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Santa and Mrs. Claus Use Military Transports to Bring Christmas to Alaska Native Village

Santa Claus arrives at the school in Yakutat, Alaska,, as part of the Alaska National Guard's Operation Santa initiative that brings Christmas to an Indigenous community that has suffered a hardship, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen).
Santa Claus arrives at the school in Yakutat, Alaska,, as part of the Alaska National Guard's Operation Santa initiative that brings Christmas to an Indigenous community that has suffered a hardship, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen).
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Santa and Mrs. Claus Use Military Transports to Bring Christmas to Alaska Native Village

Santa Claus arrives at the school in Yakutat, Alaska,, as part of the Alaska National Guard's Operation Santa initiative that brings Christmas to an Indigenous community that has suffered a hardship, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen).
Santa Claus arrives at the school in Yakutat, Alaska,, as part of the Alaska National Guard's Operation Santa initiative that brings Christmas to an Indigenous community that has suffered a hardship, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen).

Forget the open-air sleigh overloaded with gifts and powered by flying reindeer.
Santa and Mrs. Claus this week took supersized rides to southeast Alaska in a C-17 military cargo plane and a camouflaged Humvee, as they delivered toys to the Tlingit village of Yakutat, northwest of Juneau, The Associated Press reported.
The visit was part of this year’s Operation Santa Claus, an outreach program of the Alaska National Guard to largely Indigenous communities in the nation’s largest state. Each year, the Guard picks a village that has suffered recent hardship — in Yakutat's case, a massive snowfall that threatened to buckle buildings in 2022.
“This is one of the funnest things we get to do, and this is a proud moment for the National Guard,” Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard, said Wednesday.
Saxe wore a Guard uniform and a Santa hat that stretched his unit's dress regulations.
The Humvee caused a stir when it entered the school parking lot, and a buzz of “It’s Santa! It’s Santa!” pierced the cold air as dozens of elementary school children gathered outside.
In the school, Mrs. Claus read a Christmas story about the reindeer Dasher. The couple in red then sat for photos with nearly all of the 75 or so students and handed out new backpacks filled with gifts, books, snacks and school supplies donated by the Salvation Army. The school provided lunch, and a local restaurant provided the ice cream and toppings for a sundae bar.
Student Thomas Henry, 10, said while the contents of the backpack were “pretty good,” his favorite item was a plastic dinosaur.
Another, 9-year-old Mackenzie Ross, held her new plush seal toy as she walked around the school gym.
“I think it’s special that I have this opportunity to be here today because I’ve never experienced this before,” she said.
Yakutat, a Tlingit village of about 600 residents, is in the lowlands of the Gulf of Alaska, at the top of Alaska’s panhandle. Nearby is the Hubbard Glacier, a frequent stop for cruise ships.
Some of the National Guard members who visited Yakutat on Wednesday were also there in January 2022, when storms dumped about 6 feet (1.8 meters) of snow in a matter of days, damaging buildings.
Operation Santa started in 1956 when flooding severely curtailed subsistence hunting for residents of St. Mary’s, in western Alaska. Having to spend their money on food, they had little left for Christmas presents, so the military stepped in.
This year, visits were planned to two other communities hit by flooding. Santa’s visit to Circle, in northeastern Alaska, went off without a hitch. Severe weather prevented a visit to Crooked Creek, in the southwestern part of the state, but Christmas was saved when the gifts were delivered there Nov. 16.
“We tend to visit rural communities where it is very isolated,” said Jenni Ragland, service extension director with the Salvation Army Alaska Division. “A lot of kids haven’t traveled to big cities where we typically have Santa and big stores with Christmas gifts and Christmas trees, so we kind of bring the Christmas program on the road."
After the C-17 Globemaster III landed in Yakutat, it quickly returned to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, an hour away, because there was nowhere to park it at the village's tiny airport. Later it returned to pick up the Christmas crew.
Santa and Mrs. Claus, along with their tuckered elves, were seen nodding off on the flight back.

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Varieties

Buzz, Unease as UK Crowds Watch US Bombers Head to War

US military personnel loaded missiles onto a bomber at the Fairford base. Henry NICHOLLS / AFP
US military personnel loaded missiles onto a bomber at the Fairford base. Henry NICHOLLS / AFP
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Buzz, Unease as UK Crowds Watch US Bombers Head to War

US military personnel loaded missiles onto a bomber at the Fairford base. Henry NICHOLLS / AFP
US military personnel loaded missiles onto a bomber at the Fairford base. Henry NICHOLLS / AFP

Hidden behind a tall hedgerow in the English countryside, Charlie Cumming stood at the fence of an air force base, camera raised towards a US B-1 Lancer bomber parked nearby.

He was one of hundreds of curious onlookers who flocked to the airfield at RAF Fairford in the southwestern county of Gloucestershire since US aircraft began arriving on March 6, days after the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran.

"I've come just for pictures for my Instagram, really," said the 17-year-old. "It's a bit concerning they're here, but I still think they're really cool to see."

Beside him stood his friend James Martin, 18, from Oxford, who first got him into plane spotting. Seeing bombers loaded for active combat felt "quite surreal", Martin said.

"Seeing these machines going out to cause destruction and actually being used in a war zone is quite a weird experience... we've always seen planes just doing standard training roles."

On Saturday, cars spilled onto verges and down narrow lanes as visitors converged from across the country.

Along a road offering a panoramic view, veteran enthusiasts, excited locals, dog walkers and father-and-son pairs found their spots in the spring sunshine, armed with telephoto lenses, binoculars, stepladders and air-traffic scanners.

Some settled in with fold-out chairs, sandwiches and flasks of tea.

Dave Savage, a truck driver who had driven three hours from mid-Wales with his son, summed up the "excitement" many felt.

"I just like the power and the size of them," he said. "I get a buzz out of seeing something that big and that impressive."

Adrian, a warehouse worker from Doncaster, arrived in time to see a B-1 take off shortly after dawn.

He has spent 22 years spotting warplanes and said the turnout on Saturday dwarfed anything he had seen at a military airfield on a normal weekend.

"Down the lane there's just as many cars as there would have been on air show days," the 58-year-old said, asking not to give his full name.

He came prepared, arriving with a multi-camera setup and heavy-duty ear defenders round his neck.

"The B-1 is pretty much the loudest thing on earth. I've never heard anything as loud as that before."

- Thrill and dread -

Yet the excitement was tempered by an awareness of what these planes were being sent to do -- and Britain's role in their mission.

Fairford, along with Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, is one of two bases Britain finally allowed the United States to use for "defensive" operations in Iran.

The US Department of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment on its use of the base.

But according to estimates from AFP journalists at the site, around six B-52s and 12 B-1s have been using the base, conducting two to three sets of departures and landings per day.

Starmer's refusal to join the US and Israel in bombing Iran from February 28 triggered a public row with US President Donald Trump.

Polls show most Britons oppose the war, with half against US use of RAF bases even when the missions are restricted to bombing Iranian missile sites.

James Martin, who grew up close to RAF Brize Norton some 12 miles (19 kilometers) away, said even those in his local village accustomed to military aircraft overhead were now listening differently.

"Every time the fighter jet comes over, they're very worried about what that could mean," he said. "It's just scary how quickly it's evolving."

Research analyst Christoph Bergs from the London think tank RUSI said Fairford staff were experienced in dealing with large numbers of plane spotters.

"Given the US administration's public statements on Iran, visible activity at RAF Fairford may have been deemed an acceptable if not a welcomed externality of the current air campaign," he told AFP.

For Adrian, the spectacle was compelling.

"You can't turn your back on it, even though you might not necessarily agree with what they're actually doing," he said.

"We're never going to see this again. It's special in that respect -- but a little bit sad as well."

Varieties

Chinese Firms Seek to Loosen West's Grip on Lucrative Snow Business

A visitor snowboards on the slopes at Lianhuashan Ski Resort on the outskirts of Beijing. Pedro PARDO / AFP
A visitor snowboards on the slopes at Lianhuashan Ski Resort on the outskirts of Beijing. Pedro PARDO / AFP
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Chinese Firms Seek to Loosen West's Grip on Lucrative Snow Business

A visitor snowboards on the slopes at Lianhuashan Ski Resort on the outskirts of Beijing. Pedro PARDO / AFP
A visitor snowboards on the slopes at Lianhuashan Ski Resort on the outskirts of Beijing. Pedro PARDO / AFP

Lianhuashan's slopes have been kept snow-covered by ageing European snow cannons for more than 20 years, but the Beijing resort added its first Chinese snowmaker this ski season.

The snow gun, made by Beijing-based Carving Ski, costs about a third less than Western brands such as Italian giant TechnoAlpin, Carving resort manager Tang Lingling told AFP on a crisp February morning at the bottom of the slopes.

"By producing and assembling locally, we avoid the high costs of overseas production and shipping," said Tang, whose company sold around 200 snow machines last year.

"But the pressure from competition is very great."

"The truth is, the profit margin for our snow machine business isn't high."

However, Chinese winter sports firms are slowly chipping away at foreign dominance in the 84.6 billion yuan ($12.3 billion) snow equipment market despite such ferocious price competition.

They aim to replace foreign brands at home before conquering overseas markets by investing in research and making use of China's formidable supply chains.

- Targeting the masses -

China's snow-related equipment sales have surged almost fourfold since 2015, but interest has levelled off since the Beijing Winter Olympic Games in 2022 and a post-Covid boom.

Chinese consumers are now tightening their belts.

"Since 2007, the price of raw materials has at least doubled... but we haven't raised our prices," said Jin Huiyuan, founder of snowboard brand Lidakis.

Her company targets beginners and children with social media-friendly, ultralight boards with detachable dolls that she sells for around 2,000 yuan ($290) each.

They sold around 20,000 boards last year out of their frigid warehouse in Zhangjiakou, close to the slopes used for the 2022 Winter Games.

"Big foreign brands are high-end brands, which are bought by the rich; ours is for the masses. So, on this point, I think we are competitive with them, since not every consumer has lots of money," Jin said.

- Olympic void -

The government has heavily supported this "ice and snow economy", with President Xi Jinping's goal of 300 million winter sports participants surpassed by 2022.

Companies such as Carving and Lidakis benefit from research funding and subsidized rents.

Still, foreign brands dominate the high-end market.

Domestic skis and boards "haven't reached the level" of international competitors, according to Li Zhibo, general manager of ski firm Qianmao Xuelong.

"Some are century-old companies; we can't overtake that kind of history and technical accumulation overnight."

Qianmao mostly sells entry-level ski boots and bindings, but has pivoted to high-end equipment and supplied skis to China's Aerials team for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in February.

However, eventual women's Aerials champion Xu Mengtao opted for the Swiss brand Oxess during the competition.

Likewise, superstars Su Yiming and Eileen Gu secured gold using boards from US brand Burton and skis by Switzerland's Faction, highlighting the gap between Chinese brands and foreign competitors.

- Snow blow -

Despite not finding wide global popularity, some Chinese brands are finding a niche for themselves.

Lidakis has sold to Kazakhstan, South Korea and Iran, while Carving has exported to Russia, filling the void left by European firms locked out by EU export restrictions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine.

For now, the focus is on a domestic shift.

Tang Lingling is optimistic about the transition from imports to local manufacturing.

"In many ski resorts, you will see a lot of European snow machines at first. Gradually, (resorts) are beginning to choose to try Chinese snow-making machines," she said.

"Later, they won't even consider imported ones. They will directly choose Chinese brands."

Varieties

London Boasts 12 of Top 100 Cinemas in the World

The Castle has been voted among the best in the world (The Castle Cinema)
The Castle has been voted among the best in the world (The Castle Cinema)
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London Boasts 12 of Top 100 Cinemas in the World

The Castle has been voted among the best in the world (The Castle Cinema)
The Castle has been voted among the best in the world (The Castle Cinema)

The cinema might feel like a relic to some – a moment from before films were available at the press of a button at home – but those interested in cinemas never turn their back on an afternoon spent sitting in complete darkness with total strangers in front of a booming big screen.

According to METRO, London is a city that can officially boast 12 of the top 100 cinemas in the world.

Time Out recently released its ranking of the greatest cinemas on the planet, with the TCL Chinese Theater in Los Angeles – host to more red carpet premieres for major blockbusters than anywhere outside London’s Leicester Square – taking the top spot.

Elsewhere on the list were some spectacularly unusual venues: the world’s biggest cinema screen in Leonberg, Germany, a small town with a population of just 49,000; a Hungarian cinema housed inside a former temple; a Berlin theater complete with its own nuclear bunker; and a Spanish Baroque picture house that even starred in the Oscar-winning film Milk.

But no city can claim more entries than London, whose best performer came in fourth place.

The BFI Southbank was named the capital’s top cinema, with £4 tickets for 16–25 year olds, the UK’s largest LGBTQ+ film festival, and a constant stream of panels and talks featuring some of the biggest names in film.

Other London venues that made the cut include Picturehouse Central, a seven-screen complex just off Piccadilly Circus, and Curzon Soho only a few meters down the road.

The Castle Cinema, tucked away on Chatsworth Road in the heart of east London, came in at number 82.

By afternoon, the same familiar faces are tapping away on laptops, before the evening crowd rolls in for a blockbuster, a streamed theater show they couldn’t get tickets for – even if they could afford the £100 price tag – or a niche arthouse film you’d struggle to find anywhere else.

If The Castle is backing a film, that’s usually recommendation enough.

The cinema’s distinctive charm is always enough to lure away from the temptation of anywhere else – even Time Out’s supposed best cinema in London – and rearrange the day if needed to catch a film in one of its two screens.

Screen One is the larger of the two, but what it boasts in size it matches in cosiness. Each customer sinks deep into their own armchair, perhaps with one of the best cocktails in east London in hand (often on offer) or a hot chocolate and a slice of homemade cake from the bar.

In Screen Two, however, the back two rows are made up of sofas which, if you’re lucky, you can often get one to yourself.

Independent cinemas are in desperate need of regular customers, but more often than not they struggle to compete with the low prices of soulless multiplex chains like Vue or Odeon.

At The Castle, though, a spectator rarely spends more than £3 on a ticket. Midweek, members can bring a friend for free before 5pm from Tuesday to Friday – and membership costs just £35 a year, or £17.50 for students, NHS staff and those on lower incomes.

Generosity and kindness sit at the heart of the cinema too. Anyone can leave a few pounds behind the bar so that someone else – someone who might need the comfort of a film but can’t afford a ticket – can still walk in and take a seat.

In an age of endless streaming and algorithm-driven recommendations, The Castle feels quietly radical. It’s not just a place to watch films – it’s a place to belong.

And while the world’s most famous cinemas might have bigger screens, grander foyers or red-carpet premieres, none of them have ever made the spectator feels quite as at home or impressed as much as a £3 seat on Chatsworth Road.