fortune gems cheat SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — Persistent high surf and flooding threats along California’s coast had residents on high alert a day after a major storm was blamed for one man’s death and the partial collapse of a pier , which propelled three people into the Pacific Ocean. The National Weather Service on Christmas Eve warned of dangerous, large-breaking waves of up to 35 feet (10.7 meters). Its latest high surf warning will be in effect until 6 p.m. Tuesday. “Large waves can sweep across the beach without warning, pulling people into the sea from rocks, jetties and beaches,” the weather service said in a Christmas Eve bulletin. In Santa Cruz, where a municipal wharf under construction partially collapsed on Monday, most beaches were cordoned off as they were inundated with high surf and debris. Residents received an alert on their phones Tuesday morning notifying them to “avoid all beaches including coastal overlook areas such as rocks, jetties or cliffs.” It warned powerful waves could sweep entire beaches unexpectedly. Local officials said there could be further damage to the wharf, but no more pieces broke off overnight. The wharf collapsed and fell into the ocean midday Monday, taking three people with it. Two people were rescued by lifeguards and a third swam to safety. No one was seriously injured. Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley said in the weeks and months ahead officials will have to assess long-term solutions for protecting the coastal city from the impacts of climate change . “Hallelujah that no one was hurt in this, which could have been orders of magnitude worse in terms of any injuries to human beings and damage to property onshore and offshore,” he said at a media briefing Tuesday. “But I think we have somewhat of a question mark as we move through time,” he added. “And I don't think we're by ourselves. I think this is what coastal communities around the world are probably dealing with.” The structure was in the middle of a $4 million renovation following destructive storms last winter about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of San Francisco. “It’s a catastrophe for those down at the end of the wharf,” said David Johnston, who was allowed onto the pier on Monday to check on his business, Venture Quest Kayaking. Tony Elliot, the head of the Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation Department, estimated that about 150 feet (45 meters) of the end of the wharf fell into the water. It was immediately evacuated and will remain closed indefinitely. Some of the wharf’s pilings are still in the ocean and remain “serious, serious hazards” to boats, the mayor said. Each piling weighs hundreds of pounds and is being pushed by powerful waves. “You are risking your life, and those of the people that would need to try and save you by getting in or too close to the water,” the National Weather Service’s Bay Area office said on the social platform X. Building inspectors were looking at the rest of the pier’s structural integrity. Some California cities ordered beachfront homes and hotels to evacuate early Monday afternoon as forecasters warned that storm swells would continue to increase throughout the day. In Watsonville along the Monterey Bay, first responders were called to Sunset State Beach, a state park, around 11:30 a.m. Monday for a report of a man trapped under debris. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office believes a large wave pinned him there. The man was pronounced dead at a hospital. The storm’s high surf also likely pulled another man into the Pacific Ocean around noon Monday at Marina State Beach, nearly 13 miles (21 kilometers) south of Watsonville, authorities said. Strong currents and high waves forced searchers to abandon their efforts roughly two hours later as conditions worsened. The man remained missing Monday evening. Further south in Carmel Bay, a man remained missing as of Tuesday afternoon after reports that someone was swept off the rocks into the ocean at Pebble Beach on Monday, local emergency responders said. The U.S. Coast Guard will "transition to a recovery search as ocean conditions improve in the coming days,” officials said in a statement. In a post on X, the National Weather Service office in Portland, Oregon, said, “It will likely go down as some of the highest surf this winter.” Dazio reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Sophie Austin in Sacramento and Jaimie Ding in Los Angeles contributed.

UAE implements new visa rules: Proof of stay, return tickets mandatoryCalifornia residents on edge as high surf and flooding threats persist on Christmas Eve

In an aim to encourage Filipinos to participate in art-making and appreciation, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) invites the public to join the F. Sionil Jose Centennial Celebration: Congress, Conference, and Contest. It is a compelling series of literary events to commemorate the birth centenary of the late National Artist for Literature. Free and open to the public, this two-day event will take place on Nov. 27 and 28 at The Verdure, 4/F Henry Sy Sr. Hall, De La Salle University (DLSU) in Taft Avenue, Manila. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.No. 14 ASU, No. 17 Iowa State front-runners for possibly wild Big 12 finishWith more than half of the 16 teams still mathematically alive to make the conference championship game, the Big 12 will command a lot of attention in the final week of the regular season. No. 14 Arizona State and No. 17 Iowa State would play for the Big 12 title and likely College Football Playoff spot on Dec. 7 if they both win Saturday and there's a four-way tie for first place. There are seven other teams that begin this week with hopes, slim in most cases, of getting into the game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Last week it was No. 19 BYU and No. 23 Colorado that had the inside track to the championship game. Arizona State beat the Cougars and Kansas knocked off the Buffaloes, and here we are. "Everybody counted us out, I think, two weeks ago," Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said after his team beat Utah 31-28. "We didn't flinch. We didn't waver. And we just keep fighting." The Cyclones were national darlings the first half of the season as they won seven straight games to match the best start in program history. Back-to-back losses to Texas Tech and Kansas followed. Now they've won two straight heading into "Farmageddon," their rivalry game against Kansas State at home. "Right now they've got the pen and they continue to write the story," Campbell said of his players, "and I hope they will continue to write it the way they've got the ability to write it. Unwavering. Tough, mentally tough, physically tough. This group has stood for it every step of the way." Arizona State has been an even better story than the Cyclones. The Sun Devils have six more wins than they did last season, when they went 3-9. They were picked to finish last in their first year in the Big 12. They'll go for their fifth straight victory when they play at Arizona on Saturday. "These guys came off no momentum and everybody doubting them, and everybody is still doubting them. That's what makes this special," second-year coach Kenny Dillingham said. "Hopefully the expectations become higher. I don't know if there's a way we can exceed expectations more than we're exceeding them right now." Checking in on five of the Top 25: The Ducks were idle Saturday after clinching a spot in the Big Ten championship game with their win at Wisconsin on Nov. 16. Oregon can go 12-0 in the regular season for the first time since 2010 if it beats Washington at home this week. Oregon's only two losses last season came against the Huskies, both decided by three points. The first was a top-10 matchup in the regular season and the second was a top-five matchup in the Pac-12 championship game. The Ducks are 19 1/2-point favorites this time, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. The Buckeyes' showdown with upstart Indiana combined with Michigan's dropoff after winning the national championship have lowered the volume on this week's meeting with the Wolverines at the Horseshoe. If Michigan beats Ohio State a fourth straight time and it keeps the Buckeyes out of the Big Ten championship game and playoff ... well, there'll be lots of noise in Columbus then. The Lone Star Showdown returns to the gridiron for the first time since 2011, when Texas and Texas A&M were in the Big 12. The Longhorns head to No. 20 Texas A&M on a four-game win streak. The Aggies have lost two of three after Saturday's four-overtime loss at Auburn. The winner advances to the Southeastern Conference championship game against Georgia. The Broncos are tied with Notre Dame for the second-longest active win streak, at nine games, and they seem to have adopted a survive-and-advance mantra. They trailed 23-point underdog Wyoming in the fourth quarter before winning 17-13 and clinching a spot in the Mountain West championship game. They won their previous game, 42-21 against San Jose State, but didn't pull away until the fourth quarter. Two weeks ago they beat a three-win Nevada team 28-21. Just when you think Illinois is about to cash in for the season, they do what they did against Rutgers. The Illini were down 31-30 when they lined up for a 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds left. Ethan Moczulski missed. But wait. Rutgers called timeout before the snap, and Bret Bielema thought better of trying another kick and sent his offense back on the field. Luke Altmyer passed to Pat Bryant for the winning 40-yard touchdown. The Illini won't play for the Big Ten title, but they have a chance for nine wins and a nice bowl. Ohio State played in three of the five regular-season top-five matchups and won three of them. The Buckeyes lost to Oregon and beat Penn State and Indiana. ... Kansas' 37-21 win over Colorado made the Jayhawks the first FBS team with a losing record to beat three straight Top 25 opponents. The Jayhawks, who were 2-6 a month ago, will be bowl eligible if they win at Baylor. ... Nebraska ended the longest power conference bowl drought with its 44-25 win over Wisconsin. The Cornhuskers haven't played in a bowl since 2016. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

A pair of scuffling teams looking to end losing streaks will meet on Sunday when the Indiana Pacers host the Washington Wizards. On the heels of their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2014, the Pacers are in an early-season slump, as they've dropped three games in a row and five of six. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

No. 14 ASU, No. 17 Iowa State front-runners for possibly wild Big 12 finish

No. 21 Arizona State on the rise in Kenny Dillingham's second season as coach

Riding a 6-game win streak, the Eagles head to Hollywood again for a rematch with the young RamsLindy Li, a former Democratic fundraiser and strategist, has announced her departure from the Democratic Party, condemning its treatment of her and her contributions. Li, who raised millions for Democratic candidates, labeled the party a "cult" and condemned how her financial donations were used, believing they were squandered on people like Oprah Winfrey and Al Sharpton. Li, an important figure in the fundraising committee of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), was an outspoken advocate for Vice President Kamala Harris. Nonetheless, internal conflicts in the party intensified after Li expressed criticism of Harris and the path of the Democratic Party. Her backing of President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, along with her remarks on the party's loss in November, escalated tensions in her relationship with the Democrats. In a discussion on "Piers Morgan Uncensored," Li stated that she felt "distressed" by the negative response she encountered after criticizing Harris. She labeled the Democratic Party as "tainted by the odor of failure" after its loss in the last election. The repercussions of her remarks led to a decrease of 40,000 followers on social media in only four days. She encountered personal assaults as well, with opponents labeling her with insulting terms and accusing her of being a "communist spy," a statement that greatly upset her because of her family's background. Li voiced dissatisfaction regarding the management of funds collected for the Democratic Party, especially the $2.5 million allocated to Oprah Winfrey’s production firm and the $500,000 reportedly utilized to sway Al Sharpton. She claimed that the funds, which she and others had toiled to gather, were being wasted. "We still haven't received any answers," she remarked, alluding to the absence of accountability regarding these expenses. The previous fundraiser also talked about the wider change in her political perspectives. She condemned the Democratic Party for its isolating culture, stating that her efforts to challenge the party's actions encountered aggression. "They pretend to occupy the moral high ground," she remarked. Li emphasized that the party’s response to her dissent showed a lack of inclusivity and diversity, pointing to the vitriol she faced from those she had once worked to support. Li elaborated on her choice to exit the Democratic Party, stating it seemed like liberating herself from a "cult." She portrayed the atmosphere at the party as suffocating, where asking questions or voicing concerns would lead to significant repercussions. "They're shrinking their tent," she said, noting that this exclusion was pushing her towards aligning with another political team, one that would treat her with more respect and decency. Li's exit comes amid an increasing trend of notable fundraisers leaving the Democratic Party. In September, a different ex-Obama fundraiser revealed her choice to "separate" from the Democrats and back Trump in the forthcoming election. Li, nonetheless, continues to be an important person in fundraising communities. She admitted that individuals from Trump's team had previously contacted her, valuing her capability to generate significant funds. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US News, World and around the world.Apropos ‘FM Sitharaman to meet industry leaders for pre-Budget talks on Dec 30’ ( December 26), FM’s annual pre-Budget meeting with economists comes amid signs of the Indian economy’s slowdown, after three years of robust growth. However, one wonders whether the suggestions made by the various industry bodies amde at pre-budget meet, make their way into the Budget document. It is genuinely felt that the FM should also announce the acceptance or otherwise of ‘suggestions’ made by such bodies, in her budget speech so as to give due credence to holding of such pre-budget meets. Kumar Gupt Panchkula (Haryana) With reference to the Editorial ‘Lending, good and bad’ (December 25). Imprudent lending encourages indisciplined borrowings and causes the generation of bad financial assets which destabilises economic growth. At a time when the demand for investment and consumption is rising, it is pivotal to ensure strictly that the lenders in the formal and informal sectors are controlled and regulated by the regulations being issued by the regulators. Unregulated banking activities need to be arrested to mitigate the risks associated, and the regulator should punish the erring entities VSK Pillai Changanacherry (Kerala) This is with reference to the article ‘Creating an enabling ecosystem for agribusiness’, (December 26). Policy and regulatory frameworks need to be consistently informed and enriched with feedback from those who are most affected by them and by the institutions that need to put them into action. stakeholder, therefore, must be open to collaborating with the right partners in relevant domains and experiment with taking help from a variety of sources. They should adopt a more experimental, open approach and cast wide to adopt key technologies effectively. In that sense, the old templates for who to collaborate with no longer apply, and organizations need to have a more open outlook towards bringing in expert help. P Sundara Pandian Virudhunagar (TN) Comments

Lee University Departmental Alumni of the Year award recipients honoredBIG TEN ROUNDUP

No. 14 ASU, No. 17 Iowa State front-runners for possibly wild Big 12 finish

Four takeaways from former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s exit as Trump attorney general pickCOLUMBUS, Ohio — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score, and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15 on Saturday. All Ohio State (10-1, 7-1) has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12. The Hoosiers (10-1, 7-1) had their best chance to beat the Buckeyes for the first time since 1988 but were hurt by special teams mistakes and disrupted by an Ohio State defense that sacked quarterback Kurtis Rourke five times. Howard finished 22 for 26 for 201 yards. Emeka Egbuka had seven catches for 80 yards and a TD. NO. 25 ILLINOIS 38, RUTGERS 31: Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for a catch-and-run, 40-yard touchdown pass with 4 seconds left, sending Illinois to a wild road victory over Rutgers. Illinois (8-3, 5-3) was down 31-30 when it sent long kicker Ethan Moczulski out for a desperation 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds to go. Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) coach Greg Schiano then called for a timeout right before Moczulski’s attempt was wide left and about 15 yards short. After the missed field goal was waved off by the timeout, Illinois coach Bret Bielema sent his offense back on the field. Altmyer hit Bryant on an in cut on the left side at the 22, and he continued across the field and scored untouched in a game that featured three lead changes in the final 3:07. IOWA 29, MARYLAND 13: Kaleb Johnson rushed for 164 yards and a touchdown on a career-high 35 carries, and Kamari Moulton scored on a 68-yard run in the fourth quarter to help Iowa outlast Maryland in College Park. Johnson scored from 2 yards out in the second quarter for his 21st rushing touchdown of the season, and the Hawkeyes (7-4, 5-3) rebounded from their loss to UCLA in their previous game. Maryland (4-7, 1-7) needed to win its final two regular-season games to reach six wins and bowl eligibility, but the Terrapins were dominated in the first half and eventually fell behind 16-0. Drew Stevens made five field goals for Iowa, including kicks from 54 yards in the second quarter, then 50 and 49 in the third. LATE FRIDAY MICHIGAN STATE 24, PURDUE 17: Aidan Chiles threw for two scores in the first half to build a three-touchdown lead and Michigan State (5-6, 3-5) held on to beat Purdue (1-10, 0-8) at home. The Spartans are a win away from being eligible for a bowl with first-year coach Jonathan Smith and they play Rutgers at home in the final regular-season game. Get local news delivered to your inbox!