646jili01

Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack Awards season has arrived in the form of the Golden Globes nominations. The awards, which honor both movies and television programs, is often viewed as a preview of the upcoming Oscars. In this week's episode, co-hosts Bruce Miller and Terry Lipshetz go over the list, focusing largely on the movies, which tend to shine brightest at the ceremony. But they also take time to review a few of the TV shows, including the great, but rarely funny "The Bear," which is again in the comedy or musical category. We also have an interview with "Nickel Boys" director RaMell Ross, who spoke with Miller prior to the film receiving a nomination for best drama. Miller also talked with Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, who starred in the film. “Wicked”; “Anora”; “Emilia Perez”; “Challengers”; “A Real Pain”; “The Substance” “The Brutalist”; “A Complete Unknown,”; “Conclave”; “Dune: Part Two”; “Nickel Boys;” “September 5” Jesse Eisenberg, “A Real Pain”; Hugh Grant, “Heretic”; Gabriel LaBelle, “Saturday Night; Jesse Plemons, “Kinds of Kindness”’ Glen Powell, “Hitman”; Sebastian Stan, “A Different Man” Amy Adams, “Nightbitch”; Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked”; Karla Sofia Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”; Mikey Madison “Anora”; Demi Moore, “The Substance”; Zendaya, “Challengers” Pamela Anderson, “The Last Showgirl′′; Angelina Jolie, ”Maria”; Nicole Kidman, “Babygirl”; Tilda Swinton, “The Room Next Door”; Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here”; Kate Winslet, “Lee” Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist”; Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown’; Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing”; Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave”; Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice’’ “Alien: Romulus”; Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”; Deadpool & Wolverine”; “Gladiator II”; “Inside Out 2”; “Twisters”; “Wicked”; “The Wild Robot” “All We Imagine As Light′′; ”Emilia Pérez”; “The Girl With the Needle”; “I’m Still Here”; “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”; “Vermiglio” “Flow”; “Inside Out 2”; “Memoir of a Snail”; “Moana 2”; “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”; “The Wild Robot” Selena Gomez, ”Emilia Pérez”; Ariana Grande, “Wicked”; Felicity Jones, “The Brutalist”; Margaret Qualley, “The Substance”; Isabella Rossellini, “Conclave”; Zoe Saldaña, ”Emilia Pérez” Yura Borisov, “Anora”; Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain”; Edward Norton, “A Complete Unknown”; Guy Pearce, “The Brutalist”; Jeremy Strong, ”The Apprentice”; Denzel Washington, “Gladiator II” Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez”; Sean Baker, ”Anora”; Edward Berger, “Conclave”; Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist”; Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”; Payal Kapadia, “All We Imagine As Light” Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez”; Sean Baker, ”Anora”; Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold, “The Brutalist”; Jesse Eisenberg, “A Real Pain”; Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”; Peter Straughan, “Conclave” Volker Bertelmann, “Conclave”; Daniel Blumberg, “The Brutalist”; Kris Bowers, “The Wild Robot”; Clement Ducol, Camille “Emilia Pérez”; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, “Challengers”; Hans Zimmer, “Dune: Part Two” “Beautiful That Way” from “The Last Showgirl” (music/lyrics by Andrew Wyatt, Miley Cyrus, Lykke Zachrisson); “Compress/Repress” from “Challengers’ (music/lyrics by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Luca Guadagnino; “El Mal” from EL MAL” from “Emilia Pérez” (music/lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille, Jacques Audiard; “Forbidden Road” from ”Better Man′′ (music/lyrics by Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler, Sacha Skarbek); “Kiss the Sky” from “The Wild Robot′′ (music/lyrics by Delacey, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali Tamposi); ”Mi Camino′′ from “Emilia Pérez” (music/lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille) “Shogun”; “The Diplomat”; “Slow Horses”; “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”; “The Day of the Jackal”; “Squid Game” “Abbott Elementary”; “The Bear; “Hacks”; “Nobody Wants This”; “Only Murders in the Building”; “The Gentlemen” Donald Glover, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”; Jake Gyllenhaal, “Presumed Innocent”; Gary Oldman, “Slow Horses”; Eddie Redmayne, “The Day of the Jackal”; Hiroyuki Sanada, “Shogun”; Billy Bob Thornton, “Landman” Kathy Bates, “Matlock”; Emma D’Arcy, “House of the Dragon”; Maya Erskine, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”; Keira Knightley, “Black Doves”; Keri Russell, “The Diplomat”; Anna Sawai, “Shogun” Kristen Bell, “Nobody Wants This”; Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”; Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear”; Selena Gomez, “Only Murders in the Building”; Kathryn Hahn, “Agatha All Along”; Jean Smart, “Hacks” Adam Brody, “Nobody Wants This”; Ted Danson, “A Man on the Inside”; Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building”; Jason Segel, “Shrinking”; Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building”; Jeremy All White, “The Bear” “Baby Reindeer”; Disclaimer"; “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”; “The Penguin”; “Ripley”; “True Detective: Night Country” Cate Blanchett, “Disclaimer''; Jodie Foster, ”True Detective: Night Country"; Cristin Milioti, “The Penguin''; Sofia Vergara, ”Griselda"; Naomi Watts, “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans”; Kate Winslet, “The Regime” Colin Farrell, “The Penguin”; Richard Gadd, “Baby Reindeer”; Kevin Kline, “Disclaimer”; Cooper Koch, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”; Ewan McGregor, “A Gentleman in Moscow”; Andrew Scott, “Ripley” Liza Colón-Zayas, “The Bear”; Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”; Dakota Fanning, “Ripley”; Jessica Gunning, “Baby Reindeer”; Allison Janney, “The Diplomat”; Kali Reis, “True Detective: Night Country” Tadanobu Asano, “Shogun''; Javier Bardem, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”; Harrison Ford, “Shrinking”; Jack Lowden “Slow Horses”; Diego Luna, “La Maquina”; Ebon Moss-Bachrach, “The Bear” Jamie Foxx, “Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was”; Nikki Glaser, “Nikki Glaser: Someday You'll Die”; Seth Meyers, “Seth Meyers: Dad Man Walking”; Adam Sandler, "Adam Sandler: Love You"; Ali Wong, “Ali Wong: Single Lady”; Ramy Youssef, “Ramy Youssef: More Feelings” —List compiled by The Associated Press1. A versatile chop, slice, and dice unit so you can drastically *cut* down on food prep and cleanup time with interchangeable blades that can each be popped into the dishwasher. You've been around long enough to know you never want to chop an onion by hand again. Promising review: "Makes life so much easier. I can't imagine chopping onions or bell peppers by hand anymore, and it does so much more. We used to have a Prepworks chopper which was a similar idea, but you had to press so hard to chop, and it broke after not too long. This one requires very little effort to cut through the food, and it has a generous container." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in four colors and three other styles). 2. A durable honeycomb drawer for eliminating the time-consuming drawer excavation you perform every time you're looking for a specific scarf, tie, or pair of underwear before it's time to head out the door. Thanks to its super simple design, the organizer can be assembled simply by snapping the pieces together. Plus, they can expand to fit the size of your drawers. Promising review: "I am a man of many socks, and these helped organize them much better than what I was doing. It's easy to do by color and style." — Think Blue Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 3. A budget-friendly SkinSmart facial cleanser spray that reviewers compare to the pricier Tower 28 SOS Spray for its ability to target redness and bacteria without drying out your skin. It's suitable for all skin types and is ideal for busy bodies who still want to take good care of their skin. Just spray and go — no scrubbing needed! See it in action on TikTok . Promising review: "I rarely write reviews, but I am already in love with whatever sorcery is in this bottle! This was a TikTok-influenced buy, so I was skeptical. When I got the product, I was having a horrible breakout with a HUGE irritated pimple in the crevice of my nose, and after two days of using it before and after work, it’s gone! It immediately helped the redness and irritation as well, and I'm blown away! After less than a week, my breakout has almost cleared up completely." — Catherine bunch Get it from Amazon for $17.46 . 4. A set of reusable Wad-Free tools you might recognize from Shark Tank if you're tired of laundry day getting derailed by tangled bedsheets. These help maintain a balanced washer drum, reduce dry times, and prevent wet clothes from getting trapped in the sheets. Wad-Free is a small biz that was launched during the pandemic by Cyndi Bray, who had a wadding problem and no available solutions. So they did what anyone would do (JK) — learned CAD (computer-aided design) and invented a genius solution! Promising review: "Wow!!! You wonder if things like this really work and, well, I can absolutely confirm it does! First, I was impressed that the package came with two of the devices because I was only expecting one. So there was one for the fitted sheet and the flat sheet. Finally, I tried it out, and my sheets not only did NOT wad up, but they came out of the dryer feeling fresher, more dry, and unwrinkled! I will be buying a set of these for each of my immediate family members and close friends! What a great gift!!!" — katy Get a pair from Amazon for $19.99 (also available in a four-pack). 5. A nonaerosol dry shampoo powder packed in a travel-friendly compact to prolong wash day and revive greasy locks so you can basically roll right out of bed and into the office and STILL have coworkers complimenting your fabulous hair. Promising review: "I am so glad I gave this product a try, as it works amazingly well on my fine, oily hair. I have used just about every dry shampoo product on the market, and this is by far the best one yet . My hair looks beautiful, and I can now go nearly a week without washing (while still having absolutely gorgeous hair)! I used to have to wash my hair every other day when I was using my former favorite dry shampoo (and it made my scalp itch on day two). This product is definitely worth a try, and it may soon be your favorite!" — Melanie Havert Get it from Amazon for $18 (available in eight styles). 6. Some Sock Ons because no one told you that putting (and keeping) socks on your kid was such a time-consuming, daily ordeal. These stretchy sleeves sit over their sock to keep them exactly where they belong — on their feet. These are designed for ages 6–12 months. Promising review: "These things are GREAT! I normally wouldn't spend money on something that seemed kind of silly like this, but my sister-in-law gave me a box of baby stuff when I had my second kid, and there were two pairs of Sock Ons in there, and I had no idea what they were, but l et me tell you...they are HANDY to have ! So much so that I got on Amazon and bought a pink pair for my daughter. They keep the socks from falling off nonstop. Without these, her socks will fall off like...100 times a day, and with these, they only come off maybe once or twice if she is kicking a lot. It is cold here right now, so I love that they keep her socks on and keep her feet warmer. These would be a good purchase by a parent and a GREAT purchase for a gift because it's something a lot of people won't buy themselves unless they know that they work ! The ONLY downfall is that they cover up part of the sock design...which some of the little baby socks are cute...but it's worth it!" — zoey1012 Get them from Amazon for $14.77 . 7. A convenient automatic cat feeder so your favorite feline never misses a meal, even when a million other things are vying for your attention. Create a personalized meal schedule, and this feeder will dispense a pre-set amount of food up to four times a day. You can even add a cute little mealtime voice memo for when you're away! It plugs into the wall, but it also accepts batteries in case of power outages. Promising review : " We held off for years, telling ourselves our cat would eventually accept his feeding time if we were consistent in ignoring him. Well, here we are. Wish we bought this sooner; best money I've ever spent. Plus, we can more easily leave our cat for a few days without worrying as much. The battery backup is a nice feature, and it's easy to program, and once you get it set up you basically don't need to do anything except monitor the amount of remaining food . My only slight complaint is that the bowl itself is a hollow plastic, so the food hitting the bowl was actually loud enough in the other room to wake us up. So we now just have it dispense onto the mat we have." — Jen E Get it from Amazon for $55.99+ (available in two sizes and four colors). 8. A bleach-free Wet & Forget shower cleaner for not only cleaning but preventing soap scum buildup with minimal effort. Once a week, simply give your shower a spray, let it sit overnight, rinse, and — BOOM — you're done and didn't even break a sweat. Promising review: "I have been having shower draining issues, so there was a buildup of soap scum in my shower. I have a very weak stomach, and cleaning the shower makes me physically ill. I have tried several products that have claimed to be no scrub/wipe but this has been the only one that has worked. I sprayed it after my shower and left it to sit until the next night. Found that A LOT of the grime had disappeared. Now, was it perfect? No. But I think with consistent use, it will get there. Highly recommend this product." — KZ Get it from Amazon for $20.98+ (available in two sizes and two scents). 9. A Dawn Powerwash spray bundle that eliminates the time-consuming dish pre-soak so you can clear out your sink sooner. Just spray, wait a few minutes while it works it's magic, and wipe the stains away. This bundle includes one spray bottle and three refills. It also works great for any other greasy messes you have around the house! Promising review: “The first place I tried this was in my air fryer basket. It gets caked with the grease that comes from the food. The dishwasher doesn't get it clean. I sprayed this on it, and within a few minutes, the soap started turning a brownish color. I sprayed a little more and let it sit for an hour. All of the grease came off with a rinse!! Bonus use: I just used it to get resin off of my and my daughter's hands!! How did I ever live without this??" — A D Get it from Amazon for $18.22 . 10. Or a pack of carborundum sponges if your normie sponge is failing to clear away the burnt-on bits your pans like to hold onto. Promising review: "Nice and thin. You'll find so many more uses for these around the house than just getting stuff off the underside of cookware! I had hard, scaly water deposits on the glass surrounding our powder room faucet (one of those fancy, highfalutin, modern-looking things). I've tried everything for 4 years to get this stuff off. One day, I thought, 'Maybe I'll try my sponges.' Took it all off super easily!!!! The faucet looks like new. My only rec is to spot-test your item first before using it because it will scratch certain surfaces if you scrub too aggressively (for example, it gets the burned-on, weird stuff off of the bottom of my fave Our Place pan, but I rubbed too hard in one spot and it took the color right off lol)." — Hoarder Get an eight-pack from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in two sponge thicknesses). 11. A Shark Tank -approved Souper Cubes freezer tray designed to fit a serving (1 cup) of soup or sauce per cube so you can freeze and then reheat when you need a quick meal instead of defrosting an entire big container. Souper Cubes is a family-run small business with a passion for better frozen meal prep and food waste reduction! Plus, their products are BPA-free and dishwasher-safe. This tray has fill lines on the side of the compartments for half and full cups. Promising review: "LOVE LOVE LOVE. My freezer is so much more organized now. Gone are the days of having to defrost an entire bag of chicken broth for one cup for a recipe. I now have perfectly portioned 1/2-cup and 1-cup blocks ready to go. They fit easily in freezer bags, take up less space, and make me incredibly happy. There was a lot of attention to detail put into the design, and I particularly appreciate the wire inside the rim that holds everything steady — no more worrying about spilling all the liquid on the way to the freezer. Just a fantastic product all around. I purchased this and a cheaper version from another manufacturer at the same time but returned the other product. This one is definitely worth the added cost." — Kate Get it from Amazon for $19.95 (available in four colors and a two-pack). Check out my colleague's Souper Cubes review to learn more! 12. These rust-resistant double-sided shower hooks because changing out your curtain or liner doesn't have to be such a time-consuming ordeal. Plus, they're engineered with tiny roller balls that glide over the rod without the usual tugging and pulling. Promising review: "Wow. Game changer. I have to change my shower curtain liner a lot because of a humid bathroom (yes, even with a fan on 😬). Though there are greater issues in the world, why wouldn’t you want to save yourself some time with these hooks! Not having to take the curtain off each time I change the liner has really been more satisfying than I had anticipated. Added bonus are the rings themselves; the balls that were added hug the shower curtain rod so they never pop off. Something I never knew I needed either. Love these!" — Jdbouchart Get 12 hooks from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in 12 colors). 13. An air-dry leave-in cream so you can get touchable, crunch-free curls and enjoy less frizz without getting the blow-dryer or other heat styling tools involved. It's wash and go, just like you've always dreamed. This cream helps define your natural texture and works best on those with wavy, curly, or coily hair!! Promising review: "I'm so grateful that I found this product. My hair is wavy and frizzy. Every once in a great while, my waves resemble curls, but the frizz is always there. I've only used this product once so far, and I never want to be without it. I put some on after towel-drying (no brushing) my hair, and my waves actually resembled curls! It wasn't instant, so I was skeptical, but after about 15 minutes, I caught a glimpse of my hair in the mirror, and I was amazed. It looked styled rather than a ratty mess. I slept on it, and it still looked great in the morning!!!" — mich0610 Get it from Amazon for $8.39 . 14. A beloved tub of pink cleaning paste for performing small cleaning miracles on virtually any surface in your home without endless scrubbing or constant switching between products. Try it out on those "forever" stains other solutions could never handle, and fly through your cleaning in a fraction of the time. Promising review: "Found this product on TikTok. I don’t think I’ve ever seen value like I do with this product! Literally, use it on EVERYTHING!! Kids and teens have dirt, grime, and grease on their walls? This will make it look like a new paint job. Baseboards need some love? A pea-sized amount of this makes them look brand new. Need a shoe cleaner? PERFECT for sneakers. I could name a million more uses, but I can ASSURE you this is worth every penny. What’s more? You need so LITTLE of this product that it will last a VERY long time. Thank you, TikTok! !!" — Rachel in CLT Get it from Amazon for $5.29 . 15. A genius WD-40 pen that packs all the squeak-quieting, lubricating powers of the tried-and-true formula into a precision-tip pen that's easy to use and even easier to keep on hand for quick fixes, so you don't let that squeaky door live on for far too long. Promising review: "I love WD-40 products and use them for everything. I spray on shovels to keep dirt or snow from sticking, spray around windows and thresholds to deter bugs, clean Sharpies off wood and walls, and, of course, stop squeaky doors. These small direct-point application pens are great. Keep one in the glove box, my kitchen 'junk' drawer, and the house toolbox." — BBP623 Get a three-pack from Amazon for $12.99 . 16. A pack of stain-lifting pads to take care of stains like freshly spilled wine or old pet accidents on your carpet without you even having to touch it. Simply lay down the pad, stomp, and let it sit. Promising review: "WOW! Honestly, I was a little skeptical of the promise of these pads, but I bought them just to try them out. THEY WORKED AMAZINGLY WELL! Seriously. I have some stains that are 1.5–2 years old. I've tried everything to get them out. I put these pads on the stains (two to cover the spot), let them sit for about an hour, pulled them up, and the stain was gone. I truly couldn't believe it. The pad was yellow. Somehow, the old urine was soaked up into the pad. My carpet looks like new. I couldn't recommend these any higher for what I wanted and what I got. Wish I could give this more than 5 stars. " — Matt Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $27.48 . 17. A 40-pound bag of dust-free clumping litter because somehow you feel like all your time is spent hunched over the cat's litter box digging for gold. Make the chore quicker and easier with litter that's low tracking and quickly clumps for easy scooping. BuzzFeed Shopping editor Chelsea Stuart has this stuff on auto-ship: "I live in a third-story apartment in NYC, so I really don't have many options when it comes to cat litter. With Amazon's subscribe and save, though, I can get a 40-pound bag delivered right to my door, so I don't have to carry it back from a store or even up my own stairs! If you live in a multi-cat household, I think it's especially worthwhile because while those little two-pound bags are easy to carry, they go reallyyyy fast. This stuff also clumps up SO well and keeps odor at bay, which is a major blessing." Promising review : "I can hardly believe how well it does the job. It eliminates odors and absorbs excellently. I will only buy this litter from now on, and my cat 💘s it. P.S.: I've tried at least 10 kinds of cat litter, and they are very costly. This one's price is just right and works in every way I need it to. Thank you!" — Paula Stokes Get it from Amazon for $20.99 . 18. A Shark Tank -approved timed lock box so tempting distractions are LITERALLY inaccessible for a designated amount of time — from 1 minute up to 10 days! Pre-commitment devices like this one are a proven method for combatting decision fatigue and conserving willpower so you can fly through your to-do list and still have time for that oh-so-vital R&R. Kitchen Safe is a small business that previously appeared on Shark Tank pitching their locked timer as an effective way to handle temptations and distractions. Promising review: "This really helps to end chronic procrastination and avoid temptations. For me, I would always get distracted by my phone, but now I can finally stay on schedule and finish what I need to." — Lorenz Get it from Amazon for $59+ (available in three sizes and nine styles). 19. A nonstick microwave pasta cooker for the need-it-now noodle lover. This easy-to-use container cooks and drains so you get perfect al dente pasta every time without waiting for the water to boil or getting several dishes involved. Read our Fasta Pasta Microwave Cooker review ! Promising review: "One of those 'why didn't I think of this?' kind of things. It makes cooking pasta so easy and foolproof! No trying to bend/break pasta to get it to fit into a round pan. The instructions tell you exactly how long to microwave it for the different size proportions." — EQUUS Get it from Amazon for $16.99 . 20. A detangling kids leave-in conditioner that'll tame frizz, hydrate curls, reduce breakage, and just generally decrease the amount of time spent fussing over your kid's hair — something you'll both be grateful for. Promising review: "My daughter’s curly hair is usually filled with tangles in the morning because she tosses and turns in her sleep, but this leave-in has been an absolute lifesaver. It is lightweight, adds shine and definition to her ringlets, and best of all, it’s much easier to run a brush through her hair in the morning. This spray also has a fruity scent that my little girl loves. I highly recommend it to other moms." — AME Get it from Amazon for $9.99 . 21. A patented ChomChom pet hair remover if Fido's shedding is taking over your home and you're sick of lugging out the vacuum every three seconds. This uses bristles, not sticky tape, to catch lint meaning you can clean and reuse it over and over and over again. ChomChom Roller is a Massachusetts-based small biz creating an eco-friendly, reusable alternative to sticky lint rollers. Promising review: " TikTok made me buy this, and it is money well spent!! I’m convinced my beagle sheds a full coat of hair and regrows it daily! I use this on my bed every single day, and it blows my mind how well it works. Before this, I was going through four to five disposable sticky rollers a month and spending three times longer to remove dog hair. I am buying these for everyone in my family as Christmas gifts this year! ❤️" — tiff4short Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in multiple styles). 22. An upholstered armless task chair featuring a wide seat for anyone who simply cannot function without sitting like a pretzel and needs a fidget-friendly setup to help them in that the flow. Promising review: "LOVE THIS CHAIR! So comfortable I strangely look forward to sitting at my desk now." — Anonymous Get it from Wayfair for $92.99+ (available in seven colors) 23. A gel toilet cleaning stamp to keep your porcelain throne looking and smelling clean between scrub sessions with approximately zero effort. Cleansing gel releases with every flush, leaving behind a fresh scent and preventing stain buildups. Each stamp lasts for around 12 days! Promising review: "I love these 'stamps.' They keep your toilet clean and make the entire bathroom smell fantastic, clean, and deodorized at all times. They are very easy to use; don't over-complicate the instructions. I did, thinking there had to be more to it than that. You just stick it on the inside of the toilet and it will stay in place and clean the toilet each time it is flushed. I love these!" — J. D. Robinson Get six stamps from Amazon for $5.49 . 24. A windshield cover with a thermal protective layer because it'll defend your car from snow and frost before it ever has a chance to settle in and delay your commute. You'll be happy to skip the scraping, and your boss will be even happier when you actually roll in on time for once. Promising review: "I decided I wanted a windshield cover this winter for my 2012 Dodge Journey — let me just tell you — best investment ever! I live in Lincoln, Nebraska, and our winters tend to be pretty harsh. Right now, our weather is mild, but I have saved minutes of scraping in the morning when there was frost. The best thing about this product is it has elastic to go over mirrors and then flaps to go inside the car to prevent theft. It has worked fantastic. I put my windshield wipers over the material just to help it stay in place, especially when windy, and that has worked great!!" — Katherine K. Get it from Amazon for $19.95 . 25. A pair of nonstick silicone baking mats so you can say "buh-bye" to burnt-on bits that make your sheet pans impossible to clean. AND these have all the same slick, nonstick benefits of single-use parchment paper and foil but without the waste! Promising review: "I was recommended this product by a friend and all I can think is, 'Where has this been all my life?!' Nothing so far has stuck to these, and they are so easy to clean. I bought new baking sheets to go with them, and they keep them so clean!! Food still gets beautifully done but without the need to scrape the residue off your baking sheets afterward. I love this product!!!" — Charmed316 Get a pair from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in two styles). 26. A 52-sheet to-do list pad for when you're overwhelmed with all the things that need doing and just don't know where to start. Blank legal pads do not inspire, but this cutie sure does! Promising review: "I LOVE this product! I live off lists every day at work, and this keeps me super organized! I have my daily list, top three priorities, things I need to remember for the next day, and miscellaneous notes all on the same page!" — Ldsappy Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in six colors/styles). 27. A handy bag holder featured on Shark Tank that'll get all your groceries from the car to the house in ONE run. It easily holds up to 80 pounds and can be carried by hand or tossed over your shoulder (it's padded) for hands-free ease. Click & Carry is a Los Angeles-based, woman-owned small biz founded by Kim Meckwood as a way to solve her own struggles lugging shopping bags around. Since then, the Click & Carry has been utilized for a range of uses, from carrying paint cans to sports equipment. Promising review: "I heard about this product from a friend and had been meaning to check it out. My only regret about this purchase is not getting it earlier! I used to dread going to the grocery store due to the hassle of struggling with all my bags and the multiple trips to and from the car. Now, those days are a thing of the past because of this ESSENTIAL product. After realizing my newfound love of this product, I did some research and found all sorts of other uses for it, such as using it to secure my purse to my shopping cart and hooking my dog leashes together to walk both dogs at the same time. I love this product and love gifting it to others as well!" — Lisa Gilroy Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in seven colors). 28. A wall-mounted shower hair catcher if too much of your shower time is spent working to free your fingers from a nest of loose hair. Instead of shaking it off to clog your drain or smearing it on the wall, simply run your fingers through this cat's silicone "teeth" to trap that hairball and move on. Shower Cat is the small business behind this...well..shower cat. Promising review: " This little thing has saved us so much time and effort when cleaning the shower! Just stick it up with the included adhesive, and every time you wash your hair you can just rub your finger along the silicone nubs to catch it. Holds quite a bit of hair, and has outlasted even bleaching the shower. Super simple to clean, and stood up to being sprayed directly with cleaner and rinsed out." — Gwynne Bee Get it from Amazon for $14.95 (available in white and pink). 29. A convenient waterless pet shampoo to quickly freshen up your furry friend when it's been a tad too long since their last bath. Simply spray it on, towel it off, and enjoy your dog's silky, shiny, freshly scented coat. Promising review: "This product has a somewhat strong lavender smell while applying, instructions say spray — let sit for a minute — towel off excess and brush your dog. The smell is lovely and leaves my dogs' fur feeling clean and soft. I have three large dogs and have used it three times on each dog's full body and still have half a bottle left! Will for sure order again. I have never experienced a product that works so well! " — Sarah Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in three sizes and in three scents). 30. A slide-away storage bag because you're tired of feeling like every waking moment is spent picking up stray Lego blocks and other tiny (aka painful) toys. This drawstring compartment doubles as a play mat and, when your kid is done, closes in on itself to whisk away toys quicker than you can say, "Put your toys away." Promising review: "I really like this for my kid's Duplo Lego bricks, but I think it could be used for a lot more than that. I want to get one for my kid's train track. The fabric part is really large and would fit the track on it. I found the cleanup is extremely easy ; all you do is lift up the fabric and it all goes in the bin. An added bonus: My 2-year-old can dump over the bin, and it stays on the fabric part. I also would like to add that I like the fabric on the outside of the bin; it looks durable and good quality ." — KFundy Get it from Amazon for $52.99 (available in four colors). Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.646jili01 。

Egyptian Banking Alliance Grants EGP 4.235Bn To Al-Zahi Group For Development Projects

Beijing, Dec 25, 2024- China strongly urges the United States to abandon its Cold War mentality and ideological bias, and to refrain from implementing the negative content related to China in the National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025, a spokesperson from China’s top legislature said Wednesday. Noting that both houses of the US Congress passed the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2025 and President Joe Biden signed it into law, Xu Dong, spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), expressed China’s strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the negative content targeting China. He criticised the NDAA for repeatedly hyping up the “China threat,” advocating military support for Taiwan, suppressing China’s scientific, technological and economic development, restricting China-US economic, trade and people-to-people exchanges, grossly interfering in China’s internal affairs, and undermining China’s sovereignty, security, and development interests. China has always handled its relations with the United States in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, and has always believed that the success of both countries presents an opportunity for each other, Xu said, adding that the two countries should be a boost to each other’s development rather than an obstacle, Xinhua news agency reported. The steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relations is not only vital to the two peoples but also to the future and destiny of humanity, the spokesperson said. “It is inevitable that China and the United States, as two major countries, will have some differences and disagreements, but they should not undermine each other’s core interests, still less engage in conflict and confrontation,” Xu said, adding that the Taiwan question, democracy and human rights, China’s path and system, and China’s development right are red lines that cannot be challenged. “We strongly urge the United States to abandon its Cold War mentality and ideological bias, not to implement the negative articles of the NDAA concerning China, and avoid repeating mistakes on issues concerning China’s sovereignty and core interests. China will take resolute measures in accordance with the law to safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests,” Xu said.(Agency)FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Longtime Republican U.S. Rep. Kay Granger of Texas is having "unforeseen health challenges” that have worsened in the final months of her more than two decades in Congress, a statement from her office said Monday. Granger, 81, has not cast a vote in Washington since July. In a statement provided by her office, Granger said she has been “navigating some unforeseen health challenges over the past year" but did not specify or elaborate. “However, since early September, my health challenges have progressed making frequent travel to Washington both difficult and unpredictable,” the statement said. Granger’s office did not immediately respond to questions emailed Monday about her condition or why they did not publicly disclose her health status earlier. Messages left with Granger's family also were not immediately returned. Granger announced in 2023 that she would not seek reelection, saying at the time that it was time for a new generation of leaders to step up. Granger also announced in March that she would step down as chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. First elected to Texas' 12th Congressional District in 1996, Granger was the first Republican woman elected to represent the state in the U.S. House. Before that, she was the mayor of Fort Worth. Her seat will be filled in January by Republican Craig Goldman , a former Texas House member, who was elected to the district that includes parts of Fort Worth, western Tarrant County and most of neighboring Parker County. The Associated Press

Relief, defiance, anger: Families and advocates react to Biden's death row commutationsColimerio has 15, Queens defeats VMI 81-78

Non-Fungible Token (NFT) Market to Grow by USD 68.16 Billion (2024-2028), Driven by Digital Art Demand and AI-Powered Market Evolution - TechnavioAncelotti: In-form Bellingham is 'back' for Madrid

How to Watch Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Games – Wednesday, December 11 Published 4:28 pm Tuesday, December 10, 2024 By Data Skrive Top-25 teams will hit the court in six games on Wednesday’s college basketball slate. That includes the Iowa State Cyclones taking on the Iowa Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Watch women’s college basketball, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up. Today’s Top 25 Games Catch tons of live women’s college basketball , plus original programming, with ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle.Should Tesla Buy Cruise, And Other Strange WonderingsA social agency that runs a supervised consumption service (SCS) in Toronto’s Kensington Market has launched a court challenge against new legislation that will see 10 such sites shuttered across the province, arguing that the law violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Bill 223, the Community Care and Recovery Act, was passed in the legislature on Dec. 4 without committee review, input from affected communities, or debate. Among other things, it prohibits SCSs from operating within 200 metres of schools and child-care centres. Ten sites across the province, five of which are in Toronto, fall within this radius and must close their doors by March 31, 2025. Kensington Market Overdose Prevention Site (KMOPS), run by The Neighbourhood Group (TNG) Community Services and kept open through financial donations, is one of those sites slated to be closed. The organization also runs a child-care centre next door to its SCS. The act also imposes limitations and restrictions on existing SCSs, bans municipalities and other organizations from seeking or supporting federal exemptions to open new ones without the province’s approval, and bars any local initiatives that aim to decriminalize small amounts of drugs for personal use. Further, it prevents municipalities from seeking federal money for safe supply programs, again without the province’s approval. On Tuesday, TNG held a news conference to announce the legal challenge. Sandra Ka Hon Chu, co-executive director of the HIV Legal Network, moderates a Dec. 10 news conference where a Charter challenge was launched against a new law that would shutter some supervised consumption sites. CEO Bill Sinclair says that for decades, the 110-year-old organization he leads has been “listening and adapting” to meet the most crucial needs of the community it serves. “Six years ago, in 2018, we were alarmed by the increasing overdoses in our community and we wanted to urgently learn how to prevent death and how to be part of the solution,” Sinclair said, adding KMOPS hasn’t recorded a single death since it opened five years ago. “We did learn how to make a difference and how to save lives and since then we’ve continued to make a difference and provide life saving health care and health services, housing, employment, and more in Kensington Market.” Sinclair says with this court challenge, filed this week, TNG, and its two co-applicants, are “demanding our right to continue to provide this care and save lives.” Bill Sinclair, TNG's CEO, speaks during a Dec. 10 news conference where a Charter challenge was launched against a new law that would shutter some supervised consumption sites. Rahool Agarwal, a lawyer from Lax O’Sullivan LLP, and Carlo Di Carlo, of Stockwoods LLP, are providing pro-bono services to this case. They said their goal is to get the application up as soon as possible and are prepared to seek an injunction to prevent the restrictions in the new legislation from going into effect until it is decided. During today’s news conference, Agarwal said they’re committed to scheduling a hearing in Superior Court before the end of March when the 10 SCS sites are set to close. He said they believe this new legislation violates sections 7, 12, and 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantee every Canadian’s right to life, liberty, and security of the person; freedom from treatment and punishment by the state that are cruel and unusual; and thirdly, the right to equality before the law and freedom from discrimination by the Canadian government. Agarwal argued that people who depend on SCSs will no longer have access to the services they need and as a result will “face a dramatically increased risk of death by overdose.” “They’ll be forced to result to unhealthy and unsafe consumption, engaging their very lives on a daily basis,” he said, adding that people who use these sites will face an “enhanced risk and threat of criminal prosecution” without them. “And finally, the law will infringe clients’ right to security of the person, because without supervised consumption, the data is clear that there will be a dramatically increased risk of infectious diseases as well as harms to other aspects of their health, including their mental and psychological well being.” Lawyer Rahool Agarwal speaks during a Dec. 10 news conference where a Charter challenge was launched against a new law that would shutter some supervised consumption sites. Agarwal also says the new law discriminates on the basis of “immutable characteristics,” specifically for those who suffer from substance-use disorder, which he noted is a recognized illness under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. “Denying them real and meaningful access to those types of services will exacerbate the disadvantages they already face in society, the exclusion they face from Canadian society as a whole,” Agarwal said. “Most service users are already marginalized and disadvantaged in many other ways, and this will only exacerbate those disadvantages.” He added the Community Care and Recovery Act also “intrudes upon the federal government’s powers over the criminal law.” “Only the federal government can try to suppress conduct that it deems to be socially undesirable, and that’s what Ontario is trying to do through the back door with this legislation, and that’s why this legislation is also unconstitutional,” he said, adding they’ll be looking to the “strong precedent” set in the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the country’s first supervised injection site in B.C. for this case. In 2011, the country’s top court ruled that the federal health minister’s decision to not to exempt Vancouver’s Insite facility from the application of criminal drug laws breached the Charter right to life, liberty, and security of the person. New law plays on ‘heinous’ stereotypes, lawyer says Di Carlo said this case is “about the Ontario government favouring politics over people’s lives,” and “partnership over data.” “There’s no science-based evidence to support the idea that closing supervised consumption sites will make anyone safer,” he said, pointing to two Ontario government-commissioned reports that recommended keeping existing drug consumption sites open across the province, increasing funding to stabilize staffing and hiring permanent security guards to boost safety. Di Carlo said they also found SCSs reduce overdose deaths, improve access to health care services for marginalized community and referrals for addiction treatment, and minimize social disorder. “This is the science. It’s uncontroverted and overwhelming in support of supervised consumption services,” he said. Agarwal added that this data shows SCSs “save lives in a way that other forms of medical care and treatment simply do not.” “We know that if this law is permitted to take effect, the most vulnerable members of our society will be denied a medical service they need to survive, and people will die. And how the Ontario government can simply not only condone that behaviour, but to compel it. That is beyond me,” he said. “Ontario knew that when it passed this law, it had reports that itself commissioned in its possession that told it that these types of services help people, they save lives, they reduce the risk of death and disease. And despite that information, they decided to pass that legislation, and therefore knowingly increased the risk of death and grievous bodily harm.” DiCarlo went on to say that this new legislation simply “plays on heinous and pernicious stereotypes about a community that’s marginalized and unable to push back when a government acts capriciously, when it passes laws that have no rational basis and will harm lives.” “It’s impractical to expect that the vast majority of the individuals that are currently receiving services at one of the sites that’s about to shut down will be able to walk to a clinic that’s kilometers away that might remain open. And for the ones that do remain open, they will undoubtedly become overrun, making it even harder for people to access those services,” he said. Former Toronto mayor John Sewell speaks during a Dec. 10 news conference where a Charter challenge was launched against a new law that would shutter some supervised consumption sites. Former Toronto mayors Barbara Hall and John Sewell are also lending their support to the Charter challenge. Hall said that years ago she, Sewell and many others supported the Toronto Board of Health in opening supervised consumption and they continue to do so. “We knew there was a need then and we’ve seen incredible results. We heard about the fewer losses of life, but we know that one, aren’t enough (SCS), and two, there aren’t enough treatment spots for those who want them, so we need to help,” she said. In a statement provided to CTV News Toronto, a spokesperson for Ontario Minister of Health Sylvia Jones reiterated that the legislation is precipitated by “serious concerns” due to the “presence of drug consumption sites near schools and daycares.” “We’ve heard from families of the harassment, verbal and physical assault they have experienced walking their child to daycare or school. We have also heard about the phone calls parents have received that their child has picked up a dirty needle, or bag of toxic drugs in the school yard,” Hannah Jensen from the health minister’s office said in a written statement. “Enough is enough and our government is taking action to protect children and their families while taking the next step to create a system of care that prioritizes community safety, treatment, and recovery by investing $378 million to create (19) Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs. Each drug consumption site closing will have the opportunity to turn into a HART Hub.” These hubs are expected to be up ad running before the end of March. Jensen added that these sites are “similar to existing hub models in Ontario that have successfully provided people with care, will reflect regional priorities by connecting people to more comprehensive care than the support services previously offered at Consumption and Treatment Services. These enhanced services include primary care, addiction care, support, supportive housing, and other social services.” Solicitor General Michael Kerzner told The Canadian Press he could not comment on the legal action, but added the province has made it clear it wants parks to be safe for children and families. With files from The Canadian Press

Patriots coach Jerod Mayo believes narrow loss to Bills shows potential of his young team

Palantir Technologies ( PLTR 2.09% ) stock was in red-hot form in 2024 as investors showed increasing interest in this software platforms specialist thanks to strong demand for the company's artificial intelligence (AI)-focused offerings, which led to nice accelerations in its top- and bottom-line growth. As of this writing, the stock is up an eye-popping 380% this year, and now trades at an extremely rich valuation. With a price-to-sales ratio of 75 and a trailing earnings multiple of 412, Palantir is not an ideal candidate for investors looking to buy an artificial intelligence (AI) stock at a reasonable valuation. Of course, the forward earnings multiple of 217 indicates that the company's bottom line is expected to improve remarkably in the coming year, but that rich valuation also means that any signs of weakness in Palantir's growth story could send the stock spiraling downward. There is a good chance that Palantir can sustain its impressive growth in the long run considering the lucrative AI software platforms market that it is serving, but it's still a risky investment. Those looking for a more reasonably priced company that's trying to capitalize on this opportunity might want to consider C3.ai ( AI 0.70% ) . Its stock notched more modest gains of 23% in 2024 and has been in the news for the wrong reasons of late . But it's also trading at significantly cheaper valuations than Palantir and is tapping a similar addressable market. As such, now would be a good time to ask if C3.ai can follow in its bigger peer's footsteps and deliver eye-popping gains to investors. Plenty of room for growth in AI software According to market research firm IDC, the AI software platforms market generated $28 billion in revenue in 2023. The firm forecasts that this market could be worth a whopping $153 billion by 2028, which means that there is room for more than one company to thrive in this space. Both Palantir and C3.ai are thus far just scratching the surface of a massive opportunity. Palantir's revenue over its past four reported quarters was $2.65 billion. C3.ai, on the other hand, generated $325 million. More importantly, both companies saw upticks in their growth rates since the beginning of 2023. PLTR Revenue (TTM) data by YCharts. What's more, both companies reported almost identical growth rates in their latest quarters. While Palantir's revenue increased 30% year over year to $726 million in the third quarter of 2024 to $726 million, C3.ai's top line jumped 29% year over year to $94 million in its fiscal 2025 second quarter, which ended on Oct. 31. Both also increased their full-year revenue guidance as the demand for their generative AI software solutions increased among both commercial and government customers. It is worth noting that Palantir initially made its name by supplying software platforms and analytics solutions to U.S. government agencies, but it has lately been focusing on winning more commercial customers in the enterprise AI software space. A similar story is unfolding at C3.ai. The company has "entered into new and expanded agreements with the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Marine Corps, the Defense Logistics Agency, and the Chief Digital Artificial Intelligence Office, among others," CEO Tom Siebel said the latest earnings conference call . Meanwhile, C3.ai has partnered with major cloud service providers such as Microsoft , Amazon , and Google to ensure a broader reach for the 100-plus enterprise AI applications that it offers. The company also offers an enterprise AI application development platform that allows customers to build their own solutions, apart from industry-specific solutions that help customers integrate generative AI into their operations. The company, in short, seems to be positioning itself to make the most of the huge addressable opportunity in the AI software market. But will that be enough for it to succeed to the degree that Palantir has? Strong growth is in the cards for both companies C3.ai is currently a much smaller company than Palantir. However, its top-line growth was almost the same as Palantir's last quarter, and both companies have enjoyed an uptick in their growth in the past couple of years. In addition, both companies expect to report a 25% increase in their top lines in the current fiscal year. Palantir's revenue is expected to land at $2.79 billion in 2024, while Palantir is expected to clock $388 million in revenue in the current fiscal year. Analysts anticipate robust double-digit percentage growth over the next couple of years as well. PLTR Revenue Estimates for Next Fiscal Year data by YCharts. Even better, analysts have increased their growth expectations from both companies. That's not surprising considering the size of the markets they serve, and there is a good chance that their growth prospects could continue improving as the adoption of generative AI software increases. So, even though C3.ai is expected to remain a smaller company than Palantir over the next couple of years, its solid growth and end-market opportunities make it an ideal alternative for anyone looking to benefit from the growth of the AI software market at a reasonable valuation. After all, C3.ai's sales multiple of 13 is less than a fifth of its bigger counterpart, even as their growth rates are almost equal. That's why investors looking for the next Palantir would do well to keep C3.ai on their watch lists or buy it now, as its improving growth profile could lead to healthy share price gains.COLUMBIA, 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. Donnie Oliverio, a retired Ohio police officer whose partner, Bryan Hurst, was killed by an inmate 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. But Hurst’s widow, Marissa Gibson, called Biden's commutation distressing and a "complete dismissal and undermining of the federal justice system,” in a statement to The Columbus Dispatch . Heather Turner, whose mother, Donna Major, was killed in a 2017 South Carolina bank robbery, called the commutation of the killer's sentence a “clear gross abuse of power” in a Facebook post, adding the weeks she spent in court with the hope of justice “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.” 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 some say 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. Biden had faced pressure from advocacy organizations to commute federal death sentences, and several praised him for taking action in his final month in office. Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in a statement that Biden “has shown our country — and the rest of the world — that the brutal and inhumane policies of our past do not belong in our future.” Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, on the other hand, criticized the move — and argued its moral ground was shaky given the three exceptions. “Once again, Democrats side with depraved criminals over their victims, public order, and common decency,” Cotton wrote on X. “Democrats can’t even defend Biden’s outrageous decision as some kind of principled, across-the-board opposition to the death penalty since he didn’t commute the three most politically toxic cases.” Liz Murrill, Louisiana's Republican attorney general, criticized the commuted sentence of Len Davis, a former New Orleans policeman convicted of orchestrating the killing of a woman who had filed a complaint against him. “We can’t trust the Feds to get justice for victims of heinous crimes, so it’s long past time for the state to get it done,” the tough-on-crime Republican said in a written statement to the AP. Two 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, who is Black, 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 writers Jim Salter in O'Fallon, Missouri, and Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, contributed to this report.

Rising voices of a generation: How young South Koreans defend democracy