GINGER MAG

Dec 7 (Reuters) - The United States is set ​to unveil a ‌long-awaited farm aid package on ‌Monday, offering assistance of $12 billion to farmers hit by low crop ⁠prices and ‌tariff policies, Bloomberg News said on ‍Sunday, citing a White House official.

President Donald Trump plans ​to announce the ‌package during an event attended by farmers, alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Agriculture Secretary ⁠Brooke Rollins, the ​agency said.

Growers ​of cattle and crops from grains to ‍soybeans, cotton ⁠and potatoes will attend the event.

Reuters could ⁠not immediately verify the ‌report.

(Reporting by Anusha Shah ‌in Bengaluru)

BEIJING, Dec 8 (Reuters) - China's exports topped forecasts in November, buoyed by a boost from atarifftruce with ​the U.S. even as weak factory activity and vanishing ‌returns from front-loading point to a challenging 2026.

Outbound shipments from the world's second-biggest ‌economy grew 5.9% year-on-year, customs data showed on Monday, reversing from a 1.1% contraction a month prior, and beating a 3.8% forecast in a Reuters poll.

Imports were up 1.9%, compared to a 1.0% ⁠uptick in October. ‌Economists had expected a 3.0% increase.

November kicked off with news that the United States and China had ‍agreed to scale back some of their tariffs and a raft of other measures after President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping ​met in South Korea on October 30.

Economists estimate that diminished ‌access to the U.S. market has reduced China's export growth by roughly 2 percentage points, equivalent to around 0.3% of GDP.

October's unexpected downturn, following an 8.3% surge the month prior, signalled that Chinese exporters' tactic of front-loading U.S.-bound shipments to beat Trump's ⁠tariffs had run its course.

Although Chinese ​factory owners reported an improvement in new ​export orders in November, they were still in contraction, underscoring continued uncertainty for manufacturers as they struggle to ‍replace demand in ⁠the absence of U.S. buyers.

An official survey tracking broader factory activity showed that the sector contracted for an eighth ⁠consecutive month.

China's trade surplus stood at $111.68 billion in November, from $90.07 billion recorded the ‌previous month, and beating a forecast of $100.2 billion.

(Reporting by ‌Joe CashEditing by Shri Navaratnam)

New Orleans (AP) —State and federal authorities are closely tracking online criticism and demonstrations against theimmigration crackdown in New Orleans, monitoring message boards around the clock for threats to agents while compiling regular updates on public "sentiment" surrounding the arrests, according to law enforcement records reviewed by The Associated Press.

The intelligence gathering comes even as officials have released few details about the first arrests made last week as part of "Catahoula Crunch," prompting calls for greater transparency from local officials who say they've been kept in the dark about virtually every aspect of the operation.

"Online opinions still remain mixed, with some supporting the operations while others are against them," said a briefing circulated early Sunday to law enforcement. Earlier bulletins noted "a combination of groups urging the public to record ICE and Border Patrol" as well as "additional locations where agents can find immigrants."

Immigration authorities have insisted the sweeps are targeted at "criminal illegal aliens." But the law enforcement records detail criminal histories for less than a third of the 38 people arrested in the first two days of the operation.

Local leaders told the AP those numbers — which law enforcement officials were admonished not to distribute to the media — undermined the stated aim of the roundup. They also expressed concern that the online surveillance could chill free speech as authorities threaten to charge anyone interfering with immigration enforcement.

"It confirms what we already knew — this was not about public safety, it's about stoking chaos and fear and terrorizing communities," said state Sen. Royce Duplessis, a Democrat who represents New Orleans. "It's furthering a sick narrative of stereotypes that immigrants are violent."

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not respond to questions about the intelligence gathering and referred the AP to a priornews releasetouting "dozens of arrests." The agency has not released an accounting of the detainees taken into custody or their criminal histories.

Few initially arrested had violent criminal records

DHS has publicly detailed only six arrests stemming from the operation — all people with criminal histories — including a man they vaguely said was convicted of "homicide" and another convicted of sexual assault. The agency, which has several hundred agents on the ground in southeast Louisiana, has said it aims to makeat least 5,000 arrestsin the region over an operation expected to last up to two months.

"Americans should be able to live without fear of violent criminal illegal aliens harming them, their families or their neighbors," DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said.

DHS and Republican leaders have framed the crackdown as targeting the most violent offenders. But the records reviewed by the AP identify only nine of the 38 people arrested in the first days as having criminal histories that rose beyond traffic violations — information the intelligence bulletins warn "should not be distributed to the media."

New Orleans City Council President J.P. Morrell said the stated goals of the operation to arrest violent offenders did not align with the reality of what is taking place.

"There's literally no information being given to the city of New Orleans whatsoever," Morrell said. "If the goal was for them to come here and augment existing law enforcement, to pursue violent criminals or people with extensive criminal histories, why wouldn't you be more transparent about who you've arrested and why?"

Morrell and other officials have said the crackdown appears to be a dragnet focused on people with brown skin, citing viral videos of encounters such as masked agents chasing a23-year-old U.S. citizenreturning home from the grocery store.

Law enforcement officials have been carefully tracking such footage and public reaction. "For some supporters, the videos with sounds of children crying in the background as their parents are placed under arrest, is weighing heavy on their hearts," one briefing stated.

Authorities monitoring public sentiment and protests

The records also shed new light on cooperation among state and federal authorities in an operation welcomed by Louisiana's Republican Gov. Jeff Landry. Both the FBI and Customs and Border Protection have stationed agents at the Louisiana State Analytical and Fusion Exchange, an intelligence and data sharing center that is closely following discussions on the online forum Reddit that local residents have used to exchange information about the immigration raids.

One briefing noted that some "have gone so far as to accuse agents of racially profiling Hispanic areas specifically." Another flagged social media posts suggesting agents "are not keeping with the mission of targeting criminal immigrants only." And a third pointed out that critics of the raids "bring up past hurricanes and the work done by immigrants" in their aftermath.

"The chatter is slower during the night, mainly just commenting on posts from earlier in the day," one of the briefings states. "Once daylight arrives and agencies are back out, the chatter and new posts will pick back up."

The briefings have identified no threats to law enforcement, but the fusion center has sought to debunk what it called false reports that a pedestrian was fatally struck by law enforcement. "It has been confirmed that this actually did not occur," the center told law enforcement on Saturday.

One briefing described an incident involving "suspicious persons/protesters" who showed up early Saturday at an ICE facility in St. Charles Parish, where records show the detainees were expected to be processed.

Some local officials said they had been unaware of the state's role in the online monitoring. Louisiana State Police pledged "operational support" to immigration authorities and warned the public that troopers will arrest anyone who assaults a federal agent or causes criminal damage to property.

"The Louisiana State Police remains vigilant in monitoring social media activity related to protests, activism and other forms of public response," Trooper Danny Berrincha, a state police spokesperson, wrote in an email to the AP. "Through the LSP Fusion Center, we actively track developments and facilitate the sharing of information and communication among our partner agencies."

The fusion center also has tracked the tools used by protesters to foil federal immigration enforcement, highlighting social media links to whistle handouts, trainings on filming federal agents and the emergence of a hotline for reporting arrests. The surveillance extended to activist discussions about immigration authorities' presence near an elementary school and recapped demonstrations inside the New Orleans City Council chambers and elsewhere.

"They can monitor me all they want," said Rachel Taber, an organizer with the New Orleans-based grassroots advocacy group Union Migrante, which shares crowdsourced reports and videos of the federal immigration enforcement operations. "We are not doing anything illegal."

Beth Davis, a spokesperson for Indivisible NOLA, which has organized some of the trainings described in the law enforcement briefings, said it was sad authorities seemed preoccupied with law-abiding citizens. "That they feel threatened by a bunch of community organizers that have nothing other than phones and whistles blows my mind."

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Behind the Scenes Shots from Classic Cinema Sets

Every film has a different story behind the camera. Let's take a look at some behind-the-scenes shots from classic cinema sets that film fans still love to talk about.

Image Credit: IMDb

The Silence of the Lambs

Anthony Hopkins and director Jonathan Demme on the set of The Silence of the Lambs.

Image Credit: IMDb

Leon: The Professional

Behind the scenes shots from Leon: The Professional, with young Natalie Portman.

Image Credit: IMDb

Stir Crazy

Behind the scenes of Stir Crazy with Poitier and Richard Pryor.

Image Credit: IMDb

Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction behind the scenes with Uma Thurman and Quentin Tarantino.

Image Credit: IMDb

Blue Velvet

Kyle MacLachlan, Laura Dern, and David Lynch.

Image Credit: IMDb

Jaws

Steven Spielberg and Bruce the mechanical shark.

Image Credit: IMDb

The Shawshank Redemption

Director Frank Darabont with Morgan Freeman.

Image Credit: IMDb

Behind the Screen

Charlie Chaplin and Edna Purviance on the set of Behind the Screen.

Image Credit: IMDb

Joker

Joaquin Phoenix and director Todd Phillips on the set of Joker.

Image Credit: IMDb

Goodfellas

Martin Scorsese, Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta, and Robert De Niro.

Image Credit: IMDb

Black Panther

Chadwick Boseman on throne with director Ryan Coogler.

Image Credit: IMDb

Plenty

Tracey Ullman and Meryl Streep.

• Celebrity feuds that are actually a masterclass in boundary setting

• 10 celebrity transformations that were really about wellness, not image

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This article was produced and syndicated byMediaFeed.us.

Katy Perryand former Canadian Prime MinisterJustin Trudeauare Instagram official.

The 41-year-old popstar on Dec. 6 posteda collection of photos and videosfrom her time in Tokyo, where she performed one of her lastLifetimes Tourconcerts, and the post included snaps from her travels with Trudeau, 53.

Perry shared a selfie of herself and her rumored beau against the backdrop of vibrant Japanese foliage, as well as a video of the two experiencing Perry's first taste of uni – the sex organs of sea urchins, sought after for their creamy texture – at a sushi bar.

Though the two have fueled speculation in recent months withoccasional public outings, neither has publicly commented on the status of their relationship.

View this post on Instagram

Thirty-five years ago, one of the most bold and bizarre film ideas ever hit the big screen.Edward Scissorhandswas the vision of directorTim Burton, who wanted to tell a story about what it feels like being different. And, of course, he told it in the most Tim Burton way possible, with tons ofgothic whimsyand plenty of humor and heart. The film was a big success at the box office and has become a classic. It also transformedJohnny Depp'scareer from a teen idol into a serious actor. We dug up some arcane facts to celebrate its 35th anniversary.

15A Modern Fairy Tale

Winona Ryder, who plays Kim in the film, described the character of Edward Scissorhands as "A combination of all my favorite fairy tale characters, of course in modern day, in suburbia."

14Welcome to Burbank

Tim Burton said that the unnamed town inEdward Scissorhandsdepicted what it was like for him growing up in Burbank, California.

13Why Burton Cast Johnny Depp

For Edward Scissorhands,Burtonsaid he was "looking for somebody who got the idea of that sadness of being misperceived."

12It Made Depp Cry

Johnny Depp cried when he read the script forEdward Scissorhands. "It was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever read in my life," hesaid.

11Sleeping with Scissorhands

To understand what Edward goes through while asleep, Depp left the scissorhands on and tried it. When he awoke the next morning, he'd found the hands across the room. "I'd flung them off during the night at some point,"Depp said.

10Danny Elfman's Music

BurtondescribedDanny Elfman's score as like "a lead character" in the film.

9Another Edward

Gary Oldman turned down the role of Edward Scissorhands because his reaction to the script was "It's ridiculous." However, upon seeing the film, Oldman said "Literally two minutes in I went 'Yeah, I get it. I get it.' I just got it too late."

8Kim's View of Edward

Ryder said that she thought her character was the only one who had an honest reaction to Edward Scissorhands, whereas everyone else in the town treated him like a celebrity.

7Peg's View of Edward

Diane Wiest, who plays Peg in the film,saidthat her character "doesn't look at Edward's hands — or deformity, if you will — as a deformity or something that could hurt her." She also said Peg has "A tremendous amount of empathy."

6Alan Arkin on 'Edward Scissorhands'

Alan Arkin, who plays Bill in the film, calledEdward Scissorhands"The most original production I've ever been connected with."

5Arkin on Bill

Arkin described his character as "A barbecue-y kinda guy."

4Why Scissors?

Speaking on why he thought of scissors for hands,Burton said"It first started out of just those very simple teenage impulses of wanting to touch and wanting to communicate but not being able to. You know, the internal being at odds with the external. Again, very universal, very classic."

3No Edward Knifehands

On another occasion when Burton was asked "Why scissors?" he explained that scissors are very suburban and are associated with "making things," whereas knives were more associated with horror and "destroying things."

2From '21 Jump Street' to 'Edward Scissorhands'

Johnny Depp was a bold casting choice as the actor was seen as a "teen heartthrob" thanks to his part in21 Jump Street. Burton, however, saw that Depp was misperceived, just like Edward.

1A Beautiful Story

Edward Scissorhandswas one of the final roles of horror legend Vincent Price, who played The Inventor in the film. Inan interview, Price describedEdward Scissorhandsas "A beautiful story."

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By Patricia Zengerle and Julia Harte

WASHINGTON, Dec 6 (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers on Sunday unveiled an annual defense policy bill authorizing a record $901 billion in national security spending next year, billions more ​than President Donald Trump's request, and provides $400 million in military assistance to Ukraine.

The sweeping 3,000-page ‌bill includes a 4% raise for enlisted troops but excludes a bipartisan effort to spur housing construction that some lawmakers had hoped to ‌include in the final bill.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said in a statement that the legislation would advance Trump's agenda by "ending woke ideology at the Pentagon, securing the border, revitalizing the defense industrial base, and restoring the warrior ethos."

The measure is a compromise between versions of the National Defense Authorization Act passed earlier this year ⁠by the Senate and House of ‌Representatives, both controlled by Trump's fellow Republicans.

Trump in May asked Congress for a national defense budget of $892.6 billion for fiscal year 2026, flat compared to 2025 spending. That includes ‍funding for the Department of Defense, as well as other agencies and programs involved with security and defense.

The House bill set spending at that level, but the Senate had authorized $925 billion.

The NDAA authorizes Pentagon programs, but does not fund them. ​Congress must separately pass funding in a spending bill for the fiscal year ending in September 2026.

In ‌addition to the typical NDAA provisions on purchases of military equipment and boosting competitiveness with rivals such as China and Russia, this year's bill focuses on cutting programs reviled by Trump, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and deploying troops to the southwest U.S. border to intercept undocumented immigrants and drugs.

It also repeals two resolutions authorizing the use of military force in Iraq in 1991 and 2002.

Considered "must-pass" legislation, the massive NDAA is one ⁠of a few major pieces of legislation that Congress passes every ​year and lawmakers take pride in having passed it annually ​for more than six decades.

The bill typically emerges after Republican and Democratic lawmakers negotiate for weeks behind closed doors. But the process this year was much more partisan than usual.

Some ‍Democrats had threatened to stall ⁠the measure over Trump's use of the military in U.S. cities, until Republican Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, agreed to hold a hearing this week on the issue.

Earlier this ⁠year, Republicans defeated Democratic efforts to block the deployment of the military to American cities and to bar the conversion of a ‌luxury jet given by Qatar to serve as Air Force One.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and ‌Julia Harte; Editing by Sergio Non and Diane Craft)