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Conservative US influencer Candace Owens is barred from New Zealand weeks after a ban from Australia

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Immigration officials say U.S. conservative political commentor Candace Owens has been refused a visa to enter New Zealand for a speaking engagement because she has been banned from another country. The ruling came weeks after neighboring Australia also rejected her visa request, citing remarks she made about Jews and Muslims. Owens was scheduled to speak at a series of events in several Australian cities and in Auckland, New Zealand, in February and March next year. Tickets remain on sale. Ownes and the Australia-based promoter, Rocksman, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Notre Dame primps for its grand post-blaze return. But why does the cathedral look unfinished?

PARIS (AP) — The bells of Notre Dame are chiming again, but scaffolding that still clings to the cathedral is puzzling some Parisians and raising questions about whether the monument’s grand post-blaze reopening is more symbolic than substantive. President Emmanuel Macron is inspecting the rebuilding work on Friday. He’ll see that Notre Dame looks bright inside but still has construction work outside. The cathedral will welcome the faithful back on Dec. 8, for the first time since its 2019 fire. But scaffolding at the base of its newly restored spire is expected to remain into 2025 and, in other parts, for another three years.

Muddy footprints suggest 2 species of early humans were neighbors in Kenya 1.5 million years ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Muddy footprints left on a Kenyan lakeside suggest two of our early human ancestors were neighbors some 1.5 million years ago. Researchers say the footprints were left in the mud by two different species, perhaps within a matter of hours or days. Scientists previously knew from fossil remains that these two extinct branches of the human evolutionary tree lived about the same time in the Turkana Basin. But dating fossil footprints is more precise. Researcher say one species was walking like modern humans while the other had an unusual gait. The study was published Thursday in the journal Science.

Black Friday: What time do stores open?

Black Friday has become something of an anachronism in the e-commerce era. The day after Thanksgiving marks the official start of the holiday shopping season, but retailers already have spent weeks flooding their websites and customers’ email inboxes with early Black Friday offers. If history is any guide and advertisers are to be believed, the best bargains still are to be had from Black Friday through Cyber Monday. Brands are promising in-store experiences and exclusives for people who enjoy the holiday atmosphere and music at a local mall or shopping area. A number of stores that were closed on Thanksgiving reopen early Friday as companies work to kick the holiday shopping season into high gear.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs denied bail by third judge as he awaits sex trafficking trial

NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs has been denied bail as he awaits a May sex trafficking trial. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian said in a written ruling Wednesday that Combs was at “serious risk” of witness tampering and had violated jail rules to hide communications with third parties. The hip-hop mogul’s lawyers say a $50 million bail package they proposed is sufficient to ensure Combs doesn’t pester prospective witnesses. Two judges previously were persuaded by prosecutors’ arguments that Combs was a danger to the community if he is free. Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges lodged against him when he was arrested in September.

Baseball star Shohei Ohtani seeks $325,000 worth of baseball cards from his ex-interpreter

Baseball star Shohei Ohtani wants his ex-interpreter Ippei Mizuhara to hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of baseball cards he says were fraudulently bought using his money. In court documents filed on Tuesday, Ohtani also requested his longtime interpreter and friend return collectible baseball cards depicting the athlete. Mizuhara pleaded guilty in June to spending millions from Ohtani’s Arizona bank account to cover his growing gambling bets and debts with an illegal bookmaker, as well as his own medical bills and the $325,000 worth of baseball cards. Mizuhara’s lawyer declined to comment on Tuesday’s filing.

Police deny sitting on evidence as Netflix doc brings renewed attention to JonBenet Ramsey’s killing

DENVER (AP) — Police in Boulder, Colorado, are refuting assertions that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of JonBenet Ramsey that they are not pursuing. The 6-year-old was found dead in the basement of her family’s home the day after Christmas in 1996. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation.  Police say they released it a little earlier because of the increased attention on the case. They are apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey.”

Federal court dismisses defamation lawsuit against Fox News for Jan. 6 conspiracy theory

CROTON, N.Y. (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit against Fox News brought by a former Marine and Trump supporter who claimed he was made a scapegoat by the network after the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection. Raymond Epps, whose claims against Fox were featured in a “60 Minutes” segment, said the network’s false reports subjected him and his wife to death threats and forced them to move from their Arizona home. Under the false theory, Epps was a government agent in Washington that day trying to stir up trouble that would later be blamed on Donald Trump fans.

Northern lights may be faintly visible across parts of the US this Thanksgiving

NEW YORK (AP) — Solar storms may produce faint auroras across the northern rim of the United States this Thanksgiving. Pale auroras may be seen Thursday and Friday across northern states including Montana, Minnesota and upper New York — as well as much of Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin and Michigan. NOAA meteorologist Matt Bettwy says the auroras may last only briefly, and seeing them will depend on how intense the solar storms get. To spy the spectacle, wait for clear skies to get dark and then go outside away from bright city lights. Taking a picture with a smartphone camera may also reveal hints of the aurora that aren’t visible to the naked eye.

NBC honors John Madden on Thanksgiving by taking the original Madden Cruiser on one last trip

John Madden’s love of football and family came through the most on Thanksgiving. On Thursday, NBC will continue to honor Madden’s legacy when it opens its broadcast before the nightcap between the Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers. The two-minute open features the original Madden Cruiser traveling from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, to Lambeau Field last week. It has remained in Green Bay and will also be featured during the game. Madden will be honored during all three games on Thursday. It is the third year the NFL has had the “John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration” after the Hall of Fame coach and iconic broadcaster died in December 2021.

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