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Pope Francis kicks off a yearlong Jubilee that will test his stamina and Rome's patience VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has opened the great Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. The ceremony kicks off the 2025 Holy Year. It's a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome. And it will test the pope’s stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them. This begins the Christmas Eve Mass. The ceremony inaugurates the once-every-25-year tradition of a Jubilee. Francis has dedicated the 2025 Jubilee to the theme of hope. Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Heavy travel day off to a rough start after American Airlines briefly grounds all flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to 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 Tuesday about one hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. American said in an email that the problem was caused by an issue with a vendor technology that maintains its flight operating system. The flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that more than 3,200 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed. Twenty-eight flights were canceled. Middle East latest: Israel expels patients from a hospital in Gaza TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Palestinian Health Ministry says Israeli soldiers raided a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya on Tuesday, as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian city of Bethlehem was marking a somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza, with most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent. Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark’s only the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931. Major storm pounds California's central coast, blamed for man's death and partially collapsing pier SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — A major storm has pounded California’s central coast bringing flooding and high surf that was blamed for fatally trapping a man beneath debris on a beach and later partially collapsing a pier, tossing three people into the Pacific Ocean. The storm was expected to bring hurricane-force winds and waves up to 60 feet Monday as it gained strength from California to the Pacific Northwest. Some California cities have ordered beachfront homes and hotels to evacuate early Monday afternoon. Forecasters have warned that storm swells would continue to increase throughout the day. Medellin Cartel victims demand truth and justice as cartel boss Fabio Ochoa walks free in Colombia BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — The return of the notorious drug trafficker Fabio Ochoa to Colombia, following his deportation from the United States, has reopened old wounds among the victims of the Medellin cartel, with some expressing their dismay at the decision of Colombian authorities to let the former mafia boss walk free.Some of the cartel victims said on Tuesday that they are hoping the former drug lord will at least cooperate with ongoing efforts by human rights groups to investigate one of the most violent periods of Colombia’s history, and demanded that Colombian prosecutors also take Ochoa in for questioning. Man arraigned on murder charges in NYC subway death fanned flames with a shirt, prosecutors say NEW YORK (AP) — Prosecutors say a man accused of burning a woman to death inside a New York City subway train used a shirt to fan the flames, causing her to become engulfed. The suspect, identified by police as Sebastian Zapeta, was arraigned in Brooklyn criminal court on Tuesday. He faces murder charges that could put him in prison for life. Federal immigration officials say 33-year-old Zapeta is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally after being deported in 2018. The apparently random attack occurred Sunday morning on a stationary F train at the Coney Island station in Brooklyn. Amsterdam court sentences 5 men over violence linked to Ajax-Maccabi soccer game THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An Amsterdam District Court has issued sentences of up to six months in jail against 5 men who were involved in violent disorder after a soccer match between the Dutch club Ajax and Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv in November. The riots caused an international outcry and accusations of deliberate anti-Semitic attacks. The violence following a UEFA Europa League match left 5 people in hospital. More than 60 suspects were detained. The court on Tuesday sentenced one man to 6 months in prison, another to 2 1/2 months, two to 1 month and one to 100 hours of community service.multiplayer online games 。

In a groundbreaking moment for the gaming industry, the highly anticipated mobile game Marvel Contender has exceeded 10 million players within just three days of its release. This phenomenal achievement showcases the immense popularity and mass appeal of the game, offering an exhilarating virtual playground where players can immerse themselves in the vast Marvel universe.The world’s 10 richest people: The wealthiest have $100 billion or more

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Cam Carter hit five 3-pointers and finished with 23 points, Vyctorius Miller added 20 points and LSU never trailed Sunday night in a 110-45 win over Mississippi Valley State, the Tigers' 21st consecutive victory when scoring at least 100 points. LSU's 65-point margin of victory was its largest since the Tigers beat Grambling by 75 (112-37) on Nov. 20, 1999 and is the third biggest against a Division-I opponent in program history. The 110 points were the most by LSU since a 119-108 win over North Florida on Dec. 12, 2015. Carter scored 11 points — including three 3-pointers — in the first six minutes to make it 18-6 and LSU led by double figures the rest of the way. The Delta Devils went 0 for 6 from the field and committed five turnovers as LSU scored 17 consecutive points to take a 28-point lead with 7:44 left in the first half and led 55-13 at halftime. The Tigers allowed the seventh-fewest points in a half by an opponent in program history. Mississippi Valley State (2-11) is averaging 46.2 points and is winless with a scoring margin of minus-44.2 in 11 games against Division-I opponents this season. LSU (11-2) has won three games in a row since a 74-64 loss to SMU at the Compete 4 Cause Classic in Frisco, Texas, on Dec. 14. Jordan Spears and Daimion Collins added 15 points apiece for the Tigers, who shot 66% (46 of 70) from the field and made 12 3s. Alvin Stredic led Mississippi Valley State with eight points. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketballDespite commanding over 60% of India’s overall smartphone market, Chinese smartphone brands are finding it difficult to make a significant impact in the high-value premium segment (priced above $600/₹50,000). This market is still dominated by Apple and Samsung, which together control more than 94% of the share, with little room for competitors. Chinese brands, including OnePlus, Vivo, Oppo, Realme, and Xiaomi, have made strides in India’s mid-range and budget categories. However, their presence in the premium segment remains minimal, despite constant innovation and efforts to enhance after-sales services. According to IDC data for the third quarter of 2024, Apple and Samsung saw their combined share increase to over 94%, up from 90% a year earlier. In contrast, Chinese brands like OnePlus and Vivo have struggled. OnePlus saw its share drop from 3.4% to 2.4%, while Vivo’s share plummeted from 0.8% to just 0.2% during the same period. As the premium segment grew by 85% year on year, Chinese brands’ lack of traction has been noticeable. Industry analysts, including Upasana Joshi from IDC India, explain that the premium segment is still a two-horse race between Apple and Samsung, with Chinese brands unable to compete effectively at these price points. Despite their efforts, Chinese vendors are yet to win significant consumer loyalty in the above-$600 category, where the perception of premium quality remains closely tied to established players like Apple and Samsung. Several factors contribute to Chinese brands’ challenges in the premium segment: Despite these challenges, Chinese brands remain committed to competing in the premium segment. OnePlus, Vivo, and others are now focusing on technological differentiation and offering premium after-sales services, such as doorstep repairs, 24/7 customer support, and loyalty discounts. Sanyam Chaurasia, an analyst at Canalys, suggests that while initial interest is often high, Chinese brands need a long-term strategy to build brand loyalty and customer trust in the premium market. Offering financing options and luxurious packaging might attract customers, but sustained success will depend on long-term consumer satisfaction. Brands like Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Realme have expanded their portfolios to include premium devices aimed at competing directly with flagship models from Apple and Samsung. However, despite these efforts, their market share has remained limited. Sudhin Mathur, Chief Operating Officer at Xiaomi India, acknowledges that although Xiaomi is unlikely to see immediate gains in the premium segment, the company will continue to push forward with industry-first offerings. Xiaomi’s average selling price (ASP) is around ₹18,000, while the industry ASP is climbing towards ₹24,000, reflecting the growing premiumisation trend in the market. Experts predict that over the next few years, Chinese brands will continue to chase the premium market more aggressively. This shift will involve not only enhancing the hardware but also focusing on experiential software features, ensuring a premium user experience. Anuj Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer at Xiaomi, mentioned that 2024 marked the first year with a full portfolio of flagship devices, which helped boost sales of Xiaomi’s lower-end products. While flagship phones may not yet be bestsellers, improvements in areas like camera quality are gradually improving customer satisfaction. Even in the $400-$600 range (₹30,000-₹50,000), Apple and Samsung continue to dominate. These brands hold over 45% of the market share in this segment, with previous-generation models being more popular than newer launches from Chinese competitors. Vivo, however, has emerged as the leader in this range, with a 20% market share, while OnePlus’ share has fallen from 37% in Q3 2023 to 14% in Q3 2024. While Chinese smartphone brands remain dominant in the budget and mid-range segments, their efforts to break into the premium market will require ongoing innovation and consumer trust-building. The road to success in the high-value segment will involve not only improving product offerings but also enhancing the brand experience to shift consumer perceptions and loyalty away from Apple and Samsung. ALSO READ : Technical Issue Temporarily Halts American Airlines Flights During Holiday Surge

Both Li Chunlai and Xu Huiji have been lauded not only for their scientific achievements but also for their commitment to advancing the frontiers of knowledge and inspiring the next generation of scientists. Their inclusion on the list of the top 10 figures of 2024 is a testament to their dedication, innovation, and profound impact on the scientific community.Opta Predicts Champions League Standings: Liverpool 1st, Real Madrid 21st, Paris Saint-Germain 24th