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If you’re new to snowboarding, you may not realize the importance of a solid pair of snowboard bindings. In reality, this piece of gear does more than just secure your boots to the snowboard. Bindings are responsible for transferring the power from your legs to the board, allowing improved control and comfort. A quality pair of bindings could last for years, so the decision to buy is a big one. For snowboard bindings that are durable, lightweight and comfortable, check out the BURTON Malavita Snowboard Bindings . Some snowboard bindings are better suited for certain riding styles. Consider how you plan to use your snowboard before settling on a specific pair of bindings. If you’re not sure, try renting some gear for a day and see how the bindings feel on the slopes. Many snowboard manufacturers include a 1 to 10 flexibility rating with their bindings. A high number indicates stiff bindings, while a low number is assigned to bindings that are particularly soft and flexible. Most snowboard bindings have straps that secure the ankle and toe sections of your boots to the board. The ankle straps keep you in a flexible yet fixed position when you lean forward onto your toes, while the toe straps keep your feet in place when you lean back. Padding is used on snowboard bindings to absorb some of the shock caused by bumpy runs. Think about your riding style when deciding how much padding you need. Mounts secure the bindings to the board. You can use mounting screws to attach the bindings and adjust the foot positioning to your preference. Just like a snowboard, snowboard bindings come in a wide variety of different colors and patterns. If you want a cohesive look, pick out bindings that match the rest of your gear. When shopping for snowboard gear online, try to purchase from well-known brands like Burton, Salomon or Rossignol. Cheap snowboard bindings from an obscure manufacturer might be tempting, but you could find yourself with an inferior product once you hit the slopes. The cost of snowboard bindings can vary depending on the brand name and the quality of the parts. Beginner and intermediate snowboarders can expect to pay around $100-$250 for a quality pair of bindings, while advanced snowboard bindings regularly exceed $300. A. Most snowboard bindings are sold in two to five size options. Look at the model’s sizing chart and compare it with your boot size to find bindings that fit you. A. Yes. Although there are women’s snowboard bindings that advertise particular design features, snowboard bindings are universal. This means you can choose any pair you want, as long as they’re the right size. BURTON Malavita Snowboard Bindings What you need to know: Despite being advertised as men’s snowboard bindings, these bindings use advanced technology to deliver quality support and performance for any rider. What you’ll love: Backed by Burton’s legendary reputation, these snowboard bindings offer an advanced level of performance, control and comfort in a stylish package. The padding has a gel to absorb extra shock, and the bindings come in five color options. What you should consider: These bindings might be too expensive for beginner and intermediate riders. Salomon Pact Snowboard Bindings What you need to know: These versatile bindings are durable and affordable enough for almost any rider. What you’ll love: A solid choice for beginners, these snowboard bindings have a rear-entry design with high-quality straps for fine adjustments. Many users note their durability and comfort during long days of riding. What you should consider: These bindings have a limited number of size options, and the mounting discs may not attach to every board type. BURTON Grom Snowboard Bindings What you need to know: Designed for kids and small snowboarders, these popular bindings have a solid construction and reasonable price tag. What you’ll love: Perfect for young riders hitting the slopes for the first time, these beginner bindings are compatible with most snowboard mounting systems and feature a single-component baseplate for consistent control and responsiveness. They’re also available in two sleek color options, black and white. What you should consider: Some users questioned the quality and longevity of the bindings’ highback. Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change. Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales. BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

In Sweden, companies are cleaning up steel production – one of the world’s biggest carbon problems

Red Velvet Irene ’s solo debut has been a commercial hit since its release last month, but one accolade “Like a Flower” has missed out on so far is a music show win — and fans say SM Entertainment is to blame. From the moment Irene’s debut mini album, Like a Flower , was released, it’s been racking up album sales achievements. In its first day alone, the record sold over 250,000 copies, achieving the seventh highest first-day sales for a female K-Pop soloist on the Hanteo chart. With just one day of tracking, Irene also recorded the highest first- week sales for an SM Entertainment female soloist. Naturally, with such accomplishments in hand, fans had high expectations for Irene to become the first Red Velvet member to achieve a win on a music show. In particular, ReVeluvs worldwide went full force with their efforts on KBS ’s Music Bank . After an intense period of voting, fans even managed to break the app All Chart ’s record for the highest vote total of all time at 983,504, giving her the number one spot in the pre-vote. However, despite fans’ tireless efforts, when Music Bank aired on November 6, Irene was not nominated at all. Although she received the maximum score of 2,000 for the pre-vote, her final total was 5,768, putting her in third place on Music Bank ’s ‘K-Chart.’ The reason? A discrepancy in her album sales, which fans are calling “sabotage.” irene breaking records left and right in her solo debut yet you choose to sabotage her, you incompetent bastard @SMTOWNGLOBAL — nicole 💐 (@baechustokki) December 6, 2024 The root of the issue lies in the difference between the Hanteo chart and the chart Music Bank uses for its tally: Circle . In a nutshell, Hanteo counts retail sales, tracking albums purchased by customers both offline and online. Circle Chart, on the other hand, records the number of albums shipped to retailers, before they’re even sold to individual customers. As such, Circle Chart figures are usually higher than Hanteo, as they include stock that has been distributed to stores but not yet sold. However, in a shocking turn of events, Circle reported that Irene had only sold 164,802 copies across all versions by the end of the music show tracking week on Sunday — a striking difference from Hanteo’s figure of 288,911. Circle Album Chart Week 48: 4. Like A Flower – 159,165 [NEW] 25. Like A Flower (SMC) – 5,637 [NEW] #RedVelvet @RVsmtown #IRENE pic.twitter.com/7OWhhn5cQ5 — Red Velvet Charts (@ChartsRV) December 5, 2024 This meant that more than 120,000 sold albums were missing from Irene’s sales figures. In contrast, the two groups nominated for the win ( WayV and TWS ) had approximately 8,000 and 31,000 more sales on Circle than on Hanteo respectively. In the end, this meant that Irene was allocated just 914 points awarded for physical album sales on Music Bank . Had her Circle sales figure matched her Hanteo sales, Irene would have scored around 1,600 points in the physical sales category: enough to push her final points to over 6,400. This would have placed her above the eventual winner, WayV, whose total was 6,354 points, giving her the win. Naturally, the gap between what could have been and what happened left fans furious at SM Entertainment. Across social media, ReVeluvs accused the company of failing to support Irene’s solo debut properly, or even intentionally sabotaging it. Irene, her team, and her fans are working hard to give their best, only for Pink Company to sabotage their artist lmao why is this always happening? So professional @SMTOWNGLOBAL @RVsmtown #IreneDeservesBetterTreatment — 현 솔로⋆ 🍓 silhouette (@justirenerg) December 5, 2024 Questions arose about why her Circle chart sale were so low, with theories ranging from delayed album shipments to errors in reporting figures. Many pointed out the stark contrast between Irene’s case and that of WayV, whose sales were accurately reflected on Circle despite both artists being under SM Entertainment with albums distributed by Kakao Entertainment. we really need an explanation from sm why they managed to ship wayv's albums properly but not irene's — 🌺 (@fanniirene) December 5, 2024 Irene’s visible dedication to her debut only added to the heartbreak. The star had been working on the album for several months, including in the midst of the group’s Asia fan concert tour. In a recent vlog with fellow member Seulgi , fans also noticed dark bruises on Irene’s legs, making the agency’s lack of support even harder to accept. irene has been working SO HARD getting all bruised and exhausted just to make everything perfect but @SMTOWNGLOBAL and kakao can't even work with her and treat her properly with the same energy?? @SMTOWNGLOBAL @RVsmtown respond and treat irene better! https://t.co/Ia0jXXLjEa pic.twitter.com/UiIBJJEu88 — •᎑• | Like A Flower 🌷 (@notrenesbathtub) December 6, 2024 Now, fans are calling for SM Entertainment to explain and apologize for what happened. Baetokkis, we all know that Irene deserves the best, so help us demand better treatment from SM. Aside from the mass email event, let’s flood Kwangya 119 as well! KWANGYA 911🔗: https://t.co/kWKbO845KE Email template: https://t.co/5HQwztYa4A #아이린 #IRENE #アイリーン ... pic.twitter.com/zz44oGUOAy — Irene Ads 🌷 (@IreneadsPH) December 5, 2024 Irene’s China fanbase ( IreneBar ), whose members contributed hundreds of thousands of sales for Like a Flower , have also lodged threats against SM Entertainment. “ If the company fails to provide a satisfactory response ,” they announced on X , “ we will request a full refund for all unreleased albums and will completely boycott all albums, activities, and merchandise purchases, except for Irene’s individual activities, in the future. ” 회사에서 납득할 만한 답변을 내놓지 않을 경우, 출고되지 않은 모든 앨범에 대해 전액 환불을 요청할 것이며, 앞으로 아이린 개인 활동을 제외한 모든 앨범, 활동, 굿즈 구매를 전면적으로 보이콧할 것입니다. @RVsmtown @SMTOWNGLOBAL https://t.co/ILJ7Vp2u1c — IreneBar (@IreneBar_) December 6, 2024 Red Velvet Red Velvet’s Irene Confesses How Far She’s Gone To Avoid Dieting Red Velvet’s Irene Shocks With Album Sales And Chart Performance Following Solo Debut Red Velvet’s Irene Gains Praise For Intense Choreography “Not Made For TikTok” Red Velvet’s Wendy Faces Backlash For Posting A “Natural” Photo See more Red Velvet

Meslier has been with Leeds since joining from Lorient in 2019 and has made 198 appearances for the club so far — keeping 64 clean sheets and conceding 271 goals. The Frenchman has been growing in stature this season and has conceded just three goals in his last seven appearances, keeping four clean sheets during that time to bring his total for the campaign to 13. Meslier’s name has come up recently as a , potentially replacing Altay Bayindir as No.2 behind Andre Onana. Meanwhile, former Leeds star David Norris urged the club to move on from their ‘inconsistent’ goalkeeper. “I think Meslier had started to look okay in recent games, but the people I’ve spoken to who follow Leeds more closely aren’t convinced any longer,” . “Farke is likely to be considering other options now. He’s been too inconsistent and has cost the club points this season. It just doesn’t look as if they have the confidence in Meslier they once did.” The plot appears to have thickened with regards to Meslier, who is now drawing attention from Italian side Fiorentina. That’s according to TEAMtalk (via ), who claim the Viola are looking for a younger option between the sticks. Fiorentina only signed Man Utd legend David de Gea on a free transfer in the summer, with the Spaniard conceding just 14 goals in 15 gams across all competitions so far, keeping six clean sheets. However, at 34 years old, De Gea’s best days are definitely behind him, and Leeds may now swoop for Meslier in January in order to future-proof their goalkeeper position.

NoneThe final match on a jam-packed Boxing Day in the Scottish Premiership will come from the SMISA Stadium in Paisley, where St Mirren will be playing host to Rangers . The hosts will enter this fixture in sixth place in the league standings, with 24 points after 18 games, while the visitors moved up to second last week, now on 35 points after 16 matches. St Mirren moved five points clear of the bottom half of the table last week with a last-gasp winner over Ross County thanks to an Oisin Smyth strike in the final minute of regulation time. Late goals have become something of a theme in matches involving the Saints in recent times, as they also bagged in last-minute winner against St. Johnstone a week earlier and conceded in stoppage time in their two preceding matches against Dundee United and Motherwell. Nevertheless, those victories have taken the Buddies to seven wins in 18 games this season, and another three points here would mark the first time they have won three league matches in a row since August 2022. However, based on their record in this fixture, it will certainly not be an easy task for the hosts, who have failed to beat this opponent in their last 14 encounters across all competitions, 13 of which ended in defeat. Stephen Robinson 's side have taken 14 points from a possible 27 at the SMISA Stadium this season, but they have failed to score in three of their last five at this venue ahead of this one. Meanwhile, this match marks the start of a gruelling run of fixtures for Rangers, who will have to play a total of 11 matches in the next 36 days both domestically and in Europe. The Gers bounced back from their League Cup disappointment against Old Firm rivals Celtic with a crucial 1-0 victory over Dundee last weekend, which saw them leapfrog a stumbling Aberdeen into second place in the table for the first time this season. That result took Philippe Clement 's side to four league wins in a row and six matches unbeaten (W5 D1 L0), while they have not conceded in the top flight in over 400 minutes dating back to their 1-1 draw against Dundee United last month. The visitors have also won their last two away league games without conceding, but their record on the road this term has been well below expectation, with only 10 points earned from seven matches to date (W3 D1 L3). Still, the Gers have dominated this fixture over the years, and while Clement is likely to make a few changes to manage workloads, they are still firm favourites to leave with all three points in the bag. The hosts will have to make do without the services of Scott Tanser , who was sent off in Dingwall last week, while Alex Gogic could make the starting lineup after coming off the bench against Ross County following his suspension. Mark O'Hara suffered a thigh injury as he missed a stoppage-time penalty in the victory over St Johnstone, and Robinson confirmed last week that the skipper is likely to be sidelined for upto two months. Jack Butland pulled out of the match against Dundee last week at the last minute due to the birth of his child, but Clement has confirmed that the shot-stopper will be available for the trip to Paisley. Neraysho Kasanwirjo (knee) and Thomas Lawrence (hamstring) are both ruled out until January with injuries, while Rabbi Matondo has resumed training following a spell on the sidelines and could be part of the matchday squad this week. St Mirren possible starting lineup: Balcombe; Iacovitti, Fraser, Gogic; Bwomono, Phillips, Smyth, Taylor; Kiltie, Mandron, Idowu Rangers possible starting lineup: Butland; Tavernier, Sterling, Propper, Jefte; Raskin, Diomande; Cerny, Hagi, Pereira; Igamane While Rangers have not been at their best on the road this season, they have not lost to this opponent in 14 consecutive matches across all competitions, and we feel they will be able to extend that record with another victory in this one. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here .WASHINGTON – as choice for has created an opening for one of the he designated for top posts at the Justice Department – or to other firebrands the president-elect was previously considering. Trump could potentially elevate , who he had already named as deputy attorney general, the department's #2 job. Other candidates included former intelligence official Kash Patel and . “It basically comes down to whoever can demonstrate the most fealty to Trump, and be a Matt Gaetz without the baggage,” said Jeff Breinholt, a former senior lawyer and counterterrorism official at the Justice Department. Gaetz withdrew from consideration on Thursday amid continuing disclosures of damaging testimony from federal and House Ethics Committee probes into allegations of . Gaetz denied the allegations. Here is what we know about potential candidates for attorney general: Blanche and Emil Bove, who was named principal associate deputy attorney general, defended Trump in his and federal investigations over his alleged and . Their delaying strategy held off action in both federal cases until after the election. After Trump’s victory, Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith is under department policy barring prosecution of a sitting president. Despite Trump's conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records, Blanche represented him aggressively, calling his former lawyer Michael Cohen a liar. Sentencing in the Manhattan conviction has been postponed while District Attorney Alvin Bragg urged a postponement until , while Trump’s lawyers contend the charges should be dropped entirely. Blanche had previously been a federal prosecutor in New York and clerked for two federal judges. "Todd is an excellent attorney who will be a crucial leader in the Justice Department, fixing what has been a broken System of Justice for far too long," Trump said in announcing his choice for deputy attorney general. Lee, who has served 14 years in the Senate and sits on the Judiciary Committee, was considered a top candidate for attorney general before Gaetz was chosen and could potentially face an easier path to confirmation from his fellow senators. Lee was a vocal advocate for Trump during his first term and exchanged emails with Trump’s White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, conferring over how to challenge the 2020 election results. , Lee voiced “unequivocal support for you to exhaust every legal and constitutional remedy at your disposal,” although the senator ultimately voted to certify Joe Biden's election victory. "He is clearly one of these guys that has great respect in the United States Senate,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D. Patel served as a National Security Council official, a senior adviser to the Director of National Intelligence and as chief of staff to the Defense secretary during Trump’s first term. He is also under consideration as FBI director. Patel has frequently posted on social media and made public appearances to support Trump and his agenda since leaving office in 2021, especially in opposing and destroying what both have called the “deep state" of the national security bureaucracy. “We’ve got to put in all American patriots top to bottom,” in one recent post-election interview. Patel said he and Trump administration leaders “will go out and find the conspirators not just in government but in the media” deemed disloyal to Trump. Patel has shown a willingness to do whatever Trump wants of him, but he rubbed a lot of people at the department the wrong way, along with judges in counterterrorism cases, Breinholt said. “Kash was very unpopular with the Judiciary during his time at Justice, so we sent him up to the Hill,” where Patel worked for Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., on the House Intelligence Committee, Breinholt said. Paxton has been who spoke at the former president’s rally near the White House on Jan. 6, 2021, and attended his election night party at Mar-a-Lago. Paxton, who was previously a state lawmaker, has served as Texas attorney general since 2015. He filed 27 lawsuits against the Obama administration during a two-year period, with six cases heard at the Supreme Court. Like Trump, Paxton has been the subject of criminal investigations and an impeachment. He settled a longstanding indictment on charges of securities fraud in March without entering a plea but agreeing to pay $271,000 and performing community service. Paxton was earlier impeached on 20 misconduct charges but the state . “Ken was made to suffer for a long period of time but it worked out very well,” Trump said after the acquittal.

PetroTal: A Share Consolidation Should Help This Big Yielding Oil CompanyListen up, boys and girls. Once upon a time, there were a lot of Jews living in the Land of Israel. Some of them were up to date with world culture, which is to say they read Greek literature, went to the gym and weren’t all that religious. Others were, well, fundamentalists. The two groups were pretty polarized. After a while, their harsh culture war became a civil war. As it happened, the Land of Israel in those days was controlled by the king of Syria, a none-too-stable Greek culture guy known as Antiochus Da God. After beating up on the Egyptians, he decided to settle the Jews’ hash, siding (of course) with the liberals. Seizing Jerusalem, Antiochus decided to outlaw the practice of Judaism altogether, burning copies of the Torah, prohibiting observance of the Sabbath and holidays and forbidding circumcision. He turned the temple into a Greek religious shrine, complete with a statue of Zeus. As a result, a country priest named Mattathias and his five sons instigated a revolt. These Maccabees, as they came to be called, used guerrilla tactics to defeat the Syrian army, recaptured Jerusalem and rededicated the temple. Many of you have heard that their victory was accompanied by a miracle, in which a one-day supply of undefiled oil kept the temple menorah burning for eight days. I’m sorry to have to tell you it never happened. The real deal was that, because of the temple takeover, the Jews hadn’t been able to observe the weeklong fall pilgrimage festival called Sukkot. The first Hanukkah was designed to make up for that, and it continued annually as the Feast of Dedication. Jesus himself visited the temple during this feast. As for the miracle of the oil, that was an old rabbis’ tale, told in the Talmud centuries after the fact to demonstrate that God had a hand in the story. In fact, the rabbis didn’t really like Hanukkah. How come? For starters, it was the Maccabean revolt that inspired the revolt against the Romans some 170 years later, which led to the destruction of the temple and the exile of Jews from Judea. Plus, the descendants of the Maccabees who ruled as the Hasmonean dynasty were deeply flawed characters. They combined the office of king and high priest in their own persons, violating the separation of religious and political authority established under Moses and Aaron after the Israelites left Egypt. (Talk about Jewish theocracy!) The Hasmonean priest-kings were also intolerant, slaughtering thousands of Jews who didn’t agree with them. And they got into fights with the religious precursors of the rabbis. At the same time, the Hasmoneans conquered a bunch of territory, leading scholars to debate whether they wanted to restore the Greater Israel of King David and King Solomon. Whether their territorial ambitions were primarily religious or secular is also a matter of debate. They did force people in their territory to have their sons circumcised. Truth to tell, this period of history has long served as a touchstone for reckoning with control of the Land of Israel. Where the rabbis of the Talmud kept the Maccabees at arm’s length, the Zionists happily rehabilitated them as heroes of their new state. These days, we may wonder whether the deeply flawed Israeli leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, is seeking to restore the Greater Israel of David and Solomon, and whether his government, well supplied with zealots, is motivated by secular or religious goals. As always in the Jewish world, the debates continue. Happy Hanukkah! (The views expressed in this opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)

Sri Lanka sets sail on new economic frontier with ‘Voyage Sri Lanka 2024’

Power couple: green energy, gas giant bet on renewablesThe Gunners delivered the statement Champions League victory their manager had demanded to bounce back from a narrow defeat at Inter Milan last time out. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard got their continental campaign back on track, lifting them to seventh place with 10 points in the new-look 36-team table. It was Arsenal’s biggest away win in the Champions League since beating Inter by the same scoreline in 2003. “For sure, especially against opposition we played at their home who have not lost a game in 18 months – they have been in top form here – so to play with the level, the determination, the purpose and the fluidity we showed today, I am very pleased,” said Arteta. “The team played with so much courage, because they are so good. When I’m watching them live they are so good! They were all exceptional today. It was a big performance, a big win and we are really happy. “The performance was there a few times when we have played big teams. That’s the level that we have to be able to cope and you have to make it happen, and that creates belief.” A memorable victory also ended Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season, a streak of 17 wins and one draw, the vast majority of which prompted Manchester United to prise away head coach Ruben Amorim. The Gunners took the lead after only seven minutes when Martinelli tucked in Jurrien Timber’s cross, and Saka teed up Havertz for a tap-in to double the advantage. Arsenal added a third on the stroke of half-time, Gabriel charging in to head Declan Rice’s corner into the back of the net. To rub salt in the wound, the Brazilian defender mimicked Viktor Gyokeres’ hands-over-his-face goal celebration. That may have wound Sporting up as they came out after the interval meaning business, and they pulled one back after David Raya tipped Hidemasa Morita’s shot behind, with Goncalo Inacio netting at the near post from the corner. But when Martin Odegaard’s darting run into the area was halted by Ousmane Diomande’s foul, Saka tucked away the penalty. Substitute Trossard added the fifth with eight minutes remaining, heading in the rebound after Mikel Merino’s shot was saved. A miserable night for prolific Sporting striker Gyokeres was summed up when his late shot crashed back off the post.

Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire to end nearly 14 months of fighting

Musk-Altman Rivalry Intensifies With Trump's Appointment of David SacksJERUSALEM (AP) — Israel approved a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah on Tuesday that would end nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza, where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Hours before the ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to pummel Hezbollah before the ceasefire takes hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. There appeared to be some lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the ceasefire agreement after it was presented by Netanyahu, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed a series of accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran, which backs both groups. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor all sides’ compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Story continues below video Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it says are Hezbollah targets across Lebanon as the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs killed at least one person and wounded 13, it said. Three people were killed in a separate strike in Beirut and three in a strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. Lebanese state media said another 10 people were killed in the eastern Baalbek province. Israel says it targets Hezbollah fighters and their infrastructure. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site that is around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets in Beirut and other areas linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously have not been targeted. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks before a ceasefire, sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, and some cars had mattresses tied to them. Dozens of people, some wearing their pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told The Associated Press that peacekeepers will not evacuate. The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few kilometers (miles) from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have been exchanging barrages ever since. Israel escalated its campaign of bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut, and Aamer Madhani in Washington, contributed. Find more of AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Police investigate after mailboxes were found destroyed in Mass. townAP Trending SummaryBrief at 5:37 p.m. ESTHouston Texans wideout Tank Dell will have surgery to repair a dislocated kneecap, torn ACL and other damage, coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed Monday. Dell sustained the injury to his left leg while catching a 30-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter of Saturday's 27-19 loss to the Chiefs in Kansas City. Dell, 25, remained hospitalized on Saturday and Sunday before returning to Houston on Monday. "We're still meeting with doctors to see what's next for him, but it is a significant knee injury," Ryans said. "Our thoughts and prayers are definitely with Tank at this time." As Dell made a diving catch of a C.J. Stroud pass, fellow receiver Jared Wayne tumbled into Dell as both went to the ground. Dell maintained possession of the ball but had to be carted off the field with his leg immobilized in a brace. The touchdown catch, with 11:40 remaining in the third quarter, brought the Texans to within 17-16 after the extra point failed. Houston (9-6) scored just three points the rest of the way. Dell finished his second season with 51 catches for 667 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games (10 starts). He had 47 receptions for 709 yards and seven scores in 11 games (eight starts) as a rookie in 2023. Ryans also announced that safety Jimmie Ward is out for the year with a mid-foot sprain that will require surgery. Ward left the game on a cart in the first half. Ward, 33, had 48 tackles and two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, in 10 starts this season. He has 549 tackles, 10 picks and 51 passes defensed in 126 games (99 starts) with the San Francisco 49ers (2014-22) and Texans. Houston, which already has clinched the AFC South division title, hosts the Baltimore Ravens (10-5) on Christmas Day. --Field Level Media

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel approved a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah on Tuesday that would end nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza, where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Hours before the ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to pummel Hezbollah before the ceasefire takes hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. There appeared to be some lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the ceasefire agreement after it was presented by Netanyahu, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed a series of accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran, which backs both groups. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor all sides’ compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it says are Hezbollah targets across Lebanon as the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs killed at least one person and wounded 13, it said. Three people were killed in a separate strike in Beirut and three in a strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. Lebanese state media said another 10 people were killed in the eastern Baalbek province. Israel says it targets Hezbollah fighters and their infrastructure. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site that is around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets in Beirut and other areas linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously have not been targeted. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks before a ceasefire, sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, and some cars had mattresses tied to them. Dozens of people, some wearing their pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told The Associated Press that peacekeepers will not evacuate. The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few kilometers (miles) from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have been exchanging barrages ever since. Israel escalated its campaign of bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut, and Aamer Madhani in Washington, contributed. Find more of AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-warUstby, Donarski lead No. 16 North Carolina women over Villanova 53-36 in Battle 4 Atlantis semifinal

In late October, amidst the tensions of a looming election, the world witnessed the birth of a new kind of democratic event - the celebrity lookalike contest. It all began with the Timothee Chalamet event in New York, when a bunch of mop-haired, square-jawed lookalikes descended upon Washington Square Park, all for a small trophy, a $50 cash prize, and the knowledge they (vaguely) resemble a Hollywood star. The contest was a raging success; hundreds of onlookers stopped by, there were four arrests, and Chalamet himself even turned up to meet his doppelgangers. And since then, dozens of copycat lookalike contests have popped up around the world. In Dublin, mulleted men in short shorts compared thighs in the hopes of having their likeness to Paul Mescal verified with 20 euros and a few pints. In Chicago, apron-wearing, bedraggled men resembling Jeremy Allen-White put it all on the line for $50 and a pack of cigs. And in San Francisco, a host of handsome South Asian men (and women looking for boyfriends) showed up to the Dev Patel lookalike contest. Now, it's New Zealand's turn. On Saturday 30 November, The Edge radio station is holding a Jason Momoa lookalike contest at Auckland's Mission Bay, with a winning prize of $1000. It's unclear exactly what the criteria is for these celebrity lookalike contests, but one thing is certain: they've been an exercise in pure, joyously human absurdity, and a rare example of a completely grassroots, organic online moment translating into real life events. But what's actually behind the sudden rise in celebrity lookalike contests? AUT communications lecturer and pop culture expert Thomas Watts says it's not necessarily a new thing - lookalikes and impersonators have always been around in popular culture. "Impersonators are quite an interesting phenomenon, because there's quite a lot of skill attached to them ... you start with the mannerisms, the movement, the voice, and the look almost comes after. "A lookalike contest is a much more simple exercise than an impersonator, per se, because you just need to look like the person to some extent." Watts says the celebrity lookalike contests may have seen a sudden rise in popularity because they're "fun and silly and easy to understand." "Someone either looks like Timothee Chalamet or they don't. Or people look like Timothee Chalamet to a certain extent, and then you have to try and work out what are the things that makes someone the most Timothee Chalamet, what are those kind of elements? "In terms of that sudden rise, it's got elements of a trend, but it's got very deep roots in the past. I think at its heart there's a level of celebrity culture that exists and we like celebrities, especially big celebrities, that there's enough of an understanding of who they are, for the average person to go, 'Oh yeah, I've got a friend that looks like Timothee Chalamet or Jason Momoa'. What makes them so popular and joyful? Celebrity lookalike contests are low stakes fun with just enough substance in them to keep people interested, Watts says. "They're a silly way for people to come together, and I think as humans, we love a bit of an abstract competition ... you still have heats and tasks that people have to do, there are challenges, and so as a result, you get a bit of an event out of that ... everyone's getting very emotionally invested into something that doesn't mean heaps to the functioning of a society, but is good, silly fun. "And then you have a lineup of a whole lot of people who have elements of Jason Momoa and you have to work out, what makes Jason Momoa, Jason Momoa. I'd love to see the criteria they're using to assess exactly all the things you need to do to be the most Jason Momoa lookalike. Do you prioritise hair over size? Do you get bonus points for tattoos? Does your acting ability slot in there? It's an interesting one." Where are the lookalike contests for women celebrities? The contests so far have largely all been for male celebrities, with the exception of a small Zendaya lookalike contest in Oakland on Wednesday. Watts suggests this discrepancy could be due to an element of discomfort in ranking and rating women. "There are a number of celebritiy lookalikes on social media, people that have made their own identity around looking or dressing like a celebrity. There are quite a few people who do this for Taylor Swift ... but with competitions, I think, you'd feel slightly less comfortable if you're assessing a female celebrity lookalike because of how they fit a beauty standard. "At that points it feels like you're objectifying the person which ends up feeling slightly arcaic, almost like a beauty competition, and I feel like you kind of ignore that with your Harry Styles and your Jeremy Allen White and your Heath Ledger, because I think you can ignore that question of objectifying and overly perceiving someone." Will the contests die down any time soon? Watts says we may be reaching the peak of the celebrity lookalike events. The nail in the coffin? When they stop being organic, fan-driven events, and start becoming tool for PR. "I think with a lot of these online trends, there's often the question of who's driving them ... maybe we'll see a large corporate do a celebrity lookalike event, or maybe a cringy political party doing that, and that will be where we kind of jump the shark, so they will die down. "With most of these things, there's always someone who's kind of pushing for it, you kind of need someone with some form of resource. In the case of the Timothee Chalamet one, there was a YouTuber driving it, in the case of Jason Momoa, the Edge radio station is driving that. "The woman who was trying to find someone who looked like Jacob Elordi in Melbourne, this is one of my favourites because it was very lowkey, very few people showed up. In fact I don't think any men showed up for the Jacob Elordi lookalike competition, so she ended up giving the cash prize to a guy that just happened to be in the park that she was in. A $50 cash prize, that's not bad. The public spectacle of it all Watts says the rise of celebrity lookalike contests is not unlike the viral mobilisation of flash mobs in the early 2000s. "I'm old enough to remember flash mobs before they got really uncool. People will say they were always uncool, I don't think that's true, I think flash mobs absolutely had their time in the sun because it was an interesting thing where there was an in group and an out group, and it was things that were organised online that enabled you to create your own lore around creating a bit of a public spectacle. "It was an interesting thing going on in a public space, and that's what's fun about all of these [lookalike contests], they're all taking place in public, which means there are people that know about what's going on, and there'll be people walking past bemused or confused, but it's really easy to get behind. "It's just good, dumb fun. It's like Bird of the Year ... it's a package to talk about how much we love birds, but it's the competition that is the vessel for that. This is a vessel for people to talk about our relationship with celebrity, and for that everyday punter who's always been told they look like Jason Momoa to be like, 'Yeah, and I'm gonna prove it now'. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.