The actor and mannequin Cara Delevingne performs Sir Elton John in a brand new video for his track Step Into Christmas.

Within the video, a behind-the-scenes reimagining of the one launched greater than 50 years in the past, Delevingne, 32, wears an identical-looking go well with and glasses as worn by the singer-songwriter within the unique.

On its preliminary launch in November 1973, Step Into Christmas reached No 24 within the UK prime 40 and the highest of the Billboard Christmas singles chart.

Delevingne, who’s a detailed pal of John’s, stated: “Elton has at all times been an idol of mine. To say his music has had a deeply profound impact on me is an understatement. To be requested by him to play him on this recreation was a dream that I didn’t know I had till it occurred. Truthfully, I want I might fake to be Elton day-after-day.

“I hope that Elton could someday return the favour and comply with play me in my not but developed, written, pitched or funded biopic. Fingers crossed.”

Within the new video, a manufacturing workforce is getting ready the set for the star’s arrival, attempting to make sure it’s “Christmassy sufficient”.

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John stated: “I noticed Cara at Glastonbury final summer season, and we talked about how a lot we’d like to work collectively if the best concept got here up. She’s hilarious to spend time with, we each have fairly a self-deprecating sense of humour.

“When somebody urged the thought of her taking part in me in a riff on the 1973 Step Into Christmas video, I simply thought it was the right alternative. Thank God Cara thought the identical, as a result of it got here out nice.”

John’s documentary titled Elton John: By no means Too Late was launched on Disney+ on 13 December. Final month, the star launched the track By no means Too Late, which he co-wrote with the US singer and Grammy-winner Brandi Carlile.

Theodore Too, the beloved life-sized duplicate of Theodore Tugboat, has partially sunk whereas in port, its proprietor says.

The 20-metre vessel, which moved to the Port of Hamilton from Halifax Harbour in June 2021, by some means took on water Tuesday night time whereas on the Ontario Shipyard in Port Weller.

Its proprietor, Blair McKeil, CEO of Breakwater Monetary, stated in an announcement Wednesday {that a} staff of execs is devising a plan to refloat the tugboat.

“Right now, the reason for this unlucky incident stays unclear,” McKeil stated.

“Nonetheless, we’re dedicated to executing a protected and profitable refloat of our beloved Theodore Too.”

Kayla Graham, government assistant at Breakwater, informed International Information that Theodore Too is partially submerged within the shallow water. The remainder of the vessel is resting within the mud beside a dock.

Pictures shared with International Information present Theodore’s iconic pink ball cap, bulbous nostril and pleasant smile above water.

The 24-year-old tugboat has lengthy been an iconic determine to many Canadians. Inbuilt 2000 in Dayspring, N.S., as a life-sized duplicate of Theodore Tugboat — the title character of a CBC youngsters’s TV present that aired from 1993 to 2001 — Theodore Too was usually seen bobbing within the water of the Halifax Harbour or making appearances in photographs.

Earlier than his transfer to Hamilton, Theodore spent summers internet hosting youngsters’s excursions of the Halifax Harbour, in addition to cruising the Nice Lakes and seaboard within the U.S. and Canada, selling Nova Scotian tourism.

Since arriving in Ontario, Theodore Too has visited greater than 20 ports alongside the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario and within the U.S., elevating consciousness concerning the marine trade and conservation, restoration and preservation of water assets, Breakwater stated in a information launch.

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“Individuals throughout the nation maintain this little tugboat expensive, and we’ll do all the things doable to maintain everybody knowledgeable of our progress,” McKeil stated.

“Relaxation assured, measures have been take to mitigate any potential environmental affect.”

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston stated in a put up on Fb it was “unhappy to see our previous good friend in such a broken state.”

“I’m blissful to learn the proprietor is dedicated to repairing Theodore and a protected and profitable refloat,” he stated.

“Keep sturdy, Theodore!”

In an Instagram put up on its official web page, Theodore Tugboat stated its partial sinking was a “mishap.”

“I’m resting safely on my stomach within the mud and my household in Ontario has assembled a staff of specialists to rigorously proper and refloat me. They’re working tremendous onerous to have me ship form in time for the vacations,” it stated.

“Right now of 12 months, when so a lot of my associates throughout the nation are struggling, I would like you to know the way a lot I really like you all and I want you a heartfelt blissful, wholesome and toot-ally magical vacation. Toot Toot!”

&copy 2024 International Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.

Returning to the stadium the place he skilled hat-trick glory however eventual heartbreak on the two-year anniversary of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ remaining, Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring on 37 minutes with the newly-crowned FIFA Finest Males’s Participant Vinícius Júnior offering the help.

The 15-time European champions proved too robust for the Mexican facet – with additional second-half objectives from Rodrygo and Vinícius Júnior – whose penalty sealed the victory.

Regardless of the defeat, Pachuca will return residence with their heads held excessive and carrying two trophies – following a extremely profitable week in Qatar. On 11 December, they overcame CONMEBOL Libertadores champions Botafogo 3-0 to assert the inaugural Derby of the Americas Trophy. Three days later they overcame CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly on penalties to carry the FIFA Challenger Cup.

The FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ conflict in Qatar was the primary ever between the 2 sides, however Pachuca – who have been competing of their first FIFA remaining, won’t have to attend lengthy for an additional likelihood to go one higher towards Actual. The pair have been drawn collectively in Group H of the expanded FIFA Membership World Cup 2025™ – and can meet once more on 22 June 2025 on the Financial institution of America Stadium in Charlotte, United States.

An iconic tugboat that was a fixture in Halifax Harbour for 21 years has partially sunk in Ontario.

Theodore Too, based mostly on the favored kids’s TV present “Theodore Tugboat,” moved three years in the past, travelling greater than 1,900 kilometres and stopping at 15 ports earlier than reaching its ultimate vacation spot in Hamilton, Ont.

A press release from Theodore’s new proprietor, Blair McKeil, reads, “Sadly, Theodore Too took on water whereas tied up on the dock at Ontario Shipyards. The vessel is now partially submerged and resting on backside.”

McKeil says crews are actually engaged on a refloating plan.

“It’s a really unlucky occasion, fortunately there have been no folks concerned and no accidents,” reads the assertion.

A press release from Theodore Too’s proprietor about it being partially submerged is pictured. (Supply: Fb)

Theodore Too is a totally operational 65-foot tugboat. It was constructed at Snyder’s Shipyard in Dayspring, N.S., in 2000 as a reproduction of the primary character of the youngsters’s present, which aired between 1993 and 2001.

In its early years, the tugboat spent summers on the Nice Lakes in Ontario and the japanese seaboard of america and Canada, selling tourism in Nova Scotia.

From the mid-2000s onward, the vessel hosted child-themed excursions of the Halifax harbour, with many passengers being former followers of the tv present.

“Theodore tugboat was a type of Halifax icons,” mentioned Halifax historian Blair Beed. “Folks keep in mind once they have been youthful, their go to to Halifax due to Theodore.”

In March 2021, Theodore was bought to McKeil, who’s the president and CEO of Breakwater Investments in Ontario.

Theodore Too is partially submerged at a dock in St. Catharines, Ont., in December 2024. (Courtesy: Bobby Davidson)

“It meant quite a bit to Halifax, and it related to folks right here,” added Richard Loughery, who additionally lives in Halifax. “It introduced out the children together with it and we went on a few excursions on it, in the course of the summer time.”

“Our youngsters and grandchildren noticed numerous Theodore and so they have been disenchanted once they moved away from Halifax,” mentioned Halifax resident Mel MacConnell.

Dennis Campbell used to personal Theodore Too, and after talking with the present proprietor, is assured the vessel will be saved.

“They’re engaged on it and they’ll get Theodore Too raised as much as the water and get it again in to prime form,” mentioned Campbell, who added it is unhappy to see tugboat on this state however is hopeful Theodore Too will quickly be repaired and seaworthy.

With recordsdata from CTV’s Paul Hollingsworth.

For extra Nova Scotia information, go to our devoted provincial web page.

The Teamsters union introduced a strike in opposition to Amazon Thursday morning with employees becoming a member of picket traces in 4 states, in what they declare is the biggest strike in opposition to the supply large in historical past.

The strike comes only one week earlier than Christmas, amid the push of last-minute vacation reward deliveries. 

The strike began at 6 a.m. ET with employees from a facility in New York Metropolis, a facility in Atlanta, three in Southern California, one in San Francisco and one in Skokie, Illinois, which is positioned simply outdoors of Chicago. The Teamsters mentioned in a press launch that just about 10,000 Amazon employees have joined the union. That’s only a small fraction of the 1.5 million individuals employed by the the $2 trillion tech and retail empire.

In that launch, the union mentioned the work stoppage comes after Amazon “ignored” a Dec. 15 deadline set by the union to come back to the bargaining desk. 

“In case your bundle is delayed through the holidays, you’ll be able to blame Amazon’s insatiable greed. We gave Amazon a transparent deadline to come back to the desk and do proper by our members. They ignored it,” mentioned Teamsters Normal President Sean M. O’Brien mentioned in an announcement.

“These grasping executives had each likelihood to indicate decency and respect for the individuals who make their obscene earnings potential. As an alternative, they’ve pushed employees to the restrict and now they’re paying the worth. This strike is on them,” he added.

Amazon is refuting the Teamster’s claims. 

“For greater than a yr now, the Teamsters have continued to deliberately mislead the general public — claiming that they symbolize ‘1000’s of Amazon workers and drivers’. They don’t, and that is one other try and push a false narrative,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel mentioned.

Nantel added that the Teamsters have allegedly tried to threaten and coerce Amazon workers and third-party drivers to hitch them, “which is unlawful and is the topic of a number of pending unfair labor apply expenses in opposition to the union.”

Amazon mentioned its workers have the selection to hitch a union if they need, and that the corporate already provides aggressive pay, well being advantages and alternatives for progress — all factors which many unions are requesting. 

One drugs that he famously hasn’t tried is the COVID-19 vaccine. In 2021, Rodgers advised NFL officers that he was “immunized” towards the virus. When he examined optimistic for the virus that November, the reality got here out: He hadn’t gotten the pictures, explaining that he was allergic to an ingredient within the Moderna and Pfizer formulations, and that he wasn’t comfy with what he perceived as attainable dangers related to the Johnson & Johnson shot. He was benched for 10 days and fined $14,650 by the league. The NFL additionally fined the Inexperienced Bay Packers, Rodgers’ group on the time, $300,000 after an investigation into this system’s COVID-19 protocols.

Rodgers advised Ian O’Connor, who in August 2024 revealed the unauthorized biography Out of the Darkness: The Thriller of Aaron Rodgers, that he regretted his wording. “If there’s one factor I want might have gone completely different, it is that, as a result of that is the one factor [critics] might hit me with,” Rodgers is quoted as saying in O’Connor’s e book.

“He advised me, I ought to have advised the reality,” O’Connor stated in an interview with Self-importance Truthful across the time of the e book’s publication. “That’s the primary time he’s ever stated that.”

Within the doc, Rodgers claims that he submitted a roughly 500-page enchantment to the league to keep away from the obligatory protocol for non-vaccinated gamers, which included masking and every day testing, which Rodgers referred to as “wild.” He revealed that he did not get the flu vaccine when he was younger both, as a result of his father was suspicious of it. Discussing the “I am immunized” remark he shared with the press, Rodgers positioned the blame on the media for not asking follow-up questions that might have made it clear that he had not gotten the shot. He referred to as the following protection of the difficulty a “smear marketing campaign.”

Within the Netflix collection’ second episode, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a famous vaccine naysayer, enters the image. Rodgers and Kennedy are proven in a clip labeled February 2024 having fun with a hike collectively. “Have you considered going into politics?” Kennedy requested Rodgers on digital camera. Later, Rodgers reveals, “I bought requested by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be his vp proper after the hike we went on.”

Hundreds of Amazon employees at a number of areas across the nation had been anticipated to hitch a strike on Thursday in a marketing campaign launched by the Teamsters union to press the retail large to acknowledge its unionized employees within the U.S.

The strike, anticipated to focus on seven Amazon services nationwide, comes throughout the holiday-shopping rush and may very well be the nation’s largest union motion towards Amazon but. The corporate early Thursday mentioned it hasn’t seen any influence on operations and was “persevering with to concentrate on getting clients their vacation orders.”

The Worldwide Brotherhood of Teamsters says it represents about 10,000 Amazon workers and contractors, at warehouses, supply and air hubs. Amazon has refused to acknowledge the union for years; the retail large employs about 1.5 million folks, excluding part-timers and contractors.

Now, warehouse employees and supply drivers at seven services have organized a strike to push the corporate to barter for a collective-bargaining contract, together with modifications to pay, advantages and dealing circumstances. Employees in New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Skokie, Ailing., deliberate to take to the picket line.

And the Teamsters say they’re additionally organizing picket traces at “a whole bunch” of extra warehouses and supply hubs, encouraging non-unionized employees to picket underneath the U.S. labor legislation that protects employees’ proper to take collective motion to advance their pursuits.

“These employees are exercising their energy,” Randy Korgan, the Teamsters’ nationwide director for Amazon, advised NPR. “They now notice there’s a pathway to tackle a company large like this – that they maintain the ability.”

Amazon, in flip, accuses the Teamsters of misrepresenting the strikes, saying the members are “totally” outsiders, quite than firm workers or contractors.

“The reality is that they had been unable to get sufficient assist from our workers and companions and have introduced in outsiders to return and harass and intimidate our group,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel mentioned in an announcement. “For greater than a 12 months now, the Teamsters have continued to deliberately mislead the general public – claiming that they signify ‘1000’s of Amazon workers and drivers’. They do not.”

The Teamsters advised NPR the strike would last more than a day, however didn’t say how lengthy. Employees can be offered strike pay by the union, at a price of $1,000 every week, the union mentioned.

“In case your package deal is delayed throughout the holidays, you’ll be able to blame Amazon’s insatiable greed,” Teamsters President Sean O’Brien mentioned in an announcement. “We gave Amazon a transparent deadline to return to the desk and do proper by our members. They ignored it.”

The Teamsters had given Amazon till Dec. 15 to return to the desk to barter a collective-bargaining contract with its unionized employees. Amazon has fought all union efforts in courtroom and argues unions weren’t proper for its employees, touting the pay and advantages the corporate already offers. Amazon has confronted a number of accusations of unfair labor practices, together with for firing labor organizers. It has additionally disputed its formal standing as an employer of contract employees.

The Teamsters had for years organized Amazon supply drivers and different employees, pushing for Amazon to acknowledge their unionization. In June, Amazon’s first unionized warehouse in Staten Island, N.Y. — two years after making historical past by voting to hitch the upstart Amazon Labor Union — additionally affiliated with the Teamsters.

The union is among the many strongest within the U.S. and Canada, representing 1.3 million folks.

Amazon employees in Germany on Thursday mentioned they deliberate to strike together with their U.S. counterparts, in keeping with the German United Providers Union. Amazon has prior to now confronted strikes in Germany and Spain across the holidays to demand higher pay and work circumstances.

“It’s the vacation season. Persons are anticipating deliveries. That is the second that the the the the employees have affect over the provision chain,” mentioned Patricia Campos-Medina, govt director of the Employee Institute at Cornell College.

The Teamsters factors out Amazon’s earnings had soared throughout the pandemic and since then. The corporate is now valued greater than $2.3 trillion, and it reported web revenue of $15 billion within the newest quarter alone. It is the second largest personal employer within the U.S. behind Walmart.

Editor’s observe: Amazon is amongst NPR’s current monetary supporters.

NFL star Aaron Rodgers is able to tell-all.

In Netflix’s three-part docuseries “Aaron Rodgers: Enigma,” launched Tuesday, the New York Jets quarterback permits cameras into his life off the sphere and journey again to enjoying for the NFL following his season-ending damage final yr from a torn Achilles.

In between lamenting his lack of privateness, the 41-year-old Tremendous Bowl champion lets viewers in on being provided a spot on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential ticket and his ideas in regards to the hit his status took as a result of his refusal to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine. Rodgers described himself as “being solid because the villain, particularly the previous couple of years.”

Within the collection’ second installment, titled “Awakening,” he delves into his rift together with his household and the way it got here to a head with youthful brother Jordan Rodgers’ profitable run on “The Bachelorette” in 2016.

Aaron Rodgers opens up about estrangement from household

In line with Aaron, differing views on faith and spirituality, in addition to life-style, contributed to his estrangement from his household, which incorporates dad and mom Ed and Darla and brothers Jordan, 36, and Luke, 42. However the distance between himself and his household began making itself identified way back to highschool.

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“I grew up in a very conservative, small-town surroundings” the place he went to “a really white, dogmatic church, and that simply did not actually serve me,” Aaron says. He additionally says he felt the picture of masculinity modeled for him rising up precipitated his “stunted emotional intelligence” that he addresses, partially, via utilizing ayahuasca and partaking in temazcal, or a sweat lodge ceremony created by Indigenous folks dwelling in Central and North America.

After going to an ayahuasca retreat in Costa Rica, the NFL star says: “I believe doing ayahuasca helps your whole therapeutic course of, thoughts, physique, spirit.”

Regarding the rift together with his household, Rodgers claims, “After I began wanting into different religions and plant drugs, I additionally discovered quite a lot of resistance doing issues that, in comparison with what I grew up in, can be thought of another life-style.”

Aaron Rodgers says household did not help his movie star standing

Rodgers says when he joined the NFL, he was pursuing his soccer goals – not stardom. “I by no means signed up” for off-the-field consideration,” he tells the digicam.

He remembers the discomfort of being the topic of paparazzi pictures for the primary time in 2011 and admits, “I did not do myself any favors with a number of the women I dated after that had been within the public eye.” He was previously engaged to “Large Little Lies” star Shailene Woodley and in addition dated professional racer Danica Patrick in addition to actresses Olivia Munn and Jessica Szohr.

Rodgers additionally claims his household was not supportive of his visibility as a celeb whose affect prolonged past the sphere.

“There was quite a lot of occasions, after I turned actual well-known, the place I heard from lots of people – together with members of the family – the place it was like, ‘Your life is just too large; we want you to be smaller. Do not discuss your life,'” he says.

“It all the time damage me as a result of I simply really feel like you do not see me. This isn’t one thing I ever desired or needed, aside from enjoying on Sundays,” he continues. “It will possibly undoubtedly change the folks round your circle as a result of it may be intoxicating, the celebrity and notoriety. Undoubtedly, relationships modified after that. Friendships, household.”

Aaron Rodgers ‘by no means requested’ to be a part of Jordan Rodgers’ ‘Bachelorette’ hometown date

Rodgers admits there wasn’t an excessive amount of love misplaced between him and the remainder of his household: “It wasn’t like I used to be tremendous duper shut with everyone within the household; I used to be shut with my little brother. However essentially, it goes again to stuff from highschool that form of made me really feel distant. Stuff from faculty, stuff from post-college.”

He continues, “I used to be quiet about it as a result of I assumed the easiest way to do it was simply do not discuss it publicly. And what do they do?”

The display transitions to protection from 2016 of Jordan Rodgers’ look on (now spouse) JoJo Fletcher’s season of “The Bachelorette,” during which Aaron and his then-girlfriend Olivia Munn had been noticeably absent from Jordan’s hometown date.

“They go on a (expletive) present and depart two empty chairs,” Aaron says. “All of them agreed this was factor to do, to depart two empty chairs at a silly courting present that my brother simply went on to get well-known – his phrases, not mine – that he ended up successful.”

He continues, “However a dinner that was in the course of the season, I used to be by no means requested to go to, not that I’d’ve gone.”

USA TODAY reached out to representatives for Jordan Rodgers and “The Bachelorette” for remark.

Till now, Aaron has been mum in regards to the actuality TV present. When requested on the time about his brother’s participation on the present, Aaron mentioned, “I’ve all the time discovered that it is a bit of inappropriate to speak publicly about some household issues.”

Jordan’s NFL celebrity connection was no small a part of Fletcher’s “Bachelorette” season. Aaron was talked about quite a few occasions all through, and Jordan opened as much as Fletcher about his lack of relationship together with his brother greater than midway via the season.

“It is one thing we don’t actually like speaking about an entire lot. It pains each of us like to not have that relationship, like, we miss our brother,” Luke Rodgers mentioned on “The Bachelorette.” “I belief in that God brings issues full circle.”

Aaron Rodgers is open to reconciling together with his household

Eight years later, Aaron has no “in poor health will” towards his household.

“They’re dwelling as finest they’ll … nonetheless engulfed in organized faith, which works for them. That is nice,” he says. “In order a lot as they may not like what they see, love and respect and gratitude for a way I used to be raised as a result of it would not have turned me into who I’m as we speak.”

He continues, “Individuals ask me, like, if there’s hope for reconciliation. I say, ‘Yeah, after all.’ I do not need them to fail, to battle, to have any strife or points. I do not want any in poor health will on them in any respect.

“It is extra like we’re simply totally different steps within the timeline of our personal journeys.”