Looking forthe most recentMini Crossword answer?Click here for today's Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands and Connections puzzles.The New York TimesMini Crosswordoften offers up answers that are more than one word. There were a couple today (6 Across, 8 Across, 1 Down), and I always find those tough. Anyway, if you're stuck on any of the clues today, we've got the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times' games collection. If you're looking for today's Wordle, Connections and Strands answers, you can visitCNET's NYT puzzle hints page.Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini CrosswordLet's get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers. The completed NYT Mini Crossword puzzle for Dec. 28, 2024. NYT/Screenshot by CNETMini across clues and answers1A clue: French body of waterAnswer: LAC4A clue: Relating to the VaticanAnswer: PAPAL6A clue: Self-serve station with salsa and shellsAnswer: TACOBAR8A clue: Way, way, way backAnswer: AGESAGO9A clue: Totally clobberAnswer: DESTROY10A clue: Sheet read before playing a new board gameAnswer: RULES11A clue: Vet's patientAnswer: PETMini down clues and answers1D clue: Ties, as hiking bootsAnswer: LACESUP2D clue: One of 12 depicted in da Vinci's "The Last Supper"Answer: APOSTLE3D clue: Nightclub such as the Moulin RougeAnswer: CABARET4D clue: Buzzing device for an on-call doctorAnswer: PAGER5D clue: Nigerian city that's Africa's most populous (21+ million)Answer: LAGOS6D clue: Teensy-weensy bitAnswer: TAD7A clue: ___ G. BivAnswer: ROYHow to play more Mini CrosswordsThe New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day's Mini Crossword for free, but you'll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.

Clock's TickingThe Batman Part 2 has been delayed, again, but James Gunn did at least offer a pretty simple reason behind the decisionWhat's one more year anyway?Image credit: Warner Bros. Discovery News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Dec. 28, 2024 Turns out you'll be waiting even longer for The Batman: Part 2, as the film has caught another year long delay.The Batman 2 was originally supposed to be released in October next year, but back in March the sequel received a delay of an entire year, pushing it to October 2026. Annoying for those excited about the follow-up, but what's one more year? Well, I guess the question I should be asking now is, what's two more years, as Part 2 has been delayed by another entire year, this time to October 1, 2027. That means the film will now be releasing more than five years after the original, which is quite the gap in time in comic book movie years.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn took to Threads to note big waits for sequels aren't that uncommon, though, writing "a 5 year gap or more is fairly common in sequels. 7 years between Alien and Aliens. 14 years between Incredibles. 7 years between the first two Terminators. 13 years between Avatars. 36 years between Top Guns. And, of course, 6 years between Guardians Vol 2 and Vol 3."The Superman director also shared on Threads the honestly pretty simple reason the film has received such a delay: the script isn't ready yet. "The only reason for the delay is there isnt a full script (those of you who follow me here probably know that already). Matt [Reeves] is committed to making the best film he possibly can, and no one can accurately guess exactly how long a script will take to write. Once there is a finished script, there is around two years for pre-production, shooting and post-production on big films."It's obviously not ideal for those of you desperate for more from Reeves' take on Batman, but it's better to get a good script than a rushed one. Besides, most DC fans' eyes will be on Superman right now, especially after receiving its first trailer earlier this month.

"It's feast or famine, really"Set your AlarmosLogo mock-ups, curvy docks, yee-hawOllie Reynolds, Staff WriterI've decided that enough new games have been added to Xbox Game Pass that it's time to resubscribe for a couple of months or so before dipping out again. I started Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and it's... well, great! It nails the vibe of the movies and the focus on stealth is wonderful. I plan on rinsing the campaign for Black Ops 6 once I'm done.On the Switch, I'm still playing a game for review, so keep an eye out for that soon.Have a lovely new year, everyone!Gavin Lane, EditorWith the bank balance looking worse for wear, I've stuck my fingers in my ears to resist the eShop's siren call. I've got so much to play already, but Pentiment at 40% off is calling me.Other than that, I picked up Railbound for gold points and still haven't managed to touch Arco yet. And I'm considering picking up the Lego Skywalker Saga for the kids. Loads to be getting on with!Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube790kWatch on YouTube Alana Hagues, Deputy EditorNo video game gifts for me this holiday season from anyone except myself. I nabbed Arco, Railbound (less than 1!), Minami Lane, and TOEM in the eShop sale, so Ive got some nice treats to look forward to when I need something a bit different.But Ive committed to Trails through Daybreak, hoping that Ill at least beat it before the sequel arrives in February. Im only in chapter 3, but its fantastic so far and Im enjoying playing it at a relaxed pace rather than blitzing through it.Well be in 2025 next weekend, so heres to a safe and fun new year!Nile Bowie, ContributorHappy holidays, folks! Its that time of year again, and Ive gone hog wild on the eShop. Ive scooped up a helping of acclaimed titles that have caught my eye throughout the year, all at sweet discounts. The heavy hitters include Antonblast and Pizza Tower. Being an ardent fan of the Wario Land formula, Im stoked to give these beauties a whirl.I also clinched Crow Country and am totally on board with its Classic PlayStation survival horror aesthetics. Then theres the bizarre skeletal shmup Angel at Dusk, which piqued my interest after a glowing Nintendo Life review. Though it's not my usual fare, Ive jumped on the quirky Thank Goodness You're Here! because everyone who plays it has nothing but praise. The art style is brilliant, and being prone to the holiday blues, I could use a laugh.Ive also grabbed Arco, an indie turn-based strategy RPG published by Panic thats reviewed well but hasnt garnered much buzz, as well as Kill Knight, a demonic bullet hell that sold me with its raucous gameplay trailerSubscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube790kWatch on YouTube Gonalo Lopes, ContributorNew Star GP 1990s racing season finale has become something of a wildcard with two GPs to go and 6 points between me and the leader Jeanne Asselin. May have to taker her out in one of these following races to ensure that first place. With 2024 coming to a close I decided to wrap things up with titles I have yet to complete because stuff got in the way: Yakuza Kiwami, Neva and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. The latter one I must truly complete not just because it is an excellent take on top-down Zelda but because I will not pick up Fantasian: Neo Dimension until I clear it. No way in this day and age I can manage two RPGs at once.Game of the week is Target: Renegade on The Spectrum. While I always preferred the original game I have vivid memories when me and my childhood friend discovered that this game two player mode was not turn based but simultaneous, Double Dragon like! No more need wait until someone messed up to get to play. It has aged quite well.Guess that is a wrap up for the last year of the Nintendo Switch. See you in 2025!Tom Massey, ContributorThe game of Christmas for me is definitely DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou, because it has an explosively festive, non-stop nuclear glow, with craft that detonate like a confetti poppers all over the place. I like to listen to Christmas Classics as I merrily Hyper the night away.Merry Christmas to you all!Oliver Revolta, ContributorBetween festivities, one game has been luring me back to my Switch over and over I picked up Super Hydorah in a pre-Christmas sale for next to nothing, and so much has impressed me about it the gameplay, the music, the balance to the levelling up and progressing.Its a difficult SHMUP, but persevering and getting better feels so rewarding Im only half way through, and Ive used almost 100 continues, but its been worth it. The game has such a great atmosphere too. I think I am in love tbh.Kate Gray, ContributorThis weekend I'm playing Fields of Mistria. I don't usually play early access games, but people kept recommending it to me, so I bit the bullet. It's good! I'm burning through it quite fast already.Other than that, it's family Christmas, so not a lot of gaming time. Unless you count jigsaws, or having to explain motion smoothing to a 60-something-year-old. We're staying at an AirBnB, which does have a Wii, but I didn't bring any Wii games with me (what am I like) so I'll have to check if there's anything in the cupboards...Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube790kWatch on YouTube That's what we have planned for the weekend, but what about you? Let us know in the following poll which games you're planning on booting up over the next couple of days.What are you playing this weekend (28th/29th December)? (17 votes)Related GamesSee Also

The 3D Printing Industry Review of the Year continues with the biggest stories from February.Following news of cost-cutting and streamlining initiatives last month, February saw companies face financial challenges. Shapeways and Uniformity Labs auctioned off assets, while Desktop Metal fundraising efforts continued with a mixed-shelf offering. On a more positive note, Core Industrial Partners raised substantial capital investments to expand its additive manufacturing portfolio.In other news, companies launched 3D printed consumer products to address end-market needs. Wilsons 3D printed basketballs hit the shelves, while additive manufacturing featured prominently within the bike market. Also in February, 3D Printing Industry reported how Oracle Red Bull Racing uses additive manufacturing to boost performance on the track. Elsewhere, a SpaceX rival successfully launched a 3D printed rocket, while researchers achieved breakthroughs for 3D printing brain tissue and multi-color additive manufacturing.Read on for February announcements from AddUp, Airbus, Bright Laser Technologies, LandSpace, EOS, DyeMansion, the European Space Agency, and more.3D printed Wilson Airless Gen1 basketballs. Image via Wilson.Fundraising efforts and financial challengesFollowing last months Arevo 3D printing hardware auction, February saw more additive manufacturing assets put up for sale. After experiencing worsening financial results since its 2021 $605 milion SPAC deal, Shapeways announced a range of cost-cutting actions, including a 15% workforce reduction.February saw the company auction $5 million of its Desktop Metal 3D printers, including P1 Production Systems, binder jet Shop Systems, and BMD 3D printers. This was the firms second hardware auction, having previously listed $4 million worth of Desktop Metal 3D printing technology in October 2023.This reflected Shapeways worsening financial position since the SPAC merger. In 2021, the firm initially projected 95% annual growth between FY 2021 and FY 2022, followed by anticipated 2024 revenues of $250 million. However, by Q3 2023, Shapeways posted total revenue of just $8.4 million, $3.4 million in gross profit, and a net loss of -$19.4 million. On 2 February 2024, the companys share price was just $1.94, down from $83.60 per share on 11 January 2021.Updates on Shapeways financial position stayed in the headlines throughout 2024. Although the outlook looked gloomy at the start of the year, later months would chart a surprising change in fortunes.Shapeways went public on September 30 2021, in a deal that saw it raise $90 million in funding. Photo via Shapeways. One company with a less optimistic future was Uniformity Labs. Questions were raised about the engineering materials specialists survival after $10 million worth of its metal 3D printing assets were put up for sale in February. This hardware included an ALD Vacuum Technologies Viga 35 Vacuum Gas Atomizer system priced at $3.5 million, SLM Solutions 280HL Dual 700W laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) 3D printer, SLM 125M 3D printer, EOS M290 LPBF system, and a Desktop Metal P1 Production System. Despite raising $38.35 million in Series B funding in 2021 and launching a new UniFuse IN625 Nickel Alloy at RAPID + TCT 2023, Uniformity Labs ceased trading soon after the auction.Also in the news was Desktop Metal. Following last months decision to initiate a $50 million cost reduction, the company filed a $250 million mixed-shelf offering. This included preferred stock, debt securities, warrants, units, and up to $75 million of class A common stock.Shelf offerings allow companies to raise capital by issuing new securities without needing to immediately sell them. The securities are stored on the shelf, and can be issued when business conditions are favorable. Desktop Metals class A common stock offering had an aggregate price of $75 million.While some companies faced financial struggles at the start of 2024, it wasnt all doom and gloom. Last month, the 3D Printing Industry Executive Survey highlighted an optimistic outlook for the future of 3D printing, with industry experts anticipating a healthy business environment.One company to capitalize on this optimism was CORE Industrial Partners, which successfully raised $887 million in capital commitments in February. This funding continued COREs strategy of investing capital in industrial manufacturing. Over the past five years, the company has raised over $1.58 billion in limited partner commitments for this strategy. Ultimately, CORE is working to build one of the largest global additive manufacturing companies by acquiring 3D printing bureaus and machine shops.Desktop Metal 3D printers. Photo via Desktop Metal.3D printing Consumer productsFebruary witnessed a keen focus on 3D printed consumer products. This was driven by US sports equipment manufacturer Wilson Sporting Goods Co. which commercialized its 3D printed airless basketball. First unveiled as a prototype last year, the Wilson Airless Gen1 hit the shelves for $2,500 in a limited release.The 3D printed basketball was co-developed by 3D design specialists General Lattice, 3D printer manufacturer EOS, and post-processing company DyeMansion. California-based SNL Creative was the primary manufacturing hub for the launch. Notably, the 3D printed lattice structure features eight panel-like lobes which remove the need for inflation. Wilson claims the ball is fully functional and meets NBA regulations for weight, size, and bounce.Wilson Airless Gen1 basketball in off-white natural color. Image via Wilson.3D printed bikes also made headlines this month. Materials specialist Lehvoss Group partnered with E-bike manufacturers Buddy Bike and Isoco Bikes to develop the Isoco X1 e-bike. Designed with sustainability in mind, this consumer product features a 100% recyclable thermoplastic frame and a 68% smaller carbon footprint than its aluminum counterparts. Thomas Collet, Lehvoss Customized Polymer Materials Director of Marketing, told 3D Printing Industry that additive manufacturing was used to develop and prototype some of the ISOCO X1s parts.In other news, 3D printing materials developer Elementum 3D partnered with German machine tool manufacturer TRUMPF to upgrade INTENSE Cycles M1 downhill race bike. INTENSE leveraged TRUMPFs capabilities to 3D print the bikes backbone as a single piece. Elementums A6061-RAM2 aluminum alloy was 3D printed using TRUMPFs TruTops Print build processor, which reduced overhang support material requirements.The Isoco X1 bike, developed in collaboration with Lehvoss and Buddy Bikes. Photo via Isoco Bikes.3D printing at Red Bull RacingIan Handscombe, Red Bull Racings Head of Quality Engineering, explained how the team uses 3D printing in Formula One. He emphasized how advanced manufacturing gives Red Bull the winning edge, stating I dont think we will continue to be on track unless we embrace [3D printing]. Handscombe, who has three decades of experience in the automotive industry, called additive manufacturing the fastest growing technology within F1.During the discussion, Handscombe highlighted the importance of technical partnerships, particularly with companies like Hexagon. Through these collaborations, Red Bull has integrated advanced technologies into their operations, pushing performance limits while ensuring race-car safety and reliability.According to Handscombe, Hexagon plays a critical role in identifying and delivering critical equipment, while assisting in development and training. Hexagon has been with us every step of the way, added Handscombe.He added that the team leverages additive manufacturing an awful lot. It is evaluating how to scale its use from 3D printed models for wind tunnel testing to having more and more 3D printed components on the race car. The automotive expert believes 3D printing will start to replace mechanical parts on the car soon.Crew poses for a photo during Red Bull Racing 2023 Pitch Black Pit Stop in Milton Keynes, England. Photo via Magenta Stills / Red Bull Content.Additive manufacturing supports space flightFebruarys 3D printing news witnessed significant announcements within the space sector. A European Space Agency (ESA) contract saw AddUp and Airbus Defence & Space collaborate to develop a system to enable 3D printing in space.The companies developed two systems to evaluate additive manufacturing capabilities and performance in microgravity conditions. The flight model 3D printer was launched to the International Space Station through the ESAs Metal3D project. It underwent testing on the Space Stations Columbus module, with operational 3D printing beginning by early March.Meanwhile, an engineering model remained on Earth. Astronauts will 3D print four samples in space, which will be returned to Earth and analyzed alongside the terrestrial 3D printed parts. Mechanical strength, bending tests, and microstructural analysis will be conducted to evaluate the effects of microgravity on 3D printing.First of the four metal 3D specimens to be printed on board the ISS. Photo via Airbus.In other space news, Private Chinese company LandSpace completed the first successful test launch of its reusable Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 3D printed rocket. This hop test mission validated the vertical takeoff and landing (VTVL) Liquid Oxygen-Methane rockets first stage. It reached an altitude of around 350 meters in 60 seconds, before setting down on a designated landing area.Bright Laser Technologies metal 3D printing capabilities played a key role in producing the rocket. The Zhuque-3 featured a slew of 3D printed components, including joint elements, igniter mounts, and its intricate free-body section. The latter required a complex internal cooling structure.Bright Laser Technologies stated that conventional manufacturing processes failed to meet the quality requirements of the free-body section. The companys BLT-S310 and BLT-S400 Metal 3D printers successfully addressed these demands. LandSpace added that additive manufacturing expedited deliveries, reduced production time, and unlocked rapid development iterations.VTVL-1 Ignition Takeoff. Photo via LandSpace.Researchers achieve 3D printing breakthroughsAcademic research projects continued to push the boundaries of additive manufacturing in February. One team from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology developed a new method for multi-color 3D printing.Conventional multi-color 3D printing approaches require the use of multiple materials. However, the researchers novel process only requires a single ink, improving sustainability and efficiency. They drew inspiration from color-changing chameleons to create a UV-assisted-ink-writing approach that allows structural colors to be changed on the fly during 3D printing.By changing the strength of UV light, the researchers successfully achieved a wide range of colors. This was demonstrated through 3D printed art pieces, including a chameleon image and a recreation of Vincent Van Goghs Starry Night painting. Both showcased the broad spectrum of yellows, greens, and blues possible with a single ink.Elsewhere, researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison developed a new approach for 3D printing human brain tissue. The novel process can create active neural networks in and between tissues.Existing methods often create an uneven distribution of neural cells. The new approach overcomes this by 3D printing the brain tissue horizontally. Thrombin was added as a crosslinking agent after the tissue was deposited to prevent the 3D printed cell bands from mixing.The team believes the 3D printed brain tissue can serve as a valuable tool for modeling brain activity under physiological and pathological conditions. The tissue was also touted as an effective drug-testing platform.Multi-colored 3D printed chameleon. Image via University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.3D Printing News Highlights from 2024: Innovations, Trends, and AnalysisSubscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image shows 3D printed Wilson Airless Gen1 basketballs. Image via Wilson.

Tarkov isn't too smooth right now. Credit: Battlestate Games / Mike StubbsThe new Escape From Tarkov wipe has had a rocky launch to say the least, with a lot of technical issues making it difficult for some players to play. A new patch was released yesterday that was supposed to fix a lot of the issues, but since its release, players have reported that there are still a lot of technical problems.When the big 0.16.0.0 patch launched, Tarkov players were excited to get in and play with some of the new content that was added, but were quickly met with a lot of technical issues. Some were obviously down to server load, with thousands of players trying to log in for the start of the new wipe, but others seemed to be more fundamental issues with the game.Players reported issues such as micro-stutters, major performance drops, and being kicked from raids as soon as the map loads. There were other issues as well, such as losing gear despite successfully extracting, dying but keeping all of their kit, and some quests bugging out and not giving proper rewards, including unlocking traders.All of this created a very mixed start to the wipe for many players, and developer Battlestate Games acted pretty quickly to get a patch out last night that was supposed to fix most of the issues. The big list of Tarkov patch notes targeted a lot of the biggest issues players were facing, and it looked like this should fix the new wipe.MORE FOR YOUHowever, shortly after the patch launched, players reported that some of the issues had not been fixed as intended in the patch. The biggest one seems to be that PvE raids still have a chance to not save properly, meaning you can extract from a raid and not get your gear at the end of it, which is a pretty big issue for an extraction shooter.The good news is that Battlestate Games is aware of this and is working on another patch that should fix this, and the other issues that remain broken. In a post on the official Escape From Tarkov social media accounts, they announced another patch is coming soon.One issue that will likely take a bit longer to fix is the performance of Escape From Tarkov, with many players noticing a drop since the most recent patch. Theres a good chance that the engine upgrade to Unity 2022 likely has something to do with this, so it may take a while to get performance levels back to what it once was. However, in the recent TarkovTV stream it was announced that one of the main focuses for 2025 is to improve performance and optimization, so it is at least something the devs are aware of.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 12: UFC CEO Dana White is seen on stage during the UFC 306 at Riyadh ... [+] Season Noche UFC press conference at Sphere on September 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)Zuffa LLCEsteban Ribovics next fight is set, and MMA fans should be fired up.If you saw Noche UFC, you remember Merab Dvalishvili defeating Sean OMalley to become bantamweight champion. You should also remember Valentina Shevchenko regaining her womens flyweight title from Alexa Grasso.Those two fights were for championships. Aside from the championship fights, the most memorable fight on the card was the battle between Ribovics and Daniel Zellhuber.The two lightweight up-and-comers put on an epic battle at the Sphere, and Ribovics prevailed via split decision. Ribovics and Zellhuber won bonuses for Fight of the Night, UFC President Dana White sung their praises and both men saw their stock rise because of their performances.Ribovics seems like a fighter on the cusp of getting a shot at a ranked opponent. The UFC and White may have just given him his final hurdle.According to Tapologys Marcel Dorff, Ribovics is set to take on tough veteran Nasrat Haqparast on March 1 at UFC Vegas 103.Ribovics might be moving from one war to the next in this fight, but it is an excellent barometer for him before potentially getting a shot at a ranked opponent.Ribovics, 28, is 14-1.MORE FOR YOUHis lone loss came in his first fight as a member of the UFCs main roster. Ribovics earned his spot on the roster after scoring a first-round KO win over Thomas Paull on the Contender Series in 2022.However, he stumbled against Loik Radzhabov in his main-roster debut, losing by unanimous decision in March 2023. Since then, Ribovics has gone on a three-fight win streak that featured the win over Zellhuber and an insane head-kick KO of Terrance McKinney in May.Haqparast has been on a tear himself. Hes won four fights in a row, and the winner seems certain to draw a ranked fighter next time out.UFC Vegas 103 - March 1Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape - Flyweight (Main Event)Nasrat Haqparast vs. Esteban Ribovics - LightweightMontana De La Rosa vs. Luana Carolina - FlyweightLucas Almeida vs. Danny Silva - FeatherweightWilliam Gomis vs. Hyder Amil - FeatherweightDanny Barlow vs. Sam Patterson - WelterweightCody Brundage vs. Julian Marquez - MiddleweightNext Up With UFC - UFC Vegas 101 - January 11Before the March 1 card, the UFC will have six events. The first happens on January 11 at the Apex, headlined by Mackenzie Derns rematch with Amanda Ribas. Here is a look at that card:Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas - StrawweightSantiago Ponzinibbio vs. Carlston Harris - WelterweightAbdul Razak Alhassan vs. Csar Almeida - MiddleweightChris Curtis vs. Roman Kopylov - MiddleweightAustin Bashi vs. Christian Rodriguez - FeatherweightPunahele Soriano vs. Uro Medi - WelterweightJose Johnson vs. Felipe Bunes - FlyweightMarco Tlio vs. Ihor Potieria - MiddleweightThiago Moiss vs. Trey Ogden - LightweightAndreas Gustafsson vs. Preston Parsons - WelterweightErnesta Kareckaite vs. Nicolle Caliari - FlyweightMagomed Gadzhiyasulov vs. Bruno Lopes - Light HeavyweightViktoriia Dudakova vs. Fatima Kline - StrawweightNurullo Aliev vs. Yanal Ashmouz - Lightweight

There are three iPhones in Apples current range which have a Lightning connector: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone SE 3rd generation. All three have just been taken off sale in 29 countries, including one thats part of the U.K. Will other countries be affected?iPhone 14: the full color line-up.AppleIt all comes down to an EU directive which comes into force today, Saturday, Dec. 28 2024. In a bid to curtail electronic waste, the EU required manufacturers to ensure that devices such as cameras, phones and tablets all used the same charging port (and therefore cable): USB-C.This move was resisted by Apple, which said that such a requirement could stifle creativity. However, the change went through and Apple moved its iPhones to USB-C with the iPhone 15 onwards. All iPad, AirPods, Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard connectors, for instance, are also now USB-C only.This meant that the iPhone range had the three models listed above with Lightning at their core, meaning they had to be withdrawn by Dec. 28 to comply.Apple iPhone SE in three colors.AppleMORE FOR YOUThis happened on Friday, Dec. 27, when customers visiting Apple websites in all 27 EU countries found that only the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, iPhone 16, 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are now available for sale.So youre too late to get one of these phones if you live in the EU? Not quite. Third-party resellers are allowed to sell remaining stocksthe iPhone 14 is still on sale on Amazon in Spain right now, for instance.And the ban reaches further. Switzerland is outside the EU but aligns with the bloc in multiple ways, so the ban applies there, too. And although the U.K. left the European Union in 2020, Northern Ireland has different trading rules devised to ensure there is no border between the republic of Ireland and the British area in the north. So, you cant buy the affected phones in Belfast any more, either.By the way, theres no official Apple Store in the Republic, so theres a measure of irony here.Sales of the iPhone SE may be on the decline, as a new model is expected in Spring 2025, but its still not an ideal situation.What are the ramifications beyond Europe? Other countries will have been watching with interest, though realistically the effects will be minimal. Even if legislation was brought in quickly, it would be unlikely to take effect before the iPhone 14 is retired, which is expected this fall.

Korean Air is expected to stop flying the longest Boeing 747 passenger flight in March 2025.Airlines globally have been phasing out the massive jet in favor of less costly widebodies.Only four airlines are scheduled to operate the jumbo in 2025, representing 75% fewer 747 flights than in 2019.Korean Air is among the last airlines still flying the iconic Boeing 747, but it's scheduled to pull the jet from a particularly long US route in 2025.Route scheduling data from the aviation analytics company Cirium shows Korean Air plans to stop flying the 747 on its 7,153-mile route from Seoul to Atlanta the longest 747 passenger flight by distance in March. It will replace the 747 with the smaller Boeing 777-300ER, which has fewer seats on board.Korean's 777 carries up to 291 passengers, depending on the configuration, compared to the 368 seats on the double-decker 747. Korean did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Korean may sell more upgraded seats on the 777 to make up for fewer total tickets sold per flight.high-dollar first and business-class seats than the 747.The carrier is expected to fly the 747 to New York, Los Angeles, and Singapore next year but plans to retire the fleet fully by 2031.Reutersreported thatKorean sold five Boeing 747s in May for $674 million as part of its phase-out plan. The lower-level business class seats on Korean Air's Boeing 747. Taylor Rains/Business Insider Airlines globally have been phasing out the famous "Queen of the Skies" for years. Boeing ended production of the jet in December 2022 after 54 years and 1,574 units built.While the 747 was already leaving fleets before 2020 with no US carrier flying it by the end of 2017 airlines accelerated retirements when the pandemic uprooted travel.British Airways, Dutch flag carrier KLM, and Australia's Qantas all ditched the plane during Covid to help weather losses and better shape their future fleets.The gas-guzzling four-engine 747 is costly and inefficient compared to newer twin-engine widebodies, like Boeing's 777 and 787 and Airbus' A330neo and A350, that airlines now more readily rely on. One of British Airways' 747s was converted into a stationary "party plane" in England. Pictured is that plane's on-display cockpit. Taylor Rains/Business Insider The 747 also proved too big for airlines' needs, especially as point-to-point flying using smaller widebodies became more lucrative than the traditional hub-and-spoke model that warranted greater capacity.Even narrow-body planes are starting to become more common on long-haul flights.Airbus' family of extra-ranged A321neos is particularly revolutionizing this trend because they can target smaller markets with lower demand while still earning profits and airlines favor that flexibility.Only 4 airlines will fly the 747 in 2025Compounding industry changes have dampened the need for jumbo-sized planes like the 747, and only four passenger airlines will still fly it in 2025.Cirium data through November shows Air China, Korean Air, Lufthansa, and Russian carrier Rossiya Airlines have about 19,0000 collective 747 flights scheduled next year. They'll cover 35 routes.That's a 75% decrease from the nearly 76,000 scheduled 747 flights across 25 global carriers in 2019.In 2024, about 19,600 of the double-decker flights were scheduled.South Korea's Asiana Airlines and Middle Eastern carrier Saudia contributed to this year's total but ceased 747 passenger flights in March and September, respectively. Asiana Airlines merged with Korean Air in December.Lufthansa's more than two dozen 747 jets are expected to cover 21 routes from Frankfurt in 2025, totaling about 12,000 flights, per Cirium. That's about 63% of next year's total scheduled 747 flights.The airline is retrofitting the aircraft with new seats, an investment that signals a future need for the fleet.By comparison, Air China's roughly 4,450 scheduled flights would cover four routes from Beijing, Korean's 1,900 scheduled flights would cover four routes from Seoul, and Rossiya's about 750 scheduled flights would cover six routes from Moscow.A dozen 747 routesare scheduled toserve North America in 2025, including New York City, Newark, New Jersey, Boston, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston, Mexico City, and in Canada, Vancouver and Toronto.The 747s are also expected to touch Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Japan, India, Argentina, Germany, South Korea, South Africa, and Singapore. Rossiya's 747 operations are expected to be limited to Russia. Aeroflot subsidiary Rossiya Air is flying its 747s on domestic routes in Russia. Leonid Faerberg/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images The Russian airline is a subsidiary of flag carrier Aeroflot and restarted 747 operations in 2024, likely to take advantage of the 522-seat capacity as Western sanctions limit Russia's available planes.Cirium data shows a majority of Rossiya's 2025 routes are set to fly to the country's Far East suggesting the massive 747s are useful not just for tourists but also for cargo needed in the remote Russian region.A new world's longest 747 passenger flightWhen Korean stops flying its 747 to Atlanta in March, Lufthansa's 7,133-mile trek between Frankfurt and Buenos Aires would become the new longest passenger 747 flight by distance.Korean's 747 flight between Seoul and New York would be the second-longest at 6,906 miles, followed by Air China's route between Beijing and New York at 6,838 miles. Come March 2025, Lufthansa will operate the world's longest 747 flight by distance. Arne Dedert/picture alliance via Getty Images Although not the longest by distance, Air China's New York service is the longest passenger 747 trek by flight time at about 17 hours. The longer-ranged Lufthansa and Korean routes reach about 14 hours and 16 hours, respectively.Air China would run the shortest 747 flight in 2025, flying just two hours across 667 miles between Beijing and Shanghai. According to data from OAG, the route's nearly 7.8 million available seats ranked it among the world's top 10 busiest domestic flights in 2024.The airline's other intra-China flights to Guangzhou and Shenzhen and the only other 747 flights it operates besides Shanghai and New York are about 1,200 miles, or roughly three and a half hours.Rossiya is scheduled to fly a 747 route under 1,000 miles that hops between Moscow and Sochi, a popular beach town in southwest Russia along the Black Sea.

Maya Ramirez, 31, has been attending diabetes camp all her life.In 2023, she attended a diabetes camp for adults for the first time.Adult diabetes camp gave her community and helped her process the grief of losing her mom.This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Maya Ramirez. It has been edited for length and clarity.I was born with a condition called congenital hyperinsulinism, which essentially means your pancreas releases insulin to an excessive level. The condition led to the removal of my pancreas at eight months old, resulting in me developing pancreatogenic, or type 3c, diabetes, which is a type of diabetes that happens after your pancreas is compromised or removed.Diabetes camp as a kid helped me find communityMy oldest brother has type 2 diabetes now, but growing up, I didn't have any friends or family with the condition. I didn't have a community and wanted to know other kids who could relate to what I was going through. Things changed for the better at 10 years old when I received my first insulin pump. The medical device made me feel confident enough to go to sleep-away diabetes camp because it allowed me to better manage my diabetes without my parents' help. Diabetes camp is just like a traditional summer camp for children, but with a medical staff and camp attendees who are living with diabetes often type 1.I met several kids my age who were also living with diabetes and built friendships. From that point on, I went to diabetes camp every summer, and sometimes, if my parents would allow it, I would attend multiple camps each summer. One July, I hopped off one bus, went home to do laundry, and then hopped on another bus to attend another camp.Eventually, I went from camp attendee to counselor. When I was around 16, I became a camp counselor in training, and then at 18, I became a counselor. I took two years off from working at diabetes camps in college, but now I'm working in an administrative role for a nonprofit based in California that supports families impacted by type 1 diabetes with community-building events and camps.I went to an adult diabetes camp for the first time last yearEven though I'd been to many camps growing up, I attended an adult diabetes camp for the first time at the age of 30 in August 2023 through the nonprofit I work for. When we arrived, they gave us a schedule of activities to choose from. There were educational sessions led by medical staff, nurses, and even therapists. One of the educational sessions focused on navigating pregnancy with diabetes. We learned about blood sugar management when pregnant, what type of doctor visits we should have, and where to find a support group. I'm at the stage where I may have kids soon, so the session was very informative.People of all ages were in attendance. You have to be at least 18, but I saw a woman in her 70s when I went. The camp is way up in the mountains in California, and there's no cell service. But we had all the activities you think of when you think of camp pool time, archery, arts and crafts, and hiking. One night, we had a traditional campfire with skits, songs, and s'mores, which was one of my highlights.We all slept on giant outside decks. Each deck had a cot with a mattress, and we could sleep under the stars. August in California is typically super hot, so we were pretty toasty. There's something so peaceful and tranquil about sleeping under the stars with the sound of nature in the background. Even though we were in the woods, we had fully functioning restrooms and showers.A lot of people living with diabetes sometimes feel restricted in what they can eat because some doctors and society, in general, have created a bad stigma about the relationship between diabetics and food. The message is, "Oh, you can't eat this because you have diabetes." At camp, it was instilled in us that we can still eat what we enjoy. We just have to figure out the carb count and administer a proper amount of insulin based on what our body needs. Luckily, the kitchen staff at the camp had a full carb breakdown on all the foods and measurements, so we didn't have to guess.I processed my mom's death during campI lost my mom back in 2018, and when I think about my diabetes journey, I think about my mom. From day one, my mom pushed me to be independent and said, "Hey, it's just something you'll live with. You're not different; you're not weird." She didn't want diabetes to stop me from doing anything I wanted. When she died, I felt lost in life. She was my person.During one of our adult camp discussion sessions facilitated by a therapist, I opened up about how her death impacted me and the worries I had about navigating diabetes without the person I had talked to most about the condition for my entire life.The camp discussion finally allowed me to let out all of the feelings I had been navigating for years after losing my mom but hadn't processed out loud. Because of camp, I was able to process my grief around people who not only understood navigating a serious medical condition, but some also understood navigating a serious medical condition while simultaneously grieving a parent.

An breakup text on my birthday was a shock I didn't see coming.It came while I was on a trip with my dad and brother, making stops in Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia.Instead of meeting up with my now-ex at the end of the journey, I was able to extend the family trip.Perhaps the worst birthday present in the world? A text from your situationship breaking things off.I had just landed in Serbia with my dad, brother, and uncle. We were about to take a two-week trip to visit family and explore a few countries. Our plan was to start in Serbia where my dad was born, then move through Bosnia and Croatia with a final layover in London. There, I'd meet up with my label-less friend during my 24-hour layover. It was the perfect plan until I opened WhatsApp the morning of my birthday to a message saying it wasn't perfect after all.I was initially devastated. My family had no clue what happened I wasn't ready to explain my grief just yet but my dad, brother, aunt, and cousin treated me to a tour of Belgrade, a traditional lunch, and a delicious glass of wine. At the end of the day, I resolved to make the best of the next two weeks. I refused to let anyone ruin my adventure, especially one as special as this. Little did I know that with some quick thinking and a bit of recklessness, the next two weeks of adventures would heal me in ways I never expected.Reconnecting with my family was pricelessThe main reason my father, brother, and I were in Serbia was to visit extended family. My dad was born in an area just outside the capital city of Belgrade. He and my grandparents immigrated to the United States when he was quite young, and besides a few visits at age 10, he hadn't returned in decades.We explored Belgrade by foot, taxi, bus, and train. We celebrated Easter with my great-aunt, drank beers on the coast of the Danube, took shots of rakia in a lively kafana, and ate our weight in smoked meats. And even though half of us didn't speak the same language, we made memories to last a lifetime. My dad and I enjoying a stop at a lively kafana in Belgrade, Serbia. Jessica Ivetich Exploring new places provided a fresh perspectiveAfter our week in Serbia, my dad, brother, and I said goodbye to my uncle, rented a car and began our next adventure: driving to the small Bosnian village where my grandparents were born. On our way, we stopped in Sarajevo to explore the rich blend of cultures in the "Jerusalem of Europe." It was incredible to hear the imams calling everyone to prayer as we wandered the Old City. Later as we continued through the countryside, I found myself lost in thought picturing alternate lifetimes. From the busy city to beautiful lakes to the near-deserted village of Cerni Lug, immersing myself in new spaces was the perfect opportunity to recenter and reflect on the values and practices I wanted the next chapter of my life to include.Plans are nice, but spontaneity can heal allI've had the privilege of traveling abroad before. My ideal travel style involves knowing where I'm going, how long I'll be there, and where I'll lay my head. My brother is the polar opposite, needing no plans at all. While these differences caused the typical sibling bickering, embracing the unknown was part of this trip's appeal. With our backpacks and our rental car, the three of us drove through the Croatian mountainside, stopping for gas, scenic views, and the occasional fresh roadside fruit. Celebrating Orthodox Easter in Serbia on the Danube River with my brother and dad. Jessica Ivetich At the start of the trip, I thought we'd end there I would fly to London, spend my layover with my situationship, and then head home to Chicago. But as the days ticked by, I grew more adventurous and wanted nothing to do with the British Isles. I rearranged the entire return trip, booking a 50 (about $52 USD) Ryanair flight and securing last minute tickets to the Emilia Romagna Formula 1 Grand Prix. Sharing this unexpected experience with my dad was the perfect ending that I never expected.Traveling with family can be a blessing and a curse. Typical stresses and family dynamics tend to compound, but you're left with a once-in-a-lifetime experience to explore the world with those you love most. Do I want to get dumped on my birthday again? No. But would I plan another European road trip? Absolutely.