America's Own Assad: Egypt Under Sisi Has 70,000 Political PrisonersNo. 22 Xavier unbeaten but looking for more effort vs. South Carolina
‘World at dawn of third nuclear age’, armed forces chief warnsCOLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) — Victims' families and others affected by crimes that resulted in federal death row convictions shared a range of emotions on Monday, from relief to anger, after President Joe Biden commuted dozens of the sentences . Biden converted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The inmates include people who were convicted in the slayings of police, military officers and federal prisoners and guards. Others were involved in deadly robberies and drug deals. Three inmates will remain on federal death row: Dylann Roof , convicted of the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; the 2013 Boston Marathon Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev ; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of life Synagogue in 2018 , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. Opponents of the death penalty lauded Biden for a decision they'd long sought. Supporters of Donald Trump , a vocal advocate of expanding capital punishment, criticized the move as an assault to common decency just weeks before the president-elect takes office. Victims' families and former colleagues share relief and anger Donnie Oliverio, a retired Ohio police officer whose partner was killed by one of the men whose death sentence was commuted, said the execution of “the person who killed my police partner and best friend would have brought me no peace.” “The president has done what is right here,” Oliverio said in a statement also issued by the White House, “and what is consistent with the faith he and I share.” Heather Turner, whose mother, Donna Major, was killed in a bank robbery in South Carolina in 2017, called Biden's commutation of the killer's sentence a “clear gross abuse of power” in a Facebook post, adding that the weeks she spent sitting in court with the hope of justice were now “just a waste of time.” “At no point did the president consider the victims,” Turner wrote. “He, and his supporters, have blood on their hands.” Decision to leave Roof on death row met with conflicting emotions There has always been a broad range of opinions on what punishment Roof should face from the families of the nine people killed and the survivors of the massacre at the Mother Emanuel AME Church. Many forgave him, but they can’t forget and their forgiveness doesn’t mean they don’t want to see him put to death for what he did. Felicia Sanders survived the shooting shielding her granddaughter while watching Roof kill her son, Tywanza, and her aunt, Susie Jackson. Sanders brought her bullet-torn bloodstained Bible to his sentencing and said then she can’t even close her eyes to pray because Roof started firing during the closing prayer of Bible study that night. In a text message to her lawyer, Andy Savage, Sanders called Biden’s decision to not spare Roof’s life a wonderful Christmas gift. Michael Graham, whose sister, Cynthia Hurd, was killed, told The Associated Press that Roof’s lack of remorse and simmering white nationalism in the country means he is the kind of dangerous and evil person the death penalty is intended for. “This was a crime against a race of people," Graham said. “It didn’t matter who was there, only that they were Black.” But the Rev. Sharon Richer, who was Tywanza Sanders’ cousin and whose mother, Ethel Lance, was killed, criticized Biden for not sparing Roof and clearing out all of death row. She said every time Roof’s case comes up through numerous appeals it is like reliving the massacre all over again. “I need the President to understand that when you put a killer on death row, you also put their victims' families in limbo with the false promise that we must wait until there is an execution before we can begin to heal,” Richer said in a statement. Richer, a board member of Death Penalty Action, which seeks to abolish capital punishment, was driven to tears by conflicting emotions during a Zoom news conference Monday. “The families are left to be hostages for the years and years of appeals that are to come,” Richer said. “I’ve got to stay away from the news today. I’ve got to turn the TV off — because whose face am I going to see?” Biden is giving more attention to the three inmates he chose not to spare, something they all wanted as a part of what drove them to kill, said Abraham Bonowitz, Death Penalty Action’s executive director. “These three racists and terrorists who have been left on death row came to their crimes from political motivations. When Donald Trump gets to execute them what will really be happening is they will be given a global platform for their agenda of hatred,” Bonowitz said. One inmate's attorney expresses thanks — and his remorse Two of the men whose sentences were commuted were Norris Holder and Billie Jerome Allen, on death row for opening fire with assault rifles during a 1997 bank robbery in St. Louis, killing a guard, 46-year-old Richard Heflin. Holder’s attorney, Madeline Cohen, said in an email that Holder was sentenced to death by an all-white jury. She said his case “reflects many of the system’s flaws,” and thanked Biden for commuting his sentence. “Norris’ case exemplifies the racial bias and arbitrariness that led the President to commute federal death sentences,” Cohen said. “Norris has always been deeply remorseful for the pain his actions caused, and we hope this decision brings some measure of closure to Richard Heflin’s family.” Swenson reported from Seattle. Associated Press writer Jim Salter in O'Fallon, Missouri, contributed to this report.
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As the Vancouver Canucks head out short-handed on a big six-game road trip — an away stint that’s increasingly feeling like a potentially pivotal stretch in the season — how are fans feeling? The Canucks are still missing a couple stars. J.T. Miller isn’t expected to play until after this road trip. But there’s some hope on the horizon. Brock Boeser will hopefully make his return next week. Thatcher Demko continues to skate with his teammates and appears close to a return, although not necessarily imminent. He was notably upbeat in speaking to reporters before the road trip, not saying there’s a target for a return date, but still making it clear he is hoping it’s soon. So how do fans think this road trip will go? Not expecting to win many games, but do they show up every night? Might get a big boost if Boeser returns. But this team is not a contender with their current defence. — Jordan Spinks via Bluesky The showing-up part is something that is baffling head coach Rick Tocchet to a degree. Most of the roster is back from last year, but they’re still struggling for consistency. Whereas last year’s team was relentless in how they applied pressure on the opposition, this year’s lineup hasn’t always done so. The way the likes of Kiefer Sherwood, Nils Hoglander and Conor Garland forecheck stand out in a way that shouldn’t. You know they’re going to get in on the puck. But we should be thinking like this about every player on the team. Newer players like Danton Heinen and Jake DeBrusk are still works in progress in this regard. U.S. Thanksgiving (usually) doesn’t have much movement in playoff standings. Important trip, but still have big concerns on the way team is playing. Commitment and buy-in feels nothing like last year. — Aaren T. via Bluesky Year in, year out, there’s eternal truth about the NHL standings at American Thanksgiving — three-quarters of the teams that are in playoff positions at the end of November will go on to make the playoffs. American Thanksgiving is Thursday. The Canucks are currently in a playoff spot, but only just. They have work to do. This road trip is going to be very important for their prospects this season, both in the literal standings, but also in the team’s self-image. They do need to commit more, to buy-in more, to what they’re doing. That’s plain to see. It’s a big test for the leaders on the team. It will end with a pretty decent trade. — Anthony Riglietti via Bluesky There’s little doubt the Canucks are on the hunt for a defenceman. But are they in a rush? No. They know they need another defenceman who can move the puck. They also have faith in the prospects they have in the long run. But in the interim, with this team being close to a proper contender, they do need to upgrade. Last year, they made the Nikita Zadorov trade at the end of November. There was something of a necessity then: Carson Soucy was hurt. Right now, there’s no injury, just a roster that’s creaking due to its own construction. Will adding a new defenceman now pay immediate dividends and lead to more wins? In the long run, certainly. In the short run, probably not. The moral here is that the Canucks are surely going to make a trade, but their past process has shown that they don’t leap before they have to. I’m feeling really optimistic, expectations are much lower than I think they normally would be, and we always seem to do much better when the expectations are lowered! — Geordie Canuck via Bluesky The eternal vibe of the Canucks fan is: Don’t expect things to go right, and hey, maybe you’ll be surprised. This isn’t really what a fan wants. They want that 2011 feeling, or even last season’s feeling, where they just think the team is going to win every night. Right now, that’s not the vibe. The vibe seems to be anxiety. People are already feeling enough anxiety about the world at large, about their finances, about everything. Canucks, these fans want you to get back to where you need to be. pjohnston@postmedia.com
Joe Biden begins final White House holiday season with turkey pardons for 'Peach' and 'Blossom'
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 . The music streaming service Spotify shared its personalized year-end “Wrapped” round-ups with all of its listeners today, showing them who they listened to the most, which madlibs-y named genres they discovered this year, and how many minutes they spent bumpin’ that overall. This year in the art world might be chalked up to — in the typical incoherent word salad Spotify Wrapped spits out to users about their intimate music selections every year — an “apocalyptic dystopian strut broody hyper-pop disaster.” As we get ready to close the books on 2024 and hopefully never look back, we present our own version of “Wrapped.” Here is what the art world’s Wrapped (more like Crapped) looks like from our end: Get the latest art news, reviews and opinions from Hyperallergic. Daily Weekly Opportunities 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 Facebook
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Police hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's masked killer after 'brazen, targeted' attack on NYC street NEW YORK (AP) — UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has been shot and killed in what police say is a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference. The shooting rattled the city and set off a massive dragnet hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting. Police say 50-year-old Brian Thompson was shot around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch says the shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire. Police have not yet established a motive. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the US but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's chief executive on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk Wednesday became a mystery that riveted the nation. Police say it was a targeted killing. Thompson was 50. He had worked at the company for 20 years and had run health care giant UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s insurance business since 2021. It provides health coverage for more than 49 million Americans and brought in $281 billion in revenue last year. Thompson's $10.2 million annual compensation made him one of the company’s highest-paid executives. Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on medical treatments for transgender minors WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people. The Biden administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors. Hegseth fights to save Pentagon nomination as sources say Trump considers DeSantis WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s Pentagon pick, is fighting to hold on to his Cabinet nomination amid growing questions about his personal conduct as the president-elect’s team considers alternatives, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. But Hegseth says, “We’re not backing down one bit." The Trump transition team is concerned about Hegseth’s path to Senate confirmation and is actively looking at potential replacements, according to a person familiar with the matter. Hegseth is under pressure as senators weigh a series of allegations that have surfaced against him. Beyond DeSantis, there have been discussions about shifting Michael Waltz, who was named by Trump as his national security adviser, to the Defense Department Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is bringing Peter Navarro back to the White House for his second administration. Trump announced Wednesday on Truth Social that Navarro will serve as a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing. He was a trade adviser in Trump's first term. Navarro served four months in prison after being held in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump also chose former Rep. Billy Long of Missouri as IRS commissioner, former Sen. Kelly Loeffler as administrator of the Small Business Administration, Daniel Driscoll as Army secretary, Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator and Adam Boehler as special presidential envoy for hostage affairs. Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — A Palestinian health official said Wednesday that at least 21 people were killed in Israeli strikes on a camp housing displaced people in Gaza. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants. The strikes hit in the Muwasi area, a sprawling coastal camp housing hundreds of thousands of displaced people. It came after Israeli forces struck targets in other areas of Gaza. According to Palestinian medics, strikes in central Gaza killed eight people, including four children. The war in Gaza is nearly 14 months old and showing no end in sight, despite international efforts to revive negotiations toward a ceasefire. South Korean President Yoon's martial law declaration raises questions over his political future SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term. The opposition-controlled parliament overturned the edict, and his rivals on Wednesday took steps to impeach him. Yoon's move baffled many experts. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Yoon hasn't commented on the impeachment bid. But the political instability he unleashed could make it more difficult for his government to nurse a decaying economy. French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962 PARIS (AP) — France’s far-right and left-wing lawmakers have joined together to vote on a no-confidence motion prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet to resign. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered the new details Wednesday about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that a number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. Harris found success with women who have cats, but Trump got the dog owner vote: AP VoteCast WASHINGTON (AP) — The lead-up to the 2024 election was all about cat owners. But in the end, the dogs had their day. Donald Trump won more than half of voters who own either cats or dogs, and he had with a big assist from dog owners. That's according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. Dog owners were much more likely to support Trump over Kamala Harris. Cat owners were evenly split between the two candidates. Harris did end up decisively winning support from women who own a cat but no dog. Past comments by Trump's running mate, JD Vance, about “childless cat ladies” briefly became a campaign issue.MCNEESE 76, ILLINOIS STATE 68ST. THOMAS, Virgin Islands (AP) — Javohn Garcia scored 16 points as McNeese beat Illinois State 76-68 on Friday. Garcia also contributed seven rebounds for the Cowboys (3-2). Brandon Murray shot 4 of 10 from the field and 5 for 7 from the line to add 13 points. Sincere Parker shot 4 for 8 (2 for 5 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line to finish with 13 points.
No. 22 Xavier aims to keep its perfect record intact Monday night in Fort Myers, Fla., when it takes on South Carolina in the Fort Myers Tip-Off. The Musketeers (5-0) are coming off an 80-55 victory on Wednesday over Siena, while the Gamecocks (3-2) beat Mercer on Thursday 84-72. Against Mercer, South Carolina sank a season-best 12 3-pointers -- tied for the fourth-most in a single game under third-year coach Lamont Paris. Jamarii Thomas, a senior transfer from Norfolk State, had 19 points and swished 4 of 5 shots from behind the arc. "Thomas got some good, clean looks," Paris said. "It was good to see those guys make their shots. Hopefully it gets those guys going in the right direction." On the season, the Gamecocks are making 7.8 3-pointers per game and shooting 32.5 percent from deep. Senior guard Jacobi Wright makes a team-best 1.8 3-pointers per game and shoots 37.5 percent from behind the arc. At 13.0 ppg, he is second on the team behind Collin Murray-Boyles (15.8). Xavier is allowing eight makes from deep per game and is letting opponents shoot 38.5 percent from behind the arc, which ranks 337th in the country. And despite an undefeated record so far for the Musketeers, third-year coach Sean Miller is worried about his players developing bad habits. "We have a virus that everybody is looking at the stat sheet, trying to get as many points as they possibly can," Miller said after the win over Siena. "They want to win, but they really want to win and score. We need a couple of guys that are willing to rebound, defend, make the extra pass, play at a high level defensively and understand what makes a team great." Marcus Foster did a decent job of doing a little bit of everything for Xavier against Siena, piling up 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and a steal. It was the first double-digit scoring outing for Foster -- a grad transfer from Furman -- in a Xavier uniform. Since 2008, Xavier is 25-11 against teams from the Southeastern Conference, but it hasn't played South Carolina in that stretch. --Field Level MediaMISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Marcus Adams Jr.'s 19 points helped CSU Northridge defeat Denver 89-60 on Monday night. Adams also added 11 rebounds for the Matadors (5-1). Keonte Jones added 17 points while shooting 4 of 6 from the field and 8 for 8 from the line and also had five rebounds and three blocks. PJ Fuller shot 2 of 8 from the field, including 0 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 6 from the line to finish with 10 points. Nicholas Shogbonyo led the way for the Pioneers (3-4) with 15 points. Pedro Lopez-Sanvicente added 10 points and two blocks for Denver. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — Inter Milan beat Como 2-0 to cement third place in Serie A and close the gap on top two Atalanta and Napoli on Monday. Carlos Augusto got the opener when he headed home a corner kick in the 48th minute. Marcus Thuram scored the second in stoppage time with a potent strike into the roof of the net. It was the first time these teams have played each other in the top division since 2003 and although Inter had lost only one league game all season it struggled to impose itself on 15th-placed Como. However, it won without exerting itself and the three points were enough to take Simone Inzaghi’s men within three points of leader Atalanta and within one of Napoli. Inter has a game in hand over both clubs. Fiorentina missed a chance to go fourth when it lost at home to Udinese 2-1. The Florence club won a record eight consecutive Serie A games before losing to Bologna 1-0 on Dec. 15, and it looked to be back on track when Moises Kean converted a penalty after eight minutes to become the first Fiorentina player to reach double figures in the league since Federico Chiesa in the 2019-20 season. However, Udinese was a different prospect after the break. Lorenzo Lucca equalized with the aid of sloppy defending four minutes into the second half and then Florian Thauvin found space on the edge of the box to curl in the second eight minutes later. The result left Udinese in ninth place and Fiorentina in fifth. The match was a special one for Edoardo Bove, the Fiorentina player whose collapse with a heart issue led to the suspension of its game with Inter Milan on Dec. 1. Bove was fitted with a defibrillator implant soon after and sat on the Fiorentina bench for the first time since his collapse. He is not allowed to play but his position on the sideline alongside coach Raffaele Palladino was seen as a step towards normality for the 22-year-old midfielder. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Following November’s introduction of flagship smartphones featuring the latest chips from Qualcomm and MediaTek, December will see more launches in India. Highlighting the list are the iQOO 13, Redmi Note 14 series, and Vivo X200 series. Here is an overview of the smartphones launching in India this month. Launch date: December 3 The iQOO 13 boasts a 2K AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) technology for dynamic adjustments. It is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor paired with a Supercomputing Chip Q2 for gaming enhancements, including 2K Game Super Resolution and 144 fps frame interpolation. It features a 50MP Sony IMX921 primary camera, 50MP ultra-wide, 50MP telephoto lenses, and a 32MP front camera. The Indian variant includes a 6,000mAh battery with 120W fast charging, while the Chinese version offers a 6,150mAh battery. Other highlights include the “Monster Halo” notification light, IP69 resistance, and colour options like Nardo Grey and the BMW-themed Legend Edition. Running on Android 15-based FunTouchOS 15, iQOO has promised four Android updates and five years of security patches. Launch date: December 9 Launched in China in September, the Redmi Note 14 series includes three models: Redmi Note 14, Note 14 Pro, and Note 14 Pro+. Indian variants are expected to retain most of the features of their Chinese counterparts. Redmi Note 14: Powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 7025 Ultra chip, it offers a 6.67-inch Full HD+ OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 50MP main camera, and a 5,110mAh battery supporting 45W charging. Redmi Note 14 Pro: Features the Dimensity 7300-Ultra chip, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ support, and a triple-camera setup with a 50MP Sony sensor with OIS, 8MP ultra-wide, and 2MP macro lenses. It packs up to 12GB RAM, 512GB storage, and a 5,500mAh battery with 45W charging. Redmi Note 14 Pro+: Equipped with Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, IP68 resistance, a 6.67-inch OLED display with Dolby Vision and HDR10+, and a 6,200mAh battery with 90W charging. Its camera setup includes a 50MP OmniVision sensor, 50MP telephoto, and 8MP ultra-wide lenses. Launch date: Yet to be announced Vivo’s X200 series, including the X200 and X200 Pro, launched in China in October. Indian availability is anticipated later this month, although Vivo has yet to announce an exact date. The X200 features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display, while the X200 Pro offers a larger 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with LTPO technology for dynamic refresh rates. Both have a 120Hz refresh rate and peak brightness of 4500 nits. They share a 50MP Sony LYT-818 primary camera with OIS and a 50MP ultra-wide camera, while telephoto lenses differ: 200MP (3.7x zoom) on the Pro and 50MP (3x zoom) on the base model. Both models provide up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB UFS 4.0 storage. While several brands are gearing up for Indian launches in 2025, some notable developments include: Following November’s introduction of flagship smartphones featuring the latest chips from Qualcomm and MediaTek, December will see more launches in India. Highlighting the list are the iQOO 13, Redmi Note 14 series, and Vivo X200 series. Here is an overview of the smartphones launching in India this month. Launch date: December 3 The iQOO 13 boasts a 2K AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) technology for dynamic adjustments. It is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor paired with a Supercomputing Chip Q2 for gaming enhancements, including 2K Game Super Resolution and 144 fps frame interpolation. It features a 50MP Sony IMX921 primary camera, 50MP ultra-wide, 50MP telephoto lenses, and a 32MP front camera. The Indian variant includes a 6,000mAh battery with 120W fast charging, while the Chinese version offers a 6,150mAh battery. Other highlights include the “Monster Halo” notification light, IP69 resistance, and colour options like Nardo Grey and the BMW-themed Legend Edition. Running on Android 15-based FunTouchOS 15, iQOO has promised four Android updates and five years of security patches. Launch date: December 9 Launched in China in September, the Redmi Note 14 series includes three models: Redmi Note 14, Note 14 Pro, and Note 14 Pro+. Indian variants are expected to retain most of the features of their Chinese counterparts. Redmi Note 14: Powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 7025 Ultra chip, it offers a 6.67-inch Full HD+ OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 50MP main camera, and a 5,110mAh battery supporting 45W charging. Redmi Note 14 Pro: Features the Dimensity 7300-Ultra chip, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ support, and a triple-camera setup with a 50MP Sony sensor with OIS, 8MP ultra-wide, and 2MP macro lenses. It packs up to 12GB RAM, 512GB storage, and a 5,500mAh battery with 45W charging. Redmi Note 14 Pro+: Equipped with Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, IP68 resistance, a 6.67-inch OLED display with Dolby Vision and HDR10+, and a 6,200mAh battery with 90W charging. Its camera setup includes a 50MP OmniVision sensor, 50MP telephoto, and 8MP ultra-wide lenses. Launch date: Yet to be announced Vivo’s X200 series, including the X200 and X200 Pro, launched in China in October. Indian availability is anticipated later this month, although Vivo has yet to announce an exact date. The X200 features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display, while the X200 Pro offers a larger 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with LTPO technology for dynamic refresh rates. Both have a 120Hz refresh rate and peak brightness of 4500 nits. They share a 50MP Sony LYT-818 primary camera with OIS and a 50MP ultra-wide camera, while telephoto lenses differ: 200MP (3.7x zoom) on the Pro and 50MP (3x zoom) on the base model. Both models provide up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB UFS 4.0 storage. While several brands are gearing up for Indian launches in 2025, some notable developments include: