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Activists in the neighborhood are feeling a little more at ease after years of protesting against plans to construct a new arena for the NBA's 76ers next to Chinatown in Philadelphia. However, they are also feeling mistrust and whiplash. The fact that the previous plan, which was sharply condemned for its potential to gentrify the Chinatown region and drive out Asian American businesses and families, will no longer pose a danger to their community has given organizers, local leaders, and citizens great relief. However, they also don't trust developers and officials to listen to them in future proposals after what many have described as a noninclusive process. I was ecstatic. Wei Chen, an activist with Asian Americans United, a nonprofit, expressed relief. But it came as a huge surprise. ...

LondonAccording to recently declassified records, Queen Elizabeth II was not formally notified for almost ten years about the betrayal of a top palace courtier. As the royal family's top art curator, Anthony Blunt supervised the paintings in the royal collection, surveyed the queen's photographs, and occasionally showed off her personal treasures to the general public. Although he had led a double life as a Soviet spy, he won the queen's affection to the extent that he was knighted. The documents provide fresh insight into the Cold War scandal at the core of the British establishment. They are part of a cache of spy agency MI5 archives made public by Britain's National Archives on Tuesday. Historians and popular culture have long been enthralled with the saga, which has been represented in...

When I informed my coworkers about the current Baggu sale, which is providing up to 60% off its best-selling items through tonight, I never had more excited messages and prompt reactions. Nearly all of our editors own something from the company, and we have a great affection for Baggu's playful designs and effortlessly clean nylon bags. NBC Select editorial projects manager Rebecca Rodriguez says, "When I first discovered Baggu in 2019, the majority of what they sold was their Standard Baggu, and I didn't know anyone who owned one." All of my friends now possess one or more of the brand's goods, and I believe this success stems from the fact that they are enjoyable, reasonably priced, and well-made. The sale, which included savings on the company's well-liked reusable shopping bags and it...

A modest token of love and family that meant the world to the Desantis family was discovered by firefighters among the debris and rubble that had engulfed the area where an Altadena home previously stood. The wedding band belonging to Victoria Desantis, whose house burned down in the Eaton Fire, was found by firefighters. During the evacuation order, Desantis, who has spent the last eighteen years in Altadena, unintentionally left her wedding band and ring behind. Read more from NBC Los Angeles Maps show buildings destroyed and damaged in L.A. County fires Tearful reunion for man, pet dog following Palisades Fire evacuations Pool pump and sprinklers help family save Palisades home from wildfire Desantis remarked, "I removed all of my rings because it w...

According to a senior Biden administration official, the administration will take further goodwill measures toward Cuba on Tuesday, including removing it from the list of states that sponsor terrorism. Additionally, the Catholic Church will push for the release of political prisoners under a deal with the communist-run government. According to the administration official, the Catholic Church is making substantial progress toward an agreement with Cuba to carry out a series of measures that will enable the humanitarian release of a sizable number of political prisoners in Cuba as well as others who have been wrongfully held. Shortly before his departure in January 2021, President-elect Donald Trump named Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism, five years after former President Barack Obama had t...

In the first confirmation hearing for President-elect Donald Trump's new Cabinet on Tuesday, Pete Hegseth positioned himself as a "change agent" to lead the Defense Department, while Democrats criticized him as unsuited for any military leadership position. On Capitol Hill, the Senate Armed Services Committee has generally been one of the least partisan. Its members, however, were clearly divided along party lines on Tuesday as Democrats questioned Hegseth about his prior remarks against women in the military as well as claims of sexual misconduct and binge drinking. Hegseth, a former Fox News personality and Army combat veteran, was hailed by Republicans as a crucial disruptor of the vast military bureaucracy. The new chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a...

In the midst of a dispute about how to run a chamber that is expected to be evenly divided, Minnesota's Democratic state lawmakers boycotted the state House on Tuesday, failing to appear for the opening day of the legislative session. State House Republicans sought to call a constitutionally dubious session in a half-empty house and install a new speaker after Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, who controls the chamber's gavel between sessions, adjourned the state House and said there was no quorum. State Representative Lisa Demuth was unanimously elected speaker by the 67 Republican members in attendance, but the appointment is expected to face legal challenges. Democrats' speaker-designate, state representative Melissa Hortman, denounced the proceedings before they had started, cl...

I've been gradually expanding my assortment of winter shoes. It has taken me several years to do this since high-quality, insulated, water-resistant boots are not inexpensive. I'll take advantage of any chance to save money on them and better prepare for the upcoming cold as they continue to be one of my wardrobe staples. Some of my favorite brands (or businesses that my fellow reporters have previously covered) offer a variety of winter boots on sale here. Since the majority of these boots are sold by well-known stores like Nordstrom and DSW, the length of these sales and their availability may vary. I strongly advise purchasing shoes that fit your needs and lifestyle as soon as possible, before they become unavailable or become more expensive. GO Ahead and SkipThe greatest winter boots c...

In an effort to deny the state House a quorum amid a dispute over how to run a house that is expected to be evenly divided, Democratic state members from Minnesota organized a walkout on Tuesday, failing to appear for the opening day of the legislative session. "Even if we disagree with the election results, we must accept them. We cannot allow Republicans to trample over our democracy in that manner," said Rep. Melissa Hortman, the Democratic speaker-elect. "They want to do this kind of crazy revisionist version where they just throw out election results if they don't like them." Legislators started drafting a power-sharing arrangement for the deadlocked state House, which needs a quorum of 68 to operate, after voters voted 67 Democrats and 67 Republicans to the chamber in November. Howev...

According to a person engaged in the event's organizing, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg will be present at President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday. Together with other significant attendees, such as elected leaders and Trump's Cabinet nominees, they will occupy a prominent position on the platform during the event. Over the past year, all three of the tech giants have tried to gain favor with Trump, with Musk contributing over a quarter of a billion dollars in campaign contributions to help elect Trump. Since supporting Trump for president in July, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla as well as the co-lead of DOGEMusk, a new Trump government advisory organization, has been by his side on numerous occasions. This month, Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, reorganized his content ...