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Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row
'Open your doors': Notre Dame re-opens after five-year refitIn a decisive move, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has selected former Senator David Perdue to serve as ambassador to China. Perdue, with a background in business, is anticipated to navigate the longstanding trade tensions and mistrust characterizing U.S.-China relations. Announcing the appointment via his social media platform, Trump highlighted the critical role Perdue will play in maintaining peace and fostering productive communications with Chinese leaders. As he prepares for his term, commencing January 20, 2025, Trump has expressed intent to impose a 10% tariff on Chinese goods unless China acts to curb fentanyl trafficking. Perdue's nomination reflects a traditional approach of assigning political figures to the Beijing embassy, deviating from incumbent President Joe Biden's preference for career diplomats. Trump's hardline strategy is further evidenced by appointing Senator Marco Rubio for Secretary of State, hinting at a broader policy that transcends trade issues. (With inputs from agencies.)
MONTREAL, Dec. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — announces some updates about the Company and takes this opportunity to thank its shareholders, partners and suppliers for their trust throughout 2024 and wishes them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2025. The Company announces that it has received all its results related to the summer and fall 2024 exploration campaigns on the Mirabelli SM and Maqua SM properties. These do not reveal any significant grades in the metals and minerals initially sought. Management announces that exploration work will not be continued on these properties. The Company also announces that it no longer intends to continue exploration related to Lithium and will focus on the gold potential of its properties, in particular, the now 100% owned and which contains numerous gold showings. Mosaic announces that it has received formal notification from Castlebar Capital Corporation that it is abandoning the option agreement to acquire 100% of the Lichen property ( ). Mosaic is regaining control of this property which consists of 282 claims covering a total area of 15,622 hectares and is located approximately 100 km west of the Chibougamau mining camp. The property is underlain by volcanic rocks of the Obatogamau Formation intersected by intermediate stocks and plutons. The volcanic belt parallels two known gold-bearing volcanic belts, the Bachelor Lake gold zone to the west and the Osisko-Windfall gold zone to the south. The Nelligan and Monster Lake gold projects are located at the eastern end of the volcanic belt. The Company also announces that it has received formal notification from Panther Minerals Inc. (formerly Lithium Lion Metals Inc.) that the latter is abandoning the option agreement to acquire 100% of the 113 North property ( ). Mosaic is regaining control of this property which is located in the southeastern part of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt and comprises 59 cells totaling 3,010 hectares within a 6- to 12-kilometre-wide band of volcano-sedimentary rocks located between the Josselin and Montgay granodiorite-tonalite batholiths. The volcanic rocks in this group have felsic, intermediate and mafic compositions and are cut by dunite, gabbro and diorite dykes. Iron formations (sulphides and oxides) and clastic sedimentary rocks, such as greywackes and schists, are also present. Gold, copper, nickel, platinum and palladium occurrences have been discovered in this geological environment near the project. The scientific and technical information of Mosaic Minerals Corporation included in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Gilles Laverdière, P.Geo, Vice-President Exploration of Mosaic Minerals and qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 respecting information concerning mining projects (“Regulation 43-101”). Mosaic Minerals Corp. is a Canadian mining exploration company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE: MOC) focusing on the exploration of critical minerals such as Nickel in the province of Quebec. Source: M. Jonathan Hamel President & CEO This release contains certain “forward-looking information” under applicable Canadian securities laws concerning the Arrangement. Forward-looking information reflects the Company’s current internal expectations or beliefs and is based on information currently available to the Company. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by terminology such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “projects”, “potential”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “budget” or the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology. Assumptions upon which such forward-looking information is based includes, among others, that the conditions to closing of the Arrangement will be satisfied and that the Arrangement will be completed on the terms set out in the definitive agreement. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company, and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct or accurate. Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted herein include, without limitation: that the remaining conditions to the Arrangement will not be satisfied; that the business prospects and opportunities of the Company will not proceed as anticipated; changes in the global prices for gold or certain other commodities (such as diesel, aluminum and electricity); changes in U.S. dollar and other currency exchange rates, interest rates or gold lease rates; risks arising from holding derivative instruments; the level of liquidity and capital resources; access to capital markets, financing and interest rates; mining tax regimes; ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; legislative, political or economic developments in the jurisdictions in which the Company carries on business; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; laws and regulations governing the protection of the environment; employee relations; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of exploration and development; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; and the risks involved in the exploration, development and mining business. Risks and unknowns inherent in all projects include the inaccuracy of estimated reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries, capital and operating costs of such projects, and the future prices for the relevant minerals. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR ANY US NEWS WIRE SERVICES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF THE TITLES DESCRIBED HEREIN.Goga Bitadze bounces back after hard fall while Jalen Suggs’ trip takes comedic turn | Magic on the road
Subscribe to our newsletter Privacy Policy Success! Your account was created and you’re signed in. Please visit My Account to verify and manage your account. An account was already registered with this email. Please check your inbox for an authentication link. Support Independent Arts Journalism As an independent publication, we rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, consider becoming a member today . Already a member? Sign in here. We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, please join us as a member . A gallery participating in the Scope Art Show in Miami Beach was asked by fair organizers to remove a portrait of Donald Trump, which depicts the Republican president-elect mid-speech with the word “huge” overlaid in neon letters. The Miami-based gallery L Kotler Fine Art said it had been “forced” to remove the piece by artist Shyglo, titled “HUGE” (2016), and is now auctioning the work online instead, where it is listed with an estimate of $15,000 to $30,000. “May the conversation continue,” the gallery said in an Instagram story. A representative for Scope Art Show denied that the work was targeted on the basis of its content, telling Hyperallergic that the gallery is one of at least 40 exhibitors asked to rehang or remove artworks that “weren’t part of their original accepted proposal.” Art galleries are required to submit an application months in advance with a booth presentation proposal including the artworks they plan to show. Get the latest art news, reviews and opinions from Hyperallergic. Daily Weekly Opportunities “SCOPE Art Show is a steadfast champion of freedom of expression and has never asked a gallery to remove a work based on political or personal views in its 23-year history,” the spokesperson said. “L. Kotler Fine Art was asked to remove or rehang multiple works — not only the work in question — because they were not part of their original proposal and not installed according to the specifications given to all galleries.” Lindsay Kotler, the gallery’s owner, told Hyperallergic that Scope had featured works by Shyglo in its last three editions and that she was surprised when the fair’s director approached her booth and asked her to take down the piece on opening day, Tuesday, December 3, in front of visitors. “Most of the art in my booth wasn’t part of my original curation. This was the only one that was singled out and demanded to be removed immediately,” Kotler told Hyperallergic . “The previous piece that was on view was sold. We didn’t want to display something that you can’t acquire, so we switched it out,” Kotler explained. Shyglo’s paintings are typically rendered in a photorealistic style, portraying political leaders and notable figures such as late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, artist Frida Kahlo, and Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour juxtaposed with words like “icon” or “lucky” scrawled in neon cursive lettering. “When I created ‘HUGE’ it was meant to spark conversation, not conflict,” Shyglo told Hyperallergic . “So when we learned the piece was removed from the Scope Art Show, we were shocked. It wasn’t intended to offend; it was meant to engage. To have it silenced felt like a loss of the very purpose of art: inspiring thought, dialogue, and emotion,” the artist said. We hope you enjoyed this article! Before you keep reading, please consider supporting Hyperallergic ’s journalism during a time when independent, critical reporting is increasingly scarce. Unlike many in the art world, we are not beholden to large corporations or billionaires. Our journalism is funded by readers like you , ensuring integrity and independence in our coverage. We strive to offer trustworthy perspectives on everything from art history to contemporary art. We spotlight artist-led social movements, uncover overlooked stories, and challenge established norms to make art more inclusive and accessible. With your support, we can continue to provide global coverage without the elitism often found in art journalism. If you can, please join us as a member today . Millions rely on Hyperallergic for free, reliable information. By becoming a member, you help keep our journalism free, independent, and accessible to all. Thank you for reading. Share Copied to clipboard Mail Bluesky Threads LinkedIn FacebookBy Evolve Editors Curious about the release date of Dune: Prophecy Episode 7 or if the series has concluded? Set 10,000 years before Denis Villeneuve’s Dune trilogy, it follows two Harkonnen sisters facing threats to humanity and establishing the Bene Gesserit sect. Fans are eager for updates on a potential Dune: Prophecy Part 2 or clarity on the series’ ending. Let’s explore the possibilities for new episodes or if the current season has wrapped up. Regrettably, there isn’t an Episode 7 of Dune: Prophecy. The first season of the series has concluded. HBO’s renowned series Dune: Prophecy is a captivating sci-fi drama created by Diane Ademu-John. Season 1 debuted on November 17, 2024, and concluded on December 22, 2024, with 6 episodes. Given the finite ending of the sixth episode, there won’t be a seventh one for the time being. In the gripping finale titled “The High-Handed Enemy,” Tula grapples with Desmond’s true identity, while the acolytes stumble upon a heartbreaking secret that the Sisterhood has kept hidden for years. At the same time, Valya puts her plan into action to help Ynez escape, leading to an intense showdown with the increasingly formidable Desmond. There will be no additional episodes or Part 2 for Dune: Prophecy. The series has concluded, providing viewers with a complete narrative for Season 1. Season 1 of Dune: Prophecy follows Valya and Tula Harkonnen as they lead the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, trying to make their mark on the Imperium’s politics. But things get complicated when Desmond Hart shows up with mysterious powers and stands against the Sisterhood. The season wraps up with a shocking showdown that leads to a major death, leaving a power vacuum in its wake. Following the first season’s end, fans have a ton of questions, thanks to its cliffhanger ending, especially with the Sisterhood facing threats from both inside and out. Everyone’s buzzing about whether Dune: Prophecy will get a Season 2. Luckily, fans can rejoice the show is set to return for a second season on HBO and Max. The network decided to renew it just days before the Season 1 finale. The cast of Dune: Prophecy includes Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Travis Fimmel, Jodhi May, Tabu, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Chloe Lea, Chris Mason, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Mark Strong, Jade Anouka, and many more. While waiting for the second season, viewers can catch up on all the episodes of Dune: Prophecy Season 1 streaming now on HBO and Max. Originally reported by Ayesha Zafar on ComingSoon.net . Evolve Media is a publisher of leading enthusiast destinations. Share article
, /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors today declared a quarterly dividend of per share on the company's common shares, payable . : The board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of per share on the company's common shares. Dividends on common stock as well as Series A and Series C preferred stock are payable on . The board of directors of (NYSE:T) today declared a quarterly dividend of per share on the company's common shares. The board of directors also declared quarterly dividends on the company's 5.000% Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A and the company's 4.750% Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C. The Series A dividend is per preferred share, or per depositary share. The Series C dividend is per preferred share, or per depositary share. Dividends on the common stock and Series A and Series C preferred stock are payable on , to stockholders of record of the respective shares at the close of business on . To automatically receive AT&T financial news by email, please . We help more than 100 million U.S. families, friends and neighbors, plus nearly 2.5 million businesses, connect to greater possibility. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to our 5G wireless and multi-gig internet offerings today, we @ATT innovate to improve lives. For more information about AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), please visit us at . Investors can learn more at . © 2024 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the Globe logo are registered trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE AT&TPalantir and Shield AI forge strategic partnership for AI-driven autonomous flight
Report: Ex-Cal QB Fernando Mendoza signs with Indiana
Mincey scores 27, UMass-Lowell knocks off UMass 96-83Tesla and Rivian have been embroiled in a lawsuit in which the former accused the latter of having stolen battery technology by poaching Tesla employees. It sounds like the two automakers are finally about to settle the lawsuit, which has been going on for 4 years. In 2020, by hiring former Tesla employees and encouraging them to bring documents. Rivian has denied the allegations. When Tesla filed the lawsuit, it wasn’t clear what trade secrets Tesla was claiming Rivian had stolen. However, we noted that the employees listed in the lawsuits were two recruiters, an EHS manager, and a manager of Tesla’s charging networks. The automaker claimed that these employees brought “documents consisting of highly sensitive trade secret, confidential, and proprietary engineering information” when they went to work for Rivian. A year later, Tesla expanded the lawsuit At first, the companies tried to settle out of court, but it didn’t work out, so . Over a year later, we now learn that Tesla had notified the court that it expects to file to get the lawsuit dismissed after reaching a conditional agreement with Rivian. The company didn’t disclose the details of the settlement (via ): Tesla didn’t disclose specifics about the agreement in a court filing, but told a California state judge that it expects to seek dismissal of the case by Dec. 24 upon satisfactory completion of the terms. Neither Tesla nor Rivian have commented on the reported settlement. While Tesla has claimed that it somewhat open-sourced its patents, we have previously noted that it’s not exactly the case. Tesla claims to let other companies use its patented technology as long as they themselves don’t sue them over patent rights. And in this specific case, Tesla alleges that Rivian has specifically hired employees to steal technologies. Again, Rivian has denied the allegation. The terms are unknown, but in similar cases, it often involves things like some level of access to make sure that no proprietary technology is being used or has been used. The lawsuit is not exactly clear, but based on the timeline and the allegations of “next-gen batteries”, Tesla could have been talking about its 4680 battery cells, although those are cells. It could also be the structural battery pack. Rivian is expected to use . and subscribe to the . Tesla is a transportation and energy company. It... Fred is the Editor in Chief and Main Writer at Electrek. You can send tips on Twitter (DMs open) or via email: fred@9to5mac.com Through Zalkon.com, you can check out Fred’s portfolio and get monthly green stock investment ideas. Get interesting investment ideas by Fred Lambert ChargePoint Home WiFi Enabled Electric Vehicle (EV) ChargerAnge Postecoglou has insisted he's 'determined get it right' at Tottenham after confronting the angry travelling supporters in Bournemouth. Spurs suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Cherries on Thursday night, with teenager Dean Huijsen bagging what went on to be the winner early in the first half. The away end let their feelings known at the final whistle, with a number booing their side off the pitch. Postecoglou, who came over to show his gratitude to the supporters, was also booed. He was seen approaching the away end, with the Australian expressing himself with his hands as he reacted to the criticism. Two stewards stood in the way of him and the crowd, with one extending their arm out. Footage shows Djed Spence putting his arm on Postecoglou's back as he turned away and towards the tunnel. Asked about the reception from the fans and the booing, he told talkSPORT: "Yeah, well rightly so. "They're disappointed and I got some pretty direct feedback, which is always healthy mate." In his post-match press conference, he continued: "I didn’t like what was being said because I’m a human being but you’ve for to cop it. "I’ve been around long enough to know when things don’t go well you’ve got to understand the frustration and disappointment. And they’re rightly disappointed because we let a game of football get away from us. But that’s OK. I’m OK with all that. "All I can say is I’m really disappointed and I’m determined to get it right and will keep fighting until we do." Bournemouth had the better chances on the night, with Spurs, in truth, lucky to escape with conceding just one goal. The Cherries managed 21 shots. Addressing the number of chances his side gave up in the clash, Postecoglou said: "Yeah well that's because we were chasing the game. "When you go a goal down, in the second half you're on the up and up and chase the game. "That's going to give them space and that's what they want and what they're good at, so." Bournemouth have jumped above Tottenham in the table after claiming all three points. The Cherries sit in ninth, one point above tenth place Spurs. And the north London side's 4-0 thumping of reigning Premier League champions Manchester City last month now feels like a distant memory. talkSPORT's resident Spurs fan, Jamie O'Hara, said on the Sports Bar: “It's hard work you know, watching Spurs. One minute you're up, then you're down, then you're up, then you're down. "And you know what? It's just, it's painful. We are painful to watch. Painful. Because you know there's a big performance in there because we've seen it. "Aston Villa. Man City. You go away from home, you get beat by Bournemouth. "I know everyone loves Ange, you know, in terms of like the attacking football. I can't, I'm getting bored of watching this."
In a bid to facilitate the IT sector, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has allowed freelancers to register their virtual private network (VPN) using mobile numbers. “To facilitate the legitimate, secure and uninterrupted operations of VPN by freelancers who don’t have static IP addresses, the facility to register VPN against mobile number has been introduced by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA),” read a statement released by PTA on Saturday. “The step is aimed to further simplify the VPN registration process for facilitation of the IT industry,” the authority said, adding that over 31,000 VPNs have been registered by PTA. According to the authority, freelancers can register their mobile number with PTA for “usage of VPNs on mobile data connection at https://ipregistration.pta.gov.pk”. Freelancers would need to provide their details including computerised national identity card (CNIC), company registration details and taxpayer status to register their VPNs. A few days ago, the government decided not to ban VPNs, as the law ministry said the government did not have the legal authority to impose such a ban under the Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. Earlier, PTA warned its users to register their VPNs by Nov 30, after which unregistered connections would be blocked. The interior ministry had earlier requested a ban, citing concerns about the use of VPNs by terrorists and access to pornographic content. However, the law ministry clarified that PECA allows the blocking of specific online content. Pakistan has a record of curbing online access in response to political turmoil, banning social media sites or simply temporarily shutting down the internet altogether. Days ago, Sajjad Mustafa Syed, chairman of Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), said that Pakistan’s information technology sector suffers losses of more than $1 million per hour due to internet shutdown in the country. “To achieve the government’s envisaged target of $15 billion, IT exports are linked with market access, infrastructure stability, accommodative taxation policy as well as skilled human resources,” said P@SHA chairman. Syed said that 99% of firms/ companies reported that their services were disrupted and 90% reported losses.Tiny Homes Market to Grow by USD 4.82 Billion from 2023-2028, Report Explores AI-Driven Transformation Across Segments by Technavio - TechnavioWEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping and other world leaders to his inauguration next month — an unorthodox move that would fold U.S. allies and adversaries into a very American political tradition. Trump said Thursday during an appearance at the New York Stock Exchange , where he was ringing the opening bell to kick off trading for the day, that he’s been “thinking about inviting certain people to the inauguration” without referring to any specific individuals. “And some people said, ‘Wow, that’s a little risky, isn’t it?’” Trump said. “And I said, ‘Maybe it is. We’ll see. We’ll see what happens.’ But we like to take little chances.” His comments came soon after his incoming White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed during a Thursday morning appearance on “Fox & Friends” that Trump had invited Xi and other world leaders to attend his inauguration. No head of state has previously made an official visit to the U.S. for the inauguration, according to State Department historical records. The unprecedented invitations come at a moment when much of the world is bracing for what comes next when Trump and his “America First” worldview return to the White House. The president-elect has vowed to levy massive tariffs against the United States' chief economic competitor, China, as well as neighbors Canada and Mexico unless those countries do more to reduce illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. Trump's also pledged to move quickly to end Russia's nearly three-year war in Ukraine and press NATO allies who are spending less than 2% of their GDP on defense to step up or risk the United States not coming to their defense, as required by the transatlantic alliance's treaty, should they come under attack. “We’ve been talking and discussing with President Xi some things, and others, other world leaders, and I think we’re going to do very well all around,” Trump said. “We’ve been abused as a country. We’ve been badly abused from an economic standpoint, I think, and even militarily, you know, we put up all the money, they put up nothing, and then they abuse us on the economy. And we just can’t let that happen.” Xi is likely to see the invitation as too risky to accept, and the gesture from Trump may have little bearing on the increasingly competitive ties between the two nations as the White House changes hands, experts say. Danny Russel, vice president for international security and diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said Xi would not allow himself to “be reduced to the status of a mere guest celebrating the triumph of a foreign leader — the U.S. president, no less.” Still, Leavitt saw it as a plus. “This is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies, but our adversaries and our competitors, too,” she said on "Fox & Friends." “We saw this in his first term. He got a lot of criticism for it, but it led to peace around this world. He is willing to talk to anyone, and he will always put America’s interest first.” Asked at a Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing Thursday about Trump's invitation, spokesperson Mao Ning responded, “I have nothing to share at present.” Leavitt did not detail which leaders beyond Xi have been invited. But Trump's decision to invite Xi, in particular, squares with his belief that foreign policy — much like a business negotiation — should be carried out with carrots and sticks to get the United States' opponents to operate closer to his administration's preferred terms. Jim Bendat, a historian and author of “Democracy’s Big Day: The Inauguration of Our President,” said he was not aware of a previous U.S. inauguration attended by a foreign head of state. “It's not necessarily a bad thing to invite foreign leaders to attend,” Bendat said. “But it sure would make more sense to invite an ally before an adversary.” Edward Frantz, a presidential historian at the University of Indianapolis, said the invitation helps Trump burnish his “dealmaker and savvy businessman” brand. “I could see why he might like the optics," Frantz said. “But from the standpoint of American values, it seems shockingly cavalier." White House officials said it was up to Trump to decide whom he invites to the inauguration. “I would just say, without doubt, it's the single most consequential bilateral relationship that the United States has in the world,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said. “It is a relationship both fraught with peril and responsibility.” It's unclear which leaders, if any, might show. A top aide to Hungarian President Viktor Orban, one of Trump's most vocal supporters on the world stage, said Thursday that Orban isn't slated to attend the inauguration. “There is no such plan, at least for the time being," said Gergely Gulyás, Orban's chief of staff. The nationalist Hungarian leader is embraced by Trump but has faced isolation in Europe as he's sought to undermine the European Union's support for Ukraine, and routinely blocked, delayed or watered down the bloc’s efforts to provide weapons and funding and to sanction Moscow for its invasion. Orban recently met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Every country's chief of mission to the United States will also be invited, according to a Trump Inaugural Committee official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Such invitations to diplomats stationed in Washington has been customary during past inaugurations. Xi, during a meeting with President Joe Biden last month in Peru, urged the United States not to start a trade war. “Make the wise choice,” Xi cautioned. “Keep exploring the right way for two major countries to get along well with each other.” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also pushed back on Trump's threats, warning that such tariffs would be perilous for the U.S. economy as well. Trudeau earlier this week said Americans “are beginning to wake up to the real reality that tariffs on everything from Canada would make life a lot more expensive” and said he will retaliate if Trump goes ahead with them. Trump responded by calling Canada a state and Trudeau the governor. In addition to the tariff dispute, U.S.-China relations are strained over other issues, including what U.S. officials see as Beijing's indirect support of Russia's war on Ukraine. The Biden administration says China has supported Russia with a surge in sales of dual-use components that help keep its military industrial base afloat. U.S. officials also have expressed frustration with Beijing for not doing more to rein in North Korea's support for the Russian war. China accounts for the vast majority of North Korea’s trade. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has dispatched thousands of troops to Russia to help repel Ukrainian forces from the Kursk border region. The North Koreans also have provided Russia with artillery and other munitions, according to U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials. Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration is set to take place a day after the U.S. deadline for ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of social media giant TikTok, to sell the social media app or face a ban in the United States. Associated Press writers Didi Tang in Washington and Balint Domotor in Budapest, Hungary, contributed to this report.WASHINGTON — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide Tuesday because of a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop for the airline. The order, which prevented planes from taking off, was issued at the airline's request after it experienced trouble with its flight operating system, or FOS. The airline blamed technology from one of its vendors. As a result, flights were delayed across American's major hubs, with only 36% of the airline's 3,901 domestic and international flights leaving on time, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company; 51 flights were canceled. An American Airlines employee wearing looks toward quiet check-in counters Tuesday in the American terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami. Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, a union representing American Airlines pilots, said the airline told pilots at 7 a.m. Eastern that there was an outage affecting the FOS system. It handles different types of airline operations, including dispatch, flight planning, passenger boarding, as well as an airplane's weight and balance data, he said. Some components of FOS went down in the past, but a systemwide outage is rare, Tajer said. Hours after the ground stop was lifted, Tajer said the union had not heard about "chaos out there beyond just the normal heavy travel day." He said officials were watching for cascading effects, such as staffing problems. On social media, however, customers expressed frustration with delays that caused them or their family members to miss connecting flights. One person asked if American planned to hold flights for passengers to make connections, while others complained about the lack of assistance they said they received from the airline or gate agents. Travelers wait in line for security checks Tuesday at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles. Bobby Tighe, a real estate agent from Florida, said he would miss a family Christmas Eve party in New York because his American flight was repeatedly delayed. The delays made him miss a connecting flight, leaving him the choice of going to his destination — Westchester, N.Y. — on Christmas Day or taking another flight to Newark, N.J., scheduled to land Tuesday evening. He chose the latter. "I'm just going to take an Uber or Lyft to the airport I was originally supposed to go to, pick up my rental car and kind of restart everything tomorrow," Tighe said. He said his girlfriend was "going through the same exact situation" on her way from Dallas to New York. Cirium noted the vast majority of flights departed within two hours of their scheduled departure time. A similar percentage — 39% — arrived at their destinations as scheduled. Dallas-Fort Worth, New York's Kennedy Airport and Charlotte, North Carolina, saw the greatest number of delays, Cirium said. Washington, Chicago and Miami experienced considerably fewer delays. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that 4,058 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed, with 76 flights canceled. The site did not post any American Airlines flights Tuesday morning, but it showed in the afternoon that 961 American flights were delayed. Amid the travel problems, significant rain and snow were expected in the Pacific Northwest at least into Christmas Day. Showers and thunderstorms were developing in the South. Freezing rain was reported in the Mid-Atlantic region near Baltimore and Washington, and snow fell in New York. An American Airlines employee wearing a Santa Claus hat walks through the American terminal Tuesday at Miami International Airport in Miami. Because the holiday travel period lasts weeks, airports and airlines typically have smaller peak days than they do during the rush around Thanksgiving, but the grind of one hectic day followed by another takes a toll on flight crews. And any hiccups — a winter storm or a computer outage — can snowball into massive disruptions. That is how Southwest Airlines stranded 2 million travelers in December 2022, and Delta Air Lines suffered a smaller but significant meltdown after a worldwide technology outage in July caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations even more disruptive than during slower periods. That is especially true for smaller budget airlines that have fewer flights and fewer options for rebooking passengers. Only the largest airlines, including American, Delta and United, have "interline agreements" that let them put stranded customers on another carrier's flights. This will be the first holiday season since a Transportation Department rule took effect that requires airlines to give customers automatic cash refunds for canceled or significantly delayed flights. Passengers still can ask to get rebooked, which is often a better option than a refund during peak travel periods. That's because finding a last-minute flight on another airline tends to be expensive. American Airlines employees check in travelers Tuesday in the American terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami. An American spokesperson said Tuesday was not a peak travel day for the airline — with about 2,000 fewer flights than the busiest days — so it had somewhat of a buffer to manage the delays. The Transportation Security Administration said it expected to screen 40 million passengers through Jan. 2. About 90% of Americans traveling far from home over the holidays will be in cars, according to AAA. Gasoline prices are similar to last year. The nationwide average Thursday was $3.04 a gallon, down from $3.13 a year ago, according to AAA. "It's not the destination, it's the journey," said American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ralph clearly was not among the travellers on one of more than 350 cancelled or 1,400 delayed flights after a worldwide tech outage caused by an update to Crowdstrike's "Falcon Sensor" software in July of 2023. U.S. airlines carried nearly 863 million travellers in 2023, with Canadian carriers accounting for another 150 million, many of whom experienced lost luggage, flight delays, cancellations, or were bumped off their flights. It's unclear how many of them were compensated for these inconveniences. Suffice it to say, posting a crabby rant on social media might temporarily soothe anger, but it won't put wasted money back in pockets. shares what to know in order to be compensated for the three most common air travel headaches. Bags elected to go on a vacay without you? Check off the following: If you expect a large payout, think again. Tariffs (air carrier contracts) limit the compensation amounts for "loss of, damage to, or the delay in delivery of baggage or other personal property." In the case of Air Canada, the maximum payout is $1,500 per passenger in the currency of the country where the baggage was processed. To raise that limit, purchase a Declaration of Higher Value for each leg of the trip. The charge is $0.50 for each $100, in which case the payout limit is $2,500. For Delta Air Lines, passengers are entitled to up to $3,800 in baggage compensation, though how much you'll receive depends on your flight. Delta will pay up to $2,080 for delayed, lost, and damaged baggage for international travellers, almost half of what U.S. domestic passengers can claim. If your flight is marked delayed for more than 30 minutes, approach the gate agent and politely request food and hotel vouchers to be used within the airport or nearby. Different air carriers and jurisdictions have their own compensation policies when flights are delayed or cancelled. For example, under European Union rules, passengers may receive up to 600 Euros, even when travelling on a non-EU carrier. Similarly, the DOT states that travellers are entitled to a refund "if the airline cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the consumer chooses not to travel." However, US rules regarding delays are complicated. Some air carriers, such as Air Canada, do not guarantee their flight schedules. They're also not liable for cancellations or changes due to "force majeure" such as weather conditions or labour disruptions. If the delay is overnight, only out-of-town passengers will be offered hotel accommodation. Nevertheless, many airlines do offer some compensation for the inconvenience. If your flight is marked delayed for more than 30 minutes, approach the gate agent and politely request food and hotel vouchers to be used within the airport or nearby. In terms of cash compensation, what you'll get can differ significantly based on things like departure location, time, carrier, and ticket class. The DOT offers a helpful designed to keep travellers informed about their compensation rights. The dashboard is particularly helpful because, as the DOT states on its website, "whether you are entitled to a refund depends on a lot of factors—such as the length of the delay, the length of the flight, and your particular circumstances." The Canadian Transportation Agency is proposing air passenger protection regulations that guarantee financial compensation to travellers experiencing flight delays and cancellations, with the level of compensation varying depending on the situation and how much control the air carrier had. The proposed regulations include the following: The airline is obligated to complete the passenger's itinerary. If the new ticket is for a lower class of service, the air carrier would have to refund the cost difference; if the booking is in a higher class of service, passengers cannot be charged extra. If the passenger declines the ticket, the airline must give a full refund, in addition to the prescribed compensation. For overnight delays, the air carrier needs to provide hotel accommodation and transportation free-of-charge. Again, if you are unsatisfied, the Canadian Transportation Agency or Department of Transportation may advocate on your behalf. Passengers get bumped because airlines overbook. When this happens, the air carrier must compensate you. For international flights in the US, the rate is 200% of your one-way fare to your final destination, with a $675 maximum. If the airline does not make travel arrangements for you, the payout is 400% of your one-way fare to a maximum of $1,350. To qualify, you must check-in by the stated deadline, which on international flights can be up to 3 hours ahead. Keep in mind that if you accept the cash, you are no longer entitled to any further compensation, nor are you guaranteed to be rebooked on a direct flight or similar type of seat. Don't be too quick to give up your boarding pass. Negotiate for the best compensation deal that would include cash, food and hotel vouchers, flight upgrade, lounge passes, as well as mileage points. But avoid being too greedy—if the gate attendant is requesting volunteers and you wait too long, you'll miss the offer. According to Air Canada's tariff, if a passenger is involuntarily bumped, they'll receive $200, in cash or bank draft, for up to a two-hour delay; $400 for a 2-6 hours delay; and $800 if the delay is over six hours. (Air Canada was forced to raise its payouts in 2013 due to passenger complaints.) The new rules would raise the payout significantly: $900 for up to six hours; $1,800 for 6-9; and $2,400 for more than nine hours, all to be paid within 48 hours. Statistically speaking, Delta Airlines is the carrier most likely to bump. A few years ago, Delta raised its payout maximum to $9,950, while United Airlines tops out at $10,000. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
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