Az Memo: Feeling Like Fall; Accidental Shootings Pile Up; Cards Prepare For Familiar Foe; Fatal Phoenix Fire; No Cuban Cigar Lim

The Philippines is known for its monthslong Christmas celebrations starting in September. The heavily Catholic country of nearly 120 million people is serious about the festive season. However, this time of year has recently taken a much more somber tone for many Filipino families. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Estrella Pagarigan had decorated her home with recycled bamboo and plastic bottle parols for the holidays, but in early November, the house where she, her husband, and three children have lived for years was flattened overnight.

Fast break Why the Buffs won: They kept their composure all night, especially through adversity in the second half. Down the stretch, they were exceptional on defense and hit timely shots. Three stars: 1. Jade Masogayo: Perhaps her best game as a Buff, she had 18 points on 9-of-10 shooting, tied her season high with seven rebounds and blocked two shots. 2.

With so much new music being put out and new stars created each year, it's ironic that one of the most played songs on Spotify in 2024 was Journey' "Don't Stop Believing" Billboard: More than a billion Spotify streams, a Library of Congress National Recording Registry placement and plays at virtually every sporting event around the world don’t lie — this one is Journey’s pinnacle of success.

After six years at the helm of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, dedicated to "building the infrastructure" necessary to effectively fight for key policies on Capitol Hill, term-limited Rep. Pramila Jayapal is determined to ensure that the CPC's incoming leaders "are as successful as possible." Jayapal (D-Wash.) spoke with Common Dreams on Wednesday about her time leading the caucus of nearly 100 lawmakers whose legislative priorities include "comprehensive immigration reform, good-paying jobs, fair trade, universal healthcare, debt-free college, climate action, and a just foreign policy." She was elected first vice chair of the CPC in June 2017, just months into her freshman term in Congress.

Despite squandering a double-digit advantage in the second half, Colorado State men’s basketball regained the lead in the final minutes and held on to defeat Nevada, 66-64, and open conference play with a victory Saturday in Reno, Nev. With the win, the Rams improved to 7-5 overall and 1-0 in the Mountain West Conference. With 15 minutes, 27 seconds left in the second half, Kyan Evans hit a 3-pointer to give the Rams a 44-33 lead.

My husband and I work full-time for one of the wealthiest companies in the world. So why can’t we afford to start a family? For four years, my husband, Andrew, and I have driven delivery vehicles for Amazon throughout Southern California. My job means a lot to me. Rain or shine, I make over 160 stops a day delivering packages in my community, and I’m proud knowing that what I do makes a difference in people’s lives.