646-ph Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has confirmed that he has formally written to the Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection, Lynda Tabuya, regarding allegations of an explicit content now circulating on social media. Responding to the media earlier today, Rabuka revealed that he has been informed about the alleged material and has taken immediate steps to seek clarification from Minister Tabuya. “I’ve already written to her. I’ve just asked her to explain herself” Fiji One News has sent questions to Minister Tabuya and is awaiting her response.A timeline of the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the search for his killer NEW YORK (AP) — The search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer has stretched into a fifth day — and beyond New York City. Police say it appears the man left the city on a bus soon after Wednesday's shooting outside the New York Hilton Midtown. The suspect is seen on video at an uptown bus station about 45 minutes later. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Police believe that words found written on ammunition at the shooting scene, including “deny," “defend” and "depose,” suggest a motive driven by anger toward the healthcare company. The words mimic a phrase used by insurance industry critics. Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” Europe's economy needs help. Political chaos in France and Germany means it may be slower in coming BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe's economy has enough difficulties, from tepid growth to trade tensions with the U.S. Dealing with those woes is only getting harder due to the political chaos in the two biggest European countries, France and Germany. Neither has a government backed by a functioning majority, and France could take a while yet to sort things out. But some problems aren't going to wait, such as what to do about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's America First stance on trade and how to fund stronger defense against Putin's Russia. ‘Moana 2’ cruises to another record weekend and $600 million globally “Moana 2” remains at the top of the box office in its second weekend in theaters as it pulled in another record haul. According to studio estimates Sunday, the animated Disney film added $52 million, bringing its domestic total to $300 million. That surpasses the take for the original “Moana” and brings the sequel's global tally to a staggering $600 million. It also puts the film in this year's top five at the box office. “Wicked” came in second place for the weekend with $34.9 million and “Gladiator II” was third with $12.5 million. The 10th anniversary re-release of Christopher Nolan's “Interstellar” also earned an impressive $4.4 million even though it played in only 165 theaters. Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok as soon as next month, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Executive of Tyler Perry Studios dies when plane he was piloting crashes in Florida ATLANTA (AP) — The president of Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios has died when the small plane he was piloting crashed on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The studio confirmed on Saturday that Steve Mensch, its 62-year-old president and general manager, had died Friday. The crash happened in Homosassa, about 60 miles north of Tampa. Photos from the scene show the plane having come to rest upside down on a road. Mensch helped advocate for Georgia’s film tax credit of more than $1 billion a year. Perry hired Mensch to run his namesake studio in 2016. Mensch died as Perry released his war drama, “The Six Triple Eight." The film was shot at the Atlanta studio. US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation. The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8% to set its own record. Treasury yields eased after the jobs report showed stronger hiring than expected but also an uptick in the unemployment rate. Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass NEW YORK (AP) — In an era when online anger and social tensions are increasingly directed at the businesses consumers count on, Meta last year spent $24.4 million to surround CEO Mark Zuckerberg with security. But the fatal shooting this week of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. And experts say the task of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them is getting more difficult. One of the primary worries are loners whose rantings online are fed by others who are like-minded. It’s up to corporate security analysts to decide what represents a real threat. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Given India’s strong position in the equities market compared to other global markets, experts believe that the IPO market is expected to stay bullish overall with the total worth of public offerings surpassing $20 Bn as against $16 Bn in 2024 In Q3 2024 alone, India saw 27 IPOs, marking a 29% surge from the corresponding quarter of the previous year Within the tech startup ecosystem, at least 23 companies are gearing up for public listings next year, which would further add to the new-age tech stocks baskets for potential investors India’s new-age tech IPO market saw a massive upswing in 2024, driven by increased investor confidence and a favourable macroeconomic environment. What does 2025 have in store for startups looking to join the IPO spree and enter the big leagues? As many as 13 new-age tech startups made it to the public markets in 2024, cumulatively raising over INR 29K Cr ($3.4 Bn). And in 2025, this number is expected to double with at least 23 new-age tech startups eyeing a public listing, and looking to raise more than INR 55K Cr ($6.4 Bn) cumulatively. As predicted in the beginning of the year, the general elections in 2024 played a pivotal role in the IPO numbers. In fact, in the startup ecosystem, only five startups got listed before the elections while the rest hit the market once there was more stability post the election results. In 2025, while no such major events are due, ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties like GDP downfall might make the public market volatile from time to time. However, given India’s strong position in the equities market compared to other global markets, experts believe that the IPO market is expected to stay bullish overall with the total worth of public offerings surpassing $20 Bn as against $16 Bn in 2024 . In Q3 2024 alone, India saw 27 IPOs, marking a 29% surge from the corresponding quarter of the previous year. These companies cumulatively raised $4.27 Bn or close to INR 35,000 Cr, registering a 142% increase year-on-year (YoY). With that, the domestic market commanded a 36% share of total listings in Q3 2024, surpassing the US, which held a 13% share. To be noted, some of the top IPOs of this season included Swiggy, Bajaj Housing Finance, Ola Electric, FirstCry and India’s largest-ever IPO, Hyundai Motor India. The new year is expected to be more eventful as the highly anticipated public offerings of companies such as Flipkart, PhysicsWallah, Ather Energy, Zepto, HDFC Credila, and even the Indian arm of consumer electronics giant LG are expected to go to the public markets. Lightspeed India managing director Anuj Bhargava believes that the public markets trends of 2024 will continue well into 2025 and the momentum is expected to be strong. “Though we have seen some recent softening, which was expected, fundamentally, nothing has changed. Domestic capital inflows remain strong and are getting stronger. While foreign investment inflows have been sporadic, I think that was also expected. And the market today is held together, in large parts, by domestic institutions, which was not the case a couple of years ago,” said GFC’s Bhargava. In 2025, Lightspeed is looking to book profits from some of its high-profile portfolio startups such as PhysicsWallah, OYO, Zepto, and Zetwerk. Besides Lightspeed, a number of other VCs would be hoping for similar outcomes in 2025. Peak XV Partners managing partner Ishaan Mittal, for example, said that the VC major continues to be excited about the opportunity in the public markets given the trends are extremely positive both on the supply side of securities and the demand side. “On the supply side of securities, which includes the companies going public, we have just seen the tip of the iceberg as we speak. Many market-leading, exciting companies are yet to go public in every sector – whether consumer brands or consumer internet companies like Meesho, fintech companies like Groww, or payments companies like Pine Labs and Razorpay. In the next 12-18 months, many of these companies will go public,” he added. Mittal believes that domestic capital and foreign capital investors are showing great interest in IPOs and their keenness to participate in the Indian public markets is evident from the reception for some stocks. Within the tech startup ecosystem, at least 23 companies are gearing up for public listings next year, which would further add to the new-age tech stocks baskets for potential investors. The list includes Ather Energy, BlueStone, CarDekho, CaptainFresh, Ecom Express, Fractal, Infra Market, IndiQube, ArisInfra, Innoviti, OfBusiness, Ola Cabs, Pure EV, Physics Wallah, Ullu, Smartworks, among several others. These startups are set to raise more than $6 Bn cumulatively in the process of fundraising via IPOs, as things stand. Depending on the market conditions, some of these companies might decide to trim the size of their IPOs. Of this, already nine startups have filed their respective DRHPs with the Securities and Boards of India (SEBI). Coworking space provider Smartworks and logistics startup Ecom Express have already received the market regulator’s approval to file an IPO. Unlike the past three years, when startups that made the public market debut were largely tech companies, in 2025, there is a big wave of tech-enabled startups eyeing public listings. For instance, BlueStone is a D2C jewellery brand with an online presence as a part of its business model. PhysicsWallah, looking to become the first Indian edtech platform to public, is also offline-heavy at the moment. Even though the startup has a major student base online, a significant 40% of its total revenue is from offline coaching centres. Similarly, the coworking space providers Smartworks, IndiQube, ArisInfra, DevX as well as WeWork and Table Space (also preparing for listing within a year or two), are platforms that use technology to enable their business processes, but in terms of the business model, they are largely similar to their traditional counterparts. Pointing to this trend, Aakash Agrawal, associate director, digital and new-age business at brokerage firm Anand Rathi, said that it will be important for the public market investors to be able to differentiate between pure-play tech companies and tech-enabled companies as that would be essential in deciding the valuation premium they can claim and growth opportunities they have. “Take the example of OfBusiness. While it’s a solid company with good profitability, we must also appreciate that it is essentially a trading company with a tech aspect to it. So, what kind of multiples does it find for itself? How does it price its IPO given it’s a technology company as well? These factors are going to be very interesting to see next year,” said Agrawal. Meanwhile, it is also interesting that there is a sudden surge in coworking space IPOs after Awfis made its successful public market debut in 2024. The market is attributing this trend to an increasing demand for flexible workspaces. A CEO at one of the leading coworking space provider companies told Inc42 earlier this year that India’s growth narrative, coupled with a commercial real estate boom, is creating a conducive environment for flexible workspace startups. However, as the market gets cluttered, it would be interesting to see if all the impending coworking space IPOs emerge victorious in their IPOs in the coming months. Speaking on the matter, Amit Ramani, CMD at Awfis, said that as coworking spaces prepare to enter a potentially crowded public market over the next 12–18 months, their success in securing favourable investor responses will hinge on several key factors, including financial health and profitability with investors focusing on companies that demonstrate sustainable revenue streams, robust growth trajectories, and resilience to market fluctuations. “Differentiation will play a critical role, with coworking spaces standing out by offering unique value propositions such as advanced technology integration, premium amenities, sustainable features, and services tailored to specific industries... Scalability and market penetration will be vital; companies with a diversified geographical presence and the capacity to scale seamlessly are likely to be viewed as more viable. Lastly, adaptability to evolving work trends – such as hybrid and remote work – through flexible offerings and innovative solutions will be crucial,” Awfis’ Ramani told Inc42. With the tech startup IPO boom, profitable exits are becoming super critical for VC funds and PEs. After the 2021 IPO boom, 2024 brought a deja-vu moment for the PEs and VCs in India as the total gross exit value was $1.8 Bn in 2024, close to $2.3 Bn in 2021. Amid a global IPO market slump that had also adversely affected India’s stock market, the total gross exit value dipped to $700 Mn in 2022 and $1 Bn in 2023. Next year, top private investors including the likes of Lightspeed, PeakXV, Accel, and SoftBank are eyeing far more gains by offloading stakes in both pre-IPO rounds and during the IPOs. Even though some VCs and PEs might sell some stakes at a loss, it will be compensated by high returns from other portfolios. “Our focus is to continue to invest with a strong belief that we, in the venture capital industry, now have a very viable path to exit, not just a very strong IPO market about that, but also a strong pre-IPO market,” added Lightspeed’s Bhargava. The concept of pre-round IPO is also undergoing a shift. As Bhargava pointed out, traditionally this term was narrowly defined and it was a financing round just ahead of a company’s IPO to set a benchmark for the eventual IPO. “Now anything up to two years before an IPO is also a pre-IPO round. In addition to traditional crossover funds, lots of new pre-IPO funds have come up. We’ve seen family offices and HNIs being exceptionally active in this market. We expect this trend to continue,” he said, adding that the firm will certainly use pre-IPO rounds as an opportunity to exit some of its portfolio startups. Meanwhile, the Lightspeed MD also noted that several technical and fundamental dynamics decide the VC firms’ decision around partial and complete liquidation. “I think investors largely use IPOs as a partial liquidity sort of event, and then gradually exit over time. Similarly, on the pre-IPO side, people look to monetise also because we don’t want to go into an IPO with a very large shareholding from one shareholder. It places a bit of an overhang on the stock,” he added. Besides, it’s important to note that in most cases, these VCs are also reaching the end of their fund cycles and they have to realise profits to give return to their investors. With the successful IPOs of Hyundai and Swiggy in 2024, which were two of the largest IPOs in the history of the Indian equity market, the trend of large-sized IPOs are set to persist in the new year. Anand Rathi’s Agrawal said that while the small and mid-sized IPOs will be more frequent, there will also be 10-20% of the companies, which are eyeing large IPOs such as PhysicsWallah, Infra.Market and OfBusiness. “We think the IPO market will have secular growth next year. And these companies that will have large IPOs are private equity backed, raised a lot of private capital, and scaled up significantly, which warrants a large IPO,” he added. Even though it was evident this year that many new-age tech startups, including ixigo, FirstCry, Ola Electric, MobiKwik reduced their respective IPO sizes from earlier planned, Peak XV’s Mittal believes that the scale of offering have no bearing on the success or failure of IPOs if the fundamentals are strong. The verdict of the market is clear when it comes to profitability – become profitable ahead of the IPOs or show a clear path to profitability in the near term. This sentiment is not going to change in 2025. However, the recent IPOs of MobiKwik, Ola Electric and Swiggy (to some extent) have proven contrary to these expectations. Some investors believe that sometimes household names, clear growth opportunities, and exposure to niche market segments might cause such exceptions but largely, profitability and strong unit economics are a must for the public market. Peak XV’s Mittal said that profitability must be and will continue to be key for companies going IPO, however, this factor also needs to be contextualised. “This is a good time where founders and investors alike are focusing on profits. They are able to generate those profits without hurting the core of the business or without taking away from the future of the business. While profitability is important, we don’t want to compromise on the future potential of the company to optimise for short-term profits, we would rather optimise for long-term profits.” Taking a slightly different perspective, Lightspeed’s Bhargava argued that unlike in the US where companies with less than $10 Bn or $15 Bn in valuation do not receive much attention in the IPO market, Indian investors are open to much smaller valuations. “Promoters, founders, and early-stage investors are also conscious that you cannot price an IPO where you bring nothing to the table near term for incoming investments. At the same time, the IPOs cannot be very small because the companies need institutional investors following, index inclusion, liquidity in the market. But the point is, you also do not need to be a billion-dollar company to list in India,” Bhargava said. On the other hand, it goes without saying that profitable companies can command a premium in terms of the valuation. “Ultimately it boils down to growth, free cash flow, and profitability. Wherever there is an opportunity to grow, we will see promising valuations. Sometimes valuations might be slightly steep given that they are accounting for a future market opportunity and scalability. Zomato has been an example of it earlier. Swiggy too cashed on that,” said Anand Rathi’s Agrawal. As per various publicly available data, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold a net of INR 1.14 Lakh Cr in October 2024, the highest selling in a month so far, surpassing the numbers of Covid-19 pandemic period in March 2020. Amid many currently seeing the Indian market as overvalued, rising inflation, and a few other global macroeconomic factors, in 2024, FIIs have been the biggest sellers. Even though this has caused volatility in the market, the Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) kept buying. In October alone they made the highest purchase of more than INR 1 Lakh Cr. The market experts believe that FIIs selling will not impact the upcoming IPOs of 2025 as DIIs will remain strong and mutual funds are booming. Even retail investors are expected to show continued support even to the new-age tech startup IPOs given these investors now have an improved understanding of the peculiarities of these businesses. “If FIIs stop deploying capital, then it causes a larger problem. But currently, there’s no sign of that. And in fact, India is looked at as a sweet spot in the developing world,” Agrawal said. Sector-focussed policies play an important role in driving stock performances and even the companies going public. Devang Kabra, fund manager at Wallfort PMS, said that the policies the government tabled in the winter session of the Parliament will be one of the areas to watch out for. “For example, there is an Insurance Amendment Bill proposing 100% FDI, allowing relaxations for net worth requirements for companies to become insurance companies is tabled. Once it passes, we will see many big insurance brokers turning themselves into insurance companies and coming out with IPOs,” Kabra said. He said that once a policy decision happens, it impacts several other industries down the line. This Insurance Amendment Bill might lead to IPOs of more hospitals. To quote global brokerage Bernstein, “Trump’s return through high-profile US elections added new layers of complexity to inflation dynamics and geopolitical assessments... How will global inflation pan out with Trump at the helm, and will export be a more critical area to focus on than domestic cycles?” It is important to note that Trump’s win strengthens US’ “China+1” strategy, which is expected to give India a boost in its manufacturing sector. JM Financial said in a research report that China, Mexico and Canada will likely attract higher tariffs, which could provide India with the benefits in a number of manufacturing segments — chemicals, auto components, electrical components, solar panels and solar cells, tiles and other categories. Wallfort PMS’ Kabra also believes that the manufacturing sector will now pick pace further and there will be stronger ground built for their IPOs. However, domestic IT companies now might have to deal with stronger immigration rules in the US. Plus, there is higher inflationary pressure and increasing pressure on the Indian rupee. These volatile situations are less likely to impact the IPO sentiment in the long run in 2025, however, some short-term cautiousness is likely to linger in the early months. As the domestic market braces for a record year in the history of public markets, as predicted by market experts, it will also be key for the companies, especially new-age tech startups, to ensure transparent governance and clear strategic vision. After all, public markets are sensitive to these core factors. The recent incident of hoards of complaints against Ola Electric’s products and services and the negative impact of it on its stock is a case in point. While many believe that startups are riding the IPO boom without being ready enough to function in a public market, Gautham Srinivas, Partner, capital markets at Khaitan & Co., said that all the companies preparing to go public have the utmost checks in place to meet the regulatory requirements. “Public issues are not a one-month process. To file DRHP, a company needs two to three months. So, an absolutely thorough check gets done. All the upcoming new-age companies are equipped to handle a public issue from a regulatory point of view given the standards of governance they already maintain,” Srinivas added. Edited By Nikhil SubramaniamLooking for Tuesday’s Connections hints and answers instead? You can find them here: Hey, everyone! Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy holidays! If I knew how (and was also allowed to edit stock images that I can use here), I would have photoshopped little Santa hats onto the pins on the top image. I’m raising a glass to you, your family and friends today. Here’s to good health and great times with the people who mean the most to us. Before we get started, I’ve started a discussion group for Connections and this column on Discord . You can chat about each game (and other topics) with me and other folks. I’m always interested to find out how other people approach the game, so join us! It’s fun. It’s also the best way to give me any feedback about the column, especially on the rare(!) occasions that I mess something up. Today’s NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, December 25, are coming right up. How To Play Connections Connections is a free, popular New York Times daily word game. You get a new puzzle at midnight every day. You can play on the NYT website or Games app. You’re presented with a grid of 16 words. Your task is to arrange them into four groups of four by figuring out the links between them. The groups could be things like items you can click, names for research study participants or words preceded by a body part. There’s only one solution for each puzzle, and you’ll need to be careful when it comes to words that might fit into more than one category. You can shuffle the words to perhaps help you see links between them. Each group is color coded. The yellow group is usually the easiest to figure out, blue and green fall in the middle, and the purple group is usually the most difficult one. The purple group often involves wordplay. Select four words you think go together and press Submit. If you make a guess and you’re incorrect, you’ll lose a life. If you’re close to having a correct group, you might see a message telling you that you’re one word away from getting it right, but you’ll still need to figure out which one to swap. If you make four mistakes, it’s game over. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen with the help of some hints, and, if you’re really struggling, today’s Connections answers. As with Wordle and other similar games, it’s easy to share results with your friends on social media and group chats. If you have an NYT All Access or Games subscription, you can access the publication’s Connections archive. This includes every previous game of Connections , so you can go back and play any of those that you have missed. Aside from the first 60 games or so, you should be able to find my hints for each grid via Google if you need them! Just click here and add the date of the game for which you need clues or the answers to the search query. What Are Today’s Connections Hints? Scroll slowly! Just after the hints for each of today’s Connections groups, I’ll reveal what the groups are without immediately telling you which words go into them. Today’s 16 words are... And the hints for today’s Connections groups are: What Are Today’s Connections Groups? Need some extra help? Be warned: we’re starting to get into spoiler territory. Today’s Connections groups are... What Are Today’s Connections Answers? Spoiler alert! Don’t scroll any further down the page until you’re ready to find out today’s Connections answers. This is your final warning! Today’s Connections answers are... Neato, I got a perfect game. That brings me up to three straight wins. Here's how I fared: 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟦🟦🟦🟦 🟨🟨🟨🟨 There was a timely red herring here of the names of Santa’s reindeer: CUPID, RUDOLPH, COMET and VIXEN. But as soon as I saw ROBIN HOOD and HAWKEYE, it was clear that there would be a group of archers. (Tina) FEY and (Maya) RUDOLPH suggested to me that there would be a group of Saturday Night Live alumni, but other than (Molly) SHANNON, I wasn’t quite sure what else would fit. It took me a moment to realize that the missing piece of the puzzle was Cecily STRONG. I could make out the celestial bodies clearly enough and I assumed those were the yellows, so I submitted the blues first. I didn’t make that connection, however. A JENNY is a female donkey, a NANNY is a female goat, a QUEEN is a female cat (or a QUEEN bee) and a VIXEN is a female fox. That’s all there is to it for today’s Connections clues and answers. Be sure to check my blog tomorrow for hints and the solution for Thursday’s game if you need them. P.S. Since it’s Christmas Day, let’s go with the very best Christmas movie: Die Hard. It’s very much not one for kids, but it’s a fantastic thriller that has plenty of holiday spirit. Yippee ki-yay, indeed: Have a great day! Make sure to drink enough water! Call someone you love! If you’re so inclined, please do follow my blog for more coverage of Connections and other word games and even some video game news, insights and analysis. It helps me out a lot! Also, follow me on Bluesky ! It’s fun there.

Mystery surrounding Baby Driver star Hudson Joseph Meek's death deepens as police give updateSquid Game Season 2's Five Biggest Changes From Season 1 Will Shock YouNorth Korean general reportedly wounded in Ukrainian strike By JAMES REYNOLDS Published: 17:22, 22 November 2024 | Updated: 17:28, 22 November 2024 e-mail Advertisement A high-ranking North Korean military officer was reportedly wounded during a Ukrainian strike in Russia's Kursk region. Western officials confirmed the casualty, marking the first time a North Korean general was directly impacted by the ongoing war. The strike occurred shortly after reports surfaced of British Storm Shadow missiles being deployed in the area. The casualty stems from North Korea’s controversial decision to send 10,000 soldiers to support Russia's war efforts. Analysts suggest this move aligns with Kim Jong Un’s strategy to gain advanced military technology and battle experience. "North Korea is positioning itself within the Russian war economy," one expert noted. Ukrainian defense officials believe British Storm Shadow missiles were used in the Kursk attack, citing debris and the strike’s precision. This marks a significant moment as Ukraine leverages Western long-range weaponry to target deep within Russian territory. "Storm Shadows are capable of dodging air defenses, making them a nightmare for enemies," experts emphasized. Ukraine claims the strike targeted an underground control room housing Russian and North Korean military officials. While the exact details remain speculative, Western officials corroborated reports of a senior North Korean general being injured in the attack. The deployment of North Korean troops underscores the deepening partnership between Pyongyang and Moscow. Signed in June, a strategic treaty between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin mandates military assistance during attacks, further aligning the two nations against Western sanctions. British Storm Shadow missiles are celebrated for their cutting-edge design, combining GPS technology and infrared seekers to penetrate defenses. “On impact, the missile penetrates the target before a delayed fuse detonates the main warhead,” military experts detailed. The strike and North Korea's involvement have heightened fears of broader conflict. European nations are preparing for potential escalation, with Germany and Finland launching measures to bolster defense capabilities. “We will not be intimidated,” Germany’s foreign minister declared. Images from Kursk show fragments allegedly from Storm Shadow missiles, including one bearing the weapon’s name. The UK had earlier confirmed supplying these missiles to Ukraine, emphasizing their importance in countering Russian advances. The use of Storm Shadows and US-supplied ATACMS signals a tactical shift in Ukraine’s strategy. Experts argue that these weapons allow Ukraine to target previously unreachable military sites, altering the battlefield dynamics. Amid escalating tensions, NATO held its largest-ever artillery exercises near the conflict zone. The drills, involving 28 nations, underscore Western preparedness in the face of potential escalation. Finland’s participation reflects the alliance's expanding commitment to collective defense. Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Visit our profile page and hit the follow button above for more of the news you need. North Korea Kim Jong-un Ukraine Moscow Russia Share or comment on this article: North Korean general reportedly wounded in Ukrainian strike e-mail

Haiti gang attack on journalists covering a hospital reopening leaves 2 dead, several woundedWhen the snow is falling and hot chocolate is piping, few activities are more refreshing and relaxing than plopping down on the couch and turning on the television. Some will watch live Christmas events from Rockefeller Center, while others will tune into a bowl game. But if you’re of a certain age, you clearly remember the excitement when Nickelodeon began to roll out its litany of timeless Christmas specials. From Kenan & Kel in the 1990s to Danny Phantom in the late 2000s, Nickelodeon has entered the pantheon of networks that have consistently rolled out classic holiday specials. While Nickelodeon’s legacy is cemented, the ranking of its best holiday season episodes is and will always be hotly contested. Not to start a debate at the holiday dinner table, but here are the 10 best classic Nickelodeon holiday specials. Show: Keenan & Kel Air Date: December 14, 1996 Kel ( Kel Mitchell ) loves orange soda and Kenan ( Kenan Thompson ) loves Christmas. He spends the entire year saving money to buy a new bike and takes an extra job as Santa at the mall to help get the last few dollars he needs. However, his plans are derailed when he comes across a brother and sister who dream of a great Christmas filled with presents that their mother can’t afford. In a selfless mood, Kenan uses the money he makes as Santa to surprise the kids and their mom with presents. Kenan’s upset that he didn’t get the bike he wanted, but he knows he did the right thing and Santa rewards him with a bike of his own. As with many Nickelodeon holiday specials, Kenan’s act of giving underscores the importance of family, friends, community, and giving throughout the holiday season. Show: Invader Zim Air Date: December 10, 2002 Name two more idiotically entertaining rivals than Zim ( Richard Steven Horvitz ) and Dib (Andy Berman). I’ll wait. While I wait, also figure out why Dib’s dad, Professor Membrane ( Rodger Bumpass ), named him Dib. Anyway, Zim and Dib’s rivalry takes center stage when Zim learns about the lure of Santa, kidnaps a man dressed up in a Santa suit and drains his brain. Normal holiday festivities, right? Once Zim drains the man’s brain and learns more about the lure of Santa, he devises a plan to build a Santa suit and convince all of humankind that he’s worthy of following and giving their undying devotion too. For the most part, it works and Zim is close to bringing all of human kind to the Tallest in order to extend his rule. However, Dib intervenes and garners the support of his sister, Gaz (Melissa Fahn), and his father, Professor Membrane, and stops Zim before he’s able to fully takeover. Overall, it’s a pretty weird storyline for a kid’s show during the holiday season, but Invader Zim is at its best when it’s weird. Show: Rocko’s Modern Life Air Date: December 1, 1994 Rocko ( Carlos Alazraqui ) is a better person than most because his grace throughout this Christmas special is unmatched. For nearly the entire episode, Rocko works to put together beautiful holiday decorations and host a lovely holiday party. Instead, his friends treat him poorly, other characters bully him, and no one except a magic elf shows up to his party. The elf works his magic and creates a memorable snowfall around Rocko’s house and Rocko’s house only. When the blizzard leaves a perfect amount of snow and holiday cheer around his house, Rocko’s friends show up at his front door to apologize and make the most of the holiday party. Rocko, being the kind soul he is, lets them in and thanks them for coming. Show: iCarly Air Date: December 13, 2008 Timmy Turner ( Tara Strong ) isn’t the only character in the Nickelodeon multiverse to have their dreams come true during the holiday season. When Carly’s brother, Spencer ( Jerry Trainor ), builds an electromagnet Christmas tree that sets fire to holiday gifts, Carly ( Miranda Cosgrove ) wishes that her brother was a bit more normal. However, things aren’t as great as Carly hoped they’d be. Spencer becomes a “normal” lawyer dating Ms. Benson (Mary Scheer) while Freddie ( Nathan Kress ) no longer has a crush on Carly, and Sam ( Jennette McCurdy ) is in a juvenile detention center. Most shockingly, Carly, Spencer, and Freddie were never friends in this alternate universe and never launched a webcast. The weirdness of the episode pays off in the end because Carly realizes what we’ve always known: her life is pretty great as is. Show: As Told by Ginger Air Date: December 10, 2001 As Told by Ginger is one of the most underrated series in the Nickelodeon catalog for various reasons, including its humor and ability to reach both young and older audiences. Case in point, the show’s “Even Steven” holiday special is immaculate. In the tertiary plot, Ginger (Melissa Disney) discovers that her grandfather is Jewish and immediately pivots from celebrating Christmas to celebrating Hanukkah. Her shift from Christmas to Hanukkah happens so quickly that it causes a rift between her and Dodie (Aspen Miller) because Ginger refuses to go to Dodie’s Christmas party and hosts her own instead. Splitting the room down the middle, half of Ginger’s party is devoted to celebrating Hanukkah, and the other half is adorned with Christmas decorations. 11 Musicians Poised for Talk Show Success Like Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson & Fat Joe Meanwhile, Hoodsie ( Tress MacNeille) is writing letters to Santa, asking him to give him rhythm for Christmas. Yes, you read that correctly. He genuinely asked Santa for rhythm, the ability to dance on beat. When Ginger’s brother, Carl (Jeannie Elias), finds Hoodsie begging Santa for rhythm, he not only makes fun of him, but also declares that Santa isn’t real. As a result, Carl spends the remainder of the episode attempting to prove that Santa is real. Through this effort, he learns that Carl is not a fan of the holiday season because he routinely asked Santa to bring his father home for Christmas as a kid, and his dad rarely stopped by on the holidays. With this information, Hoodsie runs up to a man dressed as Santa on the street and asks him to bring Hoodsie’s Dad home for Christmas. Little does Hoodsie know, the man dressed up as Santa is Carl’s dad. In the end, Carl’s dad visits him for Christmas, and while they’re talking in the driveway, a fire starts inside as Ginger is hosting her holiday party. Carl’s dad runs in, puts out the fire, and saves the day, making Ginger realize that the most important part of the holidays is being surrounded by family and friends. And no, Carl does not get rhythm. Show: The Fairly OddParents Air Date: December 12, 2001 Clichés may be annoying, but they’ve stood the test of time for a reason. However, when an elder said, “Be careful what you wish for,” Timmy Turner clearly wasn’t listening. Instead, he had to learn the hard way when he told Wanda (Susanne Blakeslee) and Cosmo ( Daran Norris ) that he’d like it to be Christmas every day. In his head, there’d never be school, and he’d get presents every time he woke up. Conversely, Wanda and Cosmo are magically depleted, his parents can’t work, and the other holidays become envious of Santa Claus. As a result, Timmy must make a trip up to the North Pole all alone. Tough luck for a kid who can literally wish for whatever he wants every other day of the year already. Show: Drake & Josh Air Date: December 5, 2008 Give a little girl named Mary Alice the best Christmas ever, or go back to jail. That’s essentially the plot of “Merry Christmas, Drake and Josh.” Drake ( Drake Bell ) desperately wants to host a party on the rooftop of Josh’s workplace, Premier Theater. To the surprise of just about everyone, Josh’s boss agrees to let Drake host the party as long as he volunteers to dress up as Santa for kids in the mall. Drake agrees, but things go haywire when a woman tries to kiss him, and he runs away. While hiding, he runs into a little girl named Mary Alice ( Bailee Madison ) and promises to give her the best Christmas ever. Drake finishes his shift as Santa and gets to host the party after all, but it’s cut short when a few uninvited guests show up, and Josh ( Josh Peck ) calls the police. However, there’s a mixup when the police arrive and Josh gets arrested. Being the good stepbrother he is, Drake tries to break Josh out of jail. Unfortunately, Drake gets arrested, too. When Drake and Josh get to speak to a judge, they explain that they need to get out to fulfill Drake’s promises to Mary Alice. The judge releases them, but warns that they will be brought back if they do not give Mary Alice the best Christmas ever. No pressure, right? Show: Rugrats Air Date: December 6, 1992 It may not seem like it, but there is not much of a difference between The Boondocks ‘ Huey Freeman ( Regina King ) and the children of Rugrats . Huey chases Santa around the mall with a BB gun, screaming, “You gon’ pay what you owe.” Meanwhile, Tommy ( Elizabeth Daily ), Chuckie (Christine Cavanaugh), and the crew are setting dangerous traps for Santa , so they can question him about his character. “The Santa Experience” kicks off at the mall where Angelica (Cheryl Chase) bum rushes the line to see Santa and tells Mr. Claus how much she needs a dream dollhouse for Cynthia. While Mr. Claus pushed her away, mall staff gave her a box of free toys to apologize for Santa rightfully pushing her away. Even with the free presents, Angelica is ungrateful and doesn’t want them. Meanwhile, Tommy and Chuckie are debating whether or not Santa is a good person. You know, typical baby stuff, right? Tommy is convinced Santa is a great guy, while Chuckie is, of course, scared of Saint Nick and thinks he’s a bad guy. In the kitchen, the parents are having a relatable conversation about their challenges and struggles, trying to ensure each of their children has a good holiday season. Later, the kids and parents head north to celebrate Christmas in a cabin. There, Chuckie and Tommy set up a booby trap to catch Santa. Much to their disappointment, the trap only manages to catch Stu ( Jack Riley ). Ultimately, everything turns out for the best as Santa just rings the front doorbell and delivers the presents face-to-face. Angelica gets her doll house, Chuckie determines Santa is a good person after all, and the Rugrats get the perfect Christmas. Show: SpongeBob SquarePants Air Date: December 6, 2000 If you ask most fans of SpongeBob SquarePants about Squidward (Rodger Bumpass), most would say he’s closer to being the Grinch than Santa Claus. However, “Christmas Who?” proves otherwise. Spongebob ( Tom Kenny ) visits Sandy ( Carolyn Lawrence ) and finds the proud Texan setting up Christmas decorations around her house. Instead of helping her, Spongebob freaks out because he thinks the lights and decorations have started a fire. It would be nearly impossible to start a fire that far underwater, but I digress. Anyway, Sandy stops him and explains to Spongebob who Santa Claus is and what happens on Christmas. Excited and enchanted, Spongebob shares the story of Christmas and Santa Claus with nearly everyone in Bikini Bottom. As a result, everyone but Squidward sends letters to Santa and spends all night caroling. When Santa doesn’t show up, everyone calls Spongebob a fraud and mocks him, including Squidward. However, Spongebob turns Squidward’s heart from coal to gold when he gives him a handcrafted clarinet for Christmas so that he won’t go without a gift. In return, Squidward dresses up as Santa and surprises Spongebob, who is delighted, and wishes him a merry Christmas. Squidward didn’t account for all of the other citizens of Bikini Bottom spotting him and asking for gifts. Instead of ruining the charade, Squidward ends up giving away nearly everything in his home away as a gift. Thankfully, Squidward is rewarded when the real Santa Claus sends a letter thanking Squidward for helping keep the spirit of Christmas alive. Show: Hey Arnold! Air Date: December 11, 1996 “Arnold’s Christmas” is not only the best Nickelodeon late-year holiday special, but it’s arguably one of the best episodes of the entire series. The series revolves around Arnold (Toran Caudell) attempting to pull off a Christmas miracle for his neighbor, Mr. Hyunh (Baoan Coleman). Through this endeavor, much of Mr. Hyunh’s backstory is revealed, including the heartbreaking story of how he and his daughter, Mai (Hiep Thi Le), have been separated for more than 20 years. While Arnold and his best friend, Gerald (Jamil Walker Smith), fall short in their quest to find Mai and reconnect her with Mr. Hyunh, Helga (Francesca Marie Smith) unexpectedly saves the day and gets Mai in touch with her father. Helga never gets the credit for creating this touching reunion, but she will always be remembered for being the driving force behind one of the most touching moments in Nickelodeon history. More Headlines: Saint Nick-Mas: 10 Best Nickelodeon Holiday Specials, Ranked Who Had the Best Holiday Movies of 2024? Hallmark vs. Lifetime vs. Netflix (POLL) ‘Squid Game’ Season 3: Everything We Know So Far ‘Shrinking’ Boss Breaks Down Finale’s Scary Louis Moment & What’s Ahead for Season 3 Wendy Williams Is ‘Sober’ & Wants to Go Home From Care Facility Says Son

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