1. Vivek Ramaswamy reacts to viral video of his high school graduation speech: ‘I was against…’  Hindustan Times
2. Vivek Ramaswamy's High School Graduation Speech Goes Viral Ahead Of 'DOGE' Appointment With Elon Musk  NDTV
3. Donald Trump's inner circle feeling ‘iced out’ due to his close bond with Elon Musk; here's how Melania feels  Hindustan Times
4. Will Elon Musk be able to cut $2 trillion from US government spending?  BBC.com
5. DOGE days are coming for the US under Trump's two Musketeers  The Times of India

Blizzard pulled off a rare surprise today by shadow launching remasters of the original Warcraft and its sequel to commemorate the franchise’s 30th anniversary. These updates of the hit RTS games are available right now and look to merge retro goodness with some modern sensibilities.

The remasters feature “brand new, hand-drawn visuals that capture the original art style from each game.” Players will be able to swap between the original graphics and the remastered versions in real time. If the trailer is anything to go by, the games look purdy. The simple animations match the vibe of the two games nicely.

The original Warcraft is getting some serious quality-of-life changes to make the game more appealing to modern audiences. The update includes 16:9 resolution support and modern control options. For instance, players can now right-click to move units instead of having to rely on hotkeys.

Both remasters have also received "various UI and UX improvements such as tooltips and health bars, mission select screens, and increased unit selection." The original games placed strict limitations on how many units could be selected at once, so that last one is a nice improvement.

Warcraft 2 will even be available for multiplayer sessions. Franchise manager Brad Chan said during today’s 30th anniversary livestream that “all legacy custom maps will still be fully compatible and playable.” These remasters are available right now. Warcraft 1 is $10 and Warcraft 2 is $15.

Today’s 30th anniversary stream also dropped all kinds of other nuggets beyond the remasters. Warcraft 3: Reforged got a major update today that fixes many long-standing issues. Blizzard also announced that the affiliated mobile title Warcraft Arclight Rumble will be playable on PC starting on December 10, albeit as a beta.

The developer is relaunching WoW: Classic, complete with “all-new, fresh realms.” WoW: Classic 20th Anniversary Edition will be available on November 21 and will include PvE and PvP servers, in addition to Hardcore realms.

WoW Classic is even getting a new (old) expansion. Mists of Pandora Classic will be available next year. Check the trailer above for proof.

This time of year has a lot of merry and bright things to be excited about, but it can be stressful if you’re stumped on what to get your mom, dad, best friend, coworker or kids’ teacher as a holiday gift. Whether you enjoy or dread buying gifts for people, it’s safe to say we all want to give our loved ones things they will enjoy and appreciate. But there’s a lot of noise, junk and bad deals disguised as good deals to sift through as we get closer and closer to the holidays.

Allow us at Engadget to help you through it. Here, you’ll find all of our holiday gift guides collected in one place, so you can more easily find the best Christmas gifts you need this year. Are you looking for white elephant gift ideas? Are you struggling to come up with a good gift for the father figure in your life? Are you just looking for a good board game to pick up for your own family? We’ve got you covered with gift ideas for all of those scenarios and more. We'll update this post as more of our gift guides hit the internet, so check back for even more gift ideas throughout the season.

Table of contents

• Best white elephant gift ideas

• Best board game gifts

• Best gifts under $50

• Best gifts for gamers

• Best retro gaming gifts

• Best gifts for coffee lovers

• Best cooking gifts

• Best tech toys for kids

• Best gadgets for your pets

• Best travel gifts

• Best gifts for remote workers

• More coming soon!

Best white elephant gift ideas

According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. It would inevitably lead them to financial ruin. This story is almost certainly untrue, but it has led to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange. These gift ideas will not only get you a few chuckles, but will also make your recipient feel (slightly) burdened.

Read more: The best white elephant gift ideas

Best board game gifts

We could all use more time away from screens of all types and sizes, and board games are a fun way to do that and bond with friends and family. You can find plenty of unique sets out there now, from word puzzles to whodunnits to calming playthroughs that showcase the beauty of the little things in life. From games with giant monsters to those with haunted mansions, we’re sure at least one of our suggestions will be a hit with you and your loved ones.

Read more: The best board games to gift this season

Best gifts under $50

We wouldn’t blame you if you try to do all of your tech shopping around the holidays. That’s when you can typically get the best sales, both on relatively affordable gear and (more importantly) on big-ticket items. But it would be wrong to think that only the most expensive tech is worth gifting. Since we at Engadget test a plethora of gadgets every year, we know that there are some hidden (and not so hidden) tech gems at lower price ranges — you just have to know where to find them.

Read more: The best gifts under $50 that make great stocking stuffers

Best gifts for gamers

This year may not go down as one of the best years in gaming like 2023 did, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t a lot of great new releases. Between titles like Astro Bot and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, there were plenty of games to keep even the most dedicated of gamers busy in 2024. And if you’re shopping for one, especially as a non-gamer, it can be tricky to navigate what’s worth buying. We've got you covered with these recommendations.

Read more: The best gifts for gamers

Best retro gaming gifts

A million new video games seem to come out every week, but for some of us, nothing beats the classics. If you know someone who is way into retro gaming but don’t feel like hunting through eBay and local shops for gear to add to their collection, we’re here to help. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite gift ideas for the nostalgic gamer in your life, from video upscalers for old consoles to retro-themed books and artwork.

Read more: The best retro gaming gifts for the holidays

Best gifts for coffee lovers

When it comes to making a great cup at home, coffee nerds are constantly learning and love to try new things. Whether the person you’re shopping for is a newly indoctrinated pour over lover or obsessive over every brewing parameter, we’ve compiled a list of the best gear for coffee geeks that you can get this holiday season.

Read more: The best gifts for coffee lovers

Best cooking gifts

There are few things more rewarding than making good food for your friends and family. But after a while, it’s easy to get bored with the same tried and true recipes. And what better way to inject some fun into your favorite home chef’s routine than with a brand-new kitchen gadget? To help you find the right gift for the cook in your life, we’ve put together a list of our favorite kitchen gadgets across a wide range of prices and categories.

Read more: The best cooking gifts

Best tech toys for kids

We’re all having a bit of a budget crunch this year, but the good news is that when it’s time to bestow presents on the young ones (or young at heart), you don’t have to break the bank. Our list of our favorite tech, science and design toys is stacked with items under $100, with plenty of reuse packed in so the fun can extend far beyond the holiday season.

Read more: The best tech toys for kids

Best gadgets for your pets

In Engadget’s Slack rooms, our pets are high on the list of stuff we chat about — just behind work-adjacent tech stuff, insane current events, video games and food. We’ve bought plenty of high- and low-tech stuff to keep our furry friends fed, occupied, safe and happy and we’ve put together the best of what we tried here. Perhaps you’re shopping for your own very good boy or girl, or maybe you have a dutiful pet parent on your list — either way, the gadgets gathered here will make great gifts, according to the enthusiastic tail wags (or aloof meows) of our own fur babies.

Read more: The best gadgets for your pets

Best travel gifts

Since the dawn of humanity, we have traveled. We’ve come a long way from on-foot journeys laden with animal hide satchels. But the goal of good travel gear is the same: Get you and your necessities to a destination in the highest level of comfort available. If you know someone who is always catching a flight, rides the train to work or is bravely embarking on a cruise, some new tech may just help them out.

Read more: The best travel gifts

Best gifts for remote workers

There's a pretty good chance you know at least one person who works remotely in some fashion. While the WFH life has its perks — nobody likes a long commute — it comes with its own set of challenges, from lacking pro-level equipment to dealing with household disturbances. If you’re looking to give a gift to someone who spends much of their time in their home office, we’ve rounded up a few techy gift ideas that should make their days a little more delightful, or at least easier to manage.

Read more: The 19 best gift ideas for the remote worker in your life

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

Tickets now available for one-night screening on December 12

Andy Farrell welcomes the pressure last week's All Blacks loss has put on Ireland and admits some players are "lucky enough" to be given an immediate shot at redemption against Argentina.

Set to Richard Ashcroft's Sonnet, this year's John Lewis TV advert is a "tear-jerker", experts say.

Q4 is a crucial time for hotels, and we’re here to help you capture more business this holiday season. Tune in for an expert-led webinar to explore the latest trends and strategies for boosting bookings and transitioning smoothly into the New Year.

It is that time of the year. Easter bunny gone, snow around the corner before the big slightly chubby guy in red comes down the chimney to give us presents.

Arun Gopalakrishna emphasizes that effective SEO demands a holistic, adaptive approach. As search engines and user behaviors change, staying proactive is essential.

US President-elect Donald Trump appointedElon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bihar on Wednesday, where he inaugurated, laid the foundation for, and dedicated several major development projects worth approximately Rs 12,100 crore.

Musk and Ramaswamy have to find ways to cut down on government spending and overall bureaucracy.

Moov Leasing, un start-up românesc lansat de Bogdan Speteanu și Mircea Dihel, propune o schimbare radicală în leasingul auto, transformând experiența de utilizare a unei mașini într-una simplă și accesibilă, la fel ca utilizarea unui telefon mobil. După 20 de ani de experiență la BCR, timp în care a ocupat mai multe funcții de conducere, printre care și ...

The post Bogdan Speteanu, Moov Leasing: “Utilizatorii pot închiria o mașină pe o perioadă medie, de la unu la cinci ani, și au posibilitatea de a o schimba în funcție de nevoile de moment” appeared first on Forbes Romania.

Born in the US to Indian immigrant parents, Ramaswamy gained wealth through his biotech company

Prime Minister Michel Barnier's minority government now has a largely free hand in submitting a cleaned-up text to the Senate upper house

How should our parish communities live out the fullness of our Orthodox Faith by including and making a space for those who need a space in our worship that acknowledges their worth and our need to be a spiritual home for everyone? Fr. Barnabas talks with Summer Kinard, an author, a singer, and the mother of five autistic children. Then be sure to listen for a very special announcement from Fr. Barnabas in the second half of the show.

the Lizard Lounge MASTERWORK CANVAS EDITION by Will Bullas is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to Limited to 25 pcs

Hu, D; Li, M; Chen, J; Luo, Q; Grasby, S E; Zhang, T; Yuan, S; Xu, Y; Finney, S C; Sun, L; Shen, Y. Global and Planetary Change vol. 196, 103374, 2020 p. 1-13, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2020.103374
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20200593.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20200593.jpg" title="Global and Planetary Change vol. 196, 103374, 2020 p. 1-13, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2020.103374" height="150" border="1" /></a>

Bond, D; Grasby, S E. Geology vol. 48, 2020 p. 1-5, https://doi.org/10.1130/G47377.1
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20200056.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20200056.jpg" title="Geology vol. 48, 2020 p. 1-5, https://doi.org/10.1130/G47377.1" height="150" border="1" /></a>

Chu, D; Grasby, S E; Song, H; Dal Corso, J; Wang, Y; Mather, T A; Song, H; Shu, W; Tong, J; Wignall, P B. Geology vol. 48, issue 3, 2020 p. 288-292, https://doi.org/10.1130/G46631.1
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20200041.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20200041.jpg" title="Geology vol. 48, issue 3, 2020 p. 288-292, https://doi.org/10.1130/G46631.1" height="150" border="1" /></a>

Diaz, J F; Galloway, J M; Bringué, M; Pedersen, P K; Grasby, S E. Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 8716, 2020, 21 pages, https://doi.org/10.4095/325466
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/gid_325466.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/gid_325466.jpg" title="Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 8716, 2020, 21 pages, https://doi.org/10.4095/325466" height="150" border="1" /></a>

Berman, R G; Camacho, A. Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 8703, 2020, 20 pages, https://doi.org/10.4095/321633
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Wang, X; Cawood, P A; Grasby, S E; Zhao, L; Chen, Z -Q; Wu, S; Yuangeng, H. Global and Planetary Change vol. 205, 103592, 2021 p. 1-16, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2021.103592
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Li, M; Grasby, S E; Wang, S-L; Zhang, X; Wasylenki, L E; Xu, Y; Sun, M; Beauchamp, B; Hu, D; Shen, Y. Nature Communications vol. 12, 2024, 2021 p. 1-7, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22066-7
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20210011.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20210011.jpg" title="Nature Communications vol. 12, 2024, 2021 p. 1-7, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22066-7" height="150" border="1" /></a>

Ling, K; Wen, H; Grasby, S E; Zhao, H; Deng, C; Yin, R. Chemical Geology (Isotope Geoscience Section) vol. 617, 121243, 2022 p. 1-9, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2022.121243
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20220564.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20220564.jpg" title="Chemical Geology (Isotope Geoscience Section) vol. 617, 121243, 2022 p. 1-9, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2022.121243" height="150" border="1" /></a>

Foster, W J; Godbold, A; Brayard, A; Frank, A; Grasby, S E; Twitchett, R J; Oji, T. PeerJ 2022 p. 1-45, https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14357
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Dal Corso, J; Song, H; Callegaro, S; Chu, D; Sun, Y; Hilton, J; Grasby, S E; Joachimski, M M; Wignall, P B. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment 3, 2022 p. 197-214, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-021-00259-4
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Du, Y; Grasby, S E; Xing, T; Song, H; Tien, L; Chu, D; Wu, Y; Dal Corso, J; Algeo, T; Tong, J. Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol. 602, 117944, 2023 p. 1-12, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117944
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20220395.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20220395.jpg" title="Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol. 602, 117944, 2023 p. 1-12, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117944" height="150" border="1" /></a>

“The Light That Shines”, новое видео группы LUMINARE CHRISTMAS!, доступно для просмотра ниже. Эта песня взята из альбома Mistletoe Mandess, выходящего 22 ноября на Frontiers Music:

“The Light That Shines”
“Mistletoe Madness”
“Oh Holy Knight”
“Carol Of The Bells”
“Toy Soldiers”
“Like A Child”
“A Ray Of Hope”
“Winter”
“His Majesty”
“You Look Like Christmas”

Состав:

Hayley Stayner: Vocals
Neal Middleton: Vocals
Amy Geis: Vocals
Pino Farina: Vocals
Erica Carpenedo: Violin
Rob Landes: Violin
Brad Lang: Bass
Brady Bills: Bass
Dan Peters: Electric Guitar
Brady Bills: Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Sarah Tomek: Drums
John Blasucci: Arranger, Keyboards, Drum Programming
#Luminare_Christmas! #LuminareChristmas!
Видео: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqWiz88_PD0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPtukb9Es40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVszWsufWxk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0z4p89g8bg

Mysterious metal group Sleep Token are one of three headliners announced for Download festival.

1. After Sunita Williams, NASA now worried about her stranded mission partner's losing body mass  Hindustan Times
2. "My Body Has Changed, But....": Sunita Williams On Health Aboard Space Station  NDTV
3. Stranded Sunita Williams dismisses severe weight loss rumours, says she feels ‘healthier than ever’  The Times of India
4. Sunita Williams explains reason behind her changed appearance in space | 'They have routine checks, dedicated surgeons' | Inshorts  Inshorts
5. Inside Sunita Williams' extended mission: What she’s doing in space  India Today

Students from OM Philippines-Cebu's Alternative Learning System bring children joy through a Christmas party, following the trauma caused by Bohol earthquake and Typhoon Haiyan.

On 24 December, OM Philippines-Cebu witnessed the overflowing joy of about 135 families during Christmas parties they hosted in two typhoon-affected areas.

From Leyte Island to Northern Cebu to Bohol Island, the Christmas season brought overwhelming joy to many who received provision and care from OM Philippines.

1. Donald Trump appoints Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy to lead Dept of Government Efficiency | World News | Onmanorama  Onmanorama
2. DOGE days are coming for the US under Trump's two Musketeers  The Times of India
3. Donald Trump calls Elon Musk's department the 'Manhattan Project', know what was this project  India.com
4. When Vivek Ramaswamy was 18: School speech emerges as he readies for DOGE role  India Today
5. Internet reacts as Elon Musk debuts ‘super cute’ logo of Department of Government Efficiency: ‘What a time to be alive’  Hindustan Times

The alleged support for Hamas related to online activity, Gloucestershire Police said.

Residents of India’s capital New Delhi choked in a blanketing toxic smog Wednesday as worsening air pollution surged past 50 times the World Health Organisation’s recommended daily maximum.

Many in the city cannot afford air filters, nor do they have homes they can effectively seal from the misery of foul-smelling air blamed for thousands of premature deaths.

Cooler temperatures and slow-moving winds trap deadly pollutants each winter, stretching from mid-October until at least January.

At dawn on Wednesday, “hazardous” pollutant levels in parts of the sprawling urban area of more than 30 million people topped 806 micrograms per cubic metre, according to monitoring firm IQAir.

That is more than 53 times the WHO-recommended daily maximum of fine particulate matter — dangerous cancer-causing microparticles known as PM2.5 pollutants that enter the bloodstream through the lungs.

By midday, when air usually is at its best, it eased to about 25-35 times above danger levels, depending on different districts.

The city is blanketed in acrid smog each year, primarily blamed on stubble burning by farmers in neighbouring regions to clear their fields for ploughing, as well as factories and traffic fumes.

‘Alarming’

But a report by The New York Times this month, based on air and soil samples it collected over five years, revealed the dangerous fumes also spewing from a power plant incinerating the city’s landfill garbage mountains.

Experts the newspaper spoke to said that the levels of heavy metals found were “alarming”.

Swirling white clouds of smog also delayed several flights across northern India.

The India Meteorological Department said that at least 18 regional airports had a visibility lower than 1,000 metres (1,093 yards) — dropping below 500m in Delhi.

India’s Supreme Court last month ruled that clean air was a fundamental human right, ordering both the central government and state-level authorities to take action.

But critics say arguments between rival politicians heading neighbouring states — as well as between central and state-level authorities — have compounded the problem.

Politicians are accused of not wanting to anger key figures in their constituencies, particularly powerful farming groups.

City authorities have launched several initiatives to tackle pollution, which have done little in practice.

Government trucks are regularly used to spray water to briefly dampen the pollution.

A new scheme unveiled earlier this month to use three small drones to spray water mist was derided by critics as another “band-aid” solution to a public health crisis.

The WHO says that air pollution can trigger strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and other respiratory diseases.

It is particularly punishing for babies, children and the elderly.

A study in The Lancet medical journal attributed 1.67m premature deaths to air pollution in the world’s most populous country in 2019.

1. 'Massive downsizing': Vivek Ramaswamy reveals how he will ensure government efficiency under Trump  The Times of India
2. DOGE days are coming for the US under Trump's two Musketeers  The Times of India
3. Trump picks Musk, Ramaswamy to run new dept of govt efficiency  Hindustan Times
4. When Vivek Ramaswamy was 18: School speech emerges as he readies for DOGE role  India Today
5. Explained: How Musk's US Government Efficiency Panel Might Work  NDTV

Immigrant rights lawyers are preparing to fight back against Donald Trump’s plans to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history once he takes office again in January. The president-elect has already named some leading anti-immigration figures for his incoming administration who will lead the plan, including former ICE head Tom Homan and his longtime aide Stephen Miller. Trump’s picks were central in family separations, the Muslim ban, attacks on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, and other anti-immigrant policies during the first Trump administration. Trump is also reportedly planning to greatly expand immigrant detention in private for-profit prisons, and during the campaign he spoke of invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to speed up deportations. “We have been preparing nearly a year for this,” says attorney Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, who argued some of the most high-profile immigration cases during the first Trump administration. He stresses that while groups like the ACLU will challenge the Trump administration in the courts, “it needs to be a national effort” to prevent abuses. “We are not opposed to basic immigration reform, but this cannot be a situation where we’re just going after immigrants left and right.”

Christmas Gifts Knowledge

From December 24 to January 6 is the next year for the Christmas festival. During the festival, national Christians held a grand ceremony. Christmas was...