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SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to implement the “toughest” anti-U.S. policy, state media reported Sunday, less than a month before Donald Trump takes office as U.S. president. Trump’s return to the White House raises prospects for high-profile diplomacy with North Korea. During his first term, Trump met Kim three times for talks on the North’s nuclear program. Many experts however say a quick resumption of Kim-Trump summitry is unlikely as Trump would first focus on conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. North Korea’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine also poses a challenge to efforts to revive diplomacy, experts say. During a five-day plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party that ended Friday, Kim called the U.S. “the most reactionary state that regards anti-communism as its invariable state policy.” Kim said that the U.S.-South Korea-Japan security partnership is expanding into “a nuclear military bloc for aggression.” “This reality clearly shows to which direction we should advance and what we should do and how,” Kim said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. It said Kim’s speech “clarified the strategy for the toughest anti-U.S. counteraction to be launched aggressively” by North Korea for its long-term national interests and security. KCNA didn’t elaborate on the anti-U.S. strategy. But it said Kim set forth tasks to bolster military capability through defense technology advancements and stressed the need to improve the mental toughness of North Korean soldiers. The previous meetings between Trump and Kim had not only put an end to their exchanges of fiery rhetoric and threats of destruction, but they developed personal connections. Trump once famously said he and Kim “fell in love.” But their talks eventually collapsed in 2019, as they wrangled over U.S.-led sanctions on the North. North Korea has since sharply increased the pace of its weapons testing activities to build more reliable nuclear missiles targeting the U.S. and its allies. The U.S. and South Korea have responded by expanding their military bilateral drills and also trilateral ones involving Japan, drawing strong rebukes from the North, which views such U.S.-led exercises as invasion rehearsals. Further complicating efforts to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons in return for economic and political benefits is its deepening military cooperation with Russia. According to U.S., Ukrainian and South Korean assessments, North Korea has sent more than 10,000 troops and conventional weapons systems to support Moscow’s war against Ukraine. There are concerns that Russia could give North Korea advanced weapons technology in return, including help to build more powerful nuclear missiles. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week that 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed and wounded in the fighting in Russia’s Kursk region. It was the first significant estimate by Ukraine of North Korean casualties since the North Korean troop deployment to Russia began in October. Russia and China, locked in separate disputes with the U.S., have repeatedly blocked U.S.-led pushes to levy more U.N. sanctions on North Korea despite its repeated missile tests in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions. Last month, Kim said that his past negotiations with the United States only confirmed Washington’s “unchangeable” hostility toward his country and described his nuclear buildup as the only way to counter external threats.
1. A garlic chopper to mince or chop garlic for you. You literally just put up to five regular-size cloves in it and then use your hand to roll this thing on any smooth surface, and it chops it all up in a matter of seconds. If you want to mince it, you keep rolling for maybe 10 more seconds. I have one of these, and sticky hands and knives are now a thing of the past. Promising review: "Love! Love! Love the GarlicZoom! Mincing garlic has never been more easy or fun . It makes mince work out of garlic, onion, chilies, and herbs. I'm not sure what I love most about this little gadget. Not smelling stinky garlic fingers all night? No burning fingers or eyes from chopping a super hot chile? Or mincing fresh herbs in a blink of an eye. I have a problem wrist from an injury and an arm and hand that suffers from nerve damage. I can still manage to zoom this. When people ask if they can help in the kitchen, this is the chore that I give them, and everyone loves it . They think it's the neatest little thing." — Kennedy Collins Get it from Amazon for $13.59 . 2. A jar of the The Pink Stuff — aka TikTok's favorite all-purpose cleaning paste. From everyday messes to years' worth of buildup, there's no grossness that this miracle cleaner can't take on. Promising review: "Found this product on TikTok. I don’t think I’ve ever seen value like I do this product! Literally use it on EVERYTHING!! Kids and teens have dirt, grime, and grease on their walls? This will make it look like a new paint job. Baseboards need some love? A pea-sized amount of this makes them look brand new. Need a shoe cleaner? PERFECT for sneakers. I could name a million more uses, but I can ASSURE you this is worth every penny. What’s more? You need such LITTLE of this product, it will last a VERY long time. Thank you, TikTok! !!" — Rachel in CLT Get it from Amazon for $5.49 . 3. An automatic bleach toilet cleaning system , because cleaning your toilet bowl is never fun. Once installed (reviewers say it's a breeze), the bleach automatically dispenses, cleans, and deodorizes with every flush. It's super quick to install, and one cartridge can last up to three months! Promising review: "I originally got these because my college roommate never cleaned the bathroom, and I was hoping to find something that would help me not have to clean the toilet as often. Let me tell you, this works so much better than I hoped. These keep the toilet COMPLETELY CLEAN for three months! When I moved out of the apartment, I took this with me and hooked it up to the toilet back home. When I move out, I will certainly be taking it with me again. Can't recommend this enough." — Dave M. Get it from Amazon for $10.59 . 4. A pack of Affresh dishwasher-cleaning tablets for making sure your dishwasher is super clean and, therefore, capable of making sure your dishes are too. All you do is drop a tablet into the dishwasher before you run a load, and it does all the work from there. Promising reviews: "Works extremely well. We haven't done any cleaning on our dishwasher in five years, and there was detergent buildup all over the inside and a milky film on all our cups. I bought Affresh and ran the dishwasher with two tablets while it was empty, and the difference was astounding. There was still some buildup and I figured it would require another cycle, so I popped another two tablets in, and now it looks and sounds brand new. No more film on the glasses, no more dirty dishes from clogged sprayers, no more odors or buildup around the door seals." — Martoune Get a pack of six tablets from Amazon for $8.54 . 5. A foaming garbage disposal cleaner that uses magical blue foam to rid your garbage disposal of foodstuff and odor. I have these and actually look forward to using them; they're that great. You push one of the biodegradable packets into your drain and then turn the water on. Before you know it, this blue foam starts bubbling up from your drain(s) and, after a few minutes, completely disappears. After that, the drain is super clean, and those lingering smells are gone. Here's what you do: Run some hot water, pop one of the packets in your disposer, let it foam, then wait for the foam to fully disappear. Garbage disposer = clean and ickiness-free. Promising review: "Works like a charm! These are pretty cool! I was a little skeptical, but I followed the easy-to-use directions, and it worked just like the product said it would. Foamed up and cleaned the drain!! Smell removed!!" — Jennifer K Get two packs of four from Amazon for $10.78 . 6. Some motion-activated, battery-powered night-lights to illuminate dark areas in your home. I use these in closets, deep cabinets, and my bathroom that has a really loud fan that turns on every time I switch the light on. Promising review : "Since I am pregnant, I am constantly going to the bathroom at night. I keep tripping over and over since I refuse to turn on the light so I won't wake up my husband. Last night was the first time I did not trip . Best ever! I am going to buy more." — Luiana Get a pack of three from Amazon for $9.92+ (available in five different colors). 7. An expandable shelf for under your sink that adjusts itself around your awkwardly shaped pipe. You will be able to fit so much more stuff under your sink when you use this! Measures 15 inches long x 11.25 inches wide x 15 inches high and can expand to 25 inches long. Promising review: "I'm so glad I bought this. I have a 24-inch vanity in my bathroom, and this fits perfectly. I have it extended to about 23 inches, and it holds sturdy, though I can see if you were to extend it to its full length, it gets weak in the middle. I liked it so much that I ordered another one for the kitchen. I got some clear bins to help organize bottles and other goodies I keep in the bath." — Marlene R. Get it from Amazon for $24.47 (available in three finishes). 8. Some sleek transparent dividers to separate clothes into categories. Sweaters, pants, T-shirts, and more will finally have a place inside your closet that doesn't require being hung up. Promising review : " These dividers have changed my life! I put them on the top shelf of my clothes closet and divide sections into the type of clothes I want. One section has blue jeans, another section has black pants, and another section has lightweight summer pants , and I can see everything just looking up at the shelf. My closet is no longer a mess , and the top shelf above the hanging clothes is no longer the place where I just throw things and can’t keep track of them. I never knew what was up there and now I do! I just bought a second set of them for my second closet." — Elizabeth Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in three colors and packs of two, four, six, or eight). 9. A multi-plug outlet with six electric outlets, two USB ports, and a built-in night-light. The night-light has three levels of brightness and can turn on automatically when it senses the area getting dark. Promising review: "So happy that I bought this beautiful wall charger. It looks much more expensive. The six outlets are nicely positioned that I can use all of them at the same time. Two USB outputs are ideal for charging our phones. Highly recommend!" — Elaine Get it from Amazon for $12.98 . 10. A bamboo shower stool to keep all your bathing needs within reach. This is especially great if you have little to no built-in shower storage. Promising review : "This bench was exceptionally easy to put together. Everything fits well, and it seems very sturdy. Extra parts were included but not needed. The quality and appearance are both very high . I'm very pleased and would not hesitate to recommend it to others, nor would I hesitate to buy another one." — Randy S. Get it from Amazon for $29.74+ (available in natural bamboo or black). 11. A pumice stone for removing hard water stains in your toilet's bowl. Considered a must-have cleaning tool, if there's a stain in your toilet that you're sure is permanent, try this out and watch it disappear like magic. Promising review: " The holy grail of toilet cleaning . Oh wow! I am so happy with this pumice! It removed all the buildup from my hard water easily and quickly! I was thinking I would have to buy a new toilet and start over and just try to clean it every day. I've NEVER been so pleased with a product!" — Tasha Get it from Amazon for $13.99+. (available in packs of one or two). 12. A soothing wake-up light sunrise alarm clock that simulates the sunrise, so waking up (at any time) feels totally natural. It has seven natural sounds and slowly turns from 10% brightness to 100% in 30 minutes. :::Deep exhale::: Promising review: "I suffer from mild insomnia and generally have to use sleep aids, which is fine but not ideal for every night. I also moved from SoCal to Washington state a year ago, and I have NEVER been exposed to so little sunlight in my life! Living in the dark winters here is insanely difficult for me. This👏🏼Little👏🏼Alarm👏🏼Clock👏🏼 Has changed my life, and I’ve only had it for like three weeks. The sleepy time setting has the ability to KNOCK me out without the use of sleep aids! What?! My brain totally responds to the way the light functions. The morning alarm is so gentle and peaceful (you can completely control the noise and brightness settings). I wake up much more naturally rather than to the blaring honk or passive-aggressive chiming of a traditional alarm (looking at you, Apple)." — KatieM Get it from Amazon for $39.98+ (available with a white or wood base). 13. A roll-up drying rack so you can let dishes and produce dry without taking up valuable countertop space. And because it goes over the sink, no need to worry about water dripping all over the place. Surpahs is a small business that sells high quality items for the home. Promising review: "This is very sturdy and it allows air into cups, pans, etc. to dry easily — unlike a drying pad. It holds heavy pans with no problem. The color is soft and goes great with my white and gray countertops and it's extremely functional. It's easy to clean, just roll it up and store it under the sink. Highly recommend. 👍🏻" — Denise Get it from Amazon for $19.49+ (available in four sizes). 14. A utility wagon to haul all your heavy stuff around. I use mine nearly every day — getting groceries and heavy packages into my apartment, taking recycling down to the bins — it's all easy thanks to this wagon. And to add more icing to the cake, it completely collapses when not in use. The wagon can hold up to 150 pounds. Promising review : "I don't know how I did without one for so long!! I'm in the process of moving and this cart has gotten me through some very hard tasks . Oh and it's great for bringing in groceries, too. Stairs tend to be a problem though. "The only issue I have with it is that the handle won't stay in its cradle causing it to hit the floor too often. But when it comes to being a work horse I couldn't ask for a better carrier. Talk about an absolute household essential!!" — Wanda Hamilton Get it from Amazon for $85.99+ (available in seven colors). 15. A citrus-scented toilet spray , because it's always best to leave no trace — especially smelly ones — when it comes to doing what you do in the bathroom. Just spray this into the bowl before you go number two, and it does all the work from there. This formula is nontoxic and paraben-free. Promising review: "I didn't think I would like this, but it works! I was shocked. My husband has very regular BMs and that usually means that the rest of us have to avoid that part of the house for at least a little while. I got this for his birthday as a gag gift , but we tried it and it works amazingly well! The only downside is that I'm starting to associate the pleasant citrus scent with poop as well. It is not a subtle cover-up, as anyone who walks by the bathroom will smell a great outpouring of citrus, but it's better than the alternative! Overall, I definitely recommend this product to anyone who poops." — steel_muffins Get it from Amazon for $9.47 . 16. A dog-feeding reminder for making sure your dog gets fed but not overfed each morning and evening. This will be especially useful for those who live in a home with multiple people caring for one pup. DYFTD is a family-owned small business that makes products to help you remember things like feeding the dog or taking your pills. Promising review: "Awesome product! There are four of us who were working together to feed the dogs. It simplified everything because I no longer have to text to see if anyone had fed them every morning. Now I just to see if it's green and if not I feed them and indicate it, we all love it so much!" — Toni Deegan Get it from Amazon for $7.95 . 17. A veggie chopper so that prepping an abundance of food is easier than doing it all by hand. Give yourself a break with this chopper that uses four blades to julienne, chop, and slice vegetables with ease. Check out a TikTok of the veggie chopper in action. This comes with four interchangeable blades so you can julienne, chop, slice, and cut easily. This is FDA-approved, BPA-free, and can be fully disassembled. It also has a soft-grip handle to make prepping ingredients easy on your hands. Promising review: " If you’re lazy like me, this is for you. One thing I don’t like doing in the kitchen is chopping vegetables. You do have to cut the vegetables to a certain size so it can fit correctly in the blades, but I don’t mind doing half the work." — J Rivera Get it from Amazon for $22.99+ (available in four types and colors). 18. A 3-in-1 wireless charger to charge your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at the same time, no unsightly nest of cords required. Promising review: "I love this charging station! I'm one of those people who has all the Apple things, so being able to charge my phone, watch, and AirPods Pro at the same time is a total game changer for me. I can’t even guess how many times I’ve misplaced my AirPods because I didn’t have a dedicated place for them. Now there’s no question where they are every morning. Not only that, but the charger is pretty fast (especially for the watch and earbuds) and the station itself is easy to set up and use." — Anonymous Get it from Amazon for $21.99+ (available in six colors). 19. A rapid egg cooker for cooking up to six eggs five different ways with a push of a button. Hard boiled, soft boiled, poached, scrambled, even omelets — this tiny appliance will do it all so you don't have to. Promising review: "If you are on the fence about getting one of these, GET ONE. It really is as easy as it sounds to have a perfectly cooked egg, no guesswork. Just have an ice bath ready next to the cooker and let the eggs sit for a minute or two in there...peels come right off :) Makes eating a breeze in the morning! Where has this been all my life?!?!?" — rebecca Get it from Amazon for $16.18+ (available in six colors). Check out our Dash Rapid Egg Cooker review . 20. A dishwasher magnet to let you know if the dishes are clean or dirty. With just one swipe you never have to worry about unloading dishes that haven't actually been washed. Promising review : "Easy to work, magnetic, doesn’t mark the dishwasher, so easy and simple to operate . Even my wife, who is blind, can tell 'clean or dirty' by which way the sliding cover plate is positioned." — scott Wagner Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in six colors and styles). 21. A set of two toothpaste squeezers so you get every last ounce of toothpaste out of the tube. It also holds your toothpaste upright, which means it won't take up as much valuable countertop space. Promising review: "These work great. They keep even a full tube upright so the bathroom counter looks tidier. The key twists the empty section of the tube easily so every bit of the toothpaste is used with no fuss. Have one for my husband and me and for each of the two kids. Highly recommend this product." — Chelley Patterson Get a set of two from Amazon for $7.50+ (available in two color combinations). 22. A 15-piece set of airtight food containers , because your pantry staples deserve a designated home. This set has over 18,700 5-star reviews for a reason, it's that good. Promising review: "I ordered this set to continue on the road to an organized pantry. There are enough containers and enough variety of sizes to make me happy. I have stored pastas and noodles, dried beans, rice, sugar, instant mashed potatoes, crackers , etc. When I open a box of something, I put whatever is unused into one of the containers and feel very secure that the contents will be fresh and protected from any possible insect problems." — R M Get it from Amazon for $28.99+ (available in three colors). 23. A CovoBox that provides hidden storage for unsightly things like routers and bulky cords. Each box is made right here in the US with real wood and reclaimed books. Before adding this to your cart, you have the option to customize it, including selecting from 14 lengths and 15 colors (including custom colors). The CovoBox is made from reclaimed books and sustainable wood. Covogoods is a family-owned small business that creates home decor in Utah. Promising review: "I’m pretty sure I’ve never loved a purchase from Amazon as much as I love this one. This product is EXTREMELY well made and very unique. Plus, it does the job of hiding the ugly routers and cords. And the customer service was great and responsive. I was a little hesitant to spend the money on this, but after years of living with the husband’s pile of technology, the money was well spent!" — AmazonEmme Get it from Covogoods on Amazon Handmade for $29+ (available in customizable sizes and colors). 24. A windproof rechargeable lighter for all your candles and grilling needs. The flexible neck makes it easy to light hard-to-reach wicks, and it'll spark 400 times before it needs to be recharged. Promising reviews: "I'm a candle-freak, so I was tired of using a regular lighter and then having to rig up something to reach the wicks as my candles burned down. I had seen these lighters previously, read through the reviews, and decided to purchase. I've been very happy with my purchase. After reading reviews, I just make sure to clean the lighter with the little brush that's included, to make sure there is no wax on it, each time I use it. I have had no problems." — MM Get it from Amazon for $11.99 . 25. A set of three oven liners to avoid a sticky, messy oven. You can cut these dishwasher-safe liners to fit onto the bottom of your oven and it'll catch all the drippings from pies to casseroles. When it gets gross, clean it by hand or on the top rack of your dishwasher. FitFabHome is a small business that sells products aimed to make every day life at home just a little bit easier. Promising review: "I expected to be happy, but I'm thrilled! Each mat is pliable and fits the entire width of my standard oven. When the mat is against the back wall, it extends up to but not over the front lip of the floor. On first use, pizza cheese and sauce dripped onto the front edge of the mat and onto that uncovered lip. The baked-on cheese and sauce slid right off the mat! Effortlessly! After I cleaned up the lip, I layered a second mat to cover the lip. These mats are so great that I almost want food to drip on them so I can show off how wonderful they are." — Artset Outset Get a pack of three from Amazon for $12.99 . 26. A food storage set that includes eight 30-ounce containers with lids. The containers are glass, which means you won't get the food stains you often see with traditional plastic food storage containers. I use these for meal prepping all the time. Promising review: "Absolutely love this product! Makes storing and transporting my meals extremely easy and keeps everything fresh all week. Portion size is perfect. I fit a whole chicken breast plus rice in them with room to spare. The leak-proof design holds in freshness in and gives me peace of mind when transporting them in my backpack. When all is done they are extremely easy to clean." — RH Get it on Amazon for $39.99 (available in three colors). 27. A nontoxic, plant- and mineral-based essentials cleaning kit so that you can keep your home sparkling clean without the use of harsh chemicals. The kit may give you sticker shock, but after you factor in how many times you can refill each bottle with the magical concentrate, it breaks down to about the same price per bottle of cleaner you'd buy at a big store. Each kit comes with a 33.8 oz bottle of cleaning concentrate and three refillable bottles for all-purpose cleaner, bathroom cleaner, and glass cleaner . Branch Basics is a woman-owned small business based in Minneapolis making high quality non-toxic cleaning products. Promising review : "This is the cleaning solution I’ve been needing for so long. Having young kids, I’m constantly thinking about ingredients and what’s healthy for our family. I LOVE there is no smell, and I can use for so many things around my house. Thank you for creating a such an amazing cleaning brand.❤️ I love this." — Whitney T. Get it from Branch Basics for $67+ (available in plastic or glass bottles). 28. A dual-spray showerhead for a better bathing experience. The handheld head is great for making sure you never get out of the shower not realizing your hair still has conditioner in it. Promising review: "Wonderful product for low cost! I moved into a place that had an old showerhead that barely worked. I decided to look into new showerheads, and this one popped up. I am very impressed. The installation instructions were very easy to follow. I have had no issues with cracks, malfunctions, or leaking. There is no leaking and dripping in the hose, either. Both work wonderfully. This makes the shower feel very spa-like. I recommend this highly." — Ashley Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in three finishes). 29. A microfiber spin mop that makes sure your mop isn't soaking wet before you get to cleaning. It has an automatic wringer and is designed in a shape that will reach into small spaces and corners, no problem. Plus, the mop head is machine-washable. You'll get the mop, bucket, and two refill mop heads. Promising review: "Ashamed to say, but I barely ever mop the floors. I purchased this O-Cedar mop and bucket based upon the great reviews. I am here to add a 5-star review of my own. This mop and bucket not only cleaned my floors, but they made the entire process easy (and dare I say fun?). I did the entire first floor of my house both tile and wood . Then wanted more fun, so I scooped up the handy handle and carried it upstairs where I continued on to the bedrooms and bathrooms. I don't want to go on and on, but this mop picked up lots of dirt and grime, then popped easily into the washing machine. It came out great. The swirly thing makes all the difference. It wrings out all of the excess water, so it's easy to mop without using too much muscle, which I do not have. And the mop heads are short, rather than long mop heads, which only make for heavier mops. If you're on the fence, go for it, you'll agree." — LauraP320 Get it from Amazon for $44.96 . 30. A set of drawer organizers that'll help keep your socks, bras, undies, and more from overflowing and taking over your bedroom floor. You'll get 45 cells out of this set, so there really will be a place for everything. The set includes four bins: one with six cells for scarves and tights, eight square cells for underwear, seven wide cells for bras, and 24 small cells for socks. Promising review: "I love these things; they’re so versatile. I have them all over: drawers, closet shelves, cabinets. I use them for more than just underwear too. I use them for dry art supplies in open shelves and just about anywhere else I need to organize." — Kindle Mac Get it from Amazon for $13.87 (available in seven colors). 31. A battery organizer to keep all your household batteries neatly stored. It comes with a battery tester, too, so you can make sure a battery works before you do the work of popping it into whatever device you're trying to use. Promising review: "Well-designed and sturdy product. It solves the problem of searching for batteries when you need them. I see myself buying less batteries as now, all my batteries are neatly stored in one central location. The tester is a great feature, it takes the guesswork out of what is normally a very tedious chore of find the right battery, making sure it's a good battery, and determining if the problem lies with the battery or the actual device. Would highly recommend this to anyone seeking to organize their battery supply. Not some cheap plastic, but a really durable and solid product. Also makes a great gift!" — Howard NY Get it from Amazon for $29.99 . 32. A jar of Humble Suds' all-natural scour cleaning paste for taking on tough cleaning jobs like baked on grime in the oven to removing difficult stains on your bathroom's grout. Thanks to a combination of castile soap and essential oils like sweet orange and lemongrass, not only does this do the job of removing grime, but it smells amazing, too! Humble Suds is a small cleaning brand run by two moms in Colorado. All of their products are made from humble yet powerful plant and mineral-derived ingredients and scented with pure essential oils. Promising review : "I just cleaned my boyfriend's oven which hasn't been cleaned in five years 😲. I used this magical stuff, and I was amazed. This works like a dream . Will be buying more immediately." — Tarah Redburn Get it from Humble Suds on Etsy for $15.95+ (available in a 11oz or 18oz jar). 33. A moisture meter to place deep down into the soil so you know exactly how much water your plant is getting. Under- and overwatering can be a thing of the past, people! Promising review: "This item is great. I can check how wet my plants are down where the roots are. So no more overwatering! It is very accurate. This works great!!" — Terri Carlson Get it from Amazon for $7.97+ (available in three colors). 34. An Instant Pot to pressure cook, slow cook, cook rice, steam, sauté...and even make yogurt. This is truly an amazing small appliance that will make cooking so many of your different dishes a breeze, I promise. And because it can do so much in such a little device, imagine all the countertop and cabinet space you'll save. Promising review: "This is quite possibly the coolest, most versatile kitchen gadget I’ve ever owned. I love it so much that I’ve purchased two more for friends and relatives. What can it do? I think the real question is 'What can’t it do?' I truly believe you could replace every cooking appliance (including your oven and stove top) and do EVERYTHING in the Instant Pot. I purchased two sizes for my own use: the 3-quart (which is my almost-every-day workhorse for two person dishes) and the 8-quart (which I bring out to handle my dinner party dishes). Everything I’ve tried has been fabulous. In the realm of kitchen appliances, there is no better investment than the Instant Pot. Highly recommended!!!" — Stereoman Get it from Amazon for $79.95 . 35. A two-stage knife sharpener , because preparing food with a dull knife is never a good idea. Keep all your knives sharp with this easy tool that only requires a few swipes to make it like new again. Promising review: "Wow, this little gadget is pretty amazing! I have some old (expensive) nonserrated knives that are supposed to never need sharpening, but, unfortunately, lost their sharp edge long ago. I saw this gadget and decided to try it. I set the bottom of this gadget on the edge of the counter and ran one of the knives through the side labeled 'Coarse' about 10 times, then ran it through the side labeled 'Fine' another 8–10 times. Bingo! The knife was transformed back to its former high-dollar cutlery glory. I could hardly believe how effectively it had sharpened the knife, which I had been ready to throw away a week before. I've been happily sharpening all our knives and trying to add up in my head how much money I've saved by NOT having to buy another set of expensive knives . Great score!" — Schelly L. Wagoner Get it from Amazon for $6.91+ (available in four colors). Read our full review of the KitchenIQ knife sharpener . 36. A double closet rod for getting the most out of your closet's vertical space. All those blouses, jackets, and shirts are taking up way too much valuable real estate, so literally double your space with this nifty tool. Promising review: "This is sturdy and lightweight. This closet rod doubled my available space in seconds. There is plenty of space on the top rod for longer shirts and tops and shorter ones fit perfectly on the lower rod, without touching the floor. Plus, hangers stay in place and don't slide to one end or the other based on how heavy items are, and so far the rod hasn't sagged or bowed at all. And I have all my sweatshirts and heavy fleece jackets on the bottom rod. Space will obviously depend on the height of the closet rod you hang this from, but I would highly recommend this for anyone with need of more closet space!!" — CCBunE Get it from Amazon for $15.99 . 37. An automatic, odor-absorbing, sensor-activated trash can made of fingerprint-proof stainless steel. Who knew a single trash can could do so much? Promising review: "I bought this trash can eight years ago. At the time, it was hard to find any stainless-steel trash cans for an affordable price, so the fact that this was the most reasonable and it had the automated lid seemed like a pretty easy choice. It still looks great and works great. You can wave over the sensor to open the lid, or there is a button on the front of it to open the lid and keep it open. The lid does a great job of holding any odors in while it's closed ." — Somni Get it from Amazon for $68.42+ (available in six styles). 38. A honeycomb divider if your drawer is a sea of mismatched socks. This tiny but mighty divider will create 18 pockets, though reviewers say bigger drawers can accommodate two sets — so 36 pockets. The set snaps together with maximum dimensions of 13.25 inches x14.38 inches, but you can snap two (or more!) packs together if you want to fill more drawer space! Promising review: "OK, admittedly, I am a bit of an organization freak. I purchased two of these organizers (yes, you do need two PER drawer) to organize my underwear drawer. The gratification I got from being able to see exactly what I had, neatly organized, easy to find... Wow. I definitely recommend this product. And the actual dividers are well made and super easy to assemble." — Brigette Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 39. And a magnetic bobby pin tray so that all your pins stay in one place instead of literally everywhere else. I find bobby pins everywhere — under my sofa cushions, in the back of drawers, at the bottom of the laundry bin — and it's entirely preventable with a simple tool like this. Promising review: "I love this product. My bathroom drawer looks so organized now that my bobby pins aren’t all over the place. I loved that it came with bobby pins, which I had no idea would be included! It's nice to also have some new bobby pins!" — Monica Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in two colors). You to yourself every time you look in the mirror after getting what you need from this list: Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.Former Indian PM and renowned economist Manmohan Singh passes away
By ZEKE MILLER, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team on Tuesday signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weeks-long delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs, an essential step for a smooth transiton of power. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to face the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Teams of investigators have been standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers. “This agreement with the Department of Justice will ensure President Trump and his team are ready on Day 1 to begin enacting the America First Agenda that an overwhelming majority of our nation supported on Election Day,” said Susie Wiles, Trump’s designate to be White House chief of staff. The announcement comes a week after the Trump transition team signed an agreement with the Biden White House to allow transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office on Jan. 20. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House had issued both public and private appeals for Trump’s team to sign on. Security clearances are required to access classified information, including on ongoing operations and threats to the nation, and the Biden White House and outside experts have emphasized to Trump’s team the importance of having cleared personnel before Inauguration Day so they could be fully briefed and ready to run the government. Republican Senators have also insisted on FBI background checks for Trump’s nominees before they face confirmation votes, as has been standard practice for decades. Lawmakers have been particularly interested in seeing the findings of reviews into Trump’s designated nominee for defense secretary, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, and for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence. “That’s why it’s so important that we have an FBI background check, a committee review of extensive questions and questionnaires, and a public hearing,” said. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine on Monday. John Thune, the incoming Senate Republican leader, said the Trump team “understands there’s going to have to be a thorough vetting of all these nominees.” AP congressional correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed.After the death of Jimmy Carter, who is the oldest living president?SANTA CLARA — Brandon Allen prepared as if he was the 49ers’ starting quarterback all week, but the reality didn’t hit home until Friday, when Brock Purdy again missed practice. “I know he had a plan for his shoulder all week, rest it a little bit on Wednesday and we’d split reps,” Allen said of Purdy. “I think the plan Thursday was to come out and practice. I guess in warmups it just wasn’t feeling right. I found out (Friday).” Allen, a 32-year-old veteran in his ninth season, will start Sunday when the 49ers (5-5) visit the Green Bay Packers (7-3) at Lambeau Field. Purdy was ruled out with a shoulder injury sustained in a 20-17 loss to Seattle , the first time he has missed a start because of injury after 31 regular-season and six postseason starts. Here are five things to know about Allen: 1. Arkansas roots The Fayetteville, Arkansas native’s father Bobby spent more than 20 years as an Arkansas assistant coach. After a redshirt season in 2011, Allen played in 42 games with 38 starts for the Razorbacks. As a senior, Allen completed 57.4 percent of his passes for 3,440 yards, 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions as Arkansas went 8-5. His brother Austin took over as the Arkansas quarterback. In his ninth season, only Joe Ferguson (11 seasons) of the Buffalo Bills has more time in the NFL among Arkansas quarterbacks. 2. Professional route Drafted in the sixth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Allen spent his rookie season behind Blake Bortles and Chad Henne as a third-string quarterback and did not play. He was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017 and played behind Jared Goff and Sean Mannion before being signed by the Denver Broncos in 2019. Allen won his first start against Cleveland 24-19 in Week 9 of that season, passing for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Allen signed with Cincinnati in 2020, spent time on the practice squad and was promoted to the active roster in November. Subbing for Joe Burrow, Allen had his career-best game, passing for 371 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-31 win. Allen is 2-7 as an NFL starter with 1,611 yards passing, 10 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 78.0 passer rating. 3. Signing with the 49ers Allen became a 49er on May 8, 2023, signing as a free agent. The 49ers, who up to that point seldom kept a third quarterback on the 53-man roster, kept Allen as a No. 3 all season behind Purdy and Sam Darnold after the previous year’s injuries to Trey Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo, and finally Purdy in the NFC Championship Game. Allen did not take a snap. 4. Installed as No. 2 QB Allen signed another one-year contract with the 49ers for one year and $1.21 million (which is more than the $985,000 that Purdy makes on his rookie deal). The 49ers also signed Joshua Dobbs to a one-year, guaranteed $2.35 million contract. Allen and Dobbs competed throughout training camp, with Allen earning the nod from coach Kyle Shanahan. “You’ve got to make a decision. Usually I don’t want to have to make it,” Shanahan said. “I want it to be that obvious, let it play out. Brandon had the head start just being here. I thought he did some better things in practice.” 5. Familiarity with the system While in Denver, Allen’s offensive coordinator was Rich Scangarello, who was the quarterbacks coach under Shanahan in 2017-18. In Los Angeles, the head coach was Sean McVay and the offensive coordinator was Matt LaFleur, both of whom run variations of the Shanahan offense. In 2018, Zac Taylor was his quarterbacks coach with the Rams. Taylor, upon being hired as head coach in Cincinnati, signed Allen to back up Burrow.
He's been helping Donald Trump’s most contentious Cabinet picks try to win confirmation in the Senate.None
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