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West Ham stun Newcastle to ease pressure on Lopetegui
One of the most glaring misses for Arsenal was the failed pursuit of a top-quality central midfielder. With a glaring gap in the midfield, Arteta had identified a talented playmaker who could provide creativity, vision, and control in the middle of the park. Negotiations seemed promising, with reports suggesting that a deal was close to being finalized. However, issues with the player's agent and demands for exorbitant wages ultimately derailed the transfer, leaving Arsenal empty-handed and without a crucial midfield reinforcement.
4. Supporting key industries: Governments are expected to provide targeted support to industries that have been severely impacted by the pandemic, such as tourism, hospitality, and retail. By offering financial assistance, regulatory relief, and market access facilitation, governments can help these industries recover, create jobs, and contribute to overall economic growth.
In a significant development, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has reportedly arrived in Moscow and been granted asylum by the Russian government, as reported by Russian media outlets. This unexpected turn of events has sparked a wave of speculation and debate about the potential implications for the ongoing conflict in Syria and the wider geopolitical landscape.In a shocking incident that occurred yesterday afternoon, a man driving a black sedan collided with a group of pedestrians, injuring three people in the process. The accident, which was caused by the driver's distracted driving, has once again highlighted the dangers of not paying attention while behind the wheel.The sudden reversal in the market sentiment caught many investors off guard, leading to a sharp decline in stock prices. Several major indices, including the Shanghai Composite Index and the Shenzhen Component Index, experienced a significant pullback, erasing a large portion of the morning's gains. Market analysts attributed the drop to profit-taking activities and uncertainties surrounding the economic recovery.
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem marked another somber Christmas Eve on Tuesday in the traditional birthplace of Jesus under the shadow of war in Gaza . The excitement and cheer that typically descends on the West Bank during Christmas week were nowhere to be found. The festive lights and giant tree that normally decorate Manger Square were missing, as were the throngs of foreign tourists that usually fill the square. Palestinian scouts marched silently through the streets, a departure from their usual raucous brass marching band. Security forces arranged barriers near the Church of the Nativity, built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The cancellation of Christmas festivities is a severe blow to the town's economy. Tourism accounts for an estimated 70% of Bethlehem’s income — almost all from the Christmas season. Salman said unemployment is hovering around 50% — higher than the 30% unemployment across the rest of the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Finance Ministry. Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, noted the shuttered shops and empty streets and expressed hope that next year would be better. “This has to be the last Christmas that is so sad,” he told hundreds of people gathered in Manger Square, where normally tens of thousands would congregate. Pizzaballa held a special pre-Christmas Mass in the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City. Several Palestinian Christians told the Associated Press that they have been displaced in the church since the war began in October of last year with barely enough food and water. “We hope by next year at the same day we’d be able to celebrate Christmas at our homes and go to Bethlehem,” said Najla Tarazi, a displaced woman. “We hope to celebrate in Jerusalem ... and for the war to end. This is the most important thing for us and the most important demand we have these days because the situation is really hard. We don’t feel happy.” Bethlehem is an important center in the history of Christianity, but Christians make up only a small percentage of the roughly 14 million people spread across the Holy Land. There are about 182,000 in Israel, 50,000 in the West Bank and Jerusalem and 1,300 in Gaza, according to the U.S. State Department. The number of visitors to the town plunged from a pre-COVID high of around 2 million per year in 2019 to fewer than 100,000 in 2024, said Jiries Qumsiyeh, the spokesperson for the Palestinian Tourism Ministry. After nightfall, the golden walls of the Church of the Nativity were illuminated as a few dozen people quietly milled about. A young boy stood holding a pile of balloons for sale, but gave up because there were no customers to buy them. The war in Gaza has deterred tourists and has prompted a surge of violence in the West Bank , with more than 800 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire and dozens of Israelis killed in militant attacks. Palestinian officials do not provide a breakdown of how many of the deceased are civilians and how many are fighters. Since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that sparked the war , access to and from Bethlehem and other towns in the West Bank has been difficult, with long lines of motorists waiting to pass through Israeli military checkpoints. The restrictions have prevented some 150,000 Palestinians from leaving the territory to work in Israel, causing the economy there to contract by 25%. In the Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel, Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took more than 250 Israeli hostages. Israeli officials believe that around 100 hostages remain in captivity in the Gaza Strip. Elsewhere, Christmas celebrations were also subdued. Scores of Syrian Christians protested Tuesday in Damascus, demanding protection after the burning of a Christmas tree in Hama the day before. Videos and images shared on social media showed the large, decorated tree burning at a roundabout in Suqalabiyah, a town in the Hama countryside. It remains unclear who was responsible for setting the tree on fire. In a video that circulated on social media, a representative of Syria’s new leadership, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, could be seen visiting the site and addressing the community. He said: “This act was committed by people who are not Syrian, and they will be punished beyond your expectations.” German celebrations were darkened by a car attack on a Christmas market on Friday that left five people dead and 200 people injured. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier rewrote his annual recorded Christmas Day speech to address the attack. He plans to acknowledge that “there is grief, pain, horror and incomprehension over what took place in Magdeburg,” while urging Germans to “stand together,” according to an early copy of the speech. A snowstorm in the Balkans stranded drivers and downed power lines, but some saw the beauty in it. “I’m actually glad its falling, especially because of Christmas,” said Mirsad Jasarevic in Zenica, Bosnia. “We did not have snow for Christmas for 17 years here, and now is the time for wonderful white Christmas.” American Airlines briefly grounded flights across the U.S. on Tuesday due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive. Winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that 1,447 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed Tuesday, with 28 flights canceled. In the port of Barcelona, Spain, volunteers from the faith-based ministry Stella Maris visited seven ships docked there on Christmas Eve to deliver Nativity scenes and the local specialty of turrón (nougat candy) to seafarers. The volunteers met seafarers from India, the Philippines, Turkey and elsewhere, said Ricard Rodríguez-Martos, a Catholic deacon and former merchant marine captain who leads Stella Maris in this major Mediterranean harbor. Associated Press writers Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City and Giovanna Dell’Orto in Minneapolis contributed to this report.With The Game Awards out of the way, I'm awarding Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth my own personal Game of the Year. That's thanks to its impressive reimagining of Final Fantasy 7's open fields, iconic story, and memorable cast – along with its place in the series' bigger picture. As the middle volume in a larger trilogy, it's difficult for a title like Rebirth to hit new heights while simultaneously juggling the major plot twist of the first title's ending with the will-it-or-won't-it speculation about that moment from the original – one of the most famous scenes in gaming history. Many middle volumes struggle to maintain momentum as they move through the tricky traditional structure of middle acts. Everything sucks at the start, and it's gonna get worse before the end. But, the best of them? The Empire Strikes Backs and The Two Towers? Those ones handle this beautifully by turning large scale conflicts into personal ones, and that's exactly what Rebirth does as it expands the relatively narrow world from 2020's Final Fantasy 7 Remake into a pseudo-open world, while closely examining the mental and emotional toll of saving the world. It's intensely personal in a way that exceeds Rebirth, and even the original, giving life and purpose to Cloud's companions in a way that's only abstractly hinted at in the 1997 original. For many fans – me included – it's also a reminder of what Final Fantasy used to be when it was less concerned with appealing to a wide mainstream audience, instead designed first and foremost to appease existing fans and the creators themselves. Party up For almost two decades, from its initial release in 1987 to 2000's Final Fantasy 4, the series had a very distinct identity, but since the release of Final Fantasy 5, which threw away most of what had come before—introducing a new combat system, world design, plot structure, and even UI/font—the series has struggled to really convince fans what it means to be a Final Fantasy game. "Final Fantasy is not what it once was, culturally, but it can still be there from a quality perspective," PC Gamer's Marc Normandin argued in a feature that catalyzed my thoughts on the problematic fluidity of Final Fantasy's modern identity. "Square needs to take a lesson from the thriving franchises around it and figure out just what Final Fantasy is supposed to be, like Falcom has with Trails, like Sega has with Like a Dragon. Each of their sequels push their respective envelopes without betraying expectations." I see a series that's struggling to understand its identity – a series that was mired by doldrums for nearly a decade as Square Enix 's ambitious, but ultimately fatal, Fabula Nova Crystallis series floundered, eventually culminating in a clearly rushed release for Final Fantasy 15. Then came 16, a return to the series's epic fantasy storytelling roots, but a vast departure gameplay-wise, sandwiched between two beloved entries in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, further throwing the series' identity in flux. While it felt more technically polished than 14, it lacked the mechanical depth and more methodical RPG elements that drew many fans to the series in the first place, while also lacking the sophistication of the character action games it drew inspiration from – trying to appeal to everyone, but satisfying few. Final Fantasy 16 and Rebirth paint a dichotomous image of a series in flux, both at war and in conversation with its past. But to find its future, Final Fantasy can look to its past for all the answers. Revolution or evolution? Modern Final Fantasy has an apocryphal reputation for redefining itself entirely with each new entry –but this wasn't actually the case for most of the series dating back to its second entry. Rather than revolution – as we see nowadays – Final Fantasy experimented in ways that were more evolutionary by taking the base successes of the previous titles and tweaking or building on them, rather than throwing everything out and starting from scratch. In a 1990 interview , series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi said, "It feels weird to talk about it this way, but when you compare Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, in a lot of ways I think it's easier to imagine how the Final Fantasy game will be, you know?" If you asked a group of fans what they expect from the next Dragon Quest, he continued, you'd get a variety of answers. "But with Final Fantasy we've always put an emphasis on strong visuals." From its inception, Sakaguchi saw Final Fantasy as an opportunity to experiment, but his ultimate goals were to create gaming experiences that rivaled the narrative and visual splendor of film. Nowadays, most fans would consider Dragon Quest to be far more same-y from title to title compared to Final Fantasy – but from their inception both series had specific structural and technological underpinnings that helped them feel cohesive across releases. In a separate interview that same year, Sakaguchi further explained his philosophy for change and evolution in the series: "In terms of the gameplay systems, I want FF4 to be a completely different game. That's one of the staples of the Final Fantasy series, that we change things up every game. FF3's job system was popular, but that doesn't mean we want to make a sequel that upgrades that with like 50 jobs or something. We don't like doing 'upgrade version' style sequels. Our staff would become completely bored if we had to work like that. "The 'Final Fantasy' title is a general title for this world that is more-or-less united by things like the crystals and the shared items and magic. That's why we don't mind changing up the game systems every time. Sequels that only change the story and nothing else are boring, right? I hope players will enjoy experiencing a new Final Fantasy world each game." This stands out, however, because comparing Final Fantasy 3 to 4, it's easy to see Sakaguchi's increased emphasis on story and drama, but the underlying game systems are functionally similar. FF4 replaces FF3's job system with a more linear character progression system and a far more complex and melodramatic plot. Final Fantasy 5 improved upon 3's job system, and retained its more straightforward plot. Final Fantasy 6 took 4's narrative success and bifurcated it into dozens of smaller, interconnected stories. And, well, you get the point. This style of iterative experimentation essentially defined the series for its first nine entries. Each game experimented in its own way, but not so dramatically that it changed the overall experience very much. And the presiding feeling with each title is that you were playing something that felt like a piece of a cohesive whole. You explored a world, you got into random battles, you waited for your ATB meter to charge, and then you selected your action from a menu that barely changed from the first title to the sixth. They felt like Final Fantasy. By relying on existing frameworks and series traditions, Square Enix was able to release six mainline Final Fantasy games between 1991 and 2000. Final Fantasy 10, which followed just a year later, marked the series first major departure from that structure, and it was followed by an MMORPG (Final Fantasy 6), and two of the series most divisive and troubled entries (Final Fantasy 7 and 13), both of which experienced significant delays. Eight years separated 10 and 13, and it would be another seven years before 15. Perhaps not surprisingly, this started almost immediately after Sakaguchi left Square Enix, handing the series off to other creators. With the increasing costs and timelines associated with AAA development – especially for series like Final Fantasy that have focused on being top-tier cinematic experiences from the beginning – it doesn't seem like a stretch to suggest that the opportunity cost of Square Enix throwing everything out with the bathwater when it starts a new Final Fantasy title from scratch has hurt the series's reputation as a genre leader. So, what can Final Fantasy learn from its past success to return to form? Back to the future With Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's successful reimagining of the series' golden age, I'd like to see Square Enix return entirely to the series' origins to help define its future. Experimentation within Final Fantasy used to be iterative and focused, rather than wholesale reinvention with each new title. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's beautiful open world exploration, vibrant towns and natural landscape is a template for new worlds and stories. Its combat is a perfect blend of the popular ATB battles found in Final Fantasy 4 through 9, with the freneticism we're told is essential for mainstream success these days – though I'm skeptical, given the recent success of games like Metaphor: ReFantazio and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Take this obviously successful and well-liked template and use it for the next mainline Final Fantasy title – exactly as Square's going to do with the third and final volume in the Remake trilogy. Iterate and improve existing success, maybe even over a couple of mainline titles released on a quicker and more consistent schedule, and lean into the creativity awarded by constraint. Starting with a blank drawing board can offer wild, inventive outcomes, but it also comes at the increased risk of dead ends, spiraling scope creep, and a lack of prior lessons learned. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the best game of the year because it took a well understood success – the original's explosive middle act – and worked with established systems, instead of trying to redefine everything from the get go. It was an experienced team, who'd worked together for a long time on Remake, using familiar tools, workflows, and ideas, and nailing the iteration. This, just like Final Fantasy games of the past, could be just the recipe for the series' return to being an undisputed leader in the genre it helped popularize. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was just one of the titles we chose for our best games of 2024 rankingNorth America’s top professional sports leagues have issued warnings to their players about a growing threat from high-tech, organized burglary rings, whose tools of choice are passports, cutting-edge technology and a 90-day calendar. The NBA memo, citing FBI intelligence, specifically linked the crimes to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that target “professional athletes and other high-net-worth individuals.” These groups are known for using “advanced techniques” such as pre-surveillance, drones, signal-jamming devices and other cutting-edge technology. The NFL highlighted the risks posed by what it called “organized and skilled groups” of burglars targeting wealthy athletes. While the warnings did not name victims, they were issued after the homes of athletes including Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis were recently burglarized. The tactics described in the memos bear a striking resemblance to a wave of break-ins targeting affluent residents in Southern California . Federal and local officials from Los Angeles and Orange County have reported a spike in break-ins by what they call “burglary tourists” — criminals from Central and South America who legally enter the U.S. on 90-day tourist visas under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). But instead of packing swimsuits and sunscreen, police said these individuals are armed with disguises, video equipment, trail cameras and Wi-Fi jammers. They target wealthy neighborhoods and gated communities before moving on to avoid detection. These “burglary tourists” have been at work for at least five years, but their operations have intensified in recent times as information about addresses and even pictures of properties have become increasingly accessible. “Transnational gangs might not know everything about the house that they are breaking into,” LAPD Chief of Detectives Alan Hamilton told NBC News on Friday. “But there’s always a possibility these suspects know who they are and monitor the athletes’ social media and movements.” Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley’s home was also burglarized in September while he was attending an NFL game, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported . Portis posted on Instagram on Nov. 3 saying his “prized possessions” were stolen from his home during his team’s game the previous day. Kelce’s and Mahomes’ homes in Kansas City were broken into hours apart in October. The burglars made off with $20,000 in cash and caused $1,000 in damage to Kelce’s home, according to a police report obtained by NBC affiliate KSHB of Kansas City . Mahomes has called the ordeal “frustrating” and “disappointing.” This trend has spread to other cities including Chicago, Houston and Dallas. “Law enforcement has long recognized this pattern of crimes across the Midwest,” Hamilton said. “It’s not something they have been immune to.” Law enforcement from coast to coast, including the FBI, has been tracking these criminal networks for years, with suspects linked to South American gangs appearing in nearly every state, Hamilton said. “It’s totally military”-level technology, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer told NBC News over the summer. “People we’ve arrested here in Orange County have criminal records coming from the country of Chile.” If Southern California law enforcement has made progress in reducing these crimes, it may be driving more of these operations to other regions of the country. The NBA and NFL urged players to take preventive measures, such as activating alarm systems and surveillance cameras, securing valuables in safes and avoid oversharing on social media. “The FBI reported that, in most of the incidents, the homes were equipped with alarm systems that were not activated,” reads the NBA memo obtained by NBC News on Friday. “The FBI also reported that the homes were all unoccupied and, in most cases, no dogs were present.”
Nick Kern came off the bench for 20 points and 13 rebounds as Penn State remained unbeaten with an 85-66 thumping of Fordham in a semifinal of the Sunshine Slam on Monday in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Nittany Lions (6-0), who will play either San Francisco or Clemson for the tournament title on Tuesday, put four other players in double figures. Zach Hicks scored 16 points, while Puff Johnson added 15. Ace Baldwin and Yanic Konan Niederhauser each chipped in 12 points. Penn State sank nearly 53 percent of its field goal attempts and earned a 38-30 advantage on the boards, more than enough to offset missing 12 of its 32 foul shots. Four players reached double figures for the Rams (3-4), led by 15 points apiece from Jackie Johnson III and reserve Joshua Rivera. Romad Dean and Jahmere Tripp each added 13. Fordham was as close as 56-49 after Tripp made a layup with 14:25 left in the game. But the Nittany Lions responded with a 16-1 run, capped with a layup by Kern for a 22-point lead at the 9:33 mark, and they never looked back. The main storyline prior to tipoff was whether Penn State could continue its torrid early start that saw it come into the day leading Division I in steals and ranked second in scoring at 98.2 points per game. The Nittany Lions certainly played to their billing for most of the first half, establishing a 21-8 lead at the 10:08 mark via Hicks' three-point play. Fordham predictably struggled early with the pressure defense, committing four turnovers in the first four minutes. But the Rams got their bearings over the last 10 minutes and made some shots. They got as close as four on two occasions late in the half before Penn State pushed the lead to 42-34 at the half. The officials were busy in the half, calling 23 fouls and administering 27 free throws. --Field Level MediaSet in a bustling city, "Gourmet Chronicles" follows the tumultuous love story between a talented chef and a successful CEO. Their paths collide unexpectedly, leading to a series of encounters that challenge their beliefs and ignite a spark between them. As they navigate the complexities of their respective worlds, the characters are forced to confront their pasts and make difficult choices that will ultimately shape their future.
