump's 32 percent share in 2016, and 32 percent again in 2020. Despite felony convictions, the Jan. 6 revolt in Washington, and hometown pols in Massachusetts constantly hammering the former (and now incoming) president, more Bay Staters considered him the right choice this year than ever before. And in communities like Lawrence -- a city of immigrants -- his popularity shot up. Fall River, another Gateway City, voted for a Republican presidential candidate for the first time in a century. Fall River's former mayor, Will Flanagan, announced he was switching to the Republican Party. And 45/47 picked up close to two dozen Massachusetts towns that had voted for Biden in 2020, including municipalities in Worcester County and on the South Shore and South Coast. - Sam Doran 8. Healey Makes First 9C Cuts Since 2016 Budget belt-tightening was the first controversial order of business for Gov. Maura Healey to kick off 2024. On Jan. 9, Healey announced $375 million in unilateral spending reductions, also known as 9C cuts, from the fiscal 2024 budget after six months of below-benchmark revenue collections and soaring costs from the migrant crisis. Despite Healey saying a month earlier that she was not considering budget cuts, she took the first 9C action since Charlie Baker did in 2016. Healey made cuts to 66 line items, including a gross $294 million reduction in MassHealth fee-for-service payments. The Lift Our Kids Coalition criticized Healey's move that trimmed more than $17 million in public benefits. Progressive groups blamed the cuts on the tax relief package that Healey signed into law months earlier, which critics assert disproportionately benefited wealthy Bay Staters. To close a budget shortfall totaling $1 billion, Healey's team also tapped into investment earnings that aren't typically used in budgeting, measures that Administration and Finance Secretary Matt Gorzkowicz said were creating a "glide path" to fiscal 2026. - Alison Kuznitz 9. MCAS Ballot Question, Teachers Union Politics Massachusetts voters in November approved Question 2 with 59% support, agreeing with teachers' unions that the state should no longer require students to pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam to graduate. The measure, heavily pushed by the Massachusetts Teachers Association, repeals the test passage requirement and shifts the responsibility for assessing student competency in math, science, and English to local districts. Supporters argued the MCAS is a "one-size-fits-all" test that doesn’t accurately measure student achievement and shouldn’t prevent the 1% of students each year who fail the exam from graduating, despite meeting other requirements. They also claimed replacing the MCAS with district-certified assessments would end "teaching to the test." Opponents, primarily business groups and some top elected officials, warned that Question 2 would remove the state’s only statewide graduation standard, devaluing the Massachusetts high school diploma. They also feared it could increase inequality if some districts lowered their standards to help students graduate, while others maintained higher requirements. The campaign drew substantial funding and media attention, dividing top Democrats. Gov. Healey, Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Senate President Karen Spilka, and House Speaker Ron Mariano all opposed the measure, while Education Committee Chair Sen. Jason Lewis and some members of the federal delegation supported it. The year is ending with legislators, districts and the state’s education department circling in muddy waters as they look for a new graduation requirement system. Reform to the education accountability system is likely to remain a key issue in 2025. - Sam Drysdale 10. Treasurer Goldberg vs. CCC A judge said in December 2023 that suspended Cannabis Control Commission Chairwoman Shannon O'Brien could come back to the courts with a lawsuit challenging Treasurer Deborah Goldberg's handling of her termination if or when she was actually fired. This December, that challenge is awaiting court action as the now-former CCC chair continues her fight to return to the job from which she was suspended in September 2023 and fired a year later. O'Brien tried to have the Supreme Judicial Court listen to her complaint, but Justice Gabrielle Wolohojian kicked the case down to Superior Court jurisdiction. Wolohojian was in the headlines herself early in the year when Gov. Healey nominated her to the high court bench. The nomination of a 16-year Appeals Court jurist with a sterling reputation normally would not land in the top 10 stories of the year, but Healey and Wolohojian were in a long-term relationship and lived together in Charlestown until a few years ago. "There's no one more qualified or more prepared," the governor said as she faced heat for the nomination. "You know, I don't want the fact that she had a personal relationship with me to deprive the commonwealth of a person who's most qualified for the position." While the choice of a former partner for a lofty perch on the SJC raised eyebrows around Beacon Hill, Wolohojian was confirmed to the bench on a 6-1 vote and seems to have fit right in at the SJC. - Colin A. Young Runners-Up: Housing Crisis and Bond Bill; MBTA, Phil Eng's Turnaround; Vineyard Wind's Shattered Turbine Blade; Pols and Law Enforcement The housing crisis remained a major issue, with affordability challenges cresting and the state continuing to rank among the highest in median home values. Lawmakers and Gov. Healey touted a $5.16 billion housing bond bill passed in the summer, which introduced 49 new housing policies. However, critics felt the bill fell short, as many measures intended to help the poorest residents were left out. Meanwhile, the MBTA made progress on its long-awaited turnaround, led by General Manager Phil Eng. Subway slow zones were cleared, repairs were made to the T’s core system, and speeds on the Blue and Orange Lines improved. However, looming financial challenges threaten to undo this progress unless state leaders can find solutions. Vineyard Wind faced a setback when a wind turbine blade shattered and broke off, littering Nantucket with debris and leading the company to remove several blades for quality checks. A few pols ran into trouble with law enforcement this year: Rep. Christopher Flanagan was caught violating campaign finance laws and lying about it. Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson also found herself in hot water, accused of running a kickback scheme with a staffer to pocket thousands of dollars. - Sam DrysdaleThe best spa hotels in the UK: Where to go for a relaxing staycation

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Sudan army reports killing 460 paramilitary fightersD ear Heloise: I wanted to write in concerning not using rugs and towels at animal shelters. I have to wonder what sort of “shelter” is being offered to dogs and cats where it gets so cold and wet that the cloth can freeze. Not to mention the possibility of the poor animal freezing to death! Are they saying these indoor animals are being kept outside? Or are their facilities not being properly heated and dry? This is shocking to me! I hope they can explain themselves. — Frank F., Ventura, California Frank, the letter was referring to feral cats and other outdoor animals. Shelter cats and dogs usually have a better situation than those that are born wild or mistreated by their owners. In my opinion, no animal should be kept outside in the winter if they have owners with a warm house. Sadly, there are too many abandoned cats and dogs that have no one to look after them, making their existence difficult and their lives short. Straw is the best solution to helping these animals stay warm, provided that there is plenty of straw to snuggle in for warmth inside of some type of enclosure. There are a variety of such houses for animals online, and most aren’t expensive. — Heloise Dear Heloise: I often use paper-towel rolls and toilet-paper rolls to keep artificial flower stems together. I also cut them lengthwise to put on gift-wrapping paper rolls. If the paper roll is too thin to keep a cardboard roll on, then I use a rubber band to secure the roll. Your readers have given me so much I can use. I thank you and thank them, too. — Jackie, Colorado Springs, Colorado Jackie, I like your cardboard roll ideas. Lately, I’ve received several letters stating that readers use the cardboard roll in paper towels and toilet paper to start a fire in their fireplace. Some also use a toilet roll of cardboard to gather a number of loose cords together. Others use a paper-towel roll to wrap tree lights around when putting them into storage. All of these are great ideas, as well. — Heloise Dear Heloise: Our glass pie plates wouldn’t get clean, so my husband had the successful idea to use a ceramic cooktop cleaner! The pie plates are sparkling now! — Connie B., Universal City, Texas Dear Heloise: My mom was never really happy with any gift I gave her. Since she relied on Social Security, money was tight, so I started to give her a goody box. I usually used an empty paper box and filled it with toiletries and products that I knew she used. I also included postage stamps and gift cards for car washes. She would love her goody box and looked forward to it every year. One year, my aunt was visiting from the old country at Christmas, so I made up a smaller box for her. I found out that she loved a certain brand of canned corn, so I included six cans. She was over the moon! It was also easy for me, as I would add things to the box all year long, making it easier on my time and budget. — Liz N., via email Send a money-saving or time-saving hint to Heloise@Heloise.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!

New ‘license plate’ crackdown in US state with fines of $116 – and it’s all to do with the colorsMADRID (AP) — Spanish King Felipe VI used his traditional Christmas Eve speech to remember the victims of the catastrophic Valencia flash floods , and urged the country to remain calm despite public debates around hot-button issues such as immigration and housing affordability. In a pre-recorded speech that usually reviews the year's most relevant issues, Felipe said Spain “must never forget the pain and sadness" the flood have caused. The Oct. 29 floods killed more than 225 people in eastern Spain, damaging countless homes and leaving graveyards of cars piled on top of each other. In some towns, the heavy downpours that caused the floods dropped as much as a year's worth of rain in just eight hours. In early November, as Spaniards' shock at the wreckage turned into frustration, a political blame game began, directed especially at regional authorities who failed to send timely emergency alerts to cell phones on the day of the floods. The frustration of residents in hard-hit Paiporta near Valencia was on display when people tossed mud and shouted insults at the king and government officials in early November when they made their first visit to the town. “We have seen — and understood — the frustration, the pain, the impatience, the demands for greater and more effective coordination," Felipe said about how the disaster was managed, adding that he had asked that aid be sent to everyone who needed it. He also addressed the country's housing crunch and high rents, which have become a leading concern in this European Union country that is the eurozone's fourth-largest economy. Fast-rising rents are especially acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid, where incomes have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in a country with chronically high unemployment. Felipe urged that “all the actors involved reflect” and "listen to each other” so that they facilitate bringing access to housing under “affordable conditions.” Spain's immigration debate should keep in mind the country's European partners and immigrants' countries of origin, Felipe said, warning that “the way in which we are able to address immigration ... will say a lot in the future about our principles and the quality of our democracy.” Felipe said Spain need to remain calm in the public sphere, even in the face of a “sometimes thunderous” contest in its politics.AP News Summary at 3:01 p.m. EST