Watchdog makes recommendations after police air chase hit with communication issuesIsrael detains the director of one of northern Gaza's last functioning hospitals, Palestinians say DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Gaza's Health Ministry says Israel’s army has detained the director of one of northern Gaza's last functioning hospitals. The announcement on Saturday came after health officials said Israeli troops stormed the hospital on Friday and forced many staff and patients outside and told them to strip in winter weather. Israel’s army didn’t respond to questions about the hospital director. It denied it had entered or set fire to the complex but acknowledged it had ordered people outside. It said it was conducting operations against Hamas in the area. The military repeated claims that Hamas militants operate inside Kamal Adwan Hospital, which officials there have denied. Israeli airstrikes hit a Yemen airport as a jet with hundreds onboard was landing, UN official says UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The top U.N. humanitarian official in Yemen says Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen’s main airport as a civilian Airbus 320 with hundreds of passengers on board was landing this week. He says a U.N. delegation led by the head of the World Health Organization was waiting to leave on Thursday as two Israeli airstrikes hit the airport in the capital of Sanaa. Julien Harneis told U.N. reporters on Friday that the most frightening thing about the airstrikes wasn’t the effect on him and about 15 others in the VIP lounge at the international airport. Rather, it was the destruction of the airport control tower as a Yemenia Airways plane was taxiing in after touching down. Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. Trump's request Friday came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court. Oral arguments are scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The brief said Trump opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.” Bloodied Ukrainian troops risk losing more hard-won land in Kursk to Russia KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Five months after their shock offensive into Russia, Ukrainian troops are bloodied by daily combat losses and demoralized by the rising risk of defeat in Kursk. Some want to stay in the region at all costs. Others question the value of having gone in at all. Battles are so intense that commanders are unable to evacuate their dead. Lags in communication and poorly timed operations have cost lives and commanders say they have little way to counterattack. The overstretched Ukrainians have lost more then 40% of the territory they won in the lightning incursion that seized much of Kursk in August. US to send $1.25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves office WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say the United States is expected to announce it will send another $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine. It's part of a push by the Biden administration to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on Jan. 20. Officials say the large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK air defense system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155 mm- and 105 mm artillery rounds. The officials say they expect the announcement will be made on Monday. They spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. Canadian Cabinet ministers meet with Trump's nominee for commerce secretary in bid to avoid tariffs TORONTO (AP) — Two top Canadian Cabinet ministers have met with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary at Mar-a-Lago as Canada tries to avoid sweeping tariffs when Trump takes office. New Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly met with Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, as well as North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department. The meeting was a follow up to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago last month. Trump has threatened to impose sweeping tariffs if Canada does not stem what he calls a flow of migrants and fentanyl into the United States. Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who instituted economic reforms, cremated in New Delhi NEW DELHI (AP) — Manmohan Singh, the former Indian prime minister widely regarded as the architect of the country’s economic reform program, has been cremated after a state funeral. The veteran leader, who was also credited for a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, died late Thursday at age 92. Singh’s body was taken Saturday to the headquarters of his Congress party in New Delhi, where party leaders and activists paid tributes to him and chanted “Manmohan Singh lives forever.” Later, his body was transported to a crematorium ground for his last rites as soldiers beat drums. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh was prime minister for 10 years until 2014. Winning ticket for $1.22 billion lottery jackpot sold in California, Mega Millions says At least one Mega Millions player has plenty of dough to ring in the New Year after drawing the winning number. After three months without anyone winning the top prize in the lottery, a ticket worth an estimated $1.22 billion was sold in California for the drawing Friday night. The California Lottery said the winning ticket was sold at Circle K (Sunshine Food and Gas) on Rhonda Rd. in Cottonwood. The winning ticket matched the white balls 3, 7, 37, 49, 55 and the gold Mega Ball 6. The identity of the winner or winners was not immediately known. The estimated jackpot was the fifth-highest ever for Mega Millions. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, a deputy national security adviser, said Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks.Alleged South Albury delivery driver robber faces court after arrest
Mitt Romney Leaves Senate With a Warning
Elon Musk’s $56 billion pay package gets rejected — again
Visitors stand at the booth of the video game 'Indiana Jones and the Great Circle' during the media ... [+] day at the Gamescom video games trade fair in Cologne, western Germany on August 21, 2024. According to organisers, around 1400 exhibitors from 64 countries will be presenting their products during the fair running until August 25, 2024. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP) (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images) Indiana Jones And The Great Circle has proven to be a big hit to round out 2024. Critics love the globetrotting story and fans enjoy the first person immersive feel of being Indiana Jones. The reception is breathing new life to the franchise after fears that the underperformance of Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny would bury the character for good. While there are some great games to play in Dr. Jones’s video game history (it’s never a bad time to start a new game of Indiana Jones And The Fate Of Atlantis), I’ve collected a list of tabletop games to keep the pulp adventure going after the credits roll. These games are also a great way to pass the time until Indiana Jones And The Great Circle coms out for those readers who have a Playstation 5. For even more options, don’t forget to check out the list of pulp role playing games I put together when the game was first announced. Outgunned Adventure Outgunned Adventure found 3,490 backers and has put out digital copies of its core rules and Action Flicks expansion. The company recently announced a deal with Free League Publishing to help get this excellent game into local game stores. It looks to fulfill physical copies to backers in 2025 before going on sale to the general public. The design combines two of my favorite works from the designers: the pulpy race against rivals from Broken Compass and the refined, smooth blockbuster movie mechanics of Outgunned. This tie, the game is planted squarely in a world inspired by movies like The Mummy and Raiders Of The Lost Ark. It’s the early 20th century, supernatural treasures are real and the only thing between them and the forces of evil are a table full of weary heroes. This game is great for groups who want to try role playing games outside of Dungeons & Dragons. It’s easy to make characters and the dice mechanics are quick to pick up. The Action Flicks expansion adds more choices to the base game as well as genre modifications for things like Mad Max style vehicles and Jurassic Park style dinosaurs. Samsung’s Android 15 Leak—Bad News For Nearly All Galaxy Owners Dark Web Facial ID Farm Warning—Hackers Build Identity Fraud Database Tesla CEO Elon Musk Issues U.S. Bankruptcy Warning Amid Calls For A Bitcoin-Inspired ‘Fix’ Fireball Island Restoration Games got a lot of love from me this year with articles featuring their reboots of classic games like Crossbows And Catapults and Thunder Road: Vendetta . My first experience with them was their take on Fireball Island . This game combines the chaos of pinball with the scene where Indiana Jones is chased by a boulder. Players hunt for treasure around a tropical island while an angry volcano god shoots marbles at the pieces trying to knock players down. The new version adds new objectives, equipment cards and even different kinds of marbles to represent new hazards like swarms of bees. Expansions give players new locations to explore, treasures to find and dangers to dare. This game is a great choice to play with kids. The rolling fireballs add a very random element but the new version of the rules keep people in the game longer. For a more immersive experience, check out the app for sound effects and a timer. Lost Ruins Of Arnak Lost Ruins Of Arnak offers a slightly more chill experience than Fireball Island. Players are each leading expeditions through the jungle to find the city. There are several paths to take and there’s more to consider than just finding the place; you’ve got balance exploration, building up a good expedition team and documenting your experiences to get the most points to win the game. While less chaotic, Lost Ruins Of Arnak remains a competitive experience. Players have to know ehn to shift strategies and the best times to cut off a rival to slow their progress. Gameplay creates some great moments where players will shake their fists at each other as if they just made a death defying escape. Lost Ruins Of Arnak was a big hit with hardcore board game fans. But it’s easy enough to pick up with anyone, though the more you play, the bigger the strategies become. Expansions add more ways to customize the experience to the game. Eldritch Horror The Cthulhu Mythos has always contained a dash of pulp adventure as part of its recipe. H.P. Lovecraft wrote for the magazines that give pulp its genre name so he mixed up his New England horror stories with ancient Egypt and lost artifacts from ancient eras. Eldritch Horror pits players against one of the Great Old Ones in a worldwide hunt for cursed tomes, cult temples and unspeakable monsters. This game zooms out the exploratory mechanics from Arkham Horror into a game that sends players around the world rther than Lovecraft Country. It also refines game play elements further with expansions offering more in depth story beats and machanical options. Large expansions include new Old Ones and storylines, such as Masks of Nyarlathotep based on the classic Call of Cthulhu campaign. This title leans into the horror genre but appeals to fans of spooky stories and adventure. The great artwork and graphic design is immersive. The cooperative nature also means everyone wins or loses as a team. Fortune And Glory All of these games owe a debt to Indiana Jones seeking timeless treasures around the world. Fortune And Glory wears its heart on its sleeve by giving player the chance to dash out of crumbling temples with treasures tucked under their arms, fight their way out of thrilling cliffhangers at the end of their turn and a chance to throw Nazi Villains out of zeppelins full of gold. The recently revised edition tightens up the game after years of being played around the world. The large expansions offer new villains and new ways to play. Fortune And Glory can be played competitively but I’ve found its best enjoyed when everyone at the table can cooperate and make sure their treasures end up in a museum. Indiana Jones And The Great Circle shows that there’s still a lot of fun in the idea of raiding ancient temples for fabulous treaures. The games mentioned here are available directly from their publishers, through online retailers and at yout Friendly Local Game Store.A deep-storage battery being trialled in Kununurra in the Kimberley region of Western Australia could solve the clean energy challenge for some of the nation's most remote communities. Login or signup to continue reading As well as being a challenging environment to live or work in, hot and humid Kununurra is not connected to the state or national electricity grid. "A lot of our communities are remote and do struggle with the cost of living and we don't want them to miss out on the energy transition," Horizon Power's executive general manager for business development and strategy Vi Garrood told AAP. "And we don't want to compromise on safety - that's why small-scale trials are really important," she said. the vanadium flow battery won't power cars, laptops or fit into a mobile phone, but it can store energy for 10-12 hours and help homes and worksites to displace diesel and gas with clean, safe and reliable power. As the state's regional power provider, Horizon is using the trial to learn how to provide safe, affordable, reliable off-grid power during extreme temperatures and major weather events. "It's one of the technologies we need to get us to net zero and running on 100 per cent renewables for periods of time," Ms Garrood said. After stress-testing the technology in Kununurra, it could be rolled out across Horizon's microgrids and other systems. "Each battery design is examined on the basis of what application we need it for - so what is the problem it's solving," she said. With a 78-kilowatt capacity and 220 kilowatt hours of storage, WA Energy Minister Reece Whitby says the vanadium battery is well suited to Kimberley conditions, where energy storage must cope with extreme temperatures and deliver energy over a long period of time. "Here in Kununurra, where it was 44 degrees the other day, you need a battery that's tough ... and these, we hope, will do the job very well," Mr Whitby said. "We know that the sun doesn't always shine and the wind doesn't always blow so batteries are the answer in terms of capturing that energy when it's available and dispatching it when it's really needed. "The eyes of the energy world are looking at Kununurra to see how this goes." Horizon is also trialling Redflow's zinc bromine flow battery (100 kW/400 kWh) on Nullagine's microgrid and BASF's sodium sulphur battery (250 kW/1450 kWh) at Carnarvon. The various technologies can shift rooftop solar electricity produced in the middle of the day to evening hours and operate alongside existing lithium-ion batteries in Horizon's network, to provide longer-duration storage. Most of Horizon's systems are microgrids, for remote communities and mining operations, and involve generation, network and retail components all within the particular community they are supporting. Ms Garrood said deep-storage batteries can cover periods of "renewable drought" when there is minimal generation, including for night-time loads. "Long-duration energy storage is important for us because it's predicted to be cost-effective when compared to lithium-ion batteries," she said. "It could open the door to taking our small, microgrid communities to 100 per cent renewable energy - that's the plan." "Our best chance of success at decarbonisation is to throw everything at it, and deep storage is one of many solutions in our toolkit," she said. As the technology is based around a tank of liquid electrolytes, they are less likely to catch fire. They can be scaled up and save space by adding more tanks rather than shipping in container-sized lithium batteries. It's also very important to have local support and gain experience when trialling new technology, especially for systems that are in remote locations and typically automated, Ms Garrood said. The technology supplied by VSUN Energy, an offshoot of mining company Australian Vanadium Ltd (AVL), can charge and discharge energy at the same time and the units have a life span of more than 25 years. With most of the world's vanadium supply coming from Russia, China, and South Africa, AVL intends to provide an ethical supply of vanadium to battery, steel and metals markets. Their electrolyte manufacturing facility in WA is part of a "pit to battery" strategy that could support the rollout of vanadium flow batteries in Australia, according to chief executive Graham Arvidson. While it's a first for Horizon, the 40-year-old technology was invented in Australia at the University of NSW and has been grid-connected for 20 years in other countries. "It's really coming into its own with the energy transition because we're looking at long-duration batteries to enable renewable energy like solar to be shifted from day to evening," Mr Arvidson. "Now that this battery is commissioned, we're looking forward to a true test of what it can do for communities like Kununurra," he said. Australian Associated Press DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. 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